ataraxionlogs | eighteenth jump;

Entry tags:

eighteenth jump;

CHARACTERS: any and all
LOCATION: Gravity Couches and beyond
WARNINGS: maybe some swearing, or even some violence, and more than likely some implied (and possibly explicit) nakedness.
SUMMARY: Another month, another jump, another round of new faces.
NOTES: Keeping up with the tradition and copy pasted like always from the last one

You wake up in darkness.

There's a breathing tube jammed down your trachea, and you're suspended in a tube of clear blue fluid. Upon registering your level of consciousness, the gravity couch drains the fluid surrounding you and retracts the breathing apparatus; the doors in front of you open, and you're deposited on the floor of a stark, sterile medical bay.

You are not alone.
There are others who have come before you, others who are awakening beside you. Some may be familiar to you, perhaps even friends. Others have much less amiable plans. Some are merely alien and inexplicable, but there are always those who might mean you harm.

After you catch your breath and your vision returns, you notice a number on the inside of your forearm. Maybe it's a familiar number. Maybe it means something. Maybe it's just a number. But the number—completely unique to you—is a tattoo, and it does not come off.

If you enter the room adjacent to the medbay, you will find a small locker with your number on it, surrounded by rows upon rows of identical lockers. Inside, you will find a few of your personal items, a communications device, and a ship's uniform in your exact size. The comms device is fully powered and connects directly to the ship's network; it's your only means of communication beyond physical conversation. Upon turning the device on, a neutral, automated voice will say, "Please take the blue lift to the passenger quarters." Any other attempts at communicating with the rest of the network are met only with static.

This is your welcome party.

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[This jump is better than the first. Mitchell knows what he's doing this time, so he can move faster--wash, pull on his clothes, shut the locker hard and lock away that briefcase--grab a cigarette from his pocket and shove it into his mouth as he walks, his hands fumbling for a light--because it's better, yeah, but he can still feel the stabbing of his hunger, a deep aching feeling. The sooner he's free of all of these people, the better. The farther he is from everyone, the better he'll be--and them--

He's not even looking around as he walks, but something makes him glance over--maybe it's some chance noise, or maybe it's some supernatural sense--or luck, or coincidence, or anything, suddenly the reason doesn't matter--]

Annie--

[Annie, and his stomach twists first--and then there's a sudden shock of relief, Annie, and he's thought about her and not thought about her this whole time he's been here--and he crosses to her in only a few short strides. And he's not even waiting for her to acknowledge him, he just grabs for her, too relieved to wait--it's her, it's really her--]

[She's just turning from the locker - she was about to reach in and get the box of tea, making tea always makes her feel better - when she hears him, when she's in his arms and even though his hair is wet and he's showered he still smells like Mitchell, like cigarettes and that smell that's only him, and her arms are around his shoulders, too.

Oh, he found her, he found her again, he always does.]

Mitchell, Mitchell, where are we?

[Because this isn't home, it's not]

Is this some different-

[But she doesn't say it, she just holds onto him. This time he won't vanish and she won't either.]

[He doesn't answer her, not right away--he just holds onto her, his eyes squeezed shut and his arms tight around her. If he needed to breathe, he'd be breathing hard. Hugging her is a little cold, like someone that's just come in from the cold, just the way that he said, ages and ages ago--

And she's here now, with him, and he feels guilty over the relief that he feels at that--and on the heels of that is his fear, will she find out, or does she know--]

It doesn't matter.

[He pulls away so he can look at her, staring at her face with an almost greedy observance. He doesn't forget easily, but he still needs to see her, just to make sure--]

It's-- nothin' like you think. They say it's a spaceship, and people're brought here once a month, it's like some low-budget film-- [A weak joke, and she probably isn't ready for jokes just yet, and neither is he, come to think of it--he's still too pleased to see her, and he tugs her back into an embrace, quickly.] God, Annie--

[She clings to him because he came to save her - he did save her - and they were together and then they weren't, and now they're together again, but nothing he's saying is making sense.]

But you just came to get me, you were right there, and I was holding you and then I was covered in that terrible stuff-

[She cuts herself off and holds him another time, and she can feel herself calming down. If things were terrible, maybe they still are, but Mitchell won't let anything bad happen to her, right?]

Wait, did you say this was a spaceship?

[What she's saying finally starts to sink in, struggling through his shock and relief and the little twinges of fear (for her, yeah, but also fear of her finding out). This time when he pulls away from her, he settles his grip on her upper arms, as he studies her face again.]

