[TINY CAT PEOPLE] VOID SESSION INTERMISSION: HARK

[skinstealer]

TCP: VOID SESSION
INTERMISSION: HARK

---

You are VOIDSY, and you are currently in an enemy TCP’s head. Your newfound nemesis, the very dog you’re trying to strike down, is in front of you as well, looming over her TCP with a wicked grin. 

SPIT: So this is what happens when you mix up two communication items...interesting, interesting.
SPIT: Veeeery interesting.
SPIT: You know, I should thank you.

She reaches forward and pats Hark on the head, the TCP trying not to flinch. 

SPIT: You just helped me figure out a lil’ ol’ trick for other sessions! 
SPIT: Who knows what kinds of shit I can pull off like this.
SPIT: Face to face...is it everything you hoped, collective?
SPIT: Are you gonna be brave, say I’m ugly, say you hate me, that you’re gonna win and be the big badass of this story?
SPIT: Or are you gonna flirt with me again, breaking my poor lil’ sister’s heart?
VOIDSY: ...sister?
SPIT: Oh, she didn’t tell you? That’s a real shame…
SPIT: Then again, everything about that little wretch is!

She cackles, and you feel your paws clench into fists.




SPIT: So how about it, kitty cat?
SPIT: You’re right here, you got the chance...why not a little brawl?
SPIT: We’re all mental, right? Nobody’s gotta get hurt for real...not yet.
SPIT: Or…

She reaches forward, grabbing Hark by the throat.

SPIT: Do I need to give you something to fight for?

[IamPANKANK]

if its a mental space perhaps you could think Hark away from Spit, or if that doesn't work the next best move might be not to play Spit's game at this point if the communication blocker and the mask mixing is letting her talk to Hark ask a TCP to take the mask off so that Spit can't hurt Hark.  With Spit willing and wanting to hurt anything she is near its best to ignore her until we have the power to actually shut her up.

[knux400]

"Hark, this is your head. Me and Spit are just guests here- you can control this place better than either of us."

"...Do with that what you will."

[Jukashi]

Cool down. Most likely she wants a strong reaction, of whatever type, so don't give it to her. We're a mask god, we should be able to wear a metaphorical mask if we need to. Remember, as well, that the only truth she's going to tell is to her amusement or advantage. Don't trust anything she says. Now, tell them both that we came here to talk to Hark. If Spit objects, pop one of our masks to the side to talk to her while the rest of us focus on the TCP. We're a collective, we can multitask.

If she gets really itchy about fighting or threatening Hark, tell her she might have a better chance soon. She taught us something recently too - that we can already be directly touched by things happening inside the session. That's given us an idea, and if she really wants to put her fists where her mouth is, she can wait. (I do actually have an idea related to that but for now just being a coy mysterious jerk is to our advantage anyway.)

[cosmo]

"Hark, this is your head. Me and Spit are just guests here- you can control this place better than either of us."

"...Do with that what you will."

Yeah, basically this. ignore spit, don’t address her at all. we’re here for hark and we’re here to help

[Guest]

Do not engage with Spit. That's exactly what she wants.

We are here for Hark, and I'm willing to bet that Spit has kept her ignorant about a few things. Namely that Hark could sever her connection to Spit if she chose to. Hark likely believes that she's trapped in Spit's thrall forever with no way out and no one to help. Revealing the truth to her and offering her our hand in friendship may be just what she needs.

[seppawku]

definitely, definitely do not talk to spit. can we get hark away from her physically? do we think we can cut the connnection / figure out what item shes using?

[RibbonCharm]

DEFINITELY DO NOT ENGAGE.

And Hark, listen, we're sorry for hurting you, we were only doing what we had to do. But we're here for you now, and we want to help you. We don't want to hurt you, unlike the one who claims you're her "Number One." You have more influence here than either of us, you don't have to put up with this here.

[1011686]

I think we have more to do before we can ask Hark to reject Spit. Before Jasper shocked her, she was beginning to second-guess herself, but she still wanted to make Spit proud. Telling her that she can go rogue and seperate her connection wont do anything if she doesnt want to. We need to convince her, show her that Spit is bad and that we can help her. We should be calm, and kind.
"Hark, Spit just threatened to hurt you in order to get me to fight her. How do you feel about that?"

[Orange Juice Goose]

"Yes you do. You are beneath contempt."
"This is all in the mind Hark, Spit just wants you afraid of the pain."

