[IC Contact -- Snowblind]

[bookofnope]

[There is a click noise. It sounds as though it might be judging you.]

Comments

[bookofnope]

[All right, that is impressive. Beckett lets a moment of silence convey as much.]

I meant Norfinbury at large, not me as a threat. But - destroy all the worlds? [That hits his particular point of stubborn, unhappy interest. He sounds rather more invested than in the question of supplies.]

It's better if you speak to Jade. Brian can be a little difficult. She would understand more... human needs.

[seekthelight]

Norfinbury couls be a lot worse but..it's definitely not the best world I've ever been to. And yeah, Master Xehanort wants to take control of something called Kingdom Hearts that is the source of everything in all the worlds. My friends and I travel between the different worlds to try and stop him and keep the hearts of the worlds from being consumed by darkness.

[This sunshine child deals with a lot of weird stuff.]

Alright, I'll get in touch with her next then!

[headjacked]

The obvious isn't enough?? He basically tried to wipe out life on Pandora and rebuild it in his image. Literally. There were statues involved.

[ There was a time he wanted to secure a spot in Opportunity. There was a time this seemed somewhat rational. God, they were all blind. ]

She -- all of Pandora -- has more than enough reason to hate him. Just. Wish she wouldn't belittle my feelings.

[bookofnope]

[He'd known bits and pieces before, but it clicks together now in Beckett's mind. Pandora. Angel's stories of Hyperion. Jack. Well.]

It is a little hard to compare feelings to the loss of all life on a planet. [But that isn't even a reprimand. This is Fiona's point of view and he understands it, but he also understands Rhys, Because people are not reasonable and it's absurd to expect them to be.]

It doesn't matter. It's your brain, and your mind. It's on you to understand what you want and what you are and are not willing to give up for it. Although I also recommend you figure out for yourself why you want it. What is Handsome Jack - no -

[A pause. Another realisation falls into place.]

We're not really talking about Jack, are we? What is the AI to you?

[headjacked]

To me? That's a weird...

[ A weird, but legitimate question, and Rhys falters. The AI isn't his friend. The AI has tried to hurt him. Finds it funny. Ripped what made him him away and was deluded enough to think Rhys was still around.

But that there is the rub, isn't it. ]

... ...I'm his friend. I think. ...shit, that is so messed up.

[bookofnope]

Actually, that's very normal given the circumstances.

[No sarcasm there. If Rhys thinks he's going to phase Beckett with the idea of being friends with someone who's abused and killed you, he has clearly missed some memos.]

Human psychology has a number of names for it. But talking about the pathology of it is reductive. You two share a mind, thoughts, even dreams. You are all he really has. In a sense... I wouldn't be surprised if a part of you believes that he is all you have.

[headjacked]

B-But I didn't say he's my friend! He -- it's different. It is.

[ His skin is crawling. Just a little. ]

None of me believes he's all I have, because I have Angel, and Fhhng... well. [ Chest. Hurts. ] Angel, always.

[bookofnope]

I might be wrong. [Casual tone, if not entirely convinced. But he doesn't want to push. It's a big idea to introduce, one Rhys probably will have to chew at on his own for a while.]

I did say, it is your head. You know it best. I'm only pointing out. The AI and you - even if you fight and have whatever falling out, even if whatever anomaly wanders by, or something else, he is the one person who can't ever leave.

[headjacked]

[ Can't.

Ever.

Leave.

He thought his skin was crawling before. ]

This is why you need to stick with us. We can't just be left with him.

[bookofnope]

Don't hang it on me, Rhys. Your head. I can listen, and I can advise, but the call you make - to keep the AI, remove it, or destroy it - will be your call. And having anyone else around is no substitute to making it.

[That's the tough love part. He stops there for a moment, coughing faintly - same old unhappy sound - before he adds:]

Still... the week I've promised Angel runs out tomorrow. We'll find out if I can rejoin you.

