[001 ★ voice]

[guiltapalooza]

So... my world's been destroyed. Yeah, not buying it. It's been tried before, by bigger and, well, probably better than whoever's behind this. In fact, I was sort of in the middle of the whole preventing the apolocypse game show right before I got zapped here, so if I could pretty please go back to that

Comments

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

[Oh hey Willow, have a big green face all up on your screen.]

Greetings, Miss Rosenberg. I am Fawkes.

The best advice I can give you is to always remain wary.

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

[Oh he's all scary and big but all... polite, at the same time. Intriguing.] Thank you-- I try to always be wary. Eyes in the back of my head, definitely a goal. It's a work in progress.

But you can just call me Willow. Can I ask... what are you? Is that rude?

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

[He nods.] A worthy goal.

I am a meta-human - and it is not rude.

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

Thanks. Again. [She doesn't often get told she has 'worthy goals' unless she goes to see a guidance counselor.]

Does that mean you used to be human, or were you born as you are? I kinda like learning about not-strictly-human things. Comes with magic-using territory.

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

You are quite welcome!

I was once human, a very long time ago - though there was no magic involved in this change.

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

Oh yeah, it works like that sometimes, [she says agreeably.] So I do have one question that isn't intrusive and personal. What exactly does everyone do around here that isn't, uh... escape attempts and random violence?

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

There is general daily life - getting to know our fellow residents, and adapting whatever daily routines you may have had back home to here. There are levels with various entertainments - books, televisions, these terminals. There's other floors with different themes that are often explored, but that goes back to my warning to be careful. Some are less innocent than they seem.

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

That all sorts so... normal, though. What about the Big Bad? Isn't there some head honcho villain we're supposed to be defeating before we go home?

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

This is no comic book or hero story. There are our keepers who seem rather...shady, to completely understate things with what they've done that I have witnessed. If there is a "big bad", I suppose it would be them.

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

See, usually where I'm from, it kind of is a... hero story. And a lot like a comic book, now that I'm thinking about it.

So I'm sorta surprised no one's gone, 'oh look Willow, there's the guy that's been terrorizing us! Turn his feet into jelly!' or whatever unlikely weakness needs to be targeted today. But if we're starting from the mystery end of things, I can do that, too. It is all pretty mysterious.

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

I have been told that some of the others here have met our keepers before, but I do not believe that anyone has made an attack attempt upon them.

Yes, quite mysterious, and it grows more and more mysterious every day.

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

We don't have to attack, necessarily... I'd be happy just to talk. Is there a way to meet them?

I hate it when that happens. Somehow it always ends up meaning that the mystery is worse than we thought instead of better, like a surprise box of puppies.

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

Much as I prefer a peaceful solution, some of the things I have seen here have sadly made violence a tempting option.

As mentioned, some who have been here longer than I have met them, but I have not heard of any instance of it happening since. There have been discussions with particular ones over the network, though those seem to have happened by chance.

A box of puppies would be quite nice, though.

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

I get that. It's easy to be majorly frustrated with stuff like this going on. But even if it ends up violent, it's worth it to try to get some information out of them first. Everyone likes to brag.

I'll keep an eye out, then. Both for a way to talk to them and the box of puppies. You'll be the first I tell.

[Video]

[lucidmutant]

[There's a confirmatory grunt and a nod.] A good plan, on all counts. [He might be smirking. Hard to tell.] I like the way you think, my friend.

[Clearly just meeting and getting along like this totally means friends, right?]

[Video]

[guiltapalooza]

[Willow is incredibly easy to encourage, and just gives him a big smile at being called friend.]

Thanks! I try. More difficult without my usual posse, but I make do.

I'll see what I can dig up.