downside

[arenaria]

Voice lets her go.

Shell doesn't know how long it's been. She doesn't know where she is. She doesn't know how to get home, or if she has one.

She stands on Voice's doorstep. She blinks slowly at the brightness.

She walks in a random direction.

Downsiders aren't big on charity. It's not like it's going to kill her if she doesn't get help. It's not like she's unfamiliar with the effects of dehydration and hunger; Voice didn't always remember to take good care of the pet in the basement. Shell walks, and when she's tired she lies down on the ground and sleeps, and when she wakes up she walks, and every few days she curls up on the ground, waits to torch from thirst, and then gets up and goes on.

She doesn't count the number of times this happens. It doesn't matter.

She walks. She has nightmares. She walks.

On an unremarkable day on an unremarkable street after unremarkable stretches of years, she feels herself cross a telltale threshold of dizziness and headache: she cannot make significant forward progress towards Not Where She Is Currently Located until she torches or (less likely) someone gives her a lot of water. It's possible she'll be able to sleep through this torch. She sits. She leans on a wall. She should probably pick up the next sharp object she finds. Maybe a piece of broken glass will present itself. Then she can skip these parts.

She sits, and she closes her eyes, and she waits. If the buildings around her would ever have seemed familiar, they don't now.

Comments

[manofmyword]

He smiles softly.

"I'll bet they did."

[arenaria]

"I think so, anyway. I have an apartment. In Downside your house is how much you were mourned when you died. My apartment is little, so it's probably just one person, but it's - nice, so I think they must've loved me a lot. It's got a lot of clutter because I wasn't there to clear it out for, I think Strat said sixty or seventy years, but it's got pretty wallpaper and furniture and stuff. And anyway it's the only thing I remember from before for sure."

[manofmyword]

"Wouldja do me a favour?" he asks suddenly. "Open your door for me?"

[arenaria]

"Do you want to go to Downside?" asks Shell. "On purpose? Aren't you alive?"

[manofmyword]

He smiles crookedly. Not that there is another option.

"I won't stay long. Don't you worry about me."

[arenaria]

"Do you get doors to here whenever you want them?" she asks quizzically, but she gets up to go to the door.

[manofmyword]

"When I say 'not long'," he says as he follows, "I mean mmmaybe a couple minutes. Will you be a sweetheart and hold the door for me?"

[arenaria]

"I - sure, I suppose, if you just want a look at my apartment or something," says Shell.

One does not dwell in Downside without developing patience.

She holds the door for him.

[manofmyword]

As he steps through the door, he makes a very specific wish:

if there is a version of Nathan in this world, one who's met him, met him and loved him and died, he wants to be where that person is.

[temporal_affairs]

Timer's in bed with Eights, napping off a lovely bit of fornication.

[manofmyword]

"Awww," says the Joker.

[lookingforwardtoit]

"Do I know you?" inquires Eights.

[manofmyword]

"Nope!"

[temporal_affairs]

Nathan wakes up.

"...This is awkward," he says. "Did you die, babe? Eights," he adds, "this is the Joker, I might've mentioned him?"

[lookingforwardtoit]

"Ooh," she says. "Him."

[manofmyword]

"Milliways," he explains succinctly. "I came to see if you're okay. Are you okay? I'm glad you're not stuck on me, anyway, that would've been tragic."

[temporal_affairs]

"Not a vampire anymore," Nathan points out. "Bond was toast. I'm fine, this place isn't so bad, for me. Not overwhelmingly popular among some audiences, I guess, but me, I'm a Timer. But babe, I died a hundred years ago. I figured you never knew this place existed, how'd you find it?"

[manofmyword]

"Ran into somebody else I knew that died and went here," he explains. "One'a Goldie's alts. I didn't know you were here, or anything, but... well, the way she was talking, I wanted to check. See if you wanted a ride home."

[temporal_affairs]

"One of Bella's alts got here? Shit, why isn't the place remodeled to her satisfaction yet?"

[manofmyword]

"Looks like her magic didn't stick," he shrugs. "She didn't come out of it too well. Doesn't remember much."

[temporal_affairs]

"Eegh," Nathan says. "Well, I dunno. How long's it been on your end? How's the munchkin?"

[manofmyword]

"Oh, sweetie," he murmurs.

"I unkilled you. Took a pretty big wish, but you came back good as new. Except now there's two of you, I guess."

[temporal_affairs]

"...That sounds profoundly awkward?" offers Nathan.

[manofmyword]

He shrugs.

"Well, maybe. It's up to you, sweetheart. I'll take you if you wanna go."

[temporal_affairs]

"I don't think so fast anymore," shrugs Nathan. "D'you want to hang around for a bit while I think about it? See the sights? I avoid torturers but you might like some of Eights's friends. There's a decent restaurant in my neighborhood, I eat food now."