OPEN: New Beginnings In Stranger Places

[promnibusanctis]

Who: Dr. Helen Magnus and [You]
When:  Day 92
Where: Roaming around, a little lost 
What: Arrival, getting her bearings, etc. etc.

Adventure was something Helen Magnus never shied from and exploring the vastness of the underground Sanctuary, far beyond those walls was something she couldn't deny herself.  So it was that she found herself here, under contract to the Ringmaster with her eyes wide with wonder at it all.  The lights and colours, the excitement, the darker elements shining through here and there.  It was as familiar as it was alien and she drank it in with an eagerness she had long felt lacking.  It stirred her as she moved through tents, passed people much like her who had joined perhaps years before her.  A bright flash of a tail there, wings, glowing skin, all of these people becoming Abnormals or were in the beginning.  The sheer fascination would have been enough, really.

 

"Excuse me?" she asked, reaching out to catch the attention of one of the people she had fallen into step with, "I seem to have found myself a bit lost.  I was looking for the medical tent and I seem to have completely gotten myself turned around.  If you could point me in the right direction, I'd be most grateful."

Comments

[kingsroads]

The person who she falls into step with is Jonathan Strange, who still hasn't shaken off his 1800s mode of dress despite being with the carnival for months. His coat is frayed at the cuffs and edges, his cravat is sloppily tied, and his hair is it's normal state of goddamn hot mess. He's obviously wandering somewhere, lost in his own thoughts. It's only when Helen reaches out, asking him a question, that Strange snaps back to reality, as if remembering for the first time in ages that right, other people exist and they can ask you questions.

Other people who Strange hasn't met before. Probably a new arrival, which was always exciting. Everything's finally starting to return to a slight semblance of normality. So, as Helen asks him the question about directions, he responds with a warm smile that one really wouldn't expect from his generally unkempt, slightly mad everything.

"Of course," he answers, with a little nod. "In fact, I can do one better than pointing you in the right direction. Shall I escort you there myself? The carnival can be a tad confusing for new arrivals." Says the person who had gotten lost plenty of times when he first arrived. No, since Strange got lost a few times when he first arrived, that obviously means that everybody else will get lost a few times when they first arrive.

[promnibusanctis]

She can't help her returning smile because his mode of dress is if anything, incredibly nostalgic. When one has watched fashion's debatable progress during the long years more than once, his is a return to her own childhood and indeed at least some of her adulthood.

"It would be a pleasure," she says. "It seems that I've been assigned to aid your resident doctor in helping others to adjust to their changes. Helen Magnus, also a doctor. Medical among other degrees."

[kingsroads]

"Jonathan Strange, magician." He gives Helen a smile and a polite, courteous little half-bow. "Pleasure to meet you, Doctor Magnus. And may I say, I'm happy to see that we've someone else on the medical team. I think it's just poor Zecora who's working there now."

Strange leaves out the relevant information (Zecora's totally a horse), mostly because he kind of wants to see Helen's response to said horse doctor. She certainly seems to be taking all of this in stride, so he can't help but wonder what her breaking point is.

[starseedling]

Steven looks up from the notes he's playing on his little guitar, careful to keep his crystaline claws from damaging the strings. He has patches of mossy green fur covering about half of his body, with ears and a tail like a lion. There are pink roses blossoming in his hair.

"Oh! Sure." He points a clawed finger past the Gamer's Circle. "It's in the other side of all those game booths." He pauses, and then adds, "Do you need healing? I help out in there sometimes..."

[promnibusanctis]

Honestly, Steven looks charming and she can't help but smile. Helen is no stranger to the strange and his claws and physical appearance give her no pause. Her eyes widen a fraction and she shakes her head.

"Ah, no healing for me. Actually, I've been added to your doctor's roster, I believe, and thought I'd better head that way first thing to get my bearings." She pauses for a second and then nods. "I'm Dr. Helen Magnus and very pleased to me you."

[starseedling]

Steven's ears lift with additional interest, his tail swishing subconsciously in reaction. He stands up to greet her properly, holding his guitar aside in one hand.

"I'm Steven!" he says, grinning up at her - he's still quite short, and looks like he's about ten, though factually speaking he's older. "Are you new? Sometimes people come back after being gone for a while, so I wasn't sure!"

[thevictoriandetective]

Speaking of alien, the person that turned around was covered completely in green scales, and had a snake-like snout, reptilian eyes, and four little horns sticking out of his forehead and dark, curly hair. He was about six feet tall, and despite his inhuman looks, there was a keen intellect behind his gaze, as he attempted to piece together an impression based on visual clues. It was basically a reflex, he couldn't turn his deductions off. He wore a long, dark gray coat and blue scarf.

