[ There is an inhuman eye taking up the whole screen of the forge. The pupil is solid black, the eyeball is an eerie yellow, and the surrounding skin is pale grey, smeared haphazardly in places with white greasepaint. ]
Woah...
[ And the owner of the eye pulls back, revealing an odd-looking young man — or troll, as is actually the case — humanoid but alien, messy dark hair, high orange goats' horns, pale clown makeup smeared over his grey face and three jagged cuts sliced from his left brow, across his eyes, and down to his right cheek. The crusted blood, long-dried, is purple. His eyes are heavy-lidded, complacent, a hint of a smirk playing around his fang-filled mouth. ]
There is some wicked shit all up in this motherfucking place, bro. I thought I'd seen all the things there all are for me to see and then some, but now I've up and realized I haven't ever seen any motherfucking thing. Look at this shit, man. Just look at it.
[ Seemingly savvy as to how the Forge works, he pans the camera around the room: it's one of the standard Outislander Community Block apartments. There is absolutely nothing out of the ordinary about it. When Gamzee turns the camera back onto the oddest thing in the room, himself, his eyes are glassy with wonder. ]
No wonder, no fucking wonder the mirthful messiahs talked all that shit about getting all up in the paradoxspace of the paradise planet. Do you think that's where we are now, motherfucking best friend? Did some supreme honking miracle just up and take us all right off to the new motherfucking universe with all the sweet human loot we could desire?
Yeah, I feel in my horns, there's only one explanation: it's a motherfucking miracle.
Honk.
[ Yeah, that isn't a horn, he actually just ... says the word honk. Like a bad goose impression. ]
[This is going to be one of those videos where the Forge is video-recording the inside of an animal's mouth. It's pretty gross, actually, and brief shots of the floor and the ceiling of an outworlder apartment can be seen as the perpetrator rotates it. But it's mostly dark with shots of herbivorous teeth every now and then...accompanied with gross sloppy saliva sounds and...bleating. It goes on for about a minute before a muffled outside voice is heard, and suddenly there's a wave of light as it's yanked out of the animal's mouth.]
Djali. You shouldn't try to eat things that aren't...well...[The Forge is turned over in the speaker's hand, and there's a shot of bright green eyes before it's brought down to reveal a whole face.] edible. [A brief moment of darkness again as she wipes it clean with her dress. She gives it a closer look, quirking an eyebrow, and then she sets it on the bed. Her voice is distant now, like she's away from the bed looking out of a window or something.]
We don't even know where we are. But this definitely doesn't look like the inside of the Palace of Justice...[The sound of a curtain being pulled back.] In fact, I don't even think we're in Paris anymore...
[The thing made out of chocolate that appears to be a frog gave one enormous leap, a much smaller hop, then stopped moving, but Ax is still giving it the occasional suspicious look as he talks to the Forge.]
I have not yet thanked Tonks and her owl for the foods, so thank you! They are delicious.
But this one worries, worr-eeze, me. [Another glance at the frog.] It was moving-ing.
And why does this card say it is Merlin? It looks nothing-ing like him.
[ Arthur's got his Forge on the table, hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling of his rooms in Patrol Headquarters. But he lifts his head to look at the Forge, lifting an eyebrow as if to antipate the commentary some people might have regarding that statement alone. ]
I've been thinking about starting a little organization. Nothing political — we've quite enough of that lately — just an idea I had, to supplement our food over winter.
I'd like to get together a group of those who can hunt game, or are extremely good at foraging for food in Anatole. Roots or fruit or seaweed... anything that doesn't need the Greenhouses. Because I know not everyone arrives here with the ability to take care of themselves.
[ He certainly didn't. ]
So, much like there is with the Patrol, there would be allocated shifts. And someone with ability would partner someone without to teach them how to gather their own food. The day's takings would be distributed amongst members, sold in the market to support the costs of equipment, food preparation, and storage, and any leftovers given to the Dragon's Hearth to support those who would otherwise starve.
[ He drums his fingers on the arm of the chair, looking off-screen, though his gaze is distant. Unnoticed, a small white dragon is stalking, low, across the covers of the well-made double bed behind him. ]
We have had it easy so far, but winter can be a demanding season, and with the Greenhouses ravaged as they were and the baskets run dry a sure source of regular food would be a comfort to many. Would anybody else be interested in—?
[ Abruptly, the dragon propels itself, with a mad flutter of leathery wings, across the gap to the back of Arthur's chair, leaping again from him to pounce energetically on the Forge like a cat with a ball of string. ]
[ There is only time to hear Arthur's shout of surprise before the feed abruptly terminates. ]
[ Someone's Forge turns on. Though, it would appear that it is not quite a someone who is working it. Rather, it is a goshawk that seems to have let its way into someone's living area via an open window. That someone remains absent from the feed for some time, until finally he reveals himself, carrying what appears to be a glass of water, and looking like he had a rather unfortunate encounter with a stove. However, after little more than a couple of weeks in Anatole, Stannis Baratheon is looking somewhat healthier than when he arrived.
But none of that particularly matters because when he sees the bird, Stannis drops his glass in shock.
Impossible.
His first thought was that it was idiotic idea of a jape. However, he quickly discerns such a thing to be false. There were perhaps four men who knew of such a thing and only two were in Anatole. And of those two men, he remained doubtful that either Robert or Renly had the patience or the memory to recall... ]
Proudwing.
