[action/video]

[horseish]

[The video opens near the town square. Every surface is dusted with a thin layer of early December snow. Most people are trudging around it, hoods down against the cold.

Until one small figure scrambles into shot, collecting handfuls of snow in small, bare hands. A child of maybe seven or eight, dressed in knickerbockers and a knitted sweater, anachronistic against the stark modern backdrop of the fountain, is working hard to create one snowball from the meager snowfall. The child obviously isn't dressed for the cold and shivers now and again, but doesn't seem to mind. The snow is obviously much more exciting and worth working through the cold for. Someone comes to closer and they speak for a while, out of range of the device's speaker, but the child makes a mad dash when the woman tries to hold out a hand to hold.

Which results in the discovery of the device.

A small freckled face comes in very close to the lens, inspecting it with calm and careful interest.]

Does everyone speak to these things in this place? I don't know why they would do that I don't think they talk back. See, my name is Bobby Lassiter and I think my magic brought me here. But I wish I hadn't left Rosie behind. Now I'm going to look silly because I just talked to a box.

[The child makes a high pitched noise, almost a scream and almost a whiny before cantering around in a circle and flopping onto a snowbank.]

See? Now I look crazy AND silly and I will get sent to the loony bin and no one will ever see me again.

[The video feed ends with a fit of giggles.]

Comments

Permavideo

[doeswhathewants]

We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad.

[horseish]

I'm not mad at anyone.

[Not while she's making a seriously excellent snow pile.]

[doeswhathewants]

Mad as in- oh nevermind. IT loses the effect if I must explain.

Newly arrived, then?

[horseish]

Yes. It wasn't snowing where I was.

[doeswhathewants]

You'll need a place to stay. That will not be so bad, the City and the Deities give us underagers an allowance to live on. We cannot be expected to find actual work.

Though some of us do.

Say. Any good with cards?

[horseish]

[She pauses to fish her card deck out of the pocket of her trousers. Lucky for you, Loki, she rarely goes without it. She always has to practice after all.]

A bit.

[doeswhathewants]

[He arches an eyebrow and grins.]

You know three card monte?

action;

[bookbending]

[Hello, child flopping about in a snowbank. Jinora isn't sure what to make of that, but it's interesting enough to make her close her book and investigate.]

Hello?

[horseish]

[Oh, it's a girl. Bobby is a bit withdrawn at first, because Rosie is her best friend and she is the one who left her behind when she used her magic by accident and it wouldn't be fair to make a new friend just now.]

'lo.

[bookbending]

[Jinora is a bit withdrawn herself, but that's just how she rolls. She's been looking for people her age, though, and this person is about the right height.]

Aren't you cold?

[horseish]

[Bobby gives a non-committal shrug.]

I don't know. Maybe a little.

[bookbending]

I know where to find coats.

[horseish]

I don't have any money for coats.

[deadmanbusiness]

[Child flopping on snowbank matched to child who was just on the video. Got it.

Theo approaches carefully, rats and hands in his pockets.]

Hey. I saw your video.

[horseish]

[Video? People here speak funny. Bobby is much more interested in snow angels right now.]

Alright.

[deadmanbusiness]

[Hurm.]

No one's going to think you're crazy.

[horseish]

It's okay if they did because I'm not crazy, not actually.

[deadmanbusiness]

I wouldn't think so. You seem like a normal... ten year old?

[horseish]

How did you know that?

[synanthrope]

The only reason you would be sent to the loony bin is for not stopping that incessant giggling.

[horseish]

[Sorry Saya, being told to stop just tends to set her off more. She's going to cross her eyes at the camera now.]

Why is that against the law here?

[synanthrope]

Noise ordinances.

[horseish]

What's that.

[She going back to cantering now because she likes the big plume of snow it kicks up behind her.]

[synanthrope]

It means they can arrest you for making too much noise.

[horseish]

Why? Everyone else is making noise.

[Back to the snowpile it is very comfy if a bit cold.]