001 [ video ]

[curiosityvoyage]

—and, got it!

[When the feed cuts in, the first thing anyone might see is—a mop of brown curls. Wow. So exciting. After a moment, a young boy's face comes into view, blue eyes alive with an excited curiosity. Some more adjustments, and the background finally makes itself clear: the kid's in a park somewhere in De Chima, and he happens to be dressed like a Ghostbuster like it's Halloween or something.]

Hey, so, I've got a few questions. A lot of questions, actually. [So many curiosity doors, so little time.] To start with: anyone else here from Hawkins? [He hopes so. He—really doesn't want to be alone.] Man, Mr. Clarke'd have a field day.

[Eat your heart out, Hugh Everett.]

Secondly, has anyone started up an imPort A/V club yet? I'm a little curious about how it would work, especially since people from all kinds of different worlds with varying levels of technology keep getting pulled in. I think it'd be a great opportunity for us to learn about technology from other worlds, and from this one too. I know I'd love a crash course in how to use this—they called it a phone, but it doesn't really look like one. [Phones looked very different where he's from, and they definitely can't do half the stuff this device can.

Something warbles shrilly nearby. Dustin's head turns, and he bends down a little out of frame to talk to something just off-screen:] Shh, Dart. I'll feed you nougat later, just gotta finish this up first. [Turning back to the comm:] Also: Is there a species on your world that, appearance-wise, might be comparable to a pollywog but isn't? Like, pollywogs are cold-blooded and need heat and light, for example, but that particular species actively avoids heat? What kind of food would you feed it? [Beat.] I'm asking for a friend.

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[umopepisdn]

Dustin.

[ Eleven leans in closer to the camera, almost like she wants to reach through and touch him. ]

You have teeth. [ Important things first. ]

[curiosityvoyage]

El! You grew hair.

[And they're wildly curly! He grins at her, showing off his new teeth. Look at these adult teeth! They're amazing.] Oh, you like these pearls? [And then he purrs, like a lion. A very small lion.]

Were you here the whole time?

[umopepisdn]

[ Her eyes widen when he purrs, surprised and unsure of how to react. In the end she decides not to respond to his first question at all. Boys are so weird. ]

No. Since November... only two months. Time is different here.

[curiosityvoyage]

[So weird.]

Wait—what? But you've been gone like, almost a whole year. [Dustin's stomach ties itself into knots, over the prospect of possibly staying here for just a few months, and then coming back to Hawkins to find that a whole year has gone by. Oh, god, his mom. Oh, god, Lucas.]

[umopepisdn]

I was there, just hiding.

[curiosityvoyage]

And you never said anything. [No judgment here—Dustin gets why she had to hide, even from the Party. The Hawkins Lab guys were still coming after her, after all, and he imagines she couldn't risk it.

He gives her a small smile. He wishes, so very badly, that he could hug her right now.] We missed you. All of us.

[umopepisdn]

[ She winces, guilty. ]

I wanted to. But it was against the rules. I missed you, too.

[curiosityvoyage]

'S'okay, I don't blame you. [He still remembers the government agents, after all.] Hey, wait, who found you anyway?

[umopepisdn]

Hopper found me.

[curiosityvoyage]

Hopper? [w h a t.] How?

[umopepisdn]

[ She just shrugs. She doesn't particularly want to talk about how she struggled on her own for a month, possibly killed a guy who did nothing to her, and definitely killed multiple squirrels. ]

In the woods.

[curiosityvoyage]

[The poor squirrels.

There's real alarm in Dustin's eyes now, because—she was in the woods? Alone? For—oh, shit, how long? How had they not realized?]

—at least you didn't get mauled by a bear or anything. [The attempt falls a little short of his usual cheer, because, seriously, she was alone in the woods.] Where are you and Mike living right now, anyway?

[umopepisdn]

[ Do bears even live in Indiana, Dustin?? Whatever, it's the thought that counts. ]

De Chima zero zero six.

[curiosityvoyage]

[Dustin grins once more, with real joy.]

They stuck me there too! I'm living with you guys—oh, man, have you tried Nutella yet?

[umopepisdn]

Yes. [ Obviously, Dustin. ] It's good.

[curiosityvoyage]

[Yessss.]

It's great, you mean. Oh, wait, you gotta try 3 Musketeers too—it's one of the tastiest chocolates that's ever been made. [God help him, he's going to make sure someone in the party appreciates nougats the way he does.]

[umopepisdn]

3 Musketeers. I'll try to find some.

[curiosityvoyage]

Don't worry about finding some. I bought lots.

[To demonstrate, he digs out a 3 Musketeers bar from the paper bag of groceries beside him. Ta-da!]

There's enough here for everyone. [He's generous like that.]

[umopepisdn]

Okay. [ She gives him a shy smile. ] Then I'll try it.