#And then he's really ineffective with the gun and is loudly cursing about it all the time

[0bsequi0us]

I've seen several people jokingly propose a weapon swap for the Prime Assets and I understand it's mostly just an excuse to give poor distraught Coyle a little gun time

But Imagine. Gooseberry going mad with power caning people with Coyle's electrified prod. Still doing the Doctor Futterman voice and having a sort of crisis of identity about it but feeling strangely free

And Franco and Dr. Futterman get along shirt time! Like obviously Franco isn't a ventriloquist and can't do the voice but I can imagine him still sorta playing along. Like "So now you're giving me the silent treatment, eh?" and still gesturing with the puppet sort of clumsily

[purify-orre-blog]

Addendum: Michael’s Video Logs - CH. 1 Section

TL:DR; Hey so. Michael was planning to kill Rocky, and I didn’t know how else to get it out there. Read all the logs or just this one, but know this was written so I could put that out there. These four are in the Epsilon Folder, titled “Epsilon1.mp4” through “Epsilon4.mp4”. These will also be under the “VideoLog” tag. Check Navigation or Here for the chronological order!

TW/CW : Electrocution and (Unintentional) Self-Injury, Plans of Murder-Suicide (Via Bombing), A Panic Attack

Accompanying Music: Theme of Suspense (You Know What You Must Do, Even If You Don’t Want To)

From off-screen, you can hear the closing of a door. Then Michael comes into view.

“Project Epsilon: Log 1, Start.”

His face holds the same serene smile as before.

“I’ve finally run into a few of my… classmates. They don’t seem like anything more than unlucky victims.” He brings his left hand up and starts twirling some of his hair, closing his eyes to think for a moment.

“It’s going to be difficult becoming the villain. After all, Oswald showed up today. I can tell someone will crack soon.” Slowly he looks up to the camera and lets the smile drop.

“I don’t want to do this.”

He walks over to the couch by his coffee table, which we see is littered with Wii Gamecases, and sits down on the center cushion leaning back.

“Rocky and Caelum and Saturday and Ann seem nice. I don’t want to be the bad guy, again.”

He covers his face with his hands and rises his voice to that of a normal indoor-voice.

“I read the chat so far. They’re either clueless or really good actors. And I can’t read auras more than the basics…”

He sighs loudly and pulls his hands away slowly, staring at them.

“Everyone has auras. No one is a Shadow. I’ve apparently been purified? I don’t remember becoming a Shadow, but the info is there. And my Move Count is significantly higher. I don’t remember taking any PP MAXes before I left…”

His hands start smoking, and little sparks start to shoot out. They float in the air and fizzle out before hitting the ceiling. Michael seems unfazed.

“I can’t find my Worn Collar Neutralizer. I need it to regain HP and PP at the end of each turn. It negates Minus and stat bonuses on me, but I need it so I’m safe to be around.”

The smoke and sparks travel all the way down to his elbows and white hot electricity courses around his arms. Michael seems unfazed.

“And I can’t find it.”

As he says this, a buzz resounds throughout the room and the lights flicker on and off, before settling off. The sparks disperse from Michael’s arms and his white headband stains red.

“I’ll have to reset the breakers again. Unlike last time, I think people are awake.”

Red liquid starts to drip onto his forehead. It’s blood. Michael seems unfazed.

“I’ll have to apologize for this and set up a probable accident scene. For whatever reason, Baton Pass doesn’t work on Caelum. I’ll have to be careful.”

He stands up and walks almost robotically to the center of the frame, swaying a bit back-and-forth, blood trickling down his face.

“Move Count so far: Encore, 7 of 8. Baton Pass, 62 of 64. Spark 28 of 32. Fake Tears, 32 of 32. Project Epsilon: Log 1, End.”

And he walks out of view, but we don’t hear the door close.

☼☼☼ The door slams shut and Michael storms in, pouting. His arms are crossed and he is pointedly not looking at the camera.

“Project Epsilon: Log 2, Start.”

He slouches into himself and stays still for about 30 seconds, then springs up, moving to put his hands on his hips.

“A CURSE? Really?” He’s talking a little louder than usual, and so, at normal indoor voice volume. He lifts his right foot and stomps it hard on the ground, wincing a little as he rolls his ankle out. “Yeah, right! I’ve been cursed before by Dusclops.” He rights his stance. “And this is no CURSE!”

