[STOP YOU SAID TWO LEGS though as I type this I realize that didn't preclude one of them from being a blade. It's fine. More importantly, why are the fucking rats here. ARE THEY BUFF??? Luke abandons this conversation to go hunt them down--
No jk. But that would be funny. He takes in the sight of the figure, filing everything about them away--are they wearing the rest of the outfit minus the helmet?
[ luke will get the feeling that maybe they're just. regular rats (maybe they're a little buff?). they won't carry him away to his nest and make him their husbando, though. probably. they just work here.
a good question though. the person is wearing what looks to be io's outfit, though the long coat is off, helmet set to the side, and from here, luke can see the leg blade, its shape towards the end giving it more away close up.
[ —they turn their head up almost immediately. there's a deep furrow to their brow, and their stooped shoulders shift upwards. something startles in their expression, but then softens, sad... his voice comes again, brighter, but disbelieving. ]
Pearce?
Even in sleep, I am taunted with how I failed... I see... why are my dreams always this nightmarish...
[ this is fine. he just looks at luke in quiet confusion? despair? hope? ]
[The way I stared at this icon for so long trying to figure out why I recognized it and then I finally remembered uturns
But since Io(?) doesn't seem to be about to attack him, Luke will finally move close enough to join him near the stage. His words hurt--a sympathetic sort of pain, the kind that only comes from closely related experiences. They were pulling me from behind, urging me to join them... they said it was only fair...]
...I wish I could tell you I'm not a ghost, but even I can't be sure about that. [Which he hates admitting, but after what they encountered in the canteen, he's forced to concede that spirits might be a thing on this godforsaken ship.] But at least I can tell you you're not imagining me.
[ it was so long ago actually. io does not seem to be in the mood to attack... anything really. his eyes are sunken with exhaustion, mouth pulled into a line that reads regret and nothing but difficulty.
seeing luke is exactly like seeing a ghost. but whether he is or not... well. io doesn't seem perturbed so much as just... sad. ]
That's what I get for falling asleep in the medbay again...
Tell me... not-imaginary Luke [ shifting a little, head higher somewhat, but looking wary. ] How exactly are you doing this? If I'm not imagining you... I want to try and understand.
Has Iotemy considered getting some sleep, says Luke, a massive hypocrite who only sleeps like 4.5/5 hours every day
Also, as he talks, he reaches out to touch the stage experimentally. Does he go through, or is it tangible...]
Assuming we're not both dreaming, Dahut, Scien, and I are still... on this ship, somewhere. I'm not sure where exactly, but it's probably pretty deep in, since our communications won't get through. [Putting aside his theory of a jammer, that's a different issue.] We found a device--it had screens with the eight of you on them. I thought it might be some kind of holographic communicator, but this looks more like a simulation,to me.
[ iotemy..... no he has not. not by the looks of those bags they are designer straight from russia. don't you talk to him about sleep, you little fucking shit you. shakes you in the pickle jar.
luke reaches out to touch the stage and can touch it. this is, after all, some sort of dream. it certainly isn't the eudora, that's for sure. the stage is old, rough-hewn, well-walked. but in any case. io listens patiently to all of this, nodding a little. ]
That's a start... [ he shuts his eyes a moment, letting out a huff. ] Whatever it is you've found, we can maybe take advantage of it.
Somewhere on the ship, though... [ they looks confused, brow drawing tightly in thought. ] What is it even like...?
[Comes back now that I've made a billion more icons since my dumb ass just now realized the wiki had a bunch of 100x100 images
If he can touch the stage, then he's going to hop up onto it, smooth and easy.]
I think we all certainly plan to try. [None of them are the sort to simply sit around and leave a potential escape route untouched; even if they were, all of them are scientifically curious enough to investigate new things.
The question makes him huff, though there's a hint of humor to it.]
Pretty terrible. There's trash everywhere, and the only way in or out, that we've found, is through something that looks like a mouth with sharp teeth. And we got attacked by rats and monsters yesterday.
luke may hop onto it for now. it is fine. this is A Dream. who knows what will happen. it's an old stage, there's maybe some hurried whispering happening, but again. it's indiscernible, soft. ]
Good. You've all got the rights heads for it... I think...
