Arden Fischer

dependent rp blog for panopticonRPG

[arden-fischer]

Character name: Arden Fischer  Faceclaim:  Amy Adams Age: 47  Gender: cisgender female  Pronouns: she/ her  City/country/place of origin: Cleveland OH Date of arrival: May 2020 Profession: Medical doctor + extroverted, passionate, intelligent - stubborn, moody, resistant to change

Bio

Arden grew up in a two-parent household, though she was primarily raised by a string of college-age babysitters. Both of her parents were physicians, working long hours and odd shifts. In some ways, this might have doomed Arden to follow in the footsteps of the only lifestyle she knew. But, Arden always knew she was destined to help others. As a toddler, this manifested in her need to stop and help every animal she saw. As a teen, this was demonstrated when she started volunteering with the local fire and rescue department. As a college student, she worked as a paramedic. The long hours and the missed sleep never bothered Arden. It was the thrill of responding to a call with the lights and sirens flashing that kept her wired. 

She took an EM Residency spot at a level one trauma center. She spent those first years fully immersing herself in her career. She kept her head down, shoulders set, and got through those impossible shifts with the help of energy drinks and her comfort hoodie. Her meager social life narrowed its focus to the hospital. It was her coworkers she would catch happy hour specials with. So it was little surprise that her romantic life was limited to her work circle. Arden fell in love with one of the trauma physician’s assistants, a stubborn, short-tempered but a secret softie named Elena. 

It didn’t take long for Arden to pack up her belongings and move in with her. They adopted a dog, Stella, and settled into a quiet life. It was a life that Arden could be proud of and her focus expanded beyond just work. They gardened together and volunteered at shelters together. When they were married, it was more than just coworkers filling the pews. It was more than Arden could have ever hoped for. 

And it was all taken away far too soon. In the spring of 2020, Elena got sick. So sick, that all Arden could do to hold her hand through non-latex gloves and the yellow isolation gowns. After a long struggle, Elena died. Arden was left alone in the room to grieve and when she stepped out to take her mask down and grab a moment of fresh air, she was brought to the island. 

It has been a struggle ever since. The joy Arden found in her work is long gone, but it still didn’t take long for Arden to establish a name for herself on the island. Her passion may have left her, but her skills have not. Still, even three years later, Arden is struggling to connect with those around her. 

[arden-fischer]

If you could switch places with Elena, would you?

“In a heartbeat. The world deserved more time with her. She is kind, intelligent, and there aren’t enough words in all of the languages to describe just how lovely she is.”

“It should’ve been me anyway.”

[nickambrose]

“Mmm–-right, yeah no you’re devastatingly handsome Arden.” Nick leaned in against the doorway, “but I prefer not to be a dirtbag in-front of my mum.” Or otherwise reap the repercussion no doubt. Actually, Nick didn’t really have much of an idea what would happen. All those memories of her had been so hazy and distant. How was he supposed to really cling on to anything when she’d passed so long ago? Now she was here and Nick was grateful, absolutely, but also inclined to ask when they would all pass on. Mik had finally come around from his vow of solitude though he was harping on about bad-vibes and bad-energy. 

“Mum this is Arden, the island’s resident handsome doctor, and Arden this is my mum. Don’t mind the err…outfit she’s dressed for halloween.”

‘Right, gosh I’m so sorry Arden this really isn’t my Sunday best.’ Ana had swooped in practically past Nick to peer at Arden. ‘It’s really impressive. Oh, hello back there? Sorry are we intruding? My son here has been informing me of all the different sorts of relationships and well a woman doctor…’

“Riiight, y’know sure, sure uh, actually I did do that but…right I guess I just wanted to ask.” Nick’s voice progressively dropped, until he was at a whisper. “You can see her too right?” It was all good and well everyone in the moment seeing the chaos of last night for themselves, but in the aftermath. Some part of him hoped it was real, or even just a shard of the truth. A thimble. Nick hadn’t clocked at first, or at least had been too absorbed in his own woes to pay much heed. But he could see the way her eyes were a little raw, glassy from tears.

