001 . video . psa

[guiltapalooza]

[The video clicks on to reveal a small, slender, nervous-looking redhead. She has a frilly white blouse on covered with a leather bomber jacket, more stylish than functional, and she's fidgeting in her seat.

She takes a visible breath and says, somewhat stilted,] Hi. Willow. --That's me, Willow, my name, and. You should call me that. And you should email me?

Wait, sorry, I'm doing this in the wrong order. [She looks embarrassed, but then shakes her head and starts over, calmer now that she's getting into the rhythm.]

I'm Willow Rosenberg and I'm the official Darstone liaison to the newcomers. That means you, cause, if you're on this network, you're a newcomer-- a dimensional kidnap-ee. It's probably not government approved to say kidnap-ee, but that's okay because I work for them so I'm allowed to be especially disgruntled. Actually, even though I work for them, I'm in more or less the same position as you, I just got here earlier. When they needed someone for the job about a month ago I said yes.

Anyway... [Pause as she tries to recover her conversational thread.] Being the liaison means you should come to me if you have problems settling into the city, or if you need to talk to someone official and don't know how to reach them. I can get you in touch. I'm not responsible for deciding who gets to go home, so don't bug me about that or you'll make me cranky and mildly disapproving, and I don't like to be cranky.

But you really should email me if you need something. That's what I'm here for. I also do emergency response sometimes if something goes wrong with one of us, and trust me, I can handle it. So don't cause problems or you'll have to deal with me. [This is half bluffing and half honest confidence.] That means whoever sent those shadow things around during the festival, I better not see that happen again or I'm going to track you down, and there will be consequences.

[Her eyebrows go up in open evaluation.] Got it? Oh, and whoever's sending out the spying snakes, that's just creepy, but not illegal. So keep it not illegal or I'll sic the police chief on you, and she's scary.

... Any questions? About me or about what's going on? It's really mostly answered in the guide on your mirror, but I am answer girl if you have something else.

Comments

[guiltapalooza]

It's a Council decision, so there's no one in particular. You could petition them if you want, I guess, but there's a waiting period.

It'd probably be quicker to just get home the other way.

[namigational]

But it's important! [It's been over a week now, and she was overdue back home as it was.] I had people waiting on me! And nobody's left on the ship I was on!

[Nami's not too good at snapping at the correct people. Sorry, Willow. >_>]

[guiltapalooza]

[She understands being upset over it, so she tries to have some patience.]

I know it's hard-- I have people waiting on me, too. But time doesn't actually pass there while you're here, so try not to worry too much. When you get back, it'll be like you never left.

[namigational]

[That gives her pause. Time stops? That's...

That's a really attractive idea. And it's also impossible. But then, she's seen a lot she'd deem impossible in the last week.

There's silence, and then she says more uncertainly:]

Time... doesn't stop. It shouldn't. That's a-- what makes you say that?

[guiltapalooza]

I checked when I got here. Or, I made them check. There's an apocalypse going on in my town, and... I sort of need to know for sure whether that's happening without me. [Especially given what they'd told her at the tower (her last game).]

So I made sure. I promise.

[namigational]

[She's momentarily derailed completely by the mention of an apocalypse, and the look Nami throws Willow is a stricken sort of surprise of what? But there's too much crazy stuff in this place to pursue that. And she... probably shouldn't.

So maybe that guy was on the money about bodies and conscious minds and maybe Willow wasn't just lied to, because she sounds like she believes what she's saying.

...]

I appreciate that you're helping out. Uh...

...I don't want to sound like I don't believe you, because I'd really like to. But is there some way for me to check for sure?

[guiltapalooza]

[Oh yeah. She keeps forgetting other people don't have the Sunnydale blasé attitude about dealing with the end of days. She gives a sheepish look, like she's embarrassed her reality is so insane, and then shrugs.]

I don't think so. I only found out for sure because I got sick with the fever, so they sent me home, and I was there for a little while before I came back. They don't like to portal people back and forth unless they have to.

