[video]

[notaquaman]

[The face that pops onto the terminal screen is far, far too close for comfort. It's squeezed tightly into something trying for scorn, but there's an unmistakable edge of panic beneath those thick brows.]

This is hilarious, Barry! Really, you've outdone yourself!

[He backs up now, enough to actually be visible in all his lanky glory on the video feed.]

I'll be the better man here, I'll admit when I have been punk'd--hey! Look at you! You've completely lived up to your reputation as The Invisible Cunt and we're all very proud.

[He points with accusation at the terminal, as if he's giving it five seconds to confess to a crime it's committed before he becomes very, very disappointed and maybe throws a tantrum.]

But hasn't this...uncomfortably well thought out set-up gone on long enough? I thought we were friends!

Comments

[notaquaman]

You--

[Nathan looks astounded.]

You don't know what a Nazi is? World War II? The Holocaust?

[Jesus! What planet is this guy from? Well, presumably one that doesn't share Earth's history. That's a thing, isn't it? Other weird fantasy worlds and shit?]

Okay, so basically they're a group of fucking nutjobs who thought it would be one big jolly holiday to go around murdering the Jewish for their religious affiliation. [Nathan hesitates, looking sincerely thoughtful for a second.] It could have also had something to do with the dark hair and the big noses but--[His tone changes abruptly.]--no, it isn't funny! Nobody likes a prick who makes Holocaust jokes, I should know!

this isn't awkward in the slightest...sorry for all this

[warriorscribe]

*He doesn't know what "Jewish" is either. Kind of hard to know the word when you're born well before Judah.

But rather than asking about any of these things (a world war? A war between worlds, or a war encompassing all of one world? Both sound terrifying.), he finds himself caught off guard by how plausible all this was. It wasn't like the claim of a tent made of books, or the spastic, disjointed generalizations about "furries" in general. People killing one another for their beliefs was most certainly a thing that happened, unfortunate though it was, and the sudden change in tone wasn't something he'd heard when he was going on about the "furries". And a war on a world or multi-world scale? He could see how such a thing might happen - worlds as countries or chains of alliances.

But while he might cautiously entertain this idea as a sane one grounded in reality for all these things, there was still the matter of the accusation.*

I...ah. I'm afraid I haven't met anyone here who was volatile enough towards anyone else for their faith to kill them.

*And a quick check reveals...Richtofen as the only other person who had been speaking to him as of this point in the conversation. Richtofen didn't even seem to care what anyone believed...

Another false accusation, it seemed. He couldn't even imagine Richtofen even hiding any vitriol. He was far too transparent with it, honestly.*

video; hello there

[crouching_sin]

He's definitely a Nazi, or at least associated with them. The uniform is unmistakable.

And don't mind Enoch. He was born well before there was a Germany. If I'm guessing correctly, I believe he's from about five thousand years before you.

[notaquaman]

[Hello there, indeed. And who is this fellow? Nathan supposes that for the moment he can forgive the interruption, if only because the guy is making him look better.]

You hear that? Nazi! [Nathan's grin is practically manic as he puts his hands triumphantly on his hips.] I know a sick bastard when I see one.

[And speaking of potential sick bastards.]

And how do you know so much, anyway? Are you one of those history nerd types?

I am so sorry for him.

[crouching_sin]

... In a sense. There are many strange people here, from different times and different worlds. What holds true in your world likely does not hold true in others, and nothing from your world really holds true here.

But to answer your question: I was alive during World War Two in my world. And the first World War. And every war, because reincarnation is a bitch when you can remember everything from every life.

And before you start with the 'that's insane' or 'you're crazy' talk, drop it. We're on a tight deadline until - well. We're not certain what, but likely the end of our ability to exist here or anywhere. Shove your disbelief to the side and help, or get out of the way. Either way no one has the time to sit here and babysit you through the five stages of grief or the five stages of whining.

[warriorscribe]

*Normally, Enoch might chide Naoya for his callous words, but honestly, he's grateful for his intervention. Nathan isn't the sort he'd want to talk to for long periods of time, but his conscience leaves him unable to just leave him.*

But I've never seen any signs of hatred in him for-...

*And that's when it clicks. Uniforms mean some degree of organization. Could they have become so entrenched that...*

Unless it was something which one could be born into without agreeing?

*Enlighten him, Naoya.*

[crouching_sin]

In theory, yes. The war didn't last long enough for someone of his age to be born into it, however. And while I'm told there were few options for those in Germany to avoid being caught up in it, he strikes me as the sort of person who would have joined willingly in order to take advantage of their... lax policies towards treatment of experimental subjects.

