Video, UN: Kassandra

[metoikos]

[Kassandra had spent the better part of a day figuring out just how to use the Omni before doing this. She's not technologically inclined, but once she had certain things pinpointed it wasn't difficult to work out some of the basic functions. Including ill-advised videos introducing herself, though she clearly hasn't mastered the Art of the Selfie.

The video feed opens at an odd angle showing a tanned woman, thankfully right-side up, staring at it with furrowed brows. Deep in concentration for a moment more, she simply stares at the camera in silence until she seems to come to a conclusion. Nodding, the woman exhales, and finally speaks up.]

...Hello. If other people are able to hear me, please say something so I don't keep talking to a rock and wondering if it really is magic or if I am crazy.

[Her voice has a heavy Greek accent, and if her attire is any indication she is not of the modern era.]

If I am talking to a magic rock, then know that my name is Kassandra, and I am looking for my family and my crew. Men named Alexios, Nikolaos, Barnabas and Stentor...and women named Myrinne, Roxana, and Odessa. I have hope that I am not alone in being reborn in this strange land, yet I have seen no sign of them.

[There's a pause as she fiddles with the Omni one more time.]

Aletheia, if you can hear this, show yourself.

[And then the feed drops.]

Comments

[frogfear]

Yeah, that's probably true. Sounds like a pretty good attitude to have too.

[metoikos]

Mmmhmm.

[Kassandra shakes her head, flashing a smile.]

What about you, lovely? Tell me more about yourself.

[frogfear]

[Willow returns the smile and shrugs.]

I guess it depends on what you want to know. I've only been in Trench for about a month, but I was in town this place was created from for... seven months? Somewhere around there?

[metoikos]

Mmhmm. And...what do you do? Have you found work here? Or are you taking a break?

[Just talk to her, pretty lady. She's trying very hard to focus on things that are normal, and not the weird shit.

Which is a challenge and a half here.]

[frogfear]

I, uh, mostly study at the school here, and the Archives. But a few people have asked me to teach them magic. So I'm working on putting a little beginner class together. The catch is, magic here is way different from home, so I'm feeling a little like a beginner myself.

[Magic is normal, right? Nothing at all weird about learning spells and teaching them to others.]

[metoikos]

So you are a magos then? Now that is interesting.

[Kassandra isn't much of a mage, and she doesn't have a ton of interest in becoming one, but her eyes flash with interest, respect, and a hint of concern.]

...you aren't going to turn me into a frog or something, are you?

[frogfear]

I don't know that term, sorry. In my own world, I'm a witch. It sounds like they're probably pretty similar, though?

[Willow shrugs a little, and smiles with a shake of her head.]

Nah, I never got into turning people into animals. A girl from my school turned herself into a rat and it took years to find the spell to undo it. Totally not worth it.

[metoikos]

Ah! Witch, okay. Magos are like witches that study a lot? It's probably similar.

[She understands that word!]

And that...I don't know if it's worth it or not. The one witch I ever met tried to turn me into a pig but it didn't work because she thought I was a man and not a woman?

[Circe was not nice.]

[frogfear]

Okay, I admit, I'm a witch that studies a lot too.

[Willow answers with a grin. She probably doesn't study the same things the Magos did, but if that's the only difference, they're not so far off.]

The girl who turned herself into a rat did it to get away from some people that were trying to kill us. She did it before too, just not to herself. But... you can't really cast spells as a rat. I guess she didn't really think about that.

How'd your witch mistake you for a man? Was she, I dunno, looking at someone else or something? And why'd she try to turn you into a pig anyway?

[What was wrong with that witch.]

[metoikos]

[Kassandra raises her helmet. A heavy, bronze affair that's obviously Greek in origin. And then tilts the camera down to show her armor. Which is fitted with androgynous features, as any good armor should be, really.]

She saw me in armor, I think.

And because she's Circe? That's kind of her thing, turning men into pigs.

[frogfear]

[It's a little more obvious seeing the armor and the helmet.]

Oh okay, yeah, that makes sense. Especially with the helmet. And if you didn't, you know, talk.

[Circe, Zeus, the armor - it all adds up to an obvious answer as to where, and probably when, Kassandra is from, and Willow is absolutely fascinated.]

You're from Greece, huh?

[metoikos]

I am, yes. I am from Sparta. Though, I spent most of my life on Kephallonia.

[In the far west.]

Where are you from, Willow? Not Greece, I should think.

[frogfear]

[She knows Sparta, but not Kephallonia - ancient history wasn't yesterday.]

No, I'm from California - which wasn't even thought of when Sparta was around. It's, uh, pretty much half a world away.

[metoikos]

[Kephallonia sucks anyway.]

California...half a world away.

[Well she isn't a geographer. So she's just going to assume that's somewhere across Anatolia. Or...something.]

Is this place better or worse than California?

[frogfear]

Oh, gosh, this place is way more dangerous than Sunnydale - that was the town I lived in. Then there's the whole squid thing too.

It's not so bad here, though. I mean, sure, there's monsters and stuff here, but most of the Sleepers are good people, and the locals are pretty nice to us too.

[metoikos]

Well, I mean, is it nicer? Danger does not necessarily make a place less nice, I should think. Danger is just spice, like a beautiful woman, or pepper on your food.

[Or maybe you're an adrenaline junkie, Kassandra.]

[frogfear]

Oh, big no to danger here, thanks.

[She pauses for a second.]

Then again, I don't like my food too spicy either?

[She gets what Kassandra is trying to get at, though, she thinks, and grins.]

Um, this is really different from home - which one's better than the other that way... I dunno. It's kind of like asking someone to choose between chocolate and ice cream.

[metoikos]

[Kassandra looks thoughtful for a moment. To her the idea of someone not liking spicy food is a surprise, given how expensive any sort of food seasoning is when she's from. But she supposes Willow may be wealthy, or the future is bright for the spice trade! ]

...I'm afraid I don't understand that analogy. I know what ice cream is now, but I've never heard of chocolate. I imagine given the comparison it is sweet?

[frogfear]

Yeah, that's right, they're both sweet. I mean, they had chocolate sauce for ice cream, but that's not quite the same as regular chocolate. It's kind of like candy?

[metoikos]

Again things I do not know. I imagine there are many exotic foods in the future that I should try.

[frogfear]

Yeah, I don't think there's any shortage of food around here. There's all kinds of places to eat at the boardwalk that change every month, and places around town too.

[metoikos]

That's good to know.

...Do you have any recommendations?

[frogfear]

Definitely anything chocolate - can't go wrong there. Coffee - if you see someone with coffee, stock up while you can. The apple cider is really good too.

I'm not gonna be trying any seafood any time soon, but the rest of it seems pretty good so far.

[metoikos]

Because it...could be another one of us?

[...fuck she's eaten a lot of seafood.]

[frogfear]

Yeah - yeah, kind of hard to look at it the same way after the whole being a squid thing. Although, I guess we probably ate seafood in that form anyway, so maybe it doesn't make any difference?

Still, though...

[Nope. No more seafood for her.]