Video: UN: dollhouse

[ventriloschism]

[The camera comes to life, spinning wildly around, a bizarre clacking sound heard over the rustling of dark fabric too-close to the lens. It's a messy, dizzying confused feed for a solid two minutes or so....

Then a tiny wooden hand closes over the lens.

The next thing you see is the face of a nightmarish doll, jaw clacking noisily as she shrieks and giggles.]

Wow WOW, what IS this thing? Hello? Helloooooooooooo?

Can anyone HEAR ME?

Comments

video; un: Mysterio

[makeanentrance]

I can hear you just fine.

[There is no face that appears in return. Mysterio is again wearing his fishbowl-like helmet.]

[ventriloschism]

[The doll tilts her head a little, and just behind her, a dark-veiled head tilts as well.]

You caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan? WOW. Even with that glass thingy on? Can you see me too? Why are you wearing a bowl? Is that what your head looks like?

[makeanentrance]

It's for my protection.

I can see everything.

[ventriloschism]

Protection from what?

Are you a goldfish in there??????

[makeanentrance]

Poisonous gas, among other dangers.

... No, it is a helmet, not a bowl.

[ventriloschism]

Oooooh, there's POISONOUS GAS? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUN.

[The puppet's eyes flick back and forth with a loud wooden creak. When she speaks again, it's in a loud, conspiratorial stage whisper.]

...That's exactly what a goldfish man would say. I would know! I know one!

[makeanentrance]

You know a fishman? Merman?

[ventriloschism]

I doooo! He's big and has too many eyes and he's STUPID and UGLY.

[makeanentrance]

Does he have superpowers?

video; un: magician

[forleaving]

[Excuse Adam's horror as he stared at the screen for a long moment before saying anything.]

I can hear you...um, miss. Also, that's a...phone.

[He took a deep breath, resisting the urge to pinch himself.]

Do you--do you need help with anything?

Re: video; un: magician

[ventriloschism]

A PHONE? This thing? Where's the cord? Why is there a TV in it?

[The doll just cackles unpleasantly in response, her wooden limbs clacking around the phone as she inspects it.]

Help? Well, I don't really know. Everything here is so weeeeeeeeird.

[forleaving]

Cell phones have batteries instead of cords. And they're more like tiny computers nowadays.

[He had a feeling that her 'now' was different than his 'now'. He was also a little relieved that she didn't immediately ask for help.]

Yeah, it's definitely weird. What sort of place are you used to?

[ventriloschism]

WHOA, really? What's a com-pew-turr?

[Her head spins completely around to face the dark figure looming behind her - who shrugs. She looks back at the screen again.]

Well, it's a village in Romania! Very pretty! But very small. We live in a house on a waterfall, but it came with us here and left the waterfall at home. And most of our stuff is missing!

[forleaving]

[Oh. How did he explain a computer to a talking doll? He suppressed a shiver when her head spun around, peering a little closer at the screen, as if he would be able to see the other figure better.]

It's a machine, with a screen, that's capable of complex actions like running programs, playing games, accessing the internet, and storing information. Most of the world uses computers these days.

I've never been to Romania but I've always thought it looked lovely there. I've never been out of the United States; traveling is expensive. Also, that happened to m- a friend of mine, the house part. It arrived here but it arrived empty.

[He wondered what made certain locations show up in this place but not others.]

[ventriloschism]

[The figure is trying to be as subtle as she can - Angie being so close to the camera helps with that. That's by design. Look at the puppet, not at the puppeteer.]

Oooooooooh, cooooooool! I like games! But I don't know what an in-urr-net is. Mother Miranda liked the village to keep the Old Ways, you see.

Romania is soooooo pretty - or, the village is. I've never left it!

We're working on filling up the house with stuff again! We need to build soooooo many more DOLLS!

[forleaving]

[The Old Ways. That explained so much. Maybe they were really from the same time, just...very different parts of the world. More different than just Romania and the United States. He wasn't sure if that was a comforting thought or not.]