[Guest]

"We came here to talk Hark, and to apologize for having Jasper zap you."

[Dzib 9001]

"fuck off Spit."

[Iguanaiguana]

Don't engage with spit, and just focus on trying to comfort Hark however we can.

[Shifter55]

I think we have more to do before we can ask Hark to reject Spit. Before Jasper shocked her, she was beginning to second-guess herself, but she still wanted to make Spit proud. Telling her that she can go rogue and seperate her connection wont do anything if she doesnt want to. We need to convince her, show her that Spit is bad and that we can help her. We should be calm, and kind.
"Hark, Spit just threatened to hurt you in order to get me to fight her. How do you feel about that?"

I feel as if attacking Spit for already thinking of future sessions could help - is she going to play the same game of favourites in those, how many others does she have competing for her attention behind Hark's back? With how lightly she's taking over half her team being bested by a single TCP this game doesn't seem like it's a very high priority.

Sending out some masks sounds like a pretty good idea, but how are we going to Hark away from Spit? Maybe one should be sent off into nowhere or to surround them...

[skinstealer]

You’re not sure what you can actually do in this space...it appears to be a void, and even Spit seems partially obscured. There’s nothing you can detect in the way of flooring or walls, and so you decide to stay passive. It’d be a better idea to wait and see what could be done than to act rashly right now.

You have to keep yourselves cooled down, and to remember not to trust anything Spit says. You have to help Hark second guess herself, to drive a wedge between her and Spit. After all, Hark probably isn’t going to do anything she doesn’t want to, and by the look of it she sees nothing wrong with this plan of Spit’s, even though she’s already been hurt.

You have to be calm, and kind.

VOIDSY: Hark, we’re sorry-
HARK: I don’t want to hear it!
HARK: You’re the enemy!
HARK: You’re just trying to trick me!
SPIT: You listen to me and we’ll get far, Hark.
SPIT: What have I taught you?

She squeezes Hark, fluid oozing between her claws.

HARK: W-whatever it takes to win, Spit.
HARK: Even if it hurts.
SPIT: Especially if it hurts.

Hark nods, movements shaky and pained.

SPIT: That’s a good girl.
SPIT: You know I put you through this to toughen you up, don’t you?
SPIT: This bleeding heart over here doesn’t think you can take it, but I know you better than that.
SPIT: You’re my number one!


There has to be a communication item causing this, Spit said it herself. You can theoretically cut the connection if you find out what that item is...
You consider multitasking, wanting to get things done and maybe even handle that communication item- but Spit seems to take notice as one of your masks drifts, blowing smoke in its face and causing you to cough violently.

SPIT: You wanna scoot away from here, get up to some real hijinks while we hash this shit out?
SPIT: Not gonna happen, kitty cat!
SPIT: You’re our captive audience…
SPIT: Unless you wanna roll the dice and risk running your mouth.
SPIT: Go ahead!
SPIT: Try me.

You feel something wrong as Spit speaks, something creeping and horrible- your thoughts are so much louder, each individual voice overtaking the others.

If you do not focus on the current situation, or try to split your focus, you will be unable to control your impulses.

[suits]

Looks like whatever Spit's communication item is has the secondary function of shutting off impulse control if you try and stray outside of a narrow range of focuses. If we can get it off Hark, she'll have a better shot at seeing through that nasty canine.

[victorianflorist]

We need to trust our team and fellow gods to contain Hark on the material plane.

We need to focus here.

"You really think you're winning, Hark? That's what this bag of vile angles and stinking flesh told you? You aren't winning, you're losing. To her. She can do whatever she wants to you. So you're losing, the fight isn't with any of us. Just look at how Buddy fought you, put everything on the line to put even the slightest dent in your visage. It didn't do that out of fear, because we threatened it. It choose to do that for us, for its team. You aren't strong, Hark, and it's because you aren't fighting the one thing that makes you hurt the most. You can win, you can win by fighting her."

[cosmo]

you deserve to be treated with respect and kindness, hark. im sure you can handle a hell of a lot but the point is you Shouldn’t Have To. you don’t need to suffer or feel pain to prove yourself or your capabilities.

