[Voice] un: 008

[hachitaro]

[The omni clicks on, audio already playing. It sounds tinny, like it's coming from a small speaker. It's slightly muffled, like there's someone blocking the sound a bit.]

[One of the voices on the audio is definitely Taro. The other voice is an almost croaking one, a little difficult to make out.]


---
"Right, so that's what you say I did. You're the one coming after me."

'You've crossed us for the last time, Watanabe. You might have been a big shot once, but not anymore. Now you're just scum.'

Taro huffs a little, almost laughing. "Are you kidding me? You're coming after me because I know things. Because I'm going to tell other people. Because you lot are just going to keep summoning -"

'Enough. You've said enough. Say your prayers. Any god of your choosing, doesn't matter.'

He laughs and there's a shuffling sound. "Fuck you. I don't need to pray to anyone."

There's the click of what sound like nails on a wooden floor, and then a loud squawk. The sounds of some kind of scuffle are audible, and Taro's heavy breathing. There's a gutteral cry of pain that dies down as the sound of the other person(?) gets up and starts walking away. Click... click... click... and then it's silent.
---


[There's the sound of a button of some kind being pushed and a sigh. Taro grunts in frustration for a moment and doesn't say anything for a few moments. There's a shuffling sound, and then a pause. ... Huh.]

Uh, hey Trench. Didn't see you there. Or... hear you? Anyway... huh. I... uh. Do you think those zealot guys are going to leave us alone? Kinda dangerous for someone like me to walk out at night. It's kind of frustrating, y'know?

Anyway... I'm still learning about this place. What's... uh. A good area to hang out at where there's not that many monsters? Kind of a noncombatant here.

Talk to you later. Taro out.

Comments

voice | un: sds

[fogsong]

[ oh. Sharon does not like the sound of any of that if but when Taro next speaks he doesn’t bring up what just played.

Hmm. ]

I hear they back off once they’re done with their bullshit harvest. [ a good time to learn to carry a gun, Taro!!! ]

So. [ she trails the word a little ] Wanna talk about the person who was threatening you or should I just pretend I didn’t hear that?

[hachitaro]

Oh, good. I hope they get fucking nothing from whatever they're trying to grow.

[He's silent for a full ten seconds after she says that, the only sound being a sharp inhale of breath.]

... No wonder it was on. Omnis are still messing up. You... uh. You heard that, huh...

Yeah, I'd... prefer you didn't... damn it...

... Everyone heard it, huh.

[fogsong]

We're the harvest, Taro. [ it's an easy thing to misunderstand, though. ]

Everyone heard it. If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine. It didn't sound... good. [ it's obviously not something that's happened recently here in Trench, almost sounded like a tape of some kind, but it was hard to tell over omni ]

[hachitaro]

Yeah, but it's gotta be for some purpose. That's what I mean.

[He's silent for a little bit before he turns on a filter.]

[Private]

No. It wasn't. I'm surprised the tape showed up here at all.

... It was an assassin. His boss didn't like what I knew.

private

[fogsong]

They think it helps the Tower and Trench continue as they are.

A fucking assassin? For real? What... [ hmm. she often tries to be careful how much she asks about people's past. it's none of her business even if she likes to be nosy but... ] What happened? Did you manage to get away?

[hachitaro]

Great.

[He pauses to laugh briefly, a little pained. He can't help it, it's just... funny. And his response to trauma is to laugh and make jokes anyway...]

... Did it sound like I got away?

[fogsong]

[ oh.

oh.

she's quiet for a good long moment and then: ] Fuck. [ a pause and then: ] Shit.

I'm sorry.

[hachitaro]

Not your fault. Not your circus, not your monkeys.

... Worst part was how slow it was and how fucking useless I felt. Couldn't move.

[fogsong]

[ it doesn't feel right to ask him invasive questions right now even though a part of her wants to. if he wants to go into details, that's up to him. instead, she'll let him know she does understand. ]

I, uh... I know what that's like. Not dying, but I came close once. It was slow, and awful, and felt like it would never end. No way to escape. Trapped. I was sure I would die. I was supposed to die.

[hachitaro]

... I don't think there's a time where we're 'supposed to' die or not. Fate's bullshit.

[Even if anyone has worlds where gods are real, they're assholes.]

... You shouldn't have had to go through that, though. You're... I mean you're not a minor, but barely.

[fogsong]

[ give her a second as she switches this to private ]

It was less... fate and more about the fact that an ordinary person would've died from it. It would've been better if I'd died from it, honestly. [ that seems harsh but... she's honest ] I was 9 when it happened, actually. I was burned alive.

And no one should have to go through that kind of shit. Not you, not me, but life's a bitch.

[hachitaro]

[Thankfully he hasn't switched it back to public.]

You were - what?

