[ it's fine.... ]

Huh, really?

[ he was figuring she was just into egl fashion and not like, actually victorian. there is so much going on here. ]

Well, technically its primary function is to be a telephone, which— do you know what a telephone is?

Mmm... okay. It's a thing you can talk into that lets you talk to someone far away in real time. You hold it up to your ear like this [ demonstrates! ] to hear what they're saying, and there's a microphone down at the bottom that you talk into so they can hear you.

And then this is like, a way more advanced version of that.

Far away...? How far?

All the way across the ocean, usually! Though, uh, this one actually can't do it at all right now since it's not connected to anything.

Oh...

What would it need to connect to?

Uh... well, the old ones used cables, similar to telegrams. But most phones are wireless now, so they just transmit things through, like, waves in the air or something, I think...?

I think I understand...

[ as much as a victorian cryptid can. ]

So you'd need something that can... make those waves in the air?

Yeah, pretty much! Well, and other devices that can pick them up. Doesn't do a lot of good if you're the only person on a network.

I see... So it wouldn't be possible to reach anyone I know.

... Though it may be better that way, anyway. Do you have anyone you would like to try speaking to?

I mean, yeah, the police, for one.

[ to alert them to this MASS CROSS-DIMENSIONAL KIDNAPPING ]

But I'd also want to let my mom know what's going on.

Oh... hmm.

[ imagine having police. ]

Are you and your mother close?

Well, normal close, I guess. I mean, I still see her pretty often, and we mostly get along okay?

[ yeah you see her every fucking day because you STILL LIVE WITH HER ]

That's good. Bonds like that are important.