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[awfulsentimetal]

VOICE ♦ VIDEO ♦ TEXT ♦ E-MAIL

[Ring-a-ding if you need something! The Spine is never without his CereVice. If he doesn't pick up on the third or fourth ring, something is definitely wrong....

...or Rabbit has stolen it.]

Comments

1/5 - [4/29] You have FIVE new messages.

[missfunction]

Hey.

2/5

[missfunction]

Heeeeeeeey. Th'Spine!

3/5

[missfunction]

Hellooooooo, p-p-pick up th' phone, nerd!

4/5

[missfunction]

I'm g-gonna go through your closet an' s-s-start pitchin' stuff if I d-don't hear back from you!

5/5

[missfunction]

That's it! That gunter-dalin is th' first t' go! [There's an ominous crashing sound in the background before the message cuts off.]

oh my god

[awfulsentimetal]

[she gets a call back IMMEDIATELY after that crashing sound] Not the guitar!

[missfunction]

[Rabbit answers immediately, shooting her brother the most nonchalant smile to ever grace that copper face of hers. The camera view is held up and at an angle, her head blocking the background.]

Oh! Hey, Spine! What's up?

1/2

[awfulsentimetal]

...

[awfulsentimetal]

What was that crashin' sound?

1/2

[missfunction]

Nuthin'! [comes that far too quick reply, Rabbit's head tilting cutely to the side, a metal finger idly twirling into her hair, because nothing at all could be possibly wrong or seem suspicious.]

Hey, s-s-so I was thinkin'...

2/2

[missfunction]

Yer too m-m-mmm-mopey lately. Like way more mopier than usual. Th' absolute mopiest. King o' Mope Town. Pope Mopendict th' Third. Count Mopeula. King--....Er, [the hand twirling in her hair flies up unexpectedly, dismissing the rest of that train of bad puns] You know what I m-mean.

[she could go on all night. in fact, she has. many times in the past. literal hours upon hours of these same shitty jokes.]

Anyway, [pause for dramatic effect] I'm gonna set ya up on a date!

[awfulsentimetal]

[Y'know, all of these puns are doing exactly zero to improve his mood. Also, the cutesy attempt at dodging his question is highly suspicious. He has half a mind to get up from the kitchen table and go see exactly what of his she broke, but then--]

No.

[His tone brooks no argument, but then, this is Rabbit. Since when does she let a little thing like tone stop her?]

[missfunction]

Great! [That beaming smile only gets brighter. Sure he said no, but she is absolutely convinced he means the opposite.] I'll take that as a yes! Thanks f-f-for bein' so understandin' about this, bro! Ya d-d-don't gotta worry about a thing! I know exactly what yer type is. Let ol' Rabbit take care o' everythin'!

[awfulsentimetal]

[... are her audio-receptors out of wack again? He's dead certain he said no. It was a good no, spoken clearly and with conviction. Hard to miss, a no like that.]

Rabbit, I don't want to go on a date. I just wanna read in peace, and maybe rehearse a few songs if you didn't break my guitar. If you're bored maybe you oughta go out and find yourself a date. I hear there's a nice appliance shop on the other side of town.

[missfunction]

[Mismatched, glowing eyes flick off to the side of the screen, the only indication of any nervousness beneath the copper 'bot's cheerful expression, but the look was all too brief before it disappeared, Rabbit's too-wide grin beaming across the connection at her brother again.

There's a playful imitation of eye rolling as a trail of steam curls up from her mouth.] Oh come on! Yer gunter-dalin is j-j-just fine! I was kiddin'. Don't even bother checkin' it out, okay? It's a waste o' time.

--Besides, you should be the one headin' out! Ya gotta find a nice, new hat for yer big date! I'll hold down the f-f-fort. You go out.

[action] post-intro; peter

[awfulsentimetal]

Aw, would ya look at that.

[That is mud caked all over his black boots and spattered about halfway up his slacks. Impressive reach, that mud. And he might've acknowledged it, too, if it weren't for the fact that it was still wet, still sticky, and definitely still had the capacity to wreak havoc on his system.

