Day 2+ Spam / Messages

[to_dust]

[PUBLIC VIDEO]
[The video opens up with C'rizz grinning, something that maybe two people have seen on the barge before now-- an easy grin, not a rictus, but his golden eyes are manic. And his skin is crawling with colours, patches brightening and receding slowly without any relation to the bright colours around him-- jarring and eyewatering and garish.]

You know, the barge would be-- stop me if I'm wrong, the barge would be a much nicer place if people would lighten up? 'Oh, goodness me, I'm a big tough territorial sort and I'm going to have to kill someone before I can admit I'm stuck here.' 'Ohh all I know how to do is murder people so I'll just stick a knife in people.'

That's why you're all so angry, because someone is actually having fun. Look inside. Deeper. Behind the ribs. Keep digging. Can't you see it's just a little funny? Just a bit?

[He starts to laugh-- not a scream but a hysterical guffaw from deep in his chest, and the video cuts out to-]

[Filtered away from Jack/Joker and Mason]

I'm-- hahahaha, I'm compromised pretty badly, woo. [He wipes his eyes, still grinning.] But not as badly as he thinks I am.

Ahahahaha... no, no, but seriously we need to get Jack back. These drugs aren't going to kill me as fast as they kill humans, I can... hehe. Help.

[He looks down at his arm, spots of neon blue appearing and pulsing.]

Oooh, that's not normal. Nerve damage, do you think? [He wiggles his fingers; that sends him off on another laughing jag, and he cuts the feed.]


[OPEN SPAM]
[It isn't just the Smilex in his system. He can feel the shape of the Joker's mind. He's... mirroring it. More than he wants to. But he has it under control.

...mostly.

But it's funny, it's so hilariously funny, the look of fear as something lurches out of the dark at someone and they see their mortality; nobody expects that. And so he's lurking around the barge, more or less impossible to see when there's a joke in the offing, because his altered mind will blend, then-- he'll shove someone in front of a bumper car before he'll whisk them back to safety, because haha, you thought you were going to die and you didn't!

He gets it. He gets the joke. And what's life without a laugh? Fortunate that there's another part of his mind that says 'life is important'. And he's gripping that like a safety line.]

Comments

Filtered

[bodilesswarrior]

[She's been reading the network, combing for any clues on what the Joker's doing, how he's doing it, what he's planning. This confirms one of her biggest suspicions.

C'rizz is alien, but she recognises the effects immediately. Her chest aches with angry sympathy, but there's no time to express it. Straight to business, and maybe she can even save him.]

Can you come to the lab?

Private

[to_dust]

I only know the one lab and he's got access. It's where he kept me. Where are you? I can come find you. It'll be a lark.

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

[She hesitates.

She has her own lab - not as varied and sophisticated as the Barge's, but she can do enough.

But C'Rizz is under his influence now. To let him into her tower is...

Is vital, if she wants to solve this. And she needs to solve this. She needs to take their home back. She needs to protect her people.

So she nods.]

506.

Are you immune to bullets?

Private

[to_dust]

I'm... resistant. Not quite immune. [He plays a jaunty little rhythm on his chest plates with his knuckles.]

It's going to take me... a few minutes. I'll get there! [It will be fun. That's the terrifying part.]

Re: Private

[bodilesswarrior]

I'll shoot you a lot, then. [There's a wry, sad humour to the words. She'll make it up to you, C'rizz.]

Private

[to_dust]

I'd appreciate it if you didn't.

But if I get out of control, I won't hold it against you.

[He vanishes from the feed, and soon there's a knock on her door. Shave-and-a-haircut , goodness knows where C'rizz picked that one up from.]

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

[She plans on waiting for him in the lab, but a quick conference with Aslan changes her mind. Instead, she collects some instruments and data, secures it in a waterproof pack, and waits for him at the door.

(She changed a while ago, into the sleek body armour she used in the breech. There are various weapons strapped to her thighs, and a gun in her hand.)

The door opens itself, and she greets him with a faint smile.]

Change of plans, C'Rizz - we're heading to the infirmary. Marsh will be here in a minute.

Re: Private

[to_dust]

All right. There's something you need to know-- he's got Iris' communicator. And that -- what's his name, annoying monologuing glowing man. I've filtered away from them but anyone he kills, he may have access to their network too. [He doesn't say: that's how the Joker knew I was starting to match his mind. Because I looked at the lava lamp and started to laugh, and laugh, and laugh...] The glowsticks and things are all radioactive. People shouldn't touch them.

