Act 002

[yayashton]

[A Candlemon appears onscreen. It seems highly concerned, and it's whispering.]

Um, guys? Ryan told me I'm not supposed to use the D-terminal, but this is an emergency.

[The camera turns toward Ryan, who is singing and dancing. It seems a little frenzied, and he's obviously sweaty like he's been at it for a couple of hours.]

He's been doing this for the past couple of hours, and he hasn't stopped. I think he's going to hurt himself if he keeps it up. Please, help!

Comments

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

I think so? I never really paid attention to opera... Uh. Why would he be acting like he's in an opera...?

[video]

[yayashton]

I dunno. Everyone's been acting kind of weird, though. Do you think something's glitching out?

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

Yeah...maybe? Hm... This place is...data...so... Maybe.

[video]

[yayashton]

[Mimi peers into the camera and squints.] Do you feel funny?

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

...Kinda? No more than usual.

...No, I feel really weird. Weirder than normal.

[video]

[yayashton]

So it is something glitchy! [Mimi logic can't be beat.] Do you need someone to tackle you too? It didn't work for Ryan, but maybe it'll work for you.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

Uhhhhhhhhh.

I don't think so.

[video]

[yayashton]

That's true, it is kind of silly to try things that didn't work again . . . Did you eat a funny food today? Ryan had some weird cookie.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

No, I just got up and felt sad, same as always, but worse than usual.

...I-I didn't mean that.

[video]

[yayashton]

Was it quiet? Because sometimes Ryan says it's too quiet when he wakes up.

[Because it is too quiet, but Mimi doesn't know that. It's kind of been getting to Ryan, the lack of music. She pauses.]

He said that was better this morning though.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

N-no, I mean, yes it was quiet, but that didn't cause it.

[video]

[yayashton]

Mimi, who are you talking to? [It sounds like Ryan, but it's a little off. Kind of sing-song.]

[Mimi turns.] Cam! He said he feels funny too.

Mimi, let me have that. [The video suddenly shifts until Ryan is visible.] Hi, sorry about her.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

[He's got his face in his hands.] You've stopped singing.

[video]

[yayashton]

It seems to be working out okay if I talk like this. [Ryan looks annoyed, but sounds amused, and the sing-song gets more exaggerated as the sentence goes on.] But hey, at least I'm not behaving like I'm in a fever dream.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

What's...up with this, anyway? You singing. [Because anything to deflect from him.]

[video]

[yayashton]

[Ryan shrugs.] I couldn't stop. It was like a solo gone awry, and . . . it felt like home, but wrong.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

...You lost me.

[video]

[yayashton]

I come from a musical. We have a . . . power called the music that makes us sing and dance. It doesn't exist here, but the same sort of thing happened. It was like something was forcing me to perform.

[video]

[headup_stickontheice]

[Beat.]

...Okay. Sure. Why not. I can believe magic, I can believe monsters, I can believe musicals where people spontaneously break out into song and dance.