firewalled: (Making peace with the enevmy)
Rich Goranski ([personal profile] firewalled) wrote in [community profile] aefenglom2019-09-01 02:55 pm

001 | Video

Name: Rich Goranski
Date: September 2
Format: Video

[The face that fills the screen is notable for a lot of reasons. For those who haven't met Rich, the harsh red scars covering his face, neck, and shoulders are certainly different. Scales are starting to pepper the skin like freckles, but it still doesn't do much to hide the damage. Nor does it distract from how emotional Rich looks. As much as he tries to keep his expression even, there's tension in his jaw, a slight furrow in his brow, and his eyes look slightly red.

He offers a weak smile and a wave to the camera, before taking a deep breath in and out. Apparently this is going to be difficult for him.]


Hey everyone. If you don't know me, I'm Rich Goranski. I got here last month, so... yeah. Anyways, I'm not here to break the ice or anything. I... need to tell everyone about some stuff, and I've been kind of meaning to do this for days and I just didn't know how. Anyways. I just wanted to warn you.

There's this guy you might have met. Looks like some handsome Japanese model, and he's got two different coloured eyes? I can send a picture if you don't know what I'm talking about. He's called the SQUIP. Or well, I don't know if that's what it calls itself here. It fucking introduced itself as Gregward to me, but... I think that's because we have a history. We're from the same place, and if what he did to me and my friends is any indication, he's probably going to really hurt someone here. He's already got his claws in some people and I just... don't want anyone else to go through that.

[He takes a moment to nibble on his lip and then look back at the camera, as if he's found some new source of bravery.]

Back home, the SQUIP -uh, Super Quantum Unit Intel... Processor- [He counts them off on his fingers as he attempts to remember the acronym.] It wasn't human. It was actually this pill sized supercomputer that you could take? It'd get up into your head and implant in your brain and then it was... basically supposed to help make you cooler. Or at least, that's what they said when I bought one. I got one back as a freshman and I... I mean, I guess it's kind of obvious that it fucked me up.

It doesn't really have any concerns about hurting people to get what it wants. It'd electrocute me if I didn't do or say the right thing. It put me on this really messed up work out plan and I built up way too much muscle way too quickly. I've got a bunch of stretch marks to prove it. And if you argued with it long enough, it wasn't afraid to just... take over your whole body. The last few months I had the thing, I wasn't even ever myself anymore... I just had to watch myself do all this shit that I'd never, ever want to do. Like selling them to other kids.

And it could get in your head. It would take away senses or give you weird hallucinations to make sure you didn't think about resisting. A friend of mine... Jeremy, he actually had his best friend erased from his vision so he couldn't even see him? I think he called it optic nerve blocking.

It finds other ways to manipulate you too. It's really charming at first, and it knows how to find and pick at every little insecurity you have. It'll use anything. Any memory, any good thought... I uh. When it wanted me to listen, it would take on the appearance of my mom. I hadn't seen her since I was little and I didn't want to lose that again. Even if she was saying things she'd never say... I couldn't make her hurt again.

[His voice cracks on the last few words, and he tries to cover it up by clearing his throat, taking a deep breath again.]

Anyways, its main goal wasn't actually to help us, if that wasn't obvious. It made me stock up on a bunch of the pills to try to slip them into everyone's drinks. It got Jeremy on board when I... uh, ducked out, to put it nicely.

It just wanted to spread to as many people as possible. It was trying to make this like, hivemind sort of thing. Called it a social network. Where no one had to hurt anymore. But it... it fucked with people until they don't know who they are anymore. Jeremy's SQUIP - I think that's the one that's here right now - it synced with me, and it made me go from being annoyed by Jeremy to just completely being his best friend. I couldn't think anything negative about him. And it did the same to a bunch of other people. It erased everything about them... practically made them zombies. I'm lucky there was someone who knew how to get rid of them. I... eventually tried burning mine out, but it didn't go as planned.

Anyways, the important thing is that the SQUIP is dangerous. There isn't a single person in my world who had a good experience with one, and even if it can't implant in people's brains now, it's still trying to hurt them. There's this guy he's hanging around with that he must have adopted as some new fucking project. And in that weird dream world, with that whole... monsters being slaves thing? It bought me. Me and one of my friends here, Connor. It tried to act like it wasn't going to do anything but it kept giving me orders and tried to get me to hide the truth from Connor. And then I don't know what it did to him... I think it must have cast some spell on him or something to make him agree more. It's a manipulative, abusive asshole. And I don't want it getting to anyone here... so that's why I had to tell everyone all this.

[He tries for a smile again, but it's too forced. He can feel a lump in his throat that signals to him he'd better end this fast.]

