1st keystroke [video]

[acts_of_claudia]

[The video cuts in on a redheaded girl with one shock of green hair grinning at the camera]

So is it just me or does that [air quotes] "orientation" thing need a little spicing up? Seriously. I didn't know whether I was going to the grand inquisitor's office or if I was back in the... uh... [She cringes, realizing what she almost just said. Grinning suddenly she waves it off] in bed having some weird-ass dream or something.

I do feel kinda gypped, though. [She mocks the woman's voice] "your housing companions will assist you in becoming ready." Yeah well I don't have any "housing companions" so I guess I'm on my own. [beat] Again.

[Yeah this is so familiar. Left alone in an unfamiliar place. Groovy. Yeah. She's done it before and she can do it again. She shrugs, shooting the camera a lopsided grin]

So I guess what I'm really saying is: Is there any place a girl can get a burger around here? I'm starving.

Comments

[acts_of_claudia]

[Why hello girl she suddenly doesn't want to talk to. She cringes.]

What? Oh nothing. Nowhere really. Just a place where I used to, uh, stay. [she looks decidedly uncomfortable with this conversation. Let's change the subject, yes?]

Speaking of staying. This place, huh? Pretty gloomy, amirite?

[whatsupcroc]

( Going to stay curious in you, lady, even when it's obvious you don't want to talk about it! )

We should swap stories someday. People come from all sorts of odd places! Ones they had to stay in for some reason or another.

( Hnnngh okaaay, topic change grudgingly accepted. )

Not so bad as you think! Plus, sometimes we journey to the past and see sunlight. That's awesome!

[acts_of_claudia]

[Yeah well excuse her for not wanting to openly broadcast the fact that she was in a mental institution for a few months.]

Stories. stories are good. I can get behind stories.

[Waaaaaaaaaait. Her face lights up like you just said it was Christmas every day]

Time travel? Did you just say time travel? tell me you just said time travel.

[whatsupcroc]

Not just said it, but meant it, too! Back to the Future, only limited to around here, we don't get to hop around time on our own worlds or anything. Still! It can be pretty exciting!

( Feeling like this last round of instructional teaching by the Initiative had gone horribly pear-shaped, but appreciating the distraction. )

[acts_of_claudia]

Dude, seriously? That's badass! Where've you been?

[No really. Want to time travel like burning. Everytime it comes up she never gets to goooooo]

[whatsupcroc]

Ancient Russia, Boston in the 90's, New Mexico during the Wild Wild West, Uruguay in what would have been my far future, all sorts of crazy places! Where would you like to go, if you could go anywhere? Oh. Oooh I've been to France, too, at the fancy palace there right during the 1700's.

[acts_of_claudia]

Boston in the 90's. Eh not so hot since I've probably been there but the rest sound pretty shiny, even the 1700s thing. Oh! Do you have to get all dressed up to blend in or can you just, like, wear whatever you want and hope no one notices. Because I generally try to avoid all things skirt-like if I can help it.

[whatsupcroc]

We get these holographic projectors that help us blend in! We need them, you know, for a lot of reasons, the least being some of the people here are totally out of this world! It helps disguise the tablet, too, so we can all still talk no matter the language.

[acts_of_claudia]

Oh that's so sci-fi it hurts [she laughs] Also why haven't I thought of that? I could totally probably make something like that.

[That's because in your world disguising yourself as someone else is generally what the BAD guys do]

[whatsupcroc]

Go ahead and try! I wanna see someone else do it too, I bet you'd make it even more awesome!

[acts_of_claudia]

Is that a challenge? [She GRINS]

[whatsupcroc]

You bet it is. Up to taking it?

[acts_of_claudia]

Only totally! How do I get my hands on one of those projector things?

[whatsupcroc]

Over at the Initiative labs right by the transport pads. It's kind of got a glorified supply closet in there!

[acts_of_claudia]

Oooo a glorified supply closet, you say? that's music to my ears.