[ WP ] Two time travelers from the future arrive in the present day . One claims that the future is a utopian paradise , the other claims that it 's a hellish dystopia . Both of them are lying .

The two men stood before Marcus in fine Italian suits, freshly pressed. Marcus could n't help but think they're trying to impress someone, God knows why they chose him. The device they used to get here would impress him enough, who'd have thought `` time travel'' would be included as a cell phone feature in the future? Are there unlimited time travel minutes? Are they paying roaming charges for going backwa- 
 
 `` Keep focus, Marcus.'' It was the one in the pin-stripes, claiming all sorts of bad things. He's right though, this is no time to lose focus. They may run out of minutes. 
 
 `` Alright,'' Marcus said, `` care to explain this whole ocean thing to me again?'' 
 
 The man in charcoal went first, as usual. `` Well, after efforts to reduce the effects of global warming were taken seriously, the polar caps stopped melting. The technology boon this provided made it possible to have floating colonies across the ocean, since much of the research went into developing plants capable of living off of krill, plankton, and salt water. Its much different than how people in your time envisioned it, the colonies do n't live in giant metal capsules. Think of them as... one giant plant dozens of miles in diameter... floating. The plant is large enough to support a small ecosystem without sinking. This is the main reason wars came to an end, land claims became silly when you could just... *grow* a nation with pretty much all the resources you need. Several of these nations became specialists to support their economies, with trade between the nations being about equal.'' 
 
 Without a second delay, pinstripes came in to be a mood kill. `` Global warming was dealt with before it became too serious an issue. Unfortunately, by too serious an issue I mean before everything became completely flooded. New York City? Gone. Italy? I heard its boot shaped in your time, back home it looks like someone took a shotgun to it. Florida is n't even a *thing* anymore, I came here expecting a reef. Well, with so little land mass left research was the *last* thing on our mind. Survival became an issue. Everyone figured their neighbors had a pretty sweet thing going on, and it started several wars... that led to more wars... in fact, there are wars still goin' on right now.'' 
 
 Marcus did n't seem to understand. Both these men came from the same dimension, same world, same time, but it looks like they're both talking out of their ass when you look at both sides. Why the hell is Charcoal so proper anyway? Pinstripes looks like you could sit and have a... 
 
 `` Hey charcoal...'' His gaze fixed upon Marcus for the first time. ``... so those floating nation things, how does that work again?'' 
 
 Charcoal looked a bit tired, having to explain it for the third time. `` We plant a seed, and the seed develops into a mature adult in ten years time. Its a plant, so it lives off of sunlight and water, and-'' 
 
 `` Yes, its a plant, but where does it get its *mass* from? These things are huge, right?'' 
 
 `` Plants gain most of their mass from the air, but plankton and krill replaces nutrients it would obtain from the soil.'' 
 
 ``... how does the supply of these stay up? I mean, like... those islands must eat a ton of that stuff, right?'' 
 
 Charcoal's demeanor suddenly shifted. A furrow formed on his brow, the crease of his lips narrowed. His face turned slightly towards Pinstripes. `` We pay them to keep marine populations in check.'' 
 
 Marcus began to get the idea. `` And uh... I'm guessing everything you've mentioned... free education, unlimited food, endless space just... applies to your islands, huh?'' 
 
 `` Yes.'' Charcoal looks surprisingly okay with all that. 
 
 `` So, Pinstripes, you guys on land kinda got the shaft then?'' 
 
 `` It ai n't that bad. I mean, eventually one of those things is gon na crash into a coast, right? We'll just take it over then, not like these pansies know how to fight.'' 
 
 Marcus just sat. He did n't care to know anything more. His writer has given up and has naught enough time to make a proper ending, what with limited time before beer-getting. He just simply stood up and wished his visitors farewell, with one piece of advise: `` Next time you pop outta nowhere on some dude just eating his Wheaties, and that guy asks about the future, just tell him nothin much has changed.''