[IamPANKANK]

Spit isn't making you tougher Hark she hurts you becuase it makes her happy, its what she does she hurts others, to make them toys unable to go against her, "How did you feel when you hurt Buddy?"  Did you feel like you had to do it or Spit would hurt you again? did you feel happy that you had power to choose someones fate?  Or were you hurting inside because you decided to pass on the hurt you feel to someone who truely only wished to be a freind of yours Buddy still even now wants to see you feel better to show you something beyound the hurt Spit wishes upon anyone she sees.  If you like we can bring you a plushie to hold a thing to love soft and when it holds you wont hurt you.
another important route to go down is asking if Hark has met the Wax team if they seemed scared of Wax?  did wax seem like he hurt them or did it seem like he taught them how to handle themselves.  if they heard about the date or did Spit hide that the enemy wanted to have a nice time to the point of willing to have a meal together.
at this point we have to let Hark push Spit away on their own trying to force them apart wont work well with the kind of conditioning Spit has them under.

[Dzib 9001]

You’re not sure what you can actually do in this space...it appears to be a void

let's see if we can force Spit out. we are a void god.

[Guest]

Hark, if Spit is such a big, strong, brave leader, why is she hiding behind you? Why is she using you as a shield? What kind of leader uses their followers as hostages? And if she cares about you, why is she so willing to sacrifice you?

[King-Clod]

Hark, if Spit is such a big, strong, brave leader, why is she hiding behind you? Why is she using you as a shield? What kind of leader uses their followers as hostages? And if she cares about you, why is she so willing to sacrifice you?

oh this one's good

[1011686]

Focus on the current situation. I would like to see if we can get any kind of domain or motif based powers to work here, but I think that would be too distracting.
How much has Spit told you about this game, Hark? Did she tell you there are two different ways to win, one where you kill every other team's TCPs, and one where everyone cooperates and makes peace with eachother? Do you really think the first one sounds better? Has she told you that she's played this game dozens, maybe hundreds of times before? Each time raising 5 TCPs into killing machines? Do you really think she cares about you beyond what use you are to her as a tool to get what she wants? We don't want you to get hurt, not because we think you're weak, but because we care about you. That's why we really are sorry we attacked you, and why we healed you afterwards. And that's why we're here now.
 

Hark, if Spit is such a big, strong, brave leader, why is she hiding behind you? Why is she using you as a shield? What kind of leader uses their followers as hostages? And if she cares about you, why is she so willing to sacrifice you?

I agree with this, especially the last two questions.
 

Spit isn't making you tougher Hark she hurts you becuase it makes her happy, its what she does she hurts others, to make them toys unable to go against her, "How did you feel when you hurt Buddy?"  Did you feel like you had to do it or Spit would hurt you again? did you feel happy that you had power to choose someones fate?  Or were you hurting inside because you decided to pass on the hurt you feel to someone who truely only wished to be a freind of yours Buddy still even now wants to see you feel better to show you something beyound the hurt Spit wishes upon anyone she sees.  If you like we can bring you a plushie to hold a thing to love soft and when it holds you wont hurt you.
another important route to go down is asking if Hark has met the Wax team if they seemed scared of Wax?  did wax seem like he hurt them or did it seem like he taught them how to handle themselves.  if they heard about the date or did Spit hide that the enemy wanted to have a nice time to the point of willing to have a meal together.
at this point we have to let Hark push Spit away on their own trying to force them apart wont work well with the kind of conditioning Spit has them under.

I feel like it will be up to Hark to reject Spit herself, but I think it would be too soon to stop trying just yet. We still need to tell her that she can go rogue, for one thing, that she has options other than Spit.

[Guest]

You know, I have to wonder, Spit.
Is that "you’re my number one" spiel the same one you fed Wretch way back when before she caught on to your bullshit, and if so, is it anything like what Rein told you to keep you under control?
I only ask because this manipulative and abusive behavior seems like a consistent pattern with you, and I'm wondering if it's of your design or if it's something you picked up.It's just that I don't want to give you undue credit. I realize that you most likely aren't clever or charming enough to come up with such tactics on your own, but I want to be certain.

[skinstealer]

Spit can’t be reasoned with...Hark is suffering...clearly the answer is simple! 

Just...kill Hark! You can put her out of her misery, she’ll no longer suffer, Spit will be outnumbered…

One of your masks starts laughing uncontrollably before you can stop it, loud and almost maniacal.



