❀ ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ

[aojona]

[ The feed on the screen today displays both a strange sight and from a strange angle; it appears to be a view from the top of a building in Heropa (from what other scenery suggests), angled in such a way to capture an alleyway -- and the walls that frame it -- below.

On the ground there's a yellow spray-painted silhouette of a woman, her hair a wild, spiraling cloud that also spreads over part of the walls; in the shapes of her hair appear numerous eyes, painted in green, an there are red poppies growing from the ground precisely where her face would be.

Also, the camera is being held upside down.

Pablo himself doesn't speak immediately, although the view on the screen shifts a little as he moves the arm holding the communicator, giving a glimpse of the fire escape that he's lying on. ]

I found that here this morning. [ Almost definitely his doing, but he doesn't remember doing it. ] It reminds me of my sister, actually -- it's her birthday today.

[ His twin sister, if he's mentioned her. ]

We haven't seen each other in a few years, but I uh, I always try to do something anyway... I think it's nice to have rituals like that, you know? Um, or in general. But I think it can help, like, keep people close to you even when they're not. Does anyone else have those?

Comments

[aojona]

I don't think that's dysfunctional.

[ Very matter-of-fact. ]

It's okay if you can't always get to their grave, though -- the dead can hear you from anywhere. Well, I mean, usually.

[shutterbugged]

Are you speaking metaphysically, or empirically?

[aojona]

Um... [ A pause. ] I don't know. Maybe both?

[shutterbugged]

Do you talk to dead people, or are you yourself dead?

[ He is ENTIRELY SERIOUS about this question--dead serious, if you will. Though given that this is Spider-Man we're talking about, perhaps that can be downgraded to in-a-medically-induced-coma serious. ]

[aojona]

[ That clarification helps a lot, actually. ]

Oh, uh... well, I'm not dead. I guess I talk to them sometimes, but you know, like-- just in the normal ways.

[shutterbugged]

I don't know many people who can talk to the dead, so you're gonna have to expand a little on what "the normal ways" are.

Unless you mean a seance. But those don't usually work in my universe.

[ He's pretty sure, anyway. ]

[aojona]

No. Like-- you know, prayer, dreams, Day of the Dead... that kind of thing.

[shutterbugged]

...Yeah, I'm back to the "metaphysical or empirical" thing. You hear them talk back?

[aojona]

Uh, well, no. Not usually. They're dead, so...

[shutterbugged]

Oh, okay. I do that too.

I thought you were talking about actual back-and-forth conversations, sorry. In my defense, it'd be one of the least weird powers you could have 'round these parts.

[aojona]

I mean, no, not literally, but-- like, it's complicated? I don't know if I'd say they're not conversations.

[shutterbugged]

Well, I think we're officially getting in over my head. Mystical stuff really isn't my wheelhouse; I'm more of the science-y type.

[aojona]

[ He pauses. ]

I think I'm probably not really explaining it right, either. Uh, but it's okay, that's not really the important part anyway-- I was thinking more about the things we do than the things that happen.

[shutterbugged]

Yeah, I guess I derailed that whole train of conversation, didn't I? Sorry about that.

So what kind of rituals do you do, for your sister? If it's not too personal to ask.

[aojona]

Oh, it's okay. I think it's always interesting to talk about, uh... me and one of my roommates used to have conversations like this before he went home.

[ He continues without missing a beat, as if there's nothing too personal: ]

Well, we usually used to watch the Wizard of Oz together on our birthday. That's one of the things I try to do.

[shutterbugged]

Aw, that's a good one. You guys are twins?

[aojona]

We are, yeah. Her name is Dorothy.