Light sent (this was sent before the watcher was discovered to be a family member of Joel’s): “I heard what happened to that Watcher and some kids are speculating they’re an old host of yours...Joel? I don’t know how true that is, and I hope it’s not rude of me to ask, but what else do you know about him? Like, maybe how old he was when he died? The Watcher said they’re 95.”
(Note: Duck couldn’t get a recording of the interaction through their POV, so they had to just guess what they was saying.)
(Duckhater115 is in Ingestion and being hunted by The Shape. Humanitronics is in Host Conditioning.)
Humanitronics: Woah-! Somehow I haven’t sinned enough to have The Angel after me. I’ve knocked out so many people!
(While Humanitronics disables a speed trap, Duck is grabbed by The Shape and suppressed.)
Duck: Aw, man. I’m sorry.
Humanitronics: It’s okay, I’ll come get you. Cuz’ The Angel isn’t after me yet- (Sees closing eye symbol and gasps.)
TID: DUCK. YOU ASK OF JOEL. I WILL TRY...
Duck: What does it say?? I can’t read it because I’m shaped.
Human: This one’s for you. (The Angel switches to Human.)
Duck: Wait- Really??
Human: Yes! It said ‘Duck’. ‘Duck you ask of Joel, I will try.’
(The Shape emerges from a red door just as Human runs past. He nyooms through 920 Observation and Instrument Supply.)
Human: Oh, god- Coming. Will do my best. Sorry, can’t promise I will save you.
TID: DUCK. YOU ARE TAKEN.
(Humanitronics runs up to Duck to revive him.)
Human: It’s okay, I got Duck.
(Duck is no longer suppressed and climbs up that thing in Ingestion with the grappling hook.)
Human: Taken? Not with me around.
Duck: You okay with The Shape on you?
Human: Yeah, I’ll be okay.
(Human goes up to the surface.)
TID: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
Duck: You’re welcome.
TID: I MEANT THE RESCUE. ALL THE SAME...
Human: (chuckles)
Duck: ...Um, yeah... Thank you for that.
Human: Happy to help.
Duck (to TID): ...But, um, yes- I did ask about Joel. If it’s not too much trouble, can you share anything you know?
TID: I WILL TRY. FRAGMENTS ARE PACT LIKE.
TID: THEY CHOOSE WHAT I AM TO REMEMBER.
TID: AND JOEL CHOSE TO SHARE VERY LITTLE.
Duck: Oh... Yeah, um, wasn’t he very lonely? Or depressed? Maybe that had something to do with it-?
TID: I WONDER IF IT WAS SHAME, SOMEHOW.
Duck: Mhm…
Duck: What happened to him was awful...poor dude.
TID: VERY. AS TO HIS AGE, I KNOW ONLY…
TID: I THOUGHT OF HIM AS STILL YOUNG…
Duck: Hm...
TID: HE FELT GUILTY FOR LIVING WITH FAMILY.
Duck: Maybe he had to take care of someone? Like a grandparent or something?
TID: INSTEAD OF HIS OWN DWELLING. NO.
TID: I ASSUME IT WAS A MATTER OF MONEY.
Duck: ...Huh. When you said you thought of him as young, you think you could give us a number, maybe? If you remember that much?
TID: I HAVE TOLD YOU WHAT I KNOW OF AGE.
Duck: Oh... Sorry- I’m sorry-
TID: WE WERE NOT LONG IN CONTACT, FOR…
TID: HE WAS A LOCAL. NOT PART OF MY ARMY.
TID: WANTED TO BE LIKE US. LIKE THEM.
TID: AND DID NOT DEMAND DIRECT ACTION.
TID: HE BUSIED HIMSELF WITH HIS MACHINE.
TID: HE WAS CONNED BY SOMEONE.
Duck: Yeah, I remember that- It was someone from Chorus.
TID: I IMAGINE THAT...
TID: THEY CLAIMED TO BE FROM OUTSIDE.
TID: OR ABLE TO GET HIM THERE.
(Humanitronics is throwing foam on the ground and yeeting noisemakers off the cliff.)
Duck: You okay down there?
Human: Me?
Duck: Yeah.
Human: I’m good. Just don’t want to interrupt. Y’all are having a conversation.
TID: THERE ARE HINTS AT THAT IN HIS MEMORY.
Duck: The, uh, Watcher claimed to be of Joel’s family...um… If the Watcher lived with Joel, do you think they had something to do with what happened with that Chorus woman tricking him?
(Duck makes his way to the exit and sees all the foam on the ground)
Duck: Woah, there’s a lot of foam here.
Human: Yeah, I was foaming it up.
TID: I KNOW NOTHING ELSE OF HIS HOME.
Duck: That’s okay-
TID: BUT OTHERS HAVE TAKEN AN INTEREST.
Duck: Mhm. That’s okay. This is...really good. Really useful to the club. I’m sure other kids are interested in getting more info. We’ll find out more.
TID: I HOPE THE CLUB CAN FIND THEM.
Duck: Me too. Thank you.
TID: FOR HIS SAKE, IF NOT THE WATCHER.
Duck: Yeah, I feel really bad for what happened to Joel...and the Watcher...I wish there was a way to like, help them- I don’t know-
TID: I WILL...NOT JUDGE THAT SENTIMENT.
TID: GOODNIGHT AND SURVIVE FOR ME.
Duck: Goodnight.
Human: Goodnight. ...Uh, actually, if you’re still there, I have one quick question, um… Just real quick. If someone were chosen, and they renounced that god, that voice… Does that mean they’re… uh… have their ties been cut, or does that require more than that? Just out of curiosity.
TID: FOR YOUR RESCUE ONLY, I WILL DELAY
Human: Awe thank you! That’s fair.
TID: TO RENOUNCE DEAFENS US TO YOU…
TID: AT LEAST FOR A TIME. CHOSEN OR NO
Human: Mhm… Mkay.
TID: DO NOT DO SO TRIVIALLY.
Human: No I wouldn’t. Just… thinking about things.
TID: NOTED.
TID: GOODNIGHT TO YOU BOTH.
(Duck and Human say goodnight, Duck thanks TID for visiting and the mission ends.)
