towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Marty
Setting: See prompts!
Format: Starting in prose, feel free to switch
Summary: Marty's been out of the Tower for a LONG time...
Warnings: Marty has a few shocks in store so he might curse a bit.

Dorm Room 2-10, Backdated to April 10th

The first thing Marty did after calming himself down from the sleep paralysis (and dear god, he'd forgotten how terrifying that is) was to head immediately to his trunk and sort through what was left.

He had just spent the last year and a half in a dead world. Now that he's back in the Tower... he had things to do. He kinda figured he would wind up back here sooner or later. That's what he did with his time; preparing. Reading every single book he could get his hands on, testing himself, trying to remember all the things Doc had ever taught him.

Marty wasn't ready for this, but he had to trust in himself. First, he had to find out if the Doc was still around, and next... find out what's been happening.

He pulled on his jeans and the familiar striped shirt, then his jacket, and went out the door, pausing only long enough to look at the name plate. Riku, Kariya, and Prussia. Marty shook his head and went down the hall, looking at every name plate by every door.

There were so many he didn't recognize now, but a few he did... but no Doc. When he went downstairs, he started looking at the nameplates, but stopped in shock. Blank. And it was the same on the fourth. Going back up, he stopped on the second and frowned down the hallway, then went up to the first dorm floor.

Only two floors now... what had happened?

"Doc... where are you?"

Lab, April 10th

Marty skipped the oatmeal for now. He wasn't hungry. He was upset and disturbed Doc's name wasn't anywhere on the nameplates... but he can't really say he was surprised. Instead, he went down to the lab to see if any of Doc's things were there, and while he was relieved to see someone had still been using it all this time, he couldn't see any sign of Doc Brown or his distinctive notes. They had used the lab, right? That wasn't just Marty making things up?

Maybe the workshop? Maybe Doc had left something behind.

Workshop, April 10th

Marty poked about in the things in the workshop, looking for hidden caches of stuff they put away for experiments. He found some half-finished projects he had been working on, strangely untouched. They were parts of what Doc taught him, things he made to put the stuff in his head into use.

They looked kinda bad compared to the stuff he did in Doc's lab on Earth recently... but not too bad. Picking up a piece of metal that he remembered starting to turn into a sword, he held it in his hands for a while.

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Do you know Doc Brown?

[Diarmuid is just starting a patrol run on the first floor of the dorms when he hears the muttered words. He turns to face the speaker, and doesn't recognize him at all. A new arrival? One from a world like the Doctor's world perhaps?

Or another of the newly returned who Diarmuid had just never met before they had been sent away from the Tower?

He steps closer as he waits for the answer to his question. Newly arrived or old return, there would be a lot of fill him in on...including the sad new that Doc Brown is no longer in the Tower.]

[For a second, Marty doesn't even realize he's being addressed, then it hits him suddenly. Oh, yeah... he's going to have to get used to having people around, isn't he?]

The Doc... Yeah, I knew him. He's gone, isn't he?

[It's more a rhetorical question at this point, and Marty turns to face the guy that talked. And he... sort of has to look up, because man this guy is sort of a wall compared to Marty's short stature.]

Uh, I'm Marty. Marty McFly.

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne.

[Diarmuid bows his head politely.]

I am afraid I have to answer that question yes. He has been gone for a few months now. I didn't know him well, but he was working closely with my partner organizing some research we were doing.

I take it this isn't your first visit to the Tower then?

[Marty hooks a thumb into his pocket and shifts his weight on one foot. It isn't that he is ignoring the question... it's just that he hasn't really needed to hold a conversation with anyone but himself in a long while.

After a moment, he blinks.]

Not really... I was helping Doc and he was teaching me. Your partner?

[That makes him take some interest in focusing.]

He was? What were they working on?

[Oh, wait. Marty notices things don't seem quite the same as when he was here last time. He almost forgot to ask.]

Um... this might sound like a strange question but what year is it?

What year?

[Diarmuid seems confused for a moment and then shakes his head.]

I'm not exactly sure how to answer that. I've been here over a year now. I arrived last January. You've been gone a long time, haven't you?

[That would explain the unease and fidgeting. It's been a long time since he talked to anyone.]

It might be easier if you tell me a bit about the last things you remember before leaving here. We can work forward from there.

[And that would include the things they were researching since that's a pretty important thing.]

It was November... or December. Uh... I remember Ruana was making people dress up in costumes. Definitely remember that. She made me wear a cowboy costume.

[Marty had been about to turn eighteen back then. He's sure he's close to twenty now, if not over it.]

The Doc was down in the workshop a lot, because we had a lot of people who were used to using guns... kinda made things like swords and stuff. And there was the nuclear explosion...

[Oh, yeah. That... was a really bad memory for Marty. The first time he died.]

Look uh... do you think I could talk to your partner? I mean, if he's been working with the Doc.

If you left the month after that event, you would have left in November. That is two months before I arrived, so you have been gone almost a year and a half...

