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[ Royce thinks about this, for a while. ]
I'm not one for optimism. [ He's said this before. ] I'm not going to promise you a happy ending of any kind, because that's unrealistic.
Still. I was an assassin for years. Definition of burning things down. And now, at home, I have a daughter. [ He shrugs, even though Sylar can't see it. ] I didn't think I was meant for any sort of building, either, but you'd be surprised what life dumps in your lap.
Everything is at a standstill while you're here, so there's no point in worrying.
I'm not one for optimism. [ He's said this before. ] I'm not going to promise you a happy ending of any kind, because that's unrealistic.
Still. I was an assassin for years. Definition of burning things down. And now, at home, I have a daughter. [ He shrugs, even though Sylar can't see it. ] I didn't think I was meant for any sort of building, either, but you'd be surprised what life dumps in your lap.
Everything is at a standstill while you're here, so there's no point in worrying.
I do not recommend the lodgings here.
1/10
1 for the use of red paint.
Could do without the piles of bodies.
[ Sending an attachment of the video he took earlier of the thirteen beds, the manacles and prophet symbol on lucky number thirteen, and the bodies blocking the door. ]
1/10
1 for the use of red paint.
Could do without the piles of bodies.
[ Sending an attachment of the video he took earlier of the thirteen beds, the manacles and prophet symbol on lucky number thirteen, and the bodies blocking the door. ]
[ Oooh. Now that's interesting. Sylar watches the video twice before responding. ]
Yeah, the red paint is really the only thing it's got going for it. Still, thanks for video- I like to know what I've got to look forward to in a couple weeks.
Are those bodies all mummified? Like how they are in the parks? You get the awful headache when you get close to them, I assume?
Yeah, the red paint is really the only thing it's got going for it. Still, thanks for video- I like to know what I've got to look forward to in a couple weeks.
Are those bodies all mummified? Like how they are in the parks? You get the awful headache when you get close to them, I assume?
Headache, nausea, nose bleeds, and dizziness. The works.
Haven't been to the park. From the footage, the cause of death seems to vary from natural causes to unnatural.
None of the bodies here died from a natural death from what I can tell.
Some are just bones. The rest are mummified.
Patches sent me some photos from a grave close to here. Seems like they are connected.
Haven't been to the park. From the footage, the cause of death seems to vary from natural causes to unnatural.
None of the bodies here died from a natural death from what I can tell.
Some are just bones. The rest are mummified.
Patches sent me some photos from a grave close to here. Seems like they are connected.
Fun. Guess we should've expected that, considering how much warning we've been given about how worse off the east side of town was. Looks like the cult got creative with its kills.
Where are you, anyway? There's a few things in there I'd like to poke at.
Where are you, anyway? There's a few things in there I'd like to poke at.
Sounds like we're still in the beginning.
If the message @featherydouche found is accurate.
There's a set of three buildings north west.
I'm on the second floor of the first one.
Have to finishing moving the bodies to get to the door leading down.
[ Fun times. ]
If the message @featherydouche found is accurate.
There's a set of three buildings north west.
I'm on the second floor of the first one.
Have to finishing moving the bodies to get to the door leading down.
[ Fun times. ]
Right. I'm sort of wondering just how much more destroyed some of these places could be, but this town always has new ways of horrifying us. Hope the high school isn't just a giant anomaly zone. But we're gonna have to go there regardless, so whatever.
You're in the building in the northwest corner? Wish we'd stopped there sometime, I could tell you if moving all those bodies is worth it. Have fun with that, though. Make sure you toss the smaller parts across the room so at least those aren't making you sick. I'd make a game of it, if I were there.
[ Man, he misses telekinesis. ]
You're by yourself, I assume?
You're in the building in the northwest corner? Wish we'd stopped there sometime, I could tell you if moving all those bodies is worth it. Have fun with that, though. Make sure you toss the smaller parts across the room so at least those aren't making you sick. I'd make a game of it, if I were there.
[ Man, he misses telekinesis. ]
You're by yourself, I assume?
There will be plenty of volunteers to go exploring first.
[ The kind that would make great meat shields. ]
You have to cross the sky bridges to get here.
There is a door at the other side of the bodies.
It probably just leads to the rest of the building.
Checking to be sure.
I am.
[ The kind that would make great meat shields. ]
You have to cross the sky bridges to get here.
There is a door at the other side of the bodies.
It probably just leads to the rest of the building.
Checking to be sure.
I am.
[ Meat shields were always nice. Although... ] I might find myself among them. I'm probably going to be with Al. We'll try not to die and leave you on the front lines, promise.
Don't let yourself pass out from those bodies. I pulled some livers out at the park and it was dicey. And I had help.
[ He's not going to tell this guy to go find help, because if someone's alone here, it's usually because they want to be. ]
What's your name anyway? Don't think I ever caught it.
Don't let yourself pass out from those bodies. I pulled some livers out at the park and it was dicey. And I had help.
[ He's not going to tell this guy to go find help, because if someone's alone here, it's usually because they want to be. ]
What's your name anyway? Don't think I ever caught it.
[ So the mother is no longer around then, for whatever reason. Probably dead, considering how things go with people here. For once, he doesn't pry. ]
Right. Gotta make sure you're there for her. At least we know whatever brought us here doesn't care about time. We get it set right and put you right back where you started.
[ There's no promises, of course. Not even any likely future for them, outside death. But Royce has a good damn reason to keep going, and Sylar recognizes that. ]
Where are you guys right now? What're you up to? That supply thing Alfie set up?
Right. Gotta make sure you're there for her. At least we know whatever brought us here doesn't care about time. We get it set right and put you right back where you started.
