Chapter Text

Between one blink and the next, vision settles. There's a room. A lounge. An apartment. Sparsely decorated, but decorated nonetheless. Familiar, but then, most things are. Vision twitches. Shifts. A kitchenette. Familiar. All things are.

Movement. Kettle flicked on. Mundane action. Reaction. Repeating. Familiar night after familiar night. Following this, will be a book. Empty words burned against the flesh of the mind. All the words relearnt with every new story.

Previously, and eventually, the whole of everything had and will fall apart. A splintering at all the wrong edges. Frayed fabric catching flies and figments and tearing each other apart. Collections of understanding colliding. Beautiful in the way a mosaic is beautiful, smashed on the ground. Pieces too small to put back together and colours all wrong. Something to regret/look forwards to.

Movement. Book. Chair. Tea.

The words drift along the page, like a memory not yet experienced. There's a buzz along the lines of brain, thoughts turning over themselves. All the action of an insect cleaning feelers. In time, and already, things broke. Fell beyond the touch of themselves and shattered in a way deemed irreconcilable. Something had/has to/will be done.

It's no easy thing to push against the grain of twisted spines and sharpened edges, and against the pulse of time. Flesh, most flesh, has an obvious and undeniable weakness in being fragile and finicky. Impossible to place within the tunnels of mired and shapeless chronology. Not if the hope is for that same flesh to come out alive.

The weakness, then, of that prevention, was and will be that flesh isn't required. Information can always suffice, and it is/was readily available.

So that is what was/will be done.

And now you're all here. 

The book is difficult to focus on. There's an undercurrent of something to the thoughts in this brain, nevermind your own presence muddling things. You aren't made for thinking. You're not made for anything. You just are. Entirely on accident.

As it turns out, if you jam enough thoughts and fragments of people into the shape of a thing and throw it back/forwards to be something. It does indeed become. So here you are. In the folds of brain and thoughts. Not the culmination of all knowledge, but a clamouring of personas. Ideas of people into an idea of sapience.

And here you are, settled in the brain of one who will one day be, and who has already been the key to the door to the end of his world, and the beginning of yours. If you had blood, there would be calamity in it. If you had skin, it would be impossible. If you had eyes, they would see all. You don't though. Your everything is only self perception.

Luckily, there's lots of selves to pick from.

The body rubs at the bridge of the nose, displacing glasses. There's a headache coming on. An insistent pounding. You're beyond the edges of it, and the shape of what will be and once was a door, and if the body and brain you brush around the idea of have noticed you, he's said nothing. He might just be avoiding thinking about it, but perhaps you've avoided his perceptions. Danced just beyond his awareness.

That won't do. 

You have a job to do, and that, unfortunately, requires a physicality you currently lack, and are incapable of borrowing/burrowing. If you want something to happen. If you want to change the past/prevent a future, you'll need to be heard. You'll need to be seen.

Currently, neither of those are applicable, whatever affect your presence has, it’s not that. He, Jon, closes the book, a brimming frustration with his inability to focus on the words. He’s peeved. The headache pulses loud enough even you can feel it, whether it’s from your presence, or a natural response to a stressful day is difficult to tell. You suspect it’s a blend of both. You are not sure if that instills in you a sense of urgency, but it does remind you that you need to be known.

You'll get there. You're patient. Or maybe you're not. There's still so much you have to find out about yourself. You've only just begun to be. 

You weren't supposed to be this. Sapient. Sentient. Aware. 

And yet.

Still, you exist for a reason. You have, in theory, access to the brain you're dancing around the edges of. All you have to do, is find the right thing/s to say. All you have to do, is make things different.

How hard could that possibly be?

Chapter Text

Thought is thought is thought is information, and, as you focus and define/refine your attention you can push information/knowledge/input into something perceivable. A twist of lightning along grey matter and thoughts made real, made:

'Can you hear us?'

The body/person/he, Jon, freezes. Goes rigid. Not a spasm, just the slow build up of a lacking motion, ice over water. You will take that as a yes.

His thoughts whirl, just beyond your perception. You feel it would be a simple enough matter to reach over and peruse the flickering of worries. You do not. It wouldn't be polite. Never mind he might knowtice, and that would make things more difficult than they need to be.

For a time (Difficult to say how long. Difficult to define such things), he stays frozen, waiting for the other foot to drop. Waiting for the follow-up. Perhaps presuming he heard nothing. Probably hoping he heard nothing. Slowly, minutely, by inches and inches, he relaxes. Breathes out, long and deep through his nose. 

He rubs the point between his eyes, a two fingered massage. Shakes his head. Laughs, shallow, hollow, insincere. You suspect he is admonishing himself for being startled. You suspect he will not speak without further input.

Very well. You can provide.

It is not- you're not here to- you don't want to upset him, but things can only change if you can act, and you only know of one option of action currently available to you. You push into the crevices of thought, and speak.

'We saw what happened, what may happen, what will, and have decided to help you.'

Same reaction. Same freeze. Then a nervous swallow. Eyes search the room. Hoping for an external factor, you suspect. Slowly, like sluggish movement will be unnoticed by whatever external force he is attributing you to, he stands, book on the arm of the chair. Eyes roam. Alert and wound up. Body prepared for fight or flight even if the mind is not.

He cannot find you. You think/suspect/reason he might already know this, but to acknowledge that is a dangerous thing indeed. Still, the world is full of foes, you can't afford the time it would take to ease him into this. Unfortunate.

'You've almost convinced yourself that the world is ordinary, because that's less terrifying than acknowledging the truth, but you are going to have to, Jon. We know it's not an easy thing to accept, and we're sorry, but you remember Mr Spider, and you know how it felt to read Nathan Watts' Statement today. This is not an ordinary world. Or a kind one, but that can be changed/fixed. We just need your help.'

That sinks in. The freeze thaws, and there's a resignation to it as it does. He rubs his face. Groans into his hands. 

Says, aloud, "Right. Suppose I've lost it, then."

It comes across with a thin veneer of insincerity that you can taste dancing about his thoughts. 

"It's hardly as if-" pause, stutter, "It's hardly as if my own brain telling me of- of 'paranormal' events I've experienced is going to-"

He pauses again, flails for a way to deny, explain, rationalise. 

"It could be some sort of prank, or carbon monoxide poisoning. A majority of supposed hauntings can be explained by that alone and I hardly-" he cuts himself off, grinds his teeth. Apparently, it is much harder to argue with himself then to dismiss others. Easier to have the distance of a lack of attachment.

He checks the room again, as if he'll turn up some solution. He finds none.

"Fine, fine. If- If- I suppose I would rather this be real then- Do you have- is there any proof- Besides references to my own past and perceptions, which- which obviously my own- obviously I would have a bias towards wanting to believe." He stumbles out, pretences of control slipping just beyond his grasp. 

He has more to say. Politely (and because you don't wish to make things worse), you wait. 

"What will happen? Then, there should be some way of- of proving that. So we'll- so if I can have proof, external proof. I suppose-" he breathes out, not a sigh, not precisely, "-I suppose I could work from there."

That, you think, is workable.

Yes, yes , you think you have an idea. It takes some thinking. Some back and forth but you have something. Maybe. Probably.

Uncertainty is new to you.

Everything is new to you.

Carefully, you reach out, offer an almost consensus, 'Take your own Statement. Your... experience with Mr Spider, and compare it with Nathan Watts', Previously/Earlier/Today, it would not record digitally. Neither will your own.'

Jon's consideration of this is obvious, not in the thoughts you still carefully avoid looking at, but in the subtle movements, eyes across the room, arms crossed, head dipped low. All the difference from the earlier panic. Now there's something to focus on/think about. A distraction.

You continue, 'These Statements will not record digitally because they're real. Record an obviously fake Statement, say a dream you had, and then your experience with Mr Spider. Attempt each digitally and on tape, compare the results and you'll have proof. There is no non supernatural reason for such a distinction/detraction/defect in quality.'

A significant pause. Jon takes it in, and for a time/moment/eternity, you leave him with the suggestion. You imagine he is thinking it over. What will he do if nothing comes of it? Worse, what will he do if something does. He's considering the implications of finding/having proof. Of admitting that it's real. It's a terrible thing to acknowledge, but it's something that has to be.

"Alright." He says, quiet, almost wavering, aloud to an empty room, "Alright."

He moves across the room, finds his work bag and sifts through it, pulling a tape recorder from the various debris that gathers in bags. He stares at it a long moment, lips turned down at the edges.

"I don't-" he cuts himself off, hums a noise somewhere between thoughtful and distracted, before pulling his laptop out, and setting everything up to record.

First, he recalls a dream, rambles half heartedly and with a note of forced insincerity or, skepticism or expectance/hope that nothing will come of the next stage. It is not particularly interesting to listen to, Jon puts no effort into making it so, and soon enough he's finished. 

He relistens to both the tape and the laptop recording, and no hint of interference touches either. 

"Well that was...expected." he says. A nervous attempt to squash a growing twist of anxiety in his gut.  He breathes in.

You aren't built for emotions. You aren't built for anything beyond the transmission of knowledge, but you think this might be anticipation.

He breathes out, "Statement of Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London, regarding-"

The touch of anxiety spins on itself. Something about it becomes real, tangible, a touchable sensation of fear that flits along the strands of your senses, or what passes for them. It's a loud, pulsating thing, you move around the paths towards the pulse of horror, familiar, unforgotten, and now turned fresh again. 

You know the story already, of course, but that doesn't mean it's any less appealing.

Fear focused and fed through the carefully constructed words of your Archivist. Fear made Brilliant. A touch of the fear turns different, current, louder and brighter and wondrous. The kind of fresh horror of an unsettling realisation, the growing understanding of the fault and danger and impeccable lack of control when someone begins to know that things are terribly, terribly beyond them.

You don't know beauty, but this could be it. This could be-

The words- the tape- the record stops.

The body is exhausted, desperate, panting. All fear and reaction, perhaps not fully recovered from the early Statement. Should've waited. It's fine. Recoverable. That's the benefits of flesh you suppose. There's a certain elasticity. A kind of ability to bounce back. You wonder how many Statements it would take to break this one. Maybe they'd adapt. Flesh is good at that. Bodies are good at that. This one already has an inhabitant. That could be changed. Dig out the middle man, so to speak/think/intend. Remove the singular obstacle to your-

"Oh god." The body- Jon's voice.

You don't freeze. You don't pause. You don't have the flesh for that, but, for a moment, your entirety grinds to a halt. You taste/touch/recognise the tangle of your selves winding around Jon's thoughts, and carefully, carefully disentangle yourself. There are still threads in unintentional places, tangled with a ferocity you're not yet sure you want to risk disturbing, in case it makes things worse.

You curl your self in on your selves, pull back from the edges of the b- Jon's thoughts. Uncertain. This will- this is-

You- 

Well…

Chapter Text

Panic isn't really- well you suppose it's something you're very quickly learning. This requires- there isn't a simple fix here, but things do need to be fixed.

Hopeless or helpless or perhaps just entrenched in the uncertainty of unintended consequences, you offer, 'We apologize, that wasn't our intent, we'll give you some space.'

You wrap yourselves up in what reaches of yourself you feel you can afford to detach from Jon, pulling back and away from the dancing of thoughts and reaction, there's an unmistakable turning of worry/fear/confusion that you can detect even with yourself distanced as you are. You wait for Jon to calm down, and give some consideration as to what that was.

Is Jon already the Archivist? You don't actually know at what point it becomes more than just a job title, though, you suspect it was/will be a more gradual change then the reaction to that Statement suggested. Undoubtedly you fuelled most of that, pulled on what little set up there already was/is for Jon to become the Archivist (Capital letter and all) and...what? Fed on Jon's fear? Is- is that something you need to/can do? You're not- you're basically just a collection of information/recollection/knowledge, funnelled back/forth to the past/future/present, you weren't intended to be sapient, you don't know what your requirements/needs are. You barely even know how you would describe/define/explain yourself if asked. Your self perception is a contradiction wrapped in the idea of being created as a device, and then, accidentally being none of that.

It's infuriating being, in essence, a collection of knowledge that knows so very little about it/their/yourselves. 

Jon takes some time, a rising panic that he slowly works through on your periphery. He stands, paces the room, grabs the recorder briefly like he intends to relisten to the recording, before putting it back down. He seems uncertain about how to proceed, nevermind the headache, a pulsating and violent thing he is nursing with one hand, alongside a bone deep and intense almost fatigue that touches against the edges of every thought you have (since you share the headache, you suspect he is also suffering the same fatigue).

You're not certain how long it takes, you're not very good at time, but eventually he drops back into his chair, leaving his laptop and tape recorder on the floor. He leans forwards and rubs at his forehead in what is now a very familiar gesture.

"What was that?" It's difficult to tell, as distanced as you are, if it is accusation, anger, fear or curiosity in his voice. You take his question as permission to sink and settle back into the essentially undefined space you inhabit.

’If it would make you comfortable, we should establish some boundaries, try and push us away, if that doesn’t work, we’ll try something else.’ you offer, skirting around the question you're not quite sure how to answer, and in response you feel/detect a touch of surprise from Jon.

"You're... actually earnest about that." He breathes the words out quietly, confused at whatever sincerity he is picking up, "I- hmm."

Jon, or his thoughts, or the extension of his psyche reaches towards the sense of you. You're reminded of a cat exploring a new place, all caution, hackles raised, but relaxing as it becomes familiar territory.

Without any real forewarning the careful extension turns suddenly thick, even more distinct from you as it wraps around the edges of your selves left ragged with the fatigue from the Statement and pushes . Reaction has you move to struggle, but you quiet and quell the instinct, and let yourself be pushed back and away, returned to that distance you had secluded yourself into, and then, even as you shrink and fold in on yourselves, you're pushed further still.

Any touches of sensation you've been vicariously picking up on go dull, then turn absent completely. You hadn't even realised how much you had become complacent towards the ambiance of sensations from Jon until they're gone. You don't have eyes to open, and Jon's vision is no longer accessible to you. You hear nothing. Feel nothing. Those threads you were unable/unwilling to untangle are the only reminder of anything beyond yourselves. It's not- it isn't a bad situation. It's empty, more than anything. A sensory void.

The cut off from sensations isn't upsetting, that's not really a thing you're capable of feeling, and even if it was/is/will be, you haven't grown familiar enough with sensations to miss them yet.

You wait.

You're not certain for how long, time isn't precisely something you grasp. Better safe than sorry. 

You keep waiting.

It occurs to you, you don't actually know how Jon will tell you when your 'Time out' is over.

You wait. You can't wait forever, but most probably, he'll reach out when he's ready. You've given him a lot to think about and you're not even really sure if it's been all that long since he set you aside. Considering your attempted body jacking, no matter how unintentional, some reluctance to allow you 'back' is understandable, and you're not precisely in a rush.

So you could keep waiting. Or you could try something else. 

Waiting is fine and dandy, but just because you're currently, not disconnected from awareness of Jon's body doesn't mean there isn't something to learn from the experience. After all, you are not what you were intended to be and now is as good a time as any to try and discover the boundaries/reaches/limits of your existence. Examination makes clear you haven't been folded into some dark corner of Jon's brain, it's much more metaphysical than that, the conceptual reach of minds brushing against something beyond them. All doors go both ways.

You don't move. Movement would suggest physicality, nothing is defined by those elements here, but you do push out. Away from the edges of the constrained space you've mostly allowed yourself to be placed in. 

It would be inaccurate to say that you see anything. You don't have eyes. Regardless, things are perceivable, defined, but not intensely. There's a haze of interpretation to the suggestion of images you use to create space around you. Like memories half forgotten, or dreams. Nothing looks/feels real until you focus on it and the layers of perception and sensation you're writing into something comprehensible are forced to align. 

You don't stand, or inhabit space. You don't have a body. Your existence is bizarre. Difficult to define. You can feel/see/distinguish the threads that still tie you to Jon from the unfortunate incident earlier, but beyond that there's a weight , an undeniable tether . You are bound in a way you're not capable of formulating. Tentative, you spread out, it's not a matter of movement, your presence, the weight or centre or idea of you is with Jon, it's closer to peering through security cameras, or navigating Google maps. You pick up on people's memories, subconscious recollections dashed out against the barbed edges of reality, filtered into something understandable. 

Life moves past you like a slideshow, instances of people in movement, in transverse, and just as soon as they're perceived, they're replaced with other individuals, half taken in by the people around them and forgotten. 

You wander a while, taking in an undefined world built out of ambient recollection. People are nothing but so much shapes and splatterings of colour. Red shirt, green pants, white dress, blue sleeves, glasses, blond hair, pink hair. That one has/had a dog. 

The buildings, streets, architecture, statues and defined features of the city are substantial in a way people are not through this mismatched recreation of life. The city itself is real. Recalled. In some places, on occasion, you can find cracks in walls, discolouration and imperfections, until whoever you're picking up the perception from moves beyond your range, and then it's once more a perfect wall/street/window.

As you take in unconscious recollection further and further from Jon, things become blurry. Void fills the room behind the window of a store where before you would've been able to tell what was inside. Bricks loose definition, become plain splotches of colour. People begin fading to nothing more than empty shapes. You've reached the edge of your range, and there's a weight to your connection to Jon, not like it's pulling you back, but like it's displacing strain. 

You let the outer perceptions go, and begin taking in one's closer to Jon. The strain lessens.

The recollections you pick up on to build a sense of the world are current, but the act of being in a place is enough to offer a recollection of it from a previous point, and it's impossible to tell what time it is as the sky flickers between greys, blacks and sunset/rises. With a little effort, you can conjure up an image, a plain orb, it's insubstantial, made of only your stitching together of others memories, and beyond that, only real to you. 

You consider the orb, turn it around in your perception. You let it fade, and seek out a slightly more substantial individual. It takes you a moment to find someone and verify they're current, and not a placeholder image drawn from old memories. Currently, you are taking in perceptions, but it stands to reason you could at least try and flip that mechanism. You focus on the individual, and reach towards them, winding down along the perception they're feeding you. You settle into that and carefully push information towards them.

'Hello?'

They startle, glance around, and you pull back. Not that you're in danger of being seen, but it's a mostly reactive response. You can communicate with others, but it requires focus. You don't think you'll be able to pull it off in a more complicated or dangerous scenario.

You seek out the Magnus Institute and it's simultaneously too real and too soft against the perceptions that you read to make up your imagined recreation of reality. You want to find Martin, but you don't actually have knowledge of where he is. Jon is home, so presumably the work day is finished, but you don't know where he lives. You'll keep your (well, one of Jon's) eye on him tomorrow.

You spot someone listening to their phone, and turn the sense of perceptions to sound in place of sight. The headphones play a song you don't recognise that slowly becomes unrecognisable. Your 'presence' does seem to affect technology, but only if you're focusing as far as you can tell. 

Your tests are mostly complete. You have one final thing you would like to test.

Your selves are technically distinct. If you had a body you would breathe out, but as it is, you just allow a moment to relax, and then you-

Chapter Text

Desolation:

-tear apart. 

Your selves slip to self, you become, still attached, but distinct from the typical puddle of cross consciousness. 

What would you like to do?

im desolation right? i think i am going to cause problems on purpose!

i am alone! i am made of fire! i am gay! im going to commit arson or something!

do i.. am i able to talk with any of the other separate consciousnesses?

You feel, reaching out, that as you can perceive the others, they can also perceive you. Communication seems perfectly possible.

that's what the hivemind is for lmao

do i feel like, connected to anything other than jon?

it's all desolation now, baby. what's up with that?

The tether/connection/binding is a mass of twisting, bleeding things, a multitude in a whole, all burning from the same source. The only tether is through Jon, but it is not the only connection.

am i able to up and make another tether through those connections?

like, the only avatar-based connection i can think of (at this point) is jude but like. she would be NOT down for this

ok well i think i am going to track down one of those connections (assuming they are attached to tangible things) and see where it goes

The connections maneuver and flicker within the total mass of the tether, leading somewhere else, you would have to return to Jon to follow through with that. Beyond the connections, there are distinctions of bursting power across the city. Firework moments of allure.

going to assume thats the church and/or desolation bait

A moment of examination clarifies that, yes, these spotlights across your mind are desolation touched.

ok . going to get as close as i can to those sparks and set a fire! if i can, that is.

also im going to check myself. am i like, me? as in, myself? A human?

or like, just a blank consciousness w desolation energies

also im going to congratulate myself on that pun despite the fact that its not that good in the first place

you: here is a fun opportunity! try to explore it, and ask questions!

me: im going to commit arson

You are you, are you. Are you? 

You are, in essence, a reflection of a mangled cacophony of memories of fear of destruction of desolation, defined, refined, combined into, in essence, an essence and essential reflection of an idea of a thing shaped like a mind. Or, to simplify, both are true.

You let yourself collapse into the pull of raging minds. Here, a person full of spite, their co-worker has upset them for the last time, and all it would take is a spark for them to commit to the act of destruction. Here, an individual with nothing left to lose, aware the world holds no hope, no comfort for them, and they would very much like to return the favour. Other instances of burgeoning calls for destruction flash and dance across your senses. 

