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metaverses2022-08-28 09:58 pm
metamods) wrote in metaverses2022-08-28 09:58 pm
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CRISIS ON INFINITE DREAMWIDTHS: EVENT END
AT THE END OF THE WORLD
The sound isn't unlike thunder when the universe begins to crack apart. Loud, thrumming thuds that tear the sky and the fabric of reality. The nexuses are being stomped out, engulfed back into the void one by one.
Characters may be in these nexuses as they're slowly engulfed by the cracks. Some may be saying they're final goodbye's to old friends, new friends, or simply watching as the apocalypse descends on whichever world they're in.
And then, just before they're about to fall into oblivion - they're snatched away.
Characters may be in these nexuses as they're slowly engulfed by the cracks. Some may be saying they're final goodbye's to old friends, new friends, or simply watching as the apocalypse descends on whichever world they're in.
And then, just before they're about to fall into oblivion - they're snatched away.
IN CENTRAL CITY —
Outside The Alliance HQ, Chaos Gate and the Silent Mystic stand with their eyes tightly shut, hands linked together as one. Above you the sky has turned a deep crimson. The crack is a yawning chasm as buildings are torn apart brick by brick, falling into the abyss.
If something isn't done soon then you're all dead.
This world is a nexus and this can't be changed, but it can be pulled from the 'between' it has fallen into, and restored to its proper place. This will require an enormous amount of energy. The mystics bid the gathered to join hands: they ask you to remember their world, the one they left behind and tether this world to it. Your strongest memories may bleed out, giving the people around you a glimpse of who you are, what you were.
The universally displaced are here with you. This is a last mingle opportunity. The comm will remain open so people can continue to play any threads they didn’t get a chance to during the run of the event. They too can join hands and share their memories, but as they are not tied to this dimension, when it’s restored they will either return to their own worlds or the nexuses they left behind.
CONNECTION —
Everything goes dark.
It feels endless, swallowing your sight as well as all sound as it closes in. Slowly, glowing threads begin to appear, tying one person to the next, then to the next, and so on. Only those who are linked to Metaheroes are tied with these golden glowing threads. The threads flow down to their feet and then shoot up towards the sky.
There's a boom, different to the thunderous cracks of before. The sky rushes back into place, day and night speeding by as it hurries to realign itself to the proper date and time. It's dizzying, for a moment, before it begins to feel grounding. Right.
The air feels different. Fresher, somehow. The sky is brighter; the world seems fuller, like it has been allowed to become what it should have been all along. A cheer goes up. The people are elated, relieved to see the sun again.
Players may be troubled should they have ventured into other worlds. They have seen the nexuses that have fallen to ruin, know how they too once felt exactly like this.
THE WORLD CONTINUES TO TURN —
The world has been restored to its proper place. Interdimensional communication is coming through again. The Guilds, exhausted as they were putting fires out across the non-meta cities, are relieved. Perhaps this is finally over.
With the return of interdimensional communication comes the return of interdimensional travel as well. This technology has been used in this world before; it was only with the advent of the recent powerful Confluences that it all went dark. Now that it’s back, the Guilds start to make plans immediately. It will take a little time to organize everything, but once they have a system in place, it shouldn’t be too difficult to locate everyone’s home universes and return them there. They set a tentative date for September 4th to start trying to return everyone home.
That being said, the government is none too happy with any of this. The Guild Systems were put into play by two metahumans who wanted the best for the world, as a means to protect them from those who would do them harm. Years have been spent slowly wrestling control from those two and now there is an opportunity.
Behind the scenes a storm is brewing. If they can spin this to blame the Unaligned then perhaps they have no more need for the Guilds. The Society is a thorn in their side that they’d like to finally be rid of, but they’re essentially untouchable. The Unaligned, however, are flagrantly breaking the law. Constantly putting themselves in the spotlight, making it all too easy to yank the rug out from under the metahuman leaders.
How wonderful for them that these strangers from away have made such a wreck of the trust in the systems that protected the metahumans of this world.
Mechanima is all too aware that things are about to go to hell. The Society is welcoming all metahumans, regardless of moral alignment, to join them. It is heavily encouraged among the rumor mill that the Unaligned should start reconsidering their position.
