[BBS] dead people aren't dead yet.

[espio]

Given that Time Compression is how it is, I have a question for you. When someone's supposed to be dead, and you already tried to fix it and it didn't work, what do you actually do with them? Do you tell them, or just settle for your relationship (whatever it is) being awkward as hell for as long as they stay here?

And don't give me "just be happy they're alive." That doesn't work. They're still gonna go back eventually, and they're still gonna die.

[Totally unsigned, even though he knows there's people who know his number. And that some people can look this up.]

Comments

[BBS]

[cigardog]

[No. That's not suspicious at all Espio.]

Someone from your own world or time?

Re: [BBS]

[espio]

[You're a cop. You're bound to look him up.]

This is hypothetical, so sure. Let's say that.

Re: [BBS]

[cigardog]

I'd just tell them. Lies are always messier than the truth.

[espio]

What if I told you I'm supposed to be dead?

[cigardog]

[Actually that was his first thought.]

Is it weighing on you?

[espio]

Are you saying that you believed that straight away? You could at least say "is this hypothetical as well" or something.

[cigardog]

Fine fine.

"Is this hypothetical as well"?

[WELL, Chaotix live a dangerous and you know... choatic lifestyle.]

[espio]

The effect's completely lost when you're only doing it 'cause I said so.

Fine. No, it's not.

And about it weighing on me... dunno.

[cigardog]

So is it mean, you, your team, or someone else who should be dead?

[espio]

Me. And for simplicity, we'll go with Mighty.

[Because he's always the first to mind. Always.]

Not that he's here. I think the last time he was here was about two years ago.

[The one that was a janitor doesn't count.]

[cigardog]

Figures. You kids always were reckless.

When? And how long have you known?

[espio]

Not sure when it'd be from your time. What point are you at?

I'd say I found out last January or so. And what can I say? Some hedgehog got a little too happy with some overpowered shiny rocks.

[cigardog]

I was just working on paperwork for a mistaken identity case.

What, another one? How many of them are there running around?

[espio]

Porker Lewis? That's ages ago.

Well, I know three hedgehogs. Four if you count Amy, who I met about once, and five if you count Silver, who I've only met here.

This one's a bit more subtle than Super Sonic, though. Less yellow.

[cigardog]

[First part is whoosh, oh Mobius. Whatever.]

Good. So Sidewinder wasn't involved?

[espio]

No.

And honestly, I don't think it'd've worked out as bad if he was involved. He wants to rule the universe, not destroy it. [BACKSPACE why did he even type that?!]

[morphitudinous]

I wouldn't suspect there's one right answer. It depends on the temperament of the person who's likely to die. Some people want to know when, others don't. And their answers might surprise you, I'd guess.

But their death might not be a certainty, unless the circumstance that caused it is entirely unavoidable no matter what choices the person makes. Their time here might have changed things. A small ripple can make big waves.

[espio]

True, I guess.

Pretty certain it's unavoidable. It's what you might call collateral damage - they had nothing to do with how they died, they were just caught in a large-scale thing. If there's anyone in a position to change it, it isn't them.

[cigardog]

What?! How does that make any sense? He makes everything worse!

[You might need to type that again anyway Espio, because Furor thinks you've lost it.]

[espio]

Sidewinder's interested in power - he wants to rule the universe. But his sanity is obviously going downhill, along with his competency as a villain. He's going to get himself killed, not that it'd be much of a loss. Even Lightmare came to us for help so that he wouldn't kill himself going after Super Sonic.

So, take someone much younger, comparitively saner, who already has power, and is more interested in destruction than ruling anything. They're easily the bigger threat, the state Sidewinder's in now.

[cigardog]

And just what does someone with that much power decide to "sanely" do with it?

[morphitudinous]

If that's the case, I'm sorry. The ripples can have unexpected effects, they might throw the large-scale event off entirely.

But as far as dealing with death...it's probably best to try the subject in another context first. See how they react, and then you might have a better idea.

[espio]

Blow stuff up. Competently. And without annoucing their intentions to everyone within range. Kind of like what Sidewinder used to do before he went completely off the deep end, but on a larger scale because this guy didn't want any people left around.

[He's having a hard time explaining this without outright saying "he made the universe implode, and everyone in the Special Zone is dead."]

strikes are backspaced!

[alwaysanarcher]

Is there ever the possibility that they'll come back to life? I know it sounds weird - and I didn't believe it at first myself - but it's happened to a couple of my friends people I know back on my world.

- Cissie

[espio]

Well, that kind of thing does happen sometimes.

[Given the whole "superhero comics parody" thing the Special Zone has going for it, people getting better must happen all the time.]

In this case, though, I'd say it's a thousand times less likely than normal, and normally it's pretty unlikely.

[espio]

Another context? Like what?

[alwaysanarcher]

Oh :( that's unfortunate

I don't know what to tell you. I'd say "cherish the time you do have with them here" but I don't think that's the proper thing to do either. Do you want to tell them about their death?

[morphitudinous]

Talk about death, but not their own. Ask a hypothetical question. What would they do if they knew they had a week left to live, what would they do if someone else was going to die if they made a certain choice. Their answers will help tell you about their attitude.

[cigardog]

Anyone?

Just to prove he could?

What did he blow up?

[espio]

The whole Special Zone.

[TESTING YOUR REACTION. He can always say he was exaggerating if this goes super bad. Or something.]

[cigardog]

No, really.

[Sorry, he just thinks that's you know... impossible.]

[espio]

Really.

[cigardog]

That's impossible.

[espio]

There's no such thing.

[cigardog]

Are you really serious?

Who was this punk?

MONTH LATE TAG IS A MONTH LATE

[espio]

Well, okay. It wasn't the whole Special Zone, but a considerable chunk of it. A chunk of it I happened to be in at the time. I'm not actually sure how much of it was destroyed.

[...actually somewhat true, but Espio hasn't got a whole lot of hope there.]

His name's Shadow. He has some allies, the Syndicate, but I have no idea who they are.

He can control Chaos Energy. Turns out, the Special Zone is made of the stuff.

XDDD Well you know what they say better late than never

[cigardog]

And what, he just decided it was in the way?

<.<

[espio]

From what I gathered, he saw an opportunity and took it. Basically, he did it because he could - no other reason.

>>

[cigardog]

I see.

[Except he doesn't.]

How many?

[espio]

How many what?

[cigardog]

People dead.