01 ☢ video

[ex_havenofear960]

[The camera clicks on to reveal a skinny kid with a mess of brown hair. He's holding the tablet in front of him, so the view's a bit shaky; it doesn't help that he's fidgeting and gesturing with his other hand as he speaks, first and foremost being a quick and awkward wave hello.]

Hey. Hello? This is on, right? You know, they should put a light on these things to show they're transmitting. Maybe they do, I didn't really - [Barely a pause as he checks himself, gets back on track.]

Sorry. Hi, my name's Peter. Peter Parker. So I got the welcome tour, and I guess my big question is - where can we get decent food around here?

[Priorities. He got most of the relevant info the other day, anyway. He almost looks like he's done, but then he abruptly remembers something and speaks up again in a rush.] And I made a thing. I mean, I didn't really make it, I just re-made it. I probably messed some of it up, but I guess nobody here's going to know any better, right?

It's for Collette, but I figured anybody could use it. Let me know if you have questions, or just type "help" and it should cover the bases. And don't forget to use your lanterns. [And Peter out - no wait, just kidding. He's half a second from ending the transmission before he stops.]

It's a game, by the way. The thing.

[He's done for real this time, pending an attachment:]

► ATTACHMENT 1: zork.exe

Comments

[audio]

[concealingeyes]

Whoa, this is so old.

[Kido is still playing it and getting frustrated and enjoying it.]

Did you play these when you were a kid or something?

[A beat and then.] If you tell me how to open the grate I'll find some good food.

[audio]

[ex_havenofear960]

Uh, yeah. But they were kind of old then, too. [Might as well be honest.]

With a key. And what are we talking when you say good food, because someone else is talking about killing wild birds, and that isn't actually what I'm going for. [Ah, cultural divides.]

[audio]

[concealingeyes]

[She snorts.]

What, really? I saw some places selling food. It can't be that bad. I was planning on just making mine though. Did you learn to cook?

[audio]

[ex_havenofear960]

[Haha, wow, did he learn to cook? Good joke.]

Only if you count microwaving as cooking. Usually reheating, I barely even mess with things that require the initial heating. You cook, though?

[audio]

[concealingeyes]

Yeah, if I didn't I think my friends would all live off microwaved food. It's not a bad idea, you know. If you get good at it you don't have to worry about finding a good place to eat at.

[audio]

[ex_havenofear960]

Yeah, true. But then you have to actually cook things. [ You underestimate his domestic laziness. ]

Why did you learn? And are we talking, like, real cooking, or just the minimal?

[concealingeyes]

I just taught myself. It's not hard... You just have to be willing to screw up a few times. I guess it's real cooking though? If you make the same things all the time, people will get sick of it. So I have to learn new recipes sometimes.

[ex_havenofear960]

Yeah, makes sense. My Aunt mostly makes the same few things, it gets a little - well, not that I wouldn't kill for some spaghetti right now, but you know? [ Finishing sentences, not always a skill of his. ]

You cook for your roommates here?

[concealingeyes]

[She gets his meaning. It's a teenager thing.]

I probably will. I'm still settling in right now. Are you going to live off ramen here or do you think you'll learn something?

[ex_havenofear960]

I'm sure I'll pick something up eventually. Survival of the fittest, right?

And from one newbie to another, good luck settling in. You seem to be adjusting pretty well already - anybody try to scare you with mission talk yet?