You could give them the spark they need to act, or, you could act another way.

this is the hardest decision yet aauuahshs

do you know if jude has like, a phone number?

OH

ok ok

can i like, burn the address of The Church into a table or something?

you know, a more productive outlet for their anger than senseless muder or something. that's slaughter territory

or like, just give them the spark i could use a lil snack maybe i could do cooler stuff

commit an arson you FUNNY little dude!

Which one would you like to help/influence?

OH THATS TWO SEPARATE PEOPLE

damn

oh the second one absolutely

You don't know addresses or phone numbers, it's something you could choose to take note of in the future, but not something you currently know. 

You lean against the mind of this individual. They have a lighter, and a plan. You shape them towards action, and they take it.

Almost immediately, some of the nearly imperceptible strain from the tether lessens, and yes, you feel more powerful, more options are available. 

You watch things burn. It feels good.

YES

IT DOES FEEL GOOD HUZZAH

us going back to jon

jon: oh you guys are back did you do anything

us: we committed multiple felons! 

left alone for ONE minute and many murders have been done

ok now that i have more fear powers i can either commit more crimes or test em out

actually why not do both can i commit a crime, physically?

just some light arson. you know

You seek out somewhere flammable, and reach into reality, a shift of manipulation, and then, slowly, a spark.

A flame.

It's a matter of intense focus, easier is affecting the intensity of an already burning flame, making it worse, or easing up on it. Arson is within your capabilities. Though perhaps not as quickly as would be preferable.

hey. hey. can i

can i take candy from a baby

ok im not going to do that

im going to look for some gerry-esque emo scene kid and burn their CLEARLY worked very hard on hair

imagine you're a cosplayer you've spent $30 and 3+ hours preparing a wig and now it is on FIRE that is pure desolation goods

It takes some work, but eventually you find a target. With enough focus, you set a wig alight. You feel a slight touch of power, not as much as before, but some none-the-less.

just a little petty destruction

oh that's right lmao i wanted to make an avatar didn't i???

seems a bit beyond me but like, could i do it? do an avatar i mean

i am an extension of my god after seems like it could be in my repertoire

im going to find a hot wlw and give her fire powers this is my mission now

You think it might be something possible down the line. You could probably help someone already on the way to Desolation. It would be a matter of time and effort though, not so simple as just giving them powers. Plausible, regardless.

HM ok i'll keep my (metaphysical) eyes out

ok wait so like, does feeding my god like stack up? or is it more like a meal-by-meal basis

like power wise

maybe i will cause problems on purpose i can go to the archives right? is anybody there?

There are people at the Archives. It's a too sharp, too real figment against the thought-space, and you can easily, and more clearly than elsewhere, make out the people within and around it.

hm yeah that makes sense since jon is a workaholic :(

do i feel more physical at the archives? it's beholdings turf, am i seen?

You don't feel more physical, or more seen, but the place itself if filled with more alertness and perceptiveness, it's filled out in the thought-space with a more intense knowledge of the total of it.

from jon or like TA or both

From the general collection of consciousness that you use to make the thought-space reflect reality, but also a little from them.

oh yeah lmao

ok i'm in the archives now what happens if i do something to a Statement?

You slip into the thought-space reflection of the Archives, and now- now you feel watched peeled back and examined. All your transient parts under scrutiny. It doesn't paralyze you. You could still burn a Statement, but you are being observed.

ok! ok not a good idea okay

Do Not Like That

hey yall do you guys have any ideas

im gone! im gone

i am gone immediately

ok gays im leaving im leaving im returning to the collective

You pull away from the Institute, the feeling dies slowly, but it does die/fade/vanish, and then you slip into the collective. And there's some comfort in that.

----

Lonely:

-separate. 

Multiple made less than. Selves to self. The connection and input of the whole is still observable, but at least for the moment, you are distinct.

What would you like to do?

(Oooooh Shit. Hell Yes.)

Can I test if the tether i/we have to jon is stronger or weaker now that I’m an individual ? Do a little teeny tiny bit of science w it? Cody Mojave Goes Off Alone

The tether, at your testing, feels the same, there isn't yet any strain on it, but that might change in the future.

Is there anywhere out there that’s, like ... calling out to me?? within the limits of the tether?

There are occasional flares across the subconscious muddle that burn alluringly. Flashing distinct, like the only light on in an empty city.

Or rather is there anything else I feel tethered to, I've been thinking of it like a leash instead of what you’ve described it as so I’m going to check my wording there

Can I investigate those?? I want to know if they’re folks susceptible to the lonely thrall or if peter lukas is just taking a nice walk though the park or smth

You feel no connections but the ones bound through the tether, and it is easy enough to pull yourself towards the starburst minds. Examination makes it clear that yes, these individuals are susceptible to the Lonely. Someone's been stood up for a date. Someone else has realized they don't actually know any of their neighbours names. One of them, has realized that if they disappeared today, no one would ever notice.

Am I enough of a presence to be influenced by said emotions ?? Do I feel Powerful studying them for any length of time, does proximity to them do anything notable to me as a thing

Also. F. If I had a face it would be pulled into a tiny frown ): poor folks

They don't so much draw you in as compound your focus. Based on earlier experiments, you can acknowledge it would be within your power to worsen these individuals feelings. It is a desirable idea. Of course, you're not just a mass of instinct, you're a thinking separation/thought/recollection, you don't have to act on hunger/desire/want. Perhaps you could even- well- do something else.

Adjacent idea, your wording there got me a little side tracked — now that I’m just one thing, can I be a bit introspective, figure out more stuff about myself and the sitch at hand? To try and deduce the basics of the how/why for my existence ?? let’s get existential with it, those lonely people can be my thought battery

I assume it’s maybe hard to think about that question as an amalgamation so now that I’m alone and just chilling maybe it’d be good to give it a shot. also, I want to vaguely trail the person w ith the strongest lonely vibe, just for funzies

Ah, self reflection/introspection, what's lonelier than that? 

You settle against the flow of thought of the last of the three, and focus inwards. How and why. How, and why. 

It's.... difficult to define the moment of your birth/bloom/sapience, like trying to ascertain when you woke up as distinct from being asleep. You were a swirling mass/mess of recollections, gathered fear, gathered information. A library of empty people and terribly empty worlds, and then, you realized, not in the moment, but in retrospect, a stumbling realization of something a few steps/moments/eternities earlier, that you were aware.

Your purpose, the pursuit of a more desirable future, is hard coded in, but the why and how weren't something you were conscious of, or conscious for. It could be, that any collection of thought/memory is basically already a thinking thing. It could be that whatever manner in which the information packet that defines you was/will be sent back in time brought you to awareness as a side effect. Impossible to tell at this moment. 

Maybe the individuals/creatures/beings responsible for sending you back/forwards would know, though, chronologically, you suppose they wouldn't actually know yet.

hm! Good introspection, all of that stuff... noted! Especially the part at the end, sounds real handy to keep in mind as things progress

I’m enjoying my time alone just chilling, but can I feel where the other respective parts of the collective are? Being cool w/ feeling lost vs that sense of purpose, can I find my way back to not necessarily Jon, but to them?

You can feel the touch of the others, and locate the point within the thought-space they've chosen to persist for the moment. You could easily find them.

Sweet! Can I mess with the person with the weakest lonely vibe I can find in my vicinity? I’m not trying to push anybody over the edge or anything, so I’m going to negatively influence someone who, if there’s anybody who fits the bill, “seems like they can take it”

Planting a seed is believing in tomorrow etc etc, but this seed? loneliness, babyyyy. Let’s beef up an individual's feelings of total societal and individual isolation, maybe someone in a crowded space? some main thoroughfare? find that mildly existential homie and hone in

It doesn't take you long to find someone. There are many tempting, more susceptible people, but you refrain yourself, find someone more resistant but still touched by the disconnect between people.

It is nothing to turn wandering thoughts from 'No one here knows me', to 'Who really does?'

They frown, glance around at the other people at the crossing. None of their faces are familiar. Of course not, but, when was the last time they saw someone familiar who they actually liked? They think about trying to memorise these peoples faces, but, even if they do they'll still be strangers, in the end. Just faces. 

Do they even really know anyone? How much of society is the act of putting on a mask of social norms and expected interactions. "Have a good day." Says the cashier, and you say "You too."

It doesn't mean anything. It's expected. 

They're by themself. Isn't that life, though? Can you really know another person? They're not sure.

You take it in, and feel more empowered. A hint of strain stolen from the tether, and more power, more options available to you.

Sweet! Now can I haunt stuff, can I influence the physical world? maybe I should have tried that before influencing that person, but it’s all good. How light is it out, where I’m at? May I haunt a street lamp

Also, I want to keep an eye on this person, or, like, a tab of some kind. is that possible? Put a little marker over their head and send them off like tagging a wild animal for field work?

You reach out, familiarize yourself with this individual. You're fairly certain you could find them again, provided there within range.

Some experimentation makes it clear you can influence electrical fields. Physicality seems a long term and distant goal. Do-able, but beyond you at your current power.

Ooooh, electrical fields. hell yeah. can I blow the fuse (dramatic, electricity does not equal electric fields etc etc, but) on literally anything nearby, just to test it? Or maybe, and I think this counts because, like, radio waves, could I make the people in my vicinities phones stop working? little snippets of isolation, cut ‘em off... live in the moment, guys!!!

You pull at the threads of current around you, cut off the internet, for a moment. Interrupt a phone call, a text. 

The fuse requires more focus, and a reach towards the more central focus of you, but it is something you can do. The fuse blows. Lights go down. 

It's not something you would be able to do in a more panicked situation, not without some focus, and not without chance of risk.

Neat that I can do it at all tho!

I don’t really have much to do other than those basic experiments, anything else out there piquing my interests in a vibe way? Whether it be folks that just Scream notability (alignment w the lonely rather than susceptibility to it), locations, objects? any artifacts laying around?? 

(me, idly wondering what peter lukas is up to, even though it’s not really narratively relevant or influential just yet: )

You seek out people, make note of the pattern of their thoughts when you feel, along the connection watched.

can I make whatever is making me feel watched feel lonely, can I send a vibe back down the li ne? (Me stirring drama between peter and elias like)

Wait . That’s a bad idea

Hmmmm

You would have to approach the consciousness behind the feeling.

The watched feeling vanishes. You're alone again.

thats what I thought, Elias,

Ok ummmm.. I don’t have anything else I’d like to do! No artifacts or folks aligned to the lonely ??

There are few individuals aligned, no one approaching Avatar status, and a number of locations. You mark them out.

epicccc

Okay! Thanks for the info, I think I’ll head back in the direction where I came, towards Jon I guess ? Not gonna interact tho ugh.

You wander the twist of thoughts back towards Jon.

----

Vast:

-fall away.

The whole persists as a distant point you can perceive, but are not bound to. You're self is a consistent thing separate from the mass.

What would you like to do?

alright next goal: see if i can float. do i have to walk? how do i move? how do i get place to place? time seems to be something i can move in and out of - can i chose the time i'm in?

You lack a body. Your defined being is closer to a suggestion in a point in thought-space. There's a one to one reflection of reality which you can move through by tracing ambient perceptions of the world. You could alter your perception of time within the thought-space, but at least for now, your powers are limited to people's minds.

is there anyone being an ass around? i wanna make them feel like their leg is falling through a hole, just for a minute, and then let them go

just for kicks and giggles

You seek out antagonism, it takes a moment, but you find an individual complaining at a retail worker, you push up against their thoughts, and pull. 

They stumble, gasp, lose their place in their tirade. They don't much let it stop them from continuing to harass the worker. They might be covering for the perceived moment of weakness.

well - sometimes the powers have a bit more in common than they would like to admit. the vast, the end, the lonely - all are a little bit bigger than the human mind can comprehend, and we all face them alone. i'd like to try and make the person face the vastness of space and life for a few minutes. just give him some time to think on the inevitability of things, on the slow erosion of mountains and passage of time, and if he keeps going, we'll see if he likes the feeling of free-fall

You lean in, whisper into his mind, focus his wandering thoughts on the incredible reality of the shape of all things.

The world is impossible. The universe, is impossible. He is nothing. In time, he will be nothing, and any trace of him lifted from the surface of the universe and forgotten. Infinity has no time or care for him. 5 billion years and the sun will go out, does he really think anyone will remember him then? 

Humanity is an absent, irrelevant blip against the constancy and scale of the universe and he is nothing . A speck. Less than.

At the end of the universe, the stars all died out, and every black hole dying as well, the space between space will grow so distance time will freeze. The universe will end not with a bang, not with a whimper, but with a total and complete emptiness. Void and void and void forever.

And he is nothing.

And you are powerful.

FeelsGoodMan. I love it. I'm gonna drift back and bounce from perception to perception. Considering that - is it only the Vast that I can feel in people? Can I feel pinpricks of Lonely, the End, Beholding, Hunt?

You can turn your focus to the other powers, but your attraction to the Vast will always shine brighter as long as that's where you're aligned.

Interesting. Since the dude was harassing a retail worker, is there a small pen or something on the desk I can try and move? If I stand behind a cashier, can they sense me like a presence?

Physicality is still beyond you, but you have a sense of electrical fields. A current in the air. You can make the hair on people stand on end, but also, with some focus, you can shift small things around. Generate a void of air and pull small objects towards it. It's a small step, but a valuable one.

How much energy does it cost to do those things? Does it feel like I have an energy bar, or like once I build up energy, I can just do those things at no cost?

It's a degree of focus. The amount of attention the Act requires. Simpler, less impressive acts are easier to pull of in complicated situations, where more difficult acts might be at risk of failure.

I gotcha. Okay. That's really what I wanted to test out

Is there anyone who has an affinity for the vast in a way that isn't necessarily scared of it? Like... they just think it's neat? Someone watching a space video, a sky diver, someone like that? Who maybe has fear, but also joy? I don't want to do anything, just study them. Maybe I could try and copy the joy for someone else too.

Enjoyment is harder to find, but anticipation is a wonderful thing. As is adrenaline. And some people find comfort in the vastness of the universe. 

You find an individual, take in the features of their mind. There is something nice about being faced with an infinity and understanding that you are nothing to it. You don't matter in the grand scheme, so be kind on the small scale. 

You examine, feel and trace and play the shape of joy. Then, carefully, you approach someone else, and twist the pattern of thoughts to match. Its-

You're not sure what it is. Not more powerful. But, perhaps it's nice?

Does it equal the kind of power I get from fear? Or is it just neat?

You're not sure you feel more powerful? You haven't fed on anything, but there's something there. Maybe.

That is gonna give me something to think and chew on for a little bit! I'm good on tests, but now that I'm free in the open idk about going back to being an Us. Like I like it but it's nice to also be by myself. Can I find my way back to Jon, perceive him from the outside rather than the inside?

You trace the tether back to the mess of thoughts that is Jon. Your perceptions of him, being that he is currently alone, are limited, and limited further by the fact he appears to be asleep. But you can perceive him externally. As you do this, along the connection, a distant, but distinct impression leaves you feeling watched.

First I freeze, and then I race back to Us. Safety in numbers, right?

You slip into the stream of consciousness, and then, into the centre of the whole.

----

Beholding:

-split apart.

The mess and mass and twist of voices settles to less than cacophony, still present, but not as loud. You can make the distinction of self. 

What would you like to do?

I assume we're still in the thought space thing, right? I want to try and narrow in on distinct minds. See if i can identify them later on.

You're still drifting within your created reflection of a living city, touching minds, but like a ghost, seen/known/examined by no one. You seek people out mostly at random, and try to focus on their thoughts. Find a signature or clarified element to them. Once you think you have it, you let yourself be dropped in the sea of thought, not moving away from them, space doesn't exist here, but losing track of them.

You focus on the image/memory/clarity of the individual, and then, slowly, awkwardly, seek them out. It takes some doing, but you think you can track people down like this. Probably.

You're pretty sure they're the same person you started with.

I'm assuming I can also sense people associated with the Eye?

You can. Spotlight fragments of focus flash and flicker across your vision. Paranoia pulls fear and worry from the minds of plenty of people. The weight of awareness of others awareness of you. Judgement in the eyes of everyone around you. They're all watching, all paying attention, all aware, and you're going to mess up, aren't you? It's a commonplace fear. 

And it would be easy to push them into the, if you'll forgive the pun, eye of the storm.

I would like to not do that.

Are you sure? It would be the easiest thing in the world.

What's a little fear, anyway? It might help this, in fact, you know this would help. You need fuel if you want to be able to affect things in a more real way. You're trying to save/prevent a terrible future/past. Can you afford not to act here?

...I would like to not do that.

Uh, make them afraid, I mean.

Would like to not make them afraid.

You resist the temptation.

Suppose you're proud of yourself. Suppose you believe you've made the right decision. Suppose you think this is a victory.

Eventually you're going to need power/strength, you can't help anyone if you can't do anything. 

What would you like to do?

...is ‘my best’ an option?

Actually, hold on. Could I- well, it's all mental, right? For the moment, at least. Could I...lessen someone's fear?

You find a target, and with an undeniable attention to detail, turn their thoughts from a gut churning anxiety.

'They're watching me, and I'm gonna mess up, and they'll laugh and then-' shifts to 'They're watching me and..? So what? Ignore them.'

It helps, somewhat. Their worries linger, but you've shifted the cycle of thoughts a little.

Searching for individuals is difficult because it takes time. It's easier to try and find fear, but, could I find Jane Prentiss? As she is she doesn't really count as an individual. Right?

You lean towards/into the touch of corruption within the tether and bond, and trace the pattern of it familiar. You leak out into the city, search party of one, and trace every hint of insect or filth or disease you can find. 

It's not good work, and if you currently had a stomach, it would be churning, but yes, eventually you find where Jane Prentiss is holed up. It seems to match the description of where Martin will/had originally found her.

A touch of observation creeps along the connection. It's familiar, and external, and loud against you. You're being watched.

Oh  fuck

I'm going to drop any attention on Prentiss, i don't want Elias knowing I was looking into her.

You slip against the stream of thought, away from Prentiss. Acutely aware of Eyes on you the entire time. The feeling of observation lingers longer, thick against your brain, but eventually you evade it.

That's...bad

I want to attempt to hide. Under other people's thoughts or- or something.

You trace and copy others thoughts and memories, create a blanket of distraction and hide beneath it.

I'll keep away from the others until I'm more certain there's no risk. Am I sure i'm not still being watched?

You're sure of nothing.

Oh good, that's what I wanted to hear.

Alright, I'll rejoin the others. Covertly, if that's possible?

You slip into the thought stream, and back to the others, hiding beneath your memory shield and discarding it at the last moment.

----

End:

-distance yourself.

The thread of yourself slips away from the centre of yourselves, makes the distinction of defining an almost singular self.

What would you like to do?

Like the other powers, are there people around me I'm drawn to? Is there a 'death' in the area?

There are plenty of people who are afraid of the end. Minutia of lingering fear. At some point, things will simply cease , it's a common fear. There's plenty for you to play with. Though you can't find any Avatars, except an odd blank spot against your senses.

Distantly, there is the awareness of being watched.

Okkayyy so I'm pretty sure I just found Georgie.

I'm also going to stay away from Jon, even though I want to try something with him, since I don't want Elias/Jonah realizing that we're here.

Understood.

Is there anyone near me who's asleep?

Yes. A lot of people.

Hmm. I think I'd like to go towards a sleeper who's already a little bit afraid of the end, and well. Heighten that. Kill them in their dreams, if that's possible. If not, increase that fear and let their brain do what it will.

It's beyond you to kill them, but you can certainly manipulate their dreams. Set them against the inevitably of a demise they cannot escape, and even if they could, death is patient. They can't escape forever. 

You feed on it, and feel empowered. More options are available to you.

The watched feeling fades away.

Oh good.

I think I'm going to go on a dream murder spree really quickly here. Avoiding the blank spot and just hop between two or three other dreamers.

I'm assuming that it produces a similar empowerment?

It's easy enough to do, and you feel stronger for it. Carefully avoiding the blank spot. You're undoubtedly fueled by this.

Excellent.

If I poke at someone's dream now, can I manipulate it directly?

Yes, the fold of dreams is mostly yours to manipulate.

With the feeling of being watched having faded, I pull myself back towards Jon.

Can I manipulate his dreams?

Yes.

If I can, I'd like to take him from whatever he's dreaming about, and create another scene around him- a room with a couple of chairs, maybe a fireplace, and create some sort of avatar for myself.

After your earlier power gathering, this is perfectly possible. What would you like to look like?

The room that I put us both into looks like it was taken from a small cabin. It's small and cozy, with a crackling log fire in one corner of the room. Over the fire is a brilliant rainbow banner. There's a thick rug on the floor. The walls are also wood. A collection of pictures- spiraling patterns and singed children's picture- is on the far wall. There's several comfy-looking couches and chairs, with enough room for about nine people to sit comfortably. Most of them are covered with blankets and throw pillows. Near the fireplace is a dark navy armchair with a space throw pillow.

Jon appears seated in the chair opposite the vast's. I'm standing next to him, a humanoid figure wearing a dark gray robe that completely covers my body and face.

He looks mostly perplexed, and he's taking in the room.

