shellphones | (no subject)

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Type: Accidental Video
Sender ID: 🖕nunya🖕(Sidestep)
To: Public
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Warnings: Mention of death and torture. Threads are likely to end up going deeply traumatic places.

(It's a typical day on Nogard, though many people who see this might be elsewhere.

Many have probably heard by now that Chris is dead. Has been dead for several days, in fact, after being captured and tortured by Ganon.

Except... they're not?

That's definitely a shot of a very panicked looking Chris running... somewhere, not paying attention to the shellphone clutched in their hand or noticing that it's recording.

Several people can be heard yelling in surprise in the background as Chris darts past them.

...The fuck are they even running from? It doesn't sound like they're being chased.

The hand holding the shellphone bumps into something, and the video cuts out.)

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...Why? I'm not a mutant.

(Since that's what she seems to care about. Not that they know exactly what a mutant even means to her: does she see herself as human or something else?

Regardless, she's born and not made. Nothing like a Re-Gene.)

More like a robot. Made of human flesh. (Phrasing it in the worst, grossest way possible. An attempt to push her away? Some kind of test to see if she really cares? Either way, they're being both unpalatable and an asshole.

It's probably telling that they seem way more upset about being exposed than about the torture.)

Edited 2025-08-28 02:23 (UTC)

Someone doesn't have to be a mutant for me to think they need some sort of help after going through something like that.

[ Besides they're....close enough for her. At the very least they fit into the 'not human and with powers' category and that's something.

She shrugs as nonchalantly as she can. ]

Someone rather.... close to me could be described like that. [ Though he'd probably not appreciate the comparison. ] I would also offer to help him. But if you'd prefer I leave you here?

I've had worse.

(They admit this casually, without even a momentary thought that it might, in fact, be deeply upsetting to anyone with a conscience or standards.)

You should tell me about the robot. (Not going to admit they need help. Not directly, anyway.)

So have I. I've died three times technically. It's never gotten easier.

[ usually she wouldn't admit to that, she'd claim she didn't care. That it never bothered her. But perhaps it'll help in this case.

She pauses for a moment to contemplate how much to say there. ]

He was created to hunt my kind. A Sentinel given human form programmed only to follow orders and hunt. He didn't like that, just being a puppet. So he broke free.

It'd be better if I'd stayed dead.

(Either die here or be sent home eventually. This current group of Riftfarers is just the latest in a line of many; they strongly doubt that they'll do any better at finding a way to fix things than all the others who have tried.

Now they know dying isn't actually an option. No matter what, they'll be heading home, without even the memory of a life that wasn't utterly devoid of hope.)

And your kind accepted him despite being created to destroy you? (Their tone of voice suggests doubt and... yeah, they really doubt that. Re-Genes were created for war and spying and assassination, but even the heroes on the same side found them revolting.)

Better for whom? You?

[ While she does try to keep her voice even, soft even, there is a certain lack of emotion to it. Perhaps something that comes from relating so terribly to that statement. Enough that she's found herself somewhat uncertain of what to say. Back home she came from a moment in her life where she felt precisely the same way and acted upon it and...well, a part of her is a bit bitter she's here instead.

But that's not going to help them right now for her to admit to that. ]

It's complicated, but yes. For the most part he's accepted. A dear friend of mine even invited him to a secret team of him, which means he trusts him considerably.

Yeah.

(It's better than the alternative, at least.)

That's nice. (Are they bitter? Maybe. Even if it's nice to hear about someone at least being somewhat accepted.)

Why do you feel that way?

[ It feels dangerous to ask and like perhaps she shouldn't, but oh well. It's been asked and said. ]

I think he thinks so, despite his constant complaining. Not everyone trusts him, but he's ...come through for us. In the end.

...Riftfarers have been coming here for years. Maybe hundreds, possibly thousands. Do you really think any of us are gonna accomplish anything when they haven't?

(They don't want to go home, and they don't want to forget. And when they're not just thinking desperately about saving their friends from this fate, they're pretty sure they don't have a choice.)

Edited 2025-09-04 05:47 (UTC)

No. Not at all. But I don't think we'll make things worse here. Do you think your presence makes this place worse?

[ Because she's quite certain her presence back home made a lot of shit worse. ]

...I don't want to go home.

(It's not about whether they make things better or worse, can't she see? It's about not wanting to go back to... that.

If all else failed, there was one final way out.)

Ah. That's...mm, I understand... though I shouldn't say that. [ It makes her feel far more guilty than she would like to admit to say she might not want to go back either. She bites down on her lower lip for a moment. ]

Maybe we can't make much of a difference here, but that doesn't mean we can't potentially find a way to stay. I've heard there are people looking into it.

