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

[coolerjunpei]

[Is one time not enough!! Netz don't you want to go ape shit!!!!]

It's not the location, it's definitely all the other stuff. All the stupid mysteries and messages from the mastermind and the wiseass kiosks—

[UGH... hang on, he knows he's getting Bitchy, he'll take a second to stop and brood in silence. Honestly, he would like to leave, but if the Experiment Bullshit stopped he would at least be content to tough it out. Ugh. Ough. Okay.]

Sorry. I'm just tired, I guess.

[abstractart]

Yeah, I can't blame you. Some of the stuff we've had to deal with here is... you know.

[well, he figures junpei obviously knows, so he doesn't really stop to try putting it into words.]

Even with those, it's better than where I used to be, so I think my perspective on it's a little skewed by that.

[coolerjunpei]

Sure, yeah. No— I get it. Somebody was saying people are getting comfortable, and I'm not sure that's... completely a bad thing, you know?

[Like, he's been stressed and antsy for months and it has sucked, so it's very nice if some people don't feel Like That. In his opinion.]

But I still think whoever's brought us here needs a good punch in the mouth.

[abstractart]

-yeah, I'm not gonna disagree with that. Even if it's working out for some of us, we never asked for this, you know? I'd probably even have gone with it if they'd just waited longer and asked...

[just let him wrap some things up first and he'd take a city vacation.]

Anyway, what are we gonna do except get comfortable? You can't live on edge forever. I mean, you can try, but it's... gonna fall through eventually, whether you want it to or not.

[coolerjunpei]

I don't know, I think I'm doing great.

[Just kidding, even Daan told him to cut it out. Ha ha. Jokes? Maybe jokes? It's hard to tell.]

I just think I'm gonna need another couple decades to be comfortable, y'know? Couldn't even sleep in the bed in my apartment for a while because it felt too weird. Uh, but I'm over that now.

[he is so normal and fine now, whew.]

How do you do it? You got tips?

[abstractart]

Just used to dealing with things, I guess. Being in situations that can't really be changed. Mostly, it helps that it's easier to be here than it was to be at home, so... I don't think I really have anything that'd help you.

Unless beer helps. I've got that.

[coolerjunpei]

Maybe next time. I think I'm too in my head for anything stronger than tap water.

[He'll be ranting about the pixels lying to them--]

Thanks, though. You know, for offering... and talking to me about all this.

[abstractart]

Then I guess talking about it counts as something that helps? Try not to live in your head about it too much, man. Might as well get stuff out, distract yourself a little.

[coolerjunpei]

You know, that's what I was trying to do with this whole theory sharing thing?

[gaze....... he knows.]

Better than talking to my cabinets about it.

[abstractart]

Well, yeah, but... beyond just talking about theories too.

[just hang out more, is what he is saying. turns out it's actually pretty nice?]

[coolerjunpei]

Thaaat's what Daan told me to do. 'There are so many people your age,' all of that.

[several layers of irony there, but anyway.]

You know what I did with my friends at home? Solve mysteries. It's stupid the whole way down.