Wallie Smith | 001 | Video

[reluctantsword]

[When the feed flicks on, Wallie's still working off the last of his purposeless rage, but he's more himself, and trying to work things out. Not the World, wherever he is, but the technology is far more Earthlike... unless this is some entirely new place, and he's just still in Shonsu's body. Maybe it was just a little incongruous to have a shirtless barbarian swordsman type with swords tattooed on his forehead to have a wristwatch communicator like something out of bad sci-fi, too, but that's the least of his concerns. He's here, he doesn't want to be here, and wherever he is he's pretty sure Jja isn't. When the device seems to be recording, Wallie forces a smile, but it's still fierce, still angry.]

If someone can hear this, I'd like to know where I am. I am Lord Shonsu, swordsman of the Seventh rank, lord of the Tryst of Casr--

[Abruptly, he cuts himself short, mid-way through a complex genuflection that's become second nature, as something becomes suddenly clear to him. He's no longer thinking in one language and speaking in another. Wallie looks absolutely flabbergasted.]

... what in the World, I'm speaking English.

Comments

[theshield_agent]

Do you usually not speak English? Because your English sounds just fine to me.

[Okay, not the weirdest guy to show up lately, face tattoos or not.]

[onteamdyson]

WOAH! Woah. Wait.

Did you just say SWORDSMAN?!

[hung_garian]

Catch on quick, don'tcha? You'll fit right in.

[reluctantsword]

... it's hard to explain. English is my first language, but suffice to say that I've gotten used to another language entirely coming out.

[That sounds crazy to him, even, and he lived it.]

Is this Earth?

[Earth, in Shonsu's body. Great. Maybe he can be a fashion model. Or pose for romance novels.]

[reluctantsword]

[What did he just get himself into. Still, Wallie angles the video to show the sword hilt over his shoulder.]

I did. I don't suppose there's a local garrison I should introduce myself to?

[It's a joke. It's a dry and helpless little joke because he doesn't have any idea what's happening. Wallie runs a hand over his face.]

[reluctantsword]

[Wallie raises an eyebrow, struggling with Shonsu's temper.]

Yeah, sure. Thanks. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?

[hung_garian]

Name's Loki. Howdy.

[reluctantsword]

Loki.

[The eyebrow stays raised. He knows about gods from personal experience. He knows maybe a bit about Norse mythology. He wouldn't put what's apparently happened to him beyond a god screwing around with him for their own reasons.]

Loki, like the Norse god?

[theshield_agent]

Probably. We're not entirely sure. We've all been kidnapped, just like you.

[How many more people are going to wind up here before they figure out how to leave?]

Name's Agent Phil Coulson.

[If those are some sort of gang tattoos, he's going to make sure this guy knows that he's dealing with a government agent.]

[reluctantsword]

[What a reassuringly English name. What a wonderful American accent. It was almost alien by now. To hear it now almost made him giddy.]

Agent? Are you with the FBI?

[hung_garian]

Very much like. Not very much like the one running around destroying everything, before you start too. Having two Lokis in one town might not have been the best idea these d-bags ever had.

[theshield_agent]

I used to be with the FBI. Now I'm with SHIELD.

[He smiles a little sardonically.] It's more bad ass.

( voice )

[indiscreet]

[ Well now, aren't you interesting. ]
[ Her own English is very subtly accented — with Russian, to be specific, if his ear is good. She has a pretty, young-sounding sort of voice, though she has apparently declined to show her face. ]

Lucky you, you've been kidnapped with the rest of us. Interesting that this place has also apparently taken the initiative to change the language you speak as well. One learns something new every night.

Might I ask... what year is it, where you are from? [ If strange time nonsense could happen to her, Mina, and Jones, it could presumably happen to someone else — and it would rather explain the barbarian look. ]

[reluctantsword]

Can't say I've heard of them. Is it some sort of a "if I tell you, I'd have to kill you" deal?

[reluctantsword]

[Wallie just stares for a moment. Two Lokis, one of whom is destroying everything. Great. Well, he's glad for the sword on his back, anyway.]

I'll try not to mix you up. Tell me about this other Loki...?

Re: ( voice )

[reluctantsword]

[Now, that is a voice. That is a voice that probably belongs to a very attractive lady, and he has to appreciate that. He'd like to see her in person, and so would Shonsu. Still, Wallie hesitates. The people of the World don't track years like that, and what would it mean to a Russian lady if they did? Maybe the sorcerers do, but they haven't shared all their secrets yet.]

That's a hard thing to answer. I can't say I know.

[What year did he die? He's not even sure, he's realising, but it was close to the millenial mark. Late 1990s, early 2000s? Why can't he remember that?]

There's more than one way I could answer, but I've forgotten one answer, and the other way isn't answerable at all.

[theshield_agent]

Might be something like that.

You mind if I ask about the tattoos, Mr... you have a name?

[reluctantsword]

Shonsu, like I said.

[He cracks a small grin. He's aware that the truth sounds insane. It took him long enough to decide he wasn't, after all.]

Or Wallie Smith. Whatever you want. It's a long story. So are the tattoos, really, but to make that long story short, seven swords to show I'm a swordsman of the seventh rank.

( voice )

[indiscreet]

[ If the conversation had been in person he would see her eyes narrow, but this format has the luxury of letting her tailor her reactions. Still, it is strange. She thought only the Fae and the mad spoke in riddles.

Now she is well and properly intrigued: pretty and used to forgetting. Useful. ]

Not the answer I expected, I confess. But that alone says a lot about the sort of place you come from, doesn't it? Hardly the modern world by even my apparently outdated standards if you didn't keep calendars around.

But...there are two different answers you would give me, if only you could? How deliciously odd. However did that come about, and however did you manage to forget something so very obvious?

Re: ( voice )

[reluctantsword]

[Wallie gives a laugh, feeling more than a little embarassed.]

Oh, I wish I knew, but there's a lot you have to take for granted when gods fiddle about in your head. It's safe to say that recently I'm not from any place you might consider modern. Before... maybe. Maybe.

( voice )

[indiscreet]

[ His situation sounds so very like that of mortals stolen away to Arcadia that it takes all of her self-control not to answer him as the Huntress — but she is still determined to prove to Mina that she can control it. She will control it. ]

Gods in your head... you must be quite something. [ A prize indeed — hush, that. Really, she can relate to his situation. ] I'm gathering that you were taken from a more modern world to a...well, a stranger one. That maybe makes you a bit of an expert on strange kidnappings.

Lord Shonsu, you said your name was? A great honor to meet you. I'm Anna Demirovna.

[onteamdyson]

Yep. It's me. I'm the local garrison and you have to hand over any swords you currently have on your person. It's a rule. Garrison rule. I don't make 'em, I just enforce 'em.

[It's... not a rule. She is definitely not military. He really shouldn't hand her any weapons.]

[reluctantsword]

[He gives her a smile.]

A swordsman must never part with his sword.

[Not that he's a proper swordsman. Not that he takes that as seriously as he's supposed to. But that's still the rule he's supposed to follow.]

Frankly, I don't believe you.

Re: ( voice )

[reluctantsword]

The pleasure's all mine, Anna, if I can call you that.

[Oh, Wallie could talk to her all day. Judging by her voice alone, she's exceptional, and if he were here alone, without Jja -- but he's just got here. Shonsu's sex drive is ridiculous. Wallie can't even see this lady. Maybe he's just a sucker for a woman with an accent.]

And actually, yes, that's pretty much what happened to me before. I don't suppose any gods have turned up with any special requests?

[gloryisbullshit]

But is that English? Tell you true, I didn't catch a damn word.