cape_kore | 01 / Video

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01 / Video

[The first few seconds of the video feed are of someones torn and paint covered jeans and scuffed sneakers. There's a muffled voice, then more fumbling before the video is turned around. It's of a very irritated young man, his scowl very present despite the purple and black bandanna covering the lower half of his face. He's standing outside one of the dorm rooms.]

You've all got ten seconds to explain to me what the hell is going on.

[Rhyleigh always found it better to get straight to the point. Which is exactly why after a moments pause he starts counting.

... He's not exactly sure what he's going to do once he reaches ten, but it always seemed to work when Sojourner didn't want to tell him something.]

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Wow, I'm shaking in my boots. [ Actually, for all Leo knows, he might be. Oh, the joy of having no feeling. ] You know, where I come from, threats aren't exactly the way you make friends.

[ And he is so unimpressed with you, dude. He's gone head-to-head with a goddess, and you think a count to ten is scary? Lame.

But hey, no point in not telling him. It could be fun to watch, anyway. ] Congratulations, you've just been kidnapped by a crazy machine.

[You think that Leo, and yet you responded to him before he reached ten.]

Funny, I don't really give to shits where you're from or how you 'make friends'.

[Rhyleigh could count on one hand the amount of friends he's gained over the years and he still doesn't know how he made any of them.

He's got another retort on the tip of his tongue but Leo's explanation makes him stop short. He stares at him.]

Kid, you smack your head or something? Pretty sure I would remember being kidnapped by a crazy terminator.

Nope, but I'm pretty sure you have! [ he says, suspiciously cheery. ] How else do you explain getting ripped away from whatever you were doing, waking up in some weird building with really convenient dorms as if the place was expecting you, and talking to a kid who just lost all sense of feeling?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're nuts!

[If looks could kill.]

Yeah, I'm the one who has gone nuts. Whatever you say kid.

[Had this been a few years ago Rhyleigh probably would have tacked on an actual insult instead of kid.

And he actually rolls his eyes.]

Well for starters I was asleep. [And pretty dead to the world, hypothetically someone could have kidnapped him.

His stomach lurches.]

There any kids around here? I mean real kids, tiny kids with braids and flower clips?

Now you're getting it!

Or maybe it's all just a crazy dream. Who knows? It could be anything! [ Hey, he's the one mocking Leo after he told the truth here. The guy deserves to be mocked right back, in his book. ]

Braids and flower clips. Nope, can't say I've seen anyone with those around.

[The video shakes, just a little as his grip tightens on it.]

You sure?

[Because they can keep going back and forth but the fact is, if Rhyleigh was kidnapped in his sleep what did that mean for Sojourner?]

How the hell do I get out of here?

Pretty sure.

And if I knew that, I wouldn't be here right now. Trying to figure that out already lost me my sense of touch.

How the hell can you lose your sense of touch?

[It's not in his mocking tone, he's actually curious about that.

With a small groan he yanks his bandanna down properly, dragging a frustrated hand through his mohawk.]

Alright, I'll play along. Where is this computer so I can beat the shit out of it until it sends me home?

[ Leo throws his hands in the air. Apparently he's found a stand for the phone, or it would've gone flying. ] Got me! Everyone says it's the machine's "punishment" for me trying to mess with it, though, so I dunno, maybe you should rethink that.

[The action would have made him snort, if not for the circumstances.]

I'll take whatever the stupid thing's got to dish out. I need to go home.

Yeah, welcome to the club. I'm kind of supposed to be helping to stop the apocalypse, but that's basically a no-go as long as I'm stuck here.

And I've got an seven year old who is gonna wonder where the fuck I am in the morning!

[His tone alone should make it clear that the idea of that is far worse then any apocalypse.

That and he didn't actually mean to say that.]

[ And up go his eyebrows. ]

Oh. Well, maybe you'll have better luck and get back in time to make the kid a PB&J for lunch.

You think that's funny?

[Because that sounds like a joke to him, then again he's already on edge so most things would sound like a joke.]

...I think you’re a little stressed out. Maybe you should look into getting a massage, or one of those little stress balls with the bulgy eyes.

Geeze I wonder what gave you that idea!

[But the observation does make him take a deep breath, and then he starts sorting through his pockets.]

Too bad I left my stress ball in my other pair of pants. Didn't expect to be abducted in my sleep.

