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 Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:52 pm
The dreams had been like nothing he'd ever dreamed, a swirl of horrible brutality, blood and violence. He didn't understand it or what he was seeing, the version of himself in that world nothing like reality. When he woke it was to a wave of relief and the beeping of alarms.
He had a strong feeling he'd overslept, and that wouldn't do at all. He was never late and this was his first day on the job, a job he'd promised to do as well as one could do without prior experience of a field.
He stirred but he wasn't sure where he was, and as he opened his eyes to the unfamiliar inside of a sealed pod, he was afraid.
"Er." he said, and his voice felt small. "Help? Someone?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:48 pm
Merric had not been on pod duty all that long. Perhaps ten minutes or so, and he'd even been a little early, which was why, as he was rifling through the paperwork, he was startled to hear one of the pods begin to beep from one of the nearby rows.
He blinked, confused - then realized what was happening a second later, eyes widening as Merric dropped the paperwork and hastily made his way over to the nearest aisles, peering down into it. There was no one in the first or the second, but a quiet voice was coming from the third; which was where Merric found the newest awakened trainee.
"Hello," he said, taking a few steps towards the man and holding out a hand. "Please, don't be alarmed - my name is Merric Cassel. And you are?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:18 am
"Oh thank goodness!" Barclay said as someone else arrived, opening the pod in time to spot him and taking the offered hand in his gloved one to steady himself as he stepped out. "I got quite the fright there. Thought I was all alone."
He composed himself as well as he could, feeling groggy and jet lagged as he tried to push aside the strange dreams which seemed to linger on the edge of memory.
Things came back to him more easily once he was properly upright and in the company of someone who seemed very tidy and reasonable. His accent was the sort of formal RC English spoken only in the company of the upper classes and everything about his mannerisms was stiff and equally formal.
"Barclay." he said. "Barclay Gosvenor. Pleasure to meet you Merric." And it took a concious effort not to politely call the other man Master Cassel, reminding himself hurriedly that being over-formal could be construed as rudeness in casual conversation.
He was presently dressed in one of his several work suits, the wingtip collar edged over a neat dark tie.
"Am I to assume that this is Deus?" he said, with a friendly smile.
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:14 am
"No, not alone," said Merric, in what he hoped was a reassuring tone of voice. "Although, I mean - there are others around here, obviously, but they're a bit - asleep - but anyway," he added, hastily moving on before that line of questioning got a little awkward. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Barclay."
He seemed a very polite sort, very respectful; the sort of man who would bow to you in the old days, or offer to take your coat, or ask you how you were faring possibly. Merric himself tended to be overly polite - and very hesitant and quiet most of the time - but there was something very...natural about how Barclay carried himself.
He was also dressed extraordinarily neatly, which Merric already approved of, considering his own attire at present consisted of his normal light gray suit with a matching waistcoat and pale pink tie. He found himself relaxing somewhat.
"Yes, this is Deus," Merric said, with a glance around the room. "I'm afraid I'm only a beginner trainee here on the island, but I was assigned duties here in this room today - which I suppose is a good thing, considering that it's not often people wake up here."
He smiled hesitantly at Barclay. "What do you remember..?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:30 am
Barclay gave the other people in the pods a look and was a little chilled by the realisation they were surrounded by people the way he must have been up until a few minutes ago. This shadowy organisation must recruit a large number of people to be able to sustain so many sleeping figures. He tried not to think too hard about it, focused instead on Merric.
He wasn't sure what to think of the other man, impressed by his attire and suspicious he was potentially a businessman or perhaps a psychiatist, but it was impossilbe to ascertain his profession simply from how he was dressed.
At the realisation he wasn't in the precence of a top-tier ranked individual he breathed a little easier, less terrified of making a wrong move or offending but no less respectful.
"I remember agreeing to be here." he said. "I was informed it was a unique vein of employment where I would fight shadow creatures and be offered the means with which to do so. I was informed it wouldn't all be fighting. I was in search of a different life direction and now ostensibly, here I am."
He smiled.
"Am I close?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 9:10 am
Merric caught the glance and winced a little. "It's a little...daunting in here, I know," he said, casting an eye over to the nearest pod, which thrummed on steadily, glass panel in front a little darkened by the years. "There are a lot of pods and a lot of people still sleeping."
He gestured for Barclay to follow him out of the pod rows, feeling it would be a little easier to breathe when one wasn't surrounded by so many sleeping figures. "It is...very unique, yes," said Merric, with a slight laugh startled out of him. "Shadow creatures and the like weren't how I imagined my life to turn out, but so far it's not been too bad."
