oo1. // video

[sweetling]

[On screen is Halfpipe with a smile that lights up the whole of her blue-tattooed face. She's in what looks to be a seedier district of the city, but not many Exiles are around.]

This place gets more and more like my world every day.

[At which she shifts the camera to focus on a point behind her--what several people will recognize as one of Exsilium's brothels.]

I'm curious, guys. How different is it here, compared to your homes? And if it is different, is it in good ways or bad ones?

Oh, and I'm Halfpipe, by the way.

Comments

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[sweetling]

That must mean you've got something to go back to that's worth it. Or someone.

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[vocalizer]

Mm. I have friends and family back home. Besides, there's something I sort of need to take care of back there too.

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[sweetling]

Yeah, duty will get you every time.

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[vocalizer]

Tell me about it. I'm still trying to figure out a way out of here that won't end with my world getting destroyed.

[sweetling]

Wouldn't be such a tragedy if mine blew the roof, but there are a couple of people who aren't allowed to go with it, so.

[vocalizer]

[ Oh jeez... ]

Your world's that bad?

[sweetling]

Once you hit a nuclear holy war, there's pretty much no going back.

[vocalizer]

Nucle--

[ Goddamn. ]

What?!

[sweetling]

Once the aliens dropped in, shit got pretty real.

[vocalizer]

The aliens? What was even happening on your world?

[sweetling]

Well, first, riots. Then the return of the fallen gods--which was a big-ass mess and probably not even actually what it sounds like--and the invasion of the reptilians around the same time. It all built up and people started firing off nukes and now everybody's either stuck in grimey, crime-y Outer City or authoritarian mind control-y Silver City.

[vocalizer]

[ And suddenly... a laugh. Not a happy laugh, mind you, but a laugh. ]

Ahhh.... We skipped the reptile invasion and the nukes in my world, but that sounds about right.

[sweetling]

[Ah yes, relatable laughs.]

Even with Silver and Outer City?

[vocalizer]

We call them Platinum Jail and the Old Resident District.

[sweetling]

...heh, it even kind of sounds the same. Platinum Jail... I like that.

[vocalizer]

Apparently so do most of the people that visit there, but I've never been inside it before.

[sweetling]

In my experience, places like that are basically well-polished authoritarian shit. I don't think you're missing much.

[vocalizer]

I don't think so either. I was pretty happy with where I was, even if it wasn't all that nice.

[sweetling]

Home's home, you know?

[vocalizer]

Exactly.

[ A pause. ]

I keep expecting to wake up and find myself back there too, but it hasn't happened yet.

[sweetling]

Hey, don't give up. From what I hear it happens eventually.

[vocalizer]

Not by anyone's choice though, right?

[sweetling]

Wouldn't you choose it anyway?

[vocalizer]

Of course I would! But that's the problem, isn't it? That I can't just choose to leave whenever I want?

[sweetling]

I guess, but that's not really the thing I'd be kicking up a fuss about.