savetheearth | [open] Fourth Wall 1

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[open] Fourth Wall 1

Who: EVERYONE including visitors
What: This is the first general post for the fourth wall. This post is for network posts/conversations, logs and every other possible interaction, and visitors can top-level.
When: 2nd of January
Where: Everywhere inside the five echo boundaries.
Warnings: Please warn in the subject line of your threads if anything comes up!

Fourth Wall OOC information! As a reminder: Visitors may tag all posts tagged "-fourth wall" that are posted on

savetheearth.

Special things happening today: A sudden surge in Vermini and Vermedi activity! Some of them are aggressive towards the numbered and will attack, but some seem rather interested in herding or baiting people with numbers towards other people with numbers... They clearly want as many numbered as possible to be together or at least not be alone today.

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[Misa notices the beginning of an abnormality on Lazarus's wrist a moment before he pulls his hand away. While it sparks her curiosity, she notes his increasing agitation and decides to pretend that she didn't see a thing. For now.]

That's pretty brave of you!

[She hurries to keep up once again, recognition dawning on her as they approach the coffee shop.]

Ah! I've heard of this place! We can talk more in there?

We can do whatever we want here. I own this business.

[Said with just a touch of haughtiness. Lazarus is proud of what he's built and accomplished in just one year.]

And once they're inside, he turns and locks the door, turning the open sign over and signaling to the people behind the counter to turn off the lights and wait in the back.]

The couches in the back corner are out of view of the windows. This probably isn't completely necessary, but it can't be less safe than what's going on outside. If you want coffee, you can help yourself to the blends in the pots.

[Misa grows increasingly uneasy as she suddenly finds herself locked in a dark building with a stranger, who can probably freeze her if she tries to escape. What seemed like an amazing opportunity moments before now seems more like the beginning to a news report that ends with "authorities have yet to find a body."]

Th-this seems pretty over the top! I just came here to talk!

[She glances back toward where the employees exited, wondering if they can be counted on to rescue her from her rescuer. The way they made themselves scarce with nothing more than a gesture from Lazarus makes her think that he must have done this before, which doesn't bode well. She tries to be nonchalant about reaching a hand into her purse in search of her cell phone and pepper spray, just in case.]

I've talked to reporters before, but it's got to be on my terms. That's just how it is. You're welcome to leave, if you've changed your mind, but if you want to stay here, where no one's going to bother us and nothing is coming through those doors, you're going to have to respect my desire to maintain some level of discretion.

I have to protect the people who work for me. Exposure to the media is always a risk, and if any of them want to join us, it'll be their call, not mine, and definitely not yours.

[Misa hesitates, but determination eventually wins out over self preservation. She cautiously walks over to take a seat on the couch, hand still on the small canister of pepper spray hidden in her purse.]

You don't have to take this as seriously as that. I just came here out of curiosity. Even if I write something, there's no guarantee it's going to be published.

[But it could be her big break. That's worth spending some time with a potential serial killer, isn't it?]

[L's eyes stray to her purse, where her hand is hidden. It doesn't take a genius to see that she's nervous, or to entertain the possibility that she might be armed. If she's carrying a concealed handgun, he could be in trouble.]

If you knew how my year's been, I think you'd be a little more... understanding. In October, one of my employees was shot and killed here in broad daylight.

[An employee pokes a furtive head out of the back room.]

"Is everything OK, sir? L?"

[He nods, eyes still on Misa's purse.]

Yes, it's fine. Tell everyone to take 15.

[Misa opens her mouth to comment on how terrible it is that someone was killed, but with the employee's interruption that train of thought shuts off and all she can think of is L. Why does it sound so familiar? There's something, the fuzzy ghost of a memory--she doesn't recall when or where she witnessed it, but it's there. An ornate, black letter 'L' broadcasting across her TV screen. A scrambled, digitized voice. It said something, what was... the voice was L, and it said... 'I am justice.']

L...

[In her preoccupation with the hazy memory her hand loosens, and Misa absently draws it out of her purse (leaving weapon and phone behind). Answers are what matter most. Throwing caution to the wind is all part of being a serious journalist.]

[Looking up, Misa squints at Lazarus's face as if seeing him for the first time.]

I know that name... You're L?

Edited 2015-01-06 23:30 (UTC)

[Something about the quality of comprehension dawning isn't mere recognition of a nickname he uses on the network and within the Numbered community. It's on a different level, one he's grown accustomed to recognizing in over a year of receiving pulses.]

Yes, that's me. Numbered call me that. I thought that only Numbered used it, though... I thought you were, but you should have said so immediately.

[He assumes that she's seen the Network and therefore his nickname, but just hasn't gotten a chance to introduce herself on it yet.]

You'll get us to open up to you far easier if you just come out and say you're Numbered too, from the get-go.

[Misa tilts her head, confused both by the mysterious memory and L's words.]

Numbered? No, no, I'm not one of you. I just...

