Curiosity killed the Outlander

JEREMY I picked up a bar tab and drank myself stupid; I flirted with strangers just to feel attractive After several hours in this place, Jeremy was mostly sure it wasn't a dream. It was too real, from the bite of the cold in the wind to the conversations of other people, the fact that he hadn't woken up yet...but he had no idea what it was. As much as he would be loathe to ever admit it, there was a panicked feeling in his chest that almost made him feel like a lost little boy. The warmth of the tavern had been pleasant, but it was time to stop drinking and try to work out what the hell was going on in this place. He had found somewhere that was like a market of sorts, he reckoned - full of people selling meats and books and candles. They were all dressed warm where he wasn't; Jeremy pulled his thin suit jacket over his shoulders and sighed. Then something caught his nose...a sweet smell, usual among the scent of crisp clean snow and bloody meats from a butchers stall nearby. He tried to follow it; he wasn't even sure why at this point. But something different might mean some answers. It brought him to a building which seemed to be some sort of medical facility, from what he could see inside. He wasn't sick, but he would catch his death of cold soon enough; perhaps the people inside would be willing to help him find a bed for the night or a warm meal. Trying not to think of his warm study or comfortable bed (where Diana must be laying right now, he thought, wondering where the fuck I am) he raised a fist and knocked on the door. Phoebe

Phoebe When you need some shelter from the rain, when you need a healer for your pain, I will be there time and time again Why did the little clinic smell so nice? Because it always did. Between the teas, incense, and the treats she was currently baking, Phoebe always had the place smelling homey and warm. Of course, the fact that he could tell it was a clinic was impressive, since the place looked more like one giant living room with some private rooms in the back. Though perhaps he had seen the sign on the door indicating it was the midwife’s clinic. Not that it really mattered because this was all the monologue written by the narrator, and had very little to do with Phoebe’s internal thoughts on the matter. When she heard the knock, she sighed. Someday people would have to learn to just come on in. That was what she was there for after all. But setting down her tray of hot from the oven muffins, she moved to answer the door. ”Hello. Welcome.” she said with a bright smile when she saw a man standing there. Odd, given she was a midwife, but not the weirdest thing. Maybe he had a wife he needed to get remedies for, or a sister or daughter or something. Men had women in their lives they could go out of their way to help. ”My name is Phoebe. What can I do for you today?”

JEREMY I picked up a bar tab and drank myself stupid; I flirted with strangers just to feel attractive The door was answered by a young lady who at least had the decency to give him a name, which was a better start than the last person he'd had a conversation with here. The smile was a welcome change too, which Jeremy returned. Looking behind her in the door, he wasn't sure if this was some kind of hospital or a house, but it looked like somewhere warm he could sit for ten minutes with his head in his hands. Hoping the smell of whatever drink they'd given him in the pub wasn't too strong on his breath, he spoke. "Hey, Miss. I'm uh...This is gonna sound stupid. But I'm in a bad way, I don't know where I am. I know you must think I'm just being a senile old man and hell, maybe I am..." He'd lost the point a little bit. Jeremy cleared his throat and continued. "I was wondering if I could trouble you for ten minutes indoors and a bit of information about where I am? The last person I asked wasn't helpful at-fucking-all...oh. 'Scuse the language, Miss." He was being as polite as he could be, a call back to his upbringing that no longer came natural after years of frank talking with his wife and colleagues.

Phoebe When you need some shelter from the rain, when you need a healer for your pain, I will be there time and time again Phoebe watched him with wide brown eyes as he spoke, trying to figure out what he was going on about…or what he was on in general. It did work in his favor that she couldn’t smell the alcohol on his breath, but when he said he didn’t know where he was she did start to wonder if he was a bit tipsy. ”Of course! Please come in and have a seat Mr…?” she said, letting the title hang in the air so he could supply his name to her. As he took a seat she began preparing a tea for him. Something that tasted good, but had calming affects. This poor fellow seemed to be a bit disoriented after all and he would be easier to help if he was relaxed. ”You wish to know about where you are as in Caido, or where you are as in this exact place?” she asked. Was he lost or was he just new to this bubble they all lived in? She smiled warmly as she turned back to him, a cup of hot tea in her hands. ”Here. It still needs to steep for a little but just holding it should help warm you up. That isn’t the only coat you own is it?” she asked. It looked hardly insulating, definitely not heavy enough for the sort of winter this place experienced.

