Sime/Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #46: Donorgänger (7/26/98)
Eliza has no idea where she is, has had no idea where she is for several days now. She ran out after Snake when Snake took off out of the bar, quickly lost Snake, then couldn't find her way back to the bar. By the time she got there, everyone else had gone.
Eliza looks from the few coins left in her purse to the door of the local Tecton center.
Eliza: Shen it!
Eliza heads for the door and enters the building.
Zahow is sitting at a desk just beyond the door, twiddling his tentacles.
Zahow jumps as Eliza enters.
Zahow: Ah! There you are at last!
Eliza looks around the lobby nervously.
Zahow seems relieved and anxious simultaneously.
Eliza: Who, me?
Zahow: You certainly look like you're here.
Zahow tries humor, laughing nervously.
Eliza: I guess I am here.
Zahow: I hope the trip wasn't too rough?
Zahow: Here, let me take your things.... [looks for Eliza's bag]
Eliza: Errr. Pretty rough in places.
Eliza: I seem to have misplaced them.
Eliza: Are the others here waiting for me?
Eliza: ~ confused ~
Zahow: Oh dear! I'll have Phoneeka find you something right away. A change of clothes, some toiletries... let me know if there's anything special you require.
Zahow: Oh, definitely. They've been waiting for two days now.
Zahow: They'll be very pleased you've arrived.
Zahow beams, encouragingly.
Eliza: ~ relieved ~ They aren't mad at me?
Zahow: Oh no! Believe me, it is an honor for them to work with you.
Zahow: And an honor for me to greet you!
Eliza blinks rapidly. "It is? Why?"
Zahow: It isn't often one gets to meet a Donor of your great potential, of course.
Zahow nods and grins, waving his tentacles flatteringly.
Zahow: I'll just get right on these requisitions, do you want to take a seat and help yourself to some trin and cookies while I round up the others?
Eliza: I think maybe there has been a mis... cookies?
Eliza: Oh, all right.
Eliza helps herself to some hot trin and as many cookies as she can hide about her person.
Eliza wonders just how much she can get out of them before they discover their mistake.
Zahow bustles off.
Eliza hopes that a hot shower is a possibility, she wouldn't even care if she had to share it
Champian comes rushing into the room seemingly only seconds later.
Champian is a male Gen of some 35 years.
Champian has a high pitched voice and extravagant hand motions.
Champian: Oh!!! It is such an honor!!! Please allow me to show you around, Sosu.
Eliza tries to be inconspicuous behind a potted palm.
Eliza: Me?
Champian flaps and flutters up to Eliza and tugs her out from behind the palm by the elbow.
Eliza: Erk! Alright. [grabs a few more cookies]
Champian: Oh! Look at this mess. Can you believe the transportation systems these days? And they lost your luggage... well, we'll just have to do something about that right away.
Champian "hmmphs!" at the aforementioned state of the transportation system.
Eliza: I'd like to wash up if that's possible.
Champian: Of course!! I wouldn't expect anything less. Please, come with me, and I'll show you your rooms.
Champian: Did you know, people fought for the right to give up their quarters to you?
Eliza hopes she can get washed and clothed and out of there before whoever they are really waiting for turns up.
Eliza: They were? Really, there is no need to go to any trouble.
Champian: Oh my, no, of course there was. We can't have public figures standing around with no place to wash up, what would the people think??
Zahow hurries back in just as Champian is leading Eliza toward the door.
Zahow's tentacles wave in excitement.
Eliza wonders what a public figure is and where you find them. She needs to know so she can avoid them.
Eliza wonders if they are the same as public fixtures.
Eliza: Well, thanks then.
Zahow: Phoneeka has seen to everything. She said that "Hosie's House of Homes" has donated an entire wardrobe and a set of toiletries to the Center, upon hearing of your visit. Isn't that delightful?
Gollixie walks into the lobby.
Gollixie is a male channel of some years.
Eliza: Delightful.
Gollixie looks surprised when he zlins all the excitement, then looks pleased.
