VIDEO

[khajidont]

[ Good evening, Mask or Menace! Jaime's back, and while he doesn't look any older, he certainly looks tired and a little sour to boot, like someone just fed him a nintendo switch cartridge real bitter pill. It was a long month. ]

So, um... hey! I'm back. That was definitely the longest I've been ported out for, but I gotta ask: what happened while I was gone? Because I got back, and all of a sudden, like, half of the people I know are gone. Dick's gone, Tadashi's gone again, Fuu's gone, Sarissa's gone, so's my Mom...

Was this just the Porter, or what?

[ It probably is - people tend to leave in waves - but it's left him feeling a little shellshocked, and it's worth searching for answers at the very least. He raises a hand to rub at the back of his neck, playing a little with the hair at the nape. ]

Um, anyway. Good to see you guys who are still here. And for all the newbies, I'm Jaime. Nice to meet you.

Comments

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[khajidont]

Yeah. It's a name. My friend's name. Dude, keep up.

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[h2no]

That poor lad! Ey, how many times has someone called him that and he socked 'em one before he realised they meant his name??

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[khajidont]

Dude, I get that you think that you're being funny and all, but I'm like, pretty sure I'm never gonna get to see my friend again? And you're making fun of his name when he's not even here to defend himself?

It's super rude.

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[h2no]

Tryin' to be-- hey, wait! Everyone's always goin' on about how unpredictable and annoying that tech thing is, maybe he'll come back! Maybe ten of him will come back!

...

For the record, I genuinely have never heard that name before.

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[khajidont]

Maybe, but I've been here long enough to know some people just don't come back - or if they do, they don't remember us anymore.

[ He rubs a little at his forehead. Maybe he's being uncharitable, but also: dick move, dude!

Har har. Dick. ]

It's short for Richard. Don't ask me why he went for Dick instead of Rich or something, but that's what he's always gone by as long as I've known him. And trust me, he gets a looootta jokes about it. Always rolls with it, though. He'd probably just make fun of your name right back at you.

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[h2no]

As he should!

[archie rubs at his beard for a moment.]

Uh. Sorry, I didn't realise...

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[khajidont]

Ahhh, it's okay. [ He scrunches his nose and wags one hand dismissively at the screen. He's being maudlin anyway. Any one of the people who went missing would be scolding him right now, he's sure of it. ] It's not -- I mean, it shouldn't be that big a deal anyway. I just feel like I gotta defend him when he's not around to defend himself, y'know?

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[h2no]

C'mon. If someone did the same to me I'd deck 'em, yeah? This was on me.

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[khajidont]

Well, I might've decked you in person.

[ No, he wouldn't have. He'd be tempted, though. ]

So, what's your name, anyway?

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[h2no]

And I ain't sayin' I wouldn't have deserved it.

[it's this new thing he's trying called "owning up to your fuck ups." anyway, archie laughs.]

Kid, you're gonna love this. Archibald, or Archie.

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[khajidont]

Oh yeah, I could have a field day with that one. Especially with the headgear.

[ YOU BALD, BUDDY? ]

I'm Jaime. You haven't been here too long, have you?

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[h2no]

Yeah, right? What is this, the 1800s?

[rude he has a lovely thick head of hair]

Psssh... coupla weeks, maybe? Ain't really been keeping count. They kinda blur into one when you ain't doing what you're used to, right?

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[khajidont]

Yeah, up until this becomes the new normal. I've been here for, oh... two years now, I guess?

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[h2no]

Woah, shit. They're really slackin' on fixing those science things, huh?

[if he suddenly sounds exceptionally upset, it's because......he is. fuck.]

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[khajidont]

Yeah, sorry, man, it's not a fun bombshell to hear. But it's the truth.

If it makes you feel any better, most people aren't around for as long as me. I'm, uh, one of a few exceptions, here.

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[h2no]

Aw, hell, bro. I'm sorry t'hear that. Maybe there's somethin' special about you, huh?

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[khajidont]

Maybe the Porter's just forgotten about me.

[ He's pretty low-key! ]

Anyway, it's fine. I'll take being here over forgetting everything a hundred times over.

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[h2no]

That creepy douche? I doubt it.

[a pause, then:] Forgetting everythin'?

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[khajidont]

Yeah.

You go back home? It's like nothing here ever happened. You forget everyone and everything, and just go right back where you left off. That's nothing I want.

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[h2no]

What the fuck? The teleporter messes with your brain as well? How have they not fixed that! We have working teleporters at home! I have them in my damn base!

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[khajidont]

If they knew how to work the Porter, you think we'd be here? Most of us wouldn't choose to stay, and the government sure wouldn't want to bring any more of us in. It's not as simple as a teleporter, I don't think - not unless your teleporters moved people through space and time too.

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[h2no]

Well, no... but it has to be the same kind of concept, right?

[he scratches his cheek, deep in thought.]

Really kicks you in the ass with how chaotic life is, eh?

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[khajidont]

Man, are you telling me. You have any experience with those Porters in your base? Like, d'you know how they work, or do you mostly just use 'em?

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[h2no]

I was... workin' up to enquirin' about them. Y'know, after I was done bein' in shock. Why, you know some... secrets?

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[khajidont]

Nah, unfortunately not. And if I did, I probably wouldn't be sharing them on a network that the government has access to! But I do think that the more information we've got on how all teleporters work, the better. Being able to control it can only be good for everyone involved.