John Proudstar (The Gifted), First EP

[gifted_leader]

Logistics are always a concern when you're running what amounts to a refugee camp and way station for an underground railroad and John is the guy with all the answers it seems. Why Lorna never gets these questions, he'll never know.

"I'll look into it, I promise," he's saying as he opens the door to his office behind him and starts to back in. Head cocking to the side, he hears what sounds like a bar and not the silence of his office. Cautious, he pulls the door towards him, blocking the view of whomever he's talking to before, saying, "Just give me a minute here."

Once the person walks away, John turns and enters, looking about. His nostrils might flare a bit as he scents the room as well. If this is a prank by one of the illusion kids, they're better than he thought; all his senses are registering. Or maybe this is a mental illusion and his own brain is filling in the details? No, that can't be. He hasn't experienced anything like those people in that booth and there're scents here he knows he's not familiar with.

Teleportation maybe? Could be. Either way, he sidesteps to make sure he's not where he was incase this is a preamble to an attack.

[tiny tag: John Proudstar/Thunderbird]
[ooc: here for a few hours and then slow over the weekend.]

Comments

[run_barry]

If there is an attack eminent it won't be coming from the young man who's heading for the door with a tablet in one hand, and a boxed pizza balanced on the palm of the other.

Spotting the guy who seems like maybe something is up, Barry pauses.

"You alright, man?"

[gifted_leader]

John's eyes dart to Barry, assessing. He knows better than to judge a person on looks, coming from a world of mutants, but the man's body language telegraphs no hint of danger.

"I'm not sure to be honest. This is all...." he trails off with a finger gesture which kind says 'all of this'.

[run_barry]

Barry doesn't react to being sized up, instead his expression turns understanding, and he offers a sympathetic smile.

"Yeaaah... this must be your first time. Um," he glances around, then gestures at an empty table. "How about we grab a seat and I can try and explain?"

Heading back to Central City can wait, and Barry can just have his to-go pizza dine-in.

[gifted_leader]

John shrugs and gestures with a hand.

"Lead the way. I'm John, by the way, and I really hope this ends up making some kind of sense."

[run_barry]

"Barry Allen," he says and starts to offer a hand, then realizes both of his are full.

"C'mon, I apologize in advance, because it's going to sound completely crazy, but I promise you it starts sort of making sense after awhile."

He takes them to the table and grabs a seat, putting the pizza box down and immediately grabbing a slice; pepperoni, black olives and jalapeños.

"Okay first, I know it's a weird question, but can I ask where and when you're from?"

[gifted_leader]

"Fair enough," John says pulling out a seat. Seeing Barry struggle with his load, or at least shift it a bit, he continues, "Need a hand with that?"

"Oh, and uh, Savanna Georgia, 2017?"

[run_barry]

"No, I got, but thanks."

Swinging the pizza box in John's direction, he offers, "Pizza?"

Because it would be rude to sit down and eat a whole pie without offering a slice.

John's answer makes Barry nod, and he's a touch relieved. "Okay, good. I didn't think you were from someplace too different, but that's good to know." Because explaining Milliways is hard enough, trying to do it while also making up for differences in worlds and time makes it even harder.

"So anyways, this is Milliways, the bar at the end of the universe."

[gifted_leader]

"Sure...I'm always open to pizza."

"Wait. Milliways? Like 'So long and thanks for all the fish'?"

[run_barry]

"Go for it," he says, gesturing at the large pizza.

John's reply makes Barry's smile widen as only a nerd reference can. He bobs his head and says, "Yeah, sort of? We're definitely sitting on an asteroid at the end of everything, and if you look over there, there's the window where you can see it all happen and then rewind."

He points, taking a bite of pizza and watching for John's reaction.

[exiled_heir_of_the_eighth]

Ah. Another new person. There seems to be a couple of them here tonight.

Sahaal gets up from his seat by the window, drink in hand, and heads over to the man by the door. He notices the sidestep with a twinge of respect. Whoever this person is, he certainly has the right amount of healthy paranoia. The stance, and that look in his eyes, and not to mention the scars, make it clear he's a warrior or soldier of some description. So Sahaal's careful.

He approaches with his arms out from his body, the hand not holding an amasec raised in greeting. "Evening. Can I offer you a drink?"

[gifted_leader]

John notes the guy coming and turns his attention his way. Scanning him quickly, his eyes swivel about to make sure no one else is approaching his flank, before turning back to the tall guy. He smells just this side of odd and give his size and look, John can;t help wondering if another mutant has found his way to him.

"Maybe once I get a better handle on what's going on here," he says to answer the offer of a drink. "This was supposed to be a laundry room."

A lie, but it wouldn't hurt to mislead if this is something to worry about.

[exiled_heir_of_the_eighth]

"That's fine, I understand. I'm only offering because the first drink here is free."

Sahaal chuckles. "A laundry room? Well, whoever you are, you're rather far from that."

[gifted_leader]

"That's seems obvious. It's the how I'm having trouble with."

Help a guy out?

[exiled_heir_of_the_eighth]

This is... well. Sahaal's never had to explain what Milliways is to anyone before, so this may be a bit amateurish.

"Look out the window. That large multicoloured explosion of light and heat is the literal end of the universe. This is Milliways, a bar built inside an asteroid held in geosynchronous orbit around said end of the universe. Every single person, including me and you, come from one of an infinite number of universes that all converge, though I have no idea how, into that door you just came through."

