animus_network | ⇝001 // video

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⇝001 // video

_{[the video's dark, but it's definitely video; the screen is completely black. there's the snap and clink of a lighter, but the fire isn't seen on the video, as if he's pointing it elsewhere from himself, or isn't aware the video's on; there's a deep inhalation and a deep exhalation, which sounds more like someone breathing through their teeth. it quickly degrades into soft, under-the-breath giggling. his voice is soft enough that someone might not be able to hear him unless they're trying.]

...eeeeveryone's... gone.

[he keeps that low soft breathy giggling up for a moment, and it almost sounds desperate.]}

That's what it says. It says, everyone's gone.

I've never thought about it. What happens when everyone goes away.

_{But now, now... they're all gone. Gone, gone... gone.

[his giggling starts to get more frantic but it never gets louder; it sounds more and more desperate, and suddenly-- it stops. he makes a quiet noise, his voice low and quiet. for reference, it's the first four or so seconds.]

zhuzhuzhuzhu...

...but still so noisy.}

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I told you I was. [She forces herself to smile at him. God it really is eerie staring into a masculine version of her own face like this, though.]

Would you like to stay out here, or go back into your room?

_{[he doesn't care, so he doesn't bother answering. he'd rather slowly cock his head at her. his hand twitches beside him, like he wants to reach out and touch her.

a low breath, and he breathes out smoke with a soft hiss. he has nothing to say. he doesn't know what to say. is there anything to say?

his hand twitches again, and he reaches up and just barely grazes the edge of her bangs.]

I'm not sure how to tell what's real anymore.}

[She takes his hand in hers before he can pull it away, gently making him touch the scar on her face.]

I promise you, I'm real. Why would I lie to myself?

_{[he watches her, almost confused; his fingers are lax on her face for a moment, before he seems to understand, and touches the edge with a slight curiosity.]Do I look trustworthy to you.} I wouldn't trust me.

Descartes, I think therefore I am. I can't really give you much more proof than that unfortunately. But even if I were a hallucination, I'm merely offering to help.

[She reaches over and gently traces his scar, mirroring him.]

Help.

_{[he nods, his face angling slightly into her hand; she's warm, and soft, and she certainly is the best hallucination so far.]}

Okay. I'll play.

_{Help me.}

Edited 2011-12-07 08:19 (UTC)

[For a second, she considers resonating with him. Maybe it would help calm him down and it's always seemed to help balance her out in the past for the most part, but she has to worry about her own sanity too, and she'd be useless if she ended up as crazy as him as a result.

So she figures out a better idea. Cautiously, she moves her hand up the side of his head, gently curling her fingers around the head of his screw.] I'm not going to hurt you, just let me try something.

It's not going to help.

_{[he bats at her hand weakly, barely touching it.]}

It's not going to do anything.

I know. [She was hoping she might be able to exploit a placebo effect and at least have him feel better.

Stein moves her hand down to her lap, trying to come up with another idea.]

What else have you already tried?

Smoking doesn't help.

_{[he lets out a breath of smoke at these words, and smiles widely.]

I don't need any help. Do I?}

[Stein inhales the smoke greedily. She needed something to calm herself down, and hadn't really wanted to ask to bum a cigarette off of a crazy person. That seemed unfair, somehow.]

What do you think? Do you need help? [She knew what she thought, though, and hoped he would feel the same.] Haven't you tried resonating with anyone? Sounds like the first thing Spirit would have tried. Or was she too worried about what might happen if she did?

She...?

_Spirit.

...I haven't seen Spirit in a few days. _{He wasn't there. Marie wasn't, either.}

So Spirit's not a woman in your world either?

No.

_{What's Marie's name..?}

Martin, he usually goes by Marty. [She slowly stands up, offering her hand to the other Stein to help him up. He'd probably be more comfortable sitting on something other than the floor.] What's Syd go by?

_{[he doesn't look up when she stands, and ignores her hand.]}

..Sid. Same.

Seems like the only one with a major name change is Marty - or Marie, I guess I could say.

[She grabs him by the arm. She was strong, but she probably couldn't just pick him up and haul him off if he really didn't want to move. Stein was just hoping she could get his attention and he would come along willingly.]

_{[he follows her lead automatically, his body loose, like a puppet with cut strings. he staggers once he's on his feet, as if he has to remember how to stand, and he glances over his shoulder at her.]}

Marty. Huh. I don't think I could get used to that.

I don't think I could get used to Marie either. [She leads him along, into his room, and gently pushes him toward an empty bed.]

What did Medusa do to you to make you snap like this?

She? She didn't.

_{She didn't do anything. I just... snapped. Lost it. Everything.

[he laughs, loudly, his body hitting the bed hard.]}

I found the place I belong. _{At least, I'm sure.}

You don't belong with him! ...Her. Whichever. My point remains. [That laugh made her sick to her stomach. What would it take to get her to this same state?

She sat down on the bed next to him.] Do you remember what happened that caused you to snap?

I resonated with Marie. _{..It broke something. It was my fault. I couldn't...}

I couldn't~ keep it~ together.

And now the Madness Wavelength is ... _{so much stronger. Impossible to ignore. The world is changing.}

[With a sigh she brushes his bangs out of his eyes.] It wasn't your fault. I'm sure it wasn't.

There's no other reason.

_{[that he knows of. by the time they'd figured out what was fucking with his head, he'd already disappeared. poor buddy.

he goes still for a long moment, breathing silent.]}

I can still feel her.

Well she's not here. Neither is my Medusa. Give it a few days, I'm sure the feeling will go away the longer you're safely stuck here. [Unless someone decided to send everyone back "home" again, of course. But Stein was hoping they wouldn't do that again. Desperately hoping.]

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