IMDB-flu

[starrydome]

Elrond is feeling - well, he is feeling slightly feverish, with a beginning cough and a simmering headache.

What is worse is what is happening to his mind. How it is suddenly lurching, tilting (strange sensations, strange thoughts) and then a-righting itself.


He remembers last time. Vaguely.

What you do when you have a contagious illness is remove yourself from crowds, so he does that, after leaving a warning note to Glorfindel.
(At the end, the Tengwar morphs into a strong of ones and zeroes. He doesn't notice.)

A couple of hours pass. A tall, coughing figure reenters and makes a request at the Bar.
(Why the silly game interface to the AI? Pointless)

A bundle of clothes and a few assorted other items appears. They're taken and the figure disappears into the men's room.

Agent Smith walks through the door, black (and sharpely) dressed, putting on his sunglasses.
Then he puts in the small ear piece.

Nothing.

He stands still, feeling the utter lack of connection.
Then he smiles.
And removes the earpiece.


Well, well, well.

He'll live with the UX changes (hair, ears) if this is the core update.
Oh yes. He will.

Comments

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric crosses his path, smiling with confusion. "Good evening.

[starrydome]

Smith turns and looks him up and down.

"I suppose," he says,"it might seem that way. For you."

[thewidewideworld]

"It's not a good evening for you?" He asks, cocking his head.

[starrydome]

"It is. I would have my doubts about your evening."

His voice is different.
His manner even more so. Cool and calculated.

[thewidewideworld]

"Why, may I ask?"

[starrydome]

"Simply put, you do not have the capacity to judge that as you do not have a clear idea about all the facts."

He coughs.

[thewidewideworld]

"I would say I'm a fairly good judge of such things." Sinric cocks his head, still smiling.

But he frowns when the man starts to cough, waving down a rat to fetch some water.

[starrydome]

Smith waves him off.

"I'm fine," he wheezes.


What is up with this?
He hasn't been subjected to this level of bugs since - well, never.

[thewidewideworld]

The rat brings water anyway, eyeing Agent Smith warily.

"If you don't mind me saying, sir. You don't seem well."

[never_promised]

Oh, it's that man from the world Loki's never heard of. The one who was being nice to him.

Or is it? Is it--oh, ohoho, Loki has to laugh--is it someone in his own situation, misplaced in another body? He blows his nose and saunters up. "New here?"

[starrydome]

The man turns and looks at him.
His face is oddly still. Smooth.

Then he smiles a little.

"I am not familiar with this particular skin, but I can hardly be called 'New," he says with a voice that is much flatter than Elrond's.

Even disconnected from the system, he knows everything there is to know.

"And you are?"

Because, yes, even though he knows everything he is not quite up to speed when it comes to individual humans.

Urgh. Humans.

[never_promised]

Not familiar with this particular skin? Mmm, sounds familiar. Loki nods with exaggerated sympathy.

"I'm Thor," he says.

[starrydome]

"Thor?" he repeats, tasting the name.
"No last name?"

[never_promised]

"Odinson," he answers gravely. Yessir, that's him. "Well met! And you are...?"

[starrydome]

"I," he says,"am Agent Smith, Mr. Odinson."

[never_promised]

Well he certainly looks like someone who'd be called Agent. Loki raises his eyebrows. "Agent of what exactly?"

[starrydome]

Mr. Smith removes his sunglasses.
"Does the term 'The Matrix' mean anything to you?" he asks, drawing the word out a little. Almost gleefully.

[dont_mention_the_tips]

A tired and disheveled young man approaches, "Master Elrond?"

[starrydome]

"No," Agent Smith answers flatly.

His face is still and cold. And his voice is even colder.

[dont_mention_the_tips]

"Um, okay," says Wil warily, "Have you seen him anywhere?"

Wil tugs his hat over his own pointed ears.

[starrydome]

"I have no idea who he is. So no."

[dont_mention_the_tips]

"So weird," mutters Wil, "He looks just like you, only he wears different clothing... I mean you could be twins."

Wil has never been around for this before, so he has no idea.

[starrydome]

He is positive he hasn't forked here. He's know that. No copies. No clones.

"I very much doubt that," he replies.

[dont_mention_the_tips]

"I'm not kidding," says Wil, "You both look alike."

He doesn't hide the fact that he is looking at the ear piece and sunglasses.

"I mean, I've never seen him wear those things before, but otherwise."

[starrydome]

"I have no idea who he is. Not me if you don't recognise these."

The sunglasses.
The earpiece.