[ scien, dahut, luke. he says it like a regret as much as a vote of tenuous confidence. io hunches, though watches luke hop up out of the corner of his eye. ]
A... mouth. [ just like. give him a minute to process because what. the fuck? his brow furrows more so (is that possible? yes) as he looks at luke who is out here invading his dreams. ] Not a place we want you to have to linger, perhaps that's something we can find. An... an opening somewhere. [ where there's a mouth, there's a throat, there's a...—there's a way to excise—how does your head hurt inside your own head? io is just spreading a hand beside themself, trailing invisible lines slowly along the stage's wood. ]
[Can't wait for the buff rats to invade this dream and carry them off to their inexplicable jobs at the pie shop.]
I would've said it's likely wherever you all dumped our bodies, but we saw them in the pods on the screen that we have. So now I'm not sure where the connection is. We tried jamming it when Scien came through, but we weren't able to keep it open.
[And when they did keep it open, they didn't exactly make it out to the living side, so that's not helpful.]
Yeah. It was pretty weird... we don't have real monsters where I'm from. [UNLESS YOU COUNT PEOPLE which are the truest monsters of all, as we all know, but that is not what he means.] There's a canteen here, and a factory? We're supposed to be packing boxes or something. [Did Luke pack dead monster rats in some of those boxes. Maybe. Who's to say.]
It's protocol for the Company. Not that I'm particularly fond of it.
[ dully, unimpressed.
io looks upwards for a moment, a brief flick of the eyes. more scurrying noises. damn rats. they peer down, their eyes are too marble-like, too black. they move like disjointed puppeted things. eventually, he looks back at luke.
There's a few stories that I know, of monsters, but I've seen my fair share... though none in my time here...?
[ with a low hum ]
So a place to eat and a place to work... have you a place to rest as well?
[I can't wait to find out that the rats are the true antagonists of this game and we made a ratbrows account without knowing this crucial lore]
Yeah, we do. [It is not great. But Io already looks so exhausted that Luke doesn't mention that.] There's someone else with us, too--the original Callisto.
[ no we just somehow intersected aesthetics. welcome to my rat theatre. somewhere in the back of the stage, there is a wooden shuffling noise. someone back there is speaking in... latin? reciting a line over and over again from a far distance.
but haha you may as well, io will always look exhausted, it's like they were born with exhaustion strapped to their body like stones. a slow lift of the brows at this however. ] The original Callisto...?
[ he dips his head a moment, giving it a little shake. eugh. he looks... extremely concerned. ]
What do you mean by that? Callisto... they're still with us.
[ none of us like this. don't worry about the bells... probably. ]
No. From what I know? They have been here with us, since our first day...
[ and they sound absolutely serious. truth within a dream, parted from anything else. his expression softens a little, thoughtful as eyes go towards the doors. they aren't open, but something knocks sharply. a whisper.
conviction: ]
But if I am to trust my dreams as I have before... then I would like to believe you. At this point, I'll investigate whatever I can to figure out what precisely is happening...
For a minute, Luke debates telling Io not to be too concerned--that their Callisto didn't seem to think it was a big deal, that Nut & Bolt probably just sent over a replacement. But surely Io would have no reason to lie to a dead man? And if he's telling the truth, if he really believes that they've always had the same Callisto, then...]
Please do look into it, but be careful, okay? If something's going on, we're all at a disadvantage.
[Oh I was expecting so much worse when I clicked on that I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE LIKE THOSE VIDS RANKING EMERGENCY ALERTS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.]
Thanks. We'll keep trying, too, for as long as we're still around. [However long that might be... he has no idea, but. Well. At least that's nothing new to him.
The nice thing about being a ghost, though, is that it's much easier to hide things, which was Luke's specialty to begin with!! Nice!!! He smiles reassuringly.]
