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]

Yeah, sure. Sounds fun. *He chuckles.* Not sure how appetizing a meat popsicle would be, but what the hell.

[museicalmarty]

Cool -- it's usually this way. [starts walking] And hey, I mean, you get all sorts of appetites over here in the Nexus. I've seen a stall in the mall's food court that sells metal and grease and oil. I'm assuming for robots. . .

[palmerthing]

That's certainly interesting. *Maybe he'll get to meet a robot at some point. Someone he can't infect would be nice.*

[museicalmarty]

Yeah -- it's pretty wild, how stuff like that just sort of -- pops up. Really makes you wonder if the Nexus itself just kinda -- knows what people need.

[palmerthing]

Yeah, possibly. Not sure what it thinks I need, though. Not sure I wanna find out, either. *He has a sneaking suspicion that if the ice cream shop has anything for him it'll be some animal that can survive being frozen.*

[museicalmarty]

Well, considering you've been living here for a little while, maybe it just thinks you need somewhere to hang out where it's less likely you're gonna infect people?

[the sky begins to darken as they continue on, fading into a kind of late twilight -- not exactly night, but definitely shading that way]

[palmerthing]

That would be nice, seems like it would require I not be around people much though.

*Before long they reach the ice cream store, and Palmer looks around to find something he might like. Paranoia yammers at him to not eat anything normal humans wouldn't, but it's not like this place is normal and he'd really prefer something he can digest. Therefore he quietly asks for something live and is offered what's basically a frozen frog in a cup.*

[museicalmarty]

Yeah, point. . .then again, it's pretty quiet right now, so. . .maybe the trick is to keep you from being around people too much until somebody figures out the whole 'super-infectious' thing.

[Marty is -- okay, he's a LITTLE surprised that the ice cream place has treats for people like Palmer, but not as much as he could be. After all, he considers himself something of a Nexus veteran now. He gets a double-scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough in a waffle cone for himself, admiring the soft white glow of the vanilla ice cream] Cool, huh?

[palmerthing]

Yeah, maybe. Shame there's no safe way to test whether the Nexus will keep me from infecting people.

*He picks a seat way back in the corner where no one is looking at him so he can eat with less chance of being stared at.*

[museicalmarty]

Yeah, I know. And I doubt anybody's gonna volunteer.

[Marty hangs out nearby, licking up his ice cream] How's yours?

[palmerthing]

Seems pretty unlikely, true.

*Palmer grins and pops the unlucky frog in his mouth.* It's good. And I know how weird that is, trust me.

[museicalmarty]

I guess we'll just have to see what happens. I mean, Doc DID get all that info on you, there's gotta be SOMETHING useful in there.

[Marty chuckles] It's okay, I know how weird it is too.

[palmerthing]

If nothing else there's always gloves and a mask, right?

*He licks his lips.* I think I'll have another, one moment. *And he does.*

[museicalmarty]

Right -- or the full-body suit, if you REALLY want to be careful.

[Marty watches him go and get his second frog] I really gotta wonder who else orders those.

[palmerthing]

There must be some bog monsters or something. Or fucking ice beasts, or who knows what.

*Palmer has a couple more frogs now. He pokes at them thoughtfully.* Somehow I doubt you would enjoy one.

[museicalmarty]

Swamp Thing? Or a swamp thing, anyway? Or just some talking version of something that eats frogs on the regular. . .

Noooo, not interested. [Marty sticks a tongue coated with glowing ice cream out at him] I'll stick with this.

[palmerthing]

Hmm, what animals eat frogs? Snakes, I guess, and herons. A talking snake would be cool, but you never see talking herons in fiction.

*Palmer laughs and sticks out his own tongue in reply.*

[museicalmarty]

[Marty shrugs] There's a first time for everything, isn't there? Just 'cause WE haven't seen the talking herons doesn't mean they're not out there.

[palmerthing]

True. It would be cool to see one, honestly.

[museicalmarty]

Hey, maybe if we hang out here long enough. . .I mean, I don't know what I'd say to one if I did meet one, beyond, "uh -- hi," but. . .

[palmerthing]

But it would be cool? Yeah.

I guess you could ask what flying is like . . .

[museicalmarty]

Yeah, it would be pretty cool.

I could! Imagine it's pretty different for a heron than it is for a Superman.

[palmerthing]

A lot more effort and flapping involved, yeah.

[museicalmarty]

. . .and now I'm imagining Superman flapping his arms as he flies. [it's more amusing an image than it should be]

[palmerthing]

*Palmer laughs in an almost worryingly normal way. Someone who's only playing at being anything like human shouldn't be able to understand humor quite this well, especially since he pauses to eat a live frog.*