preemptive liberation

[prismaticbleed]

SESSION PARTICIPANTS
LAURIE UBERICH JEWEL LIGHTRAYE SPINE HYPOMONE



Aaand we're back.
 
That we are. About time.

I'm here too.

Heh, that's true. Hey, how's your vocabulary coming along, Spine?

Good. It's a lot easier for me to talk now.

I can see why Jewel loves you, heh. You catch on quick.

I try.

No kidding. All right, we really need to get started.

Didn't Leon say he wanted to talk?

He did. But he wouldn't be able to contribute anything to tonight's discussion. This one is going to be very short; tomorrow we're going to tackle all of the weird stuff that's been happening over the past few weeks.

It has seriously never been this bad. That's how weird the stuff is right now.

Well, considering why it's been so weird, I'd say it's because it's always been this bad but we have never realized just how bad until now.

We can't discuss too much tonight, though, especially not the deep subjects. Otherwise we'll get carried away, I'll be here until 3AM getting sick and panicky, and we won't be able to hold another one tomorrow.

True.

So what will we discuss tonight? The things that happened today?

Maybe. Laurie? Do you think we should mention those?

Hm... I'd say yes, if those 'things' hadn't been the complete collapse of one train of thought and an elaboration on another, which we just discovered last night. So no.

Okay then, um... what do we talk about?

Well, it's already 7PM, and I do need to get back into my work after the horrible case of negative fiction lag the past two days have put me in, so--

I still don't know why it hits you that freaking bad. That's dangerous.

Yeah, it is, but it just means I have to be extremely careful. I get the same intensity with positive lag when I get it, so I wouldn't give it up just for the bad side. It was partly my fault for risking what I did.

For research purposes.

...It always seems to be for research purposes, doesn't it? 'I'll be okay, it's just research.' 'It won't hurt me, I'm just trying to understand what's going on.'

But you know that's not true. You're scared, and you're in danger, and that's why you're reassuring yourself. If you weren't, you wouldn't worry. I know you. The real you.

That's what I really want to discuss, by the way.

Too much buildup, boy.

Then where do we start? Where were we supposed to pick up last time?

Uh, I don't really know. It's been a while. But we did discuss how I was unable to feel anything for a long time.

We found out why today.

We did. Scary stuff, but at least we found out why. And, we only found out because I decided to stop going to my 'gender therapy' group because it was triggering me bad. Maybe I should explain that really quick?

Sure, go ahead.

Okay. So, I don't remember if I mentioned it yet, but I've been sporadically attending an LGBT+ support group for about two months. The problem is, not only is it incredibly hard for me to get transportation, but as you can imagine, the topics they discuss there are NOT safe for a mentally unstable asexual to deal with.

Especially not the last time you were there.

Oh geez, that was horrible. I understand the unraveling reaction I had then now, too, which made it ten times worse to suffer through, but that's besides the main point. Anyway, I was thinking about that today and I decided that, since not only was I not getting any 'support' from the group, but I was also not getting any security or safety due to the topics and environment, I wasn't going to go anymore. But I had to drive to my father's first to tell him I wasn't going.

That's when we ran into trouble.

Yep. He was fine with my not going anymore if it wasn't helping-- he didn't know what it was a group for anyway-- but then his girlfriend said I should try to get into a 'fun' group with 'people my own age,' and immediately my red flags went up. I was so distraught from my single new 'coping method' turning into a disaster zone, that I was not going to let any more triggers get to me, however slight. I've mentioned it in the past and it's only gotten worse... typical 'fun things' and 'enjoyment' trigger me. Bad. Plus I don't feel safe or genuine around most 'people my age.' So I told her I didn't want to jump headfirst into anything, especially without her even knowing why I was looking for support groups in the first place.

You didn't tell her?

No, I can't risk coming out when I'd have to explain so much in order to do so. You know how incredibly convoluted I am. Plus, since my main household reacted violently to my multiple 'coming-out' attempts in the past, I wasn't about to risk it with my father just yet, especially not on such a bad day.

