D1 EM: Well, That Happened...

[Harriet]

An old, matronly woman approaches the windowed door, likely in response to all the banging and kerfuffle just created. Peering in from beneath a pair of thick bifocals. A few moments after her arrival, a small sliding panel in the door opens up, accompanied by a low voice which speaks in a thick southern drawl.

"Oh my, you're a lively one aren't ya? Just stay put for a moment and I'll go fetch a handler for ya."

What should have sounded sweet, like chilled milk mixed with a touch of honey, instead had the sickeningly saccharine overtones of condescension and unsolicited parental guidance. The sound makes you feel a confusing mix of warmth and irritation a the woman closes the panel and steps back into the hallway.

[Alonso Hidalgo]

Eyes squint as they look towards the shouting and the cloying speaker.

Rhinal words, spoken as if to self.

"No Oath of Peace. Are you Unfettered, then?"

To the other woman.

"You said there are stories? Joy is in the ears that hear, it is said. Perhaps I may find joy in your tales of this place? Or, failing that, some utility that may lead to later joy."

[Sally-Anne Williams]

All she really wanted to do was go back to sleep. Maybe wake up back in her own bed if she was lucky. She certainly didn't want to talk to these obviously crazy people. She was sane. At least when she was on her medication. But there was no chance of her being left alone and offered enough quiet for renewed rest, it seemed.

And if she had to pick between the two most immediate voices, she was going to pick the one that wasn't threatening to turn her into collateral damage. If he didn't seem so exhausted, she might've been more concerned about that. Still, at least he spoke in a manner suggesting he had a basic grasp on reality, if not for this nonsense about them being in a dream of his, of course.

The woman on the other hand... she had the problem of making absolutely *zero* sense. She sounded like she believed she was a fairy tale character or something.

"Listen," she said to her, "I don't know what world you think you're from, but it's clearly not this one. This is Earth. And I *think* we're in a town called Lakeshore. It's where I grew up. As a kid, it was stories about the biting fever and the slasher. And if you're talking about either of those things you're talking about the asylum. Actually you're talking about the asylum whenever you're talking about lakeshore it seems. There's no joy in these stories."

[Reisija Ridder]

"Gee, thanks miss," Reisija replied. Something about the way he said it, suggested he really didn't care too much about her opinion, condescension, helpfulness or anything else she might choose to share with the patients. Sighing heavily, he heaved himself back up to prepare for the arrival of the handler.

"Least this weird ass body isn't too much weaker than my own," he says as he moves to take a position about 3 feet from the door. For anyone familiar with american football, they'd recognize the positioning of a defensive linesman. He was completely preparing to tackle anyone that came through that door. The bruises were uncomfortable and he'd been beaten soundly the previous day, but he apparently didn't learn a lesson. Or maybe he learned how better to fight the staff?

"Anyone wants to join in, feel free. You all shouldn't be squeamish since your part of me or something. But who knows. Time to murder some nightmare people."

The way he says it, he fully buys into and believes this is just another nightmare. Like there aren't any real consequences. At this time there's a good chance he has no inhibitions or sense of self preservation because of his mental state.

[Alonso Hidalgo]

"Listen," she said to her, "I don't know what world you think you're from, but it's clearly not this one. This is Earth. And I *think* we're in a town called Lakeshore. It's where I grew up. As a kid, it was stories about the biting fever and the slasher. And if you're talking about either of those things you're talking about the asylum. Actually you're talking about the asylum whenever you're talking about lakeshore it seems. There's no joy in these stories."

"In the ears that hear, not in the mouth that speaks.

"But I have not white gold that transcends the Arch of Time. I cannot, as the ur-Lord did, cross against it. Nor would I seek to do so. But a biting fever and a slasher, ah, these things are familiar in the lore, and not only from the long winter and despite. Against these, perhaps, Stafflore might avail. But what are you named, and whose daughter are you?

"I hight Alonso, son of Hidalgo, of Revelwood."

[Sally-Anne Williams]

"In the ears that hear, not in the mouth that speaks.

"But I have not white gold that transcends the Arch of Time. I cannot, as the ur-Lord did, cross against it. Nor would I seek to do so. But a biting fever and a slasher, ah, these things are familiar in the lore, and not only from the long winter and despite. Against these, perhaps, Stafflore might avail. But what are you named, and whose daughter are you?

"I hight Alonso, son of Hidalgo, of Revelwood."

Was it better to indulge a person's delusions, or to rebuke them? She couldn't be sure. It was like sleepwalking, wasn't it? You weren't supposed to wake a sleepwalker. Or you *were* supposed to wake a sleepwalker.

"Uhm... I'm Sally-Anne Williams," she said, deciding to table the internal discussion on the woman's delusions, "I've been told we used to be a bigger name in Lakeshore, but that's before my time."

[Alonso Hidalgo]

Was it better to indulge a person's delusions, or to rebuke them? She couldn't be sure. It was like sleepwalking, wasn't it? You weren't supposed to wake a sleepwalker. Or you *were* supposed to wake a sleepwalker.

"Uhm... I'm Sally-Anne Williams," she said, deciding to table the internal discussion on the woman's delusions, "I've been told we used to be a bigger name in Lakeshore, but that's before my time."

"We are all of us children of greater lines, in time, though we may rise to greatness ourselves. Mhoram was the son of the High Lord, and became High Lord."

Still rhinal the voice, still swift the words.

A shaking head and squinting eyes.

"But you seem to know this place, these people, and I am a visitor. Pray speak to me of it and them."

[Sally-Anne Williams]

"We are all of us children of greater lines, in time, though we may rise to greatness ourselves. Mhoram was the son of the High Lord, and became High Lord."

Still rhinal the voice, still swift the words.

A shaking head and squinting eyes.

"But you seem to know this place, these people, and I am a visitor. Pray speak to me of it and them."

She could not help but let out a sigh. Both at the continued use of strange phrasing, and the question itself.

"Honestly, I don't really know all that much. The asylum's been here for a long time, it got closed down a few times, but it always comes back. I've never actually been inside, most people make a point of avoiding the place."

For a moment she seemed about to lose it before composing herself again. "I know *I* shouldn't be here. But, if this isn't my body... and I don't think it is... then... they're never going to believe me."

[Alonso Hidalgo]

She could not help but let out a sigh. Both at the continued use of strange phrasing, and the question itself.

"Honestly, I don't really know all that much. The asylum's been here for a long time, it got closed down a few times, but it always comes back. I've never actually been inside, most people make a point of avoiding the place."

For a moment she seemed about to lose it before composing herself again. "I know *I* shouldn't be here. But, if this isn't my body... and I don't think it is... then... they're never going to believe me."

"This is a strange place to be called a refuge from torment."

Leaning in to see better. Still squinting. Eyes watering slightly.

"Melenkurion, but it is a strange place for it."

[Reisija Ridder]

Reisija keeps ready, but listens in. "Places like this ain't refuges. It's where folks send people they don't want to deal with. S'what happened with me. Course, you're only talking about this stuff cause it's what I was talking to the doc about earlier when I was awake."

He pauses and takes a breath.

"Gotta keep reminding myself this ain't real or I'll end up getting lost in it."