JEREMY I picked up a bar tab and drank myself stupid; I flirted with strangers just to feel attractive He didn't much care for being pitied, but beggars couldn't be choosers and he ignored the look in Phoebe's eyes as he moved in and sat down. Oh God, she really does think I'm some old fool. "Jeremy. Jeremy Georgian. I don't suppose the family name willa made it out here." Back in England, his name could get him a seat in a good restaurant most days; he was sure here it would mean nothing since everything was upside down. He'd never been one for tea before, but she was right. The warm cup sat pleasantly in his hands, sending much needed heat through his skin. "I didn't...mean to be here. Now, I gotta tell you. I don't know where the hell this Caido place is. I was just at my home, in Oxford, doing a bit of writing before bed. Then I'm here." Jeremy looked about the room then smiled at Phoebe, still trying his best to be on his good manners. "Not that this isn't a lovely place you've got. But I'd really like to get home to my wife. There a train or something to England here? I gotta find a good doctor when I get home to help explain how I forgot getting here."

Phoebe When you need some shelter from the rain, when you need a healer for your pain, I will be there time and time again ”It is very good to meet you Jeremy.” Phoebe listened patiently while he spoke, realizing quickly why he was so confused and why he seemed so out of sorts. He must’ve just arrived in this place. Though ]what’s a train? she wondered, but realized quickly now was not the time for such questions. She offered him a blanket as well, since he was surely freezing, and a warm spice muffin to accompany his tea. Then the young blonde sat, a warm, albeit melancholy smile on her face. ”I understand why you are so confused. Many of us here had similar experiences to you.” she said in her gentle, calming tone. ”I am from a place called Northaven, a settlement of the kingdom of Northwind…which I am sure is about as familiar sounding to you as your Oxford is to me. It seems this place, Caido, has a habit by some magic of pulling people from their homes, their worlds, and bringing them here…and I am afraid there is no way back.” she said as gently as she could, using all her midwife training to break the news to him. He had a wife. A family. A life. All of it was beyond his reach now. ”I can at least assure you that you haven’t forgotten anything, there is nothing wrong with you. The transition from where you were to here is instantaneous. And while you will have to begin anew here, most everyone I have met is very friendly and willing to help, myself included.”

JEREMY I picked up a bar tab and drank myself stupid; I flirted with strangers just to feel attractive Any smile on Jeremy's face from Phoebe's niceties was quickly wiped off when she launched into the explanation of his current situation. "...I'm sorry, uh, Phoebe, but it sounds like you're tryina tell me magic exists? And that I'm here because of it?" It was so bizarre he began to wonder if this was somehow a very detailed prank. "I've never heard of Northaven, or Caido. Why would I get chosen to come over here? It's like a kinda fucked up rapture." He was too caught up in his confusion to apologise for swearing this time, and rubbed his chin as he stared into the cup. "...But...I also don't know what the hell other explanation I'd use. Either way, sounds like I'm not getting home for a while. Shit." He thought of his papers getting dusty, of Diana staring out the window and wondering if he'd gone off with some floozy...it was all far too much with only a couple drinks in his system. "There's gotta be a way back, right? We just haven't found it? C'mon, tell me it's possible. It has to be. Don't you wanna go back home?" His natural instinct was to convince and argue, but he had no real point here and was just talking mostly to himself in a sad, lost voice.

