ETRAYA INBOX

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

Catch-all contact post!

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a little bit after the september/october mission is over; voice!

[maximumlegend]

[ Does Fabian feel exhausted as hell, getting out on the other side of these months? Yes. But it's not like that's going to stop him from checking up on people he didn't have time to check up on in the middle of the chaos that was happening - and Doreen is definitely on that list. There's something about the way she stepped in for him during Moorecroft that sticks out in his mind enough for him to have to make sure she's alright.

So Doreen will find her earpiece letting her know someone is trying to contact her - and it's Fabian on the other side. ]

Hey. Are you-- Um, is everything alright? [ Though Fabian is trying to mask most of his fatigue, there's still a little bit of it in his voice as he speaks. ] I know it's been a wild few months.

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

Fabian?

[ Well, here's a surprise! Without most of her gang from home here, she hadn't really expected anyone to check up on her. This is... this is really sweet of him. Huh! ]

Yeah! Yeah, I'm good. Things got, uh... a little hairy there for a while, not gonna lie. [ There had been lots of undead squirrels, and nightmarish visions of Nancy and her parents being hurt by her superhero work, but we're not gonna talk about that right now! That's going in the vault! ]

... But, you know! Got through it in one piece, so I'm good. Super good. Everything is cool and fine and can be sorted out with therapy later, probably! How about you? You doin' ok?

[maximumlegend]

Yeah. I'm fine.

[ Maybe not the most convincing thing in the world when he sounds kind of tired as he's saying it, but-- let's be real, it's not like Doreen opted to go for the most convincing method either. It's why Fabian is so brief about how he's feeling in the first place - he isn't so sure she's doing all that well, and he'd rather focus on her in this moment than think about his own mess. ]

Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? I mean, not-- not therapy, obviously. [ Fabian is the absolute furthest thing from a therapist. And he'd never want to be like Jawbone. Please. He'd never survive that. ] But it's probably better than keeping all of that to yourself, right? Things got really messed up back there.

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

[ There is a long, telling silence on the other end of the line before Doreen finally gives him a sheepish response. ]

... Y'know, I was going to say something, but we literally just dealt with a whole 'don't suppress your bad feelings or store them in stuffed animals or they will figuratively and literally explode' situation a few weeks back, so I'm having a hard time arguing my point.

But! [ She claps! ] This supportive feelings jam is gonna go both ways, because the same goes for you, ok?

[maximumlegend]

Okay.

[ ...

A slight pause. It almost seems like Fabian is giving in a little easy by his standards, huh? Maybe-- ]

But I'm fine. So. You know.

[ --okay, maybe he isn't giving in that easily after all. ]

So you can go first. You listened to me talk about Gilear before, so I want to listen to you now.

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

Of course! But, if you want to switch it up at any point, this is a safe, supportive feelings jam.

[ ... And now she actually has to talk about herself. Shoot. ]

Ssssssso. Yeah. This was typical superhero nightmare stuff? Undead squirrels mad at me for leading them into danger, friends and family getting hurt because of my superhero stuff, waking up in Australia, the works.

... Long story short, my life kinda blew up a while ago, and things were just starting to get fixed before I woke up here. Like, I'm good now, but that's the stuff my brain always goes back to when it's nightmare zone time. I just... I miss my pals, y'know?

[maximumlegend]

I don't know. Undead squirrels also sound kind of freaky, you know. [ Especially when Fabian is deadly afraid of rats. Or, well, one particular kind of rat, actually. Squirrels don't come close enough to be freaky inherently, but still close enough that the idea of having to deal with undead squirrel nightmares is still pretty no bueno to Fabian!

But he gets that it's not the bigger problem. Especially when Doreen says that last part, tugging at Fabian's heartstrings. ]

But.. you're saying that none of your friends from back home are in this place?

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

[ at least they weren't sexy undead squirrels, thank god for that! ]

Well, uh... there were some people from my universe here, they were like work-friends, and I'm sure we could've become legit good pals in time, but I'm not sure if they're here anymore? That sorta counts!

[ There's an edge of determined, forced positivity in her voice. She's fine! Everything is fine! ]

[maximumlegend]

[ ... ]

Oh.

[ That is distinctly the oh of someone realizing they just heard something really awkward and aren't entirely sure how to reply to it. Especially when Fabian is pretty sure the presence of Riz and Gorgug is just about the only thing that keeps him from fully snapping in this place.

And Doreen doesn't have that. She didn't have it all this time, even back when she was trying so hard to cheer him up back in Moorecroft.

... ]

Well-- [ Give him a second. For how much Fabian always yaps, he wants to make sure this is the good kind of yap. A yap that can help her, rather than make her feel bad. ]

At least you have me, right? We are friends! In fact-- We can do more things together, if you'd like! Especially to fill up the gap until some of your friends might happen to show up in this place!

voice; un: MAXIMUMLEGEND

[maximumlegend]

[ Sorry, Doreen, but he has no idea where else to turn with these QUESTIONS!!

