01 ⚓ Video ⚓ Strangers, who are you? Where do you sail from?

[hearrrtofgold]

[For half a second the feed catches the corridor outside of the mess hall, showing a blurred image of the walls before focusing on a new face. It's a rather handsome youngish male face, framed by brunet hair, adorned with a soul patch, beard, and moustache, and dominated by a prominent nose as well as brown eyes and lips pulled into a thoughtful frown.]

That is officially the weirdest way I've ever been sprung from custody.

Hi. Duke Crocker, token new guy, here to do - you know, all the typical crap. [Graduate an inmate, save his hometown and his best friends, possibly start an underground trade system, that sort of thing. No big deal.] Two things, before I go any further: first, mess hall and kitchen's this way on level one, right? I'm starving, and that hospital food isn't fit for an animal. Not even a spotted hyena would touch it.

Second, what the hell is the date? Is it still December, or is it June? Apparently it's been a really long time since I've seen a calendar. Someone should really do something about that.

Comments

[hearrrtofgold]

I shouldn't be surprised, should I. Be my guest.

[patheticvillain]

Absolutely not.

[He grins.]

Now the question is what kind of calendar. Sandy beaches? Horses? Lighthouses?

[hearrrtofgold]

How about kittens in baskets? Everyone loves kittens.

[patheticvillain]

An excellent choice, if you don't mind my saying so. And how will sir be paying for this?

[hearrrtofgold]

Do you accept grand company and brilliant witticisms?

[patheticvillain]

. . . This is acceptable payment, yes. But I need a delivery address. And I'm warning you, if your witticisms aren't brilliant enough, I'm trading you in for a better bad influence.

[hearrrtofgold]

Mess hall, table with me sitting at it. And I guarantee, you will not be dissatisfied with either witticisms or influence.

[patheticvillain]

[He clicks his teeth in a perfect imitation of a disapproving old woman and cuts the feed, turning up at the table in half an hour with the previously discussed kittens-in-baskets calendar. He made it out of an old toothbrush. You're welcome.]

You forgot to include a zip code. [So disapproving.]

[hearrrtofgold]

[For a second Duke is strongly, instinctively, reminded of his grandmother. But half an hour after Cassel clucks at him he's sitting in the mess hall eating an impressive sandwich made from various ingredients salvaged from the kitchen, and has to pause to swallow his food when Cassel arrives.]

Sorry, I forgot what city "outside space and time" is in.

[patheticvillain]

Pretty sure it's all zeroes.

[He steals a piece of lettuce off Duke's plate and starts tearing off bits of it, eating them one at a time.]

Zero zero zero zero zero. It's mostly tabbies, by the way. I assumed you'd be okay with that, since tabbies are the best.

[hearrrtofgold]

[Feel free to eat his lettuce, Cassel. Just don't go after the half that's left, or he'll give you another long-suffering sigh in addition to this one.]

I guess I can live with that. Is there at least one gray striped one in there?

[patheticvillain]

[Wow, that's pretty long-suffering. He privately gives it a nine out of ten, because he could do longer and more suffering, but then, he's a professional.]

[Leaning forward conspiratorially, he smirks.]

Two.

[hearrrtofgold]

[Clearly Duke needs some coaching in this area, although he is perfectly savvy on the subject of kittens. Nodding seriously, he slides the calendar over without even so much as glancing at it, the way he might if he were accepting money from a trusted business associate.]

You dog. Fluffy coats and all?

[patheticvillain]

[With a nod almost as conspiratorial as the smirk-and-lean combo, Cassel glances at the calendar again, all self-satisfaction.]

The fluffiest coats you've ever seen. You won't be disappointed.