un: silhouette among silk spreads

[foxable]

[ A cheerful voice comes on over the network the night before they are set to leave. To some of you it may be familiar already, to others a mystery, but thankfully he is not going to leave you in the dark for long. ]

Alright, sounds like we're rolling out tomorrow! I haven't even met everyone yet so this is going to be interesting, but, uh, Hi! I'm Fox.

[ There's a long pause... ... ... Just long enough to make someone wonder where the fuck this guy went when suddenly there's a sound of a bunch of pieces of paper falling loose everywhere and him scrambling to pick them up: ]

Sorry! Sorry, uh, where was I? Right, I'm Fox, I'm - ah - a mage, I guess, is the best way to put it. Wizard always sounded stupid. Anyway, uh, so this is all a little new to me, haha - uh - not that it isn't new to you guys? From what I understand, pretty new for everyone. Even the um. People who have been here a little longer. Still not totally clear on all that but - right, sorry, not the point.

The point is! I do a lot of enchantment magic. I guess here they call it thralling? Anyway I'm from Canada and while I can't say I'm from the tundra exactly, Toronto still gets pretty fucking cold so warming spells on clothes is like, a must have, for at least six months of the year. It's kind of like - um - you know those little packets that you can rub together and they heat up? No? Handwarmers? I can't remember what they're called. Anyway - it's kind of like that. But in your clothes. So you're just always warm. Which is good, in the winter. Obviously. Um--

Uh--

God I know I had something more to say but uh--

I guess if there's anything else you think you'll need, let me know? I'm not charging anyone for spells, but you will have to bring components. So uh for warming spells incense is great, or like, a box of matches or something like that usually does the trick. In a pinch, tinder wood, but you need like a good couple handfuls of it and then a way to burn it. Anyway. You probably don't care? You don't care.





OH-- [ For a second it seemed like he was done, but he wasn't. sorry. ] -- one last thing. Um, magic? Other people's magic? Your magic? I'd really like to take a look at it. I'm real quick at picking stuff up and I'm happy to teach my own in exchange if you want? If that even works here. Still experimenting with that! So if you're up for experimenting that's good t--

[ He gets cut off by someone's screaming orgasm. ]

-oo... okay. Okay! Yeah, anyway, hit me up! Cheers!

Comments

[bearshermark]

It's an unfortunate circumstance we've found ourselves in, here. I wish it wasn't. But I'm always grateful when this magic spares a bit of conflict- though it only really works on the living.

[Granted, he doesn't have as much compunction about slaying the undead]

[foxable]

Oh, huh.

Yeah that makes sense I guess. Zombies aren’t exactly known for taking long naps, am I right?

Sorry, bad joke. Still getting used to the zombie thing, too. Anyway, who are you?

[bearshermark]

[It might be a bad joke, but amusement colors his voice all the same- they're pretty short on humor here]

Eleven. You said your name was Fox? It's good to meet you.

[foxable]

Yeah, that's right! Fox it is.

Eleven? Like the number? [ I am so sorry, he says everything on his mind.. ]

Do you have ten older siblings? Or is it like - or did you choose that name?

[bearshermark]

[A quiet sigh, voice going a little flat like he's answered these exact questions one too many times]

Yes, like the number. No siblings. I don't know why my birth parents chose that name. You can just use El, if you'd prefer.

[foxable]

Ah- no, no, Eleven is fine. Sorry, sorry, that uh - that was a bit rude of me, huh? I'll call you whatever you want to be called, and if that's Eleven, that's awesome.

I'm down. With the cool names. Yeup.

[ He doesn't sound awkward or embarrassed at all. ]

[bearshermark]

It's okay. Sorry. Someone else here is named Five. I guess there are a lot of weird names here, actually. But most of us are from different worlds, so it kind of makes sense.

[foxable]

Yeah, Mingyu's been telling me a bit about the 'different worlds' thing. Honestly I thought this was our world when I got here just super fucked up, but I don't think it is anymore. Or if it is, it's such a far dimension along the timelines as to not make a difference.