"Oh, new person, right." He sounded rather sympathetic. He pointed a clawed finger in the direction of the medical tent.

"It's just over there, you can't miss it."

[promnibusanctis]

Absolutely fascinating.

"Quite new," she said with a nod, her accent very much of British origin and her mannerisms still quite proper Victorian despite the fact that her clothes give her away as very much present-day. "I gather this place is nowhere near where I began my day, which I must say is rather an adventure in itself. Much like mapping out this place. I'll have it all soon enough, I'm sure."

He reminded her of various reptilian Abnormals she's come across in the many years of her Sanctuary work, though the horns were an interesting addition. Changes, most likely, almost along the line of Will's save for the fact that this gentlemen's intellect seemed quite intact.

"Ah, wonderful. I suppose I was headed in the right direction after all. I'm Dr. Helen Magnus and will be helping out your doctor and those who need help adjusting to their various changes."

He was also English. Her brow wrinkled a little, just for a second.

"You wouldn't happen to know where I could get a decent cup of tea, would you?" It had to be asked, honestly. Adjusting to the bustling environment, as exciting as it was, would need something resembling tea and a good place to observe the ebb and flow of the carnival itself.

[thevictoriandetective]

He filed away the information in his mind, noting that despite her clothing, her mannerisms and accent were decidedly old-fashioned.

"Sherlock Holmes," he said, quite pleasantly, despite his reputation he wasn't actually all that rude on first meetings, he was just brutally honest. Despite looking very much like a snake, he still retained animated expressions. "The cookhouse, it's hardly decent, but better than nothing."

It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't the same as he was used to. Plus he's grown rather reliant on the coffee here as well.

"Would you like to join me?" He asked, quite suddenly. 'Helping people adjust to their changes' intrigued him. He'd been here for a bit more than three months, and come from a world where none of this should be possible. Needless to say he could use a listening ear.

[otoko]

[Gongenzaka is an imposing figure, considering his age. Despite not quite entering the tenth grade (where he's from, he's still in middle school in fact), a combination of his former stature and existing changes have created a sort of canid centaur 'thing', standing at nine feet even. The rear legs hooved, and the fore bearing paws, the observant could possibly liken his appearance to a stone lion-and he would no doubt agree, if it were pointed out.

As it is, he pauses from his patrol work immediately, turning to face the woman with a nod.] Certainly!

I, the man Gongenzaka, can lead you there myself if you wish! [Sounding like an ancient old man does not help your age case, Gon.]

[promnibusanctis]

[Helen looks him over with a smile and nods a little. Nine feet tall at the least is awfully tall but she meets his gaze without anything but good humour. No fear here, she's met her own share of Abnormals who looked, well, far more imposing.

But that's not to say he wasn't. She was quite impressed to say the least.]

That would be quite lovely of you or, actually, I could probably use a quick tour. I think I'd be a little more settled if I had a good grasp of my surroundings. You do seem like you know where you're going, after all.

[otoko]

[As long as she doesn't tell him he is imposing, they're both going to get along quite fine. Gongenzaka's aim is not to be feared after all!! (Even though he does an unfortunately good job of it)]

A general tour? [Hmm. He ponders this for a moment, and nods.] Well...I, the man Gongenzaka, am currently on a Patrol shift-so I could absolutely guide you through the open areas of the grounds, in that case! It may be somewhat slow however, I should warn you...

[periphrasing]

"The medical tent?"

You'd think after all her time here, Peridot would be a little more confident in her information, but. Nope. Gems have such little use for traditional methods of healing, Peridot has only been there twice before: Once back when the vampires first invaded the carnival, and then for the second time when Steven was badly injured in the Matrix. Otherwise, she doesn't give the place much thought.

Like hell she's going to let herself look like she doesn't know what she's talking about, though. She gestures with a clawed hand over towards some of the game booths, putting on a veneer of confident ease. "It's over in that direction, behind all the games."

Peridot pauses to appraise her briefly, cocking her head. "I'm no expert on human health, but you don't look injured. Are you a new member or something?"

[promnibusanctis]

"Thank you for pointing the way and I'm very much new," Helen says with a nod, her British voice crisp and her manner direct even if she's have an absolutely wonderful time exploring. No matter how many people she's seen moving about, there is always someone different to catch her eye and Peridot is no exception. It's honestly been as fascinating as the first few times she'd seen a new Abnormal back home.

"I'm going to be working with your doctor as part of the medical staff. My speciality will be helping people get used to any changes they may find themselves with during their stay - human or not."

She offers a smile at Peridot.

"I'm Dr. Helen Magnus, it's a pleasure to meet you."

[periphrasing]

The gem blinks back at her.

