tampered | closed / incomplete

closed / incomplete

When; Sunday, midday.
Rating; PG
Characters;

construire
Summary; Eames arrives, concerned and a little hungry.
Log;

[ While Eames might, on any other day, have been impressed by his surroundings - the amount of detail in the buildings was to be appreciated, certainly, alongside the massive carousel in the center of town that gave the entire area a romantic appeal - today wasn't that day. Regardless of the suggestion (possibility, even, fact was a bit of a stretch until they were up in the real world with enough time for Fischer to truly decide to disband his father's company) that the idea had taken, that hardly meant you could go about changing things all willy-nilly. He'd been looking forward to a reprieve from the man's militarized subconscious coming after them like bulls, not to re-anger them by disturbing their environment. They still had a whole week to wait out the effects of the sedative - plenty of time for Fischer to experience enough self-doubt to reverse their efforts entirely without provocation. Replacing the knowledge that this layer was supposed to be Fischer's reality to having him realize it was simply another dream would be, put lightly, suicide.

To be rather frank, Eames was bloody tired of this job. He was also, as it were, hungry - which seemed an odd feeling, for being in a dream. His first experience of it, actually. ]

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[ Eames' left eyebrow quirks, then the other raises to join the first. Some part of the expression is bemusement, but his eyes are calculating, studying Arthur's face closely before his gaze sweeps across the inside of the cafe. That is, above all, a strange statement. ]

You heard from Yusuf, yeah? I lost him in the middle of the change. [ His hand sweeps around their surroundings, vague to an outsider but specific to Arthur. ]

Edited 2010-10-04 00:11 (UTC)

[He decides he might as well get to the point.]

What's the last thing that you remember, Eames?

[ Gaze snaps back to Arthur, teeth beginning to work at a hangnail on his thumb. ]

In what sense? [ Pause. ] You alright, then? [ He means more of Arthur's mental state than anything else. ]

The last thing you remember before arriving here. You must have experienced a sudden transition some time in the past few hours? From being killed or otherwise. The layout of this city doesn't match that of any of the levels Ariadne designed for the job, Eames. Surely you've noticed that by now?

[He slides into the seat opposite Eames, his expression showing no signs of amusement.]

Perception is a wonderful thing, isn't it? [ Studies Arthur for a beat or two longer before leaning forward, resting his elbows on the table. ] My memory hasn't been nixed, it's as you already know - synchronized the kick up to Yusuf's level and have been waiting out the week for the sedative to wear off. In a few days we can off ourselves without sending us to bloody limbo.

[ Shifts back in the booth, freeing the hangnail with his teeth. ]

Yusuf must've changed it about for one reason or another. Curious how Fischer Junior hasn't reacted to it, yeah?

[He's starting to lean towards "not projection." Just a bit, anyway. His expression doesn't change when Eames leans forward.]

'Curious' would be one way to put it, yes.

[His gaze shifts to the window for a beat before settling back on Eames.]

You have your totem with you, I take it?

Lost in the river, actually. [ He doesn't look too perturbed about it. ] I don't need it to discern that this isn't reality, Arthur.

[ Eyes wander away, roving over the other patrons, then on the open display of offered pastries. ]

[Just his luck. He leans forward a bit, hands steepled on the table, and focuses on Eames' expression, looking for a reaction to what he's about to say.]

What if I told you that this was limbo? That I've been here for longer than a week, even?

[ A visible pause. ]

You got yourself killed. [ His tone is a bit flat, disbelieving. Regardless of whether or not Arthur follied, Eames knew that there was no way he was killed. At one moment, he'd been conversing with Yusuf. Another, there was a carousel. Besides - was it normal for limbo to be so heavily populated? ]

And so did you, if I'm right.

[He notes the change in tone. Too complex for his projection of Eames? Maybe. Maybe not.]

Your mistakes aren't my own, Arthur.

[ His fingers drum on the table. ]

And your last memory?

[Arthur narrows his eyes at the biting remark, but otherwise ignores it.]

The kick I'd set up had just gone off in the elevator on the second level. Instead of waking up in the first level, I was here.

[ Thumbs the side of his nose, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. ]

The elevator.

You don't recall the few hours spent on Yusuf's level after the fact, then?

[He leans back and crosses his arms.]

I don't. The last thing I remember is the second level.

[ A hum, gravely and thoughtful. ]

A chemical complication? [ Who knows what else Cobb and Yusuf kept from them. His jaw clenches briefly. ]

It's possible.

[He reaches into his right pocket for his totem. Same verdict as always.]

Regardless of how we got here, we seem to be in limbo right now.

[ Eames looks less than pleased. ]

I'll have to thank the man, won't I?

[ He's been watching exchanges at the register. ] Wherever this is, the currency is something I don't recognize.

[A hint of a smirk.]

Whenever he finally shows up here.

The currency? It's multi-colored coins. Each color denotes a different value.

You have them?

[He has a bad feeling as to where this is going...]

Yes, a few. Enough for what I had in mind today, anyway.

[ Eames outstretches his hand. ]

May I?

[Three shirts and just two ties, then...]

Here.

[He hands Eames what he's pretty sure is just enough for coffee and a pastry.]

[ There's an amicable quirk of his lips before Eames is studying the coins as he slides out of his seat. He bumps into someone on the way to the register, apologizing with a sincere sorry, mate before going to purchase a cuppa and a scone. He returns soon after, setting the cup of tea on the table before sliding into the booth on the same side as Arthur, discreetly settling a coin purse on Arthur's thigh. ]

Have you seen any others? [ Takes a sip of the hot drink before pulling the scone out of the small paper baggy that was given to him. ]

[And in that five or so minutes, Arthur's already contacted Ariadne, given her the basic rundown of the situation, and notified her of his location.

He eyes the coin purse warily, but pockets it all the same.]

Ariadne's here. In fact, she's been here for over a month, now. That's what she tells me, anyway.

[ A month? He grunts into his cuppa. ]

And her memory?

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