20 ❄ ( VIDEO )

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack's voice is quiet, nearly monotone and there are dark hollows under his eyes. ]

There's something you should know about the snow in the open areas between the domes. Some of the snow I make has magic in it, and what it does is make people more open to loosening up and playing around in it. It has to do with my center being Fun, it was never intended to hurt anyone but... it did.

Even though this time was an accident... it was also in the big snowfall last March. If you spent a lot of time outside that weekend, you probably got at least a little dose of it. A couple people already knew about this but I'm the one who should have said something before this. Long before, I was just--

I've already tried to break as much of the effect as I can between the three main domes, it should be mostly clear now and back to regular snow.

[ Which might explain the ill effect it seems to have had on him; he's been literally trying to undo the very essence of himself he expended into it. He takes a breath as though to add something else then apparently thinks better of it, reaching over and turning the console off. ]

Comments

[video]

[ironface]

Are you all right?

Re: [video]

[wintershepherd]

[ He rubs under his eyes as though the dark circles can be removed that way. ]

I'm fine, Isabeau.

[enticingly]

Why would you want to change that? It sounds like it does more good than harm.

[Are you having an attack of conscience, Jack?]

[wintershepherd]

It doesn't.

[ Hollow words and there's no trace of his tone that he actually believes them, but rather like they've been wrung out of him like water from an old rag. ]

text; anon

[redjay]

So what you're saying is there is such thing as too much fun.

Re: text; anon

[wintershepherd]

guess so.

audio:

[grigio]

[She's feeling down for a lot of reasons. Her eyesight issue is finally becoming too much and she's just Done with it. So she might sound tired. Subdued. All that Not!Julie shit.

But Jack is hurting and that's distraction enough for her.]

Do you need anything? I can offer hugs. Really big ones.

Re: audio:

[wintershepherd]

[ The corners of Jack's mouth lift in an attempted smile, but it never quite makes it. ]

Thanks Julie but... I should go back to Bresilyk and keep working on the snow there. I only came back because there's no consoles over there.

[Video]

[alpha_squad_leader]

[Vic's all bundled up still but Jack looks like he needs a friend so the cold can be pushed aside for now.]

If anyone gives you any trouble about this, Jack...let me know, okay? I'll have a few words with them.

Are you okay though? Do you need anything?

video - private;

[wintershepherd]

I was wrong, Vic. I said it couldn't hurt anyone, and I was wrong.

I... thank you. For not saying anything about knowing, all this time.

video | 60% encrypted

[angermanaging]

[Bruce hadn't been here for the last snowfall, and he can't pretend he doesn't appreciate knowing that the current snow could alter his emotional state. That does have the potential to have ramifications for him, and he can't control for external factors if he isn't aware they exist.

But he still doesn't like Jack looking like that, like he's been browbeaten about something that ordinarily wouldn't harm anyone. Bruce knows intent doesn't solve everything, but he does know that Jack wouldn't do anything to harm someone and he shouldn't be made to feel ashamed for who he is when that isn't someone bad. Now he's stuck in the position of wanting to comfort someone while being awful at it, and he dislikes false platitudes on principle.]

Sounds like it was a lot of work, [he says quietly.] When you say loosening up... what do you mean?

[Because that is actually information he feels he needs to know.]

Re: video | 60% encrypted

[wintershepherd]

[ He flinches a little. He's talked about his center a little to Bruce, during their meditation sessions (after them, usually) but he never brought this up. Now he feels deceitful on top of hollowed out. ]

It... depends on who you ask.

Video; Private

[alphatar]

Well I had fun.

[Korra's heard about the backlash from the last time there was some of the magical snow Jack creates, and she switches it to private.]

Everything okay?

[It's unfair and she knows it, but she's concerned.]

Re: Video; Private

[wintershepherd]

Yeah. [ no. ]

I should-- get back to Bresilyk. I just stopped long enough to come back to Keeliai to let people... know.

Video;

[parallels]

...Are you alright?

[She's really not seeing why that snow is a big deal.]

Re: Video;

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack tries to smile, he really does, but this has clearly worn him right now. ]

Yeah.

video;

[baniichan]

[Well.

That explains some things.]

Does making people more likely to play in the snow somehow impair their judgment?

[His tone is surprisingly neutral, considering he just learned an outside source had influenced his behavior. But Barnaby figures he ought to understand the situation a little more before making snap judgments.]

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

I don't... what do you mean? It doesn't make you want to go out and rob someone or anything like that.

video;

[storm_warning]

[Ororo takes a minute to speak, looking over his video as her eyes progressively narrow. His words... they're words all right and they hint to bad things that she's not sure she likes.]

This person that got hurt... You know that's not on you, right?

[Because Jack's caring. He's giving. He's too nice and she's wondering if he's trying to carry that person's pain on his shoulders.]

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Yeah, it is. I was... back in March, they told me it was bad, that it was wrong.

That is was dangerous.

[whitelotustile]

Would melting the snow help?

[Iroh could say something, but he doesn't know the situation and has some experience with people and guilt.]

[wintershepherd]

I think that just puts the magic into the water instead. There was an thing with giddy fish...

I've got most of it now, I think.

video;

[watcheslanterns]

Jack? What happened?

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Hey Rapunzel.

[ She gets a very sincere yet still terrible attempt at a smile. ]

I messed up something pretty important.

action; later (if okay)

[demon_brat]

[ Damian doesn't answer, of course he doesn't. The network is not a place here he cares to discuss important things, anymore, not even inboxes. ]

[ And he doesn't go to Jack's suite. He's keeping to his intention not to go near Zatanna. ]

[ But he keeps an eye out for the Spirit, when he's out and about, especially after paying somewhat more attention to things not clearly visible in that post. And when he can, he'll get to him. And if Jack tries to run, he'll call out. ]

Frost.

[ It's not angry. Just trying to stop or slow him down. Or catch his attention, if Jack isn't avoiding him. ]

ok!

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack of course, has to leave 3A eventually. The aching hollowness inside of him doesn't change that the fishing shop still needs to be run, the welcome center needs coordinated and there's a thousand and one other things that still need attention. When Damian calls out to him he doesn't run, but he doesn't turn to face him either. He just stands, balanced on the narrow slip of railing. ]

If you've come to gloat, I'm really not in the mood.

video;

[explosivepenetrators]

[ Wow, this kid definitely looked... upset. Softy as he could be for kids, Pete gave him a look of concern. ]

When you say your "center" is Fun, you mean this is something that's a part of you?

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Yeah.

[ Then he slumps a little. ]

I... thought it was.

[ Because his train of thought right now is either that it really isn't, or that it is and it's harmful. ]

[video]

[hasthreefingers]

[ Donna can't help it. She's too maternal not to pay attention to how lousy he looks. ]

I'm sure it was just an accident.

Are you all right? You look... well. Are you all right?

Re: [video]

[wintershepherd]

I'm all right. Just tired.

[ If this is how he looks when tired, he probably looks closer to 'walking corpse' when sick. Literally. ]