[ they're only terrifying when you're constantly dying so yeah we are pretty safe because luke is dead and io isn't dead (yet. damn.)
the good thing about being in a dream is that it's just a dream and who knows if he'll actually remember this. what if he sits up too fast? what if it just floats away into the ether where forgotten dreams go? luke could likely leave an impression. there's a good chance it won't be... ]
You're dead, Luke, I do not consider that "okay now."
[ a huff ]
If we do somehow find an opening, we'll see what we can do from our end... perhaps I will talk to Ganymede about this. They may have some ideas...
I don't love it, but I'm not in pain. Don't worry about me. Just look out for the others, okay?
[It's not like he wants to be forgotten--but he doesn't want Io wasting time on futile attempts to save the dead and neglecting the living in the process.]
I'll try reaching out to the others, too, in case I can't come back. [Imagine if the holo-deck fuckin broke]
I'll worry about you until we figure out a way to return you to us. I'll worry about the lot of you.
[ futile? no. save one, save them all. their fingers clench tightly, white-knuckled, old scars - defensive, deep, impossible one over the other. even scien, who is a veritable psycho, may have a modicum of concern. he didn't deserve that, to tear his own throat out like an animal. or did he looks at virche jk unless bye ]
But yes. Reach out to who you can - and be careful.
This other Callisto... [ softer, distant, searching... ] We'll figure this out.
We're dead, Io. [His tone isn't harsh--but it is firm. The tone of a soldier, of someone used to loss--of moving on because he had to. Because there was no time, no room, for anything else.] Destroying yourself over us isn't going help anyone.
[If it is, somehow, possible to come back from this, if they are--god knows how--still... "alive," in some capacity--then Luke does, of course, want to be saved. His goal from the beginning has been getting everyone home, and for all his issues and struggles with self-loathing, Luke always included himself in that, too. He's the one on the front lines, the guardian, the person who steps forward on instinct to protect everyone else behind him--but he always intended to make it home too. But he never wanted anyone to get hung up on his life; that is, in fact, the exact opposite of what he strove for since he was sixteen years old--or ever, if he's fully honest with himself.
Maybe this is his fault. This is what he gets for visiting, for telling Io they're still on the ship instead of safely tucked away in some traditionally beautiful afterlife. It's why he always planned to stay away from Rosa--why he intended to vanish quietly from her life a second time, rather than subjecting her to the neverending pain of grief.]
If you find answers, we'll take them. [He'll allow for that much, since he knows his words probably won't have the effect he's hoping for.] But the best thing you can do for--[us, he almost says--but no, that's unfair to the others]--me right now is to look after the others on that side, with you. That's what I want, okay?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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No jk. But that would be funny. He takes in the sight of the figure, filing everything about them away--are they wearing the rest of the outfit minus the helmet?
He will continue to get closer, carefully.]
Io? It's Luke Pearce.
1/2
a good question though. the person is wearing what looks to be io's outfit, though the long coat is off, helmet set to the side, and from here, luke can see the leg blade, its shape towards the end giving it more away close up.
after he speaks— ]
2/2
Pearce?
Even in sleep, I am taunted with how I failed... I see... why are my dreams always this nightmarish...
[ this is fine. he just looks at luke in quiet confusion? despair? hope? ]
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But since Io(?) doesn't seem to be about to attack him, Luke will finally move close enough to join him near the stage. His words hurt--a sympathetic sort of pain, the kind that only comes from closely related experiences. They were pulling me from behind, urging me to join them... they said it was only fair...]
...I wish I could tell you I'm not a ghost, but even I can't be sure about that. [Which he hates admitting, but after what they encountered in the canteen, he's forced to concede that spirits might be a thing on this godforsaken ship.] But at least I can tell you you're not imagining me.
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seeing luke is exactly like seeing a ghost. but whether he is or not... well. io doesn't seem perturbed so much as just... sad. ]
That's what I get for falling asleep in the medbay again...
Tell me... not-imaginary Luke [ shifting a little, head higher somewhat, but looking wary. ] How exactly are you doing this? If I'm not imagining you... I want to try and understand.
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Also, as he talks, he reaches out to touch the stage experimentally. Does he go through, or is it tangible...]
