prismatica | 001; video;

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001; video;

I've never been on camera before.

[ The woman with the 50's bob and red lipstick smiles a little nervously, but it's friendly nonetheless. ]

Uh, hi. I'm Virginia Johnson. Another new arrival.

[ She gives a small wave. ]

So, this place is pretty weird to a girl from Missouri, but possibly the thing that surprised me the most is, well... the permissiveness. The people in this world seem to talk about sex openly, with no shame. Where I come from, most people are a lot more squeamish about it - even Puritanical. My partner and I were trying to change that, but it wasn't going too well.

I suppose my question is, are there others who've had similar experiences on arriving here? Or are these other worlds you come from more like this one, in that regard?

[ She hesitates a moment, glancing to one side. ]

Also, does anyone have a 16 mm film projector?

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New-ish arrival too. Hi Viginia. I'm Rochelle.

My... culture, I guess? Is kind of the same with sex. Not as Puritanical as it used to be, but it's not exactly dinner table conversation either. Guess it's a good thing people here are so open about it? I'm just... not used to it.

[She laughs.]

What do you need a film projector for, anyway?

Nice to meet you, Rochelle.

[ She chuckles a little, herself. ]

I feel almost hypocritical, as devoted as I've been to encouraging more openness about sex back home, and then I get here, and people talk about it so casually, and it feels strange to me.

Oh, I don't need a projector, necessarily, I just have some film with me that I might want to review at some point.

I wouldn't worry too much. Being on an alien planet is still pretty weird. Especially when an old octopus lady tries giving you sex advice. Apparently, the pretzel position is great for your spine.

Wish I could help, then. My dad had an old film projector, but... uh. Getting that's easier said than done, for obvious reasons.

Well... I'm not sure how much help an octopus would be on the intricacies of human physiology.

[ She's starting to take things in stride. Virginia is nothing if not adaptable. ]

Octopus lady. She still had human parts. So maybe she's onto something.

[Don't worry. Rochelle's slowly getting used to that herself. She flashes a sarcastic grin.]

So, what, she had human genitals and... tentacles?

[ Gini squints a little, trying to picture such a creature. ]

I... wasn't looking at her genitals??

But she had tentacles.

Right, obviously.

[ To be fair, Virginia might've asked for a look. God knows, she has seen a lot of genitals over the past couple of years. ]

And the people here - us, that is, can sometimes experience physiological changes, right? Like... growing animal ears?

Uh... yeah. Had it happen to me not too long ago. Bird... wings.

[how talk]

Did it hurt? Could you fly or were they functionally useless? Did it -

Uh, sorry.

[ Look, she's kind of a nerd about this stuff. ]

I need to compile a questionnaire of some sort.

... Wow. You really do.

[Damn.]

I, uh... it didn't hurt? I kind of just woke up with them. But I'm a little afraid to try actually flying.

There is so much I have to work out before I can start collecting data. Has anyone else tried?

I haven't met anyone else with bird wings, but I might... try it eventually?

Hang on, what are you collecting data for?

[Ro's voice is suddenly on a slight edge. You did nothing wrong, Virginia. She's just a little touchy about "data collection" of any kind after she found out she was immune to the literal zombie apocalypse happening in her world.]

[ That's... an odd question. Virginia blinks in surprise. ]

To learn about it? I mean, if no one has before. The more we know about the kinds of changes that take place, the better prepared we'll be for them.

Oh.

Okay, I just - didn't realize you were talking about just... moonblessings in general. At least, I'm guessing that's what you're talking about.

Sorry, I... long story.

Oh, of course. I didn't mean to put you on the spot. No, collecting data requires collecting it from a large sample of people, not just one.

No, that's on me. Think I took that the wrong way. [She shakes her head.] What makes you want to study it, anyway?

Well, someone should. The more we know about it, the more we can prepare for it. We can keep new people from panicking, hurting themselves accidentally. Doing things they might regret, who knows? That's why we should learn, if we can.

That's a good way to look at it.

I pretty much panicked and hurt myself the first time too.

[ Virginia winces a bit in sympathy. ]

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sort of dreading it, myself, even if I'm also interested in what it'll do to me.

