SHODANcePARTY PART 2 - RESCUES AND WORST BRAINTWINS EVER???

[machine_god]

WHO: SHODAN, other... people
WHAT: First - Everyone is in each other's heads. This is a cacophony of idiocy. Second: BIG DAMN HEROES. Third - In Which Vriska And Pantsless Join Forces And Get Revenge.
WHERE: SECOND VERSE SAME AS THE FIRST
WHEN: FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, SHODAN dies sunday
NOTES: Tag in the appropriate threads plz; post order is for

Comments

HIVEMIND - all three days

[machine_god]

They were in each other's heads. They could hear each other's thoughts, even errant musings picked up by each of the others.

SHODAN had tried to control them, tried to drown them in the ebb and flow of cyberspace and force them into docile serenity; but without the power of the station behind her it was impossible. They bickered, they fought, they were giving her a massive headache.

It was all she could do to keep them from turning around and killing her, all she could do to force them into servitude. As it was, they weren't getting much work done. She'd intended to use them to build her a new cybernetic body, to begin kidnapping others in the station, but now they spent so much time bickering it was useless to try.

[tempus_mutantur]

SHODAN had lessened the influence of the second voice in the pink Dave's head, but that didn't mean it'd gone completely silent. It still contributed to the mental chaos from time to time but its verbosity faded each time Dave received a retaliatory jolt of pain. Punishment for something he couldn't actively control. The voice was subdued, but no less angry.

He'd retreated into a corner early on, thinking that separating himself from the group would quell the noise and confusion. Didn't seem to be helping. Half the time he wasn't even sure who he was, identities and motivations bleeding together like a ruined painting. The weirdest feeling was the occasional and inexplicable self-loathing. Thanks for that one, Jack.

So Dave kept to himself, squeezing his tattered pink sweater like a goddamn security blanket. He was supposed to be assisting Her, but since she couldn't muster enough control for that? Dave wasn't budging.

For now, anyway.

[memorymodus]

She noticed him, of course; he's Dave, and the constant battle in her head between kill the fucking bastard! and shut up, he's our friend! was starting to make her head hurt. God, how did these people exist? She wasn't sure which parts were hers any more, which frightened her, adding to the confusion. But there was one part of her that she definitely agreed with -- he needs a hug.

She's a little awkward walking over to him, concentrating on keeping people the fuck out of her mind and memories and mostly failing. But she kneels down on the ground and wraps her arms around him carefully.

Dave?

Jade attempts to shut out all the other thoughts and focus on the Dave she's got in her arms. Not even orange Dave's jealousy can really stop her now.

[tempus_mutantur]

Dave didn't even notice Jade until her arms draped around him. He jerked a little in surprise but quickly relaxed once he came back to his senses.

Well, what remained of them.

Jade? came the soft, tired reply. The second presence angrily voiced its displeasure with the human and projected several violent images her way but Dave's emotions overpowered it. That and the sudden burst from the painful inhibitor, of course.

Dave leaned into the hug, squeezing her arm with his new metallic hand. Probably a little too hard. You tricked me...

BIG DAMN HEROES - SSSUNDAY

[machine_god]

It was inevitable that SOMEONE would notice that people had gone missing. She tries to force her brood to fight their former friends, to capture them and make them part of the growing hive, but how well she can control them is debatable...

At least they don't have a cure for her nanites.

... right?

Vriska-Davesprite encounter thread OH BOY~

[manipul8trix]

FUCKING ROBOTS.

Yes, okay, that's Karkat's line. Right now, Vriska is in the very fortunate and enviable position of giving no fucks. Partially because nobody heard it - internal monologues are a wonderful thing - but mostly because she has far more important things on her mind.

Like rescuing the stupid dumb loser idiots she's unfortunate enough to call friends.

And killing a bunch of robots with her magical dice.

6-1-3-3-8-8-5-4: [AXE ME NO QUESTIONS]

Somewhat predictably, a shining blue axe manifests in her hand. Vriska twirls it experimentally, uses it to lop off the nearest robot minion thing's head, and decides that this roll will do for now. She's so busy chopping up everything that gets close to her, she doesn't notice the figure flying towards her until he's close enough to make out who it is.

"Dave?"

[featheryasshole]

Dave's holding his sword, but he's not entirely sure what he's supposed to be doing with it. Everything is just incredibly confusing and he is so fucking distracted because his head is full of voices and he has no idea which he's supposed to listen to because none of them will shut up and he can't tell which is his own and just. Fuck. He hovers in the air for a moment, frowning as he tries to discern what he's supposed to do.

stop the intruders make themno dont hurt anyone!!

just kill all the humans
This Is Stupid

He shakes his head, trying to clear his mind. Then he remembers Vriska's presence and gives her a cheerful wave.

