(audio)

[oneofthosefaces]

[ His voice isn't usually quite this raised when speaking aloud, attribute it to a little bit of whiskey and being quite literally fresh off a flaming ship with plenty of people yelling and screaming. An echoing of the area he's in doesn't help much either. The signal drops in and out at first, incoherent mumbling, before it finally stabilizes. Judging by the sound of rustling clothes, he's carrying the comm unit quite closely.. ]

I say, this doesn't look like the upper deck. Looks very much like a...gymnasium or a pool. What sort of rust bucket of a boat has that?

[ Drunk or not, he's highly skeptical of the new surroundings. There is a quiet period of assessment, then... ]

In fact, I don't believe we're even on the river anymore.

[ By the sound of it, he has taken notice of the unit now and its activity. As unusual as it may be, and can make his own share of assumptions as to what its used for. ]

Hello, there? I don't suppose anyone is out there or has seen an octagonal box around here? It's an old family heirloom you see.

[ Would anyone buy that? ]

...Very old.

Comments

action;

[sadfreezingbrit]

[ Fun fact: Evelyn first met Philip on his way to the beach when he was about to take a swim. His intention today just so happens to be the same, but given the early spring weather he'd much rather go for the indoor pool instead.

And here he is, casually walking through the door, dropping both towel and bathrobe on the first lounge chair in sight, walking up to the edge of the water in all his pool fashion glory and--

Oh look, company! And not the fellow swimmer kind either, not unless he stems from a place where 'confused and fully clothed' is the way to go for a dive. ]

...Um, can I help you?

[ Generally speaking he'd much rather make such an offer fully clothed, but you know, beggars, choosers, yadda yadda. ]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ Jolting to attention, he quickly tucks the device behind his back as if to erase all trace of the action. It doesn't do anything for his expression, as stunned and guilty as the proverbial child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Really, even if it was this stranger's property, he has not filched it intentionally. With a short inspection high and low to the...peculiar lack of attire (of the male variety, at least), he replies. ]

No, I don't believe so.

[sadfreezingbrit]

[ Oh. ]

Oh.

[ Hey, Wonderland and stunned guilt practically go hand in hand. While Philip can't exactly imagine what unholy weirdness this particular resident is up to he can't say he's feeling hungry for trouble to the point where he'd actually care to ask. ]

...Right, sorry. I thought you were new.

[ A thin and apologetic smile, a reaction not entirely suitable for a 'man catching intruder in his own pool' scenario.

After that Philip tries to go about his business, though admittedly diving right in has lost some of its appeal, what with the other man standing there... suspiciously. ]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ Avoidance is hardly his specialty. All manners of non-dress aside, the man hasn't threatened him yet. Not a bad start. If he remains calm enough, Jonathan figures he can perhaps bide some time to set the...thing in question down and continue his search for the puzzle box unharmed and unexplained. Considering the calm, he figures the situation on deck has resolved itself.

Though what on earth had he meant by new-- he couldn't possibly look that fresh. ]

Ah. No, I've been down the Nile my fair share of times.

[ He pauses. ]

Though the pool is a bit of a surprise.

1/some

[sadfreezingbrit]

The--

[ Oh. ]

2/some more

[sadfreezingbrit]

The Nile.

[ Fffhaha. Haha. Ha. ]

3/4

[sadfreezingbrit]

[ HahaaaHAHAAHhahaahah-- ]

4/4

[sadfreezingbrit]

[ ...ha. Okay, done. ]

Erm... actually, I'm- I'm afraid I've got some bad news, your...

[ Deep breath. It's been a while since he ran into anybody so seemingly oblivious to the transition, but initial amusement aside he should probably try to be more serious and helpful about this.

...And more clothed, come to think of it. He steps away from the pool and puts his bathrobe back on. ]

Your geography is... a bit off now, you're not- not on the Nile anymore.

[ Philip nods towards one of the windows for confirmation. Let's give that a moment to sink in before moving on. ]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ ...Yes. Now he knows that this fellow belongs exactly on this ship. If it wasn't treasure hunters, or gunslingers, it was the unscrupulously mad that waited to loot you when you slept. The indication to the window, however, intrigues him. He meanders over, easily transferring the device to his front as he turns, and lets his confidence do the rest. He wouldn't be tricked that easily, if that is the intention. ]

The sea, then? Don't tell me some idiot had us ported at Abu Hama-AH.

[ Then comes the obnoxious noise-- somewhere between a yelp and a scream. The communicator clatters to the ground and, like a spurred horse, he jolts away from the window, directly towards the stranger. As he stumbles to a halt, each hand grabs for a fistful of Philip's bathrobe for stability. Though his tone starts out quiet, serious even, it's not long before he's screaming in the other man's face. ]

Am I dead? Because I'm fairly certainly that my sister is an atheist and if I have one last chance to prove her wrong at anything, it bloody well better be now!

[audio]

[libraritology]

[Evelyn leaves her communicator on every so often with the main channel open in place of radio or playing a record, just for the sake of having a bit of background noise while she works. Currently, she's rather occupied with the notes she took from their last event - organising the information and finding a pattern will be a good addition to the data she and Mister Holmes have collected, and she's eager to get results sooner rather than later.

...She hears someone crackling over the speaker.

Faint, at first, and muffled.

Familiar.

Evie pulls her transmitter closer and turns the volume dial a notch higher.

