Ned § Video 01 § Day 57

[nedofpies]

[ The video feed switches on upon Ned's determined face. It's his first video communication; he hasn't been using the network much, but this is an important community matter. ]

Does anyone know who is responsible for these? [ Ned waves a copy of that mysterious flyer which has popped up around town so suddenly. He turns the camera back to his own face, talking directly to his fellow captives. ]

Whoever it is, it seems to me like they are trying to sow the seeds of doubt and turn us on one another. Make us so suspicious of one another so we can't work together. Which makes me think it might have come from the people who are keeping us here. And it makes me think that we're starting to worry them. [ There is an edge of anger to his voice, beneath the surface, if you listen closely enough. ]

But I think they're underestimating us. Gossip? Really? [ He half-laughs and shakes his head in amused disbelief. ] We're all grown-ups here. We aren't going to be- to be manipulated by some anonymous bullies. [ The spite in the way he delivers that last word makes it sound as if he's had some experience with bullies. ] We just need to trust one another, and not let this nonsense come between us. Part of that is... coming clean.

So. Me first. [ Ned swallows, takes a moment to collect his courage. It's a big thing to confess, even if plenty of people already know about it. For all his big talk, honesty is against Ned's very nature. But this isn't exactly a normal place, and at this point, owning up is just a part of damage control. ]

...It's true. I brought someone back to life. [ He exhales, half in relief. It's done, now. No going back. ] It's not like that was a secret. It happened in broad daylight and there were like, a dozen witnesses, so this- [ He brandishes the paper again ] is not exactly an exposé, is it? As for being 'mint-in-the-box', well, I don't even know what that means, so I can't say if I am one way or another.

Comments

[nedofpies]

I'd heard about the sabre-tooth tigers and wolves, but not about the mechanical bears. [ The corner of Ned's mouth twitches up into a smile ] Tigers and bears... I don't suppose there are lions, too? Flying monkeys?

[rigging]

Yeah, while back we tried to escape and they set bears and shit on us. [ And Jesse got munched on by a tiger, it was pretty great. And by great, he means terrible and painful. ] Flying monkeys though - hope not. Cause I ain't a fan.

Ay, Ned, though. Lemme ask you something.

[nedofpies]

Yes? [ Ned says it as lightly as he can, though he feels a twinge of anticipatory nervousness. ]

( private )

[rigging]

[ Just in case, he privates it. ] You doing okay? With the - thing with the girl. You don't gotta get all deep and introspective, but.

[nedofpies]

Oh. [That... really wasn't the sort of question he'd been expecting. After a moment of surprise he says. ]

You heard about what happened, then? [ It's not a big leap to make. All he'd said on the video was that he'd brought someone back to life, but he'd told Galen the whole story, and Galen and Jesse are Galen and Jesse, so he isn't surprised. Ned looks away from the communicator, looks back again with a small smile that he hopes will be reassuring ] I'll be alright. I might not look it but I've been through worse. [ And no, he doesn't intend to elaborate on that, Jesse is just going to have to believe him ] But it's awfully nice of you to ask.

[rigging]

[ Word gets around, and Jesse pretty much leeches any information Galen gets off of the singer. The smile is slightly reassuring, but Jesse still worries, if only because he knows how it is to hide things that bother you in this sort of fashion. ]

House Twenty, right? [ He grins a bit. ] I got your back. We got your back, it ain't a thing. [ Ned hasn't been around long, but whatever. Jesse takes the house thing seriously. ] Lemme know if people harass you, alright? I got enough, uh - let's say sway, that I can make 'em stop if it gets bad.

[ Because nobody is going to be bullying anybody. ]

[nedofpies]

[ So not only is Jesse not turning against him, but he's saying that if anyone gives him trouble, he'll be on Ned's side? It seems too good to be true; Ned has had plenty of experience with bullies and not terribly much with allies. A tiny part of his mind wonders what the catch is. He ignores that little voice and beams. ] That's very chivalrous of you.

People have been surprisingly understanding. Very surprisingly. This isn't- I always thought that if anyone found out, it would be very different to this.

[ Again that small voice, telling him that there's still time for it to turn sour. That he shouldn't let his guard down just because a few people are offering their support. It's the ones who aren't contacting him, the ones who heard but have said nothing back, that he ought to worry about. And if - or when - that time comes, is he really going to put a good-hearted guy like Jesse in danger for someone like him? Ned continues to ignore these thoughts. ]

Maybe it's because there are so many people here who are... different, too?

