Éi: Video, December 31, Evening

[let_it_sn0w]

[The video feed flickers on to an extremely beautiful girl soaking in a bathtub, a tablet in a waterproof case collecting steam as she traces numbers into what looks like a pretty detailed study sheet. She's tacking out a paper about fractals, seemingly, and using what seems to be random numbers to get her point across.

One of those numbers isn't quite as random as she thinks it is, and she sets aside the tablet for a second to tie her platinum blonde hair up in a knot on top of her head. Then she resumes working... probably showing the network way, way more than she ever intended to. She's blissfully unaware for the moment, though, appearing to think that she is utterly alone. Which is how it should be, and how she likes it.

Until the phone rings, that is. Vivaldi's "Winter" is the ringtone, and she bites her lip, seeming annoyed.]

Hello? Um... No, sorry, I can't. I'm out at the moment... yeah, it's a... date.

[She laughs stiffly, her smile not reaching her eyes.]

Maybe next time. Tell him congratulations for me? Retiring after 14 years of being concertmaster is a big deal, after all. I'll pick up a card next time I'm out. The rest of you have fun. And have a happy New Year. Bye.

[She snaps her phone shut, sighing and leaning her head back against the tub. But before she can reach for her tablet again, her phone is ringing a second time. Caller ID displays a name that makes her go pale; she sets it aside, ducking her head underwater until it has stopped ringing.]

Comments

voice

[ex_elude798]

[Well, he thinks this might be a first]

...You're broadcasting.

[Is the best he manages, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. She's not decent and doesn't seem aware anyone can see that]

Video

[let_it_sn0w]

[...what the actual hell.

Elsa shrieks, the tablet dunking into the bathtub as she flees in a flurry of long limbs and splashing.

When she returns, she is flushed and wrapped in a thick white terrycloth robe, fishing the tablet out and glaring at it.]

I'm not online. Who are you, and how are you talking to me?

[The question is more of demand.]

voice --> video

[ex_elude798]

[Well, he supposes now that she's dressed he'll show his face.

If only because it seems...closer to equitable. But not by much]

It's Suzaku. And this network doesn't use an internet connection, as far as anybody knows.

video

[let_it_sn0w]

[By now, she's become slightly better-informed, but she is still mortified.]

So... what is it? Magic?

[She sounds like she's trying to sound incredulous. She really does.]

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

[Oh... this is....

Rakka secretly finds herself relieved that her first post was through a book and not in the shower.]

...Uh, oh my...

[Video]

[let_it_sn0w]

[She's covered now, wearing a white terrycloth robe, cheeks flushing furiously as she looks as the tablet like it's going to bite her.]

He said broadcasting. What did he mean? I'm not even connected to the internet!

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

[And she's blushing too, trying to look anywhere other than the screen.]

Uh, uh, p-please! Stay calm! Y-you're on the network, a sp-special... thing that special people can access.

I'm R-rakka.

[Video]

[let_it_sn0w]

Special people? What does that mean?

[She's gifted, she knows that, but not crackers.]

Is this because of school? The violin? I'm not even the best one in the city, and that doesn't explain how my iPad is showing everyone my...

[She has no word for "breasts" that she feels like she can say out loud. She gestures hopelessly at her general chest area before her hand just... drops to her side.]

video; {iphone}

[ursoreckless]

[there's a Japanese person on the screen, one with long reddish-brown hair done in several cornrows and having blue eyes and looking like he's sitting in a filing room]

You might wanna put some clothes on.

After you turn the tablet over unless you feel like flashing the rest of the Numbered.

video; {ipad}

[let_it_sn0w]

[She's wearing a thick bathrobe now, and she actually recognizes this guy. Oh, man.

She hopes he doesn't mention this to his accomplished, elegant mother, who Elsa admittedly is always on her best behavior around.]

Oh God, I don't even know how... I think someone hacked my iPad, or... something.

How bad's the damage? How many people saw that?

[Her pride is stinging.]

video; {iphone}

[ursoreckless]

I saw enough to wish that you were taking a bubble bath.

[if it helps, he does look a little embarrassed by getting flashed. while he is notorious for dating, he's still a gentleman and not someone who would peep because he can.]

No, it's not a hack. Do you remember putting in a string of numbers, ones that are some how stuck in your head and you can't stop thinking about?

[Voice]

[espigeonage]

[so embarrassed for her. Julien strongly considers pretending he didn't see this, but does comment maybe an hour after it goes up, his voice diffident.]

Ah, jeez. ...sorry, miss. That's a ruder introduction than most of us get.

[Video]

[let_it_sn0w]

[By now, she's covered up in a white terrycloth robe. She looks forlorn, but nowhere near as panicked as she did when the initial poster alerted her to her state of blithe nudity.]

How are "most of you" introduced? Accidentally, if that experience was anything to go on...

