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

[cranekin]

(Honestly the movie references would make things worse because he has not seen a single movie. )

Ah, so it's like crossing into another stream altogether. (Ooh, doesn't that sound exciting? Especially for Tsurumaru who is so used to traveling in a more linear path up and down history instead of across. ) I wonder what it would be like...

(But there's that feeling of conditioned anxiety that comes from even thinking about it. There's a reason why spirits like him are limited in how they can move.)

And how do you feel after your travels? Healthy? Clear? Still "you?"

[coolerjunpei]

It's a swap. 'I' switch places with the other 'me'. So, uh, yeah... still me all the way down. It's only confusing if I don't know which history I'm going to first.

[Or if he pops in and his other self has recently been stabbed or something, but that's usually not the case.]

Why? Is it like that for you? You get mixed up?

[cranekin]

Me?

(This is all voice on his end so it's not like Junpei can see the way he smiles, feigning obliviousness while looking amused in that knowing sort of way,)

I've never experienced it for myself. (Truly. He's only ever moved in a linear line, up and down the time stream. He's never experienced an alternate history or a changed timeline.) I suppose I've just heard time travel is complicated.

(He "supposes,")

I think it would be stressful for most people to experience. And too much stress isn't good.

[coolerjunpei]

You sure? It was a pretty specific question...

[Well, kind of— as far as Junpei's concerned, asking anything at all about the way one feels after time travel is a pretty big tell in and of itself, but who is he to question... Sure. Sure, okay.]

Well, either way... lots of things are stressful. It'd probably screw with my head more if I was going between histories with more radical differences.

[cranekin]

(Do not let Tsurumaru Kuninaga gaslight you, Junpei.)

If we're from different worlds, it only makes sense that there would also be different rules.

For example... there may be worlds where things move left to right while others move up and down, instead. Or there may be worlds where there are many possibilities while others are from worlds where there's only one.

(He's just dancing around his own answer now.)

Is there a reason why you're looking for others? Besides loneliness, that is.

[coolerjunpei]

[Would somebody do that? Just respond to his internet post to tell lies?]

Who said anything about being lonely? [He's not?? He is, he misses his weird time travel friends, but shhhut up. He's fine.] I'm allowed to be curious. Everyone else is a wizard or whatever, so I just thought, you know...

[A shrug! Maybe there are other quantum losers too!!]

But I guess what you're saying makes sense about different rules. Even this place has rules that don't make sense with what I'm used to.

[cranekin]

And you are...?

(Not a wizard or whatever? A regular human, then? Also interesting because humans usually aren't able to travel through time back home...)

[coolerjunpei]

Uh, Junpei.

[What a weird time to swerve into introdu-.....pin drop,] Wait, I mean, I'm— just some guy?

[cranekin]

Oh? So your name is the same!

(His username, that is. So many people on this network use aliases-- himself included. He doesn't mind the misunderstanding, though. He can roll with any direction the conversation goes in. Still, he can't help but laugh lightly when Junpei catches on,)

Just a normal guy that can leap through time. (Which, in his opinion, is quite amusing.) I think it's impressive.

Ah, but I suppose... to answer your first question. It looks like there are quite a few time travelers here. Huh!

[coolerjunpei]

Um- yeah.

[Ahem... They need not revisit his desperate quest to get a cool code name while introducing himself as User Name Junpei, it's fine, this is his fate. He's Junpei Who Leaps Through Time. Used to, anyway.]

Did I miss the invitation to the time travelers club? Everyone just keeps going hmmm I dunno, maybe at me.

[cranekin]

(The boy who leaped through time. Leapei? Jumpei? Skippy????)

There's a club now, too?!

(He's just playing around. But poor Junpei. So many responses and still so much uncertainty?)

Hmm... well, the idea of traveling through time is complicated, isn't it? Even information alone could be dangerous if you aren't careful.

(But Junpei is already familiar with time travel and despite being human, there don't appear to be negative effects so maybe...)

I have some experience. (Of course, this much is obvious enough.) I think if I said more, I would get in trouble, though.

(A cat might shake him down and make him feel bad.)

[coolerjunpei]

You— what? You just told me you weren't! What the hell, man— did you have to make me pass some secret test?

[Why must people bullshit him on the internet..... woe is Junpei...]

[cranekin]

Of course! Let's see... I think I would give you a D+.

(Acceptable.)

[coolerjunpei]

Great. I want to time travel out of this universe.