10° VIDEO

[faceofthe4]

[There's a pause before Johnny's face appears on the screen, bent over to press the buttons. Once he confirms that the screen is on, he straightens and makes sure he's in frame, wearing very basic clothes.]

Aw, Reed. You shouldn't have! It's a little small, but I admit, I like what you've done with the place.

[He waits a beat, as if Reed might actually respond.]

There are two obvious possibilities for why I'm here. One, the Emperor is a crazed fan who abducted me to find out if The Torch is really as hot as they say he is – I am, by the way – or, two, I'm actually dead, they're lying to me, and I have a motorcycle and a pile of women waiting for me somewhere.

[A split-second pause.] I'll tell you what. If it's the first option? You can come find me. If it's the second, let me know and I'll come find you. Until then? This Fire Sector is like home, sweet home.

Johnny out.

Comments

video;

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack responds in kind using video, but he'll wait to see if Johnny can see him or not. ]

Maybe you'd better go with the less obvious possibilities...

video;

[faceofthe4]

Like what?

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

"Ooops"?

[ He's joking, mostly, but seriously who is this guy and he can't really picture the Emperor wanting to abduct someone like this. ]

video;

[faceofthe4]

I think I'll stick with the crazed fan idea.

Let me guess, you don't recognize me either?

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Whatever freezes your icicles.

Can't say that I do.

video;

[faceofthe4]

You mean whatever lights my fire.

[Johnny gives a pair of thumbs up, both of which light on fire just for a second before he extinguishes them.]

And that's alright. Different universes and everything. So what's your name?

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack's eyes get very round. ]

Yikes. And different worlds might cover it, but I think we'd run in very different circles anyway.

Jack Frost.

video;

[faceofthe4]

Man, your parents must have wanted you to get teased.

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Wow, because no one's ever played that line before. But no...

[ Jack presses a finger to the console screen, icing a perfect little snowflake on the glass. ]

It's better to be the real thing.

video;

[faceofthe4]

[Johnny stares at the screen]

I see what you mean about different circles.

What else can you do?

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Anything and everything that comes with "Spirit of Winter" territory.

video;

[faceofthe4]

We should fight. Think how awesome that would be! Not a real fight or anything, but, you know, testing each other.

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

What? No, I'm not doing to-- look, fire and I don't mix, okay? I'm already--

[ but there he breaks off, gaze shifting away from the screen for a moment before returning ]

It's just a bad idea.

video;

[faceofthe4]

You're melting?

[Oblivious Johnny is oblivious.]

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

... no.

[ Because that was totally convincing, Jack. ]

video; encrypted 50%

[faceofthe4]

[Johnny sees that lie and instantly becomes a little more solemn, flicking on an encryption he learned from his NASA days.]

What's the problem? Is it the season? How can we stop it?

Re: video; encrypted 50%

[wintershepherd]

[ uncomfortably; Johnny is a stranger and Jack hasn't even told his friends about this yet. but then he's quick to flash a smirk at the screen ]

It's nothing. Look, if you really want to face off we can, but don't be a sore loser when I put you on ice.

video; encrypted 50%

[faceofthe4]

We don't have to. I don't want to make whatever "nothing" is any worse.

Re: video; encrypted 50%

[wintershepherd]

You can back out if you want.

video; encrypted 50%

[faceofthe4]

You're on. But don't blame me when you end up in a puddle.

Re: video; encrypted 50%

[wintershepherd]

Deal!