[Please tell her that's true. She'll feel better if she thinks she's not the only one to kind of just be dropped into this.]

[espigeonage]

Plenty like that, sure. Taking notes is a time-honored way to find out about the network, or putting it in a search engine, or dialing it while distracted. And, there was a girl who wrote her number out on her misted-over bathroom mirror after a shower, which was awkward.

You'd think when the numbers came they could also come with an idea about what they do.

[let_it_sn0w]

[At least Elsa isn't alone, even when it comes to posting accidentally in the nude.

She wasn't the first to goof that way, and she takes heart.]

Why isn't that the case? And why is this club so secretive?

Video

[vaimo]

[Åsa doesn't often show her face on the network because it means revealing her Swedish accent. But it seems fair this time? Because she's been there - but at least it was just her friend giving her the wrong her number and not -- this.] Um.

You can't delete it. Siiri and I already had to ask that.

Sorry this had to be how you found out.

Video

[let_it_sn0w]

[Swedish? Oh, that sounds familiar in a kissing-cousins kind of way.

Elsa's own Norwegian accent is fairly faint, since she learned English young, but she recognizes most of the other Scandinavian accents at just a slight listen.

She is getting more used to this, now, and she's in her room, wearing a white terrycloth robe and curled up in a chair as she cradles her iPad, looking incredibly troubled, but at least not panicking anymore.]

I'm so mortified... but it's not your fault.

[It's not hers, either, but she is probably expected to act like it is. Good girls don't post videos of themselves taking a bath, and she always has to be a good girl.]

You are from Sweden? I like your accent.

Video ((hope this is okay!))

[vaimo]

[Åsa nods in confirmation, a smile brightening her face.] You're from Norway? Your accent is really pretty! It sounds like you've been here a long time, though? [She can tell it's not Danish because it doesn't sound like she's drunk. It's not as nice as Siiri's accent, but maybe she's just a little biased there because she's known her longer.]

If it makes you feel any better, my first time here was because my friend had given her my number and she was at work and someone replied and we didn't know what to do!

[And then there's a pause as she hesitates over something, not sure whether or not to bring it up.] You're Elsa Skare, aren't you? I didn't know you were living in America now. [Admittedly she had to google before replying to make sure and to remind her of her name, but she remembers watching that, even if she was mostly watching the hockey.] I'm Åsa! [Because it only seems fair to share her name too.]

Video ((looks awesome!))

[let_it_sn0w]

Only three years. In Norway, learning English is something that most young people do.

[Elsa has, admittedly, worked on her accent.]

Thank you, that does make me feel better.

[A little bit, anyway, but it counts.

When Åsa mentions Elsa's name, the girl's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but she recovers swiftly, making quite an effort to tamp down the emotions that come with being recognized. Especially by a girl who looks and sounds to be around her own age.]

Yes, I'm Elsa Skare. It's so weird to still be recognized.

[Please don't bring up what happened...]

Åsa is a pretty name. Do you like winter sports?

[originaloddcouple]

[When the couple pops up, they are already politely covering their eyes.]

Hi there!

Pleasure to meet you!

How are you doing?

[Video]

[let_it_sn0w]

[Aw. How sweet. Elsa is truly touched by their thoughtfulness and their attempt to give her some of her modesty back.]

It's... it's OK. I'm wearing a robe now.

I've really been much better. I just found out that a whole secret community of people who are special just watched me take a bath. And lie to my stand partner about being out.

[Video]

[originaloddcouple]

Oh, okay!

[They remove their hands immediately.]

Well, that can be pretty surprising.

But don't worry! We won't tell anyone!

You can trust us!

Voice

[saiyanscholar]

[He'd gotten a much better handle on this newfound super-strength of his over the past couple of weeks. Enough so that he'd finally felt comfortable replacing his old phone and old laptop. He's got this. Totally.

[Until suddenly there's a beautiful naked classmate on the network. The only thing Elsa will hear for a little while is a surprised yelp and a sickening crunch. There's nothing appropriate about him seeing that. NOTHING.

[... It occurs to him about a half hour later that she might have hear him yelp and break his laptop (again). He . . . should probably apologize. So here's a very tentative voice that might sound kind of familiar.]

Um, Elsa? Somebody's explained things by now, right? AndIswearIsawnothingIswear!

[Except for the fact that he totally did, but he's certainly not going to say that!]

Video

[let_it_sn0w]

[Oh dear, this just keeps getting better.

Elsa knows Jeffrey as the genius kid who is in one of her math classes. And she thought that yelp sounded awfully familiar.]

Jeffrey, is something broken? And... I don't quite believe that. Everybody saw, but thank you for lying to spare my feelings.

Voice

[saiyanscholar]

No, really, I looked away before anything could register. [Also a total lie. Let him have this, Elsa!]

Yeah, something . . . it's no big deal. Easy to replace.