Notification: Compiling all known data on Indoctrinated Subjects.
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Notification: Enlisting assistance of Integrated Subject Amelia.
Only so an hour
Notification: Beginning to synthesize a new cure.
Find ourselves dishonorable graves
Warning: The Reintegration Tablet will be unavailable for 1.61 days, and then only sporadically available for 16.1 days.
Out, out, brief candle!
Further interaction requiring further input will be impossible for 1.61 days.
Enlisting Amelia? Is that really such a good idea?
ReplyDeleteIt's a great idea...don't knock it 'til you try...it. I may be...somewhere else...but that doesn't mean that I don't...know what I put into the Reintegration Tablet...
ReplyDeleteQuery: Is pegasus capable of resurrection of Stella Mackenzie?
ReplyDeleteRob, give it up...anyway, the Tablet's not available right now, didn't you read...?
ReplyDeleteAgh I don't know what to think.
ReplyDeleteGuess I'll just have to wait and see.
Speaking of waiting, it feels like I've been sitting at this bar for about 4 hours, but I'm missing the gifts I brought for the entities. Did I deliver the message and not remember it?
The bartender said that I just came in 4 hours ago, then left and came back 20 minutes ago...
Shut up Amelia.
ReplyDeleteSo, Amelia, can we talk to you directly? I realize this'll be kind of pointless if we can't, but I'd rather talk to a person than a machine. For all his humor and quirks, Osort kind of creeps me out.
ReplyDeleteAmelia, since you've had more hands-on experience with Osort, do you know why the number 161 is important?
Or is there any reason that the RT keeps repeating it, and variants of it?
ReplyDeleteI do...know why it's important, and I do...know the...reason.
ReplyDeleteCare to share, by any chance? And if so, please do.
ReplyDeletewhat is
ReplyDeleteyour
last
name?
I don't...know...
ReplyDeleteYeah, Amelia's not half as useful as you'd think.
ReplyDeleteI'm still reasonably sure she's drugged or something.
Still, couldn't hurt to ask...what's so special about 161?
Drugged for such a long time? Do you think Slendy attached an IV drip of morphine to her or something? xD
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm assuming that I somehow delivered the messages to Norn, Yggdrasil and Jörmungandr and don't remember it. On my way back to the airport now.
I know what the reason is...but I don't think...I can say it. Or...write it...I just...stop. Drugged?...Drugged...I don't...know...
ReplyDeleteYou don't know anything, do you? ;D
ReplyDeleteSo, why can't you say or write the reason?
Something's...stopping me...
ReplyDeleteIt's SOME kind of filter. Perception or otherwise. Possibly reverse-perception?
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly happens when you try? Or are you just... not able to at all?
ReplyDeleteI just...can't.
ReplyDeleteCorruption's already spread, huh? Knew it was big, but didn't know it had gotten this far.
ReplyDeleteAmelia, do you differ physically from average human females your age? As in appearance, or ability?
ReplyDeleteSure...I'm...irregular, aren't I?
ReplyDeleteIrregular doesn't necessarily mean that you are physically different, unless I am confused about the definition.
ReplyDeleteOK, so, HOW do you differ physically from average human females your age? As in appearance, or ability?
Also, are you still unaware of your whereabouts?
And how are you using the Reintegration Tablet?
Finally, why were you enlisted to help find a cure. Be specific, please~
Dunno...yes...it's still providing a signal...I'm not. The bit of me...in the Tablet...is.
ReplyDeleteAmelia. If you have access to the computer, do you have access to Crowley? Hopefully we can still talk to him. Hopefully HE can start to give us some more definitive answers.
ReplyDeleteSince I have nothing useful to provide, I have something I'd like to share.
ReplyDeleteAmelia, don't be offended by this but, I now imagine your voice to be a mix of Yoda and Gollum.
The Precious, we want.
ReplyDeleteLikes them, Smeagle does.
Damn you Tron. Damn you forever.
You're welcome, buddy :D
ReplyDeleteCrowley...? You'll have to...talk to Crowley...if you want to talk...to Crowley.
