02 ▷ video

[nostalgiabomb]

[ The video flips on to what appears to be a music store -- various racks and displays of instruments to one side, rows and rows of CDs (who even buys CDs anymore??) to the other. On the instrument side, in front of the rows of guitars, there's a sheet of lined paper that reads "'STAIRWAY' BANNED. OTHER SONGS AT EMPLOYEE DISCRETION." And just beneath that in smaller letters, "(Seriously. Don't test me.)"

The device moves, and the camera along with it, to point down at a CD case on the counter. Specifically, this CD case. ]

Three guesses for what I found in the used CD section? And the first two don't count.

Even the dog doesn't look happy to be there, which is amazing, 'cause dogs love being everywhere.

And that poor kid. One day, her dad -- I mean, I assume it's her dad -- is gonna be like, "Hey, kiddo, did you know you were on the cover of an album?" And that girl is gonna get all pumped, thinking she's as big as the Gerber baby or something, and then nope, her dad whips this out. He'll be all grins and she'll just stare at it in horror, and it'll ruin her teenage life when her parents mention it every time her friends come over.

[ A pause as the camera shifts, showing the handsome gentleman that is Star-Lord, a.k.a., Peter Jason Quill. ]

Anyway. 'Parently I've been out of commission for a month. I hear I missed Night of the Living Dead and Smaug swoopin' down to attack the village. Don't supposed there's anything else anyone feels like sharing? Each interesting tidbit gets a kudos point, redeemable only for Star-Lord's Gratitude and, I dunno. Warm fuzzy feelings.

Comments

[rathercommon]

Well, then, it's definitely sweet. And I don't think there's anything optimistic about that - after all, isn't it lovely when a kid is really amazed by the stars? Just because these two are grown men painted as evil clowns doesn't make it less lovely.

[nostalgiabomb]

I think it's the evil clown thing that's definitely puttin' me off. Mostly just-- why.

[rathercommon]

[ A laugh. ]

Yeah, that part is ridiculously creepy. I'll admit that. I thought they were a children's group at first, except for all the swearing and the gross faces.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ His expression pinches into one of distaste. ]

Christ, imagine if they were a kid's group. I dunno about you, but if those dudes showed up my birthday party? Nightmares for years. And thousands of dollars’ worth of therapy.

[rathercommon]

[ A laugh - ]

Are you talking as a child here, or as an adult?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He replies simply with, ] Yeah.

[ That's not even an answer, Quill. ]

[rathercommon]

[ Another laugh is her response. ]

So - does this group exist in your world? We certainly haven't got anything like them in mine.

[nostalgiabomb]

The Insane Clown Dudes? I sure as hell hope not, but I haven't been on Earth for a while. For all I know, everyone back there loves those guys.

[rathercommon]

You haven't? Where have you been?

[nostalgiabomb]

Space, mostly. A lot of planet hopping. I hitched a ride off of Earth sometime when I was a kid.

[ ... It's mostly true, anyway. If "hitched a ride" is the same as "was kidnapped." ]

[rathercommon]

[ Oh whoa. Her eyebrows lift. ]

That's - Really? What's it like out there? In space?

[nostalgiabomb]

It's-- pretty awesome, actually. It's kinda difficult to sum up, though. There're more species of sentient aliens than anyone on Earth ever thought possible, and they're all just-- out there. Hanging out. Waging wars, trading goods, getting lu--

[ --cky. Uh. He clears his throat. ]

But, yeah. [ He grins. ] It's amazing.

[rathercommon]

[ Peter Quill you are a scandal don't say scandalous things to a child ]

Where I'm from, they still teach us that the stars are moved by spheres around the world. I can't even imagine - meeting life from other worlds. Getting to travel. It sounds completely amazing. Does it take a long time to get from one place to another? I've read that the distances in space are unimaginably vast.

Whoops comment misfire =A=

[nostalgiabomb]

[ HE STOPPED DIDN'T HE??? ]

Yeah, sometimes it takes days or weeks or months, going between certain systems. It can be a hassle, but at least the view is pretty nice the whole way. [ You know, once you get over that initial, stomach-dropping feeling while realizing the vastness and emptiness of space. ]

Where are you from, anyway?

yes I figured as much

[rathercommon]

Oh - London.

[ She gestures faintly towards her mouth, a sort of hence the accent sort of motion. ]

Definitely nowhere as exciting as - a spaceship traveling amongst the stars.

[nostalgiabomb]

Hey, London's plenty exciting. I mean, from what I understand, you've got flying nannies and chimney sweeps who dance on rooftops.

[ --is it so wrong to base his knowledge of London on Mary Poppins? ]

[rathercommon]

[ Her brows furrow, and her lips purse, like she's about to ask what. She has no idea what Peter is talking about. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ A beat. ]

Um. Mary Poppins. Flies through the air with an umbrella? Seemingly bottomless carpetbag? Songs about practically everything?

[rathercommon]

[ She shakes her head nope. ]

That probably didn't exist in my world. Which makes sense. Our chimney sweeps certainly didn't have anything to sing about.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ SCANDALIZED. ]

Dude. Mary Poppins is such an awesome movie. You should definitely watch it -- I bet you could probably get a copy around here.

It's like, a classic.

[rathercommon]

A classic about flying nannies. Who sing.

[ She is not sure if she's on-board for this. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

Yes.

I mean, I admit, it's meant for kids, but it's seriously awesome. It's about a nanny who's got magical powers, and she goes in to work with this family that's basically drifting apart, and she helps them get better.

The music is catchy, Julie Andrews is hot, and Dick Van Dyke uses the worst Cockney accent you'll ever hear. It's amazing.

[rathercommon]

[ Okay, his enthusiasm is winning her over. ]

I don't know. I hear really bad accents all the time. I don't know what it is about speaking with an English person that makes Americans want to imitate us. So I might have to check this to see.

[nostalgiabomb]

It's how classy you sound, honestly. Just makes us wanna be as cool as you.

[rathercommon]

[ Oh phhhhhhhhhtttttt. She snorts self-consciously. ]

Yeah, posh people sound classy, maybe. Definitely not people like me.