ellipsanet | Video, UN: Puppetking

[A shame, truly, that you don’t get to see Russell completely no sell that joke. He stares at the screen with an unimpressed expression for a moment before replying.]

Reminds me of some of the things where I was before I came here.

Is it from your world?

[ That's very interesting. He sits up, and the Peeper, unseen, goes back to investigating everything in his room. ]

Tell me more about them?

As a matter of fact, this little one is the result of an interdimensional imp meddling with a world very decidedly not my own. It overlapped briefly, but the veil between the Constant and other realms is thin.

Interdimensional imps meddling with worlds… that sounds like the plot of a video game.

There were always eyes there. As decorations, on monsters we fought, as items…

[Eyes are a huge motif of the game and symbolic on multiple levels and in this essay I will—]

That creature looks most like an edamameye. We used them to ward off monsters.

The plot of a what?

Sounds like something psychological, pal. Too much scrutiny, social fears. Nothing's too on the nose for some places. [ In this essay, Maxwell also will. ]

An Edamameye? I like your home already.

Do you want me to call you by your username?

A video game. If you want, I can take you to the arcade and show you one. There are lots of genres but that sounds like the plot of an RPG - an interactive story you can play.

[… … Yeah that’s basically the Dream, alright. By the end of the experiment, it wasn’t subtle at all.]

…You’re not wrong about that. It wasn’t my home, though.

It’s my name, so that’s fine. What’s yours?

[ Maxwell is unaware of the significance of the offer as far as Russell is concerned, but pleasantly surprised to have it anyway. It's been a long time since he's contemplated doing anything for the sheer curiosity of it, and not to serve some higher end like power or safety. ] Sure, why not?

Me, I need them to dial the symbolism up to eleven before I listen.

Call me Maxwell, Russell. Do you like traditional games, too? People still play cards and chess in this century, right? [ That's only half a joke. ]

They’re okay. I know a couple card games. I don’t know how to play chess, though.

Here’s the address. I’ll meet you there.

[Included are instructions on how to get to the arcade ~~I actually can’t remember where the traditional/non-VR arcade is. maybe I just imagined it/concocted it myself for threads?? ANYWAY we’re gonna say Nightwake for now~~ by foot as well as via teleport node. They’re pretty thorough.]

It's easy to learn.

Thanks, pal.

[ Maxwell packs up a few things, never going anywhere without his book and fuel, at least, and the little Peeper tags along behind, keeping an eye on the proceedings while he takes in the city. It's extremely different in tempo from even the hustling bustling early aughts of San Francisco, but he finds his way.

The 'Arcade' isn't a bunch of shops, though. It's technological advancement that would humble the 1910 Expo, and Maxwell's keenly interested to compare this stuff to his own little smartphone, quickly realizing not every glass screen is touchable. He also predates claw machines, but they're easy enough to understand, and it's kinda fun to sit back and watch people lose five times the amount a stuffed walrus is worth. ]

What a dimension. I've just realized I have no idea what Russell looks like.

[He looks like a a short blonde-haired teenage boy dressed strikingly similar to Wilson, as it so happens! And seeing as he has the upper hand since he does knows what Maxwell looks like, he is the one to approach when he spots him standing by himself amidst the clusters of people. His voice is flat and calm:]

… Maxwell, right?

[He’s so tall and formal. Seeing him in person, Russell can’t help but wonder idly if this is what Saxon must’ve looked like when he was younger (not that the Mayor was actually that old, but when you’re 14 15, 45 feels practically ancient.)]

[ Oh, he's a child. How does Maxwell keep ending up the responsible adult? He is in no way qualified for this. He's even ignoring the Peeper climbing up into the claw machine through the prize slot. Like that's a problem for future Maxwell, alright? ]

That's right. At least your fashion makes sense. So much of this is... alien to me. [ Hoodies? Maxwell has NOTHING nice to say about hoodies. Or cargo pants. ] So this is your arena that reminds you of my trials and travails. And you play with these things to get away from the horror of reality for a bit?

[~~“out here living my best life” “peeper is getting stuck” “This ain’t about him”~~

Russell instinctively glances down at his clothes when they’re brought up. So this guy really was from the past, then. Or maybe another world entirely? Hard to say. At any rate, his expression (or lack thereof) wavers as Maxwell continues. He looks, for just an instant, almost a little troubled.

“The horrors of reality.” Yes, that’s right. Video games had always been an escape for him from his miserable life. Even here in Ellipsa, it was a way to keep his mind off of the negative thoughts that so often consumed him. He gazes out at the arcade.]