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her eyes widen, and her lips curl slightly - she's going to get that back one way or another - before she nods.

It confirms her fears about Derek, but there's no time to be sad about it. Later.]

How are you feeling?

[spam]

[to_dust]

Giddy. Unbalanced. It's-- difficult in here, where it's clean. Things make more sense out there.

[spam]

[bodilesswarrior]

[A slight grimace.] I know how to make an antidote, theoretically, but - this infection might not work the same way. Hopefully your -

[Wait.] Do you have DNA?

[spam]

[to_dust]

My universe isn't that different from yours, goodness. Yes, I have DNA. I probably wouldn't have died if I hadn't.

[spam]

[bodilesswarrior]

[A wry, rueful smile.] Hey, you can never be sure.

/sliiides in with spamm? lmk if I need to change it

[myironeyes]

You may want to establish a breakwater before you open your door.

[Marsh has only the vaguest sense that electronics can be damaged by water. He knows books certainly can, though, and considers this quite a terrible fate.]

HEYO this works

[bodilesswarrior]

Thanks, I've got a field up. [It's not something she relies on for security; it won't stop a person or a bullet. But it's handling the water.]

[to_dust]

I should probably meet the two of you at the infirmary, actually. It will help if I take my own way and we aren't seen together too much.

[bodilesswarrior]

[After a moment, she nods.] You're probably right.

Be as careful as you can, all right? [She's been holding back her concern; better to act than to worry. But it's there, now, in her voice.]

[to_dust]

I'll... do my best. [Madness wars with his wish not to worry her. He's having to restrain a grin that's like a tic, trying to spring back involuntarily.] I'll see you there.

[myironeyes]

[He opens the door, swishes gingerly through.]

Do you have everything you need?

[bodilesswarrior]

[She takes the opportunity to hesitate. To run everything through her mind - weapons, equipment, data.

Finally - ] I do.

[myironeyes]

[He goes to the chair, lifts it bodily, forearms going through the spokes of the wheels, like a very dour forklift. No handles, of course, not that that would be efficient for keeping her above the waterline in any case. He is aware that water engines power the chair could have his hands off in seconds, in other circumstances. But they are not in other circumstances, and Marsh is practical enough not to dwell.]

You will have to get the door behind us.

[He doubts she'd prefer it standing open.]

[Filter]

[la_belle_rogue]

[This is bad. She's clearly worried.]

C'rizz, Ah think ya need ta get ta the infirmary.

[She will come find you and take you there if necessary.]

[Filter]

[to_dust]

He's not trying to kill me. He's given me a jo-ob. [That's a singsong.] He knows I'm easily led, so he thinks he's leading me.

Joke's on him! [Another round of laughter, that he has to make a visible and difficult effort to control.]

He'll notice if I'm ... de-good-natured. I'm more useful like this. Trust me.

[Filter]

[la_belle_rogue]

[She's clearly not convinced, but she also understands what he's trying to do. She'd do the same in his place. Doesn't mean she has to like it.]

The very moment ya start feelin' like ya might not be able ta handle it anymore, ya go t'the infirmary.

[Filter]

[to_dust]

Yes, ma'am. [No. He's already not sure he can handle it, is in fact afraid he can't, but he needs to do this.]

Are you .. haha. Are you all right? [Difficult to concentrate on deck, with all the lights and noise, but he's damn well going to.]

[Filter]

[la_belle_rogue]

[She has a feeling that's the case. But again, she gets it. She knows what it's like to be overwhelmed from the inside out, so the only thing keeping her from flying apart is her own will power, and still knowing she is possibly the best chance to save others. So she's going to let him do this, because for him, it's what he has to do.

She intends to keep an eye out for him though, just in case.]

Right as rain, honey. No need ta worry 'bout me.

[Filter]

[to_dust]

Good, good.

I'll... be about. Ta ra! [And he's gone, abruptly. Whimsically, terrifyingly.

But holding on.]

[myironeyes]

[Sazed save him from laughing children in over their heads. His old heart can take so much of this.]

You can help.

[It's an echo, but he's not after C'Rizz's confirmation, is not even slightly a question. It's flatly established, in Marsh's particular humorless way, brooking no contradiction at all.]