[Richtofen you do kinda come off as a crazy mad scientist, okay.]

[notaquaman]

Wait a second! Wait a second just back up, alright?

[Nathan waves frantically at the screen, then scratches his head as he struggles to process all the information he's just been slammed with. Of course, he ends up fixated on one singular point.]

So you're saying you're immortal? Both of you?

[Suddenly he goes from puzzled to grinning. No fucking way. How big of a coincidence was that?]

I'm immortal! Look at this--look at us! It's like we're a club. We even complete each other. Brains [Naoya], brawn [Enoch], and I, of course, provide the looks!

[Of course.]

video; forever late

[brbtalkingtogod]

Sound rather like you're a bigmouth. Much talking, nothing behind it.

[Look who decided to join the conversation.]

Immortality won't be of much use to anyone if things are going to turn nasty.

And it's not 5000 years. It been 360.000... no, 14.000 years.

LUCIFEL GET OUT 8( (ilu)

[crouching_sin]

It's a different immortality than the one you're thinking of, probably -

[Oh. Lucifel.]

Your sense of time is unreliable. Time doesn't mean anything to someone like you.

[notaquaman]

First of all. [Interrupter number 2.] Rude. Didn't anyone ever teach you to raise your hand when you have a comment?

[He looks back to Interrupter number 1.] Second of all, who cares what kind of immortality it is? It's immortality! That's a power straight off the A-list! Am I the only one who thinks that's...cool? What the fuck!

[warriorscribe]

*Well, that might explain why Nathan's crazy. Poor guy. He hopes he never gets to be like him.

Lucifel's appearance never fails to relax him, though, and a small smile goes to his guardian.*

It's true. His sense of time has always been odd.

*Sorry, Lucifel. He'll make it up to you somehow.*

But I suppose if he's the "big mouth", you're the new "looks", aren't you, Lucifel?

*That's how.

Except wait. What?*

And just how long have you been immortal?

[crouching_sin]

... It's a curse, not a superpower. But you sound young. You'll learn.

[notaquaman]

Hey, nobody's stealing my title away from me. I was born looks and I'm staying looks!

[Nathan stops, scrunching up his face as he does the math in his head.]

You know I haven't really been counting, I've been so busy being a national celebrity, but if I had to put a number on it I guess...somewhere around half a year. Maybe a bit more. Whatever, I've died more times than I can figure on one hand, I'm getting the hang of it!

[He makes a noise of disbelief. Curse. Come on. Nothing this awesome could be a curse. Who didn't want to stay young and beautiful forever? Who didn't want to get anything and everything they wanted?]

[warriorscribe]

Half a year...you are young. You haven't even lived a lifetime yet.

*He sighs heavily.* You'll see, in time. Once we've time at all.

[brbtalkingtogod]

Time doesn't have much of a meaning if you have always been able to walk through it as you like.

[He had to learn that during his stay here. But they're gonna have to talk about that Enoch. But to get back at the kid...]

And it seems no one taught you respect to your elders. Half a year of immortality makes you nothing but a baby compared to others.

[crouching_sin]

Exactly. You're not even fully grown. You're nothing but a brat.

[notaquaman]

[Wow. What crawled up all their assholes to make them such...well, assholes?]

Hey, now! I may be blessed with boyishly good looks but make no mistake, I’m an adult! I had my own flat and everything back home, in a manner of speaking.

[By “in a manner of speaking” Nathan of course meant that that he lived on the floor of the city’s community center after having been kicked out of his mother’s house. But it counted. He bought his own vending machine food when he couldn’t manage to steal it!]

Jesus; real nice fucking welcome you give people around here! So what, I was a little freaked out by this whole mess, can you blame me? This hostility is completely uncalled for, you dicks! No wonder nobody wants to join your club!

[warriorscribe]

Of course you're an adult by normal standards. But you apparently have to improve your listening skills - we only spoke in terms of your immortality. You've only seen a part of what it means to be immortal.

[brbtalkingtogod]

"In a manner of speaking"... that isn't much of a clear statement, is it? Looking like an adult doesn't make you one. And acting the way you are is immature. Not really the trait of an adult, unless the definition in your world is different from the one I'm familiar with.

[You are welcome Nathan.]

Or what do you say?

[Naoya and Enoch are free to add something to his words if they wish.]