Jonathan is walking to the library, lost to his thoughts, when the sound of a bus horn drags him from them. He looks in the direction of the sound and is greeted by a very strange sight.
Several fired synapses later he realizes that the man in the road just tried to take on a bus with a sword, therefore clearly isn't native to Chicago 2011, and that he should probably say something before someone, particularly the new wanderer, gets hurt.
"You seem a bit lost." He says simply as he steps up next to Richard, now on the sidewalk. "I may be able to help with that." He gives a disarming smile, coming across as friendly.
Still on the defensive, Richard turns quickly, his blade still drawn as a new voice addresses him. He tenses his muscles, coiled and ready to spring forth an attack. After appraising the source of the voice, he relaxes only slightly.
"A woodsman is never lost, not truly." Giving up how very strange this place is to him will only hurt Richard in the long run.
Jonathan looks down at the blade a moment before looking back up to Richard.
"Well, we don't seem to be in the woods." He comments dryly before realizing it was probably inappropriate, considering the situation. He lets out a soft breath before adjusting his glasses. "I apologize. That was... inappropriate. You must be very confused." He says.
"Do you know where you are?" He asks calmly, still very aware of where the sword is.
Richard answers the comment about not being in the woods with just a steely glare.
"Somewhere near Taniumura, most likely. The Sisters will be looking for me. You'd be better off just pointing me back in the direction of the Palace. You know how testy those Sisters can be." He says, hoping to get his bearings sooner rather than later.
Jonathan offers a polite smile at the glare he gets for his comment. Well this guy is just a ball of sunshine.
He listens to what Richard has to say before frowning slightly. "Regrettably, there is no easy way to say this." He starts, "But you're in Chicago. You've fallen through a Rift, I'm afraid. There is no way back." He gives it a moment to sink in.
"But as I said before, I might be able to help. I'm Jonathan Crane." He introduces himself before asking, "And you are?"
It's not a wonder that Richard may not be the most trusting of people at this precise moment. He regards this Jonathan Crane with a less hard stare, but certainly has no smile to offer in return.
"Richard." He says at first, not sure to give any surname at all, but finally he adds. "Richard Cypher." It's not a lie... exactly. Cypher was a name he used before learning of his true heritage, the Rahl heritage.
Jonathan realizes Richard has no reason to trust him but Scarecrow doesn't seem to care. You always seem to find the pleasant ones...
"A pleasure, I'm sure." He responds before glancing at the sword once again. "Now, why don't you put the sword away and I can explain the situation further." He suggests gently.
Richard gives another hard stare, his jaw working in a clench. After a few long moments, he sheathes his sword. The sound of it coming to the hilt pounds in Richard's ears. Without the blade in hand, Richard can feel his anger subsiding slightly.
Jonathan is much more comfortable now that the sword has been put away.
"As I said, you've fallen through a Rift, sort of a portal between worlds I suppose, into Chicago from-" he hesitates a moment, "-Taniumura, was it?" He asks, fairly certain that he's correct, but not sure. "There is no way to return I'm afraid. The same thing happened to me."
He stops a moment, waiting to see how Richard is taking all this and to see if his explanation made sense.
"And what sort of magic brought us here? No doubt a minion of the Keeper is to blame for this." Richard doesn't know much about magic, but to not be able to reverse this trouble must be at the hand of some dark magic.
Jonathan frowns softly. He has no idea who Richard is talking about. "I don't believe magic is to blame. More of a freak natural occurrence, in my opinion. There are many theories, though." He shrugs.
"I've been here about three months." He answers. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." But Richard is already wondering how many months will pass before he can find his way back. He doesn't feel like arguing over the fault of magic. Clearly this man doesn't know how dangerous magic can be, or how much trouble it can cause.
"Do you know what I'm meant to do here? Surely there must be some sort of purpose for all of this."
Jonathan nods slightly, but he doesn't think that Richard is being entirely honest with him.
"Regrettably, I don't think there is." He tells Richard before adjusting his glasses. "From what I understand The Rift randomly pulls people here. There's no reason for it."
"The Keeper always has his reasons." Richard mutters under his breath. There has to be a grand design and he will be the one to find it. He's still the Seeker, after all. But that's another thing that he doesn't feel like sharing just yet.
"It's all incredibly strange, but I suppose most things of magic are."
Jonathan blinks, not sure what Richard said but deciding not to ask. He has a feeling it will be better that way.
"I suppose they are." He answers deadpan. He doesn't feel like arguing the Rift's motives at the moment. "There's a place for you to stay." He tells Richard. "The Kashtta Tower. It's near by." He's not going to volunteer to take Richard there, but he may do so if asked.
Several fired synapses later he realizes that the man in the road just tried to take on a bus with a sword, therefore clearly isn't native to Chicago 2011, and that he should probably say something before someone, particularly the new wanderer, gets hurt.
"You seem a bit lost." He says simply as he steps up next to Richard, now on the sidewalk. "I may be able to help with that." He gives a disarming smile, coming across as friendly.
Or at least he hopes so.
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"A woodsman is never lost, not truly." Giving up how very strange this place is to him will only hurt Richard in the long run.
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"Well, we don't seem to be in the woods." He comments dryly before realizing it was probably inappropriate, considering the situation. He lets out a soft breath before adjusting his glasses. "I apologize. That was... inappropriate. You must be very confused." He says.
"Do you know where you are?" He asks calmly, still very aware of where the sword is.
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"Somewhere near Taniumura, most likely. The Sisters will be looking for me. You'd be better off just pointing me back in the direction of the Palace. You know how testy those Sisters can be." He says, hoping to get his bearings sooner rather than later.
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He listens to what Richard has to say before frowning slightly. "Regrettably, there is no easy way to say this." He starts, "But you're in Chicago. You've fallen through a Rift, I'm afraid. There is no way back." He gives it a moment to sink in.
"But as I said before, I might be able to help. I'm Jonathan Crane." He introduces himself before asking, "And you are?"
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"Richard." He says at first, not sure to give any surname at all, but finally he adds. "Richard Cypher." It's not a lie... exactly. Cypher was a name he used before learning of his true heritage, the Rahl heritage.
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"A pleasure, I'm sure." He responds before glancing at the sword once again. "Now, why don't you put the sword away and I can explain the situation further." He suggests gently.
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"There. Now, please. Explain."
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"As I said, you've fallen through a Rift, sort of a portal between worlds I suppose, into Chicago from-" he hesitates a moment, "-Taniumura, was it?" He asks, fairly certain that he's correct, but not sure. "There is no way to return I'm afraid. The same thing happened to me."
He stops a moment, waiting to see how Richard is taking all this and to see if his explanation made sense.
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"When did you arrive?"
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"I've been here about three months." He answers. "Why do you ask?"
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"Do you know what I'm meant to do here? Surely there must be some sort of purpose for all of this."
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"Regrettably, I don't think there is." He tells Richard before adjusting his glasses. "From what I understand The Rift randomly pulls people here. There's no reason for it."
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"It's all incredibly strange, but I suppose most things of magic are."
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"I suppose they are." He answers deadpan. He doesn't feel like arguing the Rift's motives at the moment. "There's a place for you to stay." He tells Richard. "The Kashtta Tower. It's near by." He's not going to volunteer to take Richard there, but he may do so if asked.
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"Kashtta. I'll remember that. Thank you. You've been very helpful." He offers the man a hand to shake. "Perhaps our paths will cross again."
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