What do you need to do?

[He will help. Also, it may be noted: he's carrying his axes again, something he hasn't done since the mirror barge.]

Private

[to_dust]

One of the scientists needs to figure out how to get him out. Then I can... Arrange it.

If he has to die I can't kill him. There's a chance the barge is too broken and I would keep him. Whoops! Then we'd have to start over!

Private

[myironeyes]

No. You don't have to kill him. You're doing what you need to do.

[Marsh is proud of him. And Marsh is more than ready to kill.]

Out of where?

Private

[to_dust]

Out of Jack, and out of the barge. 'Out of our hair' as the human expression goes. [Heh.]

He's got a lot of checmicals and electrical equipment. I don't know exactly how he's hiding in Jack, but he's all but completely taken over. Mind's the wrong shape.

Private

[myironeyes]

[Not surprising. But not good. And Marsh twinges a little, in sympathy, which he mostly quashes. Not productive at the moment. His sympathy for the vessel doesn't change anything about the creature in him.

He thinks of himself, and the earring, a single moment of choice.]

All but completely.

Private

[to_dust]

He's there underneath but pacified. Like a dying tree smothered in vines.

He won't be able to help.

[He wasn't able to help. C'rizz didn't expect him to, but the moment to throw off the Joker came and went.]

We'll have to help him.

Private

[myironeyes]

[A nod, solemn, understanding without judgement. In some ways that's even worse, being aware of the abhorrence of it and unable to stop it. In some ways, of course, that's only second worst.]

We will.

[Spam]

[forsaken_queen]

[Sylvanas is unamused.

And nobody was surprised.

Her floor being flooded was a nuisance. The piranhas didn't bother her, in a very literal sense. Even drugged with poison, they stay away from the unnatural creature wading through the hallway. She is very obviously not food they want to eat.

Mostly she's annoyed about having to trudge through almost waist high water. She's glad she didn't have Lirath with her just now however. If he'd been on this floor, well...no one would have been safe from her vengeance if he'd been so much as nibbled on.]

[Spam]

[to_dust]

[A shadowy figure breaks away from the wall behind her with nary a splash-- there's just a second from when C'rizz moves to when he strikes, lightly pulling back her hood and dropping a confused, flopping pirhana into it. It thrashes, tangling itself in the cloth, slimy and wet but nearly harmless.]

[Spam] cw: animal cruelty/death of a dangerous fish

[forsaken_queen]

[She's surprised. It flashes across her face, clear and obvious. Wide eyes, open mouth, the works. It lasts for all of a second, before her expression goes dark again.

She doesn't panic. She just reaches her hand back behind her head and deftly snags the flopping creature in a sure, leather bound grip. She doesn't just fling it away. No, she holds it out and squeezes slowly until she feels it's bones and organs crushing under her relentless grip. Then she drops it into the water, purposefully. The piranhas swarm to the mini-meal and avoid the hand that fed them completely.

Her hood is wet. And that ticks her off more than anything else. She doesn't like having it off her head. It's exposing, makes her feel vulnerable. But now it's wet, and she's not going to snap it back on her head just to let slimy water dribble on her face. So she leaves it off as she scans the hall, looking for whoever would be foolish enough to pull a prank on one of the most humorless people on board.]

[spam]

[to_dust]

Well that wasn't funny. You could have cracked a smile or screamed.


[In the gloom, C'rizz is visible mostly in broken up stripes-- the Joker's henchman getup, like a Parisian mime. His features are a mottled camouflage blur with yellow-irised eyes peering out.]

[spam]

[forsaken_queen]

[Soon as he speaks, she locks on him. Those long ears are very talented. She starts moving toward him, unhurried but deliberate.]

I found it neither frightening nor funny. Or smart for that matter.

Re: [spam]

[to_dust]

You could do with at least one of them, obviously.

[He takes a few steps to the side and stops casually, pulling a face at her. His skin is picking up blue tints, disrupting the camouflage pattern with stripes.]

You're a serious one, aren't you?

[spam]

[forsaken_queen]

[Sure. Stand still. That's fine with her. It'll just give her more time to get close.]

Deathly so.

[spam]

[to_dust]

Well I'd love to stay and chat, but...

[He takes a small step to the side and makes an exaggerated o of surprise with his mouth as a trapdoor opens under him.]

Ta ra-!