exsilium | video

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[... or at least it should be video. There's something blocking the lens that shifts slightly as he starts speaking, letting brief ridges of light seep through.]

Hello? Is this thing on? Am I just talking to myself? I’m finally going crazy, that’s it, right?

Either I’m crazy or I’m unconscious or I’m on drugs, because I can’t actually be here. This is like, Tron and Back to the Future at the same time. I can barely follow those plots when they’re separate! This is a dream, this is a… oh hey, this is a video.

[The finger blocking the lens moves, revealing a dark-haired teenager wearing an almost humorously anxious expression. It’s clear he hasn’t convinced himself that this is all in his imagination, and is growing increasingly worried.]

I guess I’ll just... wait here for a while until I wake up.

[He manages to sit still and wait maybe ten seconds, glancing absently around the room. Once his eyes return to the device, it's abruptly flipped and given a nice view of one wall as he inspects it.]

Seriously though, this thing is broadcasting, right?

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Oh, you're here, and you're conscious, all right.

[Anders is a little cautious in his reply, since the last time he replied to a confused teenager, he got accused of working for the Initiative. On the other hand, he did also learn about Cheetos as a result.]

Sorry. I mean that sincerely.

[Scott almost throws the device in his enthusiasm while turning it back to face him. Initially, he's so excited about a response that he doesn't quite take in the details.]

Yes! I'm here, where is-

[Then he takes in the details.]

-wait, what are you wearing?

[Anders isn't wearing quite what the mun's initial icon suggests. He's wearing ... almost the same thing except all in black. About this much is visible on the netbook screen.

It's entirely possible, based on this view alone, that he could actually be clothed in a muumuu of feathers.]

We're on a ridiculous island called Exsilium, and I'm wearing a coat.

[A coat, suuuure... Scott doesn't say this out loud, but his face sure does.]

Oh... kay. Why am I on an island?

[Suddenly a thought occurs to him, and it's clear from his shift in tone that he thinks he's had a useful epiphany, and is about to talk his way out of this weird mess and back home.]

Isn't this technically kidnapping? You know, I'm a minor. That's really illegal.

[Because normal kidnapping is obviously just slightly illegal.]

Edited 2012-07-22 00:12 (UTC)

I'm afraid you've been conscripted as a soldier, like the rest of us. You're by no means the youngest they've pulled in. Nor do I think the Initiative will care what laws your home respects. They don't seem much to care about their own laws, for that matter.

If they have any, beyond the exigencies of the moment. [A momentary pause.] Hm. Initiative laws ... Someone ought to look into that. [But he shakes his head.] I expect someone's thought of it, and gave it up for a waste of time.

[Scott's just staring dumbfounded at the video as Anders goes on about the Initiative's theoretical laws, having checked out somewhere around 'conscripted as a soldier'. He finally tunes back in after he notices the video has gone quiet.]

No wait, hang on - a soldier? That's not fair! I have things going on back home, important things, I can't just ditch that to fight for someone else. I mean I wish I could help, but- [Wait a second, does he wish he could help? What's the endgame here? And why would they recruit a kid anyway, unless they know he's not just a kid... crap, how much do they know? Scott's eyes narrow a bit at the screen, suddenly wary.]

Who are you? Why did they conscript you?

[Anders is not unsympathetic; he answers mildly enough.] Most of us were torn away from important matters, yes. Even if we hadn't, our own lives would still be of importance to us.

I'm a mage. They might have conscripted me for that reason. Or ... they might have less control over their machines than they'd like us to think. Perhaps I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps you were, too. They'll tell you if you serve them well and win their war, you will be sent home. Whether you believe it or not, you won't be given much choice when they muster the troops.

I really am sorry to tell you all this. Others will confirm the story, if you don't trust what a mage tells you.

Edited 2012-07-22 00:48 (UTC)

[Wow, this guy talks a lot. Scott's mostly keeping up - okay, he's really not, but he sort of tries to for a few seconds. His attention was a bit thrown off by the 'I'm a mage' part. Anders should really learn to use less dramatic openers around this kid.]

You're a mage. [He repeats this slowly, eyes still narrowed as if he's looking at a puzzle instead of a guy dressed in feathers. Same thing, maybe? Then, suddenly, another epiphany.]

Is that like a witch? [He almost says "veterinarian", but is finally catching on enough to know that the context of his world probably doesn't apply much here.]

[Oh, if you think this is bad, you should read Anders' manifesto, Scott.]

If you want to offend a mage, yes, absolutely use the word witch. Mages are trained. Witches are wild.

[Scott probably doesn't even know what manifesto means.]

Err, sorry? I didn't know there was a difference, I mean I don't even know if I know any witches - or mages, because they are different things. I don't know if I know either. [Pause for thought.]

Except you, I guess. Are there, uh, many mages where you're from?

You're talking to yourself. We're results of a bad trip. Just lay down and wait to wake up.

[ she's so helpful. ]

[Scott actually likes the bad trip explanation a lot better than the weird war island thing, so he's not remotely annoyed by the sass.]

