1st day off • [ well, shake it up baby now ]

[truant]

[video; private]

[The camera is being shuffled around in someone's hand, its focus panning back and forth along the pavement on the City square]

-here, and... did that do it?

[The frame pans up, pointing out into the square at large rather shakily.]

Recording! We are on.

[And, swiftly and for the first time with purpose, the frame shifts again, focusing on the face of a young man who is clearly pointing it at himself from a not-fully-extended arm's length.]

Alright, you with me here? So... interesting new choice of scenery here, don't you think?

[More slowly and steadily, the camera pans around the square, before returning to the young man's face, who greets its return with a smile and a raise of his eyebrows.]

Now, really, a radical move like this one? Well, I almost wish I could take the credit for the executive creative decision, but I'm afraid this one's not on me. Besides, bizarre carousels and creepy ticking? I'd hardly call this befitting my sophisticated sensibilities.
So where is it I've wound up? If I knew, I'd tell you, believe me, but as it is... I have no idea. It's a city-- definitely not Chicago, though; trust me. I know my city. And the odd thing about this-- I mean, aside from the obvious odd choices about wherever I am-- is that I have no idea how I got here. Not a clue.
It's not as if this isn't the kind of thing you'd hear about in movies, or books, right? A man goes to sleep at night, he wakes up, he finds himself in another world, with adventures and opportunities beyond his wildest imaginings? Really, it sounds like the beginning of what could be a pretty impressive adventure, a classic blockbuster that could rivet audiences... or a cliched box office bomb that aimed way too high.
Which means it's up to me to make sure it goes the first way. Well, tell the casting director they've made the right call. Ferris Bueller reporting, and I'm up to the task.

[end private...]

[begin public video feed]

[A young man is focusing intently as he hits a few buttons on the device and confirming that it's now broadcasting. He smiles when he sees that it is.]

Hey... hello out there?

[He pull his hand back from the device, lifting it into the frame as a wave.]

Looks like I'm the new guy in town, so I guess I should say hello. I'm... well, not really sure how I got here, but from poking around I see that's pretty much part of the deal, right? Some pretty advanced stuff you've got going on here, too. I'm impressed.

So anyway, I don't really know what the standard procedure is when you land in an alternate reality, but I'm going exploring. Anyone care to show me the place?


[ooc: Whaaaaaaat who just bought this guy paid time? I LOVE YOU, MY ANONYMOUS BENEFACTOR.]

Comments

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Why, hello there!

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Well hello to you! I'm Ferris Bueller, how do you do?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I'm...quite well, thank you, and it's so very kind of you to ask! ...Goodness, it really isn't often that newcomers bother with manners when they first arrive here, is it?

Er. Yes, hello, Ferris! I'm Rosella, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Oh, not at all. I'd hardly be starting off on the right foot being rude to everyone, now would I?

Lovely to meet you, Rosella.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, no, but generally when people first arrive here, they're more concerned with wondering how and why they've gotten here at all, and not with being polite to whoever might be around to answer them. So you're a bit remarkable in that respect!

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Well, the questions occurred, but from what I've seen so far, I doubt yelling on this thing will help. But really, that's very nice of you to say, thank you.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

It doesn't help at all, but that certainly doesn't stop people from doing it anyway.

Well, let's see, first things first, I suppose. Are you all right? Are you in urgent need of anything? Food, drink, warm clothes?

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm all right. Though I am cold, so... I guess some warm clothes might be a good idea.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Yes, I thought as much. That's the trouble with dropping into the City in the middle of winter. It's much more convenient when it's not freezing cold out.

Are you near a fountain at the moment, Ferris?

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Well, it doesn't help that it was spring in my last reality.

Why yes, I am.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

No, I should say not.

Well, there ought to be a Welcome Center just nearby you, if you'd like somewhere safe to go to get in out of the cold. It's there especially for arrivals such as yours.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

So there is! I'll go and stop in, then... I may just have to see what they can tell me about the place, too.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

It's run by my dear friend Penny, so you may see her there when you go--she's a pretty girl with red hair and a friendly smile, and I'm sure she'll introduce herself if she's there.

