Mmnn.

He's on... vacation?  Where is he on vacation to.  Presumably he'll remember in a minute.



Nope, huh.  Oh well.

He brushes the covers aside and - huh, he fell asleep in sweatpants.  Daytime, fashionable sweatpants, which isn't that weird but he doesn't normally do it.  His sneakers are lined up by the bed; he slips into them and heads... out.

"Hey, there!  Hello."

"Hello!"  Is this somebody's house??  - Oh, an Airbnb, probably.  That doesn't tell him who this guy is, though.  He keeps walking.

"I got you some water.  Wanna come sit down?"

(Whoooooo is this.)

"Sure."  He sits.

The guy gestures to a glass on a coaster on the coffee table.  "So, hi, my name is Journey Carison, and I'm about to tell you several things that are a lot more surprising than that."

"...Okay...  Hi, Journey, my name's Julien."

Journey nods.  "Hi, Julien.  Nice to meet you.  Let's start with some good news:  Dungeons are not the only alternate dimensions around.  And many of the rest of 'em are filled with humans who are generally trying to make the multiverse a better place."

(What.)

(What -)

"This has lead to both some individuals, and to a lesser extent also just common people, being able to do a lot more things than previously.  More power, more wealth.  Cooler stuff and safer everything.

"...Not - everything - is as great as all that, but this is, if you ask me, a fundamentally optimistic state of affairs."

(What does - ) (How - ) (Does he really expect - )

"This looks like an Airbnb."  (Well, sort of, at least.)

"- Sure, yeah, I can kind of see that.  Do you want to take a walk?"

"Not really, unless it's going to be explanatory in some way?"

"It will be!"  He rises.

"Sure, fine."  He'll follow.

"Are you sure you don't want some water first, though?"

Why is this guy being so pushy.  But whatever.  "Sure, I guess.  Hydrate or die-drate," he shrugs, going for the glass.

"- Jesus Christ, man."

"What?"

"Never mind.  Cheers; prost.  Mazel tov."  Clink, and he takes a hearty swig himself.

Whatever.

It is, admittedly, pretty good water.  He's a fan of it.  It's just not so good that he would rather have it than understanding whaaat is happening here.