001

[phantom_envoy]

[action, all Hinoto-Ri]
[Throughout the streets of Hinoto-Ri this morning, a strange phenomenon manifests itself for a good hour or two. A girl in a bizarre white costume ensemble darts and zips up and down the streets like a gigantic dove in flight, heedless of anyone or anything in her way... Although 'heedless' might be a bit of an understatement. The vast majority of the time, she flits straight through the obstruction in her past, slipping past as insubstantially as a ghost and occasionally offering apologies on the way.]

Whoops! 'Scuse me, pardon me... Totally didn't see you there. Oh, geez, I swear, food tastes totally the same afterwards; you don't have to worry about it at all. ...Well, let's be honest here, you probably didn't want that junk going down your gut, any - whoa! Watch the purse, lady. Hey, I practically did you a favor.

[Eventually, she'll slow down long enough to drift slightly closer to the ground and perform a dramatic 360 in mid-air.]

Wow. I am definitely not in Kansas anymore. ...Not that I've ever been to Kansas in the first place although I think that's where Superboy comes from, but this totally isn't Kansas, either.  ...Not enough farms.

[video, public]
[The feed flickers on to reveal a girl in a strange costume with an expression of resignation.]

Alright, ahem, listen up, fair citizens of... Prehistoria!  Here's the deal.  My name is Phantom Girl, I'm from the 31st century - yes, that's three-one - and I don't really have time to wander around some retro Asian city.  ....Wait, this is 'Asia', right?  I've only ever seen a place like this in a history book.  It is kind of cool to be back in prehistoric times again, but that's what the Time Bubble is for, and we don't use it for vacations.  And, no offense, but I wouldn't take a vacation here, anyway.  It's kind of... cramped for me.

So I hear you've got some problems that need fixing.  Spill the details, I'll take care of it, and then I'll be back to my time, if you all don't mind.  I'm sure you're all very nice people, and I know whatever you're going through must be super hard, but... I've got like, whole planets I need to be looking out for here.  Cities are great, but I'm pretty sure Takron-Galtos is having like, the 6th breakout in as many months, so... yeah. 

OK, so!  Problem number one, go.

Comments

[phantom_envoy]

"..."

Phantom Girl heaves a deep sigh as she taking the bowl of what appears to be eclectic ingredients shoved into a pot of soup.

"...Thanks. I think. ...This is food, right?"

[trombeoverride]

"A local specialty. It sells well so I keep it ready. That and hot pot is easy to maintain."

"Its a good time to eat, gives you enough time to digest before the 13th hour."

[phantom_envoy]

Phantom Girl squints suspiciously at the proffered bowl before beginning to raise the spoon halfway to her lips. ...Then a pause.

"Wait. I have no money. ...Whatever money this place uses. Is this some sort of weird plan to enslave me and sell me to Talokian traders? 'Cause it wouldn't be the first time, let me tell you."

[trombeoverride]

"Consider this one on the house for your trouble. Its a good way to get repeat customers when they have money."

[phantom_envoy]

Phantom Girl continues to squint suspiciously at the unnaturally generous man before taking a tentative sip of the soup. Her head snaps back up almost immediately before she lowers it again to the bowl.

"...I go through things, you know. Like, everything. Whatever nefarious plots you might have up your sleeves totally won't work."

[trombeoverride]

"And if I was the one you brought here instead of another who was abducted I may worry Miss."

He nods and looks at the crowd.

[phantom_envoy]

"...Hm."

Though she doesn't exactly look convinced, Phantom Girl consumes the next few bites without wildly looking around. After a moment or two, she speaks again.

"So, what, this happens often? Intergalactic temporal displacement kidnapping ?"

[trombeoverride]

"It happens at the begining of the month most months. The local government even has welcome commitees set up sometimes."

[phantom_envoy]

"Welcome committees? That's awfully chipper for kidnappers. I mean, I heard that bit about needing help, but this is kinda not the right way to go about it."

Phantom Girl stirs her soup slightly more vigorously than she probably should.

"As much as I love helping random alternate universes that scoop me up out of the blue, I was kinda in the middle of something."

[trombeoverride]

"Alien invasion that threatened the Earth?"

