WELCOME TO DREAMWIDTH, HERO...

-- unbelievable.

[ there's the sound of clattering as the video comes on, like someone knocked the communicator over but is obviously too preoccupied to notice. even though there's only a crooked view of someone's feet, rictor's voice is raised and clearly audible. ]

What part of this did you think I'd be okay with, exactly? Or weren't you thinking about me at all?

I do not know. [shatterstar sounds defensive, but like he's rather missing the point:] Why would this upset you? You were not here.

Why would it upset me? [ there's a tone of incredulity in rictor's voice. ] Oh, wait. That's right. You wouldn't understand because you have no concept of what it feels like to only want to be with one person.

When I was not in your dimension, you were with others. How is this different? [a beat, heatedly:] And you also wish to be with Rahne.

Rahne is different. I thought she was pregnant with my -- [ hhurghh. ] That's not the point.

[ the camera starts to get unsteady, trembling a little at first, then more as rictor continues to raise his voice. ]

This isn't about me and her. It's about us, or if there even is an us at all --

Of course there is an- [and then, when the shaking becomes too intense to ignore-] Rictor? Julio!

What? [ the whole building lurches one more time.







then stops. because he stops. he realizes. dead silent and still for a long moment. ]

...That was me.

[END FEED]

[This post takes place on the floor of a M.A.C. apartment, in a room cast primarily in the light of a television. Shatterstar is mostly focused on the channels he's rapidly cycling through, despite addressing his comm.]

So many of my shows are gone. Movies, as well.

[Completely sincerely:] Even sex has failed to sufficiently bolster my mood.

[He holds his fist up before the camera, and two blades slide up out of a device on his wrist, one on each side of his hand. Dramatically. He focuses on the camera fully, now. The music swells.] I would ask to test my blade against one of you, to take my mind off the sad state of this world. None off this Network present me with a challenge.