video | un: detdecker

[couldkillthedevil]

Besides all this mumbo-jumbo about portals and the fact I've obviously lost my mind and am lying strapped to a hospital bed somewhere, I've got a few things I'd like to clear up—

[The blonde woman frowns deeply at the screen, brows drawn tightly together in displeasure.]

—namely, it's been told to me that we can't leave this place until they've scrounged up enough 'resources' to send us back, which seems oddly convenient. Does anyone know if there's been success with that yet? Has anyone been sent back home, or is that some nebulous 'someday' thing they're telling us? Second of all...

[Her hand comes up to gently cup a small gold locket hanging around her neck; a gift from the city to her, it seemed. Her mouth works for a moment, trying to find the words.]

Trixie, baby, if you can hear me, mommy's here and going to find you. I promise. Just sit tight, monkey.

Comments

video, un: j.k.

[aeturnus]

I don't think your girl came with you.

[ Cain sounds pretty genuinely sympathetic to this. He doesn't have any children right now but he knows what it's like to be separated from your own and how nerve-wracking it must be when it sounds like this detdecker's child is still young. ]

As for the portal, I haven't heard anything yet but they've been pretty open about the functions of it and allowing people to study it for themselves.

video | un: detdecker

[couldkillthedevil]

Maybe not. I won't stop looking until I know for sure, though.

[She's only just recently got here, after all. Like hell she was just going to assume Trixie wasn't here without exhausting all her options.]

Someone else told me they keep records on people who've been sent back home, so I plan to look into that soon. I'm not exactly a scientist, much less an expert on magic portals, but it's good to hear they're not shutting us out.

[aeturnus]

What does she look like?

I'm in the same position. Frankly, I'm tempted to become a scientist just to help out around here. I get the impression they aren't nearly as staffed as they'd like to be.

[couldkillthedevil]

[There's a brief hesitation there, because she doesn't know this person at all. But she's also desperate, and he seems genuine enough.] She's a little over three feet. Dark hair and eyes, very sweet and full of energy. She's 8 years old. Wait —

[She reaches down to the small heart-shaped locket around her neck, fiddling with it until it opens. She presses it up to the screen, revealing a picture of her little girl.]

I wouldn't be surprised. If they're requesting our help while we're stuck here, it's likely they're short on manpower.

[aeturnus]

Okay. I'll keep an eye out. You should probably alert the police you're looking for a child, or check the hospital. Just to cover the bases.

[ He's definitely genuine. Family is pretty serious business. ]

That, or they're pragmatic opportunists. Then again, one doesn't preclude the other.

[couldkillthedevil]

Thanks. I'm already on it. The police definitely already know, considering I'm on the force.

Yeah, no kidding. It's why I'm not entirely convinced this was purely a freak accident, but they've been generous enough so far and seem willing to work with us.

[aeturnus]

You are? Huh. That's definitely a step ahead. Good.

No harm in that. Not to mention there could be someone who knows more than the next guy and it's not the entire organization working to ulterior ends. Still, I'm sure you'll do fine here.

[couldkillthedevil]

Worked as a homicide detective back home, so I guess they found my skills useful.

That's something I thought of too. You can't have an organization without someone having more information than others. But I appreciate the vote of confidence, Mr...?

[aeturnus]

It's pretty nice that they let you prove your worth around here. Who needs resumes when they can just hire you on the spot?

Jacob Kane. You're... Detective Decker?

[couldkillthedevil]

Which falls back to my earlier suspicion that they really need the extra pairs of hands.

Nice to meet you, Jacob. I was a detective before, but for now it's just Officer Decker. Chloe Decker.

[aeturnus]

No, that about sums it up. We as a community could probably do more too, but I'm still not quite sure if the average resident actually cares that much or if it's just the select few who are more get up 'n go.

You probably signed up for the account before you realized, huh? It's a pleasure, Chloe.

[couldkillthedevil]

Probably a mix of both, would be my guess. There's always going to be people who care more than others.

Call it a force of habit. I suppose I should take it as a good sign that they're not letting anyone try to solve murders. How long have you been here?

[aeturnus]

That's very true. I'd probably join in if anyone wanted to organize some more proactive groups, but that itself isn't really my wheelhouse.

[ you were the first kING OF ROME YOU IDIOT ]

Only about a month. Far from being an expert on this place but it only takes so long to get an idea. Haven't heard a whole lot about murders here, anyway. There's more monster attacks than people attacks.

[couldkillthedevil]

Oh, yeah? And what is your wheelhouse, if you don't mind me asking?

[There's a long pause on her end, before she lets out a snort.]

Right. I remember them mentioning the monster attacks. That's a clever little metaphor.

[aeturnus]

Me? I'm just a programmer. Slash... linguist?

[ Programmer/linguist. Sure. He's admitted to as much here. Let's go with it. ]

Oh no, it's entirely literal. We had pterodactyl things flying over the city perimeter not long ago.

[couldkillthedevil]

You don't sound entirely sure about that.

[Her tone is teasing, but there's also a bit of a question there, perhaps. But it's quickly overridden by another unladylike snort and laugh.]

Pterodactyl things. Sure. Very funny. Next you'll tell me pigs can fly.

[aeturnus]

I don't have degrees in either, but I'm good at them. Guess that could define whether I can use the titles or not.

[ He just raises a brow at the insistence. ]

No joke, it could happen. Ask around, I'm sure some lookie-loos got video. They always do nowadays.

[couldkillthedevil]

Ah. Well, if you have the skills, you have the skills.

[Now she's just shaking her head at you, Jacob.]

Oh, I'm sure they do. Whether or not those videos are real is another matter.

[aeturnus]

Exactly. Not everyone sees it that way.

[ Uh-huh. He thinks it's cute. ]

If that's not enough, why not ask around the department and see if they have any corpses around? Maybe for research. Oh! Actually, try Gramarye.

[couldkillthedevil]

[She squints and wrinkles her nose at him.]

'Gramarye'?

[aeturnus]

Magical research. It's a facility located in the Quarantine dedicated to studying the magicks brought into this place and of this place as far as I can tell.

[couldkillthedevil]

So let me get this straight.

You're telling me there's a whole research facility here. And out of everything, it's dedicated to magic. Am I getting that right?

[aeturnus]

Well, if there's anything more mysterious they should focus on, we should probably let them know.

[couldkillthedevil]

Oh, no. I'm not the weird, crazy one here. You've got to admit, it sounds really farfetched.

[aeturnus]

You're in another reality. Sucked in through a magical portal.