[ network ]

[beholding_archivist]

[ Static is what begins this broadcast. A little crackle at first, but quickly increasing and peaking for a moment before receding again. Once it has mostly died down a deep, labored intake of breath can be heard before the image taken of the camera flickers to life.

Jon looks into said camera with a mix of dread and fatigue, fresh blood smeared through a face that hasn't been a shower in a while, yet has been to plenty of unpleasant places very recently. His hair is messy. Cut short and out of his face for practicality, but nowhere as neatly trimmed as it has been after their visit to Coruscant. Much more notable are his eyes, however. Where before their dull, muddy green hasn't been drawing much attention, they are now a brighter, much more piercing and maybe a little unnatural greyish green.

After a moment of quietly contemplating his screen, Jon's face settles into a frown. His voice carries a slight tremor when he starts speaking, causing the static to return for half a moment before it levels back down along with the tremor in Jon's voice. ]

H̶ow.̧.̡. ̀

... how long was I gone? And--

What happened to the network?

[ He tried scrolling back, but all he can see is the same message, over and over and over again. ]

Comments

[Audio]

[doubled_speed]

Ah. So THAT is what that was about.

Clearly that was Tony then. Hey look, they gave you back.

[He sighs, fingers curling through his hair. He chose audio to hide the fact that the way Jon looks bothers him.]

Home?

Jon will stick to video simply because he doesn't think about pushing any further buttons

[beholding_archivist]

Tommy...

[ Right. Catra already mentioned something of that sort. ]

...Tony, he... Took it badly. I'll find him.

[ Then there is a pause. A small nod and a sigh. ]

If you could call it that. It... was bad.
And it was my fault.

Oh Jon, he's worried

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, he sorta loves you, I think. I mean, that sorta break seems to imply it.

[He wants to help, badly. He wants them both feelign better.]

You look like shit. How about we lay off of explanations until I've gotten you to a medic?

[beholding_archivist]

....hmm...

[ He takes a moment to work through that. Somehow he feels that he has been missing Tony even though he was back on Earth. Not in a way that he would have been able to put it into words, but... A feeling. ]

I, ah... Billy. He... He said he will be here shortly.

[ A pause. ]

Tommy... I... I killed my Earth. We tried to undo it, but-- I'm not sure if it worked. If it did, I... I may have brought them here. But I don't know. I can't SEE them!

[doubled_speed]

[Good man, bro, taking care of him. Tommy might thank Billy for it later.]

Shit. I...

[No, he refuses to be scared. Tommy is going to be strong.]

You said your world doesn't have heroes. This one does. If they're here, we'll deal with them. Together. They don't stand a fucking chance.

[beholding_archivist]

[ Shit, indeed.

Jon exhales heavily, but nods. ]

...I want to believe that.

[doubled_speed]

Come on, Jon. This is me. I'm too stubborn to lose.

[He had come around to liking Jon after their whole mess. And he wasn't about to let some evil nightmare beings ruin the man again. More? Whatever.]

[beholding_archivist]

...I believed that of myself as well.

[ And suddenly he finds himself summoning an apocalypse. ]

The Fears... If one of them is here, then they all are. They are tied together, all parts of one large being fractured ages ago. You can't just summon one. You have to call them all. And once they are there... You have to get rid of them all at once as well. I...

[ He doesn't finish that last sentence. ]

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, but you told me once you didn't think your world had heroes.

[Get rid of them all at once? Fun.]

Then I'll get rid of all of them.

[beholding_archivist]

I know my Earth has no heroes, Tommy. I looked.

[ He sighs. ]

...it’s not that easy, but... Thanks.

[doubled_speed]

[But this place does, Jon. Tommy will fight. it's what he knows.]

Gladly, man.