uncurtained | pc catchall for dick (heh) (unpredicktable)

...At least I don’t have to start from scratch. Junpei said I should tell you what happened, but... How much did you hear?

[She gives a shrug, a small smile.]

I’m mostly just tired, honestly.

[ he puts a hand on her shoulder in a vague gesture of comfort, ]

Understandable. [ anyway, to answer her question: ] He described everything that happened from his point of view, what you guys saw on the videos and showed me the transcript from the audio you guys heard. He told me you said you were... held in place by something when the lights turned off?

[She seems a little surprised, but then gives him a small smile.]

Yeah, kind of. I... felt something grab my wrist, and then I couldn’t move. Like, at all.

Just from it touching your wrist? [ there's a definite frown to his mouth now ] You could breathe, right? Blink?

[ he's trying to figure out how deep the paralysis went ]

[As she answers, she nods, shifting a little so her arms are crossed lightly over her waist.]

Yeah, and I could make noise and everything, just... It wasn't like it was holding me so tight I couldn't step away, either, because then I would have at least been able to lean away. You know?

[She sighs.]

Ever heard of sleep paralysis. --Not that I'm saying that's what it was, but those are the same symptoms. Whatever touched you might've triggered something to make you feel the same way.

[ he pauses and doesn't linger on that, because-- ]

You guys saw some pretty messed up stuff in there, and that kind of forced helplessness on top of it from being unable to move can't have helped. It's normal to be messed up about it.

[ hige's a ??? year old sword, and junpei went off to drink-- but dick's not sure if anyone checked on how beck was holding up. ]

I've heard of it, but it's never happened to me before.

[She pauses for another moment, giving him a hesitant smile before nodding.]

That's sweet of you. I mean... [There's a shorter pause, deciding how much she wants to say.] This was just - already way more intense than I'm used to when we only thought it was kidnapping, and I'm getting the idea that everyone's used to crazier stuff, but... I'm not.

A lot of people here come from pretty crazy walks of life, yeah. Myself included. [ at least he's self-aware? ] In a normal situation, not being used to this kind of stuff is a good thing. Right now it might feel like a disadvantage, and I-- I know it's an isolating situation when it seems like you're the only person in the room reacting to everything around you. But I'm here if you need anyone to talk to about how you're feeling, or what's happening, or-- anything, any time. Alright?

...Yeah. I might take you up on that.

[It sounds sincere, rather than the kind of agreement that's only there in order to change the subject. Either way—]

But, you too, you know? I mean, I know you've got the whole superhero thing going on, which I'm actually starting to believe you were serious about... But assuming more weird stuff goes down and you need to, like, vent.

Only starting to?

[ he sounds genuinely amused. about it. at least. but... ]

Alright. If I ever need to vent, I'll come see you, Beck.

[ he won't. ]

[She laughs, looking down.]

Okay, maybe not just starting to. My perspective on what could be possible might have changed a little bit last night.

[sometimes you watch your own doppelganger's face melt off so superheroes might as well be real]

Well, you know what they say. Only fools don't change their minds.

[ which is to say, he holds no grudges, obviously ]

Well... Glad to know I'm not a fool, then.

See? Good things can come from horrible situations.

[ it's a very necessary joke. it's great. moving on back to business! ]

You didn't feel anything else besides the wrist grab, right? Junpei said you were fine once the lights turned back on.

[She shakes her head.]

No, um, not just that. There was this pain in my head almost as soon as she touched me. And - I felt her breathing against my face.

[ uh ]

Her?

—Right.

[Haha!! Bad.]

So, um, after I felt something grab me... Higekiri turned the lights back on, and for a second I saw - myself standing next to me. Only - there was something wrong with my face.

Wrong how?

[ it's still a gentle tone, though his face looks pretty concerned about it. ]

Like, it was... [aaaaa] Melting and kind of - dropping off.

[ hmmmmmmm yikes ]

Well that's... disturbing. Heavy on the dis. [ he's trying to distract her from trauma with word play. it is. a decision ] So whatever attacked you took your form and messed with all your minds.

[ not to j'accuse martians but wow if dick didn't know there were other very viable options he'd be side-eyeing dc martians ]

Yeah. I don't think they saw whatever that was, I think it was just me. I mean, they also saw some messed up stuff, but...

[different trauma, same room!!]

Yeah. [ what a terrible room. ] So, potential demon shapeshifter aside-- she didn't physically hurt you, right? Didn't leave marks or anything?

...No. My wrist doesn't hurt at all and the headache went away, so - there's that, at least.

Good. So whatever it was, it couldn't go there. [ yet, he thinks, considering what they saw, but. Optimism! Not the time to point that out! ] I know Higekiri and Junpei were pretty convinced it was a demon, and there's no way to completely dismiss that theory, but... Between how it affected you and the headache, it sounds like a psychic attack to me.

[ a beat ]

Not that that's gonna sound any less worrying for you, probably. [ it's a bit dry ]

[...]

What does that mean, exactly?

pc catchall for dick (heh) (unpredicktable)

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