003 ☾ video | 100% encrypted to Catty, Annabeth, Percy, and Leo

[fatedchaos]

[Vanessa has literally been sitting on this information for months, letting it turn over and over in her head, as if she could make sense of it. It's not like it doesn't make sense. Being told that you're straight up a clone makes it a little hard to dispute, all things considered.

That makes it even worse, she supposes. And she's not told anyone about it, so any crisis she's had have been dealt with alone.

But she has friends now, people she absolutely trusts, and she's not really ready to tell the entire population that their bodies aren't technically their own.

So here she sits, biting her lip as she stares at the camera.]

Um, okay. So, after Percy made his post about the discovery of the cloning facility, I needed to know... more. [A beat.] I mean, hey. Sorry to dump this on you suddenly and out of nowhere, guys.

[A nod.] I went to the Emperor. She was surprised that I was asking about it, like a good sort of surprised. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is, I asked her what that facility was all about. Like, why do we even have clones? [She has no idea how to get straight to the point, which is why she fidgets a bit, her upper arms going translucent.] She told me that organic matter can't be brought through to this place. That our bodies are clones. It's our souls in here. [She presses a hand to her chest.] But these aren't our original bodies, and there are more. There have to be more bodies, because I think that means she can just bring us back when we're going up against, you know. And there have to be more facilities, right? Because more people show up all the time!

[Vanessa pauses, takes a breath, and tucks a curl behind her ear.] What do we do?

Comments

[fotia]

Well yeah, but I wouldn't really know about that. [That kind of reminds him of Hazel, though...

Wait no, Leo, why are you thinking of Hazel when you're talking to a cute girl who kind of kissed you??]

Uhh... [awkwarrrrd pauuuse] You doing alright?

[fatedchaos]

Technically, since we're clones... We're kind of living twice, too. [These are both sad and interesting thoughts to her, and she doesn't know which one she wants to really win.

Oh, right. They haven't really. Talked about. That kiss thing.] Um, well. Catty's here! So I've been doing great. [uguu Catty.] Are you okay? Doing alright, I mean. After like... [Vanessa pls.] Everything.

[fotia]

[Exaggeratedly cheerful response NOPE NOT NERVOUS OR AWKWARD AT ALL.] Y-Yeah, I'm doing alright, too. Great. Just great!

[QUICK SUBJECT CHANGE.] And I wouldn't know; the concept of the metaphysical isn't something I'm an expert on, much less whether it's technically correct that we're "dead" if our bodies die but our soul continues to be in existence. Or how we could even define a "soul", because a "soul" could very well be just the multiple neurons in our brain that—

[Aaand he's rambling.] Sorry; got a little carried away there.

[fatedchaos]

[Vanessa makes a face. She's always believed in the soul, and she's seen what happens when someone dies. She's felt souls.] If our bodies die, we're definitely experiencing a physical death. Energy can't be destroyed, and that's what we are. Energy. Also, you're a demigod. You should know more about the afterlife than me, and I definitely know that there's an afterlife. Our souls move on. [She bites her lip.] Besides, we're dealing with magic here. If the Emperor says it's a soul, then what else are we going to call it?

[She flashes a smile.] It's okay. [A beat.] Since we're both doing okay, would you want to go out and do something?

[fotia]

Well I can't really say I've been there before, but of course there's an afterlife. Plus I know like, two children of the God of the Underworld. [Oh no not Hazel thoughts again.] But it's kind of weird, isn't it? If our souls are here then what's back there, back home? [Stop Leo you're overthinking it—

Also wait wait what hold up!!]

Uh. Huh? [Said Very Very Teenage-Boy Dumbly]

[fatedchaos]

Then a soul has to exist, because bodies kind of stick around sometimes. Unless you turn them into ash when you've killed them. [Not that she's talking from personal experience or anything. Nope.] Empty shells, I'm guessing. If we're being told the truth, about time stopping when we come here, does it matter what's back there? [Sob, this is a terrible conversation, why did she tell anyone about the clones.

She blushes a faint pink, but kind of just slams on ahead because why not.] Do you want to go out with me? Like on a date. Not that I know what we can really do date-wise around here.

[fotia]

[I'm sorry everything you said about the bodies and stuff completely goes whooosh in one ear and out the next because date?

DATE???

D A T E???]

Uh... Er... So, uh, like, a date-date? Is that what you're saying?

[fatedchaos]

[Demigods.

Boys.

Vanessa nods.] Unless there are other kinds of dates?