sixthiterationlogs | 001 ✝ there's an angel with a hand on my head

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001 ✝ there's an angel with a hand on my head

WHO: Sonny Carisi
WHERE: The fountain and the inn
WHEN: 12/14
OPEN TO: Everyone
WARNINGS: Nooothing? Will update as needed.
STATUS: Open

THE FOUNTAIN

At first, Sonny thinks he's dreaming.

There was a place their parents would take him and his sisters on vacation when they were little. As he got older, he learned that they were really just visiting his mother's family in Jersey, which really isn't much of a vacation at all when you live in New York. But they always got to swim in their auntie's pool while they were there, and Sonny would swim until his fingers were wrinkly and his eyes were red from the chlorine and his mother had to tell him three separate times that it was time for dinner.

He and his sisters got older. They did more sunbathing than swimming, and Sonny found he enjoyed helping his mom and aunt around the kitchen more than taking a dip in the pool.

Still, this reminds him of that, at first. The water's around him, warm to the touch, and it takes him a moment to realize he's not, in fact, dreaming, but that the burning in his lungs is real. He's drowning.

It's all instinct after that. The water presses around him, pushing him upwards, and Sonny kicks his feet, straining towards the lighter part of the water. He doesn't think about how he got in the water, or what body of water he could possibly be in. He only thinks about getting out, about breathing, about breaking the surface. And when he manages that, it's with a dramatic gasp of air, his lungs expanding painfully as he pulls in a much needed breath. One hand gropes blindly until he finds stone, gripping the edge of the fountain.

A fountain. He's in a fountain. He blinks water out of his eyes, pushing his sopping hair back with one hand. It occurs to him quite suddenly that the water wasn't warm, but that he was numb. It's sleeting, and it stabs at his exposed arms painfully. He's aware that there's a backpack strapped to his back, but more important, where the hell is he?

"Hello?" he calls out, and he can't even be bothered by how silly it feels.

THE INN

Eventually, he gets some answers, though not very many. And in the process of that, he manages his way to the inn, where he changes into dry clothes that are apparently his and sits down beside the fire to warm up. His hair's an unkempt mess and his bones still feel cold, his eyes tired. He's hungry, too. But he's too busy thinking for anything like food or sleep.

He tugs his backpack into his lap, digging through it a second time to review what's inside. Like maybe it'll hold more answers than it did before. This is what he does, though. Review, and review again, and again, until something looks different, until you notice something new.

After all, he is a cop.

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Snow, then more snow, and now sleet. Riza hated this kind of weather and was glad she had never been moved to the Northern outposts back home. However, it probably would have at least prepared her for this because, based on the visits she had made up there, it was nearly this cold all the time (if not colder). Due to this weather, Riza had not been making trips out to the fountain as often as she had before. She made a point of coming by once a day, seeing if her timing was right, and then trekking back to the Inn for warmth and company. Most days were a bust of course, but at least it broke up the monotony of staying indoors all the time.

Riza looked over the fountain and the undisturbed snow. Once again, there was no one there, and it felt like another wasted trip. Her breath puffed out as a cloud as she turned to head back. She was a few feet away when she heard the sound of a splash and someone calling out.

Well, talk about timing.

The woman turned around and almost missed him, the white of his scrubs blending in pretty well with the surroundings. Then again, if she were just in her grey scrubs she'd probably blend in as well. Fortunately, she'd taken to wearing as many layers as she could when making these treks out -- the backpack having come with a coat, long johns, overalls, and wool socks. It helped, but she couldn't imagine how cold it must be soaked in water and wearing nothing but thin, white scrubs. But, hey, Riza was a practical kind of woman and that was why every time she visited the fountain she came prepared with a large towel and a blanket to boot.

