|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 7, 2023 16:22:05 GMT
The cashier froze solid as the loyalty card slipped their grasp, looking upwards with invisible, yet palpable comtempt. The creeping aggression was becoming harder to ignore, as the world itself seemed to ruminate this slight, the walls of perception drawing closer and closer, until the nausea subsided with a soft thud sound. "If that's what makes you happy", the cashier conceded, putting away the boots for the time being and motioning to a phone on their left that was absolutely not there a few seconds ago. "Have a safe day in New York", the cashier dismissed Strange, despite technically not being done with his order, their tone changing to deliver this odd farewell. The phone was a hotline to management, should Strange pick it up, he could hear it dialing and putting him on hold for a moment.
"Hello?", someone replied, a somewhat more elderly tone to their voice, but still with a distant, unrecognizable quality to it. "Mister Stephen? What seems to be the problem?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jun 7, 2023 21:30:03 GMT
Strange smiled to himself as the phone was answered and the person on the end seemed to know them. His mind was ticking away with ideas, thoughts and reasonings. Strange pondered the answer for a second, before he dove right in.
"I thought this might have been just a regular old interdimensional event, but the Sanctum being remade into something as tacky as a shield shop... well, that means this is either a personal thing, or it's tapping into dark, weird places of my psyche."
Strange turned to look at the people milling around, their strange, writhing faces and jarring motions filling the world around him.
"Of course, you might not be anyone special. You might genuinely be the manager of a shoe shop, that just so happens to know my name, and maybe you think that I'm the odd one. It's certainly plausible... but I just don't think that's the case, do you?"
He tugged his goatee, frowning slightly as he stared up the stairs of the Sanctum, or at least the version that this world held.
"So. Let's do introductions. Doctor Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme. Who may I ask am I speaking to?"
|
|
|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 7, 2023 22:01:45 GMT
"...Mr. Stephen, for your convenience I have your name on file, that is all. You have no need to introduce yourself", the manager replied after a very deliberate pause, she didn't sound sick like the cashier mentioned. "My name is-", she introduced herself, but what came after the niceties were not words, but some sort of grave, audible smog that could not be recited by a human tongue. "I am being informed that you are having some issues with your purchase. We can assure you that the fit is perfect and the soles will last you decades. What is it that is inconveniencing you?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jun 7, 2023 22:11:26 GMT
"Nothing else to comment on? You sure? Well, okay, miss... garbled nonsense, have it your way."
Strange felt his heart pitch, a tiny spark of irritation flexing in his mind.
"These... shoes. They're not right. I'm used to far older, far more useful shoes. Your shoes that you've got here are far too...:
Strange tugged his goatee, then sighed.
"You know what, no. That's not the angle. Hey, where are you right now? Aren't you interested in why a wizard is in your shop buying shoes? Or why the horizon is pure, grey Nothing?"
Strange cast a glance at the others in the building, wishing them gone. The voice was that right tone of annoying, and he just wanted answers.
"I think this would go so much better for both of us if we can talk face to face."
|
|
|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 7, 2023 22:39:30 GMT
"Mister Doctor Strange, you're a valued customer, and I do not hold judgment as to what you refer yourself as", the woman didn't budge, an experienced manager alright, "I am currently ill and cannot meet you, I would not inconvenience you with a cough. If you believe that the service given to you by-", another spout of verbal assailment interrupted the spiel, likely the 'name' of the cashier, "was not to your liking, then feel free to visit our other outlets on Baxter's Shopping Center and Frisk Tower. We'll forward you a BOGO coupon for your troubles", she mentioned names that were familiar, but misplaced, the reconstruction's failings were seemingly not haphazard, and involved more than just the Sanctum Sanctorum.
"We apologize for any issues you might have had, Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme. Have a safe day in New York"
The woman hung up, repeating the phrase. As soon as Strange stopped paying attention to the device in his hand, it would no longer be there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jun 8, 2023 5:36:32 GMT
Strange placed the phone down with some care now, noting that it had vanished as soon as he looked away and back. Baxter and Frisk... his mind spun, but he managed to ground himself. Whatever was happening here was causing a prickle up the back of his neck. It wasn't personal... no, whatever it was seemed to be affecting all of this New York.
It could be rogue AI trying to duplicate his home, or an alien being whose mind was a separate dimension. Perhaps the multiverse had spat this shoe-obsessed world out, leaving it to cling to whatever other universes happened to be close by. Or...
Or it could be a highly advanced advert for Nike.
Strange had to find someone in this place with a brain, and that wouldn't happen in a retail store. The name Baxter was familiar to him. It might not be the same headquarters in this universe, but...
Strange set out, his feet sending him on a determined beeline for Baxter's Shopping Centre, leaving the bastardised Sanctum behind.
|
|
|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 8, 2023 13:53:29 GMT
As Strange manually made his way through the bleak New York, it was easier to tell what exactly was missing. Everything was orderly, none of the inky phantoms bumped into him, there were no traffic delays, vermins seemed to fly and scamper straight past and through everything, as if they were just there for ambiance, the sky looked like it wanted to rain but didn't, not a single ambulance or fire truck was in sight. It was stillness in motion, a safe New York.
