lifeaftr | [OPEN and one closed prompt] A very backdated arrival

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[OPEN and one closed prompt] A very backdated arrival

Who: Aziraphale & anyone else!
What: An angel arrives to the archipelago and is extremely confused. Plus a bit of exploration
When: October 27th - November 4th
Where: Mostly Ensō
Warnings: Stress and confusion

ARRIVAL [Closed, for Crowley]
Beach holidays are lovely in concept. The sun, the sea, the sand, all the good marks of a nice time, should the weather permit it.

What is not so lovely, however, is finding yourself, alarmingly, somewhere where you're not supposed to be. Somewhere where you definitely were not just moments--hours-days-- hold on just a moment. He doesn't even quite remember ever settling down or in any way losing consciousness. Which, you know, wouldn't make this whole situation any less cause for alarm, but it would be somewhere to start.

He's stepping through the damp sand, holding, in his hands, a knapsack that, for some reason, has his name embroidered on it. The items inside do nothing to answer any questions, and he's looking around every which way.

Something about this place is...different. Something feels strange - well, all of it is strange -, and he can't quite put his finger on it. What on Earth did he get himself into?

"Hello?" He calls out, somewhat nervously.

STORYTELLER'S TEMPLE & MANA POOL
The day after his arrival, he sets off to have a look around. This particular building easily catches his eye - hard to miss the structure in the island as is, but there's something else about it. Something-- oh, darn it. Yet another thing he can't quite comprehend, and it's entirely frustrating in an already confusing and stressful situation.

For a few hours, this strangely dressed humanshaped being walks around the temple, examining its structure. He can be found stopping at times, seemingly focused on something, although it doesn't quite seem to be whatever piece of stone or mark on the wall his eyes are landing on.

And then, there's the mana pool; he stands at the edge of it, staring into the water intently.

This place, it's...

What is this?

DENNY
Well, this is...something.

The small gathering of buildings make things feel a little bit more-- hopeful, in some strange sense of the word. Somewhere where one can expect more inhabitants to show up, he would assume, and where he could perhaps get some answers.

Steps into the mess hall and he notices, right away, the effort that must have taken to put this sort of place together. He also notices, immediately, how he must entirely stand out in a place like this. Still, it feels cozy and lively in here. Yes, this is not too shabby at all.

Regardless, he steps quietly along the room, rubbing one of his thumbs into the palm of his other hand.

As soon as he spots someone, he steps to them a bit quicker, clearing his throat to make himself known. Tone light and polite, he addresses them with a smile, if a bit awkwardly:

"Pardon me. I do apologize for my intrusion, but could I take a moment of your time?"

LIBRARY
A library! Oh, of course, a library. He'd find himself soothed if it were not for the lack of, well, most things he'd say were necessary to establish a library of proper quality and structure, but it's a start. He has to assume that there isn't necessarily an abundance of resources in a place such as this.

Still, it warms his little nervous heart, as well as give him some hope to find some proper information about their situation.

He approaches one of the shelves, a dainty finger held up as he looks along the book spines to find...well, he's not sure what he finds. He shouldn't have exactly expected anything to stand out to him specifically, but maybe he could-

The angel looks around, looking for some sort of curator or some sort of keeper. Much like in the mess hall, he approaches the first person he sees with a polite and slightly awkward smile.

"Excuse me. Could you tell me, is anyone in charge of this establishment?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Aziraphale stares at him blankly.

Unsure: ]

I'm sorry- "Time Knife"?

Don't worry about it.

[Michael waves a hand - and then hesitates. Maybe that's relevant information, actually.]

Actually, I met a version of you from another time or dimension earlier.

[ Well, that does nothing to quell his confusion. In fact, it confuses him a lot more.

So he stares some more. ]

I'm- I beg your pardon. "Another version" of me?

[ Sorry, Michael, this one's pretty fresh. ]

Sure. From an alternate version of your universe, probably.

[How to explain this to a fellow ageless immortal...]

Have you ever seen Star Trek?

[ Oh, Michael. Or, sweetheart. Aziraphale is the absolute worst person to use modern references on. ]

Er, no, I don't think I have.

[......]

Well, that's all I have. You really don't have a time knife, where you're from? It's out in the neutral zone, any angel or demon can still go check it out.

[ Oh, are they don't doing the secret identity thing? That's. Well, that's--fine?

He seems faintly startled when Michael simply mentioned it, even if it's less strange than everything that's been happening. ]

I... don't believe we do. [ In the very least, he's never heard of anything like that. ]

What is it?

It's an area where you can see a bunch of different universes, all layered on top of each other to form a sort of thin edge of timelines. Thus, time knife.

[no it doesn't make sense to anyone outside of Good Place immortals]

[ Certainly doesn’t, by how Aziraphale keeps a steady look of confusion on his face, even as Michael explains.

Another confusing factor is just how...non-aggressive this demon is. With everything that has happened in the recent times, the angel expected to have a bigger target on his head, by either demons or angels, more so than usual. Guess it comes with the territory - the new, strange, confusing territory. Literally. ]

I see. [ Is all he can come up with as a reply. ]

Though I can’t see how that pertains- [ More universes? Are they somewhere between them? What does he mean with another version of himself? Why is all of this so-

He stops. ]

I’m sorry, what is your name?

