could. not going to. also the fact that you have "good" sticky notes is both hilarious and scary, stop that I may or may not have started a conspiracy board in my apartment but it's mostly hand-written notes on not-good sticky notes it's going to be fine. whatever's going on, it's not bad it's just...really weird. we've dealt with weird stuff before right? we can check out the building later if you want, we'll bring thals too since she'll probably want to kick the door in. take pictures and notes and figure something out have you looked at the network much yet?
There's a big difference between different sticky notes, Luke. It's no joke.
[ SHE'S JOKING, OBVIOUSLY, ]
Great, then I can just upgrade yours and we can work on it together. Sibling bonding. How's that sound?
It doesn't feel fine. I think this is a little weirder than usual. Okay, that'd be good. Thalia would love a chance to kick the door in, and honestly I'd love to see her do it. I'd make a joke about bringing a polaroid camera so the photos on the conspiracy board look extra stereotypical, but that'd be going too far.
I've tried to, but god. So much of it is just. Random junk? Like twitter or facebook. You'd think people would care more about, y'know, the everything about it.
I'll take your word for it, all I know is my sticky notes are shaped like stars because I stole them from mom's desk sibling bonding it is. I'll even order a pizza to go along with our conspiracy theorizing. maybe you can see the connection I don't since I've been trying to crack this for a couple of weeks now on top of running the cabin do they even make polaroids anymore? and you're not wrong, she'd probably take a flying leap at it. maybe we should make sure the door isn't going to break her leg or something first. but I promise it'll be fine, whatever it is. and social media is still social media Bananabeth. people are going to take advantage and post dumb shit no matter what it is
Oh, mom's are pretty decent. I'd give them 3 stars out of five. I have several to choose from-- I've got big ones, small ones, some are lined, varying colors. I can bring note cards, too.
Pizza is all the fuel we need to crack this code, clearly. How's the Cabin doing? I mean, I can see how it's doing, but. How are you doing with the Cabin?
They do. They sell them in cute pastels. [ attached link. ]
... Okay, ignoring the world's worst nickname for a minute. Odd question. When we were younger, did you ever promise me anything in a back alley?
3 stars for stars. seems fair to me, and now I know what to get you for your birthday. bring some note cards, they'll last longer than sticky notes
I'll call in an order when you get here. and it's...a long story. it's fine? I'm getting used to actually owning the building instead of just working for milligan so that's been weird. my apartment's cramped but it's something
we're not buying a polaroid camera but that's good to know for the future. Im not even surprised anymore.
it's not the WORST nickname, it's funny. and what kind of question is that? I probably promised you all kinds of stuff...what kind of "anything" are we talking about?
What does it say about me that I'd be fine with that for my birthday?
I may have room in my schedule for a long story. Being a business owner is a bit different than just an employee, but. I'm proud of you, Lukeberry Short Cake.
Well, that's what's... odd about it. You said something like "I promise I'm not going to fail you like our families did"? And that I was part of your family now. Which makes no sense whatsoever. I think Thalia might have been there? It felt like I was only maybe 7 years old. It just sort of. Came to mind?
it says you're a huge nerd but I already knew that and I love and support your nerd choices
god please let that nickname die. I can't believe you're still using it. but I'll tell you the long story over a pizza with extra olives because it's...a lot. and don't tell mom or dad, that's the last thing I need
[And then there's a noticeable delay in messages, and a noticeable difference in texting since Luke starts using punctuation.]
...you know that doesn't make sense right? we're kind of related? that's what being a family is, how can we have multiple families when you're already a part of my family because you ARE my family. I was kind of there when you were born.
don't worry about it, okay? just come over, we'll go from there.
