039 ± [visual | location: the northern island] all us snakes find our tails pretty damn tasty

[justaddmarbles]

When Glitch awoke, he knew the following: that he was in Taxon, in the palace, in his own room, in his own bed, his limbs were comfortably entangled with DG's, his right shoulder ached a bit but that was typical and would fade as the day went on, and that there was a lengthy list of things he wanted to accomplish. When plans for how to organize and

Comments

[ visual ]

[slayersidekick]

"Brainier, huh?"

Willow looked mildly amused when she replied, smiling at the look on Glitch's face, even though she was a bit worried about him. If it really was hamster-related, she wasn't sure it would be a good thing.

[ visual ]

[justaddmarbles]

"Very," Glitch replied with a nod. "A whole one instead of half. I'm going to get so much thinking done."

Seriously: having logical thought patterns is grossly underrated.

[ visual ]

[slayersidekick]

"Oh. I-I guess that does change things, huh?"

Also interesting.

"Did you just... wake up like this, then? Random hamster-given thing?"

[ visual ]

[justaddmarbles]

"I don't think it's changed too much."

And he gave her one of his bright smiles. See? Same old Glitch.

"Yes, just woke up with it. They've given me my brain back before, a long time ago, but it had all my old memories then, and now it's just keeping things from getting mixed up."

[visual]

[niteowlet]

It's the tiny version of someone you only met once, Glitch, hooray! The same amount of curiosity plus a lack of inhibition that his older self doesn't have causes Dan to answer the feed where he probably shouldn't.

"What do you mean, brainier?"

[visual]

[justaddmarbles]

Hello tiny!Dan! Glitch will probably rememebr you once he gets a name, but for now he's blinking at the fact that there's a tiny.

"I mean that yesterday I only had half a brain," he began. "And today I've got a whole one. That's a marked increase in brain matter, so I think the word 'brainier' applies." Pause. "Although I'm not sure if it's an actual word."

[visual]

[niteowlet]

"Are there other people here with only half a brain?" This is a new and big place. For all Dan knew, this could be the norm.

[visual]

[justaddmarbles]

Blink. "Um. No, as far as I know I was the only one." Although there were occasions when he wondered. "But then I don't know everyone. You're not familiar, for instance."

[ text | private ]

[bonescientist]

Certainly. What is it that I could help you with?

[ text | private ]

[justaddmarbles]

[ there's a bit of a delay in getting back to her, as he's a bit horrified at himself for wanting to do it, but curiosity wins out. ]

I'd like to try and determine exactly what's in my head, and I think you'd be the best person to assist with that.

[ text | private ]

[bonescientist]

[ similarly, she takes a moment to respond, sorting out her own feelings about glitch's request before typing up her reply. ]

While I'm gratified by your trust and am willing to assist in any manner I can, I feel compelled to point out that I'm not actually a medical doctor. You don't think one would be preferable for this task?

[ text | private ]

[justaddmarbles]

I remember, and that's actually why I'd rather see you. [ so, so many issues. ] May I come by the Jeffersonian this afternoon?

placeholdering forever

[tin_hearts]

If there was one voice he would expect to break into song unexpectedly in the middle of a transmission, it would have to be Glitch. He huffs, lips breaking into the hint of a fond smile on his way to the tablet on the mantle piece.

It isn't until he's crossed half the distance from the kitchen nook to the tablet that the rest of Glitch's broadcast sinks in.

...one hundred percent brainier.

Glitch, but a hundred percent brainier.

For a moment the room spins; he catches himself on the back of the couch, staring at the tablet, at the tiny little screen and the familiar face. No stutters. No mumbling, no stuttering, just clear, crisp speech, no stumbling anywhere. He sits down heavily on the floor, back to the couch and just breathes for a good few minutes.

[visual]

[tin_hearts]

A little while later, after Cain had fixed himself a nice pot of tea which he barely touched except to pour himself a mug, he braved the tablet once again.

Stepping back has its advantages: it allows you to see the big picture. Such as what an amazing thing this must be for his best friend. To have his mind restored, however briefly... It would be like having all the bad thoughts plucked out of his heart; to have it mended from one day to the next. It would be priceless. Precious beyond compare, and trumping any notions Cain may ever have had about a man in a mirror. Friendship trumps all else.

He started his own feed with a small smile of his own. "How come it feels like I know that song? That was you singing a while ago, right?"

[visual]

[justaddmarbles]

"Yeah, it was." Said with a somewhat sheepish smile. "There was a thing a long time ago where everybody in the city was singing, and it was my tune. Still hum it sometimes."

Only until that morning he'd forgotten the words, and he still wasn't sure where it had come from. Maybe home?

Of course there were much more pressing concerns, which Glitch now felt guilty for not contacting Cain privately about: "So. Didja happen to catch anything after the singing?"

[visual]

[tin_hearts]

"Huh," said in response to both the concept of everyone bursting into spontaneous bouts of musical predilections, and that the tune was Glitch's. Wyatt could've sworn he'd heard it somewhere before, maybe a long time ago, back home. He shrugged, dismissing the thought like so many others, as a trick of the mind (of mirrors).

"A bit, yeah," he admitted, pausing for a sip of tea. "You're not stuttering anymore."

[ visual ]

[comprehender]

When River turns on the tablet to reply, she's smiling, wide and genuine. Not entirely sure why, but she's decided to roll with the gut instincts; they always end up making sense after a little while.

"You, too?"

She intends to mean 'waking up different,' but it applies on many different levels. Plenty more than she realizes at the moment, but that's a problem for later.

[ visual ]

[justaddmarbles]

"River!"

There was just unmitigated joy in that exclamation. For it to be him "too", it had to be her to begin with, and that meant she'd also been...not fixed. People don't get fixed. Healed.

"Me too," he replied with a nod. "Just today. When did it happen to you?"

...yes, talking in all sorts of layers here.

[ visual ]

[comprehender]

This talking, casual and at ease, feels absolutely normal and she falls into it without a second thought. And without noticing the zipper on her apparent friend's head. "A little over a week. It's been disorienting."

She tucks a stray hair (all brushed, looking very put together) behind her ear, awkward but unimpeded.

"Things from before are still vague, but I've managed. I suppose you don't have that problem, do you? Since you recognized me?"

[ visual ]

[justaddmarbles]

Glitch frowned and tilted his head. So now she was having the memory problems, that was...what were those aliens up to?

"That is a switch," he mused. "But yes, we're friends. I've known you as long as I've been here."