VIDEO: 004

[fource]

Hi everyone. This is Quatre Raberba Winner. [Another year, another unnecessary introduction, another video of Quatre sitting on the beach with no apparent care for the state of his chinos or his nice button-down shirt.] It's been two years to the day since I first came to Earth-- the Earth in my home universe, not this world. I never thought I'd spend this long on the planet, but I've been here long enough that I'm not surprised to hear birds when I wake up in the mornings, and I don't forget to check the weather any more.

[As if to directly contradict that statement, a wave suddenly comes high enough to get caught in the background of the shot, making it clear that Quatre is not only sitting in the sand but sitting in wet sand with the tide coming in; he reacts only by pausing to trail his hand through the water as it recedes.]

I don't think I'll ever take it for granted, though. I love the Earth, but I love my home more. I don't mind being here for however long I'm going to stay in this universe, but-- I know it's only temporary. I'm always going to go home again. And it's because of how different life is here that I don't mind waiting. If things were closer to how they are back home, it would just remind me of what's still missing. So to the people who are starting to see pieces of their homes here... I'm sorry. Even putting aside whatever it may mean for this world, and whoever may be behind it, and why it's happening... it must be hard to see something from home as if it belongs here, and still know that you're not there. Maybe it's hard for everyone from this era. I think in the end, I'm really lucky.

[Another surge of water high enough to make it into the frame, another brief pause. Then Quatre smiles brightly and adds] ...But on that note, would anyone like two tickets to Sentinels on Ice? They were given to me for my birthday, but... well, as important as it is to keep an eye on these... anomalies, or whatever we're calling them, I'll skip this one.

Comments

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[monster_san]

[quatre. quatre isn't that going to ruin those nice clothes, quatre.]

Someone else was asking about the phrase 'home is where the heart is.' It's a fortunate thing, to know the answer to that so well, and to be able to look forward to your return. [She says it not as something resentful or wistful--she knows herself, even if she is a little less sanguine about her stop in this particular corner of the universe.] Even if that home is in the stars.

What is "Sentinels on Ice?" exactly?

[fource]

[Quatre's smile turns fully sincere, even if he knows the topic is a little more complicated for Fuu than it might be for most people.] That's right. It's a nice expression, isn't it? I don't know if I would have been able to answer that quickly this time last year.

[and then, a little more lightly, and knowing full well that Fuu is able to fill in some blanks here that not many other people can:] They're a team of robots who take down threats for the government. It's very popular. Apparently they've made a musical... ice show?

[monster_san]

In some cases, time does very little for the way we feel. But often it brings clarity and understanding.

[A team of robots = a team of mecha pilots who, though not old enough to vote or drink, are fighting for the world's safety. There is some wryness to her expression as she smiles.]

Ah, of course. From different backgrounds, I'm sure, and becoming close friends through their battles. What could be more appropriate for a musical ice show?

[fource]

[Oh no, Fuu is taking this in a much more whimsical direction than Quatre saw it; that damn bias against the government or AI fighting or both again (or Quatre's difficulty telling when people are making jokes).]

Ah, well, I think there are a lot of topics better suited for a musical ice show than government-sponsored robot assassins... but if you're interested, I can give you the tickets?

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[knaval]

[riptide says what he says with all the love in the world:] Hey, weirdo! Ten words or less!

[fource]

[Quatre looks, in turn: briefly surprised, briefly guilty, sheepish, and then, of all things, like he's taking this seriously.] Hm. I like Earth but I'm glad I'm not from here? 

[knaval]

There you go!

[a beat:] Ah... same, actually. Don't tell anyone.

[fource]

I thought you might relate, actually. It's really a nice place, it's just... [he waves one sandy hand vaguely in the air, as if he and Riptide have literally anything in common besides the fact that they're not from this planet (and, you know, war.)] You know.

[knaval]

...Yeah. I know.

[he winces.]

You haven't told me much about your home, you know.

[fource]

Mm, [he agrees, glancing away at the horizon. Is it strange to still be so secretive about it? Maybe. But at the same time, it was too hard to talk about what life was like in the colonies without touching on the war. Riptide would understand, he thinks. It's not as though he didn't know the broad patterns already from his friendship with Duo.] I haven't. Do you want to come to the beach?

[knaval]

If that makes it easier for you.

[he cuts the feed, knowing that there's no point talking it out more. it doesn't take riptide long to get there, even in human form. he rocks up about twenty minutes after he cuts it-- likely already in the area.]

'Sup? [he greets, unceremoniously flopping down on the sand next to quatre. he hasn't really been near the ocean in his human form. doesn't like the feel of it on his skin.]

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[goldtoxicity]

Uh... by Sentinels on Ice - is that - like, the same Sentinels that are actually killer robots? Doing an ice show? Because like, not to be the extremist here but maybe we should destroy those things.

[fource]

[Well, this guy looks different. He's been here long enough that he doesn't blink, but his first thought is that he's talking to a robot. He leans in towards the camera, frowning slightly.]

You recognize them? Are they originally from your universe, then? I only know what I could figure out from the ads.

[goldtoxicity]

Yeah... kind of.

[ Knowing that these things might've been made by the enemy? Puts a really bad taste in his mouth. Josh swallows hard. ]

In my world they were made to hunt down people with powers. They're a hunt-down-and-murder kind of thing, not a kid-friendly ice show.

[fource]

That's terrible, [he says vehemently, staring directly into the camera in disbelief.] I just thought-- the show appeared here about a month ago, when the people native to this world acted as if they'd known about it all along. I thought it was just normal propaganda, not something like that.

[goldtoxicity]

Maybe I'm wrong. I mean, Sentinel is just kind of a badass name, but, like, my favorite coffee shop from highshool showed up so yeah. Not ruling anything out anymore.

[ Well, given the warnings people have been posting about the bad guys out to get them. He rubs his neck nervously. What if this is his fault. ]

It might be worth keeping an eye on? Reality warping and giant robots never go anywhere good.

[fource]

[Quatre's smile flickers into something sincerely amused for a moment-- he can't help it, not with the combination of altering reality and giant robots.] You can say that again.

[But he really shouldn't make light of something so serious, so he shakes his head and frowns in concentration.] If there's already other things from your universe showing up here, we should seriously consider it-- not that it wouldn't be worth keeping an eye on either way, but it could help to narrow it down. Did you donate something to that church in Jeopardy?

[goldtoxicity]

Right?

[ at least that's a multiversal constant. ]

Yeah. I donated my old hoodie. I didn't even think twice about it - stupid me, right?

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[youresovein]

All this to say you're glad you're not as homesick as some of us are?

[fource]

When you say it like that, it sounds terrible, doesn't it? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rub it in.

[youresovein]

I'm only teasing. I actually admire the strange sort of optimism in the sentiment.

[fource]

Optimism? You mean about returning home again?

[youresovein]

That, and finding things to love in the unfamiliarity of this place.

[fource]

Well, we're only here for a short time, right? Instead of dwelling on things we can't change, I'd rather appreciate the differences while I'm here to enjoy them. It'd be a shame to waste the chance to see this world just because I miss my home.

[youresovein]

[ a pleased smile. ]

Where is it you're from, if not this planet? Rather substantially different, I would imagine? I made it as far as the moon once myself, here, but there wasn't much to see once the admittedly impressive novelty of it wore off.