sticksandbones | netbook, mid to late March

ITS YOURS???

Obviously, or I wouldn't be looking for it.

its been chewing on my head for DAYS where the hell have you been

There was no distress signal so I assumed it was fine, usually it would find its way back on its own by now unless something was preventing it. So, why the hell are you trying to steal my artifact?

excuse me?
ive been trying to get RID OF IT. it wont leave me ALONE.
i literally beg you to take it back why the fuck would i steal it

[He says as if he hasn't gotten kindof attached over the past couple days. He'll feel weirdly empty without Karte sleeping around his neck.]

Oh? Sounds like it found something interesting, kukukuku...

Give me your location and I'll take care of it for you. [surely nothing bad will happen if you dox yourself in this post]

[Haha actually-]

no way
pick somewhere and we'll meet there.

[Playing hard to get? Challenge accepted.]

Inn, first floor lounge. I have important things to get back to, so make it quick.

[Well if it's any indication of how quick he is, Till doesn't even bother replying. He just heads straight there, since he was already on the third floor in his room...

Karte is, where else, perched on his shoulder. Where it's BEEN this whole time basically.

It will be. Abundantly clear the moment Add sees him why Karte was like :) friend]

[Add is sitting in a comfortable chair, legs crossed and hands steepled over his lap like he's some kind of supervillain waiting to make his dramatic speech. Karte perks up when it sees him, hissing directly into Till's ear like "hey Add look I made a new friend hey!!!"

But Add doesn't give a shit about that, because this guy does kinda look like him? It's not exact, but there's some resemblance, and Karte seems unusually comfortable hanging off his shoulder... hmmmmm. Needs more data.

He stares, looking Till up and down for a moment before deciding to speak.]

... Entered from the stairs, meaning you came from within the building. Why didn't you insist on a different location? Now I only need to survey this confined space to locate your hiding spot, kukuku.

[Why is everyone here so god damn weird.

Add saying??? That immediately makes him bristle so honestly terrifying to think about what ELSE he could have said here…he is trying to shoo Karte off to its master though, albeit more gently than the way he was scruffing him a few days ago now that he’s aware Karte isn’t trying to eat his brains.]

Like hell you are.

[Till grimaces- don’t worry he too is Uncomfortable by how similar they look- and gestures at Karte.]

Just take your alien thing and go.

[Karte headtilts at him like :)? and does not get off his shoulder, it's comfy!! And he should go be friends with Add so they can all be friends!!! Obviously!!!!!

The bristling doesn't get much of a reaction out of Add. He knows discomfort when he sees it, of course, but that's never stopped him before. He leans back, sneering.]

Karte found me something interesting, so I'd like to examine it first. [that's you, Till] Not detecting any Nasod signals... hmm, mana signature reads as under-utilized. You're not the "other Add" I'm looking for, but is it possible you're a Debrian?

[Thank you for making him a captive audience Karte he appreciates it.]

What are you on about?

[Till huffs, pushing his hands into the pockets of his slouchy pants.]

I’m a human. Just like you’re “not an alien” like all the others, right?

[karte is just me trying to make these two hissing cats get along by locking them in a room together cmon guys you have SO much trauma in common]

If you don't know what that is, then I guess that's a no. [Well, considering how all the other Debrians he's met turned out to be... maybe it's for the best. He tries not to look too disappointed.]

"Human" is a broad category. Debrians are a type of human incapable of manipulating mana through natural means. Magic isn't something I've researched, but it's not difficult to tell when someone has never used it before versus someone who uses it often when looking at their mana signatures. Yours reads as more similar to a Debrian than what I'm used to.

"Alien", however, is an even more uselessly broad term. An alien is anything that's not native to the specified location. Wouldn't everyone brought here be an alien by that definition? Yourself included.

"Uselessly broad", he says, as if I'm supposed to just know what Debrians are.

[Unfortunately for Till, Debrians are an Elrian thing. To Till, that may as well just be another term for "normal ass human", because-]

With the way you're describing it, all normal humans are Debrians too.

[He sure hasn't met anyone who knows how to use magic from his world, because magic isn't real but aliens are, it's sci-fi don't think about it too hard.]

Is that so? If magic is an abnormality in your world, it makes sense you would see it that way.

[His eyes flicker with a faint light, just in case Till was getting a bit too comfortable thinking this guy was completely human. Rest assured, there's a Dynamo hovering somewhere out of his view that's running all kinds of invasive scans right now.]

Unfortunately, terms like "normal" and "abnormal" are completely useless in this situation. If the people here come from different worlds, everyone will have their own definition of what "normal" should be. In the world I'm from Debrians are all but extinct, so someone like you would be considered an abnormality.

[Yaaay invasive scans!!!

Till looks on at Add with his face scrunching up with increasing annoyance. What is wrong with this guy...what he doesn't realize is it's like looking into a mirror, which makes him even angrier. A very obnoxious mirror.]

...uh huh. And what exactly does all that have to do with me having your alien thing?

[Points at Karte, who is still on his shoulder by the way.]

You have a similar energy signature to mine, so it finds you familiar.

[He states it plainly. If it was just that, it wouldn't be that weird... but this guy looks a little too similar for Add's tastes. Till could very well be a relative from an alternate reality for all he knows.

If he were more interested in biology, he might latch onto that and make Till's life a living hell... but as he is, Add just thinks it's a weird coincidence. Whoever this guy is, he's obviously different enough that it doesn't really matter.]

