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video » text | @stray

[ the video comes first!

heine films from where he's sitting on top of a mailbox on a street corner. it's a slow pan across an empty intersection just northeast of the bank—the bank building itself is visible, as a landmark for where he is, but he also makes a point of filming as much down each street as he can manage. master film director heine is not, but at least he manages to pick out a few identifying storefronts so people can triangulate themselves!

there's no talking, or really any sound at all (which for heine is still one of the worst parts of this place). once he's filmed enough that he thinks the location has been conveyed, the video cuts off.

when he uploads it, it's with a text accompaniment: ]

let me get this out of the way first: i'm not trying to die
and i also don't want to kill anyone [ today, anyway! ]

but if you're also here without the weapons you're used to
don't want to get stuck with your thumb up your ass if shit goes wrong
and think you could use a good fight to keep your skills sharp

then hopefully you can figure out from the video where to go
if you can't then [ he is judging you slightly ] ask for directions

rules:
1) i have knives but if you want to use something else that's on you
2) no sparring bullshit, we fight like we mean it
3) i'll go easy if you need but don't ask me to teach you

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You never know who might end up too enthusiastic. I'd rather be prepared and not needed.

thats very responsible of you

[ once again, shitty privating—heine is a flip phone guy—but at least he tries! ]

so what's your take on all this death talk lately

I have my moments.

[look phones like this don't even exist where he's from, heine is a step up from him]

Depends on what you're looking to find out. The fact that death isn't permanent, or the consequences that follow?

yes, and yes, and also are we collectively fucking losing it

[ deep breath, heine, this is your own baggage! relax! ]

true as far as you know? that people don't stay dead and the consequences if you do bite it

Let me put it this way: it isn't impossible for something similar to happen where I'm from. There is technically a way to revive someone, in the right circumstances. Here, they don't seem to have the limitations my world does.

So yes. People don't stay dead so far. Two people died, and two people didn't stay dead.

I don't know if the consequences will remain the same, but the pattern shows to be the case so far, two out of two.

I will also say that I'm fairly certain those who bore witness to the most recent death also are experiencing repercussions. I suppose our observance was seen as complacence.

it's not impossible where i'm from either. just uncommon and the consequences are a little different mostly existential dread

[ ha ha ]

kinda hope nobody else feels the need to test it though

Would you mind if I asked about the method? I'll understand if you aren't inclined, considering the subject matter.

[He sighs heavily.] I'm also hoping for that. It's a real pain in the ass what ended up happening.

I suppose we learned some things, but I wouldn't say it was worth it.

[ oh what the hell. he's just spilling his secrets left and right today, what's another? ]

i'm no scientist so i don't know the exact method there's a... spinal implant

[ ...is probably the best way to explain the kerberos experiments ]

it gives certain powers. speed, strength healing. like can't die. it'll bring you back from anything unless the brain is destroyed

[hey. what the fuck.]

It sounds like someone was attempting to make some powerful soldiers. Am I wrong?

[ OKAY... DAMN. don't gotta call his origin story out like that ]

you're not wrong

[gottem]

I'm not surprised someone would go out of their way for such an experiment. I'm sure the person responsible doesn't see anything wrong with some side-effects if the soldiers die and return.

What a pain in the ass. ...Though I realize I'm merely venting at someone who is intimately more familiar with it than myself.

[ it is sort of funny, though. daan might be preaching to the choir, but this is really the first time anyone has expressed concern about the effects of dying and coming back on heine and not just... you know, the general repercussions that a supersoldier program might have on the world at large.

he doesn't really know what to do with it, but it doesn't feel bad? ]

yeah, she wasn't really interested in side effects i guess maybe she thought all of us being broken would make us more loyal dogs pain in the ass is putting it gently. i made it out. not everyone was so lucky but you can see why "i'm going to kill myself on purpose to prove i can't die" sits weirdly for me

[He had a feeling that Heine might be one of them. The honesty is... refreshing, actually.]

Understandable, really. I don't blame you for it.

Honestly, when I heard about it myself, it brought some concerned thoughts to myself. I can't determine if it's science being involved, something otherworldly, or both. Difficult to determine.

Would you ever have your implant removed, Heine?

[ he's getting so fuckin good at this sharing thing. ]

i can't get it either. could be neither. both. either. who knows it would take science on an insane scale to pull this off up until a week ago i didn't think magic existed but here we are, so maybe it's magic

[ he lets the question sit for a long moment before responding. ]

that's a complicated question taking it out would kill me in the stay dead way which feels like it would be a win some days but i also have a reason to keep it, for now at least so maybe the dirt nap is being postponed til after revenge. we'll see short answer: maybe

[sometimes a permanent nap is a thought dude]

If we didn't have such limitations, removal without death could be possible.

...As it stands, I see where you're coming from. You have unfinished business. I wouldn't dream to interrupt.

[ maybe TOO good at the sharing thing ]

is that the kind of doctoring you do?

Please. I'm an excellent surgeon, and I've cared for several in clinic and out in the field of war.

[But he's aware: Heine's shared part of himself, so Daan will do similarly.]

In addition, were my skills to their full capacity, I do have a way to bring someone back from death. At a price, mind you. There are limitations, after all.

i believe you! wasn't questioning that just haven't exactly seen a doctor about it before

[ not that there were all that many capable surgeons in the below, but even if there were, heine has no need of them for obvious reasons... ]

the spread of the death experience here is weird "if i die i'm dead forever" and "i can bring you back but at a cost" and "i can die as much as i want, no worries" what's the price?

Well, I can't fault you for that. My techniques aren't precisely popular even where I'm from.

[There's a pause, but Daan does eventually share the truth of it.]

...It costs me a part of my body. Something more than, say, a finger. A leg, an arm-- something of that nature. And I need to have access to the body within a strict time period.

[ bruh ]

holy shit, dude does the fact that you have all your arms and legs mean you haven't tested this for real? or do you also heal from anything

I've tested it. I'd like to leave it at that.

[ double bruh, but heine respects that there are some stories that don't get told, and he drops the line of questioning. ]

at least with death being how it is here you can put your skills towards less, uh costly methods i don't know if anyone's needed surgery yet but the way things are going i imagine somebody will eventually

Yes, there is that.

That would be difficult, on account of the fact we lack any equipment for surgery proper. I have been cherry picking certain items to help with that if we have no choice, but I truly hope it won't come to it.

there's good knives in some of the kitchens if you need them

[ but he really hopes it doesn't come to that, too. ]

there's a lot more of the city out there than what we can get to right now maybe there's a surgery clinic for you somewhere in the great beyond

I've taken a few. I'm not exactly keen on using them on a person, so hopefully they'll just end up taking space.

Mm, that's true. Perhaps our captors will be gracious in the future, for my sanity's sake.

video » text | @stray

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