VOLATILE

"I will concede to your dislike of fairy-types. They are not a wise choice for every person. The other remaining boxes can easily be fixed though, beginning with a suggested reading list."

The Star Wars comics. The Star Wars expanded universe novels. (There's almost 400 books, Giovanni, you're going to be here for a while.) And a giant photographic encyclopedia of whatever is at the bottom of the Marianas Trench

"do you deny any of this?"

there's betrayal written over the professor's face, but it holds nothing compared to the agony that oak feels. he's hurt. he trusted giovanni, he trusted that the man wouldn't betray him but this?

Contrary to popular belief, though, Giovanni considers his words carefully in the moment. Staring in an unblinking gaze as he takes in the professor’s expression. Oak almost seems stunned, as if the very thought of his . . . friend? . . . being anything but had sent a jolt through his entire system. Widened eyes, as if still trying and failing to accept it, but barreling forward into accusations nonetheless.

A way to cope, then, and partially a way to still hold to hope that it’s all just a misunderstanding, honest! A misunderstanding of just how much any one man could ever mean to him, and how easily he can discard the trust they’ve built.

“Every man has his regrets. The fact that you found out in this way . . . ” he takes a bold step forward, sweeping in a wide motion until his hand comes to rest on Oak’s shoulder. His eyes have still never left his companion, not even for a second, and they betray nothing.

“Who shot me?!“

“Yeah. You shot me.“

“What’s with the hair?”

“But you are very attractive.“

“Yes. How did I do it this time?“

“See, why should I be nervous?”

“Is it really wise to provoke him?“

“Dying doesn’t work in our favor!”

“Frankly, his attitude is offensive.“

“You weren’t supposed to tell him that.“

“You’re not supposed to be walking around.“

“Did you notice anything peculiar about him?”

“You should know. Of course I dare mock you.“

“I have been betrayed by those I trusted most.”

“Yeah, you know, we could just have sex instead.“

“I don’t suppose you’ve tried talking to it, have you?“

“Well, the good news is, it hasn’t eaten anybody yet.“

“I believe it will now be necessary to notify the police.“

“Obviously, there’s something defective with this thing.“ 

“But, I don’t really wanna be in charge of anything. No.“

“Don’t. Every joke, every pun, done to death, seriously.”

“Oh, I’m not sure anything can surprise me at this point.”

“If I have to say ‘what’ one more time, heads are gonna roll!“

“I thought a failsafe was meant to be somewhat safe from failure.”

“If you don’t take the job, we could end up with someone much worse.“

“Wow. Uh, it’s just you… you’re not the kind of guy that I usually attract.“

“Why, in the wide world of all things rational and sane, would I help you?“

“You should feel better momentarily, and your memory will slowly return.”

“Come on, you’ve seen me naked. The least you could do is cook me dinner.“

“You’re not my type. And I’m more than a little disturbed that I might be yours.“

“You play by the rules, you do as you’re told, and you deny yourself your own desires.“

“All humans desire power. It’s just that most of them are never in a position to attain it.”

“Now, there is no guarantee that anyone will ever be able to figure out how it was done.”

“I’ve spent my whole life stickin’ it to the Man. If I do this, I’ll be the Man. I don’t think I can be the Man.”

“I’ve got a better idea, instead of helping you, why don’t we sit around and watch you get your ass kicked?“

“You haven’t tried to confuse me with any scientific babble for the last couple of days and that’s a red flag to me.”

“Yeah, Dr. Brightman caught me stealing jello from the other patients’ trays, so she kicked me outta here.“

“They’re posturing egomaniacs driven by an unsatisfiable lust for power, each one capable of unimaginable evil.”

🏛️  ruin

🌲  forest 

🏰  castle

🏠  house

🏫  school 

⛪  church

⚰️  cemetery 

🏨  hotel / motel

🏢  office building 

🚜  barn / farm building

another random assortment for your enjoyment!

do they enjoy silence or find it too loud?

how many hours of sleep do they average per night?

would they ever skydive/paraglide/etc?

describe their dream home.  looks, location, decorations, etc.

can they roller skate/skateboard?  would they like to learn?

what’s their favorite dish to cook?  favorite dish to order out?

describe their dream vacation.  would they take anyone or go alone?

are they close to any of their family members?  

what is their idea of the afterlife?  does it scare them?

what’s their love language?  

would they describe themselves as beautiful/handsome/etc?  

did their childhood have a negative or positive impact on them?  

what they wanted to be when they grew up vs what they do now.

what type of neighborhood did they grow up in?  do they still live there?

does their family/friends have any traditions they take part of?

who is their best friend?  how long have they known them?

do they have anyone they consider their enemy?  what did they do to gain that title?

did they have a rebellious stage as a teenager?  what did it involve?

what’s currently in their pockets/purse/etc?

how much cash do they generally carry with them?

do they celebrate any holidays?  what are the celebrations like?  do they have a favorite?

have they ever traveled outside their country?

are they an affectionate person?  how do they feel about pda?

if they were choosing an adventure to go on what would it consist of?

have they ever been in a physical fight?  what happened?

are they more likely to take the leader role or let someone else call the shots?

has anyone ever betrayed their trust?  do they still speak to them?

do they believe in magic?  why do they have this belief?

do they wake up on the first alarm, hit snooze, or have multiple alarms set? 

what’s the first major event they remember in their life?

what would their three wishes be if they found a genie?  

have they ever ended a relationship to pursue their career/education further?  what happened?

what do they consider their worst habit? 

are they good at explaining things to others?

how do they handle being upset/angry?  do they yell, cry, go silent, etc?

do they have any habits they believe are odd?

if they could hit redo on a single past event in their life what would it be?  would they do it if it meant changing the present?

what does their future look like when they picture it?  who’s there with them?

have they ever been to court?  what was the outcome?

There are a number of sleeper agents lying in wait, just aching somewhere deep down to serve their team well. Awaiting their simple command to unleash a state of total subservience and fanatical devotion, willing to risk life and limb and everything else should they be told.

Even they don't know who they are, and they certainly don't remember a single little thing about what they've been made to do.