92 - back dated to event start

[perfectsymmetry]

"Think about it," Alucard said. Even in this dream, Crowe's best friend was no kinder than he usually is. His tone was still short and annoyed as it always was. "You disappear, and all of Mayfield will survive and keep on going. And it won't be a vicious hell hole. Plus, your parents don't have to have a lifetime of worrying about your safety day in and day out, and you never get sucked off to Mayfield to begin with. No one knows you're gone because you never existed. Honestly. Be sensible about this."

Crowe was deep in thought. After a few moments, he spoke. "It's hard to trust Mayfield on these things. They trick us all the time. Deceive us. They--"

"You're not trusting Mayfield, you're trusting me! Look, this offer isn't going to last forever. Eventually, you'll wake up. And that leaves you with two options, Crowe - wake up to a slowly-dying town, or save it and everyone inside. I can't even believe this is an issue. You're you. You're Calleo Crowe, Most Noble Idiot on God's Green Earth."

"Al..." Crowe sighed. If this was really just a dream, and he said okay and woke up to everything being as it was, then nothing was lost. But if this was real, and he didn't do it, he knows he'd regret it forever.

"...Alright. Of course I will help. If... I-If that's what it takes, I'll do it."


[Action A, household and Williams Street

Crowe watches the news bulletin, and is concerned. Maybe that wasn't just a dream. But he was still here. Was this going to be like last Christmas? Was he going to be trapped in an illusion while everyone else wasn't? Crowe immediately runs off to find his non-droned housemates, and out onto the streets to talk to any neighbors or people passing by.]

Did you see that news report?

[Action B, high school and later downtown

The reactions he's getting are hostile and cold, people calling him a fake. It was confusing, hurtful, obviously another one of Mayfield's mind games. But he's not the only one getting this reaction, so he can see in school and out on the streets. Crowe's investigative intuition takes over as he tries to force down the panic. He'll be approaching other people who are getting the hostile reaction to being "fake".]

Hey... Can I ask you something?

[Action C, the porch of 1247 Williams, at night

It may be cold, but Crowe's sitting out on the porch, a candle lit on a small tablet next to him. He's writing a letter. Maybe he can't get through to people, but this may work. He;s working on two different ones - one to his his friends, and one to Silence. Feel free to approach or accost him, though.]

Comments

B

[brbgoing2russia.livejournal.com]

I swear to god, if you have something snooty to say I'm gonna flip the frick out, because this is totally freakin' annoying.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He knows this is a Mayfield trick, but that doesn't make that sting any less. He tries not to look hurt. However, she's one of the erased people too.]

Wh-what? When have I--

[No no no she's not a fake, stop thinking that way!]

[brbgoing2russia.livejournal.com]

Never. But I knew you were about to start the fakey faker thing. You don't need to rub it in, okay?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

W-Well, at least you're not alone in that. It seems like... while everyone's having that reaction to me, so are you, a-and I to you.

B

[solarhussyalert.livejournal.com]

[Lym doesn't notice him, she's on a park bench trying very hard not to cry at all the people calling her a fake. She'll wave very slightly but continue wiping her face with her other arm]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe goes to say something but stops. Another fake. But he was going to try his damnedest to work around those feelings no matter how hard it was.]

H-Hey, are you... Um, are you okay?

[solarhussyalert.livejournal.com]

[She looks up and blinks, a faint second of revulsion before realization he may be in the same boat]

Um. I guess. I just hate this place and that it makes people say and do.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

A-Ah, yeah. Me too. It really can be a terrible place.

A | Williams Street (or thereabouts)

[snipingmissy.livejournal.com]

[Riza frowned when she saw Crowe approaching. Or, rather, not Crowe but one of those drones--the ones that looked like someone who had been here before and then left.]

And why exactly are you asking me questions?

[Because the drones don't typically talk much. Or ask much by means of constructive questions, anyway.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[The reaction he gets stings him for a moment.]

B-Because... I was wondering if something happened, o-or what you thought...?

