aefenglom | 002

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.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A huff of a laugh.]

Ordinarily, so'd I, but that took some explaining at the shop--so silence runes it is.

Since the fight--hours, at least. [He'd lost track of time himself, and that worries him.] No change and no stirring. Hasn't vomited, though, and he's not--

[--he doesn't have the words for decorticate posturing but he's obviously seen it, from what he does with his arms to mimic it.] --seized up like that.

That's hopeful--right?

Runes. Maybe I should have taken classes just to understand what they were talking about.

[She would have huffed a laugh normally but...she was busy checking his eyes, carefully, by pulling back a lid, and seeing if there was dilation or any changes when a Watch light was slowly waved in front of it.]

You mean decorticate posturing? No, he isn't doing that but...

The fact that he hasn't woken up isn't good. Usually when someone falls unconscious, it's in short intervals.

I don't like the feeling of his ribs either. If Newt doesn't come, or doesn't feel confident enough, we need to take him to the Coven. He could have internal injuries that I can't find without the correct resources.

That's what it's called? [You learn something new every day. Whether this is the thing Myr wanted to learn today, well...

He loses a little of what hope he'd tried to muster as Caren mentions that, murmuring,] No, the longer they stay out, the worse it is, isn't it.

[There's no more point in lying to himself than there would be to anyone else, even if everything in him wants to shy away from the idea of Linden withering away slowly in a coma.

He'd done that. Whichever way it came out--] --I've some hope it's not all--the blow to the head; the demon's other Bonded collapsed when it did.

[Maybe that meant something.]

Right. I've sent word to him already; we'll find out soon, I imagine, if he will or no. Thank you for your help in this, too. [There's an outsized gratitude in Myr's tone; if it weren't already clear, this is painfully personal to him.]

Mm, that's the medical term for it in my world.

[There are likely other terms for it of course. Like the near dead cringe or something. But more seriously she draws back, her expression troubled.]

It's possible it has to do with the Bond, but I don't know. I don't know enough to be certain- only a healer could know for sure. Newt may even have an idea, perhaps.

[But no promises. She shakes her head, wings rustling.]

I've done very little. But you're welcome nonetheless.

Now- it's best for you to strip so I can observe the extent of your injuries.

[Back home, Myr'd been very little of a healer himself, even if it was well within Creation's ambit. Something about the magic had been beyond his grasp to begin with and he'd given it up for frustration--

Now he wishes both that he hadn't and whatever translation process had yanked him through the mirrors had left him still a mage, and not horribly helpless.

(There were parts of healing that could be done without magic. Maybe he ought to investigate that more.)]

Right--well. Right, [because he's truly out of things to say, here, without beginning to tread the short spiral path into despair. So--let him be distracted by her request instead.]

I'll just-- [You didn't learn much of body-shyness in a Circle, and Myr has very few compunctions about doing exactly as Caren's asked--once he's felt his way over to a nearby chair where he can place his borrowed clothes once he's folded them. Soon enough he's entirely naked--it's hard to borrow underwear on short notice when you've suddenly grown a tail--with the burns fully visible: His right shoulder's entirely a mess under the pale fur covering it, which is weirdly unburned; burns and blistering wind up around that arm from fingers to elbow, and his entire right flank is reddened like he'd fallen asleep in the sun, the fur there singed and patchy.

Someone did a number on him (or, really, he did a number on himself).]

Edited 2019-11-01 04:26 (UTC)

[Some people could, some people couldn't. But there were other things one could do but-they could do what they could do. Like Caren and her knowledge, and Myr with his empathy and care for Linden.]

Mm.

[Oh, he didn't go behind a screen or anything. She was mildly curious, but that was gone quickly enough as she looked him over, and started to move around. Now it started to smell like...burnt skin. But not burnt fur which was really particular. She had no idea how that was possible.]

You really did something stupid with the barrier. You're covered in second and first degree burns; you're lucky there's no third degree.

Least, that I can see for right now. Have you cleaned yourself? Or run water over your burns?

On me for falling back to the stupid plan after my smart one failed, [Myr replies ruefully, owing his own idiocy. It hadn't been smart, but it had felt necessary to the moment. And, ultimately, it had worked and he'd survived and--

and Linden might not have, but don't think too hard on that. There are other healers, there's the Coven's resurrection, there are things that can be done to fix what had gone wrong. There had to be.

He takes a slow breath in, wincing at what that does to his burns, and shakes his head to Caren's question.]

Hadn't had time. Wanted him inside in case someone feral and roving came along. [And then he'd just...been idling at Linden's bedside, fretting, instead of looking after himself. Maker, Philomela was right, he is a liability.] And I'd wanted to be here in case something...changed.

[A pause, as he marshals himself, shoving self-recrimination along with worry back in the boxes they belong.] If you've time to watch him, Sister, I'll...attend to that.

[She huffed quietly, feeling her tail twitch in annoyance. She understood, and she was still a little bit...well, she was restraining herself well so far, but she would have to leave once Newt came. She might need to run out and outside of the city for a little while.]

Foolishness. If he was stable, then you needed to assess yourself. You could have used a bowl of water and a wet cloth on yourself with room temperature water.

Yes, it is good you brought him in-there have been problems with ferals tonight. Once you've cleaned up, I'll guard the house. Then you can rest- on the floor if need be, watching him as you desire.

You can relax. Nothing will get by me.

[Well. An illusion or a charm but no one is going that subtle tonight.]

002 | Video

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i apologize that myr is utterly shameless and just Does This

it's fine she can be just as shameless

them pants tho,

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