Originally posted February 8, 2011
Wash took a step forward, positioning his considerable bulk between the stranger and his sister, Agnes. If he meant them harm, it would take a few moments for Aggie to don her Samurai Obsidian armor. The black man's unbreakable skin would give her the time needed to pull out the big guns.
"No, Wash." Agnes placed a petite hand against his broad chest. "This is the In-Betweener. He's with The Guardians. I was going to ask him for help." She blinked, suddenly aware that she had not asked the hero for help, yet. She looked up to him, small and pale against the mass of her tall, dark skinned brother. Aggie smiled weakly. "Hmmm, hello Sebastian."
Wash looked down to his twin sister then up to the new arrival. He raised his hand to push his glasses back up his nose and brush a blond lock from his forehead. The twins did not know much of The In-Betweener. This creature could travel back and forth between dimensions and read minds. Sebastian could see any fears Wash would hope to hide. The large man stepped forward and extended his hand. Wash learned early on in his career to address telepaths with candor and honesty.
"Sir," he said, his baritone voice even, "My name is George Washington Howard-Thomas. I'm the American Promise, the second one, actually." He smiled, white teeth bright against his dark face. "I believe you've met my sister, Agnes, Samurai Obsidian." Her smile conveyed some hope as she nodded in Sebastian's direction. Wash continued, "We are the adult children of the original American Promise, Regina Howard, and Samurai Indigo, Chance Thomas. We're from the future, well, a future." He looked to his sister before continuing. She slipped an arm around him. "We are literally at the wrong place at the wrong time," Wash explained. "We're trapped. We can't get back to where we came from. We could really use your help."
-- by In-Betweener
The In-Betweener extended his hand to shake the large man's hand. His face held a tight grin, almost of stifled amusement. He'd watched the myriad expressions cross their faces as his arrival had been heralded by the bright blue flash. He was not a subtle teleporter. He had of course noted their original arrival but had decided not to act as they seemed most intent on doing as little damage to the timeline as possible. This perhaps had been where the source of his mild amusement had come. Normally temporal travelers either have an agenda or continue their lives as if they'd never left their home juncture, careless of the incidental damage that they do.
He studied both of them in a moment before he spoke; his smooth voice with the hint of reverb a stark contrast to his normally icy and emotionless reputation. "A pleasure to meet the two of you." That statement alone would be enough to throw most people off kilter. Sebastian often didn't seem to take much pleasure or mirth from many people, even less so when it pertains to his duties keeping the timeline uncluttered. He looked at the pair again as he was told that his help would be needed. He seemed to study them again for a brief moment, sending out just the subtlest of mental probes to brush against their surface thoughts. He would only look at the thoughts that were practically broadcast out, never enter their minds directly unless invited. These were the rules he'd instilled in his daughter and those he fully believed in.
He had to admit that he was in somewhat uncertain territory. He had of course interviewed the girl, he'd made sure of it and had scheduled the interview to ensure that he'd be here when it happened. He'd noticed them instantly but hadn't set off any warnings so he'd opted to watch from a distance. He'd actually spent some time questioning their arrival as they seemed almost drawn to cross paths with him, as most in their position tended to run in the opposite direction. "What can I do for the two of you? If you simply want to return home that can be done pretty quickly. I could send you there now, but I get the idea that there's more that you're looking for than simply going home."
-- by Rex Celestis
"Well," Aggy bit her lip, pinching it sharply between her teeth. The paused lasted long than she hoped. She couldn't call up the thought. It had seemed a set point in her mind. Her blue eyes looked back to her brother. "Wash, I don't remember why we're here." Her brother turned his head down towards his upturned sister's face. He looked for the detail and found nothing.
The three of them stood through a moment of uncomfortable silence.
"We are," Wash inhaled deeply. "We are experiencing some degeneration. Certain vibrational constants in this local reality differ from ours. It's affecting our mental processes. Our device... The device we made to come here to this time, doesn't function."
"It works," insisted Aggy. She bowed her her then grinned sheepishly at Sebastian. "It's just not doing what it's supposed to. Bring us back home."
"Agnes, I think we need to account for the possibility..."
"No, George," she asserted with a tone she inherited from her mother. "It works. I'm absolutely certain." The petite, dark haired woman turned her attention back to the In-Betweener. "There is something else wrong. I feel it."
"In any case," American Promise continued. "We think it best we return to our time and reality as soon as possible, before we suffer any permanent damage."
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