021 - Accidental Video

[samantha_grey]

(OOC Note: TW - Mentions of death are possible, even likely in threads here.)

[She was avoiding the network a little bit, no plans to contact anyone. It had happened again, and she'd get in touch with Merlin or Draco in a couple days. The reaper spirits were a little disturbing though, and as she saw another shade slipping into the area around her apartment, she frowned. She'd wanted to wait a few days, but she had to know.

"Arya?" she said over an audio message. "A...Are you alright?" The message returned as undeliverable. Samantha tried again, and again. Her face went pale and she dropped to her knees. She tapped at the screen, wanting to turn it off so she could be alone, but her eyes were already brimming enough with tears that she missed and hit the video feed. "No..."

The feed begins with her there, on her knees face in her hands. Furniture is starting to move all around her, slamming into walls. A chair cascades into her, sending her crumpled against the wall. She grips her head as the howling begins to take on words, very audible words to anyone listening.]

Murderer... Monster... You killed her...

[She screams, clutching at her head and sobbing, the air whipping around her while she tries to focus, tries to remember the incantations to pacify spirits the old kings taught mortal men, the herbs her mother would hang before the door at Samhain. It won't come to her.]

Why are you still alive and she is not...? Why do you get to stay...?

Stop it! Make it stop! Leave me alone! I never wanted any of this! [Her cries are desperate and a bit close to half mad as her claws extend and she swipes, accidentally shutting the feed off, never knowing that it had been on at all.]

Comments

[Video]

[morethanadream]

[Well this isn't good.

How to get the girl's attention how to get the girl's attention...

Oh, right. He has hands.

He attempts to clap, but like everything else he does, it's extremely quiet. With a scowl, he starts digging in his bag until... oh! He had forgotten he had that!

Now Samantha is treated with her communicator ringing very loudly. Sandy had gotten a little bell just for such an occasion.

(Samantha may or may not notice that he's very pale, but that could easily be attributed as part of his regular appearance, since she hasn't met him before he started getting sick.)]

1 of 2

[samantha_grey]

[There's no way that she hears the clap. over all of the howling and the screams, she definitely won't hear him at first. When he attempts to contact her, the feed re-opens and he can see what seems to be three or four spirits of various ages whirling about her, shouting at the top of their lungs. Most of it is nonsensical, gibberish at best. One of them seems to like throwing furniture and objects at random around the room before coming back to her. A few shallow cuts are visible.]

Why do you live? Look what you did to me! They never found everything! I'll never rest in peace now!

[That one almost looks like a young man, no older than her. There's scars all along his arms and legs and at the throat, and he is missing one of his arms.]

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I can't control it! [She's clutching at her head almost desperately, recognizing that one's voice all too well. How could she forget her first victim in Asgard?]

2 of 2

[samantha_grey]

[The ringtone makes the spirits howl louder, one raging into another room through the wall. Their screams lose cohesion for a second, but she opens tear-streaked eyes to look at the screen.]

Why are you haunting me? Even this thing?!?

[It seems, for the moment, that she doesn't fully grasp that Sandy is a person, not a ghost.]

[morethanadream]

[Miss, he's not haunting you.

Sandy stays calm, ignoring the screams and howls and the mad eyes staring at him. He carefully holds up a bundle of herbs--sage, tobacco, and braided sweetgrass.

Do you recognize these? You can banish ghosts with them.]

[samantha_grey]

[Sage...
Sage...
Sage...]

Was my life not horrible enough that you sent me to him?!?

[She flinched, trying not to look at the old, grizzled bum's spirit floating accusingly around her. Her hands gripped at her hair and she fought to keep her focus.]

Is... that sage?

[morethanadream]

[Sandy ignores the words. Ignores the spirits.

He just nods. Yes, sage. Sage is very good for smudging.

He takes out a lighter and flicks the flame on before holding it under the plants. Smoke starts to leak out.]

[video]

[averagemedium]

[Shit. Shit, shit shit. He really hadn't expected anything like this, not here, that sort of haunting is rare enough where he's from-- and even if he's lacking some of his skills here, there's no way he can just watch it.

The feed he opens up flicks on to one rather harried-looking medium, with a hastily-sketched rune smeared in red on his forehead-- a small ward against possession, even if he's not sure it'll function here. Better to try something than be totally unprepared.

...and he's just going to skip right over obvious questions like 'are things okay over there.']

Hey, hey, just- try not to freak out too much, okay? Might be able to help. Just talk to me here.

[video]

[samantha_grey]

[By the time he's called, Sandy's trying to calm her down. The image he sees is slightly different from before. There are spirits all around, four... maybe five. It's hard to tell. They won't come near to her, as there's a barrier of salt in a circle around her, and some sage burning.

She looks no less disconsolate.]

Why? I deserve for them to be here...

You deserve worse...

[video]

[averagemedium]

There are very, very few people who do. Even if you're one of them?

[He nods a bit off to the side, eyeing one of those spirits. It's not just Samantha he's concerned about.]

They don't deserve to be stuck around here, either.

Re: [video]

[samantha_grey]

I am one of them. I'm the one who killed most of these spirits...

