snowblindrpg | [network] @ADMIN; Arrival

[Flynn quietly cries into his hand for a moment, trying to get it out of his system. Eventually he takes a shuddering breath and wipes at his face, struggling to compose himself.]

I'm sorry I'm just being stupid.

I missed you.

Flynn Carsen, you are a lot of things. Stupid is not one of them.

[ She's worried, now, though. The sudden switch to text is odd enough, but this talk of him missing her has her beginning to question things. ]

Well, I'm here now, and if I have anything to say about it, I'm not going anywhere.

Now I feel like I should give myself a slap from you.

[Flynn chuckles, rubbing his face dry. It's just so good to hear these words. They don't miss their mark and help getting his head out of the clouds (or rather the storm, considering).

Okay, he can do this. He has to. They need to focus on this city and the task at hand, that's the most important thing right now.

He switches back to video, looking a bit sheepish.]

Hi. Sorry about that.

[He gives her one of his crooked smiles.] Should we try this again?

Well, that would be a sight to see.

[ She smiles when he resumes video again. ]

Hello. And yes, I think that would be a good place to start.

Okay. [He nods, puffing his cheeks after drawing in another deep breath.]

Hello Nicole. Welcome to Norfinbury. It is a horrible place and I hate everything about it. ... Well, except some of its people, there are some nice people here. There are also horrible people here? But some are nice.

[He frowns. This isn't really going better than the first time, is it? Okay, trying to get back on track now.]

We are most likely from different timelines because I have been here for almost a month. Hated everything about that, too, but that's [little hand waving gesture] secondary right now. It also means I'm probably not even 'your' Flynn, not... really.

I am also blown away by seeing you here. [He pauses for a moment, before adding, a little more softly,] I definitely hate nothing about that.

[ She listens carefully, even when he goes off on a bit of a tangent. She's grown used to those, so she manages to not look too impatient at him. And he eventually catches on, which helps.

As she listens, her expression changes from neutral, to confused, to concerned, and then bounces back to confused. ]

While it's good that there are some decent people here, and not so good that there are also horrible people, that is normal for any place, not just this one. I would hope that you haven't run into any of the not so good people before now.

[ She doesn't believe it needs to be said that she intends to protect him as best as she can. ]

Right. Well, unless some life-altering events have happened to you in your different timeline, I don't suppose that matters very much. You haven't completely forgotten who I am, so I consider that a good thing.

Now, there are two points we need to cover. One, although you said it's secondary, I disagree. What was it about your month here that you hated? And two, if you're not 'my' Flynn, what does that make you?

[ He can accuse her of being too business-like if he wants. But he's said some things that piqued her interest and her attention, and she means to get her questions answered. ]

It's very good to see you too. [ And his words earn him a wide and very genuine smile. ]

[It's hard to get used to the business-like tone again. At the same time, it's incredibly helpful. He's not sure if he could take sentiment right now, because sentiment is too closely tied to Simone and he had to force Simone from his memory altogether to even make it through the last month. On some level it's unfair, he knows, but it's the only way he can survive in this place and everything it throws at him; especially now. He thinks she'd understand.]

It makes me... some sort of Flynn, I guess. We can go and see if that's good enough over time.

[He returns the smile because how could he not?]

What did I hate? The cold. Hate the cold, oh my God do I hate the cold. You know how much I hate cold, and hiking, oh God, the hiking? Hiking through the cold, that's a whole new level of detest right there. [He's getting a little more upset as he speaks but once he starts it seems impossible to stop.] And this town messes with your head? Like I made actual friends here and I treated them horribly because the town put fake memories in my head, and...

And I'm... [His voice suddenly cuts off as he's getting to the real point of his agitation.]

[ Well, it is one thing she's good at: casting aside sentiment when business is at hand. Still, even though she doesn't know about Simone, she does know Flynn, and she knows he can be a sentimental person at times. But yes, she does understand. Or she would, if she knew of all the things going on beneath the surface. ]

Some sort of Flynn is better than no Flynn at all.

[ Although she really doesn't know what that's even supposed to mean. He looks and sounds like the Flynn she knows, but she suspects something's happened that she's unaware of because of their difference in timelines. ]

Do you have warm clothing? Jackets, gloves, good shoes? I'd assume you do, or you wouldn't have survived this long. [ Or he'd be riddled with frostbite, a thought she doesn't want to think about. ]

I've heard people say that about this town. They warned me that it's possible to turn against those who are your friends.

[ She fixes him with a look. ]

You're what? [ Her expertise lies with saving him from present dangers like those attempting to kill or hurt him, but she does try to be an emotional support as well. She's just not always that good at it. ]

Well, some sort of Flynn appreciates that. [His smile widens for a moment.]