I think it would have been done by now if that were the case.

I'm not so certain. [ Though she does see their point. ] I've been to worlds before where people have been trapped for hundreds of years only to have someone new arrive and find some solutions.

Good for them.

(Sullen.

What about their life is worth saving now, anyway?)

Wait. How many worlds have you been to?

[ Good question. One she pauses before answering. ]

Honestly? I don't know. At least twenty, not counting one I've been to multiple times.

...That's pretty awesome. (Because they have to admit that.)

How many of them were accepting towards mutants? (Since it's on their mind.)

A few of them. Some swung too far the other way... [ becoming completely accepting of mutants and turning their hatred to humans. ] One in particular was peaceful, accepting, but at a great cost. One I'm not certain I agree with.

What was the cost?

(Probably mass brainwashing or something, they think.

...Is that possible?

They're becoming physically uncomfortable enough that they crawl out of their hidey hole. They look like an animal has been dragging them around, all dirty and scruffy.)

She...[ Well, usually she'd clam up here, try to pull away from talking about that. Since the 'she' in question is just a future version of Betsy herself. But they're coming out slowly and that's a good sign. A sign that they may let her get them to a place where they can clean up and get better help eventually. ]

The woman in charge used her powers to eliminate crime completely. She created a taskforce of people, including telepaths, to discover crimes the moment someone thought about them. Then they eliminated the individual before they could commit those crimes. The world's at peace, all super-villains are gone, but I'm not certain it's worth that kind of monitoring.

(They stare at her in open mouthed horror, and don't even bother to shield just what they think of that from prying telepathic eyes.

First of all, they're a criminal and a villain. They were one the moment they escaped the farm the first time, even if they were playing the hero, because hero and villain aren't some hard line between good and evil but entirely dependent on how the government defines desirable vs undesireable. So many heroes allowed to keep their careers dedpite abusing their families, or who "disappeared" when doing what was right conflicted with the desires of the rich. The communities of people who initially settled the ruins of Los Diablos after the big one being pushed out of their homes now that the corporations have been taken over, and the homeless--they remember being homeless post both of their escspes--forced to beg and steal to survive.

What even counts as crime in a society like this? What is too criminal a thought? The phrase "eliminated" makes them think of killing, and there weren't any qualifiers mentioned, so they assume it's everything defined as a crime that nets this punishment. Is there some goon squad out there murdering pickpockets? People who fantasize about beating up their enemies? Is it people actually planning crime or just people musing about it?)

That's ...horrible.

(More than horrible. They think about the abuses their government enforces on its citizens--because they don't trust someone willing to go to such lengths to not be abusive, excessive, and draconian--and what it would be like if said government had the ability to see and crush any disagreement or dissent before it happened. There'd be no checks, no balances, no recourse against any injustice the people in charge decided to perpetuate.)

You're not certain it's worth it? (Absolutely flabbergasted: how could anyone think this was a good idea at all?)

[ Despite the words, despite knowing they're right to say it's horrible, her facial expression doesn't change too much. There's a blank coldness to it and a flicker of uncertainty. Briefly she hears the parting words her future self gave her, that if a part of her didn't believe in going this far the future would disappear, and she closes her eyes. Not that closing one's eyes can erase a memory.

It's here she knows she should feel guilt, but she doesn't. Can't really. That emotion was sold in a Faustian bargain to save someone who ended up dead anyway. Who would have thought giving away one's ability to feel sorrow would also wind up with a loss of guilt too? (Probably just about anyone.) ]

I know it's not worth it. Even if it is just murderers they're going after, it's not right to take away the choice.

[ What if they only thought about killing someone or committing some other terrible crime? Is it right to take that chance for them to change their mind away from them? ]

There's a place for killing, but I don't think there's a place for pre-emptive killing like that. Besides, I've seen how horrid pre-emptive murder can go.

I know I've thought about killing humans before.

(They make a face. They haven't killed humans outside of a few notable exceptions because they know once they crossed that line they wouldn't stop, and there are so many humans who don't deserve to die.

They don't think the woman in this scenario is likely to stop either.)

It's a slippery slope.

[ Said as someone who took the plunge down it and now can't seem to claw back up. There are certainly some instances where it's necessary, where the choice is narrow and comes down to sacrifice the world or kill one person. But even having to make that decision is a terrible thing to do. ]

Most of them don't deserve to die.

(Like an argument. Do they pick up that she has killed? Telepathy, or just context? It's hard to tell.

They might be arguing with themself, too.)

(Huddled there, they look like a bundle of rags. Are the clothes theirs or stolen? They're very shabby.)

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CW: Suicidal Ideation

CW: Suicidal Ideation

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