video;

[threeisapattern]

[Zoom in on one teenage boy, sitting on a park bench. He looks kind of shitty—pale, a piece of gauze taped to his left cheek, and a barely-healed split lip. He’s hunched over, watching something out-of-frame.]

So there’s like—a community of kidnapped people with their own social network, huh. That’s pretty fucked up. [He leans down, wincing slightly, and picks up a dirty tennis ball from the ground before throwing it.] And everyone gets super powers, which would be the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life if I wasn’t also half-convinced this is all some weird coma dream.

[There he goes after the tennis ball again. Before he can pick it up, there’s the sound of excited yipping and then a stray that looks like it might have an ancestor somewhere in the Bijon Frise family jumps into his lap, presses its little paws against his chest, and does its damnedest to lick his face.]

Okay, I appreciate the thought, buddy, but dog slobber is not a proven cure for what ails you. Let’s go back to the ball, okay? We were doing good with the ball.

[The dog whines and gives him a final lick before jumping back out of the frame, and Stiles throws the ball again.]

Also, like, my superpower is talking to dogs. And getting them to understand me, not just—my superpower is not just being a crazy guy who talks to dogs. If you have a dog and you need someone to explain to them that shoes are not acceptable chew toys, I will give it a shot in exchange for Ibuprofen. Or money to buy Ibuprofen with, that's probably smarter.

Comments

Video; 1/2

[worthit]

[ Okay, that was a lot, like- she's not sure what to address FIRST a lot. This is probably how people felt viewing your post the first time, Rapunzel.

The only reasonable solution is to address all of it, to which end Stiles will get a peppy blonde responding to his post, holding up fingers for each point she addresses. ]

Okay. One? Yes! Social network for we, the kidnapped! Two: No, not a dream. The powers are definitely real, and for some of us very surprising. Three: That dog is adorable and now I wish I could talk to dogs! I mean, I could talk to Pascal, but it wasn't the same? And he's not here, so... the company would be nice.

[ Give her a second to get back on track. ]

2/2

[worthit]

[ Shutting her eyes and shaking her head. ]

Wait- no, focus! Remember what happened the last time.

[ There. There's a slightly sheepish smile. ]

Sorry. Where was I? Oh! Right, four: I don't know what that last thing you just said is, annnnnd as previously mentioned I do not have a dog, but if you're hurt I can still help!

[threeisapattern]

[Oh, wow. This is - this is what talking to him on his more energetic days is like, isn't it? Except she's way prettier. And peppier.]

I'm okay, I'm just - bruised. [Yes. Bruised. And bleeding, in a couple places. And is definitely feeling it.] I was hoping to get some painkillers because, uh, the medics offered me some but I didn't feel like swallowing pills given to me by the government here first thing was the best choice.

[Beat.]

Pascal's your dog?

[worthit]

[ Proooooobably very similar.

She does not look convinced, demonstrated by the way her eyes dart towards the gauze taped onto his cheek, then back to his eyes. ]

... Uh huh. Well... I can definitely understand being skeptical of strangers offering you medicine. Or... well actually I guess technically I can't? I've never needed it.

[ Self medication for the win? Definitely for the win is the fact that she can actually talk about it openly here because it isn't exactly a SECRET, now is it? ]

No, of course not. Pascal's a chameleon. [ Of course. ] Are you sure I can't help? One of my powers is healing, so...?

video

[girlybruiser]

[ Haru recognizes the boy from a Swear-In months ago, but from the way he speaks he doesn't recall his time here. ]

I don't fault you for believing it is a dream, it's... a lot to process, isn't it?

[ Her eyes focus on the gauze and his injured lip. ]

Are you alright?

[threeisapattern]

Yeah, no kidding. [That comes out muttered, like he's not really answering her so much as talking to himself.

The next bit is more directed at her:] Yeah, I, uh. I fell. [Jesus, that was a terrible answer. What the fuck, Stilinski.]

[girlybruiser]

Have you already applied something?

[ It's in her nature to worry about others, even strangers. ]

[threeisapattern]

Ice and stuff. Had it looked at when I showed up, I just didn't feel like taking medication from people I didn't trust was a good idea.

voice;

[plentystrong]

Would be nice if it were a dream, but if it is, it's the weirdest, longest dream I've ever had.

[threeisapattern]

Isn't that, like, every dream? Maybe not the long part, but definitely the weird.

[plentystrong]

I'd say yeah, but even in my wildest dreams I couldn't have made this place up.

