video;

[wandandsickle]

[A woman's voice, subtly lyrical, and with a faint Eastern-European accent (Russian, if your ear is very good), comes from offscreen.]

—and after everything we'd done for her, that I had done for her! The [Russian expletive]. And now everyone's gone and God what have we—

...Jones...what are you doing.

[A woman's voice, also with a light Eastern-European accent—Lithuanian, if you're getting specific; the communicator probably belongs to her, and is tilted away from her face so all you can see is the black fabric of her dress.]

Ah, I think I've figured out what it is supposed to do—see, it is sort of like Dr. Brown's portable telephone, except you can see people's faces, yes?  ...and also it is on your wrist, I suppose.

Well, what are you doing with it?  Are you doing something with it?  Is it on?

I thiiiiink...

[A finger taps the screen a couple times.]

Er, I think it might be broadcasting right now...

Broadcasting?  Who in God's name would it be broadcasting to?  Is mine on?  I've tried not to touch it...

That is a very good question... Oh, I think yours is off, Anna.  But, ah... hello?  Is anyone there?

Comments

[theshield_agent]

[Phil is smiling.]

Do you need a hand, ma'am?

[wandandsickle]

Ah, well, I think I have this contraption sorted out for now, but I don't suppose you know where we are, Mr...?

[theshield_agent]

Coulson. Phil Coulson.

I'm afraid none of us seem to know where we are. The town appears to be recently abandoned and no one that I or my colleagues have spoken with seems to have any clue what's going on, save for a possible running theory about alternate universes that I'm only partially sold on, myself.

[primogen_vampirate]

[You can almost hear Mina face-palming. But she still respects Jones at least.]

Jones?

[indiscreet]

[ there's a bit of a scuffle of a blurred image, then a muttered (once more in Russian) curse of frustration, and the communicator switches to VOICE ]

Mina? I have no idea if I'm using this damned thing properly...
What happened? Did you— I mean, who you used to be before she betrayed us— did she bring you here too?

[primogen_vampirate]

Darling, I have no idea who brought us here. There are several theories going around at the moment.

And do stop trying to speak in code. It's not worth the effort.

[indiscreet]

I'm not trying to speak in code! I can't very well call her the Queen, because you're the Queen, so what else is there to call her but... Her? You weren't there so perhaps you don't understand what happened, but She won, thanks to us: She's the City of Chicago now.

And then she dragged us all into Arcadia, except it isn't Arcadia, because I've been there and I'd be able to tell.

[primogen_vampirate]

Anna. Dear. You're raging over a public network.

[indiscreet]

....Oh. [muttered curse] contraptions...

Well you were the one who said there wasn't any sense speaking in code.

You said there were...theories about what all this is about? Theories besides blaming our, ah, usual suspects?

[primogen_vampirate]

Yes.

Where are the two of you right now?

[indiscreet]

By a fountain, in the middle of some town... My wrist-contraption made some speech to me when Jones turned it on about "Cape Kore" being my new home, and something about a house number; I think Jones's did the same thing.

I... we're going to need shelter before dawn. [ or, rather, she is, but Mina has made her wary of that kind of specificity ]

(( Do you want them to be house-mates? ))

[wandandsickle]

Pleased to meet you, Mr. Coulson. Ah, and you can call me Jones.

Hm... well, I couldn't really say about alternate universes, although we did come from... an unusual place, so anything could have happened, I suppose. What is that theory, if I may ask?

[wandandsickle]

I would tend to agree, if you don't mind my intrusion—hello, Ms. Barrett. While this place certainly is strange, it doesn't bear the hallmarks of any Fae domain. There are—sometimes unfortunately—more things in heaven and on earth.

[theshield_agent]

Phil is fine. It's nice to meet you, as well.

At least one person here has dealt with something like that and she knows a lot of people from my life who are all very similar, but different. Our worlds are also very similar, but with important differences. It's the best guess we've got with what information we have. No one is sure how they got here, but anything we had to call out with seems to be gone, so your guess is as good as mine.

