Network post - audio

[manofiron]

[ Ordinary people might at least introduce themselves when making their first public address to whoever's out there on the other end of an unfamiliar network. Not Tony. In lieu of an introduction, or anything approaching a greeting, he says only this: ]

Okay. Seriously. What do you people do for fun around here?

[ The quiet sound of a sigh can be heard, followed by an under the breath mutter. ]

This place is killing me.

Comments

[infernoandhearth]

[Luke raises his eyebrows.] You lit a flame. With a lighter of some description, I think, the chemicals were wrong for a match.

[manofiron]

So that was you, over the...

[ He leans forward, brow furrowing in confusion. ]

How does a flame summon you? I don't understand.

[infernoandhearth]

Listening's not the right word, but I listened for your flame and then looked out of it to make certain it was the right one.

[manofiron]

Magic? Is that, it's just that I've been hearing the term crop up ever since I got here. Is that what it is? Are you--Can you do magic?

[infernoandhearth]

Yes, I can. [Luke snaps his fingers and a flame flares briefly.] It comes with the fire god territory. If you want any more demonstrations, just say the word.

[manofiron]

[ The magic trick's marginally impressive. Tony can't do it, so naturally he's interested in learning how it's done. But the god bit? ]

So you're from another planet. That's what you're saying.

[infernoandhearth]

[Luke shrugs.] Another planet from who?

[manofiron]

Well, from a purely ego-centric point of view... From me.

[ Realizing that he should probably identify that, which is weird in its own right, he adds; ]

Earth. Twenty-first century.

[infernoandhearth]

Right. But which Earth? I'm from a Earth. It could be yours. There was a New York in mine, even if I never quite managed a visit.

[manofiron]

There's a New York in mine, too. It's where I live. Most of the time.

How many are there? Earths, I mean.

[infernoandhearth]

I haven't counted. [Luke spreads his hands apart and shrugs.] A really huge amount. I tend to stay in mine. There's enough to spend my time on there.

[manofiron]

And is that how you get between them? Flames?

[infernoandhearth]

No, it's much more to do with noticing the areas that places change, and then walking through them. [He shrugs. He knows it's vague.]

[manofiron]

Like this one? Is that how you came here? You walked through a place where it changed from being your world to being this one?

[infernoandhearth]

Yes, although I wasn't trying to get here.

[manofiron]

But you were trying to go somewhere?

[infernoandhearth]

I was trying to meet with a friend. [This suddenly occurs to him.] He'll be worried, probably. I'm sure I'll make it there eventually.

[manofiron]

I was trying to go somewhere too. Home.

[ Is there a coincidence there? The act of transitioning between one place to another the catalyst for their change in scenery? It's too soon to tell. ]

How about any of the others here? Do you happen to know what they were doing?