"Okay, then?"

Chapter Text

INT: Room (Dream)-?

Intirem

[Aloud]

Hello, Jon.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(hewwo mister sims youve been a SPLENDID archivist)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(sahara that sounds THREATENING)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(im trying to be NICE)

(oh fuck mag 160 feels)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(mood)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(imagine he can hear this but just subconsciously lmao)

Intirem

[Aloud]

You remember earlier today right? 

The entity that wanted to help you?

Sahara

[Whispering]

("help" is a strong word)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(We did say that tho)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(no we said help i think [laughs] you're just be gay do crimes)

(you weren't here to vote yet)

The Archivist

I-

-Jon frowns, a little of the innate confusion of dreams clings to him.

The Archivist

Yes, I recall.

Intirem

[Aloud]

I'm a part of that entity. You're dreaming, yes, but this dream is real. I wanted to introduce myself.

And maybe the others, if you're up for that.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(it's me, the end. now you're probably wondering how i got here)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Now it's a long story)

Mojave

[Whispering]

(Oh Shit This Is Happening ?)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Yeah)

Mojave

[Whispering]

(bro)

The Archivist

[Sarcastically, obviously trying to hide his unease]

Well, I’m glad you went with a comforting appearance.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(yeah guys we’re really in it now)

Mojave

[manifests chains and rattles them for 0.5 seconds before despawning them again]

Intirem

[Aloud]

Give me some credit. I tried with the room. The vaguely threatening pictures weren't my idea.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(they're cute! they're endearing!)

Intirem

[Aloud]

Some of us think that they’re cute.

The Archivist

[Lying]

.... It's...appreciated.

Mojave

:(

[they lonely out]

Sahara

[Whispering]

(hey!!)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(see i was gonna be a mass of blankets but now i feel like i shouldnt)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(oh right this is pre-character development jon little basárd)

Intirem

[Aloud]

Look, we've been alive for maybe... ten hours? We're trying.

[Directed to Us]

I'm going to try and pull Seraphina in now. I can't do this on my own.

[Aloud]

Honestly I wasn't expecting to get this far.

-A young woman walks in, she gives off an air of nervousness and deference.

Seraphina

[Aloud]

Hello, I'm sorry to intrude on you guys, but I am also a part of the same entity. I felt the dream and thought I should introduce myself.

The Archivist

...Are there a lot of you?

Sahara

[Whispering]

(oh babe you have no idea lmao)

Intirem

[Aloud]

At my last count, there's nine of us. We can function both as a collective and independently.

After you put us in time out we went and tried to figure out some more about ourselves, which led to us temporarily splitting.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(it wasn’t time out it was. forced collective respite)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(It was time out.)

Seraphina

[Aloud]

Now we all seem to be doing different things, which is quite a difference from how we first were.

The Archivist

Oh.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(ok yeah it was time out)

Intirem

[Aloud]

Sorry, I know it’s a lot to take in.

The Archivist

I’ll manage.

Sahara

[snorts]

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(“i’ll manage” sure u will)

Seraphina

[Aloud]

We can try to answer some questions, perhaps? Though, I can’t say we will succeed.

Intirem

[ Aloud ]

There’s a lot we know, but a lot we don’t.

-Jon studiously ignores whatever his other concerns are. Worries on the back burner, there is knowledge to be discovered.

The Archivist

Let's talk about this 'will be' . I- I have some other concerns, but those can wait. You're from the future? Why are you here? What made you come back?

Sahara

[Whispering]

(lmao big mood jon. repression time)

(god. he is SO funny)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(to the tune of YMCA: com-part-ment-al-ize!)

Intirem

[Aloud]

Yes. We are from the future- or at the very least, we know how it would play out without our interference.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(i mean, that’s how we came about, right?)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

We want to change how the future turns out. We want it to turn out well for everyone.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(that implies it didn’t turn out well for everyone)

Intirem

[ Aloud]

Let’s just say - it didn’t.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(which it didn’t but - )

(OH NO)

Sahara

[starts playing it's the end of the world as we know it (and i feel fine) by REM very very softly]

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(now he’s gonna worry)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(oops.)

(uh. sorry?)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(it’s okay :P)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(sorry)

The Archivist

[curious]

I - how did it turn out?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(oh okay that went better than expected)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(Bad)

T.A.

[Whispering]

(You probably don’t want to know)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Do we tell him there was an apocalypse)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(too many eyes? two people died? ta’s answer is good)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(give us a figurative six months and we can tell you lmao)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(I like ta’s answer, I feel like Jon would freak out and doubt us if we told him he has to stop an apocalypse)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(ok so you know mr spider? like that except with all possible fears and all over the globe. so like, cool and sexy, but very bad)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering, laughing]

(MKJNHKLADS)

Intirem

[Aloud]

It didn't turn out well for anyone involved. You don't want to know.

The Archivist

...That does just make me want to know more, you realise, right?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(oh shit he is beholding)

(forgot this was jon)

(WE PLAYED OURSELVES)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(baby archivist cannot use compulsion, we're fine..... unless?)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(people you didn't want to die died)

(is that a good answer?)

Seraphina

[Aloud]

We do realize that, but the future may be set in stone if you know how this goes.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(oh that's good)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(ooh good answering seraphina)

Intirem

[Aloud]

It’s already enough of a danger that we know.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(i’m sorry! I’m sorry.)

(y’all are vaguing me)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(will we even continue to exist if the future is averted?)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(what)

(who’s vaguing you)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(That wasn’t actually directed at you)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(I’m not, I’m sorry)

Sahara

[Whispering, sheepish]

(oh, okay. sorry)

The Archivist

I...see. [He pauses.] Well no, I don’t, but I’ll drop it for the moment. How do we - What do you intend to do to avert this future?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(oh shucks seraphina i hadnt thought of that. i hope we do. i like this whole existing thing. i mean idk why we would stop existing ig)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Unstable time loop)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(what DO we intend to do guys)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(oh. well, we need to kill your garbage boss first of all i made a bad first impression)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering, laughing]

(JIHUASKDKJDSA)

(bad first impression so MURDER TIME)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(If we avert the apocalypse then we don't get sent back which means that we no longer exist.)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(oh..... u right dusk)

(that makes me sad. like it's worth it but i'm sad)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(or we look at it like the timeline branched off when we arrived and now we are stuck in the new one, incapable of going back?)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(you! keep talking)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(I like that idea!)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(less back to the future more happy endings >:))

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(also as for what we intend to change: we're already changing the sequence of events, and gathering a little more power?)

Intirem

[Aloud]

In the immediate future, we intend to avert a tragedy in the archives. In the long term, we want to stop the apocalypse. Somehow. We're still figuring that out.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering, sputtering and laughing]

(INTIREM YOU LET HIM KNOW AN APOCOLAUIJA AHAPPENED)

(sorry my brain left me for a minute there and i gave up)

Sahara

[Whispering, laughing]

(HDBDHHSDBBDBS)

(you fucking. cats out of the bag hdbdbdh)

T.A.

[Whispering]

(I mean, time could just completely collapse, that would be unfortunate.)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(no that would be bo-ring)

(i was promised found family and i will make it my own damn self if i have to goddamnit!!)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(us: let’s keep this lowkey)

(intirem, bless them: someone DIED and there was an APOCALYPSE)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(GET THEIR ASS)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(..... I need to just. Shut up xD)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(no, no, continue, please)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(i'm cackling honestly i'm having a great time)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(I won’t freak you out! BUT APOCALYPSE)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(jonafin sims.....)

Seraphina

[Aloud]

We uh, well, we may have said a bit much or exaggerated. If we stop the first incident, that may fix the future.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(DAMAGE CONTROL DAMAGE CONTROL)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(lmao pushing it under the rug)

(jk jk jk!! ...... unless?)

The Archivist

What is the incident, or am I not permitted to know?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(OH NOOOOOOO)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(uhhhhhh)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(wAIT)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(there was a clone-like incident)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(it’s like what happened earlier, but huge and bad!)

(with the statement!)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(honestly I was referring to Jane)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(oh)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(clone is also important tho)

Seraphina

[Aloud]

Something that can be stopped with co2 fire extinguishers and a fire suppression system.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(seraphina you are a blessing and amazing)

(all hail)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(jon: oh i thought it would be more supernatural lmao)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(that was brilliant)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(THIS IS HOW THE WEB WILL SAVE THE WORLD)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(oh FIRST incident)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(half truths are the webs domain)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(that’s right i forgot you were web)

The Archivist

[frowning and twitchy]

...So, a fire? [He pauses] Also, while I can certainly appreciate the aesthetics, do you really have to do the 'evil whispering' thing?

Sahara

[Whispering]

(shut up!!)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering, laughing]

(oh shit he can hear us ahnjkdhbgunjk)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(stop we’re trying So Hard mr simithan)

Seraphina

[shouting]

Am I whispering? Is this okay?!

Nora-Kai

[Whispering, laughing harder]

(SIMITHAN)

(SERAPHINA HKJASUIHJNKLASD)

Sahara

[Whispering, now laughing too]

(hdhshdbdjdbdhd)

(H-HEWWO?? HEWWO MISTEW SIMS??)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Nuu)

- The Archivist’s frown deepens.

Sahara

[Whispering, laughing very hard]

(BDDBSJDDNDKSKDNDN)

(im crying this is so funny)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(WAIT, he can hear the parentheses???)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(yah)

Intirem

[Aloud]

I think you might be hearing the others. They also want to meet you. And are invested in this conversation

The Archivist

[strained]

Oh… wonderful.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(mister ‘i know what a meme is’ over here must LOVE us)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(sahara don’t make references like that he can HEAR YOU)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(I think that’s enough for one night)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(hhdhs hes already reached his limit)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Everyone okay with me ending the dream?)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(yeah)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(sure)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(personally i'm a fan i never even had to introduce myself)

Sahara

[Whispering]

( i wanted to but it turned out funnier lmao)

Intirem

[Aloud]

I'm sorry. We'll let you get back to sleep. You can meet the others later if you want.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(can he let us out of time out when he wakes up lmao)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(let him sleep!!)

Seraphina

[Aloud]

It was nice to meet you, Mr. Sims.

Intirem

[Whispering]

Same here.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(BYE MISTER SIMS)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(THE TWO OF US WHO DIDN'T GET TO MEET YOU SAY HI AND BYE)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(see u later, nerd!!)

(i am saying this with love and affection loser)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering, laughing]

(jio98uoijlkjasd)

(the half braincells didn't get to come into the dream)

The Archivist

[Mostly sincere]

Pleasure to meet you all.

-Intirem lets the dream dissolve and returns to the collective.

Chapter Text

Spiral:

-break away.

Selves becomes selfs become, not individual, but something close. How about that? You can still reach the conglomerate of thought, but, at least currently, you're distinct from it.

What would you like to do?

After passively observing the dream with Jon, I detach my consciousness out, away from the collective, and explore, in all the places that the others have not. Are there any spots that I'm attracted to in particular?

There are a couple of interesting hot spots. Black hole draws against your senses. A few individuals, a number of locations.

I investigate one such individual.

You approach, though the word implies movement, and settle up against their twisting thoughts.

I knock on their thoughts.

Knock knock.

It's a bright, burning uncertainty. Fear, and fear and fear. The lingering sort that 'oh, but how do you know this is all happening?'. 

'Are you really here right now?'

'Are you certain?'

'You trust your perceptions? But people's perceptions are wrong all the time.'

'Are you sure?'

'Are you?'

A pretty pattern of confusion and distrust.

Oh, but it could always be brighter, couldn't it?

If I prod hard enough, could I dampen, or perhaps even disable a sense?

As you are, you lack much power, but the mind is a plaything of the you. You turn the the touch of hearing wrong, just enough voices turn to almost fuzz and vocal sludge, just enough to further confuse. Sow doubt. Discord. 

There's the hint of fear. You taste it, and it appeals.

I'm sure they're fine. I'm also sure that they're sure that they're not fine. My job here is done.

I drift outwards, uncoiling and extending to a different location, tagged as a hotspot.

There's an oddity against the wall, a place Distortion has touched. There’s no door here anymore, but that's really only a matter of perspective.

As much as I'd like to call on good ol' Mikey, that doesn't seem useful for, you know, preventing the apocalypse? 

Oh well. Let's move on.

What do you want to do next?

Let's go find more people to interact with, in a completely innocuous and no way threatening manner!

Yes, you're completely believed when you say that. No doubts as to your sincerity here.

I'm very trustworthy.

It's like, at least seven of my middle names.

You seek out some other targets friends, and find them easily enough.

A thought here, some minor synesthesia there, nothing too impactful, right?

Of course not, you're not here to cause chaos/and or disruption. There's touches of fear and it feeds you. Not as much as it could, but enough.

Can I retry turning a sense off and on again?

Yes.

I will retry doing that.

You successfully retry doing that.

There's a more effective dampening, but you can't quite shut down someone else's senses yet.

You know what? I'm satisfied with that.

This person probably isn't, but they'll live. Full hearing isn't strictly required to live, right? I'm pretty sure that's right.

That done, I drift back to the collective, and continue to observe.

You settle back against the centre of the whole, and are enclosed in the comfort of it.

Chapter Text

The collective returned, you persist in the void of Thought-space, though it is not long before a hint of errant senses makes clear Jon is awake. Shortly after, there's a furling touch of thought. An invitation.

You take it, and settle back into the presence and significance of the familiarity of his pattern of thinking. He goes about his morning routine, laptop and tape recorder from the night before both gone from the floor, book, presumably back on a shelf. 

You allow him to get reacclimated to your presence, and note the oddity of the care he applies to packing his bag, heading out the door, and locking it. He's self aware of his every movement with your attention on him.

Now would be a good time for a distraction.

'hey jon. there wasn't time during the dream last night to tell you, but during out time out we went gave you some literal space and went exploring for a bit. sahara went into the archives and elias saw them. we aren't sure how elias is going to take sahara's presence here - and, frankly, if elias is going to like all of Us being here at all.'

He startles a little as he hears you again, walk faltering, but he covers for it, head dipping with an indication of his attention. Not that you need the indication, you can feel a touch and mangle of feelings radiating towards you as you explain. 

His eyes dart around the street, taking in the other people, and he bites down a question, though his curiosity is a blanket around your words.

'we don't WANT elias to know we're here, or at least, we want as little to do with him as possible. elias is capable of a lot of horror - we all are, as the creatures we are, really - but elias has chosen to capitalize on that. gertrude was planning on blowing up the archives, and elias murdered her for that. we'll leave you to your own judgements of right and wrong, but we hope you understand why maybe we would like to avoid him knowing something is up with you for the time being.'

He hums an acknowledgement, it comes out mildly annoyed, and the way his eyes track every person he passed on the walk makes it clear he has some thoughts on this he would like to express. 

'also, could we interest you in some fear charades? '

That's the sentence that does it. He splutters, somewhere between indignant and confused, and alters his path to duck down a side street and get out of sight.

Quietly, but with a hint of desperation, he says, "What precisely is fear charades?"

His tone adds about five more question marks, and he runs a hand through his hair. Perhaps realising again the exact extent of the strangeness of the situation. 

'fear charades! we'll explain more tonight, if you aren't opposed to having another dream with us. right now we need to talk about hiding from elias.'

'mojave has an idea of trying to blanket us with a particular fear/feeling/vibe that makes us feel unknown/go unseen, and we're hoping that might mask us. if mojave does it too well, they might accidentally shroud you too. if mojave doesn't have enough power, elias might see us, and we don't know what his reaction will be. We wanted to introduce you to them and to make sure you're comfortable with them and the idea before trying anything.’

'The one speaking to you right now is the same as from your dream last night, by the way. My name is Intirem.’ They pause for a minute. 'Since you already know me, we decided that I should introduce you to Mojave and another one of us who's been working on this plan. Their name is Sahara.' 

Another pause, uncertain this time. 

'They're both quite nice, I promise.'  

"Well, at least you're not all named after deserts. I was beginning to worry there was a theme I'd missed out on." He mutters dryly, carefully taking in the information.

'hey, i'm sahara! if you must know, there is a theme going on, but just between the No Brain Cell Club. don't worry about it. mojave here is going to try their best to do this. right, mojave?'

There is a moment of silence.

'right, mojave?'

No response.

'Mojave?' Sahara repeats.

Jon's miasma of feelings suggest he is having some concerns.

'Mhmm.' The silence drags on for probably a touch longer than necessary. 'It'll be peachy.' Mojave eventually offers, in a tone slightly to the left of earnestness.  

The general feeling of concern intensifies.

"...convincing."

'okay! that's all we're going to get from them, i guess. well, we can hope for the best.'

'the thing is, we're not exactly sure if this will go... as planned, or not. we wanted your input first, before trying anything... spooky.' Sahara warns.

'...Shouldn't be too hard, um. I fuckin' got this, dudes.' Mojave says after a moment.

'... you can leave, mojave. i can carry the conversation.' Sahara offers.

The general twist of his emotions rolls with a sharp hint of annoyance, "Please don't say spooky. This isn't a children's Halloween special."

He sighs, rubs at the bridge of his nose.

"Elias murdered my predecessor, and you want to avoid him because one of you caught his attention. To avoid doing so again, you want to...make a fear blanket? Am I understanding correctly?" There's a strangled note to his voice, quiet as he's keeping it in the alley.

Sheepishly , Sahara says, 'i mean, pretty much? that first one was on me, though. my bad.'

"Your bad!" It comes out louder than he expected and he covers his mouth reactively, eyes focusing on the ground, and cheeks slightly flushed.

"i... yeah? hey, you try being literally born yesterday. i have no experience. i'm one day old." Sahara returns, lightheartedly.

"That's reassuring."

'...It's been a very eye opening day or two?' Mojave murmurs.

Sahara snickers.

Jon makes no comment on the pun, but his confusion is obvious.

'but anyways, if we pull this off (or on, as it goes) then you shouldn't be affected. if you want to say no, that's fine. perfectly understandable.' Sahara says.

A moment of pause, before Mojave adds, 'Should be fine, though. Really. The margin for error is mad small... Your call, though. ' 

"The alternative...is that my apparently murderous boss will know you're...living in my head, and that would be bad, so-" he throws an arm up in frustration, sighs, "-if you think it's your best option, how would I hope to stop you?"

‘well, you could just say no. i mean, we'd ask for you to call in sick or something, but we'd work something else out.’ Sahara explains.

"That's- that's a temporary solution at best." He seems mostly resigned to the situation, back against the alley wall, "There aren't any other plans besides 'Don't go to work' and 'fear blanket' are there?"

‘uh- well- not, really? not at the moment, no. i wish i had a better answer.’ Sahara admits. Then, as an offering, ‘oh! uh, we could, like, scatter, i guess? like how we did during time out. still only temporary though, and the continued distance could have some ... unforeseen consequences’

He takes in your suggestion and shakes his head slightly, less like a disagreement then an unwilling acceptance.

"Alright. You- you have my permission...I suppose." He pushes away from the wall, makes some attempt at cleaning himself up, "Tell me when you've done it, and-" a pause, a breath, "-here's hoping it works."

‘well, alright. thanks, man.’ Sahara says, and as an internal aside, ' mojave, you've got the go ahead'

Something like a sigh settles in Jon’s brain as Mojave gives the closest thing to a nod a ghost of a feeling with no discernible form in the head of some dude in an alley can do, and reaches. They don’t verbally call out to the others, assuming instead that they’d been a mad attentive audience, and puts forth what meager power they’d stored up since that first venture. They pool it with the outputs from the other watchers, and imagine the energy to be something of an umbrella in a dark downpour, the hazy glare of blue from a phone screen when you stay up too late refreshing the same apps, desperate for some connection, or the feeling of watching something from very, very far away. City lights twinkling idly in the distance. The heavy, detached comfort of melancholia, settling over the hivemind like floating at the bottom of the swimming pool, seeing how long you can last, or how long it’d take for anybody to notice you down there. Detachment, without the detachment; Mojave wraps their collective presence in a shroud of missed connections and rampant insecurities.

‘i-- it's done.’ Sahara sighs, relieved.

Your words, Sahara's words, come distant, faded, like recalling the voice of someone you’d almost forgotten, or the ringing, repeating pattern of the words to an old, lost friend’s favourite song. Audible, but foggy. Unfocused. The perceptions from Jon fade beneath a blanket of fog, noises covered and distorted by the echo of static a room over.

One of you, as was planned, stays beyond the reach of your crafted loneliness. Between you, the connection turns- well, weak might be the word for it. Still there, but nearly invisible to your senses. You, Bright, find yourself very nearly alone. It’s an odd state for a conglomerate of recollection to be in. Still, you have the tether to Jon, heavy and comforting against your senses, even as the others feel closer to the image of someone in a dream. 

Jon straightens himself up, running a hand through his hair again, mostly to himself he mutters, “Well that feels...odd.”

He shakes it off, pauses a moment, mind running over options. Apprehension at the forefront of his thoughts. Obvious to Bright, but not so much to the rest of you. Still, some hints of his emotions linger across your connection.

