♠ |[Video]|

[deal_me_in]

Hey! This thing on?

[The feed flickers in and out as Cayde tries to work out a good angle before seeming satisfied, going so far as to nod to himself as he gives a thumbs up...to no one in particular.]

Right, okay then- What was I- Oh yeah! So! I uh. I don't know if anyone else has gotten around to it or bothered or...if no one else has noticed at all or just doesn't care, but my Ghost insisted on me making this PSA.

So yeah! The thingy, the um. The Ingress Memorial? With the swirly lights? Yeah, don't uh. Do us all a favor and don't look at it too closely because then you might end up staring forever. It's just really distracting and tends to suck you in. Not literally because you'll just be a road block in the middle of the room and no one wants that.

[Cough.]

Not too hard to get anyone snapped out of it though. A good whack upside the head or something'll do it. -maybe don't do that if it's Rinzler because he has this nasty habit of attacking people for no gosh darn reason. Ahem. Didn't mean to get all personal there. But just- yeah. That guy? [He leans close in a conspiratorial sort of gesture.] -has issues.

Well! I think that's it! Aaaand....off.

[He looks off-screen with a snort.]

Okay, so that wasn't so bad. But either way, I'm pretty sure people're aware of the problem by now. And someone would've said something to the effect eventually-

Even so! I'm tired of having to snap you out of it just because you let your attention stray!

Oh come on, it was only- what, twice?

I count four, Cayde.

SHhh- well you try not looking at the shiny light thing when you go by- erm. Wait. Speaking of- why's the light on on the- DANGIT--

[And the video cuts.]

Comments

video;

[gridfather]

[ When Flynn pops up on the feed, he has a set of brown tanuki ears, tipped in silver, peeking from his grey hair. They're quirked forward in interest, mirroring his expression- and go apparently unnoticed. ]

That's certainly new. It just pulls your attention and holds it? Are you aware of the time passing?

locked to cayde;

What happened with Rinzler?

[Video]

[deal_me_in]

[Squint.]

Ooh...kay. That's different.

-what? Oh. Well, yeah. And no to the second. I couldn't tell you how long I'd stood there, and I'm not completely convinced that my Ghost went wandering off to leave me standing like an idiot just to test it out.

//Locked

Eh. He's just one big ball of sunshine, that guy. I came across him in front of the memorial thing and he was doing the staring bit, and didn't much appreciate being surprised. When in fact I wasn't even sneaking that time.

[Cayde, you knocked on his face.]

Friend of yours?

[Video]

[gridfather]

[ Video games, man. He briefly smiles at Cayde's remark, before his mouth presses into a thoughtful line. ]

Hmm. Anything coming up strange in scans?

locked;

[ One of those ears twitches back for half a sec, a quick flick of distress he can't quite hide. Rinzler is an old, dear friend since rectified into a merciless murder program who hates every fiber of Flynn's very being.

His reply is careful, calm, and composed: ]

It's complicated.

This isn't your first encounter with him, then.

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[mylawn]

How long did you end up staring at it?

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[deal_me_in]

Not long, I don't think. At least the first time. Ghost kind of panicked and snapped me out of it right away. Other times... Well, he's refusing to say whether he'd left me where I was while he went gallavanting.

Oh, he informs me he was very much not gallavanting.

[mylawn]

You're lucky to have such a good friend.

[notyourrookie]

I think there's plenty of people who'd just go straight for attacking if you smacked them on the head.

I would. Seems like a perfectly reasonable reaction.

[deal_me_in]

Well, that was just an example.

[notyourrookie]

Some people have that sort of reaction for reasons. [He doesn't actually know what Rinzler's issues are, but he can sympathise.]

It's just a really bad idea to smack someone if you don't know how they'll react, even if it's done with only the purest intentions.

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[capella_binary]

Swirly thing, noted! Actually I want to go look at it now, I guess I'll bring a friend to snap me out of it.

Who is this Rinzler, so I can avoid getting attacked for no gosh darn reason and encountering his issues?

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[deal_me_in]

So long as you bring a buddy! And not both be looking at it at the same time.

Growly, dark and menacing? Seriously, he's like, head to foot in black... armor? Helmet that you can't see his face. Orangey highlights. Like, literal lights. Has the tendency to fling glowy disks at people. Likes asking infuriatingly confusing questions and then gets mad at your answers. That's Rinzler.

