Sophie has seen a lot of strange things since she arrived in Chicago.
She's seen things that she now never realized she could explain, she never wanted to be able to explain, and things that she just plainly never wanted to see again. But none of them has caught her interest as much as the man who tried to take on a bus with a sword.
She watches carefully as he moves over onto the sidewalk, and then slowly starts to make her approach. It's impossibly obvious that he's a new wanderer, which means it's time for Sophie to step in before he attracts too much attention.
Richard whirls around to face the voice behind him. He studies the woman's face for a moment before looking at her strange garments. He's not comfortable with any of this. Not even in this Old World that he had been brought to has he seen anything like this.
"You mean it's not a creature? But something built?"
She's giving him a bit of a measure up herself. He's definitely out of his time, if not a completely polar universe. She isn't sure what exactly to tell him, but she can at least start with the basics.
"Oh, yes. That's a machine. It's meant to help transport."
"Like a wagon. But I see no horse?" He focuses his attention completely on her, because it is easier to focus on one thing that makes no sense than to try to sort out all of them at once. He can tackle the small issues until he needs to piece together the larger ones.
That definitely has Sophie's attention. She isn't sure which Palace he's referring to -- if it's a palace native to Earth, or a palace from another world, but she has to say -- she very much would like to find out.
"That depends on which Palace you're referring to. But I have a feeling that regardless, you are quite a way aways, I'm afraid."
Is there another palace nearby? Richard hasn't heard of any other, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. He doesn't know the Old World very well, so for all he knows, there's one just past Tanimura.
"The Palace of the Prophets. I'm being held there. Training." He assumes this is all the explanation needed. He's not met anyone in the area surrounding the Palace who does not know what the Sister of the Light do.
Richard suddenly looks far more concerned. "A rift? Another tear in the Veil? So this is the world of the dead?" He certainly doesn't remember dying, but the Keeper would have many tricks up his sleeve, wouldn't he?
"Are you the Keeper's minion, come to bring me to your Master?" He hefts his sword up, back on the defensive.
It's hard to know what to believe. But nothing about this place feels like death. Richard assumes that he would know what it felt like to be dead. Merely crossing the boundary once had made him feel as if his soul was being ripped from his body. This felt... normal.
So long as he didn't think about the sights, sounds, and smells, that is.
"No one really knows. It's a bit of chance -- there is a gap between two places, and you've fallen through it into this one."
Sophie isn't really sure how else to put it. Someone who's a bit more technical might have a better chance of making it make sense, but she's doing the best she can.
None of this makes any sense, but thankfully, he's used to having his world turned upside down by now. Richard can only nod and make the most sense of it that he can. "Magic must be the cause. It's the only conclusion."
Sophie isn't sure it's the only conclusion, either, but she knows that it's at least a place to start for now. "Yes. A bit like magic, I suppose. Regardless -- we're stuck here. As far as we can tell, there's no way home."
"Of course." Because if there was a way, she would have told him by now, right? He tries not to give away how much all of this news is effecting him, as Richard isn't the type to let a stranger know the sorts of things that he's feeling.
"I think I may have a look around for now. I'd like to get my bearings. But I appreciate the offer." His expression is completely genuine. This once, Richard's curiosity will win out over his logical side, which desires to secure shelter above all else.
She's seen things that she now never realized she could explain, she never wanted to be able to explain, and things that she just plainly never wanted to see again. But none of them has caught her interest as much as the man who tried to take on a bus with a sword.
She watches carefully as he moves over onto the sidewalk, and then slowly starts to make her approach. It's impossibly obvious that he's a new wanderer, which means it's time for Sophie to step in before he attracts too much attention.
"It's quite a contraption, isn't it?"
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"You mean it's not a creature? But something built?"
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"Oh, yes. That's a machine. It's meant to help transport."
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"Am I far from the Palace?"
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That definitely has Sophie's attention. She isn't sure which Palace he's referring to -- if it's a palace native to Earth, or a palace from another world, but she has to say -- she very much would like to find out.
"That depends on which Palace you're referring to. But I have a feeling that regardless, you are quite a way aways, I'm afraid."
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"The Palace of the Prophets. I'm being held there. Training." He assumes this is all the explanation needed. He's not met anyone in the area surrounding the Palace who does not know what the Sister of the Light do.
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Universe might be a bit over this guy's head as well, but she's just going to roll with it. "Sweetie, you've fallen through a Rift."
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"Are you the Keeper's minion, come to bring me to your Master?" He hefts his sword up, back on the defensive.
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"Not the world of the dead, no," she sighs. "A Rift is a hole between universes. You're in a place called Chicago."
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So long as he didn't think about the sights, sounds, and smells, that is.
"I don't understand. Why am I here?"
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Sophie isn't really sure how else to put it. Someone who's a bit more technical might have a better chance of making it make sense, but she's doing the best she can.
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"Thank you. You've been very helpful."
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