kingdoms_of_auradon | Ian In The Wrong Place?

Entry tags:

Ian In The Wrong Place? - OTA

Open/locked?: Open
Who: Ian and whomsoever encounters them
What: Ian arrives in Auradon
Warnings: Some angst, maybe?

There was a figure slumped by the wall, their white and black hair disheveled, their glasses on the grass beside them. Their small suitcase was over their legs, their backpack dangling from one arm. After a moment they groaned and lifted a hand to their head. "Did I get hit by a truck or something...?" They mumbled.

Eyes opening, they looked around. "Well that's not good. I can't afford to be hallucinating now." They picked up their round lensed glasses and checked them before putting them on, then fished a phone out of their pocket. "No bars. Of course. I need to write an algorithm that will allow my phone to find signal from anywhere in the world. Of course, I should still be close enough to get signal anyway, hallucination or no. So... what is actually going on here...?"

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"Gotcha," he said with regards to the pronouns. He was glad they'd mentioned it; he might have guessed wrong otherwise.

With regards to the suitcase, Lea crouched down and held it still in hopes of making it a bit easier for Ian to get their jacket free. "Least it's not a long coat that might've got caught in the wheels or something. I used to wear one a lot; they look dramatic, but when they get in the way they really get in the way."

"I usually save those for ren faires these days," they admitted, accepting the help. "This one usually isn't a problem." Finally they eased the edge free. "Thanks."

"No problem," Lea said, getting back to his feet. "Now for that explanation. To start off, quick question: are you familiar with the concept of alternate dimensions?"

"A decade ago, I might have scoffed at that question, but for the moment let's just say that you hav my attention. And my skepticism, sure. But also my attention." They adjusted their coat, backpack, and suitcase.

He wished that he could still be that skeptical. But he'd seen enough by this point that very little seemed out of the realm of possibility. Still, he chuckled. "Fair enough," he said. "Though just being familiar with the idea makes things easier."

"Anyway, welcome to the United Kingdoms of Auradon. You're here because someone- we don't know who- got a hold of a genie's lamp and wished for everyone to go go away, causing pretty much the entire population of this world to vanish. Then two different people tried to undo the wish at once, but the spells clashed, so instead of bringing back the people who are supposed to be here, it started pulling in random people from different times and dimensions. Hence you, me, and most of the other people who are here currently being dragged across time and space by the seat of our metaphorical pants and ending up here."

Expecting that this explanation would require an explanation itself, given Ian's skepticism, so he paused there to allow for any questions.

The look made it clear Ian wasn't buying it. "Well, I have to say that is the most elaborate story anyone has ever used to pull my leg that didn't involve quantum physics. It's very impressive, and imaginative. I am a bit pressed for time, however..." Ugh, thy did not just say that. Just as well Jenn wasn't here to hear it or they'd never live it down.

"Believe me, I wish I was pulling your leg," Lea said. "My life would be a lot easier if this was all some kind of overly elaborate stunt or something. But if you need some proof that you're not in your own world anymore..."

Lea casually summoned a small fireball in his hand. Then turned that fireball into a small phoenix-like bird that flapped its wings. Then a miniature fiery horse that reared up on its hind legs. Than finally splitting it into a dozen fiery butterflies that fluttered around himself and Ian for a few moments before dissipating.

Ian jumped back at that, nearly falling over their suitcase again. "Alright, I will admit that that was some of the most impressive prestidigitation I've seen in a long time. This really is all very elaborate. Makes me wonder why."

They considered a moment.

"Or what was in that bag of gummy bears I ate while I was packing. Oh there is a disturbing thought." Oh well, on the plus side, they weren't likely to do a random drug screening in the middle of a crisis. Which had been the thought behind buying those gummy bears. Ian was pretty sure that wasn't the bag they had grabbed however. That was to be saved for after Ben was home safe...

"Well a regular old fireball is useful, but it gets surprisingly boring after awhile," Lea said. Yes, he knew that wasn't quite what Ian was talking about, but if they were going to deny what was right in front of them like that...

"If that's not enough for you though..." He summoned his Keyblade, which appeared in his hand in a flash of sparkles, then held it out for Ian to touch if they wished. "You want solid evidence? This is about as solid as it gets. I'm pretty sure you can't touch hallucinations."

A hesitation, then they reached to touch it. "Don't see any seams. Wonderful trick, when we get out of here, if you can teach me, maybe I'll show it off to Ben." A smile, "maybe right when he's about to sit down holding a full cup of water..."

