Second Level

[negcapability]

[Raf's been hanging out here for a while, partly because it enables him to talk to Tiri in a different matter -- and with the fox less able to disappear on him -- and partly because he's on the edge of giving up on figuring out any logic at all about the first level

Comments

[walksonrooftops]

[It might be the sense, considering Asato is becoming less eager to hide himself during the daytime. The environment is familiar enough by now, and the same goes for the inhabitants of the city.]

Raf!

[He carrying some food and supplies back home, but seems otherwise unoccupied and without hurry. The winter's cold has done little good for his garden. He has plans for it, but he can't do much about them just yet. He pauses a moment and relaxes, letting himself drift between levels. It's then that he sees the fox--the first time he's ever done so.]

Raf has a pet?

[negcapability]

[Raf blinks at Asato, while Tiri just fixes his eyes on Asato.]

{Rather more like a guiding force. I'm like a GPS for how Raf should live his life.}

[Now Raf's staring at Tiri, absolutely incredulous.]

Ignore him, his head has clearly grown much too large for his body.

[walksonrooftops]

What's GPS?

[More weird human words, probably. Or fox words. He wouldn't know, having never communicated with foxes before.]

So if he's not that, is he...a spirit? Your spirit is outside your body?

[negcapability]

{Global Positioning System. It's a bunch of satellites in orbit.}

...Nevermind. It's not important.

He's a computer program. Just also full of himself.

[freakinbrutal]

[A quick nod is all Michael gives him. He's been experimenting with this level himself, though he's less than eager to just leave his mind open to be probed into. Mostly, it's just exercises in immersion. It feels like he's a child again, and it's not fun as much as it is annoying, but if it's a necessary skill, he's willing to devote a little time to it.]

Hey, wise-ass.

[He's on the second level for the singular purpose of addressing Tiri.]

Still here, pooch? No luck in figuring a way out of here?

[negcapability]

Hey sweetheart.

[Because Michael can't get Tiri without getting Raf, and Raf's always in a toying with Michael mood.]

{I think I like being here better than any place I've been before.}

[freakinbrutal]

That's great for you. What about candy-ass over here? [He looks back up to Raf, already frowning just slightly.]

Don't tell me you agree with him.

[negcapability]

I've found it's very rarely the actual location that dictates whether or not I like it. On a personal level, I'd be fine to stay, but I know that other people aren't overly fond of the idea.

{And you would like to find out about your father.}

[Raf spins back to Tiri and glares at him. That's not his anything to share with other people.]

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch is in the habit of drifting between levels every so often when he has a moment. Of course he remembers what happened between himself and Raf last. He approaches the man and his fox.*

Ashraf... I don't mean to interrupt your conversation, but I apologize if I offended you before.

*Never mind that he felt offended, himself, being told one of the few places he's lived that he'd call "home" doesn't exist. It takes a special kind of trauma and severe divine negligence to convince one of the nonexistence of God, of angels, of souls, Enoch thinks, and for whatever could have brought it about, he pities Raf. And he's the sort to put pity over personal offense.

Is it a hasty, misdirected pity? Yes. But he doesn't know that.*

[negcapability]

[Raf considers Enoch in silence for a moment.]

You did, and then I got over it.

Apology accepted.

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch relaxes at that. He may not care about standing out or offending people who he believes deserve insult, but Raf is not one of those people and he doesn't like hurting innocents in the slightest.

He might as well contribute to the conversation while he's here.*

...I've thought of gathering everyone to share information as well. But the wall prevents us from meeting physically, and there's no way to tell how many of us know of or can use this place.

*Not to mention coordinating a meeting at the same time...*

[negcapability]

Or that we would get everyone to cooperate enough to talk in a civilized manner. Still, we could have two groups of people meet physically, one on each side, and then have some people interface through the second level.

Which would take care of the logistics, if we cared.

[Raf isn't sure he does care, but he's interested enough in it as an abstract puzzle.]