She had crossed the distance between them, pulling her backpack off her shoulder, "Hello? I don't mean to rush you into this, but you might like these." She held the towel and blanket out as a peace offering. "

It's not long before he's shivering violently, the water and the sleet and the temperature working together to chill him to the bone. He's still confused and disoriented, unsure of where he is or what's going on, but he's already trying to sort things out in his head. First, he needs to get warm, find shelter, recover from his dip in the fountain. Everything else comes after.

Thankfully, he doesn't have to go far. As a matter of fact, help comes to him, in the form of a young blonde with a friendly face and supplies. If Sonny were a less trusting man, he might be suspicious and leery. But as it is, he's entirely too trusting, probably.

"Oh." He sounds a little breathless, because he is. He feels like the cold is all the way in his lungs. He accepts the towel first, using it to squeeze the water out of his hair and his clothes the best he can. It's a little bit futile, so he ends up taking the blanket too and wrapping himself up in it.

He's still cold, though.

"Thank you." His breath puffs in in the air, and he's still shivering, but at least this keeps the wind off of him. "Really, thank you. Where am I?"

Also what's going on. But one question at a time.

Riza wouldn't have blame him if he hadn't trusted her -- weather or not it had to look suspicious that she had arrived just now with supplies on hand. However, perhaps his need to survive the weather was overriding his sense to question this. Whatever the case, Riza was relieved she didn't have to fight with the man...at least not yet. Finnick had proven stubborn and obnoxious enough before running off into the woods, though at least that had been prior to the cold, snow, and sleet. Besides, he'd had his reasons and Riza couldn't fault him for that.

"That's an explanation that's a little long for being soaking wet in freezing temperatures," Riza admitted rather bluntly. It's why she'd said she hated to rush this. Normally she wouldn't have minded taking her time explaining their current predicament before ever leaving the fountain. They didn't exactly have that luxury now. "Short version would be you're in a village with about 40 or so other people who arrived the same way you did," she gestured at the fountain he'd swam up from. "There's an inn just that way where I can explain more," she really hoped he wasn't about to run off into the woods, but she decided to add, "Or there are a few houses in that direction you could visit if you don't want to follow me. If your backpack is the same as mine was you might have a coat in there you could put on as well."

Riza stood, waiting to see what his decision would be.

She's very no-nonsense, he realizes, but it's very possible that that's exactly what he needs right now. Somebody that's going to cut to the chase and lay everything out for him instead of sugar-coating things or beating around the bush. It'll give him less room to think and consider for the immediate time being. Because right now, what's more important than finding answers is getting warm.

He listens to her short-story explanation and the list of options she's laid out for him, his teeth chattering noisily the whole time. Of course, he doesn't have to listen to her at all. But he's not about to push away the first helping hand extended to him.

"Whatever's closer," he says, though the words are broken up and forced out between clicking teeth, and he pulls the blanket tighter around him. "Let's just get inside somewhere."

She had never been known to sugar coat things before her life went to hell, why should she start doing it now? She certainly feels sympathy for the man though -- she'd been "lucky" enough to get here when the weather had still been decent. She hated that people were still coming through the fountain and now the arrival was made even more harrowing by the cold weather. Riza wasted no time as soon as she had an answer from him, "Inn. This way."

Riza hoped that walking would help. She wasn't going to leave him behind, so whatever pace he could manage she would maintain that and make sure he reached the inn without freezing to death. If they hurried she hoped that would even be the case, but if he did stumble or collapse she was fit enough that should could probably help him the rest of the way.

Sonny's quick to follow her, only losing his footing and stumbling once. He's close enough behind her that he could be holding onto her coat tail, and it's entirely possible he would be, if they weren't grown adults. He's vaguely aware the he feels a little bit like a kid, being taken care of like this. Of course, his mother always tended to him and his sisters with a lot more warmth, but still.

He doesn't really have the time to worry about that, though.

There are a million questions he'd like to ask, but his teeth are chattering too hard for him to get any out. So he's quite their entire trek to the Inn, which seems to take forever, even though he's sure in reality it's only a few minutes. The second he steps inside and feels the warmth touch his bare cheeks, he lets out the biggest, shakiest sigh of his life.