Assuming we're not both dreaming, Dahut, Scien, and I are still... on this ship, somewhere. I'm not sure where exactly, but it's probably pretty deep in, since our communications won't get through. [Putting aside his theory of a jammer, that's a different issue.] We found a device--it had screens with the eight of you on them. I thought it might be some kind of holographic communicator, but this looks more like a simulation,to me.
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luke reaches out to touch the stage and can touch it. this is, after all, some sort of dream. it certainly isn't the eudora, that's for sure. the stage is old, rough-hewn, well-walked. but in any case. io listens patiently to all of this, nodding a little. ]
That's a start... [ he shuts his eyes a moment, letting out a huff. ] Whatever it is you've found, we can maybe take advantage of it.
Somewhere on the ship, though... [ they looks confused, brow drawing tightly in thought. ] What is it even like...?
no subject
If he can touch the stage, then he's going to hop up onto it, smooth and easy.]
I think we all certainly plan to try. [None of them are the sort to simply sit around and leave a potential escape route untouched; even if they were, all of them are scientifically curious enough to investigate new things.
The question makes him huff, though there's a hint of humor to it.]
Pretty terrible. There's trash everywhere, and the only way in or out, that we've found, is through something that looks like a mouth with sharp teeth. And we got attacked by rats and monsters yesterday.
[Don't just mention the rats]
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luke may hop onto it for now. it is fine. this is A Dream. who knows what will happen. it's an old stage, there's maybe some hurried whispering happening, but again. it's indiscernible, soft. ]
Good. You've all got the rights heads for it... I think...
[ scien, dahut, luke. he says it like a regret as much as a vote of tenuous confidence. io hunches, though watches luke hop up out of the corner of his eye. ]
A... mouth. [ just like. give him a minute to process because what. the fuck? his brow furrows more so (is that possible? yes) as he looks at luke who is out here invading his dreams. ] Not a place we want you to have to linger, perhaps that's something we can find. An... an opening somewhere. [ where there's a mouth, there's a throat, there's a...—there's a way to excise—how does your head hurt inside your own head? io is just spreading a hand beside themself, trailing invisible lines slowly along the stage's wood. ]
Rats and monsters...? On board?
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I would've said it's likely wherever you all dumped our bodies, but we saw them in the pods on the screen that we have. So now I'm not sure where the connection is. We tried jamming it when Scien came through, but we weren't able to keep it open.
[And when they did keep it open, they didn't exactly make it out to the living side, so that's not helpful.]
Yeah. It was pretty weird... we don't have real monsters where I'm from. [UNLESS YOU COUNT PEOPLE which are the truest monsters of all, as we all know, but that is not what he means.] There's a canteen here, and a factory? We're supposed to be packing boxes or something. [Did Luke pack dead monster rats in some of those boxes. Maybe. Who's to say.]
no subject
It's protocol for the Company. Not that I'm particularly fond of it.
[ dully, unimpressed.
io looks upwards for a moment, a brief flick of the eyes. more scurrying noises. damn rats. they peer down, their eyes are too marble-like, too black. they move like disjointed puppeted things. eventually, he looks back at luke.
There's a few stories that I know, of monsters, but I've seen my fair share... though none in my time here...?
[ with a low hum ]
So a place to eat and a place to work... have you a place to rest as well?
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Yeah, we do. [It is not great. But Io already looks so exhausted that Luke doesn't mention that.] There's someone else with us, too--the original Callisto.
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but haha you may as well, io will always look exhausted, it's like they were born with exhaustion strapped to their body like stones. a slow lift of the brows at this however. ] The original Callisto...?
[ he dips his head a moment, giving it a little shake. eugh. he looks... extremely concerned. ]
What do you mean by that? Callisto... they're still with us.
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He tilts his head slightly.]
...You don't remember someone going missing? Not that long before the rest of us arrived--or maybe about a month ago?
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though as luke pursues this line of questioning, io slowly tenses, hands now fisting in the material of his bad leg. tighter, tighter. ]
N...o? Callisto is here. They're with us, they've always been us. Moodier than usual, but...
