aefenglom | 002

Entry tags:

002 | Video

Name: Rich Goranski
Date: Backdated to Oct 14
Format: Video for initial post; various in comments

[Without so much as an introduction, a video plays. It's a little shaky with the recorder's nerves, and occasionally, a long talon partly covers the view of the scene, but it still shows what it needs to quite clearly.

Eventually, even with the struggle still continuing, the camera is turned away from the action, towards Rich. He has to hope what he just got will be enough to get the Coven to actually believe him this time, but right now, he doesn't have time to wait around. Direct action is needed, so he pings the friends he trusted: Michael Mell, Myr, and Niles. The message is still sent to everyone, however, so everyone can view the video and the panic in Rich's eyes when the camera is turned back to him.]

The SQUIP has lost it. It's going full villain again and I need back up. Meet me near the inn, I think it's trying to take Heere there.

[Without an explanation of what entails the SQUIP going full villain or who 'Heere' may be, he continues.]

Everyone else, please stay safe and-[He's cut off by something happening off screen, which makes him swear and stuff his watch into his pocket. There's about a minute more of muffled yelling and darkness before the recording eventually ends.]

~*~

[Hours later, there's another video tacked on to the earlier one, once the mist has finally started to fade away. Rich is back inside, his changes from before calming down enough that he isn't at risk of burning down Justine's whole cottage. He looks tired and worn, a few nasty scrapes on his face, but... there is a sort of relief in his expression, some sort of certainty that, no matter what happens next, he did what was right.]

Hey everyone. Sorry about that... I know I promised to be less of a downer the next time I posted on here, but... shit happens.

I'm just letting everyone know the SQUIP is knocked out. It had been using magic to charm and mind control several people, including someone I was bonded to, Justine, and a friend from home, Jeremy Heere.

Two of the people it was Bonded with, Linden Tailor and Connor, are also unconscious... guess some sort of trauma went through the connection when we stopped it. Since it was actively using mind control magic, I used Mountain Dew Red to deactivate... the part of it that was still a supercomputer, I guess. It should recover fine, and while it's passed out, I'm going to bring the recording to the Coven so they can see I wasn't lying when I told them what it did in my world.

If any of you were being controlled by it, let me know. It got to quite a few people when I saw it, but its powers should have worn off by now. It can be... a little traumatic, though, so my door's open if you wanna talk. Hopefully now that the SQUIP was... de-SQUIPped, somehow, this shouldn't happen again.

[With another tired wave, Rich signs off. He'd love to stay and chat but... he's pretty sure his roommates are still going to need a little more help in the fallout.]

((Everyone is free to respond! Rich will respond when he's done dealing with his roomies, who are likely either a) dealing with mind control withdrawal or b) having panic attacks over the SQUIP. Other players on Team Anti-Bastard Computer Man will also be responding a few hours after the events of the battle, providing information on what went down and vouching that yes, Shit Was Bad.))

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

It did what to who?

[She's fond of Justine. But also...]

Where are Linden and Connor now?

Rich!

[He... isn't sure how to even react, he's still not used to caring about humans, in particular instead of about humanity in general and he definitely cares about Rich. And so he settles for:] What happened?!

It used mind control spells. On a lot of people. It tried to use one on me too, so I know that's what it was doing.

[He feels that there really wasn't any other plan of action when the SQUIP was that powerhungry...]

They're both at their homes. We're trying to make sure they're checked on so they don't end up getting worse. Connor lives nearby, so I've at least been checking on him. I think Myr said he'd take care of Linden.

[She could feel a snarl rise in her throat, and she had to put her Watch down for a few moments. She nearly crushed it in her anger.]

If I get close to it, I can't be certain I can hold myself back. I may crush its fingers and throat.

[Ah, feral anger. Fun fun fun.]

If Myr needs assistance and is far away from it, I may be able to assist with Linden.

Connor likes songs. Singing to him may help.

[Rich is sure to run into Jeremy soon. It would be hard to avoid him, since they live in the same house and Jeremy is adamantly refusing to leave.

When Michael's not there, Jeremy is huddled up in a dark corner with something of Michael's, a shirt or a pillow. He doesn't get up any more than he has to. He's finally out of his blood-stained t-shirt and pants, but he feels uncomfortable and gross in the nicer period clothes Justine's given him.

Jeremy's got a *thing* about letting other people dress him, after all.

He sees the update video and he's proud of Rich. He's really proud of Rich. So after some more Mope Time, Rich gets treated to a Jeremy hovering outside his door, hugging a pillow to his chest and feeling really stupid about letting someone else see it.]

[Rich has certainly seen Jeremy around, but that's about all that's happened so far. He's been careful to give Jeremy space, certain he was intimidated or scared, and Rich definitely didn't want to add to the difficulties Jeremy was already facing.

He'd been glad to at least see Jeremy get a change of clothes, and to accept them. He knows how hard that must have been for the guy, even when it was clear that Justine wouldn't have had any poor intentions. He's proud of him too... so when Jeremy comes to his room, he immediately gets a smile from Rich, even if it's a little more subdued than usual.]

