[closed] SIXTEEN BLOCKS FROM PLEASANTVILLE

[debtor]

Date & Time: September 1, 3013
Location: Someplace pleasant, Earth
Characters: Timcanpy and Arya "Cat" "No One" Stark and Nymeria. And Allen Walker.
Summary: Breaking and entering and intelligence-gathering and also attempting to mend friendships in the middle of a dystopian future-past residential quarter.
Warnings: everything


[Allen had been confident enough in his mission and objective: gather information in the past, to piece together a complete picture of their history, without altering the past.

That is, he was, until he found out who his mission partner was going to be.

BUT NO, IT'S OKAY, HE CAN DO THIS. They can do this. He has no idea what will meet them on the other side as they're sent through the Transporter, but he promised her he would be there for her, and he's will be - even if she hates him, he'll do anything to keep her safe here, wherever "here" is.

...And here is apparently the middle of a futuristic city block, flanked on either side by near-identical housing buildings. He's been to a number of cities throughout time, but this is just plain unsettling. Where are they meant to gather information?!

And it's not a minute before there's a roar of approaching engines in the street. Maybe it's time to move.]

Comments

[wolfchild]

[ this was not the first time she had been in the past. arya had seen plenty of cars and buses, had seen many more during the changes. yet her heart still leaps at the still alien to her ears sound. nymeria, disguised as wolf-mix once more, growls.

arya is hardly pleased to be paired with allen. she could have done this mission alone, could do it better alone. still she grabs his elbow. ]

Come on. We need a place to hide.

[ except there seems to be nowhere except to go inside one of the buildings. it's not her favorite plan, but neither does she want to wait in plain sight for whoever gets off the bus. perhaps inside they can find a good spot to hide and watch. ]

[debtor]

[He starts moving back, eyes still glued the buses as they turn down the road; their design is strange, not like the ones he's seen in other time periods, but he recognizes them for what they are. And there are few people coming out of the buildings now - some hurrying down their walkways, some dashing to nearby buildings, all moving with a sense of urgency. None seem too concerned with the two confused kids outside at the moment.]

They seem worried.

[It doesn't bode well. He heads with her towards one of the buildings - would the residents will allow them to simply walk inside? Is it guarded?]

Maybe they'll let us in, if we tell them we live here.

[wolfchild]

You think they'll believe you?

[ have you seen yourself lately. but she lays off further insult in favor of trying to get inside. she runs into a man at the doorway as he hurries out. he hisses at her to hurry into place. nymeria snarls at him yet he doesn't seem so afraid of her—not as much as they all seem to be by the street. ]

[debtor]

[ALLEN LOOKS NORMAL.

Timcanpy, cleverly disguised as a big fat canary, wheels about overhead before returning to earth; no danger spotted from the sky, it seems. But more and more people are exiting the building now, swarming past the two at the door, some of them casting strange, troubled looks at the kids. There's some danger, but it doesn't seem to have arrived yet.

And behind them the buses stop - only to disgorge even more frantic men and women, who all rush up towards the buildings as if their lives depend on it. Before Cat or Allen can head much further inside, an older woman grabs Allen and bodily turns him 'round back the other way, insisting Cat do the same.]

Miss, we're r— ['residents', he almost says, but she interrupts him. Clearly with their best interest at heart, Where are you going? There's no time, they'll be here soon!

The lines forming on the sidewalk are almost disturbingly orderly.]

[wolfchild]

[ arya can feel her stomach turn to lead. whatever is going to happen out here will not be good for them. she remembers lines like these. she remembers too the stink of piss and shit and blood that had suffocated the air.

wide-eyed, she catches allen's eye. we cannot stay out here. nymeria bristles from discomfort, and arya wishes she too could snap like a wolf. a thin crust of ice covers her palms. she quickly wraps her arms around her stomach, hiding her hands against her shirt. ]

[debtor]

[He meets hers. This is a new sort of situation for him, he's not as affected, but he understands quite well that they can't go get in line with the rest of them.

He pulls away from the woman, grabbing for Cat's arm. 'Who will?' he wants to ask, but even he knows that'd be supremely stupid.] Thank you, I know. We forgot something in our flat, it'll only take a moment.

[The woman just shakes her head at him, and then makes her way to the sidewalk herself. She tried. It's their funeral, she figures.

There's a sort of lobby area, and Allen tries to make his way there, past the people rushing up, and down the stairs from their apartments. It's possible to catch words like 'hurry' and 'a few minutes' and 'the clerks.']

[wolfchild]

[ pick a room. any room. a man to her left is closing his door and sliding the key into his pocket. arya walks swiftly, keeping her steps purposeful. just as she's about to pass him, she stumbles, knocking briefly against him. ]

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—

[ her fingers slide into his pocket quick as a snake. he takes no notice but to tell her off. arya keeps her head down, looking contrite, and continues walking. she walks past as his door, waits for him to be gone, then returns to it, unlocks it and slips inside. she leaves the door open for nymeria and tim and allen. ]

[debtor]

[Impressive. Allen stands aside as she does, doesn't object.

