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 His hair and clothes are a few decades out of date, and he seems confused enough by what he's holding to suggest he's not from around here.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. ]

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[infernoandhearth]

[David. It takes Luke a bit after the feed happens to notice, he's not on his device every waking moment, but once he does, he does a quick look over the network, checking, is there a curse? A curse that makes people hallucinate, or something like that? Nobody's announcing anything?

Free to go.

He's a bit of a usual habit of casually ambling over to David but this is important, because this is the longest he's gone without seeing him since he met him ever.

So he runs, instead, shouting to catch his attention as he runs over to the fountain.]

David!

[He barely slows down when he reaches him, scooping him into a sort of bear hug.]

We're in a magical city, and time works differently, so I've been here for months and I missed you.

[justamessenger]

Oh my goodness. You must be David.

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[fiveagainstradley]

[ David sees Luke running towards him and is instantly relieved. ]

There you are, I was about to-- [ He's cut off by the intensity of the hug and by Luke's next sentence. That's not to say he doesn't return it, because he can tell Luke needs this right now. ]

Oh. But months? I just saw you yesterday.

[fiveagainstradley]

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

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[infernoandhearth]

[Luke grins into his shoulder, and then breaks the hug off, beckoning to David as he walks away backwards. WALKING ADVENTURE TIME.]

I thought you might have. It moves differently, though, there are all sorts of people from the future and the past here, not to mention different worlds and universes entirely. It's brilliant.

[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.

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[fiveagainstradley]

[ FOLLOWING TIME. ]

Sounds neat. Have you made many friends? There's one lady who talked to me on this... thing. [ He wiggles the device. ]

[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.

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[infernoandhearth]

That's a future thing, and that's how I worked out where you were. We shall have to find you some more matches. Anyway, I've made loads of friends. I'll have to introduce you to all of them, even if you've already met Dulcie. One of them is even a version of me from a different universe.

[He's arguably headed for the Welcome Centre, to get David some dry clothing, but he might end up distracted.]

[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. ]

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[fiveagainstradley]

[ He's following along, although really it's just the bottoms of his pant legs that are wet, and he doesn't mind that too horribly much.

He's not sure how he feels about hearing that Luke has so many friends when he's become so used to having Luke all to himself, aside from his own relations. ]

Dulcie seems nice.

[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.

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[infernoandhearth]

[Or food. Or matches. Multi-purpose.]

She's a literal angel.

[And then he stops, suddenly.]

You're under 18, so the City gives you an allowance. Would you like to look at flats?

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[fiveagainstradley]

A flat for just me? [ Because Luke's been here for months, he's bound to already be living somewhere, right? Right? ] Or, for us together?

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[infernoandhearth]

I was thinking one for both of us together, but we could look for one for just you if you like. [Haha, nope, David. Luke: God of Couch Surfing.]

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[fiveagainstradley]

No, a flat for both of us would be brilliant! Maybe... Could we get a dog too?

[justamessenger]

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

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[infernoandhearth]

I've not seen any of the landlords and ladies have any issue with pets before. We can definitely get a dog. [He opens his arms and spins around in a circle.] There are twelve buildings to live in. Choose a direction.

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[fiveagainstradley]

[ David grins. This is literally everything he could have wanted. He puts one hand over his eyes, points the other straight ahead, and spins in circles until he stops, parting his fingers to peek. ]

That way, I suppose.

[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.