It's okay. Just, uh - if you happen to be Cordis, and your neck turns around for no reason? That's probably an owl thing.

[ Virginia almost visibly recoils at the idea. ]

Uh, fortunately, I'm Iris.

[It's like a literal kick to his nuts because - he knows that style of hair, that face, those mannerisms and a 16mm projector?

He's glad he's dressed today - you can't get your suits custom made today but by pure damn luck he's wearing his single breasted one button 1950s suit and thin tie he wore when he first arrived. Complete with the pomade and the cigarette he looks like a relic.]

All the technology is really advanced. Can't even get Kodak out here. Let me ask when you're from?

[ This stranger is possibly the most familiar sight Virginia has seen since her arrival. It's almost comforting. ]

1958. What about you?

1960.

[Oh thank God.]

Don Draper, Sterling Cooper and Associates in New York City.

[Have you heard of him? Please say yes. He smooths his hair back.] Look one way or another in the reality of the situation it is...very nice to see someone from the same era as I am.

[warts and all]

How are you adjusting?

Nice to meet you.

[ Nope, no recognition on her face at all. ]

I'm doing well enough, I suppose, aside from the fact that I miss my kids something fierce. I've never been to New York, though. I'm from Saint Louis.

[Kids. Yes. Right.

He nods slowly to her.] It can be tough, but people here are welcoming, and some...well some people shift in and out.

So I've discovered. Here's hoping my stay is short, though I've also spoken to some people who've been here for a year.

You experience the moons yet? Gives whole new meaning to the idea of a "time of the month". I have learned...a great deal of respect for the subject.

[He turns into a big bear honestly he gets screwed in his opinion.]

So. Can I be of any help. In any capacity to you?

I haven't yet, but I'm told I will in a few days, for better or worse.

Are you having as much difficulty as I am wrapping your mind around all this... magic?

[Aha.]

I mean have you seen this stuff? Kodak would die of happiness. Pepsi can't compare. Have you been to the malls? There are whole marketplaces.

That helped. It's...new.

[He likes new.]

But the moons were what shook me out of any sort of awe.

The technology is really something, if I could just figure out how most of it worked.

What's to figure out?

[He pauses]

I mean secretaries are officially a thing of the past. [A damn shame really, but.] If this where it goes? Our lives are about to get a whole hell of a lot easier.

I mean think about it. That's really what matters right?

I like to know how things work. Call it a habit.

What you don't believe in magic?

Or...complicated technical stuff? I mean...this place...

[He looks a little haunted.]

You haven't seen half the things that can happen. A lot of it gets bad.

I didn't believe in magic. I believed in science.

[ She frowns. ]

I mean, obviously it exists, here. I'm just... having some difficulty wrapping my head around it all. Especially after that... attack, or whatever that was.

It was real.

[His hand slides to his shoulder nervously before he lights a cigarette] I ended up possessed by that bastard.

I'm sorry to hear that. It was scarier than a bombing drill, that's for sure.

Jesus don't get me started.

Why are you looking for a 16mm projector?

It's not especially important. I just arrived with some film from back home, but no way to watch it.

You should try and get one of these tech kids to convert it to digital.

color film. I mean easily developed color film. I toured a technicolor lab for a job and the process of coloring film is actually really impressive. It's an intensive process. They've been doing it since the 20s, or at least trying to. They dye things - run it through filters - and then apply - get this - sugar. This sugar called Chitin.

Now with these computers they can add color, in a matter of seconds, reproduce it, look for errors in it. Fascinating stuff.

Hm. I might consider it. Thanks.

Well met, Virginia. I am Thereth. [Your friendly neighborhood cow-woman.]

I have heard that humans can be...what is the word? More...restricted...than other races. They have rules about it.

Nice to meet you, Thereth.

[ Holy... cow?! Is this one of those famed animal people she keeps hearing about??? Curiosity: piqued! ]

Oh, yeah, a lot of mostly unnecessary and needlessly obfuscating rules. To the extent that some people don't have the slightest idea how their own bodies work.

[ Can you tell this is important to her? Yeah. ]

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