He lifts his head and quickly plasters a smirk over his scowl, moving to make finger guns at the camera.

“My HP is at 119 out of 122 and going up as I remember to eat, and I know that rabbit robot is no ghost-type, so there!”

He spins on the heels of his feet to the right, and breaks off into a run around the coffee table, heading off towards the kitchen.

“Jokes on him, ‘cuz I have food stashed up for weeks!”

The opening and closing of a pantry can be heard.

Michael rushes back with a party-sized bag of Chex Mix in his hands.

“Even if he did CURSE me, it’d be ineffective, ‘cuz I have healing items, so there, Oswald! I got you good!”

He smirks and points to himself in triumph.

“Seems I’m just too smart for you!”

The smirk breaks into a giddy grin and he spins himself around again, this time to the left. With a bounce in his steps, he runs off towards the kitchen again.

No sound is heard.

“…”

From the view of the living room, all that can be seen is the fridge of the kitchen and a nearby counter. Michael sets the bag down and calmly walks back.

“I can’t open the pantry anymore.”

He’s smiling calmly.

“It’s not actively locked. I just can’t open it. One second.”

He moves to the coffee table in the middle of the living room, and picks up the game case to Mariokart Wii. He picks it up and walks about 5 feet away from the camera.

“Let’s see if my hunch is correct.”

He opens the case with ease.

“Okay, so far so good.”

He pops the disc out of the case.

“And if I’m right, once I do this,” he pops it back in, “It’ll be stuck,” he tries to pop the disc out again, and is unsuccessful.

“…”

He looks to the camera, calm smile thinning. His voice is back to it’s normal quiet octave.

“Perhaps I was cursed after all. Which means I probably can’t leave on my own.”

He walks back to the coffee table and sets the case back down. He pauses for a moment, and closes the case.

“Not like I’ll be able to play it anyways…”

Then he opens the other cases on the table and carefully takes all the discs out, setting them around.

“Better keep them out so I can use them…”

He looks to the camera sheepishly, raising his voice a little louder than what’s considered normal.

“Uh, in my defense, this is going to be my only entertainment in-between coding updates to the Aura Reader Storm process?”

And he sucks in a sharp breath of air and slaps a hand over his mouth, as if worried. He looks to the laptop connected to his Aura Reader at the other end of the coffee table. He blankly stares at it for about 20 seconds.

Then he shakily moves the hand away from his mouth and grins big back towards the camera. The smile seems real, but his eyes are glazed over.

“Ha ha, I almost said the detonation phrase… That would’ve been real bad, huh?”

He lets out a shaky and ugly laugh.

It’s more wheezing than anything else. He pulls his headband over his eyes and his hair falls to cover his face. He settles into the couch and grabs the nearest throw pillow, hugging it tight. Michael’s huddled in on himself, knees up to his chest. The laugh turns grating and loud, and Michael winces in between breaths.

When the laugh finally stops, he looks towards the camera, eyes still covered by headband and hair. He releases hold of the pillow and sits up straight. If the camera weren’t at a high angle, Michael might seem to tower over the room.

“I’m saving it for our first group meeting.”

He stands up, still effectively blind-folded, maneuvering fluidly from between the coffee table to a foot away from the camera.

He’s looking at it, dead-center.

“I planned to detonate it at Rocky’s concert, freeing everyone.”

He taps his left index finger on his chin and tilts his head to his right. The calm smile turns wry.

“But that didn’t pan out. And 30 feet isn’t enough to end us all in one go.”

He tilts his head to his left and pushes the headband up with both hands. Then they drop to his sides. His eyes are still closed, but it feels like he’s aware of exactly where he is.

“I intend to make the first kill.”

His eyes snap open.

“Never-mind the fact I can’t actively leave…”

The smile calms again. Michael’s eyes seem to crackle with something.

“I’ve set pipe bombs down intermittently around in the backroom of every gift shop currently available, except the one I took my new laptop from. I have remote access codes set up for just this occasion.”

And the smile drops. Michael tears up.

“I hope we get saved before my two week set-goal is up.”

He looks away from the camera and sniffles.

