[Now this was a message with a sender unexpected. Soren. Of all people.
That the dragon knew of his connection to Mettaton, and that relations between the two had improved somewhat- Emet-Selch was unaware of both of these conditions. So his first thought was a consideration over whether this was some sort of threat... 'control your monster, lest I tell everyone what he is.' But it didn't quite have that feel, and the information was concerning enough to ultimately take precedence.]
I see. He has been quite taken with its addition to his form ever since he discovered it. Open-hearted as he is, that it should extend to plague... well, I can't say I anticipated it.
[Surely there should be limits and literal disease should be one of them. But apparently not.]
What do you expect me to do about it...? Close as we are, I'm not his keeper. I've told him we need to get it cured, but he's being stubborn about it.
[That he hadn't anticipated such ardor from someone as close to his soul as his Bonded... More signs point to Soren's suspicion.]
I notified you because I understand you are close, and therefore have more stake in reining him in before someone who doesn't decides to, or before he gets so infected that his body will suffer lasting damage even when he is cured. You know what will happen to him if he lets it worsen.
But what do I know of your care's limits? Not much, it seems. It's much easier to sit back and let him be stubborn, isn't it? Let him infect the populace. You could always fetch a new Bonded to marry after he's exterminated. I simply thought that you of all people should be made further aware of his new antics.
Did he mention anything about attending the Evergreen Circle meetings to you?
[Best keep an open mind, here. Mettaton may not be the only one suffering from their possible and illegal methods of indoctrination.]
[The implication that he would ever casually dismiss or discard his fiancé gets a cold, narrowed look- directed at the watch so it's completely invisible and useless, but it's there. And how in the world had Soren, of all people, heard about his engagement to Mettaton? How much had the robot been talking to him...? Then again, they hadn't done much to hide their involvement either on the network or in public. But it was a point against the dragon just because.]
You have heard a bit of me, haven't you. I'm sure you can guess how far my concern for the populace runs. But yes- I'm aware of the cwyld's effect, and if you believe I would stand blithely by and watch it consume him- I would avoid such assumptions.
But should it reach the point of extermination without his return to sense, I would have little opportunity to find another betrothed... as I would be struck down with him.
[A quiet sigh to himself. He doesn't think it will reach that point, though. The growing symptoms would surely remove Mettaton's fascination with the plague- or the sight of himself discomforted might move him instead. Any day now, surely....]
He has mentioned the group to me. And has been, perhaps... effusive in his praise of them, and insistent that I should join him. I've demurred and will continue to do so. I can't say attracting the attention of another cult is my idea of a fine time.
However personally concerned you are for the populace, the real concern lies in how it might eventually affect you and yours if left to spread unchecked. If the rate of infection worsens, then the inside of the Bright Wall will start to look more like the outside.
Attending seems to carry its own risks. I have not seen one of their meetings firsthand, but given how one of the recovered victims of the Cwyld who had previously gone missing had one of their organization's symbols tattooed on him, but could not remember how it happened... I think it is fair to at least anticipate the possibility that they are using forbidden mind-altering magic to cover their tracks... among other purposes. If one of their goals is to spread the Cwyld? That's insanity. There may be no other way to convince people but to force them to accept such an idea.
Oh, I'm aware of the personal hassle it would be should this city become inhabited more by shades than humans. While I'll take myself and my Bonded to be cured ere we reach that final point... I don't know what manner of intervention you expect from me in regards to anyone else.
[But if there was some sort of mind-control going on... would that explain Mettaton's behavior? It was hard to believe that he'd become so accepting of being diseased without it, but he otherwise seemed almost- normal. Sometimes.
That made it all the more important for Emet-Selch to be able to get through to him, to convince him. Of course he'd be able to. There was no option otherwise, there was no one else to turn to.]
A strange goal for anyone, to spread a disease like this for the sake of it. Unless the goal in itself is to seed chaos- a task which I am not unfamiliar with- I wonder who benefits.
Well, it's not as though humans aren't inclined to work against their best interests of their own accord, but I almost hope there's some greater goal at work here that's yet invisible to us.