"Oh my God."

She might apologize later for her brisk and cold nature, but honestly at the moment she's more concerned with getting him out of the elements so he doesn't lose body parts. She'd heard enough stories of that from Briggs and they didn't have near the medical facilities of even Amestris here.

Riza feels some relief as soon as the inn is in sight. Even putting aside the fact that the inn is her home now, it's a reassurance and sign of safety in general. Everyone gathers here, there's food, warmth, and help to be offered. She makes sure that Sonny gets in ahead of her and shuts the door against the cold.

She sighs, knowing that the explanations are going to have to come next. But at least she can do that in the comfort of the inn and not in the freezing cold. "Are you all right," she asks, her voice a little less no-nonsense now that she doesn't have to worry about him freezing to death. It actually might even sound like genuine concern.

Well — he's not in New York anymore, he's not sure where he is, he can't get in contact with his friends and family, nothing is making a whole lot of sense, and he's chilled to the bone. So he could be better, honestly. But he's also wrapped in a blanket in a warm inn with what he's considering a friendly face.

"I'm fine," he decides. "I mean -- I'm okay. It's warm in here."

That's stating the obvious, but it's the reason he's deciding he's okay. Because he can get warm again. Silver linings are where it's at for him, and this is definitely one.

"Thank you again for saving me."

Well that's something at least. Riza finds the inn is now quiet, but their arrival should signal some others soon. She removes her coat, hanging it nearby on a hook. "No problem. I'm sorry for rushing you along but it was that or risk you possibly losing appendages. Unfortunately, you may not feel that way for long...this place doesn't exactly make sense."

They were about to have a long talk, she knew, and she wasn't looking forward to being the one to tell him. She could never know ahead of time if the person was going to take it very well. But he'd made it this far so that was a start. "I can fix you a drink and explain it though. Or try. Something to warm you up, maybe?" But maybe she was going about this all wrong. Riza decided to back track a little. "My name's Riza Hawkeye...welcome to the village inn."

"I mean--" Sonny glances over his shoulder at the closed door. "I woke up in a fountain. It already doesn't make a lot of sense."

That doesn't mean he's going to be prepared with what she has to tell him, though. Not in the slightest. The only reason he's not losing his shit entirely already is because he's focusing very hard on the present, and what he needs to do now. Which is get dry and warm up and sit down before he collapses or something else equally as embarrassing.

"I'm Sonny Carisi," he says, and his breath still feels a little cold and rattly in his chest. "Something warm to drink sounds great, thank you. Is there somewhere I can sit down?"

Oh if only he knew how much more messed up it was about to get. She decides to save that comment for herself, but she does nod with understanding. She'd been in his shoes before, though at least her arrival here hadn't been quite as shocking -- not when you'd already been kidnapped from your home to a strange new location once before.

"Have a seat near the fire," she gestured to a few tables that were gathered around the inn's main room and generous fire place. They did a good job of keeping the firewood stocked and the room as warm as they could. It came in handy for these winter fountain arrivals, not to mention just in general during the past few months. That was probably one of many reasons the inn was a comforting stop for most. "I'll check the kitchen. Miss Kate keeps it stocked fairly well. I'll be back soon," she said, figuring he could make himself comfortable here and she could check for anything warm in the kitchen.

Leaving him to it, she made her way to the back of the inn and into the kitchen. It wasn't quite time for the daily meal, though that didn't always mean she wouldn't find someone in the kitchen working on food prep or just making something for themselves. It was empty though and Riza made her way to a kettle and started putting together a warm beverage. She was doing her best to conserve her tea, but they certainly were starting to run low on it. Still, what point was there in having it if she didn't use it when needed. She had some unpleasant news to share and this would help--even if only a little.

Once the water had boiled she prepped a trey to take out to him. She placed a tea pot, two cups, and a few left-over fritters on the tray. The fritters might not be the best since they were cold, but it was better than nothing. She collected these and returned to the main room. She wished she'd thought to grab a blanket as well, though it was unlikely she would have found one in the kitchen. She'd check on Sonny first and see how he was holding up.

