( ♞ 001 | VIDEO )

[bratworth]

[The video feed turns on the show the face of a rather serious-looking young man wearing a very fancy suit... a very fancy suit that looks although it's been slept in for the past two days.

He's very slowly coming to terms with the fact that this isn't all some sort of absurd dream, and has decided that perhaps it's time to introduce himself. And he's prepared.]

Good morning.

To those of you who are listening to this message, my name is Miles Edgeworth and I am a prosecuting attorney. There is still much that I do not know about this world, and I would welcome all information anyone would care to provide, or directions to a place where I might uncover more about this place for myself.

After all, if am forced to remain here, then I expect to be informed of all aspects of my current situation in its entirety, from as many different sources as possible. I do not presume to speak for all of you, but I, for one, do not care to work for a cause that resorts to such underhanded dealings such as abduction and much worse to achieve its goals.

[Underhanded, but not to mention preposterous. These sort of happenings should be confined to science fiction novels where they could remain. Unread. But he continues nonetheless.]

You, as a 'transport' who has also arrived under circumstances similar to myself, are the ones most likely to understand and share this belief of mine. I can only hope that you will be willing to assist me in this matter.

That's all, and thank you for your attention.

Comments

[whatsupcroc]

[ It was a amusing, watching him react. There wasn't much to say on it, on another hand, so her focus is on what he does say. Improper? She quirks up an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side and resting her cheek against her closed fist. ]

Why?

[bratworth]

[ He clears his throat, slightly flustered. ]

I shouldn't have to spell it out for you.

[whatsupcroc]

[ Skers, gymnasts, divers, there were all sorts of legitimate people who wore skintight clothing. What was so improper about that? ... Why wouldn't he just say it? ]

Spell out why it was improper? Because I'm not seeing it right now.

[bratworth]

- To wear such an outfit in this setting!

[ There, he said it. ]

[whatsupcroc]

Hey, I think I was rocking the look pretty good, even if I don't exactly have a gymnasts' build.

[ Said with a wink and a grin, perfectly well amused. ]

Next time I should demand they take me from a time where I'm properly dressed!

[bratworth]

I'd rather they not have taken you at all.

[whatsupcroc]

Aren't you just a sweetheart!

[ She winks again, snorting and shaking her head while her shoulders shrugged. Collette guesses it's all linked to her apparent -- and actual -- age. Unless he'd noticed the chair, even with her being careful with the camera angles. ]

Just between you and me, I'm probably way better prepared for this than you are. If and when it comes down to the fighting side of things.

[bratworth]

[ It's got nothing to do with being sweet, and everything to do with justice. Silly girl. ]

Are you trained?

[whatsupcroc]

[ Yeah, sure, justice. She wrinkles her nose, looking off to the side. ]

Trained implies a lot of time. Experienced? Yes. Trained?

[ She'll let that sit there unanswered with words. ]

[bratworth]

... So you've been in a position where you've had to fight before, despite a lack of training?

[whatsupcroc]

Bingo! Real life or death situations, no holds barred, winner takes all, loser is basically obliterated.

[ She sounds both factual and playful, waving one hand in front of her as if it's more worth dismissing part of what she's said. ]

Species scale obliteration, not just personal.

[ Still smiling, Collette looks away from the camera's eye. Sometimes it was both. Sometimes it would have been both even if she and the others hadn't been pulled in by the Animorphs. ]

[bratworth]

[ He lapses into an uncomfortable silence then, because he really, really doesn't know what to say in response to this revelation. 'I'm sorry'? No, that just sounds trite, even in his head. Eventually, he settles on: ]

What year was it?

[whatsupcroc]

1998. You know, the year where Titanic won way too many awards at the Oscars?

[bratworth]

[ No, he wouldn't, but the answer is sufficient enough despite that. 1998. He had been six years old that year. Thus... ]

An alternate reality of a sort, then. There seems that there was some truth in that.

[whatsupcroc]

Aren't they all? It's one of the most exciting things to think about in this place! I can guarantee this world is probably not one where the stuff I lived through happened, and with the people I've been meeting, from Earth or totally not from Earth, think of all the worlds out there.

What year are you from?

[bratworth]

It's 2012.

[whatsupcroc]

[ She groans. ]

It's so not fair so many of you people are from the future! I'd be like... twenty-nine then. Or thirty!

[bratworth]

You are still hopeful, then? For your reality's future?

[whatsupcroc]

Wouldn't you be?

[bratworth]

[ He thinks about it briefly... if he was in that sort of situation, what choice would he have? ]

I suppose, but until very recently I believed that there was only the one reality.

[whatsupcroc]

You wouldn't have hope, if things were all limited to being singular?

[bratworth]

If there was only one, then yes. It would mean my life, and that of all I know. I've just... never been in that sort of situation before, that's all.

[whatsupcroc]

Hah, it has to suck to still not be in it now. The only reasons to fight here are because you want to protect people here, or you really think it'll get you home. Or because you want to protect yourself.

It's better not to know the other kind unless you have to, or you wanted to. Like if you joined up for a life in the armed forces, like my brother did.

[bratworth]

How is what is happening here much different? Because it's less personal?

[whatsupcroc]

Yeah, it makes a big difference if what happens to this world and the people on it doesn't mean anything to back home. For one, don't you still have a home to get back to? If this world burns, yours doesn't burn because of this one. If things go wrong here, it doesn't mean your entire world goes wrong. If we mess up here, maybe we strand ourselves forever, or maybe we mess things up permanently for the UE or the Initiative, but it doesn't mean messing up and seeing our homes obliterated.

[ Sounding matter of fact. ]