#4136

...Jake.

Alright, this sequence is rapidly devolving into a comedy sketch, and I’m having the time of my life. Jane is almost certainly being brainwashed by the troll Empress, Jake is being hypnotized by her boss, and you just know Bro's placronym is five pages from being revealed as Dick Scratch. This is a hilariously compromised session, and it hasn't even started yet.

What's next? Roxy Gl'bgolyb?

GT: Jane! GT: Forgive my botherations. I know this is meant to be a spanking ripsnorter of a day for you and all. GT: But do you happen to know where the devilfucking dickens mr strider might be?

I can’t articulate how funny it is that he still talks like an octogenarian.

Like... this kid was born in 1996. He's either doing this as a bit, or he got the accent from Jade, which is even funnier.

GG: I had been meaning to message you sooner actually, but I suppose in all the hubbub today, it plumb slipped my mind. GG: Which is a shocking fact on its lonesome, considering what I have to tell you! GT: Egad… GT: Loosens collar a bit.

Did you seriously just say 'egad'? Unironically?

God, this kid rules. 'Old-timey teenager' is just such an out-of-left-field concept for a character, and I didn't expect Hussie to commit this hard to the bit - but I am very glad he did.

GG: As for this Strider business, hrmmm. He's an elusive guy Jake. You know that. GG: I talked to him yesterday. That's as much help as I can be! GT: Shoot. GT: I really need to ask him something but hes got his blasted auto responder turned on.

What, like an out-of-office message? Those usually need to be turned on manually, which means that Kid Bro's deliberately set his Pesterchum to 'do not disturb'.

That guy's unreachable in any incarnation, and it's on purpose. He'll enter the story when he's good and ready, and not a moment sooner.

GG: Hoo hoo. GG: I love that thing. :B

Knowing the Striders, Bro's out-of-office notification is some sort of ironic joke. Jane's appreciation of this humor is an interesting parallel to the John/Dave relationship, where John was happy to play along with Dave's irony, but never really understood his schtick.

GT: He wouldnt be pleased to hear you say that.

Jake, however, believes that Bro would be uncomfortable with Jane's appreciation, for some reason.

So Kid Bro was also contributing to Project Tyler. He's a Bladekind specialist, so maybe he's the one who sourced the Royal Deringer for her arsenal.

I have no idea how he'd get his hands on such a powerful sword, especially outside of Sburb - but this is still Bro, after all. He's impossible.

GG: This would be the birthday present… for your grandmother? GT: No! GT: It is for your grandfather simply to be relayed to him by my grandmother. A joint gift to him from she and i.

Jake knows that the bunny's meant for John, but it's hard to tell if he knows which John he's sending it to. He might not even know that there are multiple Johns in the equation.

GT: I am sending the gift back in time to when they are both alive and about our age. GT: Or… GT: Something like that. Something funny is going on here that i have not fully grappled yet but dag nab it if im not gonna see it through.

Asked and answered. Jake English has no idea that he's an old man's reincarnation, and he sincerely believes that his pen-pal is a girl from the early 1920s. I was about to argue that Jade must have demonstrated some awareness of modern culture during their correspondence, but Skaia probably just told her to hide it.

Anyway, Jake can tell that something's not right about this situation - but without knowledge of the Scratch, it's basically impossible for him to arrive at the correct conclusion. He's stumped.

GT: Look jane i know youve never believed me and you think everything i say is some big cockamamie goofoff but i think today of all days is when you should start taking some things more seriously. GT: Especially since i have always had your back. I have always believed in you! GG: Hey! I have believed in you too. GG: However, believing somebody isn't the same thing as believing IN somebody.

Jane, for her part, doesn’t seem to know anything. Crockercorp have successfully kept her in a Sburbless bubble, and have her doubting all testimony to the contrary.

I'm sure the Condesce has made sure that none of her friends can provide tangible proof of what's really going on, ensuring that Jane is isolated, out of the loop, and unable to trust her loved ones. There’s a wedge driven between her and her co-Players that may widen further, if the right pressure is applied.

GG: But that much said… GG: I think that maybe I am getting ready to believe some of the wild stories I've heard? [...] GG: I had a really wild dream last night. GG: And you were in it.

But there's nothing they can do to contain her Dream Self.

Today is the day that Jane wakes up.

GT: What was i doing there? GG: Um… GG: Not a heck of a lot!

...unlike Jake, apparently.