Chapter Text
Jonathan was not sure if he'd be able to get the smell of the ocean or even the rot out from his nose anytime soon, but they had arrived to the City of Oakmont on a boat, with a captain who didn't really seem to like any of them.
Martin grabbed his luggage, followed by Tim who was carrying his own and Sasha's. Jonathan was already on the dock, holding his by the handle. He did not like how this place looked, and while he caught several people looking at them with wary and disgruntled expressions, Jonathan was sure his own was plastered on his face.
Tim made a disgusted noise, "What is this…why is everything so…?"
Sasha shushed him, a smile on her lips. "Come on, we can head into the city, find a place to stay, and complain without the eyes of others staring at us."
Martin stepped over to Jonathan. "You're not really impressed either, are you?"
Jonathan felt his shoulders slump. That was an understatement. When they were told about this place, he had only wanted to bring Martin with him since he knew of the place to some extent. Tim and Sasha hadn't wanted to stay in the institute back in London and barged their way into Jonathan's office to convince him to take them with him. He had reluctantly agreed since Elias hasn't really been on his good side in some time either. But he didn't like the fact that the rest of them would be gone from the institute for awhile anyway, what if they all start getting sick? He brought a few statements with him, but would it really work for the others?
"I don't have much an opinion," Jonathan answered, before heading down the dock with his assistants right behind him. With each step, he can tell how grimy everything was, and how painfully disturbing he found fish carcasses' of different kinds lying on the ground for no one to bother with, and piles of garbage collected needlessly on the shoreline. The smell was acrid, thick, and he tried to ignore it but decided to cover his nose and mouth instead with his sleeve.
He had tried to ask a few people for help to a hotel of any kind, but no one would speak to them, and some seemed in a rather unfortunate position in their lives. But after a bit of wandering, a man standing by himself on a lone hill motioned them over. A grateful smile brightened his face, and his eyes were a strange dim yellow.
"The Devil's Reef is the closest Hotel around here, until you head to the Advent, but there has been some issues with the sea levels lately and I don't think you'd want to head into there when…money hasn't exactly been what you'd expect out here," said the man, nodding his head.
"What does that mean?" Tim asked, confused.
"Bullets," the man clarified. "We exchange them, a currency here."
"We don't have bullets," said Sasha.
"Then I think you won't be staying anywhere, and it rains here quite a bit," said the man, tipping his head to the sky where already raindrops began to fall.
Jonathan led his group toward a brick building where it was connected to another, creating a shelter from the rain.
"Now what?" Martin asked, looking to Jonathan, "I didn't know they were just going to abandon money here. None of our cards will work either."
"It is rather peculiar," said Sasha, hugging herself as more rain fell in a drizzle a few feet away from them.
Jonathan was trying to figure out what they were going to do. How does this place exactly work without money? Bullets? Where does one just go around holding bullets for currency. It was a conundrum that ran through his mind until Martin shifted beside him, finger tapping on his shoulder.
He turned to see someone was standing behind him, an older man in a yellow suit and matching hat. He gave them a severe look, glasses tipped on the edge of his nose as he glanced between the four of them.
"Newcomers aren't usually welcome'd in Oakmont," he said, then he reached his hand out and turned his wrist, fingers pulling apart to reveal several bullets in his palm. "I do find myself helping those who don't really know what is going on. The Devil's Reef is a good place for your kind to remain, but this will only uphold one room. You'll have to figure out a way to get another. A lot of people in Oakmont love the help of those who give it."
"You're just giving us bullets?" Tim asked, confused.
The man smiled slightly. "Oh yes. I do consider this more of a favor."
"And something you'll want repaid," said Jonathan, tucking the bullets into his pockets. "Thank you for the hospitality…what is your name?"
"Johannes Van der Berg," he said, "you'll find me at the theater, and I'll find you under what name?"
Jonathan introduced himself, along with his assistants.
"The Magnus Institute," Johannes said with a sly smile, "I haven't dealt with your people in such a long time. Maybe that's a given now that you're here. I do hope you enjoy your time in Oakmont. It's an unlikely place, difficult to navigate. Until we meet again, Archivist."
They watched the man walk off, while Jonathan was trying his best to figure out where The Devil's Reef even was. Tim had gone off to speak to the man they had met earlier to ask for directions.
"We're here…for books, right?" Sasha asked.
"A particular Leitner," Martin said, hugging himself. "I have no idea how we're going to find it in this place, but maybe…some of the Eye's abilities can…what's wrong, Jon?"
Jonathan had tried to see more into the world around him. It was difficult to even pinpoint what street he was supposed to go. He thought coming here would be easy, but something…else was blocking his mind. Or blocking the Eye from seeing too much, and what kind of entity could honestly do that. He was getting the feeling why Elias wanted him to come here on foot instead of getting someone else to do it for him. He needed someone to see the insides of this place. He did manage to see through his assistants gazes, but other than that, nothing else came to him. Only a dense fog that gave him a headache at his temples.
What was this place? Was he even allowed to know that? The day was wearing down and they had to get to the hotel pretty damn soon. They hurried through the rain, getting soaked in the first five minutes, and coming upon sunken streets. The only way to get across was by boat or by the ferry. The people manning the ferry were looking at them odd when they climbed onto it. One of them mentioned that some of the city folk had crafted makeshift paths so it'll be easier to get past the broken roads.
That was good to know, and although a few of the people on the ferry were a little jilted by the sight of the four newcomers in Oakmont, thye had hurried away before they had to memorize the constant staring.
The Devil's Reef was in between two broken roads, and while the rain continued, and they stumbled through the doors. The front bar on the main floor was having its own troubles with some of the clientele being rugged in nature, and a leak was coming from the ceiling and filling up a metal bowl.
A man stood to the side, belly, and a dark look in his eyes. Jonathan walked over, asking for a room for the four of them. All he had were the bullets.
"More newcomers, you all seem interested since the damn sea began to fill the streets," the man muttered, already leading them up the stairs to the second floor.
The rooms weren't any better than the streets. Unfortunately, none of them were going to complain about it once the man left them to their own devices inside a singular room with a bathroom. A bed sat against the left wall, a window that was cracked and a bit of cold air from outside was getting in, blowing a bit of the curtain to the side. A chair sat near it with a round table beside it.
"This is just wonderful," Tim said, plopping down on the bed. "I get dibs first, unless anyone wants to cuddle?"
Jonathan ignored his smirking assistant and turned toward the window. "We're not here for too long, don't worry about it."
"Can you…see anything?" Martin asked him, tentatively.
He was curious when someone was going to ask now they were alone inside the grimy hotel room. Sasha had carefully sat on the only chair inside the room, peering up at Jonathan with the same question shimmering in her brown eyes.
He sighed. It's not like he can hide it from them anytime soon, they'll eventually figure it out."
"No," he answered, not bothering to look at them while staring out the window. The weather had gotten far worse since they've arrived. Rain soaked the ground below, the slosh of water between the streets hit the eroded cement, and the wind practically screamed against the broken glass.
The bed shifted, and Tim asked, "What do you mean 'no'?"
"You can't see anything?" Martin asked, as dumbfounded.
"If we don't have your ability, Jon, how are we going to search out the Leitner?" Sasha asked next, also incredulously as his other two assistants.
He didn't know what he was going to say to his worried assistants. All he could do was stare out the window, wondering if Elias knew he would be cut off from the Beholding. It was a strange feeling to have this…lack. They'll have to figure out a different way to seek it out.