Video

[dreadinquisitor]

[He wanted time to familiarize himself with this place. He needed to know if anyone else from the Inquisition had been brought across as well, and then to find them if they had. But first, he'd looked through the information they'd given him - the neat print on the strange white paper - and now, suddenly, Maxwell had a much more immediate, personal worry.

The video opens on his face; his expression a mixture of incredulity and concern.]

Hello. [It feels awkward, addressing nothing, but he pushes on.] My name is Maxwell and I have a question, and there doesn't seem to be anyone else to ask.

[The camera turns and fixes on a portion of the pages he'd been given. He points to a section, chases a sentence with his fingertip as he reads it aloud.] 'Bears will always find him.' [Then the feed swings back to him.]

Why would anyone want this? How many bears do you even have in this place, to hope to make this useful? And do they just-- roam about?[He glances away, as if one might have suddenly sneaked up on him, then back.] Are these abilities negotiable in any way?

Comments

[fehus]

[oh no he took it serious]

-- Well, I mean. Yeah, actually. You can do what you want. Florida's probably got a whole tourism industry around it.

[dreadinquisitor]

I was told-- [The papers again] --I'm supposed to be some sort of counselor? Is that not true?

[fehus]

Those papers are suggestions from a government that doesn't understand us as much as we don't understand it. You can be whatever you want.

[dreadinquisitor]

[A long pause. His face softening, but otherwise unreadable.]

That's good to know.

[fehus]

Not that you wouldn't be a great counselor, if that's what you wanted. But you've got every option. ImPorts work for eachother, a lot.

[dreadinquisitor]

[It wasn't a question he'd even considered yet, too much else pressing on his mind, but to have the answer already was-- something. A small relief.]

Is that what you do?

[fehus]

Yeah, that's what I do. Same with the government housing. No thanks.

[dreadinquisitor]

Is that because you want independence, or specifically because of what they've done? Stealing you here.

[fehus]

It's because I do what I want. The government probably actually isn't behind it. Wild, for a conspiracy theorist like myself, I know.

[dreadinquisitor]

Fair enough. [An honest smile, warm and friendly.] And I meant it. It's good know the option is there. Where I'm from... that isn't always the case.

[fehus]

Now that sounds like a conspiracy theory. Strict government?

[dreadinquisitor]

A strict world. [He sighs through his nose.] Government, society, family... You're born into an expectation, and there's rarely room to move in any direction. And even if there is-- it isn't easy. It usually isn't fair.

[fehus]

That honestly sounds like a lot of worlds. Depressingly.

And being stuck here is depressing in different ways, definitely, but not that one.

[dreadinquisitor]

Well, that's less encouraging.

But I appreciate the honesty.

[fehus]

Hey, if you can't trust a stranger on the internet, who can you trust?

I'm Magnus, by the way.

[dreadinquisitor]

A stranger is the first, necessary step to a friend.

[No implication, just an easy statement.]

Good to meet you, Magnus.

[fehus]

[he likes that adage. it's corny and also nice, which are things he's kind of into, actually]

Yeah. I'm glad we got a chance to talk pre-maul. I just ate.

[dreadinquisitor]

I'll endeavor to stay that way.

Maybe look up this diving business.

[fehus]

Is that really what you wanna do?

[dreadinquisitor]

[He considers.]

No, probably not. But it might be interesting to find out how it's done. We've nothing like it, where I'm from.

[fehus]

They might just make inappropriate sexual innuendo at you, but talking to people is a good way to figure out what's interesting, around here.

[dreadinquisitor]

[A laugh.]

Not to say those can't be interesting too. I can definitely say I learned something today.

[fehus]

Want a sticker?

[dreadinquisitor]

What's a sticker?

[fehus]

A soft medal that sometimes you can scratch and sniff. Like this, hold on.

[attached image;]