Chapter Text
20 Hours at WW's Arkhead
Prelude
Wilhelm
- My Room
I turn the camera on. Against my request, and to the request of someone else- that person has coerced me into turning it back on after... after an age. Ever since I came here, it's been off.
The camera records the floor, and you hear my voice. You hear me speak. I speak in a… voice. I dunno how to describe it. And- I don't really care enough to describe it. It's- it's a girl for crying out loud. Nothing special.
I'm just a sheep. A pontic. Just... the other species of this world, just as stupid. Both so stupid.
Why should I care about this? Going out and talking to these people- for what?
Wilhelm, the leader of the place I live in, speaks in a rough-and-tough and country-like voice. Weird person. Dresses like... something. I think he's wearing some sort of makeup. Green long coat and a strange pointy military hat depicting some golden bird. Middle-aged, and sandy-skin. Skin-tone from this side of the planet. Smells like makeup.
Oh good fer you, ya got given the camera alreddy.
…
Arright- arright. Ya just gotta record me, that's all.
The entire- my entire room is dark. The blinds are shut, the translucent curtains are closed. Faint light trickles through the seams of the window, and a soft luminescence fills the air from the active laptop screen on my table.
Why the hell are we doing this in- whatever. I don't care.
…I’m not doing this. There’s literally no point.
Ya just gotta roll that camera at me and record a quick introduction to me, the leader. Thas all I want from you Der'mmy.
Oh- yeah, because I really want to record my experiences in this place, and this community, and what I do here. Yeah, because it’s a lot. Yeah. Because my work is valued, as- what, the film person?
Head of Media.
Stupid…
We gon and spent 30 minutes- well, I spent 30 minutes waiting out that door trynna convince you. Gave ya plenty of time to prepare your room and all, it's all one step away from getting out ya hair, sweetie. I'll be good for you, you been here a bit too long by yerself and ya should at least learn a bit 'bout the place ya staying over.
Yeah, because I really want to interact with all your people.
Memmmmbers. They're all... servants of mine, hah!
They’re all the same. Pontic hating rabid bastards. What... what animals.
Ya never left your room since you came here, just fer food. Nobody knows who ya are. Ya like some ghost, or some urban myth 'round here. "The evil ghost pontic of this accursed land, whispering sweet nothings into people’s ear." Thas what pepil been sayin' 'bout you though. Well... mostuvdem.
Because I'm such an issue to you people. Because...
But you gettin' and goin' out there and filmin' it all. It'll clear a lotta things up, ya know?
It's all useless to me. I tried. I tried. I tried, damn you. I tried.
But ya don't, ya know. All I want from you right now is a film video 'bout me, the leader of this place. It's so like... other people like you don't get all mixed up and lost, and they know who I am and all, ya get?
It doesn't matter.
Ya... ya job here is just for media and photography purposes. Sure... you might not think that's a lot, but that ain't your identity here. Ya can be Der'mmy Latelli to them people, or ya can be the film-lady hermit-ghost-creature out for food. The latter is what all them people thinkin' bout ya. But... ya just need to do your job for me right now. Some people might needa introduction to me. That's all ya need to do.
Whatever.
I point the camera at Wilhelm, and begin to record him. He sits down and begins to speak.
*clearing throat* I am Wilhelm Friedemann.
Wilhelm's voice turns from country bumpkin, to soft, gaudy and refined.
This group is the WW. As you might have heard across Sixethes these few months- this is an organization dedicated to the mission of Sixethes. We inhabitants of this world have faced strife over the last two years, and we have been changed and disfigured as a result. I don’t want suzerainty of the decisions made by the people to change it. I do not want to instill rebellion, uprising or dissonance within society. I want society to be able to make those choices themselves.
I want the world to live again. That’s why I’m here. If but one person can feel the love I once felt for this world once again, after all the hell this planet has faced, then my mission has succeeded. But I suppose I have overzealous in that regard, as I have not stopped nor have I ceased after one person. Now, with the people I work with- WW, I am able to make my mission a prerogative to all the people of Sixethes. And I want to thank my constituents for it.
I love this world. I love the people in it. There is so much happiness to be found within Sixethes. And we will restore the world to the best it always has been. Together, with me and you, you can also show the world the happiness begotten to us. Thank you for listening, and giving me the time of day to do so.
It's all you talk about.
Are you finished saying all of that?
