[Network] @hotstud_xxx; video | Day 52, evening [open]

[rubikscomplex]

[The video feed will show the inside of a tool shed where a small, flying robot is moving around in the dim light cast by the tablet.]

Hey, Trinity! Wibblelips! Look what I found. It flies, it screams, it's alive. It also happens to be the reason I'm stuck in a shed for the night. Now, I got a screwdriver.

[The screwdriver is held up into view in a pink-gloved hand.]

And I got a hammer.

[The screwdriver is set down and the hammer is picked up to show.]

It's a hammer of justice. It's a hammer of warning. And it's going to be the hammer I take to that freaking thing unless you tell me how to get it to stop screaming in my face. Hiro, you needed some robot parts, right? Might be able to get you some.

Comments

permavideo I guess!

[powersouls]

[Tifa winces as the thing screeches, then shakes her head in response.]

Are there a lot of those here?

[rubikscomplex]

Only one I know of. Apparently his name is 'Dumpy' and he belongs to Trinity and Wibblelips. They got him killed a couple of days ago. There are a bunch of robots around here, but they're even less friendly than this guy and under the control of the admin.

[powersouls]

['Wibblelips'? Seriously? Her eyebrows raise briefly, but she decides it's not worth asking.]

What are the admin's robots like?

[rubikscomplex]

[His lips wibble, Tifa. Enough to move most hearts. Except House's. Nothing moves his heart.]

So far we know about three types. Tiny spiders that live in the vents and inject us with crap every so often. Big spiders that probably rearrange the items in the houses. And Sasquatches. They really get pissed off if you try to burn them.

[powersouls]

What?

[She sound taken aback. That was the worst explanation ever.]

What do they inject us with?

[That's the most immediately alarming, apparently.]

[rubikscomplex]

No idea. We're still working on that one. And don't worry. They just crawl up in your clothing when you aren't looking and paralyze you for a bit.

[He's being serious, but... hey. He can't be entirely helpful without being a dick. That would ruin his reputation.]

[powersouls]

That sounds... horrible. How often does that happen?

[rubikscomplex]

Oh, every now and again. There's nothing you can really do to stop it. Like I said. Paralysis. Although, I've got a plan to try to catch some of the little bastards. We'll see how it goes.

[powersouls]

Hmm. How are you going to do that?

[She can't imagine there's much they could get out of the robots without the right tools or knowledge. Also... What if it just paralyzes him when he tries to catch it?]

[rubikscomplex]

Well, if I told you that, everybody might try it. And then they'd steal all my thunder. Sorry, Lockhart, it's a secret for now. iRobot over there's going to help, though, whether he wants to or not.

[powersouls]

[She laughs a little.]

My name is Tifa. Don't worry, I won't try to steal your thunder.

[She is completely good with not catching mysterious injecting spiders.]

[rubikscomplex]

I'm sure a girl named Tif's super trustworthy, but call me suspicious. So, where'd you get kidnapped from? Zombie future? Sci-fi future? Fantasy magic past/future? We've got themes. Gotta know where to slot you in.

[powersouls]

[Very quick with the nickname, huh? The question makes her pause, though. She lets out a contemplative hum.]

We have magic, and these tablets are nicer than anything at home, but...

[But it isn't like there are princesses and castles and no indoor plumbing. How do you answer that about your own world, anyway?]

I'm not sure. What about you?

[rubikscomplex]

Magic says fantasy. Twenty bucks says if you're planet's not called 'Earth,' it's either 'Gaia' or 'Terra.' As for me, I'm just a regular guy from Jersey. No magic, no fancy flying cars or super electronics.

[powersouls]

[Tifa lets out a surprised laugh. Are there really so many people from Gaia here, or is that just a common fantasy name where he's from?]

You're right, it's 'Gaia'. But your regular electronics might be amazing where I'm from, right?

[rubikscomplex]

They're a little less advanced than these tablets, but we've got something like them. Do you have television? No TV puts you back in practically the Stone Age where I'm from.

[powersouls]

We have TV! We don't use tablets to communicate, though. We have something called a PHS that lets us email people or call them.

[rubikscomplex]

We have those, too. They're called BlackBerries. And I'm guessing you've got the Internet if you've got email, so you're coming up to modern times. What about cars. Do yours fly or hover or still run on four wheels?

[powersouls]

Blackberries? [That is... actually a really cute name...]

We don't have cars that fly or hover, but we have airships and planes. Do yours fly?

[rubikscomplex]

They're basically cellphones with a keyboard. [That's not cute, Tifa. Don't ruin the manliness of the smart business technology in his world.]

When you say 'airships,' are we talking giant planes with lot of tiny planes inside? Because we've got those.

[powersouls]

Hmm, no. They're kind of like planes, I guess, but much bigger.

[rubikscomplex]

Do you mean a literal floating ship? Like an aircraft carrier in the sky? Because that would actually be wicked cool.

[powersouls]

[Tifa laughs a little at that. If only Cid were here to gush about airships with him.]

Well, they don't really look like ships. But there is a deck, and some of them have chocobo stables and need a big crew to operate.

[rubikscomplex]

You're like the third person I've heard mention chocobos, so I'm guessing you've got a few people from your 'world' here. What the hell are they, anyway? They sound like a dessert.

[powersouls]

[A dessert, seriously? She's smiling again.]

They're birds. Really big, flightless birds. You can ride them, and some people race them. They're adorable.

[The most important detail, of course.]