SWITCHBOARD

[transmittable]

If you'd like to ask the Transmitter something over the phone, go right ahead! The Transmitter will answer the phone as soon as she's available. Leaving messages is impossible, given how old these phones are, but you should be able to reach her at almost all hours.

Comments are screened for privacy; all Patients are offered confidentiality, didn't you know?

Comments

[nachetanya]

No.

[ ... ah. She said it. ]

... I once more ask that you don't share this with the others. But no, not at all. In fact, I might go so far as to say that none of the fiends are "evil," necessarily.

[transmittable]

What you tell me is confidential. We're...in a hospital, remember?

So then, why do they do it?

[nachetanya]

Because that's what the will of the Evil God is.

[ . . . ]

The Evil God, as it is right now, is confused and violent. A malevolent will which knows only about killing. It's impossible for a human-- ... Ah, I don't mean to assume you're human, but. In any case, it's impossible to overstate how much the Evil God means to them. It's something like a parent, a deity, and a part of themselves all wrapped up into one entity. Only thirty percent or so of fiends have what we could recognize as intelligence beyond an animal level, but even they... if they feel emotions, often those emotions are only elation at fulfilling the whims of the Evil God, or frustration at failing. In fact, why they fiends wail is precisely that:

Those cries, though most humans don't know this, are wails of despair and frustration that the Evil God is once more dead. That they couldn't kill enough humans.

[transmittable]

I am. Human.

...

So they do it because it's what they feel they have to do, to act off its emotions, and please their...most important thing? Huh.

[nachetanya]

Ah, I didn't want to assume.

Yes, and for the most part, while they can develop more complex emotions and intelligence... There have only ever been three fiends in history who developed what humans can call "empathy." The majority of fiends can feel frustration at failure, either for the Evil God or even in their own endeavors, and happiness at success. But they can't comprehend being sad that another fiend is sad. Or that another has died.

But those three fiends I just mentioned evolve empathy, somehow. And one of them realized that this way of life for the fiends is not one which can ever give them true happiness.

[transmittable]

So what do they do about it? Can they do anything about it?

[nachetanya]

Yes. All three of them devised their own "solutions," but that last one...

His name is Dozzu.

[ If the Trasmitter needed to ask, that makes it clear that she didn't know all of the things about them, or all that's mentioned on their profiles. Right now, this is a bit of a test. As "Dozzu" is listed under one of her likes on the profile. ]

[transmittable]

Dozzu...

[ There's a pause. A sound of acknowledgement. ]

...Dozzu. He's the dog, right?

[nachetanya]

Yes! [ she laughs at that description! His current form is like some sort of rabbit-dog... thing. With a horn. ] He's my comrade, and has been since I was young. If you know that, then you really do know some things about us, don't you?

[transmittable]

I do. We all do, it's just hard to remember everything sometimes. REALLY hard.

[nachetanya]

I see.

[ She laughs a little and: ]

In that case, I won't explain the actual details of Dozzu and I's plan [ mostly because she knows it but the audience doesn't because this is a mystery novel series and not finished ] because you might already know, and can remember on your own.

[ She sounds amused. ... Even if she's disturbed by this. ]

However, the core idea of our plan is simple: We can achieve true and lasting piece if we can replace the current Evil God with a different "will" and intelligence. Then the fiends and and humans can live in peace with each other, without any more risk of the end of the world as we know it, or the domination of the fiends by that entity.

We believe we can accomplish this with only minimal sacrifices.

[transmittable]

That sounds like a real swell idea, Assertive. Replace the bad with something nice. I hope you can accomplish it, one day.

[nachetanya]

I do as well.

... But my window to do so is shrinking. I'm certain Dozzu will be able to accomplish it, someday, but the window for me to see it in my life time is going to expire in about ten days, now.

[ Assuming time isn't. You know, different than she thinks. ]

[transmittable]

[ She sighs. ]

And it's something that, despite knowing it may happen, you want to see personally to. Right?

[nachetanya]

... Honestly, the only reason I know it "will" happen is my faith in Dozzu. Without me, he's down his most potent companion. In all likelihood, almost all of our schemes will be a wash, and he'll need to walk a tightrope to ensure that the actual Braves can defeat the Evil God this time without losing any of their number to Carggik or Tgurneu's forces. He'll be able to try again in three hundred years but...

... He'll also be without this mark I have on my chest, unless I'm able to return.

[transmittable]

It'll really make or break his victory?

[nachetanya]

[ . . . ]

I had told you that I am one of the Six Flowers. and I've told numerous other people about that. But if you know everything about us, could you perhaps think harder about me, Misty?

[ she isn't actually one of the Six Braves. she's actually the "Seventh" - a fake Flower that Dozzu was able to put into the mix using a "fake" crest, the one that she has.

... In way, she's seeing both if the Transmitter is able to and perhaps more importantly willing to remember it without her clarifying. ]

[transmittable]

[ ... ]

...I think...I'm starting to understand now... Assertive.

[ Her voice has taken on a different tone. A little more knowing. ]

Seven of six, right? Am I remembering correctly?

[nachetanya]

That's correct.

[ She puts a hand over her chest - over the Crest of Six Flowers there ]

I am the Seventh Brave, Dozzu's own insider to the people who are otherwise the greatest enemy of the Evil God and the fiends.

[ There's more to it, of course, but the Transmitter had said remembering was hard. The details of the wager that Dozzu made with Tgurneu and Carggik (that any one of the three fiend generals' forces managed to kill three of the braves, that general would gain utter command over all fiends) and the nature of her crest (one that was frozen in time by the Saint of Time of three hundred years ago) is probably a little more complicated, but Nachetanya answers with a pleasant tone.

... In a way, it's refreshing to not be a fake for a moment. ]

[transmittable]

That sounds much more relaxed. Must be tough, keeping the whole truth from everyone. Can't imagine how it feels. Oh, wait, I do.

[ A joke? Maybe. ]

Though circumstances are fuzzy, if I think on it, I can understand you more.

[nachetanya]

I hoped that might be the case! [ She laughs at this, actually, pulling the receiver a little bit closer to her ear. She smiles wider, actually.

... Because of course the Transmitter isn't telling anyone the whole truth. ]

Now, can you tell me a story? One about your world, perhaps? Or maybe just any other world.

[transmittable]

Hmmm... I've promised you secrecy. Can you do the same?

[nachetanya]

Now that you have asked, yes. I promise. [ She clarifies this because she knows she's brought up little things they discussed with the others before now such as the unicorns or whatever. So basically covering her ass for it not counting retroactively. ]

[transmittable]

[ The static sputters and buzzes. ]

Then, here. This isn't a nice one either.

Once there was a girl who could control time. She didn't understand how, or why, but she used it to save a friend. For awhile, she felt like a hero.

It turned out, that power was bad. Her friend just kept being put in horrible situations. Dying. The girl kept trying to save her friend, but in the end, she had to let go, or let the everything else be destroyed.

Fate's cruel that way.

[nachetanya]

... So the girl learned that time didn't want to be changed, in essence. That does sound cruel.