An accidental video in Phil's room [7/??? artefacts collected]

[sadfreezingbrit_archive]

[ By now Philip has met most of the victims of his violent personality switch and their encounters went well, almost shockingly so. There has been no trace of Clarence for days either.

It's not a magical path towards happiness and sunshine, but it's a start, a great start, and all in all Philip has reason to be cautiously optimistic.

He is still a little reluctant to socialise, so for now he contents himself with the finer things Wonderland has to offer (such as for example a distinct lack of freezing to death and a limitless supply of movies and snack food).

So when the feed switches on it shows him doing just that.

For about ten action-packed minutes Philip sits on his bed, eating cookies, watching a movie that is not visible from the communicator's angle.

When he reaches for the remote on his bedside table he finally notices the little ON light that is not actually supposed to be on. ]

Is that...

[ He pauses the movie and frowns at the device. ]

Is this transmitting again?

[ He checks. Confirms. Sighs. ]

Nothing to see here, honestly.

[ This goes out to whoever is responsible for all the silly mansion magic. For everyone else he offers an apologetic shrug. ]

Sorry.

[ Annnd off goes the feed. ]

Comments

guess who likes movies

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Whatcha watchin'?

slenderman?

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

A movie.

[...D'OH! The sudden casual conversation attack caught Philip by surprise. Give him a second. ]

...ah, Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

him too

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Huh. I think they're remakin' that this year sometime.

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Again?

Sometimes I wish they'd just let our classics be.

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Whaddya mean again? [Benny has a tendency to forget that other people are from The Future.]

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ He shrinks back just a little, remembering that he sometimes gets a little too enthusiastic about black-and-white movies. ]

It's just... well, not that I think Peter O'Toole was--

[ Wait. ]

Wait. When you say this year, what year would you be talking about?

[ Benny can thank Phil's Victorian friend for making him very much aware of the time travelling problem. ]

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

'69. I watched the original when I was just a kid.

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Ahh, better not spoil the second one for you then.

[ He smiles. ]

I'm Philip, I'm... from 2000.

[ He suddenly feels like he gave his introduction in the weirdest support group ever. ]

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Oh. Oh, jesus, 2000. That's a ways off. [Chuckle] Benny Stango.

1/3

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Oh, consider yourself out-outdated. My neighbour next door? Early 19th Century. Almost makes me feel--

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ "Benny Stango. Surly detective."

Here is where that name suddenly rings a bell and Philip inevitably forces himself to pause in order to stop his mind from going on a particularly unpleasant tangent.

It shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter. He was not the one who-- ]

3/3

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Feel, uh... old in- in an odd sort of way.

[ Unpleasant train of thought successfully derailed. Another smile, though considerably weaker this time. ]

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

[If you were trying not to make him suspicious, you didn't succeed. Also, who are you calling surly?!]

...Uh huh. How about that.

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

You... uh... do you--

Any recommendations?

[ OVERLY CHEERFUL SMILE IN HOPES OF PRETENDING THAT EARLIER PAUSE NEVER HAPPENED. ]

I love that you can just pull any movie out of the closet. Really saves you time looking for obscure material, you know?

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

What's got you so nervous, pal?

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ Fuuuuuu-- ]

What... what do you mean?

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Why don't you tell me? You got all antsy right about when I said my name. Maybe you heard of me? Some people get real anxious when they hear I used to be a detective. Makes ya wonder, what about a detective might make a guy nervous if he don't got somethin' to hide?

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ Well. That... was painfully spot-on.

So now would be a good time for a swift and believable excuse.

I'm sure a tentative and slightly questionable excuse would also be okay.

You know, let's just see if we can work on something that isn't complete and utter silence, hm?

...Philip? Philip?! ]

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Let's start simple: before or after you came to this nuthouse?

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Before or-- Oh.

[ Oh. Ohh. That implication took a moment to register. Philip will choose to see this as a good sign later on. ]

Neither.

[ He sounds very determined, for all that's still worth now. ]

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Sure. I can tell from how relaxed you are.

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ The corner of his mouth twitches. ]

It's the truth. What do you want me to say?

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Ask me how many times I heard that one before. It's a tired line, buddy.

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Then why don't you tell me what I did, since you seem so very certain that I'm lying?

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

'Cause I dunno yet. But I'll tell ya what I do know. I know weird stuff goes on around here, and I know it ain't always this house doin' it. So next time somethin' funny happens that ain't an event, I know one of the doors I'm gonna be knockin' on.

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

Great. That's... wonderful, really.

Almost thought he was wrong about calling you surly too.

[ He mutters the last part to himself as he gets up to fish for his communicator. ]

[playingbadcop.livejournal.com]

Say that again, ya friggin psycho!

[sadfreezingbrit.livejournal.com]

[ For a moment Philip just stares at the screen, silent once more.

Then he simply shuts the feed off. ]