1. ➟ video

[heymcfly]

[ The video starts with Marty holding the communicator really, really awkwardly. Behind him you can probably see a line of freestyle soda machines behind him. Marty has a dollar in his hand, but apparently something's not working for him. ]

Okay. So...ah, I'm Marty. I guess I'm new? I don't know if you gotta introduce yourselves or anything when you make a new one of these, but...

[ He gives the communicator a sheepish kind of shrug, unsure of whether he wants to feel stupid holding a camera like this, or feeling uncomfortable because people were looking at him weird. ] ...right. So I got a question. I guess.

So these touch vendor-things are everywhere, right? How the hell do you get your soda?

[ Marty turns the video to the machine, where he presses his finger against 'diet coke' on the main screen and then mashing it against the PUSH button. ] I press diet coke on the menu and it takes me to this thing where it shows me all kinda of flavors, but it won't give me my soda!

[ joke's on you marty, you have to select the big fat diet coke button before you can get your soda, duh. that's probably why people are looking at you weird.

Eventually he just lightly taps the toe of his shoe against the bottom of the machine. ]

This thing sucks. I don't even like coke.

Comments

[quaerit]

[ Oh you know, just a wild stab in the dark. And they are Coke’s main competitor, after all. ]

Yes, there aren’t any buttons. You touch the picture on the screen, and it’ll do the rest. I know what you mean, though, you’ve got to have what you like.

You should try a milkshake instead. I swear they’re straight out of the ‘50’s. Some of what they have here is completely modern, and the rest is vintage. It’s an interesting mix.

[heymcfly]

A milkshake? [ Marty looks from the communicator, to the machine. Then from the machine, to the communicator. He may look a bit skeptical! ] You're tellin' me that these make milkshakes too?

How do I do that? [ So much better than a coke. So much better. ] Do they cost more? I only got a few cents left.

[quaerit]

[ Well he didn’t necessarily mean get a milkshake from the fountain, but…hey, why not. ]

I don’t know, what are your options? If you can see its picture on the screen the machine can make it.

Just experiment. I promise, you won’t break it. [ Most likely. ]

[heymcfly]

[ Okay! Milkshake it is then. ]

Alright. Milkshake, milkshake. [ He looks at the screen...and pauses. ] How do I go back to the main menu? I'm stuck with it showin' the cokes.

[quaerit]

Is there a back button?

[ Wait. Pretend you're from the eighties, Gansey. ]

Ah, a left-pointing arrow. Or a return key.

Possibly something that looks like a house? [ Because, maybe it's 'Home' rather than 'Back'. ] Tell me if any of these ring a bell.

[heymcfly]

A back button? [ Marty actually looks around the screen to find an actual button. Kind of not working! Technology these days, seriously. ] Oh no wait, I see a house key.

[ Marty pushes it, and thank god! Away from coke. Good. ] Right. Okay.

...I still have no idea what soda to get. There's so many! Which one do you like?

[quaerit]

Cherry coke's all right.

[ A pause. ]

Or, is the blue Powerade an option? It tastes a lot better than it looks, believe me.

[heymcfly]

Power-what? [ He frowns a little, pressing the little 'powerade' option! Marty can't help but wrinkle his nose at first though. ] What's it supposed to be?

It's not a soda, is it?

[quaerit]

[ Christ. ]

Ah, it's an energy drink. Like Gatorade? Only it tastes better.

[ Gansey is versed in the ways of many energy drinks, owing to how often he's unable to sleep. This one should wake you right up, Marty. ]

Did you get the blue one? That's my favorite.