vidya

[zealous_steiner]

[The webcam starts rolling with an eye pressed up to it; it's grainy and dark enough that details are difficult to make out, and the picture is striated with thin lines that scan down the iris like laser beams. In reality, this is a piece of shit webcam that was retrieved for 500 fat yen from an off-brand Akiba shop, but it's a setup. The voice pipes into the microphone from slightly below, hissy and noisy like the picture but deep with the tenor of a man just exiting adolescence.]

So, an internet nexus for multiple worlds, huh? Not something I'd believe until I see it with my own eyes, but hey, stranger things have happened... [It's like a switch flips when he realizes he's being watched.] Aha! This is Steins;Gate's offer for me to make my debut to the world! Not bad, not bad...

[Sure, Okabe. Whatever you say.]

[A slight whoosh hits the microphone as the figure pulls away, a tall, thin guy with mussed hair and a lab coat, posturing for the camera like a natural mad scientist. He has a grin on his face, a devilish look in his eye (because by God is he enjoying this), and a mess of wires, parts, and textbooks on the table behind him.]

Denizens of the multiverse, I am mad scientist Hououin Kyouma, come to discuss intellectual pursuits on behalf of the Future Gadgets Laboratory! [Cue evil laugh... and it actually comes. About ten seconds of hacking laughter ensue, and then a couple coughs before he's back to talking.] Upon being invited to this place, you all have... certainly piqued my interest. [He twists his face briefly, trying to think on his five-minute impression.] There's the Akihabara set, to be expected, then there's the terminally confused... and the few creatures - I will forever be mystified as to how they manage to operate computers without thumbs.

And to be frank, I'm curious on how a supposed nexus of multi-worldly communication manages to connect with parallel universes in the first place. Does anyone know how the backend is structured? Transporting data through black holes, perhaps? Weird space magic?

Comments

[tenminutes]

I'll tell you exactly how it works at a price!

[ She doesn't know, but she wants to see just how far he'll go.. ]

[zealous_steiner]

[DAMN YOU EXTORTIONIST WOMEN]

[Fun fact about Okabe: he's broke, and by necessity a massive cheapskate. So, naturally, he balks a little, then hisses through his teeth. There's a possibility... but god damn it he's broke. And besides...]

What currency do I even pay other-world people in? Net cred?

[tenminutes]

[ She holds her hand up. At least he should know this much. ]

There's no such thing as money in the world I'm from, so cash isn't going to do anything. I just want cool swag so what're the maximum you'd be willing to give me. I can worldhop too, so don't worry about getting it picked up.

[zealous_steiner]

[He disappears off-screen for a few seconds, rummaging around his shelves for something he can pass off as decent, and returns waving a grey game cartridge and a book.]

A vintage Alpaca-man cart and a May 2010 edition of Singularity Today, and we have a deal-- wait, how'd you get the ability to world-hop?

[tenminutes]

I don't know what either of those are but I don't have the actual answer so it's fine, I just wanted to see what you were going to offer. I do actually have a worldhop though. I built it myself with someone else's blueprints. I'd direct you to him, but he doesn't have access anymore. There are a few people with worldhops, though I don't use mine to give people rides unless I really like them or owe them a favor.

[zealous_steiner]

[SCOFF.] Oh, so you were trying to play me! [And succeeding, buddy. He mutters something about extortionist women under his breath.]

[But far more interesting is the world-hop - a machine that can puncture universes to allow the tiniest observer to squish through! Absolutely fascinating. And dangerous. But fascinating.]

Do you still have these blueprints? ... And, pray tell, is there any reason this guy was banned?

[tenminutes]

Yes, no, and no.

[ At least she's straight-forward about it. ] I just borrowed the blueprints long enough to use atomic restructuring to duplicate the parts and people losing access is kind of random.