[ It would seem that this world was determined to have him live in the past, first with his two dead brothers and now with a reminder of a young lad's folly. It should not be, yet there she was. He was not a man to forget such things easily, and the hawk had all the same markings, the same feathers missing from her wings. The same everything.
In spite of all of this, and perhaps out of the absurdity of the situation, he finds himself smiling at the hawk. While she had never been any use to him hawking, she had been a decent companion (even if he had little use for companionship). He heads over to the window that she came from...
And notices that his Forge was recording.
Almost immediately, his frown returns, and he grabs the Forge, fiddling with it for a moment as he tries to turn it off again. ]
The Others take this infernal-
[ The video feed goes blank first, and shortly thereafter, the audio (though not after a few more colourful curses to R'Hllor and the Seven). ]
[The Forge turns on to show one Renly Baratheon in some fabulous new clothes. He has taken note of the fashions in Anatole, and is determined to be as in line with them as he possibly can, because -- well, pretty clothes. He clears his throat a tad and directs a smile at the camera.]
As many of you can no doubt see, I've gained a new wardrobe. Obviously, in order to own more than this and the --rather messy clothes I arrived in, I must have a way to earn ivories. I am rather unaccustomed to this sort of thing, but I find myself in need of a job.
So my question to you, people of Anatole, is this. Is there anyone who is in need of hiring someone? I am not much good with swords and the like, but I am willing to learn and improve, if I must.
[The video shows Merlin in profile, leaning across the a table and feeding one of the many, many olives from his basket to something just off-screen.]
I've heard a lot of talk about being thankful lately. It's nice. I certainly have plenty to be thankful for. The arrival of friends that I thought I might never see again. The chance to make new friends here. Freya's return.
Arthur's armor.
[He smiles. So fond of that armor.]
But the more you're given, the more charitable you should feel towards others, right?
[Merlin winces and draws his hand back, inspecting his thumb for a moment until the tiniest drop of blood wells up. He sucks it into his mouth briefly.]
Sorry. I really just wanted to ask what people think about forgiveness. If it's always possible. If...you have a right to ask for it if you can't give it yourself.
[There's a soft trill of a sound and Merlin's smile returns as he stretches his arm out across the table again.]
Not you. I've already forgiven you for biting me.
[Wait. Allow him to reconsider.]
Though it was a rather grievous injury. I should probably take the morning off.
[ Snow White is still very much in the clinic. Though she looks a bit better. Her hair is neater, dark and loose, a strong contrast to her pale skin. ]
My name is Snow White. Queen Snow White from the Enchanted Forest.
[ A sigh. ]
To all of those who helped me when I arrived here -- thank you. For lending me help and for looking for my baby.
[ Her hand comes to rest above where a small baby bump is still very much present. ]
But now I know she is not here. She is not trapped. She's free, she's been saved.
[ And all at once two things happen: she reaches a hand to wipe a tear from the corner of her eyes, but she is also smiling. ]
Good will win.
[ That is more of a whisper. A moment later and her tone turns stronger again. ]
I was told I need to earn my money here. I can wield a sword and I am a fast learner. Whatever I will need to do, I'll do it. Where I come from I spent a few years......trading [ yeah that seems about right ] so I suppose I could do that too.
[ She lifts a hand and a blue bird flies from the window pane to rest upon it. ]
At the very least you are still with me. Fly now. Don't stop looking for him. Do not worry, you will be free too.
[ hello, network. this visual broadcast greets with a woman's backside, slim and accentuated by a pale blue fabric, and the inside of an apartment. not one from the community block, either. if you're familiar with one lilly rush, you may recognize the apartment! or possibly even this ginger. she is sitting on the floor, her legs tucked beside her body, and a rather fluffy, white cat is laying over her feet. ]
You are inescapable, Anatole.
[ seriously, she forgets the lot of you, and you never leave her alone. then, she leaves, but she comes back. this city is like the personification of persistence. it's almost annoying. ]
Shall we mourn? Or shall we celebrate?
[ here, she turns her head to look at the forge and smiles. stay cryptic, shirley. ]
[ So. Here's Dean, hiding behind what looks like something close to a broken, crumbling pillar of some sorts -- one of the many you would find in the Ruins. His back is pressed to it, and he casts quick looks around, as if expecting something to jump out at him. Otherwise he looks pretty good, a little breathless if anything, like he's been running.
And that's actually exactly what he's been doing.
He fumbles with the Forge, speaking quickly but in a hushed voice; ]
Someone could've told me there are giant freakin' bears in the ruins. And not just your every day Animal Planet ones -- more like a freaky cousin on steroids! [ He's talking about the Anatole's very own Cave Bears, which are…apparently massive.
And as if on cue, you can hear the angry grunts of a very, very large animal, one that sounds pretty darn pissed too, close by. Watch Dean stiffen the hell up and then all but melt into the broken pillar behind him.
He….does look a little (read; very) worried. Naturally the thing is between him and Anatole, so he's stuck. ]
If anyone knows how to distract this overgrown freak of a Winnie the Pooh, because nothing I've tried is working -- [ And only because Dean actually pissed the bear off, so it's on a mission now. ] -- I'm all ears.
[ ooc; …if anyone wants their character to come help dean out, feel free to action tag! he's not very far into the ruins, so the mist levels aren't high. or you can always just laugh at him, dude kinda deserves this. 8|;;; ]
