luministi | [Video] S03E01: Fitz and the Tantrums

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[Video] S03E01: Fitz and the Tantrums

[The transmission begins with something of a disdainful snort. Someone is ~~on the verge of~~ throwing a tantrum as he stands in front of a window displaying the starry expanse outside, clutching a pillow in the most aggressive way it's physically possible for him to clutch a pillow.]

Really? Really!? I spent HOW many months making sure that every little nook and cranny of this station remains perfectly flawless and beautiful, waiting and waiting AND WAITING for this day, this MOMENT, and THIS is the thanks I get!? Being locked back here!? Just how in the hell am I supposed to welcome everyone like this, huh!? How am I supposed to be a gracious, pleasant host when I'm locked in the station's equivalent to a GODDAMN MAINTENANCE CLOSET!?

[His death-grip on the pillow tightens visibly.]

I'm going to have a word with that man, and if he doesn't help me fix this, I... I'll think of something!!

[The video switches off, but the audio stays on for a moment to catch a muffled comment:]

This was supposed to be such a good day...

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The likes of me? Wha-- I'm injured! It's like you don't like me! Look, maybe we got off on the wrong foot last time.

Maybe...

Sure. Why not? I'll give you a hand. Any idea how I can get you out?

[Huff!] At least as things stand right now you can't touch me.

[Ichijou's feed turns off for a few seconds, and when it comes back on he's sitting cross-legged on the floor right up against the window, hugging his pillow tightly and generally looking miserable.]

Right now I don't have any leads on how to override the lock - it's not like this is a normal padlock or combination one, or even voice-operated like the one I used to have. As far as I know the locks here are controlled by the same systems that keep us all breathing, so unless you know something about those that I don't...

[He won't lie -- all of this is going straight over his head. He wasn't really -acutely- aware that there was a "system" that kept him breathing.

But what the heck.

He'll go with it.]

You know, as much as I'm willing to lend a hand, I've grown rather fond of breathing -- it's always served me well! So let's hope that keeps happening when we pop that lock.

Maybe you're thinking about this all the wrong way! Usually there's more than one way into a place. Is going through the door really necessary?

[He unwraps one arm from the pillow and points at the site of the passage to the Mayor's residence.]

There's the door.

[He then ever so gently taps the window he's sitting by with a shiny purple fingernail and proceeds to point all around.]

Through there is space. Through there is space. These go to different areas of the lab, moving further and further away from where you are. Then space, space, space, space...

[... Which is making him feel even worse about the situation. He hunches over a little, returning his pointing arm back to its pillow-hugging position.]

[Flynn rubs his chin, thinking it through with the information he has. He can't just leave the guy in there, even if he doesn't understand what's so distressing about space. Well. He doesn't -fully- understand -- it unnerves him more than he'd like to admit.]

Maybe this will work a little better if I come to meet you as close as I can.

[He follows that up by squinting at the screen like it's going to produce a map if he stares at Ichijou long enough, then stops and quirks an eyebrow.]

In my experience, going the long way has the advantage of at least not being where you are.

Look around! Go further in! Think of it as an adventure, if it suits you.

[Flynn shrugs, for now at the bottom of his barrel of advice.]

Who knows? Maybe you'll run across the key to that place.

I don't see the point, since I've memorized every inch of this place. I just can't...

[He fidgets a little]

I can't inspect the area again until I've calmed down. Maybe by the time that happens my emergency contact will get back to me.

Emergency contact?

Some guy with a key, I hope?

More than just a key. He's probably the only one who can help us figure out why you ended up back here and what to do about it.

My being locked in here is actually quite beneficial for you, at least for now. I was so excited about having some company when I started to hear the flood of confused and startled messages that I wasn't even going to bother calling for help.

Huh.

Okay, hold on just a minute there -- how, exactly, is this good for me?

You lost me around not calling for help in the first place. If you could have stopped us from ending up here, I might need to go back to not helping you out.

Oh, I don't think I could've stopped you from coming here in the first place. Or the second place, rather. But it's possible that I could've held everyone here for a bit longer than was really necessary.

Can you really hold that against me, Mister Rider? Have you ever been isolated from all contact for such a long stretch of time that you'd do literally anything just to have someone to talk to for a while?

And what's that supposed to mean?

I think I can hold it against you. Do you have any idea what you'd be putting people through just to have a conversation?

[Flynn's jaw tightens as he thinks about what being here is keeping him from, but he tries to put thoughts of Rapunzel out of his head.]

Yeah, I've done my share of time without contact from anyone in the middle of the wilderness. Talk to your shadow if it bothers you that much. Or yourself! Or the first tree you see! I really couldn't care less!

