thisavrou | video 02 | Alzheimer's Disease

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video 02 | Alzheimer's Disease | Introducing the Losers

(It felt a little bit like a blessing. After losing his memories, getting them back, and going through that alone, Eddie had damn near broken himself down with how badly he had missed his friends. But then they showed up. Not all of them, but the three boys he had been the closest to for the longest, the kind of childhood friends that started out in the single digits. Eddie Kaspbrak was happy. Maybe not perfectly, but for the time being, they were each other's perfect distractions and it was good to have them around.

On top of that, Eddie wanted them to know everything about this place. Including, most importantly, the people who lived there. He could have dragged them from place to place to introduce them to everyone he has come to know and care about, but then he remembered how the device worked and realized how much faster it'd be if he just sent out a video introduction.

So here he was, turning on the video feed and smiling into the camera. Anyone who had seen him lately would have noticed the kid was a bit off, but not here. He might still have bags under his eyes, but there was a brightness in him that hadn't been present in nearly an entire month.)

Hi! It's Eddie. So I know I told some of you about my friends a little bit? And guess what! They're here. Not all of them, but my best buds are- like. Childhood best friends.

(Can you feel his excitement? Eddie is practically vibrating. He's sitting in his room currently, and all it takes is him removing the device entirely from his wrist and turning it around to show Richie Tozier sitting on the floor.)

This is Richie Tozier. He's probably like, my best best friend. You might also notice he has some striking similarities to a trash can.

(He whips the video back around and grimaces a little. Richie was already speaking up with 'Whatever, eds, it's trashcan, not trashcannot.' The quib comes as Eddie's already turned the camera away, and Richie doesn't bother waiting for Eddie to stop talking. Them talking over each other is nothing new, though. Eddie doesn't even hesitate before plunging on.)

Really though, I have to apologize on his behalf for anything stupid he says. And trust me, most of what he says is really stupid.

(And Eddie's up and rushing out of the room, jogging down the hall before bursting into the nearby room that Bill and Stan were sharing. The camera gets whipped around and focuses on Stan. Not looking so amused at the intrusion.)

This is Stan! He's um- the man with the plan, you know?

(Then just like that, he's pulling out of the room, and heading into the main area.

The video doesn't focus on it, but as Eddie slides it across the room, people might notice that the door heading out of their unit is covered in several words painted in black. A large Derry painted over the door, a long list of names down the back of the door, including the Losers' names themselves. And of course, the ominously crookedly written It at the bottom of the door. On the wall beside the door are other words, some sketches, one that almost even looks like a map of something with 'sewers' written over the top of it. But it's a brief passing, something that slides in and out of perspective like a passing thought.

Then Eddie's focusing on a new boy and zooms in on Bill Denbrough's face.)

And this is Bill. He's practically my brother. He is arguably the coolest of us all.

(At first, Bill looks rather grave for his age, waving at the camera for his introduction. But then Richie has to go and jump at Eddie's back, grabbing at one of his cheeks which automatically has Eddie shrieking on the other side of the camera, and at that, Bill starts to laugh. Richie's voice filters through, indistinguishable (probably) insults not easily heard between Bill's laughing and Eddie's whining.

Eddie barely gets the camera back around, his face flushed, and he gives a long exasperated sound. Richie's hand can be seen coming out and grabbing at Eddie's cheek. Again.)

So that's- oh my God, stop- my best friends. So say hi. As for us? Well...We got some uh- stuff to do.

(Is that a small pile of what looks like Kaittan fireworks in the background? Oh boy. Let's just hope those are actually just strange looking sticks.)

OOC | It's completely up to you how you want to interact with this! Feel free to talk to Eddie directly, or make a post directed to all the Losers that they can respond to via separate threads. It's a free for all sort of thing so do whatever.

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Yeah...We didn't even realize til we really started talking about stuff. (Pop culture and the news in general were a big part of a kid's life, so it had been bound to come up.)

That's so weird. I don't get it cause we're still the same age.

(But Charles clearly wasn't. Could he have just been plucked from his past? Eddie scarcely can understand this sort of thing, his chin resting into his palm. He might not ever understand it, really.)

...Well, I half think Kaittos would be better than the station. It's so pretty over there. But I guess it'd be bad to stick on a totally alien planet, huh?

Alright, that's really freaking weird. [And Rogue could kill people just by touching them. So there really was a sliding scale at work.]

Probably- but you're right. I imagine you want to get home at some point, don'tcha?

You don't think it means anything, do you?

(He doesn't know what he's trying to ask here, but only that it's something that's been worrying him since he originally found out.

He instantly shakes his head, quick and hard.)

Fuck no. (He doesn't mean to be so harsh and immediate, but Derry Maine was the last place on earth he ever wants to be.)