Phoebe When you need some shelter from the rain, when you need a healer for your pain, I will be there time and time again Phoebe tilted her head to the side almost comically, a slightly confused look of aw crossing her features. "Was there not magic in the world you came from?" she asked, genuinely intrigued. Magic had been such a big deal growing up she had never even considered a world with out it. But his defense was very weak regarding the logic of all this if he was going rest his case on having never heard of Northaven or Caido. "I've never heard of Oxford. And I hadn't heard of Caido before coming here either." she said gently. Then the midwife fell silent. He was processing, trying to reason with her as if she somehow controlled his fate. If only she did, she would not see him suffer as he would inevitably. They all had. Some adjusted with greater ease than others, but they all had lost in some way. They all grieved. "I do wish to go home. I've lost all of my family in this. But...this seems an unfortunately irreversible circumstance. I'm sorry, Jeremy." she said, sincerely sorry for him. It wasn't pity, but empathy. "You can stay here until you get on your feet, if you wish." she offered. Maybe that would take some burden off of his shoulders.

JEREMY I picked up a bar tab and drank myself stupid; I flirted with strangers just to feel attractive "No, of course not. Magic's just for kid's stories." Jeremy was going to have to come to terms with all of this gradually, and accepting magic as real was not on the docket for the day. He was already having to deal with the fact that Phoebe had apparently not heard of Oxford, one of the most famous cities in the world. Her saying she'd lost all of her family shut him up being stubborn, at least for now. She was so young - she seemed to be dealing with this better than he. Jeremy pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned down, trying to gather himself. He didn't want to give up on getting out quite yet, but it seemed like all he would be doing would be whining if he kept asking. "...Thanks. I'll try be outta here in the next couple days." He'd always been quick to adapt, so if he was stuck here for the moment he was sure he could find better lodgings soon. "What...is this building, anyhow? You a nurse or something?" Jeremy took a bite out of the muffin, trying to ignore how it was really too hot to eat. He needed the distraction of an easier conversation for a moment while he tried to swallow the need to scream.

Phoebe When you need some shelter from the rain, when you need a healer for your pain, I will be there time and time again Phoebe smiled a little. He was awfully curt, wasn’t he? Likely set in his ways too. It reminded her of her father in a way…though her father had been a much bigger man, in height and weight. It came with being a stonemason she supposed. ”If that is your mindset, I think you are going to find this world very shocking to navigate, between the magic, shifters, ascended, and deities.” she said in a calm tone. She knew in this case she had more information than he did, so she was confident enough in her statement to not feel the need to press it further than that. When he fell silent, so did she. She did understand he had a lot to come to grips with in this new reality and was more than patient enough to give him that time and space. While he thought, she busied herself with some preparations. It wouldn’t be hard to turn one of the little private bedrooms in the back into his space. Phoebe took a few extra blankets and laid them on the end of one of the beds, putting a candle with matches, and a small washbasin in there as well. It would be small, and really just a place to sleep and change, but he could always lounge in the common space. When he spoke again she looked up from the basket of fabric she had. She was hoping she would have enough to make him a more suitable coat so he wouldn’t freeze to death. ”Take as much time as you need.” Phoebe assured with a smile. He didn’t need to rush like the rest of them had. He had shelter secured in a manner that none of the rest of them had. ”Sort of. I am a midwife. This is my clinic…though I don’t have very many patients yet.” she said, grinning a little. ”That is just a matter of time though. With it being so cold and so many people staying indoors…well I am anticipating a sudden need for my skills in a few months.”

JEREMY I picked up a bar tab and drank myself stupid; I flirted with strangers just to feel attractive Ascended...? Deities...? These words implied a million philosophical dilemmas that Jeremy wasn't ready to face. He had spent the last two decades arguing that there was no God, so to have someone tell him so confident that there were multiple...and he couldn't disprove it. He knew nothing of the place. Upon hearing it was a midwifes clinic, Jeremy glanced about and realised what some of things he saw were. He had never had much patience for babies, particularly - neither had Diana, which was one of the reasons they had wed at first. An agreement to only ever be them, to have a house that was distinctly adult with fine oak furnishings and cream carpets that rarely ran the risk of stains. Her comments about business made him laugh despite everything happening in his head. "Guess that is the way of things, huh? I should probably find my own place before your boom of ladies in here wailin' their heads off." "You uh...ain't got a kid of your own, though? You look young for it." Jeremy took a drink of his tea. "My wife. She's a nurse. Started off at a chemists. She didn't deliver babies but she helped a lot of people...it's a good thing to do. Better than sitting around writing fucking essays all day like I do. From what I've seen 'round here there isn't much use for philosophy."

