badfic_manor | 001 - Naomi Misora

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001 - Naomi Misora - [Audio/Text]

[Uneven breathing heard as the audio suddenly comes on]

Wh –

[and is just as abruptly cut off. Naomi puts a hand to her temple, frustrated at her impulsiveness. She had to be careful. He already knows her voice after all. Voice, face, name, everything! For all she knows, she was and still is under that monster's control. Frantically, the former FBI agent switches to text instead.]

Who's in charge here? I need to get to the closest police station. Please, it's urgent!

[Not even they could be completely trusted, but god, she was finally free from that unnatural, unbearable death wish that had smothered her for what seemed like an eternity, she was finally free to think, and who knows for how long such freedom will last. Her finger flies toward the "send" button but pauses at the last second. Naomi reads over the note she had just written in that obvious rush of panic. Ugh, like an agitated mess.]

Thank you.

[She decides to tack on for good measure before ending the feed along with a long overdue exhale.]

(ooc: She'll be ultra paranoid with the first few people who respond but will get progressively calmer further down the line as she comes to terms with what's actually going on.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Laughs] Well, that's why I used to be in the FBI. [Spoken with both a joking and bitter tone. It was a lot like a love-hate relationship working there.] Based on your reaction though, I'm surprised you like your job.

Mello. I do remember talking with him a bit. I was suspicious of him at first, but he seemed rather sure of himself, claimed that anyone would know him if I asked. Heh. I suppose he wasn't bluffing then.

[She takes a look around.] An elegant dining room with some age to it, complete with a chandelier? Seems rather cliche, if you ask me.

[She takes out a slip of paper from her purse and starts sketching a crude outline of the room. That unreliable map she had been sent earlier completely ignored the inside of the manor. Looks like she'll have to make one herself.]

Ah. So you're going to keep your hair. That's good.

[Spoken with a jovial tone that depicts that he's glad she's no longer in it and probably for the best.]

Well, I've had some troubles before but that comes with the job. It's okay though. I've thought about a lot of things since I became a cop and I don't like desk work...well...not unless I have to do it.

[He looks up to match her expression of the dining room and wrinkles his nose at the chandelier.]

Personally, I think it's kinda cheesy with a lot of nachos to go along with it. [He looks at Misora with a grin.] And I can make some pretty mean nachos minus the refinery of old wood.

[His eyes glance at the paper and understands clearly what she's doing.]

Making a better map?

Haha! It does seem like something a uncreative, naive teenage girl would think up though. I'm still looking for any signs that the story I keep hearing about this place is false, but unfortunately, none have shown up yet. I suppose worse things could happen though.

Oh right, this. Yeah, you're a cop, not a tour guide. I don't want to have to call for help every time I need to get something to eat. [Laughs] Besides, would you feel comfortable relying on just this (http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/Sonicsora/My%20Art/mapmanormaingrounds.jpg)?

Where to next? Oh, I don't want to take up too much of your time, so feel free to just show me only the most important subsections of the mansion if you'd like.

[Tom's brow raise at the sight of the makeshift map and cinches his eyes closed, stifling a laugh which made it sound like snorting and snickering.]

That's terrible! No wonder people get lost.

[He clears his throat to keep himself from laughing again. The surrealism of being trapped in a house with strangers made it seem more like a strange reality show than a prison.]

Nah, you're not keeping me from anything. I'm actually glad to be able to do something fun for a change than being stuck with a job list the size of Montana.

I think....the parlor and the library is next. Then we'll see the swimming pool and the main hall then to the labs. Don't worry about taking me from anything. I'm glad to do it.

Oh right, the library. You've mentioned it before. I'm rather curious to see what's so unique about this library.

[She looks around again as she follows suit, keeping a watchful eye out for a certain undesired someone who she's certain resides here.]

[Taking the time to take careful steps, he doesn't rush her through the tour.]

Yeah. It's not really that big a deal but it does offer at least some information about what kind of mind the Author has with the books that were provided. Found a couple of Harlequin novels and I don't like gushy romance stuff. That stuff borders on the pornographic.