[primogen_vampirate]

Stay there. I'll meet you.

((Let's see how their reunion goes first. She might be pissed.))

[indiscreet]

...Alright.

(( o7 ))
(( also... switch to action? ))

[primogen_vampirate]

((Up to you two, just lemme know.))

[primogen_vampirate]

We can trade notes in a more suitable environment, dear.

[wandandsickle]

How peculiar... that would give one that idea, wouldn't it. What do you mean by "anything you had to call out with?"

[wandandsickle]

Oh, of course. We'll be waiting for you.

(( am okay with switching to action above. ))

[primogen_vampirate]

Try not to let Anna do anything incredibly stupid.

((Okey dokey!))

[theshield_agent]

[Oh, jeez.]

Cellphones, radios... anything like that. Seems like it's all gone. Where did you say you were from, Jones?

[wandandsickle]

Ah, I see! ["Cellphone", wasn't that what Dr. Brown called his portable telephone? That sounds about right.] I didn't have anything such as that on my person, I suppose, so I didn't notice. It's probably good that I didn't have my radio kit with me, but it's too heavy to carry around, anyway.

But—ah, sorry, I forget myself. My friend and I hail from Chicago, Illinois, in the United States of America.

[And, she suspects, from a different time, although... really, she doesn't want to have to explain that whole situation...]

[indiscreet]

(( let's do this B| ))
[ ACTION ]

[ She had poked idly at the communicator for a while more, irrationally resentful at Dr. Brown of all people, as if by sheer virtue of being from the future he was somehow personally responsible for every incomprehensible piece of technology she ever encountered. Every few moments she turned to look at Jones, just reassuring herself that she was still here, that they'd really survived. After Chicago...she didn't know whether to be frightened at their situation or just relieved. Exhausted, and relieved.

Of course, she suspected the Huntress was furious, or that she would be furious if she were to switch to being her. All the more reason not to think about that too much.

But Mina would be here soon. And that, too, strange enough, was a relief. ]

[primogen_vampirate]

[Mina arrives a short while after. The ridiculous costume from her final day in Chicago is gone, replaced once again by her customary suit and fedora. She's carrying her jacket over one shoulder, however. And her tie is looser than normal. When she spots the two women, so familiar in a world of strangers, she pauses. Briefly.

And then she's walking at a brisk clip, approaching them in her businesslike manner.]

Seneschal. Harpy.

[She tips the brim of her hat to Jones.]

Welcome to this little hellhole they call Cape Kore.

[wandandsickle]

[Jones nods politely, and only pauses a fraction of a moment before saying—]

Primogen Barrett. It is good to find you well, even if we are in a rather strange situation. Do you know much about this place, yet?

[indiscreet]

[ She's grateful for the use of the title — after all, wasn't that what she'd been insisting all along, ever since she became: that she was "still Kindred"? And yet she has to keep herself from addressing Mina as "Queen." ]

[ Less easily controlled are her own illusions: the glamour flickers once, briefly, to show a streak of lightning through her hair, even as she echoes Jones' nod with her own. ]

Indeed, [ she continues, attempting to pretend that didn't just happen ] wherever we are, it clearly isn't where...She meant to take us.

[theshield_agent]

I've lived all over, myself. Never in Chicago, but I'm usually around New York a lot now.

Do you mind if I ask what year it is where you're from. [Because radio kit?]

[primogen_vampirate]

I don't know much about this place, but I know that everyone has a different theory about who or what sent us here.

Which leads me to believe that probably none of them are true.

[wandandsickle]

Last I knew, it was June of 1932. I'm guessing it is not the same for you?

[theshield_agent]

No, I'm about 80 years ahead of you. Jeez, this must be tough. If you need help figuring anything out, I'm happy to lend a hand.

[wandandsickle]

That may indeed be true, although I've yet to hear all these theories. I'm beginning to suspect this is a situation where Occam's Razor does not apply.

[She looks thoughtful.]

