SWITCHBOARD

[transmittable]

If you'd like to ask the Transmitter something over the phone, go right ahead! The Transmitter will answer the phone as soon as she's available. Leaving messages is impossible, given how old these phones are, but you should be able to reach her at almost all hours.

Comments are screened for privacy; all Patients are offered confidentiality, didn't you know?

Comments

[heritrix]

[Oh my god Ryoji wasn't imagining her reciprocation.]

Good evening, Transmitter. Did something nice happen for you?

[transmittable]

Nice? Why, uh, would you say that?

[ ...A moment of pause, and...she's holding back a giggle? Very poorly? ]

Um, yeah, something like that.

[heritrix]

I hope I wasn't interrupting something. A daaaaate~ maybe?

[transmittable]

No! No, we just-

[ ...she squeaks. ]

Y-you're not interrupting, that's what matters!

[heritrix]

[Last week Rin could admit to herself that maybe she liked the Transmitter. She hadn't planned for that to happen, but ever since the divide came up, the difference between the Transmitter and her superiors, the humanity behind her words became clearer. Gentle encouragement in another direction; distant when Rin more openly discussed taking part in Rule 7. In general, she's been more helpful than she's been misleading.

Even knowing that, when Rin learned of Ryoji's affections for her last week, she feared that somehow he could be manipulated. The possibility continues to exist in a small corner of her brain, but reflecting on the Transmitter's previous behaviors and how positively girlish she sounds now... Rin feels like this might be the real personality.]

Whatever you say~

[Rin sing-songs. She's tempted to ask more, but with someone as sweet as Ryoji she'd feel like a voyeur. Let them have their privacy a little longer.]

So, I'm on the "nice list", am I?

[transmittable]

[ The static fluctuates as there's- ...very clearly a whine, honestly, you have embarrassed the Transmitter, congratulations. She just about leaps at a topic change, clearing her throat before diving in. ]

Y-yes! Yes, it was- very nice to leave cookies for Santa, he appreciated it very much.

[ don't bullshit her oh my god ]

[heritrix]

[Rin's devilish smirk is so wide it could be audible. She whined, oh my god. For the first time in her life Rin actually feels like a real high schooler, gossiping about boys at school. Maybe she'll give Ryoji dating tips?? It could keep her in the know and also be fun.]

I knew he was real! I wonder what flavor I should make next Christmas?

[transmittable]

[ A pause. ]

Snickerdoodle.

[heritrix]

Okay!!

[Excellent. Except Rin doesn't know that flavor as well! She'll have to look up just how you make them. And thinking of that actually leads to an even more important thought:]

You know, why are they called that? "Snickerdoodle". What a weird name.

[But fun to say. Snickerdoodle, snickerdoodle.]

[transmittable]

Uhh... Maybe whoever made them had a weird sense of humor? Or, like...they were drunk and tried to say something else. Kinda hard to control your tongue, if you're like really drunk, you know?

[heritrix]

[She does!]

Have you ever been drunk, Transmitter? Actually, does this hospital have a bar? [We have a gosh-danged dojo and shooting range, apparently, so who knows what else.] Because that would be in my interests.

[Rin drinks (according to Hollow/Ataraxia anyways). She inherited Tokiomi's wine cellar, presumably left untouched by Kirei and Gilgamesh because their booze was better.]

[transmittable]

I have, a few times. As for a bar, uhhh...

[ She thinks for a moment, lightly hums. ]

I...think there's something like that, somewhere. Don't...hold me to that, but I might be able to scrounge that up.

[heritrix]

[Heck yeah, Transmitter. Give the legal age of drinking the double bird!]

"Scrounge that up"? That's impressive. So you're saying you can choose where rooms will appear, and there's so many options you might not use them all?

[transmittable]

[ If only we could just get drunk altogether and chill. ]

Uh- um, it's...it's a little complicated? I can't really explain it, sorry.

[heritrix]

[If only...]

...Mm. [She sounds a little disappointed, but agreeable.] Is it a can't, or not allowed?

[transmittable]

A little bit of both, honestly.

[heritrix]

[This time she sounds more understanding.]

I've been in that position before, so I can respect that.

Moving on to safer subjects... Does that mean you get to choose which rooms we get? If you do, I was wondering why we got such a nice pool. Your profile said you hate water.

[transmittable]

[ Well, the Transmitter makes a kind of...disgruntled noise, kind of uncomfortable. She sounds almost bitter. ]

That one... That wasn't really my choice. I'm glad you guys are- enjoying it, but if it were completely up to me there wouldn't be one.

[heritrix]

...Ah. So the Risen have say too.

[Why would they pick a swimming pool?]

[transmittable]

Of course they do. They always do.

[heritrix]

[What an unhappy topic. She'd meant for this to be more fun, but she always comes back here.]

At least tell me they're a bunch of smelly losers who can't get a girlfriend.

[transmittable]

[ She laughs, lightly. ]

Yeah... Yeah, I guess I could say that.

[heritrix]

See? I feel better already.

[Rin laughs.]

I wonder what else we have in common, besides our age.

[She looks about the room, then at the very object in her hand.]

Oh, did you pick out the style of phone? It's quite different from the tablet.

[transmittable]

Oh, those? Naw, I didn't. I... ...Um, there's a charm to this kind, but honestly? It's 'cause uh...those guys, you know who, they're kind of...technologically challenged?

[ She says this like she's snitching on someone, with a nervous laugh. ]

So, old phones. Again, charming! But old.

[heritrix]

[If anything, Rin feels more depressed.]

Nngh, seriously? I have more in common with them on that point than you!

[This is an awful realization, she doesn't want to be lumped in with the smelly losers.]