deernet | video; un: shiro

[Local man sits at his kitchen table, arms folded and a coffee mug in front of him. He looks... worried. Concerned. And is clearly preparing for a Speech.]

My name is Shiro.

I'm one of the Sleepers who came here from Deerington, the dream world. I don't actually know how many of you out there are in the same boat anymore, so... with a choice like we've been given, I don't know how many of you remember the last time we had one like it.

[He means the vote that ended the dream.]

That vote ended with Julia Sodder's death.

I want to think it's because a lot of us didn't fully understand the consequences. I want to think it was because a lot of people were hurt, afraid, and thought they were doing the right thing. Or they just wanted to protect the people they knew. Regardless, Julia Sodder died. The people she'd brought into her world to save her... they let her down.

[Deep breaths Shiro, because it really sounds like you were trying to say I let her down, there. He folds his hands, and props his chin up in them.]

You can probably see where I'm going with this.

I'm not saying don't give this Pthumerian your opinion. At this point, inaction is probably the worst idea we've got. These beings - they're a part of this world whether we like it or not. They have been for longer than we can probably realize. [He grimaces.] Aside from one...

[Friggin Mother Mercy/Superior.]

We should be careful, I think, to do anything that cuts them off from their world. Even if we think it might help the people we care about. Protect them. We could end up doing something we really regret.

[There's a long pause, Shiro debating his next words.]

Like always, I'm open to explaining anything to people who have no idea where I'm coming from. I'm more than happy to talk about what happened in Deerington. The way I see it, maybe that will help us understand this world.

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[Keith listened as Shiro said his piece, waiting until he closed the connection. Then, he stepped closer, into view.]

Do you really think that our opinion will actually matter? What if this is all a ruse and they just do what they want anyway?

If it was a different Pthumerian, I'd be more wary of it.

[He sighs, and props his elbows up on the table, leaning his forehead on his hands.]

I spoke with Hali. After the visions. He was really insistent on choice, on how it was important we have one. I think he's sincere. [He'd believe the Moon Presence, too, though.] What the others think of it, I have no idea.

... I just don't want this to backfire. I just - want people to think before they jump to a vote. [Again...]

Yeah.

I can understand that. It's pretty important. It could shape everything about this place, and what happens.

I guess... I never really realize just how integrated into this place they are. You know?

[Like, sure, they were beings... and seemed to act like gods in a way... but were they really that important to the fabric of how the world worked?]

Yeah. When I say they're part of this world, I mean that literally. Like the Tower... he's literally the city itself.

[That's what everyone says. Including the other Pthumerians. Like how Mariana is the sea.]

So I'm wary about cutting all of them off entirely. Even to a small area.

Or Mariana... she's the sea.

[Keith had met her a few times...

He took a deep breath.] Besides, I think... not all of them are bad. Some of them do seem to want to help us... on some level.

[And Keith was developing an attachment to Argonaut... the tiny mothman liked to ride on Keith's shoulder from time to time.]

Yeah, exactly. And we already know how badly messing around with her goes.

[Thank you, Asshole John. If Shiro ever sees you again it'll be too soon.]

That's what I think, too. For the most part, even the "bad" ones may not fully see what they do as "bad". They're not human, they're not aliens. They're... some other kind of being beyond what we really know.

[Keith nodded, rolling his eyes a bit. Yeah. He remembered that fiasco.]

That's a point, too. [As much as his own run-in with The Reckoning had been pretty traumatic, leaving him with this kind of... not hatred, but he definitely didn't like her... he understood that she had been acting out of some perverted sense of justice. And, for a Pthumerian, perhaps it really was justice.

That didn't mean he had to agree with it... but she didn't come after him because she was evil. He definitely could acknowledge that.]

They're definitely very different from what we know.

And... hard to understand. People are angry with them for things they've done. Like with what happened with Mariana, with the Reckoning.

[Shiro can't blame them for it. He understands being angry. When you're hurt, when you're convinced the world and its keepers are out to get you. Or when you're from a world where that happens even more.]

[Though... part of him selfishly wants to.]

I just - it reminds me of Julia all over again.

But this choice... I mean, is this gonna be something that applies to all of us? Or can we choose for ourselves and leave it at that?

Like, is this a community vote for all the Sleepers? Or are we making a choice just for ourselves and not affecting anyone else?

[Keith knew enough of the story behind Julia and Deerington. What he wanted to know was if this was really the same.]

This is, I think, different from what happened to Julia. It's going to affect that other city. Not Trench.

[And doesn't seem possible to do to Trench. Not from what Hali said...]

Maybe I'm an idiot for trusting him. But - he really, genuinely seemed like he wanted us to decide. Like he would honor whatever it was we chose.

So... I think if we choose to go to the other city, one way or another, that's still our decision. We could stay here. We could go there.

Maybe. He seemed... yeah. Pretty genuine. It's hard to tell sometimes. [Especially for Keith, but Pthumerians were hard to read for even people good at reading others.]

Yeah... it really is.

The only one I know for sure we can trust is the Moon Presence. Always. [Cynthia cared for them. Protected them. He knew that from experience.]

I guess maybe I'm hoping she's not really the only one there is?

[Keith considered that and then shrugged a little.]

I mean, Lance gets along with Madam Generosity. And... I don't know that I would consider her friends with him, but Mariana seems to have an interest in him that she kind of... protects him in a way.

And Argonaut's friendly enough. [Yes. Keith had made friends with the tiny mothman.]

Well... hey, at least someone's looking after him.

[At least he lets someone. He's not bitter about that, just worried. And that worry won't ease.]

Friendly is good. I don't think we'll change a lot of minds, but... maybe ease some of them?

[Keith was doing it anyway, regardless of whether Lance let him or not. He was too stubborn for Lance to push away. But he nodded, understanding the sentiment.]

Yeah. Hopefully.

[Keith frowned a bit.]

It kind of sucks because some of them are really not all that durable. And, yeah... they come back like we do, but I'm sure it's not exactly pleasant for them either when they get killed by something.

[Argonaut and Dorothea came to mind with how small and vulnerable they could be at times.]

video; un: shiro

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