Work Text:
(A tape recorder clicks on. The user, the Archivist, is shuffling around a room. There’s the sound of his blazer rubbing up against plastic and metal until eventually, the sounds of someone writing fade into the recording. The movement stops, and the user speaks.)
[RUSSO]
(Clearly very uncomfortable.) …Hello, Denis.
[DENIS]
(As Denis talks, he almost sounds like he's exaggerating everything he says, like he's not being genuine.)
'Sup, Archivist! What brings you to my humble abode, hm?
[RUSSO]
I need to get a statement from you.
[DENIS]
(Annoyed) Seriously? Now why would you want that?
[RUSSO]
I’m collecting records on every…'avatar’ operating nearby. That includes you, Denis. Give me your statement or I’ll- (Trying to sound threatening) I’ll take it by force.
[DENIS]
(Denis chuckles.)
You’re nervous.
[RUSSO]
Am not.
[DENIS]
Eh, there’s no need to be. I don’t like you, don’t get me wrong, but…I mean, seriously, Archivist. You’re too…ugh, well known, so replacing you would quite frankly be a bad idea. Also, your skin is terrible ! I wouldn’t want it, even if I could use it. So you’re sa-
[RUSSO]
(Cutting Denis off.) You hosted a TV show in the 1990s. What’s up with that?
[DENIS]
(More serious, trying to ignore what Russo said) Hey. You’re in my domain. Don’t interrupt me.
Just because I’m sparing you doesn’t mean I’m going to give you a statement.
(Static on the recording)
That’s not an invitation to do your little-
[RUSSO]
(Gritting his teeth as the static rises - compelling a statement, especially from something like Denis, is hard work.)
Statement of 'Denis Daily', regarding his childhood acting career and his servitude to I-Do-Not-Know-You. Statement taken direct from subject, 20th September 2024. Statement begins.
(Weakly.) Go.
(The static fades away. There’s silence aside from Denis gagging, trying to stop himself from speaking. It doesn’t work.)
[DENIS]
…Woooow. That was rude.
Whatever. You want a statement, sure, I’ll give you one.
Obviously, I wasn’t always ‘Denis Daily’. I mean, imagine if my surname was always ‘Daily’?
No. I was born to my managers as Denis Karter. My father was a loan shark and my mother was a failed actress. They had dreams of stardom for me since I was old enough to speak, and honestly, probably even before then.
They had me on my first show when I turned 3 years old. Some annoying younger brother in some sitcom. Didn’t last long, but that acting experience got me more jobs. And then those jobs got me more jobs. I lost out on actual school and actual connections for the fake ones in auditions, the bright lights of television sets, the words of a script. And boy, could I act.
I quickly understood what my managers wanted and I obeyed. Denis Karter was a simple background character who was supposed to allow all these other exaggerated, glittery, fun characters to take the stage. I quickly became used to constantly becoming someone else, constantly being referred to by a name that was not my own. Is it any wonder that I never truly found my own self in a world where my name was constantly changing, the details of my life were constantly changing? I couldn’t even understand half the words I’d have to say.
I was already a star on local TV, but when I was 6, my managers had the perfect idea to shoot me into becoming an all-timer. (Overdramatic) A talk show.
The Denis-Daily Show.
Well, I’d call it closer to a…reality-talk show. Multiple people would come on, discuss their lives, I’d interview them, half the time they knew each other so they’d devolve into arguments while I tried to stop it…to them and the network, it was comedy gold. I was the perfect little host while all these adults bickered about their lives. I kept a smile at all times and did my best to keep the peace. They released a pilot, we got picked up, and suddenly every night Denis Karter had to put on his best smiling face and a gaudy sparkly suit and become the darling of the network.
That’s when I was born. The Denis Daily the world came to know and love.
The Denis-Daily Show was life defining, for the people on the show and me. I was a mega-star - had edgy spin-offs, a mascot through my trusty (Affectionate) Sir Meowsalot, (Normal tone), lots of other acting jobs, a whole franchise belonging to a boy that didn’t quite exist yet. It took a while to get used to, of course - the bombastic show host that always had a funny quip, especially when I didn’t have an exact script to go off of - but I got used to it. In the end, Denis Daily was the persona I was the most comfortable using, felt the most like me in some messed up sense. There’s a reason I chose this name rather than any of the other characters I’d played.
(A little quieter and more somber.) Though under all of it, there was just Denis. I guess, since I'm not being all that dramatic right now, you're meeting the real Denis.
Uh, anyway.