Oh, okay. I hope you can tell them soon though. Then they might be able to help.

Yeah. I just don't know if that's a realistic expectation.

I wouldn't bet on it. Go on, Jewel.

All right. So, I tried to explain briefly that this whole situation was really getting to me, but they insisted I 'take my mind off things' and 'go out to eat.' Immediately my mind started to panic and I nearly cried, I'll say that flat out. Two reasons: whenever I take my mind off things... something terrible happens. We've discovered why that happens now, too.

Like hell we have.

Yeah, it's bad. But, eating is also an absolutely huge trigger-- not only does it often hurt Spine, badly, but Gluttony is Julie's second vice. She has two, just like Laurie has two virtues.

We haven't figured out why that is yet, either, especially if the... personification order we've been assuming is correct.

No, remember I'm thinking there was a total position fallout somewhere around 2000. I'm working on it, but yeah, that definitely is something we need to discuss too.

And eating does hurt me. A lot.

Oh, I know. I know. So I couldn't take it. I got up, told my dad and his girlfriend that I was just going to leave, as I really didn't want to go eat and I was having a very difficult time with my situation. I left and they didn't say anything, so that did worry me a little, but I was already disconnected from that. My main concern was what I was going to do upstairs. So I got into the car, and... haha, and then there was a bit of awesome. Proof that the universe loves us, again.

Was that the kid?

Yeah, dude, you saw him? I got in my car and right as I was about to start it, some little kid biked past my car and then suddenly stopped. I looked up and he was just staring at me through the door, with this really curious look, then waved and said 'Hi.' I smiled back and said hi, then he biked off. But it just... it was great. It didn't get me out of my low point, but man, it meant something.

That's really cute.

I know. But... but then I collapsed. I drove through town for the next hour or so, sobbing uncontrollably over everything that we had learned recently... especially the... what had happened concerning Chaos.

I am so bleeding glad you figured that out.

I know... let's skip to that, actually. I was driving around and I was borderline suicidal but I knew it wasn't an option and everything was feeling so completely disconnected and wrong... then I got to this one road where there was a beautiful open stretch of sky and it started raining. And it hit me so hard.

And that's when we fixed everything.

Yes. I... whenever it rains, I think of him. And whenever I'm outside, alone, I get this incredible feeling of synchronicity with the world. So being outside, alone, in the rain, in a severely unstable emotional state... that missing catharsis hit.

It took a while, though.

Yeah, a bit. After the initial overwhelming feeling I started sobbing because I'm still stuck in physical reality, after all, and so I cannot connect with that in the way I feel... but then I mentioned offhand that if a Dream Portal opened in my backyard that afternoon I'd drop everything and jump right in. I'd go home. And just saying that... it felt so completely right. Home. I'd never felt that feeling for anyplace before. And I remembered how real I felt when I was there, and my mood changed, and my attitude changed, and suddenly I WAS me, and I wasn't afraid of anything... and then I understood. I understood the problem.

You've splintered.

I have.

We can't discuss that tonight though. You said so yourself.

Oh, I know. That is a HUGE topic on several levels, and we don't have time for that today. But now that we have the invisible audience interested, I want to discuss the few notes I have written down from shortly after our last session.

When was that, March 24th?

The notes? I think so, yeah. It was a Thursday. I-- wait, March? Are you--? Seriously??

Yeah, heh. It's been that bloody long.

Holy shimmer. Stuff really has been weird.

Easter was weird.

On what battlefield? A ton of stuff went on there.

The eating. I did not like it at all.

Geez, yeah. Spine does NOT react well to chocolate.

No.

We were, uh, spitting up blood yesterday because of it.

You burst a blood vessel in your throat is what you probably did. You were heaving for a solid half hour.

The same thing happened last summer, too.

I know.

Last summer was a freaking nightmare. At least now we know why this  is happening.

I really can't wait to discuss this tomorrow. It changes everything, sure, but so help me I am psyched that we finally have the truth here, as freakish as it is.

I am too.

