Networking 1; Voice

[hero_of_smiles]

Okay, so I found out a bit ago it's March, which means I've been gone for at least six months. Someone mind telling me what's been going on in this place? It'd be appreciated.

[He pauses but goes on to add one more thing.]

My name's Cross by the way for anyone who knew me.

Comments

voice

[boxingemperor]

More of the same, if you've been here before. The administration is down a man...

voice

[hero_of_smiles]

Down a man? You mean he got kicked out or somethin'?

[boxingemperor]

If only it worked out as nicely as that. But Dax is gone now.

[hero_of_smiles]

Dax? You mean the nice Admin?

[But gone...no, he couldn't mean-]

People don't die here though.

[boxingemperor]

Yeah. [And confirmed to be sincere to the residents, as far as he knew.]

...It's complicated.

[wegotlucky]

A whole lotta chaos, apparently.

[hero_of_smiles]

I think that comes with the territory here.

We had a whale attack sometime in the summer last year.

[wegotlucky]

I'd say I'm surprised, but honestly, I'm not.

You said you were here a few months ago? Then you must have returned to your own world, right?

[hero_of_smiles]

It was weird that was for sure. Monsters exploded right out from it.

But, I was. I left sometime around late September. Only got back after five months. And I did go home...

[He pauses as he tries not to let the choking of his voice come into play. How does a fifteen year old even cope with that...]

Everything was gone.

[wegotlucky]

[He's got your back, kid. You're not even that much older than his own son, after all. Only difference is how much longer he was home than Neal was.]

I was only there for one day. The entire block around my apartment, gone. Central Park just dead trees and ruin.

I'm so sorry.

[hero_of_smiles]

[And the instant someone shares their own pain...Cross had to ignore his. This man also lost his home and he wasn't even used to the tower yet. Cross had to push his feelings of bitterness aside right now.]

Hey, no, it's okay. You didn't do anything. I'm just...sorry you had to see your world like that.

[wegotlucky]

[He doesn't really want Cross to push it aside. Neal is the adult here, after all.]

You spent five months. I spent a day.

How did you even manage?

[hero_of_smiles]

Dunno, it really didn't feel like five months. I guess time just passed differently in my world and here. So, I was okay. Really.

[He attempts to hide his sorrow behind a veil of calm cheerfulness. He needed to be strong for others right now. No crying, no sadness.]

[wegotlucky]

Maybe... maybe it's for the best that it appeared to go by faster.

[Assuming Cross doesn't mean it went by slower, though.]

Before I got here, long before I got here, I found myself in an unknown world. I was lost, confused. Just a kid and completely alone in the world. I... I know what it's like.

[It's not like he has any reason to hide here, even if he still wouldn't normally reveal this information.]

[hero_of_smiles]

Probably. But, like I said, I'll be fine.

[He does tilt his head curiously though upon what Neal says.]

You've been to another world before?

[He's quickly latching onto that topic, if only to avoid more uncomfortable talk about himself.]

[wegotlucky]

Yeah, a long time ago. It sucks being alone. But... it gets better.

Even if this place sucks, too.

[hero_of_smiles]

[It gets better? Did it though? All he could feel is that loneliness crushing him on the inside.]

Maybe there's a way to bring everything back.

[But was such optimism even warranted in this place?]

[wegotlucky]

I hope so. I want to be able to go back.

I'm sure you do, too, right? The people in charge here might not want us to find a way, but I know we will.

[hero_of_smiles]

[Go back...he would but what would he be going back to?

Neal's statement though just makes Cross shrug.]

I'm not sure...one of the admins didn't seem like a bad guy and he did say they were trying to save us. But, I dunno...

[wegotlucky]

There's gotta be a way to restore our worlds to normal. I know it.

[hero_of_smiles]

It'll have to be some pretty strong magic or something to pull something like that off.

[wegotlucky]

Could be.

But we need to hold onto that. If they can bring us here, there must be ways to fix our individual worlds.

You can count on it.

[hero_of_smiles]

If that were the case, why wouldn't they have done it sooner?

[wegotlucky]

I don't know.