video;

[upshore]

[There's a man in his late 20s on the screen, and he looks tired. Not like he hasn't been sleeping well - though that, too - but like 'tired' is just generally a state of being for him. His hands are out of frame. He's going to keep it that way.]

Not to diss Raine and Heather, without whom I would be dead, and I am very grateful for their help, I've got a question. Out of curiosity, are there any doctors here? Gonna be clear here - I don’t mean maniacs with rusty shears, I don’t mean someone with a penchant for making people into unwilling human guinea pigs for whatever the fuck, I don’t mean Dr. Strangelove’s crazier Nazi cousin who’s trying to turn mental patients into batteries for nanomachines with more tubes in them than that one senator guy called the internet.

‘Cause before I let anyone come near me with so much as a stethoscope in future, I’m going to need to see some medical credentials.

[A pause, and then:]

Also, if anyone comes at me dressed as a priest, this is the only warning you’ll get that I am going to set you on fucking fire. It worked on the last guy.

Comments

[Video]

[shroudofgray]

I am not sure what many of the things you said mean, but I do not think we have anyone like that here.

Why do you want to set priests on fire though? Is it because gods are evil?

[Video]

[upshore]

[Oops oh no he forgot there were kids here. Sorry Yorda!]

That's not why I said it. I don't believe in any gods. The last priest I met is the one who got me hurt.

[Video]

[shroudofgray]

They are real. But their words are threaded with lies, and they exist only to devour.

Is the priest the one who tried to sacrifice you? Did you have horns once, like Ico?

[Video]

[upshore]

[...neat!]

...no, I didn't have horns. [Weird question, but she's a weird kid.] But yes. He's the one who sent me as a sacrifice. He tricked me and sent me as a sacrifice to his god.

Re: [Video]

[shroudofgray]

I am sorry that he hurt you, but I am glad that you survived. Were you able to kill him and his god?

[Video]

[upshore]

He killed himself, and I killed his god.

[He still feels bad. Poor Billy never stood a chance. Aside from, you know, controlling a nanite swarm that could have exploded him into ketchup.]

[Video]

[shroudofgray]

I am glad. They cannot hurt anyone anymore then. Those they bound are free.

[Video]

[upshore]

Those who followed him did so willingly.

And I have more work to do at home to take down the greater evil that allowed him to exist.

[Hey Yorda, wanna help him destroy a corporation?]

Re: [Video]

[shroudofgray]

It is hard to truly know the will of others.

There is a greater evil than a god?

[It seems highly unethical involving the naive, idealistic teenager in your crusade against a deadly corporation, Miles. So. HELL YEAH, SHE'S GOT A SLING SHE'S READY TO FITE.]

[Video]

[upshore]

The greater evil is what created what he called his god. People at home need to know about what they did. They know it exists, but they don't care. They only care if it serves them.

[His tone is bitter. #anticapitalism?]