Anyways, that's about all I've gotta say. If you have any questions, let me know. I've got the receipts, I guess you'd call it. That's what they call 'em when you call someone out, right? Whatever. Thanks for listening. Hopefully next time I won't be such a fucking downer.

And uh, if there're any witches who're listening and know spells to like... conjure up something? Let me know. I might need a little favour.

[Rich gives a salute and ends the recording. His responses may be slow, but he just needs a minute to breathe normally again.]
hearthebell: (I hope I become a ghost)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-13 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
You can still stop.
hearthebell: (I crashed before the birth of Christ)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-14 07:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Again...

...you can still stop.
faithlikeaseed: (blind - :J)

[personal profile] faithlikeaseed 2019-09-14 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Do I need to hunt you both down and throw your watches out the window?

[There. Now neither of them gets the last word.]
hearthebell: (I crashed before the birth of Christ)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Your Honor, the record indicates that for the last six exchanges this has been my counsel all along. Sometimes the right to remain silent is a mercy, after all.

[No. He's. Not.]
fromjapan: (Default)

over the bond, this doesn't exist

[personal profile] fromjapan 2019-09-15 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Have you considered taking your own advice, Linden?

[Overhearing this argument was funny, at first. Now it's just starting to get annoyed. L is acting like a child in public, and this is not gonna look good for him politically.]
hearthebell: (Where's your famous golden touch?)

over the Bond

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Come on. Considering the buttons I could be pushing, that he's outlined a psychological roadmap for how to exploit with the most ease and resulting devastation, I'm showing a tremendous amount of restraint.

Also, he started it.
fromjapan: (what do you need me for)

over the Bond

[personal profile] fromjapan 2019-09-15 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Regardless of who started it, you're the elder here, and one who claims to want a position in Parliament. Arguing with a teenager on the internet is not a good look for someone desiring a public position of power.
hearthebell: (Where's your famous golden touch?)

over the Bond

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 04:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Whether or not he's a dragon, I could crush him. Considering what he's implying he wants to do to you, maybe realizing that would neutralize his intent and actually protect him from my retaliation.

See? I care about the little children.
fromjapan: (you're a bitch in every one)

over the Bond

[personal profile] fromjapan 2019-09-15 04:48 pm (UTC)(link)
It's going to take more than insulting him on a message board to make him realize your power, Linden.
hearthebell: (I've got thick skin and an elastic heart)

over the Bond

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
My impression is that it takes a lot to make him realize much at all.
fromjapan: (a world of suffering people)

over the Bond

[personal profile] fromjapan 2019-09-15 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
I have to assume that's why his SQUIP felt pushed to such... extreme measures. He'd become increasingly... difficult over his time with it, if my contact with his SQUIP is any indication, so it makes sense that things would only worsen over time.
hearthebell: (Everybody knows the dice are loaded)

over the Bond

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
That's what he gets for setting unrealistic goals for himself and asking a computer to deliver results.

Because machines do deliver results. Do you think he'd be able to tell you what "algorithm" means if a quotable animated film was made on the subject over a decade ago?
fromjapan: (a learning machine)

[personal profile] fromjapan 2019-09-15 07:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Unlikely, Rich tends to have a hard time remembering what he calls the "boring parts." Which was, generally speaking, anything of real educational value.
hearthebell: (I only want to hear the angels laugh)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
He sort of retained that bit about the laws of aviation and bees, but unfortunately that isn't even factual. I was going to tell him about the principles of lift, weight, drag and thrust, but I'm pretty sure he would have assumed I was talking about bodybuilding.
Edited 2019-09-15 19:51 (UTC)
fromjapan: (what do you need me for)

[personal profile] fromjapan 2019-09-15 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
He only remembers that because he's copied and pasted it onto so many social media posts. And it's never really benefited him in any real way, besides getting a kick out of trolling others.
hearthebell: (Go ask Alice when she's 10 feet tall)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 08:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't understand trolling. I thought the point of it was to cripple someone emotionally, not to just waste their time while also looking stupid. What's the point if you're not truly gaining a tangible upper hand and making them even more vulnerable and unstable to the point where they lash out and give you a chance to move in for a fatal blow?
fromjapan: (you're a bitch in every one)

[personal profile] fromjapan 2019-09-15 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Teenagers often engage in trolling just for their own amusement. Making someone angry over nothing just so that you can laugh at them for being so upset.
hearthebell: will credit if found (Let's not talk of love or chains)

[personal profile] hearthebell 2019-09-15 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
He'd have to work harder than he probably ever has to actually make me angry.

Wanting to win is not the same thing.
faithlikeaseed: (blind - :T)

[personal profile] faithlikeaseed 2019-09-15 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
If I were mother or judge to either of you, you'd both be confined to quarters by now. Leave off, children.