The only reason I kinda cared about going home was because of my friends. Now that they're coming here? No way. Nuh-uh. I don't want to almost die again.

(He bites his tongue, staring for a second at his lap. He looks back up, looking a bit intense.)

Plus the adults here are...a lot better.

[Rogue has to take a moment, pressing her lips together.] No, I don't think it does.

[She's not going to worry Eddie until she needs to. He's the sort that will sit and worry for a million years. They don't need that.

She can understand the apprehension to go home. Mississippi was no longer her home, and the very idea of ever returning there filled her gut with something dark and cold. But there's something else in Eddie's words. One that she grabs on to immediately, having almost died herself. Multiple times.

She'd even flatlined once, she'd been told.]

You... almost died? Eddie, sugar... [She frowns, her brow furrowing and her expression soft.] ...d'you want to talk about it?

(It's a wise choice. Even trying not to constantly be concerned with potential injuries and illnesses as much as he had, Eddie found that his mind was naturally inclined to worry.

Eddie hadn't gotten as near to death as Rogue had. His heart would have sank for her if he knew. But he'd had a lot of close calls with It. Had crawled right under that Neibolt house. Sometimes he still isn't so sure how he had managed to escape that.

Richie was a lot better talking about this stuff than Eddie was. Thing is, Eddie doesn't really ever want to talk about it. Yet he knows he should. Not because talking about things made it easier, but because sometimes the fear felt like it had no place else to go.

That and Rogue was young. Maybe it was that more than anything else. Eddie's been staring off screen for some time now, but eventually gives a shrug-shake of his head.)

I don't really. But I don't wanna forget it again either, and you're ...young. I don't know how old is too old for It.

(The last thing he wanted was for It to show up and Rogue have no clue about It.)

Derry had something evil in it. It was this- I don't know. This thing that most of the time looked like a clown- It called itself Pennywise the Dancing Clown, but it wasn't a clown. It could be whatever you were most afraid of. (He stares at Rogue head on, and he's trying not to remember the leper. It's impossible not to.)

It would eat children every 27 years. There were all these missing kids everywhere, but the adults in Derry never seemed to really notice It or the weird shit happening around the kids' disappearances or deaths. Bill- uh. (He glances away again, this time making sure Bill wasn't within range.)

It started when It got his kid brother. Tore Georgie's arm clean off and he bled out. The funeral was really fucked. I wouldn't talk about Georgie if you can help it- don't ask him about siblings. (Because of course she would have no reason to directly mention Georgie.)

It came after our group a lot- and eventually we...defeated it. I think. But I still think about it a lot. I don't think I'd survive it again if we had to fight it- but we made a promise that if It ever came back, we would do what we could to stop it.

I don't- I don't know if It would go after you. It got some older kids too. I don't know what- what counts though. It smells kinda like popcorn sometimes and- when It finds you, something about it for a second almost makes you curious to go towards it. Even though you know it's scary. I can't explain it. It's like It baits you. I don't know if It can ever show up here- but if it does...Just be careful, Rogue.

Edited 2017-12-06 23:05 (UTC)

[Rogue does something she's sure not many people outside of Eddie's group of friends does for him: she listens. She listens and nods and she's willing to believe him. This poor kid seemed terrified of whatever it was, and why would he ever try to make something that terrible up? Sure, kids could do shit like that but... From what he'd told her so far?

There are more things in Heaven and Earth...

What continues to bother was the mention Eddie had made of forgetting. From what she'd seen of the inside of his room both in person and on camera, it looked like a possibility. She knew what it was like to worry about what was going on in your head.

She waits until Eddie's done before she even attempts to speak.] That's... shit, Eddie. I can't believe ya'll have to deal with something like that. It isn't right. I mean, don't worry, I won't say nothing to Bill, it isn't my place and I don't see how it would come up... [Rogue didn't have any siblings ~~that she knew of~~]

I'll keep an eye out. If you get any indication that maybe this thing is around, you let me know. And I promise, Eddie, I'll do everything I can to keep you and your friends safe.

[She knows he'll say there's nothing she can do, but there is. And so she tells him with a sly grin:] My friends and I are kinda superheroes. So there ain't nothing for us to fear.

[Except maybe Magneto. Or Mystique.]

(It's true. Most people don't listen to the kids of Derry, Maine. Even if they do listen, they only half listen, with their eyes and mind elsewhere. The people of Thisavrou were so different in that way. Eddie's talked about this a few times now, and each time, he doesn't know what to do with the information that the people here care.

This is no different. Eddie's twelve, he's not stupid. Most adults think kids his age don't get things, don't know that they're being listened to. But he does.

He knows, and he knows right now that Rogue is paying attention to everything he's saying. It makes his chest feel a little funny. It's a weird kind of relief he's never experienced before.)

Thank you. (He says quickly about the Bill thing, because that was important to him. Hurting Bill was ...Eddie couldn't. Never.