[ There's no promises, of course. Not even any likely future for them, outside death. But Royce has a good damn reason to keep going, and Sylar recognizes that. ]
Where are you guys right now? What're you up to? That supply thing Alfie set up?
[ He hopes he gets to go home right where he left off from. He's still not sure if he wants to remember or not. ]
Mm. Gathering supplies downtown. Heading up. [ There's silence on his end as he reaches for the remains of the bottle he and Alfie had polished off - there's clinking sounds as he drags it towards him. ] Think we're going to stay at the hotel a day or two. Sleep in real beds.
The MN poisoning has gotten bad. For both of us.
Mm. Gathering supplies downtown. Heading up. [ There's silence on his end as he reaches for the remains of the bottle he and Alfie had polished off - there's clinking sounds as he drags it towards him. ] Think we're going to stay at the hotel a day or two. Sleep in real beds.
The MN poisoning has gotten bad. For both of us.
[ Damn. Well, that explains a few things. ]
That's depression. Clinical depression. You can get medicine to help with it, but I don't know how willing you are to take that sort of thing.
It's going to be tough for you both to get going with that.
[ He wants to offer to come join them, because they're going to need someone to get them moving. But Al already threw a fit about Sylar not heading directly for him. And it's not like Sylar could get down there for awhile, anyway. Being blind sucks. ]
That's depression. Clinical depression. You can get medicine to help with it, but I don't know how willing you are to take that sort of thing.
It's going to be tough for you both to get going with that.
[ He wants to offer to come join them, because they're going to need someone to get them moving. But Al already threw a fit about Sylar not heading directly for him. And it's not like Sylar could get down there for awhile, anyway. Being blind sucks. ]
I talked to the Admin. Based on what she told Doctor Watson about the procedure I'm willing to be your sponsor, but I think it's important for you to know that this isn't a permanent fix. There won't be any permanent changes to your brain's structure or chemistry; we're talking about ongoing, active chemical and electrical treatment from the nanomachines. If they ever get deactivated, it'll all revert somewhere between a couple hours and a couple days afterward.
[ There's a short silence as he processes this, and then: ]
That's better news than I expected, actually. There'll be time to get ready for the changeover.
I didn't expect structural changes. The way these nanites seem to work pointed towards constant monitoring and micromanaging. But that- it's better than nothing. I still want to do it.
Don't suppose the Admin would give us my brain data before and after the procedure. If I had that, and it works the way she's saying, I might be able to figure out a more permanent solution for the problem. But that'd be just way too helpful a gesture for our friendly neighborhood overseer.
That's better news than I expected, actually. There'll be time to get ready for the changeover.
I didn't expect structural changes. The way these nanites seem to work pointed towards constant monitoring and micromanaging. But that- it's better than nothing. I still want to do it.
Don't suppose the Admin would give us my brain data before and after the procedure. If I had that, and it works the way she's saying, I might be able to figure out a more permanent solution for the problem. But that'd be just way too helpful a gesture for our friendly neighborhood overseer.
[ Not very willing at all. Royce doesn't take medicine even when he's in so much pain he can't move, he's not going to take it for something like this - something he thinks isn't real. ]
Depression. [ He's from fantasy medieval Europe, essentially, he has no idea what that entails, really. ] I'm not sad.
[ A beat. ] We're keeping each other moving the best we can. Can only really rely on that.
Depression. [ He's from fantasy medieval Europe, essentially, he has no idea what that entails, really. ] I'm not sad.
[ A beat. ] We're keeping each other moving the best we can. Can only really rely on that.
See, that's what I thought at first, but it's not exactly the same thing. More like- you don't feel anything, you don't want anything. Doing nothing but sleeping starts to look real appealing.
Not that I'd blame anyone for being depressed here, but I heard it was an MN Poisoning thing, so.
And yeah, can't really say I have a better solution for you. Just gotta hope you get lucky and the Poisoning disappears. I had pain for awhile, but it's gone now. Don't think I have anything right now.
Not that I'd blame anyone for being depressed here, but I heard it was an MN Poisoning thing, so.
And yeah, can't really say I have a better solution for you. Just gotta hope you get lucky and the Poisoning disappears. I had pain for awhile, but it's gone now. Don't think I have anything right now.
He'll blame himself if you die.
[ Because Al is dumb like that. ]
I know my limits.
No one has caught it.
[ Anyone connected to where he's from is now in the morgue. So, it won't hurt to share. ]
It's Vanitas.
[ Because Al is dumb like that. ]
I know my limits.
No one has caught it.
[ Anyone connected to where he's from is now in the morgue. So, it won't hurt to share. ]
It's Vanitas.
Nice to meet you, Vanitas.
And yeah, I got to see that from Al firsthand when I revived last time. Idiot thinks he could've saved me from an anomaly dropping on my face at the power plant. There wouldn't have even been enough time to get through the door.
Did you ever talk to him about that arm and leg, by the way? Those were definitely his brother's.
And yeah, I got to see that from Al firsthand when I revived last time. Idiot thinks he could've saved me from an anomaly dropping on my face at the power plant. There wouldn't have even been enough time to get through the door.
Did you ever talk to him about that arm and leg, by the way? Those were definitely his brother's.
Doesn't surprise me. Seems like he gets attached easily.
In the process of talking to him now. Looks like it means a lot to him.
[ It makes him want to break the arm and leg. He'll save that until after seeing how that particular meeting goes. ]
We're supposed to meet up to do a trade. He's around here some where.
In the process of talking to him now. Looks like it means a lot to him.
[ It makes him want to break the arm and leg. He'll save that until after seeing how that particular meeting goes. ]
We're supposed to meet up to do a trade. He's around here some where.
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