Values

[workthroughit]

The desk is back in the Nexus again. And the owner of it is once more behind it, hands folded primly in front of him. Set off to the side is a fountain pen and a pad of paper. The banker's light and the metronome rest on the desk as well, though both are turned off. The snow is cleared in a neat three foot circumference around his seat, and though he's in just a dress shirt and sweater vest, the cold doesn't seem to bother the doctor one bit.

"I wonder," Dr. Hill begins in his usual northern European accent, "What do you, as a person, value more? Honesty? Or loyalty?"

A simple question, really.

Comments

[workthroughit]

He smiles again once the man's taken that seat, perhaps encouragingly. Well done.

"Now. Do you recall how you arrived here? That is usually the more jarring part of the journey."

[roomed]

Henry thinks about that and shakes his head. He didn't wake up on the ground and that's all he cares about. "No...I don't. Where is this? It's not a dream...?"

He wouldn't have thought to question it, if this man hadn't asked him about it. Dreams don't usually question themselves, do they?

[workthroughit]

"You're in a place called the Nexus. It's usually stumbled across. Some arrive by stepping through the right door. Or the wrong door, depending on your views, hahah! Others come here by more violent means. It's not unusual to hear someone having died moments before arrival."

Well, that's cheerful and encouraging! Totally what a guy like Henry needs to hear! The doctor opens a drawer and pulls out a brochure, reaching across the desk to offer it to the confused man.

"This has some very useful information about the coming and goings of this place."

[roomed]

Henry's eyes narrow as the doctor explains the area, as well as its mysterious nature. The brochure is very informative and helpful, but unfortunately Henry had stopped paying much attention as soon Dr. Hill mentions people dying before arriving here.

He puts a hand up to his forehead, mimicking the last thing he remembered. It was fuzzy, but he'd just done something important and then his head hurt. It'd been worse than it ever had been before. Like he was being ripped apart from the inside out.

"Did I...die?" he asked no one in particular. "I don't...don't remember." That wasn't entirely accurate. He didn't want to remember.

[workthroughit]

"Sometimes it takes time for traumatic events to fully register," Dr. Hill supplies readily and with a smile. "Perhaps you should focus on relaxing in the time being. Talking to some other Nexus-goers to fully appreciate what you've found here."

[roomed]

He touches his head gingerly once more, but it seems fine now. He's just feeling fuzzy, which hasn't exactly been an unusual state for him recently. "Relaxing. Right." He could do that. This place doesn't seem dangerous (although maybe that's a hard thing to tell). "Thanks."

[workthroughit]

"Of course! I'm more than happy to help, Mr. Townshend. And you never know, maybe you just had a nasty fall and ended up here. The means of arrival are as varied as the people who arrive." Or maybe you're dead. He's not sorry he put that seed of anxiety into your poor, foggy head, Henry.

"Others, it's as simple as walking through a door. One they've been through many, many times before, only this time, something happened just right," or wrong, "that they ended up here."

[roomed]

He'll have to come to terms with it eventually. But for now, he's pretty sure he has enough to try and keep track of- like realizing he's not dreaming and he's actually in this place.

He looks through the brochure, now, reading it carefully. That helps explain some things, but makes more questions out of others. "So we're going to be here for...awhile," he says, his tone neutral. The brochure doesn't say that, but Henry thinks that must be what it means. "It says to 'ask for housing'? ...who do we ask?"

[workthroughit]

"The Nexus itself is usually a good place to start. The forum here is made for fielding questions, much like I was doing here." He spreads out his hands to indicate himself and his desk set-up. "Or you could go straight to the source and find an apartment in the Commercial District. Some decent rates there as far as rent goes, haha."

[roomed]

Henry nods slowly, then turns his head to take in more of this forum area. "Oh, okay. Thanks. I'll ask around." Some place fairly cheap would probably be the best. He didn't have much money on him (maybe not any?) and he didn't have any of his photography equipment either. Maybe the Commercial District has a camera store.

