ONE! VIDEO! ID: Flint Marko

[manmeasand]

[ Sandman’s on a beach, the sparkling water glinting in the sun. He’s a big guy, muscular and tall. He's been trying to get his bearings in this whole new world but he’s got a beef. ]

So I gotta question - they’ve got all these fancy teleporter things and none of 'em go to New York? Come on! Never even heard of the cities they go to. How do you even pronounce De Chih-meh? Chee-mah - Kim-may -- whatever. Guess I’ll stick to "Heropa". Least there’s some nice beaches here.

[ He looks around at the beach a moment, feeling like he could've done a better first impression. Then, an idea - you can almost see the lightbulb go off in his head. ]

Oh yeah, wanna see something sweet? You’ll like this, I swear.

[ His legs turn to sand and meld with the beach. Seen on camera behind him - he doesn’t even need to look, it comes naturally to him now - a huge, ornate sand throne rises up instantly, big and beautiful.

Flint glances behind him to doublecheck how it turned out and chuckles, "sitting" down in the throne. ]

Toldja. The name’s Sandman. You get the picture. Don’t mess with me and I won’t mess with you. That’s not even close to everything I can do, so don’t forget it.

Comments

[Video]

[mysterioisthetruth]

Interesting trick.

[manmeasand]

[ If he was the type to actually read network IDs he might react to this differently. As is, he scoffs a little and shrugs. ]

Yeah, that was a trick. I can do stuff that's way better.

[mysterioisthetruth]

Such as what exactly?

1/2

[manmeasand]

Uh, well, um -- [ A bit flustered to be put on the spot. ] Not that I need to prove anything to you but --

2/2

[manmeasand]

[ Then he grins. And his face, and his whole body, lose their colour, becoming sand. He gets bigger. And taller. He's using the beach to spiral upwards - his whole lower half nothing but sand - until he's high above, and he points the camera down at where he's making a huge, elaborate sand castle. ]

Whatever I want.

[Video]

[mem0ry]

I'm in Heropa, too. [She hasn't quit cottoned on to the fact that they're housemates, yet, probably because she's so new herself. She watches the way he makes a sand throne with widening eyes, torn between wonder and curiosity.]

That's amazing. But your legs - when they do that, does it hurt?

[manmeasand]

[ He hasn't really spent a lot of time in the house himself, but he also hasn't really taken a good look at the network, so he's taken off-guard at this response. This is clearly a child. And isn't this Network thing for imPorts? So they're taking children too? In his book, that is super messed up. It's one thing to kidnap him, but a whole other thing to go snatch up kids.

It takes him a moment to regain his composure after the clear shock on his face. ]

Y-yeah, yeah. I mean, no! No, it don't hurt. [ He reforms his legs into normal ones and gives one a little shake on camera. ] See? Good as new.

[mem0ry]

[She's 12, that's arguably not a child - at least according to Japan, where she's in middle school and thus, according to her teachers, somewhat grown up. Still, she's thin and short, giving her a look that's much younger than her given age.

Is that why he's looking at her like that? Nervous under the scrutiny, she plays with her one long strand of hair, biting her lower lip. Awkward.]

Oh. I just thought - it doesn't look very, um, comfortable. But so long as you're okay... [Brow furrowing, she pauses before asking, tentatively,] Did you know how to do that back home, too?

[manmeasand]

[ Did he mess that up? He tries to soften up his expression. ]

Yup. Some, uh, friends back home did this to me. [ Criminals, and the process of becoming Sandman was extremely unplesant but he's not going to go into that with her. ] Been like this a few months now. Pretty neat, huh?

[hatestrashcans]

So all you can do is turn into sand?

Agreed that the lack of New York and LA Porters is bullshit, though. We're stuck in the sticks!

[manmeasand]

Whadya mean "all I can do". S'plenty, if you ask me.

