Audio

[thedifferencebetween]

[Jack has been uncharacteristically quiet over the network for the last week and some days. No announcements of his own, no responses to public broadcasts save the one where his shredded mask was so blasphemously displayed.]

[Which is what's brought him to finally broadcasting again, audio only.]

[It's no secret now. That friggin' bastard of a Psycho had ruined all Jack's hopes to keep his state quiet. Fine. Since everybody knows what happened anyway....]

[Jack's voice is low and rough. He's not a happy man. The message is simple and to the point.]

A very large sum of money to whoever brings me back my face.

Comments

[thedifferencebetween]

[Jack cocks his fingers into the gun position and gestures to Manaka.]

Exactly.

[Some people do get him. Like her. And...wow. That's...that's some information. Huh. He knows that stuff doesn't work here, but...that is good to know. Really good to know.]

So what, like you're some kinda oracle?

[beastofasister]

Mn, not exactly. There's a...record, where all the universe's information is stored. Not just everything that has happened, but everything that will or can.

[She speaks slowly, picking each word with care. The concept is more complicated than that, but Jack isn't a magus. There's no point to loading him down with pointless details.]

The soul of every infant originates in that place. A person should lose their connection to it when they're born—but I didn't.

[thedifferencebetween]

...Huh. Okay....

[That's...that's sure something. Jack doesn't really believe in the whole concept of souls or anything like that, but he's not going to argue.]

That's all a little over my head, but that sounds like a hell of a thing. I can't even imagine, sweetheart.

[beastofasister]

No, you can't. [Her answer is blasé. Even without her connection to Akasha, she knew that without being told.] It would be impossible to, without experiencing it for yourself.

[Souls and the Akashic Record are just physical realities to Manaka. She could explain their mechanics, but as he says, it's already over his head.]

But being without it... I think it's a little like you losing your mask. You can still see, but your field of view is smaller. Diminished.

[thedifferencebetween]

[Jack nods. He gets that. He's told plenty of people the same thing. There were things that just couldn't be explained, not without going through the experience.]

Yeah, I can see that. You're used to seeing a lot more, and then it's gone. Throws ya off, messes with ya.

You sure seem like you're handling it like a champ, though. Hell, I never woulda known. You're like a pond in winter, aren't ya? All smooth and calm on the top, but underneath....there's a lot going on where nobody can see.

[All of this is said in a very approving tone.]

[beastofasister]

Mm-hm! [She giggles, her expression finally brightening back to her usual smile.] It isn't all bad, anyway. It's fun to play at being normal every once in a while.

[Like now. She notes the approval in his voice, and she couldn't be more pleased. It's a different feeling than simply knowing all the right things to do any say, or what a person's response will be before they give it.]

Ah, you know... I've never talked to anyone about it, like this.

[The parting words she had left her father with barely counted.]

[thedifferencebetween]

I bet it's something not a lot of people can get. That's some heavy shit, sweetheart. Especially for a young lady. Having a gift...it makes you different. That's tough.

[He reaches out to squeeze her shoulder affectionately.]

But I still think you're pretty darn great, and you can always talk to me. About anything.