01; Video... sort of.

[trickstar]

[The video feed starts with the face of a young man looking... very confused at the phone in front of him. Squinting, almost. Soon followed by a...]

HELLO?

[...He is literally yelling into the communicator, and pressing it to his cheek. Entirely unnecessary, since this is a video post... But whatever. Say hello to Joseph's cheek, fellow users of the Network. This is all you get for the rest of the video.]

There's no receiver end on this thing, how am I supposed to know where to talk into! Or who I'm talking to?

[Yeah. You're getting one of these guys again. Sorry. He's from 1938. This has been a rough journey for the technologically inept.]

Whatever! I have to go back- it's really important. I'm going to be done for in six days if I don't get to Switzerland! It's a really long story but I don't have time for another adventure, I'm already in the middle of one right now. I don't want to hear any of those excuses I've already been told! I'm being really serious here! I should have memorized Lisa Lisa's phone number...

Comments

np!

[trickstar]

Two years?!

[Because okay, yeah, a few weeks, okay. A month or two, sure. But YEARS??]

I'M GOING TO BE HERE FOR YEARS?!

I...

[Holding his head now.]

I can't be here that long!

[waiting]

[ Bradbury winces, bringing a hand up to an ear. ]

Easy there, buddy, I think they heard you in China. [ He pauses, then shakes his head. ]

Most people don't stick around that long. You've got pretty good chances.

[trickstar]

[Sorry, volume control is still a thing he never learns. is working on!!]

What do you mean "don't stick around"? Like ... die??

[waiting]

[ Bradbury looks confused for a second, then just horrified. ]

What? No-- nothing like that. [ It's a bit of a white lie. Some people have left that way, or at least dying's seemed to return people home temporarily. He clears his throat, shaking his head. ]

They just disappear. Get sent home by the Porter. [ He holds up a finger. ] And before you ask, no, I've got no idea how it works.

[trickstar]

[A whole body sigh, somewhat of relief that they don't die, but also because, of course no one knows how the Porter works.]

Isn't that great. Well, maybe I'll get lucky and just be sent back at random.

[waiting]

Maybe. [ He could always die, Bradbury almost helpfully suggests, since that seemed to work for Bradbury last time, but no sense in giving him ideas. ]

Until then, you just gotta do what you can to get by. Like getting something to eat. [ He nods at the burger place, which is in line of sight but a little bit down the road still. ] And while we're at it, why don't you tell me about Switzerland and why it's so important?

[trickstar]

[Probably best if Bradbury keeps those kind of suggestions to himself...]

I guess explaining a little isn't going to hurt, but ... It's all really weird, so I need you to not dismiss it right off the bat, okay?