[There's a growl in his voice and he has to take a few moments to take some deep breaths.]

.... Hope you got back at the assholes who did it.

[fogsong]

It took a very long time but, yeah, I did. I took everything from them. [ their children. their homes. their sense of safety. even hope. she swallowed it all and then tainted the very land their town was built upon so no person could ever live there again. ]

I didn't tell you that to upset you, I told you to... [ she pauses like she's chewing on the words ] I don't know, let you know that you're not alone, I guess.

[hachitaro]

Good. I just...

[He's quiet for a few long moments.]

I'm used to being alone. I have no family anymore. One friend. I move around a lot. I sleep around a lot.

Being alone doesn't bother me. Not anymore.

[He's long since hardened his heart to it. The constant need to have understanding and affection? He's learned to not listen to it.]

[fogsong]

So, what? You want to continue being alone? You wanna go through this fucked up place alone? Come on, Taro. [ a huff ]

There's no reason for you to be alone here. We deal with enough bullshit without having to deal with it all alone, too.

[hachitaro]

... There's secrets I -

[Is that too much? Is he just being emotional because of what she just heard?]

I can't... tell people things. About me. I don't want to get hurt.

[fogsong]

Then don't tell people your secrets if you're afraid, Taro, but whatever you're hiding? Whatever you feel you have to hide? It doesn't matter here. It won't affect people, it won't piss them off or make them afraid of you. You're in Trench, a place where we've been reborn as squid in a world affected by quasi-deities every month and our bloodtypes give us powers. [ there's a firmness in her tone though it's accompanied by a gentle understanding. ]

It's okay to have your secrets, I have my own, but when you find someone you feel you can trust, don't be afraid to let them in a little. You'd be surprised at the kinds of people you'll find here.

Also, if anyone tried to hurt you over your secrets, I'd beat the fuck out of them. No questions asked.

[hachitaro]

[... Yeah, that's... well, aside from the secrets bit - she knows they have to hide - she's really sounding like Toshiko. It's nostalgic, almost.]

[Hopefully, she's doing well. ... And has gotten over the shock of finding him like... that.]

Yeah, well. I guess it's harder to be a weirdo in a town full of weirdos, you weirdo.

[It's a teasing tone, but it's a little tired.]

I don't think there's anyone like me, though. Not that I would know, it's just... rare.

[fogsong]

That's kind of the point, fellow weirdo.

As a fellow rare and unique individual, wanna tell me what makes you so rare? You never know, there might be more people like yourself here than you ever thought possible.

[hachitaro]

... I can't. Sorry. I like you, but I can't. If anyone found out, we'd both be in danger.

[Maybe not here, but... but he can't really shake that fear.]

voice | un: graham crackers

[possessum]

( Peter hasn't been looking at the feed much, these days. Being checked out from things isn't particularly rare, not for him, but lately.... things are worse than usual. He hardly feels like a person at all anymore.

But there are a few hours here and there that he does take a little glimpse at what's going on, mindlessly scrolling the feed, barely processing anything that's being said. Sometimes something stands out to him, though. And when that odd audio clicks on, something that sounds like an old recording or something, Peter finds himself listening. What plays out is.... strange, unsettling. He's frowning quietly, heart starting to flutter uncomfortably fast and hard as he listens to the exchange. He doesn't like this; something's... bad and wrong and he wants to stop listening, but he doesn't.

Then there are sounds of pain, and Peter's heart freezes instead. He sits there in silence, just staring at his own bedroom wall, when the audio clicks on again, this time with a more clear voice. But one that's definitely recognisable from the recording that played out before.

Peter doesn't say anything for a few long moments. It feels like... he wasn't supposed to hear whatever that was. When he speaks, his voice is tired and a little hoarse, like he hasn't been using it much. )

The School of Mutter's safe. There's a library there. Lots of... quiet places.

( He's pausing, uncomfortable, unsure. )

I think something played before this. Did you... mean for it to?

[hachitaro]

That's good. I mean, I'm not really a book kind of person? But libraries tend to be safe places to hang out.

[He's silent for a bit before he speaks again.]

No. Damn omnis are still on the fritz. I don't... know how much people heard.

[fogsong]

Hey, there's no reason to apologize, I get it. I've been there.

[hachitaro]

... Thanks. Maybe, if this place is safe... but I... I don't know yet.

[His voice is shaky, unsure. He doesn't know if he can trust Trench's weirdness. Maybe there's weird mad scientists or something here. He'd rather not get experimented on.]

[fogsong]

Trench isn't really ever safe but you don't have to hide from whatever you feared back home.

I was on the run from a cult before I came here. You have no idea how long it took me to trust that I didn't have to fear them here so... take your time. Adjust. If you ever want to tell me, I'm here. If you never want to tell me, I'm still here.