video; @crowley

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

This isn't London either.

[That much, it would seem, is completely obvious... but the young man on the screen isn't addressing his audience when he says it. He looks like he's just stepped out of the decontamination area after retrieving his belongings and more or less booking it away, and he doesn't look like he's impressed with any of this despite the dark sunglasses concealing his eyes.]

Look, this is getting ridiculous-- and don't tell me, people here haven't figured out a way to get the-- Somewhere back home either?

[He pulls in a breath, sharply and through his teeth, and grimaces.]

At least tell me there's a decent bar.

Comments

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Oh, yeah, that's a good way to welcome someone into a place. 'Here's the maintenance section, have fun finding your way out'.

[Crowley, too, is somewhat perplexed by the sheer level of technology around them.]

Feels like there should be more people here. Kind of spooky.

[uptogood]

I think there used to be. I wonder what happened to them.

[ Makes him uneasy. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

... Not sure if I want to know.

[It's a huge place, and something doesn't feel quite right about it... but that could just be his paranoia talking.]

Let's just... stick together, yeah?

[uptogood]

Of course. I'm not going anywhere.

[ It's all right. They're together, so they'll be all right. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

I'm going to hold you to that, you know.

[Crowley casts a wary look his way, and then a crooked smile as a break of light through the clouds.]

I will.

[uptogood]

I have no doubt.

[ Crowley has always done that, in matters both big and small. Always ensured that Aziraphale holds himself to his own words. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

[The demon smiles slightly, but it looks like an expression more forced to reassure himself than to do anything for the angel. He gives a little shudder.]

At least that funny feeling is gone. That city made my scales stand on end.

[uptogood]

It was unpleasant, wasn't it? But I did rather like the home we were building.

[ Hopefully there's a library or bookshops here, since it looks like he'll have to start over with his collection again. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Mm. Pity about the plants.

[He means that with more feeling that it seems. His collection in London had been one thing, but the small number of them that he had begun to amass in that place had mostly been bought for him by Aziraphale, and that meant far more.]

And your books.

[uptogood]

I don't suppose we'll have such a nice house here.

[ Yes, he's rather bummed out about that. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Mm, no.

[But...

Crowley presses his lips together, purses them slightly, then gives Aziraphale a gentle nudge.]

You've got me.

[uptogood]

[ His face splits into a wide smile. ]

Yes, I do. I much prefer that.

[ Then, he slows to a stop, distracted by the Exit Room he spots in the corner of his eyes. Are those ...?

Is the world outside these walls truly that dangerous? ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

[Crowley's distracted, but the way the angel's attention strays pulls him back to the present again. He looks at his companion with his eyebrows slightly raised.]

What's the matter?

[uptogood]

I believe those are space suits.

[ The video had said that the surface of this planet isn't safe, but it's one thing to be told something, and another to see it for yourself. Normally, it wouldn't matter for the two of them, but he has to wonder if that would still be the case. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Erm.

[Well, shit.

He works his hand gently out of the angel's grip to move closer to said space suits, and takes off his sunglasses as he gets nearer.]

That's encouraging.

[uptogood]

[ He follows along, his face solemn. ]

If everything in that welcome message is false, it's a very elaborate trick.

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

This place looking like the pound shop version of what was in the videos doesn't give me confidence.

[And he'll just... put his arm around Aziraphale. No big deal. Crowley frowns.]

Maybe it used to be true.

[uptogood]

[ No big deal, perhaps, but a gesture he appreciates nonetheless. He even leans into Crowley a little, with a quiet sigh. The City was unpleasant in many ways, but so far, it was still better. ]

Then, something happened.

[ Maybe. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Yeah.

[What they could see here didn't match up to the idyllic images in the video they'd been shown on coming to. Crowley nudges his sunglasses up with his free hand. Well, they were here now... and it didn't look as if they'd be going anywhere.]

Didn't say anything in the video, did it?

[uptogood]

No. The man speaking seemed very happy.

[ He shrugs. Not that that necessarily means anything. ]