hugtopia_logs | it's been the ruin of many a poor boy [open.]

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it's been the ruin of many a poor boy [open.]

♥ Who: Clifford Norman, OTA!
♥ Where: wherever tbh...
♥ When: August 1 and general early August.
♥ What: Cliff arrives to do typical intro log stuff and be frustrated.
♥ Rating: uhh PG-13 for language? and probably underage smoking at some point.

[ a. the wrong world. ]

[He’d had the plan to move out solidly in mind until recently, but…somehow this wasn’t quite what he’d pictured. After being led to housing by the welcome wagon, Cliff had waited out the helpful robot before slinking away from the open street to somewhere he can quietly freak the fuck out in peace. Even in the alternate reality he suddenly had a second life’s worth of memories of, he’d only heard stories about some corrupted-but-harmless AI, nothing like a whole society….not that that’s his biggest issue right now. He doesn’t know nearly enough about science or magic to figure out why the hell he remembered two versions of his life or why he was a wolfboy from the middle of nowhere with shitty father figures in both of them. That just doesn’t seem fair?

He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair, shakes his head like it will disperse those thoughts, and sets off again. Maybe if he got the lay of the land, he'd have an easier time getting a handle on things. At least he can feel being an Animal Person, and know that if he wanted to right now, he could be a wolf before his next step hit, and that’s knowing more than nothing! Along that thought, he was wearing Oscar’s hoodie and he had that bag of gummies he'd just started. Undeniably real. But the hoodie had existed in that other world, too, even though he'd never gotten tangled with “just some guy” that was a magnet for trouble. And…]

Huh. Well, that was the most unbelievable part of all that.

[In his pocket, the push of his finger against a figurine’s ear assures him that it is also pretty damn real. Didn’t hate that, no matter how confusing it is. The circumstances surrounding this place and that other one, though...]

Christ. You save a guy’s life a couple times and they want to upgrade you to saving two worlds?

[Because he didn't have enough of a headache.]

[ b. the wrong foot. ]

[Contemplating his newly realized existential crisis, he doesn't have the mental fortitude to figure out who’s in charge and kick their ass. Instead, the redhead resigns himself to pretend-scrolling through his not-an-earth-phone while his eyes -- more animal than human, if someone were to inspect them -- and scowl do the job of telegraphing his mood for him even from where he's hiding under his hood.

It could be that simple, just his glare accidentally finding someone who didn't deserve it and a miscommunication running wild from there, or it could be that while he's pretending to be distracted by his phone, he's actually distracted with his thoughts enough that he comes too close to someone passing the other way and bumps into them. He jolts back with tight fists and an arm lifted like a shield between himself and the stranger. As ready to fight as he might seem and sound, it's possible to notice that he's on guard rather than being aggressive.]

Hey, watch it -- !

[ c. the wrong attitude. ]

This sucks.

[Cliff plops onto the bench with a truly impressive sigh. That feeling before he’d woken up… Even with as much as he loves his mom and brother, the fact that he still had to hold a part of himself back means that it had been so completely, overwhelmingly alien. Comforting and safe in the moment, but now?]

Fucking tired of people messing with my head…

[This really, really sucks.

Miserably, he notes that he should be rationing the few supplies that had come with him, but he deserves the sugar, dammit! Cliff drags the bag of gummi bears out and starts to eat them with the enthusiasm of a man on death row. He starts each one by biting its head off.]

[ d. the wrong...card?! ]

[idk man it’s the wildcard option, hit me up if you want to work something out!]

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[Go shoplifting and play video games, Alphi. You've earned it.]

It's complicated. This time is definitely more getting kidnapped, less brainwashing. Or something, I don't know. Weird shit like this never used to happen to me, alright? I just remember it happened.

[Pretty sure most of his friends from back home would frown upon that first option. You are a bad influence, sir. Although, discovering video games would be entertaining. Considering he's not getting a good confirmation, he'll just have to settle with his theories in his own time.]

Well, it is a lot to take in. Have you been told about the way things are around here?

[Worded vaguely because he's not totally sure he's comfortable with the concept himself yet. He at least had his friends here, but it was certainly a strange thing to adjust to.]

[He has it on good authority that sixteen-year-olds are supposed to make mistakes. If those mistakes happen to be fun as well, then isn't that better? Quick, come sneak out at night, throw rocks at signs with him, and have a beer.]

