video;

[canitestout]

[The video begins with a crash - Kenneth, of the usual introduction, going flying and grumbling after he crashes into some chairs.]

I'm sorry - look, I didn't mean to do that - but don't touch me, okay? I didn't mean to hurt you, Kenneth, but you can't do this I'm only a level one, I can normally control it and I go to all of my sessions, please, just let me go back - let me go home...please?

[Alice Michaels sounds scared shitless - probably because she is. Kenneth barely got the device pointed out before she meant to just nudge him back when he got too close for comfort and sent him fully flying and by the looks on her face she feels awful about it.

Edging toward the downed man for a moment, she only backs up with two of the other men in the room heading toward their friend and she backs away instead.]

I didn't do anything wrong - and I want my lawyer, or whoever it is I need - I know you can't just kidnap me you have to take me back home. I don't want this thing, I don't want to stay here.

[The camera moves emphatically around as Alice gestures to punctuate her statements, continuing to wave the men off, clearly nervous and feeling very small as she backs herself into a corner.]

Comments

[sanguinescry]

Hey sweetie?

( She gives a quick two-tone whistle to try to get the younger girl's attention. )

You're okay, you're safe. I know it doesn't seem like it because Kenny over there hates his job, but you're safe and you're not in trouble. If you want to go home, we can get you home. It might take a few days to nail down the right place to send you back to, but we can do it.

[canitestout]

[It takes a moment - looking around for the distinctly feminine voice - along with a few frantic gestures from Kenneth and others for Alice to look down at the device that she forgot to put down. They're probably lucky that it didn't get squeezed into little bits.

She looks between the group of men and the younger woman on the screen, a little anxiously.]

Then why am I here - is it really just... random chance? I really didn't mean to break the table or push Kenny so far - I'm sorry, Kenny.

[Alice speaks automatically - trying to show that she means it with her face even with the panic and fear.]

I can't be here - I have school and I don't understand all of this or what's going on, but I have to go home.

[sanguinescry]

( Giving the other girl a sympathetic look, she nods. )

Pretty much, yeah. Which is a problem so I guess we've got a new project at work to start on Monday. It's okay, he's used to it. He's probably had worse.

( Lydia gives her a small smile. )

Believe it or not, we can get you back so that it'll have only been a few seconds. Nobody's going to notice you were gone and you won't miss anything. We'll get you home, though, I promise. I'm Lydia. I came through here like you a few years ago and stayed to work on the portals. What's your name?

[canitestout]

So it's not supposed to work like this - that's... kind of scary, you know?

[Alce admits, eyebrows up and feeling a little less than confident as she peeks over at Kenny and then back at the screen.]

How exactly do you do that - is it like a science or more of a not-so science ability/magic sort of situation? [Alice's brows furrow in thought.] You chose to stay - but why? If you can go home, that is?

[She tilts her head genuinely curious.]

I'm Alice - Alice Michaels.

[sanguinescry]

Yeah, no. It's supposed to work like that, but like...on a voluntary basis. So that means we need to tweak it again. It was broken when I first got here and it was dragging in people all over the place. A few of us managed to get it on lock, but now it's acting up again.

( Her nose wrinkles at that. Did Five miss a number? Peter miss a semicolon? Did she miscalculate one of the math problems? She'll have to look again and hope that the three of them can manage it without Tony's help. )

Umm...it's sort of both? I'm on the science and math side, personally.

( Lydia looks down and smiles a little, sadly, before looking up again. )

It's complicated. I don't want to make things more upsetting or confusing for you, though, so if you have time to get settled in and you still want to know, I'll share. Sound fair, Alice? It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry it had to happen like this.

[icecreamslinger]

( Robin is slack-jawed with an expression that can't decide whether it's genuinely shocked or wants to bust out laughing. Poor Kenneth. )

Holy shit, did I see what I just thought I saw? Did you do that?

[canitestout]

I didn't mean to - like I didn't do it on purpose. I'm usually, like, a lot better at controlling it.

[She's not sure if she should be so upfront, but the man was talking about some things crazier than someone her size having, basically, super strength.]

It's kind of startling showing up here and Kenny - you really should warn someone before you touch them or hand them something. I just kind of reacted.

[icecreamslinger]

That's so unfair, I still haven't even gotten my thing yet. That's pretty badass, though. It's definitely freaky showing up here. When are you originally from? And where, I guess?

[canitestout]

Haven't gotten your thing - you mean you didn't... before here? [Alic blinks - overwhelmed.]

When? Wait - what do you mean when? I'm from Boston and it's 2019...

[Alice side eyes the other girl.]