[Gone so long and so much has changed in the Tower. Where does Diarmuid even begin?]

My partner's name is Waver Velvet and I am sure he would be glad to talk to you. In fact, he might be better suited to explain everything that has changed to you. He's in room 2-04, though to be honest you are probably more likely to find him either in the Labs or on the hidden floor. He doesn't know the meaning of taking it easy...

[Marty takes a step back and runs both hands through his hair, distressed. It had sure felt like over a year but hearing it confirmed... that's real heavy.]

Jesus Christ! I- I thought I was going crazy.

[Sure, he wants to talk to this Waver Velvet guy- that's a really weird name- but the enormity of being back... and kind of not running around an entire planet full of dead corpses is starting to sink in.]

I think I need to go sit down...

[Diarmuid reaches out to Marty when he sees how unsteady he has become. It's not like he blames him at all. It's one thing to have suspected something, but another to have it completely confirmed. Plus...being around others again after being around no one at all for so long has to be difficult. Diarmuid remembers well how shaken Kain had been when he returned and the dragoon had only been gone a fraction of the time Marty has been.

With the hand that isn't reaching for Marty, Diarmuid motions toward the rooms.]

Where is yours? I will see you back there or to my own if it is closer. It's the best place to sit that isn't the hall floor.

Why don't we talk about something else while we walk? How do you know Doc Brown?

[Marty sidesteps the grasp, but he nods slowly, and drops his arms to his sides for the moment.]

Yeah, I... guess. Uh my room... two-ten.

[Having something else to focus on helps though, and thinking on his answer helps him steady himself again. He falls into step beside Diarmuid, not totally paying attention to where he's going.]

Doc Brown... I met him when I was still a kid. [He runs a hand through his hair.] I sort of broke into his lab but he wasn't mad or anything. He had really cool stuff and we kinda started to talk about a lot of things and then he offered to. It was one of those kinda... y'know, stay away from the weird old guy things your parents tell you.

[Talking about the Doc makes him kind of sad though. The infected universes were... something else. Actually now that Marty's thinking about it, he's really worried for the Doc. The guy could get pretty high strung, how is he doing on that place anyway?]

He made me his assistant back then and I helped him with a bunch of experiments.

[Marty pauses, glancing up at Diarmuid.]

What did you say your name was?

[Diarmuid notices that Marty isn't really watching where he is going so he carefully directs him, making sure not to try to touch him again. After all, the other man has been alone for so long. It is only natural that he shy away from touch now.

Since 2-10 is going to be close than his own room, Diarmuid makes a mental note to stop them once they get there. Besides, Marty will likely be more comfortable in his own room, new as it might be.

He listens closely as Marty talks, frowning slightly at the sad tone of voice. Perhaps this wasn't the best subject to talk about after all.]

Hopefully, he won't have to be alone much longer. We are making a lot of progress toward fixing our worlds. If we can't have him here to help, it is good to at least have his assistant.

[Diarmuid pauses, for a moment concerned that Marty is scattered enough that he has forgotten that he already told him his name. However, Diarmuid quickly realizes that there might be another reason and slowly repeats his name.]

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. Just Diarmuid is fine.

Diarmuid, huh?

[Just trying to make sure he's got the pronunciation right...]

That's uh... what is that? Irish? [Marty definitely doesn't know much about Irish names but common name forms.]

Are the administrators still screwing around with people?

Yes, you've pretty much got it. Don't worry, though. I am used to people mispronouncing my name. Who can blame them considering the mess that Ancient Gaelic is?

[He laughs softly.]

And that should pretty much answer your question. Yes, I am most certainly Irish.

[They don't make them much more Irish than him. Well, except maybe for his roommate, Cu Chulainn...]

Sadly, no matter how much time has passed the Administrators don't really change. Yes, they are still screwing around with us though there are...fewer of them now.

[Marty would have commented on the name bit except something Diarmuid says stops him in his tracks.]

Wait, wait, there's fewer of them? What happened?

[Diarmuid frowns in distaste at the thought of the two events.]

Lets just say the two of them upset Ruana so she...dealt with them.

[And that is all he says. Right now as shaken as Marty is, Diarmuid's not so sure he can handle hearing that Ruana actually ate them...]

Oh...

[For some reason, the thought that Ruana could nix one of the other seemingly all powerful administrators made Marty paler, but the shaking's not so bad now.]

Yeah, I... don't know if I wanna know about that yet.

I wasn't planning on it. This one is your room, right?

[Diarmuid stops walking and points to one of the doors.]

Why don't we get you sitting down and feeling a little more grounded before we continue?

Yeah, that's the door, but I'm doing better. I think.

[He doesn't really want to go back in right now, especially since this is pretty much the first human contact he's had in a while. That seems like going backwards.]

I didn't really expect to come back. And Doc... yeah, okay, maybe I do need a minute.

But you don't want to be alone again, right?

