doesntdomuch | MoM IC Communications Post

Dear Perry the Platypus, Thank you for your offer from earlier. How are you doing? I didn't see you here today, though given...certain strains on my attention I easily could have missed you, but...I would have remembered, wouldn't I?

[Oh wow, Perry didn't expect this guy to text him so soon, but it's a relatively nice surprise at least.]

To put it simply I'm well and have managed to find a way for me to play hooky for today.

Kind of wished I didn't leave though. If you want though I might tell you a bit more about my whereabouts.

[He could just outright tell him but he can't help but be a little paranoid that someone might be watching Doc.]

How are you holding up? I imagine another day of that heck couldn't have been fun.

How fortunate. I'm glad you're safe.

[Should be be angry at the betrayal? No, it's just a write-off loss. They still have the numbers. And he'd been distressed and clearly not up for it.]

But...you're right. The mission's becoming more urgent, I have a purpose to serve, and something to fight for. If I ponder on it too much, it aches.

[He can't help but feel a little concerned as he read the text. Even with the affects of the brainwashing still firmly lodged in his mind, something seemed awry here.]

I hope you don't mean joining the USSR by your purpose.

[Seeing it in text...russia good, america bad, america good, russia bad...a lot of conflicting programming going on.]

That's the core of it. But that's wrong---but that's incorrect---I don't know.

[Oh no it's worse than he thought. There is a long pause as Perry tries to think of how to snap Doc out of it. Man if only he were there he could try smacking Doc out of it.

Then Perry remembers the one thing that helped him stay sane when the brainwashing was getting to him.]

Do me a favor, will you?

Forget about this place. Forget about America. Forget about Russia.

Just think about your home.

I don't know of your homelife, but think about what you love most about your home. It could be a friend or family member, it could be a coffee shop that serves up the best pumpkin spice lattes you've ever had in your life, it could be your favorite chair that you love to crawl into after a long day with a book.

Just tell me of one thing from your home that you miss, will you?

[That's easy. Thinking back doesn't hurt...across the borders, across time and space...]

I don't exactly have a home in the traditional sense anymore...lost the first one to a fire, then lost the second one to distance---strange story, it'd take ages to tell, but. I've been alone for most of my life, but I was lucky enough to befriend one person. One morning I entered my laboratory to find an adventurous adolescent inside...he'd been compelled to obtain a part from 'crazy old man Brown'. Somehow, we worked out an agreement---he became my assistant, my confidante, and eventually my dear friend. Marty's always believed in me when no one else would dare to, and I owe my life to him, but...even in my home dimension, an impossible distance separates us now. I've said my goodbyes.

[And he's right back to hurting, but...the idea of 'goodbye' has stirred up something from an ancient nightmare. The Soviets winning would've done awful things to the two of them---but they were good, weren't they? He has to lower his head in thought for another little while.]

[Perry makes a noise. Wow this guy seems to have had a tough life, and it's horrible that people called him crazy since he seemed to have been nothing but a nice person.

But a lightbulb lights up when he gets to Marty. Okay he can work with this, even with this supposed impossible distance.]

I don't know the extent of the "impossible distance", but since you care for him enough to owe him your life, I think that there's still an, even slim, chance that Marty could find away to overcome this distance you have with him.

However, if you join the Soviets, the chance of seeing him again will actually be impossible odds.

Be honest with me here: If you found out Marty has closed the gap between you, either by arriving here or you somehow find out that he is able to close it in your home dimension, do you think the Soviets would let you leave just because you miss your friend?

Or, alternatively, how would your friend feel if he went through all that work to close the gap between you two only to find out that you abandoned him?

Because I don't think the Soviets will ever let us go home if we join them.

Edited (I'm so sorry) 2016-02-19 05:15 (UTC)

[Impossible. It's his least favorite word, one he'd hated writing in that letter just a few weeks ago, and now he sees it again. Doc feels his heart drop with every word. He certainly hopes Marty doesn't flagrantly disobey his request and travel back to 1885, but there's another chilling possibility: the porter. If he were to port in after this transformation...

Doc could see Marty's wide blue eyes and familiar life preserver in his mind's eye. He'd be racing outside to investigate as he always did, staring down a Comrade Brown leading his new 'friends' to their brand new time machines, only a second before the sky turns hazy with the sweep of oncoming doom.

No.

Doc clutches at his chest. He doesn't want to believe, he's been taught not to believe, but this nuclear path only brings destruction, he could doom the world, and what would his best friend say?

It's been more than nine months since they were forcibly separated, but he can still hear Marty's voice in his head clear as day. And maybe it's a lingering effect of the mind haze, but he swears he can almost feel him insistently yanking on his coat lapels.]

Jesus Christ, Doc, what the hell? You're giving nukes to the Soviets? You got shot full of holes to keep 'em away from the Libyans! Hello? Earth to Doc!