Nick kept the whisper quiet voice as he asked. “you alright? Also...I don't mean to be rude but who is that?" He subtly gestured towards the ethereal woman beside her. Another ghost? Hallucination? Whatever they were supposed to be calling these hauntings.

[arden-fischer]

"Hello," Arden said, bowing her head a little bit towards Nick's mom. "And no, not intruding at all. My door is always open, Nick knows that." Arden couldn't help but take a look back at Elena and felt her heart twist all over again- in both pain and relief. To have Elena forever out of reach was torturous, but to see her again felt like a balm against everything else. She was at risk of getting teary again, so she forced her gaze back to Nick and his mom.

"Yes, I can see her as clearly as I see you." Arden continued. Judging on Nick's reaction, he must be in the same boat she was. She tried to make sense of it. Had Halloween someone caused them all to be haunted? And if so, why? Had someone thought they were having a bit of fun and it was a seance gone wrong? Four years ago, Arden would have balked at the idea of ghosts. But then she came to the island, where anything seemed possible.

"So you can see my wife too, then. Nick, Mrs. Amrbose, this is Elena. She was- is my wife. I lost her just before coming to the island. But when I woke up this morning, she was beside me. Did something similar happen to you, Nick?"

Elena smiled beatifically at the pair on their doorstep and moved closer to Arden. "Darling girl, shouldn't we invite them in before you pick apart his brain?"

Arden mentally kicked herself for beginning her interrogation on the doorstep and hastily opened the door completely, motioning for both of them to come in.

"Would you care for some water? Tea? I can put on a pot of coffee too. No offense, but you look like you could use it as much as I do."

[nickambrose]

Location: Arden's house @arden-fischer

There was something inexplicably not fun about having his mum crash. Needling thoughts and wishes of not wanting her to stay for much longer would spring up. Quick as they would come Nick felt the guilt creep in. Shouldn’t he be grateful his mum was here? But there was a gulf that had formed in her two decade long absence, one that Nick wasn’t even sure how to bridge. If her being here was permanent or if this was only going to be fleeting. What if she wasn’t even fucking real to begin with? Just some long drawn out trip from the party, or some trippy electro-fuckery from the tower. 

Nick had snuck out of the house, mum in tow, to go make his way over to Fischer’s place. If the holy-man didn’t have the answers, Nick was never going to forget Tomas in that white suit, then maybe she would. ‘Where are we going?’ It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to know where he was going, there was no secret to it. It was the why. “Err…the doctor’s place figured it would be a good place to start. Figure out what’s happening. Mum, there’s something else I need to tell you about me and Mik…” They’d rounded up to Arden’s place, and Nick knowing full well he didn’t want that conversation within her earshot added. “Later, yeah?” He knocked twice, and then politely waited as much as one could with a floating dead mum. ‘Oh! Is he a handsome doctor?’ 

“Christ mum, no–”

[arden-fischer]

Arden woke up slowly, a little hungover from the night's festivities. Her Morticia Adams dress and wig lay draped over her desk chair. Arden rolled over and immediately felt a chill, gooseflesh creeping over her body.

"Oh, I'm sorry baby." Elena said. Arden blinked. Rubbed her eyes. Opened them again. Elena was still there, in her bed, looking a little pale but no worse for wear. She was glowing, actually. Arden had no words. She reached out for Elena, but Elena just shook her head.

"I don't think touch is included," Elena continued. "But we can talk. We can see each other again. That's more than we thought we'd ever get again though, right?" Arden nodded slowly, tears in her eyes. But she still couldn't help but reach out again for Elena's hand. She shivered when she felt the air where Elena's hand should be and was repulsed by how wrong the whole thing felt.

"What's happening?" Arden finally asked, her voice hoarse. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing, but it didn't matter. Elena was here, in whatever capacity. And that alone was a miracle of its own. If this was a hallucination, Arden would gladly stay in it forever.

