maskormenace | 01

[Right from the start, this video feed is very shaky. Not wildly, but like someone's pressed 'record' and forgot it. After a few seconds of swinging, a hanging ceiling light comes into focus, only to swing away as the device is once again moved.]

C'mon, stay up! ...Hah, there!

[It stops once again, this time showing a boy's face. It might look familiar to some, even if the eyes are the wrong color, or the design on the headband wrapped around his forehead might even be recognizable.

If not, nothing wrong with that. He looks happy at getting his phone to stay up.]

Hi! This is recording, right? The guy that gave it to me sorta explained it...he said if I asked around the network, I'd find more answers, so here I am. [A pause.]

Um...I'm Lan Hikari and I'm new to the country...or this part of the country, anyway. I have no idea what I'm doing here and could use some help with...anything. Like getting home. Or getting ahold of my mom or dad so they know I'm okay.

Or fixing this. [He retrieves an offscreen object, bringing a second device into the camera's view.] It got busted somehow, and last time I tried to fix it...

[It turned out badly. But he'll just imply that for now, shrugging before ending the video feed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Welcome to conversations with Ripley. It doesn't get less strange.]

Yet? One day though, maybe?

I'll have to ask Dad and see what he can do. It sounds like a cool idea.

[At least it's interesting conversation.]

Right? Probably the coolest idea.

So, is your dad an inventor or something?

A scientist. But he invents too, when he's not too busy with normal work. Most of his work is done on these.

[Indicating the PET device.]

Neato! What other kinda stuff can it do? When it's not broken, I mean. I don't think it's doing much right now.

A lot! You can make phone calls, send e-mails, access the internet wherever you can plug it in, connect it to other PETs and netbattle...

[He trails off, quiet for a few seconds.]

...i-if you have a Navi installed on it, of course. There's an alarm clock, programs for the Navi...stuff like that.

So it's like a smartphone, but bigger!

Hmmmm... and I don't think smartphones have navis. Unless that's navigation, then definitely they do! But I don't know how you'd do battles with maps.

'Navi' is short for 'Navigator', but they aren't maps. Most of them are programmed with a GPS so they can be tracked and bring up maps if you need them, though.

[That's kind of an amusing thought, though, battling with maps.]

I'd show you what a Navi looks like, but I can't. He's not in the PET anymore.

Oh no! Where'd he go?

--wait. He? THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PERSON IN THERE?

Dunno. Wish I knew.

[???? U okay Riley?]

...Yes? I mean, he's not really...I guess Navis are sort of like people. The ones that look like people...

[Because you have Beastman, who is not person-shaped and hates the person-shaped Navis, and probably normal humans by extension.]

And they're trapped in those little tiny thingies? Are they okay in there?

I think so? I haven't ever asked. Megaman's never complained, and they can go wherever they want if you're plugged into a computer that's online.

[Shrug.]

Weeeeell, I guess if they're alright with it then it's fine. Just kinda weird.

But I guess it's not weird to you, right? Since that's like a normal thing where you're from?

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