Riza set the tea tray down carefully, "I'm afraid we only have tea and not really any sugar. But it's warm and a fresh pot at that," she added. She wasn't sure if coffee would have been a good idea anyway.

For once, Sonny doesn't have a whole lot to say. Normally, he has too much to say. Too much information to give out, too many comments to make, just-- too much. In general. But now he's quiet, nodding and moving towards the beckoning heat. Truthfully, he doesn't hear much of whatever Riza says before she disappears — he's too focused on getting warm.

It's probably impolite, but he takes it upon himself to drag one of the chairs directly in front of the fire, opening the blanket around himself to trap the heat around him. Unfortunately, now that he's alone and getting warm, he has time to think.

He doesn't know where he is. He's woken up in a fountain, somehow, in a town that's definitely not New York City. Hell, it might not even be New York state. Maybe he's been drugged. He's pretty sure the last thing he remembers is getting into bed for the night. How he got form his apartment in New York City to a fountain in wherever this is is beyond him. Maybe they've all been drugged.

That seems unlikely. Not that anything else really seems more likely. He's staring blankly at the fire when Riza returns, and he snaps out of the daze as she speaks.

"No, no. This is great." He pours himself some tea, taking a small sip of it before just wrapping his fingers around it and letting the warmth of it seep through his hands. Slowly, but surely, he's beginning to warm up. "Thank you."

Riza doesn't think anyone will mind the furniture being moved very much -- it gives moved more often than you'd think. Riza fixes her own cup, letting Sonny have a few more minutes to process and also warm up. She can only imagine what's going through his head right now and she hates that she's going to have to be the one to explain all of this. Or at least try to, it's not like they really have answers.

"You're welcome. We try to look out for each other around here...especially for new arrivals," she says before taking a seat on a nearby bench near the fire and taking a sip from her tea. "Now that you aren't in danger of freezing to death, I can try to answer your questions. But I'm going to tell you ahead of time that a lot them will probably be guesses at best and just unknown at worse."

He finds that his teeth aren't chattering anymore. That's probably a good sign. His clothes are still damp and sticking to his skin, but they're starting to dry from the fire, too. He doesn't even want to think about what kind of mess his hair is in. It shouldn't even be a concern of his, but for some reason, it is. One hand moves from the tea in his hands to try and flatten his untamed hair.

Maybe he's just feeling like he needs something to do.

"I have so many, I'm not really sure where to start," he admits, frowning at the fire. "Like where we are and what day it is and how I wound up in that fountain."

He stops, pulling his gaze away from the fire to look at Riza apologetically. "Sorry. One at a time, right?"

She waited, letting him find his own starting place because it was always the same, wasn't it? Not the same starting place, but that feeling of being overwhelmed by this new environment. Being thrust into a situation that made no sense would throw even the most disciplined soldiers off their routine. And she had experienced this twice now! And yet, that feeling of empathy -- of knowing what it was like the first time -- never really left her. Which was probably a good thing because it granted her a good deal of patience for these discussions.

She listened as the questions flew out of him -- honestly not as many as he might think. She couldn't help but even smile a little at his last one, nodding, "It usually helps to tackle things one at a time, yes."

Now came the downside though, and she sighed, "Unfortunately, and this might seem strange, but we don't really know where or when. The location is secluded -- we're in a valley that has high cliffs surrounding us, dense woods, and a river with a nice waterfall. However, there wasn't exactly a sign post as you may have noticed and any records that may have been here are missing. There is no technology to reach out to other people with and seemingly no way to scale the walls of the surrounding cliffs."

"And your guess as to how you wound up in the fountain is as good as mine. That's how everyone has gotten here -- it appears to be the only way in and none of us have any memory of changing clothes or taking a plunge like that. At least, none so far." She'd hold back on discussing other dimensions and other worlds, sometimes it was better to gauge that sort of thing.

