animus_network | Once the Honeymoon is Over... [Video]

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Once the Honeymoon is Over... [Video]

[The face on the camera is tired, the look in Diarmuid's eyes making it clear that the source of his weariness isn't physical, but mental and emotional as it so often has been since he arrived here.]

Has anyone see my brother? Ah...you probaly know him better as Lancer. I know he is still in the tower because his belongings are here and his name is still on the door, but I cannot find him anywhere and I have looked. Those who know my skills know quickly I can do that.

I am worried because I just remembered something he said to Jason a while back. He said he would volunteer for his next experiement and since this is Jason's month in charge and so many others have gone missing, I fear for what that means for him.

If anyone has seen him in the last few days, will you please let me know?

[Diarmuid pauses a moment, suddenly looking a lot more uneasy.]

Also, I want to apologize to all the people who were affected by my curse about week ago or got caught up in everything that was going on. For those who don't know, I carry a curse that forces the women who see my face to fall in love with me. It has been mostly inactive in this place but for some reason during the end of March and the beginning of April it flared back to life affecting both men and women. Unfortunately, I have never been able to tell when it is active and when it is not so far too many people were affected before I knew what was going on.

I...do not know why this happened. It has gone inactive again and I think by this time all those affected should have had the effects wear off. If not, take the knowledge that your strange feelings are caused by something outside of you and focus on that...

[Suddenly, he turns away from the screen as if someone has tugged on his arm, which they have. When he speaks his voice is quieter and directed at whoever is standing just off camera.]

Tony, just a moment, okay? I will play with you then.

[Diarmuid turns back to the camera, quiet for a moment as if he is collecting his thoughts and then continues where he left off.]

Focusing on the fact that your feelings are not your own will help you overcome the effects sooner. It is not something that worked that well during my first life, but there is a very strong pattern of it working here...

[There is a sudden scuffling behind Diarmuid and he is yanked away from the camera. The scuffling continues as his voice drifts back toward the terminal.]

Tony! Tony wait! I'm not done...

Gah! Does anyone know how to stop an alien abduction?

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(OOC: Diarmuid's responses will come a few hours later when he has given Tony the attention that the little gray alien seems to want so badly.)

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[Diarmuid shakes his head.]

I have not. The only reason I know such creatures exist is because I was told, but they are not normally so large. Why were those?

Y-yeah. These were gi-gi-giant copper elephants. Mean. Real mean. Killin' folks an-an-an' destroyin' stuff.

S-s-so we got sent down ta take care of 'em.

Wait, wait...didn't you say you guys were musicians? Why were you sent to fight such things? And how do you even fight something that big?

[Granted, Diarmuid had once fought and defeated a giant himself, but it certainly hadn't been 50 feet tall!]

[There's a short whine from the robot. He really doesn't like going into the topic]

P-p-pappy gave us stu-stuff ta fight with too... We rr-r-road a st-steam powered giraffe in ta fight.

[It sounds ridiculous. It's also true.]

[After being in the Tower for the last few months, not much seems all that ridiculous to Diarmuid anymore actually.]

Steam powered giraffe? Ah! Is that where you guys drew your name from?

And your pappy? Would that the man who made you? What kind of man was he?

Y-yeah. It wa-wa-was supposed to be somethin' nicer though. Not meant for fightin', bu-bu-but pappy had to add stuff to help us.

He was gre-gre-great. He na-named all of us an'... gave us stu-stuff to play our music an'... We were his kids, yanno? Treated us real nice, t-t-t-took care of us.

It is wonderful that you had someone who took such good care of you and supported you thought your experiences. Everyone deserves to have some kind of family no matter now odd that family might seem.

[Family has always been important to Diarmuid. Even after being in the tower for several months and having died and become a servant before that, he still misses his kids all of the time. It is probably why he has formed such an odd little family of his own here.]

They ca-ca-can be a bit weird sometimes, but I love 'em. Ya gotta lo-love family. I hope they sh-show up sometime, doesn't se-se-seem right bein' here without 'em.

You are newly arrived here, then, I take it? Is there anything I can do to help you? Any questions I might answer? Usually, I try to greet and share information with new arrivals, but as I mentioned in my post, the beginning of this month was far from normal for me.

I ju-ju-just wanna figure out what is wha-what here. I keep hearin' all these nasty soundin' stories. Like dyin' an' stuff. An' people hurtin' each other.

Doesn't s-s-s-sound right at all.

[Diarmuid shakes his head, a sad look filling his eyes.]

There is a lot here that is not right. The people who run this place claim to have saved us, but seem to have more fun torturing us it seems. Even the young ones who are here are not safe. It is why I work so hard to protect and inform those who I meet. Death comes far too easily here. It may not be permanent, but that doesn't mean it still doesn't hurt.

Y-yeah... I wanna... he-help keep some people safe too. Ain't ri-right that there's kids here. Heard some pretty na-nasty things, buddy.

I don't want anyone ta die.

One of the best ways to help others is to make sure you watch out for yourself. I learned this the hard way. It really does no good to save your friends, if you end up dying because you have pushed yourself too hard.

[His look softens.]

