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.

Comments

[wheelhouse]

[ ... She feels like you might be missing the point here, Dustin, but she's going to let it go. And not just because the mention of Mike makes her want to sigh heavily. ]

Yeah, we have. He's not the only one, either. Will and Eleven are here, too.

[ Basically if the government here could stop kidnapping kids she knows, that would be great.

Anyway, she's still holding her phone but also looking for her copy of the bus routes in this city so she can come pick you up, kiddo. ]

[curiosityvoyage]

I heard! El talked to me too, but I haven't seen Will yet.

[Mike, Will, El, and Nancy already. Dustin's half-expecting Lucas to show up, too, and maybe even Max (god, it'd be tubular), because why would someone split the party? But at the same time, he doesn't want Lucas or Max to worry about their families, back in Hawkins, the same way he's worried about his mom and Mews.

...god, if Will is here, he really doesn't want to know how Mrs. Byers is feeling right now.]

Where are you right now? I bought a map, I can give you directions.

[wheelhouse]

[ Lucas's absence at this point is noticeable even to Nancy. He'll probably show up tomorrow, at this rate; she'll have to keep keeping an eye on the network. ]

Will's with us. We're in the De Chima government housing, the ones they set aside for-- imPorts.

[ It's the first time she's used this world's word for them, and she immediately doesn't like it. Gross. Moving on. ]

I've got it. There are maps on these things.

[ She gives the phone a shake, causing the video to jump and blur wildly for a moment, and then she taps the screen, squinting at it. Searching, searching, using her finger to drag the map around like Mike showed her... ]

Looks like you're not too far, if I've got the right park. Sit tight, okay?

[curiosityvoyage]

Wait, they stuck you all in De Chima? 'Cause they assigned me to De Chima government housing, too. What's the number?

[Okay, good, at least they're all in the same state, Dustin's just glad he doesn't have to fight the government about that. Plus, even if they're not in the same house, who cares, he'll just stay in the same house as they are anyway.]

Phones have maps now? [Huh. Cool.] Okay. Where else could I go, anyway? [There's a hint of sass to his voice there. The goons who unleashed him and Dart onto De Chima did not deign to tell him about all the best places to go, which is why he's in the park and not, like, a comic book shop.]

[wheelhouse]

We're at number six. They tried to put me in Florida first.

[ Nancy scoffs the word, like Florida is the worst place on earth. The truth, of course, if that if Mike and the other kids had been in Heropa she would have stayed.

She gives him a look for his sass. ]

I don't know, there's all kinds of weird stuff around here. I'm just saying, don't get distracted and wander off.

[ The words may seem a little harsh, or babying, but they are spoken with the familiarity of someone who's known Dustin for a long time, and is aware of his penchant for running full speed through curiosity doors. And normally that's just how Dustin is, fine, but this is not a normal situation. If he gets himself hurt, Nancy will not forgive herself. ]

I'll be there soon, but I've got to hang up now.

[ Don't make fun of her, but she needs to be able to concentrate when she's out and about in this bizarre future city. ]

Just call me if you need anything before I get there. There's an index, on the phone. Find my name and touch it.

[curiosityvoyage]

Oh my god. Florida.

[He just sounds scandalized. Oh god, poor Nancy. Almost got stuck in fucking Florida, he sympathizes with her plight, even though the look she gives him goes totally unacknowledged, because Dustin is also a tiny little shitweed.]

Believe me, I noticed all the weird stuff. [And he's going to find out as much as he can about all the weird stuff, because unfortunately for Nancy, he is on a curiosity voyage and he's not getting off of it come hell or high water. It might not be a normal situation, but that makes it even more imperative that he learn as much as he can! Right?]

Okay. I'll be right here. [Or at the De Chima Medical Institute hanging out with Cosima, but by the time Nancy gets there Dustin has already returned from his sojourn to see Cosima, and Dart is sleeping in the ghost trap, having pretty much gorged himself on nougat. Dustin's in the process of buying a hot dog now, though, asking for extra honey mustard.]

[wheelhouse]

[ oh my god Dustin, what did Nancy just say (just don't tell her about running off to hang out with strangers, it's fiiiine.)

She is so anxious about him, though. When she spots his curly hair and unmistakable costume at the hot dog stand, she can't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and then-- ]

Dustin!

[ Running over to him now! ]

Thank god.

[ In person, it's easier to see the dark circles trying to creep up beneath her eyes, and that she seems about 10% less put together than usual. Chalk it up to this place. ]

Hi, I've got this one.

[ That last line is directed at the hot dog vendor. In fact she's already paying, the generosity due in part to her relief at finding Dustin okay, and in part because it's a way of announcing "this kid is not alone!!" to anyone who might be paying attention. ]