attempt 001

[unconfines]

Who: Anders
Broadcast: FLEETWIDE VIDEO HIT IT
Action: SS Golden
When: 2/14, not long after shuffling WE ARE BACKDATING THIS MY FRIENDS

[He surprises himself when the feed clicks on easily enough. It's unsettling, but at least it's simple. He can bury the unsettling parts.

Those of you who are familiar—or who have had enough introductions to become familiar—might recognize the striped grey and blue of a Grey Warden uniform, with its high, studded collar, and the curled griffon on the shoulder.

Anders is, for his part, smiling broadly.]

So! Now that I've gotten through the "manhandled into a tin can" bit, closely followed by the "manhandled into a slightly smaller tin can" bit, I thought I'd take some time to say hello. Is everyone comfortable? Because I am not, thanks for asking. [beat] Does it ever bother you how terribly one-sided this is?

[Let him talk and he'll talk. Congratulations on being the captive audience.

Right, back on track.]

Now, I don't usually mind a bit of manhandling, of course, but even I have some standards. It was all terribly anticlimactic. Hardly a kidnapping at all, really.

Anyhow. [with a bit more grandeur:] I believe introductions are in order, don't you? I'm going to eat this [he lifts the little dessert cream in a toast] so you go first.

[Ready: go.]

Comments

[unconfines]

[None of that makes any sense. It's really unsettling, and he really doesn't like it.

Abort, abort.]

I think I came from exactly the correct point in time, actually, seeing as that actually makes sense, for one, and that you don't seem to be a particularly enjoyable conversation partner, for two.

[blindoptimism]

[hehe, she dips her head as if to imply that she's curtsying in return] It's a pleasure, Sir Anders. [THEY'RE PLAYING FANCY, its fun...]

And that's a very upbeat attitude to have. Many new arrivals are unable to muster the same optimism.

[devilsinthedetails]

Oh I'm more than just an excellent listener. [He grins widely and. oh, what sharp teeth you have.] Hopefully you don't get to find out what else I'm excellent at.

Watch out for angels. They tend to accidentally impale you with their wings. Oh, and Fenris will probably try to murder you if you look at him funny. Or just look funny.

[unconfines]

My reputation precedes me! [That's not a good thing, Anders.] Heard already of our daring escapades, I assume? [stop]

But I'm getting ahead of myself. It would be remiss of me not to ask the lovely lady's name, first. To whom do I owe the pleasure?

video

[howcanihelp]

[ Here's a familiar young face, in similar armor, grinning ear-to-ear - she hasn't forgotten what Fenris told her, but she can't restrain her first instinct, which is to be so damned glad to see a familiar face ]

Anders! Maker's breath, it is good to see you!

[unconfines]

This one? Chocolate. It's a bit— something, maybe ["synthetic" is the word he means, but of course he doesn't have one for that] but still. I think they're rather good.

[Anders, by contrast, is very easily impressed. Anything that isn't the Circle's carefully scheduled meals or the Wardens' tightly-monitored rations is like heaven to him.]

[unconfines]

[Wow, so that was a barrage of things he didn't understand at all. Still, after Fenris, this is somehow an upgrade.]

I think you may have taken me for someone else, friend. Seeing as I only understood about half of that, and I've never seen you before in my life.

[A beat, and his voice hushes a little conspiratorially, as if that will keep the conversation more private over this very public feed.]

But if you're having trouble in the, ah, downstairs department, there's no need to be ashamed. I'm sure there's someone here who'd be happy to lend a hand.

[So long as it's not, you know, him.]

[hopefullyyours]

Mnh. [Komaeda makes a small, faintly disgruntled noise.] It lacks the depth of real chocolate, I think. It just seems a little one-dimensional, you know? [He shrugs.] But, I mean, to be fair, you're right, it isn't bad. Just... different.

[He's never considered himself a foodie, but his experience with pastes is making him rethink that.]

[unconfines]

[Oh, good. For all that he enjoys talking without interruption, he much prefers face-to-face contact to... whatever this is. Video chat. He's uncomfortable with the fact that he knows the name of it.]

So it would seem. Anders, and pleased to meet you. Lab support, I believe. [He laughs, a little uncomfortably.] And understand, somehow, against all odds.

[Watch him resolutely not do that job except in emergencies, please and thanks.]

[serpentis]

Ah, so you're of Thedas, then?

[He smiles a bit.]