As the days go on, things begin to change across Meta.
- Excelsior has become vehemently anti-metahuman. While this outrage may pass, they’re passing new AI laws in rapid succession. Limitations on what AI can and can’t inhabit. Limitations on robot bodies, on mechanical prosthetics, on the research that can be done into what gives things the spark of life. Magic is essentially forbidden within the city. Any abilities that can be mistaken as magic are treated as suspect.
- Sunset Falls is worse for wear. Yet the people remain as grateful as ever to the metahumans who stepped in to save them. That gratitude outweighs any fear that they could have caused this - Sunset Falls has disasters all the time that have nothing to do with interdimensional weirdness. They continue to be unbothered by the metas among them.
- Central City, having witnessed all the off-world metas stepping in to save them, is oddly grateful for this - but they haven’t forgotten what happened. The disappeared are among them again and are unharmed despite their sojourn through the universe, but the fact that it happened at all is cause for concern. Confluences are a problem. They want answers, they want solutions.
- Little Love remains untouched and unchanged.
I DREAM A DREAM SO PRETTY —
Two days after the apocalypse is averted, every off-world meta will find a pillow lying on their doorstep. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live - one of these pillows will find its way to you.
If you’re quick or wary enough, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the being that placed it there: a figure clad in blue robes. They’ll appear seemingly out of nowhere and lay the pillow down before vanishing into dust. Should they happen to notice they’ve been spotted, they’re clearly started, and lay a finger to their lips before departing.
Atop the pillow is a note: an invitation from the Dreamers of the Willow Maiden. You would have undoubtedly heard of this group: they have a presence in this world, though their reputation’s benign. They’re oddballs and weirdos, but ultimately harmless. They believe in the power of a good night’s sleep - literally.
If the note is to be believed, then the Willow Maiden herself has requested an audience with you, and this audience can only be granted in the world of dreams. Should you accept this offer, the note explains, all you need to do is lay your head upon this enchanted pillow. Sleep will come to you quickly.
Your dreams will be extremely vivid. There are recurring themes bleeding through them: your greatest accomplishment juxtaposed with your greatest failure. The moment you could have acted but stayed still. Highschool embarrassments. Falling. Flying. Here in your own dreamscape, you’ve got more control than anywhere else; you feel as though you can do anything. But beware: these dreams grab for you, both the nightmares and the fantasies. It can be easy to lose yourself and forget what exactly is real.
Luckily, the dreams grab for others as well. Sleeping metas may find themselves involuntarily wandering into one anothers’ dreams. Visitors to a dreamscape don’t have any powers outside of what they normally would, but they can reach out to the dream’s host, should they want to.
If no one else arrives, don’t worry. She is patient and waiting, and doesn’t mind that you stumble. Fall too far into the abyss, and she’ll reach out her hand to steady you.
THE WILLOW MAIDEN —
As you find your way out of the haze of your subconscious with uour allies at your side, the Willow Maiden greets you. She is a massive tree nymph, long-limbed and wooden. She is curled against an enormous tree, looking like a statue. At your approach, she lifts her head from the crook of her arm and extends a hand in greeting. Her smile is warm and motherly. You may feel distrust, but that feeling of safety and protection that guided you home radiates from her.
“You from a far away land, come to this world and made its own.” Her wooden lips don’t move, the words echo through your soul itself. “I can do little for you now but issue warning. Danger is waiting in the dawn, in the shine of her sword. You won this battle, your strength and the strength of all those you have touched has saved you… but she is coming.
She is coming.
“My time is short… your words cannot reach me as you are now. Carve yourselves a new future. One in this world and all others. Dream, and in those dreams, you shall become more powerful than even she can stand. My gift is the gift of new life, new lives, new futures… I have shielded you from her gaze until I could no longer bear it and now… I must rest. May the next time we met be true conversation.”
The Willow Maiden lays her head back down on the curve of her arms. Within moments, she’s asleep.
You wake. Not with a start, but as though you’ve been gently roused from a deep and restful sleep. The dreamsharing effect lingers, and can reoccur off and on throughout the month of September, but you will not find your way to the Willow Maiden’s realm again.
