Video, UN: Puppetking

[throneaway]

[ The video cuts in to a very plain assigned apartment room, and a tall, reedy-looking individual who smiles to see something light up or turn on on the device. Success!

Maxwell doesn't look too worried about all this 'saving the world' jazz.

Neither does the little floating eyeball that nuzzles up to his shoulder. He pets it absently. ]

Say, pal. How many of you 'randomly chosen' otherworldly visitors were already heroes in your own worlds? How many of you were ... Less heroic?

I don't mean to be suspicious, you understand: I'm sure they actually do need help here.

But I have some prior experience with kidna--err--this kind of selection process.

Comments

un: abnormalitylover, video, cw: casual mention of cannibalism

[abnormalizes]

[Oh, that's a cute eyeball friend, Evangeline's definitely going to have to ask about it.]

I'm definitely no hero - I don't think any of those even exist in my world, to be honest. But you could also do a lot worse? I'm not one of the cannibals or anything like that.

[throneaway]

[ Oh good, she looks completely normal. Maxwell's track record of hasty judgement strikes again - she's launching right into cannibals, huh. Maxwell's mouth opens, then closes, considering. ]

Always reassuring to hear that, especially in lean times.

I don't know the etiquette for these black crystal slabs, but you can call me Maxwell.

[abnormalizes]

[If it makes him feel any better, he's not the only one to have judged Eva as normal and been very wrong.]

Evangeline! Nice to meet you. Does your cute friend also have a name?

video: un: username0194045

[vulnstacks]

[There's a lion lady way, way too close to the camera and she's grinning. Enjoy the teeth.]

I'm a hero! And I also have experience in visiting a different world, kinda. But from what I've seen there are a lot of different people here! I haven't met a single "bad" guy yet, though... I don't really know the actual definition of "bad" all the time.

But there's a hero even greater than I am here, so I'm sure we'll be alright even if some nasty people showed up.

[throneaway]

[ Well that's new and exciting. Maxwell picks up his phone for a better look. Those are some chompers. He smiles unconsciously. ]

Hopefully made it easier for you to visit another world, I know experience didn't hurt me. Don't be too trusting, though. Not everybody announces how bad they are.

And who's greater than you? [ Despite his cynicism, he can't help finding her energy endearing. It's nice to think she can preserve her track record of not meeting any "bad" people, but he knows that makes him selfish. He's definitely done bad things. Isn't that what it takes? ]

[vulnstacks]

I've learned that lesson, not trusting people too quickly. But I've also learned not to judge someone before learning their side of the story.

[The not meeting bad guys thing was just about Ellipsa. But her journey was fruitful and she learned many lessons. She feels like she's grown as a person.]

He's someone who will always help people in need. An adventurer always looking for a new journey. He helped a lot back home and I owe him a lot.

[Wuk Lamat is very proud to call him her friend and family.]

un: gleaner - video

[gleaner]

[Have a man with charcoal colored skin and bunny ears. But don't call him a bunny. Please.]

Not everyone here is a hero. The "selection process" truly does appear to be random. I am no hero, just a retired gleaner who happens to know a hero or three.

[throneaway]

[ Unofficial poll numbers so far are at 66% furry. But Maxwell offers a polite smile and no snide commentary about how much he resembles a beardling. ]

Do you mind if I ask what a gleaner is?

[gleaner]

A gleaner is a kind of scholar. My area of expertise were the various fauna of the Star. I traveled to various locations to either study or collect specimen to study for my employers.

un:happyaround

[roundandaround]

Hm... I dunno! I don't think I was either, I'm just me. Oh, I guess we did save the world once, but that was after I first came here, so it probably doesn't count. Do you think if someone were evil, they'd say?

[throneaway]

You mean you went back and saved your home, then came here again? As an intermission?

That's pretty impressive. [Goals, actually. He's not so selfish that he hasn't already thought of how many people he's leaving in the lurch, but she's presenting a new angle on this heroism business. ]

Mm, probably they wouldn't, no. Most people don't think the evil things they do are wrong, especially at the time. It feels justified.

un: laterose

[laterose]

Hullo! Welcome and well met. I don't believe being a hero is a prerequisite, but I am a hero of my Star.

[Have another person chiming in. She's small, childlike, but her voice gives away her age. Or, at least, that she's an adult and not as childlike as she appears.]

