savetheearth | [Video]

[Video]

[Zelos is broadcasting from a messy apartment. Nothing risque, but it's clear whoever lives there is probably more of an "artist" and less of a housekeeper. He did think about doing text, but it seemed kind of pointless trying to hide who he is. Might as well just own up to it all right from the start! If anyone's passingly familiar with celebrities or watches/reads the news they might recognize him as Zelos Wilder, star of the Starlit Stage, a cirque du soleil-esque troupe that operates out of Locke City. Though for some reason he's dyed his hair red from his usual blond ~~but does it look sexier this way is the real question~~.]

So this is some sort of conspiracy network? All very real of course. Don't worry, I know that. I think everyone in the city knows there's something going on right about now even if they don't know what. ...Not that I'm sure everyone who can connect to this thing has any better of an idea.

But there, there. Why be gloomy! How about some introductions? You all know who I am! Or at least you should. But I'm not sure I know any of you. And that's no fun. If you want you can give me a fake persona too and we can be conspiracy friends. Just please, no forty year old men pretending to be cute and available undergrads. I can spot those things a mile away.

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...Oh my god. Zelos? You're part of the numbers club?

Sunshine?! ...When I said I wasn't sure if I knew anyone I didn't mean I wanted to. What are you doing with these jokers?!

I've been with these jokers since July, and I guess now I have another secret to keep from my parents. I didn't ever think I'd run into you again after they basically disowned me.

Why keep it- Wait. They disowned you? [He's so out of the loop! ...Also slightly concerned cause that's not cool.] Well, I promise I won't share your bust size with anyone here.

[That's uh a reassurance, right?]

But do you think this is something you should be involved with? Getting linked to this stuff will earn you more than a slap on the wrist.

Thanks, Zelos. You're a real gentleman.

[once the humor returns from being completely sucked out of her voice, she continues.]

They're not really that proud of me for going into mortuary science instead of getting a B.S. in Looking Good on Resumes. But I figure as long as I stay behind the scenes enough, it won't affect me too much. Unless I have to charge into the frontlines.

That's me. You have met my old man. [Cold, formal, not enough blood in his body to even bleed in Zelos's opinion, yep.] I like to think I'm improving the gene pool.

...But really. Have you even thought about what this might do to your parents if you're connected? You know they'd be implicated as well, right. There'd definitely be an investigation.

[H-he's caring here. Really. He just sucks at wording it properly.]

I've thought about it a few times. Especially with some of my more recent echoes, the kind that make it a little harder for me to keep myself behind the scenes. I... should be okay. [she looks visibly uncomfortable at the "should" bit, though.]

Unless people start turning up dead for no reason, I don't think I'll be implicated with anything. And if they do, the city morgue would be under more suspicion than a private practice. Probably. I think that's all I can really do on my end to keep myself and my parents out of trouble, is just hope that nobody on our side goes evil.

Wow, this is some really heavy stuff to be bringing up for the first time I've seen you in years.

Tell me about it. Well as they say, 'I didn't ask for this', etcetera, etcetera. [He waves his hand a little dismissively. Conspiracies are a real inconvenience!] If it makes you feel any better I can pretend we're at another boring party and ask if you want to make a 'business connection' in the coat check. As I recall you turned me down the last time I asked ♪.

[Like, ten years ago, but who's counting?]

Oh my god, you haven't changed at all. [she's having trouble deciding whether she wants to laugh or blush.]

Looks like I have to turn you down again, though. I'm not that into redheads. They remind me of this one dude who never stopped hitting on me.

Owch! Talk about harsh. Well at least I know whenever you see red you'll think of me~. [He sounds so happy, wouldn't it be nice if she were next to him so she could hit him?] So. You never said what you've been getting from all this. Find out you were an amazon in your past life?

Amazon? Nah. I'm thinking superhero. Much less cool, but at least I don't have to learn how to fletch. How about you? Does the carpet naturally match the drapes now, or is it one of the most convincing dye jobs I've ever seen? [yes, she knows exactly what she's opening herself up for.]

Hey, hey! You should know I'm good at everything I do. But if you want to find out personally I won't say no. I've never had it, but some of the others in the troupe tell me angry sex is pretty damn amazing. We could find out together!