But I really, really need to get work done tonight, so I'm going to start discussing points. Ironically, the first thing on the list is my 'thanatos drive.'

Oh ho, no way. We're NOT discussing that now, not after today.

I figured we wouldn't. All right, second thing on the list is... 'dying child.' Oh man. I... almost forgot about that. That was horrifying.

Yeah, let's start there. I don't think you mentioned him on here yet either, did you?

Let me check... oh, dude, actually there are a few things in here I want to mention after this point. But yeah, I did mention the child, and what our thoughts were on him. So that's good.

Then two days after that entry, Julie attacked him. And he almost died.

I was scared out of my mind. Thank heavens Lynne was there; she's been protecting us so much lately I can't imagine how we were functioning without her constant presence for so long. But... it was so, so frightening. And it happened while I was talking to you and Chaos, too, so that made it even worse...

I remember that night now. It was very bad.

It was...

What I found the most insane about that night was that you couldn't even heal the little guy. So you took him to Azurai, for the love of sanity. Azurai!

Yeah, uh, if the audience is wondering, she's a Jewel Monster. She's amazing. She's also an insanely talented healer.

But the killer was that you couldn't heal him. You, his father, were absolutely bloody powerless until you went to Az, who is technically your child as well... and she taught you how again.

That was incredible, honestly. Not only did I regain my ability to heal, but I remembered how to feel a little, and... it reminded me, so clearly, where I belonged. Guess what I started doing the next day?

Typing. Like a maniac.

She's catching on quick, haha!

Ha, yeah, that's exactly what I did. And I haven't stopped since then. But... that's another topic. The other half of it is that, because I actually had emotions for the first time in a long time, I, uh...

You spent the next two hours with Chaos.

...Basically.

Awesome, heh.

Your fangirling is listed as a topic of discussion, you know.

It had better be! Especially with all the pain you two have suffered through lately. Really, kid, I don't think you two have even said much to each other since the 24th-- well, excluding April 25th, of course.

3AM on April 25th was one of the most amazing things to happen to me in a long time. But... yeah, besides that one incident, there really has been a disconnect. Once again, we managed to fix that today, but that's for tomorrow's talk.

Everything is for tomorrow!

Not everything, I promise. Tomorrow's just the crazy stuff.

Everything is crazy though.

She has a point.

Eh, I suppose so.

So, next points?

Oh. Uh, 'separation from self' and 'forgetting significance to others.'

Both solved today.

Pretty much! We figured out what caused the first, and as for the second... that refers to the significance in how I affect others. For example, if I let myself to be hurt, I will often forget that not only will that harm people emotionally, but it will hurt you guys on multiple other levels. Buuut that's been basically fixed now too.

We fixed that much today?

Oh, you have no idea. We discovered one thing that was so huge, most of this stuff can likely be avoided or outright overcome from now on.

About that. I think you should mention that Julie's hacks have changed completely.

Yeah. She can't really hack me anymore, finally... at least not through her main vice. Now she's using her second one to hurt both me and Spine, although Spine is the one suffering horrifically from it, and that's scaring me.

We figured out why she's doing that, too.

Was that because I'm connected to you?

Partly. Mostly, it's because we're both connected to this 'body' on some level. Let me quote what I have written... "Julie uses Gluttony to hurt Spine, and she uses Lust to hurt me, since we're both direct opposites of those vices. Spine and I also have a very deep connection: I am spiritual and she is physical, but--"

I'm not physical, I'm a headvoice.

But attacks on my physical systems hurt you, not me. I get hurt by emotional and psychological warfare. Sure, I'll feel the physical attacks, but they don't really faze me much by nature of my existence, whereas you're in direct protection of that and so it hits you badly.

Oh. So I'm not actually physical, but I'm connected to it.

Yeah. Here, let me continue-- "but we are both disconnected from those fronts, although we both have direct responsibility to this body for it." See, there you go.

I get it.

That's good. But here's the Julie bit. "By destroying us both, Julie will have control on both fronts and will be able to live freely in hedonistic vice, which we will NEVER allow. So I am very scared for Spine, especially because she is so sensitive and because I am so easily hacked."