But there was a knock on the door before Elena could answer. Arden scrambled, throwing on a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater. Arden paused then, wondering if she turned away if the illusion would shatter.

Elena smiled then and Arden felt something in soul stitch back together. As if the ache she had been carrying for nearly three years was finally beginning to heal.

"It's okay, baby. Go get it. I won't go anywhere."

Arden walked to the door and opened it, hastily wiping tears from her face.

"What, Nick? You don't think I'm handsome?" She felt Elena hovering beside her and did her best not to look back at her, though it was nearly impossible not to. But she saw a woman next to Nick that had the same glow as Elena and her mind began to whirl.

[alexpanganiban]

the outworld : manhattan | @arden-fischer

"Now, the thing is," Tomas said as they approached the row of brownstone townhouses, "I knew Dr. Shapiro a long time ago. But the one thing that remained constant with her was that she believed in maintaining a certain amount of tools of the trade at her home, and her daughter was a doctor as well, and Helen -- that was her first name, Helen -- she said her daughter would inherit her home and her work. Which leads me to believe that Dr. Daughter Shapiro would have the same proclivities as her mother."

He glanced at Arden as they found the house they were looking for, going up the short flight of front stairs to the door. "Are you good at this?" Tomas gestured at the lock. "I'll do it, but I'm not great when it comes to the B&E stuff. I normally leave that to the likes of Emre or Orion."

[arden-fischer]

Arden frowned at the lock, shrugging. "I'm not anywhere close to the same class as Emre or Orion, but I think I've got it." A few years ago, she might have hesitated before breaking into a stranger's apartment. But that was before the world ended and pesky things like morals were abandoned for survival. Even now, if it had been strictly for her own benefit she might have simply contented herself with the islands' offerings. But this was for her people, for Panopticon.

There was a sastisfying click and Arden turned to smile at Tomas. She opened the door like she was Vanna White and motioned for him to enter, following close behind. A thin layer of dust coated everything in the apartment like snow. She couldn't resist the urge to trail a finger along a shelf, leaving behind a single streak.

"I wonder what happened to Dr. Daughter Shapiro." I hope she's safe. I hope she won't miss her belongings. She wasn't completely sure the two thoughts weren't mutually exclusive, but one could hope.

But she was distracted when her eye caught on the old record player and the collection of old jazz records nestled to an overflowing bookcase. She let out a low whistle. "Doctors Shapiros had good taste."

[micaiahfalkov]

starter for: @arden-fischer

location: medicentre

Micaiah was a relatively frequent guest in Panopticon's Medicentre. Just like every resident on the Island, they were not immune to illness. Their immune system had never been the strongest, and it seemed that everytime someone around them got sick, Micaiah inevitably ended up catching it. In recent times however, there had been a couple of different reason for visiting the clinic.

"Hello Dr. Fischer." Micaiah instinctively used the woman's title as he made his way into the treatment bay, casting her a friendly smile. "Or am I allowed to call you Arden?" Micaiah pushed himself onto the treatment couch as he'd done many times, sighing with relief when the pressure was lifted off their legs. The pain had gotten worse over the years, which was the reason they visited the clinic so frequently. However, it wasn't entirely the reason he was here today.

"Just some issues with the legs again. They've been acting up a bit. I think it's probably the weather change. Just wanted to see if there is anything you could to, pain-wise." It was a bit of a white lie, even if there was a bit of truth to it. "I hope this place hasn't been too busy. The gardens currently are - Tomas is trying to get everything ready for the upcoming harvest, and I haven't been able to help as much as I should."

[arden-fischer]

“Micaiah,” Arden greeted him, smiling. “Of course you can call me Arden. We’re far past formalities now.” She noted the way his body relaxed slightly as he elevated his legs and frowned. Suffering was part of the job but even after all these years, it still tugged on her heart to see someone in pain.