[She looked down at the floor and closed her eyes, shaking her head.] And this isn't my world. I don't know that there is a way to send them back to where they belong. I don't even know if I should ask Hel...

[video]

[averagemedium]

[Okay, that explains the whys behind it. His frown deepens for a moment before he gives his head a small shake.]

Whether you had it coming isn't really the important part right now. I don't see why it's not worth at least trying to send them along, if the alternative's just keeping 'em at bay for now.

[Video]

[fishdouche]

[Woah... that's... intense. And way more than Eridan has the emotional maturity to handle. Seriously, Sam needed a moirail.]

... Sam. You need to get the fuck out a' wwherevver you are. Stop wwallowwin' in wwhatevver self-pity fest you're havvin'.

[Video] - Private

[samantha_grey]

[When he called, the image that came back was, at least, less terrifying than it had been. There was a circle of salt around her and sage burning. The smoke billowed up and kept the spirits at arm's length at the very least. One, missing an arm and looking like it had been stitched together from pieces of a man was scowling at her.]

She will never escape us...

Eridan... you of all people should know you can't escape your past.

[Video] - Private

[fishdouche]

... I don't knoww. I think I'vve done a pretty fuckin' excellent job a' that.

[He frowns, crossing his arms over his chest as he surveys the circle and then the man.]

Besides, Alternian ghosts are far more terrifyin'.

[He remembers hearing about Aradia.]

[Video] - Private

[samantha_grey]

Liar.

[She looked at him through the feed with narrowed, tear-stained eyes. Her teeth were set, a fang showing.]

There's no troll spirits like the men I murdered here, but I know their faces haunt you all the same. I've seen in your mind, in case you've forgotten. You're not allowed to hide these things from me, Eridan. We both have blood on our hands and skeletons in our closets...

And I don't know that atonement is possible.

[video]

[lalondelicious]

[While Sam had warned her, Rose wasn't entirely prepared for how different Sam could get. She just before the video shut off Rose would hardly have recognized her. It's unnerving but it doesn't take long for Rose to shake off her surprise and open communications, looking concerned.]

Samantha, I don't think running is the best idea. [They found her once and these things always catch up.]

[video]

[samantha_grey]

[Ironically, this wasn't the moment she was insane. It was partially the result of her last episode. But, regardless, the sight had to be more than a little disturbing. Still, when the feed came on, things had calmed slightly.]

I know... they'll always find me. They haunt me with their memories. Running never works.

[video]

[lalondelicious]

[From where Rose is sitting she's plenty different to the person she's been talking to. It's a relief that she isn't as hysterical, having a duty to help does not mean she's any good at calming people, some psychiatrist she'd be.]

I have to agree. It's not pleasant but fleeing is the worst course to set out on.

You seem calmer, have things settled, at least for now?

[video]

[samantha_grey]

[She slowly collected herself, looking around. The howling faded for a moment, the spirits pulling away.]

Someone is coming over in a little while to help. I wish they wouldn't put themselves in danger, not for this.

...the spirits aren't troubling you, are they?

[not here]

[needsnoheadsman]

[Samantha isn't the only one who's frantically tried to get in touch with Arya. Robb's been trying to find her, to no avail, and his heart sinks with every failed attempt, and all the more when he finally decides to go check out her house.

It's with a bone-deep fear and worry that he turns on the bracelet, and finds this. At first he's unsettled--he remembers her, after all, from when he first came here--and then, as the video goes on and he can make out the words, he has to close his eyes and breathe in and out.

You killed her...

It can't be. It can't be. Please, he prays silently, to--to whoever might hear him here, don't let it be true.

When the feed ends, he slumps against the wall, then tries Arya's bracelet again, half-expecting to hear her voice despite knowing, knowing that this will be about as successful as previous attempts. He's clinging to straws, hoping that she'll answer--

--but instead he gets the same result.

Oh, gods...]

Re: [not here]

[samantha_grey]

[They might never speak. Samantha pointedly could not face Rob. She couldn't bear the thought of seeing his face. She didn't even know if he was aware that she'd been the one who hurt Arya this time. Right now, she wanted nothing to do with Westeros. Just the sight of any of them would dredge the memories up again, to self-destructive levels.

She hadn't needed to fear the Lannisters. Her friends were far more dangerous.]

video;

[afrozendance]

[W-what? Ninian believed this was yet another message in this "network", so she checked on it almost without thinking. Then she was "greeted" with the view of a young woman with red hair, hounded by so many spirits. It looks like there's so much sadness and anger around her... so much sorrow.]

I... I take that I don't need to ask about your well-being, mila- I mean, miss...

video

[samantha_grey]

[When the reply comes, the spirits are still there, blocked by a barrier of salt on the ground. Sage burns in front of her, and Sam is starting to calm slowly. She's as depressed as ever, but she's not weeping right now. Her cheeks are just stained with the tears' passage.]

I'm sorry... I'm not really in a conversational mood. Are you asking if I need a healer?

video;

[afrozendance]

[She makes an effort to not look away from the scene her bracelet shows her, then nods slowly.] I... I am. After seeing you like this, I cannot help worrying.

Re: video;

[samantha_grey]

You would be at serious risk coming here. The cuts are shallow. [Not really, but she'd live.] Please don't put yourself at risk like that.