but dogs can look up

[dr_conscience]

When; The afternoon into the evening of January 2nd... spanning sundown >:]
Rating; Rated G for Ghouls. Wait no. Let's say PG-13, maybe even R.
Characters; Anyone. EVERYONE. Get up in here!
Summary; A normal evening at one of the City's bars turns into Shaun of the Dead a ghoul attack.
Log;

[ While many of the City's denizens may have been growing gradually more anxious since the new year struck, a certain ominous paranoia closing in around them, life does not stop or even slow down for nerves. And without any tangible evidence of something amiss, it's easy for those who have been more actively occupied to bury themselves, all but missing the early warning signs of whatever may be closing in.

And so it is that one may find oneself out this evening, in the last hours of dusk before darkness falls over the City, unwinding over an after-work drink or grabbing an easy dinner. Of course, if one were to linger too long... | ]


[ Momentarily posting time divided threads, to indicate before and after sundown. Feel free to mingle before dark, or have your characters' ghoulish guests arrive after the sun goes down... ]

Comments

[defies_reason]

All things considered, I feel like I'm adjusting well.

[He's starting over in a new dimension and buying a drink for a good-looking doctor, his evening could be much worse.]

[dr_conscience]

Well, I'm glad to hear that - it can certainly be a challenge.

[Wilson has not even thought about the whole drink thing.]

Gotten yourself a place to stay?

[defies_reason]

Oh, yes. Nothing special, but it's a relief to have a bit more privacy than the Welcome Centre afforded.

[Hey, he has no expectation on that front; there's nothing untoward about it. Unless the good doctor is feeling untoward.]

There doesn't seem to be much choice beside making oneself at home.

[dr_conscience]

I can understand that. The Welcome Center is a great place, it's certainly better than it was not having it, but... it's difficult to overstate the value of having your own space.

Honestly, in all the years I've bee here, I have found that the best thing we can hope to do is to make the most of what we do have here.

[defies_reason]

I couldn't agree more. Besides, as I've no way of knowing how long I'll be, it seemed terribly unfair to impose on their hospitality any longer than necessary.

[dr_conscience]

Certainly - though, I could hardly imagine Penny really minding.

[A pause with a sip on his drink.]

It is a lot to adjust to, but amid all the insanity... there is some semblance of a life you can make for yourself here. There are certainly people who manage it.

[defies_reason]

She does seem to enjoy being able to lend a hand.

[He smiles.]

Would you say you've managed?

[dr_conscience]

You know... I tend to think I might give you a different answer on different days. But overall, I think I have - for the most part. Falling into a routine, seizing the bits of normalcy to be found... it can go a long way.

[defies_reason]

I wouldn't have chosen it as a vacation spot, but I expect we could do worse.

[No greater virtue than adaptability, that's his perspective.]

How does it compare to-- well, I don't think I've even asked where home is for you?

[dr_conscience]

Home would be New Jersey, circa 2007.

[Which is said with exactly as much grandeur as New Jersey deserves. (It's actually a lot, but it's sarcastic.)]

I'd say we're slightly better about following the laws of nature there.

[defies_reason]

Ah, but if I've learned anything it's that the laws of nature are surprisingly less lawful than I've been lead to believe.

[He arches a brow.]

But I think I follow. By my standard, that puts you a few years behind the times.

[dr_conscience]

Well, the dead don't tend to come back the next day, people stay people for the most part, your life doesn't rewrite itself on a whim. That sort of thing.

[ A sardonic shrug with that, as he sips at his drink. Part of his issue is being a doctor, being trained to view things scientifically, and the rest of it is his more emotional nature, investing so much more meaning into things that many people do. The violation of science is bad enough, but the violation of one's sense of self is decidedly worse in his estimation. ]

Time-wise, I'm still better off than some, here. I take it you joined us from a bit ahead of that, then?

[defies_reason]

[If the dead came back to life at home, it would create a great many problems for him. Though it would also solve one of his most pressing issues. Everything's a tradeoff.]

December of two thousand twelve. The jet lag's not been bad at all, actually.

[dr_conscience]

Seems like you barely skipped a beat. That probably makes you one of the luckiest of the dimensionally exiled.

[Said with rather decent humor.]

[defies_reason]

That takes some getting used to. Meeting our less contemporary contemporaries.

[dr_conscience]

Well. You do get used to it, to an extent. At least it's an opportunity to meet people you never would have otherwise?

[defies_reason]

Do you find it to be a worthwhile tradeoff?

[He's not judging, he's genuinely curious.]

[dr_conscience]

[Wilson takes a moment to consider that question, and places his drink neatly down before he starts to answer.]

Not too long ago - October, actually - I was sent home from the City, for a couple of weeks. From my perspective, I was only at home for a matter of hours. I was asleep in the City when I left and it was after I fell asleep at home that I came back. I wasn't entirely sure it wasn't a dream, at first. It felt real, but it was disorienting under the circumstances. But when I woke up back here, I got on the network and heard from a few people who have... come to mean a great deal to me. And as I spoke to them, and then told me I had left, I found myself surprisingly relieved that I had come back.

Now, I'll admit part of that was because there are others from my home here, and I'd rather be here for them. But, another part of it was definitely because of those I've grown close to here.

So, I suppose, that's a rather long-winded way of saying yes.

[defies_reason]

Fair enough.

[He tilts his head, considering the answer.]

I think that's important-- the ability to adapt. Making the best of one's situation.

[dr_conscience]

It's something I'm working on, actually. It can be easy to lose sight of the positives here, when things get bad, but... I do think it's important.