And yeah, weird I guess? I don't know. Every culture has different naming conventions, right? "Fox" isn't- well, I mean, it can be used as a name back home but it isn't very common. That's why I like it. It's not like - Steve, or something.

God. Can you imagine if my name was Steve? Terrible.

[bearshermark]

[A light chuckle]

I guess it does sound pretty plain. The people from my village all had rock-like names: Gemma, Amber, Chalky, Cole.. I was never sure if that was lucky or not that I didn't. Maybe the kingdom where my birth parents were from all had- well, no, their names weren't numbers.

[A brief pause] Hm. Well, could have had some other meaning there.

Do you think your name suits you?

[foxable]

Huh. Rocks... My best friend back home was named Jade, so, that's not that different. Oh! Oh, if you have seen or see her, though, please let me know. I have no idea where my friends are, I really hope it's just - just me and Mingyu here because that would get really complicated really fast and -

-- haha, sorry, brain ran off on a tangent.

Um. Fox? Yeah, of course it suits me. I gave it to myself.

[bearshermark]

Oh. Okay.

I have a friend called Jade too, actually. I haven't met anyone by that name yet, though I'll be sure to let you know if I do.

[foxable]

It's okay, I know it's a little weird to give yourself a name, but I like it.

Oh really? What's she like?

[bearshermark]

She's a warrior princess and a really good martial artist. But even with how strong she is, she's very kind-hearted. I admire her a lot.

What's your Jade like?

[foxable]

Pretty much exactly like that, [ He replied, the grin audible in his voice. ]

Maybe not in a literal way - we don't exactly have warrior princesses - but in a metaphorical way? Totally. She's super tough, doesn't take shit from anybody, and pretends that she is made of stone but really she's like - a mother hen or something. She'll protect you from anything. We've been friends forever, she complains about me constantly, but I know she'd have my back no matter what happened, you know? She'd take a bullet for me, and then yell at me for daring to get in front of a bullet.

[ He chuckled a little. ]

She's good. She's great. Like one hundred percent a lesbian, though, so maybe I should introduce her to your Jade.

[bearshermark]

[He laughs brightly]

I dunno how my Jade is in that respect, but it sounds like they'd get along great.

[foxable]

Definitely. [ He's still grinning, and it's obvious. ]

Though Rushi might murder me for trying to hook Jade up with other girls so I should actually be careful there, haha!

[ He laughs, then lets out a breath and a slight sigh. ]

Man, it's pretty weird to be here, though. I'm glad your friend showed up. He is your friend, yeah?

[bearshermark]

Uh..

It's- yeah. Well, maybe not friends yet, but I know he's just trying to look after me even if it's not very.. convenient right now.

[foxable]

Huh?

[ A slight pause as he frowns. ]

Wait, is he being like, super overbearing or something? Like, Jade's allowed to try because she's my best friend but even she knows she can't stop me climbing out a window if I feel like it.

[bearshermark]

It's okay. He has good reason, and I accepted it.

[foxable]

[ There's a long pause. ]

A good reason, huh? Well, alright.

But, uh- you know, if you ever need like, to hang out a bit where he doesn't have to worry about 'looking after you' or whatever, you just let me know, yeah? You can come hang out with me, we'll trade magic.

[ And then Fox will offer to smuggle you out whenever you want, no big. ]

[bearshermark]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to it. Don't mind him too much if he hangs around anyway though- really. He means well.

[foxable]

Hey, you're welcome to bring whoever you want.

I'm not gonna be a dick or anything, don't worry.

[bearshermark]

[The casual and slightly crude way Fox speaks really does ring familiar]

I appreciate that.

[foxable]

Alright, cool. I'll find you once we get to the house, and we can shoot the shit, do some magic, spruce stuff up.

How does that sound?

[bearshermark]

That sounds perfect.