[Diarmuid nods toward the door.]

We can go in. I won't leave you yet. Besides, I am sure you have a lot more questions to ask once you rebalance yourself. I can also go with you down to the cafeteria for that wonderful first bowl of oatmeal if you want. There might be fewer people in the Tower now, but it's still a good place to run into others.

It's okay. Things are coming back. Doc wasn't in the Tower when I left...

[Marty leans against the wall though, rubbing both hands through his hair.]

There were a lot of people from another place. I was trying to keep up Doc's work... it was pretty hard after the nuclear explosion... and then... I went home.

[At least working that out has helped calm his nerves, somewhat.]

I'm not really hungry.

[A thoughtful look crosses Diarmuid's face.]

Yes, there was something in the notes he gave one of my brothers. He left and came back and when he asked about how that happened, he was told that he had been to an alternative Tower or something like that. It was how we found out that there are other Towers like this one out there.

[At one time, the idea of other Towers where people suffered like they did horrified Diarmuid. Now he wonders if getting to one of them might be one of their only ways to survive this...]

As you wish. The suggestion was really more to get you around some other people if that is what you wanted.

I'll check them out... [He folds his arms across his chest, taking a few deep breaths.] I'm okay, but I think I should take it slow for a while. It's still kinda weird talking to someone else...

Understandable. You were alone for a very long time.

[Diarmuid pauses a moment in thought and then continues.]

Do you want me to show you where the notes are so you can look at them when you feel up to it? It's something simple we can do that shouldn't push you too hard.

[What's in the notes is a different story, but just showing Marty where they are, shouldn't be too much. Besides, he will need learn about the hidden floor sooner or later.]

Yeah, sure.

[If anything, seeing Doc's handwriting might help a bit. Marty pushes off from the wall, already seeming better.]

Hey, how many floors are there now?

This way then.

[Diarmuid starts leading the way back to the stairs as he answers Marty's next question in a suddenly softer voice.]

There are 101 floors now, plus...a bonus floor so to speak. It is to that floor we are heading.

[Something about the way he says it signals to Marty it's important, so he nods and falls into step.]

[Diarmuid smiles for a moment, impressed that Marty seems to have picked up on the importance of his change in voice and tone.]

I'll explain on the way. There are sadly too many eyes and ears in this place that are unfriendly...

Yeah, I know.

There's someone else checking out the lab during Marty's time there. A man who—from what little is visible beneath all that gold and olive drab-ish armor—appears to be over the hill. Judging from the way he explores the lab aimlessly, frowning at machinery and inspecting the available instruments and glassware, he doesn't seem like the type who belongs in a lab.

That's the other thing—he's flying. Jets of bright blue plasma emanating from his boots and back are holding him aloft. He flits about the labware like a bumblebee, instantly bobbing away and speeding off to some other part of the floor the moment whatever's caught his interest ceases to remain interesting.

In fact, he almost runs into Marty after allowing himself to be too focused on exploring and not enough on watching where he's going.

"&dmash;Whoa, whoa!" The man does the airborne equivalent of "slamming on the brakes," throwing his feet out in front of him to halt his forward momentum and keep from colliding into the kid. "Jeez, sorry 'bout dat!"

"Holy shit!" Marty was still aware enough to jump out of the way when he realized he was being flown at, and boy, those exercises sure helped keep his skills up... skateboarding had its uses.

Still, it takes him a moment to settle down after that scare. He looks up at the guy, staring at him with something akin to surprise bordering on shock. "Uhh... does that thing come with brakes?"

David's taking a second to gather himself after that near collision as well, though it's mostly in how he reaches up to hold onto the unlit cigar in his mouth. It's a gesture that would make more sense if the thing were actually lit, as it looks something like what some cigar smokers would do when taking a drag off of their stogie.

He answers the kid's question a moment later, after—well, whatever that gesture was supposed to accomplish. Making sure the cigar didn't fall out of his mouth, maybe?

"Eh, nah," David says. "I just swing my legs out when I gotta slow down or stop. I've had a lotta practice with dat."

Just ... not enough practice with keeping aware of his surroundings, or so it would seem.

Marty just stared for a moment more before shaking his head.

That suit was something else, man. He sort of wanted to get his hands on it and find out how it worked, but even a year and a half of isolation isn't going to erase all of his manners.

"That's a pretty cool suit."

David offers the kid a grin. "Ya like it? Dis baby's gone through a lotta upgrades," he says in reply.

Every now and then David has to remind himself it's not his real suit, but ... just like being uploaded to an Arc Server at Architect Entertainment, the difference between a well-simulated version and the real thing was so trivial as to be disregarded.

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1st Floor Dorm Hallways

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Lab, April 10th

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only now notices his HTML failure with the mdash Whoops. XD;

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1st Floor Dorm Hallways

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Lab, April 10th

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*only now notices his HTML failure with the mdash* Whoops. XD;

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only now notices his HTML failure with the mdash Whoops. XD;