first roll, first exposure

[strangeandunusual]

[the morning of the 18th, before Aziraphale's little "miracle", the mirror turns on to show Lydia, sitting outside on the balcony of the apartment she shares with Mal. those who met her at the arrival ceremonies saw her with her hair down, but today she's pulled it up into a wild, riotous ponytail like a gothic palm tree]

Um, good morning. I'm Lydia, and I've never used anything like this before. Mal says it's like a "smart phone", but I'd never heard of that, so bear with me.

[there's an awkward pause. the morning breeze ruffles her hair and the black poncho she's wearing. which she may or may not have made out of one of her spare bedsheets because she didn't want to wear the same thing two days in a row.]

Anyway. The Dreamfinder, he said we have to get jobs in order to buy stuff. I know there's a decent amount of food in my kitchen, but we're gonna eat through what I know how to cook, pretty fast. So I'm going job hunting. If anyone wants to join me, I'll be downstairs in like, half an hour? I just need to finish my cereal and brush my teeth. Or you can meet me here at room 3A. Just knock first.

Comments

[strangeandunusual]

It's about this American - from New York, actually - who's sailing to Africa to go hunting for elephants and rhinoceroses... Do you have those? They're big, dangerous animals. But on the way there he gets caught in a storm and shipwrecked on this place called Ship Trap Island.

[she pauses to eat some of her cereal]

[ace_of_hearts]

Yes. Although I don't think I ever ate one. Have had elephant. It's not that good. [Um yes, so Ace will eat pretty much every animal you can name. Also dragons. As you do.]

Ohhhh what happened next?

[strangeandunusual]

Where I'm from, people don't eat them, they just kill them for their tusks, which I think is pretty awful.

... But it turns out the island is owned by antother hunter named Zaroff, and he's such a good hunter that he doesn't think animals are a challenge anymore.

[she drops her voice into her best campfire tale register]

So he made Ship Trap Island on purpose, to hunt the people who washed up there. Because he's convinced humans are the most clever animal. And he gives the American three days to survive.

[ace_of_hearts]

Yeah, that's pretty fucked up.

Sounds familiar...

No, I take that back. Not the hunting people part, that's also fucked up. Your world's really fucked up sweetie.

[strangeandunusual]

Yeah, I think that's why the author wrote the story, honestly. To point out just how awful it is to kill something just because you can.

[guitar_hero]

That sounds like a nightmare, frankly. Like something out of a horror movie. Uncontrolled intention. And he was supposed to be a mystic? Some sort magic wielder? He didn't like it. He could fix things. He could invent things. But drawing up energies from thin air? Making something out of nothing? He was out of his depth.

"I don't know. I have no clue. Kind of fun not knowing, isn't it?" It isn't. "But I'm glad you sorted it out and kept your head. That kind of loss of control can be terrifying for people, even if you only just witness it."

[strangeandunusual]

"It was pretty scary, but nowhere near as bad as the first time I ever saw anyone try to use magic." She shuddered. "My Dad moved us to a house in the country so he could relax - he has a heart condition, so leaving the city was kinda supposed to be good for him. But he bought a haunted house. The people who owned it before us, Adam and Barbara? They died in a car accident right down the road. They're really nice ghosts, but ... my step-mom didn't care. She wanted them exorcised, and she got one of her yuppie friends to try and do it."

She stared straight ahead instead of closing her eyes, not wanting to imagine the way their faces had shriveled, the horrible way they'd started falling apart as they levitated above the dinner table.

"It went bad. Really bad. Really fast."

[ace_of_hearts]

Hey, for the record. I have never killed anything just because I could. Besides, you have to be like fifty times stronger to prove you don't need to kill them.

Unless they committed the unforgivable. Then you have to kill them.

[strangeandunusual]

[crud. her eyes widen in surprise and embarrassment]

Oh, no! I didn't assume you did... I'm so sorry if it sounded that way!

... What's unforgivable, where you're from?

[ace_of_hearts]

Nah. Just saying. Hunting for food isn't the same as hunting... like I mean, okay I have hunted people, but only because they deserved it. Marines hunt all pirates, and cipher pol hunted babies not for the challenge, but because they told themselves it was to save the world. [Okay, so maybe it's more Ace's world that's fucked up.]

Betraying your crew and murdering a brother. Mutiny. Backstabbing.

[strangeandunusual]

Babies?! WHY would killing babies save the world? That's awful! ... I mean, so is mutiny and fratricide, but... babies!!

[ace_of_hearts]

They believed certain children would grow up to destroy the world. Just by existing. By being born.

Does your world have anything called an Antichrist? That's not a term in my world, but I guess it's the same meaning.

[strangeandunusual]

I saw a movie about it, once. And some people believe in it, but they're fanatics. Religious nuts. I never believed in it. There's no way someone can break the whole world by just existing. The universe is too random.

[ace_of_hearts]

[Shrugs.] Well, that's why.

[strangeandunusual]

That just makes the people who'd do it even worse. They're not just awful, they're gullible, too. And awful, gullible people can do a lot of damage.

[LOOKING AT YOU STEP-MOM]

I'm almost done with my breakfast, do you still want to come with me?

[ace_of_hearts]

Yeah, definitely.

Got any ideas on what kind of job you want most?

[beancounter]

[The corners of Fenton's mouth/beak turned down a little, nervous and unsure, and he fumbled with his wallet.] Ahh... well... Would you at least take the five? You never know if you might need to buy something, before you find a job.

[He then offered her a small smile.] Both those ideas sound great. If you're really okay with this...? You sure you don't need any money?

[guitar_hero]

"Co-habitation is tricky." He doesn't mean to make a joke of it. It's just a statement of fact. He also doesn't know the situation, so doesn't try to offer advice or wonder if it's better that they moved on. It seems painful and horrific, at least judging by the way her eyes closed.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." He straightens a little, looking out over the town. "But this place seems like an interesting new experience. I bet you've never dimension hopped before." Because when all else failed, change the topic.

[strangeandunusual]

I'd love something to do with cameras, since I've been studying photography ... Otherwise I guess I could wait tables or work in a store like most girls my age do, back home. There's bound to be plenty of that.

[ace_of_hearts]

No worries, I'm pretty sure we can find something with cameras! That should be pretty useful everywhere.

[strangeandunusual]

Okay.

[she took the fiver from him, amused. she's never seen duck money, after all. it looks a lot like hers, only with ducks in wigs]

But as soon as I can, I'm paying you back. Which way to the bank?

[strangeandunusual]

"They're okay." She felt the need to tell him that, at least. "They didn't get exorcised. I called another ghost for help. ... I haven't been to another dimension, but I almost did! Barbara and Adam had this door in their attic... But they wouldn't let me go through."

[strangeandunusual]

We can hope.

[she stuffed the last bite of cereal in her mouth and spoke around it as she picked up her bowl to bring it to the sink. he was a pirate...what manners?]

Whabout 'oo?

[ace_of_hearts]

What, you think places are hiring shirtless narcoleptic pirates?

[strangeandunusual]

[she speaks over the rush of the sink as she washes up, then checks her reflection in the bathroom mirror to make sure she doesn't have food in her teeth for interviews before heading out into the hall.]

There's gotta be something. Besides, if you go around without a shirt all the time, you'll get sunburned.

[knock, knock]