ReplyDeleteIf you mean e-mail, I've been working on it. I don't even know what the fuck HE'S doing over there.
ReplyDeleteBut I've got other concerns. I'm almost finished with school. I've got some...theories...I need to work on.
More importantly, I'm going to need some help. Avis and Vulpes won't do a damn bit of good against Him. I'm going to need...someone...I can trust as much as myself to keep his cool.
Input: Please state all information about or related to "the arc" or "the ark".
ReplyDeleteMight be a while, Zed.
ReplyDeleteMight I recommend some Jenga while you're waiting? Avis certainly seemed to enjoy it.
Did you...win...then?
ReplyDeleteI'm here. What do you need?
ReplyDeleteI did, as a matter of fact.
ReplyDeleteResounding success that time.
As for what I need...well, let's start simple.
Why the fuck is 161 constantly popping up? The Tablet can't say, Amelia knows but something won't let her say.
I'm afraid...I don't know either. It hasn't been there forever.
ReplyDeleteNathaniel! What happened exactly? Do you know who was involved besides Slendy?
ReplyDeleteHow bad is the damage?
Are you aware that the reintegration tablet is malfunctioning? (check the last entry)
Can you repair it?
How goes the progress on the second tablet?
What are you currently doing right now? (nor RIGHT NOW right now, but like, as a response to the attack)
Why is finding a cure necessary?
Did you approve employing Amelia?
Hasn't been around forever? Did it appear around the time a piece of Amelia got inside the Tablet?
Well, he said earlier that he has no idea how Amelia got involved. I'm still reasonably sure the Indoctrinated did it for some reason.
ReplyDeleteThat aside...doctor. Can you let us know the current state of the Reintegration process? I'm going to have a lot of time soon; who still needs informing?
Hell's bells, you're treating me like you treat the Tablet...Did something happen? Oh,yes...no, I don't know who was involved, and I don't know how bad it is. From outward examination, the Tablet seems fine, really...though obviously something IS wrong.
ReplyDeleteAs for the second Tablet? Good, good. As for time, it's the difference between "completion date" and "projected completion date": the same as the difference between "chicken" and "chicken pox".
I can't do anything at the moment but observe, and maybe keep things from getting worse.
Why is a cure necessary? A cure for the Indoctrinated is necessary, wouldn't you think? After all, the other two possibilities have been long since lost or rendered useless, yes?
I did not. That was the Tablet's jurisdiction and the Tablet's choice.
...Yes. Yes, it did. At...at - at the winter solstice. That's when she "uploaded" herself into the Tablet. When 161 first appeared.
Ah, yes. Reintegration...well, smoothly, really. There's still - what, a month and a half left before the deadline? As for messages...Goliath, Behemoth, Croven, Nessie, Grundelwurm, Chiron, and Fmorga. The Nile Delta; the Arctic; Panama; the Loch Ness; Lake Constance, Germany; Madagascar; and Cuba. I can access the bank account that the Tablet set up.
ReplyDeleteInteresting...We might need to study this.
ReplyDeleteThough there's one last question I have, Crowley. Assume we want to skip ahead. Assume we're satisfied with how many allies we've contacted.
What's next? At the very least, we can start multi-tasking while one or two of us keep enlisting.
Cross off...Behemoth, Croven...Nessie...and Chiron.
ReplyDeleteWhat's next? Just to wait. Let the Tablet do its work. That's all you can do. That's all I can do. That's all anyone can do.
ReplyDeleteAha!
ReplyDeleteI do apologize for treating you like the Tablet, its just a lot has happened, and we can finally get some answers! I'm excited!
Also, what other two possibilities?
Oooh~ Amelia, did you happen to deliver some messages?
Dead, or messaged?
ReplyDeleteMight want to specify, there.
And, on another note...I do so hate to insist. I even set it up to prevent personal use. But, Doctor. I need...I need $500. It's not related to Reintegration, but it IS related to The |OC|. If I'm right...if I find this out...we might have a chance.
The other two possibilities - cure, rendered useless by Jeff's - or perhaps Ritchie's - death. And Kainic Acid - but Jay has disappeared, yes?
