sirenspull | 001 [Video]: Oh, Canada.

[The NV turns on, showing a very sleek-looking dark-haired man with sharp cheekbones and sunglasses smirking at the camera. Even over the NV, one can tell that this is a person who knows he's better than everyone else around him- there is no uncertainty in his features, just full-on arrogance. When he finally speaks, his English accent is so smooth one can practically roll a carpet on it.]

Well, let's see here. You know, I've been going through this thing's previous posts and such, and wow, all the entries from people who have just arrived really share a lot in common. You'd think that there's some kind of checklist that we have to get through once we arrive. Like, number one, you must certainly, without a doubt, ask "where am I?" or "what is going on?" or "why have I been dragged across time and space itself to the wretched wannabe of a place that is Canada?" Because finding out things by asking people who might lie to your face instead of quietly gathering information by your lonesome is clearly the way to go.

[A pause as he lets that sink in.]

Second, you must ask where your friends or family or dog or beloved garden gnome is in this place. Which, most of the time, results in nothing but statements like "No, I haven't seen your gnome" to "Oh, yes, your gnome was here before, but I'm not sure where he's gone off to now, sorry about that".So why bother asking? No, I'm going to skip that part entirely- I've already checked the NV for the people I know and they're not here, so, just look at all the time I saved.

Third, you may either a), mention that you "can't stay here because you have something important to go back to" or b), basically give your whole life story to people because you can. I'm not doing the first option because, frankly, I'd rather not repeat the Apocalypse all over again, thank you, and I'm not doing the second one because, honestly, I'd rather keep all of you in the dark. Why in the world should I reveal who I am or what I do without knowing exactly who lives in this place?

[He grins widely.]

What I can tell you is that the name's Crowley. [He pronounces it like it rhymes with "holy".] Anthony J. Crowley. And I do not need your pats on the back or your offers to be my best friend ever or your little cheerful fake welcomes. All I need is information about the darkness at night and how this city works and other such things.

Do be nice and provide it to me. I'm sure a few of you have the collective brain to do so.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Okay, finally, somebody has given him good information. This is appreciated.]

Thanks, I was wondering how long I would get something like this.

So, are there any havens during the night? Or are you pretty much left on your own to fend off against monsters all by yourself?

[Anya is the most helpful.]

There are lots of places you can go if you get there before Sirens. Bars and stuff, mostly, the night bus, and there's a one big shelter in the slum I think? Plus the free newcomer apartments are sealed up. Darkness-proofed, I mean.

If you're stuck outside and it's already dark, your best bet is the underground mall. There's three entrances in different parts of the city.

[have a quick freehand map sketch]

[So far, Anya? You are his favorite. Everyone else is just griping about his attitude or the other Crowley and you just answered his question without any of that.]

Good, good. That's helpful. And having the map is nice too, I need to get acquainted with those areas before sundown occurs...

Any methods towards keeping away the darkness when it's already dark, or is it just hope that you make it out alive?

[She was out at night not too long ago, so she's actually happy to share.]

Kinda? You have to keep moving or you'll start deteriorating like everything else, but you don't want to run too fast and attract attention. I tried climbing up a building at one point. Some of the things can fly, but it's a small portion of the whole mess. I had to come down and move on once my skin started peeling off in places.

That vanished when the sun came up, for the record, but I think if it killed you that wouldn't help. The wounds I got from the monsters didn't though, those stay. There's like a million types and I only ran into a few. You'd have better odds with a weapon, but it's hardly a guarantee. And I don't think anything works against all of them.

The wounds stay even when night ends, and there are different types of monsters that I can look up if need be. And basically, the situation is hopeless when you're locked out at night- all you need to do is keep running.

Good to know. That's all very helpful. Also, do you have any idea where this darkness comes from, or is it just a big mystery in and of itself?

Yeah, that's about the size of it.

Apparently it started ages ago when the Core - the supermagicsciencethingy that supposedly yanked us here - broke and started going haywire. That much is in the historical records in the manual, for whatever that's worth. And there's a rumor that at least some of the monsters are like...spirits of people who died in the darkness? Or on the island in general, it's not clear. So that's cheery.

Broke? And they haven't fixed it yet? Or are they too afraid to even touch it?

So I've heard. If you die you become one of those things before you come back, as someone told me. Nice to know you're going to kill people when you get killed, I guess.

Some people are, I think? There's kind of a whole cold war between the big corporations here, over whether or not it's a good idea to mess with it.

Ah, I see. Oh, corporations. Always wanting to tie up everything they see with red tape and such.

Any idea how long this cold war has been going on?

About 40 years, if you can believe it.

[Several seconds later.]

Drat! I mean 90 years. 94, specifically. Sorry, I keep forgetting it's supposed to be 2012 here.

Edited 2012-03-21 21:57 (UTC)

2012? Huh. So this is like the future.

...Kind of shabby. No flying cars, either.

But one hundred years? That's quite the cold war.

No kidding, right?

So what year are you from?

1990.

You?

1965.

Since we're on the subject - got any future info on how long the actual Cold War lasted? If you're from a world where that happened, I guess.

It was pretty much winding down the time I left, so that should tell you how long it was.

How?

I mean. 'Winding down' kind of implies a lack of massive thermonuclear kaboomery, so I guess everybody managed to avoid that?

Oh, yeah, there was the big threat, but in the end, no one really did anything. They pretty much threw up their arms and were like "welp, guess we can't do much here" and now there are peace talks and stuff going on back home.

Though the world almost did end in a nasty nuclear explosion which was unrelated to that.

[You can't hear because it's text, but she's giggling like crazy.]

La plus ça change, I suppose.

Exactly. History never fails to repeat itself, really. So many people don't realize that.

It's kind of obvious. Occasional transdimensional kidnappings notwithstanding.

Well, of course, that's something you can't see coming.

By the way, didn't catch your name.

I'm Madeleine. Just Maddy's fine, though. Hi, by the way!

Maddy, then. And hello back, I suppose.

Madeleine...are you French?

Swiss, actually.

Swiss, huh? Not a bad country, I guess. Been there a few times over the years.

Which part are you from?

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001 [Video]: Oh, Canada.

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