driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Billy Cranston
Broadcast: Network, video
Action: Aboard the Marsiva
When: Mid-day, about now

[Upon waking, Billy immediately reached for the bedside table as a matter of habit. There he encountered his glasses, his wrist communicator, and an unfamiliar computer-like device. Once the glasses were in place, it became apparent that his surroundings were unfamiliar. Worse, the most important of his personal effects, the silver buckle that granted him protection, was conspicuously absent. And wort of all, his personal communicator found no signal. His captors weren't precisely imitating Lord Zedd's style (he'd expect more fog and evil laughter, and possibly bruises), but the need for caution was abundantly clear.

Once he'd thoroughly rumpled the bedside area in a panic, calmed himself with a breathing exercise, and mostly brought himself up to speed on the strange computer sitting beside him, he activated it, putting considerable effort into sounding less frightened than he was.]

If I've been given this device, I have to assume there are many more...esteemed guests of our hosts. How are you enjoying your stay?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm very worried about my planet, considering the state my town's left in every week. But as I understand it, returning there's impossible.

Every week? What do you mean?

My town seems to be attacked by aliens at least once a week. It's nearly miraculous that there's anything left standing---even with our local heroes' best efforts.

... By aliens? Well, I suppose I can't argue something sounding that sci-fi when we're here, but...

Heroes? What kind of heroes?

They're called the Power Rangers. They wear futuristic armor and summon large mechanical beasts to drive off the invaders. Most of us suspect that they're aliens too...so it seems to be a war that my planet got caught up in by happenstance.

[Ooor he could be one of the Rangers, but that's just silly.]

[... yeah, she is like 90% sure bystanders don't get brought here when the heroes are there to get grabbed for the drama

but she's not saying anything, mostly because there's a chance she could be wrong, and if she was, that would be incredibly embarrassing.]

Eh, is that so? They sound like real jerks, then, don't they? Dragging an innocent planet into things... Then again, heroes usually are just arrogant jerks who happen to beat up the right person and then hide behind the title of "hero", so I suppose it makes sense it's true of other planets, too.

[Hey, that's rude. He sucks in a small breath.]

Did a group of them attack you?

If you mean heroes, then yes. About eighty thousand of them? It was the army... Well, I did kill that entire first wave, so they had to round up even more, after that. ♥

[She sounds very cheerful about this.]

You...killed an army of eighty thousand on your own?

[Wow, that's. That's really something.]

Well, of course. I am a monster, after all.

Wow.

Do you shrink and grow?

[Or that's some mighty powerful magic. He's still not sure how afraid he should be.]

Heavens me, how rude! Exactly how were you raised, to ask a lady about her size?!

[maybe be afraid for your dignity instead of your life?]

[Whoa, okay. Backing up.]

That's not what I meant. I'm sorry.

I was only trying to imagine how you did it. Our warriors tended to become fifty feet tall and walk on the opposition.

Does that actually work? I would think that would simply be making yourself into a bigger target.

It depends on what you're facing. If all your opponents' weapons are so small they'd barely be pinpricks, then it would.

If both sides are the size of skyscrapers...well, the result is toppled skyscrapers.

Hm... Well, true. But honestly, I haven't been that large since I retired from being a goddess, and it's not like anything was a threat to me then.

But I've never heard of a story where turning into a giant turned out well for a villain, so I'd never do something so pointless.

...I'm surprised any goddess would choose to retire.

[Because that's clearly the biggest mystery here.]

Why would you be surprised? It's not exactly a fun job.

It's not?

The power would be counterbalanced by enormous responsibility, I suppose.

Responsibility? No way. I never bothered with anything like that. Humans are the ones who decided to worship us, you know? It's not really our problem.

That's not what I expected, but...yeah, that makes sense.

[Not that he's really heavily focused on religion or mythology, but it makes sense in a way.]

Anyway...thanks for the lesson.

I don't think I really did much of a lesson, but you're welcome, I suppose.

Do I get to hear your name?

Billy Cranston, pleased to make your acquaintance.

[And as awkward as this conversation was...he really means it, on some level.]

"Billy"? Well, you seem a fair bit nicer than the other Billy I know.

[She bows, striking a pose.]

Tamamo-no-Mae, the vulpine bride and beautiful courtesan of the Heian era, resurrected to become a good wife! Pleased to meet you. ♥

[She's being a bit careless with her name, but it's a way to test. If he does know who she is, it's a pretty good way to see if he is actually a hero, or really just a bystander like he claims.]

[Resurrected to become a wife? That doesn't sound very fair, but that's a question for another time. 'Heian' rings a faint bell from history studies, but it's not his field of expertise.]

So you're from Earth too? And...I think that would make our lives about a thousand years apart? Trini's better at history than I am, but...it's great to meet you.

[He bows, much as he had with Lunafreya. That was proper, right?]

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