[He gives an embarrassed chuckle.]

Not that I mind a good story, just not those kind.

Well, that's pretty typical for a teen. I guess that would be why she needs other people, for the creativity that's lacking.

Hmm, do you know why everyone refers to her as the Author? I mean I hear we're supposedly trapped in some storybook, but we could just as well have been drugged and kidnapped, left in some technologically advanced building that's being watched by a bored child from a distant, hidden location. What makes people so sure she's some supernatural, almighty being?

[Tom throws his head back and smiles but doesn't laugh. It was more along the lines of trying to figure it out just as much as Misora would and she's been more of a help to him than anyone has been without resorting to the passive aggressive.]

Yeah, I guess so. Never quite looked at it that way but that's kinda funny. Weird is most certainly on that list.

[He lowers his head and tilts it to the side in thought.]

So saying that we are kidnapped and she's writing this quote story end quote, the main premise seems a little weird....don't you think? It's like....I don't know. Living with Sarah Jesse Raphael or Oprah. It's....insane at best and I really don't think that such a creature exists anyway. That's like saying that God's a pencil.

Well, assuming the story hypothesis is true, the mansion would be the setting and we're the characters. [Way to state the obvious, Naomi.] Um, but what I'm trying to get at is, from what I've seen, the setting is as I've said before, too cliche. Perhaps the Author's well aware of that and wants to make up for that by furnishing it with interesting characters who can think on their own to make up for her own lack of creativity.

Ah, I know it sounds silly. It does to me too. And I certainly don't like the idea of God having the mentality of an adolescent girl. I just can't think of any other motives behind something like this, unless what she's actually planning for us won't reveal itself till sometime in the distant future, or she doesn't have a motive at all. To do something just for the sake of doing it, I don't particularly like that thought either.

[He stops takes a step forward and turns around to face Misora squarely.]

This is really ridiculous. What makes it worse is the fact that it can't even be done without someone getting offended which way to the other. Sure it's not so bad looking at it on the outside but this isn't our version of the real world either which does present another piece to the puzzle....getting home.

If anything, we should be looking for a way to cope while finding our way out of this mental hopscotch. But you're right.....it's too cliche.

[Tom's now looking at the cheesy wallpaper that looks like comic strips from Blondie. His face falling to give the mock impression of disgust mixed with exaggerated horror.] I never liked Blondie. It's creeping me out.

Never read them. [She takes a look and gives a wry smile.] And now I'm pretty sure I never will.

[She looks down for a bit purses her lips. She does not like it when there were holes in her theories, and she had a tendency to get defensive about them if challenged too much, but at that moment, something else hit a nerve.]

I'm not sure if I want to return.

[Turning his attention from the wall to Misora, he gets the impression that there was much more to her than Tom could see openly and leaves it alone. Their current location was much too open to have a personal discussion and simply nods his head.]

Yeah. I'm not so sure I would have a job when I go back so....look, I'm sorry if I hit a nerve or something. Um....let's say we get out of here and we'll continue the tour?

Ah, no, don't worry about it.

Right, I still need to finish this map. [She gives her best smile.]

Oh! Sure.

[He stands a bit taller and his eyes brightened a little more.]

Let's go to that tour. Okay...next is the parlor. It's right over here.

[He opens the door to reveal the room filled with couches, chairs and tables with a nice fireplace on one side.]

Nice, huh?

[She makes a quick sketch then walks around around the room.]

It's a lot larger than I expected. At least she's considerate of our comfort needs. [Perhaps spoken a bit sarcastically.] Oh, a computer. Do you know if it works?

I haven't tried it. It's a bit too advanced from what I'm used to by appearance alone so I'm guessing I wouldn't know how to operate it. You're more than welcome to try it.

[In fact, Tom was just as curious. He was used to DOS...which goes to show how much he really knows.]

Really? What year was it for you before you came here?

[As she says this she boots the computer up.] It seems to be a newer model than I'm used to as well, but not drastically different. I think I can figure it out.

Now don't be alarmed. I'm from the land of legwarmers and asymmetrical hairstyles.

