032. Video

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Beep beep! What's that, Lassie? An incoming message?! Oh, looks like it's coming from one Hal 'Otacon' Emmerich's PokeGear! How lovely. What does the nerd have to say toda-- .... HEY, THAT'S NOT OTACON!]

[The screen blips into life on a face that's bruised, scraped, and... freckled?]

[Once its owner is sure the thing is on, she withdraws-- making herself a little easier to identify. Sheepish smile and all.]



[Behind her appears to be a standard little camp set up in the woods-- nothing... really fancy. But she's not the only one there-- somewhere behind her, there's.... some shirtless guy wandering around and his indistinct bitching about something or other can be heard.]

[The mat-furred, sleepy Growlithe in her lap just looks content to be there, although it's obvious he's had it as rough as his owner.]</sub>

So. Uh.


_{[Her voice is a painful-sounding croak-- hardly more than a shadow of what it is normally.]}

Apparently I'm a wanted criminal.

... Anyone know what I did? ... Was it awesome?

I love that mugshot. It's so majestic.

<sub>[Yeah, she's making light of it, but her heart's not... really into it. Though it's sort of hard to tell the difference between that and the plain old exhaustion that's obviously leaking into her every movement and word.]

[... Meanwhile, in the background, Liquid has noticed that the camera's on and has started flexing his manly man-muscles at it in true Photobomb fashion. Heather doesn't notice yet.]</sub>

Uh... anyway... I'm not... sure how long I was gone, and my 'Gear is uh... pretty thoroughly broken-- Hal's off in town getting stuff to repair it with, so... if anyone... like, tried to contact me, m'sorry, I probably didn't get it...


I uh... really hope everyone's all right.

_{[She probably doesn't need to clarify that she's talking about that fog. Now that she knows what had happened wasn't real, and that others had experienced their OWN nightmares... well, let's just say she's really hoping she didn't knock anyone's skull in. ... And the question "DID I knock anyone's skull in?" is implied at the end of her statement.]}

......

_{[And around that time, her Heather Senses pick up on Liquid's trolling behind her, so she reaches out to turn the camera off while looking over her shoulder.]}


Liquid, get the fuck out.

_{[End feed.]}




[Locked to Kaito and Rise]

[Another video feed, a little later than the first one, but not by too long. Otacon apparently was able to fix the 'Gear enough that Heather could receive those two messages that had been waiting a good week and a half to be received by this point.]

[And... judging by her hardly-disguised guilty expression, she's more than feeling the weight of guilt for worrying her friends. Especially since she saw Rise just the previous day and hadn't... even known how ... candid a message she'd left days before.]

[After a couple seconds, she breaks into a sheepish, crooked grin.]

Uh... hey, guys...


... I got your messages...



[Locked to Harry, James, and Mary]

<sub>[This one's in text, because she knows good and well that James at the very least will be freaking out over how she looked in that video feed, and she's not sure she can take his quiet concerned expressions.]

[But she can't avoid sending this-- if she saw Silent Hill in that fog, then she's... pretty sure that they'd have seen something similar. ... Well, she's not sure about Mary, actually, but given the connection... better safe than sorry.]</sub>

are you guys alright

(typing is hard, sorry for no caps)_

-heather

Comments

[action] HE ACCEPTS CUDDLES FROM ALL SOURCES <3

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She doesn't exactly keep her distance-- for whatever reason, she's been... a little clingy ever since getting back. Not... needy, but... it's almost like she's worried that if she's not THERE all the time, everyone will disappear again. Though Liquid and Otacon are the only ones RIGHT THERE at the moment so they just have to deal with her.]

[So once he's back and tinkering with the 'Gear, she's right there next to him, knees to her chest and chin perched upon them.]</sub>

I'm super glamorous in my mugshots. I have standards.

... But yeah. I'm not particularly eager to get tossed in jail.

_{[She paused for a moment. As much as she blew off the 'dangerous' part in that video, it... stuck with her.]}

... Hal... what... exactly did I do?

_{[She hadn't said anything too specific about just what she'd seen yesterday-- having... well, wanted to be supportive for Rise at the time. But there's a hint of worry in her voice now that wasn't there yesterday either.]}

[action] YAAAAAY

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

[Otacon probably needed someone clingy around--it was par of the reason he'd kept Kotai out so often. He was, admittedly, more than a little afraid to be alone at this point.]

You won't. Promise.

...Assault and property damage, so I've heard. A coupe people on the network mentioned kicking a police officer in a less than pleasant place to be kicked.

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[Arguably the worst part of what she'd experienced over those horrible few days was the fact that all the friends she'd made here-- more than she could remember ever having back home-- were gone, and she'd never been able to tell them goodbye. Or even show how much she really appreciated them. ... That was all going to change. And that was why she was clinging just a little.]}

... I did?

.... _{[A sort of hollow laugh, as she sweeps some of her hair behind one ear.]}

Man, I don't remember ... any of that... it sounds like it must've been a hoot to see.

... I just... I don't remember even seeing any police officers... just...

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

Sounded like it, at least.

[He glanced over for a second before returning to the Pokegear.] ...Just what?

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[She was quiet for a moment, running her fingers along the rim of the styrofoam coffee cup he'd handed her upon returning from town, eyes directed at Kotai's coils. Because her head hurt and her scales were pleasant to look at.]}

... Just um... I mean... I was back home.

