✪ 001: Video

[megazero_to_superhero]

[At first, there's only audio. A guy with a pretty thick Rhode Island accent can be heard muttering between keystrokes and clicks.]

—'Kay, where's da video option on dis thing ...

[And suddenly there's video. Oh, look, it's David, broadcasting from one of the library termninals! And boy, from the way he's slouching, does he look really worn out.]

—yeah, dere, dat works.

[In an attempt to try and not look so weak (and also so that people might understand him better through his fatigue), David straightens up with some effort and takes the unlit cigar out of his mouth and holds it between the fingers of his left hand before continuing.]

'Kay, so. All dat talk about da "Second Magic" and operating on parallel worlds got me curious.

See, we got all kindsa people in dis Tower, from all kindsa different dimensions. An' we're all here 'cause dat dimension-killing whatsit got loose in our home towns. But how many people here have actually been to other dimensions before gettin' brought here?

I ask, 'cause I'm one of 'em. It was a big deal where I'm from—even coined a name for our dimension, Primal Earth. Kinda have to come up with a name for da home team when you got entire alternate realities tryin' to make war on you, yanno? [Here, David briefly holds up two fingers with his other hand to illustrate what he's about to say—and he's actually careful to not do it in the way that's obscene to British people.] Went through two of dose. And we had to deal with dis punk who eats entire dimensions, Rularuu da Ravager. For a time I was thinkin' dat dimension-killing thing was actually him runnin' wild.

[David heaves a sigh as he puts the cigar back in his mouth.]

So yeah. I was actually doin' a lot of scoutin' missions for Portal Corp, helpin' explore unknown dimensions and watch for potential threats when da Tower nabbed me. How 'bout you guys? Any of youse done da dimension-hoppin' thing before?

Comments

[wegotlucky]

Wish I knew more about Ireland now.

You ever find a way to fight them off?

[megazero_to_superhero]

Not permanently. S'kinda like crimefightin' in general—dere's always gonna be more goons dat need a lesson dat crime don't pay. Most we can do is step in when dey cause trouble.

[wegotlucky]

I guess being able to keep them under control is better than not being able to do anything, huh?

[Wait...]

You talk about fighting crime like... well, not like the police do it.

[megazero_to_superhero]

Oh, dey do. Just—well. Dere's only so much da regular beat cop can do, yanno what I mean? When you got supervillains out dere with da kind of powers people got in dis tower, it ain't pretty.

[David readjusts the cigar in his mouth before continuing.]

An' da good ol' PPD ain't what it used to be. Da Rikti War really laid into 'em hard.

[wegotlucky]

Supervillains?

[He shouldn't talk, being from a world full of what most people think are fairy tales, but the surprise does come out of his voice all the same.]

I guess when you have a lot of societal upheaval, order's on the short list of things to go, isn't it?

[megazero_to_superhero]

Yeah, pretty much. Da Rikti came close to wipin' us out. Lotsa good folks died in that war. Heroes, soldiers, police—left a lot of openings for scumbags to take advantage once da fightin' was over.

[David's tone takes on a bit of confusion, though, as he scratches a cheek with one of his armored hands.]

I'm guessin' da world you're from don't gotta worry 'bout supervillains dat much? I mean—da one you moved to. Well, either one.

[wegotlucky]

People like that always do end up taking advantage, it seems. Happened in both worlds.

[He shakes his head.]

Can't say I've ever run into any. But I'm sure they exist somewhere in the multiverse back home.

[megazero_to_superhero]

Prolly got things under control better dere. Maybe more like da way it used to be before da war?

[David tilts his head and looks off to the side of the camera for a moment, as if mulling that over.]

Naw, if it was like dat you probably woulda seen somebody. Some villains, dey love to put on a show.

[As much as some heroes do!]

[wegotlucky]

[At the remark about villains who love to put on a show, his thoughts immediately turn to his father.]

Yeah, I guess they do.

[megazero_to_superhero]

Heh, well, yanno—you get somebody who's got a loud costume an' superpowers throwin' deir weight around, it's gonna show up on da news. 'Specially true if dey're doin' somethin' real nasty.

[David readjusts the cigar in his mouth. It doesn't seem like he's picked up on Neal's introspection.]

'Course, in Paragon City dere ain't a minute dat goes by without somethin' like dat going on.

[wegotlucky]

No television or papers in the Enchanted Forest, but news gets around just the same. I don't think we get them like you're thinking, but corrupt magic users can do serious damage if you're not careful and they can be hard to stop.

[megazero_to_superhero]

Corrupt magic users ...

[David frowns, as if reminded of something unpleasant.]

Yeah, I know all about dat kind.

[wegotlucky]

[He smiles, a little darkly.]

Guess we've got that in common.

[megazero_to_superhero]

Yeah. I got some history with dis group called da Circle of Thorns. Lousy bunch.

[wegotlucky]

Figures a group of evil magic users would want to have an evil sounding name too, huh?

[megazero_to_superhero]

I know, right? Apparently dey weren't so bad thousands of years ago, but far as I'm concerned? I'd throw all of dem in da Zig for da crap dey pull on a daily basis. 'Cept Akarist, he's like da only good egg among dem.

[wegotlucky]

Akarist? What's he like?

[megazero_to_superhero]

You ever met da type of guy who's done a lot of bad stuff, but wants to atone for it? Akarist's like dat.

[David pauses for a beat.]

'Cept, well. Dude's like fourteen thousand years old, he's got a lot to make up for.

[wegotlucky]

Yeah, I know the type.

[He looks thoughtful.]

You think he can do it?

[megazero_to_superhero]

Helpin' da good guys with stoppin' da rest of da Circle's a good start.

[David's expression turns sour, though.]

Da one thing I can't get over, though—dem Circle types, da reason dey live so long is 'cause dey evict people's souls from deir bodies an' hijack 'em for demselves. An' Akarist's done dat too.

[wegotlucky]

[Oh thank god his father has never done that. He's not sure if he could ever forgive him for that, even with everything else.

The disgust is obvious on his face.]

Guess I can't blame people for not trusting him. Don't think I'd be able to, either.

[megazero_to_superhero]

Yeah. Like I said, he's got a lot to atone for. But ... hey, if he wants to atone, he can do a lot more good helpin' us out den stewin' in da Zig for however long he's gonna live.

[David's face screws into something like exasperated frustration.]

—Never got it anyway, why dey did dat. You'd think dey'd whip up—like—a cloned body with magic or somethin'. Den again, we're talkin' about a bunch of demon-summonin' psychos ...

[wegotlucky]

Maybe you're better off not being able to understand them. If you could, it'd probably mean you're just as crazy as them.

[megazero_to_superhero]

Heh. More a job for therapists, I guess.

[The only ones who can stare into the abyss and not have it stare back!]