And I have... layers. [Ridiculous layers but can beggars really be choosers in this town? Wait until you see the fake bear fur, Nicole.] It's not ideal but enough to get by for now. How about you? Did you manage to find anything yet?

[He pulls a face when she goes on about the town. It's nothing he likes to think about.] Yeah. That really happens.

I'm... [useless lingers on the tip of his tongue but he can't bring himself to say it. He promised Peter he'd keep exploring and find alternatives to the kill experiments and he's still adamant on trying.] I haven't been very successful in trying to figure out what's going on here.

Good. I'm sure it's obvious, but I don't want you freezing to death. [ She won't laugh (much) at his ridiculous layers. It's only by the luck of the draw that she's not here waltzing around in a tank top and cargo pants. ]

Luckily for me, I arrived with hiking boots, so that's one thing I can cross off the list. I haven't found anything yet, but I'm working on that. [ And it helps that she arrived with layers too. Not the thickest layers, but enough to buy her some time. ]

I find that hard to believe. You're usually the first one to figure things out. So either that means you're busy trying to survive, which I have no issue with, or the situation is much too complicated for one person on his own.

[ Which is nothing to be embarrassed about, if that's the case. Nicole might not be the biggest proponent for teamwork, but even she knows when some things are too much for one person alone. ]

Well, it's not supposed to be like that.

[It comes out a little clipped. Look, nothing against teamwork but he's used to solving things (on his own) and he's used to a fast-paced life where missions take a week tops. And they take a week tops because he's solving things. This here is... difficult to adjust to.

Then again she makes a very good point that placates him, at least somewhat.]

The surviving does get in the way.

No, of course not. The answers to all the problems should just hand themselves over to you on a silver platter. Come on, Flynn, you're not less intelligent just because things are complicated. Even geniuses take some time to figure out solutions to problems.

[ Look, she's just trying to counter his upset with reason. Well, reason and a bit of flattery thrown in. ]

I'm confident Judson would tell you the same thing. And the day you stop trying to survive is the day I whack you soundly on the head.

[ Just saying. ]

He would, wouldn't he. [At the mention of Judson's name Flynn's expression softens, some of the agitation leaving his face. He misses the man, misses his guidance, and the hurtful dream that had haunted him for a fake twenty years still resonates from time to time.

Funnily enough, the threat of physical violence brings a small smile out of him.] That won't be necessary.

[And, with more affection than he actually wants to let on,] Psychopath.

[ There. That's better. She likes Flynn when he's not so agitated. Well, she likes him in all of his moods, but she prefers it when he's relaxed and happy. And he was looking decidedly unhappy for awhile there.

One of these days, she's going to try and get it out of him exactly what she's missed, but for now, she just wants to enjoy his company. ] Really, are you sure about that? I can't have you giving up on me, now.

[ That affectionate tone gets a smile out of her. She considers herself extremely lucky to have found someone like him. ] Come on, you like it.

[ She can't help but tease him a bit, but it's all from a sense of fondness. ]

I guess I do. [Flynn exhales airily with a bit of a chuckle. The fondness in her voice is nice and confusing and he has no idea how to respond to it.]

Do you... Where are you? Have you looked at the map yet?

[ She'll let that subject lie for now. There'll be plenty of time for them to banter about it later if they so choose. ]

I have looked at the map, and I'm in a building not far from the school.

I'm on the other side of town, where the skywalks are.

[He hesitates.]

We could meet somewhere.

If it isn't too far out of your way, I'd like to see you.

[ But she won't force him to walk a great distance if he doesn't want that. ]

[He lets his gaze drop on his hands for a moment.]

I'd... like to see you, too.

All right, then.

[ Maybe when they meet in person, she can finally figure out if it's just her imagination that he's acting weird or not. ]

So I'll join you, or do you want to join me?

We could meet at the museum, should be pretty much halfway. I can be there in a couple of days.

[Part of him briefly wonders if he'll ever make it to the new zone but it's Nicole and it takes precedence in his head right now.]

That's probably the fastest way for us to meet.

[ She smiles at his suggestion of meeting up at the museum. It's completely unsurprising, because if there can't be a library for him to lose himself in, at least there's a museum, even in what is, by all accounts, a snowy hell like this. ]

That sounds like a good plan. The museum it is, then.

Alright. [He returns the smile, still marveling at bit at the sight of her.]

You have to be careful in the tunnels leading up to it, though, they can be tricky to navigate.

Well, then I won't take them lightly. But they can't be any trickier to navigate than an unfamiliar jungle or snowy mountaintop.

Now that you mention it, I think you'll be fine.

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