Chapter 412: – The Mad Scientist |
Late in the evening, a stream quietly started on UTube.
In it, a man with haggard features and matted black hair muttered into a phone as he leaned against a wall. "It's me."
A grainy filter distorted his image, making it hard to make out all his features. In addition, a distortion on the audio made it difficult to make out his words. But even so, the people watching the stream knew who it was.
> [] Lol
> [] Titor always has dramatic streams
> [] So this is 'his' choice...
Titor sighed and said, "The organization has yet to catch up." He stood up and looked left and right before leaning into the camera. "But at this rate, I'm not sure how much longer I'll last."
> [] Did you finally make it back to the past?
> [] First streamer from 2000s! lol
> [] So like are Titor's stream always like this, or...?
Titor shook his head and continued to speak into the phone. "The flow of time is against me. For the past week, I have been trapped in a time loop. The mind is not in congruence with the actions-"
A woman's scream echoed in the background, causing Titor to flinch.
> [] Holy crap!
> [] wtf is going on?
> [] I knew it! Titor's a sleeper agent!
> [] So Myth Inc IS using evil government tech!
"A-Ah." Titor covered up his phone and said, "One second. I'll be right back." After that, he slipped the phone into his pocket and ran off screen.
> [] Are... are we witnessing a crime?
> [] Just who the heck are the people working for John...?
> [] Wait, so did we even square out if Titor is John or not?
> @loreowl Can confirm Titor isn't John. I've met both in person.
> [] The lorekeeper speaks!
> [] So it's canon then?
> [] Of COURSE you would watch a stream like this.
> @loreowl These are always unarchived. I would die if I miss one. T_T
Static crackled, distorting the audio again. But in the distance, Titor's voice echoed.
"What is it, Ama-chan?"
"I'm going to kill you! This hurts so F*CKING much!"
"I'm so sorry, Ama-chan."
> [] lol
> [] Ama-chan?
> [] get with the lore
> [] Ama-chan is Titor's irl waifu
> [] She's suuuuper hot too.
> [] And it looks like Titor's in super hot water XD
> [] Ooh. So this is Titor losing his mind at the hospital?
The stream flickered a bit, and the scenery changed.
Titor appeared again, still blurred, but prostrating on the ground in front of a bed, where a red-haired woman was resting.
He glanced over at the camera and then frowned. "...Is this safe to stream?"
> [] I don't think the algorithm's picking anything up with this quality
> [] Should be good?
> [] I think that's the wrong question to ask here...
At that time, a soft female sigh echoed. After that, a woman with green hair walked into frame. Glancing at Titor, she said, "Your presence is worthless at a time like this, Titor. Just stay out of sight to prevent more stress for your wife."
> [] Is that Yue?
> [] Okay, so confirmed Titor and Amadeus not John and Yue in cosplay.
> [] ...Wasn't that obvious?
> [] Where's John?
> [] Isn't he busy with expanding Myth Incorporated overseas right now?
Titor sighed and bowed his head, walking away. The camera spun to follow him out. And as it did, voices echoed from behind him.
"It hurts, Yue!"
"I know, Ama-chan. But it will be worth it."
Light sobbing followed after Yue's words.
Titor paused, glancing back. But then he shook his head and walked out.
> [] Isn't the husband supposed to be there for this thing?
> [] L Husband
> [] Come on, Titor! Is this really your choice?
The camera feed distorted, and then resolved to a clear video feed of Titor standing in front of a plain white wall.
His face was pale, his black hair messy and matted with sweat, and his eyes bloodshot.
Staring at the camera, he let out a deep sigh and ran his hand back through his hair.
> [] Come on Titor!
> [] Don't you have any shame walking away like that?
> [] I got that you're doing the whole full cringe character, but...
> [] Be real, my guy
Titor slowly lowered his hand and then glared at the camera. "Shame? 'Be real?'" He gnashed his teeth and then swung his arm out. Speaking in a harsh whisper, he said, "I've been here for a week. A week!" He ran both his hands through his hair and said, "Ama-chan wanted to make sure the baby was safe, so she checked in after she started feeling weird. But since then, there's been countless health situations and problems!"
> [] Oh.
> [] So. Like this is REAL mad scientist arc.
> [] YABE
> [] Immersion break day?
Titor lowered his hand and started pacing back and forth in the frame. "Our baby was turned upside down, but Ama-chan didn't want anyone but me touching her. So I had to learn how to massage and help her turn the baby around. And then her vitals started dipping and the doctors said there was a high chance of a premature birth. Then Ama-chan's in so much pain all the time, but we can't give her medicine because of the baby. And a c-section is out of the question because Ama-chan's body is frail and-"
Titor started rambling on, his hair getting more frazzled as he ranted.