… … Something like that. I didn’t usually play in arcades back home and the games here are a lot less advanced than the newer ones out there - like at the VR arcade - but I personally still like the classics.

[He waves Maxwell over to a particular arcade cabinet. It’s a Galaga-like shooter. He holds up a small token before inserting it. The game chirps with recognition.]

… Want to try?

[ Even though he's dressed like Wilson, Russell is more reminding Maxwell in personality of Wendy. There's some extremely bland surface level stuff, but that wavering makes him pause.

He's not going to act on the information until he has more of it, but maybe better not to assume this is just a jaded, lonely teenager with nothing else going on. Everybody in the Constant having C-PTSD made that an easy leap. ]

The "classics". These are already old? [ Maxwell would be so sad, but also charmed in a way, to learn the fate of radio was to die away gradually, almost disappear entirely, and become podcasts, so in a way maybe these tv cabinets with their buttons was the similar evolution of motion pictures. ]

Let me watch you play first. [ Half jokingly: ] I don't like being bad at things.

[ The Peeper cuddles up between plush versions of a Ghost Cat and a Kung Fu Duck, closing its eye to have a little nap, lulled by the reassuring melody of pew-pew noises and celebratory trills. ]

[Russell nods.]

…Technology moved really fast for a while.

[He obediently turns to the cabinet himself, pressing a bright red button and beginning the game. It plays a cheery little tune as colorful, almost bug-like little ships fly onto the screen.]

In this one, you are the ship at the bottom… and you’re fighting against the alien force at the top. You have to aim and shoot them.

[He’s not a pro at it by any means - it’s not his genre of choice, really - but it’s simple and relatively intuitive and he does a pretty good job of early levels like this. He’s able to talk while he plays.]

Back in the day, game plots were really simple and mostly described in stuff like the manuals. More recent games are full-fledged stories - like interactive books or movies.

That would explain it. I think it's quite impressive as it is. [ Maxwell looks over Russell's shoulder, quirking an almost involuntary smile at the little tune and the simplistic story. It's definitely easy to see why this is a tempting diversion. ]

I see. You get a certain satisfaction from that, too? [ He gestures up at the score - this is before even knowing you can leave your initials, but it does say HI-SCORE, so it's pretty easy to guess this is for bragging rights. ]

Last time I checked in properly with my 'home', it was the 1920s. People were dressed much like yourself. [ There's a slight question in his tone - this 'back in the day' aspect, and Russell mentioning that there were arcades back home. So maybe they just held onto good fashion longer, or it came back around. ] What year was it for you?

Mm. [He nods again, eyes darting to the score for a moment. It did feel good to make Number Go Up.

As far as the year, now that’s an interesting question! There’s no clear indicator of when END ROLL is set, save in broad strokes thanks to the presence of things like flat screen color tv monitors and home console video games. It’s a tricky business. Generally, though, when I need a number, I just set it as the year the game came out. Therefore:]

2016. …A lot of my clothes came from thrift stores. [So they weren’t necessarily the most trendy or fashionable, just what was available.] … This was one of my favorite outfits. Sort of a timeless look.

Almost a century later. [ That's a lot to absorb, but he takes it well, mulling over it while he watches Russell play. Different enemy movement patterns, that extra life ship trick. It's interesting, all this technological acumen bent toward something so innocent and frivolous.

Less innocent and frivolous is that comment about thrift stores. Maxwell's memories of dodging debt and making ends not-quite-meet are sharp. ] You look plenty dapper, anyway. Take it from someone who cares about that kind of thing, style's an art form, no amount of money will buy it.

[Russell breathes out a little sound almost like a chuckle, his lips turning up at the corners in the faintest hint of a smile.]

Thanks.

[He’s quiet for a bit, focusing on the game. Then:]

…You said when you “last checked in with your home” - did you spend a lot of time away from your world?

[ He's not trying to do this well. It just seems to be working out, which is as nice as it is confounding. He leans back against the side of a Dance Dance Revolution-esque bar, the better to watch and lounge comfortably.

The question takes him by surprise, and he lets a few quiet breaths pass. How should he answer it? Some close cousin to the truth, but not an outright burden. ]

I won an all expenses paid trip to a fairyland dimension, contest I didn't even know I entered. As far as I know, nobody who gets in ever 'goes home' again, but you can wander astrally, even under lock and key. I could bring other people in to me. [ Torture them. Kill them. Anything to fend off the boredom, distract from the misery. Become as bad as what kept him there. ]

You mind if I ask how you ended up in Eyetopia?

Edited 2025-02-03 23:11 (UTC)

Definitely sounds like a video game. [Russell reaffirms, very matter of factly.