I kind of already tried that. Still not working. And no offense, but if this was a bad trip, I doubt I'd be seeing dudes in feathers and chicks with tattoos on an iPad.

Edited 2012-07-22 03:25 (UTC)

[ Oh, someone tolerating her sass? well then. ]

You sure? Did you close your eyes real tight and click your heels three times and say 'There's no place like home'?

[Okay, so maybe that's a little too much sass. Scott makes a confused face, then gets the reference, then makes a slightly exasperated one instead.]

Seriously? No, I didn't try that yet. Though honestly, I might have to if I end up stuck here much longer. Know where I can get some red slippers?

I'm sure there's some kindly wizard among the throng of the out spoken ones we've got around that can help you with that, Dorothy.

More than one wizard? Seriously? They just do non-scary earthy magic, right? I mean, they can't throw fireballs or anything, obviously.

... can they?

I wouldn't know, I think they're full of shit, so I didn't really research it.

[ You're going to get a view of a crumbling building with some rather sinister rusty objects here and there. No person in view, at least not yet. ]

Welcome to Exsuilim in the year 3312. You were brought here to fight in the past to save the futures of Earth.

[He frowns at the lack of a person on the other side, but responds all the same, sounding a bit disgruntled.]

Yeah, I guess that was in the welcome packet. Am I the only one having a hard time believing that? Besides, I was kind of in the middle of something. [A pause as he actually processes the rest of the sentence.]

Hang on, did you say 'save the futures of Earth'?

Edited 2012-07-22 03:31 (UTC)

[ the camera does swing up and he gets to see a blue-eyed Japanese man with some rather white teeth with a hat pulled down over his ears and a rather haphazard collection of jewelry over his scruffy clothing. ]

We were all in the middle of something. I think that the Initiative tends to grab people at such points because of how distracted we are.

Yes. Do you really want Earth to have this kind of future?

Edited 2012-07-22 04:07 (UTC)

[Scott is briefly taken aback by the man's appearance, but he gets over it quickly - he's already learning to expect the unexpected from these cam feeds.]

Uh... yeah, well, my thing was important. Like, really important.

Wait, does that mean we're really in the future? You're saying if we mess this up, this is what happens?

So were the other things I have heard from. Wars to end wars, destruction of space-time continuum, the whole thing.

We are. And this is what the world is suppose to turn into unless we stop it in the past.

... yeah, I guess those things are pretty important.

How do you know they're telling the truth about this? Couldn't it all be some kind of trick? A really, really good trick...

I think it is far too elaborate to be nothing but the truth. Too many things that could have been made simpler that are not. The technology behind the transporting and of course our weapons.

We read you loud and clear, unfortunately.

Try pinching yourself. Maybe that'll get you in a believing mood.

Hey, there's no reason to be rude.

This is weird, you can't say it's not weird. I bet you didn't buy into it right away either. [He wants to say you don't buy into it, but clearly all of these people do. Maybe they're the crazy ones.]

Consider it a wake up call.

Anyone with common sense wouldn't, double so if you were where I'm from. Either way, you'll spend your time denying that it's happening or get over it and deal.

I think waking up on an imaginary island is a pretty good wake up call on its own. But thanks for answering, I guess?

I bet it didn't take you long to get over it. I mean, no offense, but you seem pretty... confident. And where are you from?

Obviously it wasn't enough. [She shrugs, as if to say 'whatever.']

You catch on quick. [An assessing once over, smirking.] Maybe you aren't as brainless as I thought.

Nowhere you've heard of, unless Panem sounds familiar.

[He smiles at the 'brainless' comment, obviously taking the half-insult as a full compliment.]

Uh... no, no Panem. I don't think so anyway. I was never really great at geography, though.

... wait, are you a mage? There are regular people here too, right?

Don't worry about it. I probably haven't heard of where you're from, either.

[She pauses, raising an eyebrow.]

Nobody here is normal. Where'd you get the idea I'm one of the mages?

You are not dreaming.

Yeah, I'm starting to catch on to that. I don't think I could come up with some of these people if I tried.

How long have you been here?

Less than one month.

Sorry, it's all real! I guess people already told you it's on.

What's your name?

Yeah, unfortunately. Thanks for answering, though.

I'm Scott - what about you? And where are you from?

I'm Lea, and I'm from Radiant Garden. -- You haven't heard of it, have you? [He sounds a little hopeful, but only a little.] It turns out only a couple people here have.

Um - no, sorry. I don't have a great memory though, so that doesn't really mean anything. [He's 99.9% positive this Lea isn't from his part of town, but he's reluctant to say so, given the trace of hope in the question.]

Have you ever heard of California?

[Pause.] Yeah! Yeah, I have. So you're from this world... in the past, I guess.

Hey, it's nice to meet you anyway, though!

Seriously? You're from the future?

It's nice to meet you, too. Even if this is really freaking weird.

[Lea laughs.] No way! I'm from a totally different world. There's one other guy here who's been to my world, but that's all.

I just heard about California when they sent us back in time here!

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fff, sorry, hiatus /)_(\

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