... Still, I'm surprised. I thought that tin can was smart enough to recognize its master, but I guess I've overestimated its intelligence if it thinks a scrawny brat like you is comparable to me, kekeke.

[Till grits his teeth so hard behind his lips his jaw aches. BITCH-

Who cares if they look similar?? So what, they have the same hair, and they're around the same age (how old is Add even, Till is 21 but Add is also a weird time traveler so-), and they have the same attitude. Also Karte chews on them. That doesn't mean anything.

His gaze narrows just a fraction, and the smile that twitches onto his face is not particularly kind.]

Oh yeah? Well, it still thought I was you. Plus, it's stuck around me this whole time even when I tried to make it leave. I think that says more about you than it does me, don't you think?

[fun fact they are the same age, if i ever pull out idol Add he's just gonna be a Till knockoff

It's not enough of a comment to wipe the smug look off his face, but it still gets under his skin. Add scoffs, leaning forward.]

It may be an idiot, but it's still my artifact. Karte, come here.

[He snaps his fingers, staring at the little dragon expectantly. It wiggles its wings in response, hissing cheerfully(?) into Till's ear, and...

Karte flaps its wings, returning to Add's side... but also. not that. because it still has its claws planted on Till's shoulder, and its tail wrapped around Till's forearm, so Till sure as fuck is coming with.]

[It's fine they can just eventually traumabond, the only reason Add can't see Till's Literal Slave Brand is because he's wearing his scarf over his neck. This will not be the case next month when it just starts fucking glowing-

Anyway, Till is honestly more relieved that Karte is finally going back to Add than he is annoyed that it's leaving him (though there is still a slight sense of "aw" seeing him go, even though he'd NEVER admit that").

...well, for a few seconds anyway. Because no sooner does Karte start flapping his wings and "moving" before he's just??? Dragging Till forward with the force of it, causing him to stumble a little over his own feet.]

Wh- h-hey! What gives?!

[Add's expression shifts from smug to confused to offended. Still seated, he raises his hands in the universal STOP signal (which Karte ignores).]

Hey! Drop that! You don't know where it's been! I said drop it!!

[but Karte is taking matters into its own clawed foot-hands. And since Add refuses to get out of the way, its literally going to drag Till into Add's lap. This is definitely how friendship works. Karte is helping!!!!]

[Yeah no neither of these losers are winning, in this case. Karte wants them both, and both it shall HAVE.

Till can't really fight against the strength of this little artifact, and because of that, he is quite literally dragged forward until he falls into Add's lap. And this is no graceful sit either, it's definitely an awkward tangle of limbs that Till can't easily pull himself back out of, especially if Karte is still oh-so-helpfully pulling him forward.]

Augh-!!

[Walks into the inn

Sees Add under yet another man

Laughs under his breath. Walks out.]

[Karte does this and then digs its claws into Add's shoulder while still wrapped around Till's arm so they're physically bound together by the dragon of friendship(???????). Add squawks like an angry bird.]

What are you DOING!? [shoving against Till, like this is somehow his fault] Get off of me!

This is YOUR tin-can’s fault! You make it stop!!

[Because as much as Till tries to fight against Karte’s hold on him, it ain’t budging. Between claws in Add and Tail wrapped around Till, the two are NOT separating.

Till’s overwhelming homophobic tendencies get the better of him though, and by sheer force of will he manages to rip free, though he nearly topples backwards off the chair as a result, forcing him to reflexively grab for Add’s other shoulder to keep from literally cracking his skull on the floor.]

When did I fucking ask for this?! You're the one who messed with it, you—

[Karte is having a time over here, gleefully using itself as a tool of tug-o-war. They're yelling, so that means they're having fun(???????????????)! Yay!

But anyway, Till does manage to pull at just the right angle to get Karte's tail to uncoil and release. For the briefest of moments Add is at peace, free of Till's unpleasant weight and all that gross physical contact with a stranger... until he's suddenly being grabbed again. Add makes another startled noise as he's dragged down, barely managing to brace himself before he can land in an embarrassing position.

Still crashing onto the floor, though. Add lands on his side next to Till, groaning.

Throughout all of this, Karte somehow remains comfortably perched atop Add's shoulder. It sits up tall and proud like Add being on the floor means it wins at this particular game.]

[Fucking ow. The only way that could have been worse if they fell on top of each other.

Till groans as well, rolling over painfully onto his back now that Karte has managed to successfully upend both boys. What a guy.]

Why...did it fucking do that...

[Maybe because you guys should be friends and stop being so mean??? Just a thought.]

Wait. Karte? Add?

[If he didn't already hear about the "copies" from multiple sources this might be surprising. Keeping his hopes at an all-time low,]

Identify yourself first.

It's Chung! Though, I don't think... we're from the same timeline. The Karte you drew isn't the one I'm familiar with.

( ... also, his add is- not so openly abrasive? )

[oh boy Chung you haven't even SEEN abrasive yet—]

Oh really? Isn't that convenient. How do I know you're not a fucking doppelganger waiting for me to let my guard down, huh?

Doing so publicly would be very stupid?

Yeah, which is why you're still keeping up the act, obviously. I've got my eye on you so don't try to pull anything funny, got it?

( he will be good and not sassy he will be good and not sassy

chung doodles a pomeranian with a clown nose. arf. :) )

This is a cute drawing, Add ^^ But you coloured outside the lines so I'm going to have to dock you points :P

[He takes a thick marker and just blacks out Ain's entire comment. Criticism denied.]

netbook, mid to late March

Feel free to have this come after others have replied ICly-

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