IN SUMMARY.
- The fourth wall ends in a near apocalypse. Characters will have a chance to say goodbye while the metaphorical walls are closing in. They will be pulled back from the brink at the last second.
- Through the collective effort of metaenergy, Metaheroes will rejoin the multiverse, tethered to the worlds which playable characters come from.
- As a result, there's tentative optimism that characters will be able to go home .
- Anti-meta sentiment is growing across Excelsior, and within governing bodies. Government officials will begin looking to blame Unaligned heroes for various crimes and disturbances.
- It's a good time to pick a side. Or don't.
- Amidst all this, The Willow Maiden invites players to Meta's first dream share event. The dreaming effect lingers and characters may find themselves intermittently sharing dreams throughout September.
- However pleasant this is, however cathartic - it doesn't change that things are tense in the waking world. The Willow Maiden's warning will ring in your ears, too: who is coming?
Dylan Brock | Marvel Comics / Venom
For easy scrolling, here's a quick link to each prompt:
Enjoy!!))
1. My God is an Awesome God (Memory Share - CREEPY)
The memory starts with the low rumble of an unfamiliar voice.
Tʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ᴄᴀɢᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. Tʀᴇᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀɴɪᴍᴀʟ.
"...Yes." That was Dylan's voice. His speech is barely a murmur, but audible.
The scene is a dark, plain-looking bedroom, with one of the twin beds hastily unmade — and the other with another boy cowering under the covers. A nearby clock indicates it's just past 3 in the morning.
Dylan is standing up facing a mirror. He looks unsteady on his feet, and his head is lolling a bit to the side. His gaze is forward, but unfocused. Lids hang heavy over his eyes, and there's the softest hint of a red glow in his irises. He's up and about, but still asleep — or, perhaps more accurately, in a trance.
Tʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ sᴛᴀʀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴜᴛ. Tʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ sᴛʀᴀɴɢʟᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. Tʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ᴋɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴋɴɪᴠᴇs. Tʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ᴋɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʀᴀᴘs.
"Yes." He doesn't move, but his breaths are heavy. There's a burning in his chest, like he wants to cry, but has forgotten how.
Dylan's standing alone... but reflected in the mirror, there's the skeletal figure standing behind him. Black claws grip Dylan's shoulders in the mirror, his bony face just inches from Dylan's left ear.
Iᴛ ɪs ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴊᴏʙ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅʟᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅs.
"It is my job to thread the needle between worlds." Dylan's tone is just as empty as his expression. It's hard to move. It's hard to think. His brain and his limbs all feel like they're filled with sand. The only coherent thoughts he can form are the words being given to him, and with nothing in his mind to contradict them, they must be true.
Tʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʟᴅ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜ.
"The new and the old are one in me." His eyes twitch as he tries to focus his gaze, and he looks upon the figure in the mirror. The heavy feeling in his body is draining out, and in its place Dylan can feel himself being filled with adoration and reverence. There's no point of origin for it; It's as if the emotions are being poured into him from an outside source as he looks upon his God.
But with nothing in his thoughts to contradict them, they must be true.
The creature shifts in closer, its deep voice a breathy whisper in Dylan's ear.
Aɴᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ, ᴍʏ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ?
"I will spread your thick black limbs upon the world that sleeps," The words — the truth is familiar on his lips, and come to him with a practiced ease. He's said this before, and his heart is thrumming with excitement at the prospect. The truth is etched into his mind, that there is no greater purpose than to spread the abyss in service of his Lord, his Father, his God. "I will do it all for you. I will only rest when we all sing your name: Knull."
The creature strokes Dylan's hair affectionately, gently tracing its claws down the curve of his jaw.
2. Heaven Help Us if He's Anything Like Me (Memory Share - HEARTFELT)
"I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you," the man says, his voice deep but gentle. There's fondness in his voice, and anxiety, and resolve — and those who also hail from Earth-616 may recognize the voice as one Edward Brock. "I promised you. But your connection to the symbiote hive... these nightmares about Knull... We have to figure this out before—"
"Knull gets here," Dylan finishes. He's smaller here, both his size and his voice. "I know. But—"
"Dylan. No 'buts.' I'm sorry, but I'm your father, and this is what we're doing."
