video ==> text

[overthroen]

[ The video image flickers to life, but only briefly. Through copious static and frequent blackouts, one may glimpse a young girl with blonde hair, its brightness broken by a purple headband that matches her pajamas. She seems shaken, but not confused - she's not struggling with this technology, nor does she have a bad connection. Something else is

Comments

[seeingtwofold]

uh. hey ro2e

[overthroen]

Your name sounds familiar; Kanaya may have mentioned you at some point.
If nothing else, your typing quirk belied your potential trollishness. Why you all stick with them remains a mystery to me.

[ Mmm, no. Stay nice, Lalonde. ]
In any case, it's good to meet you.
And thank you for the briefing.
I've figured out some of this, but I haven't seen very many people yet.
Even my roommate is missing.

Where is this house that you mentioned? Are John, Dave, and Jade there, as well?

Thanks for the heads-up about my alternate self. Selves.
I'll try to find some way to distinguish myself from her, in order to keep hilarious romantic mistaken-identity antics to a minimum.
Disappointing John's love of overused cinematic comedy tropes is a life goal of mine.

Lastly: the fact that there's a discrepancy in who keeps memories and who does not suggests a buried system, somewhere.
Who is in charge here? How were we "imports" brought here, anyway?

[seeingtwofold]

uh mo2tly becau2e we've been doiing thii2 our whole liive2?
iit'2 part of our cultural iidentiity dude.

the hiive ii2 iin Toc - are you here two? iif not we can get tran2portatiion for you, but you probably al2o are capable of moviing your2elf around ju2t fiine on your own. and yeah they're there. hell, at lea2t 2ome of them are probably goiing two 2tart buggiing you on here.

dii2tiinguii2hiing your2elf won't be that hard, 2ince you probably have a diifferent mark than my ro2e. ii thiink you would, anyway??

the government/capekiiller2 are techniically iin charge but they haven't been doiing much lately. the problem wiith thii2 whole thiing ii2 that u2 beiing here wa2 an acciident 2o iif there'2 a 2y2tem even the people here don't know about iit.

iit'2 ju2t tear2 iin the diimen2iional fabriic a2 far a2 ii know. really random 2hiit.

[overthroen]

Oh, I see. It's an expression thing.
Whereas other species groom their feathers or dress in luxurious fabrics and flounce them to attract a mate, you trolls display your ability to make it more difficult to parse text, in such a way that possibly implies a speech impediment.

Given that the Statue of Liberty and Space Needle are nowhere to be seen, I appear to be in Truth or Consequences, yes.
That is, unless constant superhero activity has demolished them?
I'm currently living in an old motel that could use a janitor or two.
If the quality of your own home is any better, I may join you all.
It'll be nice to have some human company, too.
Send me directions or GPS coordinates to your house.
I have two functioning legs and two functioning magic wands. One pair should be able to get me there.

You mean this circular engraving?
It seems mystical. Does it have a significance?

Hmm.
I intend to investigate anyway.
I'm no stranger to interdimensional rifts, having caused one or two myself.

[seeingtwofold]

yeah ok except iit actually ha2 nothiing two do wiith matiing and ii2 pretty fuckiing iinnocuou2 a2 cultural traiit2 go.
learn 2 read, god.
and ii have 2aiid nothiing two iimply that my quiirk ii2 liiteral.

2ound2 liike ToC. iit'2 2mall a2 fuck 2o fiindiing u2 2houldn't be two much of a challenge, even wiithout my diirectiion2. ju2t a2k the local2 where "them deviil chiildren" are.
but 2iince ii'm feeliing generou2.

[He pings the trollhouse's location on her communicator. It seems to be on the outer edge in a warehouse district.]

yeah the mark2 are ba2iically 2ome magiic 2hiit that'2 burned ontwo your 2oul. one of the capekiiller2 diid iit, iit'2 pretty 2tupiid.
iit'2 a cur2e ii gue22 becau2e the chiick who diid iit ii2 a whiiny biitch.
doe2n't do much proviided you aren't an iidiiot about iit though.

feel free ii mean we're lookiing for long term 2olutiion2 here 2o if you can fiind anythiing that'd be pretty cool.
you'd ju2t be the fir2t two have much luck.

[overthroen]

Well, you're only changing the S's and I's of your text, along with having some fascination with doubles. It seems awfully specific.
Also, you're not the only troll I've talked to.
Your denial of its physical manifestation is not helping your case, either.
Whoops, sorry.
Ca2e.

Thanks.
The people here seem so welcoming already.
You need only wave invitingly at one before he scuttles into his house like a frightened spider retreating inside the walls, slamming the door in your face with the dually echoing sounds of finality and futility.
I'll head over there shortly. Ready the welcoming brigade.
The prodigal daughter is home.

Well, it's not impairing my vision even where it is right now, so I don't mind it.
Who's the chick?

I appreciate your vote of confidence on the matter.

[seeingtwofold]

???
ii liike the number two 2o what.
that'2 rea2on enough on it2 own.
and who even care2 iif ii actually talk that iit'2 not liike iit'2 even a biig deal or 2omethiing people actually care about god.

the chiick ii2 a capekiiller called the 2carlet wiitch who2e power ii2 that 2he can do a lot of weiird bull2hiit for no adequately explaiined rea2on.
al2o known a2 "magiic."

[overthroen]

Of course not. It's merely a matter of personal interest.
Psychoanalysis is my own way of coping with psychics and telepaths.
Your lisp may be the crucial tidbit that allows us to escape here. One never knows.

Where is she? [ No of course Rose won't go looking for her. Don't give her that look. ]

[seeingtwofold]

that would be a pretty dumb plot twii2t.

lol fuck iif ii know dude half the problem ii2 that no one know2 where the2e people hang out. they went iintwo hiidiing.

[overthroen]

Well, where was she last seen?

[seeingtwofold]

iin the ~future~.

[overthroen]

That's a time, not a location. People can end up where they're going to be.
And here I was hoping that this world's chronology would be easier to keep track of.

[seeingtwofold]

iit u2ually ii2.
but we DIID kiind of get hurled iintwo the griimdark world of tomorrow one tiime.
for liike.
2even year2 giive or take.

yeah.

[overthroen]

I've just found those records.

[ This isn't helpful. Rose's and Jack's duel obliterated almost as much of Skaia as the falling moon of Prospit. She doesn't want to be reminded of her grimdarkness, but the Scarlet Witch's outburst is completely reminiscent of it. Worse yet, she can feel its tendrils still within her soul - she continues, after all, to wield the Elder Gods-powered wands. The darkness obscuring her video signal was reminder enough. This shows her what could have happened had her powers been unleashed on a real place, not just a gaming session.

There's another now-trademark long pause as Rose pulls herself together. ]

This was centralized in New York.
Of course it was, she's a Marvel super hero.
I'm heading out there the first chance I get.

[seeingtwofold]

be careful dude.
iif you try two get two clo2e two her they'll come down hard on you for 2ure.
iif you can even fiind her.

[overthroen]

"They"? Yet more mysteries.
If magic is the way out of here, and this woman is capable of creating dimensional rifts, we should pool our resources.
I could reach her. I can sympathize with a woman overwhelmed with power.