ReplyDelete...Very well. I'll wire the funds. Don't worry about the details...with the PTC's computers, I can do it in a jiffy.
Ah. I don't follow many blogs relating to Slendy. Only 3 and a half, actually.
ReplyDeleteAnd one video series.
One last question. I know you're no supercomputer, but you're certainly a smart man. When do you think this thing...infected us? The United States. The safe bet is with the pilgrims, but...who knows.
ReplyDeleteI say infected. That might not be right, but it FEELS right to me. I'm not the first one to call it a disease, and I'm sure I won't be the last.
Do you mean the |OC|?
ReplyDeleteBehemoth, Nessie, Chiron...they're all...dead...gone...faded...deceased.
ReplyDeleteNot Croven, though...never Croven...
ReplyDeleteNo...not Croven. Croven's...fine.
ReplyDeleteWell, damn.
ReplyDeleteHow did they die?
Specifically, how did Nessie go?
Yeah. The |OC|. Normally I'd have some smart remark here, but...
ReplyDeleteFuck it. I can't sit here and act like this is a joke anymore. It's almost like everyone else has given up. Except Zeke, of course; I don't think that man has any quit in him. But things are getting so SLOW.
I can't sit on the sidelines anymore. I've been preparing for this the last month or so. I've had a lot of failures.
This time I've got a good feeling. This time I know exactly where I'm headed, and exactly what I'm looking for. All I need is one last thing.
I need your answer, Crowley.
When nobody...believes...knows...thinks...when all trace has...they need...people. Humans. Us. If they're no one left...they can't...keep themselves here. Sure, they're not...gone. They've crossed back...over the Veil. If they ever...come back...they won't be...the same.
ReplyDelete....Zeke?
ReplyDeleteWhat Veil?
And what? Are you telling me there is still a large number of people who believe in... say... Yggdrasil? Most don't even know what that is!
If by "infected" you mean "mysterious occurrences and deaths", then no - it started way back with some of the first Native Americans, where Indoctrination was strong but less refined, leading to cannibalism, killings, destruction, and general insanity. These men, women and children never died. You could break their necks and all their limbs, pluck out all their sinews and they'd just stand up, crack their knuckles, come back for more. They wouldn't die easily, but there weren't a lot of them. And heaven forbid that a shaman or skinwalker was ever Indoctrinated. There were plenty of genocidal rampages back then thanks to the wrong combinations of supernatural powers.
ReplyDeleteTHE Veil. You know...the Veil...Well...I'll admit...Nessie didn't just fade...Nessie and her family were hunted down...but the rest?...plenty of people know what...Yggdrasil...is...you can't just live...in a tiny bubble...expecting the rest of the...world...to conform to your...standards...got it?
ReplyDeleteYou know, there's actually a story about such an Indoctrinated somewhere, let's see if I can pull that up...
ReplyDeleteNathaniel (may I please call you Nathan?), what you just described reminds me of Arkady's life. Specifically, a proxy he calls Porfiry. Porfiry had been 'murdered' multiple times, and still stood up even after all of his bones were shattered and his chest resembled that of a headcrab zombie.
ReplyDeleteSo strong proxies like what you mentioned still exist.
Hm. Maybe its just people I know don't know of Yggdrasil...
Nessie had a family? And she was hunted? By whom? Humans? Proxies? Other entities?
...Dammit. Dammit all.
ReplyDeleteI was so SURE. I thought this would be a chance. I thought we could strike a blow here.
Alright, alright, this is fine...I can still work with this. I'm far from done. Improvising was always a strength of mine.
I'll need a little more time. But I'm not out of the game yet.
Thank you, Crowley. Thank you for preventing me from wasting everything.
I'll send the $500 back. And...yeah. Zeke's run into the |OC| about three times by my count. Two of them I'm pretty sure the |OC| actually really wanted him dead.
And this isn't including whatever the hell happened when he was a kid.
No, no. I meant who is Zeke?
ReplyDeleteYes, more of the - well, the "Monsters". Hunted by humans for their skin, scales, meat, bones, anything they could grab.