My best theory so far — from a more sensible angle untouched by a breed of madness often demonstrated by nobility — is that the current benefit is knowledge. Using the Cwyld to experiment on humans and monsters is unethical by common standards. Given how the group is mostly made up of the upper class, and the documented victims constitute the lowest, it's all too easy to suspect that this group is using their power and connections to conduct such experiments below the public eye. None of them would care if people they must consider quite dispensable disappear... not to mention the most destitute do that all the time.
If this is all true, and if they are making real progress in understanding the Cwyld intimately enough to combat it, it really might not be such a bad thing for Geardagas in the long run. It's just that the means to this end are checkered and rife with risk.
If so, I can't say their process comes across as terribly scientific, dubious motivations aside.
And if one is the sort to care for ethics, there's ways to accomplish much the same thing. Surely a few altruistic souls would volunteer to be infected, that various treatments might be tested, the progression observed in controlled surroundings. 'Tis not as though infection is a death sentence, for all that curing is apparently unpleasant.
Well, even if this group believes in the justness of their madness, they wouldn't be the first to have their convictions founded more in sadism than science. Cruelty under a veneer of research, perhaps. A fine pretense that what they do is for the good of us all, and what are a few sacrifices along the way...?
[Which is a line of thinking uncomfortably familiar. Not that he'd ever taken pleasure in the mortal lives he'd ended, at least.]
If the lost cases deposited back onto the streets are their doing, I can't say I have much faith that they're discovering any more than what's already known.
I can't say that only a few test subjects would be enough. But I also can't claim that I know exactly what their aim is, whether they've made any headway or not, or even what aspect of the Cwyld they are so fascinated by. I can only speak in potentials and hypotheticals at this juncture. Their treatment of victims may not be that different from what happened with the kidnapping and the torture of many Mirrorbound and refugees, which could at times generously be considered experiments.
I do know one thing, however: they're mad, and they're inducing madness in their members somehow. Be on your guard. The less Mirrorbound I have to deal with like I did Mettaton, the better for us all.
And I doubt that either of us, nor indeed most people, are likely to be convinced on the validity of their research any time soon.
And if their studies are anything like those conducted by the Rathmores'... something that I believe we both have firsthand accounts of- I'm sure you can understand my hesitation in believing that anything at all usable will come of it.
[There's a slight delay before he sends the rest; if nothing else, Soren's warnings have gotten through to him in part. No more stray pucas, attracting the wrong sort of attention.]
I'll do what I can to keep Mettaton indoors until I can convince him to go to the Coven with me to be cured. Separated from whatever inciting madness they're provoking, I'll restore to him his sense.
[Except that doesn't happen and they both die but welp.]
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no subject
That the dragon knew of his connection to Mettaton, and that relations between the two had improved somewhat- Emet-Selch was unaware of both of these conditions. So his first thought was a consideration over whether this was some sort of threat... 'control your monster, lest I tell everyone what he is.' But it didn't quite have that feel, and the information was concerning enough to ultimately take precedence.]
I see. He has been quite taken with its addition to his form ever since he discovered it. Open-hearted as he is, that it should extend to plague... well, I can't say I anticipated it.
[Surely there should be limits and literal disease should be one of them. But apparently not.]
What do you expect me to do about it...? Close as we are, I'm not his keeper. I've told him we need to get it cured, but he's being stubborn about it.
no subject
I notified you because I understand you are close, and therefore have more stake in reining him in before someone who doesn't decides to, or before he gets so infected that his body will suffer lasting damage even when he is cured. You know what will happen to him if he lets it worsen.
But what do I know of your care's limits? Not much, it seems. It's much easier to sit back and let him be stubborn, isn't it? Let him infect the populace. You could always fetch a new Bonded to marry after he's exterminated. I simply thought that you of all people should be made further aware of his new antics.
Did he mention anything about attending the Evergreen Circle meetings to you?
