A Question of Changes [A couple days into liminal]

[mytearsaremine]

Uh, hi. I'm Jolie. And I'm not screaming at you all this time. Sorry about that. I was just kind of scared and stuff, and didn't know what I was doing, since I'd kind of just showed up and all. But now I do, so no more yelling.

Only now I kind of have a question? And I wanted to ask as many of you as possible, so I guess I'm doing it here, and like this, even if it's kind of creepy still that people talk in my head. But it's not a bad talking in my head, and everybody says you can't do anything to me with it, so I'd better get used to it, right? And no better way to get used to something than to do it.

So anyway, the question, right. Do these Trump guys ever... change what you were before you got here? Like, your abilities or appearance or something? Besides the mark things. I've seen a couple of those. I mean like other things.

Has that happened to anybody?

Comments

[brokers]

Not initially, perhaps, but Jaunts have come to violence more than once in the past.

[mytearsaremine]

Oh geez. Really? I'm not sure I... well, okay, I probably could hurt somebody if I really wanted to. I'd feel really bad about it, but I could. But I'd really rather not. Can we not if we don't want to?

[brokers]

Of course. Not everyone is equipped for violence, and there are frequently other tasks that need to be accomplished.

[mytearsaremine]

Oh good. That's really good to know. How often does that kind of thing happen? I mean, things got pretty nuts in this Jaunt, didn't it?

[brokers]

Yes, it did. And it happens with some frequency - we are often set into the middle of social or political upheaval, and those situations are not always safe, even without the introduction of outside elements.

[mytearsaremine]

Great.

[That's sarcasm. Not sure if that comes through the toneless network very well.]

Well, I guess if they want us to fix things, they're not usually going to be fun things.

[brokers]

I would not say they want us to fix things. Change them, certainly, but those changes are not necessarily for the better.

[mytearsaremine]

Why would they want to change something for the worse? That sucks.

[brokers]

Because it suits them, or advances their plans.

[mytearsaremine]

Do we know anything about their plans? Everybody I've talked to says they don't really talk to us about, oh, anything.

[brokers]

We have no concrete information, though it has been possible to extrapolate from several Jaunts. Enough to be certain that there is some form of plan, and that they are not all on the same side, even if they may have similar goals.

[mytearsaremine]

Oh great. More warring gods.

[There may in fact be a groan in those words.]

That's what was happening the last place I got kidnapped to. The things that called themselves gods were fighting over us. It kind of sucked.

[brokers]

These do not call themselves gods, though several Travelers have made that claim on their behalf.

Regardless, I do not think they're fighting over us, precisely. We seem to be pieces in their game, but not their goal.

[mytearsaremine]

I'm not sure if that's better or worse, actually. I guess that kind of explains the not letting us stay dead part, though, if they need us for something. Not that I'm complaining, I don't really want to be dead, but dying and then coming back sounds pretty crappy.

[brokers]

It is...deeply unpleasant. If you are cautious, however, you may be able to avoid it, and there are always those amongst our fellow Travelers who will work to protect you if you need it.

[mytearsaremine]

Well, I don't want to be dead weight that needs protecting all the time, either... I can fight some. If I have to. My roommate back in Ryslig was teaching me brawling.

[brokers]

Not wishing to fight or to kill does not make someone dead weight. And escape is always a valid method of self-preservation.

[mytearsaremine]

I know, I know. I just don't like not doing stuff, I'm not good at sitting still and keeping out of things. I hate letting other people do stuff for me. Feeling useless sucks, you know?

[brokers]

What are you good at? There are a number of ways to contribute without stepping into the line of fire, and people who will help you improve your skill with them, if you are not an expert.

[mytearsaremine]

Swimming. Writing essays. Not crying. I can lift small objects with my mind, that's kind of useful, and I can go all intangible and shadow-y if I want to avoid getting hit by something.

[brokers]

It sounds like you may make a good scout. Or someone to record information about the worlds we visit - occasionally, we return to them, and the more infomation collected from varying perspectives, the better we are able to blend in that second time.