[The words are supposed to be reassuring, Light can tell that much, but it fails to achieve that on every front. The only reason Light hasn't already tossed this aside as a lie, is because... well, what could this person possibly gain by lying about something this ludicrous?]
So what you're saying.. [His brow furrows as he tries to process this bit of information. The metaphysical implications of being in two places at once--No. It had to be impossible. Had to be.] ...is that we are...
[A sigh.]
I'm sorry, but do you have any proof of this? If not proof, any reasons for your theory? It's just... [Light can feel his throat tightening- he doesn't have the time for this. He needs to go back and do something about that goddamn bastard.] ..Well, it seems a little unbelievable doesn't it? [A shaky laugh.] It's almost as though we're all versions of Schrödinger's cats. Perhaps I'm oversimplifying the issue, but if it's true that we're dreaming then shouldn't we in theory, be able to leave by waking up?
[Another pause, as the last part of what the stranger says finally hits Light.]
[Damn. Watching him trying to mentally digest all this nonsense he has to wonder if that's what he looked like. Certainly remembers what Elena looked like.
At the same time he'd like to thank the sort of crash course he had in adapting here and, well, his little 'adventures' where he was from.]
The only proof I can give you is an honest smile and a reassuring pat on the back. Seriously, I don't know anything about cats, but you'll just have to take my word for it. After walking around the place for a while or [He points at Light's phone.] turning that thing on and listening to the other people, or, ah, things trapped here, it'll start to sink in. Besides, I know I'm very much alive back home. [...Right?]
[Ah, part of the fun is slowly adapting and realizing that there are things here that will make you question your sanity. Drake simply shrugs, not wanting to throw too much at the guy right now.]
[At the suggestion, Light turns his attention back to the phone. He had only briefly glanced at the contact list, and the documents. He hadn't had the time to observe the posts... yet. He scrolls through the contact list slowly with a thumb, eyes narrowed in concentration.
So no proof then. Furthermore, lifeforms from other planets? Somarium would almost make more sense if this was simply a dream, rather than a world in which he was both dreaming and not dreaming simultaneously. What the stranger is asking Light to do, is take a leap of faith, which, no, he can't. But Light can certainly act as though he has. A deep breath. His voice is calmer now, the nervousness from before is beginning to dissipate.]
I see. [Looking only slightly disappointed.] Does everyone... thing? have a phone? Does anyone know why we have it, or who placed it on us? I can't remember seeing this before.
[What Light isn't adding on here, is that this kind of technology doesn't even exist in his time. Not for public use anyway. As a frequenter of Akihabara, Light's seen a fair amount of sophisticated technology, but nothing like this.]
And.. how do you know you are alive back home? [A pause. Would it be a stupid assumption to think that cats only existed on Earth? Light isn't even sure anymore.] I'm guessing you're from Earth?
Far as I know everyone finds one on them when they wake up here. Who knows. Maybe we're being held captive by some phone company and forced to test out their rates and calling plans.
[He just shrugs. Not that he wasn't bothered by any of it, he was, but the phone was really the least of his concerns because so far it had been useful.
Maybe he should try taking it apart some time, come to think of it. Not that he was sure he could get it back together though.]
I'm from Earth. United States to be exact. And none of the cuts and bruises I came here with looked fatal at all-- I was a pretty good distance away when that grenade went off. [You heard him, Light. Grenade.] Besides I've been through worse. I was shot and the train I was on exploded and went off a cliff. Had to climb up the damn thing just to reach solid ground again. [He says this all rather nonchalantly, like it's the most normal thing ever. Then he pauses and looks Light over.] Did you die?
Apologies for the extreme slow; Exams suck.solsticeanewMay 20 2011, 04:26:48 UTC
[Light actually laughs at the joke. The thought that at least if it were a phone company holding them hostage here, he might actually have the ability to do something about it with a Death Note comes as an after thought- though, for obvious reasons, he keeps that part to himself. He might even have continued to relax, were it not for the part that comes after.]
Grenade? [A raised eyebrow.] You were killed? [High risk occupation, evidently. Something illegal, if grenades were involved. Pause.] ...Wait, what do you mean, did I die? [Eyes narrow.] No, I don't remember dying- or being killed, or anything like that. I was... The last thing I remember was resting after a ceremony- not important anymore, obviously, but-.. [He trails off.] Is that how people come to be here?