[ That is one whole teen right there. Probably a teen anyway. Marko's only slightly less bothered by the idea of teens getting brought here than he is kids. Slightly. ]

But yeah, New York's better, but I'd settle for LA. [ He sounds as if he would not settle for LA. ]

[hatestrashcans]

[ Marco's very much a teenager. He's 17, but he looks about 15. ]

I'm a shapeshifter.

[ So therefore he can judge you. Turning into one thing? Pffbt. But, well, teenager. ]

And excuse you, LA is way better than New York. New York smells weird and its weather sucks.

[manmeasand]

Yeah? Big deal.

[ He's a shapeshifter too? Whatever. He doesn't get it. He doesn't get a lot of things that require thinking about it for more than two seconds. ]

Says you. All LA's got going for it is smog and a buncha rich famous folks.

Video

[made_up_names]

[ Sup, have a kid with a Queens accent. ]

I know, right? What’s this place got against New York?

Video

[manmeasand]

[ WHY ARE THERE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE HERE. This is so screwed up! He wishes he'd punched the Porter when he had the chance. ]

Tell me about it. I was kinda thinking of taking a vacation back home but this just ain't the same thing.

[made_up_names]

Even with the... uh. Epic sand castles?

[ He is impressed at least. ]

video;

[mildmanneredwriter]

Probably because it'd make Manhattan commuting too easy. Goes against every New York tradition.

[He adjusts his glasses.]

Cool throne. Sandman, huh? Nice and straightforward.

[manmeasand]

[ He snorts.] Point.

That's me, straightforward. Going by some kinda fancy-shmancy name's for chumps.

[mildmanneredwriter]

Saves time, too. Even if you hadn't just given us a demonstration, I'm pretty sure I could guess your powers.

[Action]

[pinetreehimself]

[Finally properly venturing out of his own bedroom, Dipper has been taking a look around his new residence and is starting to notice a whole lot of sand about the place. Not much, just traces here and there, but enough to start to get on his obsessive-complusive-nerves in time. After a moment or two, he finally found himself a broom, and started pushing some sand off into the corners until he could map a route to take it out of the house. Now we find him entering the room behind Flint, sweeping away, totally oblivious to the fact that he's walking right into his shot.]

I don't get it. It's not even that close to the beach...

[Suddenly, he notices Flint and gives a yelp of surprise, his broom clattering to the floor.]

Oh- Uh- Hello- Um...hi.

[manmeasand]

Augh! [ Flint hadn't even noticed him behind him and at Dipper's yelp he jumps. There is a much smaller person here who also appears to be much younger - what is this place and kids?]

Jeeze, sorry, kid. Wait, what're you -- oh. [ He notices the small pile of sand by the broom. He puts out his foot, which turns to sand and slithers out, collecting the misplaced sand before pulling it back into himself.] Sorry 'bout that.

[pinetreehimself]

Oh- OH! I, uh...okay. [Well, what do you say to something like that? Should you apologise for sweeping up part of them like so much dust? Do you tell them off for leaving bits of themselves around the house? No, probably wouldn't want to pick on the guy who's four times taller than you. Besides, maybe he just can't help it.]

...[clears throat] So, uh, guess I'm your new housemate? [most sheepish of all grins]

[honeybadgered]

[Gabby raises a hand.]

Hi, Honey Badger here. Are you gonna claim that you're actually a different Sandman who just happens to have the same name and powers as the 616 Sandman, but you're not him, you're a superhero, no really? Cause Mysterio already tried that.

[manmeasand]

...He what? [ Actually, from what little he knows about the guy, that tracks. Dude's all smoke and mirrors.

Anyway, is he just the designated imPort babysitter now? But now he's torn because he can't lie to a kid but it'll sound bad if he comes out and says he's a no good thief.]

Okay, I dunno what the number's supposed to mean but I'm not running around calling myself a hero like some sorta webhead wannabe.

[honeybadgered]

It’s a universe number. It’s kinda like.... [She tilts her head. What’s a metaphor he’ll get?] It’s like saying you’re from New York and then describing where you’re from and it’s obviously San Francisco. It’s just wrong.