tapestodiane | 032 - action/audio

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032 - action/audio

Sometimes, being right isn't all that gratifying. In actuality, it can be devastating, especially if there's bad thing coming. Cooper wouldn't claim to have foreseen what would happen during those days; in fact, won't claim to be able to foresee anything. But he'd had a feeling, had been bracing himself, and yet he'd been completely unprepared for what happened and the things he saw.

"I don't know what to do", he tells his audio recorder (not Diane) later in the day, voice uncharacteristically choked. It's the simple truth in light of everything he can recall - actually recall, not just piece together, and that alone is worrying in a whole new way.

He's trying not to think about all that, not yet. And for the next few days he's still trying to clear his mind, even if his motions are distracted and his focus is shaky and his thoughts are stubborn and loud. Whatever is happening, it's escalating, but he feels powerless when it comes to stopping it or even figuring it out.

He wouldn't even assume he had the right question to ask, were he given the chance for an answer.

[Action for Justice Farm: When he wakes up the day he'd normally have been (mostly) mind-wiped, he's still exhausted. Most days will find him in the kitchen with his hands around a coffee cup and none of the usual enthusiasm for the beverage inside, staring distantly out the window with the look of someone who hasn't slept at all. It's a change from his usual demeanor, but whatever is going on in his mind, he doesn't seem all that inclined to share.]

[Audio, for the network, backdated to the 29th:] I'll keep it brief: who else can recall this weekend with a lot more clarity than the previous ones of its kind?

[Action for Saffron: He's around, so feel free to bump into him. He's been on quite a few walks lately. Walks are good.]

(KIND OF BACKDATED and spans all days from 4th wall end til like yesterday, so feel free to bump in with whatever, whenever!)

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[He hit a sore point, that's for sure. One that not even Leon knew the full extent of. She keeps her tone even, though.]

No, but a goal will. Make a plan and act on it. [she knows it's hard. hell, some tiny part of her is terrified of this place some days, but what good is fear and worry going to do them?] A change like this had to have left a trace or sign. Finding that should give us a clue as to what happened.

_{[That actually puts him at ease some as he briefly thinks about Albert. He'd tell him something similar.]}

So far it looks like little more than evidence than it actually happened. Whatever set things back the way the were the last few times either didn't want us to forget this time or was unable to finish the job.

[At least her training's good for something with others involved, then.]

Considering what happened the last four times, I think it would be more along the lines of being unable to finish. [her frown is audible in those words. Too many possibilities, not enough info. Perfect.] The question is why. What could take out something powerful enough to wipe three days from everyone's memory and the network?

[A psychic type may be able to get into their heads, but the gears? Something's up with that.]

I believe the why is more important here than how. Whether we lose or gain something from being able to remember.

_{[He can't decide that one. Looks like they all had different experiences.]}

[And there's that sore point again; she doesn't appreciate being manipulated. Not one little bit.]

I'd think finding the who or what would be more important than why, actually. Stopping it from happening again should be our top priority in this situation.

[Her strategy? Can't understand it, stop it and then learn what it does. No use poking the sleeping Behemoth until it's good and dead.]

You misunderstand me, Lightning. Understanding why could be a key point in finding out who or what is doing it.

_{[That's his rationale. Understanding a motive can lead you to whoever is responsible.]}

[a sigh. Okay, fine. She'll bite.] And how do you intend to find out why when you don't know who, or what, is doing it or what their motives are? We have nothing to work with.

[Not a hint, not a clue, not a lead...nothing. She's all for impossible plans, but this? This is something else.]

A fact I'm very aware of.

_{[Said darkly. But it doesn't work the other way around, either, because they have no leads regarding what it is, either. There's nothing. All there is is analysis of what happened and to go from there. But even that - it's still just speculation.]}

Then what's your plan, Cooper? Start chasing down every whisper or rumor you hear until you find something?

[A bit snippy, but they have seemingly bigger things to worry about than this. Of course, if he does find something that proves these weekends are bigger than the Team Rocket threat, she'll slam all the manpower she has into it. For now, however, she just doesn't see the point of looking.]

_{[Wow, Lightning. That hardly stings, but Coop still doesn't react favourably. He's tired, he's on edge, and he's met a shadow of himself.]

[It goes without saying his priorities are different than hers, right now. The Rockets are far from his mind.]}

Correct me if I'm wrong, Lightning, but it appears to me that's what most of us are doing.

[She's not surprised he reacted the way he did, and while she understands the difference in priorities, she also knows what chasing whispers does. Nothing good, especially when they end in nothing but disappointment.

Still, her voice remains chilled. Any sympathy she would have had has taken a back seat for the moment, and she doesn't seem to be in a hurry to let it back in the driver's seat.]

You'd be right about that, but in case you haven't noticed, it hasn't exactly been working. Do you really think we have the time or energy to waste chasing down something that may not exist in the first place?