But as for things about the City, I'd be glad to tell you as much as I can--or at least as much as I happen to know--and to try to answer any of your questions, besides.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Well I'm sure that if she's there, I'll see her. It would be a crime to see anyone with a friendly smile and not say hello.

Alright, well, let's see... I'll be seeing some of the sights, so that's covered for now. It sounds like I'll be staying a while - which is a shame because I was just about to earn that perfect attendance award - so I guess I should find a place to stay. Don't suppose you've got any advice there?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, actually, I do. The fountain you're at is right near the center of the City, but all around the outside are buildings with places to stay in them, twelve in all. And they're arranged around the City rather like the numbers on a clock, one at each place. I don't stay in any of them, myself, but I've seen a few and I'm told they're quite nice, and all one really has to do to acquire one is to go find an empty residence and, er, claim it for one's own. It's as simple as that.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Just... claim one? Alright, I think I can handle that. So nobody's going to come around asking for the rent?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Er. I...couldn't say for certain, I'm afraid, since I've never done it myself. But I do know that if you're younger than eighteen years old, you'll receive a sum of money every month to help take care of expenses and things. So even if they do come around, there's that, I suppose.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Really?

...think they check ID's?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

...Well, I can tell you with reasonable certainty that I've never had one checked myself, since I really haven't the slightest idea what an ID might be.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Sounds like my kind of place.

Alright, so the essentials dealt with, let me ask you. I've secured the company of an individual willing to show me around, but... let's say you're a young man about town here. And I mean hypothetically, of course, not to say that you're a man, since you're certainly not, but if you were a person about town, and you wanted to ensure that you saw everything that truly captured the essence of this sprawling metropolis, are there any must-see sights you can think of?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, well. That really rather depends on where your interests lie, doesn't it? Let me see, then.

You've seen firsthand the fountain and the carousel, which are two of the most well-known parts around here. That means you're also in the middle of the Square, which is where most all of the shops are in the City, and where you'd want to go for clothes and things like that. I tend to spend a great deal of my time in the Library, which is the biggest and most beautiful sort of library you've ever seen, and it's said to have every book ever written in any world in it. If art is more to your taste, then you'd want to visit the Palace, which is where the best galleries are. And if you like music, I can recommend to you a truly lovely jazz club called the Blue Light, where there's music and dancing and plenty of fun.

Outside of that, there's the gardens in Xanadu and the beach--the whole City is on an island, you see, so there's water on all sides--which are both lovely. Xanadu also has a zoo that's just full of wonderful animals. Most people who come here have never seen a real live unicorn, but they have some in the zoo, so that's always a treat to see.

...Oh, and if you really want to keep up on societal affairs in the City, I'd suggest asking after Blair Waldorf. She's very good at that sort of thing, and throws the most marvelous parties.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

Wow.

Well, I have to say, that's quite the impressive response. Compliments, of course, to both the City and yourself. I genuinely do appreciate how incredibly helpful you've been.

And, of course, if you're ever not doing much of anything, I would just love company on a day out in the City? I'm sure I'll have more than my fair share.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, it's just that I've had a while to do this, you see! I've been here nearly a year and a half, so I've had a lot of practice at greeting people and directing them places.

Of course, I'd be glad to! You can usually find me in the Library most days, if you'd like to stop in to say hello, and some evening when you're free, you're more than welcome to come to dinner with us at the Warehouse.

[tenthsickday.livejournal.com]

That's quite a while, there, isn't it? Guess I won't be making graduation after all... well, take it as it comes.

Well, I would absolutely love to, that sounds fantastic.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

It is. But it's all right, really, since it seems time runs differently in different worlds. No matter how much time passes here, we all go back home to the same instant we left, as though we'd never been gone at all.

Good! I'll look forward to it.