#21: Ranting and Raving

[horrible_phd]

[Video]

[Dr. Horrible is standing in front of a crowded laboratory table. He's building something that looks like a cross between a metallic hardhat and a torture device. There might be electrodes involved. Also, near the camera there's a jar with what appears to be an actual human brain inside. Dr. Horrible is savagely twisting at a few bolts. It's unclear at first whether he knows the camera is on or is just ranting to himself.]

Hah, so much for the police. Either she never said anything or they're too lazy to follow up. Murphy. Hah. Not like we were doing anything wrong, they just showed up and interrupted a perfectly reasonable test. We were trying to help you all out really, find some answers...blah, blah, blah post a public warning, blah, blah, blah something stupid about birds.

Like he forgot whose head he threw a car at.

But yeah, no one's tried to contact me about anything. Everyone forgets things so quickly. Stupid city. Stupid...everything ends quickly. Curses, distractions, not everything is awful all the time, but that's how it tricks you.

This morning, I went to the library, actually to take out a book this time. I mean, not that I wasn't there for books any of the other times, but this time I just wanted to take a book out to read, for fun. On dinosaurs. But no, it just kept trying to get me to look at one particular book.

[He looks up at the camera--yes, he's recording on purpose.]

I ended up with like five different copies. Maybe I should have paid more attention to Austen in high school, but it's not like English was ever my best class.

Well anyway, she's gone now. Two in two months. Who's next?

[Looks at his apparatus.]

Guess I have to figure out have to test this thing.

[He stares at the brain and reaches over to turn off the camera.]

[ooc: He's ranting about Karrin Murphy and Captain Hammer in the first bit. Kind of holding a grudge, mostly just upset because he recently discovered Emma's departure so that's two friends gone. It doesn't help that the library forced him to read Emma so he's also kind of weirded out. And the device--not a thought detector (hee), but the brain-slug detector he's making for Marco. Not that there's any really way to test it in the absence of Yeerks especially considering I doubt he'd be able to convince anyone to wear it.]

Comments

[necromerchant.livejournal.com]

I was under the impression that nothing ends here.

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

It seems like things are either very transitory or stay around in the most annoying way possible.

[necromerchant.livejournal.com]

Yeah, annoying. The dead should stay dead, I think.

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

That...wasn't the exact problem I had in mind, though I see how that could be a problem. Gives some people second chances though.

We're you hoping to make someone stay dead?

[necromerchant.livejournal.com]

Oh, no. I'm not planning on killing anyone. It's just bad for business if people keep coming back to life is all.

[somekindofsin.livejournal.com]

I don't remember anything about birds.

That's the way of the City, you know--people forget in order to maintain whatever grip they have on sanity; friends come, go, or neglect to make an appearance entirely. We're driven to the brink of despair one day, and to madness the next.

Look on the bright side, though! At least it's never boring.

...What is that?

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

It's just something I've been working on in my spare time.

Would you be willing to put it on? It's perfectly save. You can be a control subject. I think. I mean, hopefully.

[somekindofsin.livejournal.com]

If there's one thing I've learned, it's never to volunteer to be the first to test something that endangers the brain. Ah... not before having a look at it first, at least. Not that I don't trust you, of course, but my brain means a good deal to me.

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

It's non invasive! At least, it should be. Oh, well, I do have the test brain. And myself, obviously. I'll test it first.

[somekindofsin.livejournal.com]

It doesn't look like a terribly lively test brain.

If you're certain it's safe, then...

[specialagentgf.livejournal.com]

What exactly are you trying to test?

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

Just something I'm making for a friend. A type of scanner. Nothing very interesting.

[specialagentgf.livejournal.com]

Is it some kind of MRI?

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

No...it looks for a very specific type of anomaly. Or it should. I'm not done yet.

And I don't really have an example to go off of.

[hushed-observer.livejournal.com]

Ano...you seem to have had some bad luck..

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

Well, people leave. I guess I should just get used to it.

This isn't. But I can make dangerous things and sometimes I do. I make a lot of things.

[hushed-observer.livejournal.com]

Why would you make dangerous things?

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

Weapons. To use against enemies. And also monsters. I've been spending a lot of time in the Underground lately.

That and certain things aren't normally dangerous but could be if they were used improperly or there were accidents.

1/2

[horrible-protag.livejournal.com]

Murphy? You're talking about-

[horrible-protag.livejournal.com]

You're to blame for this, then!

[OoC: dksjfhaksdjfh ilu]

Threadjack! But just for a moment, then I'm sleeping. ^^

[somekindofsin.livejournal.com]

I thought the debacle with the carousel was settled. What on earth are you blaming him for now?

[horrible-protag.livejournal.com]

Karrin! Obviously he's to blame for her disappearance from her apartment.

[somekindofsin.livejournal.com]

How did you reach that conclusion? Perhaps she left her apartment. People do that on occasion.

Maybe she left the City altogether. Maybe something bizarre happened to her--this IS the City, after all. I really think you should consider alternatives. I highly suspect you won't, however.

[horrible-phd.livejournal.com]

What?

If it's something you're unhappy about then...maybe? I mean, sure. Yes. All part of the plan.

[horrible-protag.livejournal.com]

So you admit it! I shall be taking note of this.