ic contact;

[psycholawgy]

You've reached Athena Cykes. I'm currently unavailable, but leave a message and I'll get back to you pronto. Danke! (voice/call → text → video → action)

Comments

[cardboard_journalism]

...

[silence]

[psycholawgy]

Anyway! I rest my case.

For now.

[cardboard_journalism]

[it'd be a good ten or fifteen seconds before Scuttlebutt would find her voice again]

Kahk-kahk-kahk-kahk...

I c-can't cut it Athena... kahk-kahk-kahk... it'll kill the paper...

Please don't do this to me...

[psycholawgy]

Kill the paper? What are you talking about?

[ ... she might sound concerned, but she is in complete disbelief. ]

[cardboard_journalism]

I just told you how! Kaaaaahk-kahk-kahk-kahk...

[psycholawgy]

Figure this out, Myriam. That gossip section is going to destroy what credibility you have sooner or later.

If you were already working for an actual publishing company, that section wouldn't hold. You'd get so many complaints and protests, and people are going to ruin your name.

[cardboard_journalism]

Kahk-kahk kahk...

M-maybe you're right...

A better journalist would have put together a better paper...

[psycholawgy]

Wait a second. Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about your work?

[cardboard_journalism]

I-if... if all it does is make people upset, then...

K-kahk-kahk-kahk...

[these kahk's had a particularly sad cringe to them, more akin to sobbing]

[psycholawgy]

H- Hey! Are you crying?! Don't cry now!

[ Not this again?!?!?! At least Athena isn't being 100% ruthless this time around. ]

[cardboard_journalism]

Why not...?

My parents are gone... Juniper, Robin, and Hugh are all gone... The whole academy's gone...

Only thing left is my journalistic instincts... and they've gone and upset you... with my so-called "news"...

Kahk-kahk-kahk-kahk...

[psycholawgy]

It's not your fault?!

[ Where is Apollo to help control the situation... ]

It's all that Tattler's doing!

[cardboard_journalism]

Tattler never forced me to accept their column... Tattler never threatened me...

Now I'm getting threats from other people...

[psycholawgy]

That's what happens when you don't listen. People have to result to force.

[cardboard_journalism]

I knew it... I deserve it... kahk-kahk-kahk.

Fine... nothing to do but prepare my legal defense... If I'm going to be buried, it'll be under a storm of legalese!

Send me those books... I have to prepare.

[psycholawgy]

Fine. Good luck, because you're going to need it.

[ ... she does send the books, though. ]

[cardboard_journalism]

Thank you...

But p-please believe me Athena... I didn't want to upset you... or anyone...

J-just wanted to write again... like the world hadn't ended...

[click]