[004 ★ text]

[guiltapalooza]

You know what, I am so sick of this. Completely sick of this!! And look at me, repeating myself and using multiple exclamation points (two!) like a rebel. Because I am a rebel!

I'm tired of all these embarrassing personal incidents. When they aren't embarrassing, they're deeply horrifying and disturbing. I just want regular old test taking anxiety again! I want worrying about whether Anya is going to ask Giles if he has a new orgasm friend yet in public! And all that demon stuff, even that was familiar.

But here it's like, oh, here's that troll kid I'm friends with and he got his arm torn off. Here's me turning myself into a troll and going creepy stalker over Aradia. (Which by the way, oh Goddess am I sorry for and eternally mortified about.) Or here's me picking up the bloody scraps of the clothes of the double of someone I'm friends with!

And don't tell me I'm using too many of's there, I told you I'm a rebel today! I just want my test taking anxiety back, darn it. I'd even take worrying over when I'm going back to college, and that was a lot of worrying.

... Okay, whining done. End whining. In other news, who's still having wacky collar-induced sickness and power-tampering shenanigans? Cause frankly I'm finding this really worrying and I want to get to the bottom of this.

Comments

[guiltapalooza]

That's a thing? You can hear my anxiety echoing? Um, sorry. I think I got most of my complaining out now, anyway, so it should be better.

Do you usually hear souls being loud or is it because of the wacky shenanigans?

[madscientits]

I can always hear souls, but I can usually block it out when I don't want to hear them. And usually they're at least a little quieter. I'm blaming the shenanigans on all the noise. In a panic, people's souls usually flare up like this, but I could block it out if I wanted. Now, it's just keeping me up all night.

Yours is already a bit quieter though. Now if only I could make everyone else in the tower shut up, I'd be fine.

[guiltapalooza]

That sounds really annoying. I'd offer to come up with something to help you sleep, but honestly I'm not sure I should try anything right now. Imagining my own powers getting out of control gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Oh, well... good? I try not to let the freak outs last too long. Does physical distance help at all? Maybe you could sit on the steps of that floor with the endless space around it or something.

[madscientits]

I'm not going back up there. [And she sounds very firm about this point too.]

[guiltapalooza]

... Okay. Sorry, just an idea.

Is there anything else that might help?

[madscientits]

Everyone in the tower spontaneously dying.

...Or earplugs. Earplugs might work.

[guiltapalooza]

I don't think I can approve of that first plan, but we might be able to find earplugs.

Or some kind of soundproofing, if that would really be helpful.

[madscientits]

I'm not even sure it would work. I hear souls, but I'm not how sure it actually relies on my actual hearing ability. For all I know, I could go deaf and still be able to hear the damnable things. I haven't exactly messed with that much, for obvious reasons.

[guiltapalooza]

... Mystical soundproofing? I know it sounds like I'm grasping at straws, but that probably is really a thing. You can't be the first pseudo-psychic to want some peace and quiet.

[madscientits]

This is probably the one time I'm ever going to wish you were a witch from my universe. If you were, you'd know how to use Soul Protect and then you'd be able to cast it on everyone in the tower and be my magical pair of earplugs.

[guiltapalooza]

I don't know what Soul Protect is, but I could come down and give something like that a shot, if you want. I feel like a ... a useless clam, all shut up in my room talking to people about their problems.

[madscientits]

I feel like a useless clam, all shut up in my room talking to people about my problems, so there you go.

And I certainly wouldn't complain if you were serious about wanting to try something like that. You're probably the one person who can actually help out with this issue in this tower anyway.

[guiltapalooza]

I don't know if I'm the only person... [Somewhat embarrassed to have her power called out to her, as always.] But I'll give it a shot! I wouldn't want you to feel like a useless clam forever, after all.

I'll be right down?

[madscientits]

[She chuckled, hearing that embarrassment loud and clear. But she was going to be merciful and not call Willow out on it.] I'll see you soon then.

[guiltapalooza]

[She troops on down a little while later and knocks politely at the door, her messenger bag slung over her shoulder. These days she pretty much only uses it to tote spell supplies around instead of class books, which is probably some kind of statement on her life that she doesn't want to think about.]

[madscientits]

[There's a sound from the other end of the door, like the squeak of someone getting off a bed, followed by footsteps getting closer to the door. And then, they stop, and there's a very angry sounding mumble.]

The door's open, actually, if you just want to come in. It's probably easier that way. [In the meanwhile, Stein's halfway between her bed and the door, more of her soul stitches tying her feet to the floor. She's just going to make herself busy by dealing with this little problem first.]

[guiltapalooza]

[Soul stitches tying her feet to the floor, what?? Willow comes in when prompted, automatically shutting the door behind her, and then stops short.]

Um. Stein...? What is that? [A wary look around the floor.]

[madscientits]

More shenanigans. My soul is acting a bit... Wonky at the moment. Could you hand me a scalpel? [She points over at her trunk.] There should be plenty in there; just dig one out. And don't cut yourself.

[guiltapalooza]

Don't worry, not a fan of cutting myself.

[Willow dutifully does as requested, kneeling on the ground to creak open the trunk. She's careful and meticulous as she locates the scalpel, not the least bit squeamish, and before long has it in hand to pass over to Stein, blunt end first.] Here you go. What are those, exactly?

[madscientits]

[With an air of carelessness that only comes from from years of practice, she grabs the scalpel between her forefinger and thumb delicately and bends over to cut her feet free. The second the blade cuts through the strands, they simply vanish into nothingness.]

"Those" would be strands of my soul. Incredibly useful in battle for a variety of applications, incredibly annoying when I can't control them. [She pockets the scalpel instead of putting it back in the trunk. Just in case she needs it again.] Don't worry, it's not that the floor is attacking me.

[guiltapalooza]

Oh! I was wondering. [She lets the lid to the trunk close with a thump, and is suddenly all over curiosity instead of wariness.]

This thing is really hitting you pretty hard, huh? Those are cool, though. Nifty when they aren't sewing you to the floor.

[madscientits]

"The bigger they are the harder they fall" as the saying goes. [She smirks. Usually, her abilities don't give her nearly this amount of grief, but considering how many and how strong they are, she's not too shocked that this is hitting her as hard as it is.]

But thank you, I think they're pretty nifty as well. If I had my weapon with me I'd be able to do even more with it too. When she and I are resonating, we can stitch someone to themselves, using cells and tissue and the like. [Why yes, that is some serious smugness coming through her voice.]

[guiltapalooza]

That's... somewhat creepy, but okay, creepy is appropriate here. [Yes, that does mean she still thinks Stein is creepy. She also likes her, but creepy.]

So how do you want to do this? Like soundproofing the room or like putting ear plugs in?

[madscientits]

Earplugs, I guess. So I can drown out my roommates' souls as well when they come back. Unless soundproofing would be easier for you? I don't want to have to put you out too much if I don't have to.

[guiltapalooza]

I've never done either of them before, so one isn't putting me out more than the other. I don't even know if it'll work, really-- don't get your hopes up.

[She settles cross-legged right there on the carpet, and pats the spot across from her.] Sit. We need to get our meditation on either way.