Introducing Benvolio

[keep_the_peace]

Waking up in a strange bedroom, in a strange house, was bad enough, but then when Benvolio finally made his way to the front door he was greeted by snow outside. Summer might be coming to an end, but it definitely is not snow weather yet, nor is Benvolio dressed for such, in his black silk doublet, black and blue trimmed trunk hose, and black stockings. He does have shoes on, thankfully, though he can't imagine how he would have fallen asleep wearing shoes. It's not like he's had much opportunity to celebrate to the point of blacking out lately, after all.

Regardless, he takes one look at the snow outside and decides to shut the door and instead turn his attention to the table covered in different pamphlets and papers. He has many questions.

Comments

[kadewest]

"Now, I wouldn't want to piss off the scientists and magicians among us," says Kade, with a wink and a silent apology to Jack, "but honestly I'm not certain there's a huge difference between the two. What's magic in one World could very well be science in another, so I think you could very well arbitrarily decide one or the other and still be right."

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio does not blush when Kade winks at him, despite the fact that Kade is a very handsome older gentleman, because Benvolio is very good at not blushing. It's an important skill to learn. "'Tis good advice, I'm sure," he says with a laugh. "I shall be sure to never use the correct term on principle now."

[kadewest]

"That's just what I like to hear," says Kade, jovially, and gestures. "On to the coats? --Do you have other questions?"

[keep_the_peace]

"Oh, ay, I must confess the coats had slipped my mind by now." Silly bandz are distracting, clearly.

[kadewest]

Kade's grin grows a gentle edge. "The first day can be pretty overwhelming," he says. "I had it easy; it wasn't my first time. Most people here are like you: new to alternate Worlds."

[keep_the_peace]

“How often has this happened to you?”

[kadewest]

"This is the second World that I've gotten a personal Door to, but I've visited well over a dozen other Worlds besides."

[keep_the_peace]

"...Was I supposed to have a door?" He definitely didn't have a door. He had a bed.

[kadewest]

Kade smiles at him. "I've found that, for the residents here, the Door is often metaphorical."

[keep_the_peace]

"Were the other Worlds," he tries to give the word as much importance as he heard Kade give it, "you went to much the same as this? Fantastical, and full of magic?"

[kadewest]

"Essentially? Yes. Worlds tend to be uniquely well-suited to the people they call to them. I have one friend who went to what we call a Drowned World--meaning most of its action was below the surface of the sea. She turned into a mermaid there. I have another friend who went to a World of monsters, with a huge, sinister red moon, where she does mad science with lightning, and she's happy as a clam. One of my best friends went to a World where every other living thing was a skeleton, and one who went to a World made entirely from sugar, and--I could keep going. Suffice to say I've visited several of those Worlds, and could see precisely why they were suited to my friends, even though they were not suited to me."

[keep_the_peace]

"That is... considerably more variety than I was expecting..." He's a little overwhelmed by information right now, to tell the truth.

[kadewest]

Kade is, ultimately, highly observant, especially of teenagers' emotional states. "It's a lot, I know," he says. "I do have a tendency to go on about it, too, but I can cut it out. I only mean to say that I'm sure you'll find a way in which this World is suited to your needs."

[keep_the_peace]

"It hath already supplied me with silly bandz," he says holding up his wrist and aiming for some amount of levity. He pronounces 'silly bandz' exactly as awkwardly as you'd expect any Italian Renaissance guy to mispronounce it. "What more could any man need?"

[kadewest]

"Extremely good point," says Kade. "I will warn you about one thing this World lacks, though."

[keep_the_peace]

"What is that?"

[kadewest]

"The barber situation," Kade says, tugging demonstratively on the end of one of his twists, "is fucking abysmal. I've been doing my own hair for months." He misses Little John for many reasons; this is, frankly, one of the biggest. He gives Benvolio a firm once-over. "You need your hair done and don't want to do it yourself, you come to me, all right? I got clippers and I got patience."

[keep_the_peace]

“Oh!” He hadn’t stopped to consider that before. But if this place has such a small population, there’s bound to be plenty of things it is lacking, especially when compared to a city as fine as Verona. “I shall surely have to take thee up on that offer.”

[kadewest]

"Good man," grinning, as he starts ascending the stairs to his attic room.

[keep_the_peace]

"I fear I shall get lost in this building," he says with a laugh as he follows behind Kade. "It seems everywhere I look there are new halls."

[kadewest]

"It is incredibly fucking easy to get lost in here," Kade says. "The Linearity in this World is low, too, so you might find yourself... repeating moments, but with different people. Seven different people helped me carry my sewing machine up to my room. It just... reset every time. The good news is that when you're lost, you can usually find exciting new things, and when the Linearity is low, your days can get... interesting."

[keep_the_peace]

"Linearity," he repeats. "That is to do with... time, I assume?"

[kadewest]

"Time, distance, and routing," Kade says. "Time Linearity is the weakest here. Routing... has its moments. I haven't noticed any issues with distance yet."

[keep_the_peace]

"I see..." He doesn't, actually, but he figures if it becomes important enough he'll sort it out in the moment.

[kadewest]

It's clear he doesn't, and Kade offers him a grin. "In translation? Sometimes you repeat things here, and sometimes routes places change. I mean it, though--stop me if I'm overwhelming you."