eachdraidh | 1st Chassé | Action for the Bailey in Seelie Court/Video for Both Courts

[When the video turns on, it's actually a small stream of what appears to be someone spinning the locket over and over in the palm of their hand. There's a small laugh that follows, along with a tone of disbelief.]

Not quite what I meant when I said I wanted a new cell phone.

[Give it a moment before the video rights itself to reveal a blonde boy wearing a hat and stretched out on a bench in the Bailey of Caer Glaem. He appears to just be regarding the locket thoughtfully before he continues.]

Okay! So…hi. [Yes, thank you Ryan.] I'm Ryan, and I'm gonna be honest here I'm still not sure I'm not just dreaming all of this. I've been told I have a pretty vivid imagination. [There's a lopsided grin that follows.]

I guess I'm just sort of curious. Is anybody happier to be here than wherever they came from? [He's also got the map the fairies gave him clutched in his hand and he sort of just waves it in the video feed.] …also anybody know how to read a map? ["Besides everyone but me?" It's a sheepish request and he doesn't particularly like asking, but why learn how to read a map when you come from a place where you have chauffeurs, a GPS, or a twin sister who drives a narcissism mobile? He'd always assumed he'd learn how to read maps during the summer before he went to college and that's still a few months off.] I want to check out the rest of these places but I'm not sure where to start. Thanks a lot.

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I'm not sure if I should say "lucky you" or apologize. [That lopsided grin returned, but he's definitely, definitely more interested suddenly.]

So...you're a wizard? [It's a lot to swallow considering his exposure to wizards extends to "of Oz." But it also kind of makes sense.] What'd you do to get stuck in the middle?

I know it's hard to tell without the pointy hat or the robes, but those only come out for the special events. [ He's trying to relieve the tension with humor. It's his thing. Especially after creating awkward tensions. ]

Oh, started a little fire... Nothing too major.

[...you. He likes you. Ryan appreciates people that can make a jab at themselves here and there and so he just gives Harry a slight grin in return.] Remind me to be around for those then. I've always wanted to try on a wizard's hat.

When you say started a little fire though...you mean like a flicker of a flame, or "buildings no longer exist" fire?

I can't make any promises that it'll talk, but sure. [ He shrugs. As for the question... well... ]

A whole building. Full of vampires.

Way to crush my dreams. [Not really, but you know what that would be asking too much anyway.]

Vampires. Like...? [Yeah, don't mind him, Harry, but he's actually baring his teeth and hissing like he's a vampire.] Sounds like you've got quite a story.

[ The impression gets Harry to grin a little. He had actually dressed up like a cheap 70s Vegas Dracula that night too. ]

Yep. Fangs and hissing, and if you rubbed them the wrong way, they got really ugly. [ Seriously, they were like leathery black monsters under a skin suit. ]

I don't know. I'm sure I might trade my story for one like yours if I got the chance, though.

I don't buy the movies that say vampires are pretty. [Is it bad that Ryan's attention is on the outfit? It's the little things. But at the comment he just laughs even if he's not entirely amused.]

I seriously doubt it. My story's pretty boring so far compared to wizards and vampires. This is probably the weirdest thing that's happened so far. [If you don't count Troy having an identity crisis and dragging the whole school into it.] Is it really that bad?