twenty-sixth jump;

[ataraxites]

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: Your average, run-of-the-mill jump—except some characters don't seem to be waking up from stasis like they should.



Don't worry.




THEY NEEDED THE REST.

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.

Comments

[braverys]

[ The voice behind her has her jumping and Belle holds the teacup close against her chest. She wasn't expecting anyone to talk to her - for good reason, this was a strange place and she was used to watching and learning from the sidelines, really - but she's appreciative of it. ]

Yes, it's - it's my chipped cup. [ She turns back to the locker and puts it back inside carefully, making sure there's little chance of it ever falling out and breaking again before she offers another smile to the stranger. ]

It's very nice to meet you, Blue. I'm Belle.

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

You should probably take it with you up to your room. It might be safer there.

[Although the truth is that it's not as though anyone else can open her locker, but other things may get deposited there later, from what he understands of the jump.]

It's nice to meet you too. Are you new?

[braverys]

I have a room?

[ She looks marvelled by the idea and brightens considerably - it makes a nice change from being told she has to stay in a psychiatric hospital or in a prison cell. She holds the cup closer and looks at the rest of the things in the locker quickly - some familiar clothes and some less so. ]

I think so - unless this is some part of Storybrooke I've somehow never seen before.

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

[He tilts his head a bit at Storybrooke - it's a kind of a Homeland name, something he could see in Albion or Americana, but he hasn't heard of it, and besides, the Mundies might just think it's a quaint little name for a village somewhere]

I don't think so, no.

But yes! You have a room. The number is the one on your arm. See?

[He shows her his.]

[braverys]

So the numbers aren't just for the lockers.

[ The words are more of a statement than anything else, just Belle thinking aloud. She offers Blue a softer smile, nodding her head and looking a little more chipper. ]

I don't suppose you'd be able to tell me if anyone I know are here too?

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

I could if you gave me their names? I don't know many people, but I might be able to help a little.

There are a lot of people here from lots of different ho-

Worlds.

[He's so used to saying homelands, it almost slipped out.]

[braverys]

[ There's a sudden burst of hope and her eyes widen before she forces herself to relax, nodding her head. ]

Rumplestiltskin - Mr. Gold? That - is he here?

[ The last she'd heard he was in Neverland, needing her help, but she can't help hoping, wishing that he was here, too, at her side. ]

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

[That's when Blue's eyes go wide. He hadn't met Rumplestiltskin - as far as he knew, he was still in a Homeland somewhere, not in the Mundy, but she-

He looks at her, trying to puzzle her out.]

How do you know Rumplestiltskin?

[braverys]

So - he's here? He's not in Neverland?

[ The absolute choking joy in her expression is probably a little startling and she suddenly looks incredibly anxious to get out and find him. It's been less than a few days, if that, and she already misses him so much it aches somewhere deep inside of her. ]

He's someone incredibly important to me. Is he safe?

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

[He shakes his head, suddenly]

No, no, I mean, I don't know, I hadn't met him before, we're not from the same-

[He covers his mouth, quickly, taking a moment]

Who are you?

[braverys]

[ His reaction alarms her a little and she's confused; she's used to people reacting negatively to the thought of Rumple, of course, but not with such... Strange confusion. ]

My name is Belle.

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

I'm so sorry-

[He realizes that might not be the best way to go about this.]

I'm Boy Blue.

Like...Little Boy Blue? But...do you live in-sorry, did you live in Fabletown?

[He had thought he knew everyone from Fabletown.]

[braverys]

[ Now she feels rather awful -- she's had so many issues with her own memory, losing it and forgetting people, that not knowing someone that might know her? It gnaws at her stomach and makes her feel beyond terrible.

She clasps her hands together, against her stomach, before she shakes her head. ]

No, I'm sorry? I've only ever lived in Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest.

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

[Considering about four or five Homelands have "Enchanted Forests" this doesn't narrow things down, but it does tell him one thing - he's not the only Fable here.]

It's all right. I just thought for a moment - but no, it's fine.

[He smiles, see? It's okay.]

Most everyone I've met here so far have been from the Mundy. You know, the non-magical world.

[braverys]

The... Mundy? I only know it as Storybrooke. I'm sorry.

[ She looks incredibly apologetic, even so, and she offers him a soft smile. ]

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

The mundane?

Storybrooke is in the mu-

Is it on Earth?

[There are other Fables communities - they know that for a fact - but he hasn't...

Well, he hadn't heard of Agrabah, either.]

Where is Storybrooke, exactly?

[braverys]

Yes?

[ Forgive her confusion - while she's aware of multiple worlds she's never come face-to-face with such wondering before. ]

A place called Maine? Is that so strange?

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

No, not really.

I haven't been to Maine. I'm from New York. It's further south.

And Albion. Well, Albion, originally. Have you heard of it?

[braverys]

I've seen New York on maps! It isn't too far, I don't think.

[ Of course she's never been there. Leaving the town lines means losing all her memories and she refuses to let that happen again. ]

I think I've read about it in my books. Isn't it the home of King Arthur?

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

[Blue grins, finally, a point of reference!]

Yes! No one's seen him in forever, but yes, exactly!

[braverys]

And - he had a sorcerer, didn't he? Merlin?

[ Oh, Belle has read all the stories. She's fasinated by adventure and acts of bravery and wanderlust. ]

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

Yes! That's right, and the knights - oh, I didn't know any of them, I was just a farmboy, you know.

[braverys]

I always thought they were just stories. [ Not that she seems to mind them being true, of course. ] I always wanted to go on an adventure with the knights.

[boogiewoogiebugleboy]

It's really not as romantic as it sounds like. Mostly you get wet and cold and you end up cranky and tired.

[Oh, has he been there.]

[braverys]

But it sounds so wonderful! Being able to go out and see the world, to learn new things. Being able to see more than just books, no matter how much I love them.

[ A stroke of wonderlust in this one there is. ]