He had the others, after all. He had friends and acquaintances for the first time in his life, and he had Lysander, which was also something new and rare and very important. Merric cleared his throat and offered Barclay a small smile.
"You're quite close to the truth. As you know, it's called Deus Ex Machina, and essentially we are hunters who are in charge of protecting humanity from all of the...well, as you put it, shadow creatures, that threaten our existence and whatnot."
Merric reached for the clipboard. "Are you at all concerned yet?" he asked, with a touch of amusement.
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:05 pm
Barclay nodded, glad to be out of the oppressive atmosphere of the pod room, a little happier in the clean but clinical corridor and standing a little bit straighter. "I didn't have anywhere left to go in my old life, so onwards and upwards certainly." he said with a smile. Every expression the other man had seemed genuine but muted, as if used to never going to far on the scale of open mirth. His smiles were subtle and his frowns even subtler still.
"I hope to adapt quickly, I shouldn't like to be a bother to anyone."
He listened intently to the description the other man offered.
"Well, a little concerned, but who isn't on the first day of a new job? I'll turn as good a hand as I'm able to the whole monster fighting thing, I'm sure."
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 4:41 pm
Merric didn't particularly like the pod room, mostly for the sheer eerie sensation that he was surrounded by human beings who couldn't move, speak, or even breathe properly while they were in the pods. It was much easier to work when he did not have the feeling of being watched.
"Ah," he said, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Yes, I know that feeling very well. This life wasn't...exactly what I would have chosen, perhaps, but it's much better suited for me than my prior life as a civilian was. I don't believe I would have done much more if I hadn't come here."
All the reminders of his lack of ability, his lack of strength, his lack of - well, everything. He hadn't had anything at all to keep him in his old life; at least at Deus, he mattered to something, to someone, even if that was just an illusion and a temporary thing at best.
He cleared his throat. "I'm sure you'll do just fine," Merric reassured Barclay. "And I was very concerned and nervous my first few days here, but people are generally very willing to assist." Except for a few notable exceptions. "I've only been here less than a year myself, so I'm still learning, as well."
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 1:24 pm
Barclay nodded. "Indeed." he said. He wanted to spill out his life story, to tell the other man about the death of his old master and the crossroads his life had ended up at, but his training was such that he had had ingrained the concept that oversharing was a crass and embarrassing thing.
"You seem to be thriving." and again the desire to add sir at the end of his every comment was a habit that was hard to break. "And thank you kindly, I hope I do, earnestly. I hope to take advantage of all available help within the bounds of politeness, I've always been a very keen learner."
He looked a little bit dazed still by it all. "If I may be frank, I am very glad you were here Merric, I am still rather out of sorts."
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Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:06 pm
A faint flush of surprise spread across Merric's cheeks at the unexpected compliment. He wasn't used to them; wasn't used to anyone saying anything nice about himself, so the fact that someone - a complete stranger - was telling him he was thriving made him feel warm and happy.
"Oh - well - " He cleared his throat a little. "Thank you. I'm glad to hear that. And I'm glad to hear that my presence has helped you as well, even if I don't feel I've done that much in that regard. But I know it can be daunting when first awakening, I don't think I took it quite as well as you have so far."
Merric reached for one of the clipboards, leafing through the pages until he found the right form. "I believe I'm supposed to fill this out every time someone awakens, though admittedly, this is the first time I've been here for a pod opening. I can tell you the basics of where to go from here, though - such as getting a weapon and finding your room and the like."
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 1:37 pm
"You've been a tremendous help, an anchor or port in a storm one might say."
He nodded. "And you do me too much compliment also, I am somewhat shaken by all of this, not quite as level as perhaps my exterior might show. Ultimately however I am here to do as excellent a job as I can, I don't have time to indulge in my own fears and worries."
Eyeing the clipboard he stood up straighter and put his hands behind his back. "Certainly, do you need to ask me any questions?" he said.
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 6:59 pm
It pleased him immensely to know that he'd been helpful. Merric was feeling positively radiant by this point, a feeling he rarely felt around anyone other than Lysander and Roswell; though admittedly, Lysander's praise had more of a different effect than most people's.
"Don't worry," said Merric, and then, "Well, I mean, I suppose I can say that and you'd still worry, but try to worry less, that is. You seem entirely capable, I'm sure you'll be able to pull through this with ease. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you've started, it becomes second nature."
Mostly. Merric glanced down at the clipboard again.
"Ah. Yes - er...full name? And then age, although it doesn't tell me what division you're in, but it does give me a room here."
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