I came t' get you from where, from-- [Oh, God, from Purgatory, it all clicks together. Unless she's from some time he's not yet lived? But she can't be--]

Yeah, it's, uh, it's a spaceship--are you all right? [The jump might have messed with her a bit, even if she's a ghost--and besides, if Purgatory was that recent for her, she might still be a bit rattled, yeah? And even as he's expressing that concern, he's thinking fucking hell, because of Cutler, and Hal, and even Tom--people who can tell her things he doesn't want her to know, people who know things even he doesn't know, and his grip on her arms tightens a little, despite that weird prickly cold feeling that comes with that.] People tend to feel-- weird, after the jump, I don't know if that goes for you as well--

Purgatory! You were just there, and that girl said I was free to go, and I found you, and-

[And then they were hugging and she reaches and grips him, by the arm]

Don't lose me again, all right?

[It's not something she would usually say, but she's usually not on a spaceship and she is, in act, a little rattled. She feels strange and disjointed, coming back together.]

I don't feel sick or anything, or how I used to feel when I used to get sick. Are you all right? How do you know about this place?

I'll tell you all of it, you just--

[Jesus but Annie has got a grip when she wants to have one. Or, not really a grip, just a concentration of cold, and Mitchell looks down at his arm for a second before he covers her hand with his, pressing her closer.]

Hey. [He drops his tone, quieting, shoving his own nerves and fear to the back of his head so he can concentrate on this, on Annie. He'll fill her in, right after this.] Hey, Annie-- it's all right. It's all right, yeah, I'm not going t' lose you. I didn't then, did I--not really. Because I came after you.

I won't lose you, because you're not going anywhere. All right? I swear.

[She nods, after a moment, and her grip slackens. It's fear, plain and simple, but this isn't the time to be afraid, there's no need for it anyway. Mitchell wouldn't actually let anyone hurt her, she thinks. It wasn't his fault, what happened.]

I know. I'm sorry. I didn't expect this, is all.

[Actually she wasn't sure what she expected. Her own house that she had haunted so nicely for such a long time. Her own street, her own kitchen, her own telly.

For everything to go back to the way it was.]

I know.

[He smiles quietly, bleakly, and transfers his hand back to her upper arm, rubbing at it reassuringly.]

But it's gonna be all right. We're going t' get home, both of us, together. All right? And in the meantime, you get to be a space ghost, and you get all the tasks that go along with that-- pretty cool, yeah? Think of all the shit you get to rentaghost, shuttles, and, and weird space chairs--

[He rubs at her arm once more, stepping a little closer.]

You're going t' be fine. I'm here, I'll help you. All right?

Edited 2013-05-09 01:04 (UTC)

[She seems him smiling and that does wonders to calm her down, and then he says she gets to be a space ghost-]

Well, I suppose it isn't so bad. I've got a large box of tea in my locker, and they gave me my outfit-

[She's kind of attached to her sweater, which right now is drawn over her curls, but she pulls it down and wraps it around her body]

And you did come for me, when I was in purgatory, so I suppose this is my chance to come help...

[Wait]

How do you know so much already?

Er--

[She's coping, at least--but then she's Annie, she's capable of taking a great deal into stride (and getting into little depressive fits later so, better keep an eye out for that, just in case). And her chance to help means Annie the Guardian Angel Ghost all over again, but he can't feel any proper feelings on that yet, not when his relief at seeing her is still too great.

The question helps bring him back down, and Mitchell laughs, scratching at one eyebrow with his thumbnail.]

Well, because, y'know, I've sort of-- been here, already. For a month, now? [God, and what a month; something of his smile bleeds out of him at that thought (good word for it, it bleeds, well done).] Time, it works strangely here. It's not just us, there's people from places you've never even heard of, and then there's people from Wales, or Boston-- [Shit, how is he going to explain Josh and that mess--]

And even people from the same place, they don't always know each other, because they've not met yet. People from each other's futures, or pasts--it's all part of the mess of this ship. Alternate universes.

So, uh-- [Bit off track there; he waves a hand, trying to get himself back.] So, yeah, I've been here. Livin' here. You get... used to it. Sort of. [That is a lie. But he tries, for Annie's sake.]

[Oh, the realization will happen later and she might start leaving mugs of cold tea everywhere and rentaghosting her heart out, and possibly wondering where - actually lets do that part right now.]

Is George here with you? Nina?

No. Just us, like I said.

[And he realises, then, that he's got a temporary solution. The last thing Annie remembers is Purgatory. And it would make sense, to come here from there, to open a door and end up... somewhere else. If he says that's the last thing he remembers as well, then he can't be responsible for half the things that go on. The Box Tunnel 20, he'll deal with that as it comes. If he finds Cutler before he finds Annie, and does the proper threatening--

This whole train of thought comes quickly, and in the meantime, Mitchell gives another little smile, and a shrug, like George and Nina not being here isn't important. (George is important. Nina, he's not sure about her, she doesn't always like him. Not that he blames her. But George is sure of her, and that's usually good enough.)]

