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

voice;

[intheblanks]

[And there it is.]

You don't get to know. That's what death is: the point at which you hand your influence over to others.

[It's a quiet response, not especially gentle, not at all harsh.]

Have you eaten, today?

[signatures]

What are you going on about, exactly?

Voice;

[most_qualified]

Are you alright, Miss?

[punchedhitler]

A death ray?

Penny....are you okay?

[voice]

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Take a deep breath, in and out. Sounds like you're in shock.

voice;

[anunluckypenny]

I just wish I could know if everyone else was okay.

[What does eating have to do with anything?]

I think so? Maybe. ...No, not really.

[anunluckypenny]

I'm so sorry--I sound completely crazy, don't I? There're just some things that happened at home before... you know, before the City. Just ignore me, I'm sorry.

Voice;

[anunluckypenny]

Fine! Fine, completely. [This is a lie. It's not a very convincing one.] Just... things, happening all at once. I mean, they happened all at once days ago, but I could just act like it wasn't real...

[anunluckypenny]

Bil--Dr. Horrible had this death ray, only it didn't work and things happened and I can't believe Billy's a villain because he's so much sweeter than Captain Hammer and I'm so sorry I told you all of that because you probably think I'm completely crazy now.

[Aaaaand a pause to breathe.]

Yeah. Yes. I'm okay, Steve. Everything's okay.

[voice]

[anunluckypenny]

Shock? Shouldn't that have happened when everything--when all of that--happened?

No, I'm sorry. Deep breaths. Everything's fine; sorry for bothering you.

[voice]

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

There isn't really a time limit on shock when something big happens.

And you're not bothering me, pretty girl. Just wanna make sure you're okay.

[voice]

[anunluckypenny]

I guess that was a pretty big something...

That's really--thank you. That's so nice of you.

[voice]

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Yeah, sounds like it.

Anything I can do? Do you need to talk?

[voice]

[anunluckypenny]

I don't think so, but thank you so, so much for offering, really. No... actually, there's one thing. What's your name?

[voice]

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Derek. I'm Derek Morgan. I know you f-... we met awhile back. It seems like a long time ago but really it isn't, I guess.

Video

[mightbeconcussed]

[Yeah there's absolutely no comprehension on anything Penny has said because...it's PENNY.]

PENNY?

OMG

PENNY! PENNYPENNYPENNY! IT'S YOU

[voice]

[anunluckypenny]

It's nice to meet you, Derek. Re-meet you. Sorry I don't remember you from before.

Video

[anunluckypenny]

What? What'd I do?

[Normally, Penny would take this sort of thing in stride. This, however, is not normally, and the enthusiastic greeting is momentarily misunderstood.]

Oh--um. Sorry. Really, I'm so, so sorry, but we've met? I mean, I'd believe that we've met because there are a lot of people who've met me that I don't remember, but it's nice to meet you anyway?

[Sorry, Lucy. Caught her at a bad time.]

Video

[mightbeconcussed]

[It's okay, she won't hold it against you.]

Ohmigosh. Sorry. Yes, we've met. We're friends. I'm Lucy. It's okay. You'll probably remember later but if you don't I'm good with re-friending.

Are you okay? Do you need something? I sort of missed the whole thing you said up there because I was excited to see you.

Video

[anunluckypenny]

Then it's really nice to meet you again, Lucy.

[Her smile isn't that convincing. Give her a day.]

I'm... I don't know. No, I'm okay. Definitely okay, and extra okay because you're a friend.

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.

[thewildone]

For what it's worth, Captain Hammer definitely is an asshole.

Uh...he was here, at one point.

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.

[anunluckypenny]

But he seemed like such a sweet guy after the cheesy first impression. I mean, he's the reason Caring Hands got a new building and he went to the park with me even though he's afraid of the ducks there, but then he just told everyone we--

...No, he really is a jerk. I'm so stupid!

[pause]

You remember me today, right?