You grab the laughing mask in both hands, holding it tight. It keeps laughing despite your efforts to silence it. You need to calm down, get those kinds of thoughts out of your head...Hark is already tied up and restrained. She’s helpless, and killing her would be declaring her a lost cause. It’d traumatize your TCPs and horrify all your friends.

You need to trust that the rest of the team can contain Hark, and that even if this doesn’t work out here, the longer you can distract Spit, the better. 

You outnumber her.

You are doing a good job.




Focus.

Spit knows that self control is your weakness.

No splitting up focus. No getting distracted.

You shatter the mask, silencing it.

You’re going to take your domain and use it to win.

VOIDSY: This bleeding heart over here knows you can take this kind of pain.
VOIDSY: You have to be strong to withstand what Spit does.
VOIDSY: But our heart bleeds because we’re sad that you MUST take it.
VOIDSY: She’s not hurting you to make her tougher, she’s hurting you because it makes her happy.
VOIDSY: This is what she does to people, she makes them into toys that are unable to go against her.
VOIDSY: That’s what she’s doing to you, Hark.
HARK: No! I am not a toy!
VOIDSY: You shouldn’t have to be.
VOIDSY: We’re sure you can handle a lot of cruelty, but you deserve better than that.
VOIDSY: You shouldn’t have to suffer or feel pain to prove yourself.
HARK: And I don’t need to prove myself to you either!
HARK: I’m in control of myself, me! And this is what I want!
VOIDSY: But how did it feel when you hurt Buddy?
VOIDSY: Did you feel like you had to do it, or you’d be hurt again?
VOIDSY: Did you feel happy that you had the power to choose its fate?
HARK: And so what if I did, huh? So what if I LIKED it, if I LIKED hurting that little shit?
VOIDSY: Well, even then…
VOIDSY: Buddy wants to be your friend. It wants to show you something beyond this hurt, the kind of hurt that Spit wishes on anyone she sees.
VOIDSY: It knows that you have good in you.

HARK: This is all that matters! All that ever has!
VOIDSY: Then why do you look so scared?
VOIDSY: Why don’t you look your mother in the eye when she talks to you?
VOIDSY: Is winning really worth giving up your life for her?
VOIDSY: And if Spit is so big, so strong, so brave, such a leader, why is she hiding behind you?
VOIDSY: Why is she using you as a shield?
VOIDSY: She’s willing to sacrifice you, Hark!
VOIDSY: That’s not something you do to someone you care about.

VOIDSY: Our bleeding heart yearns for the ending where everyone wins.
VOIDSY: We want everyone to come out of this alive, including you and all the others.
VOIDSY: We want people to be a family together-
HARK: Family! Yeah, right!
HARK: Real cute after you did exactly what Spit told me you would.
VOIDSY: We didn’t want to hurt you!
HARK: But you did! You...you fucked up my hand!
HARK: You talk about sacrifices and shit but you were just as willing to throw me under the bus as long as it meant keeping your precious cat safe!
HARK: In your words, that’s not something you do to someone you care about.
HARK: Right?
VOIDSY: We, we don’t want you to get hurt, and we don’t think you’re weak…
VOIDSY: We’re really sorry that we attacked you, and we healed you after because we do, honestly and truly, care about you.
VOIDSY: That’s why we’re here now.

VOIDSY: She needs you, Hark. Not the other way around.
VOIDSY: You’ve got us in a hell of a bind right now, but you have her in a tighter one. She can’t win the game with no cats, and you have the option of deciding to leave.
VOIDSY: If you leave Spit’s team, she can’t do anything to you.
VOIDSY: And you get to win. She loses.

Hark says nothing, the silence uncomfortable and almost suffocating. You wait for a response, and when none comes, you carry on, doing your best to remain calm and collected.

VOIDSY: If you do leave, you don’t have to shack up with us, not if you don’t want to.
VOIDSY: You could go do your own thing, anything you want.
VOIDSY: ...Buddy wanted you to have that choice.

Only a moment passes before Spit’s laughing, a raspy wheeze that turns into high pitched cackling, her entire body shaking and making horrible crunching, snapping sounds. 

SPIT: Boy, you sure know how to give a speech!
SPIT: And you know what, Hark, you can leave!
SPIT: They’re right! You can just walk on out. Go ahead. Go with them.
SPIT: But I’ll always be here! Always here, right in your cute lil’ head.
SPIT: Forever! 
SPIT: You know that. You know that real good by now, yeah?
HARK: ...yeah. I know.
SPIT: The difference is…
SPIT: I could be the little angel on your shoulder, tellin you how to get through this and win....
SPIT: Or I stick around and be a real hell of a devil.