But mostly the first two things. Gross. He looks around for something to protect the delicate machinery in his hands, gives up, and settles for shaking the mud off, one leg at a time.]

why's it still here anyway... oughta talk to management...

[greeterings]

[ Just behind Spine, something went WHUMP. It was unmistakably the sound of a body hitting the ground, and while that would be utterly terrifying under certain circumstances, this body landed with a squelch and some muffled cursing, which at least meant that it was alive. Alive, cranky, and covered in mud.

Peter sat up on his elbows, surveying the damage. He was still in the outfit he'd worn in VIVID, complete with the tshirt that displayed his nutritional value, and his legs were covered in mud up past the knees. ]

Oh come on! Still with the yoga pants?

[awfulsentimetal]

[That was unmistakably the sound of a body hitting the ground. The Spine freezes (as only a steam powered automaton can freeze, which is to say completely). When they start to curse he gives a single, satisfied nod (cursing means whoever it is isn't dead) and finishes shaking off his right leg.

He turns to see if they need help, and freezes all over again, because there is absolutely no mistaking that mop of hair, even if Peter's back is to him. He'd recognize him even if he didn't have photo perfect visual recall.

... wait... yoga pants?]

Looks like ViViD decided you needed a wardrobe change, Peter.

[greeterings]

[ Likewise, Peter would recognize that distinctive baritone voice anywhere (it was practically deep enough to register on the richter scale, after all!), and the sound of it makes him scramble to his feet in a flurry of gangly limbs. ]

Spine...? Spine! Oh man, if it wouldn't mess up your vest I would hug the heck out of you right now, [ his nutrition shirt was covered in swamp-muck too! ] I knew that stupid powerpoint was wrong, and who uses powerpoint these days anyway!

[awfulsentimetal]

Weird, right? All of these high-tech gadgets around and they're still usin' Office.

[There's a moment of intense scrutiny and deep thought, and then he opens his arms wide in the universal sign for "bring it in" and shrugs one shoulder with a succession of clicks.] The mud's already halfway up, might as well finish the job.

[Don't leave a bro-bot hanging, man.]

[greeterings]

[ INCOMING ROBO-HUGS IT IS, Peter is bringin' it in and hugging Spine around the middle, clunking his mask against his vest. After a couple of seconds he disengages and takes a step back, letting a not-quite-awkward silence descend. What were you supposed to say in situations like this? ]

... So howsabout them swamplands, huh? Pretty gross!

[awfulsentimetal]

[He gives Peter the kind of hug he usually reserves for the most nervous of fans. It's only been a month since he found himself here, rather than on WINK, but that's a month long detour he hadn't planned on taking.

He's missed his nephew/owner/boss, okay?

... he doesn't know what to say either, as it happens, and he lets the silence stand until Peter fills it. He breaks into a relieved smile.]

No kiddin'. [And now there's mud smeared on the front of his vest. He doesn't regret it.] Usually there's no mess. ViViD is supposed to be a virtual reality program. [A quiet chuckle as he rubs the back of his neck.] Guess the swamp didn't get the memo.

[greeterings]

[ For his part, Peter hasn't been separated from the robots long enough to really miss them as much - it's only been a day or so for him, so this is pure 'oh thank god a familiar face that hasn't been blown up by aliens' relief on his end.

... And mud. Lots and lots of mud. ]

Seriously, not much 'virtual' about that mess! How long were you sloggin' around... in...

[ Wait. Robots + mud = bad times. ]

... Oh criminy, how much of that gunk got into your joints, Spine?

[awfulsentimetal]

[So much mud.]

Good question. One moment. Running systems check. [He held up a finger, photo-receptors dimming.

Processing... processing...

He lowers his hand and blinks with an audible click.] My left ankle's a little gummed up from steppin' in a sinkhole. Everything else checks out a-okay.

I should make it home just fine. It's not too far.

[greeterings]

... Wait, home? Like... Walter-Manor-home, or...

[ The penny finally drops, and he squints (... well, probably squints) up at Spine, tapping the chin of his mask with a long finger. ]

Youuuuuuuu've been here for a while, haven't you? Are timey-wimey shenanigans afoot? Has anyone accidentally married their own grandmother?