[Action] Transmission 001

[eversohungry]

[Sometimes the path of life curves in an interesting way. And sometimes the little bridge you were walking over spontaneously develops a hole, and you have no idea where you've landed because the little bridge that should be over your head is gone.]

[Vastra has felt this feeling before, when she awoke to a world no longer ruled by her kind, but by mankind. It was a dark time in her life, and she reasoned there would be no darker time for her. Of course, she'd reasoned incorrectly.]

[From what she can tell, where she is now isn't England, or any country or planet she'd heard of before. But that isn't the ultimate problem. The problem is that there's snow on the ground, and she's barely dressed. No skirts, no coat, no hat, no cloak, no gloves, no shoes, and she's freezing in her little flimsy dress with strangely short sleeves. A few Cybermen-like figures slog through the snow nearby, though Vastra figured out hours ago that they weren't actual Cybermen. Fortunate, given she has no sword either.]

[As she makes her progress through the trees, Vastra can feel that the climate is getting warmer, but not warm enough to stave off her body's automatic hibernation. She rests herself against a tree briefly, to rest, and tries to stave off the heavy feeling of her body shutting down. If she hibernated now, who knew when she would wake up again?]



((OOC: Vastra's arrived! And she's somewhere between Ice Age and Space Opera! Where her journal is though, is a good question.....))

Comments

[complicatedliar]

[Loki snorts.] I can't really say definitively what species they are, though they look rather human. [He shrugs.] Though I suppose humans have always made a practice of being cruel to their own. They're just expanding their horizons beyond their realm, perhaps.

[eversohungry]

Yes, they have a habit of doing that as well. [Vastra grimaces and pauses to steady herself against a tree again.] One bloody planet isn't good enough, best make it three or four.

[She closes her eyes and breathes for a moment before continuing on. It feels a little warmer, perhaps, but that could just be her body growing numb.] And what are you? Not human, clearly. Unless everyone is able to manipulate matter in here and I've simply yet to discover that.

[complicatedliar]

They're hardly alone in such proclivities. And one might say they've come by it honestly. [Crooked smile.]

Aesir. No, my abilities are rather unique, here. There are others that can do magic as they call it, but I have my own way of going about things.

[eversohungry]

'Honestly'. I can't imagine I was lying in the street hoping for some 'honest' human-seeming creature to save me via experimentation. [Clearly, Vastra doesn't think anyone can come by a crooked desire to keep people locked up 'honestly'.]

[Though she can barely contain a smile at the mention of 'magic'. There was a lot of flinging about of that word in her current time. 'Magical-this' and 'magical-that'. Some people even seemed disappointed when Vastra explained her appearance was a 'rare skin condition'. No 'magic' for them to marvel at, however Vastra doubted 'alien species' would fascinate them for very long either.]

You don't like pulling doves out of your coat sleeve? Yes I did think you were more the type to kill chickens in the sewers and hope for something to happen. [She smiles weakly.] I come from a time and place where 'magic' is very popular. However it is somewhat sad to watch how thrilled the public is, and know the science behind the trick.

[complicatedliar]

[Loki chuckles.] No, I would think not.

Nor rabbits from hats, either. I still don't understand what the point of that might be. [He grins.] Oh, the humans are so easily impressed by a bit of flash. It truly is just science they can't understand.

I just generally call it magic because I don't care to explain myself.

[eversohungry]

It saves time. I don't have a mysterious skin condition, however I don't care to explain myself either.

[The robots are starting to become more frequent, and Vastra's watching them rather intently. And it looks like there's some sort of structure coming up on the horizon as well.]

...I suspect stowing a rabbit in a hat would destroy a perfectly good hat. [She shakes her head lightly. The cold is starting to make her slow.]

[complicatedliar]

[Loki laughs.] A nice little story, that. Better than magic, since it shatters no paradigms.

I imagine it would. And doves up the sleeves would render one's shirt a bit questionable. [He glances at her.] Something the matter, lady?

[eversohungry]

[Sometimes Vastra thought that 'skin condition' was a bit of a stretch, though. A condition that caused a crown on one's head was quite a condition for a human, but perhaps no one asked questions out of politeness. Sometimes the times she lived in really worked to her advantage.]

It isn't a skin condition, however I am certain you ascertained as much when you first saw me. You seem intelligent enough. [She gives a little wry smile and half-falls, half-leans against another tree.] How much do you know about reptiles? Does your planet even have anything that resembles me in the slightest? [Some planets and times didn't, but she hoped he knew something so Vastra didn't have to play encyclopaedia either.]

[complicatedliar]

Oh, indeed we do. But they're all rather foul-breathed, toothy, enormous, and short on conversation. Not to mention the charm and grace you yourself display.

[eversohungry]

[Vastra's eyes narrow in confusion. Dinosaurs?]

[...Probably not. She snorts, leaning more heavily against the tree.] Trying to... make me blush?