"But—"
"Dylan."
The back and forth continues as the two approach a doorway, which opens to reveal the bright lights of New York City at night. They step onto the rooftop, still speaking, until finally the man turns around.
"Listen to me."
Eddie shows his face for the first time in this memory, and he doesn't look a thing like the Eddie Brock here in this world. His face is rugged, with prominent cheekbones and a square jaw, softened a bit by his full, blond beard. He kneels down to Dylan's level, putting his hands on the boy's shoulders.
"I'm scared, okay, bud? I know... I'm not supposed to tell you that. But I am. I'm just—" he takes a moment to fuss with Dylan's hoodie. "I know what it's like to have this... this thing in your head. I do. It's not, fun, and I don't..." He takes a breath, then leans in closer, cupping Dylan's cheek in his hand. "I don't want this for you. I want... everything to be better for you than it was for me." He fusses with Dylan's hoodie again, zipping it up to protect against the biting cold.
"Yes. Okay. Fine." Dylan shifts the weight of his backpack just a bit. "Dad, I'm not scared of going to meet ths guy. That's fine."
"Then... what are you talking about? What are you scared of?"
"This!" Dylan points to the edge of the rooftop, beyond which the horizon sparkles with city life.
Eddie follows Dylan's gaze, then laughs. "Oh, that? Don't worry, bud." The leather jacket begins to shift and squirm, and reveals itself to not be leather at all. Soon it engulfs Eddie, and his size grows even more imposing as he transforms into Venom. He remains kneeling, though, leaning forward a bit and motioning for Dylan to get on his back. "I've got you."
Dylan hops onto Eddie's back, and Venom carefully wraps some tendrils around his middle to hold him tight. Once secure,Venom charges for the edge of the rooftop —
— and leaps over the precipice.
The world around them is a blur as they enter freefall, and Dylan can't hold in his yell. With practiced ease, however, Eddie fires a web at a nearby building, and their trajectory changes from a all to a swing. With a relaxed rhythm that suggested years of experience, Venom and son began to sail through the city, swinging from building to building much like Spider-Man.
And once Dylan's yells quiet (and his stomach settles), he watches the city go by in wide-eyed wonder, letting a smile cross his face as he relaxes a little and just enjoys the ride.
3. Lose Myself Into a Tale (Dreamshare - CREEPY)
In Dylan's hands is a small jar, inside which a tiny sliver of red ooze wiggles like a worm. Dylan can feel its anticipation. It desires freedom. Release it. Free it.
Fʀᴇᴇ ᴜs.
Dylan unscrews the jar and sucks in a shaky breath as he's hit with a rush of adrenaline. The red creature leaps from the jar and scurries up the tree, and Dylan can feel it in his mind, directs it where to go.
It engulfs the raccoon. Limbs. Flesh. Form. His heart is pounding.
The raccoon is screaming. Why is — why is it screaming? "Easy, little guy," Dylan says. "We ain't gonna hurt ya."
The Raccoon's cries continue. Dylan feels a twist in his gut, and considers for a moment that maybe this shouldn't be happening. Before he can finish the thought, it's drowned out by the voice in his mind; The one that's been his constant companion since the Carnage incident.
A sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴘɪᴛᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪᴛ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴘᴀʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ. The voice feels like a soft rumble at the base of Dylan's skull, sending a pleasant chill down his spine. ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪᴠɪʟᴇɢᴇ ᴏғ sᴇʀᴠɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ Gᴏᴅ.
The way the voice rumbles through his mind seems to drive all other thoughts from his head. All he can feel now is adrenaline and adoration. Who wouldn't endure a little pain in service of his God?
The raccoon's screams have long since stopped, and with them went any last shred of doubt. Dylan feels the voice in his head flood his mind with thoughts of power. Of control. Of Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ.
The raccoon stalks down the tree trunk in a decidedly un-raccoon-like way. Its movements are calculated and sinister, and it's taken on a red, sinewy shape that some might recognize as Carnage.