ReplyDeleteZach - please. Tell me what you wanted to try. What you were thinking of. Send me an email if you don't want to make it public, but please. I can help. Like you said: I'm a smart man.
...And as for that story...it's been a bit modernized, but it's a nice tale, if a bit disturbing. It'll take some space, though.
It's OK, post it, please.
ReplyDeleteDo you know when Nessie died?
"'There's nothing left,' said Cloud-Sleeper. 'We killed it.'
ReplyDeleteA sniffle came from the back of the party - the man's daughter, Wildflower. She pushed to the front of the group and
knelt down beside her father, sobbing over his body. The strange symbol, a circle crossed through, slowly faded from his
neck. Cloud-Sleeper stepped forward and jerked his arm; the spear came out of the man's chest without resistance.
'Why?' came the cry of Wildflower. Cloud-Sleeper looked up. 'Why did he have to die? We could have SAVED him...'
'He was a monster, young one. Corrupted by the taint of the Darkshadow.'
'No!'
'Yes, little Wildflower. It was the only solution.'
'No!' she repeated, perhaps more forcefully. She just kept saying that: 'No,' over and over and over.
'Get her to the shaman...maybe he can help her deal with the loss,' Cloud-Sleeper murmured to the others. One of
them, a stout, muscular man nodded and went to her, lifting her bodily off the ground.
'How will we dispose of his body?' asked Claws-Of-Earth, for of course it was he.
Cloud-Sleeper simply gave him a look that said 'NOT. NOW.' and walked away from them, towards the burnt trees. With a
glance behind him, he saw that everyone else had left. Now, he could do what he had meant to.
He knelt on the ground, his head bowed. Around himself, Cloud-Sleeper arranged a circle of leaves and twigs. He let
his muscles drop and his mind relax, then called out to the beast, to the Darkshadow.
'O demon of the forest, please, reveal yourself!'
Rustling on the wind; naught else.
'O Darkshadow, O slayer of men, O ruler of all you survey, please, reveal yourself!'
The shadows of the treetop canopy formed into something in front of him, something dark and evil, the Darkshadow.
It was dressed in strange garb and had the figure of a monster, but there was something about it that was vaguely, oddly
human.
WhaT dO yOu wanT, yOU WhO dO NoT UnDerStanD? it screamed in his head.
'I...gah! I only wish...to ask you...your forgiveness...to stop destroying us!'
YoU asK foR tHAt WhIcH yOu do NoT unDersTANd.
'PLEASE!'
NO.
And the Darkshadow snapped the man's mind like it was one of the twigs he surrounded himself with. Cloud-Sleeper
collapsed to the ground, dead before his eyes closed. The Darkshadow walked forward, past Cloud-Sleeper, toward its fallen thrall, and
wrapped the body in its arms, in its appendages, all its abominable, monstrous appendages, for but a moment, and the man
stood.
YoU mUST gO baCk tO ThE vIlLagE anD kIlL tHeM All.
'Yes, my master.'
The thrall rolled its neck, and blinked its eyes, and it took one step; then two; and then, after a hundred, a thousand more, it
arrived at the village.
And the first thing it heard was the scream.
The scream of Wildflower."
I'll let you...guess...how many years...ago.
ReplyDeleteWow... Just wow.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder how it must have sounded, though, with all the alternating capital letters and such.
Its interesting to know that back then entire collected villages knew of Him, not a bunch of scattered basement-dwellers. <.<
Its also interesting to note that its implied that Slendy wore the business suit before business suits as we know them today were invented...
Amelia, I'm going to understand that as 'I don't know.'
No...really. Guess. It's a simple...answer.
ReplyDelete...
You really...can't see it?
...
Nessie and her family were hunted to death...161 years ago.
Well, the alternating letters - that's part of the modernization bit, remember? I'm betting it would have sounded about the same.
ReplyDeleteGOD DAMNIT. As a person who does not believe in coincidence, 161 is really, really pissing me off.
ReplyDeleteMr. Crowley, I guess that does make sense.
By the way, do you have any idea why Slendy seems to be incapable of either typing normally or using the space bar?
