voicetest | setting: the beach when it's too cold for that

[Matthew feels hollow in a way he always is whenever he's out of reach of a city. The countryside has it's own power, but it's one he doesn't recognise and out here he can't feel his heart beat in time with the traffic or walk in time with the natural rhythms of city life. All things considered, the beach isn't high up on his list of places to visit.

But it is theirs. They're curious about everything and want to experience things first hand. It's a risk to be away from their source of power, but they so wanted to know. Precautions were set up of course. A few Aldermen were standing around close enough to see him, but far enough that it wasn't immediately obvious they were here with him and if it came down to it, the angels could burn what his sorcery couldn't.

It's a cold gloomy day and he almost looks like someone who woke up hungover on the beach if not for the way he's running around in bare feet, enjoying the feeling of sand between his toes.]

If we could we would spend all day here. So why is it so empty here?

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[The angel wasn't the only one with the beach on their 'to see' list.

Nena could have waited for a better day, but- she had a lot of time, now. And no particular ideas about what the weather on an ideal beach day should be, courtesy of a culture-free life.

It's quieter here. If she concentrates, she can catch the faint whispers of wireless chatter but for the most part: there's a distinct lack of the ever-present and all-encompassing discord she's known her whole life.

She hasn't decided whether she likes it or not. Maybe she'll keep on walking along the shoreline until she's made up her mind. Because again- time. Even if the strange, but first person she's seen today looks like he might take some of it.]

Maybe everyone else has better places to be.

Better? [A better experience? But they've learnt that people do not always mean more enjoyable when they say that while Matthew takes in the chill and the foreign tang of magic in the air and thinks of course.]

They're waiting for the sun to come out. [Unlikely, he's picked this place because it wasn't a busy tourist spot, but you could at least expect to see one other person.]

You could have brought a friend, if you're so lonely.

[He smirks and it's meant to look all mysterious and knowledgeable, but comes across as a more than a little bit insufferable.]

What makes you think I haven't?

[Insufferable wonder twins.]

Then you wouldn't be complaining about the emptiness, would you?

A query is not a complaint.

[Exasperation.] You....

[And then a shrug.] Well, but that's true enough. In what tone were you querying, sir? [Because sarcasm makes friends!]

[Matthew looks down at himself to confirm that yes, he does look like a homeless person so why is he getting called 'sir' even in sarcasm.]

Obviously in confusion that my minions haven't followed my orders and organised a spectacular party here.

[He can do sarcasm too!]

Good minions are hard to find, wouldn't you say?

But, hypothetically speaking, for your sake, I hope you haven't just forgotten that you've given them vacation or something like that. Servants need time off too, you know.

[He thinks about his Aldermen who absolutely refuse to leave him alone.]

I think I inspire such loyalty that they refuse to take it.

[More like he avoids so much work that they won't stop bugging him about it.]

Heh. Wouldn't I like to see the day.

[But there's gotta be a real reason.] Why do you have them?

[He gaze flickers to one of the Aldermen standing unobtrusively in the background. He considers lying or obscuring the truth, but he felt bad about it last time and they called him out on it.]

Because someone important died and gave me their job. Quite possibly the most foolish thing anyone has ever done.

If you want me to refute it, sorry, but I'm not that kinda guy.

I take it you hate your job.

It's fine, I agree anyway.

[He pauses. It's not a great job and it has very few perks, but at the same time if he was given the chance to walk away he'd hesitate.]

I might like it more if we got a company car out of it.

[Scoff.] Material goods, huh? Doesn't seem to take a lot to make you happy.

You'd think a job description of 'protector of the city' would compensate appropriately.

[He doesn't really want anything out of it, but for a position that's so highly coveted, it has very few benefits.]

Being a hero sure is thankless. The least it could do was give you a choice.

So, what sort of things do you do to protect your city?

[Curiosity is not the usual reaction he gets. It's normally screaming in fear because he's bringing his mystical wrath down on people or that very distinct expression of disappointment that someone with such an impressive job title looks like him or even rolling their eyes if it's Penny.

He is a little thrown off by it.]

We fought beings such as the death of cities and Blackout.

Conceptual enemies, huh? Tricky. You're not associated with a Church, by any chance?

Religious types don't tend to like us.

Oh, is that so? Not that I'm thinking of signing up, but by "us," do you mean an organization?

No.

[There's a long pause and it's not until it looks like he isn't going to elaborate any further that he speaks again.]

I am we and we are me.

I can't understand unless you explain....

But if you don't want to talk about it, let me ask something else. What are you doing here?

[As far as Matthew and the angels are concerned, that was an answer and being told that it wasn't is off-putting.]

The circus wasn't in town, but we wanted to play and I wanted a day off.

setting: the beach when it's too cold for that

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