Gollixie: Has she arrived already?
Eliza wonders just who they think she is. She is starting to think that maybe she should tell them that they have the wrong person.
Champian: Yes!! Sosu, this is Hajene Gollixie, Gollixie ambrov Naros. He's the Assistant to the Controller here.
Gollixie zlins Eliza's consternation and realizes they are making too much of a fuss.
Eliza: Pleased to meet you?
Gollixie: The pleasure is mine.
Gollixie tries to smile calmly and reassuringly at the famous young Donor.
Gollixie: But perhaps you would like some time to rest before we begin?
Eliza is so stunned that she almost reverts to old ways and offers her hand to shake. She pulls her hand back and pretends she was brushing something off her arm instead.
Eliza: Oh! Oh, yes, thank you that would be wonderful. I really need to wash up.
Eliza: ~ worry ~
Eliza wonders if there is an outside window in "her" bathroom that she could climb out of.
Gollixie looks meaningfully at Zahow, who takes the hint and goes back to his desk.
Champian: Oh! I would be positively thrilled to take you to your rooms now.
Champian dares Gollixie to accuse him of having tried to do otherwise.
Eliza: Thank you. I would be positively thrilled to go to my rooms with you.
Champian takes Eliza's arm and sweeps her grandly out of the lobby.
Eliza blushes as she realises that this could be taken the wrong way.
Gollixie: Until later, then.
Gollixie nods and disappears back down a different corridor.
Eliza: I mean, I'm looking forward to seeing them. [sweeps along after him]
Champian , being only a Gen, fortunately has no idea why Eliza is blushing and thinks it's because she is excited to be there.
Champian hurries Eliza along some corridors painted with murals of townspeople doing various wholesome community-building activities
Champian: I can't begin to describe how much of an honor this is, your presence here, Sosu. [gushes]
Eliza tries to remember the turns and doorways.
Champian: I hope to have the opportunity to learn from you, if I can. [goes on]
Eliza thinks that the person they are really expecting is going to be very annoyed when she turns up.
Eliza: I hope so too.
Champian leads Eliza up some stairs, the well of which is hung with many photographs of famous channels and Donors, all signed by the people pictured.
Eliza: Wow, this place is big.
Champian: Here we go! [brings Eliza to a door on the 3rd floor, in a narrow, brightly-painted corridor]
Eliza hopes that didn't sound to dumb.
Champian: See? Your name is on the door already.
Eliza looks axiously at the door.
Champian points to a shiny brass plaque engraved with: "Madrian Lortisone".
Eliza: Actually, you know....
Eliza thinks of the shower and shuts up.
Champian ushers Eliza inside.
Champian: Just ring this bell when you are ready to come down and join us for an early dinner.
Champian shows her a button discreetly located near the door, set into the wood panelling.
Eliza: Very well. Thank you so much for your kindness.
Eliza smiles at him.
Champian bows and scrapes and eventually gets far enough out of the doorway that the door can be shut.
Eliza quickly locks the door behind him and turns to look around.
Eliza: Wow! this Madrian whoever must really be someone!
Eliza looks around for an outside window, but it's an inside room unfortuately.
Good Angel: Eliza, it isn't fair to deceive these kind people. You must go downstairs immediately and tell them the truth! [beseechingly]
Eliza freezes and looks cautiously over her right shoulder.
Eliza: [whispers] Who's there?
Good Angel is sitting on Eliza's right shoulder.
Eliza: Snake? That you?
Eliza is prepared to believe that Snake could be there waiting for her if she wanted to be.
Good Angel is more or less invisible, but her voice is hard to ignore.
Bad Angel: No no! Look at these luxurious surroundings! There's nothing wrong with taking a nice, hot shower and using one of these lovely fluffy warm towels, is there?
Eliza jumps and looks over her left shoulder.
Eliza: Who's that?
Eliza: ~ nervous ~
Bad Angel is sitting on Eliza's left shoulder.
