maskormenace | 1 cuff | video

Entry tags:

1 cuff | video | joint post

[ The video turns on to reveal a large man, who is providing it with a close-up shot of about half of his face, and one strong, muscular shoulder. Most of his skin is bare, aside from a white tunic-like garment pinned at that shoulder. It's evident that someone is in the room with him, since he's focused on them and not on what he's doing. ]

Is it working? I cannot tell if --

[ Another voice interrupts, directing his attention back to the camera, and then Damen adjusts it so that his whole face is on screen. He is dark-haired and dark-eyed, and his olive-toned skin is well bronzed by sunlight.

He could not look less comfortable with a camera in his hand. His smile is a somewhat awkward attempt at friendliness, but it's obvious this is new to him. ]

Hello. My name is Damen. [ His eyes flick away from the camera at that, looking again at his companion. 'Damen', and not 'Damianos'. A pet name given to a network of strangers. He sees no reason to hide their true names - but he’ll do it, even so.

While he is introducing himself, the person who had his attention earlier decides to make an appearance. Or better yet, he decides to slide into the space by ending half on Damen’s lap, one hand lazily lifting to sweep a little of his hair back from his forehead. Where the original man is large and olive skinned, Laurent looks fair and slight in comparison. He isn’t actually in miniature, a fact he will press upon people at some point, when perspective is brought up. And where there is bare skin on show behind him, his is all covered up by the kind of clothing that looks restricting even by modern standards. ]

And mine is Laurent. [ He somehow manages to look like he’s smiling without following through, which is a power he possessed before the Porter ever decided to bless him with new ones. ] As you might have guessed, we’ve only recently arrived to this wonderful place.

[ Damen has rearranged himself to give Laurent space, and slide an accommodating arm around his waist. At that comment, though, he rolls his eyes up at his lover. Be nice, Laurent.

Laurent catches that look out of the corner of his eye, mouth twitching slightly like that smile he’s been curbing is threatening to break free. ]

We would like any advice you can give about acclimatising while here. This world is unlike our own, your buildings, modes of transport, ways of communication - [ Lifting his brows upward as if to indicate the device . ] - they’re all unfamiliar. We would not like to remain ignorant.

[ Then Damen leans in, tagging onto the end: ]

And I have need of a place to train. I prefer the sword. If any of you would test your skill against mine, I’d welcome it.

[ The glance they share then seems to be one of mutual agreement. Laurent shifts slightly, reaches out to turn off the feed. His sleeve obscures the view, but to those with extremely good hearing they might catch the as if anyone could best you before Damen interrupts his own smile to reach forward.]

Wait - there was something else. [ There’s a brief scramble for something beside him, and then Damen lifts his file into view. With his eyebrows lifting and expression dubious, he reads from the page. ] Can someone tell me what-- ‘Sunday School’ is? I am supposed to teach it.

[ He glances up at Laurent, nodding. ] That’s it.

[ It’s settled then, Laurent angles the camera once, so that his sincere ( no, really! ) expression can be caught. ] We appreciate the aid.

[ ooc: Damen is red and Laurent is blue. ]

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[ With wry cheer: ]

Couldn't it be both?

[ Could it? He has no idea; his mind is reeling. ]

Or else I am still dreaming.

[ He is talking to a cat. ]

Are you...from a world of talking cats? [ That sounds ridiculous. ]

A world of humans and spirits. Spirits who shape-shift and take a great many different forms - including, sometimes, a cat.

[ The cat's eyes crinkle in a very eerily humanlike expression. She looks like she's smiling. ]

I'm a human myself, but when I got here, the Porter gave me the abilities of the spirits from my world. Very kind of it, overall.

So you can become a cat.

[ That's somehow more comforting than the idea that a cat could talk. Of course, this all still sounds insane. ]

And...other creatures, too?

Anything I put my mind to. I could even become you, if I knew your birth name.

[ ...and so, if she tries, she will know that Damen is not.

Interesting. He glances at Laurent, wanting him to take account of that. ]

And my voice? You'd be found out quickly if you spoke like that.

[ A brief pause, and he leans forward. ]

What do you really look like?

My voice is my own. Even if I looked like you, my voice would sound the same. So be comforted by that, I suppose.

[ She gives an amused little flick of her whiskers. ]

I'm curious, though. What do you think I look like?

[ Damen doesn't answer for a moment. The truth is, he can't imagine what she looks like. All he has to go on is a voice.

He lifts his shoulders. ]

Like a woman and not a man. That's all I can say.

[ In the end, he's a straightforward man. ]

Do you prefer this form?

[ She laughs, charmed by that answer. What a blunt instrument he is. ]

Sometimes. When I'm feeling a bit capricious. [ A beat, then wryly - ] Which, admittedly, is most of the time. Plus I can smell and hear and see different things, which is lovely. Would you like to be an animal, if you could?

[ He's been called an animal before. That memory should not make him smile, and yet the hint of one is sent towards Laurent. ]

I've never thought of it.

[ Of course he hasn't. He can't imagine wanting to stay in such a form. ]

I get in trouble enough as a man. But if you can be any animal, is this the one that's best?

[ He wonders if that says something about her. A housecat, not a lion or a bear. An interesting choice. ]

Oh, there is no best. [ Cheerily: ] That's what so brilliant about this power, really - I can be whatever I like, whenever I like. Much better than being stuck in one form.

Though - the one I like being best of all is a sparrow, I think.

[ Well, Damen can't argue with that. His smile widens, eyes brightening. ]

A sparrow. Can you fly?

[ What an impossible thing that would be. He leans forward, looking a her more closely. ]

That would be a power worth having.

[ Happily: ]

That's why I love it best! Sparrows can really scrap, and they can fly. Have you been flying?

No.

[ Said in the tone of one for whom that would be impossible. ]

But if I could, I would. Why a sparrow and not an eagle?

Well - it's a matter of spontaneity. When you're an eagle, you've really got to plan out your flying. It's bloody hard, getting up into the sky. When you're a sparrow, or a hummingbird, or a mockingbird, you can take off, and do a little flight, and then settle back down. It's lovely.

For what it's worth, you know, you can fly here. Not through magic, but through technology. D'you want to?

[ Yes, technology. He's seen it everywhere. He's seen the floating cars. Thus far he's thought of them as an incredible but distant thing, certainly removed from anything to do with him. ]

Such things are impossible where I am from. Of course I want to.

How?

[ A pause. ]

The cars?

The cars.

[ She sniffs that dismissively. ]

No. I was thinking one better. Hang-gliding.

[ He gazes at her with the kind of concentration that suggests he’s still waiting for an answer. Or at least, a sensible answer. ]

Hang gliding.

What exactly would I be hanging from?

Oh. Well, it's sort of -

[ Hm. ]

Have you got kites where you're from?

[ He tilts his head. ]

Of course.

Kites, hawks, eagles. Birds are common on the cliffs of Ios. But I cannot hang from one of those.

Erm...Huh?

[ The cat blinks, confused, before catching on - it's the name of some sort of bird. Right - She shakes her head, ears flicking. ]

No! Like, toy kites. The things on strings.

Oh.

[ Why would anyone...? ]

Then, no. I think we do not. They are children's toys?

Small ones are.

[ How to explain this... ]

They soar. Like birds do. So really big ones - they sort of soar like birds, too, but birds that are big enough to lift you up and fly you along with them.

And people do this? I would like to see that.

[ For all the strangeness in this world, he's genuine about that. ]

Perhaps there will be time. By all accounts, we cannot choose to return just yet.

Do you want to return straightaway, then?