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[mrsklover]

[The message starts off with nothing but darkness for a few long seconds. It's quiet and still until, finally, a groan comes through. Another one follows behind it and the video shifts to show it apparently just pressed into the dirt.]

Fuck...

[The video turns again, whipping around as the person holding the comm seems to drop it a few times before finally righting it, camera facing the wrong way.]

How does...fucking... Shit...

[It falls again but then is lifted back up, turned around, and at long last the owner is shown: Richie Tozier squints at the device almost like he's in pain. Which...yeah. Sort of.]

Uh... Hey everyone... [He scratches his head.] You ever get the feeling like you missed something? Or a few somethings?

Comments

[mrsklover]

...I should really tell you about the show I did in Colorado back in '98. You might worry less, then.

[plate_builder]

Somehow I doubt it.

[Hilariously enough, Reeve could probably tell him about his own mixing and maxing in '98 and it would probably involve not seeing his home in a while.]

[mrsklover]

Let's just say it involved cocaine, weed, a bunch of pills, a roulette wheel, and more alcohol than you can dream.

I saw god and he was a koala.

[plate_builder]

I cannot say that I know what a koala is, but I am not surprised. We'll ensure you don't face that today.

[mrsklover]

Teddy bear looking thing? Big ears? Big nose? Clings to shit? [Yeah, probably not something that lives in his world. Oh well. ]

It's all good. Now that I'm back I would probably see floating glownies or whatever. Can't wait to find out!

[plate_builder]

Do you mean an Elfadunk?

[No, an Elfadunk absolutely isn't correct, given the fact that those are more elephant-like than anything.]

If nothing else, I can at least be the person to get you back to your bed when you're wasted.

[mrsklover]

A what?

[Probably as meaningful to him as 'Koala' was to Reeve. But whatever. He just shrugs.]

Yeah, okay. That's a deal. Just don't draw a dick on my face when I pass out or anything.

[plate_builder]

What? Do people actually do that? I heard things like that in college, but it seemed so improbable.

[mrsklover]

Wow.

You had a really boring young adulthood, huh?

[plate_builder]

I was busy with school. Such is the life of a prodigy.

[mrsklover]

You should have been a fuck up like me. You get loads more time for crap like drugs and drawing on passed out friends.

[ His eyes light up with an idea. ]

Hey! Dude, we can let you catch up on the shit you missed! We need to have a kegger.

[plate_builder]

Alas, if I was in your boat, I would never have left the farm. Which perhaps the world would have been better for, but still, I would have been a terrible farmer.

[Reeve has to chuckle at that comment.]

Richie, just because I never saw someone draw dicks on faces doesn't mean I didn't go to parties where there was rampant drinking. I wasn't that old before my time.

[mrsklover]

Look, I don't make the rules, but if there are no dicks, it's not really a good party. You must have been at subpar, ex-farmer raves. Fun, but not the same.

Don't worry, I'll teach you.

[plate_builder]

[Reeve just chuckles to himself because he knows better. He doesn't need Richie to believe that or not.]

I think I shall have to pass. I'm supposed to be catching you up on recent history, remember?

[mrsklover]

Yeah, yeah. I'll surprise you with the rager. Don't worry. It'll be great.

[ He salutes the camera. ]

Meet you at the Flygood, pal! Bring markers!

[plate_builder]

It takes more than two to have a rager, Richie. But as you will. I'm not bringing markers though.

[He will get his coffee and pain pills. But he does gather it all up and head for the Flygood. This is such a foolish idea, but it was worth it to get the man caught up.]

[mrsklover]

[ Richie shows up awhile later. He's pale and looks tired but not injured. In his hand is two burgers. He waves with the other. ]

Hey, Reeve! Look! Burgers! I don't wanna know what they're made out of but I took a bite out of one and they're pretty okay!

[plate_builder]

[Reeve, who has made himself comfortable at a table in the cafeteria while Mini goes about making coffee, looks up when Richie arrives. And hey, he smiles for the guy.]

Hopefully they don't taste like that peanut butter style turkey from Great Full. It was just wrong.

[mrsklover]

[ Richie puts the food on the table and immediately goes to get himself some red fruit juice. He immediately throws half of the glass back and refills it before going to sit across from Reeve. ]

Well, that sounds as good a place to start as any. What the fuck is a peanut butter style turkey? And what Great Full?

[plate_builder]

The Agrii food often tastes of peanut butter.

[He takes the burger, clearly happy for the offering. Mini waves at Richie as he starts water boiling for the coffee. Only after a few bites does Reeve speak.]

There was this whole thing they did in the fall. An Nu, an Agrii that seems very intent on sharing their cultural practices with us, arranged it. It's a celebration of food and community I think. They have many celebrations of community. We were encouraged to bring our own offerings. They 'upgraded' the replicator, which of course broke it. I think that man Wilson repaired it, which is why it now has a dark steam-punk vibe to it.

[mrsklover]

Steampunk? That's pretty badass. I wouldn't mind that guy working on some of these ships and giving them a better look. Also, I can't believe I missed Agrii Thanksgiving. Watch: I missed all the fun months and came back just in time for their celebration involving fire and starvation.

[ He tucks into the burger as well and makes his way quickly through half before going back for his drink. Contrary to what he said, he's drinking little and much more slowly than before. ]

[plate_builder]

[Reeve shrugged, he didn't know Wilson so well so he doesn't know a lot about the man.]

That is always possible. There were strange candies at the thing too, they seemed to make people behave differently.

[mrsklover]

[ Richie is really pissed that he missed that. Sounds like it was a riot. ]

Okay, you have to tell me what you mean by 'differently'. Were there fights in the streets? Did people act like animals? Did I miss the orgy?

[plate_builder]

There was some aggression. Far too much honesty. And it never got quite to an orgy.

[Don't mind his blushing.]

[mrsklover]

[ Richie notices the wording and the blush and grins at Reeve. ]

Never got quite to an orgy? Uh huh. How close did it get, huh? Forget about catching me up, I need to hear about all this. Especially how it relates to you, pal.