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]

[...]

This is just a hunch, but did something happen to them?

[transmittable]

I can't- No, I don't want to talk about that.

[heritrix]

Okay.

[Simply; without surprise or offense, and no hesitation. Rin understands that emotion, maybe too well.]

I'll keep at finding a solution to your problem then. It's tricky, but we'll find something. There's always something for everyone.

[transmittable]

[ The Transmitter sounds a little relieved. ]

That's sweet of you, really... Just talking's nice enough.

[heritrix]

Oh, there's an idea!

[Bright and chipper again, Rin latches onto it full force.]

And it's something you have to do every day for your job, too, so it's easy to arrange. Who do you like talking to the most here? I can tell them to chat you up more often, if they're not doing so already.

[transmittable]

Whoa-- u-uh, hold your horses there... I- the ones I like talking to the most are already calling a lot.

[ ...does she mean ryoji- ]

A-and I don't mind calls or texts from any of you, really. Even the more...abrasive are fun to talk to.

[heritrix]

[It is probably Ryoji but now we have to determine it for science]

You really don't a favorite? Not a single one?

[transmittable]

It's- my job here's to be- uh, to oversee and keep things running smoothly, and- having a favorite would be- favor...tism...

[ Wow. ]

[heritrix]

[...heheh.

Okay, she has to sell this. Rin forces a sigh, like she's relenting.]

You're right, of course. It would be wrong if you liked one of us more than the other. It would compromise your ability to remain impartial.

[transmittable]

Exactly!

[ Even through the distortion? Her voice goes really high. ]

...I'm not foolin' you, am I?

[heritrix]

Oh, you're admitting it here? I was going to try worming it out of you with a game. Traits you find most attractive in boys!

[transmittable]

Oh God.

[ The sound of a thump! ...Did the Transmitter's head just...drop on to whatever's in front of her...? Her voice is a bit muffled, that's for sure. ]

It's been a long time since I've dated, okay, I'm out of practice with- coy-ass stuff!

[heritrix]

[Ahhh, she has a potty-mouth! And it's just as awkward as the rest of her speech. That and the faceplant makes Rin burst into laughter, though she's polite enough to tilt her head away from the phone so it doesn't blare loudly into the mouthpiece, and the Transmitter's ear.]

[transmittable]

[ It may not blare, but hear it she still does! So in response, Rin's treated to a long, drawn-out, over-dramatic moan. ]

[heritrix]

[Hehehe... Rin comes back to the phone, feeling even more fired up.]

You know if you're that rusty, maybe we should play it after all?

[transmittable]

I- I do fine!

[ ...she sounds indignant- ]

I've made him blush several times, thankyouverymuch!

[heritrix]

Really, really!? [She sounds ecstatic.] I thought he was the smooth one!

[transmittable]

Oh, he is, but I've- I've got some, basic skills, I've leveled up a few times!

[heritrix]

"Leveled up"?

[In which the Transmitter's well-earned boast falls flat because Rin doesn't understand even basic video game or D&D references.]

[transmittable]

...Oh my god, that's right, you don't know about texting, have you never played a video game?

[heritrix]

I tried one last Thursday, and I hated it! It was no fun at all!

[Somehow the tech-illiterate got both a copy of Pagan Dance and a console to play it on in one-go from the vending machine. Rin was able to slot them together, and turn it on and load the game!

She just then proceeded to die to the first enemy that could kill you on the first level, for over an hour.]

[transmittable]

Well, that's 'cause you jumped in headfirst, you have to ease yourself, girl!

[ A surprised but amused laugh. ]

Ugh, if- if the computers had early Windows games, I bet you'd like those. Real mind-teasers, but not too hard.

[heritrix]

I'm not sure I trust that. I heard all about Tetris from Tsubasa; a supposedly simple game that boasts psychoactive effects.

[She's on to technological engineers and specifically game developers!! They were just as nasty as mages all along!]

[transmittable]

Tetris? No, Tetris is an institution. How'd she explain it? She must've made it sound scary- it's not scary, I swear.

[ Golden end: Rin plays a video game and enjoys it. ]

[heritrix]

It was verbose, even for me.

[Rin relents eventually, willing to humor this. But wow trying to recall this discussion, it was so many words. Tsubasa explained the shapes, in that precise way, and the meaning of a tetronimo, and then after that...]

She said it was addicting; that if you play it long enough, you start to visualize it even when you're not playing, processing your surroundings in such a way that you fixate on ways that random shapes you see day-to-day could fit together, like boxes and buildings. But she also said most often it occurs during the onset of sleep, where the shapes falling on an endless grid follows you into your sleep, where you're unable to escape.

[That's about right. Rin's prejudice against machines might have taken some liberties there at the end, but otherwise it's actually nearly word for word...]