snowblindrpg | [network] @claytonator; DON'T PANIC; day 014, late afternoon [open]

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[network] @claytonator; DON'T PANIC; day 014, late afternoon [open]

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[It's a few hours before lockout when the paranoia starts hitting Clayton hardest. He's had a sneaking suspicion that he knows what's going on as soon as the singing started; the presence in the back of his mind is alarming but manageable, but if It's affecting multiple people, if they're all feeling It, like he suspects they are, then It's so much more serious than he could have ever prepared for. He's never felt such a strong mind before. It will overwhelm them. And he doesn't even have his powers to fight back.]

[The headache is too bad for Clayton to do his usual video post, so instead he buries his face in his coat and types nearly blind. It's important enough to risk the pain.]

we are currently under mental attack

try to focus and stay calm it will help sure up your mental defenses

DO NOT GO TO SLEEP

if you're with someone and they start acting like they're possessed, call me

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[ Steph isn't having paranoia, but she is hallucinating and in a lot of pain. The two are plenty to put her in a foul mood, and in a foul mood Steph is typically angry.

Steph is angry. She barely managed to speak in a hushed voice so her companions don't freak out. ]

This is the opposite of helpful.

[Biting, bitter, unbelievably exhausted sarcasm.]

Yes, because a lack of sleep on top of everything else will lead to a calm state of mind.

[Remember when she sounded polite and sweet? She doesn't either.]

What do you even intend to do?

Mental attack? Like by robots or something?

[Quark's paranoia hasn't grown nearly as as bad as his headache has, and it's more than a chore to focus on the message that's already on the screen, let alone responding to it by writing his own. Still, it's a easier distraction than yanking fistfuls of his hair and scratching frantically at his temples to relieve the pain, if not as seemingly effective.

Alone, having sealed himself in the most snug corner of the house's living room that he could find (one that gives him a good view of the front door), Quark hadn't been feeling too panicked. Unfortunately, the more he thinks about the warning on the tablet, the more his heart begins to race.]

if we do fall asleep will we get our brains hijacked?

[He didn't want to become a brainwashed robot slave! He liked being conscious! At least, he liked being conscious when he didn't feel like his head was being squeezed tighter and tighter with each passing second.]

[ The paranoia has long since set in, the overwhelming feeling that someone knows all of the terrible things she's done coming over her. Maybe Tim was right; maybe she's dead, and this is the afterlife. And now she's paying for her sins.

Normally, Clarke would be an emphatic supporter of staying calm, but not today. Not while she can feel It poking around in the darkest parts of her brain. ]

Staying complacent isn't going to make this stop.

[Snap Clayton into a Slim Jim, Steph.

WHENEVER YOUR VIDEO CHAT IS DONE......She's grimacing through her own pain, tears beading at the corners of her eyes but refusing to fall, fingers trembling as they curl into the collar of her coat and shirt.]

Stephanie-san, please.....please come here.

[Her voice is colored with fear and anger that's under control, but barely.]

What do you want?

[ She snaps before thinking, and immediately feels bad for it. But she's seeing fire, and it isn't the warm comfortable kind. It reminds her of friends she's gotten killed.

She does go to Mami's side, though. ]

How you holding up?

[She doesn't flinch. What's one more twist of the knife? She's hallucinating too, seeing teeth instead of flames. Her fault, all her fault, always her fault.]

A mark. Is there a mark on me? Like what I told you about.

[Her fingers yank fabric down to expose her neck. There is, of course, no such thing.]

Kill me if there is. I don't want to be a puppet. I don't want to end up hurting you.

[ Her lip twitches in another twinge of anger. She doesn't understand, and she doesn't like not understanding. But she peers at the spot on the girl's neck anyway. ]

Nothing. I'm not in the mood to be killing anyone anyway.

[ Just. Well. Metaphorically. It wouldn't be Mami's first time. ]

[A low hiss of what might be relief, some of the tears finally spilling over. Her face is abruptly hidden in her sleeve. She had already checked her arms, legs, anywhere she could reach in a discreet manner. Maybe it's not a Witch's kiss after all?]

