Summer 1 - Greetings and Welcome - Action

[kollomods]

[ It's a mild sunny day when the first group of guests make land at Norrhamn. A gentle breeze rustle the birch trees and tangle in the bunting that's hung across the buildings in celebration of this very special occasion. Aina has been busy gathering up guests over the last few hours and now the ferry is approaching the port, waves breaking gently against the bow.

Olivia is waiting on the jetty, clipboard hugged close to her body. She's excited and nervous all at once, anxious to get to meet these people that she's read so much about, the faces behind the pleading letters. This is the first day her new job becomes hands on. Hopefully she'll be good at it.

As the ferry lands and lets the guests off, Olivia raises a hand in a cheerful greeting. ]

Hello! Welcome to Norrhamn!

Comments

[oracledriven]

a.
[The boat is quiet as it rocks in the water -- as if voices, laughter, and conversations are muted somewhat by the ocean waves lapping at the boat. It's...a little surreal. Not the quiet, but the peace settling all around them. All the same, Noel feels like he's holding his breath, like he's waiting for reality to sink in. For a shadow at his back to catch up with him. And yet...and yet.

It's fine. He tells himself it's fine.

A woman meets them at the docks, and without meaning to he instantly sizes her up. Realizing he's doing it, his stomach turns a bit, and he glances around, studying their surroundings to avoid eye contact.]

... It really is beautiful out here.

[He sounds a little surprised. It's almost enough to make him let his guard down -- almost, but not quite.]

b.
[Noel didn't bring much stuff with him, so it doesn't take long to toss the half-filled bag on his bed and go out for a look around. The general store is particularly interesting, with its selection of clothes, foods, and equipment. A faint half-smile crosses his face as he lays eyes on the vests and oars. There had been a time, in the last world he visited, where they were planning to build a boat, to explore with. Maybe he'll get that boat trip after all.

Later, he makes his way to the community center. The lack of kitchen staff is a little suspicious --but then, to him, everything is suspicious-- but he doesn't dwell on it long, distracted by the nearby garden. That's where you'll find him for a decent part of the afternoon, admiring the plants.]

Fruit trees. Huh. [He doesn't pick the fruit, but he does slide a finger over a few of the leaves.] Someone's been taking good care of you.

[Is...is he talking to that tree? Yeah. He is. Listen, give him a break, he went through a phase where he was a tree for a while.]

b.

[forever_jack]

[Plants aren't really Jack's thing, but that doesn't mean he can't enjoy a garden, and this is a pretty and oddly peaceful one. He checks it out with a smile of simple pleasure spreading across his lips, which widens to a vaguely teasing grin at the young man apparently chatting up a pear tree.]

Got a bit of a thing for trees? [Despite the faint tease, his voice is warm - and completely nonjudgmental. In fact, it turns downright wistful.] Got to know a very nice tree myself, a long time ago! Sexy as hell, all smooth bark and sumptuous bulges in all the right places. And a voice that'd make grown men fall right at her feet...

[oracledriven]

--Huh?

[His hearing is back to normal in this world, and it feels like he's walking around with earmuffs and noseplugs in. Being easily snuck up on? It's not something he's used to. It only lasts a second, though, and Noel shakes his head at the stranger, offering a slight, lopsided smile.] Not exactly. They're interesting, though--

[...And then Jack is being Jack, which not only catches Noel by surprise, it actually leaves him a little speechless.]

A-- uh-- a tree with-- ...bark?

[Jack. Jack why.]

[forever_jack]

[He chuckles at the expression on the guy's face - in over a century and a half, he never has got over the fun of shocking people with his stories of other times and other worlds - and nods, grinning.]

Really, really smooth bark. [He winks.] Supple, too. You'd never have expected a tree to be able to bend that way.

[Then he relents, abandoning the teasing and offering his hand instead, with a warm, friendly smile.] Captain Jack Harkness. You're new here too, I take it?

[oracledriven]

[Clearly the guy is giving him a hard time, but no amount of knowing that is making this any less of a hard time. Considering Noel has dealt with time travel, evil gods, and literally turning into a monster, you'd think this wouldn't rattle him so much. But no. That is not the case.] Uh--

[Lucky Jack puts him out of his mercy. Noel raises an eyebrow, reaching out to shake the guy's hand. He even allows a bit of a grin.]

Noel. Noel Kreiss. I just got here today. [He nods at their surroundings.] How's it living up to what you expected so far?

[forever_jack]

[Not even time travel, evil gods and turning into a monster can prepare you for the full-on Jack Harkness experience! At least Jack's doing his best to behave - more or less!

That's a nice firm handshake, and a nice grin to go with it.] Good to meet you, Noel Kriess!

[He glances about at the beautiful, peaceful garden with a smile.] It's pretty damn perfect, isn't it? I mean, I'd normally go for somewhere a little more tropical, but somehow this kind of works. It's very relaxing.

[oracledriven]

[Yeah no nothing can compare to that. But it's good to get the full experience early, you know -- make sure he's prepared!]

You too, Captain. [Right? That's how you're supposed to address a captain-y person right?