[gifted_leader]

It's good thing John can parse intel quickly, cause once he sees the window, all thoughts of what Sahaal may have been saying clear out in favor of overload.

Assuming Sahaal doesn't pull him out o fit after a minute or so, John tears himself away with an effort of will and rubs his forehead.

"Ok...I think I'll take that drink now. That's...wow...yeah. Ready for a beer."

[exiled_heir_of_the_eighth]

"I don't blame you. Very few people take their world being turned upside down well without alcohol."

Sahaal leads the new arrival over to the bar, and indicates the large wooden countertop with one pale hand.

"This is Bar. She seems like any other block of wood at first, but she's sentient, and she can hear you just fine. She's also the one who produces the food, drink and other essentials, so you should ask her for a beer, not me. I just live here."

[gifted_leader]

"Okaay," John replies still reeling a bit. "Um, it's a pleasure to meet you ma'am...Ms. Bar? Could I have a beer?" John actually manages to not flinch when a tall glass appears, practically misting with condensation. He reaches out and lifts the glass, noticing the napkin beneath with the smily face and Welcome printed on it.

"You live here?" he asks, before taking a cautious sip. It's likely teh best tasting beer he's had and there's not a hint of poison to it.

[exiled_heir_of_the_eighth]

"Yes, I live here. There's accommodation in the rear hallways. Nothing palatial, but it's nicer than anywhere I've ever called home before."

Given that his previous homes have included an underground prison, an abandoned mining rig and a chamber on a Legion voidship, this might actually be true.

[thewidewideworld]

There's a pretty blonde androgyne siting on the by the fire, playing a tune on a simple wooden flute and charming the firefish. Sinric looks up at the newcomer and smiles. "Welcome.

[gifted_leader]

Definitely pretty, even if the person isn't John's type.

"Thank you, though I'd feel more welcomed if you could tell me where I am? It's just, this wasn't where I thought I was walking into."

[thewidewideworld]

"It is called Milliways. A place at the crossroads of time and place, where people of many worlds and ages may meet. To some it is a sanctuary, others a place of respite. To some it is an afterlife. The door comes and goes, finding people for reasons all its own."

He smiles softly. "I am Sinric, called Sinric the Wanderer. I am from the year of our lord 792. And currently hailing from the City of Paris in the Carolingian Empire."

[gifted_leader]

John's brow begins to wrinkle in confusion and by the end he's nearly lost in a state of incredulity. Still, scent and visual markers suggest Sinric isn't lying and believes what he says.

"Wow...that's...that's a lot, to be honest," John says with a shake of his head. "I'm John Proudstar, from 2017 and currently living in Georgia. The state not the country. In the United States of America, if you've heard of them?" Given John doesn't recognize the Carolingian Empire, it's possible.

"You're really from 792?"

[thewidewideworld]

"Welcome, John. I have indeed heard a great many things about the Americans. I have a dear friend who is from Baltimore."

He smiled softly and nods. "Indeed I am. I grew up in Constantinople under the reign of Constantine the Fifth." there's a fondness in the way he says the emperor's name.

[cutting_edgex23]

A woman, smelling of metal and blood and extremely excellent health, tilts her head from a few feet away, studying him.

"Hello."

[gifted_leader]

He looks her way while keeping an eye on his periphery. The metallic edge to her scent is odd and has him thinking of sentinel drones, though he doesn't hear any hint of them.

Still, his mother and drill sergeant didn't raise him to be rude. "Um...hello. Could you tell me where I am? I know how that sounds but this isn't where I thought I was going."

[cutting_edgex23]

"You are in Milliways," she says. "A bar at the end of the multiverses."

She blinks a lot less than most people do.

"I am X."

[gifted_leader]

Her manner and short name trigger alarm bells for John. Could she be someone Trask Industries manipulated or created? They've not found any proof of such things, of course, because that would be illegal, but the rumors are persistent.

"I'm John. Can you maybe explain how a bar got into where a laundromat was supposed to be?" A lie is risky with what could be a telepath or other unknown power at work, but John has people top protect and he isn't going to just hand over information.

[cutting_edgex23]

"I can try," X offers.

Her accompanying shrug is one-shouldered and quick.

"It is confusing for many people."

[gifted_leader]

The shrug reminds him of some of the kids who'd passed through the Underground; the one's who'd lost family and more. It lessens his fears of Trask Industries, but he still keeps his guard up.

"I promise to let you know when you lose me," he assures her with a smile. He also steps forward towards her.

[cutting_edgex23]

X does not shift back or away at all, seemingly oblivious to John's change in position.

(She is not oblivious.)

"The door is a portal. This end is fixed. The other end is not. It goes anywhere. Or it can."

[gifted_leader]

John stops a few feet away, just close enough to be friendly but not close enough to loom; which, admittedly is a trick, given their differences in height.

"So this is one of the kids playing with their powers?" John's pretty sure Trask wouldn't be talking of portals, so decides to take a chance. He'll still be vague and will check himself for electronic bugs ASAP once this experience is done.

[cutting_edgex23]

X considers this carefully, then shakes her head.

Once.

"It is not likely. Unless some of them have come here before. It is difficult to find. Otherwise."