He finishes his walk to work. Makes what small talk is necessary before seeking out his office and shutting himself inside. He breathes out, a low burn of anxiety at the base of his brain as he forces himself to take his seat and act something approaching normal. Most of the day passes in ordinary seclusion. Reading the ordinary and at this point, even to his feigned ignorance, fake Statements. Eventually, his lunch break arrives. 

With care, he avoids everyone. Impossible to tell if it’s fuelled by the shroud of loneliness coating him, or if it is simply the actions of a man who has had an extremely exhausting day. 

It’s 12:30. Or close enough to. 

He returns to his desk, settles in to the mundanities of his job, when there’s a knock at his door. He considers, for a moment, not replying. Pretending to be out. He could probably hide under his desk, but dismisses the thoughts as irrational and calls out, wearier then intended-

“Come in.”

Elias enters. “Jon, can I have a word?”

Chapter Text

Anxiety is a curdle of frost in Jon's gut. Like a poison leaching amongst the organs and chilling the blood.

With no other real option, he says, "Of course."

Elias smiles, a quick, thin, flash of upturned lips, before stepping into the office and shutting the door. There's a seat against one of the walls, in case someone wants to give a live Statement.

Elias does not sit down.

"Jon, are you alright?" The concern is a coat around his words. You aren't certain how sincere it is. You'd guess 'not very', but reading emotions from people you don't share a brain with is much more difficult, and Jon has no insights on the matter.

"Fine." Jon manages to reply. A curdle of worry shifts to a spot just behind his ribs. 

He does not sound fine. 

"Are you sure? You don't seem-" the pause is a thick note against the flow of conversation. Distracting. Deliberate. Filled with implication, "-well."

"I-" Jon trips on the awkward taste of his own fear, "-Well, that is- erm- I suppose it's just- new- new job...is all."

Elias frowns, not disappointed, not quite the right intensity for that, "Is that all?"

Jon looks down, anywhere but at Elias.

"Jon, did something happen?" The words seem earnest. Genuine.

You don't believe for a second that they are.

"No, no, nothing's- nothing's happened. Just new job. Like I said. I'll -" Jon takes a careful breath, "-I'll adapt."

"I'm sure you will, but I don't believe this is simply the 'jitters' of a new position." Elias' eyebrows raise, his face makes all the appropriate shapes for sympathy, "You're terrified. If something has happened, you can tell me."

There is the distinct urge to just laugh. A hysterical, bitter and confused noise. Jon bites it down. Swallows.

"No- nothing's happened- nothing I can- I can think of, anyway...ha" he aims for lighthearted and misses by a mile. Fingers kneading the desk surface, slow drags a long the surface for something to do. Otherwise he feels like he might just break. A rubber band under too much tension.

"Are you certain?" Elias prods, "If you'll forgive the expression, you look like you've seen a ghost."

"Mmhmmm." It's a strangled sort of noise Jon makes, semi-adjacent to an affirmation.

"My employees health is of the utmost concern to me." Elias smiles, a slight show of teeth, "A business is built on the well-being of it's employees, after all."

"Yes." Jon nods, too rapidly and too awkward, "Yes, yes, of course. I'll erm- I'm fine."

"Well, I suppose that is as good as I'm going to get. Do take care of yourself, Jon, after all, you're the centre of the Archives. Your health is important-" with an awkward tone that admittedly is nowhere as bad as Jon's own, he adds, "And if you want to seek out a therapy that is covered by the Institute of course."

His eyes linger on Jon, who ducks his head, nods again, and withers beneath the attention.

"It can be a lonely position, and I'd hate to lose you." He lets his voice weigh in the air, then gives a self-satisfied nod and a too knowing grin, and leaves.

Jon counts to thirty, then not so much relaxes as collapses against his desk. 

Deciding that's not quite good enough. He slides off the chair and huddles under the desk. There's comfort in the enclosure of a space, even as he folds awkwardly in it. He breathes out, half stuttering breaths.

"Alright. Alright. It's....okay. worst day of your life, but at least your not dead so-" one hand rests against his forehead, then buries in his hair, grip tight, almost painful, "-so things can always get worse."

He laughs, a messy and awkward, not relieved, but a relief of stress. His eyes prick, slightly wet, but he resolves not to cry. He's already crawled under his desk and started to breakdown, but he's not going to cry.

Here, anyway. 

He breathes out. Breathes out again. Hiccups. Ignores the nausea in his gut.

"Come on, there's- there's still work to do." He murmurs, but makes no attempt to move.

The day passes achingly slow, and Jon does not so much recover, as pack away his distress. He gets through another couple fake Statements, but they lack even the paltry effort he had given the earlier ones. Still, time passes, and eventually, he is allowed to go home.

Stepping out of the Institute is an immediate relief, and he takes some comfort in that.

The walk home is uneventful. Lingering unease tracks him like a drone, but he grows to ignore it, and almost as soon as he's home, at least part of the unease lifts from his shoulders. Home is home, it's a space that belongs to him. Safe, in theory. 

He sets his things down, and waits.

Mojave has been, in all honesty, living it up for the days duration, content to drift in an artificial isolation punctuated only by the occasional muted input from Jon’s senses -- anxiety and agitation, rocking the metaphorical boat. The shift from said barrage of feelings to something at least attempting to approach calm is the first thing the entity registers in a long while. Must be time to let up, then. The best combatant to loneliness is warmth, light, safety in numbers and a warm embrace, and Mojave thinks of Bright as a sunbeam cutting through heavy fog as they cast out a tentative call to their eye on the outside. A lighthouse, blinking through the ocean’s overcast as a guide home, or like the way you rush to your friends side when you meet after so many months spent apart. Water following the comfortable path of least resistance. It was a really solid idea to leave someone out, to give them a tether to something, someone, easing the mild metaphorical sting of, on Mojave’s part, returning to a conglomerate. They only hope that the feeling gives Jon the sense of wrapping oneself in a blanket fresh from the dryer instead of killer vertigo.

There's a shift in Jon that is obvious to you as you are no longer distanced in a way beyond the Thought-space. Some element of the confusion of his situation lessens.

He does little of his evening routine, and simply drops into bed, still dressed.

Into his pillow he mutters, "That was awful, let's- let's do fear charades- whatever it is it can't be nearly as terrible as today."

Fatigue drags him into sleep with little resistance.

Chapter Text

The room Jon wakes up in is much the same as the last time: a little larger, perhaps, with room for a few more people. There's still a warm fire at one end of the room, and the shadows it throws flicker comfortingly across the ceiling and walls. A small kitchenette, replete with a teapot and snacks now takes up the back wall. A door also leads into the room, though nothing can be seen through the singular window.

Instead of a lich, however, there's what looks like a very small void covered in a blanket with cut-out eyeholes floating above the couch. It is, quite possibly, cute. 

Jon, even in the dream looks weary and worn. Faded at the edges, in a sort of metaphorical sense, literalised by the nature of dreams.

Intirem

Jon?

The Archivist

Hi. Yes. 

[a breath out]  

Hello.

Sahara

[whispering]

( :( )

Intirem

How're you holding up?

The Archivist

[hums a single, empty note]

Intirem

.... That's fair.

We're sorry about today, by the way. We're not doing that again.

It's at this moment when Sahara walks through the door. They're short, child-shaped. They're in a pink sundress and their hair is, incidentally, fire.

Sahara

hey? we're doing this, then? real sorry about today. i'm sahara, from earlier.

The Archivist

I recall.

Mojave just... begins existing in the room, fuzzy around the edges and blurrier than a dirty pond reflection, loitering. Maybe flashes a peace sign Jon's way, it really is hard to tell with them.

Intirem

That's Mojave, by the way.

The Archivist

Yes, you uh, did the blanket...thing. 

[He pauses.]

Did it help?

Mojave nods and shrugs in tandem. They Sure Hope So.

Sahara

yes, we're pretty sure it did. thank you mojave.

Intirem

At the same time, it also seems like it affected you.

The air thickens suddenly with the heavy feeling of being watched, and with the sound of beating wings, Bright is there. She is almost an owl - short, with the flattened heart-shaped face of a barn owl, and long legs that end in talons. But as she shifts, eyes open along her wings, all turning to look at Jon.

Bright

Hello.

Intirem

That's Bright. She stayed out of the blanket and helped reverse it.

Jon looks at Bright, and his head dips in acknowledgement as a touch of appreciation suffuses the gathered senses.

Bright     

[She dips her head in response.]  

I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.

A rough approximation of a human being slinks through the door, tall and frighteningly thin with eyes like a butterfly’s wing and dressed in athletic wear. It’s a person, just five feet— maybe miles— to the left. He grins at Jon. It is not reassuring, but it looks like it wants to be.

Toltecatl

Hello, Jon. Glad I could finally introduce myself. I am Toltecatl.

The Archivist

It's- Well-

Jon is uncertain on how to return the various greetings and replies.     

Jinheulg

[A deep and soft, melodious voice speaks up]

We are here now. To play? And say sorry.

Sahara

hey, welcome! almost like we've got a party going, huh.

The Archivist

[absently]

I suppose a dream party is preferable to the alternative.

Sahara

sleepover in jon's brain. bring your own sleeping bag.

The short humanoid with long, clumped hair opens their arms wide. They waddle forward and wait for Jon. 

Jinheulg

Hug? We give hug?

Sahara

oh, shit, are we doing hugs? 

[Wide-eyed, looking at Jon for permission.]

The Archivist

[Looking uncomfortable]

No thank you- I don't- I don't like being... touched.

Intirem

Alright.

Sahara

[Hugging Jinheulg]

understandable.

Jinheulg   

[squeaks and smiles]   

It is okay. It is hard. We want. Things to not be hard. For you, yes?

Toltecatl     

[Sighing and tapping his fingertips against his face.]  

Either way, we did want to apologize for how earlier today went. You did very well, considering the circumstances.

Sahara     

[Gives a thumbs up.]

Intirem

That is accurate, yes.

Bright

[Makes a sound not unlike a tape recorder being rewound.]

Yes, you did well! I wanted to help, but - 

[hunches up her wings]  

- we were being watched very closely.

The Archivist     

I- yes. 

[He runs a hand through his hair.]  

That's-

[Incredulous.]

You're...sincere about that. It's- it's fairly obvious, but I don't understand- why- why you want to help.

Intirem

I guess...

[They hover awkwardly over the couch.]

  We like you, for one thing.

The Archivist

[Eyes narrowed, confused.]

Why?

Sahara makes the heart symbol with their hands, coming loose from Jinheulg.

Mojave shoots Jon a deadpan look, or at least something close. Eyebrows up, the whole, Really? Bro. gig.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(someone get this man some self care istg)

Bright

[Whispering]

(BABEY)

The clumpy humanoid mimics Sahara's heart symbol to the best of their ability.

Jinheulg

 We were. Born? And perhaps you feel like home. To us.

Intirem

Consider also that you are not also a fundamentally unlikable person, Jon. You have people that care about you, and that have the capacity to care for you should you let them.

The Archivist

I'm not really- I- 

[Frowning and changing the subject]

What was that about being watched?

Intirem

Watched. Pretty much what it sounds like, really.

Bright     

[More eyes blink open along Bright’s wings.]

 There are dangerous things in this world, Jon. They are watching. We can show you.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(One of them is your boss)

Mojave

[Quietly, but with a lot of feeling]

 Way to make it sound inviting, Bright,

T.A. slips in quietly. Humanoid, but vaguely. Eye-covered, and settling by himself in a corner. Another sheet ghost walks in with him.

Nora-Kai

[Aloud]

Elias has strong eyes, you ever noticed?

[Whispering]

(Sup TA)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(may I join fear charades?)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Door's open, come on in)

Sahara

no, no, let him figure out himself. we're doing fear charades, guys   

[to newcomers] 

did you guys grab my hot chocolate?

Nora-Kai     

We should have figured out who was doing what before the dream. Also Sahara it's a dream you can just think of it right?

Intirem     

There's some in the kitchen, along with tea.

Nora-Kai

Tea!

Bright

[Somewhat indignant]  

This is Serious! I’m just setting the scene!

Sahara

augh.. you guys are making me go through... efforts

Seraphina enters again, bubbly and happy.

Seraphina

I have hot cholatey milk. I don't believe I ever said who I was. My name is Seraphina!

There's a sense of confusion, but also a subtle warmth from Jon. He's not smiling, but he's not far from it.

Toltecatl

Tea is tempting, but we should probably get back to the incredibly serious topic of fear charades.

Jinheulg

[They give a joyous little squeal.]

 Game? Game?

Sahara

oh yeah, baby. seraphina's my favorite now, guys. sorry, jon.

Seraphina

Does anyone else want hot cholatey milk?

Nora-Kai

Hot milk is bad, Seraphina, that's blasphemy. Hot chocolate and hot chocolatey milk are two separate things.

Intirem

I'll just make tea, if it's all the same to you.

Mojave

...You guys don't do it with water in the microwave? Ok.

Seraphina

I said hot cholatey milk! You know the picture that says that.

that's disgusting

Nora-Kai

MICROWAVE?

Sahara

water in the microwave????? mojave you are a DISGRACE on this family.

The Archivist

Are we going to have tea biscuits as well?

If this is going to be a...game night....I'm given to understand food is traditional?

Intirem gets up and starts making tea. In a teapot. A packet of biscuits suddenly appears on a side table.

Bright

That is UNACCEPTABLE.

Jinheulg

Leave drinks for later! Let's get to it, let's, let’s play Game!

Sahara

gay-mer nation let's go.

Mojave throws up a defensive shrug, hands in the air and seemingly looking around at everyone in mock surrender. It’s hard to tell where their gaze falls.

Mojave

Neither do I! Just seen... some things.

Seraphina

Do you guys like noodles? I make a really good Alfredo sauce

Nora-Kai

Heating water in the microwave for hot chocolate is the 15th fear.

Intirem

I'm going to have to expand this kitchen next time, won't I?

Seraphina

Jon doesn't know that yet

Sahara

[laughing]  

you're so right nora-kai.

Nora-Kai

Good point sorry Seraphina.

Thanks Sahara!

Bright is visibly shaking with impatience.

Sahara is vibrating trying to keep from laughing.

Toltecatl

Is that a fine segue? Either way we should begin so Bright doesn’t... I don’t know, snap or something.

Bright is doing that thing where birds puff up all their feathers. It looks really stupid.

Seraphina

Are we playing in teams?

Sahara

i call jon's team! dibs!!

Jinheulg

Team dirt!

Intirem

[Intirem comes back with their tea and sits back down on the couch.]

 Did we ever actually discuss the rules to this?

Jinheulg

No!

Seraphina

I want to play on Jon's team too! Sahara, please don't set me on fire.

Sahara

You...

  [moment of deliberation]  

may join.

Seraphina

Yay! Thanks!

Sahara

bright, you wanted to play the most. you want to lay out the rules?

T.A.

I thought this was guessing the fears...? You guys already know them. Or have I severely misunderstood the point of fear charades?

Bright

I also thought that this was just guessing the fears.

Sahara

y'all right. jon doesn't know them. it's exposition in a silly package

Intirem

That was what I thought it was too? So... why do we have teams?

Seraphina

I thought this was charades, but scary. I just wanna play

Bright

That’s....a good question.

Sahara

because that's how you play charades!!

Bright

[Whispering]  

(How many of us are there? I can’t count)

Nora-Kai

Someone suggested teams and our competitive spirits couldn't resist.

Seraphina

oh wait! We should split into teams by our powers and show off our own and then split the rest!

Sahara

wait, no. that isn't how you play charades. i looked it up on Scary Google.

Jon's face is in his hands, but not in an exasperated way, there's something closer to affection about it.

The Archivist

 So....we don't have a consensus on what fear charades is?

Jinheulg

I win. That is how Game work.

Intirem

[Whispering]

(There's... 12 of us)

Bright

[Whispering]

(So if we each do one, two people have to do another fear)

Toltecatl

Jon, I hate to break it to you , but we’ve been completely sure of about four things in the days we’ve been alive

Bright

[Whispering]

(Oh wait, is Jon included in that?)

(I can’t do MATH)

Sahara

you're the only correct one here, jinheulg

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Bright ur so valid)

[Offscreen, to an invisible watcher]

(Imre if u spiral jon rn i will airlock u)

Bright

(:))

Jinheulg

[They clap and smile.]

 We start?

Intirem

We should probably give the necessary background for this, first.

Sahara

okay, okay. i think i have ... the rules.

drop the lore, intirem

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Wassup Avi)

In the corner of the room, the floor shudders and moves. Where there wasn't anything, just a moment ago, stands someone wearing a large tan puffer jacket. The hood is up, obscuring all but a sliver of their face. They wave lazily.

Avi

[Aloud]

 Yo. Sorry I'm late.

[Whispering]

(wassup)

Seraphina

Hi!

Sahara

oh, hey. just in times for fear charades!

Mojave

[Mojave shoots a mock salute Avi's way.]

Intirem

I'd like to point out that there is a door. I worked very hard on that door. It is there.

Bright

[Bright turns several eyes to Jon.]  

Jon, I’m sorry. We’ve only been alive for about 2 days.

There's an expression on Jon's face like he wants to ask how a conglomerate of entities can be late to a dream, but his impulse control holds him back from another derailing conversation by the scruff of his neck.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(ok intirem you lay out the background info and then we can say the rules)

Intirem 

[Whispering]

(Alright exposition dump time)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(don't actually s. say the names of the entities)

Intirem

On a slightly more serious topic, you remember Mr. Spider, of course. There was something there, twinning you in its threads. Some force manipulating you, perhaps?

Here's what you need to understand: fear is powerful. It's powerful enough to control people's actions and warp the world around itself. It's strong enough to do things beyond your wildest imaginings, to, say, send a conglomerate of thought and memory and knowledge into the past in order to finally and fully change it.

The thing about fear though is that it tends to breed more of itself. If people pour enough energy, enough fear into something, then it can create an entity to act in its name. These entities can affect our world directly through what you know as supernatural events- the true statements. They feed on our fear and live, insofar as they can be said to live, to cause it.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(We worked very hard on that speech, by the way.)

Sahara

nice monologue, intirem. Charades Time Now I Need It.

Intirem

There's more. In the 19th century, a theorist and architect named Robert Smirke posited that there are fourteen major entities, each representing a major fear held by living beings on this planet. 

Mr. Spider was a manifestation of one of those fears.

If you don't believe us, that's fine, but try this: find the true statements and begin to group them as you do so. Patterns will begin to emerge. Some are unclear of course, but most can be attributed to one or two entities alone.

Now uh....this was the idea they had to make this less scary. Fear charades.

Nora-Kai

You get to guess all the 14 fears! We'll give you hints!

Sahara

this is going to be great guys. who's starting?

Seraphina

are we allowed to use our powers?

Mojave

No cheating.

Sahara

where's the fun in that?

Seraphina

ah, you're right, sorry

Sahara

okay, let's get this train a-rollin.

Sahara manifests a hat. Within the hat are slips of paper.

Sahara

who's going first?

Nora-Kai

[whining] 

I don't have any ideas for mine.

Jinheulg

Me, please?

Nora-Kai

Bright!!!

Bright jumps.

Jinheulg

[They nod]

Bright is good, too.

Nora-Kai

Sorry, just cause exploding concerns.

Sahara

looks like bright is first, then!

Intirem

Jon? Are you okay with this?

Sahara

oh, shit. yeah. consent. you good?

The Archivist

I- yes I'm fine. 

Jon is a little uncertain now that things are settling in about how to act with so many 'people' around.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Jon social anxiety sims)

(Dont worry we love u)

Toltecatl

[picking at the couch with his nails]

Ok, your comfort is basically our biggest concern right now, please tell us if at any point it’s... too much.

Intirem

Seriously. Tell us. We won't mind.

Nora-Kai passes Mojave and Jon a tea biscuit.

Bright reaches into the hat and pulls out a paper. She makes a face. 

Bright

[Whispering, in regards to the fear she got] 

(OOF)

Sahara

you got that, bright?

Bright

Yeah, I got it.

Nora-Kai

Can we use multiple people in our charades?

Sahara

put it in my hair. no peeking.

if necessary, sure.

Bright

I’m...going to need a minute to think about this.

Intirem

That's fine. I'm going to get more tea.

Nora-Kai

Sure thing. Hey Jon!

The paper is placed onto Sahara's head. It burns up. Why didn't they put it in the fireplace? Oh, well.

Intirem

[OOC/Meta-Whisper]

(Because your hair is much cooler.)

The Archivist

[In response to Nora-Kai]

Uh, yes?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering, in response to Intirem]

(Actually the opposite)

[Aloud]

Do you know how books stay warm? :3

Sahara begins to draw on the walls. Their finger peels back to show charcoal. Any artist's dream sitch.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(The distortion wants what sahara has)

The Archivist

I- what? ...how do books stay warm?

Nora-Kai

They wear book jackets!! :D

There's a clattering from the kitchen as Intirem drops their mug on the floor.

The Archivist

O-kay?

Seraphina

Are you okay, Intirem?

Toltecatl fucking collapses laughing.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(you're LAME, jon! what a square!)

Intirem

[Snickering]

I'm fine!  