[She shakes her head, as if trying to clear it.]

I don't remember when it happened, but an L showed up on TV once, and this weird voice talked about justice. Was that really you?

[His dark eyes go wide at what she's said.]

Not me, no. But I know what you're talking about, because I got that back, too. It has to do with my Other; the guy I'm getting all of these new pieces of myself from. We... might have something in common, more than most Numbered have.

[While uncertain how to feel about having something in common with this strange, lanky man, Misa decides to see if Lazarus thinking so will make him divulge information more easily.]

Like what? What exactly is an 'other'?

Just now, you remembered something, right? But it never actually happened to you. Your "Other" is the person who did experience it, somewhere and at some time. It happens that your memory is mine, too; our Others saw the same thing, ergo... they're probably from the same place. If we talked more we could probably find out a lot more about them.

Then it's like our past-selves knew each other...? So let's talk more!! What sorts of things should we say to get more memories?

I haven't really been in a situation like this before. So... I'm really not sure. We could start with some "normal" things and then work from there, perhaps.

Where did you grow up, and what brought you to Locke City?

Really, I'm the first?? That's even more exciting! Okay, let's see, I was born in Kyoto and that's where I grew up. I lived in Tokyo while I was at Toyo University, but then I switched and wound up back in Kyoto! I came here because of all the crazy things that have been in the news lately, I want to learn more about what's going on.

Sort of. There was someone else a long time ago, but... I'm not sure if he counts.

[He listens as she relates her condensed history.]

Well, if you want to learn about what's going on... there's no better place to be than Locke, and there's no better way to be than Numbered. How long is your projected stay? I'll warn you that what you've "gotten back" only remains fully with you as long as you remain fully in the boundaries of a part of the world this is occurring in.

What? No fair! I have a job, but this seems important... maybe I can try to stay longer.

[She pouts at the thought of having to choose between exploring this further and quitting. But that just means that for now she should try to get all the information she can.]

What about you, maybe-L? What's your story?

If you need someplace to stay, we can work something out. I have a couple of buildings available for Numbered to stay in rent-free, the only thing I ask is that you keep your space relatively tidy and aren't too loud.

[He pauses, seeming unsure of how much to tell her about who he is.]

My name is Lazarus Lawliet. I was born here in Locke City. I got my bachelor's in Criminal Justice at Locke City University but dropped out a semester shy of earning my Master's. Now, I run a coffee shop, and do some... just general outreach stuff. I try to help people who are like us have a better life.

Aw, that's sweet! You really are a good person, saving me and now this.

[It makes her a little less suspicious of the rent-free offer. Knowing that he's so interested in justice doesn't hurt either.]

Did you want to be a policeman?

I don't know about that... it needs to be done, you know?

[Some of his crisp demeanor turns bashful at her compliment. He ducks his head, tugging at the hairs on the back of his neck.]

...actually, I did. It didn't really work out, but... that's life sometimes.

But it's only good people who want to do what needs to be done, to keep people safe! Even if you're not a policeman, you're still doing that.

[Misa beams, leaning in as if to whisper a secret.]

Since you told me, I guess I can tell you... but don't let anyone else know, okay? It's embarrassing... I usually just say that I transferred schools, but really I dropped out for a while. It wound up being for the best, though! I studied really hard and got into a better one later! So you'll probably find something better too.

Yeah, I'm definitely seeing the advantage now of not being connected to law enforcement. It provides a lot of freedom to do the right thing, which... unfortunately, police officers don't always have.

[It's a nice ego boost, to have a pretty girl telling him that he's good. In a way, that's all he's ever wanted, that acknowledgment that finally he's doing something right.]

Who else would I tell? Besides, it's not embarrassing. Things happen, it just means that school wasn't a good fit.

[He pauses. For him, it had pretty much meant a volcanic nervous breakdown.]

Is that what it meant?

Yeah! I'm sure something better will come along for you.

[She sighs, leaning back.]

The police are okay, but the justice system stinks. Maybe it's different here, but back in Japan it's really awful. You can definitely do more good on your own.

You're a really kind person. Thank you for saying that.

[He sounds genuinely grateful for the sentiment, even if he's not thrilled to dwell on the failure that literally almost killed him. A lot's changed in the last year, and he's made his peace with things he thought he never would.]

The justice system is really flawed here, too. You're not wrong. Sometimes the law actually gets in the way of what's right, even if what's right is obvious and staring everyone in the faces with no room for ambiguity.

I'm just saying the truth!

[But it makes her smile anyway. Flattery will get you everywhere.]

Definitely! Even if someone's totally guilty, stupid lawyers are too worried about their reputation to prosecute unless they have a confession on a silver platter! I'm surprised anyone stays in jail at all.

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dead_black_eyes - 2015-01-29 22:47 (UTC) - Expand

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misa_amane - 2015-01-30 02:13 (UTC) - Expand

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