Phoebe When you need some shelter from the rain, when you need a healer for your pain, I will be there time and time again ”Well if you’re still here when that happens, you can just take my place upstairs and I will move down here for a bit.” she said with a grin, glad that he laughed at least. If he got too gloomy it would take him longer to adjust. Caido wasn’t a kind enough place for him to take too long to get up to speed either. The learning curve was the worst part, as those with negative run ins with gods would say. Phoebe shook her head as he asked if she had children. ”No. I would like them, but…well that requires a man being interested in me and that has yet to happen.” she said with a light sigh. Even with a sex quest she seemed to only meet men that were more interested in other men or were total jerks like Bastien. But she made herself brighten back up and laughed a little. ”Knowing my luck I will end up an old maid. But I am very much of age to marry and have children and all that, despite my baby face.” she said, using some self-deprecating humor to hopefully keep his spirits up. He spoke more and so she fell silent, listening as she found the fabric she would need to make him a decent coat – or cloak rather because sleeves were hard. Phoebe brought her supplies to a nearby chair and sat, beginning her work as she listened. ”What’s a chemist? Is it like an alchemist or something different?” she asked in a friendly tone. ”It’s possible a philosopher might be needed at some point…perhaps you could teach? Though it is true most people are more focused on basics right now.”

JEREMY I picked up a bar tab and drank myself stupid; I flirted with strangers just to feel attractive In Jeremy's experience young girls usually had their pick of desperate boys to pick from, but he supposed if there was a smaller population here, there might be less of that. He had absolutely no place giving any advice to a teenager about relationships, so he just tried to smile encouragingly and left it at: "Well, don't rush into it. That's no way to start things." She was doing something with some fabrics, but he couldn't quite tell what. Probably some baby clothes? Perhaps an outfit for herself. The sewing reminded him of evenings sat at home with Diana, which threatened to bring the panic brimming just under his surface back, so he pulled his eyes away. "Uuh...no. It's where you go for medicines if you're sick, and they get something together for you. She was an assistant helping them label stuff. Alchemists aren't re--...they aren't real where I'm from. You mean like, turning shit into gold? That's not real." He took another bite of the muffin then smiled and held it up to indicate it was good. "I'm not too bad with my hands if it comes to it, I guess. Can help with something else. Maybe I need a break from the philosophy. Today I met some rude robot thing that told me I was getting fat."

Phoebe When you need some shelter from the rain, when you need a healer for your pain, I will be there time and time again Well don't rush into it. Ha. If only. She smiled kindly at him though. "Was it so uncommon for people to marry young in the place you came from?" she asked. In Northwind it was fairly common for girls, less so for boys. In Northaven though the whole point was to do just that since we were recovering our population from the wars. I suppose I never considered any good reason to put off something like marriage or a family." she said softly, brown eyes focused on the work on her lap. She actually was quite a skilled little seamstress, if only because she needed to sew well for other applications that were far more important, but it did require her to focus in order to do so. Fabric was much less straightforward to work with than flesh. "Oh, alchemists do things like that too! Well...so do I but on a very limited scale." she said with a smile. "Of course they can make gold. Only the particularly skilled can turn something not gold into gold but they can make gold from its various...parts...I am not an alchemist so I am not so sure how it all works but my friend Remi is. I am sure he would be happy to show you his craft! He is a very talented fellow." she said with a grin. Then she laughed a little bit, guessing that another moment of disbelief was about to happen. "It seems your Oxford was a pretty ordinary sort of place. No magic. No alchemists. How is it no one died willy nilly?" she said. A place without all the things she thought normal? How very strange and...terrifying in a way! But then he used a word she didn't understand. Phoebe looked up at him wide-eyed, staring at him blankly for a moment. "What's a ro-bot?" she asked innocently. That was a very odd word that she had never heard in her life, and she was pretty proud of her vocabulary! "Is that a curse word in Oxford?"