Public channel | D22

[hippocarnival]

Hey, everyone.

[There's a pause, like he's waiting to be sure enough people are listening before he continues. He wants to reach as much of the carnival as possible.] I spoke to Noa, and she explained a little bit more about the Void and the Harbingers to me.

She said she thinks the carnival members can still be saved. I think so, too. The Void makes them think there's nothing worth living for, but we know them and we know that's not true. If we can show them that whay they cared about before still matters, what was to their souls can be purified and the Void won't have them anymore. We think CY-Ren can be saved, too.

I... don't know exactly how to do that. But everyone taken, they have friends here, don't they? If we work together, we can find a way. Maybe we can share what made them happy, what might remind them of who they are or--or how to talk to them? [His voice wavers a little, but not out of lack of confidence in his plan.]

I know they can be reached. It won't be easy, but... I think we should try. I think it's better than just fighting them.

((TREAT THIS AS A MINGLE threadjack each other, this is an open forum of friendship.))

Comments

[anti_nonsense]

So you want us to try and solve this with... what? A few good pep talks?

[Rita sounds skeptical.]

[hippocarnival]

It--[Okay, yes, basically.] Kind of? It's more like... I think we can connect to them, as their friends, and give them the strength to fight what the Void did in themselves.

[anti_nonsense]

You really think they'll listen? The ones I tried talking to seemed pretty set in their new ways.

[hippocarnival]

I do. I don't think it'll be easy, but... isn't it worth trying?

[He hasn't heard of anyone else having more progress with any of them.] They have to believe it, too. We can't just tell them they're wrong.

[anti_nonsense]

[Rita sighs.] So long as you're not being stupidly reckless, then try whatever you want, I guess.

Heartfelt speeches and gestures of affection aren't my thing, though, so I'll pass.

[hippocarnival]

[There's a small noise of frustration.] We can't leave them this way. I haven't seen fighting work so far.

[anti_nonsense]

I'm not saying to leave them, of course. We just have to capture or immobilize them so we can try, you know, evidence-based means of undoing brainwashing.

[Because unlike friendship, magic is super scientific. Not counting Strange and his kissing nonsense.]

[hippocarnival]

I'm using evidence that it works. If I didn't really believe it, I wouldn't suggest it!

[anti_nonsense]

What evidence? Just sounds like wishful thinking to me.

[hippocarnival]

It's--[Yuya's voice losses it's strength almost immediately, and he chokes it quiet.] personal. Can't you trust me?

[Why would he lie about it?]

1/2

[anti_nonsense]

[There's a long pause. Rita's never known Yuya to be one to hold much back, but just now...]

[anti_nonsense]

[... She relents, albeit reluctantly.]

What do you want me to do, exactly?

[He did kind of say a few specific things before, but that was when she was only half-listening because it all sounded like wishy-washy friendship stuff, sorry Yuya.]

[hippocarnival]

[He can't help a breath of relief that she doesn't press for more proof.]

The Void... gets to them when they're broken and they feel like there's nothing else. If we can remind them that there are things they do want to live for, things that matter to them...

It doesn't just brainwash them. They have to believe in living, in being happy.

[anti_nonsense]

Things that matter to them? I wonder...

[Relationships, feelings, happiness... those are some areas that Rita is absolutely not an expert in. Who, out of the Harbingers, could she even claim she knows that well...?]

I was roommates with Childermass for a while, but even now, I'm not sure I know that much about what he likes. [He wasn't really expressive about that kind of stuff, except...] Except... he loves his stupid dog, I guess.

[hippocarnival]

[Dog... a pet!] Hey, do you think he had any any toys he used to play with it? [A pause.] uh, is the dog with him or still in the Carnival?

[Yuya's never actually formally met Baker.]

[anti_nonsense]

The mutt's with him. [A pause.] He's changed, too. [Into a scary friggin' ghost dog, at that.]

I don't know if he had anything specific, though... Could try looking around his trailer.

[hippocarnival]

Oh. [Well damn, so much for that tearful reunion.] Still... maybe if he cares a lot about his dog, he'll realize he doesn't want things to have to end?

[His tone sounds like he's grasping at straws a little. He know a couple people who might, in fact, know Childermass well enough to provide better insight on getting through to him... but he won't call them out on the radio.]

[anti_nonsense]

Maybe... [Rita doesn't sound sure. Maybe if they could get Baker to go back to his dopey, slobbery self again... Does any of this happy memory crap work on dogs? Rita's not sure she wants to risk getting in the pooch's way again, though...]

Other than that... I think magic is important to him, even if he doesn't blab about it all the time like Strange does.

And... I don't know, he's nicer than he looks? [Yep, that's vague. And a little backhanded, but that much is to be expected from Rita.]

[whattaprick]

It is.

[ Oh hey, Rita, bet you weren’t expecting this. ]

Important to him, I mean. [ And if she’s never heard him talk about it, that’s probably because she’s never seen him drunk. ]

He was nice enough to the servants in the manor. Maybe because he used to be one himself.

[hippocarnival]

[He almost asks if Lambert is referring to Portland, but if he is that's probably not a good memory anyway and something that probably won't appeal to him.]

He used tarot cards at the museum, I think. That's fortunetelling and stuff, right? [He doesn't know him as well, so Childermass' Spark is his best insight.]

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert could say a lot more about why he thinks Childermass's spark took the form it did, or what magic means to him, but for once, he remembers it's not something the man -- as private with everything about himself as he is -- would appreciate. ]

-- let's talk about this somewhere else.

Meet me at the training yard, when you're done talking to the rest.

[anti_nonsense]

That so? Hm...

[Maybe Rita understands him better than she thought... or maybe not. She didn't know he was a servant.]

You sound pretty sure about this stuff, so maybe you should talk to him.

[Rita has no idea of the depth of their relationship. She just figures that Childermass probably doesn't open up that much to many people to begin with.]

[whattaprick]

About why he should come back for English magic?

[ Lambert snorts, about to say Rita should consider proposing that to Strange instead. The idea seems ridiculous on its face, obviously, but ... then again, how much does Strange know about Childermass, by now? What Lambert’s been able to get out of him had to be prodded. ]

... Yeah, maybe. But I don’t think talking is going to be enough. We’ll still have to make him listen.

[anti_nonsense]

True... if just yelling at someone was enough to make them give up on the Void, it probably would have worked on somebody already.

[Come to think of it, Rita didn't actually do much yelling to begin with... It's easier to get angry and blow up at someone who's making their own bad decisions than it is with someone who's being manipulated.]

If we have to fight, I'm willing to do as much as is necessary.