[Ichijou's initial expression seems to indicate that he's thinking of a pretty vicious rebuttal -his face is fixed in a rather determined manner and his muscles are tensed up- that is until he unhands his pillow, springs to his feet, and sprints off in a particular direction, switching off his CAT within the first few steps.

It switches back on no more than two minutes later, with the combined pathetic imagery of Ichijou nearly doubled over, shivering and teary-eyed, clutching his belly with one hand and both steadying himself against a grey wall and grasping his CAT in the other, and the equally pathetic sound of about 80% heavy breaths mixed with 20% tiny whimpers.]

Look, I'm sure you've never done a selfish thing in your life...

Nevermind. Can't deal with the extra stress now.

[Flynn seems torn for a moment, but eventually he sighs, putting a hand to his forehead as he comes to his own conclusions. As much as he hates to admit it now that he's tried to turn his life around, there has been more than one instance (more than a hundred, really) where he did things only thinking of himself.

It sort of came with the territory of being a thief. At least that's the excuse he would use.]

Okay, slow down a minute. Look -- let's just get you out of there, then deal with any of the other stuff later.

I've gotten out of worse scrapes than yours. Let's see if I can lend a hand -- what do you know about the... uh.. system-thingy?

[As much as he hates backing down, Ichijou at least recognizes that he's simply too drained and feeling too sick to keep up his aggressiveness. He gives a compliant (if reluctant) nod, and his explanation is peppered with pauses of varying lengths during which he closes his eyes tightly and takes deep breaths.]

The thing is, I know a lot about what it does, but not about how it does it. From day to day things are uniform enough that I'm sure all of the equipment is on a pre-programmed cycle, but I also know that it can be controlled remotely.

The last time you were here, a guy named Resarci had been causing various disturbances and then the person I'm calling my emergency contact caused disturbances in Resarci's disturbances and eventually got in the way so much that Resarci fled.

That's not a normal response, I don't think.

I believe that Resarci was working for someone else. And I might be the only one, but I sympathize with him a lot. I don't think he's responsible for what's happening now, but I do think he could help if I could contact him. I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it. And I have no idea where he is or how to get a hold of him.

I'm certain that someone is controlling what is currently occurring in a very deliberate manner. But not Resarci. That kind of organization doesn't give second chances. And he wouldn't come back to exact revenge because he's still under the jurisdiction of--

[He cuts himself off with a frustrated groan.]

That's useless! Useless! Why can't I concentrate!?

[Flynn sighs, rubbing his forehead as he tries to process all of that into something helpful.]

Right, look -- you keep saying that contacting this... uh... "emergency" [cue air quotes] guy can turn things around.

You don't have the slightest, itty-bitty inkling of where to start? Emergencies usually don't give a lot of time for sitting and waiting, you know.

[The tears actually start running and dripping as he gives his supporting arm a rest and slumps to put his whole weight on the wall.]

I don't! I have no clue! Nothing! Why do you think I've been literally worrying myself sick?

Whoa, whoa -- hold on!

[Flynn tries to wave away his previous comment before things can landslide -too- far.]

Did you ever talk to the guy? Maybe he said something you didn't think about, or -- look. Never mind that. I'm around the Mayor's house now. Let's see where the blind spots are -- with any luck, we'll have you a way out found in a jiffy.

[Unfortunately, things might go downhill anyway. Sorry Flynn, he doesn't trust you! His panicked inquiry reflects that.]

W-what are you going to do to me if you find me?

[Cue the Flynn blank stare -- why does everyone think he's interested in doing something to them?]

Let you out, accept your undying gratitude, and be on my merry way?

[Kind of in disbelief here] You're really not planning to hurt me at all?

[Baffled.] Now why on earth would I want to do that?

I know you can't stand me! And you know that I wanted to delay everyone's escape.

Even now when I'm trying to be cooperative, I've fretted myself into such a painful state that I can hardly form a coherent thought.

Well, it's not like I'm going to let you do that!

See, where I come from we don't punish people preemptively. So as long as you don't actually keep me from leaving, I don't have a problem with you just yet.

[He wipes off his tears with a sleeve, but it doesn't take long for them to get replaced.]

If I had that kind of power, I would've met everyone in person - being separated like this is somehow even lonelier than having the whole place to myself.

Also, I would have immediately shooed out anyone who makes me nervous. Like you.

[Flynn ultimately rolls his eyes -- he just can't get this guy!.]

For a guy who's in as much as a bind as you are, you have a funny way of showing appreciation when someone tries to help.

And it's not like you're stuck in there forever. Find a vent or something!

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THAT ICON GETS MORE ADORABLE EVERY TIME