Author: Goggle, Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:55 AM, Post Subject: Stranded? [P]

Ed woke up violently, head spinning as he took in his surroundings. Where was he? He tried standing up, but the pounding in his head prevented him, making the world spin around him when he tried. Had he even been drinking last night? He couldn't remember. He reached up to run his hand over his scalp, a nervous habit, but touching the back of his head sent a spike of pain through it which almost caused him to black out again. Okay, so maybe he really hadn't been drinking last night. Careful of the sensitivity in his head, he lowered himself back down to lay where he was. He stared up into the sky, but something about it wasn't right. He couldn't put his finger on it and honestly at this moment it wasn't his biggest concern. Buildings stretched upwards on either side of him, close together, suggesting he was in an alley. The buildings had the strangest shapes, though. Whatever had happened to his head must have damaged something inside. Buildings weren't meant to look like that. His eyes slide shut. Unconsciousness drew him in.

Judging by light in the sky, hours had passed by the time he regained consciousness again. The pain in his head had lessened, leaving him with a fuzzy feeling surrounding his thoughts. The true test came when he tried to stand. His body was stiff, whether from other violence visited upon it that he couldn't remember or simply from spending however long sleeping in the alley he didn't know. He was about to give himself a cursory examination, when he looked down and saw he was wearing bright yellow pants and boots. Nothing else. The pants were a fine quality, he knew that much because he had bought them himself. Where were the rest of his clothes, though? He would figure that out once he found Peabody and the others. Before he did that he would need to figure out where he was, though. Nothing here looked familiar to him. Was this some port they had stopped at while travelling? Well, obviously, since the last thing he remembered was being on the ship and now he was in some kind of city. Good thinking, there, Ed. Stumbling down the alley, his foot connected with something, almost causing him to trip over. Cursing, loudly and explicitly, he kicked whatever it was. A broom went skidding off down the alley, his overcoat wrapped around it.

A desperate search of the alley revealed the rest of his clothing wasn't there. At least he had his overcoat, though. It was, however, suspiciously light. None of his weapons or other odds and ends were inside. Just his coin pouch. That was something at least. Halfway through buttoning the coat, staring at the broom absently as he did so, he noticed something was etched into the side of it. Curiosity got to the best of him, then. Ever so carefully, aware of his aches and pains, he bent down and scooped it up for a better look. Along the side of the broom was etched "Zephyr II". That… Was weird. Named after his old airship, here in the alley with him. It must have been some kind of clue. He rested the broom on his shoulder and continued on his way out of the alley. Time to get some answers. 

Heading into the main thoroughfare outside the alley, Ed realised then just how lost he was. The shape of the buildings, which earlier he had attributed to a head wound, really were all kinds of strange shapes. None of this looked familiar to him, and he had spent most of his life travelling both continents. This was new, and that worried him. How was he going to find his ship and his crew? Head to the port, that was it. Just head to the port and work things out from there. Maybe stop at a tavern on the way. He didn't notice the towering figure in front of him until he was walking into the back of it. Stumbling back a step, his eyes traveled slowly upwards. And upwards. And upwards. This was one big fella.