Listen to the wind blow

[saltnpepperbeard]

Arrival

What should have been wood was now earth. Solid, and still, lacking the sway of the ship, and Edward frowned, blinking at it a moment. The sounds of the English and the struggle crew were gone, and looking to his right- so was Stede.

He'd arrived face down, hands tied behind his back, and still damp from the ocean, though in pushing awkwardly to his knees there was no ocean in sight, and his chest felt tighter still

His eyes scanned the unfamiliar space, looking up at the tall buildings in wonder before the orb caught his attention.

Once he'd spotted it the compulsion had him pushing stiffly to his feet, twisting to try and free his hands with a few annoyed grunts before opting to touch his forehead to the thing instead. All at once he was bombarded with information, in a sensation even more disorienting than all the rest of this.

He stumbled back with wide eyes, giving another violent twist against the rope, and aiming a defense kick towards the orb instead. "The fuck was that??!" he exclaimed, shaking his head and eying the thing warily like it might project more images into his mind if he didn't stare it down.

He held its gaze for a long silent moment before edging away, cursing under his breath.

And then of course he realized he'd been witnessed, features stiffening defensively, knowing he hadn't exactly shown off his most formidable side during that whole...display.

"...you got a knife, Mate?" he inquires hopefully, tilting his head.


Network- Video

[He doesn't seem to be aware he's broadcasting, the video starting abruptly and most consisting of dark blurry shapes as the device is turned about in his hand. Though he pauses to look at his reflection for a moment, scrunching his nose and making making a face. It wasn't quite as clear as a mirror, and Ed frowned, not sure what exactly this thing was.]

Strange bit of junk.

[He sets it aside, the view suddenly showing off the sky.]

Comments

Arrival

[mutedsuspicions]

The fountain was a good place to practice his bit of magic. Also kept him distracted from all the nonsense of that tunnel he had been held in for a month. A whole month!

Flames erupted with a crackle as the sudden appearance of a man - so much hair holy shit - startled the fuck out of him. The elf immediately moved around the fountain, pulling up his scarf as he peered out from over the stonework to watch the man. What was he doing? Wait, were his hands tied behind his back?

Again, Lerith startled back down as the newcomer reacted... somewhat poorly to the magical orb of information. He was back to watching, yellow eyes peering out from under a bright orange scarf, as Ed locked eyes with him.

Well shit.

Holding his hands up to show he was unarmed, Lerith moved out from behind the fountain, slowly getting up to his full height. Why would he have a knife? Well, he had fire, but that might not be a good idea... His nose scrunched up a little as he thought.

[No knife,] he signed, closing some distance, but keeping out of leap's range. [Maybe the diner does.]

[saltnpepperbeard]

He was a skittish thing, and a bit odd looking, Ed's eyes flicking curiously over him before settling back on those strange coloured eyes.

But then Ed dropped his gaze to those gestures, blinking as their meaning fully escaped him. They were obviously deliberate enough to be some sort of communication, .

"Yeah, right, uh...I dunno what you're doing with your hands there, Man, but is that no?" he shook his head to demonstrate and tilted his head, wondering if the stranger even understood him.

He half turned to show off his bound wrists. "Lookin' to get this off? Does that- do you even understand? Am I just talking to the air?"

[mutedsuspicions]

Another that would benefit from his classes when he got them organized for people to come to. Lerith watched Ed for a moment, then fished out his communicator from his pocket. Tapped on it a little bit before a man's voice (Jon's, specifically) came out of it, reading the text on screen.

'I do understand you. I cannot speak, but I can hear. I don't have a knife.' Maybe a knife wasn't needed. He motions with his hand in a pointing down spinning motion for Ed to turn so he can look at the rope.

While it hadn't been a punishment of choice, there was still work around his villa that was done with ropes. Mostly in the stables, but the elf knew some knots at least.

[saltnpepperbeard]

The voice made his nose scrunch up, looking for the source of the speech in confusion as it hadn't come out of the other man's lips, and with no one else around he couldn't fathom how he'd managed that sort of elaborate fuckery.

"...the fuck was that??" he murmured in awe, belatedly turning for him, because he did want his hands free, but it didn't stop him from hurriedly looking back over his shoulder at the man, "You get these off, then you'll show me how you did that, yeah?"

[mutedsuspicions]

It was the only piece of technology he really understood, given how much Lerith had to use it just to talk to other people. His world was leaps and bounds behind others' in this place, that was for certain.

Lerith's hands were careful, gentle even, touching to the stranger's wrists to indicate where he was before lifting carefully to get a better look. He found the knot and gave it a little tug. No, not that way. It took some time, but finally the elf's fingernails wiggled the knot free enough. It loosened, with the rope going limp around the man's wrists.