The mysterious gourmet shrugs and offers a cup of water.

"I don't think the city is responsible. Many of them don't want us here as much as we don't want to be here."

[phantom_envoy]

"You know I'm an alien, right? I mean, I live on Earth most of the time, but it's not like I'm native." Phantom Girl gives a shrug and takes the water. "More like 'prison planet breakout'. Which probably works as a precursor to an invasion, but..."

Another shrug and down the water goes.

"So if the city doesn't want us here and if we don't want to be here... Why are we here?"

[trombeoverride]

"I come from a time where first contact happened in my lifetime."

He shrugs a bit.

"Something happened and made the entire world outside of this city disappear. The best I can guess is it is a game between powers I don't understand, but we have our roles to play out in it."

[phantom_envoy]

"...Disappear?" Phantom Girl manages to contort her face into a more dubious expression than it had been previously. "You sure it's not just outside of your visual spectrum or something? I mean, no offense, but Earthlings aren't exactly known for their perception."

"...Anyway, if it really did disappear, what are we supposed to do about it?"

[trombeoverride]

"Its outside of all sensor ranges and there is some sort of barrier field around this city preventing people from leaving. I know. I've tried to go past it."

He shrugs a bit and adjusts his goggles.

"Earth may not be the most advanced planet but generally we don't give up unless there is good reason to and the people here have for the most part given up."

[phantom_envoy]

"So. ...They want me to be like, a cheerleader?"

She stares blankly for a few moments.

"Earthlings, Earthlings, you're the best! If you can't do it... just... kidnap people from other planets and hope they can bang something together without their teams or their tools! ...And keep hoping for the best!"

[trombeoverride]

"I didn't want to be kidnapped either. Make the best of a bad situation or not. I think they want someone to solve the mystery, and if not the people here, something connected to that Velvet Room place."

[phantom_envoy]

"Hey, I'm just saying. It's the most inefficient way they could have done this." She returns to slurping up the rest of the soup, grumbling in between swallows. "'Hey, we're in a jam. Let's kidnap random individuals who might or might not know anything about our situation, take them away from their tools and their team members, and hope they can fix things for us!'" The last gulp goes down.

"Wouldn't it be much more intuitive to, I don't know, research the people you want to help you, bring a whole group of professional... world-restorers together, and give them the job?" The spoon clatters in the empty bowl as she sits back. "I mean, I'm not an expert in psychology, but it seems like a pretty shallow pretense, if you ask me."

Phantom Girl crosses her arms and nods.

"...They're totally selling us to Talokian slave traders."

[trombeoverride]

"They may have your tools at the central government building. They had my Trombe, and I believe there is some sort of space carrier in town from someone else. As for the rest, that's why I think there is some sort of wager going on."

He shrugs.

"What's a Talokian?"

[phantom_envoy]

"A person from Talok."

Duh.

"...Anyway, thanks for the food. And the information. ...I'm Phantom Girl."

[trombeoverride]

"Is that near Balmar?"

He ponders then looks at her.

"I'm Rätsel... Rätsel Feinschmecker..."

If she speaks German, her "WORST FAKE NAME EVER" alarm may go off, but if not, no one bad EVER spoke German.

[phantom_envoy]

Phantom Girl, thankfully, only knows English and also probably Bgztlian, whatever that is. She gives a shrug.

"Nice to meet you, Ratsel. ...If you'll excuse me, I think it's time to go fly around the city awkwardly some more. I'll pay you back later."

[trombeoverride]

"Don't fly too high or you may hit the barrier."

He nods and takes the dishes, starting to clean them.

"And its on the house, when you get some money feel free to order some more."

[phantom_envoy]

"The barrier?"

Phantom Girl gives a slight shrug.

"I've never concerned myself with things being in the way. Part of the whole 'phantom' shtick, you know? Anyway, I'll make it up to you, anyway. It's totally part of the superhero creed or something."

[trombeoverride]

"Even an ally of justice needs a hand sometimes. Good luck out there."

[phantom_envoy]

"Thanks. I'll see what I can do."

Around ten minutes later, if Ratsel is still paying attention and if he has very good hearing, he may hear a very, very distant thump and a scream.

"Ow!"

Looks like Phantom Girl found the barrier.