[bookofnope]

The source of everything. [Pardon him for echoing again, this time with a distinctly doubtful note. Even after all he's seen...]

That is an extraordinary claim. Of the "requires extraordinary evidence" sort. Which I assume you don't have, for obvious reasons.

[seekthelight]

I don't. I can't summon my keyblade here or use my magic. The best evidence I have is that I know people from different worlds that don't know me because I've met different versions of them? Like Cl...like Tifa, for one.

[He's not going to talk about Cloud. It's just easier that way.]

You don't have to believe me about any of that, though. I want to help, if I can. That's what I do back home and that's what I want to do here--help people. So if there's anything you need, we can decide on a building and I can use it as a drop point.

[ecks]

If he to get message, to be curse, he to send to no to be curse. No to know he to discover.

[headjacked]

[ Rhys keeps chewing his tongue 'til it really, really hurts. 'Til Beckett distracts him with the slight topic shift. ]

'If', pfft.

[bookofnope]

[That's some sensible thinking actually. Maybe the best course of action is not to try to argue.]

How many people you send message to? Enough?

[bookofnope]

[He catches the beginning of that name - recognises it - but that isn't his concern right now. His concern is, in fact, zeroing in with increasingly urgent precision. The more Sora talks, the more focused his interest, and it's starting to frighten him.]

I need to know more, if you want to help. If you're willing to deal in information. You say you've met another version of Tifa - how different? Have you met other versions of you?

[bookofnope]

It's an "if". [A tiny hint of a warning now. He doesn't want to send Rhys back into Rhysterics, but this conversation is not about false hopes.]

Which is one more reason why you need to master this. You will be much less afraid of being alone when you have faith in yourself.

[seekthelight]

Deal in information? Just stuff about me or do you mean information in general?

[Because he doesn't mind talking about himself but he really doesn't want to give up stuff on other people.]

Um..she wasn't extremely different. She was pretty scary--the one I knew. She was really strong and was looking for Cl-loud. She was pretty new to Radiant Garden.

[A pause.]

Not...exactly? I mean, I have a Nobody but I don't know if that really counts.

[bookofnope]

Only about things that pertain to this concept of "worlds". I'm not interested in personal matters, though if they're relevant... I'll trade. Whatever the terms.

[It's the best he can offer. His eagerness comes through in his voice - eagerness and a subtle anxiety.]

Can you explain what a "Nobody" is? And is Tifa aware that you've met her parallel, is this something I can talk to her about?

[seekthelight]

Alright, that seems fair.

[Sora's not object to sharing information about his world; it wouldn't be the first time he's done it.]

Nobodies are the result of someone with a very strong will losing their heart to darkness. Their heart becomes something called a Heartless--and I know that doesn't make sense but it's what they're called--and the body and mind become a Nobody.

[Hopefully that isn't too confusing..]

She is. We didn't talk a whole lot about it but she knows about it.

[headjacked]

Nothing's going to make me stop fearing that.

[ Really, Beckett, not the time to mention that. No Rhysterics, but his voice dips back into pained wavering. ]

[ecks]

Enough. Message no to say they to need to read, only I to send. I to think okay.

[In other words, at least one person has refused to open it...but that's probably okay.]

[bookofnope]

Then everything is just fine. Yes?

[bookofnope]

[It's not going away, baby bird. You gotta face the music eventually.]

Not stop. No. But you can know the fear and control it. Very few people like to be alone. [He hesitates a fraction.] Even I have enough of it now and then. But many don't find their own company to be so disagreeable.

[bookofnope]

Thank you. [And now that anxiety is fully audible in the breathed-out words. It takes Beckett a moment to gather himself again after.]

So your having a Nobody, despite you still being here talking to me, means that somewhere out there was a you who lost his heart - am I correct? But you did not meet that other, only the Nobody that became of him. And this is something that can happen in any world, in your experience? I've met a vast array of supernatural strangeness in my nights, but never anything of this sort.