SPIT: You’ll make the right decision, won’t you, kid?

[cosmo]

spit's been using collars to make it so we cannot communicate with our tcps but during the commotion we ended up acquiring a few. we could give one to you, if you'd like. no more gods in your head, looming over your shoulder. writhe has also chosen to wear one, so we know it works! just let us know we can get it for you.

[Guest]

It is true: Spit is exactly the kind of creature to dedicate her time to spitefully haunting someone.
The thing, though, is that Spit was right about something she said earlier.
We hate her. Not just this collective, but so many others.
Wretch, Eastwood, Miller, and Wax are the ones we're most familiar with, but if what we've heard is true, then there are entire pantheons worth of gods who can't stand Spit, and who knows how many mortals share that view.There are so many people out there - strong, capable, smart people - who would be more than willing to keep Hark safe from Spit.

[IamPANKANK]

Hark she is right what Spit has done to you will always be there, she was your mother but she didn't act like a good one and that will always haunt you it is never easy to get over that but it will make you stronger.  No matter what you choose from here on out as long as you don't decide to hurt a TCP that isn't trying to hurt you you won't have to worry about anyone else. weather you choose to stay with Wax's team, weather you choose to go it alone, weather you choose to stay with the other TCPs aginst Spit, even if you choose to stay with her, we will be sure that you aren't going to be hurt from our end as long as you choose to be better then what she is forcing you to be.
we should extend a hand to Hark.

[1011686]

I want to ask Hark if there's anything we can do for her right now, anything we could do to prove to her that we're being honest when we say we want to help her. I feel like we've done about as much as we can with convincing her through rhetoric, and we're not going to get any further without actually doing something, or at least promising to do something. So I support this command:

spit's been using collars to make it so we cannot communicate with our tcps but during the commotion we ended up acquiring a few. we could give one to you, if you'd like. no more gods in your head, looming over your shoulder. writhe has also chosen to wear one, so we know it works! just let us know we can get it for you.

(although I kind of suspect that whatever Spit is using to be in Hark's head right now is more powerful than the god-blocking collars. I think they prevent the regular god-tcp sight and communication that comes naturally in the game, but might still allow any specific item-based communication, like our voidsy mask. that's just a hunch I get though, from the way Spit is so certain that she'll "always be here".)
We could also ask more questions to Hark, and maybe Spit, if we think it would help our goals.
Ask Hark about Wax's TCPs. They're working together, aren't they? If Spit's plan works out then both their teams will win. Has Hark met any of them? What did they seem like? How did they treat her, and eachother? (This both might give us some more information (although i strongly doubt we're actually going to be seriously fighting any of Wax's TCPs at this point) and also encourages Hark to think more about kind people that she hasn't been conditioned to hate).
 

Hark she is right what Spit has done to you will always be there, she was your mother but she didn't act like a good one and that will always haunt you it is never easy to get over that but it will make you stronger.  No matter what you choose from here on out as long as you don't decide to hurt a TCP that isn't trying to hurt you you won't have to worry about anyone else. weather you choose to stay with Wax's team, weather you choose to go it alone, weather you choose to stay with the other TCPs aginst Spit, even if you choose to stay with her, we will be sure that you aren't going to be hurt from our end as long as you choose to be better then what she is forcing you to be.
we should extend a hand to Hark.

I apologise, but I think we shouldn't say this to Hark, at least some of it. Because, right now, she doesn't have a choice, not really. As long as Spit's in her head, she's being coerced, and we need to acknowledge that.

[Dzib 9001]

she doesn't have a choice, not really

If we can get a collar on her and get her to the sanctuary she will. The problem is getting her there...

[skinstealer]

VOIDSY: Is that your best offer, Spit?
VOIDSY: You’re making her choose between leaving and spending the rest of her life dealing with the damage you’ve done, or staying with you and letting you make things worse and worse.
VOIDSY: You’re making it seem like it’s her fault when you hurt her- it’s for her own good, right?
VOIDSY: Bullshit.
VOIDSY: No wonder your own sister doesn’t want to be around you anymore. 
VOIDSY: Who hurt you, Spit?
VOIDSY: Who taught you to hurt others before they can hurt you?