I suppose it could be worse. At least there seems to be food and shelter...

[indiscreet]

Occam's Razor?

[ But on to more important matters than Jones's esoteric terminology. ]

The matter of shelter is my own concern. Mina, I take it the fact that you're still capable of standing before us means that the basements here are...safe?

[wandandsickle]

It's actually not as strange for me as it would be usually, but I've always been fairly adaptable. My friends might need a little help, though.

...I don't suppose you've ever known a fellow called Dr. Joseph Brown, have you?

[primogen_vampirate]

The basements. Attics. With a few alterations, the bedrooms will suffice as well.

[She pauses a moment, bridging her fingers.]

As to the matter of food...

In the interest of fairness, I will tell you right now that I intend to break the Masquerade. A population of this size cannot maintain a Kindred, let alone three, without accommodations being made.

[wandandsickle]

Occam's Razor is the principle that the simplest hypothesis is most often the correct one. And, ah, you shouldn't worry about supporting a third Kindred, Primogen, although perhaps you and Anna ought to discuss the possible ramifications...

[theshield_agent]

Can't say that I have. Is he important back where you come from?

[wandandsickle]

Oh, no one of particular importance. It's rather a relief, actually. I'm not sure what I would do with that level of ridiculous coincidence. At least if I recall correctly, he said it was about eighty years ahead...

[theshield_agent]

I take it you have some experience with time... displacement?

[wandandsickle]

It is something of a long story, and I have never been, aha, temporally displaced myself, but I know someone—that is, Dr. Brown—who was, I think, from about your era. Do you have a... oh, what was it called again—an I-Phone?

[theshield_agent]

No, but I had something similar. Definitely my time. My niece has one. Her thumbs are practically attached to it.

[indiscreet]

[ Anna's eyes dart briefly to Jones when Mina makes her remark about three Kindred, and for a moment her lips part in anticipation of correcting her. But this is Jones's secret to keep.

And besides, the other matter Mina brings up is far more pressing, and she cuts in when Jones is halfway through the word "ramifications": ]

You have got to be joking. Ramifications, yes, doesn't even begin to cover it. Surely... Mina, you're Ventrue; if you don't have a way with animals already you should be able to learn without much trouble, and then you could teach me... It may not be pleasant, much less enjoyable, but there's no need to be drastic!

[ a pause, and she collects herself ] I admit that I can see some use in admitting — carefully — to some of the...more unique things that we three can do; this is a unique place and I'd rather risk it than be caught unprepared. But the nature of what we are is another matter entirely.

[primogen_vampirate]

There are two kinds of Masquerade breaches: Targeted, specific explanations to choice people or bloody massacres resulting from stupidity or hunger. I am choosing the former in order to avoid the latter.

[And as far as she's concerned, that's the end of it. Her eyes flash back to Jones.]

What do you mean by that?

[wandandsickle]

Oh, that's wonderful that such things will be so widely available in the future! The number of functions it could perform was quite amazing to me, as it was in such a small package, but I imagine that's perfectly normal for you.

[wandandsickle]

The fact of the matter is that I have not been precisely forthcoming, as a result of a... variety of circumstances, some beyond my control. Truthfully, I would have liked to have made this clear much sooner, but... well.

Primogen Barrett, I am not a vampire.

[theshield_agent]

Well, I didn't grow up with it, so I still appreciate how convenient it is. Kids take them for granted, though.

[indiscreet]

(( the latest of replies, but whoops I guess we should resolve this beyond Anna just popcorn.gif-ing forever ))

I suppose you wouldn't have seen her display when we fought the Baron... We killed the bastard, by the way. [ Almost a pointless victory, given what happened afterward, but... she'll take what she can get. It's about all she can do to keep herself from having a nervous breakdown at the moment, anyway. ]

[ But really, there's not much she can hope to add right now; she finds herself taking a slight step backwards in unconscious anticipation of the fireworks that are doubtless about to commence. Mina may be many things, but she is fairly certain that temperate isn't one of them. ]