World's dying, have a house. Pick a god like that's going to take the place of your family, or some fucked up thought process like that. Seriously, what use is a phone if I can't even talk to anyone?

[He wants to call and have someone pick him up.]

[That's a fair assessment. Who knows? In time, anything could happen. So he's been given the basic rundown at least.]

I should mention that the natives here are... on edge. There was a recent incident shortly before I arrived here a month ago that has made them wary of the Offworlders here. Do take care in how you approach them. We're in the process of trying to rebuild trust, but I have only arrived recently. I have not been able to accomplish much just yet.

[But instead of lingering on that, he should really introduce himself.]

My name is Alphinaud Leveilleur. I'm so adjusting here myself, but let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

[Or just point him to someone who knows more than him... Which is everyone at this point.]

[On edge... He'd thought the stiffness had just been robots being robots, honestly. Well, at least he's not the only one uneasy around here, not that it's any real consolation.

He was going to ask more about him being new, but]

Uh, my first question is can you say your name again? What the fuck.

[Like, he's not going to say he's never going to be able to pronounce it because that'd be a jerk thing to do especially without even trying, but run that by him one more time!!]

[Ignoring the last part of that... Each world had its own names, so it wasn't really a surprise to hear someone unfamiliar with the kinds found back home. It was more like he'd never really had to explain how to say his name. Either way, it was better to ask than assume he supposed.]

Alphinaud Leveilleur. Alphinaud is fine.

[He would just say Alphi, but that would be a little weird when you first met.]

And you?

Alphinaud… Leveilleur. Okay. [He’s rude, but he's making a sincere effort and doing pretty good. And apparently Clifford doesn't share the sentiment about nicknames, because] Cliff. Cliff Norman.

[Being fair, his name is ‘Clifford’ and maybe it's a family name, and maybe people here won't know about a big red dog -- he hopes they never find out about him being a big red wolf -- but it's Dumb.]

You said you've been here like a month? Do you have to deal with the robot guys a lot, or are they going to let me pretty much just live my life?

[He's trying. That's what counts.]

It's nice to meet you, Cliff.

From my experience thus far, they haven't really interacted with me much aside from my arrival here. Although I could simply chalk that up to their hesitation to spend any more time than necessary around Offworlders at the moment. So far, they haven't really been a problem. I can't foresee that they will be, considering their otherwise seemingly docile nature.

[That wasn't to say that he wouldn't be careful though. Anything could happen when tension was high.]

[Huh. Most of the time there were a lot of "what the hell"s and yelling involved when there was catching up on a situation. This approach is weird, but not terrible now and then.]

Got it... I wasn't sure if they'd be pissed of people weren't cooperating with their kidnappers, but I guess all they'd have to do then is hold us hostage even longer. [At least there's no costume this time. Small mercies.] You said something about time before?

I'm sure they would be disappointed, but they haven't given any signs of retaliation from what I've witnessed so far. This place... isn't so bad. Ideally, I'd be back home trying to help my friends with Eorzea's problems, but there's not much I can do about that now. If anything, the means to help this world are the hardest things to adjust to.

[But he hasn't done much with that yet besides the hug with Era when he arrived. That was a whole different situation right there.]

Ah, yeah. I've been told that time stands still back home while we're here, although I couldn't begin to tell you if that's true or not just yet. People also come from different times on occasion. Aside from my sister, everyone else seems to have come from the future from the time that I remember before arriving here. There seems to be some sort of time manipulation.

[The squint Cliff gives suggests that he doesn't quite...believe...Alphinaud... How can this place not be so bad? Hello?? It's easier to shove his griping about that aside for now and focus on the time dilemma -- which he nods along with. Seeing as it hadn't been the same month in one timeline as the other, being brought in from a different point makes sense to him (in the way that it makes no fucking sense at all, but he acknowledges it as something happening.) More importantly,]

Your sister is here? [He's not sure if that should be making him hopeful or panicked. Cliff settles for groaning and running one of his hands through hair.] Fuck, I don't have my phone... Hey, is there an easy way to find out if someone's here or not?

[Considering what's going on with his home, this was downright peaceful.]

It seems she arrived around the same time as me. [And he feels relieved about that.] I'm not sure. Is there somebody that you're looking for?

[peaceful but BAD!!!]

What, do I look like I don't have people I care about?

[The question lacks any bite, but there's no obvious, amused teasing tone, either.]

