Guy Cecil ☼ [Gᴀɪʟᴀʀᴅɪᴀ•Gᴀʟᴀɴ•Gᴀʀᴅɪᴏs] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
relinquishing) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
animus_network2013-04-19 06:18 pm
relinquishing) wrote in animus_network2013-04-19 06:18 pm
003 | Video | late Friday evening
[It's taken him a great deal of time to get his composure together, after everything is said and done. He might have his body back, but the rush of memories and actions and guilt guilt guilt is enough to make him want to vomit. The images of himself, coated in women, stained in blood, saying one thing while meaning another, leading people astray while knowing otherwise - PRETENDING....
How dare they... How DARE they...
...
As overwhelming as it is, he can't just wallow. Someone HAS to know, and as much as it might hurt to hear it so soon, they have to know immediately.
So Guy slips to a terminal, holding himself composed if not extremely worn... and as strong as he tries to stay, he can't quite keep the small tremble out of his words as he starts to speak.]
If you're hearing my voice right now, then you need to stop and listen. What I'm about to tell you is going to be hard to hear, and I'm sorry. But it's important.
This week was a mess. No one can deny that. But some of you here in the Tower might have been aware of a few of us wandering around, claiming we had "control" of our minds. To some of you, we were your superiors, ordering you to do or say things for us. The few of us that had mixed colors in our collars or could maintain a conversation like normal, despite our modifications, claiming that the Administrators had failed and that we were fighting back.
We sent out a message this week, gathering people and information to try and establish what we claimed was a counter-resistance. Many showed up. Many put confidence in us.
[He pauses, swallowing hard.]
That was a mistake.
The truth is that we were just as brainwashed as anyone else... Even more so, I guess. Despite what we might have said or made people think, we were all actors. The few of us you may have talked to were sent out specifically for sabotage and information, all for the ones that did this to us. We were spies, and before coming back to normal, many of us just gave away information that...
[Another pause, a deep grimace crossing his face.]
Well, it might prove to be a disaster for quite a few people. If you spoke to a drone in what you thought was a form of confidence, especially against the Tower or in details of the resistance...
[His expression pains, grimace thinning into a guilty frown.]
Then I'm sorry. We've done something truly horrible.
[...
There's another long pause, the man at the screen tense and quiet. Either he's searching for something else to say, or his composure is about to slip from him. It's hard to tell.]
There's nothing we can do to take it back. Think what you would like of us. But we've tricked you, and you deserve to know. And right now... I'd recommend to be prepared for the worst.
[...]
If you have questions, then feel free to ask. I'm... not sure what any of us can tell you. I'm sorry.
[And with a tired, forced smile, the feed ends.]
How dare they... How DARE they...
...
As overwhelming as it is, he can't just wallow. Someone HAS to know, and as much as it might hurt to hear it so soon, they have to know immediately.
So Guy slips to a terminal, holding himself composed if not extremely worn... and as strong as he tries to stay, he can't quite keep the small tremble out of his words as he starts to speak.]
If you're hearing my voice right now, then you need to stop and listen. What I'm about to tell you is going to be hard to hear, and I'm sorry. But it's important.
This week was a mess. No one can deny that. But some of you here in the Tower might have been aware of a few of us wandering around, claiming we had "control" of our minds. To some of you, we were your superiors, ordering you to do or say things for us. The few of us that had mixed colors in our collars or could maintain a conversation like normal, despite our modifications, claiming that the Administrators had failed and that we were fighting back.
We sent out a message this week, gathering people and information to try and establish what we claimed was a counter-resistance. Many showed up. Many put confidence in us.
[He pauses, swallowing hard.]
That was a mistake.
The truth is that we were just as brainwashed as anyone else... Even more so, I guess. Despite what we might have said or made people think, we were all actors. The few of us you may have talked to were sent out specifically for sabotage and information, all for the ones that did this to us. We were spies, and before coming back to normal, many of us just gave away information that...
[Another pause, a deep grimace crossing his face.]
Well, it might prove to be a disaster for quite a few people. If you spoke to a drone in what you thought was a form of confidence, especially against the Tower or in details of the resistance...
[His expression pains, grimace thinning into a guilty frown.]
Then I'm sorry. We've done something truly horrible.
[...
There's another long pause, the man at the screen tense and quiet. Either he's searching for something else to say, or his composure is about to slip from him. It's hard to tell.]
There's nothing we can do to take it back. Think what you would like of us. But we've tricked you, and you deserve to know. And right now... I'd recommend to be prepared for the worst.
[...]
If you have questions, then feel free to ask. I'm... not sure what any of us can tell you. I'm sorry.
[And with a tired, forced smile, the feed ends.]
action;
There's no question that those in charge need to be put to an end. It isn't a wish. It has to be a goal. I don't know how many people are going to even take part in that goal now, but I'm not about to sit back and just wait for things to come to fruition if there's something I can do to help.