I'll always support your weird endeavors even if I don't understand like half of them
and no, I wouldn't?? appluke sounds like a failed iPhone app and I don't think that'll work for me. but I know. I know I can trust you on stuff, that's almost never a question
the memory thing bothers me...we'll talk about it when you get here because I don't trust my phone now
[And that's all he says before he waits. When Annabeth makes her way through the bar and up to his apartment he opens the door, immediately grabbing her wrist and pulling her inside to slam the door shut. The bar itself is quiet at least. He's not worried about that.]
Okay so...the memory thing. That's been going on for like a month, too.
[ is all she responds to, the rest is stuff to talk about in person.
but she really doesn't expect to be pulled inside like this is some sort of shady mafia deal? luke, what the hell. he seems more shook than she does, which she... does not like. but she acts calmly, setting down her bookbag and already pulling out note-cards and sticky notes and a notebook. she's going hardcore on this dumb nonsense. ]
... So, it's just another piece of this mess? That's a stupid question, of course it is, why wouldn't it be. [ she's So Done and this shit just started for her? but she sort of hoped the weird memory thing was maybe just. not related and was from stress or whatever. ] These memories, are they all ones that don't fit, like it makes no sense for them to have happened? Have you had them?
[It's fine? It's fine! It's not fine, but he lets go of her wrist and seems to calm a little when he watches her pull out all of her supplies. Behind them propped up on his couch for some reason is a bulletin board. It has a bunch of star-shaped sticky notes and scraps of paper stuck to it.
On the other hand, he's pursing his lips together even as he's using his phone to utilize a mobile app and order them a pizza.]
From what I can tell nobody's memories fit into anything. It's all weird out-of-context stuff, like stuff that shouldn't even be real. You're smart, do you know of any kind of plants that can grow sabertooth tiger kittens?
[ hope you're not attached to your scraps of paper, luke, because annabeth is just going to casually copy their contents onto notecards and replace them after she pulls out her supplies. she also brought colored pushpins and embrodiery floss to connect them if they want to go Full Crazy.
she pauses when luke askes about the sabertooth tiger plant kittens, though, because what. ]
Uh, no. Plants, animals, and minerals are all different things, Luke. Okay, but if they're impossible things like that then we can discount them as some sort of hallucinations, like dreams. That's probably good news.
[He's paying for their pizza and sticking his credit card back in his pocket before he snorts derisively, shaking his head in response. He'll have a seat on the floor in front of the couch to watch Annabeth work.]
I didn't sleep through Biology, 'Beth. I know plants, animals and minerals are all different. That doesn't explain what I saw. Do you ever remember going to the Smithsonian as a kid because I don't.
I wish-- did you know [ annabeth no ] the original Smithsonian building is made of seneca red sandstone in the faux Norman style, and is nicknamed the Castle? [ annabeth no one cares ] Well, that's why they have to be hallucinations. Maybe everything is. A mass, world-wide hallucination that makes us think chocobos are a thing instead of horses.
[ if the word hallucinations isn't in bold writing on the board she's gonna put it there. ]
... Except we're seeing through the hallucinations, or at least recognizing them for what they are, maybe?
[Have you considered your brother's a dumbass, Annabeth?]
...I didn't know that, and I'm not even surprised you know that. I didn't need to know that? [He shakes his head.] I don't know if there's such a force that can exist that tricks everybody into thinking they're seeing things that they aren't. Wouldn't that be something like magic? Since when do you believe in magic?
[He leans back on his hands.] A lot of people around us aren't seeing what we're seeing when this weird shit's going on. But we are. The key here is figuring out what's so special about us.
[ no, because she loves luke and thinks he's great. ]
No. [ said forcefully. magic is Fake. ] Obviously not. It must be scientific or something. Solar flares or radiation, bacteria in the water...
[ she writes all that down to stick somewhere on the board, color-coded as "theories". ] You're right. If we figure that out, the rest will fall into place. I hope, anyway. So, we need to find the commonalities in us and the others. It could be a gene, or brain waves, I don't know.
[At least someone loves him. Of course, when she denies the existence of magic he seems to settle on giving her a very blank stare. He's not sure what to say just yet, an idea unraveling in the back of his head that he doesn't want to think about but now it's there and it's hard to ignore.
