[39: video]

[paper_knight]

Today Mark is walking up and down a snowy New York street, circa 1935 or so, knocking on doors. He's already heard from other transmissions that all of the worlds are empty, but he wants to verify it for himself. "This is the neighborhood where I grew up," he says, panning the camera over the unmarked sidewalk. "I've never seen it so empty."

Later in the day he'll make his way through the rifts to a somewhat more rural area, marked by the silhouette of a lighthouse and the sound of crashing waves. The emptiness is less eerie here--most of the homes would be locked up for the off-season anyway. Mark is poking around in the only lit building, riffling through his own filing cabinet in an attempt to determine the timeline in which this place exists. "None of this makes any sense..."

Comments

[paper-knight.livejournal.com]

It is possible, after a certain amount of contact with one Alex Kralie, to become tired of paranoia, no matter how much of it Mark has in his own makeup. So his tone is a bit long-suffering, here.

"My name's Mark. If you don't want help I certainly can't force you."

He moves within sight of the heavily curtained window.

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Mark...?

That Mark?

''

Tsk. Exaggerations. Philip sheepishly lets his hand glide away from where he keeps the small revolver.

"Can't be too careful," he offers apologetically.

The confirmation is good enough for Philip. Now he thinks the voice is behind the curtains now, but his pinpointing skills hardly compare. His abilities to bypass obstacles on the other hand...

"If you're standing in front of the window, move away!"

Polite in tone, but rather decisive as request. With good reason.

...

Moments later a chair comes crashing through the glass.

[paper-knight.livejournal.com]

"Fair enough."

At Philip's next request, he steps aside--just in time to avoid the flying chair and assorted glass shards.

"Jesus!"

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Assorted shards are also what Philip brushes out of the way before climbing through the window outside.

A quick glance around. There's room, at least. Not sure where they are or when, but... first things first.

"...Sorry about that- about earlier. Just that... I don't exactly trust Wonderland to offer good surprises."

Looking at Mark now Philip realises that he's-- significantly might be an exaggeration, but certainly older to the point where Philip wishes he'd made a better first impression.

Better start with a remedy then. He offers his hand and name (plain "Philip", thank you very much) in greeting.

[paper-knight.livejournal.com]

"It's all right. Reasonable."

He returns the handshake firmly. Philip is clearly capable of helping himself, and Mark can appreciate that. Also it's nice to have a name to attach to the person he's formerly identified as the tired-looking Brit.

"I think I've seen you around once or twice. It's good to meet you."

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

"Likewise. I--"

｡.:*・ﾞ♪♫♡ Couldn't Stop Thinking About You ♡♪♫・ﾞﾞ・*:.｡

OH THANK GOD THAT EVENT IS OVER.

"I've actually heard-- Evelyn and Dean mentioned you, at least, er, they did if you're actually- Mark Meltzer, otherwise forget I said anything."

A more thorough look around as the narration realises that its description of their location has been very lacking so far.

But it is the first scene Philip broke into, the grand and empty city. Buildings. Lots and lots of buildings which he couldn't rightly identify from the spot they're standing in.

"Where are we?"

suddenly headcanon oh lord

[paper-knight.livejournal.com]

"That's me."

And now he's wondering exactly what Philip had heard, but that is the kind of question that Mark is not quite rude enough to ask.

"This is New York. Um. Queens, if you want to be specific."

/scribbles it all down in notebook

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

"It is?"

- CUE BACKGROUND MUSIC (http://youtu.be/d27gTrPPAyk) -

"That's..."

Philip steps around the corner, out into the street. America never left him in breathless awe, at least not in theory, but this is New York; vast and... completely empty.

"I've never been."

you and caz can actually hold me to STANDARDS...of some sort

[paper-knight.livejournal.com]

"It's usually nothing like this."

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Ever the comedian Philip pretends to dedicate a moment of deep thought to that statement before tentatively offering:

"I think I've heard it's supposed to be a bit more crowded this time of year."