He's still sitting in the chair. He really doesn't want to get up, not yet. He's tired, like he's been running for days. Finally in a place that's more safe than it is dangerous, his eyes slip closed and he falls asleep. Feel free to wake him.

[workthroughit]

Dr. Hill is perfectly all right letting Henry stay where he's at, even when there are already voiced suggestions of going elsewhere for advice or lodging. And when he falls asleep, well.

Might as well let the guy get some rest.

Whenever Henry wakes up, he'll be doing so still in the chair he'd dozed off in. But the desk and the man seated at it are gone. Not a single trace of him. All except the business card left on his lap, stating the man's name, qualifications, address and phone number.

It's only after Henry's attention is potentially grabbed by that card that a hand comes down on his shoulder. The doctor and the desk both back in place, the former indeed standing immediately in front of him.

"Rise and shine, Mr. Townshend!"

[roomed]

Henry wakes up quite a bit later. He's sleepy, but he feels better rested than he has in ages. Of course, the sleepiness disappears as he notices the card and is suddenly grabbed by someone he didn't see. He twists immediately, reaching for a weapon he doesn't have--

But the hand belongs to Dr. Hill. And he remembers where he is and who it was he talked to, and he relaxes. He'd worry about how the man appeared out of nowhere some other time. He squints and shakes his head. "Oh, sorry. Did I fall asleep?"

Clearly. So he asks something else. "Uh...this is your card?"

[workthroughit]

"It is!" He leans back against the desk, crossing his arms with a smile. "And you did. Have you been sleeping properly, Mr. Townshend? Been under undue stress? You just nodded right off!"

[roomed]

Henry brushes the hair out of his eyes as he rubs his face. "Yeah... I mean, no. I haven't been sleeping well. Nightmares, for a long time."

But not this last time. It was wonderful. "Thanks, for letting me rest." Hopefully this guy- psychiatrist?- didn't mind too much. Henry pulls himself up out of the chair, moving somewhat stiffly.

[workthroughit]

"You know, that might be something to ask the Nexus about as well. The nightmares, that is. Or I could introduce you to someone. I know a young man around here who's business is dealing with and correcting wayward dreams. Provided you aren't concerned with someone poking about in your head, that is."

Isn't this guy just so helpful?

[roomed]

Poking around in his head, huh? The way it was worded sort of made him pause. "...I don't know about that," he replied. "But I wouldn't mind meeting him, at least. And maybe I'll ask. I don't know if anyone would...uh, be able to help me, really. But it's worth a try. Thanks."

He probably wouldn't ask, especially not if it starts coming back to him. But he was thinking about it, at least. This guy- he seemed kind of off, but he'd been really helpful since Henry had gotten here. So he added, "Thanks for everything," with an awkward sort of gesture back at the chair.

[workthroughit]

"Of course! I'll see about arranging a meeting between you and the young man in question. His name's Viatorus, should you come across him on your own. Do you think you'll be staying in the Nexus?"

[roomed]

He mouthed the name, trying to make sure he'd remember. It was definitely unique enough. He responded to the question with a nod. He looked down at his hands, turned one over. "Yeah, I think I will. I don't...uh, have anywhere else to go, really."

He'd check back here, or perhaps even drop by the office listed on the card, once he knew what he was doing. He'd try not to be impossible to reach, since this guy was helping him out.

[workthroughit]

"Excellent! If nothing else, the Nexus is wonderful entertainment and has a fine selection of cafés. Although I am curious; no desire to return home? There are some present who can find or make a portal back to your place of origin, after all."

[roomed]

The question had him staring off into the distance. Why not go back? He thought about it and there was a deep emptiness when he thought of home. "...I don't think there's anything there...anymore."

He's aware that doesn't make much sense. But at least he's not talking about umbilical cords kept in boxes, or something like that?

[workthroughit]

Home is where the ghosts crawl out of the seeping, black pits in the wall heart is.

the answer does little to phase the doctor. He only clicks his tongue sympathetically. "That does have a tendency to happen. Nowhere to go back to. But the Nexus is a place of rebirth and rebuilding! You're quite lucky to have found this place, I think."