[Open Log] November Arrivals & Greeters/Protection Force

[thepull_mods]

Who: New November Arrivals, Greeters, & anyone else who happens to be hanging around the Tower Apartments to greet newcomers.
When: Month of November (Please Specify Date & Time in Thread Header)
Where: The Sector 4 Baseball Diamond, Parking Lot & Lobby of the Tower Apartments
Summary: This is your catch-all one stop log for arrival interactions!

Comments

[defenderofducks]

The world had changed. Aziraphale had felt it. He hadn't known what to expect, but even had he been expecting something, this wouldn't have been it. The change in light was almost more dramatic than anything else; the shift from a summer day in the country side of England to this, grey, dull, wintery light. A little unsteadily he pushed himself up, glancing around, what light there was glinting off his wings. Only a moment after that, though, he remembered them and suddenly they vanished, as though they had never been there, leaving only rips in his suit jacket, which started to repair themselves.

It was a little disappointing to find that Crowley was no longer beside him, but not entirely unexpected. He'd obviously traveled quite a way. And to be honest, better that than being back where he was with Lucifer about to appear in front of him. Speaking of which... Another quick glance around confirmed that his sword wasn't there, which was really rather a relief. It wouldn't be good to have to hide that too.

Finally, the angel stretched a little and started to wander around. Now that all of that was sorted, he needed to try and find out where he was so he could head home.

[by_your_leave]

If there was ever a sign that Aziraphale was decidedly not in the world he'd just left behind, it might be the sight of this particular police officer, currently standing at the edge of the baseball field. While his features were decidedly far from human, the police uniform would have been recognizable anywhere.

He was also, not to put too fine a point on it, staring at Aziraphale as though he'd just dropped out of the sky.

"Welcome to Siren's Port. Have you just arrived?" Head cocked and ears splayed in silent question, Fratley's voice was even enough, though the exact focus of his gaze would be hard to guess from the hat tugged down nearly over his eyes.

[defenderofducks]

Starting when he realised that someone else was there too, surprise registered on Aziraphale's face for just a moment before he hid it. Over his long years the angel had seen many strange and interesting things, but no one quite like this. That didn't mean that he would show it, though. That would just be rude.

Never mind that the stranger was staring at Aziraphale. He hoped that he hadn't seen his wings. He'd been seen a couple of times over the years, and it never ended well. Still, he gave a cautious smile and moved a little closer. "Thank you. I... ah, would assume so." It was a little odd to be talking without being able to see the other's eyes, but Aziraphale put up with it. He knew that sometimes people would rather hide them.

"Siren's Port... Where exactly is that?" He asked, with a little frown, looking around again.

[by_your_leave]

Fratley's job was ostensibly to watch out for any dangerous Newcomers and protect the Greeters from them, not actually orient new arrivals himself-- but for one reason or another, there didn't seem to be a Greeter around to do the job, so he found himself uncomfortably clearing his throat, tipping his head down in the approximation of a bow.

"It is a city located off the coast of Canada, if you have heard of that country." He was no judge of style, but the clothing the man wore seemed close enough to what was in Siren's Port to guess that he came from a world where there was a Canada. For a moment, though, he thought he'd seen-- no, perhaps it was simply a trick of the light.

Pushing the brim of his hat back, clear blue eyes took their first good look at Aziraphale. "This might take some time to explain," he said at last, tail flicking delicately behind him. "And it is an explanation best heard somewhere more comfortable. If you would kindly follow me, I will do my best to answer any other questions."

[defenderofducks]

Aziraphale chuckled at the idea that there might be people who hadn't heard of Canada. And at least Canada was better than America! He fell silent as the implication, and looked again at the man in front of him. Well, now. Alternate worlds. Wouldn't that be ineffable? "Oh, I've heard of it. I haven't been here for a long time go." There would be nothing recognisable here from when he last visited, even if it was the same as his Canada, as that was hundreds of years ago now.

"Certainly!" He gave another, friendly smile, but winced faintly as he pulled his coat in around him. He'd been through a few trials recently, but he shouldn't be this sore. "I don't suppose there's any chance of a cup of tea?"

[by_your_leave]

"Tea can be arranged." It's the only drink Fratley actually knew how to make. A fleeting smile, though it quickly melted away into concern at the way Aziraphale winced. It was probably better to get him seated sooner rather than later.

In short order, Fratley led Aziraphale to the dugout at the edge of the field, were a few Greeters were already bustling around preparing for new arrivals. Indicating that the man should take a seat, Fratley vanished briefly behind the hot water machine, returning with a styrofoam cup of tea with (unfortunately) a lone teabag bobbing in it, as well as a box of sugar cubes. Both were delicately offered to the angel. "I'm afraid we don't have anything better at the moment. My apologies for not introducing myself earlier-- my name is Fratley."

[defenderofducks]

Well, those were promising words, and Aziraphale perked. A nice cup of tea would make everything easier to deal with. Still, he was pleased there wasn't far to go, and he took a seat with a little sigh of relief. Leaning back, he looked around. At least it didn't look too different from the world that he had left behind. Perhaps it wasn't a different one after all.

Aziraphale perked when the man returned with a cup. "This is wonderful. Thank you." Never one to sniff at what he'd been given, Aziraphale took it and delicately dropped a few sugar cubes in, before cradling it in his hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Zira Fell." He offered a hand to shake, and then sat back again, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, Aziraphale smiled at Fratley. "Now, you said you could explain things to me?"