Ah, I'm Michael.

[He knows Aziraphale's name already, but he offers a hand regardless. Having not had the "archangel Michael" conversation before, he sees absolutely nothing odd about this.]

[ The angel pauses, blinks. Michael is, of course, a rather common name the humans have adopted in certain parts of the world. The concept of a demon named Michael, however, is a rather interesting one.]

Oh. I see.

[ But, manners are manners.]

Well, my name- [ But he stops, remembering what the demon said. ] Oh, er, Right. You said you’ve...met me before?

[ Just add that can of worms to all the others, and try to handle what’s in there. ]

Yeah. But it wasn't you, you.

[So he gets it! Brand new thing! Frankly, it doesn't even feel all that unusual for him - he's had hundreds of first meetings with all his friends. He just needs to think of it as a reboot.]

It's going much better this time. I was concerned you might do something to the humans here, at first. [He might have been a little rude at first.]

Do something to them?

[ Of course it's hard not to wonder, if he's saying that truth, just exactly what "another him" might have said or done. Or...

Quite honestly, the angel is going to need a while to get over this one. Grander concepts, ineffability, miracles, all those things come with the territory of being what he is. And yet, somehow, here he is, facing things he never imagined possible.]

What do you mean?

Oh, come on. The angels I know aren't known for their generosity, either.

[It sounds like it was worse in Aziraphale's world, though. Probably much worse. The Good Place would never attempt to end the world. Their greatest sin is simply - inaction, hypocrisy, a lack of compassion.

But Michael resents them for it.]

[ Oh, well, where he’s from, inaction is hardly the issue. In fact, quite the opposite. Although lack of compassion is perhaps a common theme.

Aziraphale looks somewhat troubled by the implication that he would “do something” to the local humans. While he’s far from harmless, he doesn’t really make a habit of going around harming people.

It might be who it’s coming from, might be the fact he doesn’t quite know him, or, simply, might simply be yet another confusing detail to this whole situation.]

Why in Heaven’s name- [ Worst. Literally worst way he could phrase that.

He catches and composes himself, although there's a bit of a tone to him.]

I assure you, good fellow, my current objective is to simply to try and make any sense of this place and why we are here.

Yeah yeah yeah, I worked that out with the last one.

[Michael waves a hand dismissively. Is it a little rude, to make assumptions about this guy based on what was - well, a different guy? Kinda the same, but still...]

Well, I guess you could've been from a mirror universe. Although in a true mirror universe, maybe you would be a demon? [hm. interesting concept, but not really that important.] Something divergent, anyway. Whatever - my point is, you can't just trust any random immortal you see with the fates of humans.

[ This scattershot of different things Aziraphale's fussy little mind wants to tackle is a real challenge when he's already trying to make sense of so many highly confusing topic that suddenly shoved their way into his life.

Okay. Alright. One thing at a time. ]

I- yes, well, I suppose you're right. [ For several reasons. Maybe one day Aziraphale can number them all in a neat list. ]

However, the matter of the, er- alternate...version? How long ago did you meet them?

Month or two. He was a lot worse off than you are - you're going to need to eat and drink here, by the way. And sleep. I didn't get hit with it quite as bad as a human, but it feels very bad when I don't.

What?

[ Coming off as about the most English he’s sounded in this conversation, this is the matter that finally knocks him into expressing his distressed confusion very directly. There’s something very upsetting, even more than anything else, to find your own physicality and skills tampered with.]

I’m sorry- eat and sleep? Why on earth-

[ He suddenly remembers when he and Crowley were still at the beach, and how the demon struggled using his natural miraculous abilities, which have never been a problem for either, as far as Aziraphale can recall. While that’s an entirely different area, he’s still making a connection.]

Why would any of this be happening?

It honestly might as well happen.

[The universe is wild and unfair]

[ Aziraphale simply stares.

But then he sighs, bringing a hand up to drag it down his face, taking a breath and sighing. ]

This is absolutely... [ Ridiculous? Preposterous? Insane?

He just shakes his head and tries to think of something a bit more practical to ask.]

What is the name of this place?

This is Enso. The other island is Nastrandir, but I wouldn't go over there - bad things keep happening with that.

[The dragon's dead, so maybe it's over? Personally, Michael wouldn't risk it.]

New ones appear sometimes, and old ones disappear. I arrived on one called Cahypdo, it's gone now.

There's other islands?

[ Never mind the fact that being in an island is alarming, but at least there's more...area, he guesses? ]

Wait-what do you mean it's gone?

Vanished. Can't get there anymore. You can only travel between them via portal anyway, so it could've just been knocked out of the network.

Vanishing islands as well. I...see. [ Even he isn’t so sure he can keep this array of mental notes organized. There’s so much to keep track of. Should he be writing things down?]

Portals. What kind of portals? [ Before that one dream hits him. ] Do you mean the water? By the temple?

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