paradisa | Capture 1

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Capture 1

[ so ashley's been here for just a little bit, but in that time a lot of questions have surfaced. she's ignoring the ones that matter and focusing on the little book. journal thing. really? is this all she gets?

well, the first thing she really does is take her hair down. she likes it much better down than up anyway and now it feels like less like the cabal still have her in their grasp. considering she has her thoughts to herself now and is moving about the lobby under her own power, she's assuming this means she's free.

for various values of "free."

eventually, she pries open the journal, flipping through it as she starts talking to the air around her and wandering the first floor. her tone of voice is condescending, as though she knows someone's listening and wants them to know she's not pleased. ]

So... considering I really don't want to go back the way I came, I propose we play a game. Just me and you, whoever you are. [ she's betting whoever owns this place is getting a kick out of watching her through whatever security system they have and if it's somehow the cabal, she is well-prepared to rip into them for this. ]

'I Spy' or 'Twenty Questions.' Your choice. Go.

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[He was casually sipping tea when he heard that voice. And it's the voice coupled with the questions that confirm that yes, that's who he thinks it is.

And so he scrambles to actually talk to her. It's been far too long since they've had a chat.]

Only if you're willing to explain how the children today play those games.

[Finally things were settling down, she was back to herself thanks in large part to James, and she was finding her place again. It was good to feel her sanity returned, as she had not felt exactly level since before she left.

Helen took a deep breath and lifted her cup for a sip of tea.

And then there was that voice....

The cup clattered to the floor and Helen lunged for the journal, the first time she called her daughters name her voice had no sound to it. The second succeeded brilliantly.]

Ashley!

[ oh why is it always the voices she wants to hear that make her think it's a trick? and why are they always the first she hears?

there's a very small pause, as though she misses a beat of breathing before she continues, her tone of voice unchanged. ]

Let's see. I say something like 'I spy something brown' and you get to guess what I'm looking at. If you like questions, you think about something and I get twenty yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is. Or we could always play it my favorite way. I get twenty questions to ask you what the hell is going on.

[ ashley pauses in her walking at that voice, a slight hitch to her breath coming with heartache that she pushes very far down. only a slight waver to her voice gives her away. ]

Giving me the voice of someone I want most to hear from? So cliche. Nice try. It's not gonna work.

Well, I'm glad you have some of your mother's intelligence, I said the same when I lost my mind thinking I heard you in the halls. [Her voice was even now, the same steady Helen Magnus the world had come to know for so long. So few could hear past that.]

This is a cruel trick if I am losing my sanity only having just gotten it back, or if you are not Ashley Magnus.

[And if that be the case, something would die painfully for using her daughter's likeness.]

[ sounds like her mother. ashley stops walking. ]

You wanna prove to me why you've got my mom's voice or should I just assume you're trying to stir something that's about to explode?

[ making ashley angrier than she already is? not a good life choice. ]

[No, it's okay. At least with her he's not pretending to be a random talking book.

So instead he just rolls with things for now.] Pick on then, Ashley, and I'll do my best to explain it. Though I doubt you'll like the answers you'll get.

Given the nature of the situation I'd be disappointed if you weren't at least skeptical, as am I. It would stand to reason then that the only way to answer this would be to meet. Logically we will see who is or is not what they present themselves to be.

[Helen is already grabbing weapons, she'd prefer a stunner but she's still working on those and the armory, well it hadn't entirely made it as yet.
A Glock nine would have to suffice. She was marksman enough for wounding shots, usually.]

[ she'd probably try to take it apart if he did. well, first thing's first: ]

Where am I?

[She could try, it wouldn't do much good.]

A magical castle called Paradisa, and no it's not on Earth.

[ ashley hesitates. part of her isn't sure she wants to meet, but part of her knows that's the only way this'll get solved. and if she can rule out options on who the hell has her trapped here -- she's still banking on the afterlife theory -- all the better. ]

Fine. I'm close to an area that looks like a lobby. Meet me there.

