intro | day 104

[tacosgay]

Listen.

[The voice that comes over the public channel is... odd, and new to most folks here. He pauses for a bit, as if that's the entire thought-- but, sure enough, he follows it with an obviously annoyed question.]

So we're just kind of... here, because they say so? Like... this can't be legal, can it? Has anybody tried talking to the fuckin' police about this?

[As he speaks, he gets increasingly irritated, his voice breaking.]

I'm gonna be real with you guys: I've got half a mind to just kinda magic my way out, except I'm pretty sure the Ringleader or whatever would come after me. Is that a thing?

Comments

[tacosgay]

Well, not everybody's got a job that can kinda make or break a whole world's continued existence, so cool for them, I guess.

[fragileandsoft]

....Again, you'd be surprised.

If you're worried about something you've got to do back home, things tend to sort of get put on pause so long as you're away. I think a lot of people kind of enjoy the break from it.

[tacosgay]

Okay, you're not gonna believe this, but this ain't my first "time acts differently in here" situation, and let me tell you: it's not always a fun vacay for everybody in the bubble. Last time, I wound up dying, like, fifteen times.

[fragileandsoft]

Oh, so you're familiar.

[He doesn't sound all that surprised. Just very, very tired.]

All right, then. Hmm... there's... some people like... ehh...

[ You can practically hear the shrug. He's run out of reassurances.]

Well, it's not boring.

[tacosgay]

If that's the best you've got, I've gotta say, I am not comforted in the least. But hey, good effort, there, my dude.

[fragileandsoft]

The big draw about this place is s'posed to be doing and seeing stuff you don't usually get to. Buuut you sound pretty used to all this magic junk. So if that's not exciting for you, then... I dunno.

[tacosgay]

Yeah, no, see, I'm a wizard? Magic stopped being a novelty, like, a decade or so ago. It's really more of an inconvenience at this point.

[fragileandsoft]

Ah.

Well, maybe you'll get a cool set of horns out of it or something.

[tacosgay]

Yeah, except I'm not really super hot on the idea of this place messing with my beautiful body, either. I work hard to maintain this figure, okay, I am not okay with this place just... tacking on new parts willy-nilly.

[fragileandsoft]

[ Sigh. ] All right, I'm fresh out of bright sides. Next best option's to buy a calendar and count the days down. Sorry.

[tacosgay]

Sorry to harsh your mellow, my dude. I just find myself fresh the fuck out of mellow in general over here. But, hey, I will say, I appreciate the effort. "You tried" and all that.

[fragileandsoft]

Eh. Obviously I'm not the right guy to try and sell this place. I got here pretty much same way as you, sounds like, and hearing people say I'd get used to it sure didn't do much for me at the start either.

So, maybe it's not a bright side, but at least you've got plenty of time to simmer down. [ From most people that might sound sarcastic, but for Greg it's just a fact. ]

[tacosgay]

Oh, yeah? What'd you get accused of, huh?

[fragileandsoft]

Ahh, dumb mistake. Played a game without enough tickets to pay for it. Tell ya what, it's a good lesson on carelessness.

[tacosgay]

Right, right, carelessness, yes. So, with you, it was carelessness, and for me, they were just mad because I figured out how to win at their little broken games.

[fragileandsoft]

Aw, c'mon. Have you ever met someone who's happy getting beat?

[tacosgay]

No.

[tacosgay]

Wait, do you mean, like, sexually?

[fragileandsoft]

I--

...that's probably a different category.

[tacosgay]

Oh. Yeah, fair enough, I guess.