IC Contact post for Mask or Menace

[dun_moch]

"You have reached Count Dooku. I regret that I am unavailable to answer your hail. Kindly leave a message, and I shall respond at the earliest opportunity."

Text | E-mail | Voicemail | Phone call | Hologram | Other

Comments

Re: voice

[dun_moch]

Of course. I won't lead him into any danger. You have nothing to fear.

[This is a lie.]

Re: voice

[h2no]

... I hope so.

[he wants to keep trusting this harmless and sweet old man :(]

[Voice] private

[generalgrievous]

My Lord, what shall I do about Kenobi?

[Direct and to the point.]

[Voice] private

[dun_moch]

He is a great threat to our plans. Come to my home. We must discuss this in person.

text

[h2no]

this is bullshit
hey count do you remember who you are?
DID WE DO THIS??

text

[dun_moch]

I do, and we most certainly did not.

There may be a connection to the nanites, however. I do not trust this coincidence.

Re: text

[h2no]

I DON'T BUY IT
this is even more succinct than the hallucinations you said
because it's USING ACTUAL STUFF NO-ONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

ext

[dun_moch]

Precisely. Altering our own minds would be one thing, but there is nothing to suggest that the nanites could read our own past memories and transmit them to others.

You seem distressed. Have you been badly affected by this?

Re: ext

[h2no]

no
i'm fine

[...to some degree. anyway, whatever the count was doing he's no longer doing it. he's in a cavern, now, deep underwater in an air-filled pocket of cave. maxie - who the count no doubt recognises at this point, is standing near him, looking furious but disheveled.

bwahahaha! you're looking pretty pathetic now, aren't you? the great maxie! the count laughs, though it's archie's voice that comes out. his laugh is tinged with hysteria and sounds suitably deranged for what's about to go down.

no sooner has he finished saying it, a small child appears, emerging from the narrow path that led into the cavern. there's an exchange between her and archie and they battle - a fierce one - but it's somewhat hazy. it goes by like the count is watching it on an unfocused screen and the sound is muffled. maybe it's archie's own poor recollection of the specifics of what happened. a lot was going on and his mental state was declining by the second, not to mention the amount of guilt-trauma he went through after. it's probably no surprise he can't remember it exactly. she beats him. it's close, but she beats him. maybe it's strange to see something resolved through such a method, but that's how pokémon do. archie-- or rather, the count, now in his shoes, doesn't care. he laughs again, sounding increasingly more unhinged. maybe it's the orb he's still holding starting to burn bright enough with power that it almost scorches his hand, maybe it's just because he's lost it. the count isn't sure. he waves off the child anyway, holding the orb up above his head: with the increased illumination he can see the grey form of a giant whale laying dormant further into the cavern, floating in a deep pool within it.

the count starts on again. i will use the power of this blue orb to awaken kyogre at last! then i'll return everything in this world to its original, pure state!! now! AWAKEN, KYOGRE! RETURN EVERYTHING TO THE WAY IT WAS!!

in that moment, briefly, all he feels is hatred. hatred for what humanity has done to the planet that forced him into enacting this plan, hatred for maxie and the child for trying to stop him. maybe even, deep deep down, hating himself a little for going to such lengths. and... that's how the memory ends.]

[dun_moch]

[There's a long pause while Dooku doubles over and touches his forehead, processing the intensity of what he's seeing and feeling. Then he thinks, processes, considers, appreciates. And finally, he sends the most appropriate yet insufficient text he can:]





I don't believe you are fine at all, Archie.

[h2no]

that bluntness isn't like you, count

[he has no idea of what just happened, naturally.]

[dun_moch]

Perhaps. But we all have sides of ourselves we don't let others see, do we not? Hidden aspects we seek to deny.

[Now he's back to his old self.]

[h2no]

i'm not sure i know what you mean
i feel like i'm open with what i should be

[dun_moch]

You are open with your affection, certainly. With your regret. Even with your anger.

But not with your hate. And you have a powerful hate within you.

[h2no]

[okay. worrying.]

HAD a powerful hate
i know i was wrong now
it's all gone.

[it's not. and he knows it's not.]

[dun_moch]

I find it unfortunate that you are attempting to deceive me. And perhaps yourself as well.

Such hatred is not so easily removed.

[h2no]

maybe so
but i also was put in a position where i had to realise under no uncertain terms that my hate almost ended the world
that it almost got a bunch of people i care deeply about killed
and me too, i guess

[Text]

[sleight_of_hand]

Man, Dooku-san~
You've had quite the week, haven't you~?

[Text]

[dun_moch]

What do you want, Adachi.

[He is not. In. The. Mood.]

[Text]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Dooku, you are never in the mood for his charming and sunny personality. Adachi snickered to himself at the response, enjoying every minute of this. ]

Why so hostile, Dooku? I'm just checking to make sure you're okay~! Employees do that when their boss goes through a rough week.

[ No they don't. ]

[dun_moch]

True, your plan failed.

But if it had succeeded, the world would have been saved from corruption and decay. Is that not true?

[h2no]

it wouldn't have worked at all
that's why i regret it so much
because no matter what it would've killed everyone
i'm sure of it

[Text]

[dun_moch]

[Dooku is glad this is text so Adachi can not see the Count pinching the brow of his nose to stave off a headache.]

Your kind consideration is greatly appreciated. But unless you have the power to make the Jedi and their allies stop interfering in my affairs, I suggest you direct your energies somewhere else.

[Text]

[sleight_of_hand]

Ehhhh~?

Are they really that much of a pain?

If they're as bad as you say they are, why don't you just get them on camera doing what they do best?

[dun_moch]

Nonsense. If you could control Kyogre, you could limit its wrath. You could have used its power to heal your world.

The flaw in your plan was not in its design, but that you lacked the strength to harness the power you unleashed.