[ for her part, she'll be standing as close to dead center as she can get, arms at her sides and ready for a fight if she needs to be. ]

Paradisa? [ she sounds incredulous and doubtful. ] Is this the afterlife, because if it is, it's the worst one I've ever heard of.

[ ...there goes the mystery of her last memories. ]

[Oh flipping great. There goes that wonderful bit of news, and he's just going to go and pretend that he didn't hear it because if he lets it show that he's choked up, that's not going to end well, is it?]

No, if it was then I would hope a certain half-vampire wouldn't be here even after his rather ill conceived antics. Or a certain long lived Victorian lady. [Hint hint.]

What, Tesla's here? [ ...did she get dropped into the ninth level of hell or something? ]

You're babbling nonsense, Mr. Book. It's my game; I'm the one doing most of the talking.

[ except on some level it's comforting to have him talking to her like this. ]

[Sometimes James wonders man, he really does.]

Across the hall from me yes, with a very fine young woman. [...James stop shamelessly shipping Nikola and Mal, it's not nice to do to your not!daughter.]

But of course you're right, it is your game. [There is some sort of "The games afoot" Sherlock thing in there somewhere, but he's not going to say it at all.] Though I think you know who I am.

[ .... excuse her while she gags. ] I think I'm gonna be sick. [ no, really, she is. the only thing that could be worse than that idea is the idea of druitt being here. he'd deserve an eternity of being hounded by tesla but she doesn't want to deal with him at the moment. ]

I know who you're trying to be. Why should I believe it's actually you?

[Normally, she wouldn't have really given this a second glance. Another newbie, another person demanding the whats and wherefores.

BUT James and Helen's interest in this has sparked her own]

Seems you're already known here.

[But no see, they would kill one another and her mother would pitch a fit and James would have to clean up after it. That doesn't really work well...] If you do, the clinic is on the second floor, you may find it a bit better then anywhere else.

[James stop.]

I know, the last time I saw you that you and Henry were going to infiltrate the Cabal. And that William had a particularly boyish smile the entire time he saw me. [...Yup...]

That would be, the lobby. I'll be right there.

[Helen held the gun down, both hands firm in their grip and steady as she jogged down the hall to the main stair case. She moved down it keeping her eyes over the rail to the floor below. There was someone there alright.]

Bloody Hell.

[It looked just like Ashley. She nearly broke her stride recovering only enough to spare the stumble and hit the floor at a slower pace.]

I always like it when my reputation precedes me. [ she'll sound less obnoxious later. and probably apologize. ] Name's Ashley. But I think you guys know that already.

[ sucks to be you is all she has to say about that. ] Wow, a hospital for the inmate. Nice. I should applaud you.

[ they both should stop but they won't.

...okay that gets her to pause again. that's... scarily accurate. ] What about before that? [ her voice is quieter, as though she's trying desperately not to hope this is real. ]

[Yeah well you know, Helen's fault for having so many egos around her lets be real here.] We all need medical attention at some point.

[And then his voice drops down some, more quiet and gentle then before.] You hugged me, and watched me read William before he realized my ability. I sent your mother a telegram as well, about the bodies I found and my arrival. [It may have been over a year since he lived this but some things you just don't forget.]

[ it's ashley and she's still in the cabal uniform, though she'd much rather be in anything else. her hair's down by now at least. that's something.

her gaze shoots up once she spots someone moving on the staircase and she takes a subconscious step backwards as confusion and wariness cross her face. that definitely looks like her mother, but that could just be desperation making her want it to be her mother. ]

Okay, you win the clone effect.

[ for some reason, the gun is far more comforting than anything else, a sight she's ultimately familiar with. her mother is never without a gun and for good reason. if she didn't have one now, ashley would question the sight far more. ]

[A scrawl appears in her journal.]

Twenty questions?

[ and this is why ashley brings the popcorn. ] Not everyone.

[ oh wait, he doesn't know about what the cabal did to her, does he? WHOOPS. ]

And your nail? [ it's checking out. she wants so much to believe he's real, that she's not alone, but she doesn't think she can handle being wrong. ]

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Capture 1

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