Wilhelm's voice goes back to his usual country bumpkin voice.
Now now, how did ya think 'bout that?
I’ll send it to Faculty after I’m done.
Whaddya think though?
Of course all you see is happiness in the world. Of course.
…Happiness.
Yer happy 'bout it? Wow!
…It’s all you talk about, so that’s all I was thinking.
Ya think it illustrates WW and our mission well?
…Won’t that be hard?
Harrrrd?
This world.
Wilhelm slowly tilts his head at me, smiling.
This world is awful.
I see many of the good that can be made of it, and it persists to all mighty. All I want...
...is a better world. Too many times has them pontic people suffered, along with typical man, ya get?
…Right.
Alright, I bother'd ya enough. Ya got ya own devices, the rest is up to you if you wanna... come out and see us. Thanks fer ya time, darling.
Wilhelm opens my door and steps through the door frame. The light blasts in through the doorway, lighting up the room.
He stands in the door frame, looking. He then sighs.
I hope she was right.
Who.
Wilhelm clears his throat.
My sincerest apologies. I musta thought out loud or summin'. I was thinking of summin else, so don't worry too much. Ya don't have to follow through with anything.
Wilhelm, after wasting my time with his grand speech, leaves the room. My room- my small accomodation in this place. Something falls over in my closet as he closes the door.
…
I stand there, clutching the camera. Still capturing.
Something else falls in my closet. Some sort of clank.
...a plate.
...I'm still standing there, in front of the closed door.
How can someone like him so dedicated to this 'mission' of 'happiness' and 'prosperity' not see the hell that is life?
How can nobody?
How can nobody see what I see in this world?
How can people blatantly refuse to see what's wrong with the world!?
Why can't they see what I see? Oh- it's because they don't listen to me. It's because they don't care about me. It's because I'm just too negative for them. Yeah- because nobody wants to hear bad things about their life. All they want to hear is the good that exists. All they want to focus on in their life is how good things are. So you come to my room- you disturb me just to ask me of something, something so stupid and naive to consider. Make a documentary about how it's like to live in Arkhead?! Make a documentary about how happy the people here are? Make a documentary about what WW is all about? Just so you can continue feeding yourself more lies about how GOOD life is. Because you REFUSE to listen to me- people LIKE me- hell if there's anyone like me; I doubt; you REFUSE. You HATE me.
And then, you have me record such a facsimile of your lies just so you can continue to lie to yourself and others about how good this world is. How there is no suffering. How there is no hell to live through in this world. How everything is PERFECT, and how your stupid little mission will make everything PERFECT. Because the world is just like that. Because the world is happy. Because YOU are happy. Because you can only see the happiness in this world. And I can't. Because who would want to listen to someone negative all the time? Don't make me laugh. Don't. DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH; BECAUSE YOU CAN'T.
You want a documentary? I'll-
I'm still standing infront of the door.
...
Fine. I'll make a documentary. I'll make something you'll watch. And you'll see.
Deromy
I sit myself down, and record myself talking.
Happiness. Is that all you see? Is that what all these people see in WW? In Arkhead? This shitty place. How can you not see all of the filth of the world? How can you not see how horrible this place is!? I’ll show you.
This effort has been the result of the WW’s requests and rejections. For a group so united, they are so divided on what they want despite them having one clear, conscient goal. If anything, this is an introspective into our current lives on this planet. Such change, social stigma and expectation cast upon a population of reprobates and idiots. I can say this because I’m not contracted to do this by them. It’s a request; they have asked juxtaposingly on numerous occasions, that I both cover them and avoid talking about them. So I’m doing things how I want. You want an introspective into the tranquility of these people? THESE monsters!? These freaks of nature, so hellbent on what I do, what I am and who I am; so be it; so be it! So I will show you what it is to live in Sixethes, as someone who isn’t as fortunate as you to live in happiness, Suzerain.
This place- this goddamned place, I thought it was better than whatever the hell MY world is. I thought with YOUR happiness, that there would be more REASONABLE THOUGHT HERE. That my distinctions as someone ‘pessimistic’ would be treated as a citizen, as a fair and equal person of this world. No- because someone like you can never see anything but happiness. You will never live how it feels like to be anything but beholden to insanity or rhapsodic intoxication. I will show you WW. I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I SEE IN THIS PLACE; I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT FESTERS IN THIS HELL.
This is WW.