All right. That's.....thank you.

[And then comes the shame, the anger at herself for slipping and saying things she shouldn't, she knows she can't afford to look weak. But she's just so afraid. She's always been afraid.

Which is why she's taking a fragile hold of Stephanie's arm, if allowed.]

[ The tears make most of Steph's anger melt away, and when Mami takes her arm she kneels so that it's more comfortable. ]

You're okay, Mami. It's happening to everyone, it looks like. We're both okay.

Will sleeping not help?

( She'd understand if he couldn't sleep - Franziska has a high pain tolerance, but this is testing her threshold - but a warning to not do so speaks for a different, underlying cause. )

what do you mean by possessed
how much do you know

how do we make it stop? i think someone's watching me -- when i'm walking i see this thing ahead. like a person, but they're always there, just that distance away. i... i can't tell who it is.

[ he really should just stop for the day, find a place to hunker down and relax, but the creeping, terrifying sensation that someone else is watching him? hard to shake. ]

something's possessing people?

Edited 2015-07-13 16:39 (UTC)

[ Did you have to say the P-word, Clayton? Like her paranoia wasn't bad enough. ]

Do you mean possessed by demons? Are there demons here?

is it happening to you too
I'm sorry I shouldn't have come back
I don't know how to make it stop but i'm sorry

[Sorry Steph, no video this time. Clayton is already regretting it based on the stinging tone of her voice.]

can't talk sound hurts

if you have a better idea i'd like to hear it

[No voice for you, either. It hurts bad enough just hearing his own footsteps, let alone someone's voice echoing around in these godforsaken caves.]

sleeping means dreams
can't control dreams
they feed on them

[He doesn't answer Mami's question, partially because he doesn't have a good answer, partially because he didn't want to listen all the way through her saying it.]

[If Clayton were in his right mind, he would be the epitome of calm. He would put down everything and switch on the video and be just as pleasant and reassuring as possible. There is nothing to worry about, he would say. I know it hurts, but you just have to trust me that it'll get better. It'll be okay.]

[This is, of course, not who we're getting tonight.]

yes

[ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR EVENING QUARK]

not robots
people
they travel between minds and feed off your thoughts
it gives them power

[That makes two of them, unfortunately.]

not complacent
calm
strong emotion jumbles thoughts
they feed on thoughts

[Fanziska would be correct, unfortunately for the both of them. He really shouldn't be giving away this much information, not before he's ready, but this is an emergency. Surely it would be better if they knew?]

no
dreaming is bad
bad focus confused thoughts
need to stay focused to keep them out

[HEY JAY]

[remember when Clayton lectured you about "trust goes both ways" and "you really should be more open with people so they're not so suspicious of you" and shit]

[well he's a big fat hypocrite, sorry.]

i mean literal possession
as in someone has taken over your mind
or worse

[He comes very close to typing, "because I've done it before," but no, not that desperate yet.]

i've seen it happen

[WOWOWOW HE TRUSTED YOU CLAYTON

which isn't saying much because he trusts basically everyone but shh]

that's not how it works though
it can control people but afaik it doesn't actually take them over like that

[Thank you, Clayton. He will indeed enjoy this night of paranoia and terror.]

But I don't want that at all! why would anybody do that to another person thats horrible

[His typing gets less coherent as his panic rises. Quark's Grandpa taught him to respect his elders, so he doesn't have any idea how Clayton could be lying about this. It all sounds perfectly reasonable. He's so tired and it hurts so badly but he can't let the brainjuice people get to him.]

Edited (goes softly into the night and forgets an end bracket) 2015-07-13 21:18 (UTC)

Everything fucking hurts, Jesus.

[ She is in a TRULY foul mood. ]

If you have to freak the hell out you should do it quietly.

[Al has been suffering a growing paranoia all day, and it's worse around the companions he's travelling with. His warped mind seems to latch onto Clayton's warning as a confirmation of his fears.]

You know what they're planning to do when I go to sleep too?

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