It's a little difficult to describe the shock she swims in for a good, long moment as the tone, the inflection, and the accent all sink in very, very slowly. Someone whose voice she hasn't heard in months. Someone who used to, on occasion, mock her, but all in good fun.]

...Jonathan?

[audio]

[oneofthosefaces]

Oh. Evy.

[ There's a voice he recognizes, and seems quite unperturbed to hear. He guesses it has been a few hours since she has retired to her room. That was, of course, before those ghastly Americans had started their shooting and howling, and the whole good spirit of poker and drinks had gone out the window in regards to some very pushy boarders. ]

Where did you get off to? And the box-- you have the box?

[audio]

[libraritology]

[Oh, it's certainly him, all right. And it sounds as those he's had one too many to drink.]

Never mind the box, Jonathan, where are you?

[Evie does, in fact, have said box in her possession, but this is a completely irrelevant detail in light of the fact that her older brother is here and very likely unsteady.]

[audio]

[oneofthosefaces]

Didn't I ask first?

[ There is a petty hint to his tone, though it's not entirely serious. It is, well, Evy after all. Once the girl has her mind set on something, there is no other way about it. ]

I'm not entirely sure. I went looking for you on the upper deck and-- were you aware there's a pool here?

[audio] -> [action]

[libraritology]

Don't go anywhere, stay right where you are.

[It's best to give Jonathan instruction lest he run amok and hurt himself. Evelyn neglects to answer his questions, but it's mostly because she's concentrating on shoving all her papers into a semi-tidy pile, grabbing her communicator as she stumbles over a stack of books.]

I'll find you.

[The pool is on the second floor, thank Heavens, so a hasty scramble up the stairs and around the corner is all it takes before she opens the door to the tiled swimming area.

And he's just standing there, as if he had no care in the world, completely oblivious. The only family Evelyn has left is her brother, and with him away for so long, she is almost ashamed to say that he really is a sight for sore eyes.

The only warning Jonathan may have is heels clicking hurriedly on ceramic as Evie rushes forward and embraces him.]

[action]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ He could test her patience, but the urgency in her voice is curious. Perhaps she did have the trinket after all! Then it would be time to jump ship and be two skips and a leap ahead of those Yanks! ...O'Connell aside, of course. Where had that brute gotten off to?

And yet when she does make her appearance, instead it is in the form of...a hug. He is accepting of it, holding her close for a moment as if acknowledging its importance to her. Once he manages to find some wiggle room, he holds her at an arm's length, focus interrupted by one squeak of a hiccup. ]

Are you feeling alright, old mum?

[Video]

[aangairnomad]

[Aang has yet to meet Evelyn or her sibling, but the Avatar always enjoys assisting people, especially the newcomers. This place is confusing enough. Having someone to try and help is useful.]

Hello! I haven't seen that box anywhere. You sure you didn't drop it somewhere?

[audio]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ It may be a good thing that he hasn't quite figured out the video feed-- one might find his staring rather rude. He's just never seen a film that, well, talks back. ]

Uh. No, no I don't believe so. I'm hoping my sister has it.

[Video]

[aangairnomad]

Oh! Is she here? I can help you find her, if you want?

[The man's accent is a bit strange, but Aang figures he's just from a different place, as usual. Even if the video feed were to work, he wouldn't mind the staring. He'd been getting weird looks from most of the populace since he arrived - bald, tattooed teenagers weren't exactly all that common in other places, apparently.]

[audio > video]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ Well and dandy, yes. It's quite a feat to get Jonathan's mind off any material object of value, but Aang has managed to do so. Of course, it could be transference from one object to another, but for the moment he will continue to turn the small device over in his hands and at odd angles to assess this phenomena. He's almost expecting to find some sort of trick-- a mirror or some manipulation of the light. At this point, he is even willing to accept the possibility of a very, very small being.

It's only fitting that he bumps the video feature quite inadvertently, the device hanging cockeyed and just above his head. ]

If you don't mind me asking, are you just...in there or...?

[Video]

[aangairnomad]

[Aang can't help it - he bursts into a heap of giggles. He can understand where Jonathan's coming from; he didn't know what the communication device was either when he first arrived.]

No! The thing you're holding is a pretty nifty machine. You can use it to contact the different people that have been sent here. This is Wonderland, and it's full of many different beings from all sorts of different worlds. It's pretty interesting, actually.

I'm one of them; my name's Aang. I'm not in the machine - I'm just in a different place than you are, but we can still see and talk to each other. Pretty cool, huh?

text;

[not_a_hero]

Not the most impressive of deductions.
Are you human? Any special abilities? Report to floor 2, room 21. Expect needles.
-SH

[audio]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ ... ]

Of course I'm human. What else would I be, some sort of beas--

[ ...uh... ]

...did you say needles?

text;

[not_a_hero]

Yes. Needles. For attaining a blood sample.
Come at your convenience. But quite quickly.
-SH

[audio]

[oneofthosefaces]

[ Oh. It really could hear him then, couldn't it? This is just getting richer by the moment. ]

I'm not sure that's entirely necessary, even if I did know where to find this room.

[audio]

[not_a_hero]

[Okay, so text isn't working with this man ~_~]

I told you the location. Is it so difficult to count to twenty-one? I'll help you out this once: count as many doors as you have fingers and toes and then go one more.

As far as necessity, everything I require is necessary.