[In Person]

[bestamontillado]

[There is, currently, a ten year old, dressed a little "odd" (late 1800's), hiding wedged in behind books on a lower bookshelf in the study. He'd be doing a very good job of hiding, or at least it looking like there's nothing there, except for one problem.]

[That problem would be that the walls are bleeding. And occasionally sprouting eyes and blinking.]

[The problem extends out to the door and the hall immediately around the doorframe, and there's a constant, quiet sound of voices that can't quite be made out that seem to be coming from the bookshelves of the study.]

[Anybody psychic/with extra senses, the bleeding and all is kind of oozing that it's coming from someone, and there's a lot of panic coming from it.]

[Welcome to Spade's childhood! :D]

Comments

[movingforces]

[...Well, this is absurdly familiar, even if Tris is doing her level best to keep her peripheral vision shielded. It's not working so well, and Chime is helping Tris find her way to an empty spot on the floor.

One hand sparkling with faint- intentional lightning, Tris stays there.]

Will you come out?

I can teach you to make all of this- [Tris gestures with that hand, lightning forming a web between her fingers.]- to stop.

A couple very wise men told me that it's not the sign of demonic taint, or an inhuman lineage. The only 'person' in this room who isn't human is Chime, and she's certainly no demon.

[Chime makes an affronted glass-scraping noise at the suggestion.]

[bestamontillado]

[There's half-recognition - but also a bit of a panic-flinch with a slightly audible shift behind the books.]

'snot me! I'm not - how -

[movingforces]

I can see power, dear. [Tris taps her eyelids with a finger.] As I can control the weather- in one of the broadest interpretations of it known to humankind- so too can you alter reality. Unfortunately, until it comes into conscious control, it reacts to your emotions.

The more you panic, the worse all of this- [Tris gestures again.]- gets. It protects you, does it not? When you're scared, when someone is trying to hurt you, when you're angry...

That's what my power did when I was young. When my father tried to hit me for something I may or may not have done? Up to his waist in the ground, because even solid earth will turn into seeming liquid if shaken enough.

I can teach you to control your power, as I have learned. I've taught others- Chime's creator among them. [Chime is trying to slink close- she knows Spade, but she's trying to figure out why he's so tiny.]

[bestamontillado]

[It was a slow process, and one Elena had been slowly working on - he wasn't quite there yet, but ...]

[He looked from the little dragon, to her, peering around a book cautiously.]

Wh-who are you, where is this?

[movingforces]

[Tris kept her eyes closed, hands in her lap.] Frankly, I wouldn't believe myself- or even one of my foster-siblings- if they told me where I was. Suffice to say that everyone here has been essentially kidnapped by someone significantly more powerful than you- or me.

As for who I am?

My name is Trisana Chandler. [Chime is peering back, tilting her head this way and that.]

[bestamontillado]

[...He's still suspicious, but ...]

[it's not like he has much choice.]

[There is, however, one question that's sticking out, and it might be dangerous to ask, but -]


...Is Elena here?

[movingforces]

I consider it highly unlikely. It's possible she could have shown up at the beginning of the week, but the odds of someone new showing up here without everyone else knowing it are... low.

[Tris is just sitting there, completely calm, legs crossed under her skirt.] Do you know how to meditate, by any chance?

[bestamontillado]

[There is a dejected slump at that, and he's scrunching up a little more behind the books...]

[And then answering that question with a blank glance of pure non-comprehension.]

[movingforces]

I'm going to take that silence as a no. [Tris gestures at her eyes offhandedly.] Your power is so thoroughly covering this space that I can't leave my eyes open comfortably.

It's... really not that hard. I learned when I was younger than you.

[psychic_labrat]

*Charles just...pauses. Where ever he's at when this starts, he can feel it. It's a simple matter of taking the stairs and then following the blood and sense of panic. He has to shield as he gets closer. There's just...so MUCH.*

*he crouches down when he finds the shelf, secondhand panic crawling up his spine, and puts two fingers to his temple so he can focus without leaving himself horribly open. Using his most soothing tone:*

It's going to be alright, you're going to be alright.

[bestamontillado]

[It'll sink in after a minute or to, but for the moment, there's actually the walls turning flat, lightless ink-black under the seeping blood.]

[And, well, the response at least is also mental?]

WHOAREYOUWHERE'SELENA

[psychic_labrat]

*his jaw works as he swallows and sends peace through the connection*

My name is Charles. I don't know Elena, but maybe I can help?

[bestamontillado]

[Well, it's getting the illusions to die down a little - at least the walls are blinking less and stopped being black. Still bleeding, though, and ... well, he's actually aware of the "the peace thing isn't his" and is having a bit of a paranoid hamster-wheel running under it - and there was a bit of "trying to flailat some kind of external link" that he just paranoid-stopped.]