[For all intents and purposes, when Vastra slides off the tree and into the snow it looks like she's fainted. But her body's simply shut down and gone into hibernation. Her heart is still beating, slowly, and her breathing is much the same.]

[complicatedliar]

It's one of my more filthy habits...

[He regards her calmly when she falls over, waiting a moment to see if she is truly unconscious.

Perhaps not such a surprise, considering the reptile connection. It seems she can't tolerate cold. He checks her heartbeat, notes she is still breathing, and considers the next course of action.

Well, the time to abandon her has passed. Even if she dies, she'll be back, and recall that she was so callously treated. It would disrupt the careful framework of reputation he's built for himself over the last few months. Besides, he's rather curious about her. It wouldn't hurt to have her somewhat in his debt. The more people who owe him favors, the more power he has in a very real sense, power that neither Stark no Rogers can touch.

Loki carefully picks Vastra up and takes her back to his house in the "Shogunate" area. He tucks her in to a spare bed roll and uses a bit of magic to warm it up and sustain the higher temperature.

While he waits to see if that will work, he fixes himself a cup of tea.]

[eversohungry]

[And it does work. Gradually, because carrying Vastra after she's collapsed is like carrying a block of ice: heavy and cold. But once her body has warmed, she slowly comes to. Almost as though she's been drugged and it's still partially in her system.]

[When she can feel her arms again, Vastra pushes herself up in the bed, just onto her elbow and hip and looks blearily around the room. She does eventually spot the one who obviously carried her back to civilization (and thank god, it's not all ice and snow).]

How long was I out? [She asks, checking her nails and her arms and clothes. Same dress, she isn't shedding, and her nails still look under control.]

[complicatedliar]

[Loki is now seated comfortably on a cushion on the floor, a book open in his lap. He glances up, taking up his tea cup as he does. It obediently begins to steam the moment his hand touches it.] A few hours. Not terribly long.

..../blueglowwar?

[eversohungry]

Ah... [Not that Vastra thought he would take care of her hygiene while she was out but... weird things happened to her as a rule. One couldn't rule out everything.]

I apologize for the inconvenience. [She winces slightly, her joints creaking back into use as she tries to drag herself out of the bedroll. Being carried is probably enough for this man, and Vastra would do well to thank him and then not intrude further on his... afternoon or evening, whichever it is now.] Though I am very grateful for your assistance. Thank you Mr....

[complicatedliar]

It's certainly not the greatest inconvenience I've experienced here.

[He smiles.] My name is Loki.

And yours?

[eversohungry]

[Vastra snorts as she sits up fully. The worst of her joint stiffness and general disorientation has passed.] An inconvenience greater than carrying a stranger through freezing temperatures. I can't imagine one, but I suspect they exist.

[She smiles, a small, polite smile.] I am Vastra. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Loki.

[complicatedliar]

If you're unlucky, you'll find out in person soon enough.

Likewise, Lady Vastra. Well met. From what realm do you hail?

[eversohungry]

[Well that's... ominous. Vastra shifts a little, vaguely wondering if she's been brought back to be defrosted and then eaten or somesuch thing. After all, she had no knowledge of whatever species Loki was. Not human--Aesir, wasn't it?--but so many things masqueraded as human-like creatures for camouflage.]

Earth. The end of the nineteenth century, or close enough to the end. 1889, by the human calendar. [To her the year did make a difference, even if she wasn't sure Loki would even be familiar with where or when she was from. Vastra certainly had no idea where 'Asgard' was--the Doctor had failed to mention that one.]

[complicatedliar]

Ah, Midgard. I have been there recently. The human year 2012.

[eversohungry]

2012... [Vastra's eyebrows go up a little.] Have they figured out how to make small passenger transport that flies yet? Don't tell me the underground is still in use.

[complicatedliar]

They do have flying vehicles. I'm afraid I don't know of an underground the way you seem to refer to it.

My time there was... hm. Rather to a particular point. I didn't play tourist.

[eversohungry]

It's good to hear they aren't all quite as hopeless later as when I left them. [Vastra frowns and pushes the blanket back before assuming a seiza position facing Loki. So far, she doesn't think she's picking up on any 'let me show you the door' inclinations, so that must mean he still intended to converse, right?]

Ah, I see. So you went looking for trouble amongst humans. [She flashes an amused smile, only because of the few she knew who traveled seeing fantastic times and places, they were tourists. Essentially. Until something horrible had to be fixed through the most complex means necessary.]

Instead of trying to simply run into it, I mean.

[complicatedliar]

Not so much looking for a causing. [Loki smiles wolfishly.] I'm the God of Mischief, lady. That is precisely what I do.

[eversohungry]

[That's definitely a new one.]

[Vastra tilts her head and narrows her eyes, assessing the statement.]

A god, truly? Or is that another more simple explanation for those who do not understand? [As someone who went to Egypt and was mistaken for a god, Vastra had time to ponder this amusing and interesting concept herself.]

[complicatedliar]

[Smirk.] It depends upon how one defines god.