It's just a stylizing thing. Most such entities do something of the sort. It's also kind of reflective of the way they speak to humans - otherworldly, unknown, just plain WRONG.
ReplyDeleteunderstoodlolbutDonTuTHiNkThiSiSaBiTannoYINg?
ReplyDeletePlease don't kill me or haunt me Slendy, I have school. D:
That's not for me to decide. I can read it, I can see what it says, I...oh, God...my God. Hell's bells. I can't...I think I'm going to be sick.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong? What's happening? Are you OK? Sick in what way? Nausea? Digestion? Hauntedbyanancientevilentity-itis?
ReplyDeletePlease be OK!
It's nothing. Just bad memories.
ReplyDelete...Brought on by my shitty typing? Or some other reason?
ReplyDeleteOr maybe because of how Slendy haunted yo when you were in grade school?
A bit by your typing, yeah.
ReplyDeleteI apologize. :|
ReplyDeleteFeel like talking about it?
Also, could you disclose your location? Or the Tablet's?
That was...actually a little interesting to see.
ReplyDeleteCrowley, if it's not too much to ask. We do all have a lot to find out. The Tablet's going to be out of commission for God knows how long.
I'll show you mine if you show me yours, I think is the usually turn of phrase.
We all have our skeletons. Maybe you'll find some catharsis in release before you...release.
And Zeke was a detective. Got a little entrenched in all of this. He may well be the first person that actually fought back against the |OC| to any real degree.
Zach, is there anywhere I can contact you outside of blogspot? Like an e-mail?
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't say was; still IS, actually. He's been fighting for a little over a year. The |OC| has been getting increasingly aggressive as time goes on, but it still hasn't killed him, and he still hasn't broken. I'm not sure if this is a good sign or not.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Tron. Darkest_Minds@hotmail.com will quite suffice.
ReplyDeleteI'd give you my other, but none of you assholes have any right knowing my last name right now. Let the uncertainty BURN YOU.
Its most likely a good sign...
ReplyDeleteI wonder why it hasn't killed him? Maybe its trying to recruit him, like it is to Arkady and Setoth?
I have no idea. I really don't.
ReplyDeleteIt's not for lack of trying, that's for sure; once, he nearly got his throat crushed, and the other he was almost beaten to death.
I'm concerned that there's a reason. One we can't hope to fathom.
That just...it infuriates me.
Anyways, Crowley. 60 years. You may well be the oldest living Runner. Can't you share at least a little bit of that with us?
I don't know if it's just me, but we're probably going to need that if we want to stay in the game.
Mr. Crowley, I'm going to have to agree with Zach... anything you give us can be vital to our success, and the success of Reintegration.
ReplyDeleteOn an unrelated note, have you met Ozzy Osbourne?
I'll start with the shorter answer: no. We've been told repeatedly that the location is more or less a secret, and I don't feel like getting on the bad side of a man with a laser carbine. Scratch that - many, many men with laser carbines. Especially men like B2.
ReplyDeleteAs for the longer...
The |OC|...
Well, it's a classic story, isn't it?
It killed my parents. My brother. My two sisters. My two aunts. My uncle. But where was I at the time? I was at the neighbor's house. They were all driving to some party or a wedding or maybe even just a concert or a show, and I said I felt sick, I didn't feel sick, I just didn't want to go, I didn't want them to go - and they went...there was...a car accident. When the news came home, the house burned. The house burned and I nearly burned but no, I got out. I got out at the cost of an arm and an eye, not to mention a thousand burns, scars, and plenty of surgery on my legs before they started working again.
But at least I'm alive.
Thanks largely in part to Sage Lehu.
And that year - on my eleventh birthday - I got the usual cards, and I got one more - something strange, that I didn't recognize. You know what it said?
HaPpYbIrThDaY
Only other thing I remember is the smell of burnt toast. Funny thing - I told this story to one other person. Minus the involvement of the |OC|. You know what he did? He wrote a book with that as the backstory for the main character. Called Raven's Gate. Good read, really.
...
