expiationnet | 04. Video; Now Presenting...

[The video opens with Silco standing in front of an new establishment in the entertainment district. There is the sound of renovations coming from within, a pile of old debris and broken items off the side that will be repurposed. Still, the sign is lit up announcing the place.

Silco gestured with a hand at the new establishment, the corner of his mouth twitching in what might be his version of a smile.]

This is The Last Drop, a bar from my home in The Lanes. I have been blessed to have it brought here for all of you to enjoy with me. A little taste of my home called Zaun, and it is as rough as it is eclectic.

[He turned to look at the place as the sounds of hammering and saws continued inside. He didn't even seem annoyed at all.]

Apologies on the noise, but it's not in the state I previously left it due to a ruffian having a fight inside before it arrived here. It's unfortunate, but not unexpected given where it came from. Some people can't handle their liquor and emotions at the same time.

Anyway, The Last Drop will be open to serve the community of Aldrip in one week's time. I invite all of you to attend the grand opening. It will be quite the party.

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[Caitlyn blinks a few times, frowning. Vi's confusion makes her confused. The last month had been weird and confusing, for sure, but she thought that had cleared by now.]

No? At least, I don't think so?

[there's a long silence... and then she sighs.]

Where are you?

In my office.

[That sigh says everything she needs to know.]

Do you want me to come meet you? It...sounds like we need to talk.

[Caitlyn is usually the one on top of things, the one that has the right information and all the details. After that weird month, she was definitely thrown for a loop, but she thought her memories were straightened out.

Evidently not, judging by Vi's reaction.]

[Vi's quiet again for a long moment. it's always awkward, talking... but she guesses it probably should happen.]

I'll come meet you in a minute. You don't have to come to me.

[she was kind of meandering in that direction anyway.]

[Talking is most definitely awkward. They've avoided a lot of talking for Reasons, but this... sounds important. If one of them wasn't remembering something right, then it most definitely needed to be corrected.]

Alright. Be careful. I'll see you soon.

[too bad she isn't going to be able to focus on any of her work, with this weighing on her mind. So she's just going to be stewing in silence until Vi arrives.]

[yeah. she's not good at talking. usually it ends up with someone talking at her, but this time... she's going to have to talk. probably do the most of it.

she fiddles with the ring in her pocket until she gets to Caitlyn's office, opening the door and sticking her head inside.]

... Hey.

[Vi isn't the only one that fiddles with a tucked away ring. Caitlyn doesn't keep hers in her pocket, but instead on a chain around her neck, hidden under the neckline of her shirt. She plays with it absently while she waits, but the second she hears the front door open, she tucks it back under her shirt and moves to stand-- just in time for Vi to open the door to her office, itself.]

... Hello. [She gestures to the two chairs opposite her desk, before moving around and sitting at the second. It didn't feel right, having a desk between them in a moment like this.]

Vi-- what's going on?

[Vi comes in, huffing... and then flops down on the chair next to Caitlyn. she slumps a bit, and then rubs her hand over her face, dragging it down the side...]

Where do I even start?

[a beat, as she looks at Caitlyn out of the corner of her eye.]

Do you still really remember that Silco's my dad?

[Vi looks so...tired. Which isn't too unusual, thanks to this place, but that doesn't mean Caitlyn has to like it.]

Yes?

[Because that was the truth, right? Her and Vi had discussed this already, so she's not really sure what the problem is?]

I know things were a little fuzzy after our memories were changed, but I thought we already talked about this?

[she looks at the ceiling, trying to sort through her own memories. those memories had seemed... so real.]

We did. But... things changed. Again.

[she runs a hand down the side of her face.]

Silco is a piece of shit, cupcake. Also not my dad at all.

Wait. But I thought-- [that it was the other way around. that vander was the piece of shit, and silco was the good one, and--

damn, she's so confused.]

How do you know this isn't just this place messing with your head again?

[because caitlyn's memories haven't changed again, everything has been the same, since they last talked about it all! so if vi's changed again, wouldn't it be more likely that vi's were the ones off??]

[she scrubs at her face with her hand. why was everything so complicated...]

Because I just... know. That it's right this time. I don't really know how to explain it.

[unfortunately, everything fits better than before.]

Just trust me. I know it's not fake this time.

[Caitlyn pauses, unsure of what to say, what to think.

But ultimately? She trusts Vi. She doesn't really understand the how or why, but if Vi is telling her this is the truth, then how could she not believe her?]

Alright. I trust you.

[she rubs her hands down her face and sighs in a long winded way. at least Caitlyn trusted her...

which is a blessing and a curse.]

Do I have to rehash it all, or can we just wait until your memories go back to normal?

I guess not. But how long might that take? I would have thought it would all be out of our heads by now.

[It's not really a question, because she knows Vi wouldn't have an answer. This place loved to mess with them, but it usually didn't last this long. That's why she didn't suspect anything was even wrong until Vi told her otherwise.]

Silco's the bad one. And Vander was good. You don't have to tell me more than that. [She can put the pieces in order just from that, even if it's so strange. How did she get so lucky to end up with fucked up memories lasting this long?]

Who the fuck knows.

[at the mention that Caitlyn didn't need Vi to tell her a whole report, she sighs in relief. she didn't want to explain it all anyway... and hopefully her memories would get fixed at some point or another.]

Thanks. I'm sorry, I just... don't want to talk about it all all over again.

[it hurt too much.]

It's okay. I know how hard all of this has been on you.

[She reaches over at last, wrapping her hand around Vi's hand. It was already bad enough with Silco when he was the good one. She can only imagine the pain and stress the opposite would cause her.]

I wish I could fix this. I wish there was something I could do to make everything right in my head again.

[But hopefully knowing the truth now counted for something? Maybe the real memories would start to correct themselves? It was all she could hope for, anyway.]

[there's a long sigh, and Vi takes a cigarette out of her pocket and lights it. after a few moments, she takes a drag out of it and leans back on her chair.]

You'll figure out a way. Or it'll just fix itself, who knows. But don't beat yourself up over it, cupcake.

[she's so tired.]

It's not your fault.

04. Video; Now Presenting...

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