[ there's a noise that pierces through the silence io trails off into - suddenly, the distant ringing of a bell. bong. bong. bong. bong. ]
By original... you're saying the one with us is...
[ bong. unhappily, just: ]
... I don't like where this leads, Luke...
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But you didn't--[Ah, shit. Bells can't be good.]--notice them going missing at all? Even for a few days?
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No. From what I know? They have been here with us, since our first day...
[ and they sound absolutely serious. truth within a dream, parted from anything else. his expression softens a little, thoughtful as eyes go towards the doors. they aren't open, but something knocks sharply. a whisper.
conviction: ]
But if I am to trust my dreams as I have before... then I would like to believe you. At this point, I'll investigate whatever I can to figure out what precisely is happening...
no subject
For a minute, Luke debates telling Io not to be too concerned--that their Callisto didn't seem to think it was a big deal, that Nut & Bolt probably just sent over a replacement. But surely Io would have no reason to lie to a dead man? And if he's telling the truth, if he really believes that they've always had the same Callisto, then...]
Please do look into it, but be careful, okay? If something's going on, we're all at a disadvantage.
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io does nod softly, however, especially at the warning. the idea of being at a disadvantage... he taps fingers sharply on the stage. ]
I'll test the waters, see what I can find. Disadvantage or not, we'll keep trying.
[ hesitance. and then, firmly. ]
This place that you're in... from one stubborn person to another, be careful, Luke... how is your pain on that side...?
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Thanks. We'll keep trying, too, for as long as we're still around. [However long that might be... he has no idea, but. Well. At least that's nothing new to him.
The nice thing about being a ghost, though, is that it's much easier to hide things, which was Luke's specialty to begin with!! Nice!!! He smiles reassuringly.]
Don't worry. I'm okay now.
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the good thing about being in a dream is that it's just a dream and who knows if he'll actually remember this. what if he sits up too fast? what if it just floats away into the ether where forgotten dreams go? luke could likely leave an impression. there's a good chance it won't be... ]
You're dead, Luke, I do not consider that "okay now."
[ a huff ]
If we do somehow find an opening, we'll see what we can do from our end... perhaps I will talk to Ganymede about this. They may have some ideas...
no subject
I don't love it, but I'm not in pain. Don't worry about me. Just look out for the others, okay?
[It's not like he wants to be forgotten--but he doesn't want Io wasting time on futile attempts to save the dead and neglecting the living in the process.]
I'll try reaching out to the others, too, in case I can't come back. [Imagine if the holo-deck fuckin broke]
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[ futile? no. save one, save them all. their fingers clench tightly, white-knuckled, old scars - defensive, deep, impossible one over the other. even scien, who is a veritable psycho, may have a modicum of concern. he didn't deserve that, to tear his own throat out like an animal.
or did he looks at virche jk unless bye]But yes. Reach out to who you can - and be careful.
This other Callisto... [ softer, distant, searching... ] We'll figure this out.
no subject
[If it is, somehow, possible to come back from this, if they are--god knows how--still... "alive," in some capacity--then Luke does, of course, want to be saved. His goal from the beginning has been getting everyone home, and for all his issues and struggles with self-loathing, Luke always included himself in that, too. He's the one on the front lines, the guardian, the person who steps forward on instinct to protect everyone else behind him--but he always intended to make it home too. But he never wanted anyone to get hung up on his life; that is, in fact, the exact opposite of what he strove for since he was sixteen years old--or ever, if he's fully honest with himself.
Maybe this is his fault. This is what he gets for visiting, for telling Io they're still on the ship instead of safely tucked away in some traditionally beautiful afterlife. It's why he always planned to stay away from Rosa--why he intended to vanish quietly from her life a second time, rather than subjecting her to the neverending pain of grief.]
If you find answers, we'll take them. [He'll allow for that much, since he knows his words probably won't have the effect he's hoping for.] But the best thing you can do for--[us, he almost says--but no, that's unfair to the others]--me right now is to look after the others on that side, with you. That's what I want, okay?