Of ceaslessly watching and looking for the sights!

[beholding_archivist]

WHO: Jon & you~
WHERE: Not!Temba
WHAT: Archivist go exploring. What will he find? What will he wake? What will he run away from?
WHEN: What's left of July.
WARNINGS: None so far.

a Let there be books... [ Not!Library? #5 ]

The moment they have reached the new city and have set foot out of the station one thing has been clear: This city is surprisingly different from Temba. Of course they weren't given a name for it, but the architecture alone already differs greatly. There are also a lot more trees in this city and a lot less flooding. Which seems promising in some ways, but comes with its own difficulties. Difficulties such as plain reaching some of the structures.

But before focusing on the difficulties and differences, Jon keeps his eyes open for similarities. He is explicitly looking for data points and signs of a written language. And he actually finds a trace of the first upon reaching the city center.

The data point is burnt out and just sitting in the center of the fountain that looks so very much like the one in Temba. The arrangement of the buildings around also seems familiar as long as one ignores the way these structures were build and of course the amount of trees surrounding them and making the entire city appear darker.

Jon takes a moment to orient himself and cautiously studies the buildings around the fountain before ultimately stepping into the one that appears to serve the same function as the library he has moved into over in Temba. It's cold and dark within these stone walls and he doesn't hesitate long before turning on his torch to move further inside, listening out for noises that might belong to some of the animals he has been hearing outside and up in the trees.

At least some beings still seem to inhabit this city.

b This looks familiar. [ Quarry #6 ]

Temba doesn't have a quarry, but this city does. And the one present here clearly has seen some ample use while beings resided here. Which isn't surprising given how many things are made of large chunks of solid rock. Jon can swear he has seen entire buildings made out of single boulders!

Having crossed through the quarry and standing in front of the massive stone wall at its very end, Jon runs his fingers over the rock, feeling the texture of the surface. It's not an unfamiliar feeling, but not one he would have expected to encounter on Agra 10.

c Alone in the Woods! [ Overgrown Forest #15 ]

A screech from the canopy above tells Jon that he has ventured too far into the forest taking up a good part of the city. It's not a sound of the sort he has been able to hear around the area with more buildings to it, but a harsher, sharper one. One that makes him spin around where he stands and peer up the stray arrangement of boulders that have drawn his attention this deeply into the forest.

"...shit." He mutters to himself as he slowly creeps closer to one of the large rocks and fishes out his phone only to be reminded that he can't access the network anymore.

Somewhere out of his line of sight something heavy hits the ground and Jon can hear it run either away or towards him. Is it circling him? Why hasn't he brought a weapon? He should have brought a weapon.

Grasping a nearby stone, big enough to feel somewhat reassuring in his hand, Jon backs against the boulder and tries to catch sight of whichever creature he can hear somewhere nearby. He also does the sensible thing: Call for help.

"Hello! Can anyone hear me!?"

Comments

[doubled_speed]

What? Tommy looked to Jon, confused to have him say that.

"What? Man, I'm not saying you didn't. Shit, that's not it at all. Without you a lot of people would have been REALLY hurt on the Agrii ship, and the ones the Graq were on. Bucky'd probably be dead. You get that, right? Everyone helps differently. I'm doing my thing, you're doing yours."

The storms are so bad and he doesn't know what to do with. Not for himself, and definitely not for Jon.

"I'd say that they told us Calibrations tunnels are safe for storms, but I don't know how much I trust going down there at all. That's where Billy got hurt. Imagine if they tried to use you and your powers."

[beholding_archivist]

It's true. Everyone helps where and how they can. And while Jon still feels like he should be able to help more, he can accept Tommy's words and acknowledges them with a small, grateful nod.

Though he also winces visibly at that little What if Tommy proposes. "Jesus Christ, that- I don't want to imagine that, Tommy. I don't think I have to? I saw what-" He gathers himself, then sighs. "...I still remember it well." The apocalypse.

Giving one more shrug in what may be defeat, Jon wraps one arm lightly around himself and starts to walk towards the long, stony ramp that leads back out of the quarry and into the city itself, nodding for Tommy to come along if he wishes to. "Let's just hope they learned from what happened with Billy and refrain from any further experiments in that direction."

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, there were enough world endings already. Inviting new ones would be too much. Tommy really wasn't ready for more of Jon's fear mojo either. Or the compulsions. That was just too much. But Tommy follows after him slowly.

"I hope so. Because the fact that I talked Billy out of it probably wouldn't be true for anyone else, right? And I don't want to have to hurt someone bad enough to stop the worst."

[beholding_archivist]

"What was it you told Billy?" Jon asks, genuinely curious but also dreading the answer. Whatever it has been very likely wouldn't work with Jon.

[doubled_speed]

"To get him to tear down that reality?" Tommy asked, frowning. Did Jon really want to know? "It was sort of private, Jon. Has a lot to do with life back home."