Following Jack's lead, Noel lets his eyes wander across the landscape. He can't argue with Jack's take on the place -- it's pretty much spot on. Perfect. Peaceful. Relaxing. It's got him feeling a little on edge.] I 'm still waiting for the catch. Still looking to see what's in it for the folks in charge. You know?

[forever_jack]

Ach, you don't need to stand on ceremony here! Jack's fine.

[He quirks an eyebrow.] Does there have to be a catch?

[Although now Noel mentions it, what do the folks in charge get out of this?]

Perhaps it's all funded by a wonderfully benevolent billionaire?

[oracledriven]

[It's a good question, and there's a time when Noel would have automatically said that no, there doesn't always have to be a catch. But that was about five hundred years and two different worlds ago, so he's lost a bit of that "shiny jrpg protag" shine.]

I wish I could say no. [He really, really does. This is one case where he'd love to be wrong.] But in my experience? People usually have their own agendas.

[The idea of benevolence is something he hadn't thought about, though, It'd be nice, wouldn't it?... Oddly enough, the thought of it makes him feel a little less uneasy. It's true that not every agenda is corrupt. Not everyone is inherently bad.]

If that's the case, [he grins a bit] I'm gonna owe someone a massive apology for talking about them like this.

b; prepare yourself

[spazzed]

( lance didn't bring much stuff with him, either; it really doesn't take him much time at all to start wandering around, to ultimately find himself where those fruit trees are not only because it all looks tasty, but because he's convincing himself that he's familiarizing himself with his surroundings, and it never hurts to do that, in his experience.

except he's not exactly prepared to find someone talking to a tree.

that seems like … no, it doesn't really seem like anything anyone in his team would do, except maybe allura, and that stems all the way back to her connection with the balmera — but that isn't the point, here. there is a guy talking to a tree and for whatever reason he needs to comment on it, not only because he rarely finds a reason to fill the silence with anything other than silence. ) Think it's gonna say anything back?

( lance. you're not doing anyone any favors, here.

don't do this. )

i am not ready

[oracledriven]

[What, you've never talked to inanimate objects before? Never? (Okay, to be fair, maybe it seems less weird to Noel because he essentially spent years having no one to talk to but himself.)

Anyway.

Noel is having quite a conversation (no) when Lance manages to catch him by surprise. Lacking the senses of a wolf --or rather, a werewolf-- is really doing a number on him, right now.]

--Uh? [... ... ...

Okay Lance that's kind of a dumb question.]

Do...do trees normally talk back to you?

[He looks a little Concerned.]

i played myself i'm not either i already need help

[spazzed]

( okay so maybe he yells at video games every once in a while but that doesn't really count as talking to an inanimate object, does it? more like venting frustrations in a colorfully vulgar way?

yeah. that's totally it. boy can he get creative.

noel can look as Concerned ( ™ ) as he wants, but listen. he's not the one talking to trees here, and it goes without saying that maybe that had been a stupid question, but this one has a tendency to overlook the obvious for the sake of an ice-breaker, and he thinks that had just been a good one.

at least if you still had those werewoof senses you would have smelled his cheesiness from a mile away. bad luck for you, buddy. ) No, but — that's not the point. ( you're bad at this. git gud. )

I don't talk to trees. ( THROWS HANDS IN THE AIR. )

literally what is HAPPENING HERE

[oracledriven]

That--

[... A pause. You know, Lance, you make a good point.]

That's fair.

[I mean, it's not like they ever talked back in Ryslig, either. He just sort of...understood them...? Which is still weird. But not quite on the same level. Anyway, he feels a need to defend his Tree Talking Habit.]

I wouldn't expect them to talk back. [A frown.] It's just been a while since I've seen trees this...I don't know, happy.

[That might not make any more sense, but at least Bob Ross would be proud.]

HECK IF I KNOW BUT I LOVE IT

[spazzed]

( sometimes! lance makes good points. they are occasionally few and far between but when he actually makes an attempt to prove something, whether just to himself or someone else? they tend to be valid.

can't do it too often, or he won't be labeled as the dummy of the team anymore.

it might seem like they're veering more into the avenue of normal conversation with that concession, but the next comment noel makes finds him just as … concerned?? as the other had been a second or two before.

trees can look happy? how can a tree look happy? ) It looks normal to me. ( oh my god. bob ross can be as proud as he wants, but that comment is just strange.

lance, you honestly can't tell me that you haven't seen some weird things in your space adventures. are you sure you've never seen a tree look happy? what about when you were hanging out with the olkari? that would have been a likely time to see such a thing. maybe. ) Does that mean it's happy?

i didn't know this was a Thing i needed in my life until now but it's SO GOOD

[oracledriven]

[Okay so Lance made one good point --just one!-- and now he's getting Super Judgey about the levels of happiness in trees. This whole conversation is bouncing back and forth enough to give someone whiplash.

Noel is trying not to sound indignant when talking about the local flora. After all, not everyone can say they were a plant for a while.]

It's the fruits. [He gestures at a low-hanging pear.] Trees only make fruit and flowers if they're getting enough nutrients for it, right?

