Your Time is Sand, Your Ways are Leaves upon the Sea

[nostradamnit]

Who: Nostradamus and Company
Where: Cabin 139, the buffet, noisy places
What: Quick pre-event thingum
When: June, before the camping excursion.
Warnings: None yet


1. And the hand just re-arranges the players in the game [Closed to Hythlodaeus]
Down at the very end of the hall (or beginning, if one is wise enough to take the nearer elevator bank) is Room 139, where one can find Michel de Nostradame sitting on the bed, this fine afternoon. A tall man, he occupies the bed rather fully, his leather boots sitting on the floor beside it. He's holding a Serena Eterna notebook and one of these fascinating 'pens' from the souvenir shop, organizing some of his thoughts on paper.

This is the state of things, when Hythlodaeus arrives. The room itself is tidy, no extra 'stuff' in it yet. It seems Nostradamus has yet to really figure out how he wishes to occupy it.


2. Oh, I had a dream, it seemed I stood alone [Open, Windjammer Buffet]
Nostradamus isn't the first person to whom the buffet has seemed a little foreign, but he's clearly taking a methodical approach to figuring out what he likes and what he doesn't, five or six plates on the table in front of him, a little sample of several dishes on each. He's actually arranged the plates so that they're roughly mapping out the buffet itself, to make it easier to find what he enjoys again.

"It would be nice if I knew what any of these delicacies were called." He has an egg roll in hand as he says that, half-eaten.


3. And the veil of all the years [Open, Casino or Rischie]
Perhaps you're passing through the casino or lingering in Rischie for a late night drink. Either way, it's clear that the man in the leather jerkin is not having a good time. The lights and sounds, the smoke in the casino or the bass in the club--it's overwhelming for a man who comes from the days when a hearty joust or a feast was the greatest festivity in the castle. Disoriented and suffering from sensory overload, Nostradamus is in a corner with his hands over his ears.

He may need a little assistance.


4. Goes sinking from my eyes like a stone [Wildcard]
darkersolstice or darkersolstice#9463, as always

Comments

[nostradamnit]

Nostradamus notices her as well, and is surprised she chooses to engage her. There's a wariness in his expression as he lifts one hand to hear her. "What?!" Trying to speak over the untz-untz-untz of the music.

[saltwaterlungs]

"Are you! Okay!"

She tries to yell over the music, already annoyed at having to raise her voice, "you look! Bad! Bad time!"

[gapmoe]

"Of course! Right this way, sir."

There's a decisive nod on his end, as well as a little gesture to follow his lead in the direction of the elevators. It seems a little risky to lead someone disoriented down the stairs; too much potential for falling.

"I am not employed on this ship, however, my own line of work concerns transport." As he speaks, Ingo briefly turns his head to look back at his current company with the best and most approachable look he can muster. Which... isn't great, but it's something. "My name is Ingo. Though the circumstances could stand to be less taxing, I am glad to make your acquaintance nonetheless."

[nostradamnit]

Honestly, Nostradamus doesn't need reassuring facial expressions. He's coming from the French Court where smiles hide knives and a man can stab you or poison you politely after having shared a dance with your sister. He himself has a somewhat muted affect much of the time, managing at most 'politely curious' when he's not babbling about his studies. Right now, he's just dazed.

"Ingo. I am Michel de Nostredame. It is good to meet you."

And it genuinely is. This is clearly a thoughtful and caring individual.

[nostradamnit]

He flinches when she yells. Yes, it's necessary, but it also reminds him a little of being chewed out and threatened by Catharine in one of her Moods.

"I! Am not! Doing well! It is too loud here."

Too loud, too many lights, too much everything. Really, coming here was a mistake.

[saltwaterlungs]

Ugh. She couldn't believe she was going to have to interrupt her chill-out time to help this dude. The fact nobody was forcing her didn't occur to her. Darcy takes one of his elbows, and attempts to heave him to his feet without jostling his hands too much. Probably to his surprise, in the same way as a big dog getting picked up for the first time, she manages to shift him a considerable amount.

"Lets! Get! You! Out!"

[nostradamnit]

He does the standing thing, giving her a look of confusion mingled with gratitude. "Please!" Her strength is definitely surprising, but he'd not going to ask about that here and now. This is so very not the time.

[saltwaterlungs]

It's much easier once he's standing and holding his own weight. The good little psychopomp ferries him out of the noise and bright lights, dragging him far enough down the hallway that the pounding bass is little more than a dull thud.

"Here," she says at a regular volume, "this should be better."

