002; rude questions [video/action]

[assumedposition]

Ladies and gentlemen of the Tranquility, good evening.

[From the video, you can see Albert is seated somewhere in the oxygen gardens, on a wide-open patch of grass. He looks somewhat contemplative.]

I have a-- a somewhat personal question to ask of you all, so don't feel compelled to answer if you don't wish to. [He seems to hesitate, and then he plunges ahead quickly, as if he must ask it before he loses courage.]

How many of you here believed yourselves to have passed away before you woke up in this place?

And-- for those of you who don't want to talk about something quite so morbid, maybe you could tell me what year, or what country, or planet you come from. I'd... really like to hear about other people's homes. As for me-- I'm from Paris, France, the year 5053.

I've also got some tea and plenty of cups to go around here in the garden, if you'd prefer to speak in person. I'd welcome the company, and the chance to meet all of you.

Comments

/o/

[vivelavenir]

I see.

[Not only perfectly rational and acceptable, but that had been what Jehan had guessed of him at first. Well, before he'd seen the error in calling this the afterlife.]

...It's all a bit paradoxical in a sense, isn't it? In your time everyone from mine is long past, and in mine, your existence is only a distant possibility.

Perhaps terms like 'death' are too finite. Life is so broad and so short, and pre-existence and death are infinitely longer and broader. We are too distant to have ever touched and yet, here we are.

Maybe man is very arrogant, thinking in such a narrow way!

[That's how he'd like to view it, anyway. A world beyond imagination; that seemed right, as nature was more complex than man.]

[assumedposition]

[That gets a faint smile out of him.]

Perhaps so. And yet, even after meeting so many people who claim to have met their ends, I still can't think of this as any kind of afterlife.

Just for starters, there's not nearly enough people.

[vivelavenir]

Well... yes, there is that. And then, if you'd want to be logical about it-- [Which he wasn't always, but all right,] --the order of it doesn't quite make sense.

I fell before a friend of mine, and yet, he greeted me here. He has been here for months, even. Yet, I had seen him not minutes ago when it happened.

[Jehan can talk about this with a straight face because he has had an absurd amount of practice since arriving.]

[assumedposition]

[Now that catches his interest]

What-- really?

Then... it's possible for those who have passed before us to still find their way here after us?

[vivelavenir]

I... suppose it must be, mustn't it?

[It would be impossible to miss that spark, but Jehan thinks it kindest not to comment upon it.]

In fact, it is proven.

[assumedposition]

... Ah ...

[Albert's face looks like it doesn't even know what it's doing. His eyes widen in surprise, then his mouth seems about to smile, but then he looks down again to furiously blink back tears. There's easily a million emotions going through his head right now, each battling for dominance. This is possibly the best and simultaneously worst news he's received since arriving, and he doesn't know what to do with it. At all.

Embarrassed, he finally settles for putting a hand over his face.]

... I'm-- sorry. Excuse me. I just-- haha. Thank you for telling me this, Jehan.

[vivelavenir]

[Looking just a little bit surprised-- he'd known this was an affecting topic, but had he known how much...-- Jehan draw in a breath and looked down quickly, feeling a pang of guilt. Whoever Albert was worried over; friend, family, or perhaps his own death; it wasn't anything of his to pry into. But he certainly hadn't mean to upset him.]

...Not at all.

Are you-- are you all right, Albert?

If I... overstepped somehow, I'm sorry.

[assumedposition]

[Wiping at his eyes surreptitiously, Albert laughs suddenly]

You don't have to... worry so much. You didn't overstep anything. I just said thank you, didn't I?

I'm really fine, I just-- you took me by surprise.

[vivelavenir]

I'm afraid I hadn't meant to.

[He's not sure if the surprise was welcome or not.]

But all right, if you're sure.

[assumedposition]

I'm positive. [The smile is a little forced, but he's not lying. He'll be all right in time.]

Why don't you come join me here for tea? The gardens are beautiful. I'll bet you've never seen anything like them before.

[vivelavenir]

[He can't help a very soft laugh here. He isn't in the most cheerful of moods, but.]

...They are beautiful.

[He agrees.

After all, finding them had been second on his list of things to learn aboard this ship.]

[assumedposition]

Besides, I must return your book to you. I'm afraid I've kept it from you for far too long already.

[vivelavenir]

Ah! Have you finished it?

[That certainly perks him up a bit!

OPTIMISM.]

[assumedposition]

[Oh, Jehan.]

Ah... sort of?

I have to confess-- I don't usually read poetry, so I think perhaps a lot of it was lost on me. It was quite difficult for me to read, but I admit, it is written beautifully.

[vivelavenir]

Oh... [Another little laugh there, colouring.] He's a bit heavy-worded, isn't he? [Granted he thinks that's gorgeous and genius and emotional, but. Maybe enough emotions for one week.]

Thank you for giving it a try. I'm glad you enjoyed it a bit.

[assumedposition]

It's a pity I don't have anything of my time here to share with you in return! I'm sure you'd enjoy it quite a lot. But then again, I never was a very good student, I'm afraid. [He laughs in spite of himself.]

[vivelavenir]

You have yourself to share and that is plenty.

...The gardens, you said.

[He small nod, head still angled down.]

I... will meet you there?

[assumedposition]

Haha! You're a shameless flatterer.

I'll see you soon.

[vivelavenir]

[aufhauh well that makes him go about as red as a beet because he absolutely wasn't trying to flatter, and shamelessness was such an embarrassing adjective, really. He isn't Courfeyrac, after all.]

It's just-- I meant-- oh! Nevermind.

[He'd turn off the device hastily and would head for the gardens.]

[assumedposition]

[Albert laughs quietly to himself after Jehan's face disappeared from the screen. He'd known what Jehan meant-- he'd only been teasing.

He turns off his own device, and then reclines back on the grass, arms tucked behind his head and looking at the ceiling.]

[vivelavenir]

[By the time he arrived, it was safe to say he was still a little pink from the comment. (If he were honest, he was also still flustered by Albert's brief tears earlier.)

Nonetheless, he gave a brief smile and waved shyly as he approached his friend.]

[assumedposition]

[Albert sits upright again once he spots his friend. In contrast, Albert's beckoning wave is big and bright.]

Jehan! Come, sit!

[vivelavenir]

[Always so friendly! The chipper tone was especially welcome, and put Jehan at ease. Whatever his mood had been earlier, Albert had seemed to recover quickly.

He'd follow that suggestion, going and having a seat beside him. The gardens were Jehan's favourite part of the ship so far-- as expected, the grass felt soft and familiar and welcoming against his palms.]

You find this a good place to come and think also? It's the spot I like best.

[assumedposition]

Yes. It's hard to be miserable in a garden such at this!

[Albert holds up the tea pot in offering]

Would you like some? It's just regular black tea, but I have a lot left. I confess I thought more people would show than just yourself... at this rate, I'm afraid either the pot will go cold or I'll have to drink it all myself! Haha.

[vivelavenir]

Thank you. I will have a cup, then; since it is your salons de thé.

[With its radical thoughts and cold drinks; very fitting.

He didn't miss the use of the word miserable, and gave a brief glance of worry at the other man. Hopefully... whatever had been troubling his mind truly had eased now.]

--You know, I am very surprised that my own friends have not taken up your offer. We had our own little salon, in Paris.

Though it may be because you serve tea and not wine.

[Which is... only half-joking, really.]