008 [Video]

[thechoiceisyours]

[Chris smiles and gives a small wave at the camera when the feed starts, then turns his hand to show Hope's blessing on the back of it.]

So uh, who else got one? And are they all from Hope, or...?

[This is so cool you guys he wants to see who else got what. And for something else slightly less important by still cool--]

Oh, also, my iPhone was up and working for a bit thanks to Pell, and I managed to get some music off it. I'll share on the condition no one makes fun of my taste.

[The last comment is a joke--he's really not going to be too hurt by jabs about his choice in music--but the offer is serious, and attached is a download of the music he's copied off so far. It's kind of a slow process, so there's still more on the phone that he can transfer later.]

Comments

[ushahin]

Sometime in the Fifth Age of Man.

[He'd lost track of the actual year sometime ago. When he'd hit about eight-hundred, the years had all started blurring together.]

Yes. The voices I hear drive out everything else until I can barely hear anything at all.

[While it might seem like he's crazy (and to an extent he is), what he's actually talking about is what he picks up from people's minds. Still doesn't make him sound any saner.]

[thechoiceisyours]

Okay, gonna guess that uh... Our worlds are at least sort of different because I don't really know what that means.

[Not a huge surprise, though. That last response, on the other hand, is... Slightly worrying.]

Is um... Is that normal?

[Because most of the time hearing voices is not normal, and is a major reason to worry.]

[ushahin]

For me, yes.

[Ushahin has gotten used to never being entirely by himself in his head. After a moment's pause, he seems to register Chris' discomfort.]

However, if it were you, I would worry you had gone mad.

[He smiles at his own private joke.]

[thechoiceisyours]

[Yeah, Chris is a little concerned at this point, but probably for different reasons than most people. His--former?--best friend has a serious mental illness and so Chris is pretty used to the idea but he also knows how bad things can get, and is never entirely sure the right thing to do to help if helping is even necessary or wanted.]

And music um... Makes things better?

[ushahin]

[Ushahin isn't too bad off, just a little out of touch with reality most of the time. His powers are fueled by his pain and his madness both. When the latter gets extremely bad, it's much more noticeable.]

Yes. It is something to focus on and drown out the other noises. Perfect silence may not be achieved, but it is a close substitute.

[thechoiceisyours]

Okay, well, that's good then. I'll see what else I can get off my phone too, so you're not stuck listening to the same set over and over.

[That's a simple enough thing he can try to do, and will benefit a lot of people too.]

[ushahin]

That is kind. Thank you, Chris.

[Ushahin is so unused to people being nice to him that he always remembers kindnesses done, whether they are big or small. As for how he knows Chris' name without being told, well, how does Ushahin know anything? He hears things in the minds of people.]

[thechoiceisyours]

It's no problem, really.

[He means it, and offers a small smile; Chris doesn't think twice about Ushahin knowing his name either, considering how long he's been here and how many times he's broadcasted to the network. He's picked up several peoples' names without ever speaking to them before himself.]