riverviewlogs | [ open ] call it your 2.0, your rebirth, whatever

Entry tags:

[ open ] call it your 2.0, your rebirth, whatever

who: cisco + anyone!
what: catch-all + tdm prompts + fajro prompts
when: february
where: various places!
warnings: will add as needed

I. DREAM A LITTLE DREAM

[ Cisco thought that the crystal caves sounded exactly like something from a fantasy series he had loved as a child, so of course, he dragged Eddie to go and see them with him. There had been nothing ominous about the place, at the time. It isn't until a few days later that Cisco's dreams start to show the sign of outside influence. They become vivid, surreal, and most importantly, he starts having guests. A few times he'll have a passing thought about a friend before falling asleep, only to run into them in his dream. He's no stranger to unusual dreams, and - after what had happened in October - not even a stranger to encountering other people in them.

But it's still pretty damn weird. ]

You see that, right? It's not just me?

[ Cisco asks the question to whoever is standing next to him, pointing down an empty city street at the looming figure of what is, unmistakably, a Godzilla-sized robotic panda. ]

II. CLEANING HOUSE

[ Cisco had rolled his eyes at first at the idea of a whole holiday based around cleaning. What could be less fun? He's always been somewhat inclined to keep stuff. After all, you never know what use it could be later. He spends plenty of his time scavenging the things other people left behind in the abandoned parts of the city, for materials and parts for his work.

But once he and Eddie decide to share the same room, he realizes he is going to have to get rid of at least some of his stuff, to make room. So he reluctantly starts, only to find himself getting more and more into the task. He can be seen either having a cute little yard sale to get rid of various items (clothing, books, etc.), or else taking what remains after the sale down to the bonfires by the river. ]

III. CLEARING THE AIR

[ Along with everyone else in the Quarantine, as the month progresses, he finds himself dwelling on resentments from his past. Unfortunately for Cisco, most of those resentments pertain to people who aren't even here. Once the 15th rolls around, he finds that his sense of taste has vanished completely. A few conversations with others tell him that this is probably something to do with the holiday, that he needs to clear the air.

But what is he supposed to do, when the people he's feeling resentful towards aren't even here?

So Cisco can be found all that week making his way around town, sitting in a park or perhaps at a bar, slump-shouldered and wan and uncomfortable, needing (but not knowing it) someone to talk to. A good heart-to-heart will put things right, but he's not aware of that yet.

He is also, despite his distraction, more than happy to listen to others' woes, or any resentments held against him. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ From the sound of it, perhaps the world Zelda came from is not quite as scientifically advanced as his own. No space exploration, or study of the cosmos. When she says it feels like there's so much she doesn't know, Cisco holds up a finger, a gesture asking her to wait. He starts looking through the piles of books, pulling out five textbooks - the ones that had proven the most useful for him in catching up. He stacks them together and then slides them over towards Zelda, saying: ]

These'll help. Take 'em. Worst case scenario, you can use them for reference when you come across something confusing. Also, uh, I don't know what level of tech you were used to, where you come from, but I feel like I should mention I give lessons. For people who show up here and aren't used to phones, or computers, or whatever. I had flyers up all around the city, a few months back, but now people mostly find me via word of mouth. Here.

[ He fishes around in the pockets of his jacket and, lo and behold, he did have a couple business cards stashed away in one of them. Cisco tucks one into the front of the textbook on the top of the pile, tapping it and saying: ]

That's got the address of my workshop on it, you can stop by most days and I'm usually there, and I can help you with pretty much whatever tech stuff you need to figure out.

[ When he sees her enjoying the spinner, Cisco smiles, gesturing as he says: ]

Keep it. Seriously, I got so many of these.

[As she watches, she realises what Cisco is doing. Even so she hardly expects to have five books presented to her for her very own. Her surprise shows on her face, and she looks up at Cisco again with gratitude.]

Are you certain? ...thank you so much. I've been going to the library on weekends, looking up things there. But it will be wonderful to have copies of my own, so I can make notes more easily.

[Not in the books - she's not a heathen. Just alongside them in her own notebook. Curiosity colours her voice when she touches the edge of his business card.]

Lessons like this would be helpful to a lot of people, I expect. My world doesn't make technology such as phones, though in ancient times there were devices like them. I've got some experience with getting such things working again, so it wasn't entirely unfamiliar. [She smiles fondly, remembering the excitement of unearthing new pieces from that forgotten age and puzzling out their workings.] But it's something else to be in a place where everyone knows about these things and how to work them.

[She pauses, then admits:]

I am finding the computers to be a little challenging, actually. Phones are enough like the Sheikah Slate that I can work those, but the computers have a lot more to them.

Absolutely certain. And when you're done with them, you can pass them along to the next newbie. Pay it forward, and all that.

