Saturday, December 17th, The Midnight Channel

[thepull_mods]

Who: The Port's Latest Shadow Televisions Stars! And Thousands of Home Viewers!
When: Midnight, Saturday December 17th
Where: In front of your Television Sets or Streaming NV TV. (Digital Cable? You'll still get the analog effect.)
Summary: Full Plot Details Here
Warnings: Please Put 'em In the Subject Lines As Necessary, Kids?

Comments

[enshadows]

"I just want... to be loved."

The words are quiet. Fragile. There may be one or two people left in the world who have heard Shikamaru use this trembling voice, but for most it might be nearly unrecognizable. His tone is normally so flat and even, annoyed or sarcastic if he's showing any emotion at all. But now it's small, almost like the voice of a frightened little boy on the verge of tears.

Shikamaru seems to step straight out of the brick wall, bleeding from the shadows there. He has been crying, in fact. The faint shimmer of his drying tears catching the pale moonlight. He takes a sharp breath, dramatically laying his hand over his heart as if it aches so badly he could just die. "I want to mean something to someone," he continues, his voice catching in his throat for a moment. "I want them to know that I loved them, too. I want them to know I did it all because I am good. I am good, I am a good person and I deserve to be loved. I really do

[ reactions ]

[enshadows]

[underachieves]

[Yeah, he was expecting a lot of things. But what the fuck is that?]

[proxysearch]

[She watches the broadcast with mild horror, saddened by what she sees. Edgeworth wanted her to look out for him and... And this is his "true self"?

God, Shikamaru. She's so sorry.]

Re: [ reactions ]

[makes_asteroids]

[He can't say he was surprised. But it hurts to see, and he makes a note to try to get closer to the boy.]

[ reactions ]

[sequincy]

Shika...

[no, yellow eyes. Not him. What had that boy on the Network called them? Shadows. So - not really him. Just a copy. ...Just a very convincing copy.

But Uryuu still can't help but be affected by that cry for help and love. It's painful. Even knowing what he's watching, he wants to reach out. He can only imagine how Shikamaru will react to seeing this.

...Wait, he can imagine. Shikamaru will probably go after it.

Uryuu decides he won't go alone.]

[leaderly]

[Souji's jaw has dropped so far that by the time the broadcast is over, there's a slight ache on either side. It was more difficult to watch than some of the others he's seen.

There's no way Shikamaru would just sit there after seeing that. He had to get in contact with him.]

[regeneratesalot]

[ God, these things couldn't be real, could they? There's no way- no. ]

[reassures]

[Nill's watched so many of these shadows since they began appearing. So many people, hurt because they denied themselves what they really felt-- but none of them were as painful to watch as Shika's was.

She touches her fingers to the screen just as the image of the shadow dissipates into static. It doesn't matter that it's a Shadow, because even the shadows were real in some way, weren't they? Hidden pieces of the person that really existed.

...It takes Nill all of a minute to grab her NV and a coat, and head out the door.]

[ action before shikamaru arrives - open ]

[enshadows]

[reassures]

[It wasn't actually a surprise to see the Shadow on the television; they weren't things about Shika that Nill was unaware of after all, weren't things that she hadn't realized about him. Nill had very good reasons for liking and disliking certain people that Shika was associated with, after all, and equally good reasons as to why she liked him and Uryuu together so much.

But those reasons don't matter very much now. She doesn't know that she'll even be able to do very much... but if she could find the Shadow before Shika did, then maybe-- she could do something. Anything. Whatever it took to make it even a little bit easier on either of them.

Shika was going to be so mad at her later if he found out.

But it isn't the first time that Nill has gone out during the night time hours, and she's very careful as she makes her way through the streets. Searching for the thoughts that had been broadcast, following them. And as she does, she reaches out gently with her mind, calling for it.

"Shika... where are you?"

Maybe she wouldn't need

[enshadows]

[It does. So desperate for something to connect to, it hears Nill's message from across the city. It surges through the Darkness, streaming from one shadow to the next until it arrives spilling at Nill's feet. What looks at first to be nothing but oily blackness shifts and becomes more defined in the dim light: folds of a coat and locks of black hair. The Shadow is on its knees in the street, and it lifts its head to look at Nill.

It's still weeping.]

[reassures]

[Nill stumbles back at first, unable to tell by sight alone that it isn't something else, something (more) dangerous than what she's looking for; but as it becomes more defined, she steps forward again, and kneels down in front of the shadow. She reaches over and very carefully cups its cheeks between her hands, brushing at the tears with her thumbs regardless of whether or not it actually helps.]

[enshadows]

Nill...

[Of course it recognizes her. Undoubtedly, she recognizes it, too. Not just because it looks like Shikamaru on the outside. It tilts its head slightly, nuzzling into her hands.]

Nill, I love you.

[reassures]

[Of course not. She's more suspicious out here in the darkness; the only reason she doubted it at all in the first place. But she's not worried about that now.

"I know." She smiles slightly, gently. Never wavering. "I love you too, Shika." ]

[enshadows]

[That seems to appease it slightly, but a new thought is already bothering it:]

Why do you let him hurt me?

Every day... Every day you help him poison me.