milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

Bleeding to death was, to say the least, a bit bothersome. Not just the dying part, but the blood was so messy. He'd gone through the whole last-dying-breath pain and suffocating blackness, just to be presented with a door. Totally anticlimactic. Naturally, he'd opened the door, and was greeted by what appeared to be... A bar. Was this the afterlife given to those who don't believe in an afterlife? And if he is in fact dead, why was there still a small but steady flow of blood coming from his hand, dripping to the floor?

Okay. One thing at a time. He manages to go to the bar and find an unoccupied seat, and proceeds to look about as lost and dazed as he ever has before. Hopefully this seeming afterlife comes with some kind of guide. Or a bandaid. That would be nice.

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"From the same London, I wonder?" He has the creeping suspicion he's either hallucinating, or more than his own reality exists at Milliways, judging by the characters currently occupying the bar...

"Impressive. The guest rooms, might I be able to take one for myself, minus the lover? I mean is there housing here, and what of the currency?"

"Hard to say. Perhaps a similar one at least."

He decides not to try to explain London Below just yet.

"Of course, sir, just tell me what sort of room you require, and we take any and all currency. You can run a tab if you run out of money, or you can try to get a job here."

"Anything with a bed and bathroom would be most welcome. I'll have to start a tab."

He looks down at his clothes, able to smell the blood on them. They'd have to go. "I don't suppose I'd be able to get a change of clothes also?"

"I was a medical technician, where I came from. I'm not sure how much use I'd be of here..."

He nods and a roomkey pops up on the bar along with a dufflebag presumably filled with clothes and things.

"Actually, as a medical technician, you'll be in demand. A lot of people live here, and we have at least one pregnant lady, and one who just gave birth a month ago."

He points to the message board.

"You can leave a note with your name and qualifications there."

He stares, baffled.

Then pats the bar with a hand. "Good bar. Interesting trick. And thank you."

"It might be dangerous to trust me with a pregnancy, I was more the person who collects specimens and does the testing to determine what's wrong and just how wrong it is." And that would be assuming the women are human. And he'd have access to equipment and medicine he's familiar with. "Well, I could, I mean... I know how to. Sort of."

He finishes his water. And tries to wrap his mind around the idea of calling this place home.

"Do you live here? If you don't mind me asking."

Richard pets Bar and smiles.

"She's a lovely lady. Ask her for anything you need, and she can usually give it to you."

He looks back up at Steven.

"That would still be very helpful to the doctors and healers who are here."

He nods.

"I don't mind at all. Ask me anything you like. I lived here for a few months, but I live with my lover in New Orleans now."

He'd already sensed the bar's seeming... sentience. He felt relieved to realise he wasn't just imagining it, and it showed on his face. "I'll do what I can, since I guess I'll be here a while."

He touches Bar again and asks for a note and something to write with, then starts jotting down his name and qualifications for the message board.

"Which New Orleans? In the same world you came from?"

"No, but it's a similar world. It's 2005 there to start with, but it's mostly the same."

He's intrigued by the thought of time travel like that. Not to mention the differing reality. "How do you get there? And come back here?"

"Through the front door. I just have to focus on where I'm going."

He walks over to it to demonstrate his mun's slight abuse of his Freedom of the Underside ability. He focuses a moment and opens the door into the cemetery path in New Orleans, then he closes it again and opens it into Trafalgar Square. A pigeon flies in and roosts in the rafters.

"Just like that. Though, since you're dead, you're probably Bound."

He turns to watch the display intently. Suitably impressed, his gaze follows the pigeon as it flutters up out of sight. Under his breath, "Amazing."

And back to Richard. He smiles slightly. "Is that synonymous with 'stuck here'?"

He nods.

"'Fraid so. At least most of the dead are. You can try the door for yourself to find out. Or you can step outside for some fresh air."

He walks to another door and opens it onto a Scottish loch with surrounding grounds and a forrest. It's pretty damp and cold out right now though.

"I'll wait. On both counts." Though he's looking out the door as if he'd like nothing more than to be out there. The forest is particularly appealing and hard to pass up.

"At least until I've washed this blood off."

Gathering up his things, he attaches the note to the message board and stands. "You've been very helpful and kind. Thank you. Perhaps I'll see you again soon?"

He nods and smiles.

"It's been nice meeting you, and I'm here most mornings. I'll see you again soon."

"I do hope so. I've enjoyed talking with you, Richard."

He inclines his head. "Have a good day."

And he's off to go locate his room.

{{Thank YOU! It was great. ^_^}}

"You too, mate."

And he goes back to work.

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