eachdraidh | 1. {video :: both courts}

[ The face that comes onscreen after a few obvious jostles might be one you're familiar with (if you are, sorry, he's probably not the one you're looking for). Johnny's half-concerned, half-amused with the general state of things and it shows in the way he's looking into the locket, clearing his throat. ]

Ever wonder how this feels like some weird State of the Union address? Except with a lot less people. Or maybe it's like making a YouTube video. Here I am, talking to you guys, and I can't even see your faces. [ He shrugs. ] Oh, well -- anyway.

What's up, strangers of Drabwurld? I have three questions: [ Holds up one finger. ] one, why is it called Drabwurld? Did its founders hate being here, or does Brightworld just not have the same ring to it? Ha, there's your thought of the day.

[ Two fingers. ] Two: Anyone seen a big orange walking rockpile lately? Grumpy, looks like he lost a bet with a mudslide? Failing that, how about a guy who can stretch to grossly disproportionate levels, or a girl who can turn invisible? If found, let me know; they can be pretty ornery, and reach dangerous levels of boring when put together for too long.

Three, and I can't believe this didn't come first. It's a very important question, so I'm gonna need all of you to be honest with me, whoever you are.

[ He leans closer to the screen, loses the smile and gets serious. This is crucial. ]

Which side's got the hotter babes? The Seelie, or the Unseelie?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ You know, he hadn't actually thought that far. ]

Helpful. And apparently, someone who can turn invisible.

[ Good job. ]

No one else is being helpful?

[ hush. ]

Everyone else seems to be new. You're not, right?

No. [ A wry smile. ] Two more months and it'll be a year.

A year? [ His brows raise, clearly having not expected that answer. How does anyone last that long in here? ]

What do you do?

[ By being very cute and friendly and learning how to kill everyone you meet. ]

I'm an architect. [ ... Though, well... ] I have a manor in La Llorona and now I'm in charge of one of the spires, too.

Cool. [ That's pretty impressive, all things considered. ] Which spire?

[ He might pop by and say hello sometime! Don't tell Steve. ]

You haven't even seen them yet. [ She'd proud of her work. ] But yeah, they are.

The third one.

Is that an invitation, Miss?

[ He makes a note of that, and also to pore over the map again to find out just where the third spire is. ] Are there plenty of Unseelie there as well?

Maybe. And it's Ariadne.

[ A faint nod. ] Not many shardbearers yet, but the spire is still under construction.

Nice meetin' you, Ariadne. I'm Johnny.

[ He pauses at that, then. ] Hey, I gotta ask. So what do these shards do? Does everyone here have them, or?

Everyone from a different world has one, at least. Anyone born here doesn't, and some people- lose theirs. Usually by dying.

[ Which implies that sometimes people come back from dying, but she'll let him catch that or not. ]

They're part of this big... magic gem that's incredibly powerful, but shardbearers can learn how to use them to make themselves stronger, faster, that sort of thing.

[ Huh? ] Lose theirs by dying? So -- what, they're still alive somehow?

[ Oh, he didn't know that. Johnny straightens. ] How do you do that? The whole learning how to use the shard thing.

Sometimes.

[ ~*~*~magic~*~*~ ]

I only just learned recently. It's- they're tied to our homes, so if you focus on home strong enough, that can activate them.