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.

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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?

[colchismagecraft]

[That hesitation- intimidated by her presence, perhaps? Well, it would not be the first time. Still, he recovered quickly enough.]

Of course. It would hardly be the first time, for me.

But the leaders here do get involved with certain expeditions personally, so they aren't entirely adverse to getting their hands dirty.

[throneaway]

I'm sorry. [ If she'd been kidnapped without a by-your-leave, toyed with by greater forces, discarded, betrayed. It's heartfelt-sounding.

But even if she reminds him a great deal of Charlie, she's also her own person, and deserves to be treated that way. ]

Please call me Maxwell. And what might I call you?

[colchismagecraft]

[An unexpected apology- but nevertheless, the sentiment was appreciated- and she gave a small, grateful nod. A strange, foreign thing, to have someone empathise with her pain, even now.]

Maxwell, is it? A pleasure. I go by 'Caster' here.

[A title, more than a name, but it was force of habit by now.]

...You said you had 'prior experience' with matters like this?

[throneaway]

[ He knows these wounds can be tender for a long while, so he doesn't linger on it. ] Caster. Charming. [ Even that's a pun. But it's not one that's in-your-face, at least. ]

On the betrayal side, so to speak. I was called upon to kidnap others. Unfortunately, I was quite good at it. But the promises I made almost never meant what the recipients thought they did.

[colchismagecraft]

[...Even she couldn't help a wry smile coming into her face at the pun. That was terrible.]

Well, that does change things... you're wondering if the powers that be here are like you. I'll have to be on my guard, in that case.

[As if she trusted anyone at first brush! Her tone wasn't entirely hostile, though, a morbid humour coming into it.

She had blood on her own hands, after all.]

But I am not unfamiliar with such things myself.

[throneaway]

I suppose I deserve that. [ He smiles wanly. ] I am trying to be more truthful, lately.

...Not unfamiliar with...? Making faulty promises?

[colchismagecraft]

That, and betray others in turn.

[Still, if he said he was 'called upon' to kidnap others... who was the one instructing him? She doubted he'd tell her if she asked, though.]

But I have no intention of making enemies unnecessarily, here... there's plenty of hero types in worlds like this to balance out people like us, in my experience.

[throneaway]

[ He's gonna go out on a limb here. ] I'd need more context before I could pass judgment on you.

[ Yes, more than just her seeming a little spooky and ominous. ]

Anyone else from your own world?

[colchismagecraft]

[That he was not passing judgement right away was reassuring, the surprise flitting across her face just briefly.]

Well then... I suppose we'll just have to learn about each other in time, won't we?

There are a few others from my world, and a worlds adjacent to mine. Some allies, some enemies. What about you?

[throneaway]

Sounds good. [ Lightly. ] There's always the possibility you'll pass a terrible judgment on me, too.

Neither, at the moment. The veil is quite thin where I'm from, so I don't doubt it's possible. And it's nice to see friendly faces, or... parts of friendly faces, anyway. Shame your enemies made it through.