Looking For A Lost Friend

[museicalmarty]

Have a confused Marty wandering around the general question area, looking like he's searching for something -- or, rather, someone. "Where the hell -- okay, you know what? Place is for questions -- anybody seen Victor? He said he was going to 'clear his head' about an hour ago, and we thought he'd be back by now."

[For those curious, Victor does happen to be in the Nexus -- passed out on a rather large couch that Marty just hasn't come across yet, thanks to the weird way space and directions work in this place. Maybe it thought he needed the sleep]

Comments

[palmerthing]

Want me to go look properly? I think I can do it, I know his scent and everything. Which is weird, let me tell you.

[museicalmarty]

[Marty blinks] Well, uh, if you can do that. . .do you know that because it's a Thing, uh, thing, or is that some sort of weird holdover from the dog?

[palmerthing]

The dog and probably a lot of other creatures from God-knows-where. The Thing itself doesn't have much skill aside from what's stolen.

[museicalmarty]

Right. . .sorry, it's just -- hard to wrap my head around the fact that the Thing is basically just a kind of disease. Like how movie-me has a hard time thinking fourth-dimensionally.

[palmerthing]

Most people would have a problem with thinking fourth-dimensionally.

Alright, give me a moment. *He closes his eyes and focuses. The air smells/tastes more familiar in this direction . . .*

[museicalmarty]

Yeah, but I'm best friends with the creator of freaking time travel, so you'd think I'd pick it up eventually. Either of me.

[The smell will eventually lead Palmer, and Marty trailing behind him, to an oversized couch in an out-of-the-way spot. And on that couch is a distinctly asleep (and slightly snoring) Victor Van Dort, sprawled out in a way that suggests he didn't exactly MEAN to fall asleep]

[palmerthing]

*Palmer chuckles when he spots the sleeping man, taking the nearest other couch.* You should probably be the one to wake him up, yeah? For obvious reasons. *He'd be unhappy if he infected anyone, and waking someone up tends to require shaking them at least a bit.*

[museicalmarty]

[Marty laughs too, shaking his head] Yeah. . .you know, I shouldn't be surprised. The kid's been wiping him and Alice out lately. [he leans over his friend and gives his shoulder a shake] Hey, Victor -- wake up.

[It takes a moment, but Victor's eyes crack open, and he blinks blearily] Huh? Wha?

[palmerthing]

You fell asleep, man. Gave your friend here a scare.

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor flushes pink as he wakes up enough to comprehend the words] Oh. . .oh! Damn it. . .Marty, I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean --

[Marty, chuckling, waves a hand to shush him] It's cool, buddy. Just we started getting a little worried when you didn't come back after an hour.

[Victor winces] Oh dear. . .Alice isn't going to be too happy with me, I think.

[palmerthing]

You want us to help calm her down? *Palmer smirks.* Or at least hold her back?

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor manages a laugh] I don't think she'll actually kill me. That would leave her with one less person to deal with a fussy child.

[Marty shakes his head] She's not that mad -- just worried about you. Maybe you can make it up to her by suggesting the couch as a place to crash.

[Victor blushes again] Sorry, I just. . .I sat down for a minute, and then. . .

[palmerthing]

Well I'm afraid that I can't help with the kid. Less skin contact the better, which is hard to control with one that young. I'll save the spot until she gets here, though.

[deadgirlslikeme]

[both Victor and Marty wince at that one, Victor nodding] I -- yes, that's f-for the best. . .though I appreciate offering to hold the couch, to so speak. [he rubs his eye, then looks at Palmer] How are you?

[palmerthing]

I'm alright. *He smiles and takes a seat on the arm of the couch, so as to leave enough space.* There's a lot to see here. Books, movies, video games--have you seen the video games around here?

[deadgirlslikeme]

[Victor looks at Marty, puzzled] I -- don't think I have. I've seen the library, so yes to the books, but -- not any video games.

[Marty shakes his head] I don't think I have either. Then again, I haven't been looking that hard. Where'd you find them?

[palmerthing]

There's a game store around here somewhere. Probably just one of those things that you find if you go looking for relief from boredom. I was looking for 'an arcade or something' because even a pinball machine would be something to do and found a shop with a whole bunch of games. I didn't think video games would ever get that good! *He's probably not even thinking of VR or anything, just shit like Halo or Portal. Being from 1982 does that to a person.* Damn, now I got that song stuck in my head again. *Yup, definitely Portal.*

You were gonna go grab Alice, right?

[museicalmarty]

[Marty and Victor both nod] Oooh, okay, gotcha. Yeah, places like that really do just seem to pop up if you want 'em. . .kinda like that glowing ice cream place. [Marty grins] And yeah, they did get pretty awesome, didn't they? The future is weird sometimes, but it's got its perks.

[Victor nods as he gets up] At the very least, I have to get back and apologize. . .

[Marty pulls out his PINPoint] I'll text her, let her know what's up.

[palmerthing]

Glowing ice cream? That sounds neat. Shame I don't really eat ice cream.

Good luck.

[museicalmarty]

[Marty nods again] Yeah, it's pretty awesome. We've gone there a few times -- ice cream tastes as good as it looks.

[Victor sighs, running his fingers through his hair] Thanks. [he pulls his shoulders back and heads off, biting his lip]

[Marty watches him go, shaking his head] You know, she's probably not gonna even yell at him. Make a few snarky comments, sure, but. . .he worries too much about shit sometimes.

[palmerthing]

Shame there's probably no way to make ice cream I could digest. *He sighs.* Oh well. I don't enjoy sugar as much as I used to anyway. Or as much as he did, rather.

Anxiety's a Hell of a thing. Bit like paranoia, and I know far too much about paranoia.

[museicalmarty]

That kinda sucks. . .but I guess if you're not so much into sweet anymore, it's not that bad? [Marty makes a face] I dunno. As long as you've got something you can eat.

Yeah, I bet you do. And yeah, Victor's -- I think he thinks that he's gonna do something to get kicked out of the family someday. Which I totally blame his parents for, because they're assholes.

[palmerthing]

It's the predator bit, I think. Meat isn't very sweet-tasting, so I don't like sweet as much. I know I'm supposed to like it, though, so I tend to say I like it on automatic. Gotta fit in and all that.

His parents sound awful. Seems like he's replaced them with better people.

[museicalmarty]

Ahhh, okay, that makes sense. So I guess if you want a treat on a hot day, someone's gotta make you a meatsicle. Frozen hot dog on a stick?

Yeah, they're -- I'm not surprised Victor wanted to ditch 'em, after some of the shit I've heard. I think he's a hell of a lot happier as "Victor Brown" than he ever was as "Victor Van Dort."

[palmerthing]

*Palmer chuckles.* Possibly a live penguin . . . I'll figure something out.

I'm curious now. Probably best if I don't ask, though. My curiosity about people isn't one that should be indulged.