Ian In The Wrong Place? - OTA

[ubuntu_programmer]

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...?"

Comments

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Thank you. I appreciate it. Seriously."

[under_the_raptors_wings]

That just earned a shrug. "As I said when I brought them up, I'm sure you would have run into them sooner or later." As he continued walking his phone gave of several alerts rapid-fire. "Well, uh, they got the message," he grumbled good-naturedly. He tended to send minimal single texts when he had to, Rren tended to send.... a dozen texts back to back. At least one of those texts would be telling him he needed to give more details, and then another flat out asking for more. "They'll be there soon," he added without even bothering to check the device. There would have been fewer alerts if they weren't able to.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Perhaps, perhaps not." Given Ian still had hopes and plans to somehow get home as soon as possible.

[under_the_raptors_wings]

He shrugged, not sure how to reply. Fortunately they were at the welcome booth which gave him more to do, pausing at it to look around. "The pamphlets are... here," he pulled one from the slot and set it on the counter before searching for the box of phones and dug a new one out, setting it right by where he'd set the pamphlet. "And there's a communication device."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"A cell phone? Well at least that will be handy. I can call and let them know why I am late getting back."

[under_the_raptors_wings]

Æn'kae bit back frustration as soon as it rose up. This had to be incredibly overwhelming, so forgetting that he'd already mentioned it wouldn't work was entirely understandable. So all he could do was give a small head shake. "No, uh, none of the tech here can communicate with alternate realities, just means the people here can communicate with you as needed."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"There has to be a way, I'll figure it out. I assure you I am quite good with technology."

[under_the_raptors_wings]

That earned an eyebrow raise. "I didn't say there wasn't, just that their tech probably isn't the best base. I mean, uh, if anything, you own would be better just because it's attuned to your reality." His and Rren's might be an even better base, but that entered the realm of things he was not comfortable offering. Whether or not it would work.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"But there is nothing to say I cannot combine both."

[under_the_raptors_wings]

Æn'kae shrugged then. "I suppose not." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Right uh. I guess I was going to have Rren meet us at the kitchen, so uh. I can lead there next?"

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Thank you. I appreciate it. Even if I don't appreciate the situation all that much."

[under_the_raptors_wings]

"I... can't say I do much either." It had been how long now since he'd left home now? All of it hoping to help Aqua and to save those of his friends he could? He tried not to think about it, to trust Aqua that when they went back it would be to the same moment. Because if she was wrong, he'd left for nothing, and he couldn't handle that.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"So why aren’t you fighting it more?" They asked, but not angrily. More... confused.

[under_the_raptors_wings]

"Because I don't know how. Even if it worked the same as the alternate universes that people have experience with back home, which I am told it doesn't, I still wouldn't know." He pushed his hands through his messy hair. "I mean uh I studied xenobiology and animal medicine in school, not multidimensional physics."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Well luckily for you I am a genius who happens to have a focus in all sorts of physics others have considered weird. Let me at what passes for experts here, and I'll see what I have to build to get us home." They said with utter confidence.

Multidimensional theory might only be theory, but they at least had a basis to start from with that.

[under_the_raptors_wings]

The utter confidence earned a sharply arched eyebrow and it was a moment before Æn'kae managed a real reply. "I don't know who has the best knowledge of alternate universes like this one. But as far as those documented where I'm from, Rren knows about most incidents." Classified or no. But they didn't need to hear that part from him. Rren would probably share, but that was their information to share, not his.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Rren who you said I am about to meet?"

[under_the_raptors_wings]

Æn'kae nodded and waved in the direction of the kitchen where he'd told Rren to meet them. "Ie."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"E?"

[under_the_raptors_wings]

A pause. Was that what he'd sounded like to this person? Huh. Well, it was a word that wasn't translated (Rren thought it was because the translator mistook it for some other word) so his accent must have confused matters? Either that or the translator had attempted something and mixed things up. Either way, he chewed his lip as he tried to dredge up the Ængliish word. "Yes?"

[ubuntu_programmer]

"...Yes?"

[under_the_raptors_wings]

He furrowed his brow, working back irritation again. This person was just trying to understand him, he had no reason to be irritated. "That's what ie means."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Oh. You're speaking Japanese? I'm sorry, I didn't realize it. Gotta admit, didn't expect aliens to speak Japanese, but I guess I probably should have." A small smile.

[under_the_raptors_wings]

A moment of baffled confusion followed. "No um, I don't know that language, but that may kind of explain why the translator has trouble with that word when it usually catches words with a direct translation. While some people I've known can speak Terrha languages, I can't. Even after some attempts to learn one." He rubbed at the back of his neck at the admission. What? This person seemed very smart and he didn't like admitting that he just. Was abysmal at learning languages.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Huh... a translator issue? Well, maybe I can fix that for you. Shouldn't be too complex... Want to let me take a look at it?"