[He knew nothing about any of this at home. It's amazing what turning into a plant will do for a guy.]

So if it's producing a lot of fruit, it must be getting everything it needs.

[Thus, happy. Get it now, lion driver?]

i am literally losing my shit this is perfect

[spazzed]

( listen here mister time-traveler from a barren future, not everyone can wax poetic about what makes flora happy or what doesn't — but … okay, not everyone can wax poetic about that from personal experience, either, and it goes without saying that that advantage gives you the upper hand in the argument.

he does. make a point of inspecting that pear, though. because it does look nice and full, and upon closer inspection it does look like this tree is doing pretty well for itself. ( and that really isn't the oddest thought he's ever had in his head, if you can believe that, and you probably can. ) he makes a contemplative sort of noise in the back of his throat, folds his arms over his chest.

okay, buddy. you win this one. ) I guess? ( he doesn't mean that to come out sounding like a question, because he's not still skeptical, but sometimes he has no control over what his voice does or how squeaky it can get when he's indignant.

not that he's being indignant here. that's just for frame of reference. ) Okay, I'll give you that one. Sure sounds like you know your stuff. ( a beat. ) You study plants or something?

( also, one of these days, he'll introduce himself. jury's out on whether or not today is that day, though. )

i am sO LATE I'M SORRY

[oracledriven]

[Listen, he comes from a place where the closest thing he ever had to real, actual fruit in his life was probably freeze-dried jelly beans. Just let him have this. Noel takes a step back, giving the trees a more well-rounded look. It's just nice having something so peaceful around.

Well, peaceful til good old Lance got here, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, Noel still has his Moments where he, like a kleptomaniac, will just sort of Take Things Literally. So when he hears a question in Lance's "I guess????" he's going to answer it.] Just take my word for it.

[Mostly because this seems like the weirdest thing to spend time arguing on. Seriously.

In terms of the actual question, Noel is a little more reluctant to answer it.]

You could say that. In a manner of speaking.

[Suddenly sounds super cagey because the alternative is explaining "well, I spent a few months as a tree," which is just embarrassing.]

a

[norrhamn_residents]

[ Avoiding eye contact might be doable, but avoiding contact entirely is a different thing. This is her job, to meet and greet and put faces to the names of all those letters she's been reading. She approaches, determined and a little bit nervous. Real people! Here! Under her care! Let's hope she doesn't faint! ]

Thank you. We got lucky with the location. You must be.... [ She looks for help in her clipboard. ] ...Noel!

[oracledriven]

[Despite his hesitation, Noel's actually relieved to see a welcoming face. It doesn't necessarily set his mind at ease, but at least the force behind this place isn't some nameless gods fighting over people.

Well. Not on the surface, at least.]

That's me. [His eyes go from her to the clipboard.] You collecting information on us?

[Look, he's just being cautious. Very, very, incredibly cautious.]

[norrhamn_residents]

Oh! Oh no, just making sure everyone arrived safe and sound! [ She flusters a little. ] I'm the administrator — Olivia. I'm Olivia.

[oracledriven]

[Noel didn't mean to roll a nat 20 in Intimidation, it just sort of...happened. And now that he's seeing Olivia's flustered response, he rubs the back of his neck, a little embarrassed. Tone down on the intensity. Got it.]

Olivia. Right. Sorry, I didn't mean to-- uh. ["I didn't mean to be scary? It's just that I was a metaphorical monster for 500 years and then literally for another two?" ...He shakes his head, extending a hand for her to shake.]

It's nice to meet you. Are we the first ones here?

[norrhamn_residents]

[ To be fair she's pretty easy to scare, especially today. Drawing a breath, Olivia finds her composure and her confidence in... well, paperwork. ]

Yes. Our very first guests. [ She smiles, proudly. ] Bear with us as we work out the kinks.

[oracledriven]

Will do. [He offers a faint smile.

So the place is really as new as it looks. Good to know. Noel's intentionally trying to keep the intensity down at this point, but he still has questions. Sorry, Olivia -- it's just that he doesn't usually get the chance to deal with the folks in charge.]

I was wondering...who came up with the idea for all of this? I mean-- "multidimensional resort town" wouldn't exactly have been my first thought for a tourism plan.

[norrhamn_residents]

Oh, that's actually really interesting! [ She perks up immediately at this question — this is what drew her to the project in the first place. ]

Way back in the tail end of the industrial revolution, the government decided to set up summer camps for underprivileged children living in the cities. Barnkolonier. It was a way for poor families to send their kids away to the countryside for a couple of weeks so they could get fresh air, sunlight and healthy meals away from the soot and smoke of the crowded cities.

We're running with the same kind of concept. [ You're underprivileged, Noel. ]

[oracledriven]

[Congrats, Olivia. You're really starting to make a dent in Doubty McDoubter's defenses. After all, if there are things like restaurants and stores in other worlds that don't have an agenda...there's certainly a chance that there's no hidden goal for a place like this.]

Hence the vacation aspect. I get it.

[Lady, you don't know the half of it.]

So we get a break, and you get...what, exactly? I'm sure there must be more than just "the warm, fuzzy feeling of helping people."