audio;

[welcome]

[Cecil's had a rough couple of days. The giant bird attack wasn't pleasant, but hey. It happens. The near-drowning situation was a little more traumatic, but he's past that, too. He's trying to settle in.

Except -- he keeps hearing things. Seeing things. On the one hand, it's like being home again. On the other hand, it's terrible.]

Ah, hello, everyone.

[Still, he feels like he should introduce himself. For the time being, these people are his new community. If he wants to thrive here, he should get to know them.]

I hope you all managed to survive the recent holidays. If someone stole your heart, I hope you took it back and re-positioned it carefully within your ribcage. If you stole someone else's heart, you should return it. Or you should bury the heart in a cherry oak box; whatever your god slash cabal slash gardener demands --

[Carlos's voice suddenly echoes in his ears. The words are unintelligible -- something about stir fry or centrifugal motion -- but the abrupt, impossible nearness of his words makes Cecil falter.]

-- and, uh, at any rate! I'm Cecil, and I'm happy to be a compliant member of this program. If the American government requires me, then here I am. Proud to serve my country. Proud to be experimented on by my country. Proud to be detained without suggestion of release. By my country.

[His voice is deep, sonorous, warm. And, by all accounts, entirely sincere.]

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Comments

audio

[prearcadian]

The hell kinda holiday is that supposed to be? Sure you were on the same planet for that one? [he doesn't even know what tone to strike here... how much of the Kool-aid did this guy even have?]

[welcome]

Valentine's Day, of course. A terror to us all.

permavoice

[centurybaby]

What a fucking patriot. Guess you better hope your country doesn't want any important organs or anything.

[welcome]

If necessary, I would provide.

audio;

[dragony]

Proud to be experimented on by your country?

That's a little much, don't you think?

audio; INFECTED WITH TYPE A

[welcome]

[This young lady is lucky #3, so she gets the audio infection injection.]

Little much? You mean not enough.

[guiloteen]

[She's not commenting for now but UH]

[welcome]

[ :) ]

[slightlyoffchilt]

I appreciate your deconstruction of the metaphor, but organs aren't quite as versatile as your poetic use. It's unlikely that any removed heart would function the same way.

[Says the dude who will be surgically disemboweled (intestine everywhere!) and somehow seems to have a functional digestive system in the season two previews. POT AND KETTLE essentially, Chilton will pay for his pedantry.]

Pleasure to meet you.

[welcome]

If you think that's not how the heart functions, then you should probably get yours checked, sir.

voice;

[crab]

You're not even being sarcastic right now. Are you?

[welcome]

I prefer the term 'patriotic'.

audio;

[auntyquated]

Such patriotism, Mister Cecil. I'm certain yourself and Mister Gardner would have much to speak about on that topic!

( She can appreciate the fact that someone can keep their voice so well schooled while speaking about something in such -- shall we say? -- opposition to what one must truly feel.

Unless delusional.

Or insane.

... Or both. )

INFECTED WITH TYPE A

[welcome]

He does seem like a fine citizen, miss -- ?

video

[boobwindow]

Is this the first drunk post of the network? Because this can't be serious.

[welcome]

[Gosh, the people here are so incredulous. What's wrong with them?]

Ma'am! I take offense. I haven't had a drop of brandy since that lovely, bird-infested boat party.

voice

[retropolis]

Thank goodness we have more rational minds among us, I really can't think of what sort of dire straights we might be without more patriots among us. They need us! And more importantly, we need us! I mean that we need each other, in these uncertain times!

[ His burst into speech is very... energetic, enthusiastic but speaking quickly enough that his eloquence suffers slightly. Maybe also his listening comprehension. ]

What was I saying? Oh, of course-- what sort of experimentation are you talking about? Does this have to do with your heart? You aren't having heart troubles are you, Cecil? This is Nelson, by the way, Nelson Gardner, we've met before, it's so good to see you well. Presuming you are well, do be careful with that heart of yours. Maybe the experiments will cure those ills!

[welcome]

[Cecil responds with fervor, seeing nothing amiss about Nelson's unusual enthusiasm. He's just glad that this guy isn't treating him like he's crazy/drunk/what have you.]

I very much agree, Mr. Gardner! Community is all we have. Community is what will preserve us from whatever hardships and inevitable, heart-crushing pain awaits us in this life.

[A little snake of a whisper curls around Cecil's mind; something from Josie, about scones and butter. He doesn't pay it any mind.]

My heart is perfectly fine, though! For the moment, that is. As I just implied, safety is never a long term guarantee. Or short-term. Or at all, ever!

audio

[entirely_empathetic]

What kind of experimentation. Is this a thing that actually happens here? [One can almost hear the disgusted horror creeping into Niall's voice. Almost.]

INFECTED WITH TYPE A

[welcome]

We were taken from our homes and injected with strange new powers, were we not? Asked to register ourselves with the government?

Given devices to communicate with each other, devices which are very likely being monitored for some obscure purpose? Smells like an experiment to me!

audio

[gandere]

What a weirdo. [ She doesn't realize her device's recording when she mutters that. ]

Cecil, you do realize you're going to come to regret those words, aren't you? Voluntarily giving your body up like that in an environment like this? There's something seriously messed up with that.

[ MESSED UP WITH HIM. ]

[welcome]

[He glosses right over her warning and sticks on the insult. GOSH. GOSH.]

That was not kind.

voice;

[reptiledysfunction]

[Cecil what is your damage.]

...humor me here, but how would you take it back if someone removed your heart? Because, at least where I'm from, if you remove someone's heart then you're dead.

[welcome]

[HE IS AN AVERAGE MAN WITH AN AVERAGE LIFE.]

I'd recommend a swift and subtle operation. Wait until the thief is asleep. Disarmed. Search them; search their home.

Under the pillow is a likely place, or behind the showerhead.

Try the back of the pantry. Or the basement, if there is one.

Slip out once you've got it. Never return.

[fingerbang]

That's an interesting point to fix on, you know. [ she means the hearts! specifying as much would take away from the canned manga dialogue mystique, though, so fuck that noise. ] Did someone make off with yours? I hope they at least bought dinner first.

INFECTED WITH TYPE A

[welcome]

[Dreamy sigh.]

No; no. I gave mine away freely.

[acclimatized]

... Nice speech! Really wouldn't recommend the cherry oak box suggestion though.

[welcome]

Oh? Why not? Have you heard of a more reliable material?

[ audio ]

[abadidea]

right... [Isaac seriously doesn't know what to make of this guy.] So, specifically cherry oak, huh? No substitutions?

[welcome]

Not if you want to avoid the wrath of one or more gods!

audio;

[amoray]

...You, uh. You get experimented on by your country a whole lot?

[ because um UM. ]

INFECTED WITH TYPE A

[welcome]

Maybe not a whole lot. At least half of a lot, though.

[aggressiveapathy]

It's not really your country.

[But he had her at god/cabal/gardener.]

[welcome]

Of course it is! I'll have you know, I'm a born-and-bred American citizen.

Voice

[viced]

So, are you settling in alright?

[ A pause. ]

Are you always this...morbid?

[welcome]

I'm settling, certainly.

[There's a pause before he continues; his thought process is interrupted by a stray vision at the corner of his mind. A familiar shape, walking towards them, and then dissolving into dust. Hmm.

He takes a breath.]

But, sir, I am not morbid! Only sensible.