[ While she explains the tech in her world (apparently she comes from somewhere that had had advanced technology in the past, but lost it? Fascinating...) he picks up one of those cardboard boxes he'd used to carry things out of the apartment. It's a smallish one, and he puts those textbooks into it, so they will be easier for her to carry. There's some room, too, in case anything else catches her eye. ]

That sounds awesome. Tell me, was this a like, outta necessity thing, or do you just like playing around with tech? 'cause lemme tell you, I've got so much awesome stuff I've found out in the ruins, and there's some of it that I just cannot get to work at all. I've got a whole cabinet full of mystery junk, so if you ever feel like poking around, maybe you'll have a little more luck than me.

[ It's possible that she won't be interested in the offer, but there's no harm in making it, right? Perhaps she would fare better, if the tech mirrored what she was familiar with finding from her own world's ancients. ]

They definitely do. Well, it's an open-ended offer, so... any time, you know. Machines are what I do, so I pretty much never get tired of talking about 'em and what they can do.

I'll be sure to do so.

[If she can make herself part with them. Well, she can figure out later which ones she really likes or needs.]

It was out of necessity, as there was much we needed to find out about that technology so it could be used for a purpose. But I enjoy it for itself, as well. I was never in a position to do it purely for fun. [As much as she had tried to sneak in more research whenever she could, the stern eye of her father usually found her. She leans forward at the mention of the ruins, interest piqued.] You've been out there? To the ruins? I'm meant to go there as part of my job here, but I've not yet done so. I'd love to see what you've found so far though.

Then, yes, I would like some lessons in that. I think it would be a good starting point.

What kinda purpose?

[ He realizes the question is broad, and perhaps a little intrusive, but he is curious. He hadn't been exaggerating just now when he talked about how much he enjoyed hearing about other people's worlds, and this is no exception. From the sound of it, she comes from an intriguing place, and he'd like to know more.

And in exchange, of course, he's more than happy to talk about his own trips outside the walls. ]

Yeah, I head out there pretty regularly, actually. Not by myself, of course. [ He holds up a hand, as if to forestall and questions or assumptions on that front. ] I've got a partner who comes with me, and she's like, a pro at scavenging. But the stuff I design and build, sometimes it requires materials that are really rare, that you can't just buy in a store, here. So I need to dig around in the ruins for certain metals and elements, and I find a lot of cool other stuff, too, that's just bonus.

[ At first he'd found the lack of available resources here to be a real obstacle, but he's gotten so used to his trips with Rey, and gotten to know her so well through them, that now he wouldn't change things even if he could. ]

What's your job, then?

[She sobers a little at the question, the answer steeped in a more serious subject that Cisco would realise.]

There was a great calamity we needed to prevent. That ancient technology was built for such a purpose, long ago. If we could get it working again, the hope was that it could protect the kingdom.

[Despite that, she's keenly interested in what Cisco has to say about venturing beyond the wall.]

It's good that you have someone to go with. I have a friend here from home who is with the Perimeter Guard. I am hoping to go out there with him sometime soon. [As soon as she can convince Link that she'll be fine to go. He's a bit too protective at times.] If there are resources like that out there, I can see why it would be important to go find them. They won't help anyone just sitting on the ground in the wilderness.

I'm a Field Researcher, at Gramarye Magic Research.

[ It's strange, the things Cisco has and hasn't gotten used to in his time here, and the trends that he's been able to notice over the months. One of the more prominent patterns is difficult to articulate, but undeniable: that the people who are brought here tend to be brought just before, just after, or even during moments of great crisis, both personally and for their worlds. So when Zelda mentions a great calamity, it's not expected, exactly, but Cisco's reaction is not shock, or even surprise. He merely nods, expression grave. ]

And did you? Or... was all that still going on, when you got pulled here?

[ There had been no pattern he could detect, after all, regarding what stage of crisis people typically came from. ]

Oh, there's someone else from your world here? That's awesome. I think... it can be really hard, for people who are on their own, you know? Without anyone who remembers home? There's only one person here who I knew back home, but I don't know what I'd do without him.

[ As he says it, Cisco glances back up at the windows of the apartment, wondering if he can catch a glimpse of Eddie upstairs. They'd split up their tasks, today - Cisco handling the yard sale while Eddie moves around furniture, rearranging their as they'd planned.

When she mentions working for Gramarye, Cisco turns with a surprised little smile: ]

Oh, hey, I know a couple folks who work there. Have you met Lucretia? Or Dorian? You must be a wizard if you work there. Or whatever it is they call magic people in your world. The terminology kinda varies.

No - it's all over now.

[She sidesteps the question of whether the Calamity was prevented. It wasn't. The important thing to her now is that it's finally over, and peace has returned. It's too heavy a subject to bring up to a stranger, she thinks.]

It's been a relief, I must say. I was here for a couple of weeks before I realised Link was here as well. [Her forehead creases a little as she recalls what the knight had said - different points in time. Lack of memories. It wasn't so simple as it could be... but it could be worse.] I'm glad to hear you have a friend here as well, though. It does make things less daunting.

