Searching Far and Wide

[intricate_engineer]

Glen was creating a prototype for a new gate design. It was meant to be affordable and provide quick transport between individual homes. She tests several objects and a rat and everything seems to be working.

She steps through. Instead of finding herself in the room next door, she finds herself standing on a sidewalk in an empty city. The buildings are tall and perfect, colorless with doorways far too tall for any human. The roads have no straight lines and twist in on themselves. There is no life or sound.
Glen tries to stay calm. She begins to walk along the road, randomly opening doors and exploring buildings that are as silent as the rest of the world.

She opens a door that she hopes will lead onto a roof and is instead met with warmth, and soft noise, and color.

Comments

[intricate_engineer]

"And it could all end tomorrow, with no warning. No one would remember. And how much good are we even doing? People still die. People still hurt each other. People are supposed to be safer, but there's still corruption. Still worlds that never let go of old ideals that they let loose once our backs are turned."

[the_very_best]

"Do you actually want to have this argument?"

[intricate_engineer]

"No. No. I'm sorry. I'm being unnecessarily morbid. I'm not about to stop trying to help just because the scale intimidates me."

[the_very_best]

"Good. Me either."

[intricate_engineer]

"Anyway, have you ever worn contacts?"

[the_very_best]

"No?"

[intricate_engineer]

"Would you like to try them? I was thinking I could buy some here. In my world, a lot of people use contacts to virtually explore places or play games. I do it occasionally, but I don't have any with me."

[the_very_best]

"We do not have the kind of contacts that do that."

[intricate_engineer]

"They kinda hard to put in the first few times, but they're fun."

[the_very_best]

"Sounds interesting, anyway."

[intricate_engineer]

"Should I get some from Bar?"

[the_very_best]

"I don't know how expensive they are..."

[intricate_engineer]

"It varies. Brand-name and professional ones can get pretty pricey, but the generic version is affordable."

[the_very_best]

"I'd be interested to try them."

[intricate_engineer]

Glen purchases the supplies to build a third portal, the case to move one, and the contacts.
She hands the small, sealed packet to Bella.
"You'll want to use a mirror."

[the_very_best]

Bella can borrow a mirror from Bar. "Any tips besides 'don't poke yourself in the eye'?"

[intricate_engineer]

"Put the contact on your index finger and hold open your bottom eyelid with your other fingers. Put your other hand over your head to hold open your top eyelid. Aim for the center of your eye and immediately start blinking."

[the_very_best]

Bella manages without substantial mishap to get the contacts in.

[intricate_engineer]

Words appear in her vision.
Welcome! Do you need help setting up? Look at the word that represents you answer.
Below that, Yes and No appear.

[the_very_best]

...It's weird that it works that way when presumably the thing displaying the words will move with her eye, but she looks at "yes".

[intricate_engineer]

When she moves her eyes, the words stay static relative to the world around her.
When she focuses on Yes it flashes and the words disappear.
Do you need to remain aware of your environment?

[the_very_best]

"It's asking if I need to remain aware of my environment. Does it just mean visually or can it stop me hearing stuff too?"

[intricate_engineer]

"Visually, but I have some earbuds you can attach it to in a minute."

[the_very_best]

"Okay..." No, she does not need to remain aware of her environment.

[intricate_engineer]

This technology is controlled by hand signals. To control this device, your eyes must be open and your hands must be within your field of view. Do you have two hands?
Yes. No.