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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He sucks in a breath, shutting his eyes for a second.]

All right.

[Silence, for a second. There's a sudden mental image of those words -- more or less -- from a different source.]

[And what would he have done, if Sentinel had showed up? What was the kid doing to Sentinel... trying to do...]

I doubt he is disappointed in you, kid... Probably worried. Does... not want to see you come to harm at the hand of your enemy, regardless of what happened.

[His jaw tightens. Part of him doubts this is going to get through to Heather, but when Ironhide decides to make a speech, he does it.]

You should not be doing this. Not without backup.

You want to take a life. All right. I would too. I do too. And what happens after?

Do not say she is dead or something about revenge, that is not what I mean. What happens... to you.

[We walk a fine line, Sideswipe -- step over it, and you become the enemy.]

_{[She'd had to remove one hand from whatever bird she managed to get hold of-- the one holding the 'Gear, to press it tightly to the bridge of her nose, eyes squeezed shut for a moment or two.]}

--You don't-- you don't understand.

This isn't... it's not just about Dad, it's not just about her killing him...

It's not about what happens after...

It's already fucking happened.

This... it goes back so much further.

I'm already...

_{[And then she trails off for a moment.]}

Backup is exactly what I don't and can't have right now.

This is about me and her.

Me and her only.

Already?

Kid, if you are trying to say that I am incapable of understanding someone killing someone important to you, then you do not know me as well as you think.

If you think I do not understand the concept of something personal...

[He doesn't raise his voice. But there's a lot of heat in the words, regardless.]

You know nothing of me, or of what I have spent the last million years fighting against.

Fine, maybe I don't!

But this is different.

This is... I don't know ANYONE who would understand.

It's more than personal.

It's more than Dad.

It's... look, I don't wanna talk about it!

I am trying to understand!

Well you wouldn't, so stop it!

_{[Far from being an angry roar like his, her own voice simply went shrilly and then nearly disappeared on the last word. She's never been this upset while talking to him... and she already knows she's gonna owe him one hell of an apology later. Later, when she's actually in a state of mind to think about her words. Because she's sure not thinking about them right now.]}

You... do not know that.

[But you know what? He... is abruptly aware of his waning hold on his temper. Why does this feel like it's hitting so close to a nerve? It shouldn't. He has no parents. Only Prime. And Optimus--]

[Oh. Right. There it is.]

[The feed disconnects.]

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

[video] sdfhjds I'M SORRY I WORD-VOMITED

[video] I LOVE YOUR WORDVOMIT

[video] OKAY ;;

[video] <333

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