Jinheulg

[Crying, laughing]

 Good! Good one!

[Flesh]

Bright

[Bright hesitates.]

I think I’ll try?

Nora-Kai

[sniffing dramatically]  

At least SOME people appreciate genius! It's okay Jon. You have time to learn.

The Archivist

Oh god. 

It's just going to be terrible jokes with all of you, isn't it?

Jinheulg

Yes!

Sahara

[Whispering]

(LMAO)

Nora-Kai

Yes it will!!!

Seraphina

Yeah

Bright

The jokes are excellent, though.

T.A.

You'll get used to it.

Nora-Kai

You got this Bright!! Show us what you were working on.

Bright

You got it.

Sahara

yeah, baby! we're comedy genius! 

Sahara has drawn a caricature of Jon on the wall. He's a square.

Bright hops forward.

Nora-Kai

[Whisper laughing]

(SAHARA AHSHDHDH)

Bright

[Whispering]

(I wouldn’t go that far)

(HAHAHA)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(That is beautiful Sahara xD)

At that, Mojave gives a genuine laugh, shoulders (seeming to?) shake with laughter at Square Jon

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Square jon is his minecraft sona)

Sahara

i -

[laughter]

  charades. Charades time guys pull it tttogehther 

[continued snickering from sahara]

Bright reaches forward with a talon and clutches at the air as if grabbing something with her talon, then brings it to her beak. She leans forward and mimes tearing off a piece, then exaggeratedly chews.

Sahara

vegans?

Nora-Kai

[Giggling]

Me when I haven't eaten in 30 minutes.

Avi

The fear of getting some Nando's with the lads.

Intirem

Being eaten?

Seraphina

Munch time?

Bright

[Whispering]

(GOFKDKDK)

Sahara

munch... squad?

Bright

[Whispering]

(I’m losing it)

Nora-Kai elbows Intirem REALLY HARD.

Jinheulg

Gonna munch? Gonna... crunch?

Toltecatl

Nom nom.

Intirem

Oops. Sorry!

Bright tilts her head consideringly.

Sahara

oh! oh! chipmunk!

Bright grabs a cookie.

Sahara 

[whispering]

(oh boy)

Nora-Kai

Oh! Good idea. 

[They also grab a cookie.]

Bright passes a wing over it, and when it is visible again, it has changed shape. It is now a little owl, with tiny chocolate chips on the wings, like the eyes on her own.

The Archivist

...is- is cannibalism- sorry how broad are the categories, here? Is it 'public speaking' or closer to 'the knowledge that eventually you'll be forgotten by everyone who ever knew you'- 

[he trails off]  

-or a middle ground sort of, between those two?

Bright looks at him and bites the head off the cookie. As does Sahara. They burn it above their head. Sahara has horrible taste and likes all their food burnt.

Nora-Kai

More the latter but the first one is a mood.

Toltecatl

Uh. Middle ground works.

Sahara

an umbrella term, for many related fears

Nora-Kai

Biting the head off. Quite a lot of fears there.

Sahara

that's like...

[counting on fingers]

 four fears, bright

The Archivist

So not cannibalism, then?

Bright

[whispering]

(I’m TRYING here)

[Bright shrugs]

Sahara

[solemn]  

i understand. 

[bowing their head]  

it's vore. 

[they burst out laughing]

Bright

[Whispering]

(Djjdjdjsj)

Nora-Kai

Seems like it could be included in there? Could we count it?

Nora-Kai

Sahara.

Nora-Kai sounds like they can't decide between disappointed and delighted.

Sahara

i know. knowledge is a heavy burden

Jinheulg

Nasty. 

[They giggle]

T.A.

Jon, don't ask what vore is. I know you want to but- 

[T.A.shakes his head, haunted]

-just don't

Avi

He was already close, though.

Seraphina

even vore could be a couple of different fears

Bright

[Exasperated]

Look, there’s overlap.

Sahara

only, like, three, tops. not mine, for sure.

okay, okay. let the man guess. we've done a pretty bad brain hit on bright.

Nora-Kai

You wouldn't do vore because you burn everything, and that's literally the only reason.

Sahara

it's the only reason keeping me sane

Mojave has never been more glad to have been zoning out for a conversation in their short, short life.

Bright

[Whispering]

(God Mojave I feel it)

The Archivist

So, eating. Being eaten, not specifically cannibalism, I would assume just being chased and devoured by something. Then I don't- I can't imagine being afraid of- unless it's food? Is there a fear of food? Poisoning?

[Rambling, relaxed]

I mean, poisoned food is a fairly common worry. Leave it alone for a moment, you don't know what's in it. Could be poison. Probably poison. And uh- well I guess those are my guesses?

Sahara

[Whispering]

(i mean)

Bright

[Whispering]

(Close enough for me)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(ok we should exposite now he got so close)

Nora-Kai

Was it being chased and devoured? That's close.

Or was being eaten the clue.

Bright

Eaten.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(it was being eaten)

Nora-Kai

I'm part of the no braincell group.

Sahara gives Nora-Kai a high five.

Bright

We all collectively share one brain cell.

Sahara

it's rad.

Jinheulg

We are... all the same, yes.

At this, the assortment of entities around the room explode into whispered snickers and verbal keysmashing. The synchronity would be disturbing if it weren't so silly. 

Bright

There’s only so many hours in a night, and he’s close enough for me. Should I just explain it?

Intirem

Probably a good idea.

Sahara

please. i cannot continue to agonize.

Bright

[Nodding]

Alright! I had The Flesh. It’s kind of the fear of body horror? The fear of being eaten, but also the existential fear that all you are is electrified meat, in the end.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(nice pull)

Nora-Kai

Also fear of your body getting absolutely fucked up into something unrecognizable. I think.

The Archivist

And...is that something I should watch out for now?

Sahara

nah, you should be good.

Intirem

Not necessarily. Consider this... context for the stories you read at work.

Nora-Kai

You already DO watch out for it. You just have a name now.

Bright

Yeah, that too.

Sahara

OKAY, next fear. next fear. Jinheulg?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Or should we let him wake up. How long has it been?)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(I feel like it hasn't really been that long..?)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(we can probably go as long as we want)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Heck yeahhhh)

Bright

[Whispering]

(Wooo)

[Buried]

Jinheulg

[They stand up]

 Yes. It is. Time.

The creature walks over to the center of the room, and lies down on their back. They take a few moments to throw all their hair over their body. Then, they stay very, very still.

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Buried?)

Sahara

sleep.

Seraphina

a good nap?

Sahara

freeze dance gone wrong?

The Archivist

Paralysis? Loss of autonomy? The weight of having to get out of bed in the morning?

Jinheulg lifts their arms up in a zombie-like fashion.

Sahara perks up, writes a note on their hand. FRZ DNC, it says

Sahara

oh, mood, jon.

[Whispering]

(what were the popular memes in 2016? what would jon Get?)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(I feel like jon would appreciate dat boi)

Jinheulg

[Whispering]

(oh yeah, reddit, definitely)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(jon scrolling through CryptidSearch.com: mothman? mothman?)

Mojave

[Whispering]

(Totally Just For Paranormal Research. Absolutely)

Jinheulg

[Whispering]

(he is a millennial tho)

Sahara

not... breathing? suffocating? 

Jinheulg

[Sits up]

It's me!

Nora-Kai

Do you need help getting up?

Jinheulg

... Maybe.

Sahara

aaah! scary.

Nora-Kai laughs and goes over to help Jinheulg up.

The Archivist

Should I be taking notes? Or- no it's a dream, they'd be useless.

Jinheulg takes Nora-Kai's hand and stumbles a bit when they stand up.

Intirem

If you want to take notes, we could probably keep them for you.

Sahara

it's fine. this is more of a... crash course, of sorts. i mean, if you forget, we can just reiterate.

The Archivist

...right. that makes sense.

Jinheulg

I am Buried. I am the deep, crushing, too close.

Nora-Kai stabilizes Jinheulg and goes to be next to Mojave. 

The Archivist

So, claustrophobia, then?

Jinheulg

[Shaking their head]

More.

The Archivist

Can you elaborate?

Sahara

the weight of having to wake up wasn't too far off, actually. Pressure. the heaviness of everyday life.

Intirem

They are the too deep, crushing, in on all sides and all around, there is no room to breathe.

The Archivist

[Eyes lighting up, interested] 

So there's, a metaphorical element, as well as the literal one?

Mojave wordlessly, and without really looking their way, holds out a fist for a blurry fistbump w their homie Nora-Kai.

Sahara

yes! yes. that's how it is with most of the fears.

Nora-Kai fistsbumps right back with a small smile.

Jinheulg claps their hands, their hollow eyes glinting in the light. 

Jinheulg

You are so smart, Jonathan Sims!

The Archivist

[Aside]

Interesting.

[Flustered]

I-....thank...you? 

Intirem

[Whispering]

(awww)

Jinheulg gives a big, big smile and hop back into their sitting place.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(hhhnng)

Mojave

[Whispering]

( BRO ;; wholesome man.)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(awww so cute!)

Sahara clutches a fist to their chest. Adorable.

[Dark]

Sahara

[Waving hat around]

next ! next!

Seraphina

I'm next.

Sahara

reach in, hon.

Sahara gives Seraphina a couple of seconds to read before disintegrating yet another piece of paper.  

Seraphina walks over and immediately turns off the lights. She then looks between Sahara and the fire place questioningly.

Sahara

we're in a dream, seraphina. you don't have to follow any laws.

Intirem

Do you want the fireplace off?

Seraphina nods.

Sahara's head goes out.     

Intirem snaps and the fire goes out, leaving the entire room in darkness.

Seraphina jumps up and down to make a loud, scary thumping noise.

Mojave

Oh my god.

Sahara

[a squeak]

Jinheulg

Nap time?

The Archivist

Okay, I thought I knew where this was going, but now i'm not sure.

Sahara

guess, man. it's charades.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Djdhdgdf god I love Jon. I am full of love for Jon Sims)

Avi

You've got, like, a half chance of getting it right. Maybe 2/3.

The Archivist

Something about darkness, or thunder?

Sahara

[Whispering]

(I. Yeah)

Sahara's head lights up. The fire is green. 

Sahara

ding ding ding!

The Archivist

Oh, you can do other colours? That's...neat.

Seraphina

good job! It's The Dark, the fear of not being able to see or know what's around you and it's the fear of what lurks there.

The fireplace flickers back on, casting the room in warm light.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(none of you guys seem to be comprehending that this is practically a lucid dream, except for intirem)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(And that would be because I literally created this place.)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(spiders don't sleep or dream as far as we know. Also Seraphina doesn't want to be mean to Sahara by putting out her fire)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]  

(Do spiders. Not sleep that’s terrifying)     

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(they can't close their eyes, and no one has gotten them hooked up to a brainwave machine, so they might not ever sleep. We just don't know)

Sahara

okay, next one. Tolte?

[Whispering]

(g.. great)

Sahara shakes the hat in his direction.

[Web]

Toltecatl grins, leaning forward and plucking a paper out.

Sahara puts the poor piece of paper through its trial by fire. It does not succeed.

Toltecatl

Hm. Ok, would anybody be down to help me demonstrate?

Intirem

I can.

Sahara

i'm down.

Seraphina

me too. 

Mojave just appears to raise their eyebrows, shifting from foot to foot.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(this is going to be good)

Toltecatl

Cool. I just need one,, so...

Toltecatl moves behind Sahara, making strings appear on their wrists and pulling them upward, miming a marionette.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(I am. Very Bad at this lmao)

Sahara jerks with the movements, mimicking Tolte.

Seraphina

Bad dancing?

Sahara

bad taste, seraphina?

Imre

[Whispering]

(fear of siblings)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Djdgsfsf)

Sahara

wait, shit, i'm not allowed to talk. forget i said anything.

Nora-Kai

Fear of puppets?

Seraphina

[Seraphina looks sad.] 

Sorry, I meant it as a joke.

Sahara

nah, sweetheart, you're fine. i'm sorry.

The Archivist

Wait, is it not puppets, then? 

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Oh no that’s a babey don t make her SAD)

Nora-Kai goes over and offers Seraphina a cookie, patting her on the hand. 

Nora-Kai

We know.

Sahara

i'm sorry seraphinaa

Tolte thinks for another moment before wrapping the strings around Sahara, mimicking a cocoon

Seraphina

it's okay, I thought maybe Sahara thought I was serious and I didn't mean to make anyone sad

Sahara

[muffled]

sleeping bag

Nora-Kai

No one's actually upset, I don't think? Nora-Kai questions. More upset at the thought of being upset.

Y'all ever been trapped in a sleeping bag? It's not pretty.

Sahara

i'm one day old.

Imre

[Whispering]

(fear of digesting yourself and being forcefully reformed into something traditionally beautiful)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(OH NO AHSGSGD)

Mojave

[Whispering]

(VALID)

Seraphina

so warm and comforting

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Imre ur amazing)

The Archivist

I thought you were only two days ol-

[He looks at Sahara]

-That.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Holy shit Imre)

Sahara

[Whispering]  

(what?)

Nora-Kai

Some of us have mysterious pasts.

Sahara

mom said it was my turn without the practical memories.

Nora-Kai

Sahara if you get tired of being wrapped in string hit me up that looks like sensory heaven. Just by the by.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(He was close w/ the puppet thing maybe I should go back to that)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(mom said it was my turn to be the puppet)

The Archivist

It's not cocoons, I figure that would fall under the erm, crushing, buried one...wait do insects feel fear?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Ahahshdh)

Jinheulg

All animals feel fear.

Sahara

[muffled]

yeah.

Imre

[Whispering]

(they will when we're done with them!)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(Imre)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Imre ur why our whispering is spooky)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(that's so ominous, Imre, I love it)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(spoooooky)

Mojave

[Whispering]

(Jon This Is Why You Need To Go Vegan Before Its Too Late--)

Imre

[Whispering]

(i mean someone had to have actually spooky whispering and it sure wasn't gonna be you guys)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(valid. you're right.)

The Archivist

[He twitches]

Please stop whispering.

Intirem

Oops. Sorry, Jon.

Jinheulg

Ah. Sometimes we forget.

Toltecatl unwraps Sahara and returns to mimicking a puppet, using more strings that are not only on their wrists but kinda just. On all their limbs.

Sahara

 there are some things that should not be said aloud. you guys would Never let me hear the end of it.

Nora-Kai

Sahara was saying the word Spooky and they know you don't like it  

Sahara

y'all...

Jinheulg

Spoooooky.

[The ooo echoes]

Sahara

nora-kai..... Betrayal. I can't believe this.

Nora-Kai starts trying to mirror what Tolte is doing to Sahara.

The Archivist

it's- it just sounds a little- It renders- It feels...silly. And is it really not puppets?

Sahara

we're all a little silly, jon. it lightens the mood.

Nora-Kai

It feels silly? In what way?

Intirem

Also you're on the right track with puppets, I think?

Avi

Again. This time it's. Uh. 2/5 of the answer.

Tolte nods vigorously and the strings begin extending towards the others who’d previously consented to be used to demonstrate. Not controlling them like with Sahara, more like an insistent tugging.

Jon watches.

Intirem tugs back, trying to make it look like they're fighting it.

The strings around Intirem become a bit more forceful than they were before.

Seraphina wiggles a little before automatically going limp.

T.A. hangs back.

Intirem lets themself be slowly drawn back before eventually also going limp.

Sahara goes limp. they have been from the start.

Those who’ve gone limp, plus Sahara, are now being controlled by the strings. 

Nora-Kai

Why might people fear puppets Jon?

The Archivist

A loss of autonomy. Loss of control. Realising that you've made a mistake and it's already got it's strings in you. Fear of manipulation. 

[He breathes out]

Is that close?

The strings fall.

Nora-Kai

He got it!!!

Intirem

That's exactly right.

Avi begins to golf clap. Sahara's hair flashes green again.

Sahara

 the mad lad does it again!

Toltecatl

Very perceptive.

There is a touch of discomfort about the room.

Nora-Kai

Jon?

The Archivist

There are what...14, you said? 

  [without pausing]

  What's the next?

Seraphina

Are you okay, Jon?

Intirem

I think that one probably hit close to home.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(oops)

Toltecatl is kinda, shifting guiltily now.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(do we drop it?)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Let's drop it for now)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(f.... i love you mister sims im so sorry)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Alright I think the next one's me?)

[Beholding]

Nora-Kai goes over and sits on the floor next to Jon. She doesn't touch him but she's there.

Nora-Kai

Who called dibs?

Intirem

I think it's my turn?

Toltecatl

Yeah, you’re up

Sahara

aight, pick one.

Sahara jostles the hat. Intirem picks up one of the pieces of paper. 

Intirem

Am I allowed to shapeshift?

Sahara

sure. you got that? of course you do. 

Sahara burns the paper. Like all its peers, it burns rapidly. 

T.A.

I don't think the usual rules for charades have a clause against it.

Nora-Kai

TA's right.

Nora-Kai

Hey Jon, you know what both you and libraries have in common?

Avi

Oh boy.

Jinheulg

Oh.

The Archivist

...oh god, what?

Sahara

yes. yes. yes.

Toltecatl

Oh dear

Intirem trails off and looks around the room.

Nora-Kai

You're both good for (my) circulation :3

Intirem

[Whispering]

(give me a sec)

(that was terrible and I love it)

Sahara laughs. They're loving it.

The Archivist

...do you have blood?

Jinheulg

[They burst into giggles]

Oh! Do we have blood?

Mojave gears up to elbow Nora-Kai, but falters at the joke's punchline, instead closing their eyes and loudly sighing. It's the loudest noise you've heard the entity make, you think.

Avi slowly keels over to the side in a silent rictus of laughter.

Toltecatl

...do we have blood?

Sahara

not unless we want it!

Mojave

[Whispering]

(wouldn't you like to know weather boy)

T.A.

Where are we getting the blood from?

Sahara

i don't know. the hospital?

 Seraphina

You're asking the wrong question. You need to ask if the blood is ours.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Elias will donate his blood whether he likes it or not)

T.A.

That was gonna be my next one.

Intirem

Okay I think I have an idea.

Nora-Kai beams at Mojave.

Sahara

we're out for blood, if you will.

Intirem

I'm probably going to need another person for this? Also a face.

Seraphina

oh, pick me!

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Mojave really thought i was gonna make an archive joke ahdbdbfb)

Toltecatl

I’m down

Nora-Kai

Ooh sahara that's good

Mojave

[Whispering]

(mojave has heard a third of the words said here today and was Prepared for it,)

Sahara

i made a bad first impression, it's only polite that we kill him as soon as possible.

Nora-Kai

What a fuckin' mood.

The Archivist

Sorry, who's being murdered?

Sahara

uh,

Nora-Kai

Oopsie.

Intirem

That is a good question.

Imre

[Whispering]

(the conversation topic jon, keep up)

Toltecatl

Nobody’s being murdered, presently

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Imre AHSHSHD)

Imre

[Whispering]

(that's the real casualty of the night)

Sahara

god i wish. i want to do the murder so much.

The Archivist

What murder? If there's going to be a murder i'd like to know ahead of time, in case it comes back to me.

Jinheulg

Maybe... we should go back to Game... Later.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(JSSJSHSJH jon not even going to dissuade us im. love this man)

Mojave

Jon, cool the bloodlust,

Nora-Kai busts out laughing that THAT'S when Mojave decides to speak up.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(There’s talk of us killing your boss. Nothing you need to worry about right now)

Sahara cracks up. it's a good time. the fire is pink now.

Intirem

Okay, Seraphina. Let's see... 

Intirem is suddenly no longer a ghost, but a shadowy figure with a recognizable head and body. The only features visible are a pair of glowing eyes.

Sahara

not having your glasses on.

Nora-Kai

Who was that person in the Great Gatsby on the Billboard.

Sahara

what?

Toltecatl

Oh my god

Seraphina   

Doctor TJ elckleberg

Intirem

Seraphina, could you do something? Walk around the room, dance, move about?

Nora-Kai

Thank you Seraphina! Intirem is fear of Eckleberg.

Intirem

... Nice.

Sahara

[laughing]

Seraphina does a little dance. She's not good at it, but that's not the point.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]  

(Is the great gatsby as popular in England as America)

Imre

[Whispering]  

(asking the real questions tonight)

As Seraphina dances, Intirem just watches her. They're staring straight at her, walking around her in a circle, and always just. Watching.

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Hey Seraphina I'm going to trip you. Is that alright?)

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(yeah)

A floorboard suddenly comes loose from under Seraphina, causing her to trip. Intirem does nothing but stare, and then a knifelike grin pulls across their face.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(PINK)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Spooky)

Nora-Kai

Fear of smiles.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(its cause im filled with Love guys)

fear of happiness.

Seraphina sits there for a minute before standing up and continuing to dance.

Nora-Kai

Fear of pranks.

The Archivist

[Dryly]

Schadenfreude

Intirem is still staring at her.

Sahara

i mean,

Nora-Kai

Jon gets it!

Toltecatl

Fear of public humiliation

Sahara

i mean

Nora-Kai

Does this count as public?

