mylittlejamjar | First Gambit

Entry tags:

First Gambit

*After several days of getting his bearings, David finally decides to address the scrolls. He's wearing an impeccable business suit that incidentally covers his Cutie Mark, along with a warm and friendly smile.*

Hello, everypony. I understand that I, along with quite a few others, have been somehow abducted from our worlds of origin and trapped here...and that I evidently have quite interesting timing. The Pale Pony...or rather, Càlice...it seems I've stumbled into something fascinating, yet terrible. I hope I can be of help here, both for the sake of returning home to my family and for seeing my fellow captives returned to where they belong.

My name is David Xanatos. I'm a businessman and something of a tinkerer and not entirely unfamiliar with the supernatural, though it's hardly a personal area of expertise. I'll just say the city I live in has become rather unique of late and leave it at that. But I know enough to leave my skepticism about what's happened at the door, at least. Actually, I find it intriguing. I wouldn't mind hearing about other worlds, if people don't mind sharing. Perhaps an exchange of stories could even help me get to know my new neighbors, as well as lightening the mood after what just happened. Or if not, I'm happy to have other discussions instead. Either way, I look forward to meeting all of you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Heck of a time to drop in. It hasn't been this bad up until now.

But if you want stories, I've got a few to share. This isn't the first time I've been sucked into a different universe.

What can I say? I have a knack for finding excitement.

So there's more than one universe with this one's...peculiar qualities?

Apparently. The last place I was at pulled people in with strange tech rather than magic, though. I've also heard of a few other places.

Technology that can tear through the fabric of space to reach other universes? Amazing. My company works with cutting edge equipment in a multitude of fields, but never once did I dream...

*Okay, cutting himself off before he can start rambling.*

But I take it you didn't manage to get your hands on that technology for yourself? Otherwise, I'd assume you'd have escaped long ago.

No. We were on a spacecraft, and it served as its drive core. It and its plans were kept under heavy lock and key.

It was also unstable and unpredictable. Even if we did get our hands on it, there's no way of knowing where we'd go. It was called the Infinite Improbability Drive for a reason.

Infinite Improbability...

*Excuse him for a moment as he chuckles.*

No, I suppose that wouldn't be the ideal method of travelling between universes. Particularly if it's what I'm thinking of.

If you're thinking of Douglas Adams, then yes. Not that ideal. Effective in going places, but less so if it's a place you want to be.

I'm sure it was never a dull moment, at least.

Nope. With the Drive and everyone that showed up because of it, there was always something new.

For better or for worse.

And here I thought New York was lively these past few years...

Any highlights you're interested in sharing?

There's a lot to choose from. The space pirates, that colosseum station that kidnapped a bunch of us for gladiatorial combat, the time when all the water on the ship turned into vodka, the semi-religious group that wanted us all dead, the time when a group of us got sucked back in time and got caught in a war with ancient machine gods, that gargoyle lady that tried to turn us all into zombies at one point...

[He could list more, but he'll stop there for now.]

Edited 2014-08-18 06:59 (UTC)

Gargoyle? You didn't happen to catch her name, did you?

*Because if Demona's bouncing universes and still pulling her genocidal BS...*

[That question takes him by surprise a bit.]

Ah... Demona, I think. Tall, Red hair, has the villainous bad habit of gloating about her schemes. You know her?

Edited 2014-08-18 07:07 (UTC)

Unfortunately, yes. She's from my universe. We used to be allies until I discovered she was deceiving me and trying to use my resources for her mad scheme to destroy humanity.

It's troubling to think that she's now plaguing entirely different realities. Tell me, do you know if there were any other gargoyles there?

Not that I know of, no. There might have been, but it was a big ship. Might have missed them.

Hmmm...unlikely. If they were there, they probably would have come into rather loud conflict with her. Especially when she made her ploy at genocide. Well, most of them, anyway, but if the exception was there...well, you probably don't want to think about it.

Do you have any idea what happened to her?

We stopped her, but after a while the Drive took her. Don't know where she went. Could be home, could be elsewhere.

Let's hope home. I don't like the idea of her bouncing around the multiverse without anyone around who knows her tricks.

*Demona is one of few who crosses even David's lines.*

She wasn't the worst of that the Thor grabbed, unfortunately. There's probably a lot of people like her going about.

I know there are individuals worse than her... *Thailog, a handful of immortal historical figures.* It sounds as if these hubs have the potential to cause much more trouble than is initially apparent.

Yeah, but most of the time it's balanced out by idiots like me there to stop them.

[At least he's honest about how stupid playing the hero can be.]

*Interesting information alert!*

Luckily for those of us who don't have any supernatural assets of our own, I suppose.

