audio;

[brotimaeus]

I'm tryin' to work out if I oughta be worried that I've had no fucked up double of my own show up.

[Richard is one of the apparent (lucky) few to not have a clone of himself walking around and messing with his life, but there's no way for him to know that.]

If this is gonna be a thing, I'd prefer to deal with it sooner rather than later. No way to tell though, right?

Comments

[hustru]

No.

Tell your friends and family to call your phone if you act weirdly, so you'll know.

[brotimaeus]

... Good idea. These doubles can use our network numbers, right? Wonder whose slip-up that was.

[hustru]

Slip-up?

[It worries her. Shouldn't nobody be able to use the network number of any other person - no matter if the person writing down that other person's number is numbered themselves or not.]

[brotimaeus]

That's how I'm seein' it. I mean, this whole network thing we got goin' on.. has to be someone's idea, right?

[Or maybe he just has too much time to think up conspiracy theories these days.]

[hustru]

Whose?

[If he talks like that, he should at least have an idea re: who did the thing.]

[brotimaeus]

[He really has no idea. This is all total speculation.]

Hell, you're getting into conspiracy theory territory now. [A pause.] Just seems to me, maybe, that this network thing... way too complicated to have just come out of fuckin' nowhere. So what does that leave?

[hustru]

[Giving him a Look (or well, her phone).]

Perhaps. But for what reason?

[brotimaeus]

[He pauses to think about it.]

All a' this shit going on.. don't it feel to you like it's buildin' up to something?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

I haven't had one show up either. So let's hope our luck continues to hold?

[brotimaeus]

Fingers crossed. I'm just hopin' I don't have one hiding out somewhere. He could cause some serious shit if he can do what I can.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

I'm so glad I don't have any superpowers or magic like some people.

[brotimaeus]

Yeah. I kinda wish I didn't.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Um. What's yours if you don't mind telling?

[brotimaeus]

At the moment? I got super speed and some wicked agility on my side, and the physical strength to back it up.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Sounds cool. I'm just a lot shorter and somewhat harder to get hurt. None of that cool stuff.

[brotimaeus]

Could be worse. You could'a turned into a bird or somethin'.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

You know Julien?

[brotimaeus]

[He pauses, then gives a short laugh.]

Yeah, I know Julien. You, too?

[Voice]

[espigeonage]

He could be laying low. I'm trying to find mine, but he's surprisingly good at going unseen.

[Voice]

[brotimaeus]

Could be you don't have-- [Wait, he recognises that voice.]

Julien? That you?

[espigeonage]

No, I have one. I've talked to people.

[He sighs.] Yes, it's me.

[brotimaeus]

Shiiiit. And here I was thinkin' you'd dropped off the network. Where did you run off to, dude?

[espigeonage]

I went off to the Alps. A part I could reach. The Neuschwanstein area, it's pretty large.

[brotimaeus]

Yeah?

[A pause, before he asks the question that Julien can probably see coming.]

What happened to you, dude?

[espigeonage]

[siiiiiigh]

I started looking a whole lot more like an animal. Just about the rest of the way.

[handwritten]

[wastingtime]

We're in the same boat, it seems. I shudder to think how mine might act.

[brotimaeus]

Same here.
I'm not gonna pretend I'm one of the big players here but I could still fuck shit up if I wanted to.

[wastingtime]

[he winces at the language - not that the other can see it - but chooses not to bring it up.] All I can think of in my case is a rather unpleasant old man, and there's enough of those in the world as it is.

[brotimaeus]

Not a bad point to make.
Think of the damage to your reputation.

[wastingtime]

I'd rather not. But at least it should be clear enough that it wasn't me, I hope.

What of yours? If they exist.

[brotimaeus]

Superhuman speed, strength, agility, more sword skills than you can shake a katana at.

[wastingtime]

Good lord.

I haven't a katana, but I must admit my relief.

[brotimaeus]

I got two.
One of them came out of nowhere so I'm not sure about touching it yet.

[wastingtime]

My greatsword had appeared out of nowhere, but it seems safe enough. As much as a weapon can be, anyway.

It has some other useful qualities.

[brotimaeus]

Yeah? Like what?

[wastingtime]

It can cut portals.

[brotimaeus]

To where?