Dorian Pavus, the pariah of Minrathos. I'm certain it's a pleasure.

[unconfines]

[Through the chaos and confusion of everything else, there is at least now real, palpable relief for him. The faux-cheerfulness gives way a bit, to something very much more genuine.]

The sentiment is very mutual, you have no idea. Really and truly, I'm not exaggerating this time. [He clears his throat.] What's the word, Commander? Any thrilling acts of heroism here for the Wardens to sweep away with?

Please tell me it's all— slaughter a few darkspawn, everyone gets to go home? That sort of thing?

[Please?]

Voice...ish

[wilder]

[While Kaneis isn't visible on the screen, his voice can sure be heard- sounding like he's from across the room]

The impaling only happens if you're a demon who touches one. Unless he's one too, it'd be more useful to warn him not to lick outlets. Honestly.

[howcanihelp]

[ Stephanie knows him well enough to be deeply relieved by the shift in his expression, without even being aware it's relieving. She wrinkles her nose good-naturedly at him. ]

Please tell me you're not somehow coming before I stepped down and that you're just being stubborn about the "Commander" thing, I think I would cry, I really would, and no one needs to see that. It's undignified.

[ sigh ] No such luck, I'm afraid. We're being kept as some sort of entertainment - I don't really understand it entirely, to be perfectly honest.

[cabbagedetective]

Anders. Nice to meet you.

[Adachi is looking Anders over. Between his appearance and the way he speaks, Adachi's feeling a little unsure about this guy operating a futuristic lab.]

I'm guessing that you're from somewhere... a little more "old-fashioned?" [I mean, c'mon, the guy's wearing a tunic.]

[wilder]

[He considers...]

No, no...the weird little pony tail thing- I'd never forget that. I guess you just don't remember - it happens. Don't sweat it.

[And he snorts and speaks at a normal level]

Oh don't worry, I'm clean. Haven't even needed a test in months, thanks to all this kidnapping crap. [It's depressing man]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

It was the griffon. I think. I assume the animal is the griffon--we don't have those where I'm from.

[unconfines]

One-dimensional chocolate is better than no chocolate, in my opinion. But that's me, always easy to please.

[If he's totally honest, he's a little annoyed at people who would turn their noses up at small luxuries like this. But he's not, so it's fine.]

[unconfines]

[Oh, she's precious.]

Best to think positive, I always say. [no he does not] But then, I have a little more experience with this sort of thing than most. I can't exactly blame them for being annoyed, can I?

[unconfines]

Anders, of the Grey Wardens of Vigil's Keep, since we're being fancy about it.

[Tevinter. A magister? He can't be sure without asking or meeting him in person, but— there's a bit of a thrill, paired with a much stronger stab of jealousy.]

Pariah, that's a shame. I've always wanted to go to Minrathos. Now I'll have to find my way in somewhere else.

[blindoptimism]

Ah... really? [she looks a bit surprised] You have experience being kidnapped?

[hopefullyyours]

There's something to be said for people who are like that, [He agrees absently, wondering internally if he's considered somebody that's hard to please or not. What an interesting line of inquiry.]

Being likable does tend to have its advantages!

[serpentis]

Ah, yes, they don't care for revolutionary upstarts in Tevinter. One moment, you're talking about curtailing the excesses of the Magisterium, and speaking out against the Venatori threat, and the next thing you know, you're fleeing for the south with naught but what can be stuffed into a sack in the middle of the night.

Terribly romantic, being a pariah, and all of that.

[And he narrows his eyes a bit. For all he knows, this man could be a Venatori.]

What are your interests in Tevinter?

[wolfuncaged]

I have plenty reason to not enjoy your company, Anders. Just because you have not experienced it yet does not mean that I will have forgotten it.

[And, because he needs to know for safety's sake: ]

Are you an abomination yet?

[devilsinthedetails]

You can't assume that a person isn't a demon. I don't usually look demonic and neither does my son.

[But there's a thoughtful look from Cole as he studies the video.]

He does look like the kind of guy that'd lick outlets, doesn't he? I'll warn him about that too.

[unconfines]

I can hear you, you know.

[Truth be told he probably would have thought "lick an outlet" sounded like a fun activity if not for the extra information the augment is giving him on the topic. Nice trick, that.]

The fun thing about demons is that they try very hard to convince you they're not, you know, demonic. Lucky me, I have some experience, so you don't have to worry about me getting tangled up in that kind of business.

[Ha Ha Ha]