☪ First Dive ☪ West Side, First Level ☪

[falcondive]

[It wasn't just the strange architecture and unkempt appearance of this place, nor the empty streets and void of bustling city sounds that Altaïr was alert to. The buildings weren't tall enough here, there were few good vantage points for his purposes, and from what he could tell no good places for Leaps of Faith. This was not a town with an

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[walksonrooftops]

That's really difficult to do, you know.

[Being human, Asato can understand the frustration with trying to climb up a wall, in the sense that it's...basically impossible, at least for him. Maybe once this transformation wore off, if it ever did, he could once again be adept at it.

He just stares at the man from a slight distance, head tilted just a bit in curiosity. This one looks different too; all the different time periods produce an interesting mix of people (and animals!), none of whom he's ever seen before in his life. Asato can't make any solid judgments based on this one's attire, and since he hasn't spoken, he can't clue in from there, either. The closest would be Cesare, the strange one who wanted to go roaming to Rome and needed city birds to send his messages to his family in...what was it...Italy?]

[falcondive]

[Altaïr stops, one hand on a window sill, the other reaching up to grab a small ledge of brick, and both feet perched with tip-toes on the top sill of a doorway. He looks down at the man, face shadowed under the lip of his white hood.]

For some, yes.

[With the implication that it is decidedly not difficult at all for him.]

[walksonrooftops]

[He keeps staring, almost feeling jealous for how nimble and lithe this person is in comparison to his own clumsy human body.]

Are you a cat?

[He can't tell if ears are hidde below the hood, but he's curious. The word comes out translated from Ribikan into the universal Meridian tongue, but it holds the implication that he isn't just talking about a housecat.]

[falcondive]

No.

[Altaïr dropped to the ground and turned to face the man, taking a quick glance up and down the street to see if anyone else was around. He balled his fists and lowered his head slightly. He wanted to ask where he was but would that not seem suspicious, to not know where one was? Maybe he could find out more subtly.]

Do you live around here?

[walksonrooftops]

I do. [A brisk nod in response.]

[falcondive]

[Altaïr looks behind him at the building he had been about to scale then at the man.]

None of this is familiar to me.

[walksonrooftops]

It wasn't to me either. [As if that's meant to be comforting somehow.]

From what I know, this place is called Meridian, and we're all trapped here. There's enough here to help you get by...food and clothes and things like that.

[falcondive]

[There was no reason to take this man's words for truth but they were helpful at least as a starting point to finding out what had happened. For all he knew, this was an enemy.

Though he looked like an innocent, a simpleton even. Asking if he were a cat. Ridiculous.

Unless it was a keyword or had some significance unknown. He speaks again after a long moment of silence staring at Asato.]

Why did you ask if I was a cat?

[walksonrooftops]

Oh--because you climb like one.

[Too bad he's not really himself, or he would be able to illustrate it quite easily.]

I'm a cat too. Or I was...Strange things happen here.

I'm going to assume he sees Asato as an ally, if that's okay?

[falcondive]

[This man had to be a simpleton or severely touched to be calling himself a cat, or former cat. Altaïr stares at him again in silence unsure how to proceed. Should he bother trying to gather more information or is this a waste of time?

He looks up and down the street again, listens to the loud silence of the city, eyes noticing details reminding him of the foreignness of this place.]

What kinds of strange things? [Altaïr looks back at the strange one, eyes reflecting light for a moment as he slips his view into the Vision unique to him.]

NO HE WILL CLAW YOUR FACE OFF hehe of course its okay~

[walksonrooftops]

Usually it's just little things. But sometimes it's really big and really sudden. People turn into animals. Animals turn into people.

[He doesn't think much of the light in the other's eyes, assuming it must be the fire wheel--no, the sun--or something similar, or maybe even just his imagination.]

bad kitty Bl

[falcondive]

[The bright blue aura around this man was unmistakable. He was an ally, if Altaïr wished for him to be. He would have preferred a definitive golden that marked this person as someone with potential information but at the least he was not an enemy of the Brotherhood nor of himself.]

That is not possible.

ROWR HISS

[walksonrooftops]

It happened just a little while ago. I transformed too. A lot of people did.

[Nothing about his expression would indicate he's lying in any way. He's just making declarative statements, and whether this person wants to accept them or not isn't his choice to make.]

I'll get the water spritzer

[falcondive]

[Altaïr's expression doesn't change but he is coming up with a few crazy theories of his own before he stops himself and decides that no matter how convincing this person is and how uncertain his situation that things like people turning into cats is absurd.]

What is your name?

DOUBLE HISS

[walksonrooftops]

Asato Kayason.

[He's pretty much comfortable with that name now, having shared it so often. He'll always be "of Kira" in his own mind, though.]

[falcondive]

Asato Kayason, tell me what nation rules here and what religion reigns.

[That would give him a basis for finding safety in potentially hostile territory. With good fortune Asato knew the answer.]