DI Patricia Menzies (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
grip_on_reality) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
realityshifted2012-09-02 09:13 am
grip_on_reality) wrote in realityshifted2012-09-02 09:13 am
Entry tags:
[010]
[Menzies appears on the Plane near the bathhouse. she has an overnight bag slung over her shoulder, and she looks disgruntled. also, her eyes are glowing faintly with dark blue light, and hidden beneath her hair is a rash on the back of her neck]
[she starts walking forward, slowly, with her hands outstretched in front of her. it's obvious that she can't see where she's going, although she has picked the right direction] If that worked, then the bathhouse should be... [she frowns, hesitating. she thought she'd brought herself to the Plane right in front of it, but apparently not. she mutters:] All right, if this didn't work, there'd better be something nearby. [she continues somewhat haltingly forward, but before she even reaches the building, she abruptly stops and turns her head]
Who's there?
[she's sure she just "saw" a flash of colour, so she's turned in the direction she expects to find a person. considering the situation, she hopes it's a friend]
[ooc: Menzies has inhaled the pollen! she has taken on a couple specific alien attributes, meaning that she can't see at the moment. instead, she sees the essences of people (and other living beings). if you'd like her to be able to see your character's, please indicate in your tag what color their essence is, as well as an idea of their current feelings/intentions. if there's anything you don't want to share, we'll just assume she's seeing on the wrong wavelength to sense that character or information. and let me know if you have any questions!]
[she starts walking forward, slowly, with her hands outstretched in front of her. it's obvious that she can't see where she's going, although she has picked the right direction] If that worked, then the bathhouse should be... [she frowns, hesitating. she thought she'd brought herself to the Plane right in front of it, but apparently not. she mutters:] All right, if this didn't work, there'd better be something nearby. [she continues somewhat haltingly forward, but before she even reaches the building, she abruptly stops and turns her head]
Who's there?
[she's sure she just "saw" a flash of colour, so she's turned in the direction she expects to find a person. considering the situation, she hopes it's a friend]
[ooc: Menzies has inhaled the pollen! she has taken on a couple specific alien attributes, meaning that she can't see at the moment. instead, she sees the essences of people (and other living beings). if you'd like her to be able to see your character's, please indicate in your tag what color their essence is, as well as an idea of their current feelings/intentions. if there's anything you don't want to share, we'll just assume she's seeing on the wrong wavelength to sense that character or information. and let me know if you have any questions!]
no subject
no subject
no subject
[He is more than a victim of experimentation: he is a product of it. Christopher is an experiment. Everything he does, every action he takes, is just another part of that experiment. Half-natural, half-artificial, he is caught between two worlds, and everything about him is simply something for his creator to observe.
And of course, if his creator isn't interested to observe, if Christopher is a failure, if Christopher doesn't meet Master Huey's standards, then, then he gets to be like Adele. Then he gets to be subject to the 'unpleasant experiments.' If he isn't able to execute Huey's orders, if he can't prove his worth, if he is the most useless of them all, then it's back to Rhythm's labs, back to scalpels and needles, back to that painful and unnatural existence that gave him life. Master Huey doesn't waste materials, even if they can't do their job. It's an honour to be his guinea pig.
One way or another, Christopher is always in an experiment. But at least outside of the labs, the experiment isn't a test of how long he can stay under water before he starts to drown. It's this woman who is being experimented on instead, and so there always is that thought: As long as it's someone else, it isn't me. It's the thought of a traitor. It's the thought of something incapable of real friendship. It's the thought that ran through his head when Rhythm was cutting Rail open.
Christopher must help DI Patricia Menzies, must show her kindness and ease the suffering of the experiment. He's too cowardly to take a victim's place, but at least he can help them afterwards. As long as it isn't him. It's only that he wishes he were the sort of person who could make that kind of sacrifice for a friend.
He really is something unnatural. Every mention of experimentation only serves as a reminder of Rhythm and Master Huey and that inescapable sense of inferiority and unnaturalness. And they're all thoughts he doesn't want to have.
So he doesn't. That's what his insanity is there for, after all! He doesn't think about the pain or the insecurity, he doesn't think about the guilt or the fear or the hopelessness. There's no point. He has already given in to despair, so he'll just throw a party to celebrate! Instead of thinking of the laboratory, he fixates on flowers and sets his mind to veering off down a much more scenic path. He speaks with animation, a hand she can't see gesturing as the other pulls her on.]
I can't imagine any kind of experiment being pleasant, could you? After all, there isn't anything natural about them. Why would I want anything to do with something unnatural? Not interested. No, thank you. Reimburse me and send me on a hike through nature any day.
That's why I have such a problem with this place: everything here is unnatural. Not even the flowers die.
no subject
no subject
[The shock settles like the fear into some blanket emotion wrapped around him, but he always bounces back fast. Even though he's startled still, and even though he can't shake the terror that she triggered in him like a flashback in a trauma victim, he has his madness to keep him functioning. So the suggestion that follows, delivered in a gentle voice, is entirely genuine.] If you have any way to stop it, you may want to try now. You see, I don't know how to stop my own mind. If you like, I can leave. Or I could sing you a soothing song.
[Even that last suggestion was sincere. Christopher stubbornly refuses to accept that the Poet isn't soothed by Christopher giving the Poet's lyrics a musical accompaniment.]
no subject
[she shakes her head, surprised by his offer. he took that well] No. I'm not actually sure what I just did... It must be part of the experiment. I can't see, but I sort of see...energy. And looking at that, I just started...sensing things. [she frowns] Well, you've got a point about unpleasant experiments. I'm not sure I like where this is going.
[not to mention she has to resist the urge to ask him more about himself, and after what just happened, she's pretty sure that's more than her usual curiosity. something is definitely going on in her head beyond the blindness, and that's not comforting at all]
no subject
The emotions are glossed over quickly by his illogical mandate for himself. She is still the victim of an experiment. He has decided to help her. Nothing else matters. Whatever she might be when she isn't a guinea pig, she is a friend in need of help. How could Christopher ever neglect a friend? It would be positively criminal.]
[With a gentle touch, he takes her arm again.]
You need to determine a way to manage the blindness before anything else. It wouldn't do for you to starve because you can't find the kitchen, would it? Shall I bring you treats while you're here? Do you like scones or pound cake?
no subject
[that is one weird offer, though. she snorts] A baker, are you?
That's why I'm going to the bathhouse--it's got food and shelter. And I can always drop from the Plane and choose where I appear if I want to get anywhere else.
[not that this idea worked perfectly when she tried to get to the bathhouse, but she figures she can manage well enough that way. she refuses to be completely dependent on others to get around, even if she is grateful for Christopher's help at the moment]
no subject
[Though he does note that she can choose where she appears. He didn't know that.] Can I? [He left off what that question is connected to on accident, but under the circumstances, that might not be an issue.]
no subject
What? [it takes her a second to realise what he's referring to] Appearing on the Plane, you mean? 'aven't you ever tried it?
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[curious] How long 'ave you been coming to the Plane, anyway? [after all, she doesn't think she's seen him before]
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[because you didn't forget you were taking her somewhere, did you?]
no subject
[He didn't forget he was taking her somewhere. He forgot to tell her they had arrived.]
no subject
no subject