[snipingmissy.livejournal.com]

[Riza blinks, clearly puzzled. The drone did sound just like Crowe, but--she just knew. She could just tell by looking that it wasn't him. And her reaction shows it.]

Why would you even think to ask? You always believe what's being told on the news reports, or just say nothing about it.

[She wasn't exactly about to address a drone by saying "you are a drone"; it seemed like a good way to instigate trouble. It didn't change that that was exactly what she was thinking.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

N-No I don't! Riza, what are you talking about? I wasn't erased or anything stupid like that.

C

[mute-mystic.livejournal.com]

[Silence had put off visiting Crowe for most of the day, despite his worry, especially after the announcement he'd seen that morning. The desire to rush over and see him had been strong - but equally strong had been his reservations, his fear that he'd find a drone or, perhaps, nothing at all. His own name had been on the list, of course, and he's still around...but he can't help wondering if his own situation is simply a fluke.

But eventually he can't stand not at least checking any longer, and he makes his way slowly over to Crowe's house. He doesn't even need to knock, he finds; Crowe - or at least someone who looks like him; it could still be a drone - is sitting on the front steps. Uncertainly, Silence moves closer, curious despite himself at what the boy is doing.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe had a hard time not doing the same thing. But the way everyone was reacting to him all day, he really didn't want to get the same reaction from Silence. So, he had sat down to write a letter explaining things, in case he didn't understand like all the non-erased folks.

He hears Silence approach and looks up, and gets that immediate gut reaction that tells him Silence was already in the same boat.]

...You too, huh.

[mute-mystic.livejournal.com]

[Silence hesitates for a brief moment, but...it's occurred to him, logically, that if he's still himself but getting strange reactions from others - reactions that suggest he's being perceived differently even though nothing's changed about him - then others who have been supposedly erased might be the same way. Of course, the hell of it is that he doesn't know how typical his situation is, and he does know how biased he is to believe in people like Crowe and Lucas, no matter what basic warnings his sensibilities are providing him with.

It's a fight between his desire to give them the benefit of the doubt, and his more cautious determination not to let the town manipulate him. Of course, regarding the latter resolution...he expects he's already missed that boat. By miles, most likely.

So, after a pause, he gives Crowe a brief nod, walking over to sit on the steps beside him. He looks tired, and he is; uncertainty and painful emotions have been weighing on his mind all day, and even here with Crowe he isn't sure if it's safe to entirely let his guard down.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe looks just as worn out. Mentally and emotionally, he's exhausted. the uncomfortable feeling Silence is giving him is only making it infinitely worse. He decided to suppress it by looking away from Silence, at the ground.]

Ah, I... I-I don't know exactly what their plan with this is, but I-I hope it doesn't last too long. This is... just awful, really.

Um, I... I didn't know i-if you'd be the same way or not, o-or if you'd believe I was me, o-or if you are you or whatever is going on-- [He cuts of his rambling.] I was going to write a letter to you. I thought maybe you would believe that.

b.

[eveningcalm]

What?

[She's quite snappy because, well, being treated like a fake all week on top of her usual (not so friendly) demeanor doesn't really put her in a good mood.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

S-Sorry, I just... I'm, ah, trying out talking to other people, who, um, don't appear to be droned, but, ah, "feel" like it? I was hoping i-it wouldn't work like this.

[eveningcalm]

Other people on the list, you mean.

A

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

[[Aaron was on his way home when Crowe catches him.

Stopping when he saw Crowe.]]

Look... I am done, okay? I said I quit.

You can stop now.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

What? A-Aaron, please, I don't know what's going on, b-but--

[pants-yourmove.livejournal.com]

I SAID STOP!

I am not doing this.

You win. I screwed up.

Now go away.

A

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

[ Garviel glares at the fake Crowe for a moment. ]

I did.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Th-there was so many... was your name on it?

[lunawolves10th.livejournal.com]

Of course not. I would never fall for the sorcerous trickery of this town's masters.