Magic. Magic?]
Radiation could come from a phone battery couldn't it? [He doesn't buy it, but he's not going to shoot down her ideas either.] Let's start with the commonalities between you, me, and our friends that we know are experiencing this weird crap. Obviously you and I are related so that's a gene thing. The Strider kids are all experiencing weird memories, too. But why did I start dealing with it before you did? That's the part that's missing. What triggers this into happening?
[ someone has to. if annabeth notices his blank stare, she says nothing as she continues on in conspiracy board hell.
magic? magic. throw it in the trash, luke. ]
Maybe? And microwaves, and all sorts of things. [ honestly, she doesn't buy it either but she's willing to latch onto any halfway reasonable sounding idea right now. up to and including the goddamn matrix. ] Are there a lot of siblings experiencing it? It could be some... gene combination, like something from one side colliding with something from the other. Well. Well, obviously it's these Retrospec people doing... science things.
[ said 100% seriously. she... isn't a scientist... she knows ap chemistry but that's as far as it goes. save annabeth castellan from herself. ]
I'm not getting rid of my microwave so I'll take my chances. I don't know if I'd say a lot. I know the Narukami twins have the app, you and I do now, all of the Strider kids do, uh...does Jason? Have you talked to him yet? It seems weird that it'd seek out genes though and not latch onto Mom and Dad.
[ no luke is a good boy who doesn't belong in the trash, annabeth will fight u. ]
I haven't, no. I figured Thalia would be contacting him. But for now, let's bet on yes he does. [ sticks something about siblings with a question mark in some small place on the board. ] Maybe it's just a coincidence, but it's something.
[ attempts to level luke with a withering stare. but it's luke so it's more like a withering pout. ] Yes. Like... particle accelerators. Like on TV. Except with more realism.
Can science and coincidences exist at the same time? Then again maybe there's some kind of ray that went out and sent a signal to the city calibrated to a certain type of person. Not like we can access the upper floors of the Retrospec building anywhere. [He's going to write something like "mind control" on a notecard and tack it to the board, too.]
Correlation does not equal causation is basically saying, yes, they can. I think? [ again: science is kind of a mystery. ] Has anyone tried scaling the building, breaking a window? Landing a helicopter on the roof?
Yeah, okay. [SCIENCE?] Not sure about scaling the building but let me call everyone I know that has a helicopter. [Oh. Wait.] I don't even know if the roof's that big.
[He taps the card for emphasis.] Mind control. Or brainwashing? What would you call the whole "most of the city doesn't even notice" thing?
[He rolls his eyes.] Drones can't break windows. At least I don't think they can. And at least science fiction would give us an explanation that makes sense and better than "this is happening because you all suck."
How do problems in science fiction even get fixed?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I may or may not have started a conspiracy board in my apartment but it's mostly hand-written notes on not-good sticky notes
it's going to be fine. whatever's going on, it's not bad it's just...really weird. we've dealt with weird stuff before right? we can check out the building later if you want, we'll bring thals too since she'll probably want to kick the door in. take pictures and notes and figure something out
have you looked at the network much yet?
no subject
[ SHE'S JOKING, OBVIOUSLY, ]
Great, then I can just upgrade yours and we can work on it together. Sibling bonding. How's that sound?
It doesn't feel fine. I think this is a little weirder than usual. Okay, that'd be good. Thalia would love a chance to kick the door in, and honestly I'd love to see her do it. I'd make a joke about bringing a polaroid camera so the photos on the conspiracy board look extra stereotypical, but that'd be going too far.
I've tried to, but god. So much of it is just. Random junk? Like twitter or facebook. You'd think people would care more about, y'know, the everything about it.
