The Unpopping of River Tam

[biblerewrite]

River found herself in the not unfamiliar state of being utterly disoriented.

This is not logical; there is not enough butter on Serenity to bathe in.
And yet, to spite the illogical bend of the situation, here she was, covered in butter. Did they even have butter?

And, surrounded by popcorn.
There is not enough popcorn on Serenity to fill a room.
This

Comments

[papayagami]

Soichiro was checking. Sure, there were no other names he recognized on the plaque, but given how many people he knew that went under aliases, it couldn't hurt to check to see if someone was there.

Okay, someone unfamiliar (River Tam, strange name) was here, but no one he know.

"Would you like some help?"

[biblerewrite]

"Directions would be nice," River answered politely. "To a shower, or unbuttered clothes."

[papayagami]

"Showers, I think it would depend on where you go. Do you remember which house you were in? As for clothes, I think we could ask a house elf."

[biblerewrite]

"I remember being on Serenity, then being covered in butter. Maddie knows where a shower is, all I need are clothes."

She paused a moment.
"I'm River."

[papayagami]

"I...." oh wait, not everyone has shinigami eyes, silly Soichiro. "I'm Soichiro. House elf then." He flagged down a random house elf. "Could River have some clean clothes please?" He stepped aside so River could specify if necessary.

"I've never heard of Serenity."

[biblerewrite]

"Mid-bulk Transport. Standard Radion Accelerator core. Class code 03-K64--Firefly. It's a starship," she specified. "Home that moves. Home where Simon and Kaylee are." She stared at the house elf, and shrugged. "Surprise me."

[papayagami]

"After my time, then. Very after my time. We aren't capable of commercial space travel yet."

[biblerewrite]

This information was quite disconcerting. She'd gone back in time? And Jezz had said this was Earth-that-was, or like it...
She stared off blankly for a while, unsure how to answer.

[papayagami]

"I wish I was joking, River, but I'm not. This is the year 2008." The house elf came with clean clothes. "I could carry those for you, and leave them by the shower when you get there."

[biblerewrite]

She nodded mutely, indicating he should take the clothes.
"I've become much younger, it seems," she said softly. "I wish I could find Simon..."

[papayagami]

"Were you a child during this year?" He was curious. "And who's Simon, if you don't mind me asking."

[biblerewrite]

I'll be born in about five hundred years," she murmured. "Simon is my brother. He's a boob." She smiled a little, then. He was probably off with Kaylee somewhere, she was sure. He would never be too far away from her, she knew.

[papayagami]

Soichiro paused to let that in momentarily. Five hundred years? He could hardly picture Earth five years from now, let alone five hundred. "Wow," he couldn't help but whisper. "You and your brother are close though, from the sounds of it, you wouldn't miss him otherwise."

[biblerewrite]

She smiled, both at his expression and the thought of Simon. "He's my family. I love him the best. He's always taken care of me, even when he's frightened or it is difficult. Do you have a brother?"

[papayagami]

"No, I don't. I have...had a family of my own. Wife and two children. My son...he's here right now."

[biblerewrite]

"That is good. Is your son much like you?"