(Back to his regular tone again.) Before long, Denis Karter just became yet another mask I’d have to don at home and off-set. The boy that had always dreamed of becoming an actor, the boy that loved the stardom and the fame, the boy that totally chose the life he was forced into. Before long, the person you would consider ‘me’ was just a blank slate that would wear whatever mask was required of him. And consistently, no matter how much the rest of my day change, every night, I would be carted off to the Denis-Daily Show set and watch fake people destroy their meaningless lives on live television for the whole world to see, smiling the whole way and still giving my cheery wave goodbye as I ended the show.
I’m sure you’re wondering why no one realised that I really shouldn’t have been hosting a show like that, why no one realised that my managers clearly cared more about the money I generated more than me, why no one commented on the fact that it was clearly child labour. Well, I just don’t think anyone cared about it back then. If they tried the stunt they pulled with me now, there’d be public outcry. But no. I was just a host, not a real person. People never recognised me in the streets like the other actors. I didn’t exist outside of a television screen.
When I turned 16, I was no longer able to host The Denis-Daily Show. I was too old, the appeal of the show was no longer there. I couldn’t tell if I was upset or if I was relieved, but it did feel wrong. Not getting to be Denis Daily anymore. I’d still find myself slipping into that persona from time to time, especially in the evenings. Then I turned 18 and my managers finally allowed me to use the money that I’d earned as a child to fund my schooling and my adult life. I went to film school, of course. They were the ones who advised me to do it - after all, what a fun way to end my story, right? The child actor turned famous director?
Too bad that isn’t what happened. I went to film school, but it…it wasn’t right. I could direct just fine, knew just what my actors should do to really sell the scene, but...I struggled with the whole 'socialising' thing. Everyone said that Denis Karter was creepy, said I was barely human, that I always just imitated others. I didn’t know how to respond to that. Being Denis Daily wasn’t that helpful either, considering he was a little bit too… over-dramatic for everyone’s tastes. So I spent most of my free time trying to figure out how to get a personality.
I was visiting a library when I met Jake. I think it was…the mid-2000s? Not quite sure. You or any other normal person could’ve been able to tell that something was wrong with him. I couldn’t though, because we were one in the same. He stood there, staring at me for a bit, eyes glassy and hollow. I shot him a glance and ignored him. Then he started smiling just a little bit too widely and asked me what I was looking for. I said I was just browsing and told him to leave me alone. He said ‘I’m sure the book you want isn’t actually on these shelves, Denis Daily.’ He was the first person to recognise me since I’d left the show and I was barely recognised beforehand, so that was what got my attention.
I looked over at him and he handed me a book. It was entitled “The Best Way to Direct Your Actors”. I was intrigued and looked up to ask him why he gave it to me, and if I'd need to give it back, but he was already gone. I knew even then that something was off about him, but I didn’t really care - I just shrugged, took the book back home with me, and began to read.
It started off normal. Taught me how to be a commanding force. I took that in, did some practising and kept reading. It never got onto the topic of movie making or commanding the cameramen or anything like that. It was more…stage acting? But, still, not quite that. Eventually, it started to talk about imitation. Making sure your ‘actors’ could perfectly imitate humans, how you should be imitating a human, how to convert your more volatile actors into ones that would obey you…the likes.
It didn’t take me long to realise I was reading about how to command sentient mannequins.
I thought it was just a fictional horror story with some good advice scattered in, though in a story like that, you'd expect the illusion to drop at some point. This book never did. It was like I was reading a normal self-help book, but just with a few off lines that made it feel like a horror story again. I stopped reading when it said I should replace my own body parts with plastic ones, though. It didn’t seem like very helpful advice at all. At the time.
It was, funnily enough, my curiosity that made me break into that clothing store that day and see what I could do with the mannequins. An action I’m sure your ilk would appreciate. I tentatively used what I vaguely remembered the book said and told them to stand in a line. And they did. I gave one a hoodie and gave it its script - to be a random stranger outside and see if people would notice it. Y'know, for a little bit of fun.
And no one realised. I watched as no one paid it any mind, as people would even strike up conversation. They’d be unnerved after it wouldn’t respond and leave, but they never guessed it wasn't a human. The rush I got when I watched and took in what was happening, how people were reacting...well.
I think that was the moment when- (Stopping himself.) No, that’s not right. I think that I-Do-Not-Know-You has known about me since I got my first acting job. That was the moment where I finally found my patron. The god that had defined my life for all of it, the god of changing faces and names and not-quite-real-humans…it reached out to me, and I finally understood what had controlled me all my life. Now it was giving me a chance to let it envelop me, to let it take me into its arms.
I knew then what I wanted to do. I was finally going to act on my own terms, direct on my own terms.
I was going to act human on my own terms.