And I don't know that they will come. No one's got any say in who comes here and who leaves, it just happens. But they're all right--I hear they won't even know we're missing, it's some weird time-travely thing.

They're all right, y'know. We were all right, when you-- [He shrugs, looking at the floor.] We just missed havin' you around.

Just us.

[She's so thankful that she's not here along, but she's still...no George, that seems so strange. Nina, less, maybe because Nina didn't live with them for long, did she? But she smiles back at him when he smiles. It's hard not to.]

And I've got tea and a kettle and mugs. Your favorite mug.

[Annie sometimes focuses on the small things, to make her happy.]

I missed you too. So much. Thank you. For coming to get me.

Ah, yeah, see? You're doing good already, space ghost--the tea here is shit. I don't know that I've even seen a kettle, I think they expect you t' microwave it--

[It's deliberately cheerful, diverting them both away from the lonely thought of just us. Mitchell's had more time to sort that out, but it doesn't mean he's not felt it. You live with people--not just people, but supernaturals, others like you--and you start to develop this... way of being. It's you against everyone else. And suddenly being alone, without the support of Annie and George--

It's been weird. But he can get past that now, and Annie will, too. He grips at her arm again, a little more gently, and gives her another smile.]

And of course I was gonna come and get you, you don't have t' thank me.

Microwave-

Who microwaves tea? I don't actually think - can you do that?

[That is so strange. American. Weird. It's made her stop worrying a little, but she reaches into her locker and pulls out the box, and then hands it to Mitchell as she takes the kettle and the three mugs]

We had better get these somewhere secure then, right?

Absolutely! We'd better lock it up! Really decent tea is a precious commodity around here--

[He holds out his free hand to take-- well, the mugs or the kettle, it doesn't matter which. She'll need help carrying either one. It's just good to have Annie here, doing fussy Annie things and saying Annie things, and-- God, but he missed her, and the full weight of that is only sinking in now that he's got her back.]

Come on. Everyone's got a room assigned to them, you can store it all there. It's like going from one bed and breakfast to another, it's damn-- [And then a sudden thought occurs to him.] --Wait, give me your arm.

Edited 2013-05-09 15:33 (UTC)

[She beams a little and hands him the kettle, she'll take the mugs]

Look, see, I've got yours, and George's, and Nina's, I suppose, since none of these are mine.

[Well, she doesn't really drink tea, so.]

What do you need my arm for?

[She hadn't noticed the tattoo, so she presents him with the wrong arm.]

There's this-- no, your other arm, look--

[He shifts the tea into the crook of his elbow, and trades the kettle to his other hand so he tug up his shirtsleeve, and his other shirtsleeve, and shove down his glove a little--and there's his tattoo, stamped out plainly: 017 » 042.]

This unlocks your room door. Everyone's got one. [But do ghosts get tattoos, that's the unspoken question, and, after a beat, he nods significantly to her arm.] And--?

[She looks and, well.

She doesn't screech. Not exactly. It's a moment of pure what the fuck and she fumbles a mug, but luckily doesn't drop it.]

How did this happen! I didn't think I could-

When did this-

[And there's another Annie moment of what what what.]

[Ghosts can't get tattoos. Like, that's just a fact. But Annie has a tattoo, and Mitchell stares at it, monetarily struck dumb himself.]

I don't know.

[Right, but, Annie--and he shakes his head and looks up at her, trying to be bracing and calm and sensible about this, even if he's clueless. Just another weirdness of the ship, right?]

I don't know, maybe they've got some-- supernatural ink or something. It happens some time between bein' at home and bringing us here--everyone's got one. It seems like it happens just like that, in an instant, but it... can't. [The very real can't of ghost tattoos is still a sticking point, but Mitchell shakes his head again, trying to clear it.] It doesn't really matter. Ghost tattoos, that's about the least of the weirdnesses in this place.

[She takes a deep breath (she doesn't actually need to breathe, but the reflex is still there) and manages to calm herself down.]

Well. We'll go up to my room and set these things down and then you'll show me where you're staying, right? Right.

[A plan. That's what they need. A plan.]

Right.

[He'd grip her arm again or something equally comforting, except now he's got his hands full of her stuff. So instead, he leans over to bump his shoulder against hers, like he's going to knock any worry out of her.]

And have I got a surprise for you, this ship gave me three mugs for tea as well-- must've known you were coming. C'mon, I'll show you.

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