A small tap, followed by the scraping of his shoes against the ground as he got back up. Moving to face the man, he put his fists together atop one another, then swung them apart, followed by pointing at the newcomer.

[You're free!]

Out came the device again, but he showed it to Ed this time before tapping away.

'Everyone has this device. Check your pockets?'

[in_extremis]

Most of the arrivals probably weren't terribly graceful. From what Tony had seen through the safe distance of his cameras, they were mostly mournful, skittish, and didn't involve a lot of kicking. With the camera in one hand, though, its wiring trailing after him he was instead out here to witness the kicking, eyebrows raised, and telling himself he really had to make these things more durable.

A similar unit was cradled against his chest, this one with spidery limbs hooked over his shoulder, bicep and wrist, and seemed to be watching with just as much curiosity as Tony. Its lens darted and shuttered as it adjusted its focal length, studying the posture, the rope, the leather; sorting and compiling. With his hands full, Tony had to lift the broken camera toward his chest, inquisitive, like there was anyone else here that the man could have been speaking to. Shit.

He sighed and started closer, sweeping down as he did to release the D.A.T.A. unit to the ground and free his hand, letting it scuttle precariously after him on its many legs. "Depends," he answered, though the tool belt around his waist suggested otherwise. "What's in it for me?"

[saltnpepperbeard]

"Jesus-" Ed half flinched back, looking ready to kick the D.A.T.A. unit into the sun if it got much closer, but also morbidly curious about the thing.

"The fuck kind of bug is that??" he asked, nodding his head toward the scuttling thing, and offering it a challenging glare, nose briefly scrunching up.

Belatedly he seemed to process the strangers words, looking up at him abruptly with a frown. He didn't exactly have a lot to barter with. "Kind of lacking in funds at the moment, Man. ... A favor? I don't give them out often. It's worth more than some coin."

[in_extremis]

The thing peered back at him just as curiously, aperture narrowing and angle tilting a lot like the man who had carried it cocked his head as he stopped a safe arms-length away. He watched intently and wore a teasing smirk that didn't quite reach his cool blue stare, free hand on his hip.

"Development And Teaching Assistant," he corrected, and the 'bug' turned its camera up at him like he had said its name while he never took his gaze off of Ed.

Tony didn't see someone in particular distress--not hurt or having an existential crisis, just yet anyway. The tied wrists kept him cautious then, trying to calculate the most likely reason before he found out the hard way. What kind of favour was on offer might tell him a lot, and Tony hadn't even had to lead him very far to get the offer. Volatile, that was easy. "A favour," he was willing to explore, still not coming any closer, eyebrow raised to encourage this guy to reveal his wares.

[saltnpepperbeard]

Not sure what to make of the thing yet, Ed bent a little to peer at it, starting back as it turned its camera.

"Right, so...a bug," he concluded, not sure how exactly that title applied to the...whatever this was. Ed similarly was far more interested in it than he was in the other man just now, watching how it moved with a cautious curiosity.

"Yeah, right. Let's get cutting then," he encouraged, nodding back towards his wrists, half turning.

[in_extremis]

Volatile and impatient. Tony wouldn't know anything about that. The D.A.T.A. unit started to lift a curious leg as the new man bent toward it, while Tony's smirk widened to a fangy grin and he drew a small pair of bolt cutters from his belt only to hang back, rolling his shoulder further away from the indicated problem with the tool swinging seductively.

"I'm not hurting for favours. Look at me," he pointed out, chin raised with the confidence of someone who had people falling over themselves to do his jawline a favour. The nebulous concept of a favour didn't mean much, and certainly didn't tell Tony what to expect when this guy had his hands free. As far as he knew, the favour was a swift strangling. "What's on the table?" he pressed.

Arrival

[owneroftheworstroom]

Bruno blinks with wide eyes at the man that's been cursing and kicking at the data point orb and now is talking to him?

He blinks again, then slowly shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but- No? I got some sandwiches, tho." Bruno replies, patting the side of his bucket, then using the same hand to gesture towards the other man, twirling his fingers a little in the direction of the rope tying Ed's hands. "Want me to untie that? Doesn't look very comfortable..."

[saltnpepperbeard]

Sandwiches?

Ed briefly looks a little eager- all most puppy dog eyed- at the prospect of some real food, very nearly forgetting this whole mess in favour of the promise of something in his belly besides rum and...seaweed.

(If only Stede had sent along some of that yummy lavender soap.)

He blinks in turn and glances back at the rope. "...that would work, yeah, Mate. Get over here," he welcomes, turning to present the tied wrists while craning to look back over his shoulder and keep an eye on him. The mane of hair and beard make it more difficult than he'd like to admit.

[owneroftheworstroom]

After setting his bucket down, Bruno walks over to the other man, taking a look at the knot first before carefully touching the rope. "Now that's a nasty piece. Just- Give me a moment!"