As much as I want to save everyone, I have found that it is not possible. Not even with the superhuman abilities that I possess. The most I can do is save as many as I can without dooming myself in the process.

After all, you can save no one if you are dead yourself.

It ta-ta-takes a lot ta put me down, bu-buddy.

[Two world wars and Vietnam taught him that one.]

I know I ca-ca-can't save th' world here. I'm lo-lo-lookin' out for someone though. An' if I can ke-ke-keep her safe, I'll be happy.

Me as well. I may look human, but I am far from it. None of that matters in this place. It will find a way to wear you down. Just be careful. Especially, since you have someone to watch out for now. Not only will she not have someone to watch out for her if you die, she will also be sad to see her friend hurt.

I am glad you have found something to focus on so quickly, though. I think that really helps make things easier here. Just know that even if you do everything right, there might come a time when you cannot save her. This place likes doing that to people. Don't let that stop you. Just use it to become stronger.

I'm ca-ca-careful. I can handle myself ju-just fine. I won't do nuthin' ta ma-make her cry, I'll always be there for her.

[There's a puff of steam. This place would keep him from saving her? Oh he didn't think so. There was no way he was letting anything come between himself and that kid]

Ain't nu-nuthin' gonna get between me and her. I'll ke-ke-keep her safe, I gotta lot of experience like that.

[Not with kids, but people in general. It wasn't a position he wished to reprise, but it looked like he had to.]

I wish you well in your task then.

[As he says this, though, there is a sad look in Diarmuid's eyes. As much as he wishes to believe that Rabbit will be careful, the robot reminds him far too much of himself before he had learned the harsh lessons the tower had to teach him.

He only hopes the robot is a fast learner and won't have to suffer as much as Diarmuid himself has to learn those lessons.]

If you don't mind me asking, what is the name of the person you are helping? I am curious if I know her.

Tha-thanks, buddy.

[He has a feeling he'll need the luck. Unfortunately, Rabbit is a stubborn robot who might have to be knocked around several times before it really sinks in just how helpless he is here.]

Her name i-i-is Yotsuba. C-cute lil' kid. G-got green hair, kinda lo-lo-looks like a four leaf clover.

She does, doesn't she?

[The look on Diarmuid's face is suddenly gentle, almost fatherly.]

She is a good girl, though at times far too curious for her own good. Much like my own daughter was. I am glad to hear she is finding more friends to help her out. This is a dangerous place and if I had my way, she would not spend any time alone.

It is unfortunate that I have not been able to spend much time with her lately. Is she still enjoying her new toy?

I-I-If she makes enough f-friends, she won't be! I'm not t-t-too far from her room ri-right now.

[Not gonna admit he doesn't remember where his room is anymore. He'll remember eventually.]

I dunno, I di-di-didn't see here with any toy. We ju-just met in the hallway. ... She really likes stories an' songs.

[That he knew for sure]

Ah, if you met her in the hallway, she had probably left it in her room for safety. It is nothing that special. Just a stuffed bear I passed onto her from another resident in the tower, but she really seemed to like it.

[A slightly distant look enters his eyes.]

Yes, I know well her fondness for stories and songs. I sang her to sleep not that long ago after taking her to the infirmary to get some wounds treated.

[Anger flashes in his eyes.]

Someone burned her. I don't understand why anyone would ever want to hurt a child, but they did anyway. I am just glad I was there to help sooth her pain.

Oh I s-s-see. Well, kids need to-toys. I'm glad ta hear she's g-got one. I'd give her one bu-but I ain't that g-g-g-good at makin' toys.

Aw, ya did? Ya sing bu-buddy? I wouldn't mind havin' a singin' pa-partner here. Just until the other b-b-boys show up.

[Oh wait she got burned? Someone burned this kid? Well there's anger on Rabbit's face as well!]

Who d-d-d-does that to a kid?! What's with this cr-crazy place anyway?! Beaten' kids and b-b-burnin' em!

My voice...is not very good. You would not wish to hear me.

[Diarmuid looks away for a moment wondering why he even brought it up in the first place. He is glad when the robot continues so that he can change the topic.]

I don't know, my friend. When I find the person who hurt her, they will regret it. Unfortunately, she is so young and was so scared that she wasn't able to give me a very good description. All she could tell me was that it was a boy with green hair. There are a great many odd people in this place, and I am sure more than one has green hair.

Aw, I'm s-s-sure that's not true.

[But mercifully, Rabbit lets the matter drop in favor of Yotsuba. He doesn't believe it]

Yeah? Sa-sa-same kid hurt her when she told me a-about it too! Some kid with gr-green hair! W-w-well, it ain't gonna ha-happen again, not even once. I'll fi-fi-find out who's hurtin' her and give 'em one! Or ten! I'll give 'em te-ten! An' see how much they like it!

[Rabbit would be correct on that. Diarmuid is actually a very talented singer, but he was raised around those who voices were like the voices of gods. In one case, that was quite literal, and so he will never believe himself to be any good no matter what others tell him.]

I wish you luck in finding him. Perhaps between the two of us one will be able to find him and show him why this kind of thing is not allowable.

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Once the Honeymoon is Over... [Video]

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The hilarious part is he is totally not being careful at all

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