Where is this why should I trust you?

[psychic_labrat]

*well, except for the wild abilities, this isn't all that different from trying to befriend Erik*

You're in our manor, *because a little bit of personalization should be a lot better to take than a specific 'the'* I can help you, if you'd like me to. Just tell me what you need.

[bestamontillado]

[On the bright side, any offer of help is more "...does not even know how to react" on this subject; he's not used to people showing concern at a time like this. Granted, there's a bit of train of thought that this is the most confusing kidnapping ever...]

[And it's a good thing it's a ten year old because "I -need- Elena", as much as it's redacted pretty quickly, still happens.]

Who are you? [Because "Charles" doesn't give him much and you're TALKING IN HIS HEAD and that's kind of alarming and weird and he's never actually MET someone else with any kind of powers. :| ]

[psychic_labrat]

I'm someone who knows some of what you're going through. I help people like you.

*at least he's getting the kid to focus on something that can be eased rather than what was originally panicking him. He still doesn't know quite what is wrong, but he can't fix it until he understands it, and he can't understand it until he can look without getting himself lost in emotion*

[bestamontillado]

[Well, you haven't done anything horrible. You are the weirdest kidnapper ever, and he's not sure what to make of it; it's not so much that he's deciding to trust you as that he's kind of guessed that you probably could've hurt him by now, so there's some reason you haven't that he can't figure out.]

[Which does mean the next question is very suspicious in tone, but at least he's asking...and while he's calming down a little, the walls are ...still bleeding and if anything it's picked up a little.]

So you're a demon too?

[tranquilblade]

[Well, there was a curious young Japanese boy thoroughly enjoying poking around the strange house and all it's peculiar and glorious little doodads and knickknacks- that were clearly magic.

And then he stumbled into a room with... something that looked like juice and a bunch of eyeballs... and that was really neat. He made noise of awe as he strolled in, poking at one of they eyes. Giggling a little once it blinked, and then he proceeded to address it.]

Ah, sorry eye-san I did not mean to hurt you, but you should be on a face not a wall. Have you gotten lost?

[bestamontillado]

[The eye blinks - and all the eyes on the wall are centered on Ugetsu as if not quite sure what to do; some kind of ink-solid shadow is sliding across the floor around him, circling, also ... well ... confused.]

[And there's a sharp little intake of breath and a stifled squeak from behind the books on the shelf.]

[tranquilblade]

[Ugetsu looked over towards the bookshelf then to the shadow on the floor, then back to the eyeball.] I beg your pardon for a moment eye-san.

[He bowed slightly and then carefully started to try and step over the shadow.]

Ah, excuse me shadow-san! I do not wish to step on you! [And after a few little wobbly hops he made it to the bookshelf. He peered behind it, still smiling.]

Hello there!

[bestamontillado]

[And ... honestly Spade's a little surprised since, while there's still that following-ripple, it's not actually you know, trying to rip Ugetsu to shreds or anything.]

I - h... hello? [And he's glancing nervously between Ugetsu and the shadow on the floor.]

[tranquilblade]

[He giggled a little.]

What are you doing behind a bookshelf? It does not look very comfortable back there.

[He glanced around the room momentarily.]

Are you frightened? You do not need to be, the eyes are friendly. I think Shadow-san is too, but we did not get to speak yet.

NO APPROPRIATE ICON FOR UTTERLY CONFUSED BITTY.

[bestamontillado]

I ... d-didn't... [YEP. THE SKY HAS TURNED NEON GREEN. FISH ARE RIDING BICYCLES. GRASS IS MAGENTA.] ...want to hurt anyone...

[Somehow, you may have just eclipsed Elena's reaction of finding it a bit fascinating and understanding that outbursts were defensive/related to him being threatened.]

/pats him and keeps spamming this one icon >w>

[tranquilblade]

Hurt anyone? So you are doing all of this?

[He blinked a few times in surprise, but then the big beaming smile returns.]

Does that mean you are a wizard?! How interesting!

Spade needs a good "utterly dumbfounded" icon ANYWAY. :|

[bestamontillado]

[He almost flinched at the 'wizard' - somewhere in translation that was connected to a few other words - but the tone and the bit just after were ...]

[The last thing he'd ever expected to hear.]

[The bleeding, at least, was slowing, and the pool of shadow was still, although the eyes were all focused on Ugetsu.]

I - ...

[Does not compute. Proper response is 404. You are strange and therefore should not be somehow proving it was possible to LESS bothered than a certain blonde girl.]

wha?