I am called a Warrior of Light, although I suppose the title doesn't mean anything to you. But all the same! Does it help with your inquiry?

[throneaway]

[ This is a reassuringly cosmopolitan universe compared to some he's been to. And she's very well manned. For all that he's rusty at social graces, he tries to give as good as he gets. ]

Thank you, I'm sure your Star was lucky to have you. I have to admit, I really did expect almost everyone to have your sort of work experience, but it looks like I was wrong.

Knowledge always helps. No scrap of data is ever wasted. I'm more of the shadowy sort myself, but I'd love to know more about your Warriors of Light.

{Video; UN: scraps}

[disgracedprince]

Do you? {He won't give any clue as to which category he has maintained for over eight hundred years. Both is probably more accurate.}

Were you somewhere like this world before?

[throneaway]

[ For some reason that displayed username really appeals to him, and he grins at it. Feels like it would make a great nickname. ]

You get a feel for it after a little while. Curious people, desperate people. Fallen stars and rising ones. Everybody who doesn't really fit in. They all want to fall through the gap and not be found again.

Eerily like this world, friend. Strange seasons, magic mushrooms, and 'such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff as puts me from my faith'. The whole nine yards.

What about you?

Text; UN: Russell

[guilt_trip]

What is that with you?

[…Just gonna dodge the question entirely, huh? Alright Mr. Sociable, go off.]

[throneaway]

[ So it can send silent messages as well as facetiming the oldtimers. What a wonder. Maxwell puzzles out the texting, wanting to learn and at least try to meet people where they seem comfortable. ]

A Friendly Peeper. Don't you think it's a sight for sore eyes?

[ Good thing he can't hear Maxwell snickering at his own lack of joke, honestly. ]

audio; UN: Intergalactic Baseballer

[starwill]

I've saved several planets myself, actually, but it wasn't as if I did it on my own.

But there are people who do herald me as a hero of sorts, though...

[throneaway]

Through the power of home runs?

[ MAX. ]

It's no shame to need help sometimes.

un: DYNAMIGHT, text

[boombam]

[Oh, this post definitely is right up Katsuki's alley. Heroes and Villains are the bread and butter of his universe, and he has a Lot of experience with being a Hero himself. (and also with kidnapping, unfortunately)]

I happen to be one of the greatest Heroes of all time, actually. I'm not surprised I was chosen to help with whatever bullshit this place is dealing with.

[He's very humble, as well.]

Why are you asking?

[throneaway]

[ After a few minutes of concentrated fiddling with the phone, he manages to make it do text instead. ]

How reassuring! Really, even a few professionals could make up for a loose collection of rabble randomly selected.

[ He'll match that energy. ]

The way I see it, there are three options: the people running this gig are:
1. Best case, on the level
2. Middle case, mad with power and sincerely buying their own tripe
3. Worst case, consummate actors with malicious intent

I need to know which it is before I decide what I can do about it.

Video, UN: For-The-Damaged-Coda

[escapethecurve]

[An eyepatch wearing teenager appears on screen. He is looking at something off screen for a moment before he speaks.]

Seems like a mix here, honestly. Some heroic people. Others completely average. From what I hear, a few have come and gone with less than benevolent intentions.

Seems like a bit of a mixed bag.

[throneaway]

A 'few', huh? That's very interesting. So many of these visitors are quite trusting, but we're all being trusted with magic powers that, I assume, could get very powerful over time.

Video; un: caster

[colchismagecraft]

[The woman on the other end of the video had her face half-cloaked in shadow. If anything, she looked the part of an evil witch from a fairytale. That smirk also did nothing to make her not look suspicious...

Yes, there were certainly some 'less heroic' types here!]

It sounds as if you're trying to guess the intentions of those who brought us here, correct? Your suspicion is warranted... but well, they were fairly transparent about their intentions to summon us to benefit their own goals.

What remains to be seen is if they'll keep to their side of the bargain, or simply discard us when they have what they want.

[throneaway]

[ Maxwell looks raptly at the feed, forgetting himself a moment. Caster's hitting so many notes of a familiar tune all at once, and it's a melody that sparks a very inadvisable vulnerability. ]

I... Er. Hmn. That thought - had crossed my mind, yes.

[ The former king recovers himself, trying to return to baseline ego. ]

And which do you think is more likely, dear lady? That they'll betray us?