[He may have let that slip, but by this point it doesn't matter. Not like he tried very hard to keep his Persona a secret.]

People without power or anything like that seem to not get caught up in these sort of things as often, I've noticed, and if they do, they've usually got something else going for them.

Extraordinarily lucky, then. I'm afraid I can't entirely say the same back home, aside from the fact that my city has certain...protectors who are good at minimizing the threat to helpless civilians.

Join the club. We have T-shirts.

[If only he had the shirt he ordered from Woona by now... that would have been a perfect joke.]

*Snort.*

If I didn't know any better, I'd say we were all from right out of the comic books.

It wouldn't be the first time I've seen it happen.

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised if there were going to be stories about certain people in the future, or even if there already were in alternate universes. But I doubt they're entirely accurate.

I just go with the "anything's possible" route and try not to think about it too hard.

[Guess who knew of you as a teen, David? This guy. He's still endlessly fascinated by the fictional characters that pop up here.]

FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan. Please, call me York. It's what everyone calls me.

Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Xanatos. You've come at an intersting time, as you've already figured out.

*Please don't go spilling his secrets all over, he'd hate to have a new Detective Maza already.*

Likewise, Mr. York.

I don't envy your position right now, though. Law enforcement must be a stressful job after a scare like that.

Well. A few things then, David. First, this area isn't under my jurisdiction. I'm just a guest here for an... indefinite amount of time.

Second, enforcement usually took the back seat to investigation, my main line of work. But I understand where the confusion might come from.

I see...but the statement still stands. Having what I can only assume has been a major antagonist to us...guests stand right there and then leave so easily...quite the taunt.

But investigative skills sound quite useful here, given the general state of things I've seen over these past few days.

You're not wrong, certainly, but... they tend to pale in comparison to the more supernatural traits other offworlders have brought with them.

For all of my investigative skill and experience in criminal profiling, it just doesn't hold a candle to flight, summoning, superhero transformation, and other various magical abilities. [Said like it's the most normal thing.]

[~~Well then. Aren't you an enterprising fellow.~~]

Terrible?

I don't know about that. Even with the Pale Pony, it's better than where I'm from.

But I've found out my world's a bit worse than others.

*~~There is an enterprise with his name on it.~~*

I suppose compared to some situations, this might be rather tame. But I'd think the word could apply even if it's not as bad as it could be.

After all, I'm certain even terrible things have their bright sides.

[~~How wonderful. Men with suitable ambition are too few and far between.~~]

Maybe you're right.

And given time, even something bad might give way to something better. That's what life is.

Molding the bad into the good.

*~~Disappointing, isn't it?~~*

Precisely. It's a shame such a positive attitude is so rare, there's much to be said for being able to find the silver lining.

Well that's what it means to grow, isn't it?

To persevere and be strong, instead of falling away from your goal and choosing the path of a coward.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I've always loved the old saying, that which does not kill me only makes me stronger. There's so much value in a learning experience, after all.

*He's starting to like you already.*

It's a lesson you have to learn where I'm from. You can't survive in Tokyo where the demons roam any other way.

[It's difficult, to not reveal itself to someone so clearly in accord with it's own beliefs. But Lucifer had already reintroduced itself to two previous allies here in a short period of time. It would be better to wait before allowing any others to know of its presence, or identity.]

Demons? And here I thought my version of New York was exciting.

[It may have been a while since she heard that voice but she's pinged. Strange. He sounds like this is the first world he's been dropped into. Is this a case of multiple Xanatos? Still, it's worth a shot.]

A pleasure to meet you. I'm Saori Nakagawa. Hope you don't mind me asking but does the word Prospero ring any bells outside of Shakespearean context?

*That gets a raised eyebrow.*

I'm sorry, but no. Should it?

Ah, well... It's just that I have met a version of you in a world I was in before. I just had to be sure. It's one of those things that pop up when world hopping.

That's strange. How well did you know me?

Let's see...It's been a while but I think I still got some details right.

You were in the process of rebuilding Xanatos Enterprises, managed to regain that impressive castle of yours, and very impressive on creating plans and ideas on the go.

[There was the fact she was there when his own Persona awoke but one thing at a time.]

Castle Wyvern? I'm almost jealous of my other self...I'm going to miss that place. But that does sound like me, yes.

*Although it's not what he really wants to know.*

Ah yes, that name does ring a bell. I don't think anyone has been able to recover buildings here yet. You might have better luck finding things from our worlds in the Canterlot library archives. And yes, there will be a ton of horse puns here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

First Gambit

[Visual]

[Visual]

Re: [Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[Visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]