Spit snorts, unable to hold her snickering back.

SPIT: Who hurt me?
SPIT: You looking for a tragic backstory? Somebody had to go and mess me up and now I’m bad. 
SPIT: That’s how it works, right? You’re gonna crack me open and figure out just what makes me so terrible, and then fix me right up. Save me, even!
SPIT: That’s you. The hero of the story. 
SPIT: You know what, hero? Go ahead and ask whatever you want to cute lil’ Hark here. 
SPIT: Let’s see how you do.

Well...it’s a patronizing opportunity, but it’s an opportunity.

VOIDSY: Hark...you’re working with Wax’s TCPs, right?
VOIDSY: Have you met any of them?
VOIDSY: What did they seem like?
VOIDSY: How did they treat you and each other?

Hark doesn’t respond, avoiding eye contact.

VOIDSY:...Is there anything we can do for you?

It seems like Hark’s going to answer for just a moment, but you see Spit squeeze her, leaving deep scratches across her arm. 



You can feel your anger rising up, but it’s not the time- you need to focus and keep it from overcoming you. Hark needs you right now.

VOIDSY: Even if Spit dedicates her time to spitefully haunting you, there are people who are willing to keep you safe, Hark.
VOIDSY: We hate her, not just our collective but so many others.
VOIDSY: There are entire pantheons of gods who can’t stand Spit.
VOIDSY: You wouldn’t have to be alone. 

Hark looks at you hesitantly, slowly moving to face you.

VOIDSY: What Spit has done to you will always be there.
VOIDSY: She may be like a mother to you, but she doesn’t act like a good one.
VOIDSY: It’s never easy to get over that.
VOIDSY: You may not have a choice right now, but we can help you get there.

She makes eye contact, and for a second you think you can almost see hope. 

VOIDSY: Spit made these collars that make it so that gods can’t communicate with their TCPs while they’re wearing them. We have a few of them already.
VOIDSY: We could give one to you.
VOIDSY: No more gods in your head.
VOIDSY: Writhe already chose to wear one, so we know it works.
VOIDSY: Just let us know.

The hope is gone as soon as it came, her head falling.

SPIT: Awww, you went and got her hopes up. 
SPIT: Fraid that’s not gonna work, kitty cat.

She moves her hand away from Hark’s throat, leaving scratches behind across her chest. 

SPIT: Try to take this bad boy off and-

She drags a glass claw across the collar, making a horrible grinding sound.

SPIT: Off with her head!

[victorianflorist]

Say
Well, your head can't come off if you aren't in that body!
We've got this machine, it can temporarily put you in another body.
Then we can safely remove the collar, patch you back up, and then return you to your body.
Remember the Tentacle'd TCP? Her name is Seaspray. She used to be a Shell-type but we made her a new body and moved her right in.
The process could be disorienting but it's ultimately fairly painless.
We don't even have to put you back in the body spit chose for you, you could choose a new one.
A fresh start, entirely at your control.
It would mean crossing into our base.

[Orange Juice Goose]

Avoid outright saying we already have a solution in case it puts Spit into a desperate bind to just execute Hark before we can completely detain them.

Try a more generic statement along the lines of "I am sure there is a way to get it that off." with vaguer and less optimistic language if need be to better manipulate Spit's sense of security.

[Shifter55]

Aye, lets not reveal we have the machine yet.
However... yeah. Wouldn't be the first time our group has had to put a head back on their shoulders. That flying TCP you drained certainly didn't look like that when it spawned.

[Guest]

Hark, I know it seems hopeless, but please. Trust us.What she's done to you is nothing short of a sin. You deserve to live a happier, healthier life. One where you don't have to worry about the random, sadistic whims of some edgy sociopath.If you come with us, I promise you'll get out. No more Spit ever again for you and your fellow TCP's. A new life, a new world, and a new you, free and safe.