The internet is...hard to explain. Basically, it stores a limitless amount of information and media and is used for communication around the world.

People usually use it to look at pictures of cats. [He was partially joking, but...where was the lie?]

Dolls, of course. [For a brief moment, he had the terrible mental image of dolls overrunning Haven, cackling everywhere and being terrifying. He barely suppressed a shiver.] I've never met a doll enthusiast before.

[ventriloschism]

Oooh, cats! I've never seen a cat in real life before!!!!! You'll have to show me how to look at these cats!!!!

[Yep, that's what she zeroed in on.]

Welllll, I am one! So it would be really STUPID if I didn't like dolls, right? And she's a dollMAKER! [The dark figure gingerly waves a pale hand. Shy.]

un: 4hearts - video:

[blueberryprincess]

[ Evie is so unphased by the dolls appearance and behavior. She’s seen so much stranger on the isle and in Auradon that she barely blinks. Instead, she has her most genuine and kind and charming smile on her face. What other way is there for her to be? And yes she absolutely is wearing a tiara.

She never leaves home without it. ]


Well, hello. What’s your name?

Re: un: 4hearts - video:

[ventriloschism]

[Oh, well! Here's someone who seems friendly and sensible. The dark figure just behind the doll tilts her head, peeking around the chattering puppet.]

Angie! My name is Angie. What's your name? Are you a PRINCESS?

un: 4hearts - video:

[blueberryprincess]

Hello, to the both of you.

[ Evie sees you peeking around, Miss Donna. She's going to happily wave at the both of them, grinning from ear to ear. ]

My name is Evie. I am in fact a princess, but only of a small island back home. My royal title doesn't extend past that.

[ She doesn't at all sound bothered by that. In fact, she sounds fairly happy. ]

Welcome to Haven. I hope Jerry was helpful. He really is one of the kindest people here, even if he does come off as a bit prickly. But considering his job is to help new people that suddenly show up, much like a lot of us have done, and some of those people aren't exactly pleased about it, I can't really imagine not being just a little frustrated.

Are you two settling in alright?

[ventriloschism]

[When acknowledged, Donna jumps a little - her hands flinch upward from her lap for a moment before resettling there, faintly waving an awkward little wave on the way down.

Angie seems delighted, on the other hand.]

Wow! I've never met a real princess before! We're Ladies, but the most we've met is a Duke!

Ehhhh, he was okay. Most people have been kinda weird. You'd think they'd never seen a couple pretty girls before! At least our house came with us, even if most of our stuff isn't there.

But we're working on getting stuff for the workshop again! We even got a job!

video -un: gwennnnn

[hibana_incursa]

[ Gwen watches enough horror movies with her boyfriend to be very wary and suspicious of a talking doll but Gwen is gonna be nice and not judge just yet. ]

Welcome to Haven. If you want, I can show you how to use your phone. That’s the thing you’re holding.

Re: video -un: gwennnnn

[ventriloschism]

[The feed spins around as the doll inspects the device, and you get a momentary look at the dark veiled woman seated just behind where the puppet is...

Flying?

The camera turns back to the doll's face, held just a little further away than before.]

Ooooooh really? I have no idea how it works! I can't even make it doooo anything. [Apparently wooden fingers aren't capacitive.]

[hibana_incursa]

I can give you some pointers, if you'd like.

My name is Gwen.

[ Meanwhile, Gwen is seated at a drum kit, adjusting the heights of drums and moving them around just a bit. She's put her phone on a stand, and she's broadcasting from her garage. ]

[ventriloschism]

Suuuuure, I'm a real quick learner, promise! I'm no dummy! Heeheeheeeeee.

[A little head tilt as the doll inspects the scene Gwen is sitting in.] I'm Angie! And this is my best friend Donna. [The dark-veiled figure behind her almost seems startled at being acknowledged - she raises a pale hand, twitching it in a sort of wave.]