three ❀ video

[unknowable]

[It looks like Adam has taken one of the mopeds to pieces. There are engine bits carefully arranged around him, his hands still have traces of grease on them, and there are tools nearby. He generally doesn't use the network much, but - this seemed relevant.]

I guess these are the vehicles we were promised. They seem all right - probably won't go more than 25, but it's not like there's a real need for speed here. They run pretty well, though they're electric, so they'll need charging. And they're not too complicated, so if something breaks it should be easy to fix - I'd be fine showing anyone who wants to learn.

[He pauses for a moment, shrugs.]

Or doing it for you, I guess. But there's some... weird stuff.

[Adam picks up the carburetor, unscrews part of the covering, and pulls it off. Rather than what would be expected to be inside - normal moped parts, necessary to running it - out pops a spring-loaded, fake-looking snake, like something you'd hide in a can for a shitty prank.

Expecting this, Adam does not seem surprised, only vaguely tired and maybe a tiny bit amused.]

All the ones I looked at have something like this. They run fine, though.

[And, totally deadpan, as a service to those who might be unfamiliar with this kind of thing:]

They really shouldn't.

Comments

[voice]

[circumitus]

[Scoff.]

Figures. Would offer a hand with anything on the mechanical side, but it doesn't look like those models aren't based on any sort of engineering.

[voice]

[unknowable]

The rest of the parts all seem to work the way they're supposed to, which leads me to believe that if there are problems we'll be able to fix them, but...

[He shrugs.]

I have absolutely no explanation for how this is supposed to work.

[voice]

[circumitus]

Doubt there are any explanations for how most things work around here. Logically, neither this place nor the gods should even exists.

[voice]

[unknowable]

And none of us should be here. You're right, there's not much use in looking for explanations. Still, I have a hard time not trying.

[voice]

[circumitus]

Understood. Irrational that things might seem here, at least some rules still apply. Would hate to be stuck in a Carroll-esque reality where no shit makes any damn sense.

[voice]

[unknowable]

I've had to deal with things a little like that. I really prefer things that have rules, things that you can learn to understand in some way. It helps. It seems more manageable, at least.

[voice]

[circumitus]

Doesn't help that it seems like this place goes out of its way to make things not manageable, what with how it just plain changes the rules.

[voice]

[unknowable]

Yeah. I've been here since the beginning, and I still never know what's going to happen next. There are rhythms - if we go too long without something happening, I know it will soon - but I never know what it'll be.

[voice]

[circumitus]

You did? [Huh.] Came here just a few months after the Door started bringing people here. Doesn't take long to figure out there is a certain pattern to things.

[voice]

[unknowable]

I don't want to rely on it, but it's a little easier knowing when something is coming, even if I don't know what it is. Better than having no idea at all.

[voice]

[circumitus]

Mm, true. Too bad we can't do anything to turn it back on the assholes who more often cause that shit.

[voice]

[unknowable]

Wouldn't that be nice. Justice doesn't seem easy to come by here, though.