@anonymous

[stabilis]

Kind of forward for a first date, I know, but do any of you have access to tech that can give a guy a clean brain scan? Looking for foreign organics, not the chip.

And has anyone tested the limits of the empathy bond? If not, consider this recruitment for some extreme handholding. Also forward, but I promise I'll buy you a drink as soon as I get my allowance.

Comments

[preceded]

but useful.

[That's also true! But given that he's a bat, and that this hardware is hitching a ride in his brain, he wants to know every little thing. With or without this helpful stranger]

not unless we had a volunteer to supply it. we're not exactly free range.
how were you planning to begin testing it out?

[stabilis]

Not mutually exclusive.

I figured we'd hold hands and then run some simple tests. See if focus or intent changes the effect, if you can feel it when I stub my toe, etc.

I'm not expecting much, honestly, but the only thing I've encountered that could do anything like this had a bigger range on it. Thought it'd be a good idea to rule things out.

[preceded]

that's a fair point.

seems like a good place to start to me.

[After all, they need a foundation and to see the results before they can see if it's even possible to build off of it. There's a bit of a pause between that response and the next-]

i'd be interested in hearing about that. it's more than i can say. the empathic transference i'm familiar with had an outside source and definitely didn't work this way.

[No creepy feelings, just- his empath friend's wet dreams about him being shoved into his brain. yay.]

[stabilis]

[ okay but that's still creepy???? ]

Alien parasite, links hosts up to a hive mind. Shared thought's a hell of a family plan. It cut people off from emotions instead of sharing them, but I don't doubt it could've if it was in its best interest.

[preceded]

[it was the worst time :|

But hey, emotion eating parasite, any chance that's what happened to his dad??]

were you able to separate the parasites from the hosts?

[And if you did- was their mind fried by the length of time they'd had someone else hitching a ride and suppressing vital parts of themselves? Yes, feels are vital, lookin' at you "matches", you twit]

[stabilis]

[ WELL................. noticeable delay on this one. ]

Sure, but there aren't a lot of options. Each parasite originates from a different plasma pool. Destroy the pool, you cleanse everyone connected to it.

[ And he'll absolutely leave out the part about his brother's magic dick, but this other thing still takes a beat to decide. ]

Whoever brought us here might be capable of it, too.

[preceded]

[well aren't you cheerful]

define 'cleanse'.

[Like...Death? Human vegetable? The end to The Faculty where everything was normal and they hooked up with their polar opposites? He might have his fingers in some of the sciences as an occupational hazard, but it's not his thing as much as some of the others]

well, between you and me, i hope that's a theory we'll be able to disprove.

[like- no thanks, he hates this hive mind idea]

[stabilis]

[ look it's been a long 35 years, he tries ]

Death of the parasite. If the host is healthy, they walk away clean. Minus the PTSD.

And hey, I'm with you on that one. This place has enough problems without adding any of this shit to the mix. What about you, you have anything like this at home?

y u like dis

[preceded]

i hate to say it, but that's definitely the favourable outcome.

[You can...treat PTSD, or pretend it isn't there and shoulder onwards, like one in spandex does]

alien parasites? sure.
the transference i was talking about earlier- no.
that was an empath who had some difficulty controlling her stronger emotions.

[It's a friend, so he's being nicer and blander about it than it deserves, but-]

there was an organization that behaved in a hive mind capacity, but by choice.
it wouldn't surprise me to hear otherwise, but i haven't come across it, myself.

read all the comics

[stabilis]

That sounds like a yikes.

[ Empath on the fritz?? They don't have empaths, but he does read comics. He knows the drill. ]

The empath and the organization, I mean. I guess your hive mind gets points for bothering with consent.

[ Not many, though. Still yikes. ]

you do it and cliff notes me!

[preceded]

accurate.

[It like, ruined his wedding so-]

if you can call it that.
failure to comply to the letter left something to be desired.

[He means death. No independent action or thought allowed! Also- they spent a lot of their time trying to kill him, so death was just highly involved in general]

when did you want to get started?

[stabilis]

Most hive minds aren't big on going freelance, go figure.

[ Kind of the same with the hullen, although there were levels of independence involved. Apparently. ?? ]

Depends on whether you want to get cozy in the safehouse or wait until I can find a location with more privacy. You know, tactical privacy.

[preceded]

[Why do more of those organizations have to exist. Hard pass, honestly]

i'd rather have answers sooner than later, but i'll leave it to you.

[He basically jumped up and down going 'pick me', he's definitely not the shy type- but you might be]

i'd like a name first, though.
i'm not that easy.

[stabilis]

Safehouse it is.

The name's John Jaqobis. And I AM that easy, but if we're doing introductions, I'll take yours.

i randomed icon'd just for you

[preceded]

it makes it easier to find you, at least.

[Lest they set up a meet point in the safehouse and he ambushes some poor unsuspecting bastard with unsolicited hand holding, 'tis frowned upon]

dick grayson.
a pleasure.

thank u

[stabilis]

See if you still feel that way after holding my hand for ten minutes.

Is Matches a friend of yours?

[preceded]

i'll be sure to keep you posted.

[He'd offer the same kind of warning back- but he figures Johnny's going to have to expect people to have a host of negative feelings, even if for some, it only applies to their situation.

There's a pause. He doesn't want to have to admit he's associated with 'Matches' of all things]

he's a nuisance.

[Another pause, much smaller] which makes him my little brother, unfortunately.

[stabilis]

Man, little brothers. The wooooooooorst.

[ says the little brother ]

Guess that explains why he's so violently anti your-cooties, specifically.

[preceded]

most of the time.

[And then- depending on the little brother in question. He definitely has ones he gets along with better, and a few he has a ridiculous amount of faith in. Jason just usually isn't one of them.

Especially not right now]

i'd ask what he said, but i could guess.
don't worry, i'm not out to break your heart.

[Yet. To be determined by your scruffy handsomeness later]

[stabilis]

Good, because it happens to be very sensitive right now.

[ fresh off of a round of violent alien hivemind mood swings, u kno, the usual ]

I'll let you know when I've got the lab set up.

[ There is no lab. He's just waiting on a beer delivery, tbh. ]

[preceded]

common thread.

[He's going to take that as banter, but also likely a warning of what he's walking into- so, likewise, dude. Still, there's no pause between that comment or the next.

Thanks for looking out for their drinking needs]

i'll wait with bated breath.