Video - OT*ALL*

[ubuntu_programmer]

[The message flickers as it comes through, turning on all devices that can receive the network. The background is a grimy blanket hung on a wall haphazardly, with bits of numbers and letters scrawled on the wall sticking out above. In the foreground is a tired and worse for the wear looking Ian. Of course, they could be tired because it was two in the morning. Or because they have been working for hours without break.]

"Let's try it this way then," [they said. There was an exhaustion in their voice that implied that this was far from the first attempt, and that they had little expectation this one would go any better.]

"Alright, let's try this. One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten. One Six Seven Eight Fifteen. Note to self, change my Steam password. Not that anyone's hearing this, because that would mean things worked. And clearly they didn't. Again. Someone has got to bring Chell coffee beans and soon...."

[Clearly the tired Ian was unaware that the message did in fact go out. To everyone. Anyone who responded to Ian was likely to surprise them... But then again, anyone who responded was likely in for a few surprises themselves.....]

Comments

The Chaos Post

[ubuntu_programmer]

[While some other replies may go only to Ian and maybe a few others, this is the insane post that accidentally loops in lots of people, has off lags and delays so some people see things in real time, others get an hour or more of messages dropped on them all at once. Feel free to spam this and get messy and thread jack. This one should be pretty much all one thread, but it is okay if there are splinter replies so long as those are also OTA and wind up tying back in to the main line... eventually...]

Video

[radleyslittleevie]

[A cute little animal that may or may not be recognized as an Eevee appears on the screen, tilting her head in confusion to the side.]

Didn't you forget to count Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen? What's Steam?

Re: Video

[ubuntu_programmer]

"What in the.... Please tell me I fell asleep working and this is a dream? Or better yet that I did reach Auradon and it has Pokemon and I just never knew. But my luck isn't that good generally...."

Re: Video

[radleyslittleevie]

"I'm in Auradon! But I think I'm the only Pokemon here.... Unless Sephiroth is one too.... He says he's not, even though he has pretty wings! And there's a nice kitty too!"

Re: Video

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Great. Just.... Wait." [Their head popped up again.] "You're actually in Auradon? This actually woooo" [static] "d?"

Re: Video

[radleyslittleevie]

"Yeah! Well ... mostly! The screen went all pretty colors and then came back."

Re: Video

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Pretty colours?"

Re: Video

[radleyslittleevie]

"Yeah! All these colored lines dancing!"

[Ah, the mind of an Eevee....]

Re: Video

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Can you... be any more specific?"

[hotheadwarmheart]

[It's lucky for Ian's sanity that Lea is a light sleeper. He was drawn back to wakefulness by the opening lyrics of a song that he'd set as the ringtone for messages from Ian's phone. A few moments of sleepy fumbling and Ian would be treated to the image of Lea's face, yawning and lit mostly by his phone screen, spiky hair even wilder than usual from sleep.]

Huh...? Ian? [Yawns, rubs eyes and blinks a little. Then gives a sleepy grin, keeping his voice down so as not to wake Xion.] Hey it is you! Long time, no see!

[ubuntu_programmer]

"That.... Well.... Okay. I guess it" [Static] "works at least. How much of that did you hear?"

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Lea gets up out of bed and heads quietly out into the hallway so he can talk a bit more easily.]

Um... you were rattling off a bunch of numbers, I think. And something about coffee. It took me a minute to wake up the whole way.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Absolutely changing that password then." [A sigh.] "Anyway, glad I got i..."

[Steal drum music started up, making it a good thing Lea left the room.]

[The screen was glitching out as well.]

[The whole thing lasted about 45 seconds before cutting back to Ian speaking, but the video was upside down and sepia toned.] "...but actually a nice enough..." [the sound cut out.]

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Well that sure was... a thing.]

...Okaaay, either I'm sleepier than I thought, or there's still some bugs to work out. Sound check, testing one-two-three? Can you hear me on your end?

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Hold on... let me try adjusting...."

[A deep female voice sang "Test one two three," with music behind it.]

"How did it open my play li... hold on."

[The music cut off abruptly.]

"Sorry about that. I wound up Macgyvering a lot of things to kludge this into working."

[hotheadwarmheart]

It played a bit of a song on my end too when it glitched. Something with steel drums, I think? And lyrics that talked about someone building a parking lot where a supermarket used to be. No idea what it was about though; it only played for like 30 seconds. Then the image went all weird before the sound from your end cut out completely for a bit.

[Abruptly, Lea's image becomes black and white and winds up surrounded by a Christmas-themed border.]

Seems to be working now though. And having seen the state of the Isle, yeah, I can absolutely believe it. Everything there seemed held together by chewing gum and baling wire. The fact that you managed it at all is an achievement.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Come dancing, the Kinks," [answered as if on reflex. Because, well, trivia contests.]

"And.... now your image is... okay where did that error even come from... You aren't wrong though. Except I think we might all go Lord Of The Flies over a stick of chewing gum at this point." [Mostly a joke. Mostly.]

[papillion_de_resistance]

[Was that a message notification on his phone? Did that mean the network was back up and running? Gabriel had been absorbed in a particular design he'd been tweaking, only noticing the time when the phone's buzzing pierced his concentration.

Rubbing his stiff neck a bit, he answered the call with a bit of a wry smile.]

I see I'm not the only one with a habit of working too late. Though it's good to see you again, Ian, regardless of inadvisable hours.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Good to see you as... wait, the connection worked?" [Ian sat back and looked exhausted.] "So how much actually went through? I've been testing for... What day is it?" [Mostly a rhetorical question.]

[papillion_de_resistance]

Tuesday. I can give you the actual date as well, if you need it.

[If they do, then Gabe knows there's someone out there worse at this than him.]

And yes, apparently. You counted to ten, then mentioned a few other numbers which- judging from what you said next- were likely your Steam password, whatever 'Steam' is.

Sadly, I'm not certain we have any actual coffee beans left; Malia makes an excellent cup, but it wouldn't make it past the barrier.

[ubuntu_programmer]

"For two days, then. And... I will have to change the password for sure now." [A groan. Would TFA even work here?]

"Do yourself a favor, never get stuck here on the Island. The lack of coffee is felt."

[papillion_de_resistance]

Hmm... not quite as bad as the 75-hour marathon I pulled once in college then, which is a tale of project deadlines and poor decisions. I don't think I could manage that again these days though, even with the help of coffee.

By the by, what-

[About halfway though the message the image gets overlaid by filter that makes it look like gold glitter is showering down, then abruptly the sound of Gabriel's voice is replaced by a jazzy song with French lyrics that don't end up translated for some reason. Gabriel seems to be unaware of either of these things.]

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Ah sorry, you cut out there a li..."

[And then it was Ian's turn. They were clearly still speaking, as they could still be seen, but the audio was drowned out by another song that did not translate. Ian seemed unaware of this entirely.]

[papillion_de_resistance]

[Gabriel frowns, attempting to adjust the settings on his phone to get Ian's voice back, but to no avail. It's not til the song ends that the channel seems to clear.]

...I think there may still be a few crossed wires somewhere. Can you hear me properly now, Ian?

[ubuntu_programmer]

"Yes, I can hear you" [Suddenly Ian had a cat filter.] "Meow."

[Ian had said "now" but apparently the glitch had a sense of humor.]