001

[noracingstripes]

[There's a sound like a rustle as the device is turned on, as if whoever has it is holding it too close to their face. The voice sounds furious.]

Stephen, I swear to fucking Christ -- if he's put you up to this I'm going to fucking kill you. Where the hell am I?

Comments

[audio]

[down_to_nowhere]

[The Matt who was here before would know, though maybe no one else would get it, that Mello prefers text to audio unless he's in a hurry. He's in a hurry now.]

Matt?

[Then the eagerness drains out of his voice, replaced by a hint of suspicion.] ...Your frequency number's different.

[audio]

[noracingstripes]

[There's a long pause before Matt's reply comes through.]

... this is sick. This is fucking - what the hell do you think you're doing, Near?

[audio]

[down_to_nowhere]

[It takes a little while for Mello to reply as well. Different Matt, obviously. Right?]

It's not- I'm not Near.

...Shit. Why'd I get detention on my thirteenth birthday?

[audio]

[noracingstripes]

Stop it. Just - say whatever it is you're trying to say and let me leave.

[Audio]

[greyedfront]

... Disturbia. [This one sounds genuinely surprised to hear Matt's voice over the network. Hadn't he disappeared?

No, wait, the temperament was different. Even the reiatsu. The same, except floating on different frequencies. Just like the pair of Mellos the have here. This was a different one.]

[Audio]

[noracingstripes]

And who the hell are you?

[It isn't a voice he recognises. He wants Near's people to at least pretend to have some goddamn manners.]

[Audio]

[greyedfront]

Ishida Uryuu. I know Mello.

[Audio]

[noracingstripes]

You're...

This is sick.

[audio]

[sevenofnine]

It appears to be Earth, more specifically North America in the early 21st century. The actual geographical location remains to be seen. In any case, it is not possible to leave. May I be of assistance?

[She doesn't plan to do anything beyond providing Matt -- and yes, she heard him identified -- with information. It'll be down to Mello to grant all of their stories credibility.]

[audio]

[noracingstripes]

America? They've brought me back to fucking America?

[Matt just sounds exhausted, by this point.]

[audio]

[sevenofnine]

Not strictly. It is a facsimile of America. If it were the real thing, it would not... repeat. [Seven expounds upon the last word, wanting to liken the situation to a faulty holomatrix:] If you exit the city in any direction, all roads inevitably lead back where you began. There is nothing on the horizon, and beyond that the city again becomes visible in the distance. Do you understand?

[audio]

[noracingstripes]

[There's a very long pause before Matt records his next message, which also involves a very long pause.]

... what the everliving fuck are you talking about?

[Text - screened||unhackable]

[non_veritas]

Please calm down. If you would like to send outraged messages to the network, it is possible to do so in a way which will not awaken unintended recipients.

Why are you angry with Near?

[Audio - screened||unhackable]

[noracingstripes]

[Matt doesn't have the patience to send a text back, so audio it is. He disregards the comment about being woken up, too; that has to be a blatant lie.]

Why the hell d'you think I'm angry with Near?

[Text - screened||unhackable]

[non_veritas]

Knowing that would be beyond my own skill, at the moment.

Calm down.

[Audio - screened||unhackable]

[noracingstripes]

Why should I calm down! I don't know where the fuck I am and people keep - fuck. [He takes a deep breath.] What's going on?

[born_crooked]

Not where you were before.

[noracingstripes]

I fucking figured that part. Who are you?

[born_crooked]

Please call me Ryuzaki.

[He's having one of his better days.]

Who are you?

[noracingstripes]

Brendan.

[It's an automatic answer by now.]

What's going on?