1 [voice]

[anunluckypenny]

[Maybe the amplified ticking that only just stopped had gotten to her. Maybe the reality of her situation took five days to hit home. Whatever the reason, Penny doesn't sound particularly chipper. One might go so far as to say that she sounds outright shocked.]

Oh my god. This is all completely real, isn't it? Not just the City, but all of it. What Hammer said, the death ray, Billy, dying, coming here... all of that actually happened.

The City and the dying--that I can deal with. Death happens like everything else, right? But Billy's a supervillain... a real villain with a death ray and everything. And Hammer's supposed to be a hero and he actually told everyone that we slept--oh god. Laundromat-frozen yogurt-shy Billy has a death ray and Captain Hammer's a total... a total jerkface, and he never did care about the homeless, and why does that bother me more than Billy being Dr. Horrible? But Billy--Dr. Horrible--didn't actually shoot anyone, and Hammer made the death ray explode...

And then--

[There's a long pause, but the recording continues. Penny's quieter when she speaks again, as if she's not talking directly into her network device.]

That really happened. All of that happened.

Billy's sweet and a supervillain, Hammer's--and then what happened to the shelter when the death ray exploded? Who else...?

[Another pause. This time the pause stretches into silence until the device times out.]

Comments

Video

[mightbeconcussed]

[Lucy notices that.]

Did you find the welcome center? They can probably help you get settled until things aren't so scary.

Video

[anunluckypenny]

I did! I mean, I didn't, but someone took me there and that's where I am, and things weren't scary or even that weird until I actually started processing... things, and then those things were suddenly real and I'm rambling like a crazy person again, so I'll stop now.

Video

[mightbeconcussed]

It's okay. The City has a way of turning us into crazy people.

Okay, I'm glad you're safe then and where you need to be.

Video

[anunluckypenny]

It's always good to have company.

You're so nice, Lucy. [And she's not crying, she has something in her eye!] I'm glad I made friends with you before.

Video

[mightbeconcussed]

[Oh. Now she wants to hug her.]

You know what, hold on. I'm going to go get some coffee and bring it over to the Welcome Center for us.

[So prepare to be hugged by a strange blonde girl]

Video

[anunluckypenny]

You really, really don't have to do that.

[But Penny needs a hug, and that's okay if it comes from a stranger.]

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[mightbeconcussed]

I know I don't have to. I want to.

[She'll show up about fifteen minutes later with two cups of fancy coffee with dessert type names. The first thing she does is put the coffee off on a table and wrap Penny up in a hug.]

[anunluckypenny]

[There's no arguing with that, and Penny doesn't much like confrontation anyway.

She won't be weirded out by the hug from someone she barely knows. She'll just hug back; sometimes, that's the only thing to do.]

[mightbeconcussed]

[Oh good. It makes things much nicer when people hug back. She pulls away after a nice long hug.] coffee, extra sweet with two shots. [She picks one cup up and passes it to Penny]

[anunluckypenny]

Thanks, Lucy. Thank you so, so much. [Because how many other blondes would rush in with hugs and coffee? Has to be Lucy.]

[mightbeconcussed]

You're so very welcome. I'm just happy you're back even if you don't remember yet. And maybe that sounds selfish, being glad someone is back here but I've never claimed to no be selfish.

[Well yes, probably]

[anunluckypenny]

I don't mind being here, for what it's worth. I mean, the alternative doesn't involve hugs or coffee. Or maybe it does, but I like it here.

...This is amazing coffee, by the way.

[mightbeconcussed]

[Lucy beams a smile at her and finds a place close by to sit.]

Cafe Juliet. Sweet talk the barista and you get amazing coffee for almost nothing.

[anunluckypenny]

[It's the bed or the bed, Lucy. Penny would highly recommend the bed.]

I'll remember that.

Hey, Lucy? You don't have to answer, but before--the last time I was here--did anything important happen? You know, that I should know about?

[mightbeconcussed]

I don't mind answers. I don't all of the things though.

[She takes a careful sip of the coffee.]

You had a boyfriend named Chris. He's not here anymore. You worked in the Welcome Center. I think your life was good here. I mean, I think you liked it.

[anunluckypenny]

A boyfriend? Really? [Go her.] You mean one who wasn't a hero or a villain or a creep or anything?

I'm sure I liked it since I like it now.