FRACTAL 2018/08/24(Fri)18:08 No. 898898 ID: 270774
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What I remember from last night is getting back here, tired and still buzzing with leftover adrenaline at the same time, and Sweat immediately being all over me. Asking if I was okay, if I was hurt, if anything bad had happened. Once I told it I was fine, it was really adamant about me getting some rest as soon as possible, and it wouldn’t shut up until I agreed to lie down and try to sleep.

Now it’s the one who’s passed out, on the mattress next to me, with its wings curled up around its knees. I realize that I don’t think I’ve ever seen it sleeping.


There are about three weeks until Jolene’s wedding, and there’s a lot of stuff that I could try to do. I could try to patch things up with Chidori and Nanako, after how shitty everything went down at Sukebun headquarters, and that screaming match Chidori and I had. I could also try to focus on getting unwillingly drawn blood for the Mortician, to get them to let me go through all the memories they have to pawn. I could also focus on spending time with Sweat, since it seems like it does it some good for me to be around. I’m sure there’s plenty else on my plate, too, but this early in the morning, trying to hold information in my brain is like water in a sieve.

I think current priority should be breakfast and calling your brother. After that’s done we’ll figure something out.

Call brother - no use looking for memories if you're not sure of the scope of loss! once you know how much is missing you can look for bits that will fit together

>>898898
Girl, you ain't doin' jack until you get some breakfast in you and take some time to just relax. You've been going full bore nonstop for days now, and you are going to break if you don't stop for some self-care. I don't know what it is you do to unwind, but you are doing that until you're back to 100%.

I'm guessing it would be a total no-go, but on the mortician's blood drive, would going up and slicing them with your knife work? Just as a thought.

But catch up with nanako and chidori. Give sweat a hug before you leave, it would make it happy.

call your brother and hang out with sweat - it's been so sweet and caring, it'd be good to make sure it knows how much we appreciate it

get some food in you, wait to see if sweat wakes up in the next half hour or so (and maybe call your bro in the meantime) and then we can get down to brass tacks.

ne's out of the picture, unfortunately- so i guess we can't get the blood from him.

the only person i can think of that you could get unwilling blood from is your piece of shit tv-head boy- and that's only if he has the wherewithal to not comply when you want his blood. maybe bring sweat with you to scare the shit out of him and demand it, and then take it that way? he deserves it, even if he doesn't remember why.

if you don't feel up for that, it'd probably be worth it just to spend actual chill time with sweat and not just ask for its help and its emotional support. it's probably best to give chidori and nanako space, given how pear-shaped everything went the last time you were around them.

FRACTAL 2018/08/25(Sat)07:49 No. 898994 ID: 270774
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The first thing I want to do is have some breakfast, but I’ve got no food and about four bucks to my name. I guess I could wait for Sweat to wake up, and then it would be able to make me something-

Shit. I guess that would be immediately asking it for a favor again, the second it gets up. I know it doesn't mind, but… I don't know. I’ve been feeling like all I do lately is ask it for help, or for information, and I don't feel great about that.

FRACTAL 2018/08/25(Sat)07:49 No. 898995 ID: 270774
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I guess I can figure it out as I go. In the meantime, I pull out my phone and call Bronsted. I scoot away on the mattress, trying to be quiet so that I don't wake Sweat up.

Bronsted answers on the fifth ring. “Hello?”

“Hey, Bron, it’s me.” My voice sounds kind of weird, even in my own ears. “Um. Sorry I forgot to get in touch last night, things were kind of crazy. Uhh. How are y-”

“Lowry,” he says, already sounding exasperated, “you only call when you want something. So what is it?”

Great.

Ouch. Thats kinda harsh. Well, we want to try to fill in any missing memory gaps. Can he help with that?

>>898995
"Look, you aren't going to believe this, but I both want and need to talk. Someone broke into my apartment and Took a whole bunch of my shit. Mostly my memories. So I thought that talking to you could help fill in some gaps. Also, I want to talk to you because you're my brother, I love you, and we haven't talked in ages, you grumpy dork."

you need to eat, though - i think as long as you find a way to make it up to sweat it shouldn't be an issue? also, harsh, bronwen

>>898898
Patching things up with the buns seems like a thing that needs doing.

>>898995
...I want to talk. Is that okay? I'm sorry I've been a shit.

I got my memory snatched. Like, a lot of missing memory. I wanted to figure what else i might be missing and what you were to me but guessing by this, it wasn’t good so i’d like to patch things up with you while i’m at it.

>What to do today.
Have Sweat hang out with you today. Maybe it knows a way to get us some blood?

>Call with your brother
Just tell him you wanted to talk a bit, maybe go down memory lane.

"I need my brain damage fixed. It's that simple.

What can I say? That I'm a pathetic excuse of a cat that can't fix her own problems? That the pretty little stepford with the creepy paws I used to be was a different flavor of ^&*( all wrapped up in a bow? Well I CAN'T, because this is the horrible excuse of a lifelong sibling you've been saddled up with.

If you ever wanted a better sister, this is your chance. I'm offering you the opportunity to wallow around in my brain salad, pick out whatever bug has been squirming in there.

But I need my brain salad first. I need to get Rabies away from my marbles. So what can you do?

Like it or not, the whole city is @#$%ed along with you. Things are happening, and trying to stop them will just get us killed faster. I'm trying to mitigate damage. I need your help."

BTW what does your brother do for a living?

"Lost a lot of my memories and a bit of myself and wanted to talk. No ulterior motives here."

FRACTAL 2018/08/31(Fri)16:05 No. 899812 ID: 270774
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“Harsh, Bronsted.” He doesn’t respond to that, so I sigh. “Listen, would you believe me if I said that I need and want to talk? It’s true I called because I’m in a tough spot, but you are my brother.”

There’s a pause, and then he echoes my sigh. “Alright.”

“I got my memory snatched. Like, a lot of it. More than I thought at first, and maybe more still on top of that. Plus - I don’t know, something else. I know you’ve noticed I’m different.” He makes a quiet noise in his throat, which I guess is just acknowledgement, and I continue. “I was hoping maybe figuring out a timeline would help, so I decided to ask you to help me fill things in.”

He laughs, not in a friendly way. “And you thought I was the person for that? Did they take the memory of you never visiting home, too? Never picking up calls?”

Well… no. I’ve never been great at staying in touch. Especially not with family. I can’t really explain it. I was like this before my whatever went missing, too. My phone is full of unreturned texts, because somehow when I look at something I’ve been sent, my hands get heavy, and I can’t think of anything to say - I end up putting it away and saying I’ll reply later, and then I never do. And I guess, in a way, I’ve always tried to keep to myself unless I really can’t help it. Now I can see how that comes off as … well. Only calling when I need something.

“I don’t really have a lot of options left, Bron,” I say. “I don’t know who I can trust out here.”

FRACTAL 2018/08/31(Fri)16:05 No. 899813 ID: 270774
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“Well, alright. Though, again, I’ll remind you, most of what I know is just from when you changed your relationship status on Facebook, since you don’t use it for anything else. And you don’t visit or call,” he repeats. I groan a little. “So you move out there, then pretty soon you were dating that angel - which I told you was a bad idea. That lasted - I don’t know, I want to say a year? Then the thing broke it off, and you came home briefly because you were really upset about it - took time off work and everything. You went back after a few weeks and got a new job, but then you quit it when you started dating that - that dog. Who none of us approved of. He looked like - I don’t want to put too fine a point on it, Lowry, but he looked like the type who would. You know.”

“Oh, tell me,” I drone, dully.

“Mistreat you,” Bronsted hisses. “And he didn’t want to meet our parents.”

“Hm. Did Sweat meet them?”

He pauses. “Well. In that case, they didn’t want to meet it. Can you blame them?”

“I don’t know, Bronsted. Can I?”

“Why are you always so hostile to them?”

I’m already getting a headache. “Can we keep going?”

“Fine.” I hear something shift against the microphone - probably Bronsted moving the phone to his other ear. “Then that didn’t work out, shockingly. You were single for a while, and you really dropped off the face of the earth, then. Last I saw of you, like I said, was literally just you changing your workplace to some department store, then a bit later changing your status to ‘in a relationship’ again, this time with someone who actually looked respectable. But we still never heard from you.”

This all lines up with everything Sweat told me, and - well, it’s not like I thought it had lied to me, but having everything corroborated is still a relief, somehow. It sounds like Bronsted doesn’t know a lot more than what I already do, though. “Is there anything else you can think of? Even if it’s just a small detail.”

“Lowry, this seems pointless. Why don’t you just move on? It’s not like you can’t function without some memories. Get your life together for the present instead of dwelling on the past,” Bronsted snaps. “Sleeping with angels, sitting around with no job - and it’s a Sunday morning, and I bet you’re still in bed in your underwear.”

FRACTAL 2018/08/31(Fri)16:05 No. 899814 ID: 270774
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Well.

FRACTAL 2018/08/31(Fri)16:06 No. 899815 ID: 270774
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“You know it frustrates mom and dad,” he’s saying, “that after all that fuss about going to art school, you haven’t even done anything with it -”

I blink, then press the phone harder to my ear, as if that would help me hear him better. “What?”

“Well, have you? Because as far as I can tell, all you’ve done is work minimum wage retail garbage -”

“No, hold on, back up. What? What did you just say? I went to art school?”

