AWAKE?
an Earthbound ficlet by Tenda

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"Unh, what...? Tony?" Ness continues squinting, though in the dark of the camp, there's nothing to see. "Yeah, he's here... why are you calling... guh. Jeff!"

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//BEGIN APPLET &&&&&&&&&&&&&
** Link established.

[PAUSE 00:12]

225:4:122:9: "W-what? Tony?.. why are you calling me so early? You alright?"

194.38.18.01: "Yeah, aw, I'm sorry Jeff! I didn't mean to bother you, ah..."

225:4:122:9: "No, look, it's okay just... this is important, right?"

194.38.18.01: "Ahaha... Merry Christmas, Jeff!"

[PAUSE 00:09]

225:4:122:9: "Tony, it's like, two in the morning here."

194.38.18.01: "Oh."

[PAUSE 00:09]

225:4:122:9: "I-I mean, what time is it back in Winters? It's morning. Yeah. Merry-- Merry Christmas Tony. Yeah."

194.38.18.01: "Aww, you're the best Jeff, ahah! Thanks! So, what're your plans for today?"

[PAUSE 00:04]

225:4:122:9: "Tony, wha--? What? You know we're... we have a job to do, Tony."

194.38.18.01: "Oh."

[PAUSE 00:11]

194.38.18.01: "Well, it was, it was nice talking to you either way, Jeff."

225:4:122:9: "Are you cold? You sound like... you're shivering. Are you sick?"

194.38.18.01: "... I had to make the call outside."

225:4:122:9: "Why are you making this call outside? What?"

194.38.18.01: "... just in case ..."

[PAUSE 00:20]

225:4:122:9: "Just in case what, Tony?"

194.38.18.01: "... Merry Christmas, Jeff. Stay-- stay safe, okay?"

225:4:122:9: "Yeah, Tony. I will. Get inside, alright?"

194.38.18.01: "Okay, Jeff."

225:4:122:9: "Good."

194.38.18.01: "Yeah."

225:4:122:9: "Goodbye Tony."

[PAUSE 00:09]

194.38.18.01: "See ya around, Jeff."

//194.38.18.01 disconnects.

//END APPLET &&&&&&&&&&

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"Ness. Ness! You're still on duty." Jeff turns off the receiver phone, and throws it in the general direction of Ness-- really, anywhere away from himself.

"What? I'm fine, I'm not dozing off! Man!"

"That means headphones out of the walkman, and in the scanner," Jeff offers and motions to the oblong box by Ness, complete with typical sci-fi whirring and slow-spinning satellite dish.

"Everything okay with Tony?" Ness asks, eyes still closed as he slides the headphones back under his baseball cap.

"He's himself. Goodnight, Ness," and then, back to sleep.

(next page)
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//ANDONUTS RADIO SCAN v3.2 INITIATING
//SIGNAL RECEIVED, LOADING APPLET &&&&&&&&&
...: *BZZZZZZZT*

...: *BZZZZT* *CLICK* *BZZZT*

...: "Subject... 194.38.18.01... Snow Wood Boarding School... loves Jeff-- Three. Loves Three."

...: *BZZZT* "Duly... noted. Sending to... Agent DX. Excellent *CLICK*  reconnaissance."

...: "Acknowledged... also--"
//APPLET CLOSED PREMATURELY

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"Paula... Paula! Wake up. Wake up, Paula," Ness jabs Paula's sleeping form with the headphones. "Paula, wake up."

"Ness, what?" She yawns, and with mouth agape, and no words, motions to the scanner, and the fact this is Ness's turn to be on watch, and look how dark it is still, and why are you waking me up?

"I want to know something... about..."

Ness just sighs, shakes his head, puts the headphones back on and turns the dial of the scanner back to the right.

"Nevermind, Paula. It's a dumb sorta question."

A pause, about nine seconds.

"... Merry Christmas, Ness. I'll see you in the morning."