But once she's opened the door Allen pauses, just outside it. His eyes are fixed on the residents of these complexes. The lines the people have formed look nearly complete - almost every gap he can spot is quickly filled in by somebody.]

Wait...

[He shouldn't interfere, he can't do anything... But what's going to happen to these people...?]

[wolfchild]

Wait for what? [ she hisses. ] We can't go back out there! We'll be known immediately!

1/2

[debtor]

I'm aware of that! [ BUT!! ]

[debtor]

[What is this. He squints at the streets.]

Someone new's arriving...

[What if he just stood here and watched, would that be okay-?]

[wolfchild]

[ arya doesn't insult him if only because it's good to keep an eye on what's happening. nymeria remains at the door too.

while allen stands watch, arya scours the apartment for information. she searches through loose papers and bound books, grabbing anything that might seem useful. in a corner, she notices a computer. she rushes to it. it takes her some doing, but arya manages to connect her tablet to it. it flares to life, windows with information appearing and disappearing quicker than her eye can follow.

curiosity gets the better of her and she takes her eyes off the screen to glance out as well. ]

Keep down. [ arya keeps her voice low. she doesn't think anyone remains to overhear, but she dares not risk it. ]

[debtor]

[Allen watches at the clerks exit their vehicles, each with their own guards, and begin the rather laborious task of taking a headcount, of every single person. For a little while, it all seems to be going smoothly, but Allen can't bring himself to relax. If it's just a census of some sort, why was everyone so frightened?

He gets an inkling when the clerks stop by one man, standing beside an empty space in line, and ask him a series of questions they're too far away to hear. And although the man appears to be trying to answer, they're soon pulling him from the sidewalk and into one of their cars. Allen's back straightens and he grips the frame of the door, as if to stop himself from actually going out there.]

There was a person missing, is that why-?

[wolfchild]

[ gods be good, she knows that look. ]

Allen, stay.

[debtor]

[ARE YOU GIVING HIM COMMANDS.]

I'm not a dog. [ these days. ]

And I wasn't going to go...

[But that doesn't mean he isn't thinking about it. Loudly.]

[wolfchild]

Then behave. We can't do anything.

[ she casts another glance at the computer screen. it's still downloading and taking its time too. ]

1/2

[debtor]

[He makes a rather discontented sound in the back of his throat.

And then turns to look at the screen, too.]

We need to hurry and collect information from as many homes as possible.

[debtor]

...Somehow.

[If they can make it into the other homes. Subtly. Oh dear.

Can they pick future locks...]

[wolfchild]

[ dryly: ] Do you want to go out and steal another key?

[ the wry tone drops. ]

Has anyone else been taken?

[debtor]

I haven't seen.

[It's not a lie, exactly. But he can see a few more gaps further down the line from here. He can guess what's going to happen when the clerks reach them. He doesn't know why they're being taken, or where to, but the possibilities makes his stomach turn.

-No. He's not touching the past. He has to focus on the mission at hand.]

Maybe there's another way in, without a key. This is what we came here for.

[wolfchild]

Can't you break locks?

[ could ice work? she flicks her thumbnail under her index. ]

[debtor]

[Glancing down at his hand...]

I could break it, I'm not certain it'd open it. I can try...

[He gestures back at her tablet.] Has it finished downloading?

[wolfchild]

Almost. [ she refuses to look outside. ] See if you can get one open. I'll meet you when it's finished.

[debtor]

[He doesn't turn to look back, either. Focus, focus on the mission, Allen Walker, you can't change the past, you'll only endanger Cat...


He goes to see if he can get one open. A couple seconds later, she may hear a rather loud crack.]

[wolfchild]

[ arya disconnects the tablet and jogs out of the apartment. she looks around for an open door. ]

Allen?

[ nymeria stands in front of the broken door. she whines quietly. ]

[debtor]

[Allen stands in front of it, holding the doorknob

which isn't attached to the door, anymore.]

...Well!

[GOT IT...?]

[wolfchild]

[ . . . ] How have you survived this long?

[debtor]

I didn't mean to...

But it worked, all right! [Fast and effective.

More so than he was anticipating. Prying the broken door open... ahaha, if the clerks didn't already ruin this person's day, he took care of that.

At least it's... replaceable...

He immediately sets about looking for a computer to plug his drive into.]

[wolfchild]

There's one. [ arya points one out. ] There's another one over here.

[ she wanders back to the door. at least in the other one, they could buy themselves some time. anyone comes in now, sees the door, they'll immediately come to investigate. ]

How much time do you think we have?

[ before everything is finished outside. ]

[debtor]

[He heads towards the first, and gets to downloading.]

I don't know. [Glancing towards the window, although he can't see anything from here.]

It's a long line, but we should probably figure they could finish at any moment. And be prepared to hide...