“We could try some new medication. Gabapentin typically works well with nerve pain.” Arden continued. “Of course we’ve got some non-pharmacological methods we could try to reduce inflammation like ginseng tea and increasing your garlic. I’ve got some garlic growing back home that I can bring to you.”

“Do you want me to try to massage your legs for a bit? See if that brings some relief?” She asked.

“If you both wanted, I’d be happy to pitch in with the harvest. I’ve got more free time than I need. I usually just end up spending more hours in here, but some outdoor time might be nice.”

[weltenwellen]

Cathy Park Hong, from "Spring and All"

[walid-the-engineer]

Walid smiled, it was rare that people thanked them for doing their job. So it was nice to hear it now. Even if it was from a stranger who didn’t know them well enough to know why they ranted so much about the tower. “You’re welcome,” they said in return, nodding as they continued. The tower felt like home to them, if they could, they would move their pod here and sleep within the tower - though they’d tried that once and found the shower was too far. 

Questions were always welcome, unlike the engineers working under him, most people didn’t get his annoyed frown. Because he understood that people had to learn, that things needed to be clarified. He wouldn’t call himself the greatest at teaching people, but he was decent. “The tower runs the tower, it’s… an entity that works all by itself, we don’t need to make energy for it, we don’t even need to do maintenance, somehow it all does it by itself. It’s been here for a long time, nobody really knows how long, but from what we know, the island opened up to us as visitors in 1985. Nobody has been here longer than that, but we don’t know if there were people on the island before that, either. If there were, they left no traces.” The mystical was hard to accept for people’s brains were focussed on what could be explained. The only reason it hadn’t throw Walid off was because they’d grown up Muslim, they believed science and Allah could co-exist, so why not this tower. 

At the question about age, Walid stopped for a moment, it wasn’t easy to explain that, and not everyone reacted well to it either. “So. The island somehow de-accelerates our ageing at an extreme level. A year in the outside world is not the same as a year here. Our bodies get locked at first, then we age so slowly it’s barely visible,” they explained. “I’ve been here since 1986. I was twenty-four when I was brought to the island. I don’t think I have aged much since.” 

[arden-fischer]

Arden nodded slowly, letting Walid's brief history sink in, no matter how implausible it sounded. Another bit of lore to commit to memory. Another bit pulled from science fiction novels that she now needed to accept as fact. She considered making a joke about cults and their leaders but thought that Walid seemed devoted to the tower and might not take it well.

If she had been drinking, she might have spit it out at Walid's next answer. No part of the welcoming committee had mentioned that they might stop aging. Arden blinked rapidly a few times. Then she took a deep, steadying breath. Then another. A third for good measure.

"No, Walid. You haven't really. I would have chalked it up to good skincare." She fought hard to keep the note of hysteria from creeping into her voice. "That puts you close to what, sixty?" Suddenly, Arden was bursting with questions.

"Has anyone studied what the island does to pregnant people? Children? Does it apply to other mammals too?" At the look on Walid's face, Arden immediately backtracked.

"Sorry, I used to do research before. Mostly just retrospective chart reviews... not important, really. The possibilities here though are just endless." It was a little bit exciting, actually.

[kazxraval]

Firm steps headed in his direction and Kaz refused to budge. His question answered not by Wren at all, which caused a bristling of annoyance. The 'scold' was anything but. More gentle, tone like a soft touch on the shoulder. A request to move away from the graveside as the sun went down. So sorry, but you must go now...

She's not dead!

The reasonable side of his brain not quite caught up yet. The reporter had not separated with notepad and pen to gather the pertinent facts. Kaz excelled in bottomlining the story. Yet this was oil through fingers, unable to grasp. A scowl made of cactus spines, anger hot under his skin and ready to accuse, attack, defy.

And none of this was Arden's fault.

He paused to exhale, voice tempered to a growl. "Don't care about a sign." No sense in lying when he saw it clear as day. "What good does it do to keep them isolated in here?"

