video, un: gorgug (pre-mingle)

[tinflower]

[ The camera turns on and focuses in on a motley duo: Riz and Fabian, a Goblin and a Half-Elf respectively (and, it has to be said, the camera has to be considerably zoomed out to accommodate both of their heights) who wear matching expressions of distinct disgruntlement. Behind them is a clue board that Riz refers to every now and then while he talks, his speech quick and efficient, words stumbling over each other in his haste to get them out. ]

Uh, hey everyone. Welcome back to Etraya, I guess? I’m just going to cut straight to the chase: a team of us did some investigation of what was happening back at Moorecroft, and I think there are some things that everyone should know. We went ahead and tried to figure out what the whole curfew thing was about – in case some of you just decided to behave yourselves the whole time, our curfew was being maintained by robots that would straight up kill you if you decided to stay out.

First, some of us went to check out the hospital, which is where most of the suspicious activity was coming from. Something there had the ability to lock away people’s powers, and they were able to somehow mimic people we knew from home, which were sent out to attack us. Presumably, that was to get our guards down. Fabian and I managed to get into the underground, where… [ He frowns, rubbing the palms of his hand together. ] Honestly? Things there were pretty inconclusive. There were a bunch of hand-drawn pictures along the walls of the corridor, stuff from around town, and it looked like they were raising some sort of… kids down there? Some of the rooms were obviously for teens our age, and other rooms were for really little kids, and it all led to some sort of tracks that led somewhere else. Where and why, we don’t know. But something real fucked up is going on there. You don’t find empty hidden bunkers of kids stuff without it being super fucked up, you know?

The others ran into other stuff around the city – smoke that turned into these big monsters that tried to eat them, the things those robots were trying to protect us from. Others ran into these android kids, who we can pretty easily assume the rooms in the hospital were for. The monsters didn’t try to go after them; apparently they only went after people who didn’t belong. Namely, us. Now, we don’t know what the hell those monsters were, but Adaine could feel what sort of arcane energy they were giving off – it was some seriously powerful reality-shifting energy. Conjuration, but the sort you’d only get from really, really powerful wizards.

That energy isn’t restricted to Moorecroft. She felt it here too, once we got back. That doesn’t bode well for any of us.

[ Riz takes a deep breath, glancing up at Fabian. ]

Did I miss anything?

Yeah, maybe some more emphasis on how fucked up this all is? [ Riz may have sounded relatively composed. Just objectively trying to get information across. Fabian, on the other hand, sounds anything but. He’s not looking majorly upset - yet - but he’s definitely both looking and sounding annoyed as he speaks. It isn’t aimed at Riz, nor even really at the viewers, like it’s some sort of general annoyance at this place. ] We almost died back there. Someone actually did die! And it’s not even the first time, since the stuff with the maze and the stuff with the plushies was just as fucked up!

[ Riz grimaces, a row of sharp teeth on display as he tugs at Fabian’s arm, hissing in a far less officious whine: ] Dude, time and place, this is just the mission report—

[ Unfortunately, Fabian just keeps going, wildly gesturing with his hands at this point as he speaks, the smaller boy visibly giving up on stopping him beside him: ]

We can’t just act like this place is normal! If it really wanted to help us save our worlds or whatever, then it could at least stop constantly trying to kill all of us, right?! How are we supposed to trust anything in this place when clearly it does not have our best intentions in mind in any way? [ His hand gesture arm swing is so wild that he almost manages to accidentally hit Riz. Sorry bud. At least it’s a near miss. ] I mean, the least we can do is for people here to stop holding hands with the companion bots! They’re trying to kill us!

[ Wait, what is that weirdly specific mention—

And a deep sigh can be heard from the other side of the video, which then ends there. Wow, wonder who that could've been!!! ]

( ooc: responses can come from one of the three boys (riz, gorgug, or fabian) just as an fyi! )

Comments

[equivo]

I wouldn't say they're technically our guards.

[ Of course Fabian doesn't get the appeal of robot friendship. He's a jock.

The fact Krouse also finds it mildly bewildering is completely beside the point, and for different, intellectual reasons. He's honour-bound to defend a fellow loser. ]

They're more like security cameras + drones. So it's like he's holding hands with prison equipment. Sort of a different thing.

[maximumlegend]

are you seriously trying to say that is not just as bad

who would want to hold hands with that

i mean there are so many other things to hold hands with in this place

[equivo]

Maybe he doesn't want to hold hands with those other things.

[ Krouse feels like this conversation is already completely off the rails. ]

I mean, realistically, not everyone here is a catch. Plus there's the complication of us competing to keep our worlds from exploding. I can't help but feel like that puts a damper on romance.

[maximumlegend]

[ ....

Never has Fabian felt like Krouse has plunged a dagger into his heart as much as in this very moment. The more he reads the words, the more the upset spreads throughout him - and it's not like it wasn't already there in the first place.

It's just that it feels even worse now. ]

don't you happen to know any people here who might be more attractive than those robots
no people at all?????