[Tom shakes his head as if it was an unfortunate time....which it was one of the biggest fashion disasters in a single decade in his opinion. His tone still remains light and full of jest even if he's trying to hide it.]

Nineteen eighty eight. It's the yuck....I know. You can laugh. I won't take offense. Really.

[Why yes, she will laugh.] That's what was in huh?

I had pretty vivid memories of the 80s myself, but I lived in Japan then. [She does some quick math.] Let's see, I was only 12 back then, ugh makes me feel old. I remember my classmates all going crazy over the latest anime or video game. I guess that much hasn't really changed.

It was actually New Years of 2004 for me. [She rolls her eyes.] What great timing.

[She sighs.] I should have known there would be no internet. I wasn't able to use the phone to contact the outside world either, but I figured it was worth a shot.

[Naomi stands up, having no more business with the machine.]

[Looking at the machine before glancing back at Misora, he retorts with a quip.]

Overpriced paperweight, huh? Sucks to have to pay for that thing. Even I know what the internet is. We used it to verify documents from state to state when we were looking for fed warrants. Still, it was too big to fit in the car....I'm talking the computer.

[He takes a look and commits to memory a few things that he'll consider later.]

2004? Hey, I wanted to ask what Japan's like. Never been there but I've heard of anime from Ioki. He's into that sort of thing.

Ha, yeah. We've come a ways since then. They have lightweight portable versions of these things from my world, so you can take it with you on the go. Some as light as 4 pounds with screens this wide [She holds her hands at a little less than a foot's distance], including the battery and optical drives. Though personally, I don't think it's all that practical unless you plan to travel around a lot.

Japan definitely has some beautiful sites that you should look into if you ever plan to visit. Depending on where you go, it could seem ancient or futuristic. It's really a nice mix of the historical and technological. The big cities are similar to the US although a lot more crowded.

The animation and entertainment sector has gotten even crazier since the 80s. [She was never really into that stuff but enjoyed her share of anime and manga in her spare time, something of a guilty pleasure.] Oh, and you think American fashion in the 80's was bad. [She shakes her head.] You don't even want to know what some of the people in Japan are dressed like now. It's like these people get swallowed in a tornado of extravagant make up, frills, and ribbons, and you're lucky if you can even tell some genders apart. Thankfully, that's not a majority of the population.

[He's now imagining the Hairbands look with the make-up, the ribbons and the ambiguity between the sexes...only with Japanese people and he chuckles.]

I can imagine and I've got a pretty good imagination....which is a requirement for undercover work. It's a pretty diverse culture, huh. Still, I'd like to see it.

[Tom's mind goes back to the technology for a moment and his brow furrows.]

It's weird. I kinda feel...old in a way now that everything's so different. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's cool that I can see this stuff here and it's even cooler that I can experience this but...it's not really that important anymore, I guess.

[In actuality, he's feeling more antiquated than useful but he'll soon get over that.]

Hey, well at least when you return, you'll be one step ahead of your friends. That should give them something to talk about. And I suppose there are people here from even earlier time periods than you or even later ones than me.

I'm not extremely knowledgeable about technology or hacking, but they did train us in the basics back at the agency. If you ever have any questions, feel free to let me know. It's the least I can do.

[Tom smiles at the offer and nods toward the computer.]

No time like the present. What's that machine called anyway? The one I used at work was an IBM and that was supposed to be state of the art. Lotta good that does me now, huh.

[He chuckles but keeps his mind on the task at hand.]

Maybe we'll do the lessons some time when my hands don't have the urge to blow something up.

Well, honestly, they come up with some new model like once every few months. You might think you have the latest new toy one day, and by tomorrow it would be completely recycled to old news. IBM still produces state of the art technology where I'm from actually, so I think you'll be alright. [She gives a smile.] Hmm, well this one's not a model I recognize and there doesn't seem to be any labels. I don't know if the Author intentionally kept that part obscure.

[She looks amused.] I thought we were getting along alright. Why the sudden urge to blow something up?

Re: [In Person] (Mun-phail alert: I meant to say "has heard of" instead of "met Shinichi" orz)

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