Audio/Spam

[mrballisticsdummy]

[Anyone who's met Jacobi for more than fifteen seconds would be forgiven in thinking that this isn't Jacobi. This isn't the same man who packed explosives gleefully while being a sarcastic brat all at the same time. But Jacobi knows this. He knows what this is. So he's cheerful in a way that he had to once be literally programmed into.]

Hey guys! This isn't so bad, right? We're definitely going to be alright, aren't we? I mean! At least we have some food and water and a place to sleep! That's progress and something we can look forward to! We just need to work together and keep our chins up, right?

[Spam]

[It's easy to play the part when he isn't actually with anyone else. But Jacobi is frayed at the edges, and he knows that this won't last. There's even a time when he wishes for the regulator again. The very thing that had taken his freedom from him. And those times are when he paces his room like a caged tiger.

And that room is as much his prison as he makes it. Jacobi doesn't leave his room except when forced to work or forced to sing or forced to be social. He will take visitors, but he won't be pleasant to be around. He knows he can't graduate that way, but it just feels so good to be angry. Especially at first.]

Comments

[why_me]

You don't need to tell me. I'm just offering suggestions since you're new.

[ Beat.]

That's a... car metaphor? Or is it 'automobile'. I can't remember.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Car, but it applies to anything that moves. Even feet.

[why_me]

"I've had feet my whole life and I've never needed gas for them."

He's just saying.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Yes.

But what I'm saying is the principle applies. You use up a lot of force to go up a hill, even running, and if you aren't careful, you'll fall butt over teakettle on the way down.

[why_me]

Oh! Force! That makes more sense.

I thought gas was air you put in cars.

I know about force.

[ Whoo boy does he. ]

[mrballisticsdummy]

No gas is a fuel. Man, when are you from? Are you from Earth?

[why_me]

Nope.

[ Just to clear that up. ]

I'm from a different world. What I know is what I've put together from what people've talked about.

[ Beat. ]

And board games and video games.

[mrballisticsdummy]

...is one of those board games Monopoly?

[why_me]

Yup.

That's where I learned about real estate. It's kind of fascinating. Kind of horrifying.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Yeah, I was afraid of that. Best way to learn about cutthroat capitalism.

Maybe not here, though.

[why_me]

...you know, if I was at home, I could just say 'I married a Tolnedran' and you'd understand. But that would be like you telling me about gas in cars.

Suffice to say, we have that kind of thing too.

[mrballisticsdummy]

I'm actually not all that surprised. It seems to be the way that things sort of devolve around people.

Been here long?

[why_me]

Couple years. I'm not good with time, unfortunately. But about that.

I try not to think about it.

[mrballisticsdummy]

As what? A perpetually graduating inmate - uh - patient? Or Do you get to sit pretty as an Assistant for a while?

[why_me]

Came as an assistant. Been a patient for a while.

At this point I'm not even trying. Just... Waiting for the right moment.

[mrballisticsdummy]

The right moment?

I heard they stalk us after we leave here, too.

[why_me]

They do. But outside of this place, I've got more allies.

[ He nods to the question, though. ]

Where I'm from, we're guided by a Necessity, or, the Necessity at this point. And I happen to be one of the lucky people it likes to talk to.

If I'm here, I'm supposed to be here. And when it's the right time, I'll get out of here.

[ He holds up a hand. ]

Believe me, I know it sounds crazy. And if anyone knows how annoying it is, it's me. But that's how it works for me.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Question.

How many times do you tell someone all of that and they just nod at you like 'yeah, that sounds right?'

[why_me]

None. Which is why I usually move on. It is what it is.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Okay but you just dropped a ton of really interesting stuff on my lap! You can't just move on from that.

[why_me]

Oh!

[ There's a pause while he tackles the idea that someone isn't going to just going to think he's insane. But sure, he can explain this more.]

Well, if you want to know more, I can tell you more. It sounds insane, though.

[mrballisticsdummy]

I talked to a cartoon rabbit earlier.

[why_me]

That's just Oswald. He's a pretty decent guy.

[ He spreads one hand as if to say sure, okay, if you really want me to.]

So here's the big piece that you need to understand to make all of it make sense: my world, my family, me? All of it exists purely to fix a hole in the multiverse from when something exploded where it shouldn't have.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Yeah, I liked him. But not the point.

Okay, I'm with you there. I'm not a stranger to multiverse theories.

[why_me]

So what happened when that explosion happened was that the course of all those worlds split in two, leaving two paths for the Universe, or multiverse, to take.

...my world was essentially the Monopoly game they set up to decide who got to be the winner between the two and who would be used to patch up the spot in the cosmos that exploded.