He gives a very serious nod, his eyes dry, but when he speaks, his voice is shaking.)

I will. (Eddie's expression gets even more serious, though he looks surprised too. 'Promise' was a very serious word for Eddie. You never broke your promises, and he sucks in a quiet breath that she would use it for this.)

I don't want you to be in danger either, Rogue. It could- it could hurt you.

(And she's his friend. He wets his lip, his whole mouth feeling like he just swallowed a cotton ball. It was the fear.)

We couldn't just- we made a promise. And It's...

(He wavers, because yeah, he does want to say that. But something holds him back. They had defeated It before. He's horrified of fighting It ever again, but he thinks, maybe, with his friends...They could beat It again if they had to.

He blinks slowly, and he can't help it. He has to laugh a little. It's one of those hysterical laughs. One out of relief, out of disbelief and he has to drop his head for a second, collecting himself.)

Jesus Christ. (His eyes were finally a little wet when he looked back up.)

I always wondered what it'd be like living in a world where superheroes were real. I didn't think that the biggest difference would just be that people actually gave a shit about whether or not you and your friends died, and in a way that didn't make it feel like you were suffocating.

(Because Eddie's mother cared whether or not he died. Just. In a selfish way.

He runs a hand through his hair, blinking his eyes hard.)

If It comes here, we can't just let you all fight it alone. We made a pact. We can't just- we can't abandon that. You're my friend. I won't let you-. I couldn't.

[Rogue nods, her eyes soft, but her expression serious.] It's no problem, sugar.

[She's said it before and she'll say it again. Eddie's so young to have dealt with so much, and now she's only seeing the tip of the iceberg. She wants so badly to reach out and hug him, but he's on the other side of a computer screen and, well, she can't exactly hug him now can she?

That recognition of this fact turns her stomach.

She wants to hug him. Reach out and hold his hand. But she can't. So she doesn't. Not even when she sees the tears threatening to fall in his eyes.

But she won't mention those, either.]

If it helps... I know exactly how you feel. Back when i lived in Mississippi, my parents weren't exactly great people... I don't wanna say too much on a public channel, but let me tell you, life is so much better when you have friends willing to do anything for you. When people really care about you. Even if they don't know you, but they want to help. Because it's the right thing to do.

[She hoped she was making sense.] So if this thing shows up, we'll all band together. There's strength in numbers, after all.

(It's not something Eddie knows about. He's very much used to open physical affection with his friends. Particularly Richie and Bill. Casual touches, lots of hugs, Richie always pinching at his cheeks, Bill ruffling his hair. It's how he knew love to be with friends.

One day he would try and touch her, because he doesn't know any better. About asking people if it's okay if he hugs them. About people having bodies that could hurt him.

Today, of course, is not that day.)

What--

(He begins to ask her what she meant, why she couldn't tell him now. He might have learned how to use the device, but he's too young to have really processed the whole public thing. Which is silly, considering he has been reading public things for a while now. He supposed he just never applied it to himself.)

Wait, public. Aw shit. (He covers his face briefly with his hands, cheeks going red. He's said some seriously embarrassing stuff! Not with Rogue, necessarily, but in general. He drops his hands, trying to ignore that for now.)

You should tell me about your parents when we hang out together next. I want to know about you too. (He agrees with her entirely, passionately really.)

Friends are the best. And you're right- there's a lot of power in numbers. My friends make me super brave. Way braver than I'd ever be without them, that's for sure. It's weird. It's almost like magic.

(She was definitely making sense.)

[There's a lot of shit in her life that Rogue's pretty certain even Eddie won't be able to handle. She doesn't want to tell him the dark and dirty secrets of her life. Her life in Mississippi had been less than great.

Still. He shared with her.]

They ain't my real parents, not biologically, but sure. Whatever you want. Whenever, too. [she could give him the full truth, but enough of it.]

Yeah... It kinda is, isn't it? I don't think I could do half the things I do without the support of my friends. I think we're both really lucky that we've got our friends here, too.

(It was tricky. Eddie was too young for a lot of things, even with his trauma included. But at the same time, his loyalty to his friends gave him an iron spine, and he'd no doubt want to know all the same. Especially if it meant giving her any sort of comfort.

But it wasn't something he'd force either. That wasn't how he operated. )

Okay. I'll remember that. (And he would, too.)

I think so too. (Eddie grins. He felt bad for thinking it, but it had been a lot harder without his friends here. Even with new friends- it just wasn't always the same.)

[No, it wasn't the same, and Rogue didn't think she'd be as well off either if not for the company of her fellow mutants. Most of them didn't know her, but she knew them, and they were welcoming all the same. But that was just the X-Men for you, right?]

Good. I should let you get back to your friends. Hit me up sometime, sugar. We'll have tea and chat

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