o1 ♙ video

[singed]

[The two conflicting impulses of ‘staying alive’ and ‘finding Shelby’ have fought themselves out in Garrett’s brain, and there is now one very attractive prince sitting on screen. If he seems distracted at moments, it’s because he’s on the lookout for potential wizards coming to kidnap him]

I have to say, this isn’t exactly how I imagined getting out of that cave. Then again, after a month or so, I was starting to wonder if I might not get out at all. So I suppose this is an improvement.

[He glances over his shoulder, before returning to the camera. He’s basically assuming this is some weird kind of magic despite the kedan's explanation, because what is technology.] I’m not sure how I feel about being surrounded by trees again. It’s a hard life for a – for me. My life is difficult. Exceedingly so. [a cough] But I do believe that someone out there may be able to help me, at least with one particular issue.

[He holds up a finger, and hurries off screen. There is the unmistakeable sound of a toilet flushing, and then he’s back] What in Enu’s name was that?

[A beat] Also, there are potentially two people looking for me, here. One of them is called Frances von Magica, and I suggest you stay far, far away from him should he turn up. If you find my empty husk of a corpse lying on the streets somewhere, it was most likely him. [He pauses for a second, and some of the upbeat nature slips from his tone. He drums his fingers against the desk] The other person knows who she is.

Comments

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[sophos]

Frances von Magica? [kind of said like 'what really']

Let me guess, no indoor plumbing wherever you're from?

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[singed]

[He hears you, Annabeth] Right? You'd think a family so ancient would have had the sense to change it to something more tasteful generations ago.

[Blank face says no]

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[sophos]

Good to know people are aware, at least. Who else were you looking for, or is that name a secret? [Too many people with secrets here 8|]

It's literally just what it sounds like. That thing you flushed was a toilet.

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[singed]

Everyone except him. And his daughter, although I can't say I've had the displeasure of meeting her personally. [he Has Issues with this family okay. Something about his demeanour shift then, though, becomes sort of downtrodden] Her name is...Shelby. There's no point in looking for her, though. She won't be found unless she chooses to reveal herself. [And he has no idea if she'd choose to do that, if she's even here.

It takes a couple of seconds for that to click, but when it does, he laughs out loud] Really? What a marvel! I can think of several dozen inns that could certainly stand to have such a machine installed on their premises.

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[cravats]

Frances von Magica? May we safely assume that the gentleman in question is a magician, or is the name a cruel irony? [And he thought Channing Channing was a bad name.]

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[singed]

[He sighs heavily] No, I would be the magician. [It's as good a title as any] Francis is a wizard, much as I might wish otherwise.

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[cravats]

My apologies. I wasn't aware that there was a difference between them.

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[singed]

[Garrett waves a hand in the air in front of him; multi-coloured sparks fly from his fingers] If a wizard were to do that, there would have been a lot more explosions.

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[the_other_eight]

[Pepper is unfazed by your attractiveness, but she can see a bit of her boyfriend in you, so you get a slight smile.]

Good afternoon, my name is Pepper Potts, is there anything I can explain that you're confused about?

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[singed]

[He pauses for a moment before smiling himself. It's a warm expression, and a little teasing.] A name to match such a fiery appearance. I find myself delighted to make your acquaintance, milady Potts.

I don't suppose you'd be willing to answer any of those questions with something that isn't 'ask the Emperor'?

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[the_other_eight]

I would be. Ask away.

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[assassinates]

Your life is not that difficult. [Shelby would roll her eyes if she wasn't so damn pleased to see your stupid face, Garrett. She's sort of been sitting in front of this console thing the kedan showed her in her suite for a few hours, looking at this post from him, not really sure what to think. The possibility that this was punishment from the Silent One is still the largest possibility in her mind. This could be a lie, a hallucination.

So while she had been on her way back to him before waking up within the palace, seeing him here has thrown her off course. Shelby doesn't know what to think.

She's quiet after she speaks, staring at him. What if he isn't real?]

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[singed]

My life is exceedingly--

[And then Garrett's brain catches up to his mouth, and he just kind of breaks off and stares. Because h e hasn't seen her in over a month, and for a moment he stupidly thinks that maybe he's forgotten her face, maybe this is just someone who happens to look a lot like Shelby.

Maybe it's von Magica in disguise. But he's never actually seen Shelby, has he? Why, in all of the moments that it would be most important to remember, can Garrett not do it?

There are so many things he wants to ask of her. Demand. So many that he can't, in fact, articulate any of them]

You left me. [The words leave his mouth before he can stop them.] In a cave.

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[assassinates]

Bubbles was there to protect you. [Because that makes it so much better. There is a slight hint of regret in her voice, though. She hadn't meant to do that at all, and she never expected for things to have gone the way they did. But she couldn't return and alert him to what was going on.

She's not perfect. But she also doesn't believe that Garrett could honestly understand the implications of her actions in the prior months.] Where is he?

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[singed]

Bubbles was there to terrorise me while I went out of my mind with worry for you!

[The turmoil of emotions he's always experienced around this woman have only intensified in her absence. What wins out in the end is not concern, or affection, or fear, or love, but anger] Never mind him, where are you?

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[aenseidhe]

[ Gross, humans. Gross, princes. Not that he knows the longer, but he's judging you already anyway. ]

I'm certain it's absolutely terrible. Pray tell, what causes your life such difficulty? Poverty? A chipped tooth? A stain on your clothes? [ Because what humans actually suffer, PFFT. ]

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[singed]

[Garrett eyes this dude back. His first impulse is to be a dick, but he has a little more awareness] Difficult with regards to my own previous experience, you could say. Being stuck in a cave for a month on my own and being hounded for months by a wizard who wants to murder my family and overthrow my sister's kingdom haven't been the best of experiences. [He hesitates for a moment] I concede that others have likely had worse.

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[aenseidhe]

[ It's pretty gross that if Garrett were an elf, Iorveth would be sympathetic. As this is not the case, he isn't in the slightest. ] So a noble with a difficult life. There is a first.

But you admit you aren't the most tortured of beings walking the face of the Earth, well done. You're already a step above the rest of your race.

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[singed]

Oh, I wouldn't say first. Second or third, perhaps. There must be at least one other.

[Driest tone ever] I'm honoured by your esteem, thank you.

[depicted]

["It’s a hard life for a –" - person who hasn't quite learned the art of discretion, possibly?]

[Kind of endearing, though, so Dorian is nice enough when he answers.]

It seems your other to questions have mostly been answered. I hope you'll find this less of a hard life for a you. [All right, a little bit of teasing.] Not much work is asked, and accommodations are provided. [Minus the occasional catastrophes and horrors, it's practically a vacation!]

[singed]

[What is discretion, can you eat it.

Garrett merely grins when he catches that teasing.] A me very much appreciates your kind thoughts, Sir...? [He nods a little] I must say, having the existence of beds with mattresses and clean sheets proven to me once again is definitely an advantage over my last residence.

[depicted]

[It isn't important. Trust Dorian.]

[Responding with a grin is a good sign, and Dorian warms up to Garrett.] Dorian Gray. And I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, happy though I am to hear you're fully appreciating the world of reality after escaping your cave.

[cynisme]

[He scoffs as he makes the connection, taking a sip from his wine bottle.]

It seems I'm late for the shaming chorus. And I was so looking forward to telling you how difficult your life couldn't possibly have been.

[singed]

[Garrett raises his eyebrows] The ability to see into other people's lives is a rare one in my world, is it more common in this place?

[cynisme]

I would be surprised, but you do look rich, and the lives of the rich are rarely a terror, except when they are exactly that, a true Terror.