❝ 003 ❞ v i d e o ( forward dated to the 31st )

[animosus]

[Hal's recording this from Barry's place and he looks uncharacteristically hesitant.]

I think Barry's gone. My ring can't find him and I know it couldn't find people when everyone did that ghost trick a while back, but he also left his-- [He belatedly realises he can't say Flash ring.] --wedding ring behind and he'd never forget it.

[He falls silent again as he figures out what else to say.]

It's like I just got him back and now he's gone again. [He hasn't worked it out, but it feels like in all the years he's known him, Barry was dead longer than he was alive.]

I never really paid attention to what people did in this situation, but I guess I should tell Bart to get over here. Anything else I should do?

Comments

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[shorttempered]

Dude, I totally get it. My dad... well he's not around back home anymore either, and I know what it did to my mom.

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[backinakidflash]

Sometimes. I kinda wish my dad'd turn up here. [Bart looks down at his hands, lacing them together and cracking his knuckles.] I know how messed up that is though.

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[shorttempered]

...Me too. My dad, I mean. [Not yours. That'd be weird.]

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[backinakidflash]

I mean we're stuck here with all these annoying boring types. Why can't I trade in Evandau or something for somebody I actually want to meet?

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[shorttempered]

Because they might not be that great at running a country on a turtle? I mean he's a jerk, sure, but he does do a good job.

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[backinakidflash]

OK. Maybe not him. But.

[Bart reaches up behind his head with both hands and laces his fingers, resting them against the back of his neck.]

I'm trying to make a point. Hyperbolically. Work with me here.

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[shorttempered]

Sorry. Couldn't help myself.

But no, I know what you mean.

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[backinakidflash]

Y'know who'd be awesome here? Ben Franklin.

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[shorttempered]

He'd definitely be the most fun of the founding fathers to be around.

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[backinakidflash]

[Bart laughs and nods.]

Smart guy for the 1700s. Although I bet Stephen Hopkins could give'im a run for his money.

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[shorttempered]

Yes, but Stephen Hawking wouldn't take all of the hookers, so Ben would consider himself with the advantage.

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[backinakidflash]

Hopkins. Not Hawking. Founding father. He'd probably fight with Benji for all the booze. So maybe we don't do both.

Or maybe we do, and they protect us all from syphilis and alcoholism.

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[shorttempered]

Oh. Ooooooooooooooh. Well Stephen Hawking would be fun too.

And I don't think that's how either of those things work... because if it was, only one person would have either at any given time.

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[backinakidflash]

I'm exaggerating. But you can't tell me they wouldn't try to corner the market on rum and hookers.

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[shorttempered]

Yeah, but at least with Ben he probably would just want to play chess with them.

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[backinakidflash]

Is that a euphemism?

Man, now I really want Ben Franklin to turn up and invent our way out of this like some sort of steampunk-portal god. He waltzes in, he saves the world with stoves and armonicas, and is still home in time to play chess with the scarlet women.

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[shorttempered]

No. According to one of my history professors, Ben really liked to play chess with prostitutes. [One of the few things he actually learned in college.]

Something tells me that while he's good, I don't think he invented the stove or bifocals overnight.

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[backinakidflash]

That is the weirdest thing I've ever heard. And I've heard weird, OK.

Ugh. Point. But I've been here almost 11 months, so. Bring'im anyway. There's plenty of time.

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[shorttempered]

He also apparently really liked gay bathhouses because he thought they were cleaner. [Shrugs. His teacher really liked Ben Franklin.]

God I feel like I've been here forever.

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[backinakidflash]

Forever sounds about right. I feel like I'm in an ant farm. Running through the same tunnels, just looping around and around and around. Every. Day.

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[shorttempered]

Oh man tell me about it. I like Keeliai and all but even when we hit land I feel trapped. [It's very hard for a guy who was used to flying around the world to release steam to get stuck in what he considers essentially a 30 mile diameter cage... At least it's better than before.]

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[backinakidflash]

[Extremely quick - too quick - nodding.]

Yes. Yes times a billion. I've made the itty bitty living space joke before, but this feels longer than that was.

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[shorttempered]

[Oh my that's fast. Probably not as fast as him, but fast.]

Oh man, not only is that a great movie, that's a great analogy.

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[backinakidflash]

[Excuse you. Bart will race you if you ever say that.]

I try.

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[shorttempered]

[Yeah good luck with that, Bart.]

Honestly, I thought I was the only one who felt that way.