Amidst the torrent of phantoms walking alongside him, someone walking the opposite way bumped into Stephen. The person, a man in his 30, moving and looking like a real person, turned around with a hurried apology and stopped to look at the Sorcerer, however, as he did, it seemed like the bustle of the city also stopped to watch the anomaly with palpable disdain. "I-I'm sorry I have to get to work", the man hurried back along, continuing on his way, the atmosphere easing out as he did.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jun 8, 2023 17:35:21 GMT
Strange stopped as the man hurried past. He paused for a moment, watching the man hurry off, feeling the air relax as if the world, small as it was, held its breath. What was it waiting for? Something out of the ordinary to occur? Perhaps it was like white blood cells, totally placid until they found a foreign body in the veins... then they'd pounce. Strange tugged his goatee, then changed direction.
The man was hurrying to "work", but Strange caught up with a brisk step, then fell in beside him with a friendly smile.
"No need to worry. I was walking this way anyway, so why don't I join you? Doctor Stephen Strange, nice to meet you. What's your work, friend?"
|
|
|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 8, 2023 18:14:10 GMT
The man was visibly nervous when he was approached and simply played it cool, though he seemingly panicked when the doctor introduced himself. "What no!-nothing is str-, he looked bewildered and embarrassed for a moment before righting his clothes, "Plleased to meet you Doctor, name's Andrew, he let out a stilted professional-casual tone as he struggle to keep the nerves off of the crowds of no-ones surrounding them. "I-I'm not much for networking but I work at Eagle-Eye Consulting, a building a few streets from here", he mentioned, looking at his smartphone and hurrying his step as he caught wind of the time. Given where he leaned towards, they were soon going to take a left, it was likely the building where this whole dimension was nested, or at least, the reproduction of it.
"Calm work! I tell you! Nothing bad ever happens, forr sure"
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jun 8, 2023 18:37:48 GMT
"I'm sure it doesn't, Andrew. This seems like a place where nothing bad happens at all. Eagle-Eye consulting? I've been looking for a consultant myself."
Strange managed to keep his stride beside the other man, despite how he tried to speed up. He was smiling now, a fresh lead into the mystery of this place. Plus it was moving him away from the hellish world of shoes, which Strange found oddly comforting.
"Perhaps you could introduce me to some of your fellow... consultants? I'm sure they have a lot to teach me."
|
|
|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 8, 2023 20:56:07 GMT
"Ah, of course, I'm certain that whatever clinic you work for will be well served with a software audit, Jamie's been killing it lately on that end", Andrew relayed, whomever this person was, it sounded important, and also had a real name as opposed to some sort of eldritch groan. "Though I'm not sure what kind of scrubs are those but...I don't think they'll admit you on them", he pointed out. Whatever the source of the anomaly was, it would perhaps be more wary of Strange's sorcerous garb than some golems peddling shoes. "Uh good to see you Doctor Stephen but I can't afford to be late that would be very abnormal of me see you!", Andrew stepped up the pace and took a left, indeed making a run for a rather familiar building.
Seeing the reaction that mundane abnormality had on the 'populace', changing his outfit as he did before coming in would probably draw too much attention. Additionally, one of the things that this reproduction seemed to have scrubbed out was closed alleyways to be and phone booths to be discreet in, for somewhat scrutable reasons.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jun 9, 2023 8:29:53 GMT
Strange watched the man go, then looked at his garb. Always a critic. He felt like conclusions were coming to him now, but each one needed just that small scrap of proof. So he turned, marking the building in his mind and heading down the street to find somewhere to change. A coffee shop bathroom, perhaps, seeing as he never got to finish his drink on Earth. Maybe this dimension had good coffee?
|
|
|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 10, 2023 16:08:55 GMT
Wherever he procured his coffee in New York, he could procure here as well. The experience would even be pleasant, considering he didn't look too deeply into his surroundings. His wallet was still there, and could afford him a good roast, it tasted just like the real thing, should he indulge in drinking it. Perhaps in another moment of contemplation he could hear that the bustle of the crowd wasn't the natural conglomerate of voices of real people, but the actual sound of a bustle, background ambience music sung by a pale chorus. He was allowed use of the bathroom, and look at that, the only 'person' there just left it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jun 10, 2023 17:20:55 GMT
Strange stepped out of the bathroom in something more normal, an open-collar shirt and casual trousers. He sipped the coffee, thinking about how it was possibly even better than his reality. They might not do shoes well, but, damn, could this dimension brew a good cup of Joe. Strange noted that the more he "fitted in", the more real this place came. Dangerous.
He binned the coffee after a few sips, then strode back the street towards Eagle-Eye Consulting. He wasn't nervous, but was observant. Ready for... something. Whatever lay behind that door... Strange would be ready for weirdness.
|
|
|
|
Post by swapgo on Jun 10, 2023 21:03:41 GMT
The building atmosphere was a lot tenser than the open streets, and not only for the cramped, 'efficient' office building space. Eagle-Eye Consulting wasn't the only enterprise working in this space, and he could see a handful of other firms as he approached the foyer. While there were still a handful of simulacrums, there were also a larger number of real people, toiling through the day in this bleak New York, having a quiet, normal thursday in the office. Given Andrew's already experienced phrasing workarounds, it is likely that time advances slower in this dimensions, who knows how long it's been, all the calendars have only one row and it goes from 5th to 12th or 4th to 11th.
After making it to the office, Strange would unfortunately learn that the current secretary was late to work during the day of the incident, and was replaced by one of the bleak simulacrums. "Good afternoon and welcome to Eagle-Eye. May I have your name and your appointment so that we can expedite your service?", it droned on. Surely Strange already had an appointment, it would be a massive inconvenience for all parties involved that he didn't.
|
|