4. With All Our Strength, we Stand Aligned (Dreamshare - TRIUMPHANT)
The city of New York is covered in symbiotes.
It's become a battlefield. Heroes, villains, and creatures of all kinds have converged here to fend off Knull's symbiote army — but with every casualty to Earth's forces, Knull's forces gain numbers.
Into the fray charges a small strike team of A-List Superheroes: Spider-Man. Wolverine. The Invisible Woman.
...and some kid in a hoodie.
Flanked by the others, Dylan is holding his own against the symbiote army. An ooze-covered soldier charges at him; Dylan raises a hand, and the air around him crackles with energy as the soldier is blown backward, the symbiote sizzling off its flesh and dissipating into dust in the air.
Dylan had spent the last hour or so sobbing at his father's deathbed. He may not be an Avenger, but by god, he is gonna 'venge someone today and he has a good target in mind.
Yᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ᴅᴇғᴇᴀᴛ ᴍᴇ, ʙᴏʏ?
Dylan whirls to face the speaker. Though the voice is distorted by symbiote's influence, he's seen enough news broadcasts to recognize it as Captain America. He's wrapped up in black, the colors on his chest smeared with Knull's dragon emblem.
The symbiote-possessed hero stalks toward him, grinning hungrily. Yᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴜs! Wᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴜʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴘʟᴀɴᴇᴛ! With that declaration, Cap hurls his shield at Dylan.
"Sorry, Cap," Dylan raises his arm, and with another fiery crackle the symbiote that covers the world obeys his will. A wall of tendrils shoots up between them, catching the shield and tossing it to Dylan in a less violent fashion. He catches it with ease, and the tendrils sink back into the ground. "I'm gonna need to borrow this."
Captain Symbiote roars and gnashes his teeth, but Dylan just scowls and focuses his power.
"I know you're in there, Knull," Dylan spits, "I know you're connected to Cap."
Cap charges for Dylan.
"I hope you can feel this!" Dark wisps of abyss spill from Dylan's eyes as his power reaches an apex, and he thrusts his palm toward Cap to unleash it. "And I hope it hurts!!"
5. Wildcard
2 Memory Share
Jason recognizes the anxiety and fear the man's having for his son. He's heard it before years ago from Bruce. It's not exactly a happy moment but it's a sign of love and deep care.
Jason turns to the evening cityscape when Dylan and Eddie turn too. He knows it's New York but it reminds him of Gotham.
When Eddie transforms into Venom, Jason's surprised. He doesn't look like the Eddie Brock he met a few months ago. Then Jason's heart jumps when the Brocks make the leap.
Jason follows where they go. Like Eddie, Jason's not afraid. He uses a grappling gun instead of webs but the rhythm and the movements needed to swing from one building to another are similar. It's thrilling to do every time. It's a good moment to watch and making Jason nostalgic for the times he swung with others every night.
When the memory ends, Jason pulls away. It's far from the worst memory dive he's done but it wasn't a planned trip for him or for Dylan]
no subject
Venom starts fading away beneath his grasp. Dylan's eyes start to burn with tears. ]
Not yet... please, not yet.
[ But the city fades into darkness, and the comforting presence in his grasp disappears. There's no fall to the ground, he's simply left in an empty void where his memory had been playing out. He lets out a sob, finally letting himself remember just how much he misses his dad back home. Eddie here is great, but... it's not the same.
He sniffs, rubbing at his eyes, thinking he's alone. ]
no subject
But a bigger part of him wants to do something else.
Jason places a tentative gloved hand on Dylan's shoulder]
no subject
Still, he's looking up at Jason, and he's never felt smaller. ]
I...
[ He can't keep his voice even. He tries to swallow down a sob, and scrubs at his eyes with the base of his palm, trying to look composed. ]
You... weren't supposed to see that.
[ Yeah, the whole 'composure' thing isn't working. Dylan's shaking. ]
no subject
[He means it too. That was so personal to watch]
Seems like this is a side effect to trying to help.
