First Voyage; Introduction {Video}

[whynotamus]

{There's a video feed coming in, of a large early Victorian sitting room and fireplace. The first thing one might notice, however, is not the period furniture or the formally dressed man in the middle of it, but rather the crowd of animals puttering around him. They're smaller animals, to be sure, but there are a lot of them-a dog, guinea pigs,

Comments

[vinkus_witch]

Fascinating. [Chistery comes up beside her, and points at Chee-Chee and makes a noise.] And this is Chistery.

[whynotamus]

Good heavens! I don't believe I've ever encoutered a winged monkey before. Can he fly? Most remarkable creature.

{And Chee-Chee is making a chimpanzee fuss meanwhile.} Yes, Chee-Chee. I'm sure he's being well cared for; there's nothing to worry about. {Looking back at the video.} Terribly sorry about that, Chee-Chee does sometimes assume the worst. Are such monkeys common in your country?

[vinkus_witch]

He can fly, and yes, he's being well cared for. Flying monkeys are very rare, actually. And...I can infer what Chee-Chee's saying, but I can't quite understand him, but I understand his concern. The worst is usually correct.

[whynotamus]

Fascinating, so very fascinating. Those wings must be so very powerful; he just might get Chee-Chee jealous. There are really only two ways Chee-Chee sees the world, either in animal is in great distress and there is no place for them but here-well, I say here but I refer to our house in Puddleby-or everything is so much better somewhere else and he can't wait to leave.

{Dolittle puts his hands on his hips, giving Chee-Chee an amused look.} He always seems to come back, though.

[vinkus_witch]

I suppose he's not so different from myself, then, though I frequently leave and stay gone.

[whynotamus]

Ah! Do you favour a bit of exploration? I say, when the fancy takes me, the moment I'm able I whisk myself to some foreign destination and heaven only knows what manages to pull me back again. The number of times I've been fantastically lost, or at sea, simply stagger the mind.

[vinkus_witch]

I've travelled a bit.

[whynotamus]

You must have many intriguing tales to tell! I would simply love to hear them. {His voice continues to be more interested and fascinated than he might otherwise be, as he's quite curious as to why she is green. So many interesting things on board!} This idea of...multiple worlds, really quite a bewildering and wonderful concept.

[vinkus_witch]

Before I was here, I'd only been to one world. In fact, I'd thought that was the only world.

[whynotamus]

Indeed, I had only been to one world-many places on one world. I had wondered if there were...other places beyond it, but it isn't quite something one can easily find out without this veritable divine intervention, as it were. Simply extraordinary to have been brought here.

[vinkus_witch]

I travelled more out of necessity.

[whynotamus]

Ah, yes. I am...not wholly unfamiliar with that situation myself. Still, one can always attempt to steer for a pleasant and interesting destination.

[vinkus_witch]

Attempt, but success is unlikely in Oz.

[whynotamus]

Oh, my. How unfortunate. More pleasant that the fate that awaits one, at least, I would hope.