[Voice/Action]

[thenightmarebegins]

Finally, it's done. The experiments' duration... hasn't been so long before. I don't trust this alteration in their patterns.

[Despite the cold, Vincent is going off on a long walk to clear his mind of his other selves' weirdness. He'll try to avoid people but his red cape stands out pretty well against the snow. He also pauses on a bridge at some point to just... stare off pensively into the distance.]

Comments

[steadfastest.livejournal.com]

So they're not usually this long? The experiments?

[Voice]

[unseenspy.livejournal.com]

It's certainly been a long experiment. At least it's finally over.

[He certainly agrees with this one.]

[Action]

[ivorygunslinger.livejournal.com]

[Visible, you say? Well a Remnant might blend in if they lost the black leather, but it is to never be so. With him and Kadaj roaming at this time, with the cold never bothering them, he is surprised...and pleased to come across the other.]

Brooding, Valentine?

[Perhaps today would be interesting.]

[Voice]

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

I don't, either. It makes me wonder what will happen next time.

[consultmybooks]

I don't trust this alteration, and I don't like what it might be heralding.

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

It's usually no more than a week.

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

I only hope this isn't a hint of a new pattern for the future.

[Voice]

[unseenspy.livejournal.com]

They seem to have stopped their pattern quite a while ago.

In any case, you've noticed that things have been getting steadily worse since you arrived, correct?

[Action]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[Turns and draws Cerberus on hearing the voice, he's never taking chances.]

Don't tell me you were spared the latest experiment.

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

We can never know for certain until it happens.

[Awkward silence.]

...

I apologize again, for my other self.

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

We should remain wary. Their cycle for selecting New Feathers changed... so it's possible the experiments may have as well.

[And not for the better.]

[Voice]

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

It's not your fault. You couldn't help the way you were.

Besides...I did have a good time with you.

[Well, the 'date' had been pleasant, even though she would rather not allude to the 'literature' donated.]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

You mean it's not always like this? [PLEASE SAY IT'S NOT ALWAYS LIKE THIS.]

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

Progressively worse in all aspects... the experiments... the invasion... the introduction of the drafts... this past summer's disaster.

What it means, I cannot imagine.

[Voice]

[unseenspy.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I actually think the drafts are a good thing, as they allow us to learn more about the Malnosso and the Third Party.

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[Vincent is cringing thinking of the types of book he handed over to her. He read them all, several times, in that alternate universe.]

...You did?

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

The experiments normally end within a week, at times less than that. Aside from that... the effects were a repeat of past experiments. That's never happened before, as far as I'm aware.

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

I won't deny that they are... for those of us willing to participate.

[Voice]

[unseenspy.livejournal.com]

Are you saying you're not willing to participate?

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

I'm willing, if it means I can take the place of one who cannot fight.

[Dealing with the monsters inside, at full power is a responsibility he doesn't take lightly, though. Or look forward to. But he believes it necessary that he deal with it.]

[Voice]

[unseenspy.livejournal.com]

I see. I'm just happy to be able to do something here.

[He's been so unproductive in his time here, and it's practically killing him.]

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

Do you believe we've made much difference?

[It matters just as much to Vincent, to feel he has some purpose in life beyond 'Experimental Test Subject.']

[Voice]

[unseenspy.livejournal.com]

Any steps we can take, no matter how small, has to mean something.

[As much as he hates this place, he can't lose his mind in it.]

[Voice]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[Considers that for a moment.]

I hope you're right. The struggles yet to come may be worse than anything we've seen so far.

[But, Jay does seem to have a level head so he feels he can trust that idea. There's something else that he's been trying to figure out, anyway.]

Regarding this last experiment... I wonder why they repeated so many previous effects.

[Voice]

[unseenspy.livejournal.com]

[This gets a scoff from him.]

Ah...the Malnosso ought to be known as the Masters of Mistakes, especially with that blue idiot in charge.

[Yeah, he's still convinced that the Malnosso don't know what they're doing. Even worse is that he can't even correct it.]