012 - [Video] - I just wanted to join in, so this post has no substance :c

[hatestriangles]

[HE'S SO BORED. There's only so many sit-ups and push-ups you can do in Zero without going stir-crazy when you're not used to being locked up. So this? This fourth wall madness? This is something INTERESTING at least. In the background of the shot? Bars, blank walls, all that jazz. For anyone that doesn't already know where he is, it's obvious he's

Comments

[redo_fromstart]

I don't know! I've been trying to work it out ever since it happened last time. I think it might be a flux in the barriers in the multiverse, which is perhaps caused by a mislaid paperclip somewhere in the HEM building, but I couldn't say for certain, because moving paperclips around doesn't seem to have had any effect

[he descends into technobabble for a bit.]

Sorry. I'm Dr Ponder Stibbons, Unseen University. And you must be on that boat, correct?

PONDERRR yay c:

[hatestriangles]

[If Ponder talked about HEX, then some of that technobabble probably had a weiiiiird kind of unfamiliar familiarity to him, even if it's Disc magic logic. Because Perry worked in tech support for years. Yep.]

Yeah, I'm on the freaking boat. [Eyeroll.] You know, you actually sound like you're being serious. When you say you moved paperclips around to try and solve the problem, I mean.

:D

[redo_fromstart]

[HEX was probably mentioned. When does Ponder not mention Hex?]

I am. We thought there might be an issue with the Cabinet of Curiosities. There wasn't.

I'm now checking the cheese we feed the mice in HEX on. As it only seems to be coming through that.

[hatestriangles]

[So true. c:]

Che- [...] Okay, fine, I'll bite. Who or what the hell is HEX?

[redo_fromstart]

HEX? It's my thinking machine!

That's the short answer. Do you want the long one?

[That's... Ponder being mildly considerate.]

[hatestriangles]

[Too bad Perry doesn't know Ponder. :C]

Your... "thinking machine." Yeah, pal, I think I'm gonna say hit me with the long answer.

[redo_fromstart]

Essentially, it's a thinking machine powered by ants, which run around a little anthill (we call it Anthill Inside), and the magic enables us to punch cards in with instructions and get answers, and it's gradually developed into something that can be hooked up to the clacks tower to send messages, has some level of sentience, and it has a great many components...

[Again, descends into technobabble at lightning speed. Most of it seems like a very odd parody of real world IT. Go figure...]

[hatestriangles]

[At some point, Perry interrupts.] Okay, okay, I get it. Jesus. You're... probably from somewhere with magic or something, aren't you?

[redo_fromstart]

Yes, the Disc. I think there's others with you from there.

[hatestriangles]

Maybe. But if there are, I haven't talked to them.

So why can't you just fix it with magic?

[redo_fromstart]

Because magic doesn't work like that. It's still subject to the rules of causation and effect.

[hatestriangles]

Oh. ...of course?

[There's a really, really long pause. He sounds embarassed to even be taking it seriously. But dammit, he's bored, and he does recognise its weird IT similarities.]

So, with your, uh, thinking machine? Are you getting an error message or something?

[redo_fromstart]

No! You'd think there would be one, but it seems to be operating normally, and either there is a fault and it doesn't realise it - which is a glitch in itself, or nothing's wrong at all.

It's certainly not out of cheese.

And I swear, if it tells me to Reboot the Universe...

[hatestriangles]

Then the glitch is probably on our end, knowing this place.

[redo_fromstart]

Well, you do seem to be the common denominator here.

[hatestriangles]

Everyone's saying it'll probably just stop in a day. Not a lot of the magic accidental shit usually lasts more than a few days here anyway.