01 [TEXT]

[hornrims]

[The habit of staying in hiding runs deep, and Richie is uncomfortable with broadcasting his face or voice over the network. In general he doesn't like the idea of the network but now he's getting desperate. It's been nearly a month that he's been here and still no sign of his brother. He had been standing right next to Seth before this. It didn't make sense.]

Right before you came here, were you with anyone? Did any of them come with you?

Has anyone been here a while before someone you knew turned up? How long did that take?

Comments

[wormintheglass]

[She doesn't laugh aloud again, but Bianca sits up at this, her eyes gleaming.]

Well, that narrows it down enormously, I'm sure. Are we playing Twenty Questions, now? Let's see. You sound human. Are you?

[hornrims]

How can you even sound human? And I didn't agree to anything.

[wormintheglass]

Syntax, dearheart. How you use the language you're typing in. And you sound surprised - so if I'm right, you're from an Earth before first contact, yes?

Am I getting warm?

[hornrims]

Stop with the dearheart thing already. You sound like a conspiracy theorist.

[wormintheglass]

Then give me a name, dear child. I am Bianca.

[hornrims]

Richie.

[wormintheglass]

There! Was that so hard?

It's good to meet you, Richie. I hope very much you find the person you miss. It may not be very fair to them to hope they come here.

[hornrims]

Do you always get your rocks off guilt-tripping people or do you just go for being a general pain in the ass?

[wormintheglass]

[Both.]

Me? The last thing I want anyone to feel is guilt, Richie dear. Being alone is desperately hard.

[hornrims]

You don't know shit about what I'm thinking or feeling so stop acting like you do.

[wormintheglass]

When someone who very much wants to stay unseen makes a public broadcast, asking such a pointed question?

It's not exactly difficult to divine their motivation, darling.

[hornrims]

Do you want to die?

[wormintheglass]

Not especially. I was merely showing concern for another being in need, Richie. I'm very sorry you find that so upsetting.

[text | private to Bianca]

[hornrims]

Yeah, that's not an apology.

You know what someone so upset like me needs? A release. To let go of the stupid trappings of society and act on instinct. Living beings weren't meant to preen and call attention to their dressed up faces through video. You should see what you look like without any of that: with your skin ripped off your face and the muscles underneath exposed. I can already hear the sound your neck makes as it's snapped in half. When the head of your corpse looks upon itself in the mirror you can watch your own eyes get torn from your skull, left to dangle by nerves no longer raw.

[private]

[wormintheglass]

You talk as though I'd never seen a flaying or dismemberment before, Richie dear. But it's so sweet of you to think of me!

This all sounds a little on the energetic side, though. I don't like to think of putting you to all that trouble. Would a real apology help?

[private]

[hornrims]

Fuck your apology.

[private]

[wormintheglass]

[She laughs softly.]

I do like a man with the courage of his convictions.