Video

[detectivedwloki]

[The teenager who's face appears on screen may look familiar - to any who know John Morris or Quentin Beck or Detective David Loki. Which one he is may be unclear at first, unless the more tech savvy are paying attention. There's some attitude and a bit of a smirk as he speaks.]

So this place is pretty great.

No restrictions. I'm left alone. I've got a place to myself although it's weird because I can't find Conyers on the map and I've never heard of Maurtia Falls. But that's what it says on all the signposts about the city.

Still, I'm not complaining. Conyers is a hellhole. I'd be glad if it was erased from the map.

[It only exists on his Earth, at least the one in Pennsylvania.]

You've got other weird stuff going on here too. Something about superpowers? As if that's real. As if anyone really gets saved from terrible things by some caped superhero. Even if you get out, the demons follow you around.

[He pauses and looks away, introspective for a moment. Then he shakes his head.]

But I'm out. I'm staying out. Freedom is great.

Comments

[bifroster]

Hey, you're the conspiracy guy!

I think the superhero thing is real. People keep talking about powers and heroes and villains and I got a file that says I can do stuff. But I've never had powers before.

[detectivedwloki]

Conspiracy guy?

You know files and people can lie.

[bifroster]

Yeah. You asked if there was a conspiracy on my first post.

[She nods.]

Yeah. I only said what it said. I haven't been able to test to see if it's true or not.

[detectivedwloki]

Well, yeah, but one question doesn't make me 'conspiracy guy'. You make me sound like a nut.

[bifroster]

Not to me. I ask a ton of questions and I'm not a nut.

[detectivedwloki]

Some people don't like if you question things.

[bifroster]

Oh yeah, I know. I annoy my teachers and classmates all the time. Doesn't stop me.

So what's your name if you don't like Conspiracy Guy?

[detectivedwloki]

I'm David.

You?

[bifroster]

Jane.

Oh hey, what did you mean by demons following you around? Did you mean that literally or like a metaphor?

[detectivedwloki]

The priests would say they're real but I haven't seen any.

I guess I meant they get in your head and give you bad feelings. It's hard to shake that off.

[bifroster]

Oh. If you see anyone that looks like a demon, don't worry. They're probably just aliens.

I'm sorry you're feeling bad. My mom would say you should talk to someone.

[detectivedwloki]

Aliens? You've seen aliens?

I haven't got anyone to talk to.

[bifroster]

Yeah. Or they would be considered aliens because they come from other planets and worlds. Though I don't know what you would call someone from another version of Earth.

[She's quiet for a moment.]

I could listen? I'm told I'm not the best listener, but I can try.

[detectivedwloki]

No. It's not something I can talk about with little girls.

[bifroster]

[She pouts a little.]

You sure? Maybe there's a school counselor.

[detectivedwloki]

I'm not going to school.

Look, it's not you OK? It's just... not appropriate for kids.

But I can't really talk to an adult about it either. They don't really listen.

[bifroster]

[She hums, a long drawn out "hmmmmmmmmm".]

Sounds like you need another teenager.

[detectivedwloki]

[He shrugs.]

Or just not talk about it.

Hey, so what do you do here? You're going to school?

[Definitely changing the subject.]

[bifroster]

That too.

[Though her mother would say that is not the healthiest thing. Her grandmother would suggest tea.]

Not yet, but I probably should, huh? I don't know what I'd need to do that. So, I'll just go to the library. I'm sure there's plenty I can study there.

[detectivedwloki]

What would you study at the library?

[bifroster]

Astronomy!

[detectivedwloki]

Why?

[bifroster]

[Oh. Be prepared.]

Why not? It's so cool!

It's the study of the universe! How everything was made and how everything reacts to each other! Like did you know everything is expanding? The universe is getting bigger! But no one knows why it's expanding or how it's expanding or what it's even expanding into! Then there's black holes and if those are real and if they're in the center of our galaxies and what makes up stars and how super novas allowed for life to happen on earth and—

It's just so cool!

[detectivedwloki]

You're pretty enthusiastic about this.

[He can't help but be amused.]

[bifroster]

Yeah, space is awesome!

[She grins.]

And what's even cooler is that technically, we're all in space.