capeandcowl | [video]

[When the screen clicks on it is covered by a small, pale thumb, with only bits of the Porter room visible around the edges of the digit. The bits appear to be moving though as the phone is swung about.]

That voice said people will talk to me through this, Pascal. Do you think Eugene will? Or maybe Mother? Although she's already mad at me and getting sent somewhere even further from home is just going to make her more angry...

[After a few seconds the phone is placed on a surface and the thumb disappears, only to be replaced by a featureless wall. For ten seconds there is nothing.]

...Nothing's happening. Do you think...

[A few seconds later the screen whirls as the phone is turned around, revealing the long haired Rapunzel with a tiny green chameleon on her shoulder. Rapunzel is bent over slightly, her hair tumbling down off the side of her head in waves, and the phone must be propped up on a desk. Girl and Chameleon both look very expectant, eager even, their eyes wide and hopeful, faces maybe two feet from the phone. And nothing happens, of course. Eventually Rapunzel frowns.]

Maybe I'm supposed to say something?

[This is whispered in an aside to the Chameleon, who just shrugs at her, and she turns back to the screen and holds up a hand, giving a little wave of her fingers.]

Hello? I'm Rapunzel. I just woke up here, but I don't know how. Or why. The voice in the ceiling was not very helpful. Uhm. Eugene, if you can hear this I didn't mean to leave the boat, and Mother if you can hear this...I don't know...I'm sorry? [And then in another aside to the chameleon.] Do you think that's enough?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ruffians? [Jessica sighs, then starts to pout. The porter sucks, seriously.] Never mind. You really don't remember?

No...

[She pouts right back.]

I'm sorry. I would remember if I could! But...I've never been here.

It's not your fault. It's the stupid porter's fault.

Is that the voice in the ceiling?

Yeah. It's the machine that brought us here.

Oh. It said something about being a hero but I don't think that would really apply to me...

Don't be silly. Of course it applies to you. It applies to everyone here except the crazy weirdos who decided to be villains instead.

Well, it's just, this is the longest I've ever been away from home. A whole day. so I think maybe I should work up to hero. From...maybe...just normal?

[She frowns.]

Why would someone want to be a villain?

Probably because being bad is easier than being good?

I'm Jessica, by the way.

...It is? But...

[She's never really thought about it. And so far all the 'bad' people she has actually met have turned out to be good. She tries not to dwell. So she just smiles, and Pascal waves from her shoulder.]

It's nice to meet you, Jessica!

It's nice to meet you, too. Again. Ugh, this place is so complicated!

[She just nods in agreement.]

So...you really think you met me before?

Oh, yeah, totally. [nodnodnod] Lots of us met you.

Lots of you...

...But why don't I remember?

Because the porter is stupid and mean. I don't know, exactly, but this sort of thing happens all the time.

Oh...

It's just hard to believe. Not, not that I'm saying you're lying! Just...

It's really hard to believe!

I know, right? This place is totally crazy that way! But you get used to it, after awhile.

Oh...I...Do people stay here long?

I left Eugene on the boat.

Um, well... I heard that there's people that have been here for years...

Years?!

But...Eugene is on the boat, and, and Mother will be so...so...

I can't stay here for years! I know I wanted to see the world but this is...this all kind of...

[She just ends up trailing off. Pascal gives her a little pat on the cheek.]

Well, it's years for us, but it's like a nanosecond back home.

'Least that's what they say...

...What?

Okay, so like, while you're here, time stands still in your homeworld. So, that Eugene dude will totally still be in the boat when you go back. And he won't even notice that you were gone.

[That...actually makes her feel a little better. Even if she has no idea how it could possibly work that way.]

...How does that happen?

I have no idea. But it's happened to enough of us that I'm pretty sure it's true, you know?

(no subject)

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