I repeat, solved today...

Dude, we really did solve everything today.

What? What did we solve?

Another side of Julie's motives, more elaboration on Jewel's role in this system, and why he was previously so easily hacked. Done, done and done.

Wow.

My thoughts exactly. We are on a roll here.

The paragraph after that is explicitly tomorrow's topic, so I'm going to go back to the beginning stuff.

Man, tomorrow is going to be absolutely insane.

To say the least, yeah. I'm concerned about how those that 'know' me are going to react to it, but as I mentioned earlier, I've conquered that fearful aspect of my personality so I'm not worried about reactions... well, as long as I can hold on to this, that is.

Yeah. I'm worried about that too. There needs to be a way to keep you here.

No spoilers, love. Oh, hey, when I went to Azurai's office I forgot I met Aaron.

Who's Aaron?

A Kyneria dude. He was pretty awesome. I think he's a new assistant there. She has a lot of those.

No kidding, she needs as many as she can get. But that brings us back to what I wanted to discuss.

The 'child?'

Yeah, and he needs a name. Name him. But I wanted to mention, here, that not only has he been steadily growing and becoming more active since we found him, he's also starting to gain color. He was translucent when we found him.

He was. His plume is now light violet. I think that means he has a Z in his typecode, haha.

I wouldn't be surprised!

And yeah, he's a Jewel Monster. Which is awesome.

Still needs a name.

And a species name, and a fixed generation slot, and a typecode assessment, and a parental check. I found him, sure, but is he technically a World-born or what? I have no idea.

Uh... look into it then.

You just refrained from making a very obvious joke, didn't you.

Yes I did.

Fine, you lunatic. Disregarding biological impossibility, if there's an H in his typecode then we will worry.

Heheheh!

Is this what I--

Yes, yes it is.

Ah. Laurie, you're a jokester.

And you sound like Genesis.

Genesis?

My muse. The adorable amber-cobalt guy that floats around every once in a while.

Oh, I forgot his other name. I've been used to seeing him referred to as Selph lately.

That's his maiden name.

Laurie, for heaven's sakes, that's not even possible either!

You're still laughing.

Speaking of-- yeah, yeah you're right. But speaking of, I need to draw Delphi's ref soon, too...

Phone goat on a Harley Davidson. DO IT.

Cake-baking phone goat on a Harley Davidson! Blame him!

Why are we discussing Delphi?

Because it's his fault for distracting us.

Yes it is.

Okay, uh, sure?

But yeah, Laurie, I will name the little sink monster as soon as possible. Also Spine you do remind me of Genesis, a bit. You're adorable when you're confused.

Thank you?

I think it's because she's still very undamaged compared to the rest of us. Especially you, J.

Yeah, I've been through too much. I'm glad I have what stability I have.

So am I. Now-- oh, hey, Lynne's still watching over your kid, right?

Yes. She's the official parental unit up here, haha. She protects Spine, too, when I'm not able to.

And Leon just bums around and listens in on conversations.

Hey, he did that once because he was outside, but he excused himself.

I know, I'm just busting him. I can't get on his bad side or I won't get any more firearms, heheh.

Yeah, dude, I forgot he gave you guns. You love those things.

The further away I have to be from that blonde demon to kill her the better.

Did you give him an axe?

Yeah, against his will. He's terrified of close combat. I told him he'd better be prepared, just in case.

Do we still need to discuss him, specifically?

I want to say yes, simply because he's still out of the loop, but I want to bring in Josephina too if we're doing that. They've both been working outside the scenes lately and that seriously bugs me.

They're still helping, though. Very, very much.

Oh I know. Leon's a bloody good shot when he's not scared stiff. He's saved our lives on several occasions already. Thank God he listened to me and is staying close by you now, too. It's just that I don't even know where the heck Jo runs off to half the time.

I think he's guarding the far perimeter or something.

Far perimeter? Kid, if our headspace had a flippin' perimeter I'd know about it.

