animus_network | [video]

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[video]

[The video switches on and... All anyone can see is a hand trying desperately to hit keys on the keyboard. And then, an annoyed little grunt is heard and the hand disappears, seemingly giving up.

And then, the terminal starts rocking. Lightly at first, and then violently enough that the desk the keyboard was in and the monitor go toppling onto the floor. By some odd miracle, they still actually function.

Now that it's down on the floor, the video shows Stein looking rather pissed off, and kind of like she was playing Twister without a mat. The awkward positioning of her legs and left arm is held in place by some glowing white strings stitched between her hand and feet, and the floor. Weird.]

I'm in the library. I need something sharp.

...Please.

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Most of them can't, but mine - and a few other people's are special. That's how I could tie myself down with it too. Mine's bigger than the average one, so it's more powerful.

I'm actually surprised you believed in souls to begin with. Most people I've talked to are quite skeptical about it to begin with. [Her screw thunks back in place and her hand falls back to her side.] And before you ask, turning it helps organize my thoughts better.

I don't really know what souls are... but I'm sure they exist. There's something inside us that makes us, us. [He crooks a smile] And well, you've just demonstrated it pretty clearly.

It organizes your thoughts? Are you a cyborg or something like that?

[She laughs.] Something like that. Really though, I could install one in anyone's head and they would get the same benefits; I'm just the first person crazy enough to try it out.

...Well actually I'm not sure if it would work on anyone's. Does your species have a brain in your head like us, or is it different?

A brain? [He cocks his head] We have a thinking sponge in our heads, is that what humans call a brain?

It's probably the same thing, I'd guess. Though I'd worry about your species horns getting in the way. Yours aren't too bad though. [She actually rather like yours, Signless. They're not sharp, so they probably can't stab her.] I venture to guess you're not about to volunteer your body to science, and that you don't actually want one.

[He laughs and shakes his head] No I don't really, but thanks for the offer. I'm pretty good at thinking, I think... though I suppose I don't know how much better I could be. I think it'd interfere with my cloak.

It would be a difficult adjustment. Though with some tailoring you might be able to make it work. But it's definitely not for everyone, and there is almost no chance I'm going to talk you into it, considering - no offense - the other members of your species I've met have been... Not particularly nice.

Oh? [He cocks his head, smiling, but there's an unhappiness in his eyes] I'm sorry to hear that. There are quite a lot of us who are nice, I assure you. Who have you met, before?

Well I'm one of Vriska's roommates, so I've definitely met her, but she's more antagonistic for no reason than anything else.

The first one of the adults I met was the rather pathetic one with romance troubles - I can practically taste the desperation in his soul, it's so bad. I'm honestly wondering if he ever got flat-out rejected what he'd end up doing. He's the one with the zig-zagging horns and the fins, considering I'm guessing the properties of someone's soul probably won't tell you much.

The other one of you I met... Was quite a bit larger, to say the least. His horns were straight up and spiraled a little, and he has quite a lot of hair. I have to admit, I'm really intrigued that your species has purple blood. [Quick and seamless subject change, that one was.]

[He laughs honestly at the description of Vriska] Vriska isn't so bad. She's quite young, and eager to impress, but she does have an antagonistic way of going about it.

[But he sobers at the description of Dualscar, and goes crimson as well] Orphaner Dualscar. He is lonely, I know. I wish I knew how to get through to him.

And the Grand Highblood Subjugglator. Our species doesn't have purple blood, actually. We have a hemospectrum. Many different colours. Did you get into a fight with the Highblood?

[At his question, she doesn't say a word. She does, however, take off her labcoat, letting it fall in a heap on the floor before picking up the hem of her sweater and pulling it up high enough to expose the row of now mostly-healed scratches from the Subjugglator's claws. She fixes her shirt before moving on to roll up one of her sleeves far enough to expose the area just under her shoulder where a large puncture wound was still putting itself back together, deep enough and large enough that the only logical thing it could be from was a horn. She fixes that sleeve and does the same to the other one, exposing a similar wound, smaller, from a claw this time instead before rolling her sleeve back into place.]

It was the first time I've ever lost a fight.

[He watches, but reddens a little as she nearly strips. But he nods, bowing his head slightly]

I'm sorry. He... [He lifted a hand to his own throat. The wounds have healed, since he was killed] Recently he tore my throat out with his teeth. I was hoping we could just have a nice evening watching movies together, but I guess he had other ideas.

I'm sure the next time I run into him, I get to look forward to something similar, considering that's the one thing he never attacked me with.

Funny how you know exactly what he's like and still want to watch movies with him. Sounds stupid and dangerous, honestly.

[He laughs softly, a bit wryly] I was trying to teach him that lowbloods aren't just faceless creatures to be culled, trying to put a face onto us. And teach him about red romance, and pity, and love. And basically try to teach him that there's value in not hurting people.

I guess I failed.

Some people just have a natural inclination to hurt others. And if their soul is so... Chaotic, let's go with chaotic, as his happens to be, then suppressing it is harder. Maybe if someone were around when he was younger to calm him down he would have turned out differently, but it's hard to say.

Either way, it's hardly your fault.

[He sighs softly, but nods]

We're all twisted by the way we've been raised. All trolls are forced to fight for survival to the death basically from the moment that they're hatched. I'm sure even he can overcome it, if he realizes that there's a reason to.

Is there a reason to?

Of course. [He looks startled, not having expected the question from a human] It must get pretty lonely, killing everyone you encounter.

Maybe he prefers to be alone. ...I'm not saying it's impossible to redeem him, but considering he's an adult, you'll have an easier time reaching him from his own perspective rather than just telling him something's against the rules or trying to appeal to an emotional response he most likely doesn't have.

Oh, and don't try to assign blame on someone else for how he is, unless he volunteers that first. [She might be wrong, but The Grand Highblood definitely sounded like her, or at least how she would have turned out if she was encouraged to kill as a child. The least she could do was offer some advice to this guy so he didn't end up getting himself killed if he tried again.]

[Signless' eyes widened at this advice, and then turned inward, thoughtful.]

You're right. I've been going about it all wrong, haven't I? But how the taint-chafing fuck do I reach him from his perspective? I can't cull someone and start painting with their blood. Besides, he'd probably find that blasphemous.

[He looks at her] You understand, don't you?

[She understood, yes. More than she'd really like to.

And that understanding was rare enough - and even more rare for a person to be able to move past their natural inclinations - that Stein wondered if she was the only one in the Tower who did understand.]

If you can think of a way for me to talk to him where I wouldn't be putting myself at risk, I'd be willing to do that.

[Signless considers that for a bit] Well, I'm not entirely sure. I was able to talk to him on a couple of occasions without him culling me, but then the third time he just did it without warning. I don't know if he's just erratic, or if something changed.

I'd be willing to try again, if you want to come with me. At the very least, he'd probably be far more interested in culling me than in hurting you.

The next time you wish to speak with him, come and find me. It might not work, but if I can get through to him, it might do some good.

At the very least, the two of us might have an easier time killing him than just one of us. [She shrugs one shoulder.]

[He winces, and nods] I suppose there's that, yeah.

[She cracks a wry smile] You're too much of a pacifist compared to the rest of your species. It's going to get you into trouble at some point.

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