[There's no way in hell that made sense. ...L wouldn't have killed him to see if Kira's victims continued to die, would he? Then again, he had practically had Lind L Taylor act as human bait. No- this line of thought will get him absolutely nowhere.]
...Ah, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? My name is Light.
No problem! Backtagging is not an issue everassworthsavingMay 20 2011, 20:23:09 UTC
Nah, I wasn't killed- just a little banged up! [Well he was ninety percent certain he was okay. Good enough.] So if you know that you didn't die and I know I didn't die, than neither of us are here because we're dead. That really only leaves two options; we're insane or it's some kinda dream-thing. Personally I'd like to go with dreaming.
[And that's how he sees it. Plain and simple. He had been asking some others how they arrived here just to keep tabs on whether it was due to dying or something else. If anything it would put his own mind at ease and it was working so far.
Oh, right, introductions. He tended to forget. Drake extended his hand.]
[With a smile, Light takes the proffered hand and gives it a firm shake. Returning to pleasantries is helping slightly. These at least, are a routine Light can follow without giving much thought to them.]
I'd say it's a pleasure, but considering the circumstances, it would seem a little strange, no? [Another laugh.] I'd have to agree with you that the idea of this being a dream is infinitely preferable to the idea that we're insane. Or that somehow we're dead beyond our knowledge for that matter.
[The idea still bothers Light, however. He can't die. He can't lose. Not to L, not to anybody.]
if this is a dream though, it still doesn't make sense. The material of dreams only comes from within one's own consciousness. Visions and faces from our memories, so to speak. As I've never met you and you've never met me, it can't be possible for me to dream of you to this degree of clarity, or vice versa.
I suppose one could argue that the imagination is powerful enough to fill in the details, and provide a more vivid picture- but then the implication is that one of us isn't actually real.
[Light leaves that open-ended for Nate to respond to, but the implication isn't particularly well masked.]
[That little theory catches Drake off-guard and he opens his mouth to protest, almost offended that he was being told he might not exist, before considering that the kid had a point. Not to mention that he nearly did the same thing to Lara when he arrived here.
He closes his mouth and starts over, shrugging as he honestly didn't know how to answer that.]
Y'know I've seen some pretty unbelievable things in my travels, and this is definitely the winner, but I don't think everything can be explained.
Least... that's what I'm going to tell you because I don't have anyway to convince you that I'm real. I could stand here and tell you my life story till I'm blue in the face, but you might just assume that your mind is 'filling in the details.' You're just going to have to trust me on that.
[And while Light would probably still be in denial, he figured that in time, just like with himself, things would become more believable. It still might not make much sense, but at least the bigger part would be addressed.]
Though, uh, when some days go by and you still haven't woken up it might be good to consider another theory.
So what you're saying.. [His brow furrows as he tries to process this bit of information. The metaphysical implications of being in two places at once--No. It had to be impossible. Had to be.] ...is that we are...
[A sigh.]
I'm sorry, but do you have any proof of this? If not proof, any reasons for your theory? It's just... [Light can feel his throat tightening- he doesn't have the time for this. He needs to go back and do something about that goddamn bastard.] ..Well, it seems a little unbelievable doesn't it? [A shaky laugh.] It's almost as though we're all versions of Schrödinger's cats. Perhaps I'm oversimplifying the issue, but if it's true that we're dreaming then shouldn't we in theory, be able to leave by waking up?
[Another pause, as the last part of what the stranger says finally hits Light.]
...Where else would I be from?
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At the same time he'd like to thank the sort of crash course he had in adapting here and, well, his little 'adventures' where he was from.]
The only proof I can give you is an honest smile and a reassuring pat on the back. Seriously, I don't know anything about cats, but you'll just have to take my word for it. After walking around the place for a while or [He points at Light's phone.] turning that thing on and listening to the other people, or, ah, things trapped here, it'll start to sink in. Besides, I know I'm very much alive back home. [...Right?]
[Ah, part of the fun is slowly adapting and realizing that there are things here that will make you question your sanity. Drake simply shrugs, not wanting to throw too much at the guy right now.]