[by_your_leave]

Very, very carefully-- for the claws on his hands, blunt or not, could still be unpleasant to feel on soft skin-- Fratley took "Zira Fell's" hand to give it a firm but brief shake. It seemed awkward to keep standing while the man was seated, so he took a seat beside him, still cradling the box of sugar cubes while his ears flicked idly.

"As I said before, you are in a city called Siren's Port. You have been brought here, from your own world, by a device known only as the Core-- it may seem similar, but this is a different world. Those who have been brought to this city by the Core are called Newcomers. I am a Newcomer myself.

"You may wish to examine your pockets." He waved vaguely. "Most Newcomers wake to find an NV-- a NetVice-- on their person. This make take many forms, but whatever it is will be easy for you to use. It will allow you to contact other Newcomers over the network it is connected to.

"Do you have any questions at this point, or shall I continue?"

[defenderofducks]

The contrast of claws with manicured fingers was rather striking, but Aziraphale didn't seem to notice, let alone mind. Turning to face Fratley as he sat down, Aziraphale listened intently. What he told him seemed a little incredible, but as no more reasonable solution presented itself, he believed him for now. And God did some times move in strange and ineffable ways.

"A... NetVice?" Aziraphale frowned faintly, and then shifted, patting his pockets. There was a pen, a few scraps of paper, some string, his wallet, and some lint, all quite normal for him, but from his jacket pocket he pulled a tan book that hadn't been there when last he looked. He turned it over in his hands, before opening it and he was surprised to find two familiar magic circles drawn into the back; one for voice, and one for video. "I assume this must be it?" He asked, offering it to Fratley so he could see. "What exactly is this network thing?"

[by_your_leave]

The circles were unfamiliar symbols to Fratley, but if Aziraphale recognized them, then that must be the purpose they served. He nodded, briefly, before continuing with his explanation.

"The network works as a means of communication between various Newcomers in the Port. When you send a message to the network using your NetVice, anyone with access to the network may see and respond to it. It is best likened to a bulletin board, in short. You may also use the NV to send messages to other individuals, provided you have their number. You can also use your NV to access the daily news."

[defenderofducks]

Aziraphale took a moment to consider that, turning the book over in his hands again. That all sounded rather technological to him, but as this was a book... well, he felt more reassured that he could get used to it. When he was in private he'd have a play around until he was more confident in what he was doing. "If it's not rude to ask, may I see yours?" Having just been introduced to them he wasn't sure if they were meant to be a personal thing or not.

"Can you tell me more about living here?" He asked. Fratley had asked if he had any more questions, after all, and Azirphale had plenty. For now, though, he was looking at the other man, obviously curious about anything else he had to tell him about the place.

[by_your_leave]

Unaccountably, Fratley looked fleetingly embarrassed, but he reached up to unhook an earpiece from one fuzzy ear and offers it for Aziraphale's inspection. "My NV is not convenient for use while I am at work, so this allows me to connect to it even when I am not at home. It allows me to access any messages left on my personal NV and may read out written posts, since I cannot otherwise view them."

Moving on to the subject of living in the city... "It is a city much like any other-- you are granted a month's free rent in the Tower Apartments," he nodded towards the building in question, hard to miss even here, "but if you wish to live comfortably, you will have to make your own arrangements for a job and permanent living arrangements.

"Perhaps the most important thing to know about living in Siren's Port is that it is ruled by the sirens." He doesn't even seem to realize the possibility for an unintentional joke, there. "There are two: the ones which sound in the evening, signaling the beginning of the Darkness, and the ones that sound in the morning, marking its end. It is strongly advised you do not stay outside during the Darkness, as monsters populate the street during those hours."

[defenderofducks]

Curiously, Aziraphale accepted the earpiece, turning it over in his manicured hands, but returning it without going into too much detail as Fratley seemed embarrassed to give it to him. He gave him a grateful smile as he did. "I suppose there have been all kind of odd things turn up." He looked over his book again, frowning thoughtfully. It was all a little strange, really.

Aziraphale followed his gaze to the flats in the distance and nodded, taking a sip from his tea. The reassurance that he'd have somewhere to stay, even though he hadn't really got to the thought of worrying about that yet, was rather nice. "Do you use Canadian Dollars here?" He asked, shifting a little so he could reach into his pocket and pull out his wallet to see how much money he had. A hundred pounds or so; not enough to last him long, but hopefully his bank card would work, and if not, well... he'd work something out.

Fortunately for Frately, Aziraphale wasn't one to mention anything, but he was briefly confronted with the image of sirens from legends. Fortunately as he continued, he realised what he meant, and a frown formed on his face. Well that was a rather distasteful addition to this whole mess. "What causes it? What kind of monsters?" He asked, needing more detail. "This lasts all night?"

[by_your_leave]

"Yes, Canadian Dollars are the currency used here. There is a Newcomer Fund you may borrow money from as well, though you will have to speak with Miss von Karma for more information." Aziraphale was luckier than Fratley was, coming here-- Gil wasn't a currency that could be readily exchanged.

"It is uncertain what exactly causes the Darkness, but the most common belief is that it is related to the Core. It does typically last all evening, changing as the nights grow long and short." The calmness of his voice might be better suited to reciting a grocery list, really. "As for monsters, there is a man who has documented them more extensively than I-- you should be able to use your NV to access his bestiary."