Eliza can't see anyone and gets down to look under the bed.
Bad Angel, too, is invisible, but her voice is amazingly easy to hear in almost every circumstance.
Good Angel: Don't listen to the voice of self-indulgence, Eliza. You know what is right.
Eliza, seeing no one under the bed, spins around.
Eliza: I'm just going to go have a shower, then I'll sneak out.
Eliza: It's not as if I'll be hurting anything.
Good Angel: These things were offered to you under mistaken assumptions. You cannot take advantage of these people, steal from them, without compromising your own virtue.
Eliza realises that she is talking to an empty room.
Eliza: Shen it! You'll be talking to yourself next!
Bad Angel: Yeah! Who could possibly be hurt by a little old bath, and putting on some clean clothes?
Bad Angel: Anyway, look at this beautiful bed. Doesn't it look soft?
Bad Angel: You could probably take a short nap too, and nobody would even notice.
Eliza firmly picks up a nice fluffy towel and heads to the bathroom.
Eliza: Yes, the bed does look soft, but I need a shower first!
Good Angel: What would Snake say? [resorting to dirty tricks]
Eliza stips off her street weary clothing and turns the shower on hot.
Eliza: Good water pressure here!
Eliza: I think Snake would say "have a shower Eliza, you smell funny".
Eliza gets under the water and picks up the scented soap.
Good Angel starts to speak again, but dissolves into seafoam at the torrent of hot water.
Bad Angel never touches the stuff herself, and returns to another realm until needed again.
Eliza starts to sing.
Eliza: "This is the song that never ends..."
Eliza spends an inordinate amount of time under the shower enjoying the luxury of hot water and sweet smelling soap.
Eliza finally gets out and wraps herself in the towel, leaving her dirty clothing on the floor she wanders back into the bedroom. "Let's see what clothing they have available here."
Eliza opens the wardrobe door. "Oh my goodness!!!"
Eliza mouth drops open in suprise as she looks on more clothing of better quality then she has ever seen before.
Eliza: I can't wear that stuff!
Eliza looks desperatedly for something that doesn't yell "HEY EVERYONE! Look at me!"
Eliza finally finds a pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt and slips them on. None of the shoes available fit so she puts her old shoes back on and hides her old clothing under the bed.
Eliza cautiously opens the door and peeks out.
Eliza sees no one in the corridor so slips out and shuts the door behind her.
Eliza: I'll just slip out the back way, this place has to have a back way.
Eliza wishes she were a Sime so she could zlin if anyone was around. Of course, if she were Sime she wouldn't be in there in the first place.
Esmirilde comes around a corner, carrying a big sheaf of papers.
Eliza tiptoes down the stairs to the second floor and cautiously sticks her head around the corner to see if anyone is there.
Esmirilde: Oh!
Esmirilde almost runs into Eliza but manages to stop in time.
Eliza: Oh!
Eliza: ~ adreniline rush ~
Esmirilde is a Gen of about 25 years, plump and apparently in a bit of a hurry.
Esmirilde: Oh I'm so sorry!!!
Esmirilde practically throws herself on the ground and starts genuflecting, but manages to stop herself in time.
Eliza: I'm sorry! I was just ummm. Can you please tell me where the back door is?
Esmirilde: Here... these were for you.
Esmirilde thrusts the papers at Eliza, blushing in confusion and embarrassment.
Esmirilde: The back door? I can show you...?
Eliza: Oh I don't think so, oh okay. [takes them as they are thrust into her arms]
Eliza: Maybe you could put them in my room for me? [thrusts them back]
Eliza: I need some fresh air!
Esmirilde: Oh... but the conference... of course!
Esmirilde flustered, takes back the papers and glances up the hallway.
Esmirilde: Can you wait a moment while I...?
Eliza: Just tell me, and I'll find it.
Esmirilde: Well, just keep going down this hallway until you get to the green door....
Esmirilde: Then go down a half a flight of stairs, and go halfway down the hall to your right.
