July Support Group

[tramitem]

Who: OPEN (Including to all the new characters who app throughout the month)
What: Bureau Run, Non-Mandatory Support Group
When: There are meetings at various times during the week, whatever works for your character between 8 am and 10 pm
Where: There are meetings at various locations around NYC, whatever works for your character
Rating/Warnings: We ask that players put appropriate warning labels in the subject lines of their threads as they become necessary


There’s a generic spread of food on a table off to one side of the room: donuts, muffins, bagels, and cookies; coffee, lemonade, water, and because one of the Different asked for it, hot chocolate. Maybe you’re hungry enough to try it—it’s free after all.

Or maybe you can’t stomach anything, given the event you’re attending.

The space is a local rec center. The beige-painted cinder block walls and the fluorescent lighting are a terrible combination. Maybe they are reminiscent of the public school you attended in your youth?

Why are you here? Curiosity? Maybe the Bureau official will say something that will help you make sense of things? The meeting was interesting—who knew there were so many people like you, receiving memories of a past life? The group was led by someone from The Bureau—the Department of Medical Services. Some people are staying in their chairs and chatting—they must know each other from previous meetings. Some of them are gravitating towards the food.

How do you feel about tonight? Has it helped you come to terms with the dream of memories you’re having? Maybe it’s time to talk to others, get an understanding of their experience.

Comments

[hoponpop]

Yes.

[ What portion of that he's responding to is left a mystery as he swigs his coffee. ]

So what happens now, we keep getting more memories of other times?

[not_as_i_do]

As far as I can tell. To date I've just had the one, but ... that was only about a month ago, so... I'm waiting to see. I've had some people say they mostly come to them while they sleep, others aren't as lucky. Two people I've spoken to actually have the same memory of each other. It'll be interesting to see if the same thing happens to me ...

[he's been wondering about that ever since he heard about it. what if one of the Different turns out to be that son from his memories, the one he doesn't have here, has never had? ... he both wants it to happen and dreads it ever happening, all at once.]

[hoponpop]

Two people who remember each other? Did they know each other before?

[ If so, it might offer a clue as to what's happening.

Or not, he doesn't know. ]

[not_as_i_do]

Yeah, they did. The one I spoke to said they only have one specific memory that they've both remembered, so each of them keeps updating the other when they learn something new.

[he glances around, making sure no one from the Bureau is chaperoning anywhere nearby, and lowers his voice]

I've also been told by a number of people to not trust the Bureau as far as I can spit, so take that however you will.

[hoponpop]

Well, I wasn't anyway, but that's real encouraging to hear.

[ It means things are even worse than he thinks. ]

[not_as_i_do]

A lot of people seem to find sarcasm to be the best medicine for this condition. Glad to see you're catching on rather quickly. [a wry smile]

[hoponpop]

[ He quirks a smile back. ]

Be careful, I hear it's catching.

[not_as_i_do]

Oh, it's more or less genetic in my family. I've had it for ages.

[he widens his eyes and raises his eyebrows for a bit of cheeky emphasis]

At the very least, I can say I've learned to mitigate the side effects some people get in severe cases. Dirty looks, that sort of thing.

[hoponpop]

I don't think I have that kind of control over it.

[ He looks around a little, seeking whether there's a No Smoking sign. His nicotine cravings have started up with all the pressure of this. ]

We probably can't smoke in here.

[not_as_i_do]

No, I'd say not. But if you want company, I could join you for a breath of relatively fresh air.

[he's never been a smoker - between his training and his father, time saw to that - but he knew a lot of people who were, and wasn't about to deny anyone their coping mechanisms. especially anyone in the same strange situation as him.]

[hoponpop]

[ He nods. ]

Thanks.

[ And then he gets up, expecting Martin to follow. ]

[not_as_i_do]

[and follow he does, taking in a slow breath of the evening air. city air it may be, but it's still not as stifling as inside the meeting locale. he watches his companion take out his cigarettes and light up, thoughtfully]

If you don't mind my asking, where were you when it happened? Your first memory, I mean.