So unless you want to get sick, which I really don't suggest... [A sigh.] I'm sorry I can't be more help.

[namigational]

No-- no, it's okay. [That's actually kind of helpful for other reasons, and there's really only so much a fellow kidnappee can do.] I appreciate it. I'm sorry you got sick, though. Is it really nasty, that fever?

[guiltapalooza]

[There's a short pause.] Let's go with bad, and deeply personally embarrassing. They can't bring people back that die from it, so it's really... scary in a way a lot of things aren't scary anymore.

[namigational]

[Deeply personally embarrasing...? That gives her second thoughts, and she hesitates, before letting the subject go. It's obviously not a good one for Willow, and really Nami has the most useful piece of information already. She thinks.

So she smiles instead. Sort of an apology.]

...I'm glad you got better, then. Thanks for letting us know all this.

If...time is stopped, then I guess it's not so bad.

[guiltapalooza]

[She's glad she doesn't have to talk about it anymore, and just nods, relieved.] I know how hard it is at first-- I don't mind sharing.

It's funny how much of a difference it makes if you think they won't miss you, huh? [she asks sympathetically.] Being in mortal peril is one thing, abandoning my friends when they need me is another.

[namigational]

Yeah...I don't really want to abandon anyone. If I sort of left now--

[Well, she'll drop that subject. But duty is one thing. She's not in any hurry to return if it's all just there waiting for her to step back in. She can at least tell Luffy she didn't lose his ship.]

I'll just make the best of it, then. Um... you don't know exactly what they want us to do, do you?

[guiltapalooza]

Making the best, always a good plan.

Uh... well... just something that would be helpful, I guess? Everybody's good at something different. Fighting or research or... [Willow's sure there's other things you can do, but they aren't coming to her.] Other things.

What are you good at? Maybe I can suggest stuff-- I think I'm supposed to be suggesting.

[namigational]

Haha...not much that strikes me as useful underground. I'm a navigator.

...I do make maps, too, but I think you guys have got that covered.

[guiltapalooza]

Oh, oh, actually, we don't. [Willow perks up eagerly, enthusiastic about getting to help someone.] The lake's kind of huge -- it's really an underground reservoir -- and without wind, it takes a long time to travel. There's a few settlements down the banks, but once you get past them it's pretty uncharted.

You could do some navigating and, and map making.

[namigational]

...oh. Really? [Something she can do...? Something she'd enjoy doing, no less, if nobody has gone that far. For a moment, Nami's thoughts are diverted away from the purely selfish drive to get home.] Well...

Yeah. I could do that. I mean, I could try. Should I talk to anyone in particular about it?

[guiltapalooza]

Um, I'm not sure, actually. I haven't looked into it before. I guess it would depend on if you wanted to do it on your own or if you wanted to be sponsored. There's probably someone that would fund a trip?

They always need mapping of the surrounding caves, too, but I think that gets really, really complicated. [Three dimensional mapping, yikes. It sounds awful to Willow, but maybe Nami likes a challenge.]

[namigational]

[Sheee sure does love a challenge. And exploring the cave systems might net her more options. And Willow, you mentioned the magical F-word there $_$]

Funding! You think someone might sponsor me to do it?

[guiltapalooza]

[Wow, suddenly she's excited... maybe she really does like this.]

If you're willing to cater to their interests, sure. Willing to invest probably means they want something specific out of it, like a resource or good land or something. I think that's how it usually works.

[namigational]

[Maps and money are two of her favourite things.]

I'll have to look around. Is there a good way to look for sponsors? Like a-- a newspaper or a board or something?

[guiltapalooza]

Let me think... Maybe a guild? Like a map maker's guild. I don't do much with guilds, but they have to be officially registered, so there should be a list at the city hall with a contact name. You could start there.

[namigational]

Fantastic. Thanks, Willow. [Seriously. You've turned her from grumpy to cheerful in the space of two minutes.] I'll check it out.

[guiltapalooza]

You're welcome. Let me know how it goes.