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sibling bonding it is. I'll even order a pizza to go along with our conspiracy theorizing. maybe you can see the connection I don't since I've been trying to crack this for a couple of weeks now on top of running the cabin
do they even make polaroids anymore? and you're not wrong, she'd probably take a flying leap at it. maybe we should make sure the door isn't going to break her leg or something first. but I promise it'll be fine, whatever it is.
and social media is still social media Bananabeth. people are going to take advantage and post dumb shit no matter what it is
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Pizza is all the fuel we need to crack this code, clearly. How's the Cabin doing? I mean, I can see how it's doing, but. How are you doing with the Cabin?
They do. They sell them in cute pastels. [ attached link. ]
... Okay, ignoring the world's worst nickname for a minute. Odd question. When we were younger, did you ever promise me anything in a back alley?
no subject
I'll call in an order when you get here. and it's...a long story. it's fine? I'm getting used to actually owning the building instead of just working for milligan so that's been weird. my apartment's cramped but it's something
we're not buying a polaroid camera but that's good to know for the future. Im not even surprised anymore.
it's not the WORST nickname, it's funny. and what kind of question is that? I probably promised you all kinds of stuff...what kind of "anything" are we talking about?
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I may have room in my schedule for a long story. Being a business owner is a bit different than just an employee, but. I'm proud of you, Lukeberry Short Cake.
Well, that's what's... odd about it. You said something like "I promise I'm not going to fail you like our families did"? And that I was part of your family now. Which makes no sense whatsoever. I think Thalia might have been there? It felt like I was only maybe 7 years old. It just sort of. Came to mind?
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god please let that nickname die. I can't believe you're still using it. but I'll tell you the long story over a pizza with extra olives because it's...a lot. and don't tell mom or dad, that's the last thing I need
[And then there's a noticeable delay in messages, and a noticeable difference in texting since Luke starts using punctuation.]
...you know that doesn't make sense right? we're kind of related? that's what being a family is, how can we have multiple families when you're already a part of my family because you ARE my family. I was kind of there when you were born.
don't worry about it, okay? just come over, we'll go from there.
no subject
Would you prefer Appluke? All right, I'll be right over. I won't tell them, I may be a nosy little sister but I can keep things to myself.
[ well gee that sure isn't worrying, at, all, ]
That's why I said it was odd, because it didn't make sense. But I remember it?
I'm halfway there now.
[ and sure enough she will appear at luke's door shortly thereafter, knocking quietly but persistently. ]
no subject
and no, I wouldn't?? appluke sounds like a failed iPhone app and I don't think that'll work for me. but I know. I know I can trust you on stuff, that's almost never a question
the memory thing bothers me...we'll talk about it when you get here because I don't trust my phone now
[And that's all he says before he waits. When Annabeth makes her way through the bar and up to his apartment he opens the door, immediately grabbing her wrist and pulling her inside to slam the door shut. The bar itself is quiet at least. He's not worried about that.]
Okay so...the memory thing. That's been going on for like a month, too.
no subject
[ is all she responds to, the rest is stuff to talk about in person.
but she really doesn't expect to be pulled inside like this is some sort of shady mafia deal? luke, what the hell. he seems more shook than she does, which she... does not like. but she acts calmly, setting down her bookbag and already pulling out note-cards and sticky notes and a notebook. she's going hardcore on this dumb nonsense. ]
... So, it's just another piece of this mess? That's a stupid question, of course it is, why wouldn't it be. [ she's So Done and this shit just started for her? but she sort of hoped the weird memory thing was maybe just. not related and was from stress or whatever. ] These memories, are they all ones that don't fit, like it makes no sense for them to have happened? Have you had them?
no subject
On the other hand, he's pursing his lips together even as he's using his phone to utilize a mobile app and order them a pizza.]