Who is she to you? "I'm her friend." Begrudgingly said before Wren ended up like... Kaz was such a fucking asshole. Like he never learned the lesson after his sister was murdered.

Kaz finally glanced at Arden. "Nothing happening in here that can't be done in her own place, yeah?"

[arden-fischer]

"That much you made clear." Arden stifled a smile, even though he wasn't looking at her. She should attempt to maintain some air of authority. It might be easier to raise the alarm and throw him out. But there was some undercurrent underneath the bitterness in his tone that she found familiar.

She let his growl roll off her like water. "We don't know what caused it. It might be contagious." She wasn't quite in the hazmat suit, but she was wearing a mask and goggles. She pushed the goggles up like a hairband and pulled the mask down to her chin though. "I don't give that theory all that much credence, between you and me."

Arden stood shoulder to shoulder with him now, looking down at Wren. "Well, we've got physical therapy to keep their muscles from atrophying. 24/7 monitoring to trend their vitals. Even have a sunroof to give them their doses of vitamin D. It's not like we're just waiting for the sleeping beauties to wake up."

[emreakbar]

"He's got Peter." Emre's tone was a confirmation, a reminder, and a slight tinge of bitterness. The underlying note of he chose Peter over me. Emre couldn't even look at Dr Arden after saying it. Maybe Arden knew - Emre wasn't sure what Iyaz had admitted or shared with his fellow doctor over these short three years, honestly. A little brother who could be very vocal when he wanted to be, with his mates especially. Did he make Dr Arden one of those mates?

And what could she had confessed to Iyaz, late into some operation or procedure together?

Emre smirked slightly, as Arden congenially inspected the meat. "You know your salami," he teased but nodded in satisfaction. "A shame though - I really wanted to fuck over that trader. Proper pain in the arse, that one. Cheers though, luv."

The idea of a dinner party made Emre scoff, amused. He nodded at Arden's shopping list. "Sounds simple enough, erm..." He didn't want to just let Arden go. Their conversation was technically over - polite how'dos, mention of Iyaz, even a little sausage-related mystery thrown in. But she'd approached him. And Emre realized -

"I'll take you to the best," he concocted a reason, and motioned for her to walk with him. He tucked the salami under his arm, for now. "Erm. Just...thought it'd be harder, us chatting. Know what I mean."

[arden-fischer]

Arden noticed the way Emre avoided her eyes after saying it but refrained from commenting. She could imagine the hurt that lingered all too well, but it wasn't her place to give voice to it. She wondered if the words left unsaid would light up like lighthouses signaling to each other. Is that the way forward so that they might reach an understanding?

For a moment, she thought he might just turn away from her and any progress would be lost. She would not have blamed him for it. Her old heart was sharp and with ragged edges, but grief had not yet given way to bitterness.

"Thanks, Emre." She said, following him. She let his words linger in the air for a moment before responding. "I do, yeah. You think it'll be easier if you avoid the reminders, but they come uninvited to the party anyway."

[walid-the-engineer]

Walid smiled. “Alright, good,” they said in response. The other engineers sure hated when they gave them jobs to do that didn’t have anything to do with what they’d studied for. But Walid didn’t know many other people by name that they felt they could order around. “Well, I’m sure that if you do have questions, there are plenty of people walking around who will answer them.” Some would reply gruffly, others with more manners. They probably were part of the first. 

They looked back at Arden, and bit the inside of their mouth. “So… that’s not really something that we know for a fact. We sort the images because that’s what the tower wants us to do, for whatever grand design nobody knows for certain. It also doesn’t do much good to speculate, but all the information is sorted so it’s easier to find again. Whether by us or by the tower eventually when it needs said information.” They shrugged. “It probably has some greater meaning, but we’re just sorting pieces, so we can’t really see the bigger picture. It counts on us, though, the tower. It doesn’t have the algorithm to do what we humans do best: giving meaning to images.” 