“I don’t want to have to hurt anyone else.”

He looks back to the camera, in what can only be described as utter desperation. He’s not slouching anymore.

“I know it’s selfish, but more than anything I hope someone will offer to let me out when I finish coding the upgrade in a week.”

The irises of his green-blue eyes seem to swirl and shift, twisting and turning. His eyes fill up with tears.

“I kind of hope it’s Rocky who lets me out. Killing someone so nice would be exactly what’s expected for my character arc. Expected from a murderer like me.”

He shudders a little bit, but keeps speaking.

“I’ll be the villain everyone always said I was. And once they execute me? True hope will spring forth.”

He starts to shake. His hands grasp at the sides of his face and he starts to cry. His face is stuck in an unsettling blissful smile. He’s bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.

“A simple tool taking down a super star…”

He’s practically purring.

“Can you imagine anything more hopeful?“

The tears keep coming, falling over that big elated smile, and he moves to wipe his eyes. He’s still looking at the camera, and his focus seems crystal clear.

“Sorry for that. It’s been a while since I’ve indulged in feelings of hope and grandeur.”

He waits for the tears to stop, and composes himself. He slouches back down and takes a few deep breaths.

“Project Epsilon: Log 2, End.”

He opens the bag of Chex Mix on the coffee table, and goes back to coding.

☼☼☼

Michael looks calculating as he types into his phone. Everyone and then, hints of fear and worry can be seen on his face. He turns to the camera, smiling that calm smile.

He chirps, voice loud and excited.

“Project Epsilon: Log 3, Start!”

He leans back into the far end of the couch and stretches his legs before getting up and walking 4 feet away from the camera.

“Rocky and Caelum are going to let me out! I’m lucky that this plan is going along so smoothly! There’s just one week left before I lead Rocky to the back of one of the gift shops and set off you-know-what on both of us!”

There’s a knock at the door. Michael’s calm smile flashes quickly between surprise and actual joy, before swinging back around to a polite smile.

“That must be them now! Project Epsilon: Log 3, End!”

He turns and jogs out-of-view towards the front door.

“Hey, it’s unlocked, you two! I just can’t open it!”

☼☼☼

The lights are off.

The sound of a door quietly opening and shutting can be heard.

The lights flicker on.

“Project Epsilon: Log 4, Start.”

Michael walks slowly into frame. He looks like he’s about to be sick.

“Someone else beat me to it.“

He looks down to the floor, brows furrowing in confusion.

“Someone else killed Rocky before I could. I don’t know who did it.”

He looks back up into the camera.

“Was this punishment for trying to play villain? Should I be a martyr instead?“

He brings his hands together and nods once to the camera view, calm smile returning.

“A villain’s sacrifice does often inspire heroes to continue on…”

And he closes his eyes, and smiles wider.

“I’ll have to use some MOVEs at the upcoming trial!”

He pulls his hands apart and pumps his arms in excitement.

“If I’m really careful, I can lead them to thinking I did it, and set off the Aura Reader before Oswald’s punishment happens!”

And he clasps his hands together and smiles sheepishly towards the camera.

“I know it’s selfish, but really, it’s better for us all to die together! That way no more killings will occur. And Rocky won’t be lonely!”

His smile seems real.

“And at least one Oswald will be gone! That’s something, right?”

He tilts his head to the left and sighs.

“Yeah, I mean. It’s pretty obvious there are tons of Oswald bots… Grandpa Chobin and Kaminko always had spares of every project…”

And, in a flash, Michael spins himself around on his heels and snaps finger guns to the camera. He winks with his left eye.

“WISH me luck at the trial, anyone who’s watching, okay?”

He brings his hands back together and closes both his eyes in a sigh.

“If I’m caught off guard even once, I’m liable to spill the beans. Especially if it’s Caelum that says anything. I can’t keep this act up for very long…”

And he snaps up from his slouch into a full-height salute and grins at the camera.

“Jovi, if you’re watching, I’m sorry for letting you down. Your big brother’s just fulfilling his last use, okay? And, I don’t know why I’m here, but I’ll always love you. Project Epsilon: Log 4, End.”

He marches out-of-view to the kitchen and opens the fridge door, pulling out a Capri Sun.