foolishwren | 96. [Accidental Video/Action for Ecruteak] BACKDATED TO THE 22ND

_{[Chaotic and occasionally-accidental videos have become a relatively frequent occurrence during the outbreak, and this video is really no different in that aspect.]

[The feed comes to life in a chaotic jumble that makes it clear that the 'Gear was bumped or jostled into turning on-- no amateur-but-deliberate filming of Pokemon attacking action figures this time around. It does, however, come to a brief halt as the carrier pauses.]}

_{[Sunny the Togekiss peers sorrowfully down from the outdoor-rafters she's perched on, apparently refusing to come down.]}

-ny!

SUNNY!

Get the HELL down-- oh my god, you know what?

Forget it.

FORGET IT.

Forget it.

Fucking BIRD.

_{[The screen whirls and and all image coherency disappears in a swirl of bouncing sky and trees. The WHACK WHACK WHACK of the mic hitting the other contents of Heather's bag as it swings at her side destroy most of the audibility too, but snippets of voices come through-- Heather's and someone else's. People who are familiar with her and the people she travels with will recognize it as her father Harry Mason.]}

Heath--r please be reason-- just stop for a moment and think ab-- you don't need to d-- let it g--

No. NO. She--

I don't CARE if she's not g-- to-- I'm going--- do what I should have done in t-- --ace!

--L MASON--

_{[The thumping stops as Heather apparently stops and spins on her heel. As she does so, the camera's view once again settles, offering an off-kilter perspective view of her from roughly waist-level. She's been staying away from the network as much as possible as the effects of the strange outbreak started to hit her hard, and now it's fairly evident why: dark, scorched-looking splotches have spread across every inch of skin like burns-- and where they crack, bright, veinlike lines like something molten spread. Her hair is smoky and black.]}

I am NOT losing you again, Dad!

_{[And then, after that raspy, croaky scream, she whirls again and keeps going. The feed times out at some point, after a lot of jumbled sounds as other voices join the apparent debate.]}

[OOC: Cooooonteeeeeext. Replies over the 'Gear will likely be ICly delayed and/or limited.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh, he will. But first...]

Is there a reason you suddenly do not trust me with this?

[It doesn't take long for her to put two and two together.]

What did that woman tell you?

[He frowns.]

It looked like something I should worry about.

[For the first time since this mess started, Otacon switches to video rather than text; every time he gets much closer to the screen it starts getting faintly staticy. Which is just as well, as that makes it harder to tell his eyes seem to have turned red in addition to streaks of gray no amount of hair dye could cover up.]

...Talk to me. What's going on?

_{[It probably won't be. But in this instance... well, Heather's a little beyond the 'Friends come first' mentality she usually stands by.]}

I'm taking care of a little problem from home and unless they're helping, it's nobody's goddamn business but mine.

[Don't worry, Heather, you'll have plenty of time to re-think that after he spits his buttrage fueled friendship speech at you.]

That's cool then, since I'm all for helping. What's the deal?

_{[There's a pause in which only the roar of the wind can be heard.]}

You remember when you told me that if any Decepticons showed up, to stay out of it because it's not my fight?

_{[For a second or two, Heather's almost surprised.]

[She really has no right to be-- she'd told Minnie all about Claudia, after all. Well. Not all about Claudia, but certainly as much as she's admitted to most people. Maybe even a little bit more.]}

... She told me enough that I know that she's never gonna change.

... Some never do.

But she can't do you harm here. Your friends trust you, and if you say to distrust her, they will stand by you to protect you and those you love. That woman has no power here.

[He scowls.]

Yeah. And I still told you why.

_{[Her tone is unusually short. Not that Heather doesn't have a tendency to be snappy, but there's something more intense behind it this time.]}

Well, don't.

I'm just taking care of a little problem.

_{[Any other time, she might have had the presence of mind to appreciate that. But now... There was a cliff edge and she had gone sailing off of it. It's a good thing the static from her 'Gear's speakers is being blown out by the wind because it would have rattled her brains even more.]}

Not in the mood to talk, Otacon.

...

[He paused, honestly considering for a moment or two if this was something she needed to settle without his intervention. God knew he could understand things like that, at this point in his life. But concern won out after a conflict that didn't last long at all.]

I can tell. But don't you think that's reason enough to talk anyway?

Just tell me what's going on. That's all I'm asking.

_{[Y-yeah, she... will....]}

I'm taking care of a problem from home.

You said as much. So how do I help you with that?

Yeah. You told me it wasn't my fight.

But this is.

And I still told you why.

No, this will make it worse.

I'm not worried about that.

_{[It's not quite snapped, but it's said hastily-- almost breathlessly. Because she cares about what Minnie thinks-- not enough that she's going to stop, but enough that she's willing to make SOME kind of effort for her to understand.]}

I don't distrust her.

She's never lied to me.

Hell, I don't think she's ever LIED.

But she did something horrible and I am not-- NOT going to let it go any longer. It was more than Dad. It was-- nothing is going to stop me.

If you're thinking of revenge, that won't give you the satisfaction you want! The memories will still stay with you, and you'll only do yourself and your father worse.

_{[She doesn't want to be short with Otacon. Hell, she doesn't want to be short with anybody. But she's just so angry...]}

A problem from home showed up is what's going on, and this time I'm taking CARE of it.

Happy?!

If it's such a little problem, then why not tell me what it is?

[He notices the odd intensity, but, well...persistence has never been a quality he's lacked.]

[After one dealt with Liquid Snake, seeing anyone else get angry seemed minor in comparison. So Otacon was completely calm, not sounding like he was getting his head bitten off.]

...You know I'm not your enemy, Heather. And believe it or not...I'm not going to stop you.

I just want to know how I can help.

_{[The reply comes after a brief hesitation.]}

Sunny won't take me.

I need a bird.

And so did I! It's the same damn thing.

My enemy is here and I need everyone else to stay the HELL out of my way while I do what I should've done to her three years ago!

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96. [Accidental Video/Action for Ecruteak] BACKDATED TO THE 22ND

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[video] I actually totally forget if he said this to her in Route or in a meme thread but

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[video] ... I totally forget too

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[video] sob I'm sorry she is pushing everyone away ;-;

[video] ;; heather plz

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[video] W/E IT'S CANON NOW

[video] THAT WORKS

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