fatemarked | oo1. video. / let's get this party started;

oo1. video. / let's get this party started;

[ There's a young person on the screen of the first broadcast since the new batch arrived. Other older members have used the network for their own communication, of course, but this one has all the hallmarks of a freshfaced, uncomfortable but trying newbie. ]

Um... so, what are we supposed to do here? I had a job back home... and I know—once we're assigned we might have more to do, but as it is, I'm just...

[ Beat. Casey's face turns a little red. ]

Right, my name is Casey. Everything here is a little weird for me — from what I understand, nothing here is powered by magic? Ah, but I guess I might be the weird one. No one else has said anything. My point was, it feels a lot like coming into something halfway. Where do we start? Is this it?

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[Enough time has passed that Tim isn't quite as frustrated as he'd been when he'd first arrived and gone through their little orientation program, but he's still not totally thrilled with the situation, and the little party thrown my their kidnappers hadn't entirely helped his mood.

They hadn't even had his favorite kind of pizza.

He gives the other newcomer a wry smile.]

There's magic where I come from, but it's the exception, rather than the rule, and it gives most of the rest of us a lot of headaches. I'm pretty glad that the superheroes deal with that kind of stuff so that the rest of us can get on with our lives. As for what we're supposed to do around here...

I have no idea. I'm feeling pretty useless, myself.

[ Excuse the almost-uncomfortable length of the staring, Tim. Magic being the exception is like saying air is the exception. They catch themself before it goes on too long and cough into a closed hand, embarrassed. ]

I'm... I'm afraid I don't get that. At all. But, um, they said there's stuff to do... have you looked into any of it?

Well, I mean, I like a pool party as much as the next guy, but... back home I was pretty busy, and it's been kind of a while since I had a real vacation. [He laughs, a little embarrassed.] I'm not sure I remember how.

[ It's here Casey assumes Tim must be a Fatemarked. Aren't they making the other half go take classes and things? They sound pretty rigorous. ]

I guess... it's kind of the same for me. There's so many people here already and you don't get to carve your own niche out. They already did all the work, so what's the point of, well, treating ourselves for nothing?

[And Casey would be right--it's definitely a bit chafing for Tim. He nods his agreement, then smiles a little.]

Yeah. It feels... really strange to be in tihs kind of position. I'm Tim, by the way. Sorry, I should have introduced myself sooner.

That's okay. I already introduced myself — Casey, though, if you missed it.

[ They pause, head dipping without notice to run a hand through their hair before shifting back into a better position. ]

Guess you could say the party was supposed to help us feel involved, but... I don't? It hasn't really sunk in that this is supposed to be... forever.

[The idea of a forever in this place actually makes Tim visibly shudder.]

God I hope not.

Or—I guess until they stop whatever that threat is. Stuff like that could take a while, though.

[ Liiike a lifetime. Humanoids only have semi-average lifespans, after all. Casey doesn't have trouble imagining such a conflict going on for even longer than that. ]

[Neither does Tim, and this place is pretty well set up. Like--ready to handle a lot of Fatemarked for a lot of lifetimes, and he doesn't really like that idea at all.]

...Yeah. It could.

[Time to change the subject.]

So--magic where you're from. It's pretty prevalent?

[ Casey blinks, then catches up with the topic switch gratefully. They nod, clearly in thought. ]

Everyone has it. Every...thing has it, I guess. All of our advances and technology is powered by it, not electricity. Although, they're looking into that along with other sources, at least for kid toys.

[ Which is why the idea in the first place isn't completely foreign, but still a whole lot to take in at once with the rest. ]

[That makes Tim's eyebrows go up in surprise.]

...Wow. That's... Well, my world is a lot more science-based, so yours sounds pretty fantastic. ...Can you do magic?

[ Their brows furrow, almost insulted for the question and the statement before it. Not totally, but the weirdness of it still is getting weird reactions. ]

Magic is a science. And, I mean, of course I can. Anyone out of third grade can use magic.

[Tim frowns a little in return.]

...I'm not sure I understand. Magic is a science? What do you mean by that?

Sorry, where I'm from the two are kind of mutually exclusive.

Um... what do you define as science? I mean, it's like the observation of any other natural force in the world that betters our ability to manipulate or understand it...

[It's almost like they're talking in different languages, using the same words.]

Er--I was mostly thinking physics, chemistry and so on. In--from what I hear, magic tends to defy those rules.

Not really... There's things you can't do without putting your own energy into them or enchanted tools like you can with nonmagical chemistry or physics, but... they don't defy each other.

[He nods slowly, then smiles at Casey.]

See, if I were going to pick a vacation dimension, I think I'd pick yours, rather than this one. It sounds like there would be a lot there to keep me busy learning.

[ They tilt their head, then nod almost mischievously. ]

Yeah, you'd definitely have a lot to catch up on. Guess it's pretty neat, though. I like the city I was living in, anyway.

What was it like?

Pretty diverse. Shops open all hours of the night but if you find the right neighborhood, it isn't so noisy that you can't get to sleep. You could lose yourself in a crowd if you wanted and no one would care... And, I mean it's—

[ Where they met Gabriel. For a moment, a look of pain crosses their face before they shut it down. ]

It's got all kinds of people.

[Sarah gives only a cursory glance at Casey before responding.]

If you're a Sentinel, that's your job. I'm guessing you're not, though.

Fatemarked stay out of trouble. You could petition the governors to let you get a job aboveground once you're assigned, but I'm not sure they'll go for it.

Powered by magic?

[ How interesting. Although Chase has magic, he's not used to it being spoken about openly, and it's certainly not used to power a civilization or whatever. ]

[ Yeah, it's pretty obvious this one is definitely not a Sentinel. At least, to Casey it's incredibly easy to see. ]

Stay out of trouble, live underground our whole lives... little chance of maybe getting to see aboveground. That's it?

Yes! It's...

[ So hard to explain when it's the only context Casey has. ]

... a lot more intuitive than all this, if you ask me.

What, like you think "Man, I need better lighting right now," and the lamp turns on?

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