Suddenly, she reminds him of Olivia, and that makes him feel a little bit comforted. Specifically, she reminds him of Olivia when she's handling a victim. Matter-of-fact, never beating around the bush, but never unkind, never harsh. She explains things precisely, but she's gentle about it, just the way Olivia is. Sonny doesn't feel like a victim, not in the sense he's used to, but he supposes he could be considered one. Not a victim of assault, but a victim of something else.

A victim of whatever this is. Kidnapping is probably the most accurate term, but even that feels too little to describe this.

"Okay," he says, attempting to wrap his mind around this. "Okay, that makes sense, I guess. I mean-- not really, but...."

But he'll accept it, he supposes. He sighs, bringing the cup to his mouth to take a sip. It's warm, although bitter, but it soothes his throat all the same. "Someone would've had to put us in the fountain, right? It's not like we just showed up there, somebody had to put us there. And that's something other people would've noticed. Right?"

He was coming to terms with it, that was good. People processed this place in different ways and Sonny seemed to be taking a logical approach for the time being, walking through the facts and taking them as they were presented. She could appreciate that because it's what she would have done had she not had the prior experience of a situation similar to this one.

When she had gotten here, it had mostly been questions to ascertain if this was just a continuation of Project Daisychain -- still logical, but she jumped past most of the normal preliminary questions.

"Correct. If you're like the rest of us though, it stands to reason you don't remember that part though, right?" She asked because if they ever had a change in that pattern it would mean a lot. She continued, "There were some earthquakes awhile back -- shortly after I arrived actually. During that time the fountain cracked and was drained. We spent a few days watching it, trying to catch the moment when someone arrived. We've had people dive back into the water when it was warmer and look at the bottom too, but with it drained we could constantly have eyes on it." While this may sound promising, it's far from it and Riza tried her best not to tease that hope, "Every time someone new arrived while the fountain was drain, the person watching was conveniently distracted by something -- they'd suddenly pass out or an animal would come out of nowhere and attack."

She shook her head, because even explaining it sounds crazy, but they had tried everything to catch a peak at the mechanism that brought them here and there had been no such luck. "It sounds ridiculous, but whoever is bringing us here does not want us discovering how."

Of course that's something they've already thought of. Sonny wouldn't presume to be the smartest person here, or even the only person who has some sort of background in investigation. The people here are smart if they've managed to survive here. They've grown food and cut firewood and stayed warm and safe and sheltered in this snowstorm. They've survived and recovered from an earthquake, apparently.

Still. He's just bouncing ideas around. Still learning, gathering the information and throwing out the ideas that everybody else has already learned and thrown out. And he just has to keep trying, keep suggesting, keep fighting.

He feels a little like he's in law school again. Only everything that happens here has a lot more consequences. It's a lot more dire.

"Do you think they're drugging us?" he asks, because unfortunately, he has too much knowledge and experience with that sort of thing. "I mean, there's tons of drugs that are fast acting, that'll knock you out and come with memory loss. I mean, most of them are orally transmitted, not airborne, but...."

He's just trying to look at this logically. Because if he doesn't, it leaves the only answer being something ridiculous like magic, and he's not willing to touch that yet.

Riza doesn't mind. She'd worked a desk job in the military for awhile and briefings were a major part of that. You got used to answering the same questions. Although in this case the situation was a little more critical to everyone involved. But, she understood, and she had been in Sonny's shoes once. She wasn't going to berate him or get frustrated with anything he asked at this point.

Unfortunately though, a lot of his questions don't have answers yet. "It's a possibility and honesty pretty likely. Unfortunately though, we have no way of proving if drugs are being used or not. There's no way to test for it that I'm aware of, but of the possibilities out there it is probably one that makes the most sense," she answered.

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001 ✝ there's an angel with a hand on my head

Fountain

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i'll let you decide if we "jump cut" to the inn or not.

that sounds good to me!

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