Y'know... not-Earth.
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So no proof then. Furthermore, lifeforms from other planets? Somarium would almost make more sense if this was simply a dream, rather than a world in which he was both dreaming and not dreaming simultaneously. What the stranger is asking Light to do, is take a leap of faith, which, no, he can't. But Light can certainly act as though he has. A deep breath. His voice is calmer now, the nervousness from before is beginning to dissipate.]
I see. [Looking only slightly disappointed.] Does everyone... thing? have a phone? Does anyone know why we have it, or who placed it on us? I can't remember seeing this before.
[What Light isn't adding on here, is that this kind of technology doesn't even exist in his time. Not for public use anyway. As a frequenter of Akihabara, Light's seen a fair amount of sophisticated technology, but nothing like this.]
And.. how do you know you are alive back home? [A pause. Would it be a stupid assumption to think that cats only existed on Earth? Light isn't even sure anymore.] I'm guessing you're from Earth?
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[He just shrugs. Not that he wasn't bothered by any of it, he was, but the phone was really the least of his concerns because so far it had been useful.
Maybe he should try taking it apart some time, come to think of it. Not that he was sure he could get it back together though.]
I'm from Earth. United States to be exact. And none of the cuts and bruises I came here with looked fatal at all-- I was a pretty good distance away when that grenade went off. [You heard him, Light. Grenade.] Besides I've been through worse. I was shot and the train I was on exploded and went off a cliff. Had to climb up the damn thing just to reach solid ground again. [He says this all rather nonchalantly, like it's the most normal thing ever. Then he pauses and looks Light over.] Did you die?
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Grenade? [A raised eyebrow.] You were killed? [High risk occupation, evidently. Something illegal, if grenades were involved. Pause.] ...Wait, what do you mean, did I die? [Eyes narrow.] No, I don't remember dying- or being killed, or anything like that. I was... The last thing I remember was resting after a ceremony- not important anymore, obviously, but-.. [He trails off.] Is that how people come to be here?
[There's no way in hell that made sense. ...L wouldn't have killed him to see if Kira's victims continued to die, would he? Then again, he had practically had Lind L Taylor act as human bait. No- this line of thought will get him absolutely nowhere.]
...Ah, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? My name is Light.
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[And that's how he sees it. Plain and simple. He had been asking some others how they arrived here just to keep tabs on whether it was due to dying or something else. If anything it would put his own mind at ease and it was working so far.
Oh, right, introductions. He tended to forget. Drake extended his hand.]
Nathan Drake- or just Nate.
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[With a smile, Light takes the proffered hand and gives it a firm shake. Returning to pleasantries is helping slightly. These at least, are a routine Light can follow without giving much thought to them.]
I'd say it's a pleasure, but considering the circumstances, it would seem a little strange, no? [Another laugh.] I'd have to agree with you that the idea of this being a dream is infinitely preferable to the idea that we're insane. Or that somehow we're dead beyond our knowledge for that matter.
[The idea still bothers Light, however. He can't die. He can't lose. Not to L, not to anybody.]
if this is a dream though, it still doesn't make sense. The material of dreams only comes from within one's own consciousness. Visions and faces from our memories, so to speak. As I've never met you and you've never met me, it can't be possible for me to dream of you to this degree of clarity, or vice versa.
I suppose one could argue that the imagination is powerful enough to fill in the details, and provide a more vivid picture- but then the implication is that one of us isn't actually real.
[Light leaves that open-ended for Nate to respond to, but the implication isn't particularly well masked.]
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He closes his mouth and starts over, shrugging as he honestly didn't know how to answer that.]
Y'know I've seen some pretty unbelievable things in my travels, and this is definitely the winner, but I don't think everything can be explained.
Least... that's what I'm going to tell you because I don't have anyway to convince you that I'm real. I could stand here and tell you my life story till I'm blue in the face, but you might just assume that your mind is 'filling in the details.' You're just going to have to trust me on that.
[And while Light would probably still be in denial, he figured that in time, just like with himself, things would become more believable. It still might not make much sense, but at least the bigger part would be addressed.]
Though, uh, when some days go by and you still haven't woken up it might be good to consider another theory.
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