[Audio: Locked to Kurt]

[cantcatchme]

[The voice coming over the communicator is strained, high-pitched, and very familiar]

Wagner? Wagner! Tell me you have an explanation for what's going on?

[He can't get ahold of Tolansky, and he sure as hell doesn't remember how he wound up in a pod]

Comments

[thefuzzyguy]

Ja, um...

[How to begin with a subject like this?]

That's a surprisingly hard one to answer. Roughly speaking, months, though.

[He starts working his way through the hospital. He can port home, but he doesn't like to make the air all sulfurous around sick people.]

[cantcatchme]

What's so hard about that? Stop being obtuse, Wagner.

[thefuzzyguy]

Since you disappeared we all got snatched into a whole bunch of times in the past und left there for... Well, Todd said he only spent a week, but I was there for months, und also the whole timeline seems to have reset while we were gone, so the whole place is different now.

[Huh, there, he could sum it up quickly after all.]

[cantcatchme]

...freaking time travel.

[Pietro groaned]

So what, everything's changed? Let me guess, we're in some sort of alternate history universe of this freaky planet. God, that almost sounds sane.

[thefuzzyguy]

[That went well!]

Pretty much. It's kind of nicer here now, in a lot of ways, und I wish I'd been lucky enough to have missed time traveling, so really, you're coming out okay. Except for the naked part, I guess.

[Finally outside the hospital, he ports back to the house. Since alternate timeline Pietro left his room in order, finding clothes should be easy.]

[cantcatchme]

Yeah, yeah. I'll judge that for myself. Just get your furry blue tail over here! It shouldn't take even you too long!

[He's pacing. Not that Kurt can see. He still hasn't turned on the video because... naked, and everything.]

[thefuzzyguy]

Well, it'll take a little while. My maximum port is about two miles, so it'll be a bunch of jumps.

[Ah, yes, there are Pietro clothes.]

I can get there in a hurry so you can be decent, but I'm probably going to need to get a ride back. So keep in mind who's doing you a very tiring favor und missing work, mein freund.

[But he's still smiling.]

[cantcatchme]

Geez, Old City isn't that far away, Blue. And it's cold here.

[He's scrawny and thin-skinned. It was only a bit chilly, but without clothes... well.]

[thefuzzyguy]

Und that's one of the new and exciting differences! Old City is mostly ruins, plus there's a military outpost. Oh, und the Authorities are just kind of generally annoying instead of homicidal now. Anyway, I have to get all the way from Poseidon, und it's a trip.

[He shrugs apologetically.]

Es tut mir Leid. I'll try to hurry.

[cantcatchme]

[There's a significant pause]

I'm suddenly very glad I didn't try to make a run for home.

[He's not sure how to take the Authorities being less homicidal.]

[thefuzzyguy]

Ja, even you might have had trouble with that. Though they're just as used to us crazy ship people as ever.

[Not that he expects Pietro would find that very comforting.]

Oh, we have a house now.

[cantcatchme]

Great. So now I need to wait for clothes and directions. How the hell'd we end up with a house?

[thefuzzyguy]

Todd, mostly. That shady guy he works for hooked him up. He actually makes a way better living than I do.

[Which he still feels silly about.]

...Oh, right, there's actually a real economy now, too.

[cantcatchme]

Well, good for him.

[Pietro almost sounds like he means it.]

What the hell does he do? And I suppose you'll expect me to get a job, too.

[Yes, he's avoiding talking about Todd like he's back in the pods. He can't deal with that right now.]

[thefuzzyguy]

[This is fair. Kurt doesn't like it either.]

Runs errands mostly. He is good at stuff like that. Und ja, it'd be nice. Though, um, you might have had one. Since see, when we jumped into the new timeline, there were us-es in the timeline before? Your room was here when we found the house.

[cantcatchme]

It was, huh? Guess that's why my clothes didn't wind up back in their box. Eh. If I had a job, I've sure as hell been fired by now. I'll figure something out.

[There was always work for quick hands.]

[thefuzzyguy]

Ja, you'll find something. I'm still the errand boy at the hospital. No idea if there's an official job title or not. If it wasn't for Todd being a shady weirdo I'd still be stuck in the Flop.

[Not that that'd be the end of the world, but a house with a real kitchen and comfy beds is a pleasant thing.]

[cantcatchme]

Yeah, what would you do without the Brotherhood saving your ass, Blue?

[It sounds like Pietro's smirking. At least he doesn't sound too out of sorts.]

Now just concentrate on getting here, hmm?

[thefuzzyguy]

[Ah, yeah, that sounds like Pietro. He doesn't even mind.]

Get comfy. I'll be there as soon as I can.