[threeisapattern]

You must be a pretty tame dreamer, then, cause I've had some pretty weird dreams.

[He pauses when the dog comes up again, holding a stick. What?]

What happened to your ball? Go get the ball, buddy.

video;

[storyseeker]

Okay, one? That's the best superpower. And two? Yes, absolutely, I have a puppy and we're still working on puppy manners. A dog whisperer would be incredibly helpful.

[threeisapattern]

[It occurs to him, belatedly, that he might've just signed himself up for a side job aside from the therapy dog thing. Initially, he was thinking like - explain a thing to a dog, one and done deal. A puppy, though, that's a longer-term commitment.] How old is he? Or she? Or it, I don't think dogs really care about gender identity.

[storyseeker]

[She could pay him in free puppy cuddles...? Okay, or actual dollars.]

She, and about five months. So growing out of the obnoxious dog toddler days and headed into the obnoxious dog teenager days.

[threeisapattern]

Has she figured out how to slam her door shut yet and play loud music? I hear that's when you really know your puppy's growing into a bratty teenager.

[Stiles pauses to throw an increasingly slobber-covered tennis ball.]

I can't promise anything cause I only just started this, but I figure it's gotta be easier to train dogs if you can literally tell them what you want.

[Video]

[by_candlelight]

[When she starts the camera, she's sitting behind her government housing, back to the wall, and a chair temporarily borrowed from inside the house meaning she's not on the ground. She gives a wave]

Hey Stiles. Ruby. I can also talk to animals and, well I'll save that for last so I don't forget to answer everything else, first.

I gotta admit, if this is a kidnapping rather than 'uh whoops we don't know how to use this machine of ours and you're the equivalent of a penny stuck in the vacuum cleaner' it's the nicest kidnapping I've ever experienced, and I can say-- [she looks away from the camera, as if realising something] Nevermind, not the point. Anyway. I think you can head to a hospital or something and it's covered since you're an imPort? 'least that's what it sounded like when I asked about it.

Sooo. The super powers thing. In my case I can communicate with just about any animal, but it's not in words, it's in emotions and all that. Had that all my life. Not all that great for getting across complex concepts. What about your power? Is it speech based or what? Do you think you'd be able to get a dog to understand the multiverse theory?

[threeisapattern]

I was already looked over, and it's not bad enough for a hospital visit, just painkillers. [Though it's nice to know that health insurance isn't going to be an issue.]

I haven't really had a chance to try it out much, but I just kind of talk to them, and then they do their thing and we just - understand each other. Multiverse theory seems like it'd be pushing the boundaries pretty far, though.

[by_candlelight]

Eh, fair enough. If it gets real bad it's an option though.

Yeah, that is a bit much, but I had to ask. I can't really make animals comprehend anything outside their comprehension limits. But I'm sure there's someone out there who can.

permavoice

[earthy]

What happened to you...?

[On one hand, Terra's aware it's probably none of his business.

On the other hand, having just recently discovered the existence of Very Unfriendly World Residents here, he has to know if this poor new guy got ambushed or something practically right out of the Porter.]

[threeisapattern]

I tripped and fell down a flight of stairs.

[What makes it a great answer is that (a) it's almost true, (b) it's also a lie, and (c) it's a really weak-ass excuse.]

[earthy]

[... Yep, that is... definitely an answer.]

Huh. Were you... in a fight, when you tripped and fell down these stairs? Or being chased?

[Anyone might fall down a flight of stairs if they were distracted by people attacking them!]

video

[am_i_a_monster]

It can be a good place to be kidnapped to, most of the time.

[She watches the dog until it's out of the frame.]

Dog kisses are very powerful.

[Abigail moves back a bit, to show her two dogs.]

Can you explain to to dogs that someone is gone and probably not coming back? Or is that too sad?

[threeisapattern]

- Jesus, you don't go for the easy stuff, do you.

[Stiles swipes a hand over his face. Is that even something he wants to try to do? But then, he'd feel kind of bad leaving the dogs just not understanding.]

I - maybe. I could try. It'd definitely have to be in person.

[am_i_a_monster]

I know.  It sucks.  You're new and you look like you've a bad welcome already.

[She looks at the dogs and back to him.]

I just feel so bad for them when I'm taking them for a walk and they want to go towards home or towards the cafe.  And home's not even there anymore.  I don't know what else to do.   I'm in Nonah, but I'm in a hotel right now.   We could meet at a park, maybe?  Or some other place pet friendly?