From what I can tell nobody's memories fit into anything. It's all weird out-of-context stuff, like stuff that shouldn't even be real. You're smart, do you know of any kind of plants that can grow sabertooth tiger kittens?
no subject
she pauses when luke askes about the sabertooth tiger plant kittens, though, because what. ]
Uh, no. Plants, animals, and minerals are all different things, Luke. Okay, but if they're impossible things like that then we can discount them as some sort of hallucinations, like dreams. That's probably good news.
no subject
I didn't sleep through Biology, 'Beth. I know plants, animals and minerals are all different. That doesn't explain what I saw. Do you ever remember going to the Smithsonian as a kid because I don't.
no subject
I wish-- did you know [ annabeth no ] the original Smithsonian building is made of seneca red sandstone in the faux Norman style, and is nicknamed the Castle? [ annabeth no one cares ] Well, that's why they have to be hallucinations. Maybe everything is. A mass, world-wide hallucination that makes us think chocobos are a thing instead of horses.
[ if the word hallucinations isn't in bold writing on the board she's gonna put it there. ]
... Except we're seeing through the hallucinations, or at least recognizing them for what they are, maybe?
no subject
...I didn't know that, and I'm not even surprised you know that. I didn't need to know that? [He shakes his head.] I don't know if there's such a force that can exist that tricks everybody into thinking they're seeing things that they aren't. Wouldn't that be something like magic? Since when do you believe in magic?
[He leans back on his hands.] A lot of people around us aren't seeing what we're seeing when this weird shit's going on. But we are. The key here is figuring out what's so special about us.
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No. [ said forcefully. magic is Fake. ] Obviously not. It must be scientific or something. Solar flares or radiation, bacteria in the water...
[ she writes all that down to stick somewhere on the board, color-coded as "theories". ] You're right. If we figure that out, the rest will fall into place. I hope, anyway. So, we need to find the commonalities in us and the others. It could be a gene, or brain waves, I don't know.
no subject
Magic. Magic?]
Radiation could come from a phone battery couldn't it? [He doesn't buy it, but he's not going to shoot down her ideas either.] Let's start with the commonalities between you, me, and our friends that we know are experiencing this weird crap. Obviously you and I are related so that's a gene thing. The Strider kids are all experiencing weird memories, too. But why did I start dealing with it before you did? That's the part that's missing. What triggers this into happening?
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magic? magic. throw it in the trash, luke. ]
Maybe? And microwaves, and all sorts of things. [ honestly, she doesn't buy it either but she's willing to latch onto any halfway reasonable sounding idea right now. up to and including the goddamn matrix. ] Are there a lot of siblings experiencing it? It could be some... gene combination, like something from one side colliding with something from the other. Well. Well, obviously it's these Retrospec people doing... science things.
[ said 100% seriously. she... isn't a scientist... she knows ap chemistry but that's as far as it goes. save annabeth castellan from herself. ]
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I'm not getting rid of my microwave so I'll take my chances. I don't know if I'd say a lot. I know the Narukami twins have the app, you and I do now, all of the Strider kids do, uh...does Jason? Have you talked to him yet? It seems weird that it'd seek out genes though and not latch onto Mom and Dad.
[A pause.] "Science things." Really?
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I haven't, no. I figured Thalia would be contacting him. But for now, let's bet on yes he does. [ sticks something about siblings with a question mark in some small place on the board. ] Maybe it's just a coincidence, but it's something.
[ attempts to level luke with a withering stare. but it's luke so it's more like a withering pout. ] Yes. Like... particle accelerators. Like on TV. Except with more realism.
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Can science and coincidences exist at the same time? Then again maybe there's some kind of ray that went out and sent a signal to the city calibrated to a certain type of person. Not like we can access the upper floors of the Retrospec building anywhere. [He's going to write something like "mind control" on a notecard and tack it to the board, too.]
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[ she eyes the notecard. ] Mind control?
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[He taps the card for emphasis.] Mind control. Or brainwashing? What would you call the whole "most of the city doesn't even notice" thing?
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I don't know, but those both sound really... science fiction-y. [ nose wrinkle. yes she realizes everything is science fiction-y. ]
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How do problems in science fiction even get fixed?
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