You know what I mean. The areas directly outside of the main area. We usually hang out in my personal sector, as we are now, so I think he's keeping an eye out... outside of that. I'm not sure how space behaves around here either.

Not very normally, that's how. Then again, you love warping things.

I do. We solved that today too!

Hey, we did! I didn't even realize that.

What is outside the main area?

Stuff.

It's a jungle out there, bud. I've been patrolling the place for nearly five years now and I still don't know where the heck I am most of the time.

Well, it expands regularly. If I need a space I'll build it. I should give you more building rights, too. That would be cool.

Nah, all I need are my natural shapeshifter weapon skills, don't worry. I'm no creator.

All right, if you insist. But remember that if you ever do need anything, just ask.

I know, kid. I know. By the way, thanks for letting me into your dreams now.

Oh yeah! I wanted to mention that too, that you're authorized to mess around with my dreams, haha. I hope you spoke to my boss about that?

I got his actual approval, heh. The more the merrier. Plus he can only do so much in your isolated dreams, and against Julie. I can't tell you how happy I am to be doing something about that.

Yeah, the dream hacks were... traumatic.

Those have stopped?

Thanks to Laurie, yeah.

Wow, that's good news. Thank you Laurie.

Geez, everyone's thanking me today. You're welcome.

It is also nine, Jewel. I figured I should mention.

Oh, yeah, thanks. I wanted to finish this paragraph and close up for about 9:30 so I can work for approximately two hours... this body's not been holding up well lately. Staying up late is still scary but at least I'm not getting panic attacks anymore.

I second that. You had me scared to death the first time that happened.

I know.

So keep going, so it doesn't happen again.

Will do. All right, next is 'pain addiction/ guilt drive' which has ALSO been solved in two different parts... well, if our theory holds up... but then there's the mention of that pre-Easter hack. I think that single incident unsettled me more than anything during that time.

Is that the one were she was freakin' trying to hurt Lily?

...Yeah.

Heartless bitch.

Lily? Is she the pink fox girl?

Yeah. My "daughter". And she means a LOT to me.

I hope that hasn't happened again?

No, never. I refuse to let that happen again.

You'd better.

So... yeah, Julie actually tried to hack Lilianne. She had an emotional meltdown and demanded that I explain what in the world was happening. I mean, geez, it takes one heartless fiend to try to hack a Jewel Monster, considering how incredibly different their physiology is from ours... she... she must have been scared out of her mind. I don't know how I didn't realize Julie was there sooner.

She's not getting anywhere near them ever again, just remember that. We did everything we could under the circumstances.

...I hope so.

We did. And we also promised to kick the hell out of that id if she tried anything again after Easter, which she bloody DID, so now we're going to straight-up piledrive her face into a minefield.

She hacked you? When?

Shortly before Easter, and very very badly. I had a total mental shutdown. Then she got me on... she got me two days ago. But my mind erased it for my sanity's sake. All I remember is that it was shockingly shallow, and that my consciousness recognized it as a hack somehow...

She can't fool you now, that's why. We understand her. That's why she switched to Spine.

But she's still trying to get to me.

Of course. She's not going to give up; she literally hates you.

True. But I won't give up either. And I don't hate her.

I don't either. By the way, I'm still completely impressed that you managed to get us all on the right track there. I can think a heck of a lot clearer now.

Good. I don't want anyone being more damaged by her than they already are.

Be careful with me please.

I will be. And we're working on that, what with the new revelations.

I know. I'm just reminding you.

Hey, speaking of Julie. Does she still look like she did when we last saw her?

Uh, I don't know. I haven't seen her form since, and I'm glad. That scared me.

What scared you? Seeing her?

Seeing how she looked. Spine, I don't know if you remember, or if you even saw her like that... but last year she was terribly animalistic and rabid looking. Prior to that, within the past two years, she was actually zombielike. Rotting, melting, the whole shebang. In both instances she was almost entirely unapproachable-- like when I tried to ask her if she wanted to try converting to our side. She almost took my head off.

She would have done more than that if Lynne hadn't saved you, J.

