shellphones | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Type: Accidental Video
Sender ID: 🖕nunya🖕(Sidestep)
To: Public
Subject:
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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I've thought about it.

(They say, because they have.)

Haven't wanted to risk showing anyone. And now it just seems... (They search for a word.) pointless.

Is it though?

[ He sort of blurts that out before pausing to figure out what he's actually trying to say. ]

I mean... I mean, you got surgery right? Same as me?

[ Because he did notice the scars they have in common, too.

It sounds like a bit of a jump in topic, but they'll probably be aware of how he got there and where he's going with it: he's pretty sure changing things to be comfortable in your own skin is a valid reason, regardless of keeping secrets. ]

You saw.

(They say. They can guess where he's going with this.

Is that what they want? A week ago, they would have said yes.)

[ And he just shrugs. ]

Seems to me it can be good to feel at home in your skin, even if people know you had to... make changes to get there.

[ Or maybe he's way off base. But he seems to mean well, if nothing else. ]

That's different.

Okay.

[ And for a moment his first instinct is to keep prattling on, but he'll leave it there. This is clearly something he doesn't entirely understand. ]

...I'm sorry he showed people.

[ Maybe that's all he should have said to begin with. ]

Me too.

(What are they doing? Why don't they want to be human?)

The whole thing was cruel.

[ Even if Ganon didn't understand what he was doing by showing people the marks, it was cruel to show everyone once it was basically too late to actually help.

...Maybe Keigo will at least stop beating himself up so much, now that Chris is back. He sort of doubts it though. ]

That was the point.

(Being cruel. Being terrifying.

Wasn't that what they were supposed to become?)

[ A nod, and then a pause. ]

...So you worked for him.

[ He's not sure how much he can judge, although he's trying really hard not to think about that. ]

What... happened?

[ He was going to ask, sooner or later. They'd know he was wondering anyway. ]

I needed a ship.

(And at the time, trusting a team seemed... risky. At least they knew what they were getting with Ganon.

~~It's actually because not being a villain felt scary and vulnerable.~~)

You know how I left a week into Hawks' recovery? Ganon had a quest for me. When I came back I found out he had Turo.

(And so they betrayed him.)

...Okay.

[ He doubts that's the whole story... or even a particularly good explanation given how many ships seem to be an option. But he doesn't say that part out loud. ]

Wondered about that.

[ It seemed a little oddly sudden, all things considered. He just didn't feel he knew Chris well enough to bother them about it. And he was busy fussing over his boyfriend. ]

...Was it you that got him out of there?

[ It's not a hard guess to put together. But he wants to know. ]

Yeah. He ...doesn't know. So maybe don't tell him.

(Looking away.

It's better that he doesn't see.

~~Nevermind that they have a huge gloom scar now.~~)

...Doesn't know the part where you helped him?

[ Because the other parts are public knowledge, assuming Turo's been paying any attention to the network at any rate.

So that seems like maybe the piece he actually should find out, all things considered. ]

Doesn't know I was involved at all, I think. He tends to have panic attacks and (How much does Faulkner know? He seems to know Turo isn't human but does he understand what the crystals are? What Turo really is?) ...get sick... in response to graphic imagery or mentions of people getting hurt.

(They roll over on their side and curl in on themself.

...They don't want him to get hurt any more because of them.)

Oh.

[ He supposes that's a bit different. Though he has to wonder how much Turo will hear sooner or later, all the same. ]

...He can get sick?

[ He doesn't entirely understand how much Turo has in common with humans or not, when it comes to that kind of thing. ]

Not in the way you're thinking of.

(Worse, actually.)

I don't want to see what happens if he's already messed up.

[ He has questions, but it seems like a bad idea to push it. ]

...Guess I don't either.

[ Even if he's not really sure what they mean. But he likes Turo, and none of the revelations about what the man is seem to have particularly changed that. ]

...Thanks.

(And they're just gonna lie there, all tiny and curled up.)

[ ...Okay despite his many remaining questions (and the fact he did punch them earlier) Chris seems extremely sad right now.

And he is glad they're not dead.

He's quiet for a bit, and then finally—]

You want a hug?

(They jolt--surprise? fear?--in response to that.)

...Fine. Whatever.

(Did you really expect enthusiasm even if they did want that comfort?)

[ Well, it's not a no. ]

...Then c'mere, dumbass.

[ Apparently he's going to sound just as grudging, despite being the one to offer, because we're only doing so much sincerity today.

But he will gently push Angel off of him and then pull Chris into a hug. ]

...Fine.

(They sit up, and let Faulkner hug them. It might seem for a moment like they're gonna be an awkward unresponsive statue, but then they'll hesitantly hug him back.

They're shaking.)

Edited 2025-09-23 07:15 (UTC)

[ He's a little surprised by the shaking, maybe he shouldn't be though. He'll give them a brief squeeze and some gentle pats.

He's feeling both awkward and concerned, if they happen to check.

...He's also trying very hard not to let himself be reminded of all those memories he saw. He's been trying very hard to forget those in general. ]

(And they might briefly squeeze back, but the concern has them pulling away again.

Why does he care? They're gross.)