[capella_binary]

We'll take turns, and be responsible. Blindfolds for the other person!

He sounds like he might be a program like me. Disc combat is a thing with us, though orange lights are pretty unusual.. At least he'll be noticeable! Watch out for someone with orange and a bad temper, I can do that. And avoid questions at all costs. I'll probably make him angry with them too. Thanks a lot for the heads up!

[healinguilt]

[ Okay, she's no engineer. And she's only been here for a little more than a month. So: ] Are you saying that it's broken? Or is however-it's-acting-up now par for the course?

[deal_me_in]

What now? Oh, the thing? Well, it's...not really broken. The memorial's just what it is, the light show, that's kind of new.

[healinguilt]

Yes, but new as in a good thing, new as in a bad thing... or new as in we don't know?

video;

[alan_1]

[On one hand, part of Alan knows objectively that Cayde isn’t calling for anything more than keeping one’s distance from Rinzler and, if you’re the sort to go around smacking people on the head, then that might actually be good advice. On the other hand, accusations of senseless violence on Rinzler’s part have had dire consequences in the past. It reminds Alan far too much of Peter, of Alice—and of himself, once upon a time.

No wonder his voice likely sounds sterner than Cayde was expecting when he replies. Given how recently Cayde's heard Rinzler's voice, it might also sound familiar, if modulated a little with age.]

You admitted to hitting him when he wasn’t expecting it. That doesn’t sound like “no reason” to me.

[Somehow, Alan manages to exude “I’m-very-disappointed-in-you” vibes to someone he barely knows.]

Did Rinzler seem alright after he snapped out of it?

[Video]

[deal_me_in]

...you people take things so literally. No, I didn't hit him! That was- Look, I wasn't being literal and I sure didn't whack Rinzler upside the head. What I did do was knock on his helmet, because he wasn't answering when I waved a hand in front of his face.

[Huff.]

Heh. If you define "all right" as cut a guy with a razor disk thing then yeah, I think so. Naturally he didn't believe a thing I said when I tried to explain to him that we didn't sneak up on him and he was just standing there.

[alan_1]

You said it, not me. [Though that does change things a bit. At least, it makes Cayde sound more clueless than actively malicious. Alan’s tone grows more sympathetic.]

I hope he didn’t hurt you too badly. [At least Cayde doesn’t look to be in any pain, though Alan isn’t exactly accustomed to reading robotic faces.] You can always contact me if you ever find Rinzler in a situation like that again. He may act a little less… impulsively around me.

["Impulsively" here meaning "stabby."]

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[notglitching]

[Someday, people will stop making callout posts regarding Rinzler. Someday probably-not-soon.]

Attack: still yours.

[deal_me_in]

[CAN YOU BLAME THEM]

This must be how those teenagers in those old horror movies would feel when they get a mysterious stalker message.

Anyway IT WAS NOT AN ATTACK oh my gosh how do I explain that to you??

-unless you are telling me it is my turn to attack you for the assault you made on me. That was totally uncalled for.

[notglitching]

Post: public.
ID: also public.

[No part of this is mysterious and that is obviously what matters. He will, however, log Cayde as a Possible Teenager.]

Assessment invalid.

But welcome to try.

( voice )

[sleepdarts]

Has Ghost found anything that explains why it does that?

[deal_me_in]

Nothing, unfortunately.

Video

[actuaryonline]

[A wry expression framed by messy curls, underlit every so faintly by a blue glow.]

That might not have been the best idea, but it sounds like you already found that out.

[A shift and the expression becomes more serious.]

When did these lights show up? Do you know what's causing them or why they're having this effect?

[Video]

[deal_me_in]

Yeah. If I see him stuck there next time, I'm letting someone else snap him out of it.

[The Exo shakes his head.]

I think the lights have been about for several weeks. When it first showed up you could actually see stuff though, and whoever was around you could see it too. But now I don't think it's got any "mysterious visions" [Insert wiggly fingers in a magical sort of gesture here] so much as just a running test pattern that sucks your attention in.

Wish I could say what and why but really, I got nothin'. 'cept that if it's related to the Ingress then it's weird by default.