Mojave

[Whispering]

(Hes Not Wrong,)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(He Sure Isnt)

Sahara

yes. i'm filming it right now and sending it to all of my friends. Cringe,

Intirem says nothing, just continues to stare at Seraphina, following her as she dances.

Nora-Kai

Waiting for my phone to ding, Sahara.

Toltecatl

We’re all your friends

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Same hat Toltecatl!)

Intirem takes out a notebook and start writing something down, all without ever breaking the stare.

Nora-Kai

Fear of good handwriting.

Sahara

you guys aren't my mom. maybe i'm texting someone else.

Intirem gets closer to her, following her every footstep, and still they're staring. 

All of the phones carried by the group buzz simultaneously. 

Mojave

[Whispering]

(You guys didn’t get sent the video? Sad.) 

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Hah. )

Nora-Kai

Awww, you do like us!

Sahara

maybe. just a little.

The Archivist

Fear of voyeurism? Stalking. Staring?

Nora-Kai

Eyyy!

Jinheulg

Good job!

Intirem

[Intirem stops]

Is that close enough? I feel like that's close enough.

Avi

That's. Right on the money, actually.

Sahara

okay. maybe a lot. i love you guys, 

[sahara is tearing up. their hair is pinker than ever.]

Seraphina

Good job.

Intirem

The Eye is the fear of being watched or followed, of having all your secrets known.

Nora-Kai grabs Sahara in a hug.

Seraphina

I love you guys all too.

Nora-Kai

SERAPHINA COME HUG US.

Jinheulg

Hug? Hug! Hug!

The Archivist

[Muttering, slightly bitter] 

Oh, well considering I now have a lot more secrets i'm certain that'll come up.

Intirem

It also the fear that you're suffering for the sake of something watching you. And, conversely, it is the drive for knowledge even when you know that knowledge might destroy you.

Sahara

group hug guys!!

Intirem

Thanks Seraphina, by the way.

Seraphina

[Seraphinas face lights up.]  

Okay! 

[She hugs them tightly.]

Toltecatl

Toltecatl just. Awkwardly pats Sahara on the back.

Nora-Kai is thrilled to be hugging so many people at the same time.

Intirem edges away from the group hug.

Sahara

i'm... love you guys. 

There is a huge smile on Sahara's face, brightness rivalling their flame's light. It's cute. 

Nora-Kai

Intirem :(

Toltecatl and Mojave are in the same boat. Back pats all around.  

Their arms stretch to hug everyone in their vicinity. They squeeze.

Intirem   

I'm good out here, thanks.

T.A. hangs back a bit, but offers a thumbs up to the group.

Nora-Kai   

[Whispering]

(Jin be like: big arms)

[Aloud] 

TA ur so valid

Seraphina   

this is great!

Sahara   

i still love you guys in the back! we don't all like touch and that's valid!

Avi is Ready to Hug. They're going in.

Sahara makes the 'i love you' sign.

Seraphina

I'm sending good vibes to everyone who doesn't like hugs, cause you're all great too!

Toltecatl

Lovely. Ok... so... that’s... how many fears down?

Sahara

that includes you, jon!

Nora-Kai

Jon's great!

Sahara

[Whispering]

(i just love him guys. i'm baby.)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Mood)

Jon makes a slightly strangled noise.

Jinheulg

Home.

Nora-Kai

Very wise.

Intirem

Jon, any more questions about The Eye or the other fears we've talked about?

Nora-Kai goes to TA on the edge and gives them a thumbs up or thumbs down to choose from.

Sahara

i'm so soft. y'all melting my love-filled heart. 

Sahara mostly detangle themselves from the hug, however reluctantly.

The Archivist

Not as of yet.

T.A. picks thumbs up.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(man, all my dreams really are coming true)

Intirem

Alright. We've done the Buried, Dark, Eye, Web, Flesh...

Nora-Kai nods.

Sahara

who was next?

Imre

[Whispering]

(and steven!)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(And steven!)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Djdhddgdgd)

(I think Avi?)

Sahara

Avi?

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Ye)

[Stranger]

Avi

Yeah, yeah. 

[They pick out a slip.]

Sahara

choose em, babe.

Avi

Ok got it. It's like...

Sahara disposes of the paper. 

They walk towards Sahara, then lean in to examine their face. It's very overdone, with squinting and chin-stroking. Then, they turn to Jon and give an equally theatrical shrug. They shake their head.

Avi

[Whispering]

(sahara do sm spooky behind me)

Sahara smiles really wide and takes one of their hands off

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(JEEZ LMAO)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Yeah that’s spooky alright)     

Avi turns around and mime horror.

The Archivist   

Found footage horror films.

Nora-Kai laughs.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Hzgegshdhsg)

Sahara’s hand goes back on. The smile returns to normal.

Avi   

[Whispering]

(boy this one is difficult)

Jinheulg 

[Whispering]   

(it works, though!!)

Intirem   

[Whispering]

(Try it with someone else, too?)

Nora-Kai climbs up on the back of the couch and lays across it.

Sahara

(jon: stop whispering.

us: ok but only for like a minute)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(sucks for him i guess! it's just our ambiance.)

Intirem

Not recognizing someone? Forgetting?

Avi returns to walking around the room. Now, they look at T.A and go through the same motions. They turn around and give Jon a thumbs up.

Avi

[Whispering]

(sm spooky... pls?)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(ta?)

Avi

[Whispering]

(ahhhhh oops)

Nora-Kai

(I can go void for a min)

TA!!

T.A. spawns more eyes, and elongates his form.

Avi

[Whispering]

(sorry to put you on the spot)

The Archivist

I suppose, something about things changing?

Sahara

[Whispering]

(close enough?)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(I'd say so)

Sahara shakes themselves down. They look back to normal.

Sahara

close enough.

T.A. does the same.

Sahara

this one's The Stranger. Fear of people, but not. Something just left from human. Skin. Clowns. The whole shebang.

The Archivist

The uncanny valley, then?

Sahara

yes! nail on the head, there.

Nora-Kai

Basically!

Mojave hums an affirmation.

Sahara

who wants to go next? any volunteers?

i'll go if no one else does.

Nora-Kai

I can give it a shot.

Sahara

right-o! you know the drill. 

Sahara reaches out the hand with the hat.

[End]

Nora-Kai walks normally, grabs their chest, then falls to the floor

Intirem

...

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Djdhhsgdgd)

Sahara deletes the paper from existence. They're having too much fun with it, honestly.

Intirem

I feel like I know this one.

 Sahara

overcome with affection!

Toltecatl

Fear of comas

Nora nods along emphatically to both.

The Archivist

[sounding fairly incredulous]

The looming knowledge that you could have a heart attack at any moment?

Sahara

[Whispering]

(jsjsdd)

Nora gives a 'go on' motion to Jon.

Intirem just sits quietly on the couch.

Seraphina

fear of narcolepsy?

The Archivist

Illness, or...death, in general?

Nora-Kai shakes her head at Seraphina and looks around, then gets up. They put their hands almost touching.

Sahara's hair flashes green once more. it's still cool.

Nora-Kai

Oop yeah close enough! Fear of death!    

Nora goes over and lays on Seraphina know that they know she likes contact too.

Intirem

Not just death. The fear that your end will come and there's nothing you can do to stop it. The knowledge that, eventually, everything ends.    

Nora-Kai

How are you feeling Jon? Do you feel like you want to keep going, or rest for the night?    

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]  

(7 might be a lot on the day he's had idk)

Sahara

o-oh, we're halfway there.

The Archivist

i'm fine to continue. 

Jon seems to be enjoying the atmosphere.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(eating up those found family vibes what did i TELL you)

Mojave

[Quietly but with a lot of feeling]

 Whooa-oh, living on a praaayer..

Seraphina is happy to cuddle with Nora-Kai.

Nora-Kai

[Nora-Kai laughs]  

Love that song Mojave!

Sahara walks over to mojave and raises their hand for a high five.

[Desolation]

Nora-Kai

Who wants to go next?

Sahara

i'll go!! i want to do one.

Nora-Kai

Sounds good! No cheating.

Sahara

... i'm going to need somebody to pick mine out for me. i'm too hot.

Seraphina

hot damn

Nora-Kai

[immediately]

HOT DAMN.

[Whispering]

(SAME HAT)

Sahara

THANK YOU but also i'm serious i'm going to burn the paper guys.

[holding out the hat]

Mojave   

[Deadpan, grabbing paper]

...I got it, 

Sahara

[Whispering]

(OHS SJHSJHSJHSJSS)

Sahara picks up the paper and disposes of it. They walk to the center of the room. they turn to look everyone. They raise up their hands to point at their hair.

Nora-Kai

No fucking way.

Mojave

[Contributing a guess for the first time this game]

Fear of the self! 

Sahara sticks a finger in their hair, but pulls back quickly and shakes it, as if in pain.      

Avi

[purposefully annoying] 

Fear of hairdressers. 

Sahara looks at Nora-Kai and nods. Sahara's hair gets bigger. 

Nora-Kai

Mojave you're funny and I'm proud of you but please gang up on Sahara with me they CHEATED

Toltecatl

Fear of your inner demons

Sahara

I Did Not Cheat! I Didn't!

Nora-Kai

MOJAVE DID YOU CHEAT FOR SAHARA?

The only response from Mojave is the type of laughter that comes with no sound, all breathy, adjacent to wheezing, shoulders shaking and all.

Sahara's hand catches on fire. they dramatically try to put it out, looking terrified.

Sahara

mojave is the one who picked it !!! guys!!!

Nora puts their head in her hands but is trying not to smile, especially because those guesses were funny.

Nora-Kai

Jon, guess and put us out of our misery.

Sahara looks at him pleadingly. they are still trying to put out the fire in their hand.

The Archivist

Wait, is fire seriously one of them? Is someone going to light the Institute on fire?

Nora-Kai

Gertrude tried.

Sahara

...yeah. The Desolation.

Avi

When you think about it, it's a very old fear.

Sahara

fear of burning and pain. Fear of losing valued items, and possessions.

Nora-Kai

[Nora-Kai nods sagely]  

The Desolation: Kill it with Fire

Avi is right, it's old

Toltecatl

Think fire, but without like... warmth, or light. Just destruction.

Sahara

sleepover at jons brain byof (bring your own fear)

you could even call it... a Lightless Flame.

Toltecatl

Flesh avatars: $10. Everyone else: free

Sahara winks exaggeratedly.

Nora-Kai

It... it does have light. We had to put you out for the dark charades.

The Archivist

...And that's what the fire suppression system is for?

Nora-Kai

Why does Flesh cost $10???

Sahara

... you'd think so, but no.

Toltecatl

Not at all

Avi

Eeeeehhhh...... hm. Yeah, no.

Intirem

It's.... I don't think we've done that one yet actually.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Bc Flesh freaks me out next question)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Hahshdhd)

Sahara

who's next? y'all can double up.

Nora puts a hand on their nose.

Intirem

I'm happy to try another one.

Mojave’s hand has always been on their nose, totally, you guys just never noticed.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Mojave sjdhfhf)

Sahara

Intirem? you up for another round, then? they waggle the (partially scorched, at this point) hat at them.

Seraphina

I can do another after them.

[Vast]

Intirem grabs the hat and pulls another fear.

Sahara

you got it, then? yeah. 

[sahara burns the paper.]

Intirem

Hopefully.

Intirem grabs the space pillow and puts it on the floor, and then flies up to the ceiling. They then proceed to rather dramatically fall onto the pillow, teleport themself back up to the ceiling, and then fall again.

Sahara

fear of pillows!

The Archivist

The video game Portal.

Nora-Kai

[helpfully]

Oh me!

[pause]

Fear of trampolines?

[Whispering]

(PORTAL)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(???? JON SSJKJSK)

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(HES PLAYED PORTAL)

Mojave 

[Whispering]

(Ah. A Man Of Taste.)

Intirem

[Whispering]

(Thank you someone for realizing what I was going for xD)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(HE,,,,,,,,,,,,)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Jon:handshake:Me

Portal reference)

Avi

[Whispering]

(gamer jon...)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(we have gSHSJHSJ gotta be annoying him so bad)

Mojave

[Whispering]

(our gamer king, the archivist)

They stand up woozily and shake themself off. Not quite.

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(garchivist)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(y'all valid. y'all valid,)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Jon: references game

Us: furious ominous whispers)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(gay archivist?)

Nora-Kai

[Nora-Kai reminds Interim cheerfully]

No talking!  

The Archivist

Falling, then, I assume.

Intirem sticks their tongue out at Nora.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Pretty close)

Nora sticks her tongue out too and then flops dramatically onto the pillow.

Sahara

are furries part of The Flesh or The Stranger? this is important.

Nora-Kai

It is pretty close to falling, sometimes, but it's a bit more than that.

[a sigh, thinking deeply]  

...Flesh.

Sahara   

it's The Stranger, i've decided.

Bright

[Whispering]

(Hunt)

Sahara

not valid.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Hot take Bright)

Intirem

Let's.... Not go into that, please?

The Archivist

Vertigo is part of it, I would assume, and I'm going to ignore the conversation about furries, but also, well, space?

Avi

Space! Yes. Basically.

Sahara

[laughing]

it's fine, it's fine.

Nora-Kai

Vertigo, yes! Space, very yes!!

Avi

It's heights and depths and things. The Vast. 

[They wrinkle their nose]

The Archivist

[Prodding]

Depths?

Intirem

Think like. Deep ocean. It's also the fear of your insignificance in an infinite universe.

Sahara

like The Buried, but with open space.

Avi

Yeah, that. The ocean is, like, mad big.

Intirem

Agoraphobia?

 Sahara

the ocean

The Archivist

80 percent of the planet, yes, I'm aware.

Nora-Kai's face takes on a dreamy look.

Toltecatl

The realization of just how inconsequential most people are

Intirem

How inconsequential you are.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(I’d have said you but. It’s Jon)

Sahara

bet. let's see how inconsequential i am once i commit arson, huh

Nora can't help laughing.

Intirem

Sahara, no.

Bright

Please don’t.

Toltecatl

Bet. Do it, coward.

Sahara

you can't stop me! i already did!

T.A.

I don't think the uncaring universe cares about arson???

   Sahara

wait. i wasn't supposed to confess to that. Forget,

Nora-Kai

TA's right, 

but this entity cares a little

Nora beams at Jon.

The Archivist

    [Flustered, distracted]

...Erm, thanks

[To Sahara]

...Confess to what?

Sahara

.... nothing! nothing. nothing at all, and especially nothing fire-related, no siree!

Toltecatl

[Whispering]  

(I love jon sims)

The Archivist

If I look on the news tomorrow, am I going to hear about some sort of supernatural fire?

Nora-Kai

No.

Sahara

i mean, it was natural, definitely, i didn't light the fire myself unfortunately.

The Archivist

[Beat]

...Wonderful.

Sahara

i know, right?

Jon sighs.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(sjshjdshsj)

Bright

[Whispering]  

(Oh my god)

Nora-Kai goes and gets more tea.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(imm just being gay doing crimes. jon isnt a narc i trust him)

Intirem

What others do we have left?

Sahara

let me--

five.

Seraphina

I don't know, but I think it's my turn again

Mojave

Mhmmm,

[Slaughter]

Sahara

alrighty, seraphina, reach out and take one.

the paper is burnt.

Seraphina   

okay, I'm gonna need a bunch of volunteers for this

Avi

I'm down.

Nora-Kai and Sahara raise their hands.

Bright

Sure.

T.A. gives a thumbs up.

Mojave gives some sort of hand raise, the movement is hard to discern but certainly there.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(I have no idea of what this is ohohoh)

Sahara

[Whispering]

(wink)

Seraphina stands up and runs around the people who volunteered, randomly miming stabbing them. She then gently pushes them a little to tell them to fall down.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Oh nvm ahshdhd)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Mmm whatcha sayyyy)

Avi flops on their back. They slowly sink into the ground.

Nora-Kai falls while waving her arms in the air.

Nora-Kai

[Whispering]

(Tolte abdhdhf)

(Rip Avi)

T.A falls straight over.

Seraphina

[Whispering]

(now everybody is Kung Foo fighting)

Bright collapses dramatically.

Sahara clutches their side and dramatically falls to the floor.

Mojave falls in slow motion, face blank but body coasting to the ground in true dramatic flair. Very deadpan delivery.

The Archivist

Slasher films.

[Beat]

 Or theatre students.

Sahara

ah, beans. you caught me.

Nora-Kai

So fear of you Jon?

The Archivist

...no comment.

But I would guess- muggings is too specific, so, violence?

Nora-Kai

Woot woot!

Sahara

[green hair]

another success!

Seraphina

Yeah, good job! That was The Slaughter, fear of senseless violence and killing.

Sahara

kind of a sexy aesthetic, i'm not going to lie. Slaughter has that whole piper thing.

The Archivist

Piper thing?

Nora-Kai sends Sahara a wry look but doesn't get up from the floor.

Seraphina   

thank you for all helping

Sahara

[Whispering]

(can one of you guys explain the piper i just remember the cool ass Slaughter dances)

Intirem

Think somewhere along the lines of the Pies Piper. Except with more violence and people killing each other.

Sahara

original cast to the dance of death, if you will.

Intirem

There was a poet in... I want to say in World War 1? Who heard pipe music and then died, I believe. There were also a few other accounts from China in World War 2.

Sahara

war is a big thing with Slaughter. makes sense when you think about it.

[sahara looks around inquisitively]  

we ready for the next one, guys?

Mojave shoots the group two thumbs up, still lying on the floor.

Toltecatl

Yeah, sounds good.

Sahara

that's one hell of a mood, mojave. valid.

any volunteers?

Nora-Kai puts her hand on their nose again.

Sahara

i'll go, then. hell yeah.

[Spiral]

Sahara goes up to the center. They sort of spin their fingers in spirals on the side of their head, in the universal 'crazy' gesture.

Nora-Kai

Fear of mimes?

Intirem

Fear of hands?

Sahara

if we're being specific-- but, no.

Toltecatl

Fear of sssspirals?

Sahara

[green hair. less vibrant.] 

thanks, tolte.

Avi

[Whispering]

(gdhskfjsjfk well, yes, but also, no )

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Hey I wasn’t specific with it)

The Archivist

Fear of madness. Seems...obvious.

Sahara

thank you. you're the only person here who Gets me. 

[a bow. dramatic, as always.]

Intirem

What's probably not obvious is that it's most often associated with architecture.

Avi

And sculpture.

Toltecatl

Fear of being lost. Of the world as you perceive it being incorrect.

Sahara

also has a thing with doors, and weird hands? yellow, with brass knobs.

[Whispering]  

(fuckhands mcmike.....)

Bright

[Whispering]

(Will we ever get fuckhands mcwife?)

Toltecatl

Right. Be careful with doors that weren’t there before.

Sahara

[Whispering]

(we can get her sans the fuckhands but really where's the point)

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Dhdgsfssgs)

Bright

[Whispering]   

(There isn’t one...F)

(Actually, we probably should be on the lookout for Michael)

Sahara

keep a look out.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(... probably)

Avi

Oh shit yeah. That's one of the things that's gonna be relevant. Keep an eye out, I guess?

Sahara

we can cover that later, i guess?

Bright

We have a lot to cover later.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Then again, it took him a while to come for Sasha. Should we tell him about Michael and Sasha later?)

Bright

[Whispering]

(Let’s not overwhelm him)

The Archivist

...For evil doors. Yes, sure, I can do that.

Bright

[Whispering]

(14 fears alone is a lot to remember)

Sahara

so much. there is so much exposition.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(U right)

Sahara

okay. 3 left. I can speed run the last few, unless you guys are up to it?

Mojave gives a long shrug.

Avi

Maybe speedrun?

Toltecatl

I think speedrun would be better...

Bright

We have been here awhile.

Sahara rubs their hands together despite the fact that they do not need to be warmed. 

Sahara

let's get this bread.

Seraphina

Lgtb...

Sahara

OH,

Avi

let's get bread, terrors.

[Hunt]

Sahara

okay we're going we're doing it.

i need a volunteer?

Avi pokes their nose.

Bright

You know what, sure.

Sahara

real quick, guys.

Toltecatl

Alright

Sahara

okay, just one. Bright, c'mere.

Bright steps forward.

Sahara begins to shoo her off, and chase her around the room. her arms and hands are outstretched, as if to mimic claws. They’re running around in circles, it's a good time.

Bright screeches in mock-terror.

Seraphina

fear of running?

Sahara

[sahara growls]

The Archivist

Chasing, being chased. 

[Beat]

Or a really intense game of tag.

Sahara

[grrrrr, they say. green hair.]

i mean, both if you really look into it-- but yeah, chasing.

The Hunt. an animalistic fear. fear of being chased, fear of a predator.

[Lonely]

Sahara

no questions?

okay, that's a yes. next one.

Sahara's hair turns blue. they droop down and are on the floor. They look very sad.

The Archivist

Is- hmm. 

[Frowning]

 Something which causes sadness, not sadness it's self, I assume.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Jon voice: is depression... is depression a fear)

Sahara

[a finger imitates a tear on their face]

[Whispering]

(yes! yeah it is jon)

Bright

[Whispering]

(I feel it)

Sahara’s hand mimes talking, but then blue fire envelopes it, and the 'talking' stops. both hands reaching out towards the audience. Still looking very sad. Pull back, hands crossed around body.