Probably, yeah. But... but two weeks ago, I was talking to Laurie in open headspace, and all of a sudden Julie just walked up to us. Just like that! No screaming, no raging-- she just walked over, but with that lethally poisonous smile of hers. If you haven't seen a calm Julie smile, Spine, be glad. It's terrifying.

Did she hurt you?

No. She threatened us, and mocked us, and Laurie tried to kill her, but it was in that moment that I knew she was planning something huge. Julie NEVER acts calm and collected around us anymore. Maybe back in 2006 she might have, but now? After she's been a berserk hellhound for how long?

You didn't mention how she looked.

...She looked fine. And that was what scared me. She looked perfectly fine. No chains, no shadows, no rot, nothing. She looked just how she did when she was the most dangerous... when she used to...

Don't you even dare talk about that. Don't.

What?

None of your business, Spine, no offense. There are some things J should never dwell on again.

It just scared me so much, Laurie. It was a total appearance revert. She looked healthy. She looked more intimidating than I ever remember seeing her.

She looked like her usual whorish self to me and that's all that matters. Don't waste your time on her, and don't be scared. Remember, we can deal with this now. We have answers. We have the means.

...Yeah, we do. I can't forget that now.

Is that all we need for today then?

Almost. There's one last note I had in the original notes that ties into what I felt earlier today, in the rain... "I am still so worried about the world, in a sense that I keep feeling the world in me, and it's overwhelmingly scary." I also mentioned that I had been having existential crises for weeks at the time, but once again, in light of today those are both justified and explained...

Feeling the world? Like how you felt connected?

Not just that, I feel like I am it. It's hard to explain. Some days its completely unprovoked. I feel everything-- nature, water, the air, sound, people, emotion. I feel it so strongly, but I feel it not as an observer, but as... as those things, just like that. Like there is no distinction between me, or anything else, and everything is all there is.

Lumineism, boy.

Don't even start! But yeah, it really is. And I feel at home in those moments, too. Which is why I cried so hard today; once I remembered that I could not actually be part of that, in the sense that I was still an isolated consciousness in a physical body, it almost destroyed me.

At least now you know you're not as much of an isolated consciousness as you thought, though. Plus it's always third person in here.

Geez, my consciousness is such a mess. But I love that, the positive part of it. Also I just want to mention that my 'Celebi' aspect is connected to both that, and the world-connection thing. Every freaking time I set foot in a forest I feel it. The last time I went walking in one I wanted to stay there forever. I felt like I could communicate with everything there, that I could protect all of it, that I could be of it. Man but it drives me crazy being in this house and away from feeling all that. Absolutely crazy.

I can imagine. Last question from me though. You mentioned feeling people and emotion, too?

Yeah. And that scares me sometimes, because in what was previously my default state, it was often impossible for me to feel people at all, and I daresay the emotional numbness goes without saying. But sometimes, whenever those synchronicity feelings hit, everyone is suddenly me, and I am not 'me' at all. It is so hard to explain but I swear, Laurie, it is driving me mad--

Believe me, I know. You talk about this all the time, and it makes sense with our identity. But--

Yes, Laurie, and with feeling emotion I tap into everything positively true, too. And getting a kick from that absolute is the only reason I was able to fix the complete emptiness I've been suffering lately. And that was horrific. Yesterday I was literally incapable of even understanding any emotional connections I had previously held, it was so bad... I couldn't remember what love felt like. It killed me.

That's fixed, though, right?

Yeah. It's fixed. I don't know what shut it off so completely though.

Splintering.

...Oh. Wait, really?

That's all I can figure. If your main splinter is what we suspect it is, then yeah, that effect would probably permeate your other existence levels as a result of how that whole mess works.

That's not good.

No, it's not.

It's also 9:41 and that's not good either.

Well, we're finished for tonight as far as I'm concerned. We covered the major buildup to this point and tomorrow we just need to sit down and have one heck of a discussion. Speaking of, Spine, I apologize for ranting too much for you to talk much, again.

