First Light [Action; accidental video; video]

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

[A bright, blinding light fills the gardens, emanating from the new arrivals' clearing. It is strong enough to hurt one's eyes, but it has no other ill effects. After the initial flash, the Vine starts recording, so the mirrors, too, fill up with the light as it shines and then fades.

When it has grown dim enough, a figure is revealed, lying on the ground, dressed in the familiar white shift of a newcomer. She stirs at once, leaping up. Her eyes are wide, her face distorted with alarm and confusion as she cries out.]

Wassily--!

[She is about to say something else, but the light flares again, and the Vine takes this as a sign to stop recording.

A few minutes pass, and the woman reappears, facing the mirror, dressed plainly in black. The light from before is no longer in evidence, and she can be seen clearly. She is perhaps in her early thirties, with long blond hair. She is much calmer, and smiling, though she still shows signs of strain. She seems to have become aware of her surroundings and the situation, and her concern now is for those she is addressing as she speaks in a quiet voice.]

Hello--all of you. My name is Epsilon. Are there many of you here? Are you all right?

Comments

[orderlybento.livejournal.com]

[Her eyes are still kind of burning when she looks back to the vine, and sees a woman in the mirror. Respectful time.]

It's nice to meet you, Epsilon-san. My name is Hikari, and I'm doing alright.

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

Hello, it's very nice to meet you as well, Hikari. [She smiles.]

I'm so glad you're all right. This place is certainly--unusual. I was surprised to find myself here.

[orderlybento.livejournal.com]

[looks a little bemused and embarrassed at that. more than usual, since she's coming down from Strawberry Creme, and is freaked out by the feelings.]

Yes, well, this is a definitely unusual place to be. It's called the Gardens.

Um, if you mind me asking, did you see a blinding light a couple of minutes ago?

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've been reading about it. It's quite unlike anywhere else I've seen.

Oh, and I apologize. That was my entirely my fault. I was taken from--where I was--by surprise. I had no idea the light was being transmitted.

[video]

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

[The response is coming from someone holding her eyes, due to the light.]

No, I'm still having problems seeing. Did you see that bright light?

[video]

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

Oh, hello there!

I apologize. The light was my fault. I was brought here quite suddenly, and I didn't realize where I was in time.

I hope it hasn't hurt your eyes too much.

[video]

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

[She's peeking to see from her fingers now.]

It'll pass, but will that happen again?

[video]

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

[She smiles, apologetically.]

No, I promise it won't. It's quite easy for me to control it.

And I'm very pleased to meet you.

[video]

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

Hello, Epsilon. There's quite a number of us here, and for the most part, yes, we're all right. Oh, and I'm Canada. Nice to meet you.

[video]

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

That's good. I'm relieved to hear that everyone's all right. Thank you for letting me know.

Canada? What a lovely name. It's very nice to meet you as well.

[video]

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I quite like it myself.

I haven't been here all that long, but the Gardens are generally peaceful. And when they're not, you can generally tell by all the frantic ladies on the vine.

[video]

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

I haven't met anyone with that name before.

Frantic women? Why would they be frantic? [She doesn't like the sound of that.] Aside from the obvious, since arriving here is so disorienting.

video;

[pink-stalker.livejournal.com]

Epsilon? That is a good name.

video;

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I'm glad you like it.

And you are--?

video;

[pink-stalker.livejournal.com]

Lambdadelta.

video;

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

Oh, I see! It's not surprising that you like my name, then. Lambdadelta is a wonderful name.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

video

[livetoavenge.livejournal.com]

Isn't that a question we should be asking you?

[video]

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

[She doesn't reply to this right away, the visible signs of her strain increasing momentarily. It's easier to think of helping the people here than to think of what happened--what will happen back home. If she allows herself to feel too much, she might not be able to stop.]

Thank you for your concern, but I appear to be undamaged. [Epsilon doesn't sound entirely convinced of this fact.]

I was worried about the others here. I haven't read so many of their transmissions on the Vine yet, but they seemed to be upset and confused.

[video]

[livetoavenge.livejournal.com]

Yes. People don't react well to the unfamiliar.

[ Clare looks a little concerned, briefly. ] Most of the people here are more helpful than you might expect. If you need assistance, you'll find it.

[notvitiligo.livejournal.com]

I don't think we've had a headcount. I get the impression it'd be a bit futile, since we have people popping up and disappearing a lot. I'd put an estimate at a few dozen, maybe.

I'm Jessica Boyette. What was up with the light show?

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

Thank you for letting me know, Jessica. It's very nice to meet you.

I'm sorry about the brightness. I'm a light-powered robot, and I can emit light, but I usually don't make it so bright when others are around.

I arrived here quite suddenly. I was disoriented, and I didn't realize the Vine was transmitting. I'll be more careful in the future.

[notvitiligo.livejournal.com]

A light-powered robot.






Assuming you're not pulling my leg, that level of workmanship is kind of mindblowing. We're barely even getting things done with solar where I come from.

[Jessica may be fangirling a lot right now.]

so I meant to reply to this, you know, when you posted it. because. robot solidarity :|

[aunomdedieu.livejournal.com]

[ Caprica was not designed with eyes capable of handling light at such a bright magnitude. She has the vision of a very sharp-eyed human woman, and so she's still blinking away the afterimages a little when Epsilon finally appears in the mirror. ]

... I'm all right. Thank you.

[ She's quiet for a moment as she recovers a bit more from the sudden light. ]

You can call me Caprica. Was that light something you did?

I am very much in favor of robot solidarity!

[lovelikelight.livejournal.com]

Hello, Caprica. It's nice to meet you. [She smiles, glad of the responses to her transmission, which provide a welcome distraction from her worry and her grief.] I'm glad to hear you're all right.

The light was my doing. I apologize if it caused you any discomfort. I promise, that won't happen again.

I also hope you do not mind backtags :x so sorry for the late.

[aunomdedieu.livejournal.com]

[ The unvarnished kindness — she can tell it's genuine — puts her at ease, visibly, and she relaxes a little, smiling reflexively in answer. ]

It's all right. I just... wasn't expecting it, that's all.

Are you all right?

[ She'd caught that look on her face before the light overwhelmed the mirror, after all. ]