> [] Oh.
> [] Being a dad is stressful, huh?
> [] Why does Titor get dealt the bad hand while John gets to coast on by?
> [] frfr
> [] It could be worse.
> [] I'm sure John's got the world's best doctors on deck in case something goes wrong.
Titor suddenly stopped pacing and then rubbed his face with his hands. After that, he lowered them and said, "I don't know how John did it." He let out a deep sigh and then reached out to grab the camera, peering inside of it. "I know." He tapped his head and said, "Up here, I know that Ama-chan will be fine. But here." He patted his heart and said, "I can't believe it. Hearing her scream and cry and worry so much..."
> [] Cheer up Titor!
> [] Everything's going to be fine!
> [] We're on the best worldline!
> ronasurvivor Can confirm. COVID didn't happen here.
> [] Covid?
> [] What's a collaboration video have to do with this?
Titor shook his head and let out a grateful smile towards the camera. "Thanks, Chat. If I was here by myself, I'd have gone insane."
> [] You were already insane. XD
> [] You'll always be our mad scientist!
> [] Cheer up! That just means you love your wife that much!
Titor let out another deep sigh and then slumped against the wall.
At that time, footsteps echoed and a female nurse walked into frame. Her features were automatically blurred, but it was clear from her outfit that she was on duty.
Glancing at the camera and then at Titor, she said, "You can't record here, Mister."
> [] Oh no!
> [] The organization finally caught up to you!
> [] Is Titor going to get kicked out?
> [] Wait, so this isn't like John's private hospital?
Titor slowly pushed himself back onto his feet. After that, he glared at the nurse and said, "What? Are you saying that I can't chronicle my daughter's first day?" He staggered forward and then swung his arm out. "I can't show her what her father had to go through before she appeared on this world? This sacred time?!"
> [] Tell her Titor!
> [] There's our mad scientist!
> [] Uh, I think the nurse has a point...
> [] Isn't this a public disturbance...?
The nurse shook her head and then pointed off frame. "That's not it. You just can't record here."
Titor looked like he was about to talk again, but the nurse continued.
"This is where grieving patients rest. Please respect their privacy and show the proper decorum."
"Ah."
> [] Oh.
> [] That's uh...
> [] YABE
> [] rip- Wait. That's not right...
> [] social awareness 0
> [] s-sasuga mado scientist...
Titor bowed his head. "My apologies." He turned off frame and then bowed again. "Apologies for the disturbance."
The nurse sighed and pointed behind her. "There's a private room on the other side of the hallway specifically for new fathers. You can lock it for privacy, and it's fairly soundproof. Please, use that, Sir."
"Understood. Thank you, Miss." Titor bowed again and then quickly grabbed the camera, walking off.
The surroundings passed by in a blur, and then the sound of a door opening and closing echoed. After that, Titor appeared in a small padded room with a single light above him and some cards on a table behind him.
> [] You must be REALLY out of it to miss that, Titor
> [] :facepalm:
> [] So we good now?
> [] that must have been SO awkward...
Titor leaned against the wall and then slumped down. Placing one hand over his face, he shook his head and said, "I'm not cut out for this. Maybe I should have stayed single..."
> [] I think your waifu would have killed you.
> [] Amadeus did give out yandere vibes...
> [] A tsundere is just a reformed yandere, so...
> [] I would beg to differ, dear sir!
Titor shook his head and then held up his left hand, glancing at his watch there. After checking the time, he nodded and looked back at the camera. "Since I have time, is there anything you want to chat about? I guess I'll have an impromptu AMA. ...Since I've lost the organization's trail."
> [] LOL. Almost forgot the concept
> [] Is the organization even for real?
> [] Are you just riffing off the old 2ch boards?
> [] So this crazy stuff in America...
> [] Are the mass hallucinations the viral marketing for a new Project MirAIs generation or project?
Titor glanced off to the side and started to sweat. "Viral marketing... Y-Yes. Of course... Aha. Totally that. And not... something else..."
> [] ????
> [] Um...
> [] Wait.
> [] SUS
> [] T-Titor...?
> [] I KNEW ANIME WAS REAL!
> [] So that British girl dressed as Herlock Sholmes with a pocket watch that rewound time was real?
> [] Wait, so that theatre with the ominous September 13th date I walked into and the infinite livestream...?
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