[The Rockets are at least a tangible force. Whatever's messed with their heads? Maybe not as much.]

Edited 2012-12-12 03:31 (UTC)

_{[He'd be more on her level if she'd mention that the Rockets are what she's more concerned with right now, but as far as he's concerned, the focus is still on this, on the lost days that aren't lost this time, and whatever the hell they mean.]

[Hence, agitation.]}

I highly doubt you truly believe that whatever you saw and the people you met during these three days isn't real. There's something at work here and yes, if I have to chase whispers to find out what, I intend to.

_{[There's no 'we' there, which might alert her that they're talking about different things, but in the end? Of course it's real. Of course it's tangible. Even if there's no physical explanation or evidence, what happens in your mind? That can't be ignored.]}

[She gets it. Maybe not entirely, because she's not in Coop's head and she doesn't know why this is so important, but she understands it on some level, being that she saw the man who still holds her heart in those three days.

That's probably why it hurts a bit to hear Cooper say that; he knows what Leon means to her. She'd never say he wasn't really here. Even if she wanted to.]

I know what I felt was real. But the fact of the matter is, whoever was here during those three days is gone now. The Rockets aren't, but if you want to start chasing down ghosts and whispers instead of helping out with the threat that we do know about? Go right ahead. Wear yourself into the ground trying to find something that isn't here anymore.

[Still chilled, but there's experience in her tone. She knows how this goes, and knows better than he probably thinks.]

_{[Unlike her, Coop's voice isn't cold, but it is tight and he speaks quickly.]}

Just because something leaves doesn't mean it's gone and you know that just as well as I do. There has been more than on instance of people coming here during these weekends to cause harm and make threats and if there is any way I can make that stop or at least understand why it's happening, I will.

_{[In short, people are getting hurt.]

[Not to mention some people do stay. Maybe not from the scrambled days onwards, but they can show up and then appear after, permanently, and if that's a sign - or in some cases an omen - isn't that something worth figuring out, as well?]

[That whole thing has to be tied to why everyone is even in this world to begin with.]}

Now you might not care for those answers at this time, but I do, and what I choose to do with my time is my concern. And if you believe my priorities are interfering with my obligations as part of the Corps, now is an excellent time to tell me.

_{[Because no, he didn't miss that Rocket comment, but she should know that he cares just as deeply about the threat they pose as everybody else. But this? This is much more immediate and personal. He can't help but let it be at the forefront of his mind.]}

[He can't see it, but she's shaking her head. Honestly, Cooper...you're just going to get yourself hurt this way. You really need to stop and think. People are always getting hurt here, in no small part thanks to the Rockets. She's not saying that this isn't important, it's just that in comparison, it's a drop in a bucket already boiling over.]

What I believe is that you need to get your priorities straight before you go recklessly charging off and get yourself hurt. If this keeps following the same pattern as it used to, we've got around six months before it happens again. You have time to plan, Cooper.

[Granted that's a big if, but still. It's something and it's all she's got. She has bigger and more immediate concerns than something six months down the line.]

But you're right. What you do with your time is your choice. I'm just trying to figure out if you're going to be there if we need your help with the Rockets or if you're going to be too busy chasing after whatever did this, and I'd like to know that sooner rather than later.

[Translation: yes, she does believe this is going to interfere with his obligations to the Corps. Is she wrong? She doubts that. She's seen people abandon greater things for less.]

_{[In general, Coop might not identify as strongly with his job here as he did back home, but it comes back now in the implications of what she's saying. Because it directly offends his professional pride.]

[He has, with no exception so far, been largely in agreement with her and has kept just as much of a level head. If she truly believes he would do anything without a plan when it has to do with this kind of scale? Then that's just a testament of how little they do know about each other.]}

You said yourself just minutes ago that preventing something like this from happening again should be a top priority. You tell me how my concerns are any different.

_{[He doesn't snap, exactly, but he's still frustrated and it should be easy to tell. If there's one thing you don't question ...]}

As to yours, I made an agreement that I plan to honor and so far, to my knowledge, have. If for any reason you believe that is going to change I will be happy to prove you wrong.

[Maybe someday they'll know each other well enough that this kind of thing won't happen again. Maybe. It's always hard to say in a place like this.]

A top priority, not the top priority. You can't go looking for anything if the Rockets start taking out cities and the people in them, remember? Ruins don't give you the answers you need most days.

[Is it more important than repairing the Lighthouse or giving Minnie's house a fresh coat of paint? Infinitely so. More important than making this world safe so there's actually a world to search? No. Not to her. But it's not the first time she's disagreed with someone, and it's certainly more tame than her arguments with Leon. Still, she hears that frustration. Time to wrap this up before things get more heated, Farron.]

Then you'd better be ready to start proving it. But I guess we'll just have to see how things go, won't we? Maybe you'll even prove me wrong.

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