thisavrou | video; cw for character death

[ Five days ago, the demon stalking Avagi's dark corridors and hiding beneath your bed upped the ante, and murdered Kevin Flynn.

The same Flynn who looks noticeably alive when he shows up on the network just today. He's in a pleasant mood, in one lab or another to judge by the backdrop, without so much as a hair turned to suggest there's anything out of the ordinary.

What the fuck. ]

Hey folks. Got a couple things for you all this morning.

The A.C.E. Team has some upcoming software updates in the pipeline. You might notice a brief network hiccup or two while your device completes the downloads.

If you have any questions or issues, give us a heads up. [ handy-dandy link to the network admin list is a go. ]

Second thing. [ All right, business is over, now he looks gently chuffed. ]

Some of you have expressed interest in learning how to meditate. I'd like to extend an invite to everyone, to join me in the greenery this afternoon for a little Q & A and a zazen demo. You'll want to wear something comfy, and bring a cushion to sit on, if you're creaky like me.

Hope to see you all there.

[ Yep, even some of you sourpusses. There's no escape from Flynn's easygoing serenity.

Even though he should still be dead and, point of fact, his cooling corpse is still in their makeshift morgue. ]

((ooc: yep. feel free to pm or pp me for questions! ))

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Flynn, no—

[The name escapes before Alan can stop it, though it’s still plenty angry. Angry and confused and frustrated at being shut out yet again. Not that it does any good. The call cuts out as the speaker turns away, leaving Alan in the dark with his heart in his throat.

It won’t be long before Flynn’s ACE suddenly lights up with new calls as Alan tries to get him back on the line.]

[ One minute is closer to ten. As soon as he's finished with Ram, Flynn hurries off and calls back. There's no lack of composure, no ripple to break the surface of his calm, but there's steel in his eyes, his voice. ]

Alan, I owe you an apology. Where are you?

[It’s so tempting to believe it’s true, to accept that it really is Flynn, alive and well, asking where he is. But Alan spent long enough waiting for Flynn’s reemergence the first time to know that he can’t accept anything at face value.

Even his old friend staring back at him.]

Tell me what’s going on. [Fear makes his voice sharp, alien.] Why were you acting like— [A beat of silence. Anguish flickers across Alan’s face only to shutter behind cold resolve.]

Why were you acting like you never died?

[ Honestly, his low voice threaded through with compassion, ]

I don't remember that.

[ His tone doesn't say he disbelieves Alan either, quite the contrary. Flynn stops at an intersection of station corridors, and briefly closes his eyes, needing to gather himself. ]

Ram told me he arrived on the station eleven days ago- I also don't remember that.

[Alan watches the image of his friend closely onscreen, looking for the slightest discrepancy, the smallest cause for mistrust… and can’t find it. After a long moment, he sighs and lets his suspicion slip—if only just slightly. He isn’t ready to accept all at once that Flynn is really here, alive and well.]

Back when we were on a ship, sometimes people would forget things when they came back. I’ve never heard of someone forgetting something so recent, but... I suppose it’s possible.

[With every word, a little more of the fight goes out of him. There’s another long silence as Alan considers… and then finally speaks again, voice quiet.]

I’m in my room. If this is a trick, then just…

[Make it quick. He shakes his head, leaving the thought unfinished.]

I’ll see you soon.

[ Not soon enough. The shadow creatures that stalked them once before must not be far from his friend's thoughts. Flynn can't fault him for being cautious- Alan's haunted expression spoke volumes.

Should he really feel so normal? Another status check, equivalent to a mental pat down, doesn't bring forth any discrepancy, and a quick look through his disc on the walk over offers no signs of editing.

But.

A light at the Ingress memorial snags his attention, flaring brief in the replay. Just this morning. Hmm.

True to his word, he shoots off a quick note to Ram once he's outside the suite- Made it. -before rapping his knuckles against the door, and docking his disc. ]

Alan, it's me.

[It’s a tense few minutes as Alan waits for the man who may be his friend. There’s still time, he thinks, to slip away before Flynn gets there and the impulse feels increasingly strong as he remembers his encounter with the shadowy doubles a few months prior. And yet, the need to see his friend’s face again easily outweighs it. He’ll stay. For better or for worse.

The knock at the door still makes him start. He hesitates—and then hears Flynn’s voice and finally gets up to open the door.

His friend looks just the same as he did the day before his death.

It’s difficult for Alan to completely erase his mistrust. But his hope is steadily growing, too.]

Well, [he says after a long moment, a weary smile slowly appearing on his face.] You don’t look like a monster.

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