➊st (video)

[substandard]

[the entry starts with Draco suddenly leaning away from the stationary screen, looking relatively bewildered—and not looking at the camera, because he doesn't know what that is or where to find it. he leans back forward, observing the screen, and gives it an uncertain little tap. he mumbles, a little.]

Is it working, then?

[he rolls his eyes and sighs.]

Feel like a sodding idiot... Well, here goes.

[and, unsure if this is properly doing its thing or not, Draco just hopes that it's working so that he's not literally talking to a wall. Draco seems to decide looking at the screen is probably the best course of action, as he talks—so to those viewing him, his eyecontact isn't direct, but hey, it's not too off!]

Some of you've already met me; my name is Draco Malfoy. I'm a somewhat recent arrival for this embarrassment of a city.

[and, as is characteristic of his house, Draco gets straight to business.]

I heard this was probably the easiest way to contact people conveniently, since there's no other option. I'm looking for a partner—someone to rely on when I start to get ill.

[he prays people get his meaning.]

That said, besides obviously helping the health of whoever steps up to the task, you won't be doing this for nothing. I'm a wizard—I know magical abilities aren't incredibly uncommon around here, but there's a fair bit of magic that can be incredibly convenient in the—[Draco half scowls, half winces,] domestic scheme of things, I guess...

Anyway—a simple exchange of information, such as where we're living or places we frequent, and trust enough to find one another as necessary is all I ask.

Comments

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[Draco can't imagine a bloke with such a devastating lack of imagination would be able to do his own research very well—but the idea tickles him.]

Obviously.

I've learned some interesting things already, but it seems like no one's been here for an incredibly long time. Regardless: connections are important, yes.

As for this place, they can bloody well shove it for all I'm concerned; desperate straights or not, they've no right to kidnap an absolute hoard of people without so much as a consultation. Worse yet, I've heard we're mostly here due to a mechanical malfunction of some kind. There's not even a method involved, seems—but I don't know if I believe that. Not really.

[4balls]

[ At least he can partially agree with Draco on all that - they really do have no right to kidnap people. It's why his Justice Sense (tm) is kicking in, after all. It's why he knows he has to find out more about this place, but it seems attempting to get into contact with the people in charge is rather.. difficult. ]

A malfunction.. even though they said they were desperate for our help to keep the city alive? It's strange either way though, it seems to be doing just fine as far as I can see. They even opened a new part recently, but then they first guarded that part to not allow us in. Why would they even do that?

[substandard]

Is that right?

I don't know why they would. A pacifying gesture, perhaps? Surely some fools would take it as an act of good will or something.

[4balls]

It almost seems suspicious instead to me. If they want us to help out so bad, then why would they lock us out of certain places?

[substandard]

They need us touching eachother to help them—how open their city is to us is irrelevant for their needs. They could keep us locked up in twos to a cage, for all it's worth. And it's not exactly as if we can go on strike to rebel against them, as resisting their needs makes us ill.

The way I see it, we're as perfect cattle to them.

[4balls]

[ .. Huh. It really is true. The way Draco puts it would help this city just as much as the way they keep them now does.. ]

But still.. then that's curious too. Why wouldn't they keep us that way if it would be the easiest for them? Are they trying to get us to trust them?

[substandard]

Perhaps. Or maybe, stealing away a bunch of people and using them in such a weird, violating way—it could be this just washes their hands of their bad feelings. Justifies their decisions, rids them their guilt.

But honestly, who knows, really.

[4balls]

There's no way that would work.

[ It wouldn't work in his rigid Jojo's sense of justice, nope siree. It's why he sounds rather firm about this, even though it's obviously not Draco who would need to be convinced about this to begin with. ]

If you have done a bad deed, then you have done a bad deed. There is no way you could say it's better since it could have been worse. Their mindsets are completely wrong.

[substandard]

[Draco raises an eyebrow inquisitively, wondering if they're on two different pages. perhaps not...]

Believe me, I'm not trying to defend them. I don't find a thing about this place okay in the slightest.

[4balls]

Hm. [ He nods, like he knew that but really just did mean something else. ]

I'm just saying that they're only deceiving themselves if they truly did it for such a reason. Even if they let us walk around freely here, they still won't let us go home, so in principle it's the same thing.

[substandard]

I see.

Well, in that case, I agree.