Eliza remembers she left the "spare" cookies in the pockets of her dirty clothing and wishes she had remembered to bring them with her.
Esmirilde: Go through the double doors, and then through the red door, and then take a left.
Eliza: To the right. Right.
Eliza: Green door right, Red door left. Right.
Esmirilde: Then the hallway kind of makes a little jog... and then it forks off. Don't go to the right, go to the diagonal one that sort of goes to the right also.
Esmirilde: Then you'll see two doors, part way down on the left. One says "janitorial" and the other says "maintenance".
Esmirilde: You want the one that says "maintenance".
Eliza starts to feel lost just standing there.
Esmirilde: Go in there, past the boiler, and there will be a metal door that says "loading dock".
Eliza just keeps nodding.
Esmirilde: Stop at the little window that says "security".... it's in a little white hallway by the loading dock... and let them know who you are and that you'll be back in soon.
Esmirilde: And that's it!
Esmirilde beams.
Esmirilde: Oh, I do so much hope they'll allow me into one of your classes.
Esmirilde: [fawning]
Esmirilde: And I do hope you enjoy your stay here as much as we will.
Eliza: Oh I see. Yes, I hope so too. Well thank you for all your very kind help.
Esmirilde: If there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable...
Eliza: ~ heart in her boots ~
Esmirilde nods and beams enthusiastically, backing down the hall toward the room.
Eliza: [thinking: "who the shen puts security on a back door?"]
Eliza: I'll let you know, yes, thanks.
Eliza turns and heads down the next flight of steps with a much heavier tread.
Eliza: Maybe I can just walk out the front door. Yes! that's it, I'll just walk out the front door.
Eliza gets to the ground floor corridor and heads in a direction that feels like it might be heading to the lobby.
Gollixie leaves his office, hoping to get in a quick consultation with the upper level staff before Sosu Madrian makes a reappearance.
Gollixie thinks that Controller Maxive will be disappointed to have missed the chance to greet his old friend Sosu Madrian, who has arrived 2 days early.
Gollixie turns a corner and zlins Sosu Madrian up ahead.
Eliza looks without appreciation at the beautifully dectorated walls and wishes someone had had the foresight to put up signs saying "this way out" instead.
Gollixie: Sosu Madrian! [surprised]
Gollixie: I see you are already ready! You certainly move fast.
Eliza almost walks past him without realizing he is talking to her.
Gollixie obviously attributes this to her well-lauded competence.
Gollixie: Let me be the first to tell you what a deep and sincere appreciation we all feel for your presence here.
Gollixie: We know that your schedule is busy and we hope that not one moment of your time here will be for naught.
Eliza realises he is talking to her.
Gollixie thinks that this Gen is so famous that a mere assistant to the Controller of a town Sime Center is pretty much.. well... nothing.
Gollixie gets that impression anyway.
Eliza: No problem at all. Where is the front door? Why isn't this area sign posted? Gens need signs, you know.
Eliza: How are we suppose not to get lost?
Gollixie looks shocked and apologetic.
Gollixie: Oh!!!
Eliza: Honestly, these pictures are all very good, but you should have "this way out" signs or something!
Gollixie: Oh dear... we had these murals painted by the local School for Troubled Youth arts program just a week ago, it was supposed to be in honor of your presence. How foolish of us not to have replaced all the signs in time!
Gollixie feels it would be prudent not to mention that the famous Donor is 2 days early.
Gollixie: I hope you will accept our deepest apologies, and allow me to show you to your destination personally?
Eliza starts to feel hopeful.
Eliza: Actually, could you show me the way to the lobby? I really need some fresh air to get my mind together.
Gollixie: Why certainly, of course, of course.
Gollixie: Right this way.
Eliza: ~ relief ~ [hey, this is gonna work!]
Gollixie leads Eliza down the hall in the opposite direction to the one she was going in.
Eliza follows the channel thankfully.
Zahow is in the lobby trying to shove a Gen out the door.
Madrian: This impertinence is unconscionable!!!!