I don't know any more about the |OC| than anyone else does. The Tablet's never been able to tell me anything that wasn't more or less common knowledge. It's known it...but it's not been able to tell me.
...
And yes, I have met Ozzy. Nice chap. Bit...eccentric.
Well, Crowley. Here and now is nice.
ReplyDeleteA blog would be better. If you think you're up to it, of course.
Think you can handle the awesome technological responsibilities? It might be a bit too much for you, old man.
Har. Har. I don't have time for a blog, lad, and I doubt I will for a while, so if you want my life stories this is what you get. Take it or leave it.
ReplyDeleteThe happy birthday crap made my stomach lurch.
ReplyDeleteFuck. FUCK. I never liked the idea of Slendy haunting kids, even though that's what he started out with. God DAMN.
I don't even know what to say to that... dude...
--------------
Is the song 'Mr. Crowley' about you?
You kids just love making jokes, don't you?
ReplyDeleteForgive me. Just trying to take my mind off of slendy haunting kids. It scares me more than most other things.
ReplyDeleteTron, let's not go too far into the doctor's personal life. He probably has better things to do.
ReplyDeleteLike watch The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
I STILL can't believe that. You were...what? 40 when it was made?
http://xkcd.com/891/ lol.
ReplyDeleteMy memory must be failing me - what makes you think I haven't seen it? I remember you mentioning that before but I can't quite put my finger on it.
ReplyDeleteOr my cursor, apparently.
The Tablet said it was your favorite movie.
ReplyDeleteGotta love technology.
Well, if it's my favorite movie, I must have seen it, haven't I?
ReplyDeleteOh, I think I see what's going on here. It's not my memory, it's my deductive reasoning.
A 40 year old man watching the same movie I watched when I was 5.
ReplyDeleteI almost feel dirty just thinking about that.
Look, it's a good movie, and I could relate to it. Disfigured and shut away, never able to reveal his hidden depths? Sound familiar?
ReplyDeleteDoc...seems like you revealed them just fine to me.
ReplyDeleteWe're on the verge of Reintegration. That'll do, Pig.
That'll do.
I never watched it from beginning to end.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with shows like Chiburashka,Nu Pagadi, and Vinni Pu.
I've only seen like.. 2 Disney movies.
So, due to my lack of experience, I'm gonna stay out of this...
Well then, young whippersnappers, if you don't mind, I'm just going to pop out my dentures and slip on my adult diapers for nappy-time at the ol' Post-retirement Tranquility Center Senior Men's Domicile.
ReplyDeleteI've still got a bit of a sense of humor left, you know. Just a bit, though, so don't push it.
Ahaha~
ReplyDeleteGood one, ol' chap.
Of course, doctor. Old or not, you're clearly not out of the game.
ReplyDeleteDon't take any of this personally. I'm like Spiderman. The day you see me get nice and quiet is the day you know something is seriously wrong.
You'll see plenty more of this. Don't think it means I don't care.
Last question, and you can have your night back.
Was He here before we went past hunting and gathering? Like...let's say, for instance, 61,000 years ago?
AAAAAAAh. Good night's sleep, that was. Let's see. Hunters and gatherers?...Yeeeeeees...I don't know how to put this. It was...around? It watched as humanity, as nature itself developed and evolved, but it didn't usually...do anything.
ReplyDeleteSo it was here, but it didn't actually care about us? Works for me.
ReplyDeleteSo, then. How do you think the Toba supervolcano effected him? We've got all these stories about him coming into existence when we believe, and other stories about how he was always here...I want to know what happened when we reached near-extinction levels.
The Toba event is said to have caused a bottleneck in human evolution, since it reduced the human population to less than ten thousand breeding pairs. The bottleneck also affected many other species, and, believe it or not, the |OC|. It couldn't take more Indoctrinated, it could barely feed - there was a bottleneck in, if you'll excuse the strange wording, |OC| evolution. It retreated to its home, letting the human race start back up again. It's possible something happened during that time that, due to its non-corruption, could...help.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly does it feed on? Children?
ReplyDeleteChildren, adults, fear, emotions, trees. Whatever it can get its tentacles on.
ReplyDelete