[The tone may still be prickly but he's actually telling the truth on that one. The guys had work had given him a stress ball last week after he threw a wrench at the wall.

He does however find a pack of cigarettes and shakes one out, putting it between his lips.]

You never do, but apparently it's more common than you'd think.

...Do you actually have a stress ball?

You got cotton in you ears kid?

[A pointed 'are you dumb' look is sent at Leo while Rhyleigh ruffles through his pockets for his lighter.]

Yeah, well, that could easily be mistaken for sarcasm. My bad.

[ This guy must have more issues than Leo realizes. Jeez. ]

Maybe the machine could cough one up if you ask nicely.

[There's an irritated look and Rhyleigh once again debates making a 'I'm being serious' sign to go along with his 'I'm joking' sign.

Not that he has any of them here.]

Think you've talked to me long enough to know I'm not gonna be asking nicely.

[ Snort. ] Can’t deny that. But hey, there could be one around somewhere, in the labs or whatever.

Easy, darling. We're all in the same boat you are. [Fortescue can't say she blames anyone for being grumpy on arrival. It's not easy, being here.] And I'm afraid the answer is going to take longer than ten seconds.

[She has what most worlds call an English accent, the posh sort, and there's not a drop of condescension with darling. Pet names are kind of her thing.]

[He scowls at the 'darling' on principle. Pet names aren't his thing.]

Figured, but it's gotten people talking. [Well, two people now but shh.]

So the kid tellin' the truth? We were kidnapped hear by a machine?

I can't really talk, you see. When I arrived, I threatened to burn everything to the ground. Long story.

[Thinking you're in a war zone when you're somewhere far, far stranger.]

But yes, that's about the size of it. You can go see it, too, if you like, but I advise against antagonizing it; it doesn't have much of a sense of humor.

[He pauses, looking at her for a long moment.

Then a corner of his mouth twitches upwards in an almost-smile. Alright. He likes her style.]

What about beating the shit out of it?

[She simply raises an almost teasing eyebrow at him, waiting for him to speak first.]

Quite difficult. Impossible, maybe. I don't recommend trying. If that thing can snatch us from different universes, it can defend itself in a pinch. And likely in a way that will make you miserable.

[Because simple punishments just don't seem to be in the cards, here.]

It's already done a good job at making me miserable, highly doubt it could do more.

[He shrugs a shoulder.]

Why the hell does it even want us?

To poke at us and see how we jump?

[Answers are few and far between. She shrugs, too.]

Don't underestimate its ability to make you uncomfortable. It can be fairly spectacular at it.

Lovely.

[The world is drawled out, irritation clear as day.]

And don't underestimate my ability to not give a crap about a machine and my desire to smash it into pieces.

[Fortescue really can't blame him.]

You're welcome to try, darling. [Maybe it would help with the irritation. Or maybe, as with a few unfortunate cases, it would make things worse.] No one could stop you, save the machine itself. Though that's mostly because it's hard to keep track of other people in here. If you've wandered around the halls, you'll know what I mean.

[Sometimes you can wander for far too long without seeing anything remotely like a change in scenery.]

I did notice the place was deserted. [It's only a little bit like a horror movie.] How the hell do you guys find anything?

Luck, and knowing sort of which direction to head to. I expect we all keep very fit with the walking we have to do to get anywhere.

How the hell do you even know where you're going? Everything looks the same.

You have to look for the details. Empty boxes lying around, bits of the ceiling on the floor, things like that. Thank the Gate this place doesn't have a maid, or we really would just be stumbling around.

Hey, hey now. No need to make threats, buddy.

Though, I gotta say that it'll take me a little more than ten seconds to tell you what's what. And I'm pretty new here. So. [ says Felicity as she takes up all ten seconds explaining that it won't take her ten seconds. ]

Threats tend to get results.

[He looks at her, expression blank as she takes far more then ten seconds to explain that.]

You done?

[Christine's sitting on the bed in her own dorm room. While she looks a bit perplexed by the man's scowl, she does her best to press on.]

I'm afraid it'll take a bit longer than ten seconds.

For the love of-

[He throws his free hand up, exasperated.]

Has no one here had their parents threaten them with the ten second rule or was my old man just a head of his time!?

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01 / Video

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I am so, so sorry for him.

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