[Video]

[espigeonage]

[You're treated to an unsteady, sort of skewed moving view of the inside of the apartment Julien shares with his sister. Visible mostly are the floor, the lower edges of walls and furnishings, and his legs and bare feet as he walks nervously through, but it's decent enough. Not entirely neat but clean, at least. To human eyes. He sounds... well, he's gotten so good at sounding normal, but right now Julien's talking with two nearly-identical harmonizing voices and a sort of flange, and doesn't sound good.]

Is this even working? Shit. I don't - it looks sort of like home but this doesn't make any sense, why is - what - dyes? Ugh, god, look at this. I don't... look, what is even with that! [It's a laundry basket full of haphazardly stacked clothes. Looks totally normal.] Even my hands, that's so gross. [There's a flash of one of them. Clean, with trimmed fingernails.]

That's her handwriting. [A note in blue pen on the kitchen table, saying did the headache pass? he might be sick if he's sleeping in this late and don't you dare try to tough it out, saying she took Valerie to the daycare, and go the other way if he meets sootballs again.] Pens don't come in that... color. Nothing is that color. Shit. Am I even... in Kansas anymore?

[The view starts to turn but stops on a shot that includes the window. Blue midmorning sky, barely a cloud in sight, but his phone trembles and he sounds even worse.]

Oh my god.

Oh god.

- I can't stay here.

[So yeah! Bird vision: not like ours. If the game was a series and people RPed him, this would be used as proof that he doesn't react well stuck in jamjars.]

Comments

voice

[angelskills]

[ Someone is as worried as hell ]

Julien-?

[espigeonage]

C-colette? I... It looks like the sky's on fire.

[angelskills]

It's me! Yes, it's me.

They sky -- it looks normal to me. Is your vision..?

[ Oh Jesus, this poor man. Another terrible physical ailment? He can't catch a break. ]

[espigeonage]

_That's what I keep hearing! But there's just this - rippling, and the stars are out but the sun is right ^there!

[angelskills]

Stars? The sun?

Oh... where are you right now?

[espigeonage]

It would be ^very pretty if it wasn't just- if it was a picture or something!

Home. The stairwell. The lights are _flickering, they didn't used to do that.

[angelskills]

Are you alone? Is there anyone there with you?

[ Because she's gonna come over, somehow, if he is!! ]

[espigeonage]

Yeah but - Strider's coming. _{Maybe he-} I hope - I'd better be able to recognize him.

[angelskills]

All right. I... Just -- let me know if I can help, okay..?

[espigeonage]

[There's an anguished vibration to his voice.]

Later? May^be? People don't, don't look human anymore.

[angelskills]

[ She wants to ask, how do they look? But... but that doesn't seem right. What else can she do..? Damn it. ]

Just hold on, Julien. It'll be all right.

[espigeonage]

I... I'll get used to it. I will. _{I hope.}

[angelskills]

Let me know when you're all settled, okay? I'll come see you.

[espigeonage]

Okay.

[There won't actually be anything until later in the day.]

[angelskills]

[ SHE WILL WAIT BY THE PHONE... :( ]

[espigeonage]

Hey. I know I was pretty upset, before.

[angelskills]

[ !!! ]

Oh-! How are you now? Are you all right?

[espigeonage]

Better than I was. Sorry for worrying you. I think I should name some of the colors... the big, basic ones, anyway. So I can actually have words and describe them.

[angelskills]

Don't apologize for that.

So your vision has stayed the same?

[espigeonage]

[Breathy exhale that might have been his laugh.] All right.

Hasn't gone back to normal, if that's what you mean. It's just... intense. My sister's going to get back in a couple hours. ...I'm probably not going to react well.

[angelskills]

Do you want some company until then?

[espigeonage]

If you can put up with me. Haha... Still not at my best.

[angelskills]

[ There's a soft laugh from her end. ]

Of course I can. Anytime.

[espigeonage]

Well... you know where I live? It's - [yeah apartment in a halfway decent part of town. On the shabby side a little but clean.]

I can let you in. Um... the apartment was clean yesterday...

[angelskills]

Please don't worry about that! And I'll find it. I won't be long, okay?