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[germhating_hypochondriac]

[Eddie paces as he talks. There's a cast on his arm with the word loser written in black, with a red V written over the s to spell lover.]

Hello? Can you hear me? We're all kidnapping victims here; you guys know that right?

This nanite stuff sucks. There are tiny germ sized robots crawling around inside us! Something's gotta be powering them. They could be hanging out in our stomachs eating our food. Or they could be eating us and making tiny little holes inside our bodies. They could all build up in one place and block off the blood flowing through our arteries and our veins. Or build up in our organs, our lungs and our brains! And, our bodies are mostly water. They could be rusting inside us.

[He stops pacing and starts scratching his face with his cast-free hand]

I think I'm allergic to them! Everything's itchy. I'm gonna break out into hives!

[He starts wheezing and rubs his chest.]

I could be allergic to the tattoo too. I'm just a kid. I shouldn't have one. I think it's starting to swell up. I could have an infection. Or a blood disease. I don't trust these government people to be clean.

[The wheezing continues and his voice becomes strained with each word. He takes his inhaler out of a fanny pack and uses it, only speaking again when he's breathing is back to normal.]

How are we supposed to deal with this shit?

Comments

[mortalweapon]

[ Calmly, steadily, in a stream of words: ]

Nanites largely function to protect you; however, they have been known to occasionally malfunction.
We are continuously at the whim of the Porter.
Between these two facts, life as an ImPort can be somewhat irregular.
Power nullifying technology has previously existed in this world.
Current availability: Unknown.
Safety is impossible to guarantee.
You have no control.
You cannot bring anyone with you when you go home.

[germhating_hypochondriac]

Malfunction how?  Are they gonna burst out of me like that alien movie? 

What the fuck?  We just get fucked if the porter decides to act up or other shit happens?  There needs to be rules and safety codes.

[He shakes his head.] 

Nope.  No way.  I'm not leaving Richie in danger land and he wouldn't leave me behind either.

[mortalweapon]

I have yet to witness nanites bursting from a person's body.
Technically speaking, it is probably possible, if unlikely.

[ WOW HOW BOUT SOME BEDSIDE MANNER THO, MISS ROBOT??? ]

You will find out quite quickly that the Porter cares very little for your preferences.
But most ImPorts adapt and learn to cope.
Truthfully, there is very little choice.

[germhating_hypochondriac]

I'll keep it on the list of ways this place might fuck us all over.

[He is making a list, to be followed by a list of ways to stay safer, or at least make himself feel like he has some control.]

I don't care much for the porters and what they want either. Richie and I will figure it out.Los...Friends like us always stick together. Always.

[mortalweapon]

A admirable sentiment.
You care very much for your friend.

[germhating_hypochondriac]

Of course.   I love my friends.  They're the best.

[mortalweapon]

[ Curiously: ]

Oh?
Please elaborate on what makes these friends so exemplary.

[germhating_hypochondriac]

They helped me have a life when my mom wanted to keep me inside all the time.  They're really brave and smart and kind and creative and strong and funny. We killed a monster together.

[mortalweapon]

Acknowledged.
It is an admirable feat, for such small humans to kill a monster.

[ She doesn't question the fact. Maybe monsters are normal where she comes from? ]

[germhating_hypochondriac]

Had to be us.  Pennywise messed with the adult's heads - made them not realize what was going on and not give a shit when other kids went missing.  My friend, Bill, he was the one who convinced us to kill It.  Bill always knows what's right.

Did you ever fight a clown monster?

[mortalweapon]

No.
But I have fought monsters.
That is how I know that it is admirable for you to have done the same.

[germhating_hypochondriac]

What kind of monsters did you fight?
Are they here?

[mortalweapon]

Many kinds.
Even gods.
But they are not here.
Not presently.
Though it is always possible that the Porter will change that.

[germhating_hypochondriac]

Gods are monsters?  My mom says there's only one god and he's not a monster.  

The porter needs to get fixed.  It's like it fucks everything up.

[mortalweapon]

That depends largely on the god.

The Porter cannot be fixed.
You and your friends must learn to adapt.

[germhating_hypochondriac]

How many gods are there?

People gotta learn how to fix it. 
My friends are good at adapting. 

[mortalweapon]

I don't know.
More than you or I am aware of, almost certainly.

I imagine if you were able to kill a monster, you must be good at adapting.
That bodes well for your time here.