tushanshu | 1, video

[A pair of big brown doe eyes are peering into the camera at extreme closeup, like he's trying to dive into the lens and spot people on the other side. Finally, the eyes pull back, and the video focuses on the rest of the face to go along with the eyes. It's a teenager, with a really weird and ambivalent expression on his face. In the background are his new digs, still shiny and new and clean, and obviously a suite in the Earth sector.]

Wow, okay. This Skype connection is weird, it says I'm on but it's not giving me any user names or pings or anything. It's either broken or I'm doing it wrong, either of which is possible, I guess.

Um.

Yeah, so, I'm Stiles, I'm seventeen, I'm new here and I'm apparently dead. Or something, maybe not. Gotta love that whole hot mess. I thought the afterlife was supposed to be a bit more, you know, well-defined and concrete. ...For an ethereal possibility that's never been proven, except on bad basic cable "Reality" shows.

[Oh, the sarcasm.]

Anyway. Okay, this is a long shot, but does the town name Beacon Hills mean anything to anybody here? Maybe? Beacon Hills, California? 94166? Yes? Holla at yo hometown. ...Please?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[That garners a sympathetic smile. She agrees, of course, because it would've been nice to see mom, but she didn't know him enough to let him know that.] Would've been pretty nice, I figured.

The beaches are fantastic there. Been there once to [Solve a case] visit a friend, but man there's a lot of people during summer.

Yeah, no kidding. I'm NorCal, not SoCal, but even getting to San Francisco, the beaches are nuts.

[Subject of mom? DROPPED. Interesting, that.]

Although. Uh. Does this turtle have a beach? Or is it just...turtle turtle turtle ocean?

I'm neither, sadly. Europe actually, despite my looks. [If the accent didn't give her away. Asian from Europe running around America, anyone?]

Turtle, ocean, probably a landmass somewhere we'll get to sometime. I recently found out you could find land here, but uh-- well, the last one required diving under the ocean.

Ooh, sexy. What part of Europe?

And...wait, this turtle can dive? While we're on its back? Um. Wouldn't that doom us all to a vast, watery grave?

I'll keep that part a secret.

I guess no one told you about the barrier around us, huh? It weakened for a while, but it's back to full condition now-- or close to it. Basically protects us from outside, but also subsequently keeps us in.

I get ya. Gonna play the "international woman of mystery" card. I like it. Do I at least get to know your name?

And I kinda got the barrier bit when I got told everything. But I thought it was, like...boom. Concrete barrier, do not climb.

Is it working? And sure, you can call me Traci.

It's not a wall, no. More like an invisible bubble wrapped around us. I imagine it's sturdy enough to withstand the pressure of a dive. If not, Asti doesn't seem to be the type to just let us all perish in vain for a dip. Nice turtle, this one is.

A little bit, yeah. I'm intrigued. And wanting to pester you until you tell me where you're from.

I'm glad we're not trapped on the back of an evil turtle, because that would just be ridiculous. Haha, oh god, a turtle with a black mustache, and he can twirl it. And wear a top hat and monocle.

You can try, and maybe I'll answer. Maybe I won't. [It's not really a big deal anyway. Maybe.]

What, now he's a monopoly turtle? Or are we thinking Pringles? That one had a black mustache at least. I can't say I can see Asti into raising property taxes though.

No, like Snidely Whiplash. And his dog, Muttley? Old school evil villain, I mean.

I'm gonna get your backstory out of you. I'm very persuasive. And nosy as hell.

Curses, foiled again!

Sounds like a challenge to me. Well, how about you? Do I get a backstory too?

Sure, if you want it. I'm pretty boring, though. California teenager, diagnosed with ADHD, my mom died when I was thirteen, my dad's the county sheriff and I'm a junior in high school.

[... Wow, she didn't actually expect a backstory. ADHD huh?] You'd be surprised how interesting 'boring' people tend to be.

Okay, county sheriff? That's cool. And you're also about my age, sounds like.

[His life is an open book! Except the secrets he keeps for others...]

I'm 17, so if you're around that, you are correct!

Sounds about right. Pretty sure there's quite a few teenagers dragged here to save the world, though I'm not really quite sure what from just yet.

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