Walid was still reeling from what could just as easily become a rant if the right questions were asked. Their fate in the tower was ever present, intense, perfect. They didn’t question its demands. It had good reason, it must have. “Ah yes, no, programming isn’t necessary, we have engineers for that. The interface is pretty basic, I’m sure anyone can get the hang of it. The island keeps our brains young, so we can keep on keeping up.”

[arden-fischer]

“Thanks, Walid.” She wasn’t exactly sure what she was thanking him for, but it felt like the right thing to do. He was being relatively kind without being overbearing while instructing her, which was much appreciated. Arden had hated that part of medical training- the unquestioned hierarchy- and appreciated that Walid seemed so open to questions. In fact, he seemed to come alive talking about the tower. His movements had become a bit more animated and his eyes had a certain sparkle that couldn’t be denied.

At Walid’s continued explanation, Arden fought back a frown. She didn’t like not having the big picture. She didn’t like not having answers. She would do as she was told, of course. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t question it first. “Who runs the tower?” She asked. “And how long has it been here?” And how exactly did the omniscient tower communicate its demands?

“Wait- what do you mean the island keeps our brains young?” Arden wasn’t about to let Walid move past that without further explanation. It had been enough of a mindfuck to get the hang of the whole teleporting business. “How long have you been here?” He didn’t look more than 22.

[emreakbar]

The reason Emre liked Dr Arden taking Iyaz under her wing, was because she seemed clever, observant. She was like a mentor-sort to Iyaz - at least that was what Emre wanted to see for Iyaz. And maybe in his own charming, sardonic way, Iyaz had helped Arden adjust to Panopticon life too.

Because Iyaz had a tough time adjusting. Unlike Emre, who took to this strange new life like an otter slipping into water. Iyaz had a life he'd loved back home. Emre often wondered if Dr Arden had the same, but he'd never asked. She was Iyaz's mate. She'd arrived only a few months prior to them; new kids bonding.

But Iyaz had been that glue. Dr Arden's reply was polite, and politeness returned. Emre could do polite, but he didn't want to. Not when Arden had turned that keen look of hers, towards him.

He picked at the netting around the salami. "Yaz sent me a text about a week ago. Him and Peter was...dunno. Climbing a hill or a mountain or that. Does American got mountains?"

The salami. Emre looked up at Arden. "Right. You on a shopping trip, then? Got anywhere to be? I could use your help if you got the time, erm. Science-help, with this bugger." He showed the salami to her. "There a way to tell if it's rotten?"

[arden-fischer]

She could picture it, Iyaz with his Peter, hiking. She wondered if they were in the Rockies or Appalachia. “Yeah, they’ve got quite a few. I’m glad he’s with Peter, at least. That’s good to hear.” I’m sorry it means he’s away from you.

Arden motioned for Emre to pass her the salami. She sniffed it first, then turned it over in her hands. “As long as it’s got the white bits and those don’t green, it’s probably good to go.”

There was a memory. Arden chopping up fine slices of salami while Elena labeled various cheeses and meats in tiny cursive. “It looks like it’s gone sour, Elena.” “It always looks that way, babe. Just keep cutting, they’re almost here.”

For fuck’s sake. Was there anything that wasn’t a memory landmine waiting to be tripped?

She handed the salami back to Emre. “Why, you making a charcuterie board? Got a dinner party to host?”

Arden shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other. “I came down with some herbs- rosemary, basil, and the like. Was hoping to score a few new reads.”

[arden-fischer]

@amywalker

There were some parts of working at the Medicenter that still challenged Arden. She had spent the better part of her career as an emergency medicine physician, trained in stabilizing the sickest of the sick and the mostly badly injured, and then moving on to the next patient. Long-term management and rehabilitation wasn’t her speciality. But the island demanded what it demanded and Arden rose to the occasion as best she could.