The very next day, I dropped out of film school. That same night, I sneaked back into that store as soon as all the workers had left. I sat there, amongst my first troupe of actors, and I followed the instructions of the book. It was painful, obviously, but the mannequins around me donated their limbs and by the end of it…
(There’s a hollow clicking sound as Denis demonstrates to Russo. Russo makes a noise of disgust.)
I was good as new. I was Denis Daily again.
Picked up the name full-time, after all that. Denis Karter was long gone by that point anyway, so I discarded him. As I said, this always felt the most like me .
My managers never understood, of course. They saw the new way I walked and talked and shone under the light and were very concerned, especially after getting the news of my dropping out. They never did. Even after I tested the limits of the gifts that my god had given me.
(Mocking) Isn’t that right, mother?
(A mannequin standing next to Denis nods with a creak. Russo's reaction now sounds fearful.)
I don't need to explain to you what happened after that. I put my actors to work, pulled in new actors - though the newbies certainly don't appreciate the whole plastic body thing as much as I do - even made a backstage crew! And every time, every time I put the new actors to work, they feel that same fear of becoming someone that you’re not. Being replaced, having your identity completely erased. A fear I know all too well, and I embraced.
The Denis-Daily show is still running, of course, even after my departure. Got sold off to some kids' network and became a child-friendly regular show. Terrible ratings, apparently, it'll never hit the highs it did when I was the host. (Denis laughs.) I did get in contact with the new kid, asked him if he wanted to leave, I’d give him an out. He refused - likes it on the show, apparently. Though if he ever wants to quit but isn't being allowed to, I told him to let me know. Didn’t even recognise me. Just as I like it.
There you go. That’s your statement, Archivist, on how I came to be. It was quite rude for you to just pull it out, you know?
[RUSSO]
(Still clearly unnerved, but a little more confident) …Statement ends.
Thank you, Denis. I’ll leave you alone now.
[DENIS]
Mm. (Denis thinks for a second, then gets a malicious tone.) Nah. Someone block the door.
(Russo yelps as a mannequin creakily shifts towards his exit route, blocking him in.)
(Back to sounding somewhat exaggerated.) If you get to pull information out of me, I get to pull information out of you, Archivist. Haven’t you heard of quid pro quo?
You never answered my question. I’ve heard you were a fairly fearless person, but you’re clearly scared of lil old me. Care to explain, will you?
[RUSSO]
(Now starting to panic.) Please don’t kill me.
[DENIS]
I already told you, I have no reason to try to kill you. So go on. Tell me! I don’t bite. Yet.
[RUSSO]
…Let’s just say I haven’t had the best experience with you guys in the past.
[DENIS]
(Deadpan) Well, yeah, duh, we replaced your assistant. And then you killed the replacement. Well, you didn’t. The poor Not-Them…your (Lined with hate) other assistant made quick work of her, and I’m sure he’d do the same for me. How’s Sabrina doing, anyway? Doing fine? Still watching her back? Still inspecting every artefact to ensure she won’t get eaten by it again? I hope so-
(Whilst Denis is distracted, Russo pushes his chair back hastily and it screeches on the floor. He makes a run for it.)
[DENIS]
(Overlapping, getting quieter as Russo gets further away) Hey, wait, don’t go so fast!
…I'll have to get a certain someone to pay you a visit. We’re not done here.
(The door slams, and Russo takes a second to shakily breathe.)
(Click.)
(Click.)
(The audio is muffled, but a car door slams shut as Russo quickly puts on a seatbelt.)
[SABRINA]
Took you long enough. You know I don’t like being here.
[RUSSO]
(Russo shushes Sabrina, before pulling out the recorder from his bag.)
(Hasty, but still trying to be professional.) Uh, initial follow-up information. I've already verified the TV show Denis ran existed - the seasons with him as the host were actively running on a Canadian network from 1992 to 2002. Denis said that he 'became' in the mid-2000s, so likely when he was 20-ish. Obviously, he didn't answer as to why he's in America, but I'm sure that one's pretty obvious. I've also found other records from the show's he's acted in from age 6 onwards, though I'll have to do further digging for those before then...once I get back to the Foundation, anyway. And if what he said as I was leaving wasn't just a bluff, then...then he should be answering his own question.
(Regular, casual tone, but not at all relaxed.) Sorry, just- just had to get that on tape.
[SABRINA]
Are you okay? You seem really panicked.
[RUSSO]
(Stern, having figured out what Denis wanted to do) …I’m going to wear this exact outfit for the next week. If you see someone who looks like me but is wearing something different, call me immediately. If I’m not there, get JP.
Got it?
[SABRINA]
(Understanding, knowing what Russo’s talking about.) Got it.