Hey, Jere... didn't know you were awake.

[Justine had already left the room, going about her morning chores, so the two of them would at least be able to talk alone.]

Come on in.

Okay.

[It's hard not to remember what happened the last time he was in Rich's room, but he pushes past it and stands at the end of Rich's bed.]

Thanks. For doing all that for me.

[He'd be a real douche if he didn't say that first thing.]

What the fuck
you okay

[Sorry, Rich, it has been SEVERAL DAYS.... as this was happening, he was busy being a monstrous beast and trying to chomp on people, and then spent the next few just... hiding out by himself and not checking his watch.

So of course it's like three days later as he sees.... all this. And he doesn't even know where to begin on a lot of it, other than:]

so uh
you took care of the brain robot?

[Mello's on the Harbor, making his rounds with the locals for various pieces of information regarding the goings-on with shipments when he catches the video.]

[This is why he hasn't heard from L in a few days.]

Where the fuck is Linden.

[Rich might recognize his voice, might not. Irrelevant. There's an impatient bite to his tone. This isn't what L had told him was their dynamic when he explained the Bond.]

What is Mountain Dew Red?

[Myr sounds worn through when he responds.]

It's not here and I could surely use the help. And a healer; Linden took a bad blow to the head in the fighting. Knocked him out.

[From how bleak Myr's tone is, he knows exactly how bad a brain injury that portends.]

[Who the fuck is asking, Myr wants to respond and doesn't.]

At home, being cared for.

[Oh, please ask. Mello has answers for you.]

That right?

[Amused, offended.]

Don't recognize your voice. You intend on telling what you've got to do with him?

[Flat,] Could ask the same.

Myr Shivana. I'm one of the reasons he's in that state and I intend to fix it.

Linden was knocked unconscious?

[Okay, that's bad. She's already starting to move.]

I'm not a healer, but I know enough to do some assessment. I'm on my way.

Has he regained consciousness? Or vomited?

[Rich sighs and rubs a hand over his face as he turns his audio back on. He... probably should have expected as much from Aziraphale, yes, but he still has a feeling it would be easier if he just kept out of it, since unfortunately, this wasn't a situation that could be solved peacefully.]

It's just what I said. The SQUIP was trying to brainwash people again. My friends from home, too. I didn't have any choice but to fight him off.

[He lets out a soft snort of laughter.]

By the way, I was supposed to tell you, right? Michael's here.

Hey, get in line. I already took things out on it, pretty sure it needs to recover now. Besides, as much as it fucking deserves it, I don't want you getting in trouble.

[He'll... leave the discussion about Linden to Myr. He knows the guy was probably being manipulated, so he deserves to be looked after, but Rich still has some hang ups on the things Linden has deemed appropriate to target him with.]

Thanks. I'll bring my guitar around and play for him next time.

[Rich blinks, a little surprised. What he did doesn't seem like something he deserves any gratitude for. At best, it was just something he had to do, and at worse, it was something he should have taken care of months ago.]

You don't need to thank me for that. I mean... we're supposed to be friends through mutual trauma, right? The least I can do is look out for you. I'm just sorry it got to you...

[He sighs and shifts farther up on the bed, leaving the bottom half free.]

Come sit down. I'm not gonna bite, promise.

[No matter how sharp his teeth are now.]

yeah im fine
been dealing with it since i got here
and years before that
nothing it could do that i havent seen before

just pissed it got to my friends

[Not that that was much of a surprise either, since Jeremy was already one of its hosts.]

[Hiding out is perfectly valid after the mess that was that weird mist. Rich had plenty of things to deal with after the fallout anyways, and not just from the fight with the SQUIP. Others had encountered him before then, after all, when he was still adjusting to his brand spankin' new house-sized dragon form.

He's glad to hear from Shinjiro though, even if the poor guy has no idea what was going on.]

yeah i think so
pretty sure the part of it that was brain robot is gone now
so hopefully he cant go around fucking brainwashing my friends again

[Oh, Jesus. It's that weirdo again.]

Listen, Myr is taking care of it. Frankly, Linden hardly deserves it, but you can trust he's not going to hurt him. And we'll try to make sure the SQUIP doesn't get to Linden anymore.

[...Ah, right. Some people here aren't from modern times. Poor guy.]

soft drink from back in the 80s
got discontinued in my world back in 1989
its the only thing that gets a squip to power down

Ah.

[Jeremy goes where Rich leaves space for him, sitting on the bed with the pillow over his lap.]

You got a lot of people to come. To help.

[He smiles. It's soft and very intentional in that SQUIP-trained way, but that doesn't make it duplicitous.]

Sounds gross. I was hoping it would be a spell or something.

Lucky you could find something discontinued like that here.

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002 | Video

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way later, grandpa doesn't internet

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damn old farts not getting millennials

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