Audience - Viktor

[holyspirits]

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[holyspirits]

[ they are not a huge fan of the echoes, actually. ]

Yeah. Yeah, I think you might have to get used to it. [ there you are, bitch. they do not seem concerned by what they're seeing, standing a little taller to face him. ]

Your humanity, huh? Thought the whole idea was about the collective being the same. Hey, who's we, anyway?

[hextech]

[Them: do not like the echo. Also them: the body horror is w/e.] The idea is the collective is free from the burden of what makes him hurt each other. [He is quietly paused for a long moment.] We?

[holyspirits]

[ anna. ]

Yeah. Once "we" transcend the limits of your humanity and "we" will give them a paradise. Who's we?

[hextech]

I don't know what you mean. [He sounds genuine despite the eeriness. Confused. He turns away from Kiraman again, this time more like Viktor than the hulking entity he is right now.]

[holyspirits]

[ oh good. back to "i need to fix this man's brain.

also, back to being a twink. ]

... Viktor. Can you repeat what you said to me just now?

[hextech]

[He lifts his hands to look them over. He felt different. His body. Hm.] ...I'm sorry, I don't remember. [Why does his brain throb!!]

[holyspirits]

[ hateful! ]

... okay. [ they accept this for now. ] Don't worry about it, I'm... gonna look into some stuff for later.

[hextech]

[He is still looking at his hands... He lifts them to push his fingers back into his hair by each temple, and he gently squeezes his head after closing his eyes.] That's not why... [His voice is low, like he is speaking to someone closer to him.] Something is happening. [His eyes open. He stares into the middle distance, distressed, and then very suddenly he bolts. He doesn't run, per se, but he quickly leaves the shop to stand just on the other side of the door, outside. He leans back on the wall there, head tipped against it.]

[holyspirits]

[ YEAH BUDDY, SOMETHING IS HAPPENING. kiraman watches him run, waiting for a few minutes to give him some space before they follow after him. they'll lean on the wall nearby. ]

... I don't know what's happening. [ quietly. ] But we can look into it.

[hextech]

[He's slow to open his eyes; when he does, he searches the sky slowly back and forth.] I'm sorry, [is what he says first. About his weirdo moment...s. Then, more quietly:] I can hear her sometimes. In the arcane. Sky. But I can't see her anymore. [As if not seeing her is somehow more bizarre than the fact he is just fucking seeing some random person in general.] I feel... [Trying to think of the best word.] ...overwhelmed. I want to get rid of the feelings.

[holyspirits]

[ contemplating this... ]

How... often do you usually see her? Did that only start when you merged? [ how wacky are your hallucinations, viktor. ]

Tell me what feelings are overwhelming you most. What are you thinking?

[hextech]

[Very many much.] I began seeing her after I awoke from being merged with the Hexcore. She's always there, somewhere. [:)] All of them.

[holyspirits]

... [ great. ]

But you see her the most?

[holyspirits]

... [ great. ]

But you see her the most?

[hextech]

She is the only one I see. [Kiraman is missing vital information here. He lifts his head off the wall, but sort of hangs it forward instead.] She died, and the Hexcore... must have migrated her into the arcane of itself. Now I can communicate with her as I am also connected.

[holyspirits]

[ they are busy wondering if this is actually a manifestation of viktor's guilt. ]

You said she was your assistant. [ hm. ] Did the Hexcore have those capabilities before you merged with it?

[hextech]

[No... of course not... Don't perceive...] Yes. [Their obliterated assistant.] I don't know. It was an enigma I had been desperately trying to study.

[holyspirits]

Is it a yes, or is it an I don't know?

[hextech]

Yes, she was our assistant. [He shakes his head.] I don't know if the Hexcore was that way before we were joined. I was an outsider to everything but its whispers.

[holyspirits]

[ hm... ]

What if... the way to study the Hexcore is from the inside?

[hextech]

That could be a possibility perhaps. [He glances at them.] You're trying to get me to search for it within the arcane, aren't you?

[holyspirits]

[ he cannot see their face, but the energy is that of somebody lifting an eyebrow innocently. ]

It would work, wouldn't it? [ although... ] Then again, with you being so closely tied to the arcane, maybe you need a second set of eyes.

[hextech]

[Both of his own brows lift, but then he looks a bit pensive afterward. He does not want to give up his powers... He turns his head away, thoughtful, and then he finally looks at them again.] You're volunteering. [It isn't a question.]

[holyspirits]

[ sir, you might need to give up your powers because your brain is being eaten.

anyway, they don't do much other than stare ahead of them for a while before they turn their head to look at him. little shrug.

yeah. they are. what's the worst that could happen to them? ]

[hextech]

[🥺 His superpowers... Also, idiot, you might get spaghetti'd by the Eldritch magic. Damn.] I could be extremely dangerous. [He looks away.] I might not return as myself. Or at all.