It means all this unhinged stuff is coming straight for you. Enjoy. ]

Hey, Doreen.

[ .. A-Awkward pause, he is-- HE STILL MENTALLY PREPARING HIMSELF, OKAY-- ]

I have a question. [ It sounds so weighty. So important. He sounds like he's at a job interview or something, if Fabian knew what those even are. ]

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

[ Doreen has somehow stumbled backwards into being considered a Responsible Adult, so when she gets this call, she squares her shoulders, takes a deep, fortifying breath, and prepares herself. She's gonna give good advice! She's gonna be approachable and easy to talk to!

... She really hopes that she doesn't have to talk Fabian out of slicing anyone's ding-dong off with his sword this time! ]

Oh yeah? What's up, Fabian?

[maximumlegend]

Well, it's..

[ ..

A pause. It's not really characteristic for Fabian - except for when he's trying to talk about something actually serious that he doesn't know how to navigate all that well, as demonstrated before. This isn't quite that, but it seems to be something that's giving him a rather similar reaction. ]

Do you have-- uh. Do you have a boyfriend back home? [ Another pause, but Fabian is quickly hit by a realization that makes him add: ] Or-- You know, a girlfriend! A partner! Whatever! Sorry, I don't know what you're into..!

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

[ oh no oh no oH NO HERE COME THE KILL BILL SIRENS! this isn't the first time she's dealt with something like this, although to her credit, Doreen doesn't instantly go into panic mode. After all, Fabian seems like a genuinely good kid, and isn't likely to go full Nice Guy on her, or try to blackmail her into dating him by sinking Central Park into the ground or holding national monuments hostage like Mole Man did. No matter how this situation goes, it can't possibly be worse than the Mole Man incident. ]

Iiiiiii do not, but! I'm not looking for one either, and if this conversation is heading in the direction I think it's heading, I'm gonna cut you off there, because I'm very flattered and you're super cool and very sweet but I am way too old for you.

[maximumlegend]

What?

[ Confusion. ]

W-- What?!

[ More fluster this time, with some extra offense on the side. Seriously, Doreen, do you think he's some sort of baby? That's--

Wait, that's not the point at all! ]

No! No! Why did you think I was-- [ He sounds like a flustered mess, but it's more because of the surprise of the sudden twist she's throwing at him than her being onto something here.. ] I'm dating someone! I'm dating someone in this place!

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

[ Doreen is tactful enough not to say 'oh thank god' over the comms, but there is a palpable sense of relief! (Sorry buddy, she's had some REALLY bad dating experiences!)

... relief which is soon overtaken by GLEEFUL ENTHUSIASM ]

My bad, my bad! Sorry I misinterpreted that, but also heck yes, who's the lucky guy/gal/awesome person in question? Dish, dish!

[maximumlegend]

Doreen!

[ That's definitely the tone of a teenager getting embarrassed by their family. Not that Doreen is his family or anything, but-- you know, the way he views her is similar enough that he can't help but let out that whine when she reacts like that.

Especially when he was being so vague on purpose to try and avoid having to dish! But he's pretty sure she won't let it go now.. ]

I mean-- Maybe you don't even know him! What is it going to matter then, huh? [ It's only a weak protest, however, since a second later Fabian is already spilling: ] It's Gorgug! You know-- One of my friends from back home?

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

[ TOO LATE, SHE HAS HER SHIPPING GOGGLES ON NOW!! She absolutely cannot keep the excitement or glee out of her voice! ]

Oh yeah! Big green guy, kinda soft-spoken, real good at making stuff? Excellent choice in dudes, A++, he's a total sweetie!

superhero mission, text, un: gorgug

[tinflower]

hey. if i catch a bad guy do i take them to the police

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

[ his first bad guy! she's so proud!

depends what kind of bad guy! We talking full-blown supervillain or like a park mugger?

[tinflower]

[ He thinks he would just punch a park mugger... ]

the first

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

oh yeah, in that case, police station! in a world like this, they're bound to know how to handle supervillains

if you need to, you can write a note and stick it to the bad guy's shirt, like 'tried robbing an old lady, could use anger management courses and financial advice'

[tinflower]

okay

i don't have to prove they're actually a supervillain? do police believe you if you walk up with someone and say they were doing something bad?

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

Are they wearing a funky costume? The costume is usually a good rule of thumb.

Any chance you could call the police and have them come to you? It'd be easier to explain if you're at the scene of a crime!

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug has to think about this for a second. ]

do you think they'll believe a guy who sounds my age calling the police about catching a villain?

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

If this world is anything like mine back home? Yeah, probably. They might direct you to a different hotline or something, but if this is something they deal with on the regular, then they're probably equipped to deal with it.