When prompted to elaborate on where he’s been before this, his eyebrows raise slightly, like he hadn’t expected return fire. He seems to be focusing on the question instead of the game, and nearly loses a life because of it. His brows then furrow for an instant - whether at the game, at himself, or at the question is anyone’s guess - before leveling back out to true neutral.]

… It was… an experiment.

There were some similarities, anyway. [ Maxwell looks at the little alien sprites on the screen. He really badly wants a smoke, but there's a no smoking sign just about eye level and three feet away, and also he has only just arrived and has no cigars yet. Still, it preys on him at the slightest gleam of stress.

Which, to be fair, an entirely new dimension is pretty stressful for anyone, but he knows it isn't that. Not really. ]

Is that all I get? This is a dismal storytelling exchange rate. ... Here's an idea. You show me a two player game you like in this place, I'll play you. If I win, you tell me more about this experiment. If I lose ... I'll buy you thirty tokens.

… …Okay.

[Russell would’ve probably given up more information willingly if asked without the need for a challenge, but that sounded almost fun. This man was… interesting, to say the least. Not something he could say about a lot of adults.

He lets the little ship meet its end and the cabinet plays a sad little tune to mark the grim occasion. He doesn’t get a high score for such a relatively short playthrough but it was a respectable showing all the same.]

Let’s go.

[And so he leads the way over to the two player cabinets, stopping at a (slightly) more modern one: it’s a 16-bit fighting game. He’d only played it once or twice, but he doesn’t tell Maxwell that. It’ll be a fair match that way.

He puts in two tokens, one in either side, before stepping to the left and pressing the start button.

CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER ]

[ Maxwell sees no reason to do anything unless it's fun, or enhances his ability to do things better. This runs into its own problems, but he's never boring.

To himself, softly, but loud enough to potentially be overheard; ] What sport shall we devise here in this garden, to drive away the heavy thought of care...

[ He cocks his head curiously at the cabinet selected, then grins. It is violence based, and he takes like 3 seconds before he selects the mysterious masked character with the flair for fashion. Of course.

After a pretty short time playing, and losing the first match, he realizes this is a matter of capitalizing on opportunities, on risk/reward gambits, and on blocking incoming attacks instead of tanking them, at least with the nimble little noble he's chosen to play. He wins the second match largely through luck, but it's not enough to win him the game overall. He's a good sport, tho, smiling wide enough to show his exaggeratedly sharp canines. ]

You are good, Russell. Looks like your next few weekends of games are on me.

[DONT THINK RUSSELL MISSED THAT SHAKESPEARE REFERENCE FAM. He’s a pretty well-read little dude so even if he doesn’t necessarily immediately peg the exact play, he can at least tell it’s a quote from something. He sees you.

Anyway!! After the match, he steps back from the cabinet and turns to Maxwell; he’s wearing more than just a hint of a smile this time, still small but undeniably there. These sorts of clear expressions are pretty rare from Russell so count yourself lucky, Max.]

You did well, too.

[A silence falls. He had no reason to tell Maxwell anything. He’d won, after all. However, he felt a sort of… resonance? with the older man. It was a bit like how he’d felt comfortable confiding in Frieda when they had first met. He had no way of knowing yet how deep their similarities truly ran but he knew that they had both ended up in strange and troublesome fantastical worlds - homes away from home. Maybe this was someone who would understand.

… … At the very least, he should probably let Maxwell know what kind of person he was sooner rather than later so that he didn’t get the wrong idea about him.

He turns back and stares quietly at the screen as it plays through a demo match.]

… In exchange for my life, I was made to take an experimental drug that induced a deep sleep. It was a rehabilitation program that played out through my dreams.

[That was a start.]

Edited 2025-02-04 22:31 (UTC)

[ This reserved kid is having a good time, it's obvious! And really, this is also like Wendy. Minuscule reactions mean a lot, where she's concerned, too. ] Thanks.

[ But then Russell actually does him a solid and continues, giving out information he didn't have to. Maxwell blinks, listening intently. ] Didn't follow any white rabbits, I hope?

[ He turns, heading one of the machines for money exchange, recognizing it as a thing you put money into to get a cupful of tokens. In exchange for my life? The only 'normal' thing in his life these days is how weird everything is. Maxwell chuckles involuntarily at 100-odd years of inflation. Christ. A nickel gets you nothing anymore. But he's used to spending reckless in boom-bust cycles, both his money and luck, so he hands over the tokens without any hesitation. ]

You're not the only one who cuts deals you shouldn't. Go easy on yourself, huh? Kids make mistakes all the time.

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cw torture & murder ment

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