[Best keep an open mind, here. Mettaton may not be the only one suffering from their possible and illegal methods of indoctrination.]
no subject
You have heard a bit of me, haven't you. I'm sure you can guess how far my concern for the populace runs. But yes- I'm aware of the cwyld's effect, and if you believe I would stand blithely by and watch it consume him- I would avoid such assumptions.
But should it reach the point of extermination without his return to sense, I would have little opportunity to find another betrothed... as I would be struck down with him.
[A quiet sigh to himself. He doesn't think it will reach that point, though. The growing symptoms would surely remove Mettaton's fascination with the plague- or the sight of himself discomforted might move him instead. Any day now, surely....]
He has mentioned the group to me. And has been, perhaps... effusive in his praise of them, and insistent that I should join him. I've demurred and will continue to do so. I can't say attracting the attention of another cult is my idea of a fine time.
no subject
Attending seems to carry its own risks. I have not seen one of their meetings firsthand, but given how one of the recovered victims of the Cwyld who had previously gone missing had one of their organization's symbols tattooed on him, but could not remember how it happened... I think it is fair to at least anticipate the possibility that they are using forbidden mind-altering magic to cover their tracks... among other purposes. If one of their goals is to spread the Cwyld? That's insanity. There may be no other way to convince people but to force them to accept such an idea.
no subject
[But if there was some sort of mind-control going on... would that explain Mettaton's behavior? It was hard to believe that he'd become so accepting of being diseased without it, but he otherwise seemed almost- normal. Sometimes.
That made it all the more important for Emet-Selch to be able to get through to him, to convince him. Of course he'd be able to. There was no option otherwise, there was no one else to turn to.]
A strange goal for anyone, to spread a disease like this for the sake of it. Unless the goal in itself is to seed chaos- a task which I am not unfamiliar with- I wonder who benefits.
Well, it's not as though humans aren't inclined to work against their best interests of their own accord, but I almost hope there's some greater goal at work here that's yet invisible to us.
no subject
My best theory so far — from a more sensible angle untouched by a breed of madness often demonstrated by nobility — is that the current benefit is knowledge. Using the Cwyld to experiment on humans and monsters is unethical by common standards. Given how the group is mostly made up of the upper class, and the documented victims constitute the lowest, it's all too easy to suspect that this group is using their power and connections to conduct such experiments below the public eye. None of them would care if people they must consider quite dispensable disappear... not to mention the most destitute do that all the time.
If this is all true, and if they are making real progress in understanding the Cwyld intimately enough to combat it, it really might not be such a bad thing for Geardagas in the long run. It's just that the means to this end are checkered and rife with risk.
no subject
And if one is the sort to care for ethics, there's ways to accomplish much the same thing. Surely a few altruistic souls would volunteer to be infected, that various treatments might be tested, the progression observed in controlled surroundings. 'Tis not as though infection is a death sentence, for all that curing is apparently unpleasant.
Well, even if this group believes in the justness of their madness, they wouldn't be the first to have their convictions founded more in sadism than science. Cruelty under a veneer of research, perhaps. A fine pretense that what they do is for the good of us all, and what are a few sacrifices along the way...?
[Which is a line of thinking uncomfortably familiar. Not that he'd ever taken pleasure in the mortal lives he'd ended, at least.]
If the lost cases deposited back onto the streets are their doing, I can't say I have much faith that they're discovering any more than what's already known.
no subject
I do know one thing, however: they're mad, and they're inducing madness in their members somehow. Be on your guard. The less Mirrorbound I have to deal with like I did Mettaton, the better for us all.
no subject
And if their studies are anything like those conducted by the Rathmores'... something that I believe we both have firsthand accounts of- I'm sure you can understand my hesitation in believing that anything at all usable will come of it.
[There's a slight delay before he sends the rest; if nothing else, Soren's warnings have gotten through to him in part. No more stray pucas, attracting the wrong sort of attention.]
I'll do what I can to keep Mettaton indoors until I can convince him to go to the Coven with me to be cured. Separated from whatever inciting madness they're provoking, I'll restore to him his sense.
[Except that doesn't happen and they both die but welp.]
no subject