Which is why she had spent the better part of the night studying physical therapy exercises for shoulders in preparation for Amy’s follow up appointment. Controlling bleeding and preventing infection had been the first priorities when Amy had arrived on the island, but she was pretty much in the clear from those now. Her focus needed to shift on maintaining as much mobility and strength in the injured shoulder as she could. So Arden would play at being a physical therapist. It was better than nothing, but Arden still stressed that her patients deserved more than she could give them here.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and Arden looked up with a smile. “You’re a few minutes early. Come on in.”

[kazxraval]

Medicenter ~ With ~ @arden-fischer

Only once before did Kaz go inside the place. A serious injury and Iyaz's insistance gave no choice on the matter. He recalled nothing about it, as he woke up in his own shelter days later.

Didn't like anything remotely medical anyway. Reminded him of sitting in Nani's hospital room. When he thought all was well, but really nothing at all would ever be again.

Inside what was likely a small waiting area, his nose crinkled with disdain. That horribly thick antiseptic smell that clung to everything. He slipped the single strap of his backpack off to carry in a hand. Something important was inside. Kaz wasn't leaving until he gave it to them.

Behind a door, he found them. Kaz froze and blinked once. Then, a few more times to try and match the whispers heard to the reality of what he laid his eyes on. His steps into the room were tentative, same as his low voice. "Hey. It's me." A beat. "It's Kaz. Can you hear me?"

[arden-fischer]

The Medicenter was a comfort. It felt the most like home with its bleached scent, sanitized walls, and sterile equipment. Sometimes, she could almost pretend she was home. But inevitably, something or someone would shatter the illusion.

She was making her rounds when she saw the man standing there, next to Wren’s bed. Another person might have panicked- there was a strict no visitors rule for these patients- but Arden didn’t even flinch. She just approached, her steps firm against the floor.

“We’re not sure if they can, but we’ve been operating as if they could hear us.” Arden said, her voice soft. “I suppose you thought the ‘No visitors’ sign was just a suggestion.” She didn’t ask how he snuck past security. It wasn’t her job to investigate breaches.

“Who is she to you?”

[walid-the-engineer]

Walid barely noticed the lack of excitement. It was normal. They'd stopped questioning it. They hardly remembered how it had been for them when they'd been pulled from Jordan and dropped at the island. They recalled a little bit of enjoyment, a place of time they'd called the honeymoon phase, when everything about the tower was shiny and new. Though when they'd realised two decades later what had happened to their family and the place they grew up, their memories of those first two decades had become muddled.

But. This was a shift. And the flower tower had to be recognised as the one important thing on the island.

"Nice to meet you, Arden," Walid said kindly. "Uhm, I usually just run people through tower business, but if you need a tour around the island, I can probably find someone to do that." He paused, looked at his watch, then looked up again. He'd done this countless of times, always on his own terms. There were moments when he figured he could ask important questions and get to know another person, but then he'd forget.

"Alright, follow me, I'll get you set up."

He started walking, figuring she'd follow him. "Shifts are the most important thing on the island, you have to show up for your shift, of course, if you're sick, someone will take over. If you do shifts, you'll get credits, credits that will let you use the teleporters. But that's just to make sure people actually show up, when I came here they didn't have those."

He looked back. "The job is simple, there are a few tasks you could be doing, but we'll set you up with categorising images from the outside world. Think of it as a library, you get the books and you have to put them away correctly. Are you good with computers?"

[arden-fischer]

“Oh, I don’t think I need an official tour or anything, don’t worry. I’m more of a solitary explorer.” Arden said, embarrassed at the idea of someone hiking around with her to show her the island. She knew where her new residence was, where the Medicenter was, and now where the flower tower was. Seemed enough to get by on for now.

“So uhm, why exactly do we categorize images from outside?” Arden couldn’t help the natural spark of curiosity. She liked to figure out what made things tick, though it might be more accurate to say she liked to find out what made human bodies do what they do. “Like, why bother sorting the books? Why do we even get the books?” She was still trying to process what the island exactly was and it sometimes made her brain spin.