[Let it never be said he fails to deliver!]

You know, Zelos, we could. We really could. And while we're busting myths, let's see if the human groin is meant to withstand a punch from a boulder.

[after a moment of concentration, she "flexes" her right arm to reveal that it's slate grey and apparently made of stone. she is, of course, flipping him off with it.]

[He visibly pulls back because. What the hell.]

What the hell- [See? Though he does at least have the sense of mind to cover his expression.] Shit. Hasn't anyone ever told you to ease the newbies in gently?!

[...OK he has no grounds to complain on, but he's going to do it anyway. He wasn't ready for that.]

I thought you said you were a superhero!

How do you think I felt when I woke up one day and my arm was made of stone?

[at this point, though, she's kind of used to that reaction and doesn't spend a lot of time picking it apart. it got him to shut up about banging her, at least!]

Past-life me was a superhero. I'm just your average everyday woman of science slash mortician. Don't worry, though, I don't actually make a habit of punching people in the groin. Unless they're really asking for it.

I mean literally coming up to me on the street and saying "hi, Brooke, please punch me in the groin".

I'll keep it on my list of things to never ask you casually. I'll save it for my midlife crisis masochistic streak at least.

[He drops his hand now that he's composed his expression to something less, you know, insultingly freaked out.]

Do all of you just put up with this?

More or less, yeah. I've got it on the easier side, if you believe that. One guy's eyes exploded, if I remember right.

Wonder where that guy's been lately, anyway. Huh.

Are you serious?!

[How can you be so casual he is going to have a heart attack over here.]

Zelos, I woke up and I couldn't move or feel my arm, then I got a cast put on it, then I got the cast taken off and stone was pumping through my veins like blood.

[it's no excuse for how casual she sounds about the entire thing, but she's not trying to make excuses; she's just trying to explain it.]

You should really count yourself lucky all you've got going on is the fire crotch.

Haha, very funny. [No it's not and there is a marked pause.] I had to have my date bleed half to death on me to get this.

[He hopes she feels suitably crappy now.]

It just sucks. Having to hide on this stupid network when there's probably doctors who could help with this. You know, if the police weren't out to kill everyone. I feel like I'm in a sci-fi novel. And not a good one either.

Edited 2013-10-31 23:28 (UTC)

[and like she never existed, happy fun-time wisecracking Brooke is gone, replaced by the drastically different (and maybe a little uncharacteristic from what he remembers) apologetic Brooke.]

Oh. Oh, crap. I'm so sorry, Zelos, I had no idea.

[she takes a second and composes herself, and she looks a little less... self-loathful when she does.]

We have a clinic, you know. Specifically for people who can't go to normal doctors. It's in the... it was in the Dead District. I don't know if it's still there after what happened.

[...Well that's concerning. And almost immediately he feels bad too. Taking his frustrations out on other people isn't going to get anyone anything.]

...It was my own fault, don't worry about it. Sorry for the bad attitude. Since when do you apologize anyway? I'm not sure I'm ready for this new side of you ♪.

[Bad jokes make everything better.]

But thanks. I'll...keep an eye out for what happened with that. If I start turning into a two-headed hell beast at least there's some hope. ...Kind of. Maybe.

Let's keep Cerberus in mythology where he belongs, huh?

[that's to say nothing of the actual hellhounds that might be on patrol with the cops. though it was dark and it could've just been a really big police dog. yeah, that's probably what it was.]

Anyway. The apologetic stuff. One of my first echoes was... I'm calling it space depression, but it's not really depression and it's definitely not from space. It's like this... I don't know. Weird sense of self-doubt that I can't ever totally shake. It's been messing with me since I got it.

And here I'd thought you'd just grown as a person. But that's a little rough. Do you think once you...ah, "remember" more it'll go away?

I have no idea. I don't know if anyone really knows how these things work down to that much detail. I hope so. It'd be nice not to worry about not feeling like going into work one day and wondering if I should call in past-self sick.

[still, she lets out a tiny smirk.]

I did grow as a person, though. My heart grew three sizes. ...Not really, that's just a reference.

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