01 - Arrival [Action/Video]

[wizard_redfive]

[Action]

[Anyone near the Bay this afternoon is likely to hear shrill shouting coming from inside. The newest arrival had an extremely bad day yesterday, and waking up somewhere other than her bed has sparked a tantrum. Those outside might catch parts of the rant as her voice gets louder. “Powers… if this is another castle… I’ve had enough!!”

Others are welcome to investigate, though it might be wise to approach with caution. Inside they will find a young red-headed girl standing in the water of the Bay. She gestures her arms wildly as she yells, seeming to be focusing her rant towards a silver laptop sitting inside the pod she woke up in.]

[Video]

[After Dairine calmed down enough to read the pamphlet, the video feed switches on. Her expression is still rather cross, but she will try to be civil. After all, she knows the people watching this are probably in the same situation as herself.]

So... “Genessia,” huh? Let me guess: I won’t be able to travel further than a certain distance, certainly not off planet, and there’s no way of telling when I’ll be sent back home. I haven’t noticed anything missing, so there's no obvious arrival fee. Unless it’s a memory… And this... [She taps on the screen.] ...serves as our communication device. Well, I suppose it's a step up from a journal, but I'd still rather not go through this a second time.

[Dairine runs her fingers through her hair absentmindedly.] Ah, while I'm at this... sorry to anyone I might have worried after I arrived. I wasn't exactly pleased with the situation, so I might have made a bit of a scene.

I get most of our situation now, but if there are any details not mentioned in the usual briefings, I wouldn't mind hearing them. There's just one thing I really want to know...

Please tell me time stops back home while we’re here.

Comments

[wizard_redfive]

That depends on your point of view.

[Dairine pinches her nose in irritation, trying really hard not to snap at him again. He is at a disadvantage here after all. Still it is REALLY HARD to avoid.]

You haven't been here long, have you? What did people tell you about this place when you woke up?

[eastdetective]

Some nonsense about alternate realities and time.

[He hadn't given up yet on finding a scientific explanation. ]

[wizard_redfive]

[Yup. He must be pretty new. Though then again, he still was having trouble grasping Paradisa when Dairine met him so it was hard to say how new.]

And you didn't buy that either? At least that's more scientific than a magic castle.

[eastdetective]

Saying something is more scientific than a magical castle doesn't really mean much.

[wizard_redfive]

Sure it does. It means there's more theory and research behind it. "Magic" implies that someone waves a wand and poof! Something happens just like that.

[She uses hand quotes to empathize her point. Although Dairine didn't mind the use of the word magic as much as other wizards, it still implied less work than went into wizardry.]

[eastdetective]

What kind of theory and research is behind telling people that they're in a different reality?

[wizard_redfive]

[Oh, Conan. For a wizard like Dairine, such a question is child's play.]

Well, there's the Onion Multiverse theory, which people use to explain how certain events have a butterfly effect later on. Other theories see alternate worlds as more like a stack of books, with each lined up close to the other.

There's a good deal of research on the topic, though I admit I haven't had time to get into the nitty-gritty details. I'm more interested in its practical uses.

[eastdetective]

The important word here is theory. None of that has ever been proved.

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine's mouth suddenly turns into a smirk as she gets an idea. Sure, it might not completely sell her point to someone as stubborn as Conan, but at least it'll be fun.]

Never been proved, huh? Well, that's certain true for some theories...

[Her fingers hit one key on her laptop, and suddenly both it and Dairine have vanished. There is a 'pop!' noise as she reappears closer to his side of the Bay.]

...but I don't work with those. Anyway, my sister used a pocket dimension like this for a training exercise, so I already know they exist.

[eastdetective]

Illusion. I can think of several different ways that effect could have been created.

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine rolls her eyes.]

A wizard doesn't need to rely on illusion. But you're welcome to list ways so I can disprove them all.

[eastdetective]

Why should I go to the effort?

[wizard_redfive]

Good point, since I'll only prove you wrong.

[She grins briefly.]

Then again, tackling your narrow-mindedness isn't high on my list right now. What I really want you to know is that you can trust me.

[eastdetective]

Again, why should I?

[wizard_redfive]

It'll make things easier for both of us.

Plus, I'm a fairly trustworthy person. It comes with the territory. [Of being a wizard, that is, but it's probably best not bring up that point too much.]

[eastdetective]

People who say they're trustworthy usually aren't.

[wizard_redfive]

[OK, he's starting to really get on her nerves. Sure, she might not be the most rule-abiding wizard and her temper often gets the best of her, but Dairine was fairly reliable. If you needed help, she would help you. If you were being mean or nasty, she would punch you in the face. Or blow you up, depending on the situation.]

Well, I guess you better hope I'm telling the truth, huh Edogawa Conan?

[Dairine raises her eyebrows.]

Unless you think your name is all I know about you.

[eastdetective]

[He stiffens in alarm.]

How do you know my name?

[wizard_redfive]

Like I said-- you told it to me.

[It's a risk but she adds.]

Of course, you didn't actually tell me your real name until I had practically figured it out.

[eastdetective]

[And Conan panicked.]

What are you talking about? I only have one name.

[wizard_redfive]

Of cooourse.

[She rolls her eyes before leaning forward a little, getting closer to his eye level. Dairine is still a reasonable distance, far enough that she couldn't whisper very well, but close enough that he should be able to see her deliberately mouth three syllables.]

Shi.ni.chi.

[eastdetective]

[And Shinichi paled in panic. Great job giving him a heart attack, Dairine. It probably isn't healthy to put seven-year-olds under this much stress.]

[wizard_redfive]

[To be fair, he's old than her. Even so, that level of stress is probably not good for anyone, even if it was to be expected from Shinichi. Dairine whispers a bit louder.]

Don't worry. I won't say it out loud, certainly not somewhere so open to the public.

[She remembers her promises to him. Dairine then adds, just in case it wasn't obvious...]

And before you ask, I'm not one of Them.