[eventual video]

[brdskllwarrior]

[There's random keymash and some audio static before a video transmission opens with a young woman wearing masculine, Victorian-era clothing. She looks a little bedraggled from the chemical showers, but otherwise undeterred.]

Hey, York? Delta? I'm assuming this is another world change, but what happened to the journals?

And where is everyone?Wash

Comments

[Audio]

[namesnotprowl]

You were elsewhere also?

[He's not surprised, but he is interested. Someone else from somewhere else, like he and Shockwave? Too intriguing.]

video

[brdskllwarrior]

[Oh, hi there ... person she doesn't know.]

Yes, that's what I'm finding out, at least. [She sounds a little hesitant, she's still trying to make sense of everything, as well as get over the fact that friends she knew are not here and other friends she knew ... are a little off.]

Were you at the castle?

[Audio]

[namesnotprowl]

[You can't get all old faces. Sorry.]

Castle? I wasn't, no. I was in a city, before I came here. The people you knew there... don't know you here, do they? [If nothing else, Barricade's tone in answering and asking is gentle; he knows how it feels being on the opposite end of that.]

video

[brdskllwarrior]

[It's just one surprise after another, isn't it? Old people who don't remember you, new people who are sympathizing about odd places ... so weird.]

They ... don't, not really. I didn't -- I'd just barely gotten used to the castle, and now this? I don't know what to think anymore.

[Audio]

[namesnotprowl]

[He's gotten used to weird. That's all.]

It's just another place. Little bit different than where you were, but same principle, I'm guessin'.

video

[brdskllwarrior]

Would have been nice if my friends had been brought along, too.

[She sighs, trying to shed some of that bitterness. It wasn't going to help her, not now.] So, who are you? Where did you come from?

[Audio]

[namesnotprowl]

I know. Woulda been nice if I could have kept mine, too.

[He clears his throat to change from 'irritated about things' to 'answer questions'. And he's had these answers ready for days.] Name's Benjamin Cade, formerly of Tranquility PD. I came from this place called Axiom Nexus. It's a pleasure, miss...?

Video

[brdskllwarrior]

7, just call me 7.

So wait, if you're situation is like mine, does that mean you were somewhere before the, uh, the Nexus ... thing?

[Audio]

[namesnotprowl]

7. Good to meet you.

I was, yes. Been a while, though. You were somewhere before the... castle, then?

Audio

[brdskllwarrior]

Yes, a -- [Oh wow this suddenly sounded pretty ridiculous.] a magic castle.

I was actually longer there then I had been in my worn world.

Audio

[namesnotprowl]

... Y'know, nothing about that sentence really shocks me.

Really? What was it like?

Audio

[brdskllwarrior]

Oh good, for a moment there I though you were going to think I was crazy.

Well ... quite honestly? It was like the junkyard. Debris and broken machines and dead bodies, everywhere. There'd been a war and there was nothing left but my friends and I and a very angry machine.

Audio

[namesnotprowl]

It'd take a lot more than that f'r me to think you're crazy.

Wow. [Sounds like home-home. How depressing.] Hope things have gotten better since then for you.

Audio

[brdskllwarrior]

Yeah, I guess that's true. I think I'd take a lot more far-fetched explanations now than I would have a year ago.

[She's silent for a long moment.] Well, yes and no. I never got used to my friends leaving -- I'm hardly getting used to being here where they ... don't really know me -- but, it was pretty great to see people alive and living again.

Audio

[namesnotprowl]

Different perspective when you meet folks from other realities, eh?

[He lets out a low hum.] Having people back - even just for a while - ain't so bad really, is it? Almost makes up for things getting a little weirder.

Audio

[brdskllwarrior]

It really is.

[A soft chuckle.] It is. Better than nothing at all.