Which was the reason it had worked. And it was a secret the two boys were keeping to keep away from Wanda.

[beholding_archivist]

Of course it had to be something private. Jon nods his understanding. "I see. It's fine. I- Don't mean to pry."

It will bother him not to know, yes, but this isn't something that will help him or anyone he cares about should he end up in Billy's situation.

[doubled_speed]

Oh Jon, it's so bad. Home is a thing he didn't think he could share. Protecting Wanda has always been something he and his brother agreed on. And insisted on to Tony once.

"Something... something like that happened back home once. It wasn't him. But it was sorta important to us to make sure it never happened.

[beholding_archivist]

"Tommy, you don't need to tell me." Jon reassures his friend with a single hand raised. Sure, a part of him craves to know, but he refuses to make Tommy tell him something if he rather doesn't wish to share that information.

[doubled_speed]

"Oh, I'm not saying more than that," Tommy answered. The rest of it was important. And private.

He won't hurt Wanda.

"Some secrets are important to be kept. I'm sorry. I'd tell you things that were only mine to tell, but this wasn't."

[beholding_archivist]

Jon nods. "I know, Tommy. And I respect that. That's why I- I won't look." That's a promise.

"It helped Billy. And I hope he doesn't blame himself too much for what happened."

[doubled_speed]

"Thank you," he says, and he can't keep the genuine relief from his voice.

"He... he does. A lot. For not being able to stop them, for not having control."

[beholding_archivist]

"I know how that feels. The helplessness. The guilt... It's- It's not a good feeling." Jon is still working through everything that happened back on his Earth.

"It's good that he isn't alone but has you. I know without Tony, I..." He trails off and keeps his eyes ahead, observing the road ahead pensively.

[doubled_speed]

"Bingo," Tommy answered. ANd he didn't know how to help his brother get past that.

"Speaking of Tony," Tommy said, his voice conversational, "how's things going with you and him?"

[beholding_archivist]

Not leaving Billy alone is an important part of being there for him in Jon's experience.

That question about Tony and his relationship is a little unexpected, however, and Jon can't quite hide being a bit flustered in response. "He- I'm lucky I have him."

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, except the thing was Tony had pointed out that Tommy NEEDED to leave his brother alone some.

Tommy smiles at that flustered nature though. And right now, he gets it.

"Yeah, I feel that way about Kyle too."

[beholding_archivist]

"You and Kyle, then." Jon observes and returns Tommy's smile. "I tried not to draw any conclusions from our little get together a the beach."

Jon tries, after all, not to pry into people's private business.

[doubled_speed]

"Uh, yeah," Tommy laughed. "Our first date. We, uh... Definitely tried to make our own private time."

[beholding_archivist]

"I'm glad to hear you two found each other." Jon concludes with a small nod of approval.

[doubled_speed]

Geez man, don't say it like that?

"You really up on the Kyle-ness to make that sorta statement? Like... I didn't know people were watching us."

[beholding_archivist]

"What. It's true. I could as well called you a sweet couple." There is a pause here. One that comes with a mild little smirk. "And I wasn't watching. Even without doing so I still notice things."

[doubled_speed]

A sweet couple? Oh geez, he's embarrassed by that statement. Tommy took a deep breath and tired to keep himself calm. It's okay. No one here is going to judge him for being with a guy. And only Billy knew about David so no one will judge him for that either.

Relax.

Please just relax.

"He's nice, for a punk."

[beholding_archivist]

"For a punk." Jon repeats with a nod. So even Tommy gets a little flustered when faced with his emotions. But that's fine. Jon can understand it.

But that doesn't mean he can't tease a little. "Can I tell him that you called him that?"

[doubled_speed]

Of course he gets flustered. Emotions with people aren't normal for him, and that he and Kyle had a weird pseudo-history now was its own complication.

"Fuck yeah you can. Or better. Say I called him Sparky."

Kyle would get pissed. They'd have their own fun sort of shouting at each other.

[beholding_archivist]

Jon raises a brow at that. Clearly he is too curious for his own good not to try that at least once.

His expression turns thoughtful, then. "I admit I- Never quite got the hang on... Pet names. Or just having nicknames for other people. Then again, my own experiences with them were never really on the positive side. Bullies had their dismissive nicknames for me for the most part, and when Tony started calling me Boss out of the blue when we met in person for the first time... Well. Let's just say I have had some unpleasant memories of someone else using that name on me in a friendly manner. It... Rubbed me the wrong way."

[doubled_speed]

Oh Tommy is so going ot be in trouble for getting Sparky out there into the world. He’d deal with that when the payback came for it.

“Boss, huh? I guess that works for you,” Tommy agreed, smiling to himself. “But yeah, if it upset you, then no one should use it. But with me and him I think it’s different.”