snowblindrpg | [network] @hotstud_xxx; video/text; Night 229 [open] (cw: body horror)

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[network] @hotstud_xxx; video/text; Night 229 [open] (cw: body horror)

[There's the sound of just uneven breathing as the camera focuses on a figure. As with all anomalies, the filming warps and distorts. But the figure is very clearly an older man, his arms and legs stretched to impossible lengths and his body clad in a smart military dress uniform. Those familiar with the American military might be able to pick out that he's a marine. Those more intimately familiar would be able to identify the insignia of a pilot, and the rank of a colonel on his jacket. The figure just looms, staring toward House's camera

The feed cuts and shifts to another point. This time, the tablet has been propped up on something. House is visible (for once in a blue moon) in his eclectic hobo attire, about ten feet away. The anomaly is there with him, and they're both roughly in profile view. The doctor is clutching a wooden croquet mallet tight and breathing hard enough that his chest is visibly rising and falling as he stares up at the anomaly with wide eyes. Very suddenly, he turns his head to look directly toward the tablet camera.]

Dr. Gregory House, Day 229, 12:30 PM... give or take. Anomaly has general appearance of Colonel John House. Abnormalities apparent in the limbs, which have become elongated. Anomaly is unresponsive to verbal commands, does not attack, and makes only gurgling, moaning noises. Anomaly initially encountered this morning when subject exited Building 255, but may have previously been present at any point between evening lockdown on Day 228 to morning unlock on Day 229.

Characteristic acute MN Poisoning symptoms manifest when subject approaches anomaly. [Here, he licks his lips and wipes at his upper lip unconsciously, the memory of the blood trickling from his nose still fresh.] Nosebleed, vertigo, nausea, and generalized malaise followed by unconscious. Anomaly did not attack when subject was rendered unconscious multiple times.

[His head snaps back toward the anomaly.]

So time to see what kind of punishment these assholes can take. Testing application of rubble-coated hammer to anomaly. Take one.

[It's only a second later that House launches himself at the anomaly, swinging the hammer and easily sweeping the thing's legs. The anomaly goes down, and the doctor pauses momentarily before screwing his eyes shut and hammering down on the thing. The anomaly flails its long limbs until one of them hits House and he crumbles to the ground unconscious. The anomaly finds its way to its feet and wanders a little ways away. When House wakes up, there's blood dripping from his nose and staining the white snow beneath.

This experiment is repeated twice more with very similar results. It's then repeated with a hammer that hasn't been coated with any rubble dust, again, with similar results. The video feed finally cuts off. House adds some text a few minutes later.]

so that was my day
how's everyone else doing?
also, the southern scrap wall extends all the way
we have to go under or climb over
my vote is under so we don't get speared

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Even if so, the decision is not yours to make. Trying to stop men like him - or me - will only make it worse.

The decision shouldn't be yours to make if you're going to make such a stupid one.

[He feels very strongly about suicide.]

[Damnit Al he was trying to be nice about this.]

Don't tell me what choice I am or am not allowed to make. A life that is mine, is mine to give away for a cause I deem worthwhile. And I have had enough bloody babysitting from Epps when he was alive.

Only an idiot makes the choice to die.

[He's said this to Ed before, a long time ago now, but the echo of those words seems important now.]

How can you ever help the cause that you deem worthwhile when you're dead? The only way you can keep helping is to live on, is to make sure you find new ways to fight.

Nonetheless, something must be done. The only complete safety is in action - and not even that. [The boy getting angrier makes him calmer. He speaks with cool certainty.]

This all boils down to risk and reward. You think this is not an acceptable risk; others do, and so they take it.

There's a difference between risk, and actively being reckless without caring if you live or die, even inviting death.

[He's not going to back down on this.]

That's what Dr. House is doing, and I'm not going to stand by and let it happen.

And if it is? Does that make it any more your choice? [Very, very calm.] Sooner or later, Alphonse, you will have to concede that some of us want other things more than we want to live.

Then you're definitely idiots.

[He's frustrated, but it's covering genuine upset.]

You all have so much more to offer than just your deaths, and I'm not going to let that happen until you work that out for yourselves too. Even if I have to hunt you both down and sit on you.

I am not offering anything.

[And that's a crack in his calm, however slight. He wants, needs that established. Over and over, it seems.]

This is not about sacrifice or communal effort or doing what must be done or any of that heroic nonsense of yours. I want answers for myself and I will price them. My search, my life - and my decision on which I cherish more.

You're wrong, you offer a lot. You're smart, you have a lot of knowledge that we don't, and you're strong.

[He's not buying this stupid lack of something to offer.]

You can't use any answers you find if you're dead, you dummy.

[Beckett snorts, derisive.] I know I am, thank you. [And he is also a wreck, nothing near the man he was, but that's besides the point. One thing he hadn't lost is his determination - and his defiance.]

But I'm not smart and strong for you. I'm not looking for answers to use them. They're an end in themselves. Deciding how I live and die on my own terms is an end in itself.

Then you're definitely an idiot.

[Beckett, come on.]

At least just admit you want to die, and you don't care about the answers. If you don't want them, and you don't want us to have them, then what's the point? You're throwing everything away for nothing, and that's something only an idiot does.

I don't want to die. [And it's said with conviction, a conviction that he's almost surprised to find has grown stronger, bit by bit stronger.] What I want is to do my searching as I will. To risk what I will without you, or anyone else over my shoulder. That is all there is to it.

If you don't want to die, then you'd take more sensible risks. I'm not telling you that risk is never worth it, but you're actively trying to do things that would end your life. Just like Dr. House, and I'm not going to sit by and let it happen.

[So tough shit, Mr. Beckett.]

Good luck herding both of us, then. Do you really think you have nothing better to contribute to communal efforts, Alphonse, than to try and babysit two very determined men?

I'm good at multitasking.

[It comes out with just the barest bite of snark behind it.]

[Snark from Alphonse Elric is a gift.]

Then we're at an impasse. Except, of course, that you don't know where I am or what my travel plans are, and whether they align at all with your plan to hunt down House, whose location I am not sure you know either. So perhaps there is no problem here after all.

That's okay, I have a lot of friends here, Mr. Beckett, and I'm sure one of them will see you around at some point.

[Trust him, he will find you.]

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