un: junpei | video

[coolerjunpei]

[The video opens on Junpei in an office chair - in his Secret Club Meeting Room (read: generic office building conference room) although this is not a secret meeting. This is Junpei spinning slowly in an office chair while he holds the camera up, tilting as far back as he can without tipping the chair over. So it's going great.]

So, city-zens, [.....ahem,] I've got some miscellaneous questions for you.

First, time travel: real? Let me know. [......,] I mean, you know— Before you got here, that is. Like how experienced are you in the realm of quantum... quantum-y goodness? I just thought that maybe it would be real for somebody else by now, but I dunno... Let me know that one instead.

[Cough. Anyway.]

Second, are we all just, uh... hanging out now, I guess? Um, like— who's trying to clip through the weird fog and get out still? Anybody? I'm looking for group, or whatever you call it. We can do code names.

[Junpei is not a gamer.... don't believe this... he's just cringe and thinking about half-press-A-ing through the universe, to wit as he spins faster in his chair:]

Third, whoooo's all in for simulation theory? [as dryly as possible, womp...] Eh? Woooo yeah... simulation theory...!

[The video tilts as he lets go with one hand to hold up... a pinched-fingers hand puppet 🤌... it's still fine, he's doing great. He pitches his voice up higher for the puppet, because of course he does:]

But Junpei, how is this a simulation? Well duh, why else would this place be like a city that doesn't know what a city is supposed to be like? And all the weird loading fog? C'mon! Buuuut Juuuunpei, are we all full of tubes and stuck in goo pods like in that movie?— [Ah, ahem, cough. He puts his hand down.] Maybe.

Or uh, whatever else is in the theory pile. Half the people I was messing around with about theories went and disappeared, soooo... Well, I'm gonna get serious cabin fever if I can't figure something oUT—

[Local Man Tips The Chair Over and Totally Wipes Out, stay tuned for updates. The video ends when the phone drops face down onto the floor, bye.......]

Comments

[limbical]

Awful ceremony arranged either by the gods or cultist followers. That's pretty plausible based on my experiences.

[coolerjunpei]

[....

.......,]

Not saying I wouldn't buy it, but... What the hell is taking them so long?

[limbical]

The Termina Festival in my world took place over the course of months. Which wasn't as intense as everything here, but maybe they're working toward something big.

[coolerjunpei]

How many months are we talking? 'Cause we're coming up on a full six here, right? Should I start building a panic room?

[limbical]

I don't know, exactly. Maybe three months?

I'm not saying that's what's happening here, but the similarities I've observed have been too close.

[coolerjunpei]

Hey, you've got your wheelhouse, I've got mine. I've already been wrong about... some stuff, so it's whatever.

[Or maybe they will all be murdered for the anniversary!! Exciting stuff!]

What kind of similarities?

[limbical]

Let's see... waking up here while on a train. Getting turned right back around even though we follow the tracks completely so you're effectively stuck. Implications of experimentation...

On the plus side, at least we have running water and food here, though.

[coolerjunpei]

Huh. Okay... so, first, I'm adding wherever you're from to the Top Five Shittiest Cities list, right after Don's. Jeez, I just hung out a lot in the desert.

[Absolutely... wack, these places!!]

So do you think the train is extra important?

[limbical]

City called Prehevil. Not that I lived there, but that's where I was before I ended up here.

Not sure if the train is important, but it's a weird coincidence to say the least.

[coolerjunpei]

If we're in a simulation, that train probably doesn't even actually move. Extra weird.

[limbical]

Doesn't it move if people use it to get to other parts of the city?

[coolerjunpei]

Does it? Would you know if you were inside? Could just be a loading screen— or a magic teleporter.

[limbical]

That's getting a bit to be on the conspiracy side for me, Junpei. And not in a flattering way.

[coolerjunpei]

Look, I don't have a lot to do these days. Just sitting around with my thoughts is getting weird.

[limbical]

Junpei. As a doctor, I recommend you leave your apartment sometime and find something to do.

[coolerjunpei]

Hey, I am in the secret info club room.

[......okay,] Nah, I get it. Uh... how pathetic is it to ask for suggestions?

[limbical]

[Gently:] It isn't. But there are plenty of people around your age here, and inevitably more areas will open up in this city that might encourage some fun activities. Hopefully without being haunted or some shit, ideally.

On the bright side, we won't just have bowling anymore.

[coolerjunpei]

Great, 'cause I suck at bowling.

[In any case, hm, if he must do some earnest self-reflection, hm. Awk...wardly... but,]

I kind of lost track of my friends back in college because of the same thing, I guess. Not the exact same, obviously, but... you know. Sitting around in my apartment with my thoughts. Woo.

...So uh, I'll try.

[limbical]

What are your usual hobbies, anyway? If you were back home and nothing insane was happening, theoretically.

[coolerjunpei]

I used to like rare sneakers.

[cringe but true.]

And movies.

[limbical]

I'm not too different from the first bit. ...I like nice shoes. Not necessarily rare sneakers, but there you go.

Never watched many movies, though. What would you recommend?

[coolerjunpei]

Oh yeah? Maybe you and me need to hang out more.

[And look at radically different types of shoes in the local off-brand DSW!]

As for movies, I like the sci-fi ones. Big robots, action—things like that. I'm not really into movies about ordinary life stuff... The last time I told somebody the whole plot of a movie he told me it was weird of me, though.

[Because It Was. details.]

[limbical]

I'm due to get another pair actually anyway. My last pair of nice ones got messed up in that damned Haunted House.

[hell yeah man]

Robot movies, huh. Not a ton of sci-fi movies I could think off the bat, but I didn't really go to the movies a lot, personally. Plenty of detective films, though. Those are okay.

But if we get some movies here, maybe you ought to set up a movie night.

[coolerjunpei]

Let's go get some new shoes, then. I can tell you about the time Roland tried to get me to wear a tie.

[Ah, memories... this is activities with people, he's doing it so right...]

And a movie night... I guess I've been setting up more stuff than usual since I got here. Movie night would even be fun. Who do I beg for a DVD player? The kiosk?

[limbical]

By all means. I'm sure that worked out great.

[you're doin it man]

...The hell is a DVD player?