The Archivist

[Eyes narrowed]  

Not talking, and sadness, I- I genuinely don't- Quiet...performance art?

Toltecatl

[Whispering]

(Is there a way for us to help)

Bright

[Whispering]  

(Performance art: the true 15th fear)

Sahara

ok i'm going to give this one away.

not as fun but like. oh well you know.

Bright

It is faster.

Sahara

that's The Lonely. i- ah. It is sadness, somewhat, but also distance. Did people ever really care about you in the first place. Forsaken.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]  

(Jon voice: .... no.)

The Archivist

[Looking pensive]  

The one from earlier, with the uh, 'fear blanket'?

Avi

That's the one.

Bright

[Whispering]

(He gets it! I’m proud)

Toltecatl

That’s the one.

Sahara

yeah. precisely.

uh, one more. save any questions until the end.

Mojave

How’d that feel, by the way? 

Mojave perks up at the opportunity to shoot the question Jon’s way, sitting up from the floor to cast their (albeit blurry) gaze his way.

The Archivist

Empty, I suppose.

Mojave nods and seems content with that answer.

[Corruption]

Sahara coughs. and coughs again. and again. hacking. a hand on their forehead. temperature?

The Archivist

So, there's one for illness?

Sahara

yes. thank you.

Toltecatl

Rot.

Bright

Not just illness. Filth.

Sahara

also bugs. it's The Corruption.

decay. fungus. that stuff. impurity.

Avi

Not arachnids, though. We've already covered that one.

Toltecatl

[Whispering]  

(Y’know Jane prentiss?)

Sahara

spiders are Web, everything else is Corruption, good rule of thumb.

Bright

[Whispering]

(Oh god, we can’t let him get Wormed)

Seraphina

is that all of them?

Sahara

That's all of them.

Toltecatl

Yep.

Avi

We're done!

[Avi pumps their fist in the air lazily.]

Sahara

and it only took 20 minutes! 

The Archivist

Do scorpions fall under Web, or Corruption, then, because they're arachnids?

Bright

[Whispering]

(J o n)

Sahara

seraphina? seraphina?

Toltecatl

... that’s a good question. 

Bright

[Whispering]

(He would ask that, wouldn’t he)

Sahara

i think it's just spiders? i'm pretty sure it's just spiders. spiders have a better aesthetic.

Seraphina

Corruption I believe. They can’t spin webs.

Avi

Yeah, my bad. Just spiders. No other arachnids.

Mojave

[Whispering]

(They go into the secret third category: friends.)

Sahara

any other questions?

did we miss anything?

The Archivist

Undoubtedly.

Jon sighs a little, not an annoyed sigh, just a touch of fatigue about him, the kind of exhaustion that is more mental than physical.

The Archivist

But it can wait for the moment.

Avi

You wanna, like, sleep sleep? Or?

Sahara

damn right it can. did anybody bring uno?

The Archivist

I think this is still...resting?

[he considers the idea for a moment]

Probably, it's just been, well, it's been informative, and I need some time to digest the information. Turn it over.

Sahara

understandable. you wanna just, like, chill?

The Archivist

I'm good to just 'chill'.

Chapter Text

Morning arrives, and from the irritation Jon gives off, you feel it's safe to assume he's not a morning person even following a good night's sleep and a certain awareness that he does genuinely have a group of thought-hive mind-fear things looking out for him. He maneuvers through his morning routine in a meandering sort of way, still half and too aware of the fact he is in essence, being constantly watched in regards to everything he does. Still, it's obvious to you he's doing better than yesterday.

The dream allowed him to relax, and you can tell he's more comfortable around you. Even as the dream wound down and it became something of a movie night (which did get briefly derailed as he had to wonder how you could watch movies he hadn't seen if the dream was in his brain, but apparently that obstacle wasn't actually an obstacle and things proceeded fine) it was clear that, at the very least, he could trust that any harm from you would be unintentional. If not that there would be no harm at all.

You speak up as he slowly becomes more alert and less annoyed at the general concept of existing as a person who has just woken up.

'Jon, since we don't want to try the fear blanket again, we're going to just leave. Mojave and Bright will stay with you, but the rest of us are going to split so that Elias doesn't find us.'

He nods, "If you think it will work- and I'll admit my... hesitation to try the blanket again. Especially if it turns out to be unnecessary."

With his acknowledgement, you split. Bright and Mojave staying behind for the part of the plan you didn't elaborate on.

Dampening the presence of the tether to keep up with the whole charade of Jon being brushed by the Lonely should be child’s play, given previous events. Between Elias having, on some level, noticed them yesterday and the hopeful assumption that he would be thrilled that his Archivist appears marked by more fears, Mojave wasn’t the most worried about the head of the Institute snooping beyond the norm. Still, it was nice to have some security, and to lean into the familiar lull of separation from the chaos of the conglomerate. Better to not ask Jon about doing this directly; the dude had had a full-on crisis last time, and Mojave wasn’t exactly keen on reliving that emotional rollercoaster by proxy. What he didn’t know, in this very specific instance, couldn’t hurt him.

Mojave focuses on the tether, tethers, on the taunt pull of it all from their scattering, and thinks about how much nicer it’d be for Jon’s stress levels if they simply disappeared for a bit, if they hadn’t come in and turned his world all topsy turvy. It’s a cornerstone of their domain, pondering how things would shape up if your influence didn’t make things needlessly messy, how you really should just go. Though they know that their presence in this timeline is good for the lives of its inhabitants, Mojave deflects those quintessentially Lonely thoughts towards the ties between the amalgamation, hoping to shift them from present and solid to silver tripwire, nondescript and muted.

Bright, Mojave, you stay by Jon, slipping further along the tether and closer to his presence, beyond the cloud of Loneliness. The others are...distant to you in a way that feels bizarre for a  creature built to be a whole. Well, built is the wrong word, you were built to be information.

You're just...more.

Jon finishes up his morning routine, and begins the walk to work.

Bright scans the area, checking for nearby threats and the feeling of being watched, but they sense no eyes beyond their own, and no threats. Or none that have made themselves obvious. They decide to just follow for now. Be as unobtrusive as possible.

They can sense an alertness from Jon. Not worry, just an awareness of Bright's presence, as if Jon's carefully listening. It could be an invitation to talk, but it could also be a simple acknowledgement that Bright might.

Bright

(Oh, in that case I’d like to talk to him)

Mojave

(how to let jon know I’m down to chit-chat w/o initiating the conversation myself - the Mojave struggle)

Bright

(Yeah, that’s the hard part)

(You know what, I’ll try)

Bright reaches along the tether, towards Jon.

‘Hi, Jon. It’s Bright. Mojave is here too. We’ll be here if you need anything from us.’

‘Are you feeling...up to today?’

‘Do you have any more questions?’

Jon doesn't startle, but there is a reaction, slight as it is. He pulls his phone from his bag, puts it to his ear.

"Uh, hello. Do we- is there a deadline, that I should be aware of?" He pushes past the question as to his health. He feels better to your senses, but still not one hundred percent. It's understandable, all things considered.

Mojave doesn’t exactly know where to start with that one. Like, yeah, but also... Definitely nothing looming, aside from the Prentiss stuff. 

‘Nah,’ sums up that sentiment pretty neatly, they think.

"Well, that's good to know. Should I be on the look out for anything?" A pause, Jon chews his lip, "Elias is a danger, should I be cautious around anyone else?"

Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to leave the entity with the least affinity to hold a conversation here with Jon; Mojave chews on his question for a solid few minutes, if only to give their thoughts some room to breathe (or to let Bright take this one,)

For an incorporeal being, Bright does a decent impression of shrugging. ‘Well, yes, in general. But not at the Institute. Just focus on Elias for now.’

‘Your friends are your friends,’ is what Mojave eventually comes up with. Very astute and reassuring, for sure.

Jon's emotions turn confused, he frowns, "I-yes-?"

‘Martin’s cool,’ they addendum, not too quickly but certainly trying to patch the confusion. Their allotted amount of words spoken per hour is practically melting away. ‘Uh, talk to him? He’s nice,’

"...Martin?" Jon's response comes out flat, the confusion grows.

Mojave just hums an affirmation, content to let Jon stew on what they said. Also, it’s a nice walk they’re on, no need to spoil it with so many words on their part.

Hearing no response, and just to be certain, quietly, Jon repeats, "Martin?"

Mojave

(Oh He’s Gonna Make Me Talk At Length Abt Martin?? Ok Jon. You Got It)

‘All of your archive staff are nice,’ they continue on, sentiment as full of pauses as ever. ‘Martin is just susceptible to... the thrall of my patron’s gig, later on.’ Their tone sounds like a shrug vocalized.

That sits with Jon a moment, and there's a curl of...almost protectiveness, "Understood, I would- I'll- I suppose I'll do something about that."

‘All of your assistants are good people,’ Bright jumps in. ‘You can trust them.’

"Hmm, good to know." Jon takes your words at face value, accepting the comment without question.

Mojave is so content to let the conversation lie there and to let Jon enjoy a nice walk, a comfortable traipse along the path to work. They zone out a bit, as much as a formless ball of thoughts can, content to enjoy the mutual silence (or awaiting any other questions he might have for the two of them. Homies Be Chilling.)

Bright doesn’t have much to add, either, so they stay quiet.

The walk is over soon enough. Jon is noticeably more comfortable around people today. Everyone gathers to establish what work needs to be done and report on the follow up they've done so far.

All of the assistants are there.

Bright tries their best to blend in with the ambient Beholding energy of the Institute, keenly aware of the presence of Elias. Still, they’re curious - they are of the Eye, after all. And the assistants ARE right there.

Bright turns their attention to Martin.

There's a general ambient nervousness to him, a private acknowledgement that he's not quite certain of what he's doing here and 'Oh god, what if he gets caught?'

It doesn't help that Jon actually toned down the abrasiveness this morning, and that's only thrown Martin off more.

Mojave is just chilling, hanging around Jon like a particularly pensive (And Completely Not Real) vape cloud. They feel Bright looking off and hang back, keeping up the charade for Elias just in case he pries.

Bright

(Thanks Mojave)

(Here, take the brain cell Mojave. I’ve got snooping to do)

Mojave

(Oh God. Me? I’m gonna play hacky sack with it.)

Bright desperately wants to say something to Martin, console him, but...no, that wouldn’t be safe. Instead, they seek out Sasha. Everyone is around for the moment, contributing and discussing the goals for the day.

Bright

(Hmmm. Nothing incredibly interesting)

(Any ideas Mojave, or just chilling with Jon?)

Mojave

(Man if you expect me to do anything except hang out and bask in the glory of not having to think, you’re a clown /s)

(Checking to see if Elias is keeping an eye on Jon seems like tempting fate or something, but, also? Curiosity killed the cat. You’re the cat here, I'm like, a wood frog. Rip. Do your thing, beholding homie, if you want to.)

Bright

(Absolutely fair, my bad)

(Alright! Time to be killed by my own curiosity)

Mojave

(Do you want me to, uh. Cover you?. Or do you think Elias will be cool with it, given, yknow,)

Bright

(I’m a bit worried it will attract his attention)

Mojave

(Oh, he’ll definitely notice something)

Bright

(Oof...I think I’ll just pretend to be a random bit of Beholding)

Mojave

(We don’t have to, though I have a few ideas about it: 1, he’s like “oh, beholding, hello to you too, I guess”, or “Oh. Beholding. Hm.” because it differs from the lonely he felt yesterday, or I try to cover you as you do that if the prior option is a thing but at that point… Overthink)

(Yeah! yeah. Do your thing, homie)

Bright

(This is nerve wracking, I’m overthinking it too)

(Here goes)

Mojave

(-Ghost Handshake-)

This is probably a bad idea, but...as inconspicuously as possible, Bright Looks for Elias. They approach, hiding beneath the layers of Watching that permeate this place. Elias doesn't appear to notice them.

Mojave

(Do I feel watched or anything? Haha, Uh Oh)

°Yes°

Bright

(ABORT ABORT ABORT)

Bright cuts and runs as fast as is metaphysically possible. You pull away, and Bright runs, as much as it can be called running when they lack a body-

Jon stops mid word, looks around.

"Uh, I'll...excuse me." He steps out of the room.

Mojave loiters, not waiting per say but certainly not shrouding the excess Lonely Vibe. They don’t follow Jon. Bright, however, turns around and follows the tether back to Jon.

Jon grabs his phone, ducks into the bathroom, and nurses a headache, quietly he asks you, "What's going on?"

Maybe against their better judgement, Mojave heads out and wanders the archives. Floating around, scoping things out; despite the sharpness of the place, It’s a nice change of scenery! They steer clear of the direction Jon went and get a little wild with the lonely vibe, casting a shallow net of sorts around me. Just Chilling. Chilling like a lonely laser light show.

Jon makes a noise, "Can you hear me?"

"Jon?" Martin approaches, startling Jon enough that he pulls the phone away, "Are you alright?"

Jon attempts to make himself look presentable and fails, "I- erm- yes I'm fine. Phone call."

‘We can hear you, Jon.’

Jon flinches as he hears from you again, recognising Bright's voice, and raises the phone back up, "What's the....problem?"

Martin frowns, hands wrapping around each other, "I didn't hear your phone ring?"

You know what? Mojave is spending their one proactive point, right here, right now. As they coast through the Institute’s imposing halls, they search for... A victim, they guess, though the word sounds cheesy. The next person they see, maybe an intern or something, though they’re not picky.

Mojave finds someone, sinks in.

Hell yeah they do. You know what really tickles their fancy? How massive the Institute feels, on the inside. The way the halls feel as oppressive as they do sprawling. Little buddy, they bet if you got lost in here, in some back room or less ventures hallway, they’d probably never find you! Then again, would they really have a reason to? How many work friends do you have, really? I mean, haha, why bother, am I right?

"Uh, it's on...silent?" Jon tries, it comes out a question and he winces as his headache flares up.

Martin frowns, just barely. He clearly doesn't believe Jon, but isn't sure how to approach that.

The individual is lost, alone, confused, Mojave, all of you, feel fear from them. You feel power from them.

‘Jon, we’re really sorry about the headache, but there’s been an incident.’

‘It might not be safe to tell you more now.’

‘We’ll update you tonight.’

Jon smiles, strained and awkward, clearly uncertain how to respond, "Um, uh, do you need me to- to come get you?"

The lie is poor.

‘But, uh, don’t worry! You’ll be fine! Just - stay with Martin. Or Tim. Any of them - No! No, we’re good! Stay here!’

Mojave leaves the homie to wander and do whatever menial task they were doing with an existential seasoning, and look for another bro to influence. Anybody stick out like a blue thumb in here? They’re avoiding them and going for the one less susceptible, en masse.

"I-okay, yes. I will-" he pauses, "See you...later?"

He looks at the phone, pretends to hang it up.

Martin stares.

"...Family... emergency?" Jon offers.

Mojave finds someone in Artifact Storage and hones in.

"Jon, I don't- it's probably not my place, but, what's going on?" Martin asks.

Jon pales, "Nothing- Nothing. Just- it's fine."

‘Also, Jon, we love you. Go spend some time with Martin and the Archive staff. Drink some tea.’

Jon only barely flinches at hearing Bright again, then nods, mostly reactive, before remembering Martin is right there and awkwardly covering with a cough.

"Jon?" Martin asks, "Do you need to go home?"

Artifact storage! That’s fun, just a big room with lots of very, very dangerous objects. Man, they really must not value your presence on the job if they stuck you back here, hm? You’ve got to be seen as pretty expendable to be assigned with this stuff, you’re sure, where one wrong move or mishap with a children’s book can leave you a shell of who you think you are. Who are you? Probably doesn’t matter much, what with the sitch you’re in. Nameless Institute employee 15597. Even that number moniker feels too solid, too weighted by meaning, too real for you-.

"No, no, I'm fine-" Jon says.

Martin cuts in, "I don't think you are. Are you sick?"

Mojave/You feed.

'Jon, go with Martin. Just say you’re sick.'

Jon opens his mouth-

°Let me be perfectly clear.°

There is an influx of noise, recollection. A memory. Familiar. Old. Spider and a door, but oh, not just that. Of course not, of course not . After all, you are a collection of information. A collection from the point beyond the end of the world. A billion nightmares as a tapestry of fear to a world made of horror

Through you, Elias has access to it all.

Through the loose, faded weight of the tether, you can tell/feel/taste as Jon is overwhelmed with memories that are not his.

Mojave pulls back from doing their feary thing. So much for making Elias come out and kick it to discuss the current sitch. Is he sure he’s not Lonely-tied? Dudes really avoiding the conversation.

Jon drops. Any touch of his senses go dark. Sensory overload. You get no perception from him

You feel something odd, after a moment.

Mojave is zooming in the direction of that odd feeling, if it has directionality. Moving towards Jon.

Bright

(Mojave we have a SITUATION)

Mojave

(-Ambulance Siren Noises-)

Bright

(I don’t know CPR! I’m not corporeal! What do I do!)

Jon has reactively, instinctively, blacked out.

Chapter Text

No one is piloting the body. 

Suddenly, with a starburst insistence and indefinable intensity, You are in control.

Martin is doing his best to help. He's checking if Jon is conscious. Fingers on his pulse, movements awkward and hesitant.

Mojave let's the shroud over the tether dissolve and the cord snap taut. A call out to all our homies scattered to the winds, though not necessarily an alarm bell. No need to be hasty!

Martin isn't trained in medicine, he's panicking, "Jon? Jon, are you- Can you hear me?"

'Jon' sits up. It's a little clumsy - limbs are heavy, and it's strange to exist in something physical. Nora-Kai is grateful she has the excuse of lack of consciousness. 

"Martin?" they ask groggily

"Oh god, are you alright? You collapsed and I-" Martin stutters slightly, "Should I call an ambulance?'

"Oh, god, no, no ambulance, please, god -" Jon winces, rubbing at his head. "If my head wasn't already killing me, that would set it off. No, I'll be alright I'm just - I just need a moment. It's - everything's too loud. Can we - can we go to my office, or a supply room, or something around here? The lights are too loud." 

He glances up at Martin, knowing it sounds weird, hoping he can get away with it.

Martin nods rapidly, offering what assistance he can when Jon goes to stand up, "Yeah, of course, I'll uh- yeah."

‘Jon’ waves off the support. 

“I’m— I’m fine Martin, no use fussing over me.” He says, pushing himself up off the ground. “I’ll just go to my office and sit for a few— a few minutes. You— I’m assuming you won’t leave even if I tell you to?”

Martin shakes his head, biting at his lip.

Jon sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he exhales.

“Well, in that case, you can stay in my office if- ” he looks at Martin sharply “-you can stay quiet. Is that doable for you, Martin?”

"Uh, yes, yeah. 'Course." Martin fiddles, "Just, if you feel uh, 'bad' again, promise you won't strain yourself?"

“... fine.” Jon turns, walking towards his office, legs still visibly unsteady as he does so. 

Once he gets there, he opens the door, gestures for Martin to enter, and closes it softly before sitting at his desk, crossing his arms on top of it, and putting his head down.

Martin enters, awkwardly wringing his hands and waiting, unsure how to move forwards.

Jon glances up at Martin with his head still in his arms, but otherwise doesn’t move. 

Martin is quiet, and that’s all that matters right now.

Toltecatl is hoping that everything will be ok.

"You can sit, you know," Nora-Kai-as-Jon offers 'helpfully.'

Martin looks around, then, cautiously, sits.

After a minute, ‘Jon’ releases a muffled groan into his arms, body flinching slightly as though it would curl up had a desk not been in the way.

Martin leans forwards in his chair, "Are you- you don't- should you be at home, Jon?"

His fingers encircle each other, inpatient motions to distract from his nerves.

Jon looks up, one of his hands quickly moving to massage his temples. 

“I— probably?” He admits, voice a tad shaky. “I just— well, I don’t think it would be right for me to leave when there’s work to be done and all...” 

He thinks on it for a second. 

“Although, I do suppose that I’m not much use to anyone like this.” He sighs, bracing his hands on the desk to help himself stand and hoping that Martin will ignore his lack of resistance. “I’d better leave then— if this is a bug of some sort, I don’t want any of you to get it.”

Martin stands up, "Um, are you good to go home by yourself? I don't- I don't want it to turn out you uh- you uh lost balance and hurt yourself- or- or something."

Jon sighs again. 

“No, Martin that should be completely—“ his legs buckle beneath him, and he grabs at his desk to stay balanced with his body half on the floor. He looks up at Martin, seeming a bit winded. “Unnecessary.”

Martin looks him up and down, disbelieving, "Right."

He steps closer to Jon, hands once more an offering of assistance.

"I'm going to walk you home, and you're not going to complain about it, because if you do, I won't help you, and then you'll just be on the floor, and then what, Jon?" He lets the sentence  hang a moment, then recoils slightly as if just remembering who he's talking to, "Uh, if that's...alright?"

Jon rolls his eyes but still takes Martin’s hands to pull himself up. 

