Support Group - March 2021

[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

[no_applause]

Padme was frustrated with the entire experience. Were these meetings meant to help? She was left with more questions than answers and the official didn't seem very keen on answering any of them.

She'd been tucking her notebook back into her bag when she felt someone sit next to her. Sitting up, she was pleasantly surprised to find it was a rather handsome young man. She smiled, though she let her frustrations show in her eyes. "No, no they don't. I'm afraid I may have irritated them."

[darkforcerising]

Anakin couldn't help smiling back, because that smile from Padme was just so familiar. But he quickly tried to tone it down.

He lowered his voice, so as not to attract the attention of the facilitator.

"You probably got a note next to your name," he agreed, though he tried to make it sound more humorous than ominous. "These really aren't the place to look for answers... there are... other ways."

[no_applause]

He had a nice smile. As interested as she was in any information he could give her, she couldn't help but notice that.

Her own smile shifted to a smirk, "Is that supposed to frighten me? I've been standing up for people my whole life. I'm sure there are plenty of similar lists out there with my name on them." Taking his cue, she lowered her own voice, angling her body to face him more fully. "There are? Please, tell me. I want to understand what's happening here."

[darkforcerising]

"With them-" Anakin's smile dropped for real this time as he glanced towards the facilitator. His look was completely sober.

So far, he'd not heard of anyone being... harmed directly by the Bureau for anything related to these memories. Strange things happened to them, but he wasn't sure it was direct malice.

But there was always a first time.

He was suddenly very worried for this bold young woman who looked so much like the person in his memories, and yet he had no confirmation of her identity. But still, he was concerned.

"Some of us have been... gathering information. But not the kind you talk about in present company." He hoped she caught on to the hint he was dropping - they could talk, but not here.

[no_applause]

How clandestine! It immediately raised red flags in her mind. The fact that he didn't want to talk there meant that the Bureau couldn't necessarily be trusted. She'd already been getting that vibe but now she read that message loud and clear.

Giving him a nod, she smiled brightly. "You know. The coffee here leaves a lot to be desired. I saw a coffee shop around the corner that I'd love to check out. Would you like to join me?"

[darkforcerising]

"I should probably tell you my name first," Anakin said.

And he half paused before holding out his hand.

He suddenly didn't want to know if she would balk at his prosthetic. The conversation was going so well despite the subject, and every time she smiled he just wanted to do something to make her smile again. He didn't know if she would get weird if she knew he had a metal hand, but what if she did? And he then he'd have to deal with that prejudice.

Sometimes, it was nice to just pretend like he was normal. Or normal-appearing.

But he would have to confront it sooner or later.

Might as well get it out of the way.

He held out his hand to her. It was covered in a black glove - not unusual given it was still winter in New York, but his other hand didn't have a glove. And for that matter, he looked a bit under-dressed for the weather, just a few hoodies. But he didn't seem cold at all.

"I'm Anakin," he said, putting his trust out there.

[no_applause]

She laughed, still smiling at him. "I figured we'd get around to that eventually."

The subject at hand had been rather preoccupying, so she hadn't even thought about introductions. But he did have a point. One should know who they're talking to, after all. She took his hand to shake. Instantly, she realized it wasn't a flesh and blood hand. There was a momentary flash of surprise, but she still shook it as if nothing was amiss. It would have been rude to do anything else. In truth, it didn't bother her. She did wonder why he had a prosthetic, but it would have been crass to ask. Instead, she met his gaze and responded, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Anakin. I'm Padme."

[darkforcerising]

Anakin had spent this whole time telling himself that he shouldn't assume the woman sitting next to him was Padme, just because she looked and sounded like Padme, that when she turned out to be Padme (there was no way this was a coincidence), that he stared at her for a few moments before catching himself.

"That's- that's an interesting name," he tried to recover. "Not that I have any room to speak."

[no_applause]

What a strange man. She wondered why he'd paused after she told him her name. Was something the matter? Why else would he react that way? Trying not to think too hard about it, she ducked her head, chuckling.

"I think it's an old family name. Anakin's not a bad name though. I like it, it's unique.

[darkforcerising]

"I think my mother was really into Greek mythology around the time I was born," Anakin said, trying to just roll with this botched recovery.

"Uh, coffee, right?"

[no_applause]

"That's great! I love a name with a bit of history attached." Wow... that was an awkward joke. Ahem.

"Yes, right." She stood, picking up her jacket, "It's not far, do you mind walking?"

[darkforcerising]

Okay, good, they were moving past the fact that Anakin had made things awkward. And he was trying very hard to not make it more awkward now by looking at Padme to see all the ways she was Padme. He was trying very hard to just keep his focus now on picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder.

He didn't have an additional coat to put on so, he just said, "I'm ready." And started heading for the door.

"Which direction was the shop?"

[no_applause]

If he was staring at her, she didn't notice. She turned to nod goodbye to someone as they passed, and paused to thank the Bureau Official for their time. They might not like her too much, but that's no cause to be rude.

She shrugged on her coat, looping the strap of her bag over her shoulder. Glancing over at Anakin, she smiled. "It's just this way." Gesturing, she started down the sidewalk. "I don't usually spend a lot of time in this area of the city. It will be nice to try some place new."

[darkforcerising]

Though Anakin didn't look dressed for it, it was still cold out in the not-quite-yet-spring night of New York City. Breath still puffed white in front of them.

"I've been over here before because of the," and he gestured with his shoulder back at the community center's door to indicate the Support Group.

"So..." he started. "The Bureau... what are they? What's happening? That's what you want to know, right?"

[no_applause]

If she thought his attire was questionable, she didn't show it. She had no way of knowing if he was more tolerant of the cold or if he just couldn't afford a coat. It would have been rude to ask, either way, so she chose to remain silent on the matter.

She nodded, glancing up at him as they walked. "Yes. To all of a sudden have some supposedly new memory is very concerning. They've given so little information. I just want to understand what's happening."

[darkforcerising]

"Okay," Anakin said, they could talk about this while they walked to the shop. "Something happened about two years ago. That's our best guess because the Network only goes back that far, and someone who goes by the name M-M-F confirmed it. What that something is... Do you wanna know my thoughts?"

[no_applause]

M-M-F... interesting. She took mental notes while he talked, reminding herself to write these things down once they were sitting down. His question drew a smile and a nod from her. "Yes, please. I'd love to hear your thoughts."

[darkforcerising]

"I think... people have been getting these memory event things for a long time, but until two years ago, the Bureau was able to magic-erase the minds of anyone who got them... like they do with the people that are around you when you get it. None of them even remember it, if you ask them. But then, two years ago, something happened and now they can't magic-erase our brains.

"One of us ask Mr. Martin a question and his answer- it wasn't super informative, but it just made me think... I have notes. I can find them when we get to the shop."

[no_applause]

"Two years?!" She nearly tripped as she looked at him, horrified. "This has been going on for at least two years? That's awful!"

She shook her head, letting it sink in. How could something like that go on for so long? It boggled the mind. But there was another question that nagged at her. "How are they wiping memories? That shouldn't be possible. And why can't they wipe ours?"

[darkforcerising]

"That..." Anakin said. "I don't know how they do that."

"Is this the coffee place?" he asked, as they were now next to a place that clearly sold coffee and hot drinks.

The cold didn't seem as if it bothered him, but he very much preferred being out of the cold.