first puzzle | voice

[recinerate]

[beyond was dead, and now he's not.

it's a perplexing position for anyone to find themselves in, of course, but even more so when there's something fundamental about that person that's gone missing - something that should be there, but isn't. beyond has found he is missing such a thing, and has decided to take advantage of the technology of this new place in order to work out his thoughts regarding this dilemma.]

"In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity."

[his voice is quiet, raspy, almost unnaturally even in tone. he pauses, then picks up with one of many questions currently on his mind, addressing anyone within earshot.]

What shapes your sense of identity?

Comments

[recinerate]

Beyond. What is yours?

[patheticvillain]

Cassel Sharpe.

[He doesn't ask Beyond what, even though he really wants to.]

What if I don't know the answer to your question?

[recinerate]

Then I would suggest thinking on it more seriously. You must have some idea of your own identity.

[patheticvillain]

Doesn't history inform everything we do?

[recinerate]

Certainly. What does that have to do with your identity?

[patheticvillain]

What I do shapes my identity. History shapes what I do.

[recinerate]

Are you unaware of your own history, then?

[patheticvillain]

I used to be. So I try not to take it for granted anymore.

[recinerate]

Did you suffer from amnesia?

[patheticvillain]

Yeah. For a few years. Very selective, though.

Do you believe in magic?

[recinerate]

[beyond is from a world of concrete facts and logic, not magic.]

No. I don't. I have never seen any evidence to indicate that magic exists. Why?

[patheticvillain]

Because if you want to hear more about identity from me, you're going to need to believe some things.

I can show you, if you want.

[recinerate]

[it sounds preposterous - but what about the last few days hasn't seemed entirely impossible? beyond has long been trained to collect all available data and form a conclusion based on how those pieces fit together. there is no reason to refuse.]

All right, Cassel. What would you like to show me?

[patheticvillain]

Do you want to do this in person, or on the video? I've got time to kill either way.

[recinerate]

Which do you think will be more effective?

[patheticvillain]

That's a good question.

[He thinks about it for a second.]

In person, it's easier to tell that I'm not faking it.

[recinerate]

Very well. Where would you like to meet?

[patheticvillain]

Can you find your way up to the deck?

[recinerate]

I'm sure I can manage.

[patheticvillain]

Meet you there, then. I'll be the one in gloves.

action.

[recinerate]

[beyond takes a full fifteen minutes to make his way up to the deck, which is at least twice as long as necessary. it's not that he has hesitations about meeting cassel; it's just his way of being difficult and off-putting.

once he arrives, beyond quietly scans the deck for a person wearing gloves as described.]

action.

[patheticvillain]

[Cassel is, in fact, the only person on the deck wearing gloves. They're black and cover him from fingertips to wrists, and he wears them like a second skin. He is leaning easily against the railing when Beyond emerges from belowdecks, his head tilted up, watching the constellations fly past.]

action.

[recinerate]

[beyond shuffles his way over to cassel, hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans, shoulders slouched forward, untidy black hair brushing forward over his eyes. this isn't his first time on deck; he doesn't look up at the stars rushing by, because frankly, he's had enough of feeling small and empty for a while.]

Cassel Sharpe, I presume.

action.

[patheticvillain]

[When Beyond approaches, something about Cassel's body language gets sharper, the full-body equivalent of a cat cocking its ears; when he addresses him, Cassel looks up with a crooked little smile of welcome. He doesn't hold out his hand to shake. Instead, he cracks his knuckles sharply, a gesture that might be threatening on someone with a different kind of smile.]

Beyond. Are you ready to learn?

[Because he gets the feeling this guy doesn't want anything to do with small talk.]

action.

[recinerate]

[beyond gives him a slow nod, unblinking stare fixed firmly to take in every detail.]

I'm ready.