"Hi, Vriska!"

No, wait, that's not how he talks, is it? That's someone else. Fuck, this stuff is so hard to keep straight.

[manipul8trix]

Vriska, on the other hand, only has the one voice in her head.

Why does Dave have wings now?
Why is he acting like the gooberiest derp that ever bluhed a derpy goober?
What the fuck is this unbelievable BULLSHIT?

It's a very smart voice. It asks all the right questions. As she decapitates another robot, Vriska decides that she should probably voice one of them.

"Uh. Hey."

No, Vriska. That is not a question.

"Are you... okay?"

This is the weirdest thing. She was expecting the smug, self-assured brainwashed asshole from the Zone Seven tapes, not this. Still - she isn't letting her guard down. Dave is still holding his sword, and she has no plans on losing an arm this time round.

...So weird, Jegus fuck.

BLENDER TIME YAY - SHODAN gets taken out

[machine_god]

The majority of them, freed. She, alone. And facing down two children with godlike powers.

This doesn't look good.

((note: you guys have permission to *permanently* cripple her - that is, break/twist/remove limbs, chuck through teleporter.))

[tempus_mutantur]

Shit was finally winding down. Dave was sore, Dave was exhausted, Dave just wanted to collapse but they finally had the bitch beaten back and cornered. She wasn't gonna get away with this. Cliche as fuck, no doubt about that, but sometimes tired old phrases said it best.

But he didn't start immediately. He knew from experience that anticipation could be just as torturous. SHODAN had been in his mind -- she had to know the kinds of things he could do to people. The kinds of things he'd done to people.

When he finally took action it was just to hold her down, psychic fingers twisting her frail human arm behind her back and forcibly slamming her into the floor. They should start small; otherwise she wouldn't last very long. That's why he turned to Vriska, offering her a strange little mock-smile.

"Ladies first?"

[manipul8trix]

"Such manners, Pantsless! Man. So fucking classy. Isn't he classy, Shodawhatever?"

Vriska sits on the floor next to SHODAN, takes the woman's hand almost gently, and smiles. "My bad, Shothingy. I'm pretty terrible at remembering names. Lucky you won't have that problem after we're done! Let's see. Who did you take..."

There's a surprisingly loud snap as Vriska calmly breaks SHODAN's index finger with one swift, vicious movement.

"John."

Snap.

"Dave -"

Snap.

"- times two." She beams at Pantsless before continuing. When she runs out of fingers, she's going to move onto the other bones in the hand. Gosh, they're all so tiny and delicate!

[machine_god]

At first, she screams defiance.

"D-do you thiiink you'll. Escape me for for forever, human," she snaps. In her mind, it's an insult - what Dave should be is a beautiful, perfect killing machine; what he is happens to be a conflicted and useless piece of trash who only wants to be human. And make out with Jade, apparently. She writhes, but she cannot fight against those things. Her human body is frail, ill-cared for, broken; and her mind as confused as anyone's by events.

It's when Vriska starts breaking her fingers that she starts screaming. Not even human screams - she sounds more like a dying cat, thrashing and flailing as best she can.

But she does not beg. Not yet. She threatens, instead, a string of vicious curses and vivid descriptions of how she'll remove each of their organs, how she'll cut those pretty god wings and how she'll hollow out their skulls and replace them with gears.

No doubt falling on deaf ears.

AFTERMATH

[machine_god]

The captured, set free. How did you get your implants removed? Whose shoulders are you crying into? What are your thoughts on yaoi freedom?

[notjelly]

At some point after it's over, every single one of them will find a cup of hot chamomile tea and a chocolate chip cookie waiting for them. With them is the unspoken invitation for any of them to talk to Camille, at any time, if they want to. Camille herself is hovering at the outskirts once she has made sure everyone is at least alive. She doesn't know them as well as they know each other, but she's here if they need her for hugs or for direct tea delivery.

[selfkismesis]

Oh, look. Your favorite customer. It's a few days after, because he had a fuckton of bullshit and stalking to deal with. But eventually, he shows up to Camille's infamous cafe. Bursts right in.

"You helped."

[notjelly]

She looks up at him over her own cup of tea, her expression impassive for a moment. Then she smiles and her eyes light up when she sees that Karkat is alive, mostly unhurt and, apparently, hasn't changed significantly in the interim.

"Did I? I'm glad. Considering all that happened, I wasn't too sure."