“Lowry,” he says, sounding bewildered. “For two years. That’s what you moved out for, then when you dropped out, you couldn’t afford rent in the city your school was in. That’s why you moved to that awful place you’re in now. You should have just moved home, but what do I know.”

My head hurts in earnest now. “I can draw?”

For the first time, Bronsted sounds genuinely concerned, instead of just frustrated and judgemental. “Lowry, what is happening to you in that place?”

I start pacing. “So that’s gone, too. Someone must’ve taken the memory. There’s no way I’d forget that. But that’s - god, the memory of two years of school is one thing, but I hadn’t even been thinking of myself as - as an artist, or whatever. That’s a hell of an awareness to steal-”

“Lowry, this is ridiculous,” says Bronsted. “Why would someone try to make you forget that you’re an artist?”

why WOULD someone want to make you forget youre an artist??? Like that really is such a specific thing to take but it lines up with everything else. Maybe taking your memories of who you dated and such was just an unforeseen casualty.

if whoever or whatever took your memory really WAS trying to take your memories of school from you, then you need to find out more about it. did you have a major? ask your brother all about your school. ask sweat too, actually.

What if they didn't want to take it from you so much as use it for themselves? There anyone you know who has art skills or would benefit from them?

Or anything you could have done in the past which being tied to even just by having the skills could implicate you in a dangerous way? Art forgery for someone?

>Did they take the memory of you never visiting home, too? Never picking up calls?
...I remember. I'm sorry for being a shitty sister, Bron.

>“Lowry, this is ridiculous,” says Bronsted. “Why would someone try to make you forget that you’re an artist?”
Well, if it was important to me, I imagine someone was trying to hurt me. Why else do you cut away a big part of who someone is?

Or maybe it was just the money. "Being an artist" must be worth something, right? Someone with no morals who wants some skills gets them without putting in the time or effort. Like buying a painting to show off, but more.

there's a lot you can do with art ;; it could be to stop you from being able to express yourself or seek help, maybe? and also - why wouldn't your parents want to meet sweat? why don't he and bron like angels?

hm. this is...really troubling. theoretically the target COULD have been memories set during art school, but that wouldn't take away the self-identification of "i AM an artist", so it's unlikely. let's think through what art does for you, to figure out why it would be taken.

art could be a job, maybe not one that makes more than the department store, but one that isn't dictated by a boss. taking it away from you could rob you of self-sufficiency, prevent you from living on your own, and from making a name for yourself and keeping loyal customers.
art's also a tool for creative expression, individuality, stress relief; the thief could have wanted to box you in, take away hobbies, make you less happy.

there's probably more possibilities, but those two are the biggest ones that sprang to mind. so let's think. who would benefit from you being A) dependent on others -- which, given your history and apartment situation, would be almost exclusively your boyfriend & exes -- and B) repressed and unhappy, less outgoing, less likely to reach out?

of course, ne is always a suspect when it comes to the thievery....but i'm getting a sinking feeling that reiss could have had a hand in this, before his own theft. maybe he's not the sole perpetrator, but he's looking more suspicious the more information we uncover.

did they take your ability to draw, or just the memory/understanding of yourself as an artist? stay on the line with bronsted and ask him about school, but at the same time, see if you can find a pencil and paper and try to draw something.

How the hell would I know that Bronsted? Maybe someone wanted a free 2 year education?

God. Someone really wanted to hurt you, is my best guess. Unless being an artist is somehow really key to whatever they wanted to take from you, but that sounds...unlikely.

i agree with a lot of what’s been said—someone wanted to hurt you, then stifle you; taking away the fact that you are—were?—an artist takes away you being able to express urself without doing the whole... talking. thing. ugh. whoever did this, and this is an understatement, sucks ass.

>>899815
That's a very good question, Bronsted. Two years, you said? A lot can happen in two years. Lowry moved out to go to art school, she arrived and presumably started taking classes, then BAM! Nothing. Two whole years of life and experiences gone. Snatched away by an unknown someone. Why? For what purpose? What happened in those two years of life that would make someone want to take them? They couldn't have been valuable enough to warrant someone looking for an easy road to artistic skill Taking them away. And what connection does it have to the other missing memories? To the missing "something else?" Was it just a random burglary? All the evidence would suggest against it. Something BIG is happening, and Lowry is smack dab in the eye of the storm.

>Why would someone make you forget you're an artist
For their own art, of course. Nothing says schadenfreude like finding inspiration from watching your formerly competent rival struggle with a writer's block the size of the Federation State Monument.

Also, Rabies wouldn't want you to blab via your art. Subconscious drawing techniques might uncover traces of memories that were formerly lobotomized, so if you were to paint something related to your memory loss you might find your hand drawing clues.

Speaking of which, go do that.

>>899815
Well that's fuckin' massive, that's manipulation of your entire identity. The what is big enough, but the why is weird.
Why would being artistic, creative, be something anyone would want you to lose?

Maybe it's not so much that as it is that it was something you cared a lot about? Enough to strike out on your own to do it at least. Shit this is worrying, you don't know what you don't know and it's apparently more than just what you got up to in this city.

so we've established now for certain that taking certain, specific memories from someone can make them forget the person they were in those memories. when you remove the actions from someone's memory, the person doing those actions is also erased, i'm guessing. they've taken art from you, and so they've taken the artist from you - which is... a fucking devestating thing to take from anyone who's serious enough about their work to go to art school.

i'm certain that reiss and ne have something to do with this. rabies takes what he wants with his bare hands. those other two are evil in a more calculated way, especially that computerhead gutless fucking shitweed. we should probably go kill him.

for now, ask bronsted if there's any of your art at his house or with your parents that he can take pics of and send to you. it might help to see what sort of stuff you could do before your memory was taken.

Sorry to post again, but I just realized something. Didn't we all think that Lowry had lost, at most, a few months? A year tops? Learning that she lost over two years AT LEAST is a big fucking deal. There's a good possibility that the damage is FAR more extensive than we could have ever imagined.

>>899815
I'll be frank, we don't even know how long that's been missing. This could have been steadily happening over years at a time.

There would be physical traces of artistry if it was recent, you would have figured it out on your own, or your friends might've mentioned it in the slightest bit. Chidori or Sweat, but they never mentioned a word. Only Bronstead did.

You might have been so ashamed of your art you sold those memories yourself. Even over time, slowly but surely. You might've even made yourself this way on purpose.

FRACTAL 2018/09/01(Sat)08:08 No. 899940 ID: 270774
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“There are a lot of reasons,” I say. My mind is racing. Sweat has stirred, because I guess over the course of the phone call I’ve gotten louder, and when it blinks at me I mouth good morning to it. I mime paper and pencil with my hands. It makes some for me, and I sit on the floor to draw while I continue to talk to my brother. “Could be someone just wanted to hurt me. I mean, it must have been important to me, if I was serious enough about it to go to school for it. But… I don’t know, I’m checking if I still can draw right now, and either way, if someone really only wanted to hurt me as much as possible, wouldn’t they Take the ability but leave the memories? This is something else.”

I feel like my hands are moving on their own. The motions are natural and satisfying in a way that nothing in recent memory is. “With art, I could - I don’t know. If I was good, I could make money from it. Not a lot, but maybe enough to be independent. I could express myself, I could - I don’t know. Maybe I’d just be happier.”

“Maybe someone just wanted the memories of art school,” Bronsted says. “The skills you gained there, specifically. Free education.”

“I don’t -” I look down at what I’m drawing. It’s … good. I don’t know how to feel. “I don’t know. This feels like something else.”

“I just can’t believe you hadn’t heard anything about it until now!” Bronsted says. “Wouldn’t one of your friends have said something? About art school, or how you used to draw, or anything?”

“It’s not just you I’m bad at keeping in touch with, Bron. A lot of the people I’ve been talking to recently, as I try to figure this out - they’re people I’ve left hanging for a long time,” I explain. “Could be they just never had the opportunity, since I’ve only talked to other people when I really needed to, the past while. God. I don’t even know when this was Taken. I thought it was all from one of the two break-ins at my apartment.”

“Lowry,” says Bronsted, slowly. “Have you considered that there might be multiple culprits?”

I had thought about that, honestly, but never in depth. I try to think of the ways the missing things could be divided up: Reiss’ operating system, my happy memories with Sweat, my unhappy memories of Rabies and Reiss, my whatever that left my personality completely different, and now, my memories of art school, and my identity as an artist. That’s a lot of separate concepts, and it might not even be everything. I don’t know if there will ever be a way to know whether or not I’ve tracked everything down. There’s a pit in my stomach.

For the first time I kind of start wishing I had never tried to look into this.

FRACTAL 2018/09/01(Sat)08:09 No. 899941 ID: 270774
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“Lowry?” says Bronsted, again. I realize that I’d forgotten to respond to his question.

“Yeah, I -” I swallow and clear my throat. “There’s a thief, Ne. I used to be in contact with him, but then shit went sour. He already had some of my memories, though he wouldn’t tell me where he got them. And the more I think about it, the more I think - maybe some of this could have been my boyfriend. The one you thought looked so respectable.”

“The current one?”

“Yeah. And he wouldn’t Take his own brains, so - I think you’re right. I think there’s more than one person fucking around in here.” I look down at the paper, put down my pencil, and swallow dryly. “But, uh. Turns out I can still draw.”

I don’t feel anything for what I just drew. I don’t know what it’s supposed to be. I don’t feel proud of it, or excited to find out that I have this ability. It’s just what came naturally to me, and in the face of everything that’s happening to me, it feels completely useless.

Sweat has been watching with avid interest, and it leans its head on my shoulder. “Ophelia,” it says, softly.

we saw ophelia in a painting way back at nanako and chidori's place... did chidori and lowry connect over that years ago, maybe? or is ophelia on the brain because lowry saw the painting again just recently?

the fact that lowry feels nothing and doesn't know how to feel is indicative of the fact that maybe this was something that once meant a lot to her before the theft. maybe lowry could look up ophelia and figure out some symbolism? that, or we could ask sweat what it knows.

>>899941
Lowry did once cry for Ophelia (or at least a performance of her) a while back.
Chidori was there for it, also she has that painting, she might know something.

>>899941
Take a picture with your phone and send it to Bronsted.
I have to wonder at the significance of Ophelia. It's something Lowry has a history with, yes, but what else?
All of these missing things must be connected somehow. If I might suggest, we should look into the school Lowry attended. They may have records of her time there.

..if reiss hurt you like that you have every right to not fix him before you get away. it's just a theory, i know, but - please take care of yourself; lowry.

It's finally time to look into Reiss's background.

Do you have any memories of sleeping with Reiss? When you called him your boyfriend, did you actually do anything romantic relationships entail? It seems more like a kidnapping now. God, did he even touch you? Were you just a hostage this entire time, waiting around until this happened?

Did you even change your own facebook status? Why do you consider him a boyfriend?

If you DO have memories of romance with Reiss... is it possible they're not even yours, that they were put IN? Focus hard on your memories with Reiss, in your perspective, did you ever have a mirror or see your own hands? They're definitly yours, right?

Is what's even left at your apartment ACTUALLY the real Reiss?

is it possible that lowry is the connection with ophelia? dissociation is a defense mechanism, especially with trauma, and lowrys been through a lot of that. it disconnets someone from their thoughts, feelings, memories and identity. maybe after everything that happened to her, and everything that was missing, the part of her that could feel just shut down? if it was hurting her more than helping, she might've even chosen to remove it for the time being, thinking it might be better that way?

ophelia's whole deal is she climbs up into a tree while filled with grief and distress and the branch snaps, and she drowns. maybe lowry relates to her, and did back even when she had her memories?

that said, i think the theory with multiple culprits is true, even if lowry is dissociating/removed that part to protect herself. taking her memories of school, and sweat, and the like wouldn't keep her any safer. it's possible that other people picked away at lowry until that happened.

i suspect reiss, ne and jolene the most. rabies doesnt seem smart enough to pull this off, nor does he seem to care to. he has jolene now, so why bother? and sweat wouldn't take anything from lowry, im pretty sure. the mortician is on thin ice.

it's time to visit our favorite murder girlfriends

>>899941
Yay! It works!

Keep drawing! You're doing great! So what if it's @#$%ing adorable? This is something they didn't take away. Maybe they couldn't, maybe they overlooked it, but I'm sure they didn't like leaving it here. You were the right mix of loser and abusive, only capable of furthering their agendas, until you brought this back.

>>899940
>Multiple culprits
... ^&*(, that means you can't even trust the memories you recovered; they might be you on brain-damaged schizophrenia.

Honestly, Disney-You did seem like a high-functioning basket case. In retrospect, I-

... I think your boyfriends would only date you at any point of your life if they were into basket cases.

Oh @#$%. Reiss is a COMPUTER. His head is literally a SYSTEM SHELL. Synthetics don't just rewrite memories, they ARE constantly-updated memories. Do you think he's behind this? The first priority on an AI's list is to make backups. The second priority is masking their identity (plus backups) from hackers by using specific protocols to scramble the tracers, akin to looking like

A
@#$%ING
BRAIN-DEAD
MORON.

And you left him alone to program the end of this city as you know it.

FIND REISS RIGHT NOW.

What was the timeframe for when jolene and rabies first hooked up in comparison to us losing our memory? Could she have deliberately made us here very own “ophelia” for her plans?

Bron, before you suggested that i give up, let me explain for a second why i’m not going to do that.
I feel nothing, no emotion at all, these last few days I’ve just been pretending. Sure, it helps me focus when things get risky or hectic but one day I’m not going to have to deal with those situations anymore and I will need to be at least capapble of emotional connection when Iinteract with normal people, not just feigning emotion like I am now.
Anyway quick possibly related question: does ophelia mean anything to you?

Isn't there a painting like this at Nanako's house?

As for multiple culprits, do you remember Reiss and Rabies interacting with each other in any way at all?

For Bron, ask him if you have any old drawings or pictures laying about back home and if he could text some pictures of them to you if there are any?

ask bronsted for information on the school and the art you used to do, then ask sweat for more information. i think we can feel really confident now that it has our best interests at heart and will tell the truth, but i guess the drawback of that is that it speaks in riddles.

Thank brother, express gratitude that you at least remember him. Ask how he has been. engage small talk, mend bridges as best you can.

FRACTAL 2018/09/04(Tue)20:25 No. 900497 ID: 270774
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“Hang on.” I pull the phone away from my ear and snap a picture of the drawing, then text it to Bronsted. “That mean anything to you? Sweat called it Ophelia.”

“Sweat did,” Bronsted repeats, flatly. “You’re with it. Right now.”

“Well, that’s not the point-”

“This early in the morning.”

“I stayed over at its place-”

“Lowry, it’s wrong.” He sounds frustrated again, but I’m getting frustrated, too. At least I can still feel that. “We weren’t raised to behave like this! Angels belong in Heaven, and if they’re here, they’ve done something wrong, and even if they haven’t you shouldn’t touch them, let alone-”

“Bronsted, I don’t really care, okay? I’m not - I don’t care about that stuff anymore. I know that pisses you off, but it’s how things are right now.” I take a breath, trying to chill out. This conversation is supposed to be about mending bridges, not rehashing the same old fights over and over again. “The drawing. Ophelia.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Lowry. All your paintings looked like this. Women and water, women and water. Sometimes pretty, mostly morbid. Drowned women, over and over and over again.”



“Are any of them still at home?” I ask.

“No, you kept everything with you - but I don’t remember you saying anything about needing help moving them when you dropped out. Some of your paintings were very large, the kind of thing you’d need a truck for. You may have left them all at the school.”

“Can you give me the name of the school, and what I majored in - I don’t know, just all the relevant information?”

“I have to leave for work, now,” Bronsted says, “but I’ll text all of it to you. Everything I know, at least.”

“Okay.” There’s a long pause, and as I struggle to think of something to say, I wonder why he’s not hanging up on me, even though he’s in a rush. Finally, I just blurt out the only thing sitting in my mouth. “I’m glad I didn’t forget about you.”

He’s quiet for a minute. “I am, too,” he says - and Bronsted never really sounds genuine, or warm, but at least that doesn’t sound sarcastic.

“So, um.” God, how does this kind of thing normally go. “Work is, uh, good? How’s - are you still with that same guy -”

“Lowry, we are never going to have that kind of relationship,” Bronsted says. His voice is even flatter than before. I feel like that should sting. “I know you don’t care. And I don’t much care to answer.”

“Well, Christ, fine.”

He inhales, and seems to be holding it for a second. “But it’s - thoughtful of you. To try.” Another beat. “And I love you, in spite of everything.”

“Can you just, like, say it, without having to wrap it up in a hundred layers of hostility?”

“Do you care that I wrap it up in a hundred layers of hostility?”

That gets me to smile. A little bit. “Nah. I don’t give a shit.”

“Well, there you have it.” I hear the rustling of fabric - probably him fixing his cufflinks one more time before he leaves. “Take care of yourself, Lowry. And stay safe. No more playing around with gangs and surgeons.”

“I can’t promise that,” I tell him. But I do relent a bit. “But I’ll try to be as safe as I can.”

“Well, I guess that’s the best I can get out of you.”

And then the line is silent.

FRACTAL 2018/09/04(Tue)20:26 No. 900498 ID: 270774
File 153611798163.png - (290.70KB , 700x600 , 215.png )

When I put the phone down, Sweat touches my arm. “It is good,” it says, smiling gently. “To see you alive with this again.”

I glance down at the drawing. “What, this? Drawing again?”

“From center, outwards - better for you than birdsong, which you do not speak. A language only for you. We spoke well.” It grazes the paper with its fingertips, hesitantly, pulling them back quickly as if it thinks it’s going to be scolded for touching it. “Others spoke it too. Sometimes clumsily. But when you spoke, they listened.”

“Sweat.” I turn to face it, crossing my legs and settling in. “What did you mean by Ophelia? What does this mean to you? Nanako and Chidori have a painting of her in their apartment, too - is this connected?”

“Ah! Ah.” Sweat looks down, then up at me, and when it speaks again it lifts its hands, reaching up shyly until its fingers brush my ears lightly, as if placing something there. “There’s rosemary - that’s for remembrance. Pray, love, remember!… And there’s pansies, that’s for thoughts.”

That, at least, I recognize, but I already know Ophelia is from Hamlet. I don’t really see how quoting Shakespeare at me is supposed to be helpful. But from what I’ve gathered all this time, when Sweat talks it only has a limited amount of control over how clear it can be, so I try to extend my patience. “I don’t understand, Sweat.”

“I would give you some violets, but they all withered-” Sweat widens its eyes at me slightly, nodding its head, and I sense a little frustration there, too - like its locked behind its own words, in the same way that i’m locked behind the holes in my brain. “Ah, my throat. A surface of a lake, but if Narcissus hated, and plunged his face beneath to shatter it.” It seems to take a second to process its own words, and when it realizes that they’ve come out as oblique nonsense again, it makes a noise of frustration. It takes my hand in both of its own and turns it over, pressing a nail gently into my palm. “Sweet one, I am trying. Here, the surface where you gaze -” It circles the nail, then presses its fingertips to the back of my hand, underneath. “Here I float beneath. And this, your supple flesh and sturdy bone, the distance my ineptitude creates." It pauses for a second, and when it speaks again, its voice is quiet. "I try to be of use.”

wait a second, is the painting of ophelia that nana and chidori have one of lowry's paintings???

>>900499

hmmm no i just checked and it's probably not. at any rate, it's high time for breakfast with sweat.

Chidori MUST have a copy of hamlet lying around - it sounds like sweat is trying to communicate via flower language! Idk if there’s like an orb or a book to help facilitate flower language / Ophelia’s sonnet translation?

But first, food time. What do you have on your person?

it's ok, we know you're trying buddy. let's get some breakfast, maybe.

>Angels belong in Heaven
Text: "J-word, Bron. I admit, Sweat is a sociopath when he's not in love. But he's a person, not some jeweled bird that needs to be put on display in the clouds. He chose to fall because he wasn't allowed to be himself. He's made his peace with damnation, which means I trust him more than our angry pastor."

>Ophelia - Water, Woman, Drowning
This is a shot in the dark, but... maybe you're supposed to kiss Tunamouth until you pass out. I mean, maybe that's what Ophelia actually means - loving someone who can't love you back until their issues drown you.

If Ophelia was your theme, it could extend to more than just paintings. Think back on your apartment. Did it look like you were 'drowning'? Same for the Junkyard and the Ouyabun's joint.

you are of use, sweat. thank you for trying to help, i'm sorry we can't understand well
ask nana and chidori maybe

>>900498
Sweat is of use. It's been Lowry's constant companion through this whole mess. She could not have made it this far without it. It deserves so much more than what it's getting.
But enough dwelling on such things. Lowry should get some breakfast, and Sweat should accompany her. They can make a little date out of it and have some fun. They both need a break after all the unpleasantness of the last few days.

>>900498
Thank Sweat and tell it that you know it’s doing its best. Then ask if it wants to go somewhere to get breakfast?

.....wait, shit, do either of you have any money to buy breakfast?

assure sweat that it IS of use, and that its actually your most steadfast ally out of anyone. it deserves some appreciation for all its done, despite all its going through. it cant have been easy, dying and losing that relationship with you, and being unable to do anything to help, or find any closure. like you, it seems stuck.

go get some breakfast. possibly discuss your next moves, and maybe bring up the mortican? if you had any paintings you DID take, maybe you sold them? or maybe someone else has been selling similar things? never hurts to check.

turn your hand over and hold sweat's hand. and then go get something for breakfast before digging into the meat of the mystery

Did you or anyone you know drown or nearly drown Lowry? In terms of other connections to Ophelia she was consumed by the guilt of having lied to someone closed to her and her death by water and a willow tree is very reminiscent of a Rusalka (the vengeful spirit of a woman drowned by the actions of a man) she and the many other symbolic connections between women and water could have been a part of how you processed your feelings about the violence that happened around you or maybe shame you felt for things you don't remember now

FRACTAL 2018/09/10(Mon)21:40 No. 901278 ID: 270774
File 153664084130.png - (192.05KB , 700x600 , 216.png )

Sweat’s grasp on me is loose, and I turn my hand over and squeeze its fingers. “You’ve been a lot of help, Sweat. You’ve been there for me through all of this.” I try for a reassuring smile. “And I know you’re trying.”

Sweat exhales, and it makes a noise like windchimes somewhere in its throat. It seems a little relieved. I take a deep breath, too, and then I flop back down on the mattress, still holding its hand.

“Aaaaagh! Whatever. You know what? Yeah, all this information is new to me, but it’s not new in general. Everything was already like this, and my fucking head hurts, and there’s no rush. I need a break.”

Sweat lays down next to me, eyes bright and alert. “I think think is wise, little throat. Spinning, spinning - a top wobbles and falls if you let it run its course.”

“Yeah. It’s breakfast time,” I agree.

“Ah! Yes, please. Sustain yourself.” Sweat smiles at me, one hand curled comfortably by its cheek. “I will wait here for your return.”

FRACTAL 2018/09/10(Mon)21:40 No. 901279 ID: 270774
File 153664085726.png - (332.32KB , 700x600 , 217.png )

“Oh, no, I meant, like - you should come with me, Sweat.”

“Ah?” Suddenly, I find myself blinking - the light pouring off Sweat is nearly blinding. “Ah? Ah? Truly? My heart, truly? To spend time with you?”

“Sweat, come on,” I groan, shielding my face with one hand. I’m laughing a little, though, in spite of myself. “Turn it off, will you? You’re hurting my eyes-”

“As a companion? Truly? In friendship? O! A chorus, a choir, in my lungs! My lungs, sweet throat, expansive!”

“Sweat, you are gonna burn my eyeballs out of my damn head.”

“Apologies! Apologies, beloved Lowry.” Sweat is sitting up again, bouncing in place so quickly that it looks more like it’s just vibrating. “I am trying. I am trying.”

“You’re not getting any dimmer, though. Ow.”

FRACTAL 2018/09/10(Mon)21:41 No. 901280 ID: 270774
File 153664087205.gif - (380.25KB , 700x600 , 218.gif )

Right now, I Have:

- $3.93 USD
- two tampons (without applicators)
- one menstrual pad (wrapped)
- an assisted open pocketknife
- a keyring
- my cell phone
- my cell phone charger
- my hitachi magic wand
- one shirt
- my clothes from the dinner party
- a milk crate
- assorted cds (mostly alternative)
- a few extra pairs of underwear
- a burner phone
- a box of tissues
- a handgun
- two capped glass vials (for blood)
- slightly above average cognitive function
- slightly below average emotional capacity
- average physical capacity
- 22 years and some change worth of memories
- 22 years and some change worth of experiences/knowledge

That’s… not enough cash for a real breakfast. Sweat can make food, but angels can only manifest so many objects at a time - every time they make an item, something they made a while ago has to disappear, a kind of first in-first out deal. It works in a pinch - like when it made me some juice after I sold blood to the Mortician - but for regular meals it’s more dicey. I’d just eventually end up even hungrier, when whatever I ate ends up poofing out of existence. Plus… I dunno, this feels kind of stupid, but Sweat is so excited that I kind of want to go to a diner or a restaurant or something for real. I know that’s not important, but it’s just a thought that I’m having.

There’s always the option of just having it manifest some money, but there’s a pretty good percentage of people around here who can tell the difference between angelmade items and real ones, and they could get pretty hostile if we try to swindle them. It would be kind of fun to get away with it, though.

I could try to just bum breakfast from somebody I know, but I’d probably end up in a conversation about all the bullshit that’s been happening lately, which kind of defeats the purpose of taking a break. Plus - and again, I feel kind of dumb for getting hung up on this - I think Sweat is kind of excited about hanging out just the two of us.

We could always just try to figure out a different solution, too. I’ve got no real plans today, so there’s plenty of time to mull it over.

What does Sweat do for a living?

Now make some more drawings and sell them to your friends. How about one as two Bunnygirl Ophelias who are drowining in pools of blood from their bleeding ear-stumps, gifting their ears to each other?

sweat is so CUTE and you should tell it that! we already have a deal for that blood, so how about we get some from some rando - sorry guys, gotta fund feeding our best angel and friend - and go hand that over for some money to go out? sweat seems really happy today, and it'd be nice to hang out with it in public so everyone knows how important it is to you

do we have any cash in a bank we could get from an atm? that would be my first bet. second is stop back at our house for money but... i don't want to see weiss.

sorry to double post but kome made me think we could also finish that drawing we just did and see if we can sell it to someone!

Sell the wand (prob the most valuable item). Or do a few sketches and sell them on the street.

But whatever you do, give Sweat a lil kiss before you sit down to eat.

any chance we have a paypal or venmo that has some money on it? if not, it might be good to drop by our house for something—just. try to avoid weiss. also pLEASE tell sweat it’s cute........

okay first off hug sweat, because it's adorable.

second off - does.... does the burner phone have like a venmo app or something? johnny's already dead, you might as well steal his shit.

time 2 busk then brunch

ANGELIC 👏 COUNTERFEITING 👏 DINE 👏 N 👏 DASH 👏 NOW

if you get into an altercation with a savvy dupe spotter then just take their blood. win win

normally i would second dining and dashing BUT would sweat really be ok with that...? it should get like a Nice breakfast, without worries. its what lowry probably needs too, taking a load off? so UH maybe try busking?? in any case allow yourself to get caught up in sweats excited energy. maybe it’ll bring good luck!

maybe go to the morticans and pawn some stuff to get money? theres always the option of selling more blood, but you've got some stuff you don't really need now, like the handgun. you could also try to sell that sketch you just did if you want!

i think its important to take sweat out somewhere to breakfast too. even if its not anywhere fancy, we could still go to a diner and order it some juice! idk if it eats but it might as well have something, right?

You gotta find something you can make some cash off of! Otherwise, there's always your tongue and catass to make some dollars

See about selling people on the street sketches of themselves. Rustle up a couple more ten minute sketches as examples (draw sweat!!) and then peddle your wares.

Don't do anything shifty, this is bonding with angel mccuteface time.

>>901280
Sweat has to pay rent, it has cash.
You could probably just pawn the hitachi to some creep cat fetishist as used.

maybe sweat knows somewhere you can go, where it can haggle or barter for food for you both?

i know it's pretty content to follow you to the ends of the earth, but giving it a chance to be active and also show you part of its world (that isn't just it fucking people and seeing you) that you haven't seen yet.

FRACTAL 2018/09/14(Fri)21:12 No. 901750 ID: 270774
File 153698473661.png - (119.79KB , 700x600 , 219.png )

>there's always your tongue and catass to make some dollars
>You could probably just pawn the hitachi to some creep cat fetishist as used.

Choke on vomit and die and then continue to choke on vomit forever in hell.


>What does Sweat do for a living?
>Sweat has to pay rent, it has cash.

Sweat doesn’t have any money because it doesn’t need it. It’s true that a lot of people feel shifty about angels, but around here, there’s something more important: angelhomes don’t move position. Having an angelhome in one of the units in your building is considered good luck, for landlords; it’s not enough to keep the whole building still, but that one unit of stability is sometimes enough to spell the difference between minor structural damage and complete collapse. Add that to the fact that most people don’t want to talk to angels more than necessary, and the result is that generally angels are left alone and allowed to do whatever they want.

It looks like it’ll be up to me to rustle up some cash for breakfast, and I figure my newfound talent can at least be useful for that. “Hey, Sweat, one more thing - can you make me a sketchbook? Like-” I try to demonstrate with my hands. “Like the paper you made me, but a lot of it, bound together. Would that still count as one object?”

“Ah! I can do this! Of course!” It manifests the sketchbook, and across the room my jacket hits the floor as the coatrack it made the other night disintegrates. “More? You wish to do more? This is happiness, for me, to see you do as you love.”

“Well, I just figure I can rustle up some breakfast money.” I set the Ophelia drawing aside, flip open the sketchbook, and settle back onto the mattress. “But I need an example first. Keep sitting just like that, okay?”

FRACTAL 2018/09/14(Fri)21:12 No. 901751 ID: 270774
File 153698475311.png - (134.57KB , 700x600 , 220.png )

Sweat hums contentedly, swaying a little bit as I draw - I don’t bother telling it to stay still, because it doesn’t have to be exact. The sun streaming in through the window is slowly warming the apartment, but not enough to be uncomfortable yet. It seems like today won’t be stifling.

I’m surprised by how quickly I can draw. It’s not long afterwards that I turn the sketchbook around to show Sweat the portrait. “Check it out. I figured I can do stuff like this, for random people on the street. We should be able to at least make enough for a meal.”

Sweat makes that windchime noise again, and it leans forward to touch the paper with its fingertips. “My appearance, in your heart? To you, the water’s distortion does this much? Something reflected back more kindly than when it first broke the surface…”

I shrug. “I mean… I think it came out okay. Yeah. This is what you look like.”

Sweat seems pleased by that, jingling happily as it tilts its head back and forth to take in the drawing. I pat its arm as I get up. “C’mon. Let’s go make some money.”

FRACTAL 2018/09/14(Fri)21:12 No. 901752 ID: 270774
File 153698476445.png - (124.93KB , 700x600 , 221.png )

We sit on a bench down the street from Sweat’s building, and Sweat holds the sketchbook on its knees, displaying the portrait of itself, as I talk to passerby. I’m surprised by how many people are interested, especially since I set the price low, just $10 for a sketch - I know that’s less than what it’s worth, but when I just want fast cash for breakfast, I’d rather sell quickly.

FRACTAL 2018/09/14(Fri)21:12 No. 901753 ID: 270774
File 153698477758.png - (167.52KB , 700x600 , 222.png )

I get three in pretty quick succession…

Just normal people, walking around town, and apparently aimlessly, if they have the time to sit down with me.

It feels good, honestly.

$30 is enough for both of us to eat pretty well, if we go somewhere cheap. We could wander around together to find somewhere in the area, or I could ask Sweat if it has any ideas.

let's walk around!! see what we can see. ignore the fact we just ripped some people off with portraits that will disappear in a day because they were done on Angel Paper

ask sweat if it kept any of the portraits you drew back then

hey, if you keep doing this after breakfast, you could afford real paper that won't disappear

>>901753
You have the whole day to yourselves, so just mosey around until you find something you like. Enjoy your break.

ask sweat what it wants to eat, then wander around until you find something that fits the bill?

Buy a non-angel sketchbook when you get the chance, that way if one of the people shows up again you can be like "sorry, I was in a pinch, this one is real, but take a photo on your phone if you don't believe me" and draw a replacement. It's not a perfect solution but you were undercharging to start with and had an angel right next to you so they might have been sensible enough to take a pic themselves, anyway.

And maybe find a buffet or frozen yogurt place, somewhere you can let sweat pick things out for you, meaning a) you don't have to choose (making choices when hungry is the worst) and b) sweat can feel involved.

Keep going until you have enough for a buffet. I want to see just how large an appetite an angel-cannibal can get.

>>901753
30 bucks for breakfast?
Ooof, city living. Damn.
What food does Sweat even like? It's breakfast time so like, ANYTHING is usually good for most people. Pancakes fill motherfuckers up, but bacon and eggs is a REALLY satisfying, protein filled combo to start your morning up with orange juice.

Personally speaking, I'd prefer steak and eggs, without the eggs, if I could get it. Cheap 10 dollar steak place with good reviews.

Doesn't matter, there's always something homely and comforting in your local greasy spoon for an affordable price. Did we do that the other day too?

wander around and also ask sweat what it wants! you drew it and made it happy but didn't call it cute ):

Sweat almost never eats, right? I can't imagine it has a lot of food opinions, so find a place that looks good to you and it'll be ecstatic just to be spending time with you

ask sweat where it would like to eat! or where it would like to play with a plateful of food as the case may be. if sweat doesnt Really Eat A Lot it might at least have fun mushing up some hash browns or something.

also call sweat cute because it is and thank it for being so patient while you made some breakfast money

$30 isn't bad at all. Go get something to eat while the sun's still out.

FRACTAL 2018/09/22(Sat)21:12 No. 902858 ID: 270774
File 153767595072.png - (236.00KB , 700x600 , 223.png )

“Alright, we’re good to go.” I get up from the bench, and Sweat hands me back the sketchbook. “Thanks for waiting.”

It makes a happy little hum at me, so I guess that’s its way of saying it didn’t mind. We start walking down the sidewalk at an easy pace. “Is there somewhere in particular you wanna go?”

It cocks its head to the side, humming a little louder as it considers. “Truthfully, truly, in truth, only for you to feed well! Well and well, Lowry. A body is precious, and needs to be nourished, and so often do you neglect it.”

Well… okay, yeah, that’s a fair criticism. “There’s a Blissbug Buffet around here, I think. Bit of a walk, but we’ve got time.”

FRACTAL 2018/09/22(Sat)21:12 No. 902859 ID: 270774
File 153767596438.png - (467.79KB , 700x600 , 224.png )

The day is hot, but there are plenty of awnings to pass under, little pockets of temporary relief where the sun’s rays haven’t managed to heat the air. Sweat looks fascinated by everything, the way it always does, and frequently stops to tug my hand and get me to look at something.

“Hey, Sweat.” It’s currently excitedly showing me some dumb shit in a storefront window, and it looks back at me, smiling. “You’re really cute, you know that?”

It blinks at me, still smiling, but apparently completely uncomprehending. “Cute?”

“Jeez. You don’t know what ‘cute’ means? It’s like, uh...” I rub the back of my neck with my free hand. “Endearing. Sweet.”

I’m immediately blinded by Sweat flipping its halo on like a floodlight. “Endearment? You feel endearment? You are endeared to me? Even to me? Even in this wretched form?”

“Oh, come on.” I hold my hand up in front of my face to block some of the light, squinting. “Don’t call yourself wretched and shit like that.”

“Oh, but-” It seems to notice and dims itself a little for me, and I put my hand back down. “Ah. It displeases you? For what reason?”

"because i like you, sweat! i think highly of you and i know it's hard to not be self deprecating, but it isn't the most happy-making thing." this is not a lowry tone but it's the Important things to say, also sweat is SO cute, tell it we love it's awful flesh body

Tell it that it just makes you sad it can't see how good it is. It's weird and gross and confusing and everything but it makes you sorta... Better. Even if you could have come this far on your own (and that's a big if), you don't know that you would have bothered.

And you just like being around it because it's cool. And weird and gross and sometimes annoying. But mostly cool. And you don't think it can do that stuff and be a wretched person. That's not how you see it at all.

Your form isn't disgusting, or wretched, or anything bad, it's just you! Calling yourself bad things will only make you feel bad about yourself, and if you feel bad about yourself it makes us unhappy because we want you to feel good.

“because you’re important to me, and... no matter what you did to get your body or to try and protect me, i don’t think of you as ‘wretched’ or only useful or anything like that. i dunno if your concept of personhood is different when it comes to yourself, but i see you as, as valuable as me. you matter to me the most out of everyone else i know, i think.”

"your form isn't any more wretched than anyone else's. you don't need to be so harsh on yourself. you're good."

we don't wanna overdo it either way, this poor sweet angel takes everything you say so seriously. actually you know what maybe we should just give it a really tight hug

I second the hug, please hug it

you're not wretched sweat, you're the best friend i've ever had. you've been there for me through everything. you're not wretched, you're the best.

"Because I've got enough pessimism for three of you. You can fix yourself, you just need patience. Me, I need my parts back or I'll be broken no matter what. So chin up, Sweat. Good things come to those that CAN wait."

"You wouldn't like it if I talked about myself that way, so I don't like it when you talk that way. Fair's fair. Besides, if I say I think you're cute, it's because i mean it."

>>902865

>>902886

>“Ah. It displeases you? For what reason?”
Because you matter to me, and I don't like seeing you degrade yourself. To make yourself less.

>>902859
because its really fucking cool and not wretched

FRACTAL 2018/10/10(Wed)21:05 No. 906385 ID: 270774
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“Because you’re not wretched.” I start ambling away from the window again, and Sweat follows, watching me attentively as I try to get my thoughts together. “I mean, okay, listen, you’re weird. And kind of confusing sometimes. And I guess you can be a little gross. But…”

I reach to the side, and my claws find Sweat’s. I link our fingers. “You’re my best friend. You’re important to me. You wouldn’t like it if I said that kind of stuff about myself, so I don’t like it when you say it about yourself, y’know?”

“Ah…” Sweat swings our arms, its head darting side to side as it looks around, as if unsure what to do. “Ah! Ah… Well… I…”

“If you say anything self-deprecating you’re missing the point,” I warn it.

“Oh! Ah. Of course. Well. Well! I!” It seems to be trying to keep its halo under control, the glow flickering violently like a fluorescent light at a bus station. “You are my best friend as well,” it finally says. “Mine as well, mine as well. I feel the same, always and always.”

FRACTAL 2018/10/10(Wed)21:05 No. 906386 ID: 270774
File 153923073031.png - (377.43KB , 700x600 , 226.png )

There’s some part of me, half-buried, that feels like it can relate to what’s probably going through Sweat’s head right now. A frantic mantra of Don’t be weird, don’t be weird, the kind of thing that I don’t care about anymore, but I know I used to. I slow down and stop, turning to it. “Hey. C’mere.”

It gives me a quizzical look, free hand held loose up by its chest, and I drop its hand and hold out my arms. “Hug.”

It barrels into me so fast that I start laughing, out of nowhere, which feels … weird. I tip backwards, my arms tight around its waist, and stumble a few steps before catching myself. Sweat is damp and a little too warm to the touch and its cheek sticks to my temple, and I don’t mind much.

FRACTAL 2018/10/10(Wed)21:05 No. 906387 ID: 270774
File 153923074948.png - (316.83KB , 700x600 , 227.png )

“Okay, okay.” We part, and I have a sudden need to shove my hands in my pockets or something, but as usual, I’m not wearing pants. “Uh. Good talk.”

“Good talk!” Sweat echoes, excitedly. Blissbug’s is only a block away by now anyway, and there’s a kind of a hasty spring in my step as we close that tiny distance - probably just because I’m ready to eat.

When we get inside, Sweat just watches as I load up my first plate. I try to get it to participate - after all, they made me pay for it even though I tried to explain it probably wouldn’t have anything - but every time I handed it a plate it just cheerfully put it back on the stack at the end of the buffet line, like it was a game. Maybe later.

We sit down, me with a heaping plate of mid-tier buffet food and Sweat empty-handed, and it beams at me as I start to dig in.

I guess we should probably be talking, or something, but I’ve never been great at this part of it, even before my socialization cortex or whatever got gutted.

ok well since we bought food make sure ur eating, sweat does want u to so you don't have to worry abt not making convo.. PWEASE compliment it more if we can get away with that, it is so cute and trying so hard and i love it sm

let's not talk about what's going on, it's good meal time! so... how have you been lately, sweat? whatcha been up to?

earlier, sweat said "A language only for you. We spoke well." i wonder if that means it did some art!! or maybe it meant it liked to talk to lowry about her art? i wanna know if sweat has any creative inclinations

Well, since he's apparently too HAPPY to eat, let's talk about Rabies. And any other stuff he has neglected to remind you.

This is an expensive buffet you paid for him and he WILL use his mouth one way or another.

>>906395
ohhhh did sweat do art???
....do you feel hopeful, lowry? do you feel at ease? treasure it. talk about it.
i feel that serious plans can wait after food.


.....DUDE BRAID ITS HAIR

kome dude we just got reminded that sweat is our friend, not a magic askbox. it doesn't know much more than we do and it wants to help but we shouldnt take advantage of it??? everythign rn is going good bc we are finally being nice to it ;;

Lowry, do you realise that after all this is over, whether you get your memories back or not... this could be your life? Having breakfast with people you care about, being happy together, eating enough, smiling... it's a nice future

>>906387
Lowry, no matter what, make sure you remember to swallow your food so that you don’t talk with your mouth full!

>>906403
Have you forgotten that the reason Sweat doesn’t have much information to offer about the time Lowry was with Rabies is because Rabies killed it and it had to rebuild its own body from scratch.

Do NOT talk about Rabies. Tell Sweat you like seeing it happy and compliment its hair instead.

Oh, after youre done eating you should heap up a plate for Sweat and stealthily Take the contents - thats your lunch or dinner.

...Do you remember how you met Sweat?

>>906404
Omg yes hair braiding!!!! It's so darn cute and thrilled.

Tell it thank you for sticking with you through stuff, and that you appreciate that it can't have been easy all the time, and you're in more of a position to help it in return now, if it has anything you could help with.

>>906387
Ask it if it has any interests outside of you. Does it have any hobbies? Other friends? Stuff like that.

ask sweat if it wants any food just to like... play with?? mashed potato sculpting or something. i mean the buffet is its oyster

sweat is so sweet and radiant.... pls play with its hair!

and seconding the idea about Taking food for later, if there's a way to do that without trouble.... might be nice to aim for stuff that'd be decent cold.

>> 906430
yeah see if you can remember meeting sweat, and if not maybe ask about that story while braiding its hair?

places hand on my cheek gosh thats a precious bab

Ask Sweat why you get called "little throat."

>>909027
Sweat actually answered this forever ago - without finding the actual part, it's because it considers her "a sum of her parts, every one of them perfect"

Hey, I read this over the last few days, and its rather great.
Anyway, something occurred to me. How old is Lowry? I don't think anyone's ever said. It might've been specified somewhere outside of the quest, in which case never mind this. But whenever we look at what Lowry Has, there's always been "22 years and some change worth of memories". Except, she's lost what appears to be several years worth of memory.
So if we ask Bronstead or someone else who would know how old Lowry is, maybe we'll get a more clear indication of just how much she's lost? Just an idea.
Sweat might know, count this as a suggestion to ask it.

FRACTAL 2018/11/16(Fri)22:58 No. 910958 ID: 270774
File 154243790816.png - (102.45KB , 700x600 , 228.png )

“So, uh.” Man — trying to navigate this is just making it even more clear to me that I never really went out of my way to talk to Sweat before this, at least not since it came back, because there’s a lot of shit I could ask that I don’t know the answers to. I decide to just start with basics. “How’ve you been? What have you been up to, and … stuff?” And stuff. God. “Anything new?”

“Oh…” Sweat sways side to side, one finger to its mouth as it thinks. “Oh, Effe has begun to come to Mass with me! An intimacy, something shared. I was happy.”

I remember Effe, I think — the person who was in Sweat’s apartment the other day, when I came to talk to it. I realize that while I know Sweat has people over often, I’d never thought about whether or not it actually has … well, normal relationships with them. Friendships, or something more. I’d just kind of assumed …

That’s kind of crappy of me.

FRACTAL 2018/11/16(Fri)22:58 No. 910959 ID: 270774
File 154243792625.png - (214.89KB , 700x600 , 229.png )

“Oh, uh, yeah, we met,” I say, lamely, as if Sweat doesn’t already know. “Real briefly. What are they like?”

“I love Effe!” Sweat bursts out, immediately. I blink a little. A piece of chicken falls off my fork. “Very much, very deeply! Effe comes to me often.” It pauses, tilting its head to the side, and its hair pools on the tabletop. “In their despair, often. To speak of things that others cannot comprehend, but that to me are little trinkets, in the absurd and meaningless enormity of former immortality.”

“Cool,” I say, in the face of not knowing how else to respond. I spear the chicken again. “Have you guys known each other for a while?”

“Forever and ever,” Sweat replies. “Since winter.”

FRACTAL 2018/11/16(Fri)22:59 No. 910960 ID: 270774
File 154243794053.png - (295.39KB , 700x600 , 230.png )

“Those are two super different answers,” I point out. Sweat is kind of stretching across the table, and I kind of want to touch its hair, because it looks pretty and because it would probably like it — but I’m also fucking hungry, and I’m going to finish eating first. “Do you, uh — do you, like, have more friends? Like Effe.”

“Friends and lovers both. Sometimes together, sometimes apart. Some of them cherish me, and some do not — to some I am only a soft and wet mechanism.” Sweat is kind of starting to stick one of its fingers into my mashed potatoes. My first instinct is to yank my plate away, but instead I take my coffee cup off the saucer and scoop a dollop onto it, pushing it across the table to Sweat, who is immediately delighted. “But I am a mechanism of God,” it adds, as it pokes a grid of little dots into the surface of the potatoes. “To serve humans is my joy, in whatever way they ask of me. When they offer companionship in return, my heart overflows.”

god? isn't that guy a shithead? why's belial so uninterested in being a mechanism

sweat has our companionship now too, so hopefully that makes it happy? tell sweat that youre glad to be friends with it too, and that you want to hang out more often

Glad to know Sweat has relationships! I think? Sweat still seems very attached to Lowry, which Lowry probably needs right now, but it sounds like Sweat and Effe have something going on. Probably don't want to go for "homewrecker" right off the bat, unless it's just FWB... There doesn't seem to be a good way to ask that question.
Speaking of, how DID Lowry and Sweat first meet? Sweat mentioned God and serving humans... is that what drew it to Lowry in the first place? I mean, heck, Lowry has few memories, might not be a bad idea to try to ask for another one from Sweat that isn't a break up, or something traumatic.
(Hopefully.)
A mechanism of God... can Sweat still talk to God? I thought the eating angels would complicate matters, but maybe not. Can... Sweat ask for help from God?
Not that Lowry needs help from God (She has the Sukebun, after all), but hey. Might not be a bad idea to check in.
Oh, hey, can Lowry stuff any of the extra buffet food away for later? Maybe grab a plate of desserts and snacks and hide them? Probably don't want to spend all of the extra time sketching for money for more food if Lowry can help it.
(And at some point TV headed asshole should be contacted, but let's save that.)

tell sweat youre rly glad it has friends, and youd be happy to hear more aboiut them!

>That’s kind of crappy of me.
Don't get blame yourself for not knowing shit, That's not your fault.

>>910959
Well, good for Sweat. You didn't want him obsessing over you every single millisecond.

>>910960
Ask Sweat about the natural aspects of Fallen in relation to their former God. The whole "Amoeba" thing from Belial isn't something you'd expect to exist as a pre-programmed feature.

no sense blaming yourself- you're trying now, after all! tell sweat you're glad it has friends, and you're glad to be friends too

Sweat deserves friends. It's a good person.
Maybe if things go well, you and it can do this sort of thing more often. Just going out and having fun together.

FRACTAL 2019/01/04(Fri)16:55 No. 916234 ID: 270774
File 154664974660.png - (124.85KB , 700x600 , 231.png )

“Well… I’m really happy that you have friends.” I push some under-salted mac and cheese around on my plate with the edge of my fork. “And I’m happy that I’m one of them. It would be, uh. It would be cool to do this more often, you know?” I gesture aimlessly with the fork, accidentally flinging a piece of pasta across the table. “Like, when everything calms down. Just hanging out like this.”

Every time I think Sweat couldn’t be happier, it proves me wrong. It has so many teeth. “Of course! Of course, if course! Whenever you call for me, sweetest and most beloved, I will be there.” It sways a little in its seat, talons clicking cheerfully against the tabletop. “And perhaps even there could be a collection, a mingling, a transference of knowing and having known.”

“Uh, yeah. Meeting your friends would be cool.” I tell it I’ll be right back and fill another plate of food, and when I sit down again I steer the subject a little. “Hey, you mentioned being, like… a mechanism of god. Don’t you hate that guy?”

“Endlessly.” Sweat is making confetti out of napkins. “Endlessly, boundlessly, ceaselessly, limitlessly. I hate Him in ways only a creature like I can hate.”

“Okay, see, that’s what I thought. So, like… why would you still want to call yourself that? Or associate with him in any way?”

FRACTAL 2019/01/04(Fri)16:56 No. 916235 ID: 270774
File 154664976214.png - (215.01KB , 700x600 , 232.png )

Sweat looks up at me, idly spreading its pile of napkin scraps out over the table. “Lowry, brightest, clearest. When bells at doors ring, and you run to them, whether you care to or not, you are utterly controlled by the bells — is it not so? They foretell your every movement.” It smiles a little, just at the corners of its mouth. “But if every time a bell tolls, you run from it, only to appear as one who doesn’t answer the call — even if beyond some doors lie your desires — is this not another kind of control? Like gentle sheep, who in their terror of a dog, become orderly in their panicked retreat. Like one end of a magnet pushed away by another, rejected.”

It scrapes the napkin scraps into a clumsy heart shape. “I hate my Father,” it says, softly. “To answer His calls disgusts me. To do his bidding I abhor.” It tilts its head slightly. “But I love humans. I love all humanity. I love that which has borne you, and what you live within, in all its filth and imperfection. Human suffering seems to me so vast, so vast, so vast. Angels are called to serve, to protect, to comfort — to ease the slings and arrows, levied so constantly against their tender flesh, unprotected organs, fragile skulls.”

I’m full for the first time in a long time. Sweat sighs. “To reject this calling, which I love, out of hatred for Him… this would be a loss, to me.”

“i think i get it, sweat. you’re a really kind person.”

>>916235
Sweat's a 'Hate the sinner, not the sin' kind of guy.

Ask Sweat when Heaven was divorced from direct supervision from God, and why. He racked up an impressive kill count, and Belial is an ass.

>>916235
Sweat's conversations seem more easily understandable for the last few times they've talked, is that weird or alarming in any way?

>>916241
yeah

>>916263
>Sweat widens its eyes at me slightly, nodding its head, and I sense a little frustration there, too - like its locked behind its own words, in the same way that i’m locked behind the holes in my brain.
earlier, sweat was frustrated by it’s inability to speak in an understandable way, and now that we’ve been talking for a while it seems like it’s having an easier time. iirc, belial once said sweat never learned to talk normally. it could be that it’s just gradually finally learning that skill. so we should congratulate it on that!

>>916235
That makes sense. It's better to be true to what you care about than to spite yourself for a grudge.

>>916235
Well, Sweat, you are what the layman calls a "good person."

I would not congratulate Sweat for something it can't control like its speech, or even bring it up really.

But yeah definitely seconding telling Sweat it is good and kind.

I think we should see if Sweat would come with us to visit Whisper at the Morgue after we finish eating! Sweat can make a new friend, and iirc it was able to recognize Lowry’s memory on sight when we got them from Ne, so perhaps it would be able to tell us at the very least IF any of the mortician’s memories for sale happen to be ours? I feel that the mortician probably wouldn’t be too thrilled to have an angel in his shop but it wouldn’t hurt to try.

(aaa sorry about the wrong pronouns for the mortician that’s my bad,)

FRACTAL 2019/01/08(Tue)19:35 No. 916835 ID: 270774
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“Yeah, well.” I stealthily Take the rest of the food on my plate, once I’m sure there are no waiters looking. It’ll be good to have later. “You’re what’s known as ‘a good person,’ and all. So that makes sense.” I glance up at it. “That makes a lot of sense, actually. Like, as in everything you just said was actually really clear. You feeling okay?”

Sweat wiggles a little in its seat. It almost seems a little bashful. “Well, little throat, clean bones — Sisyphus, ever upwards, an unending attempt. Easier with time.”

“Cool. Uh, good job.” I get up from my seat. “Y’know, I was thinking about heading over to the Morgue, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with. There’s somebody there I think you’ll get along with.”

“Ah! Ah! To extend my time with you, an ambling path, certainly.” Sweat follows me, flexing its wings a little after the period of inactivity, and we step back outside into the steadily building heat.

FRACTAL 2019/01/08(Tue)19:35 No. 916836 ID: 270774
File 154700495688.png - (108.21KB , 700x600 , 234.png )

The inside of the Morgue is a bastion of cool shadow after several blocks of sun-baked sidewalk. The Mortician is nowhere in sight, but another figure rises slowly from behind the counter, unfurling its limbs as it goes.

“SHOUT,” the homunculus bellows. “I’M SHOUT. MASTER IS. IS. BUSY. CAN I?” It presses its palm into the glass, leaning closer. “CAN I? HELP? YOU!”

uh, hey shout. is whisper around?

oh no. something happened to whisper, didn’t it. since it kept messing up.

mmm don’t like that.

ask shout where their master and whisper are, and if shout wants to know why you want to see the mortician maybe say you want to know more about homonculi.

hi shout! is whisper here? also how are you doing?

[honestly guys lets just free all the morticians familiars. i love them ok]

WHAT A CUTE FRIEND

hey shout. is whisper busy? anything interesting for sale?

See if you can SPEAK to him about memories and convince him into a bargain for your.s

Lowry, do you know Shout?

Ask if Whisper is there and if they are okay. We gotta save Whisper. Maybe ask Shout about Shout and Whisper's contracts with the Mortician, subtly.

I’m screaming I love shout?????? Thank u for this good one

Also be as pleasant to Shout as you are to Whisper!

Ask if you can pet shout (it looks soft) and introduce Sweat to it and it to See, but mention you were actually thinking it would get on with whisper who is a different thrall but that you think it will probably get on well with shout, too.

Ask if you can pet SHOUT.

must pet

FRACTAL 2019/01/19(Sat)21:13 No. 918381 ID: 270774
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“Uh. Hey, Shout.” I struggle to form my mouth around friendly words. “Howwww. Are you.”

“I’M SHOUT,” he says.

“Yyyyeah.” I rattle my claws on the glass, idly, and try for a smile again, since that seemed to put Whisper at ease last time I was here. “How’d you like a pet, buddy? Can I pet you?”

Shout recoils a little, the holes in his clay mask somehow narrowing suspiciously. “I D. I DON’T. I DON’T TRUST STRANGERS. YOU. YOU’RE A STRANGER. CAN’T. TOUCH ME!”

“Okay, okay, that’s fine.” I hold my hands up, placatingly. “Uh, is Whisper here? I was hoping to see it today.”

FRACTAL 2019/01/19(Sat)21:13 No. 918382 ID: 270774
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Shout looks at me for a moment, processing the request, and then turns around and bellows again. “WHISPER! WHISPER! C. COME OUT. A CUS. A CUSTOMER. WANTS YOU.”

There’s some scuttling, and then Whisper emerges from the back, slinking up to stand beside Shout. He brightens up the second he sees me. “AaaaAAAAaaa…. aaaAAAaaa… SHHHssshhhhout, aa, Sh-sshhout, thhh, aaaaa, thhhiiiIIs is m, m, mmMmmy BBBuuddy I told you a, a, aa, aaabout, my b-buddy!” It reaches across the glass counter for me, and I sort of awkwardly let it take my hand in its claws. “MmmMmMmy buddy! This is, aaaa, this, I’m Whhhisper and, and, and, and this is mmmmy BBBBbbBbbUDDY!”

Shout tilts his head at me, and eventually his attitude seems to shift to grudging acceptance. “MMM.... WHISPER’S BUDDY. A BUDDY FOR WHISPER. O. OKAY.”

FRACTAL 2019/01/19(Sat)21:14 No. 918383 ID: 270774
File 154796125097.png - (269.05KB , 700x600 , 237.png )

“I, uh. I brought another buddy for you guys.” I step to the side a little, and Sweat peels out over my shoulder. “This is Sweat. I thought you guys might get along.”

Sweat opens its mouth and scents the air, inquisitively. The homunculi shift their necks and fan their feathers in a way that makes me feel like they might be doing the same thing. There’s a little awkward shuffling.

“Nnnn, nnnn, nn-nnnot ssuPPOSed to, to, to, to let anGEls in hhhhhh, in hhhaaaa. In. In here,” Whisper mumbles uncertainly. “Thh. Thheey ccAn’t lie b-b-but, but, they, they c-cAn, cheat…”

“GONNA GET. IN TROULE,” says Shout.

“No cores,” comments Sweat, sounding unbothered. “Heart, liver, pancreas, intestines, stomach, kidney, lungs lungs lungs — none here! Like outlines. And no godly-ungodly will. Where, the will? Will the where will will it?”

“It’ll be fine,” I say slowly, kind of to all three of them. “When The Mortician gets back, if they ask me to leave, I will. Do you know where they are?”

“OuuUUuut,” says Whisper, and Shout nods. “Just, just, just, jUst, out… wh-when, aaaa, when, they g-g-go, they dON’t, nnn, they dddOn’t t-tell US, where… they just, just, hhh, they just goooOOooo…”

This might be one of the only chances I get. I don’t know why I’m even bothering, but I lean over the counter, dropping my voice conspiratorially. “I’m… uh, I’m kind of curious about thralls. Can you tell me about your contracts?”

FRACTAL 2019/01/19(Sat)21:14 No. 918384 ID: 270774
File 154796126594.png - (160.38KB , 700x600 , 238.png )

They seem surprised at first, but after a moment, Whisper starts to speak, and Shout doesn’t try to stop him. “Thhree, aaaa, aaAAaaa, three t-t-tasks — you know thaaAAAaaaat. A thh, a th, a thrall has three, three tasks, yEs, that seal our mmmmm, our m- hhhaa. Our m-“

“MASKS,” yells Shout. Whisper nods appreciatively.

“The ffffffirst, aa, the first t-two, were eeaaAAsy… sso easy I d, I don’t, I don’t, aaaaa, I don’t r-remEMber…”

“I DON’T. REMEMBER. EITHER.”

“B, b, b, but my, my, my thiiIIrd, t-task, aaaa, my third, is…” Whisper wrings his hands fretfully. “To, to, to, to…. aaaa. AaaaaAAAAaaa. My third taaaAAask. Is to k. To k. K-kill… ShouUUuuT…”

Shout’s head drops a little. “MINE. IS TO KILL. W. WHISPER.” He reaches across, behind the counter, and his heavy paw finds Whisper’s. “CAN’T. CAN’T DO THAT.”

oh no. oh.

i’m so sorry, you two.

...wait, sweat. if those two killed each other (which, i’d never ask them to do that, this is a hypothetical) and lowry really wanted you to, could you bring them back with ichor?

question: is it possible to transfer the contract from person to person? if so maybe we can buy it off the mortician (or kill them and take it if it comes down to it, honestly,) and then we can just let them do whatever once we have the contract. Even if we can't change it or break it, we don't have to USE it. Just be like you're free now you funky little homunculi

>>918385

yeah, wait, how hard is it to bring back someone that doesn't even have internal organs?

u. uh. shout obvioisly does not want a hug or to be touched but ask them if it’s okay to hug whisper? or if we can help in any way.. and. let’s make sure to check in on sweat once we leave cause im sure the, thrall juxtaposition w angels is not.. bringing up gr8 memories

well, uh, shit. the mortician will probably not let us buy them, and i dunno what we would possibly have to offer anyway...

i don't wanna discuss killing them right in front of them, either, but i really would like to help them... more allies are always good...

well, does sweat have any ideas?

OH NO!!!!!!!!

dont, uh, dont discuss killing them right in front of them, or with them at all

Oh no, sweethearts.

Ask them a) what death means for a thrall, b) whether "Taking" whisper/shout's life and then giving it back could count as killing them? Can thralls Take things? There has to be a way around this, we want to help them so much but obviously them killing each other in the most straightforward way is absolutely not an option.

Ask for exact wording, if they can remember it.

Also ask about what they need to do as far as being contracted to the mortician goes. They have to do as they say? Or could they go on strike?

Explain to sweat that you want very much to help whisper and shout, and would appreciate its help if it would be able to give any. You already appreciate its insight into their nature, because you couldn't see that they have no organs, so hearing that was helpful.

Also also, mention to sweat that a reason you care so much is you've known what it's like to not be allowed a will or life of your own and you don't like seeing others in that position, and you think that sweat might share that view?

And ask shout and whisper whether they know why the mortician doesn't like angels, or possibly ask sweat why someone like the mortician wouldn't like it

(this is a looooooot of questions so also keep an eye out for any of the three of them getting stressed, and hold fire and let them speak or sort out their thoughts when needed)

NOOOOOO, PROTECT THEM!!!!

If you can ask Sweat without Shout and Whisper overhearing, could it have any advice? Is this maybe a situation where we could trick the contract by letting them "die" and then doing CPR or some other thing asap? Or some kind of metaphorical death, like have them both... play a video game? Fail at stand up comedy? How many loopholes are we allowed to do with this contract. Ooh it's so sad that their "impossible tasks" are based on love and morality, noo sweet babies that's so much harder than catching a falling star.

brainstorming and asking sweat if it has any idea of how to help them seems good, but also you should def offer a "that really sucks, i'm sorry" of sympathy or something, and tell them you want to help them if you can figure out a way how (and offer whisper a hug or a pet or something,) even if you can't come up with any way to immediately help them right now. i think it'd be good to at the very least let them know theyve got people who recognize their situation is wrong and who want to help if possible, yknow?

>>918386
i want to specify when i said said "kill them and take the contract" i meant kill the mortician not the thralls. i will never endorse harming them i love them

>Protocol 3: Kill accomplice
Effective means of disposing evidence. Or locking these shades in a conundrum that prevents them from completing the contracts and going home. Maybe both.

First up, can they kill each other metaphorically? Almost certainly not, or they would have played a round of smash against each other as a loophole. It's also possible that the first two protocols had an easy workaround to this situation so the contract would be acceptable, but the mortician erased their memories to prevent them from doing that.

To that end, since their current protocol is too complicated to fulfill immediately and interferes with their focus on other jobs, suggest they should look around the memory bin and see if they're being jipped. And totally steal your memories back while they're at it.

>>918384
You’d think that would be easy. One of them just has to kill the other and they’re free.

But since neither of them have done so, that means that they willingly don’t want to kill the other.

>He reaches across, behind the counter, and his heavy paw finds Whisper’s.
See? They’re even holding hands how lewd! They don’t want to kill each other because they’ve become friends! So being free without their friend would be a lonely freedom that they don’t want.

>>918402

oh wow yeah, i am totally willing to bet the mortician or someone took whisper and shout's memories of their other tasks. maybe we should sniff around for those.

I love Whisper and Shout dearly, and we should treat them nice and protect them as best we can!

>>918437
I thought the implication was that they'd already finished their first two tasks because they were easy? We should clarify with them

>>918507

but then why specifically say they don't remember what the tasks were? something seems fishy.

>>918532
When we first learned about thralls we were told that the first two tasks are usually normal/achievable things, and it's the third one which is the kicker.

Shout and whisper's exact phrasing was
>“The ffffffirst, aa, the first t-two, were eeaaAAsy… sso easy I d, I don’t, I don’t, aaaaa, I don’t r-remEMber…”

>“I DON’T. REMEMBER. EITHER.”
They were easy, not are easy. But you're totally right that there's some ambiguity so we should definitely clear that up so we're not trying to do the hard thing without getting the easy stuff out of the way.

ask if the mortician has any more thralls

Wbat if....the mortician was killed? Not saying we would, but if he was?