video;

[anunluckypenny]

[It's dark inside Penny's room above the Welcome Center. The dim light from the network device is enough to illuminate Penny, who looks even more frazzled than she usually does when the Centers are understaffed. In fact, she looks outright panicked.]

Hey, City? I know I'm not the only seeing things in the mirrors, but is it getting worse for anyone else? Like, are the images getting more... I don't know, vivid? Like they're getting ready to crawl right out? Or am I going crazy?

I mean, if I'm going crazy, I'd really like to know about it. And I'm not totally ruling it out, either. I've just been freaking out all month and nothing's even happened.

[She pauses, turning to her right as if there's something there. Whatever it is encourages her to turn her attention back to the device.]

Okay--um. If... I don't mean to sound totally needy, but is anyone free? I get that it's Saturday and you all probably have plans, I just... you know, if you don't--

[Penny interrupts herself with a terrified squeak. She glances off to the right again, and... off goes the device.]

Comments

[sleepingstar]

You could be dead. [Other than that, there really isn't much worse than being crazy, Pai thinks. Not having control over your own mind is the greatest vulnerability imaginable.]

[anunluckypenny]

[Gosh, that's... creepy. And not exactly true since Penny's pretty darn dead, but.]

There's always that. Gotta look at the bright side of things.

[sleepingstar]

You don't have to.

[anunluckypenny]

I guess not, but it doesn't hurt to, right?

[sleepingstar]

[Pai shrugs.]

If there's one to be seen.

[anunluckypenny]

[This is a weird conversation that Penny is uncomfortable with.]

There's always one.

Soooo... is there anything I can help you with?

[sleepingstar]

No. [Pai doesn't say anything more than that, just watches Penny with an eerie expression.]

[anunluckypenny]

Okay. Just... make yourself at home, I guess, and let me know if you need anything.

[She smiles awkwardly and just... goes back to what she was doing...]

[sleepingstar]

[Boring. The next time Penny looks up, Pai will be gone.]