[She looks up when Cisco does briefly, but readily nods when he asks about Gramarye.]

I did meet Lucretia at the ball last month. She's going to show me around soon. [She gasps a bit at the idea of being a wizard, then laughs.] A wizard! No, I'm not one of those. I do have some magic, though I think I was selected because of my background in research rather than that.

[Her powers, prodigious though they may be, aren't the sort of thing that lend themselves to much study or craftsmanship.]

[ Link... it isn't a name Cisco recognizes, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's never met the guy. There are plenty of people in this place he knows by sight alone. He thinks that Zelda looks a bit troubled as she's talking about him, but he figures that's probably none of his business. ]

Hey, even 'some magic' is way more magic than I got. [ He gives a little shrug, smiling as he explains: ] The world I come from doesn't have magic. Like, at all. Took me a long time for me to get used it being real, after I showed up here.

[ Cisco doesn't doubt that Zelda's right about why she was hired there, but he somehow doubts they would have let her in if she didn't have any magic at all. Despite being friends with a few of the people working there, he's developed some slightly grim feelings towards the Gramarye, after some of the stunts they've pulled. But they're not a monolith. ]

By research, you mean the stuff you were talking about, right? Archaeology and artifacts and all that?

No magic? [Her confusion shows on her face. Magic might not be something that everyone wields in Hyrule, but everyone knows of its existence. She can't truly imagine a world without it.] How strange... what if the magic is just in a form you don't recognise?

Yes, I think so. It's what I mentioned to the people here when I first arrived, when they wanted to know about my skills. I don't think my use of magic would be of much help in a working environment.

I mean, I guess it depends how you define magic. Most of the stuff that people can do here that they call magic - summoning fire out of thin air, turning people into animals, alchemy, bringing people back from the dead, talking unicorns, all that... nobody where I'm from can do any of that.

[ It's certainly not the sort of conversation he'd expected to have, manning his little yard sale, but it's clear how much Cisco is enjoying it, bright-eyed and lively as he adds: ]

But, then again, there's probably stuff people can do in my world that would sound like magic to someone from somewhere else. See, the difference is, I don't think of it that way, because I know there are scientific explanations for all of it, even if we haven't found them yet. None of it is outside the laws of physics.

[ He says it confidently, though of course, there is just a flicker of doubt in his mind. When it came to stuff like the Speed Force, or his own powers... it was hard to imagine how it could possibly be explained. But it's easier to pretend the categories and definitions are simple, for now. ]

Hey, well, researching's pretty freakin' important, too. Especially in a place like this, you know? If this place is gonna thrive, we need good researches a hell of a lot more than people who are gonna use their magic to just interfere in other people's lives.

I suppose that's true. I'm finding that magic is more difficult to categorise than I would have thought.

[If her starting package at Gramarye had taught her anything, it was that magic had a lot of permutations out there. Hyrule's magic seemed relatively straightforward by comparison. There were magic creatures, magic weapons, and long-held stories about magic from the past. She had never thought to question much of it, except for the one power she had struggled so long to awaken in herself.]

I'm not familiar with the laws of physics, but I do agree with trying to find solid explanations for everything. It's what I try to do myself.

[And really, some of the ancient artefacts they had uncovered held magic of their own. She knew the Divine Beasts in particular weren't wholly machine - there was something else there, with a will of its own.

A smile tugs at Zelda's lips, and she nods in agreement.]

I would hope so. I don't like to think about people who might do that; it seems petty.

Stuff never fits in neat categories quite the way you want it to. Especially not in this place.

[ Cisco grins when Zelda says she isn't familiar with the laws of physics - because of course she is. At least, the basic ones. Everyone is, she just might not know the particular language that articulates them, in Cisco's world. But the fact that she is someone who is constantly looking for answers, explanations, information about why and how things are the way they are... well, that makes her sound more like a scientist than many of the other magic-users Cisco knows.

And there's something very endearing about how she says she doesn't like to think about people who use their magic to interfere in other people's lives. It strikes Cisco as a slightly naive way of thinking - the rest of them, who don't have magic, need to think about it, because they are in a position of comparative helplessness. But she's young. At least, she looks young. But she also looks like an elf. Does that mean that, in years, she might actually be older than Cisco?

Oh, well, no polite way to ask. So instead he says: ]

I'll have to stop by and say hey, the next time I'm visiting someone at the Institute.

[Zelda nods, already happy at the idea of having a visitor. It makes it seem that much more solid and real, having a job that people can come visit her at.]

I'd like that. And I'll be sure to contact you about those lessons. Here-- [She opens her belt pouch and gets out a piece of paper, quickly writing down her network ID.] This is my contact name, if you want to get in touch with me.

[Zelda places it on the table, before placing the books Cisco had given her and the fidget spinner into the cardboard box.]

And thank you so much for these, Cisco. I'll put them to good use.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ open ] call it your 2.0, your rebirth, whatever

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