tvk | 01

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allen ridgeley

01

*The man on the screen seems utterly unremarkable in every way, aside from the fact that he looks mildly freaked out.*

Someone tell me this is just some kind of sick joke to tell me Shion got the EVS working again. If it is, it's not funny, guys! Uh...guys?

*As realization dawns that this is really happening, the freaked out look fades to resignation.*

Oh man, don't tell me we got stuck in another spacetime anomaly. Why does this stuff always happen to uuus?

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[Huh? EVS? Spacetime anomaly? That's a lot of confusing words.]

This isn't a joke. I'm afraid you're in a different world now.

*He tends to throw those around sometimes.*

I've noti-wait. Another world? You mean like a parallel dimension?

Para- ... no, like another world.

Ah, it's more or less the same thing. But I didn't know there actually were alternate universes, much less ones that actually connected to ours...

[Gilbert didn't understand much of that. He has a feeling he connected with a conversation far above his world's intelligence.]

Uh... right... well... welcome. I haven't been here very long, but I can give you some help, if you need it.

*Probably. Allen's world is a good 4700 years beyond the setting they're in and he's a scientist.*

Thanks. I'm Allen Ridgeley, by the way.

[Yes, definitely out of his league information wise. He didn't even know how to run his cell phone when he first got there.]

Ah. I'm Gilbert Nightray.

*He'll have some getting used of his own to do, though.*

It's nice to meet you. So, ah...I don't suppose there's any explanation for how we got here?

We've been pulled here by some person to fight monsters and save this place... or something like that. That's what I've been told, at least.

Wha-monsters? Then why bring me here? I'm not cut out for that kind of stuff.

I don't know, but it may be something that you'll have to get use to.

Ugh...well, they can't be any worse than the Gnosis...I hope.

... the what?

Gnosis. Ah, I'm guessing they don't exist where you come from?

*Okay, Allen. Layman's terms. A simple explanation that goes light on the physics.*

Basically, they're monsters that operate under different rules from humans. They show up whenever and wherever they want and just destroy everything.

[Ah, monsters. He's familiar.]

Oh, I see. We have things like that, but they're not called... Gnosis... they're called Chains.

*More than familiar. He's honestly getting a little desensitized for a civilian. At least to the point where he thought nothing of tackling one to the ground and blowing its head off.*

What are they like?

They're monsters trapped in the Abyss. When they escape, they destroy towns and villages, trying to gain a contract with someone... which causes more chaos...

[The woman on-screen quirks an eyebrow quizzically, expression plainly stating that only about 60% of those words were recognized.]

Ee-Vee-Ess? Space-time anemones? Wha?

Anomalies. It's...basically a fancy way of saying something out of the ordinary. So, a space-time anomaly is something odd in space or time. And EVS is short for environmental simulator.

Ah! That... sounds like what you've stumbled into here, more or less. An anomaly, to be specific. Though considering I'm not sure what an environmental simulator is, that might be a good description too.

Put simply, you're probably a ways away from home right now.

Unless this is virtual reality, it's nothing like the EVS.

Ah, yeah, I've figured that out. This doesn't even look like the right century...

And that's another phrase I dunno, sorry!

Anyway, the specific location is "Prospero, United States of America" -- and, honestly, I won't be surprised if you've never heard of it either. As for the date, ah... September fifteenth, twenty-eleven.

Er, basically, it's when you use technology to fake an environment.

*America, America, why does that sound familiar? Oh right, he's read that name in his history files. Wait a sec, it can't be...have an Allen staring in absolute shock.*

United States of America? Y-you mean like on Earth?

Oh. Well, I guess it could be that. I'm not too knowledgable about technology, though, so... take that with a grain of salt.

[She blinks, head tilting to the side slightly.] Err... yeah? Are there other United States of Americas?

It's doubtful, if...if you really are right about the year.

Er, there aren't others that I know if, it's just...where I come from, Earth has been abandoned for thousands of years. And being back in the Lost Jerusalem Era...well, it's a bit of a shock.

[She shrugs.] You wouldn't be the first, I guess. At least one other guy here says he's from... err, I think it was thirty-thousand years away from now?

Needless to say, "weird" is the order of the day, here.

Wow...I'm only off by around 4800 years.

*Siiiiigh.*

I guess I should've known better than to assume that things would actually quiet down.

Well, you never know. On a day-to-day basis things are pretty quiet here. Or, I think so at least. I'm not sure what your definition of quiet is, honestly.

I just want a peaceful life with Shion where nothing tries to kill us and I don't have to go running all over the star system with every major power in the galaxy trying to catch us and monsters don't show up everywhere I go. A normal life, is that so much to ask?

"Normal" is in the eye of the beholder, as it were. Now, let's see...

[And she starts to count off on her fingers.]

Don't know a "Shion", no running all over star systems, no powers out to get you... probably, monsters do show up -- but for a limited time...

Uhh, how does two for four sound to you?

I notice you didn't say anything about things trying to kill us. But I guess it's not as bad as it could be.

...Well, I mean. Monsters. I kinda thought it went hand in hand with that sort of descriptor. It's only for one hour a day, believe it or not, so yeah: not nearly as bad as it could be.

It's definitely better than not knowing when they're going to show up.

Ah, thanks, by the way, for taking the time to explain all this. I'm Allen Ridgeley.

Devola, and it's no problem. Be bad manners to leave someone fend for themselves like this.

[A pause, and she speaks in a dry tone, grinning.] Happens more often than you'd think, too. Maybe we should make a brochure...

People get dropped here like this all the time? Doesn't anyone have any idea how it's happening to stop it?

Not a clue. I think if we did, no one would be here now.

...Well, no one in a situation like ours. Er, you know what I mean.

Anyway, there's some theories and ideas floating around, but noone really has proof either way.

Ugh, great...well, I'd like to at least hear these theories. Physics isn't really my area of expertise, but I am a scientist, so I might be able to tell if something's complete nonsense.

Hmm... let's see. If I remember the name right, a man by the name of Baron Wulfenbach would be your best bet for more detailed theories.

Other than that, they all boil down to "kill monsters, gather information" in the end. Not a whole lot to go on, huh?

Well, it could be worse. At least we know there's something going on from the start. Though, I think I'll focus on the information gathering instead of the monster killing.

I can respect that. Heck, it's been my stance on things for the time I've been here.

Someone has to think with their heads instead of their AMWS.

*He pronounces the acronym almost exactly like 'aims'.*

Oh, by the way, I'm Allen Ridgely, former chief engineer at Vector's First R&D Division.

I dunno if we've got any of those around, but I think I get what'cha mean.

[She chuckles, and nods.]

Devola, former-slash-current songstress. [A thoughtful pause.] Not sure that's a thing I can say is "former".

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