A stormy night (Video)

[boldlydanforth]

It's raining. The soft patter of the water fills the air. A slightly shaky hand indicates a phone camera, clumsily held. In the distance, lightning splits the sky.

Michael laughs.

The video continues, the thunder rolling through the noise of the rain.

A finger points, and the arc of lightning appears in exactly the place pointed out, the flash killing the camera for a moment.

Dramatically, a finger points up, at the large cage with steel beam supports.

There is a crack of thunder loud enough to break up the mic.

There's a wind as the grounding charge gets hold of Michael's muscles.

You hear his laughter even as he's trying to save his phone.

"FUCK I love thunderstorms."

Comments

[boldlydanforth]

Heavens no. Taking control of the network would probably be counter-productive.

And well... probably not replication, either. It's one thing to move electrons and photons and another entirely to move a whole-ass person, like I said--

though... though now I have a good idea--

no, no, no I can't use a cable car, that puts too many people at risk--

[nijistaryume]

So you wanna transport people from world to world, huh? I guess that'd be cool if you figured out a safe way to do it. I mean, we don't really like the idea over here, but you could go someplace else. Besides, you don't wanna do it the way it happens here.

[boldlydanforth]

Absolutely not. I'm not interested in looking for new and interesting ways to be a chud.

For... For me at least, it would be about seeing what I'm like in other universes. Because-- you know, if some place has a history similar to mine, I probably exist, right?

so, you know, if... if there were some basic changes that might have happened... I kind of want to know about them.

[nijistaryume]

Coming here doesn't make you gross. The guy who summons people picks gross people in the first place. Any exceptions were either by mistake or... what's the thing again? Collateral damage, I guess.

[She looks away from the screen and taps her pencil again.]

I bet other yous would be fun to see, though.

[boldlydanforth]

Right? Like-- just imagine how they'd be different just because things happened just a little differently here or there.

Hm.

I guess I'd feel weird about not using it responsibly, though...

[nijistaryume]

You mean like for a good cause? I guess if someone needed rescuing or something, that'd be useful.

[boldlydanforth]

... rescuing people, yes, but like...

Just... finding ways to help people in general?

... Hm... Maybe that's a little presumptive...

[nijistaryume]

How's it presumptive? It's kinda general how you said it.

[boldlydanforth]

felt like kind of a dick move to say "oh of course anyone who's not in my world would need help" was all

and that's assuming I even know the language... fart.

[nijistaryume]

I mean, somehow we're all understanding each other. I dunno how that works, either, but it's really convenient.

[boldlydanforth]

we're understanding each other through badgernet.

I may not have that luxury.

[nijistaryume]

Yeah, I guess so. I don't know if the AIs are gonna explain if you ask, either.