[He gestures at Chaos Gate and the Silent Mystic]
no subject
Yeah. Been running through a few memories already. Feels like I've been in this... [ He gestures broadly ] dream place for years, almost.
But I got to see dad again, at least. Not that I don't like Eddie here, but he's... different, you know?
no subject
He might come close but he's still not exactly the same guy you know and love.
3
Once the newly formed...thing scampered down to the ground, that feeling only grew stronger. So much so that he abandoned any thought of properly introducing himself and instead let his lightsaber handle the introductions. The area around him was immediately bathed in a reddish-orange glow as the blades of his saberstaff ignited, but he wasn't threatening the creature directly just yet. First he'd at least try to figure out just what he was dealing with.
"What the hell is that thing?"
Re: 3
Dylan's gaze turned to Nox, the thousand yard stare becoming more focused as some of the fog started to clear from his mind. "It's... a piece of the Carnage symbiote," he said, not bothering to explain the term. "It listens to me. I can..."
But as he said this, he suddenly wasn't so sure. He remembered how this night went. Why had he... why had he behaved like that?
His brow furrowed as uncertainty crossed his face, and he pinched the bridge of his nose to try and clear the fog. "I... I think?"
There was a sudden jolt in his mind, like the crack of a whip. The carnage-possessed raccoon smiled far too wide, with too many teeth, looking straight at Nox.
5 | Closed to Otto
The room is in chaos as colorfully-costumed individuals clash on either side. The broad details of the battle start to blur together, getting hazy like a dream — After all, this is Dylan's memory; As he ducks behind some of the wreckage for cover, there's only one conflict in the mess he'd been focused on.
Two black-clad figures clash in hand-to-hand combat. The one with long hair and the red emblem across his chest speaks. ]
"It's you, isn't it? Eddie Brock... I've heard so much about you!"
[ He continues talking as he trades blows with Venom, until finally Venom manages to grab the man's mask off, revealing his entire face.
Revealing Dylan's face.
It's not like this is new knowledge. Dylan's known Codex's identity for a while now. But it's one thing to know someone is your alternate self, and another thing entirely to recognize your own features in them. Codex is much older, much bulkier, but Dylan still recognizes his own face — Even when it's twisted with an unfamiliar cruelty. ]
"You can't help but see your little boy... when what you face is a God!"
no subject
Dylan?
[Is that the past one, or the present one? Hard to tell.
He's still got several eyes on the action, so of course he sees the only defined patch of the battle: Eddie and Venom fighting someone or other. When the mask's removed, it takes him several moments longer - and several more actuators turned to the action - to recognize the other man.]
Oh...
[Oh. Oh, that is strange.]
no subject
Sorry you had to see this.
[ He looks back toward the battle between Venom and Codex. ]
I started hearing voices when I was twelve. Well, a voice. Saying a lot of really... cruel things, and pouring ideas into my head.
[ Dylan shifts uncomfortably, turning his gaze to the floor. ]
Looks like he did, too. But... I guess his family didn't catch it early like mine.
no subject
[The memory situation, the evil voice situation - take your pick.
Otto looks down at Dylan for a moment before, with a bit of difficulty and the help of all four actuators, lowering himself to the floor alongside the boy. A couple actuators return to watching the fight; they seem to still be perceiving all of this as a genuine potential threat. But Otto's own focus is elsewhere.]
You don't need to explain anything to me. But if you do want to talk about it, I'll listen. I...do have some experience with things in your head.
no subject
[ He says it flatly. Not sounding like he's relieved or reassured, just... stating a fact. While also sounding kind of tired.
He turns his gaze back up to Otto. ]
What was it like for you?
no subject
Finally, scrubbing a hand down his face, he says:]
When it first began, it was like voices for me too. But I very quickly had trouble distinguishing them from my own thoughts. It was as if I couldn't retain any thoughts or feelings that went against what they wanted - and then I stopped having them at all. The lines were blurry after that.
[He brushes a hand over the back of his neck. Even now, it's hard for him to say what thoughts and actions originated where, after a point. There's a reason he'd started saying we so often instead of I.]
I certainly didn't hold out long at all. I knew what was happening, I just...I couldn't stop it, and then I didn't want to anymore.