015 ♍ VIDEO ♍ backdated to monday evening

[glowsferatu]

[ The feed opens on a video that looks like it was recorded by something much higher quality than the standard imPort communicator, as a dark-haired woman walks down a runway in a very colorful drape dress. The colors blaze across the fabric in a way that seems both orderly and wild, passing from the hottest pinks and yellows at the shoulders to a blues and purples at the hems, mixing and mingling in the middle like the angriest possible pastels. A few of the colors even hit hues that don't look like they're naturally occurring, at least not on this planet.

It's the centerpiece of the Maryam Spring Collection, being showcased tonight in New York.

But, as the model nears the end of the runway, she looks disconcerted for a moment, as if suddenly struck by indigestion. She does her best to keep going and playing it off, but eventually she has to stop and turn her head toward the ceiling...as she burps out a large puff of flame. There are sounds of awe and shock from the audience as everyone's phones start flashing and snapping away, and the model turns back to walk as briskly as she can back behind the curtain.

The clip ends, and the video cuts to a frazzled Kanaya, broadcasting from her communicator backstage. She's wearing the biggest, fakest smile her fangs will allow, eyes wide and distressed. Behind her, the same model can be seen in the changing room, still wearing the dress, guzzling bottled water while steam pours out of her mouth. Kanaya glances back at her, smile unwavering, and the woman is clearly very upset that she can apparently breathe fire now.

Satisfied that the extent of the situation has been conveyed, Kanaya turns back to the camera, letting only one word escape her grit teeth. ]

Help.

Comments

txt

[raw]

[ Elliot doesn't give a shit about people's vlogs but he likes found footage and news stories so he watches this one. ]

WTF?

voice.

[glowsferatu]

[ Her hands are too busy to text, but maybe should have considered it, since the model's panicking is picking up over audio, while Kanaya tries to get her to calm down. ]

My thoughts exactly! Thank you expressing the precise words my tongue couldn't quite unwrap!

[ Sorry Elliot, you didn't deserve that. ]

[Voice]

[justanotherlink]

...At least the dress isn't on fire?

[Pacifica Northwest: Not helping.]

[Voice]

[glowsferatu]

[ marge simpson groan.wav ]

Not yet, at least. We can't quite promise it's safe, either.

voice

[curada]

Oh bother.

[It wouldn't be fair; to leave that fire to burn through that building. All those people. Of course, he has his own work, so this unwelcome interference isn't highly desired.]

I have before dealt with something similar. Rather, I have treated the consequences of pouring fire on the human body. Though I am surprised that it seems so sudden. I imagine she is unwilling to travel?

voice

[glowsferatu]

Pouring fire on a body would burn it, wouldn't it? She...doesn't seem to be burning. She's not even in any pain, just distress.

[ Right? On the other end of the comm, she pointedly looks at the model, but she just waves her hands and blows smoke from her nose. Kanaya's not really confident in that answer. ]

Moving her would probably be inadvisable. Probably. Though I guess I could do it, if anyone could.

video;

[earnedmystripes]

Oh my god.

[Welp. One bright side of that whole unfortunate power swap incident from back then: he has firsthand experience with controlling fire now. But also, holy shit. What is happening???]

Where are you? I might be able to help.

video;

[glowsferatu]

I'm in New York. No one's going to be able to come here to help me unless I bring them, probably.

What help do you think you can give?

text;

[garrick]

That's one way to get everyone talking about it.

What did she eat?

voice.

[glowsferatu]

She's a New York fashion model. There's a terrible joke in there, but I won't be the one telling it, and I'd thank you not to as well.

Either way, I can assure you it wasn't a curry.

video

[daughteroftheoriginal]

Wow. That's one way to make Fashion Week memorable.

[While her mom might have made a career change recently, some things get ingrained into your mental schedule, and for May, this is one of them.]

Is she okay? [A pause.] Are you going to be okay?

voice.

[glowsferatu]

[ Kanaya laughs a little nervously. Her first big show and this happens, her career is surely ruined. ]

I'm fine, I'm not the issue right now. And she, well, she hasn't been burned at all. But she's breathing fire. That rather precludes most qualifications of "okay".

Video

[dumbfound]

Woah... cool...

[ Clearly not realizing this is, in fact, a large problem. ]

voice.

[glowsferatu]

Not really! [ Deep, labored sigh. ] Do you remember the trashcans, Junseo?

[acclimatized]

[ john spent most of his Monday tending to people injured on the street due to this influx of super-powered civilians. he sounds tired and groans when he sees the video. ]

Oh God, not another one.

[glowsferatu]

Another one? Is this happening near you, too?

voice;

[hisheartsdesire]

So, that wasn't supposed to happen, and she's not an imPort?

voice;

[glowsferatu]

That wasn't supposed to happen. She's not an imPort.

And, as far as I'm aware, she hasn't been bitten by a stray fire elemental, either. [ It had to be said. ]

Action

[lastnerv]

[Shinji is just sitting on a stool next to his boss backstage, with his face in his hands, complaining muffled by his refusal to move them even a little.]

Nothing good happens in any version of New York. This is proof. It's a multiversal constant.

Action

[glowsferatu]

[ Kanaya rubs her eyes for a moment before looking in his direction. ]

Shinji. Shinji, please don't have a breakdown right now. I'm already fighting off one of my own, and putting that on top of everything else is just the last thing I need.

video | id reads "power girl"

[boobwindow]

What did she eat?

[ Bad time to crack a joke, but she's visibly alarmed. ]

I can be there in a few.

voice.

[glowsferatu]

K-- [ Wait, whoops. ] Please. This is not the time.

Do you know where Skylight Clarkson Square is?

[heroforhobby]

Huh. [He watches, head cocked a bit.] I don't get fashion shows like these.

[glowsferatu]

Well, fashion shows like these aren't generally supposed to happen! I don't think I could expect anyone to get them.

video

[notsheepish]

Uh, I'm not sure there's anything I can do to help. But if you have any suggestions, I can give it a shot?

[glowsferatu]

I don't know. Talk me down, tell me my career isn't over because of this.

VIDEO.

[aojona]

[ He watches the whole thing with silent fascination, expression neutral but definitely attentive.

After it's over, he's still quiet for a couple of moments, then offers: ]

Wow. Was that one of yours? Those colors, they're-- [ ...? What's a good word? He touches his hand to his heart. ] I don't know, like something from a dream? Or a memory. It's really beautiful.

[ Yeah, no comment on the fire-breathing. ]

voice.

[glowsferatu]

[ Well, it's a distraction, and that's probably what she needs, a bit. Just to keep herself grounded, instead of letting the stress overtake her. Even if the dress is probably ruined, it isn't like she can't make a new one. ]

I, yeah. Yes. A memory. It's actually something I was thinking about since we spoke last. About the sunset.

video

[superposition]

[The absurdity of the situation is almost comical, but looking at some of the other comments...]

She's not an imPort?

voice.

[glowsferatu]

If she were an imPort, we might have had room to expect this. But I'd certainly never seen her before we started working together, and she doesn't have a tattoo.

[ If she were an imPort, Kanaya might have been able to use her dampener here. Too bad she lent it to Nike last week. ]