"Still not enough huh?", Lea said. "Wonder if I'll have to get Mal to turn into a dragon to convince you? Bet she'd love that. Ben probly not so much." Realizing the identical name, he quickly added, "Different Ben; not the one you apparently know."

"Anyway, one more try. Hold out your hands for a second; I'm gonna hand you my Keyblade." And he didn't want to pass on the 'trick' to Ian by accident.

"Not sure who this Mal is, but pretty sure she's got nothing on Jenn in that department," they said with a chuckle. "Alright, though, why not?" And Ian held out their hands. Of course seeing the Keyblade and their hand at the same time, thy were more thinking about painting their nails a dark burnt red more than they were expecting anything to happen.

Lea chuckled again at that. "OK I'm gonna have to get her to do it now, just to see your face," he said. Because he strongly suspected that whoever Jenn was, she had nothing on Mal's dragon form.

Once Ian had held out their hands Lea laid his Keyblade in them. It was as solid as it had been a moment before, and pleasantly warm to the touch. And notably too heavy to be hollow plastic or something similar, though not so much so that Ian would have difficulty holding it. This was true for all of about ten seconds. Then the Keyblade vanished, dissolving all at once into sparkles of light and leaving Ian holding only empty air.

Ian whistled appreciatively hefting it lightly. That was solid work for a trick piece. And then it vanished and Ian fell back, startled, staring at where it had been. "That wasn't flash paper... Nanotech? Can't be mirrors... or string..." They might be babbling now in desperation to figure out the trick.

"Magic," Lea said, matter-of-factly. "It's magic. There's no trick to it in the sense you're thinking, and your not crazy, hallucinating, or on any kind of drugs; what happened actually happened, exactly the way you saw and felt."

"Look... it may be my job to accept that we can't always understand everything that happens... but that is taking it a bit further than I can easily come to terms with."

"Fair enough," Lea said. "I'm sure if Vexen was here he could give you a whole lecture on the subject of magi-science and magitech- it's kinda his entire thing, after all-, but most worlds still seem to view magic and science as two completely separate, incompatible things. Guess yours is no exception."

"How about we move on the the explanation and the tour? Figure that'll be a lot more convincing than just me showing off some more."

"I... am going to pretend you didn't say worlds until I have a very large, very strong coffee. So yes, tour sounds like a plan. Espcially if it includes a place I can lock up my bag and get something with caffeine."

Lea nodded. "Sounds like a good place to start the tour would be the kitchens then," he said. "Fastest way there is this way." He indicated that Ian should follow him, then started back around the corner he'd initially emerged from. "I think it'd normally be the entrance used for deliveries and stuff, but under the circumstances, no one's gonna care if we use it as a shortcut."

"Unless there is a part of the tour that gets me home faster, the kitchen should be fine."

"Would be nice, but no," Lea said. "If there was one, I think most of us would've used it by now."

After entering a pair of large double doors with a wide, paved path leading up to them, they passed through a wider than average and mostly unadorned hallway to emerge into the school's kitchens. Most of the equipment there was designed around need to prepare meals for large groups of people- for obvious reasons-, but there were a few machines designed to make individual cups or small batches of coffee, tea, or cocoa. He led Ian over to those.

"Any preferences? We've got a few different blends, plus some of those little cup things for the machine that uses those instead of regular coffee grounds."

"Right now, I'll take anything strong enough to wake me up."

"Right then," Lea said. He looked over the available options for a moment then selected an espresso-based cup and one of the larger mugs, before putting both in the machine that used them, turning it on and letting it do its thing while he got a simple black tea bag and mug for himself.

"I'm not really a coffee guy. Had the misfortune of trying some Xigbar made, and it was bad enough to put me off the stuff ever since." He filled the mug with water from the sink and casually heated its contents til the water was gently steaming- holding it in his hands the entire time- before adding the teabag.

Ian was.... going to pretend they hadn't seen that. Clearly they were on some sort of trip and needed to dry out. Caffeine should help.

"Any food we specifically are or are not supposed to touch? Or does everything just have its owner's name on it?"

"Nothing that really has anybody's name on it, but our supply situation is a bit tight at the moment, especially when it comes to perishable stuff," Lea said. "Someone'll make breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but if you want to make a bunch of snacks or something, you should ask first. Also if there's anything you straight up can't eat, for either cultural or medical reasons, now would be a good time to let us know so we can make a note of it."

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