First Over || accidental video

[fiveagainstradley]

[ The video feed opens on a small, wet cardboard box and a handful of thoroughly soaked and utterly useless matches. From the quality of the audio, it's evident the recording is accidental. ]

Where am I? This isn't Ashbury. And-- Oh, great, how am I meant to call Luke now? Wait, what's this? Some sort of portable?

[ A hand comes into view as it picks up the device, revealing a sandy-blond boy in his late teens. His hair and clothes are a few decades out of date, and he seems confused enough by what he's holding to suggest he's not from around here. ]

Oh, it's a camera. Sort of? Where's the film go? [ In trying to figure out where to put the nonexistent film, David accidentally ends the feed. ]

Comments

[fiveagainstradley]

Well, I don't know if I must be, but I am. Who're you?

[justamessenger]

Hi! I'm Dulcie. I've heard a lot about you.

Oh, is that a little creepy? I forget sometimes. But potentially stalkery business aside, I'm a friend of Luke's as well.

[fiveagainstradley]

No, it's not creepy, really. I've never met another friend of Luke's before who wasn't a relation. Are you from another world, then?

[justamessenger]

Yep. Pretty much everyone is around here. You're lucky to show up with someone you know here already.

Also I think Luke is probably pretty fail at the welcome speech. Not that I'd do MUCH better. Is there anything you needed to know?

[fiveagainstradley]

Well, he said that it's a magical city where time works differently, and there are people from the past and the future and from different worlds altogether. Is there anything else?

[ Because to be frank, he's slightly overwhelmed but he's trying not to let it show. ]

[justamessenger]

That's the basics. Also you can't leave until they decide to kick you out which is a bit of a pain. Oh! And curses. But the rest of the time it's pretty fun here. You'll like it!

Did you land in the fountain? Some people do, you know.

[fiveagainstradley]

The.. curses? Like evil witch sort of curses?

I didn't, but my matchbox fell out of my pocket into the water. [ If she's Luke's friend, he figures that probably doesn't sound weird. ]

[justamessenger]

Sort of like evil witches curses but the people running them are called deities but they're not real gods as far as I can work out. Sometimes it's stuff like people thinking they're cats and other times it's a bit weirder.

I bet a lighter would be a good investment piece for you.

[fiveagainstradley]

I see.

I've thought about it, but I think I just prefer matches.

[justamessenger]

There is something fun about matches, it's true.

[fiveagainstradley]

So... [ How to breach this topic lightly...? ] Luke says you're a real angel.

[justamessenger]

Yep. That'd be me! I'm a little off-duty just at the moment, what with being all stuck here and things.

[fiveagainstradley]

I suppose we're all off duty then. Though I wasn't really on duty for anything to begin with.

[justamessenger]

Everyone's on duty for something, come one. Anyway, I little vacation is always needed.

[fiveagainstradley]

Exactly. Holidays are nice, though I don't so much mind school either.