In my... nightmares. _{[It was a more comforting word than 'hallucination'.]}

I was... where I came from.

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

[You're damn right they were. The Arbok moved her head from that of her trainer and nuzzled Heather affectionately. Otacon was silent for a minute or two before setting the mechanical bits down and looking at her.]

...I'm listening if you want to talk about it.

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She smiled a bit and rubbed the snake's head. She'd never been too afraid of creepy crawlies, even at her girliest.]

.... Well...

I...

[Otacon has never seen Heather like this before. Not even when she was telling him why she was afraid of fire.]

... I didn't... fight police officers. I didn't even see any. [You're repeating yourself there, kiddo.]

I was fighting...

[It was so damn hard to say it, but he'd... TOLD her that he'd never think she was crazy...]

... I guess 'monsters' would be a good word.</sub>

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

[And of course, he didn't think she was crazy. Not after everything else. But even with that, what she said was a little shocking. So the hallucinations hadn't just created things, but warped what already existed. Idly he wondered just what he had really been hearing when Emma spoke to him.]

[He listened carefully, a genuinely curious look coming to his face once Heather was finished.]

[And it was then hat he said something Heather might just have heard before from someone that looked like Otacon with the creeper turned up to eleven.]

...so they looked like monsters to you?

[It was a completely innocent question, of course--he was looking for clarification, nothing more.]

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[It just so happened that Heather had absent-mindedly raised the cup of coffee to her lips to moisten her throat when he busted out with that mindbender.]

[Her eyes snapped open.]</sub>

FHFHFSSSHHPPLKTT!

_{[Have some coffee, Otacon. Apparently Heather's in a sharing mood.]}

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

. . .

[Otacon calmly took off his glasses and wiped them off while Kotai licked coffee off his face.]

...something I said?

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Heather was trying to fight back a coughing fit and not entirely succeeding-- staring in shock at Otacon the whole time. Like she was seeing him in an entirely new light.]

[Oh. My. God. How... how could she have missed the resemblance?? ... Well duh, obviously because he wasn't a total fucking creeper and he'd never tried to feel her up or something during those hugs, but ... still!]</sub>

W-what was that?!

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

H-hey, take it easy! [Otacon flailed slightly, concerned at Heather's sudden freakout.]

I just asked if everyone looked like some kind of a monster--I'm sorry, I don't know what I said wrong...!

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[COUGH COUGH.]

[Heather shut her eyes for a moment, waving a hand at Otacon.]</sub>

I-- sorry, it's just-- uhm.... sorry, you... you sounded like somebody else for a sec...

_{[Still, the resemblance was fucking uncanny... at least Otacon had decent teeth. And didn't leer.]}

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

[And was much more adorkable than Vincent anyway.]

I'm...sorry? Who'd I sound like?

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[MUCH more adorkable. Heather can actually hug him without feeling like she's being contaminated somehow!]

[She shook her head.]</sub>

No one important...

_{[... And then a thought occurred to her and her eye widened. Looking back to Otacon, she actually looked-- ... scared?]}

Hal...

_{[Her tone is urgent.]}

I... I didn't kill anyone, did I?!

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

...Relax. It's okay.

[He reached over, pulling her into a hug.]

I didn't hear anything like hat, and I'm sure the police reports would have said something.

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[She stiffened at first, but then relaxed.]}

.... yeah... yeah, you're right...

_{[Of course he was right... she'd even seen that police transmission and there was no mention of 'Murder' under her face.]}

Sorry... I just got uh... worried for a second...

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, it's fine. [He smiled awkwardly--mostly false, but a smile regardless--and let go after a moment.]

...sorry if I upset you.

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[Dammit Otacon, smile for real for once! DOES HEATHER HAVE TO DO SLAPSTICK COMEDY OR SOMETHING.]}

... Nnh... don't apologize... really, it's all right.

_{[She let out a deep sigh and tried to push the unfortunate association out of her mind.]}


.... I really did think I'd never see you again. ... Or Liquid, or anybody.

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

[Look at this face. This is much cuter than Vincent.]

[And super moe.]

...I kind of thought the same thing.

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[Yes, Otacon, you're adorable. You get cookies.]}

.... it was the worst part.

... Hal, I'm so sorry I didn't...

_{[She trails off there. HOW DO YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITHOUT BEING AWKWARD.]}

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

[YAY]

...didn't what?

[action]

[foolishwren]

I didn't... let any of you guys know how much I appreciated all you've done for me.

.... That was the worst part.

Realizing I'd fucked up again.

... Just like I fucked up with Dad before he got taken away.

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

...

[He smiled a little more sincerely, lightly ruffling her hair.]

You didn't need to tell me. I don't help people so I can get appreciation, I help them because they need it. Besides, just having you as a friend is all the thanks I need.

...just promise me one thing, Heather?

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[The corners of her mouth quirked up by reflex when he ruffled her hair, and she brought a hand up automatically to smooth it down again. As if that were even possible, with HER hair.]}

... I do, though... it's... you'd know what I meant if you... _{[Well, there's no real explaining it, but-- it was just important. Heather's conviction remained.]} I still want to. You can't make me change my mind on that. If I learned one thing while I thought I was back in that town...

_{[Then she trailed off.]}

... Yeah?