Fifty-First Theory [Written/Voice/Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[This morning, instead of going for his usual run, Don settles himself at his desk in the back room. The door is open and a pencil is poked thoughtfully between his teeth. When he begins to write, it isn't filtered, but courtesy of a translation-shield, anyone trying to read the entry will see something that looks more like a Danish cryptogram than anything intelligible. It's a code Don uses for his private notes: only his brothers or an extraordinarily gifted linguist would have a hope of being able to figure it out.]

BGTVULWG - Wvlz hltwqszu bluul kgf bj svg hblfl. Bj ilkqtblf bqs q lu zu lb pvwblu WJDLUQ, gs bj zpflh bqzzal tgulf bqs zlwh, lkulf vu bj nvhbl iglu nl f q lu vg gs lt vwh.

[A little later in the morning, Don leaves the following message.]

Filtered to everyone he can think of that he would consider a friend || Unhackable

All my friends here in Luceti... would you say a few words about yourself? For my notes.

[Much later, in the evening, Don goes out for his run. Now that Shredder is gone, he's allowed to go out after dark again. He knows he doesn't have long before the nights get too cold for this, so he's going to enjoy it while he can.]

((OOC: On Ami's suggestion, Don is working on the in-game equivalent of a timeline and a CR chart.))

Comments

[Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

[Not what he would have named as the stand-out moments of the day, but not inaccurate either.]

You were in the Insomnia Club too.

[Voice]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I remember.

[action]

[bemyused]

[Hard numbers? Yeeeeaaaah good luck getting anything like that out of this guy.]

Wow, that definitely sounds like a big place! Diamond City also has lots of tall buildings and trains. And there's a spaceport too! Pommy arrived there with Bomberman when Pommy first came to Diamond City.

[Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

[What else.]

You helped with the playground.

[action]

[i_speak_softly]

[A spaceport? Don folds.]

You left your own world to go there?

[Voice]

[no-use-running.livejournal.com]

The librarians I've known have all returned to their homes. I don't know if there is someone right now.

[action]

[bemyused]

Well, Pommy accidentally got taken from Ksa2 and didn't know how to get back there, so Pommy just decided to go with Bomberman. [He grins proudly.] Besides, Bomberman was going to get into a lot of trouble if Pommy didn't look after him! [He's going to do that with or without your "help", Pommy, it's part of his job.]

[justicereigns]

What? [While he considers himself a friend... he's not sure if Don does in return, nor does he know what to say about himself. :|]

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[It's Robert. When isn't there something on his mind?

Still, he makes a small, thoughtful sound.]

... Giles knows about... about my s-substance-using history, now. And I spoke to Helios about Benjamin, briefly. But you still know more details than anybody else...

... [Quietly:] And, well... you are the only one who has seen my scars.

[That's still something he really cannot do with anybody else, yet. Not so easily, anyway.

Now it's Robert's turn to finger at his sleeve absentmindedly.]

[Voice]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

I did, but I wasn't too much help I don't think. Just some manual labor.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don sighs, and moves back towards the desk.]

Robert... if I do come back, and don't remember anything... go easy on me?

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[Even more quietly than before:] ... If... if that did happen, I... I would t-try my hardest. To... to be accomodating.

...

[But would it be the same? Would that Don even love him like this one does? He knows that multiversions can be drastically different in many minor ways... and that could easily happen here.]

... if... if the s-same happens to me... then I kn-know you would.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[He settles himself at the desk again, retrieving the journal and opening it in front of him. Before closing the drawer, he shovels some other things into it, clearing off the corner of the desk.]

Come sit.

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[And Robert does so, parking himself neatly next to the turtle and settling himself at the now-somewhat-cleared corner.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don chews on his pencil thoughtfully, then begins to write after 'ROBERT'.]

-nr. Ny ov gdvospbol t qwi. Xof jon nol szno v yiystfl, ioh btj nol oh eqsheo.

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[... Well, on the one hand it might be a violation of privacy to ask, but on the other hand, Robert is so damn curious...]

...

May... I ask what that says?

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don doesn't mind. He would probably tell most people what he had written about them, as long as he could do so privately. To that end, he makes very sure the journal isn't transmitting anything before he says softly:]

This is Robert. You're in love with him. I know it sounds impossible, but please give it a chance.

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[And Robert has to smile softly at that. It does sound statistically unlikely, doesn't it? And yet Robert was lucky.]

... That seems... fitting, yes.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don turns the transmission back on, making sure Robert sees what he's doing, and answers some other replies.]

Where's yours?

[action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Really, 'Bomberman'? Sounds like a terrorist.]

What is Ksa2 like?

[Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

Has anyone asked for new volunteers?

[Voice]

[i_speak_softly]

That's okay, I really appreciated everyone's help.

[i_speak_softly]

[Of course Smoker is a friend. He takes an interest in Don's well-being and recognizes that Jack Sparrow is a total lowlife.]

Hey Smoker. I'm trying to collect messages about my friends.

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

My journal? [Always in one of the omnipresent lab coat's pockets. Robert fishes it out a moment later, holding it to his chest.]

... Did you want me to record something for you, perhaps...?

[Voice]

[no-use-running.livejournal.com]

No; not that I've heard. I should have noticed that.