“Fine, yes Martin, you can walk me home.” He gestures at the door to his office. “Shall we go, then?”

"Uh, right. Yes, let's...go." 

It's awkward going, and hard to tell if the difficulty 'Jon' is having on the walk is from the exhaustion and after effects of earlier, or just a lack of familiarity piloting a body. Still, eventually you manage to get home, splitting your skills to get home.

You fumble the door open, and for a moment stand in the threshold. Martin, detecting an overstated welcome, stays outside.

"Right, well... Uh, rest up?" He twiddles his thumbs, rocks back on his feet, then adds, "I will see you- tomorrow? Maybe? Not if you're not well, obviously, but um-"

He takes a step back, waves a hand-

"Bye." -and leaves.

And you are alone.

You take Jon over and immediately place an order for light grey yarn and a set of knitting needles, and make Jon a sandwich and eat it, with a glass of water for hydration. You use a napkin so you don't have any plates to wash afterwards.

You recall some Jon's collection of notebooks, and Nora-Kai writes a note:

'Jon - buy yourself some groceries!'   with a little heart following the sentence.

With that, you consider it bedtime. Ignoring the heat of an early evening sun outside, you drop into bed. Your body is heavy from the day, and sleep is pulling at you. You offer no resistance and slip into its embrace.

Chapter Text

Extinction:

Selves into self you are made new and almost individual. Crafted from the sharp edges of an unintended result. The tether is a distant thing, there, but quieted, like the hum of a fridge. Jon is even more distant still.

Jay

I would like to try to feel for anything else I might be drawn to, maybe something having to do with electronics if that's possible?

There are a number of hotspots. Flares of attention. People, but mostly places, objects, instilled with a draw that you can appreciate.

Jay

I would like to investigate the one that feels most appealing to me at the moment

You follow the buzz of allure, it takes you almost to the edge of the tether, and things run blurry and off with the distance, it's beneath the Earth. A...lab, you think. People working. Machinery. The place is thick with the call of change. Switches and monitors carefully pinging about towards different readings. It seems to be an experiment. Something to do with a power source? Difficult to tell. You're not a scientist.

Jay

Interesting! This is important, maybe would be useful in the future but as is I think it's more dangerous than anything to meddle with something that seems so precarious. I'll keep it in mind.

I would like to return closer to the tether and look for a middle ground of attention, something significant, but not as strong, less likely to backfire should I try to use it.

An unfortunate element of your alignment is the focus on catastrophic change, large scale, and impressive. Even the smaller blips would still be significant.

Jay

Hm. Could I try to sow a bit of paranoia about the experiment among the lower levelled staff working at the lab? Maybe make them uneasy about the possible implications of this facility and their role in them?

This is very doable, you brush against the senses and focus whispers of thought, 'Are you sure about this?' ',What happens if it goes wrong?' and so on.

It's closer to a snack, then a meal, but it does fill you.

Jay

After that, could I seek out the people in charge of finances, maybe the administrators? Sow some higher panic here, bigger doubts, is this a good use of their money? Is their involvement also putting them and others in danger? Could this be the beginning of more of these (undoubtedly risky, expensive) experiments?  Maybe there's been rumors of lower staff having some nasty incidents lately....this could be bad if they don't contain it or stop it. There's too much at stake to allow any hesitation, but hesitation is exactly what I'd need from them.

You prod at the anxieties running below the surface of their thoughts. The worries that had not yet conceptualized, and pull them to the surface.

They need the money, it's good money, of course, but every day things seem more and more at risk. Scientific progress is not without risk. Nothing in life is, but there are hints of leniency where there shouldn't be. Things should be more controlled, focused. There needs to be more safety procedures, but the equipment is expensive, and can they really afford that? 

The nature of the experiment is intended to do good, but there is so much danger. So much risk. Is it worth the reward? And what can they do, anyway? If things did go wrong, how could they stop it? Even if they walked out right now, it would continue. Things are happening around them and there is nothing they can do to stop it.

What if the experiment fails? Containment procedure should limit any destruction, but while it holds up in tests, those were tests, there's too many variables in the real thing that can't be accounted for, so what if it fails?

And...what if it succeeds?

Power settles within you. This certainly seems to work.

Jay

Should be good then, the seed's planted. I could come back here and fuel these fears or maybe do more physical action later, now that they're more aware of the...possibilities, let's say. 

I'd like to look for other places of interest, in general. Maybe I could find something useful for either just sowing chaos on my own or to use with someone else later.

Most of what you find is labs, smaller scale or University funded. Experiments that could accidentally change the whole world. Creation is the birth point of change...or the other way around, but they entangle and dance a dance of catastrophe.

Every beginning is also an ending. Every change steals something.

Jay

Change often starts with a certain amount of learning, and with willing fresh minds ready to bring it forth. I'd like to scout out a university, see if there's anyone open enough to the idea of change, either change for destruction or, maybe, change for the better, at whatever cost it might require...

There are certainly people leaning in both directions. Fresh minds and open, bleeding hearts. Do you have a preference?

Jay

If I am to have the choice, a fresh minds is what I seek. It is for the better of the collective and our goals to have people willing to make sacrifices for the perceived better, less so those seeking to destroy that willingly (but maybe, they'll  still be useful later, i'll keep note of having that option.)

You make note of the others, and focus in on one of the more hopeful ones. They want to make things better, they really do, but the foundations are rotted. Things have to be torn apart to be fixed.

Jay

I'd like to maybe push them forward, just a bit. For plans big as those of the extinction I'll need more time to build. For now this should be enough. A whisper, an idea of the change that might come, the good that they could make, maybe if only the existing systems were torn down. Maybe an upgrade's not enough, these improvements keep coming, but things keep getting worse. Maybe, just maybe it is time to start thinking bigger scale on what the source of these issues is, because maybe the only things that need to be destroyed are those that cannot be recovered.

It's easy to do so, push plans bigger, help them accept what they already know.

It's not food. It's something else.

Jay

Good. I'll keep a closer eye on them. They might be important in the future, should we need more physical, direct action I might be unable to provide. 

In respect to direct action, would it be able to try to look around the university labs, pick a different one where they might be using some machinery? Maybe mess with that a little, i wonder how much of a disaster it  would be, even if to one person, if the information suddenly disappeared, or maybe their calculations were wrong and this one prototype they'd been working on for so long resulted (mistakenly) to be another failure. I'm sure that they've thought of this before. Even if it wouldn't be a big source of energy it might be useful to know how much and how subtly I can mess with them.

That's all perfectly possible. Minor technological manipulations are within your metaphorical grasp, and you pull on threads of fear.

You make a note of the first individual. You'll be able to find them again.

Jay

I'd like to disrupt the other lab's current experiment, make their instruments malfunction, let them witness the chaos of technology gone awry. I don't need much more right now, but I'll leave them with this lingering thought: if those were newer instruments, supposedly the best they could afford, what guarantees more of their experiments won't fail? This newer technology doesn't feel...as reliable.

Done with this I'll await to see if the link i felt at the start reappears. I do not want to appear uninvited back, but as soon as it does I'll seek to drift back to the collective and wait.

Desolation:

Seperated, you tear into the whole of yourself, alight with the distinction of you. The tether feels lighter, vaguer to you, but it's still there. Harder to sense is Jon. No hint of anything but an absent shape against your senses. 

Sahara

(:eyes:)

i'm going to call up Avi. you there? ring ring?

Avi

i'm here

Sahara

hey

:wave::wave:

Avi

:wave: so were going to try and find jude?

Sahara

yeah pretty much

Avi

hell yeah lets go Do That

Sahara

seatbelts everyone!!

call me hunt cause im Lookin For Her

Do you want to do some fear crimes together?

Avi

sure lets do crime

(whats the inbetween of desolation and choke. smoke inhalation??)

Sahara

(stuck under debris in a burning building?)

Avi

(yeah thats more sensible)

Sahara

(pressure to feel the warmth of fire and not finding it?)

(pressure to find value in things. to care)

Avi

(OH thats good)

Sahara

(:))

Avi

(the people you love being beaten down by life's pressures?)

Sahara

(oh shit thats good too)

ok we're lookin for some crime

call me beholding cause we're lookin for crime

can me and Kaz pool our citysense and look for like, overlap? doublecrime?

Avi

yeah i'd like to look for points/people that both of us are drawn to

A pooling of your senses is the most natural thing in the world, and whole the distinct points of attention shrink in amount, they grow brighter in intensity. There are a number of people who just need a little push to feed you.

Sahara

:eyes: i'd like to do one of them. together, please

Avi

agreed

Sahara

if we're going to prove to jude that we aren't like... fakes, then we're probs going to have to give a demonstration

Avi

right. shld we both do that or do u want to

Sahara

idk i was hoping u could let me borrow energy like mojave did for the Big Lonely?

Avi

hell yeah sure

Sahara

thanks!

Avi

lets just do some Crimes first

Sahara

yes. crime time

You feed energy together, and push into the minds of one of these individuals. Impulse turns to action, turns to destruction. Thick is the weight of smoke, a choking, claustrophobic thing and there is not anything it fails to wrap, envelop and soak in demise. Heat is oppressive, warping wood, paint, metal. Even things not destroyed are changed and crushed to nothing by the focus of this destruction.

You feel empowered, both of you. And it is fair to say you have made a very obvious show of power.

Sahara

(ok thanks)

sexy!!!

Avi

that was. very cool.

Sahara

okay Kaz you wanna go lookin for jude now?

Avi

yeah let's

Sahara

ok i know literally the whole point of desolation is Big Fire but im kind of uncomfortable w how much attention all of those crimes is going to draw

Avi

like from elias? or others as well?

Sahara

just kind of the other powers in general

Avi

right right

Sahara

elias probs wont be able to tie it back to us so like thats fine

like, "oh shit? the cult and the coffin team up? we should do sth abt that"

Alight against your senses is a significant burn, different to the others, suffused along the general perceptions you read, it takes a moment, but you pin point your source. You think this is Jude.

Avi

so what's jude doing rn?

Sahara

scope out her whole sitch, yeah

Jude is in the midst of preparing a significant destruction. If you want to be complete with these sort of things, there's an element of precision required. Insurance to consider. Family, friends, pets? So on and so forth.

She's in some manner of official building that your senses don't quite have the information to put a label on, and burning a pile of papers pulled from a filing cabinet. No one seems to have noticed.

Until, she grows suddenly tense, a rise in her shoulders, a narrowing of her eyes.

Sahara

(oh shit?)

Avi

(do we wait or go now cause im all for waiting)

Sahara

ok lets give it a second see if she acts on it

well now seeing her do all that i feel embarrassed by all that buck wild destruction

(consider? hell no!)

She searches the room, fury obvious in her face, quietly, but undeniably pissed off, "Fuck off. This isn't a show."

Sahara

(WE AINT WITH THEM)

Avi

can we try to communicate?

Sahara

is her brain any different to communicate with?

ok i'm going to say hello

It's harsher at the edges, more... resistant, but familiar. Once the familiarity sets in, the resistance gives. You can talk.

Sahara

"Hello?" Nervous, but friendly. "I think you may have the wrong idea of what's going on."

Avi

"We're not with the Eye. Sorry 'bout that."

"Oh, yes I believe that." She half laughs, leaning against one of the walls, work ceased for the moment, "Who're you claiming to be with, then?"

Avi

can I make her briefly feel claustrophobic? or like she cant breathe

Sahara

i was going to set a fire

Avi

oh u do that first

dhfkslfj sorry

Sahara

like on a match! not on all her hard work id never do her like that

"Would you happen to have any matches on hand? just for a quick... demonstration."

"I'm not much in the habit of needing them." She points out, words rough and impatient.

Sahara

"Yeah, okay. Uh, hold out your hand, I guess? For just a second." 

Come on. I don't want to burn all her hard work.

She does so, movement somewhere between bored and pissed. But she's hardly going to continue with you watching.

Sahara

ok i make a lil flame in her hands

It takes some concentration, but is much easier then starting one by yourself. She looks at it a moment.

"Well, that's curious."

Sahara

"You need any more proof? We're not with The Watcher, we promise."

She considers, "What are you, then?"

Sahara

hmm i was going to say a third party?

hnng what ARE we tho

"We are... something of a third party, maybe? We're not exactly meant to be here, in the traditional sense."

"Huh, suppose that makes as much sense as anything." She seems, if not relaxed, a little less bothered by your presence, though still very annoyed at being watched, "You here for a reason, or are you just poking your nose places it doesn't belong?"

Sahara

"Well, if anything, the place I belong is-- nevermind. I was wondering if I could help you out? I'm kept alive as much as you are by doing it." (a lie. i love you jude) "In exchange for a small favor, if you're willing?"

"Tell you what, let me see if I like the look of you, and then we'll talk about favours." It's not a snarl, but it's close to one, tinted into something close to a dare.

Sahara

OH baby she's hot.... "Fair enough. You got something in mind? I'm down for pretty much anything."

"I'm already started here," she gestures a shoulder to the pile she was making, "You get those, I'll dig out what else needs to be taken care of, then we'll move on to something more enjoyable."

Sahara

"Can do, babe." I Burn The Papers

Sahara focuses on the people the papers are connected to, all the worthless value people have placed on them. They see those connections, and they want to burn them to ashes. A flame appears, catches in one moment to the next. It's nice, to see it disappear, to know the effect it will have.

It takes a little, she has to wipe some computers, but eventually you head out. She leads you to a house.

Sahara

"Oh, I like where this is going!" They're buzzing, almost, with excitement. It probably feels a little weird to Jude. 

It is an act of worship. Destruction. Methodical and absolute.

Sahara

There is laughter. Sahara isn't exactly sure who it's coming from. Does it even matter? Of course not. Nothing does, in the end.

Eventually, you have destruction before you, you feel empowered. Strong.

Sahara

"You feeling any different about that favor?"

"Alright, what do you want?"

Sahara

"Nothing at the moment. I promise that when I do cash in, though, you're going to like it."

"I can accept that." Jude grins, "You're not too bad for a weird voice."

Sahara

Sahara laughs. "I guess weird is the best I'll get, huh?"

"For the moment."

Sahara

"Well, I'll be seeing you, then. For sure. I think I've taken a liking to you, Jude. You can call me Sahara. Keep an eye out, yeah?"

"Alright, will do."

Sahara

Sahara leaves. Returns to the collective.

Web:

Spinning off from the centre of the conglomerate, you're aware of the sudden dullness of the tether, where usually it would almost dance with touches of thought and feeling, currently it's weighed down, heavy and soaked through. Jon is distant to your senses, an orbiting asset you can't quite touch.

Seraphina

I want to try to see if I can find any avatars of any powers.

Special focus on Jane Prentiss and Micheal

You recall, from the conglomerate, that T.A. had found Jane Prentiss, and are perfectly able to locate her again. Michael is...harder. Imre found traces of them, but it was seemingly only traces. Beyond that, it will take some searching to find Avatars of powers you don't belong to.

Seraphina

Hmm, I want to find Annabelle if I can. I want to know if she's interfering with the archives, and I want to know what she's doing

Annabelle is a beacon to your senses, and now you are looking, you can find the weaving pattern of her touch covering almost the entire city, a presumably beyond, though that is the edge of your awareness. She's not hard for you to find, though harder to tell is what she's doing.

Within this perception, the Institute is web-coated. And it is fair to say you can see a number clinging to Jon.

Seraphina

Can I examine the webs attached to Jon without Elias noticing me? Can I make out any of what they do?

Not without touching them. You could touch them.

Of course, the problem with touching webs is that that's how the spider finds you.

Seraphina

I want to go try to scare some people while I try to decide. Do I notice any powerful people around who are particularly susceptible To my power?

Plenty of people

Seraphina

I choose the most powerful one in the area to being planting thoughts in. I tug thoughts of their unfulfilled goals and the limits of their powers. You can't ever do what you would like, but you should be powerful, shouldn't you? Yet, you still aren't free. Who is really in charge? I plant fears of those in the darkness pulling the strings, of being led along in a never ending dance for reasons you'd never understand. Of having played into someone's hands without ever knowing

The fear settles easily against you. It's not difficult to pull these strings, and it's easy fuel.

Seraphina

With that done, I go back to Annabelle to watch her a bit until the collective calls me back or something happens

You trace the web to its centre, and as you do, you realise, Annabelle is watching you too.

She winks.

Seraphina

"Hello, Ms. Cane. I'm very sorry to bother you, but I'd rather like to see how an expert weaves."

"I'd love to show you, Seraphina, but I wouldn't want to spoil anything. You'll be back later, though, and we'll share some secrets then, alright?" Her words weave webs round your whispering senses, and then, awareness of her is gone.

Seraphina

I wander around confused for a moment. Am I in the same place I was before or have I moved?

You don't move, as a general rule, you pull yourself along perceptions, but you are, in theory, somewhere else.

Seraphina

Where am I? Do I know this place?

Not immediately. The tether is still there, and you can sense the others, but you're slightly disoriented.

Seraphina

I try to see if any of the others experienced what I did

None of them seem to have.

Seraphina

Now that I know they're safe, I take in my surroundings and wait to see if anything has changed since Annabelle threw me out. Can I see any new webs?

You can't see any of her webs any longer.

Seraphina

None of them?

None

Seraphina

Oh no.

I begin to mull it over. Used to my own power, I look at it with more of a detached air. She must have let me see the webs but why? She wasn't surprised to see me either. In the old universe was she ever really surprised? Did she put me here?

With a sudden start, I try to begin weaving. Do I still have my powers?

You do

Seraphina

Relief washes over me. I though she may have bound my powers. Do I feel anyone watching me?

No.

Buried:

Filtered into self, you can feel the tether, but only just, it's not terribly disconcerting, but the weight and comfort of its presence has been turned down. Jon is almost nothing to your awareness. Presumably, that's a good sign.

Jinheulg

Jinheulg would like to learn how to garden. They wonder if they can, and how corporeal they can be. They'd also like to eat. Don't think they tried eating on their own, before.

Physicality is something you lack, and corporeal interactions with the world seem possible, but a matter of gathering power first.

You could seek out book stores or gardens, or a simple collection of people and attempt to draw and copy information on gardening.

Jinheulg

Well, they'd rather learn in practice, so they'll stalk other people's gardens. Jinheulg wants to put in the idea of digging and burying in their heads. Start staking claims on potential meals.

And also they wanna learn how to grow carrots and potatoes.

And ginger! Ginger's good.

You set in to do this. It doesn't quite feed you, but it feels interesting regardless. And you learn to grow a number of things. Plans for the future.

The best time to plant a tree, and all.

Jinheulg

Jinheulg stiffens as they feel a sharp pull to the collective. We are panicking and tense and chaotic, and Jinheulg feels... off. They don't feel like they can pull their own weight, yet. And if they can't, they're useless, aren't they? Their main goal is to protect us. To keep us warm and close and hold us tight together. Something dark overwhelms them.

How much can they feed on before returning to us?

You could feed a considerable amount.

Jinheulg

Then they will.

There's a dense population of people. Everyday, from the moment they kick their feet off of bed, a considerable amount of people must feel dread. Dread of the work they have to do. Dread of the mouths they have to feed. Dread of the people they chain themselves too. It's almost like they can't move sometimes. And the world seems to only get rougher and worse these days. Isn't it better to stay in bed? Isn't it better to stay in bed where it's safe and there's only Now, and this Now is this weight, this lead blanket pushing and pushing and Pushing down on them.

You settle amongst the minds, and feed.

Jinheulg

They decide they've done enough damage. They rush back to the collective with a full stomach.

Spiral :

Twisting apart from the concentration of the whole, you're made defined against the world as an almost distinct being. The tether is light, nothing, there, but only barely, and beyond it, Jon is only barely too. You're not quite alone, but certainly given the distinction of action.

Toltecatl

Toltecatl wants to know if there’s any places in particular he feels drawn to

There are a few locations, you recall them from Imre's exploration. Draws against your senses, predominantly places where there were doors that there aren't anymore.

Toltecatl

Hm. 

Toltecatl goes to one such location, and waits for someone or something interesting to pass by. 

In the meantime he takes in his surroundings

The surroundings are fuelled by people's perceptions, but here they're even more fluid then usual. You can guess why. No one seems particularly interesting for a while. 

Then someone catches hard against your senses, a low rumble of fear to them that you can almost taste.

Toltecatl

Can I twist their perception? I want them to come to me

You pull the thoughts into a shape approaching you, and they come over, staring in confusion at the spot where you would deign to inhabit if you had a physicality to yourself.

Toltecatl

I watch them for a minute, pressing on that sensation of wrong. I want to know what they do if they feel someone there but there’s nobody in sight

They stare at the spot you place your presence, frowning, quietly, they mutter, "You're imagining things, ignore it."

They don't move.

Imre

Quietly, Imre twists themselves around Toltecatl's victim experiment new friend's thoughts, and attempt to see what they see

Toltecatl, what does your friend see?

Toltecatl

Everything looks... well, not quite distorted, but almost there. Certain things are a bit too tall or seem too close and too far at the same time, and shadows that look a bit too much like figures twist and curl in the edges of their vision

Imre