"Peridot," she says with a slight nod, slipping into a more professional demeanor. "And the feeling is... mutual. I'm one of the supervisors of this whole operation, the Engineer. I manage the repairs team, as well as the lighting and special effects technicians. So in a way, I guess you could say I basically keep this whole place running."

She really, truly believes that, too.

"And you're joining the medical team, then? Good. Maybe now Zecora will stop complaining about how under staffed she is at all of our meetings..."

[stillwinningthehardway]

Scout pauses halfway into biting into an apple. The birdlike creature on her shoulder chirps and turns its head upside down to look at Helen.

Chewing fast, she uses her tail to gesture/point. It's long-furred and enormous, easily as long as she is tall, but she usually keeps it double-curved up behind her so it doesn't drag on the ground. Once she's swallowed she can actually talk again. "It's a little hard finding your way at first, isn't it? I've seen a couple of maps but they haven't been updated recently."

[promnibusanctis]

"I figure if I go around enough it'll eventually have it memorised but that can be difficult at first. An updated map definitely would help matters." She glances over in the correct spot, keeping that in mind.

"Your friend is quite wonderful looking," Helen says. "Friendly enough for a hello?"

[stillwinningthehardway]

"I can see about that later," Scout says with a rueful smile. "I'm working as a scout, so I'm spending a lot of time in the new location. It's got some unique dangers but you know, they all do. But that means I'm mostly out there and anything I could draw now would be really rough." By nature she's thorough and meticulous. The idea of drawing a slapdash general map when there's no urgent need is a little unsavory.

The togetic's only got so much ability to understand speech, but it knows when it's being talked about in a complimentary way. It stretches its neck out and chirps again. "Sure. Mind the beak, she'll probably bite but it's to feel you out, not to hurt you. Her name is Thranta."

[handwringing]

Elsa stops on her way toward the trailers, turning to look at Helen with eyes that are completely blue, with no visible whites anymore. She's clearly been here for some time; her skin almost seems translucent, like thick ice, blue gemstones peek out of her dress, and she's constantly trailed by snowflakes. And she sees this is a new arrival, greeting Helen with a smile.

"It's that way." She waves back behind her, in the appropriate direction. "Back through the tents... Would you like me to show you?"

The Carnival can be a bit difficult to navigate at first.

[promnibusanctis]

"Please," Helen says with a smile. "I seem to have gotten turned around yet again. I always wind up back at the trailers. It seems I've been assigned 20 for my tenure." Elsa makes a stunning impression, one that Helen can't help but admire. She's very otherworldly and certainly more faery than others she's seen thus far.

[handwringing]

Elsa has been here for a few years now, so her changes are more advanced than others. Perhaps being a little otherworldly even for her own kingdom helped, as well.

"At least the trailers aren't the worst place to end up. I got lost in the Hall of Mirrors not long after I first arrived."

She starts to lead Helen in the direction of the medical tent. "So you're new?" It's obvious, but she asks anyway.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

The medical tent itself was perhaps not what she expected. No cool-white and overtly sterile environment, the tent was done in earth tones and was slightly darker than might be perfectly comfortable. And though it had cots and beds for patient to lie on, it also held several cauldrons of various sizes flanked by rows of shelves and racks laden down with plants and herbs and fruits and flowers.

As she entered, the zebra peering into one cauldron looked up at her, then came around to pace towards her with a smile.

"Please, come in.
How may we begin?"

[promnibusanctis]

"Doctor Helen Magnus," she introduced herself with a smile.

It's not at all awkward that she's talking to a zebra. Well, it's no more awkward than talking to Sherlock Holmes who has snake features or a man with mirrored eyes. But then, these are things that she has, in some capacity seen before in her own world. There are far more strange things in the multiverse, she warrants. However, it is a little surprising.

"I figured before I got myself settled, I'd check in here. It looks like I'm now part of your staff, specialising in Changes."

[empty_vessel]

Jimmy'd been taking the cart back to the cookhouse after dropping off lunches and drinks for the performers when he was stopped. "Oh hi! The medical tent? I'm going that way, kind of. You just go straight, and then when you reach the cookhouse, make a left and go past the ring toss and the whack a mole, and the medical tent is right there."

As he starts walking again, he looks perfectly normal, except forth the stocking cap on his head and.... As he moves past Helen, the short fluffy tail. "You a new hire?"

[promnibusanctis]

"Quite new, yes," Helen says, nodding. Oh, he has a tail. It wasn't the sort of tail he honestly looked like he ought to have. Really, he looked more of the sort who would acquire a German Shepard tail but who was she to argue with a cute, fluffy tail?

"And thank you, I could use the company, honestly. This seems to be quite the wonderful setup, I can see, from the circle I've apparently been travelling in."