I said before, it is okay. I always enjoy listening. And I did speak enough.

That's good. All right, J. Your call. Is everyone attending tomorrow?

Yes.

Really? That was a fast answer.

I told you, I'm getting better now. But everyone needs to know this, if they don't yet. I know all of us here do, but...

I filled Lynne in on a bit of the major stuff we've been discussing, but nothing huge. Didn't know what was going to flip out of control over the next few days. I'm glad I waited.

I'd say. But Jo and Leon are pretty out of the loop?

They're always out of the loop, those stragglers. Just because they're apparently on outer patrol doesn't mean they should be missing out on info.

That's kind of my fault, though...

No, not entirely. You can only explain so much so many times, especially after it's already happened. Most of what we've learned lately we've learned directly, as it was happening to us. Those two aren't around enough to experience things firsthand. That's not good at all. Either we find a better way to guard this place, or we start hanging out outside.

Yeah, the whole security thing does bother me. I know we need it, but I feel bad that someone always has to be way out taking care of it. I should build some bots or... well, actually no. I don't want to risk it with how completely erratic reality is around here.

I don't blame you. We'll talk about that, and I'll see if I can discuss that with Jo tonight, if not Leon. Now get the heck off this page and start working on your art, because that's just as important as this is.

True facts.

Have a good night, then.

Yeah, you too, Spine. Tell Lynne I said hi.

Won't you see her later?

Course I will. But I'll say hello again later.

Oh, so you're saying it different next time.

What? I-- oh, haha. I see what you did there.

Spine, you're a sneak.

I learn from you two.

She has a point!

So does your axe, remember.

Heh, that I do.

Speaking of, uh... I haven't seen your axe lately.

No, you haven't. Chaos would kill me if I had it out around you. Plus you know that whole retribution system ended up collapsing. Now I only use axes on ids.

Don't cut up Josephina with it then.

Nah, he's an anti. We're cool.

I like your axe though.

I know you do. You like it too much, if I may say so.

I also like Jo's scythe. That thing is wicked.

You do know he gave me one of those, right?

Dude, seriously?

Yeah, I traded weapons with everyone, remember? Well, except Lynne. I can't exactly take her shields, and I doubt she'd ever be too comfortable swinging around an axe as big as she is.

I don't think she would be either.

Hey, Spine, you don't have weapons either, do you?

No, just me. You know. Claws, fangs.

Whatever works, bud. And Jewel's weapon is his mind.

Psychoactive powers for the win.

Mind Hive.

Consigliere.

Mad Hatter.

Cluster F Bomb!

H-- oh, hey, you do have The Heart listed as one of your tropes. Good. If you didn't I'd have to strangle you.

Chaos is such a Bunny Ears Lawyer.

Man, he is. It's pretty hilarious.

Are you quoting TV Tropes?

Yes. Yes we are.

I'm filling out a meme. We each get 5. Laurie is good but she's not nice.

I'm also not so imaginary. Bam!

And I have Honor Before Reason, which is glaringly obvious.

No kidding.

I don't want to interrupt, but can we close up now? It is late.

Spine's right, and you know how distracted we get in these darn things, boy. Close it up.

All right, will do. By the way, what time do you want to start tomorrow?

3PM at the earliest. Don't sacrifice your morning if you can help it.

True. I need peace.

You also need to DRAW Peace, so get the heck off Firefox and onto Corel!

All right, all right! Give me a minute.

You know what I said about minutes with you.

I do.

I'm going to leave and lock you two in if you don't hurry up.

You can do that?

Geez, Jewel, you could probably just reconfigure the walls if that happened.

I will still lock you in. With... with Delphi.

Oh shoot, Jewel, get off the Internet before he fills your hard drive with motorcycle cake recipes.

Gasp! He will never succeed in such a heinous endeavor. To the nonexistent far perimeter!

Heheheh. Whatever you say, you maniac.

You two are insane.

Yeah, we get that a lot.

You'll get used to it... Or not.

I didn't think so either.

Never a boring moment, huh?

You have no idea.