video; un: 000000

[scryption]

WHO: Zero and... you?
WHERE: The network
WHEN: Late January
WHAT: Zero learns how to use a phone that isn't a piece of shit burner phone.
WARNINGS: Not many for now.

[video;]

[Good evening, Kaisou. Here is... a very unflattering video angle of a wide, pale forehead and grey eyes.



The voice that goes with it is distinctly... not friendly, a bit like a cranky British vampire who walked out of a novel, at least if she'd fix her camera.]

... Who are you people, and what do you want from me?

I don't have a car, and I am not interested in what you are selling. Do not call me again.

[Might need help with this new age boomer over here.]

Comments

[poisontippedcure]

The answer to that question is more complicated than you'd expect.

And you have quite a large forehead, if you don't mind me saying.

video; un: 000000

[scryption]

[And here we have the shot of a... hat brim? And a light on the ceiling? Someone is living in a piece of shit hotel room.]

[matter of factly] I did not ask for your opinion on my appearance, nor do I care.

You are a criminal who has been harassing me for money. How is this complicated?

[poisontippedcure]

[She's gonna brush off that first part, mostly because Rose isn't exactly "better" at technology than Zero.]

I'm not a criminal, I'll have you know. I came from another world. If I wanted to commit crimes, I wouldn't do it over this device.

[scryption]

[That indignation sounds pretty honest. She thinks on it for a moment.]

That is a peculiar story to lean on when trying to hide the truth...

[In other words, there are more believable lies to tell.]

This is... [She searches her memory for something she's heard before.] ... like Facebook?

[Gods. Help. Her.]

I don't understand what is happening.

[poisontippedcure]

Yes, which is why I can tell you for certain it's not a lie. Lying is too much work to begin with, even if it were a more believable tale.

[And she's too lazy to put in that effort.]

I'm not sure what a 'Facebook' is, but this is a network of sorts. We can use it to talk to each other.

[scryption]

... I suppose so.

[Begrudging acceptance is a... start.]

Convenient. Is it open to all in the city, or only a select few?

[Who clicks through things without reading? Yeaaaah.]

[poisontippedcure]

I won't pretend to be an expert, but I don't think it is.

The network is limited to those of us who are 'special,' so to speak.

video; un: shadeshift

[sunforging]

...


. . .

[what]



Zero?

video; un: 000000

[scryption]

[Now that gets her attention.

And for the first time in a long time, there is some... uncertainty in her voice, and in her heart. But the camera is showing some wall, sorry, maybe a leather sleeve?]

... How do you know that name?

[SHE HASN'T EVEN INTRODUCED HERSELF YET]

[sunforging]

[She flicked in ear in confusion, adjusting her glasses. No, definitely Zero. And even if she couldn't claim they knew each other well, Scintilla was silling to venture a guess she wasn't hard to know on sight herself.]

[Gears turned in her head for a second or two, a clawed hand tapping against her head in thought.]

Must be somethin' like Raha, then...? Sorry--don't totally grasp a lot 'f how these things work, so it ain't easy to explain. But you're probably...d'you live here, natively?

[scryption]

[Hold on. That wasn't a funny hat.]

You... [......................] You have cat ears.

[She doesn't want to be doxxed, so she's vague about her origins:] I only arrived recently. [NOT HELPING] Should that matter?

[Why does her chest feel so tight?]

[sunforging]

Born with 'em, aye. [obviously, gosh] Oh, sorry--name's Scintilla.

I came here from 'nother realm, believe that or not. Met someone that looks n' talks just like you not too long afore I left.

[scryption]

Scint— [Oh. Oh, that's a headache. It passes as quickly as it came, but it's hurting her to focus on it. She shakes her head as if to clear it.] Scintilla. Why is that so... I am certain we have never met.

[Of course, then she gets the answer, and it's not one that she... expects. Her memories tell her that it isn't a complete lie, but... y'know. It's crazy.]

... I don't understand. How is something like that possible?

video; un: kesitakame

[hoshikiri]

[See, Takame won't SAY that's a very unflattering angle but... he ain't blind. What he is... or will try to be anyway is helpful?]

You aren't being sold anything, my lady. Do you need assistance with your phone?

[scryption]

[My lady? He talks funny.

Takame gets a shot of... a hat brim, and one eye...]

... Is it that obvious?

[hoshikiri]

[It is that obvious. But again, he won't say that!]

They're difficult devices to work. I've found that setting it against something on top of a table, for example, makes one easier to see on camera. Though if you'd prefer not to be seen, you may also change it to only detect your voice.

video --> voice;

[scryption]

[... That's a good point, actually.]

I think I see the option, now that you've pointed it out.

[The feed clicks over to voice only. But she sets it on the table regardless, judging by the soft thunk.]

I would prefer not to have my face broadcasted in its entirety. In the past it has been... inconvenient for me.

partial text, mostly still video

[hoshikiri]

[He didn't blame her for it. Nice hat tho.]

For a mercy, Zodiac allows some measure of privacy with these devices. If you'd prefer your voice concealed as well, you may opt for your messages to come through only in text.

[He sends a quick text.]

Others may see your texts, though you are also able to see them.

I believe I should still be visible to you. [He bowed on camera, just as an example. He's helping!!]

[scryption]

Typing is... awkward. [She pauses.] I am not used to a glass screen, or the layout...

[b o o m e r]

Am I correct in assuming that you, too, are from another world?

[Assuming any of this crazy shit is true, which, honestly... it might as well be, she's seen some crazy shit herself.]

video: UN: trienemybest

[droptheious]

[Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh.]

No one's calling you? You called the app? I get it, they're pretty tricky.

video; un: 000000

[scryption]

[Here's... a shot of the ceiling? And maybe a partial hat? I'm so sorry Varian.]

If I did, it was not intentional.

[He sounds younger, though. Maybe he has more of an idea...]

I have only had this phone for a short time, yet the moment it was activated, I began to receive calls from strangers demanding I give them money. I assumed that this was more of the same.

[droptheious]

[Look, he gets it. Modern technology is hard!! Zero is tragically out of luck here.]

Oh um...I've never heard of that before. That's...odd. If you've only had it a short time are you...new? Do you recognise the world you're in?

[scryption]

No. I secured a new phone when I arrived in the city. My old one no longer received a signal.

[By pure luck, Zero fixes her camera. She's an extremely pale lady and the light is not doing her any favors. She looks like she's never seen the sun in her entire life.]

I understand there are others who were somehow kidnapped here from other realms, if they're to be believed. But I'm not one of them. I am a traveler unaccustomed to large cities like this one—nothing more, nothing less.

[doubt]

[droptheious]

Yeah, that about tracks. Getting the new phone anyway.

[Oh hey, there she is!!]

Oh. That's uh- so you recently came to the city? But you aren't from another world? [Maybe she's like Jane! Relatively new to the city, but still born from this world. Maybe she's just really bad with technology.

So much doubt. ]

[scryption]

My old one did not have a screen you could touch.

[Very tricky.]

... Yes. I'm from across the ocean.

[Maybe this kid is from another world??? This is basic geography. That she had to learn when she uh, got out of the Bad Place... It's almost imperceptible, but she is trying to be helpful. A little.]

I came to this country by plane, but this is my first time this far inland.