[Jaunt] It was as though a great many memes cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced

[failgoyle]

[Late in the week, an image appears on the network.]



So, uh, yeah, this is Jules, I'm, ah, back to myself, no longer re-living my teenage years only about a thousand times more obnoxious and in the future. Sorry about all the pop-ups and Rickrolls and all that crap. You know how teenagers are--no subtlety with the meme game.

So what all have I missed while I was trolling?

Comments

[triggerhappytraitor]

Welcome back.

I need your help with something. You're familiar with Diabolin computer hardware, right?

[failgoyle]

...I infiltrated twice as a Diabolin, kept the form, and also kept a cybernetic Diabolin arm I ended up modding so it could run Doom and so Squeak could use it to roam around without having any limbs of his own, so, yeah, you could say that.

[triggerhappytraitor]

Perfect.

I have a hard drive that was taken from one of their computers and I need to get to the data on it.

[[a pause]]

Also, afterwards, talk to Shiro and Pidge. They likely could use your help too.

[tookashirototheknee]

They see you trollin', they laughin'

[From one meme lord to another.]

[failgoyle]

[He couldn't resist.]

[tookashirototheknee]

No problem from this front. Just amused at trolls.

[claudiometer]

Oh thank god. Whoever de-infiltrated you deserves a cookie.

As for what you missed, lots of timey-wimey shenanigans.

[failgoyle]

Give Dakki the cookie, then, she got me.

...and have I ever said I hate those? Like it's way too easy to break the future and then you go back and it's Planet of the Apes or you've got sea sponges ruling everything or Pepsi's the only legal soft drink.

[claudiometer]

Will do.

See, I'm more used to the timey-wimey shit where you've already changed as much as you can by the act of time-traveling in the first place. [She half suspects that's why Helena's decamped to Liminal.]

[verdeleonessa]

Oh. So the one whose pop-up windows I tried to hack was you?

[failgoyle]

So it was you!

[There is possibly a sense of a dramatic point here.]

That drove him nuts.

[verdeleonessa]

Hah. Serves him right for making so many annoying adds! Although I did enjoy the little match of memes.

[crouching_sin]

Oh good. I was beginning to think someone let the early 2000s English internet free. Remind me to kick you for the popups later.

In any case, many people are very interested in this strange island below the lake that Spirit Companions come from.

[failgoyle]

It's not my fault you didn't have an adblocker installed!

[Please no kicking, thank you.]

And see, I don't do below. Up high is where it's safest.

[crouching_sin]

If I could have an offline adblocker, there are a few people I'd put on the blacklist. Unfortunately, that isn't possible without getting your hands bloody.

[Just. You know. Casual.]

Heh. I don't mind either way, but I can't exactly breathe in water.

[truerevelation]

...dude, those things were givin' me a headache.

But. Uh, cute dog. And welcome back.

[failgoyle]

I think we're all lucky he didn't break out the ones that could have given you a seizure, really.

And thanks.

[vorenado]

Your infiltration was certainly a nuisance.

[failgoyle]

Yeah, I don't think he felt like he was getting enough attention, and so...memes. Memes happened.

It's alright, though, I think I can straighten him out while I gotta be him for a little while--I'll get him a date for the school dance next month in the waking world. It'll probably cure a lot of his dumb.

Just, you know, swap it for a different kind of dumb.

[vorenado]

I do not comprehend. If he wanted attention why would he resort to behavior that would make other wish to stay away?

-=forgive him, three years in and he still can't follow all the illogical intricacies of human behavior=-

[comebewe]

You had a fedora.

[because this point, clearly, needs to be emphasised. Seriously Jules. A fedora.]

[failgoyle]

I'd really like to forget about the fedora, thanks.

[comebewe]

And a trenchcoat!

[Jules may want to forget. Matthew is not going to forget any time soon]

[summerorange]

Oh, thank God you're back to normal!

And your counterpart didn't know? All our spirit partners are having trouble speaking right. It's very frustrating all around.

[failgoyle]

I am so sorry for everything I said and did back there, I want you to know!

[There's a note of panic in his voice.]

I'm not like that normally, I swear!