[lightconductor]

Well, until a few months ago, Watson would have agreed. The truth is... complicated.

"As stated, it is impossible." Watson sighs, because that sounds like Holmes to him, just a little. And that's complicated. "And as loathe as I am to say the answer is 'magic,' I've also seen a fair bit of evidence that at least in the realities of some of our fellow passengers, magic is more real than in the world I know."

[suddenlybees]

What time are you from? The 3000s?

[ ? inflation means everybody gets poorer in the future, right, ]

[ktizo]

"I see..." He moves to settle himself on the bed beside Nostradamus and flicks through the notebook.

"'Tis quite the marvel for myself, as well. I have never been on a ship before." He hands the notebook back, eyes lighting up as he gets an idea.

"Ah, but if you are taking notes, mayhap it would be prudent for us to explore a little. There is much I have yet to see, and I'm sure it is the same for you."

[gapmoe]

With the elevators now in sight, it dawns upon Ingo that it may be wise to ascertain if his latest acquaintance has any elevator experience. They might be frightening to enter unprepared for someone not accustomed to them, especially since these are see-through.

"Forgive me if this question is redundant, but have you entered an elevator before, by any chance? I would not wish to overwhelm you with something unfamiliar coming without due warning or explanation, Michel."

As he says this, he pushes the call button, which lights up obediently. Now all that's left is to wait for the ding announcing its arrival.

[nostradamnit]

"Ah...thank you. I...won't wander into there again. Sorry." He's still mildly stunned, but he realizes he's been a pain in her ass enough. So clearly he ought to just leave her be. Right? Right.

[nostradamnit]

"Magic isn't real." It's a truth he's gripped to in the face of every-fucking-one around him believing otherwise. It's the Renaissance, people believe in ghosts and curses and demons and he's had to be the voice of reason.

Losing that anchor to cling to, it'd wreck his entire worldview a little.

[nostradamnit]

Ah, no, I hail from Anno Domini 1558.

[So likely the past, from Kano's point of view.]

France, specifically.

[nostradamnit]

"I have been in one before. The day I arrived. It was explained to me that it works with pulleys, like the bucket that draws water from a well."

It was a very helpful explanation, even if greatly simplified.

[suddenlybees]

[ There is no recognition of "Anno Domini," but Kano's eyes do light up at France— he knows France! this is context that makes sense to him ]

France, huh? You really do get people from all over, here! So, like, what'd you do as a Frenchman?

[nostradamnit]

"Allow me to put my boots on, and I will gladly go with you to explore. Have you eaten, yet? If not, that may be the first site to see, Sir Hythlodaeus."

He's not sure how formal and polite he needs to be with his new roommate. This seems like a fair medium, like he won't be absolutely shitting on him if he's nobility, or mocking him if he's a peasant.

[lightconductor]

So sorry, Michel. So sorry.

Watson's expression is strained. "Yes. Well. That's the sort of thing I have always held fast to. In my life I have seen many things that men claim to be supernatural, and it never is. And perhaps that's true of the world you and I know. But..." He sighs. "There are a number of people here from worlds other than ours, where that is not true. And I would not believe that, except that I was, well, murdered by someone using magic."

An awkward pause.

"Obviously, I recovered from my death. That is also something I have a difficult time explaining. But no, I was quite undeniably dead."

[nostradamnit]

I was a doctor--the court physician, in fact. And an advisor to Queen Catharine.

[As in Catharine de Medici, in fact.]

[nostradamnit]

He lets that sit in the air for a moment, frowning, and even eats some new foods as he tries to wrap his head around that at all.

"Are there rules? Does this magic follow a system of rules?"

[suddenlybees]

Huh...

[ He looks properly surprised at this bit of news. He'd never heard of a court physician before, just court jesters, and even then only in the context of storybooks. ]

You're, like, a legit doctor? Like, you cut people open and sew them back up?

[lightconductor]

"My God, but I hope so." Watson shakes his head. "Though I'm not the one to ask about it. You'd have to find one of them. As far as the magic here goes, if that is what resurrects people when they die, no one seems to be able to answer that."

He spears a bit of chicken on his fork as he talks. "You can try asking Friday directly, though I don't know if she'll be forthcoming."

[saltwaterlungs]

"It's fine. Do you want to go get water or something?" she asks, her duty doesn't end until she can confirm he's fine, "Rischie's is a lot."

[nostradamnit]

Yes, I've been known to perform surgery when necessary. Though it's as often a matter of remedying the Dauphin's hangovers, and advising the queen on the matter of poisons and tending to diseases that spread around the court.