“I’m fair enough at computers. Not much into programming, but I can follow directions.”

[emreakbar]

It was a bit of a debate, about the salami. To Emre, it looked rotten and he didn't allow traders to give customers rotten food. The trader insisted it was just really, really well cured from some special region of Italy, a rare teleport find etc etc.

Emre wasn't exactly going to taste test, obviously. He just wagged the sausage and said, "I'm having this tested. If it's good, you can keep the whole lot. If not, then I'm clearing it out, right."

As unused to being (in Emre's opinion) a petty despot authority in the Trader's Bazaar, he had to admit there were moments he did enjoy. Salami debates were less tedious than he thought. And as he turned away from the departing trader, still clutching the huge salami in his hand, he almost whacked Dr Arden on her shoulder.

"Bloody - " Emre started, but Arden's straight-talk cut him off. And Arden wasn't wrong, either. Seeing her up this close was discombobulating, because of everything she reminded him of. Everything Emre had avoided her for, that had nothing to do with who the woman actually was. Even that slight...hospitally scent she had. A sanitized and clinical scent, that made him immediately think of Iyaz.

Emre lowered his salami, when he realized he'd been holding it up like a cutlass. "Right. Well. You alright then, Doc?" Emre said, equally matter-of-fact, his gaze skating off behind Arden.

[arden-fischer]

She eyed the salami with an amused smirk, but refrained from commenting as Emre lowered it like a soldier putting down his weapon in surrender. As if Emre was the type to surrender to anything or anyone.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Such banality. Such a lie. But Emre wasn’t even meeting her eyes. She couldn’t blame him, not really. She imagined if she hadn’t been brought here that she would have avoided Elena’s family and friends like the plague. But she knew that wouldn’t have been the healthy thing to do.

“And you?” So few words, insufficient to encapsulate the ocean of aching and feeling between them. She wanted to say more, but she felt this conversation was a fragile spark. Too much force and it would extinguish. Too little results in the same. Arden might have laughed at the impossibility of it. She wasn’t sure she was going to get this right. But her own loneliness propelled her forward.

[walid-the-engineer]

at the flower tower (may 2020) @arden-fischer

Walid often put themselves first when it came to teaching new people the way of the tower. Mostly because they wanted to do it, not because anyone told them to. They simply wanted to control this.

People had to do exactly what they should do, and Walid figured that if they were the one to tell them, they would do it the correct way.

Nothing to do with control.

Nothing at all.

And despite being able to completely ignore other human beings, he did spot newcomers. They had this glow about them, which he understood. The tower was amazing.

He also had a way to introduce himself and the work that was perhaps a bit too intense, but it had worked out so far.

"Hi," he said, spotting Arden at the entrance of the tower. "This is your first shift, right? I'm Walid, I'll gladly explain the work to you." The right way. Not that other people did it wrong... but yes, they did it wrong. They didn't look at the tower the same was as Walid, as a tool, not an entity. It might look like they were helping the tower, but in the end, it would turn out that the tower was helping them.

[arden-fischer]

Arden didn’t really have any expectations going into the Flower Tower. She knew everyone had to do their share, which was fine by her, but she was a little mystified as to the specifics. So she showed up to her scheduled shift with as positive an attitude as she could muster.

Which was nearly impossible, as immersed in grief as she was. She was still prone to crying fits at the most inconvenient of times. She still had the urge at any given moment to turn to Elena and say ‘can you believe this-‘ but then she would be hit with the realization that she would never speak to Elena again. Never hear her voice. Never reach for her across their shared bed and settle into the crook of her neck and shoulder.

Arden felt the tears coming and batted them away, as if she could banish her thoughts so easily. If only. Maybe the work would be good for her.

“Oh, hi!” Arden replied, aiming for brightly but falling flat. “Yes, I’m Arden. I’m new to well, all of this actually. It’s a pleasure, Walid.”