[rigging]

[ Well, mostly - Jesse thinks it'd be hypocritical for him to be freaked out about Ned when he's got a boyfriend who can fuck with people's dreams. He grins a little more widely when Ned smiles, and shrugs. ]

I dunno, I think that's probably it. I think people get this kinda stuff more easily than you'd think? A lot of people here got fucked up stuff that's happened to them. Fucked up, different, weird stuff, like - your level of weird, with the magic touch. I mean, I ain't a stranger to weird shit going down either, so.

[ Jesse sniffs. ] You'll probably get your fair share'a people who think it's bad news, but long as you got support, they don't matter.

[nedofpies]

[ Wouldn't Ned love to think that humanity is good at its core, accepting of the new and strange, willing to treat others with tolerance and kindness. But he's read a little too much history and seen a little too much of the world to buy it. He doesn't want to argue, though, so he only nods. ] You know, it's interesting, where I'm from... I'm the only weird one. People don't believe in magic, or psychics or aliens or ghosts or anything out of the ordinary

[ And oh, he's looked. He looked for years. There had been plenty of false leads, but none of it panned out in the end. ] But plenty of people here, like you, seem totally used to the idea. Like it's just an everyday thing. It's curious.

[ What Jesse says about support brings up another thought, one that has been brewing in the back of his mind for some time ] And maybe it's the common enemy thing, what with the cameras and the crazy scientists doing experiments on us, but the people here are different to the people where I'm from. They're less... horrible.

[ Ned's smile falters and he adds, in a sobered tone ] The uh... the guy from yesterday being the exception.

[rigging]

[ Jesse's a little too cynical in that regard as well - he knows with almost a hundred percent certainty that most people (with exceptions, of course) will try to fuck him over if it comes down to survival. Which is fine with Jesse - he'll find his allies, and he'll stick to them. He snorts, though. ]

Ay, for what it's worth, I never believed in any of that stuff either for a real long time. Maybe ghosts, but not for serious. [ He also thinks Ned's probably onto something there. ] Nah, though, the common enemy thing? That's what it is. It's like the fuckin' mafia or something, like a gang? Where you might not like the other people 'round but you don't snitch on 'em to the cops. Kinda like that. Don't have t'like people to work together.

[ A beat. ] Which guy?

[nedofpies]

[ Well, Ned's got nothing against a gang mentality, so long as he's in the gang instead of outside it. It's a good argument: one that he's going to remember if anyone starts to give him trouble about his power. Bigger fish to fry, and all. Of course it probably wouldn't work, but still... ]

[ When Jesse asks which guy he meant, Ned looks away, pauses and swallows before he answers. ] The guy who shot Laura. [ In other words, the guy he'd killed ]

[rigging]

[ It's still worth a shot. And when Ned looks away, Jesse frowns. Oh right. That guy. ]

What was his problem? [ Jesse's actually not very sure how the dude died. He knows Ned brought Laura back to life, but past that, he couldn't get much sense out of the story. ]

[nedofpies]

What, other than being a paranoid murdering psychopath? [ There's a sharpness to Ned's words, an anger that clearly isn't meant for Jesse. He realizes a second later how snappish he must have sounded, bites his lip regretfully ]

Sorry. That wasn't called for. [Ned runs a hand through his hair and sighs heavily. Yeah, clearly he's coping perfectly. ] He got it into his head that Laura and I were trying to take control of the food. Or... steal the food, or something like that. I don't remember, it all happened so fast. He pretty much walked up and started shooting.

[rigging]

[ Jesse maybe looks a little indignant at the sharp tone, but the apology is enough to make Jesse settle down. He wrinkles his nose - he gets it, he guesses. ] S'fine.

... Shit, though. He died, right, though? I mean, he ain't gonna be a problem again - unless he comes back. [ D: ] People have died here, they come back sometimes. Y'think that's gonna happen?

[nedofpies]

[ Well there's a horrible option that Ned didn't even know was on the table. Here he thought he was going to be safe from any kind of reprisals, on account of the man who he killed being, well, dead. Ned's used to that being conclusive, unless he himself decides otherwise.]

[ But apparently resurrections are a common occurrence here, and now he has a whole new scenario to be afraid of. ]

You mean he could come back, w-without me touching him?

[rigging]

[ Aw, shit. Jesse didn't mean to freak him out. ]

Well - fuck, I dunno, there was just this guy, before. Party Poison? He uh. He died, and came back a day or so later, I guess? But I dunno if that's a thing that happens all the time. I dunno if it was a fluke, cause - he killed himself on accident, so.