[network] @librarian; video; Night 344 [open]

[cahooted]

[So here goes. He can't say he's looking forward to this but then again people weren't looking forward to having parts of their soul ripped away from them either, were they.

Flynn's voice is quiet, maybe a bit rough around the edges and missing its usual, energetic touch, but firm.]

I, uh. Hi.

[Well, that's off to a great start already. He sighs.]

I once told one of my professors that all I wanted to do is learn. That it is what I'm good at, where I feel most like myself. I always thought learning is the greatest thing in the universe and I never would have thought that I could ever use it to...

[He stops for a moment, frowning.]

... I like to think that I would never have done any of this if things were... different and if this town wasn't, well. If it wasn't what it is. But I also realize that some part of me - or about me - probably prompted and spurred me on. I know I hurt a lot of people and regardless of how much of it I could have prevented or not, I'm very, very sorry. About what happened and-- about what might be yet to come of it.

I'm sorry. Stay warm, everybody.

Comments

[Not here]

[darkincrement]

[ Too busy being dead to see this ]

[Not here]

[cahooted]

[He feels an itch on the back of his neck, as if someone was mocking him from beyond the grave...]

@noone; video

[slapthelibrarian]

[ Just because they're in Norfinbury and not at home doesn't mean Nicole's Guardian duties stop being important.

The conversation with Peter has made her want to talk with Flynn and check in with him; even though she firmly believes in his resilience, that doesn't mean he doesn't need a little TLC. Even if said TLC will have to come via video message. ]

Hello, Flynn.

[ All right, so that doesn't say very much, but she's leaving the ball in his court in terms of how much he wants to say, if anything. She's fairly certain he'd do the same for her if the roles were reversed. ]

[cahooted]

[Okay, so maybe he should have expected this. Maybe he did expect it, sort of, kind of? It doesn't stop his mouth from forming a mute "o" before his deer-in-headlight expression turns into a rather awkward grimace, his eyebrows going up with a nervous chuckle.]

Nicole. Heyy...

[Smooth.]

Long time no see. Missed you? Definitely missed you. How's the whole... surviving in the post-apocalyptic horror town going these days?

[slapthelibrarian]

[ Maybe he should have. Nothing will ever keep Nicole from checking in on him, unless she's dead or incapacitated, and she very much hopes neither of those things will happen.

She has to hide a smile at the face he's making. She loves all the expressions that he makes. ]

Hey yourself.

[ The most smooth. ]

I've missed you too. It's going as well as it can be, the lines and red eyes aside. Where have you been spending your time lately?

@309_W1C_2DZ; text

[howdull]

I don't need an apology, I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of the forced information exchange. We need to collect this sort of data, and it's pointless saying sorry for it.

[cahooted]

[Well, at least someone is excited?]

I don't think it's pointless. The data may be important but people got hurt and I think it's important to acknowledge that.

[howdull]

To what purpose?

Apologising for something the town has made you do is redundant at this point, everyone is fully aware of where blame lies.

@PetertheGreat, audio

[zunesareawesome]

Wait, what? We need to collect this--what? Are you still under a spell or something?

[howdull]

No, I'm just more intelligent than you. I can understand why it might look like a spell to you, though.

@bucky; text

[advanced]

[He mostly stayed out of the mess with the red lines, his natural paranoia and Norfinbury's paranoia adding together to counteract his need to gather things from the red-eyed among them.

But he did keep watch on that post before, and this one confuses him a little.]

I don't see what you're apologising for. You asked questions and people answered them, you didn't hurt anyone.

[cahooted]

That's not what happened.

... Well yes, okay, that IS what happened, at least sort of, but that's not the only thing that happened. Whenever people revealed something personal about themselves it's like I-- like I took that part away from them.

[advanced]

If they still have the memories of whatever they told you, and the emotions and experiences associated with it, then you didn't take anything from anyone.

[Though it does make him glad that he has a policy of no-sharing.]

@Enoch, voice

[warriorscribe]

I shared before I ever knew. I don't know what it all means but...I don't blame you.

[cahooted]

Thank you, Enoch. How are y-- [He snaps his mouth shut rather abruptly.]

I hope you're doing okay.

[warriorscribe]

It's not as bad as you thought it sounded.

[Yeah, he caught that. No, he's not quite alert enough to really expound on that thought. He didn't take offense, is the point.]

I'm feeling- ...well, as if nobody took anything from me. I've been here too long to hope it's a good sign. But...you? Are you all right?

@jphawkins, audio, private (filterhax)

[rattlingthestars]

I think you were just doing what everyone was. We all were.

[ Jim may be excusing himself in that statement, too, or maybe not. He's not sure; his head's still a mess over it. ]

This town doesn't... I don't think it was drawing on who we are. We just got the short end of the freaking stick this time. I hope.

private

[cahooted]

I hope so, too. Thanks.

The short end, huh? Does that mean you, uh, were affected as well?

private

[rattlingthestars]

Me n' Zell spent a few hours chasing Zack around, trying to steal his hair.

[ Not exactly Jim's finest hour. ]

No one that doesn't totally suck is going to blame you for it.

@curiouschloride | video

[motherserpent]

Hey, dude, don't -- don't beat yourself up about that. Learning's good. I mean, torturing people to learn isn't...great....

[She drifts off like she's forgotten whatever point she was trying to make; like she's gotten lost in some deeply unpleasant memory. After a long moment she remembers she's still transmitting; sounds a little startled by the realization as she resumes speaking.]

You're not...like that. You've got a good, uh, level of curious. A healthy level. It's not you that tipped it over into something bad.

[cahooted]

[He exhales softly, his face a little less guarded than before and he glances away, rubbing the top of his head.]

Hey Tess. No, it's not, it's really not... 'great'.

[That's certainly one way of putting it.]

Thanks. People keep telling me that, which is nice. I'm trying not to beat myself up over it but, you know, it's kind of... it doesn't feel great, all this 'not great'. I hope you're doing okay.

[motherserpent]

I don't feel any different now, and the pain's gone. I know that doesn't really mean anything for the long term, but whatever happened, what's done is done.

@hexappeal, Voice

[sleight_of_fate]

Hey. We're okay. I mean, as far as I'm concerned.

This place is a fucking mess. The way it gets into us. The fact that you apologized, that means a lot. You know who you are, and how it gets to you.

But you're a good guy, so don't worry too much about it.

[cahooted]

Thank you, Rhys.

[There's a slightly awkward pause. He's getting a little overwhelmed by all these nice and encouraging words.]

I'm, uh, I'll try. I'm glad you decided not to talk to me.

[sleight_of_fate]

I did my best. Normally I like talking to you, so it was a challenge.

[He laughs quietly. Maybe he's not in the best place to be comforting, but he's trying.]

It goes both ways, here. We protect ourselves, too, best we can. You manage to get some rest after all that?