[seppawku]

um.. i don’t think we should reveal our every way to try and get around spit’s punishments and actions to her face. we can’t lie to hark about the possibilities, sure, but. Going into so much detail isn’t necessary rn
tell them we think we can save hark nonetheless, and that we won’t back down or do anything to risk them w/out their choice

[ಠ_ಠ]

Listen. Spit sucks. You know it, I know it. She sucks the big one. If all else fails, if somehow your fears are right and she'll never truly leave, there's at least one fallback you can have if you leave her control. You can spite her. Her and her big stupid, ugly, shitty mouth. You can live in a way where you dont just go along with the plans of someone who clearly sucks way worse than you or I ever could. All she's got is talk. Take away everything else and she's just a chump who can only run her mouth all day. You're better than she is. She needs you, you don't need her. So if you can't bring yourself to believe we'll shut her up for good one day, at least you can spite a shitty, stupid person and go out better than she could ever hope to be.

[ಠ_ಠ]

suggestion, y'all:
let's not speak to spit directly anymore. don't acknowledge her being there. everything we say will be directly to hark.

[Lilium Mortem]

you know, it's funny. Spit's so sure she has us, but we already have a way to deal with that collar. Hark, we have a place for you where you can be whoever you want to be, gods be damned, myself included if you want. I know it's not easy to trust us, it's not easy to hope, but would you rather remain a prisoner, tortured constantly, or take a leap of faith?

[1011686]

I agree with not being specific to Spit about any possible solutions we possibly have to Hark's problem. If Spit doesn't know about the unhallowed sanctuary, we should keep it that way.
I feel like Hark doesn't really have anything left she'll be willing to say to us, and that we've done as much convincing as we're going to be able to do with words alone. Right now, I'm kind of tempted to try baiting Spit tbh, getting her to talk more. Like, responding to what she's just said with something like "Oh I don't know, anything's possible" in a vague, open-ended way. Or saying some more stuff about how poorly Spit's doing in the game right now, maybe mentioning how we're getting along with Wax's TCPs. I feel like while we might not be able to see how things are going outside, neither can Spit as long as we're here, and getting her to focus more on our conversation will help with that.
But if we're going to be steadfastly ignore her (which is a good idea in that every interaction with her is a chance for her to manipulate us, and the less possibility for that the better), I think we should start wrapping up what we're saying to Hark soon.

[King-Clod]

I think we should be wary of what we say in front of Spit, certainly, but we should also say something that let's Hark know that we have a solution, she needs something to hold onto right now. Something like,
"We have a way around that too, if you come to our base. Just tell us what kind of body you'd like and we can swap you out of that one, which would mean no collar, no Spit. I understand if you don't trust us enough to come to our base just yet, but please know that that's an option. We can work around this."
edit: also I second mentioning that this is what we did to Seaspray, and that's why they look how they do. To help reinforce that we've done this successfully and safely before.

[skinstealer]

VOIDSY: Oh, is that all?
VOIDSY: Believe it or not, we’ve actually got something for that.
VOIDSY: Hark, we think we can save you.

The corner of Spit’s mouth twitches, and for a split second you could almost swear she was frowning.  

VOIDSY: You’re better than she is.
VOIDSY: She needs you, but you don’t need her.
VOIDSY: Spit’s strong, but we ARE void.
VOIDSY: We do absence.
VOIDSY: We can take things away.
VOIDSY: We know it seems hopeless now, but please, trust us.
VOIDSY: What she’s done to you is nothing short of a sin, and you deserve to live a happier, healthier life- one where you don’t have to worry about the random, sadistic whims of some shitty, stupid person. 
VOIDSY: We don’t want you to suffer anymore.
VOIDSY: We have a way around this, we have a way to get you a fresh start, entirely at your control.
VOIDSY: It would mean crossing into our base, but if you come with us, we promise you’ll get out. 
VOIDSY: We know it’s not easy to trust us, it’s not easy to hope, but would you rather remain a prisoner, tortured constantly, or take a leap of faith?
HARK: I...
HARK: I’m not...I’m not a prisoner! I can take this!
HARK: This is where I belong!
HARK: I’m not coming with you, not now, not ever!

There’s uncertainty in her voice, almost as if she didn’t really believe what she was saying. It’s not a solid victory, but it’s something. 

You’ve done all you can, and now it’s time to return your attention to your TCPs. It’s time to get out of this murderfort once and for all, and as quickly as possible. 

VOIDSY: It’s your choice.
VOIDSY: We’ll be waiting.

As you start to tune out of this conversation, bailing before Spit can make any more snarky comments, you hope that that spark of hope counts for something, that you’ve done the right thing.

That’s all you can ever hope for, really.

HARK INTERMISSION: END
ACT 4: START