Madrian grips the door frame with one hand, and manages to hook her heel on the doorknob.
Zahow: Please, don't make this any more difficult than it already has to be!
Zahow: Oof!
Eliza pays little attention to the Gen speaking the foreign language except that she is blocking the escape route.
Zahow: I don't want to accidentally hurt you, please just go quietly.
Madrian: You bloody imbecile! Do you know who I am!?!
Madrian shrieks.
Eliza: 'Scuse me please.
Madrian is a well-dressed, arrogant, very young Gen female.
Eliza thinks she knows who she is.
Eliza: Can I just get by there please?
Zahow: Yeah... you're pretending to be her. [points at Eliza.]
Zahow: I'm terribly sorry about this, [adds to Eliza]. This woman is pretending to be you. I'm afraid the local populace is quite obsessive about you.
Eliza: ~ control control, don't panic ~
Eliza: ~ okay, PANIC!!! ~
Eliza takes a run at the door and pushes Madrian out of the way.
Gollixie is knocked on his rump by Eliza's blast of panic.
Madrian: What the...?!
Madrian falls backward out the door and down the stairs.
Eliza: 'Scuse please! Need air!
Zahow runs screaming into the innards of the building, suddenly panic-stricken for some reason.
Eliza ignores the fact that there is a whole lobby full of air.
Gollixie tries to jump up and... do something.
Gollixie is not sure what the hell just happened.
Eliza trips over her and lands on the pathment besider her.
Madrian: Aargh!
Madrian grabs Eliza.
Madrian: What is the meaning of this! Who do you think you are!!
Eliza: Ooops! Are you okay? Let me help you up.
Eliza: I think I'm Eliza Furness, who do you think I am?
Madrian accepts Eliza's help up.
Madrian: What is going on here? This place is a madhouse!
Eliza struggles to get to her feet and pulls Madrian up too.
Eliza: Tell me about it, I go in to give a donation and everyone jumps on me.
Eliza: I think that they think I'm you. [admits]
Madrian looks Eliza up and down.
Eliza: But I don't think I'm you. I think I'm me.
Eliza: I think that you are probably you.
Eliza: Are you?
Madrian: Preposterous! I saw what you did to those two. You have the control of an amok wildebeeste.
Madrian unhands Eliza and tries to brush the sand and mud off her expensive duds.
Eliza starts to brush the street grit off the girl.
Madrian accepts Eliza's help naturally.
Gollixie goes to the door of the Sime Center and looks out cautiously.
Gollixie sees the two Gens standing at the bottom of the stairs.
Madrian: Well, I am starting to have second thoughts about this visit, I'll tell you that. I almost didn't come here in the first place. It's not exactly on the beaten path.
Gollixie gets there in time to hear the last part of what Madrian said.
Gollixie zlins them both and goggles.
Gollixie: ~~dismay~~
Eliza: Sorry about the mistake, I think I should be off!
Gollixie: Hey.... wait a minute.
Eliza backs aways as she says this and then turns and starts walking briskly in an away direction.
Gollixie: Wait!
Gollixie: Grab her.
Eliza hesitates and turns around.
Madrian looks disdainfully up at Hajene Gollixie.
Eliza: ~ gives up ~
Madrian: Forget her. You have some explaining to do.
Eliza: ~ hope ~
Madrian: ~~no nonsense~~
Gollixie: But...
Gollixie zlins Madrian's field, then points weakly in Eliza's direction, then finally sighs.
Gollixie: I can explain... I can explain. Please come inside.
Madrian turns to give Eliza a "see what happens when you take these boonies gigs?" look, then walks up the stairs into the Sime Center.
Gollixie closes the Sime Center door, leaving the street peaceful once again.
Eliza realises that she is to be let go.
Eliza: ~ welcome suprise ~
Eliza walks along the street, still half expecting a hand on her shoulder at any moment.
Eliza realises that not only did she leave the cookies behind, but she hadn't been able to sell her selyn.
Eliza: Oh drats.