001

[flickerflash]

Who: Katie and anyone!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: 1st December

[Oh. Well, this is new.

The bunks are comfy enough, and it's not exactly the first time Katie has found herself in an unfamiliar place. (Is it Thursday?) But it is the first time she's woken up in one for a long time, and so she squints at the door for a long moment trying to remember what she was last doing.

Then she peels off the bunk, blanket and all, and shuffles her way out to explore. She's not particularly worried, and most confusion goes right out the window when she see the giant windows that let her see out into space because seriously. She rockets over, face smooshed against the glass. That's probably where anyone on the Marsiva can find her for a long time, because space. Spaaace. This is the best accidental visit ever.

Much later, she'll actually think to check the comms, and only when she goes looking for the one she's meant to have. She turns up on the feed still with the sheet half draped over her curls and her nose still a little red from her mushed space-watching, and addresses the network cheerfully in a British accent.]

I think I took a left turn. Are we really in space? That's not just a clever painting or something, is it? Does that mean there are spacesuits? Can I go out in it? Is anyone here that I know? And what buttons do I push to leave again? Not that I didn't turn up here on purpose, because I've always wanted to see space and I really can't jump that far. Oh, but I should probably make sure, so if you could help I'd be much obliged.

...oh, I need a sword, too. Mine ran away.

[Hello, I am nine and full of questions and lies. But genuinely, she is curious. Something is afoot.

(But space.)]

Comments

[misterprongs]

[ without missing a beat: ]

Did you? Yes. No. Yes. Sometimes. Perhaps. Don't press buttons, your innards might explode. How far can you jump? And who gave you a sword?

[ pause ]

Space is fairly thrilling.

[flickerflash]

[She's giggling before he even completes that run of answers. GOOD MAN. Oh, but he's also British! Excellent.]

I can't jump very far at all, I'm afraid. But I practice! And there was a man in a dirty trenchcoat giving them out on the street. I thought it was very generous of him.

[misterprongs]

How nice of him.

[ this little girl is hilarious ]

Practice makes perfect, Miss -- ?

[flickerflash]

Dorothy! Like the Wizard of Oz. What's your name? Are you from England?

[There could be multiple places people could sound British after all. Just look at Dr Who and Star Wars.]

[misterprongs]

[ james' lips twitch into a slight grin. wizard of oz. he's read the story (upon much insistence from his muggle-born friends) and it's a bit ridiculous. what wizard lives in an emerald city? come now. but he knows, vaguely, the reference, and he's ready with a quick -- ]

Silver shoes and all?

[ and, ah, she had asked another question. ]

James Potter, and I am from England! Though I spend a good part of my year in Scotland.

[flickerflash]

Silver shoes and all. And that's all right! Scotland is very pretty. [It's also where she originally comes from.]

What year is it for you? I always seem to be ahead of everyone else.

[misterprongs]

1977.

[ ish. ]

But I daresay this is a bit further ahead than that, here.

[flickerflash]

[Huh. She actually is ahead of someone for once.]

What a shame! You've missed all the good television shows. Oh, but they had Doctor Who, didn't they? [So not a total loss.]

[misterprongs]

Haven't got television in my house.

[ mildly ]

But a few of my friends do, so I've heard a tale or two about this Doctor.

[flickerflash]

[SACRILEGE

But really that just means he must find other interesting things to do.]

He's a lovely person for a person that doesn't really exist. What do you do instead of watching television?

[misterprongs]

[ well, fine, you know what miss muggle ]

Quidditch.

[ with a glint in his eye because he's anticipating the question and he'll show u cool shit young miss ]

[flickerflash]

[wat
...seriously how has she never heard of that before]

What's Quidditch? Does it involve money?

[THERE HAVE YOUR ANTICIPATED QUESTION]

[misterprongs]

It's a bit like football and rugby, but on broomsticks.

[ that's the quickest way to explain, he's been told, even if it's not... entirely accurate. ]

And you fly.

[flickerflash]

[...okay that only sounds like the best sport ever. A helluva lot better than the garbage her dad watches, anyway.]

Is it very hard to learn?

--are you a witch? [There's broomsticks and flying involved.]

[misterprongs]

M'a wizard, actually.

[ the slightest of corrections ]

But I know quite a few witches.

[flickerflash]

Oh, of course you're a wiza-- you're a wizard!? [YES.] I mean you're a man, or I suppose you are, so you can't very well be a witch, but wizards! And you know witches!

Is it fun? Do people still try to burn you at the stake?

[misterprongs]

[ there's a laugh at that, delighted with the idea -- ]

Real witches and wizards never got burnt in the first place -- simple Freezing Charm and the fire just kinda tickles.

[ informatively ]

Muggles need better ways of telling, I suppose -- but we've gone into hiding since that whole... nonsense. Better just to keep secret.

[flickerflash]

They were very convincing, then. [She doesn't remember, precisely, but there's certainly impressions of the church and its warfare all those centuries ago.] But Freezing Charms sound very useful!

[Hiding, ah. Now that's not familiar at all.] You don't mind if people here know you're a wizard?

[misterprongs]

D'you think people are going to burn me at the stake?

[ teasingly ]

[flickerflash]

They might, you never know. I've met some very old-fashioned people. [There's an honest to god medieval-ish king wandering around the Marsiva with her.]

But if they try, I'd stop them.

[From... all the way over here. On this ship she's stuck on. Somehow.]

[misterprongs]

Aren't you sweet.

[ amused ]

I'd happily sign up for your services, fair knight and scholar.

[ james is fairly certain he can fend off burnings, BUT ]

Luckily, though, most people here don't seem to care.

[flickerflash]

Really? [Her smile is slightly relieved, actually. That means she won't have much trouble here, either.]

Well, it's always nice to meet people with open minds. Does anyone else practice magic the way you do?

[misterprongs]

A few people! But I've only got one person from my world here.

[ poor remus being forced to tolerate him ]

Some people perform magic in a different way, but it's all the same thing, really.

[flickerflash]

What way is your way?

[I am eternally curious.]

[misterprongs]

I use a wand. Some folks on this Fleet don't. Some use incantations...

[ james shrugs. ]

It's all the same to me.