[icecreamslinger]

We're supposed to get like cool superpowers or whatever when we come through there but I haven't gotten mine yet and, frankly, I'm feeling pretty gypped, if I'm being honest.

( Robin nods a little, giving a thoughtful facial shrug. )

Well, at least you won't be hit too hard with the culture shock. It was 1986 for me. And Indiana, so I'm so into this weather.

Oh! I'm Robin, sorry.

[atypically]

...Alice?

( Oh no...this is going to be so awkward... )

What the fuck...when did you start having issues controlling it...?

[canitestout]

Caleb?!

[Alice looks shocked - and it's an accurate portrayal of exactly what she's feeling. However, there's some relief in the fact that her brother is here, followed by some fear that he's here too - and casually at that!]

Oh, y'know, only when I get kidnappily jerked through a portal and surrounded by three guys who are all towering over me trying to give me a panic attack as they badly explain what's going on. But I think the more important question here is what are you doing here and how long have you been here?

[atypically]

[ He gives his sister a sheepish wave. ]

I kinda...like...live here now?

[ It's the first time he's said out loud what he's been considering for a while now. He's not entirely sure he actually wants to go back...

He moves his hand into his hair, flipping it to the other side of his head and then rubs the back of his neck nervously. ]

It's been, I don't know, six months, this time?

[canitestout]

Excuse me?

[Alice pauses and her brows pull in as she stares at her brother.]

I think I just hallucinated - did you just say that you live here now - in 2022. In Florida. In whackadoodle magic portal science magic land. Between that and your hair I think I might be having a fever dream - am I sick, Kenny, is that what's happening here?

[Alice looks at the aforementioned welcome wagoner and then back at Caleb.]

This time - what do you mean this time?

[atypically]

Yeah, that's what I said. Wait, it's not 2022 for you back home?

[ Caleb squints at her and leans closer to the camera like he's trying to get a better look at her. He guesses she does look a little younger than the last time he'd seen her, but... ]

It was 2022 for me back home; I just finished up at Boston before I ended up here again. You're okay, you've just time-traveled. That's a thing even in our world...Adam and I were dealing with a weird like...Atypical-ish cult messing with that kind of thing at Yale. I'll explain later. You're still at the Department of Displaced Supers, obviously...do you want me to come out there or wait for your car to bring you here? Whichever you want, you got it.

[ He looks awkwardly away from the screen for a moment before looking back. ]

I'll explain in person, okay, Alice? I promise. You'll never believe me unless you can look me in the eye and not through a screen.

[wonafight]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! I know this is a lot to take in, and you probably aren't going to trust a total stranger but those guys really don't mean you any harm.

They can get you back home.

[canitestout]

No whoa - no whoa necessary - I wasn't going mini hulk on purpose! You try being barely at the cusp of 5'1" and being surrounded by a bunch of beanpoles and see how nervous you feel.

[Alice huffs. How tall people manage to not consider that - unlike Caleb - she'll never know. Though some of that huffing might be a little bit burned out by the fear still kind of alight in her eyes.]

I definitely want to go home, I didn't sign up for this, whatever this is supposed to be....

[wonafight]

None of us did, but it's actually not that bad. You'll have to figure that out for yourself, but think of it as a mini vacation from your reality. When you get tired of here you can have the scientists send you home.

Steve/Caleb

[atypically]

That's Alice. My Alice; that's my sister. As if shit wasn't already complicated enough, I know. But that's her.

Steve/Caleb

[wonafight]

Oh shit. I didn't know she had powers!
She's really freaking out. Are you going to go get her?

[fuckthisshit]

Yeah, hands off, Kenneth!

[ Alyssa grins. ]

It's not technically a kidnapping. They can't control who shows up or when, but Kenneth probably deserved that, so don't feel bad about it. Anyway, they'll give you an apartment and you can settle in until they get you back where you want to go, yeah? No need to throw people who aren't named Kenneth around.

[canitestout]

I'm guessing Kenneth is not well-liked or is very well known here...?

[Alice hedges, looking between the screen and the man himself - exasperated in the corner.]

Is that what they want us to think or more of a semantics thing? Also, is everyone just chill about random portal appearing and being surrounded by very tall and dry men when they show up here? And I don't throw people - anyone, Kenneth or no - around normally.

[fuckthisshit]

I don't like him.

No one's chill about it, except maybe the dead ones. You'd think they'd be better prepared by now.

[canitestout]

Dead ones... like dead agents - like zombies or dead like arrivals, like people in my shoes?

[fuckthisshit]

People that died, but somehow got dragged here. I guess technically they're zombies, yeah, but their skin isn't falling off and all that shit. They're normal, just dead.