...
And... I'm sorry. Maybe it's foolish to seek it selfishly as a plea for forgiveness under everything else.
But that doesn't change things. And one can't just earn forgiveness, Your Highness.
action; slowly climbs out of plot limbo
There's a long, slow exhale, a cleansing one, and she turns on her heel. When she finally does speak again, she's forced some of the exhaustion from her voice, replacing it with a more business-like demeanor.]
Meet me in the men's bathing room when you are done with this. [A gesture to the terminal.] We can speak more there.
action; //patpats
It certainly wasn't forgiveness. Not in those exact words, at least. But it was still something. Enough to make the weight in his gut feel like it had been lifted, at least for a little while. He wasn't expecting her to trust or forgive him any time soon. So just this one show of faith on what have might as well been a total stranger...?
He wasn't going to let it go to waste.
The blonde gives a firm nod even as the princess turns, slowly lifting himself back to his feet.]
Understood.
...
Thank you.
action;
Still, forgiving (or whatever this is) is not forgetting, and the thought of selling out her friends and allies is not going to be one she's comfortable with for a very long time.
Without another word, she walks away, down the hall to prepare. After all, a princess cannot be seen stealing away into the men's restroom, now, can she?]
action;
It's not something he's wanting to forget.
As his work at the terminal slows to a drawl, Guy only makes two other stops - to confront a bothered Asch and to comfort a traumatized Luke - before finally slipping his way into the men's bathroom. Why Zelda would want to meet in here was beyond Guy's comprehension, but she'd been resolute. There had to be a reason.]
action;
"He" clears "his" throat somewhat awkwardly before speaking.]
When I told you of our meeting place, did I mention anything about the bathing rooms?
[Hopefully that's enough to give away who's behind the guise.]
action;
...]
...Your ...Highness?
[Damn. That is one impressive disguise.]
action; laughed at this tag negl
Yes. It would not do for a princess to steal away into the men's bathing room, and I thought this would be more comfortable for you than meeting in the women's.
[La de da not going to get into why this disguise is a thing in the first place.]
action; you are very welcome
[Not that her statement isn't true. But this is hardly what Guy expected, and he's conflicted as hell on how to feel. What, was she just a really good cross-dresser?
He can't tell.
He blinks, taking a tentative step back, his brow knit with confusion.]
How in the world did you--
[Become a man. Because you seriously weren't a man the last time they talked.]
action; and it keeps getting better ehehe
Some magic, some illusion, some practical effects.
[
aka the fandom's still out on that one.Guy's discomfort is hard not to notice, though.]Would you rather I change back? If I did not say anything about the bathing rooms that day, then we should not be being watched right now.
action;
[Trying not to make this awkward-- nope, failed miraculously.]
No, no, this is... uh... this is fine. If it works for you, then that's fine!
[Really, he'd rather be perpetually confused than ridiculously frightened. And just like Zelda wished not to really talk about her disguise, he didn't want to go down that route of conversation when it came to his fear right now.
Guy >>> Change the subject.]
You're saying the bathrooms aren't monitored...? How did you find that out?
action;
... When Dax was killed, he had letters sent out to three people up here in the event of his death. I was once of them. In his letter, he spoke of his personal efforts to change things, and asked we continue his work in his stead.
[Her words are quiet, though more out of melancholy than secrecy. She barely knew the man - she can count the number of times she spoke with him on one hand, yet the fact that he died trying to save them - truly save them - weighs heavily on her heart and mind.]
He said the sauna and the bathing rooms were the safest places to talk of such things. Apparently Jason and the others have some respect for privacy.
action;
[It's all he can bring himself to say at first. She was taking the word of one of the administrators that seriously... was Dax truly that trustworthy? All of the other administrators were talked of with more than a little resentment. So why the change of pace for one, even if the work was to induce change?
But then again, what other choice did they have?
...]
So that's why the resistance was started, then? Or were efforts being made before all this happened?
action;
[For months she has been frustrated, and perhaps it is reckless to throw everything she has into seeing this glimmer of hope to the end, but she's desperate. Besides--]
... But that is only speaking of the resistance efforts made among the residents themselves.
[And if she only spoke of those efforts, then R-037 and the others should still be safe.]
action;
[It's said with some hesitancy. Even accepting the fact that Dax had been all for the change, he was still dead. Was there another administrator wanting these changes to take place? Who else was left?]
action;
Her hands ball into loose fists, but she nods before leaning in, warningly. Her red-eyed gaze is deathly serious.]
But before I speak further on this matter, you must swear to me your secrecy. You cannot breathe a word of this to anyone. Do you understand?
[She has to keep R-037 safe. She can't take any risks.]