Hoping they aren't here, but if they are I want to find them. My mom and little brother, and a couple friends. It wouldn't surprise me if Oscar got pulled here already, he's always getting into trouble. [Or getting Cliff out of it.] Without my phone, I don't know how the hell I can find out, though. I can't be the only one with this problem?

[He's just... not going to touch on that first comment.]

You probably aren't. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for them. Regardless, there's no known way out of here just yet, so it's better to just make the best of it.

Edited 2021-08-09 04:08 (UTC)

Uh, no thanks.

[Being a moody teen is one of his favorite things to do. Why should he accept the situation when instead he could do whatever he could, which is mostly to complain? He's still on this Family thing, though.]

My mom and brother don't have the same last name as me, and Kevin's adopted so he won't look like me. It'd be Nora and Kevin Hudson, unless Mom switches back. They don't know anything about this stuff, and they don't know I know, either, so if you do see them, don't mention that two worlds shit I was saying.

[He'll just shrug in response. It wasn't up to him how Cliff dealt with the situation. It was just better to let him deal with it in his own way. Instead, he chose to focus on the details. Making a mental note...]

Any notable appearances to keep in mind? [Although, he's not entirely sure if they would show up here.] Mums the word.

[There's a tiny pause while it occurs to Cliff how absolutely bizarre it is to try and describe people whose faces you know by heart, who you'd know blind. He does manage to come up with something suitably simple but still descriptive for both his brother and his mother, who I have linked despite the fact that they will never exist in dwrp ever. Appreciate his cute family despite the poor image quality.]

Anyone else important should be able to get by okay...I think. I don't really know a lot of normal people anymore.

You mentioned you came from another world like this prior to coming here. If you don't mind me asking, what was it like there?

Oh, uh...

[He pauses another second, but the sigh suggests he's giving in. It wasn't like it was really giving anything away, right? He'd already let it slip.]

Kind of. Not really... It's more like I remember two lives where some stuff happened differently. Both of them seem real, so I don't know what the hell is going on... It wasn't even the same month. [As for how to describe them...] They were just earth, I don't know. Sometimes weird things would show up, and monsters? There was a school in one of them where they were training to fight apocalypse shit in secret. Maybe it exists in the other one, too.

Two lives? [He can tell how that would get to be confusing as far as what was real or not.] Forgive me for the presumption, but I'm guessing Earth is a location for you.

[Different worlds, different names.]

Was this school also a secret then? In some cases back home, the entrances to certain locations have been glamoured in order to hide them from those who do not know better. It was a way to protect those there or stay in hiding. What were you training to fight against?

[How do you describe...Earth...]

Yeah, it's the planet.

[Do elves know what planets are... Oh well. It's more important he focus on what information Alphinaud's trying to get out of him, especially when he realizes that he doesn't know if he already confirmed that he'd gone to that school or not.]

It was kind of like that, except illusions were more for people than locations. It didn't matter there anymore anyway, the secret got spilled last year. I don't think they would have been able to keep normal people from noticing a giant battle where the school turns into a fucking mech to punch a dragon dickhead in the face, anyway.

[Man, his lives were both weird, but Daybreak life certainly took it to new heights.]

They called it Nightfall, I guess because it turned out said dragon dickhead was going to eat the sun and the forces of evil would have wiped out humanity. This sounds extremely stupid, I know, but it's basically what really happened.

[He assumes it's the same as what stars were for them. Either way, it doesn't particularly matter. Quietly listening to him explain, he couldn't help but think of how strange this school must be. It wasn't as if Eorzea didn't have some weird shit, but he's having a hard time imagining just what that would be like.]

I don't think it sounds stupid. Sometimes life is unpredictable. There are some things that are important to protect, no matter how bizarre they sound. Were you and the others able to save it?

[The fact that Alphinaud doesn't think this is stupid tells him a lot about Alphinaud. Whether his conclusions are good, bad, or accurate at all -- who knows?]

I didn't really do a lot. [Just a young werewolf doing what he could, cleaning up weak minions and such.] Nightfall got stopped though, yeah.

Either way, those involved managed to stop it. That's a good thing, no matter how little your part might have been. Sometimes it's the little things that matter.

[There was nothing wrong with that. Somebody had to do it, after all. He's assuming that he still played a role in their success.]

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it's been the ruin of many a poor boy [open.]

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underage drinking mention

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