[VIDEO]; @fatima

[dust_of_life]

[Fatima's life dictates that she has to carefully manage and regulate her appearance. It's a bit of a neurosis, really. She's had to dedicate much of the last few years to proving that she's every bit as capable and mature as a bunch of vampires who have seen more than a few centuries. The mortal girl is not going to sit at the kiddie table, thank you very much. Which means not looking like a kiddie.

She wears a lot of make up. Like, a lot. It's well done and attractive, certainly. But noticeably an inch thick. Her hair is pulled back in a braid today, draping over her left shoulder. But what really completes the "I'm not a child" look is the attitude. It's her carefully schooled expression, just the right amount of jaded blase, as if to say "I've seen too much to ever be wide-eyed again."

It's her first network post. She figures first impressions matter. Although this is not how she imagined greeting the network.]

Hey, Fatima Merali here.

[She's got a thick, West Coast accent. She even says her name in a disgustingly Americanized way.]

Los Angeles, 2009, for any of you keeping track of that kind of thing.

Listen. Has anyone seen or heard from Ray Palmer lately? It's like he just vanished.

Comments

[dust_of_life]

Pretty much just a teenager

What's your name? My head is currently calling you "Text on the Screen."

[prisonking]

Then yeah, there are some teenagers here. The portal doesn't discriminate.

Michael.

[dust_of_life]

Michael

Do you know a lot about portals, Michael?

[prisonking]

No. Like I said, I'm not an expert.

I'm a structural engineer, not a quantum physicist.

[dust_of_life]

You seem to know more about it than I do

Is this sort of thing normal in your world?

[prisonking]

I pay attention.

Where I'm from, related science is purely theoretical. The closest person to an expert would be Stephen Hawking.

[dust_of_life]

Isn't magic just science we can't explain?

[prisonking]

Possibly.

Probably.

I couldn't say.

[dust_of_life]

Well

I know boo about science

I'd love to get your take on some of the books in the library about the portal

[prisonking]

I haven't read them yet. Works keeps me busy.

If I do, I'll let you know.

[dust_of_life]

I appreciate that

And you telling me about Ray

[prisonking]

Ray was a good guy.

I hope he's happier back home.

[dust_of_life]

I hope he IS back home

[prisonking]

I choose to believe he is.

[dust_of_life]

You are very optimistic, Michael

[prisonking]

There are worse things to be.

[dust_of_life]

I know

I guess I'm jealous

[prisonking]

Only you can make a change within yourself.

They've got books on that in the library too.

And no, I'm not an expert.

[dust_of_life]

You wouldn't be the first to tell me to seek professional help

[prisonking]

There's no shame in asking for help.

[dust_of_life]

In some worlds, maybe

[prisonking]

Not here.

You've got an opportunity. Maybe you should take it.

[dust_of_life]

I'll take it under consideration

But right now, I'm more interested in portals than introspection

[prisonking]

Time to pay a visit your local library.

Don't let me keep you.

[dust_of_life]

Thanks, Michael

This has been a very interesting conversation