[It's so clear. How could he ever allow that to happen? The deeply ingrained urge to stand by him, to fight for what they knew was right...it brings Doc to shame. He lies on the bed, fighting back a lump in his throat as he bats back those intrusive thoughts. It's a few minutes before Doc feels steady enough to give Perry an answer.]

...You're absolutely right. I can't do that to him. Or anyone. No matter what it takes, I must resist.

[Doc manages a shaky smile. He has someone to resist for now, someone he can't believe he didn't think of before. Trying to push the thoughts of him away in his grief, as it turned out, hadn't been the best idea. He would always cherish, always remember, and most importantly...]

And I don't think I care to accept impossibilities anymore. Once we're through this crisis, I will find my way back to him.

[Perry gave a sigh of relief when he read the text. He had no way of knowing if Doc was telling the truth and he had no idea what was going through is mind, but...

He trusted Doc.]

Exactly. A wise man once said that "nothing is impossible except for impossibility", and, well, I try to live by that belief as much as I can, so I'm glad you feel the same.

And remember: we are not working for one side or the other, we are working to get home. That is our only objective here.

[A pause.]

I'd tell you my secret to resisting, but I don't want to risk anything. Nothing personal but you know how these things are.

If you want a clue though, I'd recommend walking around town before having to go to the seminar again.

Thank you. I really needed the wakeup call.

[He can almost hear Marty with a smart remark for that too. Heh. Doc will be all right.]

I suppose a stroll's not likely to hurt any more than anything else.

It's no problem. If you ever start questioning your morals again, feel free to contact me.

[He might contact Doc anyway just to make sure he's alright.]

Either way I'd recommend getting some fresh air. It really helps clear the mind.

I will. Thank you, Perry, and with any luck I'll see you in the future.

[Perry may be familiar by now by the sense of another being in his head, foreign thoughts, occasional emotions bleeding through. But it's usually not a too-bright whirl of feelings and half-formed thoughts, amusement and confusion blending into a weird sense of mind-blowing wonder.

The voice is clearly Tetsuo's. That's the only familiar part to any of this.]

< I wonder what my name would be if I was someone else. >

[Even though he is getting used to the telepathic speak, Perry still jumps when he feels Tetsuo enter his mind. For a split second he worries that something bad has happened to make Tetsuo "call" him without any warning.

And then he registers what Tetsuo is saying. That... sure is a weird question, but since Perry isn't around drunk people a whole lot he doesn't catch on yet that something might be off about Tetsuo but it still is unusual to say the least.]

< Well I guess your name could be anything if you're someone else? Unless you were thinking of anything specific you would be if you were someone else. >

< But would I be me if I were someone - wait. Would I be? ... I'm confused. >

< I... guess so? I mean you would probably be different because, well, you'd be another person, but you would still be you? >

[He guesses.]

< But if I'm still me I can't be someone else, but if I'm someone else I'm still me,but... >

[Okay he can't let this go on any longer without having some idea what's going on.]

< Tetsuo, are you okay? >

< I'm fiiine! >

[I'm so sorry, Perry.]

< Okay another question then: Why are you contacting me? >

[His tone seemed more confused than annoyed, since he really has no idea why Tetsuo would even want to confide with Perry about... whatever he's talking about.]

I'm afraid we'll have to switch our movie nights to your place, unless you're willing to come further outside De Chima, I've moved.

That's fine, I hope you had a good move at least.

Where exactly did you move? Just so I know if I can get to your new place.

some excitement but nothing that couldn't be handled.

It's a farm some miles outside the city

[after two attempts, an attached map!]

Yeah that is pretty far away.

Still it could encourage me to finally get that bike I've been meaning to get.

You have a mode of transport to get to my place, right? You mentioned wanting to switch movie nights to my place so I want to make sure you can get here easily.

I'm usually out in town at that time anyway, I can take the porter and walk. I'll catch the Heropa bus schedule next time I'm there.

If you're sure. The house I live in isn't loud normally so it won't be a bad place to watch movies.

Here's where my place if is you need it.

[And he sends Kel his own map.]

Thank you, once you have some good transport you should come and visit. I don't believe you've met my horse.

Oh yeah I think I've heard of your horse before. I hope we get along when we do meet.

It might take me awhile though to actually buy a decent vehicle. I could rent a car though if you ever want me over.

[...Although maybe he should get a license first.]

...that's a point [Peachblossom gets along with very few people]

If you like, I can meet you at the porter and bring another horse

That works too. I have experience horse back riding so you don't need to worry about teaching me at all.

Done and done, I'll see you at your place at the usual time

Great, I'll see you then.

MoM IC Communications Post

end of the seminar, once P's in Mexico (text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

(text)

???; telepathic drunk dialing

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject