mortis 2019/12/30(Mon)18:51 No. 952413 ID: 53b212
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SPIT: So how about it, kitty cat?
SPIT: You’re right here, you got the chance...why not a little brawl?
SPIT: We’re all mental, right? Nobody’s gotta get hurt for real...not yet.
SPIT: Or…

She reaches forward, grabbing Hark by the throat.

SPIT: Do I need to give you something to fight for?

Ignore Spit. We're here for Hark.
It's almost a certainty that Spit has neglected to tell any of her TCPs about the nature of the bond between gods and their cats.
Namely that a TCP can sever their bond with their god if they so choose.
Hark must learn the truth. If we can show her a way out, a way to escape Spit, then we may have a chance of saving her.

While we're in here with Spit, whatever happens with Hark, we have a distinct advantage: her attention is occupied. But as a collective, could we split our attention? Just long enough to pass a message to the others, that there is some magic item on Hark allowing Spit to talk to her and taking it off would be really helpful.

if its a mental space perhaps you could think Hark away from Spit, or if that doesn't work the next best move might be not to play Spit's game at this point if the communication blocker and the mask mixing is letting her talk to Hark ask a TCP to take the mask off so that Spit can't hurt Hark. With Spit willing and wanting to hurt anything she is near its best to ignore her until we have the power to actually shut her up.

We also need to show hark that spit isnt "all that", as she seems to idolize her like an extremely abusive mother. Act more annoyed than irritated, roll our eyes, take a dismissive tone, make sure to subconsciously drive it into hark that spit has no worthwhile power here.



Unless she actually does and the item allows her to rip her cats minds to pieces.

Hark, like all of Spit's TCPs, is an abuse victim. Suppressed. And we are a god of Identity. She's the one who needs to speak out, and she needs a voice to do it.

Who is Hark? Whatever we do, we need to pay careful attention to how she responds. We need to know what we're working with. And if things get too dicey, especially for Hark, back out. We have her body, and might be more successful if we can get that collar off.

Okay. let's NOT respond to Spit. Anytime we talk at all, in this place, it can't be a directly response to Spit. That way is folly. And for goodness sake we need to calm down. Getting angry at Spit is pointless, since she'll just revel in it and use it against us.

Secondly, we're a god of space and even if this is mental space, it still should count. use our senses, there might be something we can do here that spit cannot.

And thirdly, if we talk at all, it should be to hark and not spit, but only to the point where it doesn't seem like Spit puts two and two together and starts taking it out on hark.

“I’m not angry,” snap our fingers and space-warp Hark out of Spit’s grasp, “just concerned.” (Go for a funhouse mirror maze with you and Hark at its “center,” leaving Spit to wander the halls only to be confronted with herself.) “Here’s a question; do you actually view pain as a negative concept to begin with? If not, it would actually explain a lot. With Destruction as your aspect, it’s understandable if you’re literally incapable of having any negative associations with concepts like death and pain. Although no one should be forced to share those views, for the record.” Direct that last sentence at Hark.

>>952519
Uh. I have several concerns about trying to use divine power/aspects in what would appear to be a shared mental space in someone else's mind. Doubly so since said space's origin point is Hark's and it would also tip spit off that she can do the same.

>>952519
>>952522
It would be cool if we could do that, and knew that it would work, but we probably don't have that much power over this place, and if we did, that would probably mean Spit could affect things too. I think it would be better to remain passive, at least until Spit actually attacks us (or Hark).
As for questioning Spit about how she views pain... I get where you're coming from. It's pretty tempting to just be really passive-aggressive and condescending to someone like Spit and incessantly question how their twisted worldview makes any sense. But now isn't a very good time to do that. We need to focus on Hark here, we can't get into an argument with Spit. Plus she would probably just say some bullshit about how pain makes you stronger or something.

>>952523
Not trying to be passive-aggressive, it was a serious question, and if I'm right about this, it should clear up a lot about why Spit does the stuff she does. But I do agree with your assessment that now might not be the time for this. My apologies.

Amending the response to this, since just ignoring her might end up provoking her: "If a one-on-one bout is what you want, Spit, I'm going to have to take a rain check on that since I'm here to talk to Hark. If this were the right time or the right place for this, I would gladly come at you, so may you kindly release her and wait your turn?"

Obvious bait is obvious
Take the cheap joker knockoff's bait, she wins.
Ignore all mindgames and make it dull, you win.

>>952544
To be fair... if there is a way to influence/affect this place, we should try and figure it out without tipping Spit off. The less she knows, the damn well better off everyone is.

1/2 mortis 2020/01/07(Tue)18:50 No. 953010 ID: 53b212
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You’re not sure what you can actually do in this space...it appears to be a void, and even Spit seems partially obscured. There’s nothing you can detect in the way of flooring or walls, and so you decide to stay passive. It’d be a better idea to wait and see what could be done than to act rashly right now.

You have to keep yourselves cooled down, and to remember not to trust anything Spit says. You have to help Hark second guess herself, to drive a wedge between her and Spit. After all, Hark probably isn’t going to do anything she doesn’t want to, and by the look of it she sees nothing wrong with this plan of Spit’s, even though she’s already been hurt.

You have to be calm, and kind.

VOIDSY: Hark, we’re sorry-
HARK: I don’t want to hear it!
HARK: You’re the enemy!
HARK: You’re just trying to trick me!
SPIT: You listen to me and we’ll get far, Hark.
SPIT: What have I taught you?

She squeezes Hark, fluid oozing between her claws.

HARK: W-whatever it takes to win, Spit.
HARK: Even if it hurts.
SPIT: Especially if it hurts.

Hark nods, movements shaky and pained.

SPIT: That’s a good girl.
SPIT: You know I put you through this to toughen you up, don’t you?
SPIT: This bleeding heart over here doesn’t think you can take it, but I know you better than that.
SPIT: You’re my number one!

2/2 mortis 2020/01/07(Tue)18:51 No. 953011 ID: 53b212
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There has to be a communication item causing this, Spit said it herself. You can theoretically cut the connection if you find out what that item is...
You consider multitasking, wanting to get things done and maybe even handle that communication item- but Spit seems to take notice as one of your masks drifts, blowing smoke in its face and causing you to cough violently.

SPIT: You wanna scoot away from here, get up to some real hijinks while we hash this shit out?
SPIT: Not gonna happen, kitty cat!
SPIT: You’re our captive audience…
SPIT: Unless you wanna roll the dice and risk running your mouth.
SPIT: Go ahead!
SPIT: Try me.

You feel something wrong as Spit speaks, something creeping and horrible- your thoughts are so much louder, each individual voice overtaking the others.

If you do not focus on the current situation, or try to split your focus, you will be unable to control your impulses.

No sense talking with Spit. She can't be reasoned with.
But we've dealt her a serious blow already.
Meanwhile, Hark is suffering.

If she won't leave her abuser, we could always just Put her out of her misery.
If we kill Hark she'll no longer suffer, and Spit's remaining forces will be horrendously outnumbered.

Easy.

>>953013
that...
seems like a bad idea.
I mean, at the very least, Hark is already tied up and restrained, and doesn't really have enough health to use her ability. So Spit only has 1 TCP remaining...
...who is probably helping Chops (the syringe tcp) get up right now, but still. Killing Hark doesn't really give any strategic advantage.

also it's preemptively declaring her a lost cause and giving up when we've barely talked yet and actually killing her would probably traumatize our other tcps and horrify all our friends. that's another reason not to do it.

"Whatever it takes to win?" HeheheheheHAHAHAHAHAHA! I bet Spit failed to tell you, Hark, you can win while Spit loses. If you wish to win, you've chosen a bad side. Mine has superior numbers, one of which already crushed you. If you'll really do "whatever it takes to win", you'll join me. Sure, it'll hurt to leave your dear Spit, but, hey, "whatever it takes to win".

>>953024
Oh for goodness sake that is exactly the kind of shit that counts as "don't run your mouth" that we were just warned about and is only going to make spit hurt hark even more.

So let's not say that.

my suggestion is to split our focus in two before we lose control over ourselves.

One focus is to keep examining the void of this space. Can we make part of ourselves that spit can't directly see blend in with the void surrounding everyone present? If so, good. We can work with that shortly.

Second focus is on the smoke that Spit just blew at us. I don't like it and I definitely don't trust it.

"Oh Hark, no.
"This bleeding heart over here KNOWS you can take it. You are strong, and clever, and willful. You have to be, to withstand what Spit does.
"Our heart bleeds because we are sad that you MUST take it. We want you to be safe, and comfortable, and happy. You deserve so much better than cruelty.
"Our bleeding heart yearns for the ending where everyone wins. We want all of you cats to come out of this alive, and together, and family. You are the only one here who has the power to make that happen, Hark."


>>953028
Mechanics text says "If you do not focus on the current situation, or try to split your focus..." and you have suggested that we do both of those things. Nah, chill and focus.

>>953013
Please no.

>>953024
This would be ok if you worded it differently, so that it doesn’t sound like we’re some kinda maniac.

>>953028
>my suggestion is to split our focus in two before we lose control over ourselves.
We were told to not split our focus, so why are you suggesting we split our focus? Let’s not do that.

>>953037
This sounds good.

>>953013
slap this mask

No split focus. Keep focus.

>>953010
"Spit, why do you fill Hark's head full of lies? We both know that you abuse her because you want to control her and make her fear you. If you were actually making her tougher, then we wouldn't have been able to capture her. But we know that if Hark decides to go rogue, you couldn't do anything to her."

"That's right Hark. If you decide to leave Spit's team, she can't do anything to you. And you can still win, while Spit loses."

Focus. Spit knows that self-control, keeping ourselves together, is a weakness for us. Don't let her split us up. That's what she wants. Stay calm. Discord is our domain, but it's Hark who needs it, now. Take that feeling of falling apart, the loudness and the cacophony, and push it away. It is Discord, it is part of us, and that means it is on our side. Even if we don't succeed with Hark, the longer we engage Spit's attention, the better. Our allies outnumber hers. Every moment we hold on is a victory. We are doing a good job.

Now, if you want an idea... it's unpleasant, but we know someone who Spit might have tried this on before. So, still talking to Hark, ask: "Do you think this is the same routine she did with Wretch?"

Spit seems to have trained Hark to think pain is good. Ok, then: that means Hark will be more open to painful and unpleasant ideas. Spit's history is painful and unpleasant, for sure. Spit also seems to have been trying to tell Hark the TCP is special to her. We can take down that notion first. She already mentioned Wretch with Hark listening, so she can't deny not knowing her or having a prior relationship. So she either avoids the subject entirely, which will sow a seed of doubt with Hark, or she admits it and goes for some pitch like "Wretch was too weak/a failure/etc", in which case we can respond: Wretch is a god, the same order of being as Spit, and Hark is a Tiny Cat Person. How does Spit think a TCP can handle what a god can't? She might try to use the opportunity to make us say things Wretch wouldn't want us to say, and cause problems that way, so make sure to watch what we say.

Regardless of the outcome of the conversation, so long as we can bring up something that Hark doesn't know already, we can use it to point out that there's a lot about the world Hark doesn't know. If Spit is ultimately right, learning new things shouldn't be a problem at all, right? Knowledge is strength.

Also, if Spit wants a horrible-off, we can probably start talking about terrible Earth things to demonstrate that we're not innocent or untouched in terms of painful experience. Bonus to that is we might be able to fascinate Spit with tales of new terrible concepts and keep her occupied that way, too.

>>953040
Because we can either examine this space of existence and maybe find an exploit or loophole relevant to our aspects to isolate Spit from hark before talking to either of them, do literally nothing or talking to both of them with Spit clearly threatening to torture Hark right in front of us if we say anything that she doesn't want to hear at all.

But you are right, trying to split our attention when so many others are trying to trash talk spit is a bad idea, so I'm going to retract my earlier suggestion and put my weight behind this one.

>>953037
I'd rather examine the void around us, but you have my support instead.

>>953037
Definitely think this is the right track. Spit's not too susceptible to our bullshit, but we don't need to mess with her anyway.

>>953011
"Hark, we don't know what you've been through or what you've done, but you've got to be tough as nails to endure Spit, nevermind being badass enough to scare us the way you did.

Cards on the table; we can't make you do anything in here, can't trick you into anything you don't want to do because Spit is miles better at it than we are.
Spit's got us beat at any mindgames, it's correct that she does have us as a captive audience right now.

But Hark, you don't need us to tell you what's going on here: She needs you, not the other way around. As much of a bind as she has us in, you have her in a tighter one cause she can't win the game with no cats, and you have the option of deciding you don't want her riding on your coattails to stay in the game.

She knows it, we know it, we think you know it and don't know what stops you from letting her know you're more than her number 1. She'd have exactly as long as it took you to tell her to fuck off to fit in a tantrum before you were a rogue free from her influence.

If you do that, you don't need to shack up with us if you don't want to, you could go do your own thing... But Buddy wanted you to have that choice."

>953013
>953024
Shut Up Stupid Thoughts!

>953049
I agree with this, though if it fails or Spit starts tearing into Hark physically, I would rather just cut the connection on Voidsy's end.

I worry anything we say will just get immediately get cut off or overwhelmed by spits own voice. This whole thing could be moot if hark is set in her ways.

Hark, why do you look so scared if this is all that matters? Why aren't you smiling?

Why won't you look your mother in the eye, the face even, when she talks to you?

Why does anything she says even matter? What does winning even mean to you? Is it worth your life? Worth giving it up for her?

Real freedom to do whatever you want is just beyond this mask spit made for you.

You just have to take it off.

>>953065
I’m not so sure about that plan; it’s been made clear that Hark’s been conditioned to accept pain, meaning that if you stop to think about it, all threats of torturing Hark have just had the bottom taken out of them. Hark will accept the torture as a “winning tactic” so the best thing to do is to not let that tactic win.

We need to shake Hark's faith in Spit.
What are some of Spit's weaknesses?
We know that Rein is one of them, and that Spit hates not being taken seriously.
We need to slam those hot buttons until Spit is shook.

Fuck this, command Dad - or anyone who can get to it - to take the mask off.
We still need to save Eastwood's TCP.

1/5 mortis 2020/01/15(Wed)13:49 No. 953510 ID: 53b212
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Spit can’t be reasoned with...Hark is suffering...clearly the answer is simple!

Just...kill Hark! You can put her out of her misery, she’ll no longer suffer, Spit will be outnumbered…

One of your masks starts laughing uncontrollably before you can stop it, loud and almost maniacal.

2/5 mortis 2020/01/15(Wed)13:50 No. 953511 ID: 53b212
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You grab the laughing mask in both hands, holding it tight. It keeps laughing despite your efforts to silence it. You need to calm down, get those kinds of thoughts out of your head...Hark is already tied up and restrained. She’s helpless, and killing her would be declaring her a lost cause. It’d traumatize your TCPs and horrify all your friends.

You need to trust that the rest of the team can contain Hark, and that even if this doesn’t work out here, the longer you can distract Spit, the better.

You outnumber her.

You are doing a good job.

3/5 mortis 2020/01/15(Wed)13:50 No. 953512 ID: 53b212
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Focus.

Spit knows that self control is your weakness.

No splitting up focus. No getting distracted.

You shatter the mask, silencing it.

You’re going to take your domain and use it to win.

4/5 mortis 2020/01/15(Wed)13:50 No. 953513 ID: 53b212
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VOIDSY: This bleeding heart over here knows you can take this kind of pain.
VOIDSY: You have to be strong to withstand what Spit does.
VOIDSY: But our heart bleeds because we’re sad that you MUST take it.
VOIDSY: She’s not hurting you to make her tougher, she’s hurting you because it makes her happy.
VOIDSY: This is what she does to people, she makes them into toys that are unable to go against her.
VOIDSY: That’s what she’s doing to you, Hark.
HARK: No! I am not a toy!
VOIDSY: You shouldn’t have to be.
VOIDSY: We’re sure you can handle a lot of cruelty, but you deserve better than that.
VOIDSY: You shouldn’t have to suffer or feel pain to prove yourself.
HARK: And I don’t need to prove myself to you either!
HARK: I’m in control of myself, me! And this is what I want!
VOIDSY: But how did it feel when you hurt Buddy?
VOIDSY: Did you feel like you had to do it, or you’d be hurt again?
VOIDSY: Did you feel happy that you had the power to choose its fate?
HARK: And so what if I did, huh? So what if I LIKED it, if I LIKED hurting that little shit?
VOIDSY: Well, even then…
VOIDSY: Buddy wants to be your friend. It wants to show you something beyond this hurt, the kind of hurt that Spit wishes on anyone she sees.
VOIDSY: It knows that you have good in you.

HARK: This is all that matters! All that ever has!
VOIDSY: Then why do you look so scared?
VOIDSY: Why don’t you look your mother in the eye when she talks to you?
VOIDSY: Is winning really worth giving up your life for her?
VOIDSY: And if Spit is so big, so strong, so brave, such a leader, why is she hiding behind you?
VOIDSY: Why is she using you as a shield?
VOIDSY: She’s willing to sacrifice you, Hark!
VOIDSY: That’s not something you do to someone you care about.

5/5 mortis 2020/01/15(Wed)13:51 No. 953514 ID: 53b212
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VOIDSY: Our bleeding heart yearns for the ending where everyone wins.
VOIDSY: We want everyone to come out of this alive, including you and all the others.
VOIDSY: We want people to be a family together-
HARK: Family! Yeah, right!
HARK: Real cute after you did exactly what Spit told me you would.
VOIDSY: We didn’t want to hurt you!
HARK: But you did! You...you fucked up my hand!
HARK: You talk about sacrifices and shit but you were just as willing to throw me under the bus as long as it meant keeping your precious cat safe!
HARK: In your words, that’s not something you do to someone you care about.
HARK: Right?
VOIDSY: We, we don’t want you to get hurt, and we don’t think you’re weak…
VOIDSY: We’re really sorry that we attacked you, and we healed you after because we do, honestly and truly, care about you.
VOIDSY: That’s why we’re here now.

VOIDSY: She needs you, Hark. Not the other way around.
VOIDSY: You’ve got us in a hell of a bind right now, but you have her in a tighter one. She can’t win the game with no cats, and you have the option of deciding to leave.
VOIDSY: If you leave Spit’s team, she can’t do anything to you.
VOIDSY: And you get to win. She loses.

Hark says nothing, the silence uncomfortable and almost suffocating. You wait for a response, and when none comes, you carry on, doing your best to remain calm and collected.

VOIDSY: If you do leave, you don’t have to shack up with us, not if you don’t want to.
VOIDSY: You could go do your own thing, anything you want.
VOIDSY: ...Buddy wanted you to have that choice.

Only a moment passes before Spit’s laughing, a raspy wheeze that turns into high pitched cackling, her entire body shaking and making horrible crunching, snapping sounds.

SPIT: Boy, you sure know how to give a speech!
SPIT: And you know what, Hark, you can leave!
SPIT: They’re right! You can just walk on out. Go ahead. Go with them.
SPIT: But I’ll always be here! Always here, right in your cute lil’ head.
SPIT: Forever!
SPIT: You know that. You know that real good by now, yeah?
HARK: ...yeah. I know.
SPIT: The difference is…
SPIT: I could be the little angel on your shoulder, tellin you how to get through this and win....
SPIT: Or I stick around and be a real hell of a devil.

SPIT: You’ll make the right decision, won’t you, kid?

Is that your best offer, Spit? A choice between leaving and spending the rest of her life dealing with the scars you have already inflicted, or staying with you and letting you keep digging your hooks in deeper, stringing her along with tiny barbs of kindness to distract from all the suffering? Make it seem like it's her fault when you hurt her? It's for her own good, right? Bullshit. No wonder even your own sister doesn't want to be around you any more. And now you're trying to pass your dark world view on to this wonderful little cat person.

Who hurt you, Spit? Who taught you to hurt others before they can hurt you?

Alright, call Spit out on her bullshit. We haven't lied to Hark's face and neither should she. State this as such, but do NOT mention what specifically Spit just said that is a lie unless she hurts Hark more.

If she does then use the properties of the mask of courage to either kick Spit out of the call or embolden Hark while trash talking Spit's recent string of losses.

Spit must be desperate if she's clinging to Hark like this. Her other cats have all been incapacitated, captured, or swayed. She knows that if her last cat is defeated or betrays her, she loses the game.
I don't think she expected things to turn out this way, with all of our forces steamrolling her base. There remains a possibility that he's set up some kind of contingency or failsafe in case she starts to lose, but we can't worry about that at the moment.
Hark doesn't trust us, but she's terrified of Spit. We need to convince her that there is a way to escape Spit for good. The best way to do that is to undermine her faith in Spit. We need to point out the fallacies here, use logic and reason to punch holes in Spit's thinking, and show Hark that Spit is fallible and can be defeated.

>>953531
They have to be killed, or go rogue. Knocking some of them unconscious and taking one of them prisoner does NOT count.

>>953535
Be that as it may, Spit is still on the ropes, and we need that last big push to make the win.

>>953536
Yes, but as the saying goes "don't bite off more than you can chew."

Flipping Hark isn't set in stone just yet, and not all of her TCP's that got briefly stunned are gonna stay down. We started this engagement off from a terrible position and it is only through a combination of luck, insistence that adoration can happen in a murderfort and magic item bullshittery that we've managed to dramatically improve the current state of things to a slight stand still that could still swing against our favor.

I'm gonna list a bunch of stuff in the disthread on WHY we shouldn't knock spit out here and now.

>>953531
You're forgetting the 5th cat we haven't seen yet. I really hope everyone outside is securing the area where Hark is right, it'd suck if we came back to a mess.
As for pointing out fallacies in what Spit's saying, well, consider why we'd be doing that. We already know Spit is wrong, it wouldn't exactly be a back-and-forth kinda thing. We'd be doing it to try to convince Hark, but I don't think Hark was really swayed to Spit's side through argument in the first place.
I think her reluctance to leave is probably a lot more emotional in origin, not based on what Spit has claimed to be true but on what Spit has done to and for Hark. Logically countering Spit's general worldview will probably be too abstract to really convince Hark of much, because I think she already knows to some degree that Spit is cruel and likes inflicting pain, and she would prefer if she wasn't treated this way.
Right now, I don't think there's much more point to convincing her that Spit is bad. What would be better is to respond to her, focus on are concrete ways of giving her a way out, improving her situation, or at least getting her to think about possibilities other than a life under Spit.
There were two main points in our speech that she had issues with: Firstly, she was protesting that she was in control of herself and acting how she wanted. Secondly, she was angry at us for attacking her to save Buddy. We might want to address these. (Although if she actually genuinely enjoyed hurting Buddy then... geeze, that's not something we can just solve. Maybe tell her about things she can do that she'd probably enjoy more that don't involve hurting other people.)

Guys? Calm down! Remember, we need to stay focused or we’ll lose control! We’ve gotta agree on what we need to do, instead of listing a bunch of different things and arguing with each other on who has the better idea!

Maybe it would be better if we all went to the disthread and talked it out there? That way any arguing over there won’t affect Voidsy over here in the main thread.

>>953560
>You're forgetting the 5th cat we haven't seen yet.
Are you sure? I thought we met them all?

Jasper stunned one of them, Writhe is with our TCPs, we’re currently talking to Hark, and then we captured the other 2 when they foolishly reached into the bags of holding and got yanked through. At least I think that’s all of them, I could be wrong.

To have that woman's voice in your head and resist it will just make you more alive than most. To be alive to suffer, to be born is to die. But to find meaning, purpose, in that suffering is how you truly live.

You've come to an ultimatum, hark, and I'll honor your decision. Just know that should you choose the path your on as that meaning you will soon undoubtedly be called upon to defend your purpose with your life.

>>953561
Writhe (flipped, needs to be taught how to go rogue properly), hark (prisoner in spit's base), raw (stunned/missing), chops (prisoner in our base) and ???

>>952412
>SPIT: So this is what happens when you mix up two communication items...interesting, interesting.
>>953514
>SPIT: But I’ll always be here! Always here, right in your cute lil’ head.

Wait, did Spit implant the communication item? That'd be an issue to say the least.

>>953614
The other communication item on Hark was brought up in the discussion thread, which no one evidently bothers to read.

1/2 mortis 2020/01/22(Wed)18:13 No. 954129 ID: 53b212
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VOIDSY: Is that your best offer, Spit?
VOIDSY: You’re making her choose between leaving and spending the rest of her life dealing with the damage you’ve done, or staying with you and letting you make things worse and worse.
VOIDSY: You’re making it seem like it’s her fault when you hurt her- it’s for her own good, right?
VOIDSY: Bullshit.
VOIDSY: No wonder your own sister doesn’t want to be around you anymore.
VOIDSY: Who hurt you, Spit?
VOIDSY: Who taught you to hurt others before they can hurt you?

Spit snorts, unable to hold her snickering back.
SPIT: Who hurt me?
SPIT: You looking for a tragic backstory? Somebody had to go and mess me up and now I’m bad.
SPIT: That’s how it works, right? You’re gonna crack me open and figure out just what makes me so terrible, and then fix me right up. Save me, even!
SPIT: That’s you. The hero of the story.
SPIT: You know what, hero? Go ahead and ask whatever you want to cute lil’ Hark here.
SPIT: Let’s see how you do.

Well...it’s a patronizing opportunity, but it’s an opportunity.

VOIDSY: Hark...you’re working with Wax’s TCPs, right?
VOIDSY: Have you met any of them?
VOIDSY: What did they seem like?
VOIDSY: How did they treat you and each other?

Hark doesn’t respond, avoiding eye contact.

VOIDSY:...Is there anything we can do for you?

It seems like Hark’s going to answer for just a moment, but you see Spit squeeze her, leaving deep scratches across her arm.

2/2 mortis 2020/01/22(Wed)18:13 No. 954130 ID: 53b212
File 157974559756.png - (25.26KB , 500x500 , 11.png )

You can feel your anger rising up, but it’s not the time- you need to focus and keep it from overcoming you. Hark needs you right now.

VOIDSY: Even if Spit dedicates her time to spitefully haunting you, there are people who are willing to keep you safe, Hark.
VOIDSY: We hate her, not just our collective but so many others.
VOIDSY: There are entire pantheons of gods who can’t stand Spit.
VOIDSY: You wouldn’t have to be alone.

Hark looks at you hesitantly, slowly moving to face you.
VOIDSY: What Spit has done to you will always be there.
VOIDSY: She may be like a mother to you, but she doesn’t act like a good one.
VOIDSY: It’s never easy to get over that.
VOIDSY: You may not have a choice right now, but we can help you get there.

She makes eye contact, and for a second you think you can almost see hope.

VOIDSY: Spit made these collars that make it so that gods can’t communicate with their TCPs while they’re wearing them. We have a few of them already.
VOIDSY: We could give one to you.
VOIDSY: No more gods in your head.
VOIDSY: Writhe already chose to wear one, so we know it works.
VOIDSY: Just let us know.

The hope is gone as soon as it came, her head falling.

SPIT: Awww, you went and got her hopes up.
SPIT: Fraid that’s not gonna work, kitty cat.

She moves her hand away from Hark’s throat, leaving scratches behind across her chest.

SPIT: Try to take this bad boy off and-

She drags a glass claw across the collar, making a horrible grinding sound.

SPIT: Off with her head!

Why didn't we call spit out on her obvious lie? Inspiring doubt in Hark about Spit is the best thing we can do in this situation.

"Well, I suppose since changing collars is off the table I guess I'll have to go with the backup plan for ensuring that you can't talk to your tcp's while they get convinced to abandon you and taught the particulars on how to do so."

She's trying to rattle us again, stay focused.

"Oh, and Spit? If Hark dies solely because of YOU I'm going to ensure that my tcp's and whichever ones of yours are left get to dance and frolic over the razed remains of your fortress before we kick you out of the game for good."

We've done what we can, we need to return our attention to make sure that we can get everyone out of her murderfort as quickly as possible.

"Listen. Spit sucks. You know it, I know it. She sucks the big one. If all else fails, if somehow your fears are right and she'll never truly leave, there's at least one fallback you can have if you leave her control. You can spite her. Her and her big stupid, ugly, shitty mouth. You can live in a way where you dont just go along with the plans of someone who clearly sucks way worse than you or I ever could. All she's got is talk. Take away everything else and she's just a chump who can only run her mouth all day. You're better than she is. She needs you, you don't need her. So if you can't bring yourself to believe we'll shut her up for good one day, at least you can spite a shitty, stupid person and go out better than she could ever hope to be."

suggestion, y'all:
let's not speak to spit directly anymore. don't acknowledge her being there. everything we say will be directly to hark.

>>954142
Wait, what lie are you talking about?

>>954170
"But I’ll always be here! Always here, right in your cute lil’ head." is the lie I am referring to.

if Hark goes rogue (or has communication blocked off via items, though I am assuming that communication blocking overrides things that enable communication), then Spit doesn't get to be in Hark's head anymore.

And hark doesn't know.

>>954130
laugh joyously for we already have many many ways around that but we dont need to let SPit know that and it undermines her just as well.

>>954130
>Try to take this bad boy off and-
>Off with her head!
Oh, is that all? Believe it or not, we’ve actually got something for that. We can put Hark into our Upload/Download Machine back at our base and give her a new body. Her old body will keep the collar while her new body won’t have a collar!

If it worked for Seaspray, then it can work for Hark!

>>954141
>our Upload/Download Machine back at our base and give her a new body.
>>954142
>"ensuring that you can't talk to your tcp's while they get convinced to abandon you and taught the particulars on how to do so."

Please stop giving away details. Spit will use them. Be vague.

>>954173
This is a good point, going rogue would at least diminish the connection, but I think it result in Spit using violent methods to maintain relevance and keep the connection, sort of like what she is doing now.

>>954179
Outside of the upload/download machine, we have two other options that aren't being examined.

Form types like Bryce can turn things into the item that their type is, a piece of driftwood stuck on Hark seems less dangerous to remove, or you could turn Hark with it to incapacitate her while you do it.
This is immediate and would also put any issues with curses out of the picture for a while, But Spit would see it coming through Hark and her base viewpoint.

We have a mask which turns TCPs liquid like Wretch, you could pull the collar off them, or run them through an opening smaller than the collar to remove it.
I don't think it would be sensible to do it in Spit's base, but I assume we could sell the mask to Spit as our comms item for Wretch. Would would allow for consensual, easy, risk-free removal.

Seriously, we have many options here, we just need to shut Spit's taunting down and confirm we can do this with Hark, and then we can get back to making things are set up to get all the TCPs out of Spit's base.

>>954222
I put it under spoilers, Spit can’t see them.

"We have multiple ways of bypassing that issue entirely. Some have more risks than others, but Hark will have her pick of what we do about this in the end."

>>954223
Uh. First off, hark's wearing a communication item that can also kill her apparently. Going rogue might not change that. Secondly if Hark does go rogue then the normal connection between her and spit is broken entirely.

The only thing in this game that can kill a TCP is another TCP who's been given the KILL command. A god can't kill their own TCPs on their own, even with an item set up to do it automatically somehow. Attempts will still hurt, of course, but they'll survive and can heal.

But we don't want Hark to suffer, either. That's ok - taking off the collar isn't the only way. There's a place that's outside any god's influence while we're in the game. A place to be free of all of us, if that's what Hark would prefer. If that's not trustworthy coming from us, Hark can ask Wax. Spit's strong, but we ARE Void. We do absence. We can take things away.

Keep that in mind yourself, too, Voidsy. Maybe we can get some zen on. Revolve around the empty center. Be without anger, fear or ego, and be open. We might be too discordant to really manage a state of peaceful harmony, but getting even a fraction of it would be helpful. That gulf inside us might be frightening, but there are positive ways to see it, and for something like this we should use whatever we might have. Would we not feed ourselves to the hole in our hearts for the sake of these tiny cats?

... I guess as god of masks we kind of gravitate toward drama, too, yeesh.

The spark of hope and some notes of rebellion. We have what we need from this. Time to leave. But first let Hark know you aren't beaten, and won't give up.

Consider securing the godless zone further and putting Hark in it to temp block Spit until we can null/workaround the collar. It's just magic, let's explore options with god friends.

>>954245
That seems fine. Don't explain the particulars of any of our devices to Spit unless it becomes necessary to convince Hark of their efficacy. Depending on how the collar works, she may get information on them later when we are explaining things to Hark, but Later is an improvement over Now.

mortis 2020/01/28(Tue)00:27 No. 954664 ID: 53b212
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VOIDSY: Oh, is that all?
VOIDSY: Believe it or not, we’ve actually got something for that.
VOIDSY: Hark, we think we can save you.

The corner of Spit’s mouth twitches, and for a split second you could almost swear she was frowning.

VOIDSY: You’re better than she is.
VOIDSY: She needs you, but you don’t need her.
VOIDSY: Spit’s strong, but we ARE void.
VOIDSY: We do absence.
VOIDSY: We can take things away.
VOIDSY: We know it seems hopeless now, but please, trust us.
VOIDSY: What she’s done to you is nothing short of a sin, and you deserve to live a happier, healthier life- one where you don’t have to worry about the random, sadistic whims of some shitty, stupid person.
VOIDSY: We don’t want you to suffer anymore.
VOIDSY: We have a way around this, we have a way to get you a fresh start, entirely at your control.
VOIDSY: It would mean crossing into our base, but if you come with us, we promise you’ll get out.
VOIDSY: We know it’s not easy to trust us, it’s not easy to hope, but would you rather remain a prisoner, tortured constantly, or take a leap of faith?

HARK: I...
HARK: I’m not...I’m not a prisoner! I can take this!
HARK: This is where I belong!
HARK: I’m not coming with you, not now, not ever!

There’s uncertainty in her voice, almost as if she didn’t really believe what she was saying. It’s not a solid victory, but it’s something.

You’ve done all you can, and now it’s time to return your attention to your TCPs. It’s time to get out of this murderfort once and for all, and as quickly as possible.

VOIDSY: It’s your choice.
VOIDSY: We’ll be waiting.

As you start to tune out of this conversation, bailing before Spit can make any more snarky comments, you hope that that spark of hope counts for something, that you’ve done the right thing.

That’s all you can ever hope for, really.

HARK INTERMISSION: END

ACT 4: START: https://homebrewdeviants.com/forum/Thread-TINY-CAT-PEOPLE-VOID-SESSION-ACT-4?pid=4537#pid4537

from here on out, TCP will be hosted on the HD forums- thank you so much for suggesting, and i hope to see you all there!