[ This is your LAST CHANCE, KROUSE!!! ]

[equivo]

Yes???

[ Two can play at your multiple punctuation game, Fabian.

Unfortunately, Krouse lacks the context, understanding, sensitivity, or basic read of the room to quite pick up what Fabian is putting down otherwise. ]

But that's my personal taste. And I'm sure as hell not looking for a relationship, so it's a moot point.

[ There are no exception to that and nothing else going on whatsoever. ]

What's it to you, anyway?

[maximumlegend]

maybe i am just worried that my friend thinks robots are the only option around here when it comes to holding hands

[ Clearly it's that.

Just that.

There is, indeed, nothing else going on whatsoever here either. Just two normal guys having a very normal conversation. ]

is that so strange????

[equivo]

If you want him to hold hands with not-robots so much just set him up on a date or something, man.

You're popular. You have to know somebody who'd be into him. You have the power to solve this problem you're inventing. Carpe that diem.

[ Is Krouse being a dick by saying this openly, in public? Yes. On purpose. And the worst part is he doesn't even know how much of a dick he's being, specifically. ]

[maximumlegend]

dude
why are you suddenly on his side

i thought we were friends

[ Maybe it's a little bit too intense for what they're talking about here.

But Krouse's words definitely come across harsher than they are meant to, considering how much context Krouse is missing here that only lives rent free inside of Fabian's own mind. And even then he may not realize just about half of it himself. ]

i thought you cared!!!!!!!!!!

[ BRO!!!

YOU'RE MAKING THE HOMIES CRY!! ]

[equivo]

[ Maybe a little too fucking intense, indeed.

Krouse stares at the words floating in his HUD, a cigarette filter hovering halfway to his mouth, and - on the one hand, it's nothing. Guys like Fabian throw friend around like a party favour. You get it just for showing up. And it's an expression, in these circumstances. Fabian's being dramatic, playing out a bit. He's almost definitely playing out a bit.

Krouse remembers the last time someone said he thought they were friends. It's etched on his brain like it's painted in acid. And it was not about anything fucking like this.

He's still thinking about it. ]

I'm on your side.

[ Which means he's thinking less about what he types out, words tripping into floating visibility. ]

I'm on both your sides, man. I wasn't aware this was a pick and choose situation.

[maximumlegend]

[ It would help if Fabian could actually properly use his words. If he could just say "it hurts because it feels like everyone is invalidating my feelings."

But of course he can't do that. At least Krouse's words get him to simmer down a little bit, but it's still doubtful whether or not Fabian can actually make the situation any more clear to the other guy, considering how bad he often is at doing exactly that. ]

i mean
i guess you do not have to pick a side

[ The italics? They're doing so much heavy lifting in that sentence, Krouse. You don't even know from where you're sitting and reading them. So much heavy lifting. ]

it is just as if you don't even see the problem right here in front of us

[equivo]

[ He does not see the problem. Which probably means it's a problem big enough he doesn't have a scope on it.

Or Fabian is kind of neurotic and or really taking this robot thing specifically hard. ]

No. No, I think I get it.

It's kind of like if one of your teammates started dating someone from the opposing team, right? You know it's technically fine, but it stings.

[ Fabian's a sports guy. Sports are a good, solid metaphor here. ]

[maximumlegend]

yes
sure

[ .. If anything would make it obvious that's not the entire problem, it's this. Because Fabian is always way too enthusiastic when someone agrees with him, and this isn't fully that. It's not him giving Krouse the cold shoulder or anything either, it's just him being.. awkward.. unsure of how to exactly express this much.. ]

it would be strange if your teammates were spending time with the opposing team and not with their own team, right

[equivo]

[ What the hell is going on? ]

I kind of had something like that happen with my team.

Not dating. But they were getting flirted with, if you follow me. Some people trying to poach them. It wasn't great.

[ And now why the hell is he telling Fabian this? ]

I wanted to believe they wouldn't get suckered in, but it gets to you.

And look, it might not be my place to say this [ it's definitely fucking not ] but I don't get the sense your team is that easy to break up.

[maximumlegend]

[ Look, Fabian would also like to know what the hell is going on.

Despite being the person that's making this all weird to begin with. But he sucks at putting his feelings into words, and even more so when he doesn't realize half of the feelings in the first place. ]

i don't think so either

[ Not after everything. ]

it's still possible for them to forget about you for a while though

[equivo]

Yeah, well.

[ Fabian's...not wrong. Fabian's not wrong in a specific way that makes Krouse's gut twitch with suppressed guilt. ]

You're kind of a difficult person to forget. Given how loud you are, I mean.

[maximumlegend]

[ ...

Cue a moment of Fabian just.. squinting with his one eye at this text. Then, a moment later, and perhaps a little less seriously than a moment ago: ]

i can't tell if you are trying to give me a compliment or insult me

[equivo]

It's a complisult. A compliment-insult.

[ Cutting edge innovation, Fabian. ]