Without saying much more, Bruno reaches into his ruana and pulls out a wooden paint brush, then proceeds to carefully work the pointed end between the rope to work the knot loose. "Who did this to you? I wouldn't even tie a donkey up like this. It'd never forgive me!"

[saltnpepperbeard]

Edward's cheek gives a slight twitch at the word donkey, but he doesn't comment on it, impressed with Bruno's ingenuity.

"The English," he answered, rolling his eyes, "You know what they're like. Uptight little buggers, aren't they? Always going on about something. Crimes against the crown, all of that."

[owneroftheworstroom]

"The English, eh... That's lots of people." Bruno comments as he loosens the knot and finally pulls the rope away from the other man's hands. "Can't say I ever met any back home, but- There's some of them here? One of them lives right over there." He nods towards the library and the brush is being tucked away again.

"There you go!" Bruno announces cheerfully and starts winding the piece of rope around his own hand. No need to toss away a good piece of rope, right? "You're new here, right?" He continues to ask, tilting his head a little as his tone turns inviting. "I'm Bruno. And- I have sandwiches! Want one?"

Arrival

[scienceofthearcane]

Viktor had been carrying his pile of eggcrate foam and one ratty blanket by the fountain but he had seen Edward's reaction to touching the glowing datapoint. This person was reacting to the datapoint pretty similar to how Viktor had when he had first touched it too though basically headbutting it seemed unnecessary. Then Viktor was directly asked a question and he set down the rolls of pillow top foam he was carrying.

"No knife, I'm afraid. Let me see your bound hands, please? I may be able to free you by simply untying them."

[saltnpepperbeard]

With his hands tied it had been about the only way to obey the compulsion to touch the strange thing.

Ed gave the foam a curious look, not sure what it was, but sure he'd never seen anything like it before. This place seemed to be full of things to peek his curiosity, but like the others he pushed it aside for the moment to focus on what was important.

A please, even.

He raised a brow at that, breathing out an amused huff through his nose and turning to oblige, "Yeah. Guess that'd work too," he allowed. "You haven't seen anyone else dropped round here, have you?" he asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

[scienceofthearcane]

"No, I'm afraid not. Anyone new seems to appear here first at least."

It's nothing special, just bog-standard eggcrate foam, but neither one of them has seen it before. The rope was knotted somewhat tightly but though a glove covered it at present, the metallic stone of one of Viktor's hands was able to rub his fingers against where the rope was twisted and fray pieces while his other hand pulled at the knot as he went. It was certainly not a knife for speed but it did the job of freeing him faster than using hands alone might have been. Viktor also defaulted to being polite when he didn't know someone.

"There we are. I must admit that I am curious why you came here bound, though?"

[saltnpepperbeard]

Ed frowned while his back was still turned to the boy, brow twisted anxiously as he wondered what had become of Stede. If he wasn't here then he was still back in the hands of Royal Navy, which meant it was only a matter of days before he was facing a rope or firing squad...

He pulled his hands free and rubbed at his wrists, expression neutral, almost pleasant by the time he spun round to face Viktor, and he gave a dismissive smile. "Just a bit of trouble with the Royal Navy. You know how it goes."

[Video]

[the_tailor]

[Welp, that's definitely...a communication. Lance can tell from similar ones that this person probably isn't familiar with technology; probably from a world or a time without communicators.]

Hey, it's not junk! It's a way to talk to people!

[He tries to call out to get his attention.]

[Video]

[saltnpepperbeard]

[It takes a moment, but a hairy face peers back into view from above before he stoops to pick the thing up again, squinting at the screen in confusion.]

...-the hell'd you get in there?

[He turns it over, trying to work out how a person could possibly fit inside of this thing. This was some impressive fuckery.]

Video

[mrsklover]

[Oh. Oh, man. This was hilarious. Richie watched as the video shook around before grabbing his own communicator to respond back. He's grinning and stifling his laughter as he does so.]

Dude! Broseph! Can you hear me? This is a communicator. You're kinda showing everyone around here what you're doing.

Video

[saltnpepperbeard]

Mm?

[A bearded figure slowly peers back into frame, brow furrowed as he squints at the man.]

...-the hell'd you get inside that thing??

[He turned the device over, screen blurred and dark, like he was looking for how he fit into the slim space.]

[mrsklover]

[Oh boy.]

I'm not inside it. I'm a regular-sized person that has a box like this and our boxes can talk to each other. Like a phone?

[Something tells him that comparison isn't gonna fly either.]

Or. Uh. Can with string? I don't know what you're used to but this is as good as I can explain tech shit.

[saltnpepperbeard]

[That certainly didn't explain things any better. Edward squinted at the man, head turning in confusion.]

Can with string? The fuck are you on about, Mate?