milliways_bar | Entrance Post

Entry tags:

Entrance Post

A young man dressed in a strange combination of a blue haori, blue hakama, and a white, western, button-up shirt steps into the bar. He has a pleasant smile on his face, but it quickly falls into a blank expression as he takes in his surroundings.

He had actually intended to enter an eating establishment, and this certainly looks like some kind of eating establishment (although very Western), but it's chock full of foreigners, not to mention a number of people with odd enough appearances to rival the members of the Juppongatana.

Last time he checked, the restaurant he'd been intending to enter was located in a very small, traditional northern village, not known for its tourism, eccentric citizens, or really odd, Western-style restaurants.

He blinks rapidly. You'll have to forgive him for being a little baffled.

"Ah...anou..." It's all he can manage, at the moment. He's not sure what to say, or ask, or do.

Seta Soujirou, welcome to Milliways.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"You look lost." While not precisely friendly, the woman's tone is certainly not unkind. Certainly she looks faintly sympathetic - she can recall quite well being new herself.

He turns to face the oddly-dressed woman, a sheepish smile automatically spreading across his face.

"Ah...yes, I don't think I intended to come here. What is this place, exactly?"

"A paradox," Riza says, with a touch of warning: The explanation will be complicated, her tone seems to say. "It's called Milliways, and it is supposed to lie at the end of the universe. Most of us don't mean to come here."

Soujirou blinks, the blank expression coming back in full force.

"I...I'm sorry, I don't think I understand what you're saying. This is some kind of restaurant, isn't it?"

He happens upon the thought that perhaps there's a language barrier - she looks foreign, after all. Though she also seems to be speaking perfect Japanese...

"It is, yes." She frowns slightly, searching for an explanation. It is not a language barrier that comes first to her mind, rather a wondering if there might not be, wherever this young man comes from, the vocabulary necessary to efficiently describe Milliways. "However, it's something of a special case."

There probably is sufficient vocabulary, the real problem lying more in the fact that Soujirou hasn't had much opportunity in his life to contemplate things like paradoxes and the universe, and probably only has a vague concept of the meaning of either. He's probably going to have to be hit over the head with this one.

This is all besides the fact that he still thinks he's in a remote village in Japan.

"It certainly does seem unique! I've never seen a restaurant with so many foreigners, not to mention all the western decorations. Not even in Kyoto!"

He has something of a childish wonder about him.

"Kyoto?" She asks, head canting to one side in a curious gesture. You see, it isn't a place that exists in her world. "It - would be a long ways away." She frowns, contemplating how to explain without being too shocking. Or without making her own head ache with the explanation.

Soujirou pauses in his enthusiasm, sensing something amiss.

"Yes, Kyoto. You know, the capital city of Japan?"

Even if this is a very remote little town, and she isn't Japanese, surely she must have heard of Kyoto?

A thought occurs to him. "Are you Russian?" Maybe he had gone further north than he thought and encountered a Russian establishment. They did own the upper islands, after all.

Riza does not, quite, mouth the word 'Russian' to herself. However, there is a profound lack of recognition in her expression, even controlled as it is. "No. I am Amestrian." Her eyes flicker briefly closed as she collects her thoughts, and then she continues. "I should explain. Please, have a seat. I've the feeling this might take some time."

Amestrian? His feeling of unease grows. He may even be frowning a little. If there's one things he knows, it's geography, and he's never heard of...Amestria?

But she says she has an explanation, so...

"Alright."

He sits down at the table, a little awkwardly. He's not used to chairs.

[ooc: Ready to head off for the night! Slowtime after your tag, and we'll pick it up again tomorrow evening? :)]

"This will," she says slowly - not quite hesitant, but as though she is choosing her words carefully, "Be much simpler, I think, if you've come from a place where there is a concept of 'magic'." That last word has a twist of distaste to it. Having to admit that something is does not mean one has to like it, and she does not.

"This place - it is outside the normal rules of space and time. That is to say, it doesn't exist in the physical location from which one enters it."

Soujirou stares at her.

He fully understands the concept she's trying to get across, but understanding and believing are two entirely different things. There's no magic to speak of where Soujirou comes from, except in myth and legend. Stories. He's beginning to wonder if the young woman he's conversing with is entirely sane.

However, her mention of 'the physical location from which one enters' causes him to reflexively look toward the door he came through...only to do a double take.

"AH?! What...! What happened to the door I came through?!"

His face is so expressive, his body language so shocked, the reaction would be comical under less serious circumstances.

If Riza detects these doubts regarding her sanity, it does not show in her calm expression. Indeed, she looks a little rueful. "My aplogies. It is an anomaly where I come from as well."

She winces, just a little, at his reaction to the door - she, certainly, does not find it comical, though others might despite the situation. "I've heard it vanishes, though I've never seen evidence myself - as far as I can see, it is still present. I believe they call the phenomenon 'being Bound'. It means--" And here she pauses, sympathy starkly evident. "It means that some force has decided to keep you here."

He's quiet for a moment, just looking at where the door used to be.

"Keep me here?" His voice seems smaller than it did before. "Why? How? Is this...is this really some kind of magic?"

He seems slightly fascinated, despite his obvious unease.

"I do not know," Riza replies, half apologetic. "They say there's a reason for it when it happens, but I don't know that anyone knows what this reason is. Or even if there really is a reason at all. As for magic, it is not something that exists in my world. Again, I've only others' word to go on, but from what I've seen here, there is no other explanation."

When logic breaks down, believing the insanity is only logical.

Soujirou does his best to compose himself and get his thoughts together. He manages, barely, but his mind is going a mile a minute, trying to piece together his new place in an unfamiliar world.

"If I'm stuck here, will I ever get back? And what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Where will I sleep? I still don't even really understand what or where this place is..."

He pauses, realizing he's inundating her with questions.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I'm...very confused. I was travelling in search of...a truth. But I didn't intend to come anywhere like this."

"I believe you should be able to return to your home, though I cannot answer as to when. As for what you are supposed to do here, I don't know. They've some staff to sustain this place, but beyond that there seems to be little thought given to its captives." She spreads her hands in apology. "I do know that you can get a key to a room - they have them, for those who become trapped."

More softly, "No one expects this place, I don't think."

He nods, taking in what explanation she can give him with a mix of relief and apprehension.

"Do you know who I might talk to about getting some kind of job? I...I have to do something here, until I can go back."

And maybe, just maybe, he'll still be able to find his truth here.

"One of the bartenders, perhaps, when they are on duty. It isn't something I've ever had to ask, as I've not been stuck here myself." Realizing after a moment that her words might be misconstrued as gloating, Riza winces.

Her concern isn't necessary though, as Soujirou takes the statement exactly as she meant it - I am unexperienced in your situation, so I'm not sure.

He nods again, and then stands, bowing to her gratefully.

"In that case, I think I'll have a look around. I should probably become familiar with this place, and hopefully I'll run into a...bartender." The word is unfamiliar to him, but he understands the meaning of it.

"Thank you very much for your help, ah...ano..." He looks suddenly sheepish. "I'm sorry, I don't think I ever properly introduced myself. I'm Seta Soujirou."

[ooc: fangirls madly but is falling asleep! promise threads when not braindead and made of zombie!]

[ooc: Hee hee, no problem! I'm going to drop off in a few, myself. Threads in the future are more than welcome. ♥]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Entrance Post

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject