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"Oh, trust me, I try my best to get along with everybody, but some people like to make it harder than others," Peter said flatly in response to Hagusa, and he did mean it, though it seemed he didn't care to dwell on that topic. With that, he was on his way, with the rest of the group in tow.

...

The halls were dark and isolated during this late night; it was close, but not quite curfew just yet, so the orderlies that they'd pass by -- few as they were -- only gave them the occasional curious look, but said nothing. The trip was silent, but brief, and before too long, they had reached the outside of Elijah's room, with Peter knocking his hand at the door.

Knock knock.

"Ah, my esteemed guests. Come in, the door is unlocked," the voice of Elijah came from the other side, and indeed needing no further gesture, Peter opened the door, leading everyone inside.

Elijah's room was, of course, nearly identical to everyone else's bedrooms, though it felt sterile and overly clean to an almost unnerving degree, at least to Peter, though he wouldn't have been able to explain why. Elijah sat poised, facing the front of the room as though he had been sitting there in wait for a small while.

"Alright, Elijah. We're here, just like you wanted."

"And I am so very glad you decided to humor an old man," Elijah smiled, a devious edge on his face conflicting with genuine bliss. "How are you all this fine evening? Eager to finally leave Raven Hill and put this place behind you, I take it?" He asked, signing all of his words seamlessly for Michelle's convenience as always.

@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi




As Fujiko and the others who decided to stay in the Activity Room were left to their own devices, it wouldn't take long until they too were disturbed by something strange. It started out faintly at first, but after a while, a soft whisper in the ear could be heard, gradually getting more audible like a muffled voice behind a wall.

... me in... Find...

Slamming her open palm against a nearby desk in a flare of irritation, Fujiko looked accusingly toward the others who remained with her.

"Who keeps doing that? Cut that out already!" She exclaimed, seeming to believe it was someone else in the room playing a practical joke on her or so.

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies
 
ERIN NATICK
@Ver @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies

It was quiet at first, but as the whispering got louder… and louder… and louder… and louder, Erin just couldn't take it any longer.

Erin got frustrated earlier than the others, but instead of yelling, she vented her frustrations through dance. A frenzied, sporadic dance that often times lead to her sprawled on the floor or on a chair.

Hair strung over face, and heavy breaths came out of her mouth that blew her hair away with every exhale.

Erin turned to Fujiko, pulling her hair back with her blue gloved hands.

"The voice? I'm not sure where it's coming from, either," Erin said, "It reminds me of the voice in the hallway,"
 

A relieved sigh escaped the Kansas-Raised man's lips, despite the small spat between Peter and Hagusa. Clark proceeds to follow Peter and those who chose to leave the Activity Room, taking note of the dark, isolated hallway but it wasn't curfew yet. The journalist was used to sneaking through places with Lois during investigative assignments, even it would lead them to get into all sorts of trouble. The trek was silent but brief, and they managed to reach Elijah's room.

Knock knock.

"Ah, my esteemed guests. Come in, the door is unlocked," the voice of Elijah came from the other side, and indeed needing no further gesture, Peter opened the door, leading everyone inside.

Elijah's room was, of course, nearly identical to everyone else's bedrooms, though it felt sterile and overly clean to an almost unnerving degree, at least to Peter, though he wouldn't have been able to explain why. Elijah sat poised, facing the front of the room as though he had been sitting there in wait for a small while.

"Alright, Elijah. We're here, just like you wanted."

"And I am so very glad you decided to humor an old man," Elijah smiled, a devious edge on his face conflicting with genuine bliss. "How are you all this fine evening? Eager to finally leave Raven Hill and put this place behind you, I take it?" He asked, signing all of his words seamlessly for Michelle's convenience as always.

Entering the room, taking note of how it was identical to everyone else's bedrooms, though it felt sterile. Clark himself had to admit that the space felt very eerie, even if he was pretending to be comatose. Adjusting his glasses as he talked to Peter for a while, he turns his eyes from the similar walls to the wheelchair-bound man.

dwyAREu.jpg


"Anxious," he answers the elderly patient, "verily anxious, Elijah. Though, I'm eager to leave this place behind," Clark places his hands together, letting out a quick exhale. "I...I can't in good conscience, even if I'm not a human being, leave everyone else here if they are deceiving us and everyone else institutionalized." The man furrows his brows slightly, "Steve's words gave me time to think and decided to, in your words, humor you."

@Ver @Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Jeremi @Elijah'sRoom
 
"Oh, trust me, I try my best to get along with everybody, but some people like to make it harder than others," Peter said flatly in response to Hagusa, and he did mean it, though it seemed he didn't care to dwell on that topic. With that, he was on his way, with the rest of the group in tow.


...


The halls were dark and isolated during this late night; it was close, but not quite curfew just yet, so the orderlies that they'd pass by -- few as they were -- only gave them the occasional curious look, but said nothing. The trip was silent, but brief, and before too long, they had reached the outside of Elijah's room, with Peter knocking his hand at the door.


Knock knock.


"Ah, my esteemed guests. Come in, the door is unlocked," the voice of Elijah came from the other side, and indeed needing no further gesture, Peter opened the door, leading everyone inside.


Elijah's room was, of course, nearly identical to everyone else's bedrooms, though it felt sterile and overly clean to an almost unnerving degree, at least to Peter, though he wouldn't have been able to explain why. Elijah sat poised, facing the front of the room as though he had been sitting there in wait for a small while.


"Alright, Elijah. We're here, just like you wanted."


"And I am so very glad you decided to humor an old man," Elijah smiled, a devious edge on his face conflicting with genuine bliss. "How are you all this fine evening? Eager to finally leave Raven Hill and put this place behind you, I take it?" He asked, signing all of his words seamlessly for Michelle's convenience as always.


@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi






As Fujiko and the others who decided to stay in the Activity Room were left to their own devices, it wouldn't take long until they too were disturbed by something strange. It started out faintly at first, but after a while, a soft whisper in the ear could be heard, gradually getting more audible like a muffled voice behind a wall.


... me in... Find...


Slamming her open palm against a nearby desk in a flare of irritation, Fujiko looked accusingly toward the others who remained with her.


"Who keeps doing that? Cut that out already!" She exclaimed, seeming to believe it was someone else in the room playing a practical joke on her or so.


@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies


Hagusa was going to answer Peter's flat response with one of his own only to realize that once they left the Activity Room the hall was awfully dark.

a250b7deae44852a9e486ec0e3252f3f80ce8d70.jpg


"!!"

His breath hitched for a second as he stood frozen momentarily, eyes widening.

If he didn't actually think about the dark, then he'd normally be fine but here and now...

fb23b73bd3e25e70be7dc11826e3e6bf40de3fc0.jpg


'Breathe, just breathe. You're okay. You're okay.' He thought to himself.

He focused on his senses for a moment, hearing the others walking by, and once his eyes landed on the green of Takara's hair, he reached out, shakily grabbing hold of her arm in a rather gentle hold.

"Um, this isn't weird, is it?" He mumbled, ready to let go if she was uncomfortable at all.

---​

By the time they finally made it to Elijah's room, Hagusa was a little fidgety as he stuck close to Takara, he wanted to get back to his room as soon as possible and sleep, hopefully.

"It only makes sense that we'd be eager to leave, wouldn't it?" He asked, crossing his arms as he did so.

@Ver @Not a Writer @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi @Ottonomous Ghost @Elijah's room
 
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Although she'd been ready to follow Peter without a second thought, Takara couldn't help but give pause when she caught a glimpse of Hagusa's face. She stopped in her tracks entirely, turning to him with evident concern. She knew that expression. That was an expression of complete, consuming fear. "Are you alright?" she asked, seeming genuinely worried over his state. She instinctively almost went to place a hand on his shoulder, but she fought the urge, not wanting to possibly aggravate his anxiety. But, much to her surprise, he actually reached out to her instead. The action startled her a little at first, but it was clear that she recovered quickly, a soft and reassuring smile coming to her lips. She slowly shook her head, shrugging off his worries entirely.

"Not at all," she assuaged him, raising her free hand to gently and affectionately give his hair a light ruffling. It probably looked pretty silly, given that the petite woman physically didn't look like she could've been older than her teens and was significantly shorter than Hagusa himself. But that didn't stop her, and she continued to do her best to ease his worries. "In fact, if you prefer, you can hold on tighter or take my hand instead. You can even squeeze me if you need to. Whatever's most comfortable for you, okay?" She still couldn't imagine what the boy had been through, but as long as she was able, she was going to do what she could to make sure he didn't have to suffer like that again. Even if this particular thing was a small gesture, she was determined to provide him as much comfort as possible. "If at any point you feel uncomfortable during all of this, how about you grab my shoulder? I know everything is really overwhelming right now, and I'd be totally fine taking you back to your room or the activity room if it ends up too much. There's never any shame in acknowledging and accepting your feelings."

A beat passed, and she smiled sheepishly. "Ah, sorry- that probably sounded really cheesy, huh?" She really was a bit of a loser, wasn't she? But, then, she hoped that her somewhat silly ramblings might distract him and ease his mind a little. With that in mind, she had continued walking along at a slow pace slightly through her speech, hoping that the chatter would make the journey pass a bit faster. Once they made it to Elijah's room, though, she still made a point of sticking close to Hagusa and keeping her arm available if he still needed some grounding contact. Oddly, though, his response to Elijah's question tugged at her heartstrings. The sentiment he'd expressed was admittedly what she'd thought when she initially had gone into their group meeting earlier that day, but her eyes were now open to the fact that it wasn't that simple. Not everyone had a grand, loving home to return to. It'd be presumptuous and cruel to assume otherwise. How could she have been so foolish?

"I don't know if it could be summed up so simply," she sighed, letting her eyes flutter closed. "Undeniably, there's some excitement involved, but... it's been a very strange, exhausting day. I'm not sure any of us are feeling terribly much beyond just confused, weary and wary, you know?" It was difficult to admit to such feelings when she'd woken up so optimistic and joyful this morning, but today had truly been something else. And besides, she definitely was still excited to get home; very much so! The process just... wasn't what she'd been anticipating. "But that's neither here nor there, huh? I think we're all right with Clark on wanting to hear you out, so... was there anything specific you hoped to share with us?" she wondered, tilting her head slightly and fixing him with a curious gaze.

@Takumi @Ver @Rwac96 @Josh @Ottonomous Ghost @Jeremi @Elijah's Room​
 
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Although she'd been ready to follow Peter without a second thought, Takara couldn't help but give pause when she caught a glimpse of Hagusa's face. She stopped in her tracks entirely, turning to him with evident concern. She knew that expression. That was an expression of complete, consuming fear. "Are you alright?" she asked, seeming genuinely worried over his state. She instinctively almost went to place a hand on his shoulder, but she fought the urge, not wanting to possibly aggravate his anxiety. But, much to her surprise, he actually reached out to her instead. The action startled her a little at first, but it was clear that she recovered quickly, a soft and reassuring smile coming to her lips. She slowly shook her head, shrugging off his worries entirely.

"Not at all," she assuaged him, raising her free hand to gently and affectionately give his hair a light ruffling. It probably looked pretty silly, given that the petite woman physically didn't look like she could've been older than her teens and was significantly shorter than Hagusa himself. But that didn't stop her, and she continued to do her best to ease his worries. "In fact, if you prefer, you can hold on tighter or take my hand instead. You can even squeeze me if you need to. Whatever's most comfortable for you, okay?" She still couldn't imagine what the boy had been through, but as long as she was able, she was going to do what she could to make sure he didn't have to suffer like that again. Even if this particular thing was a small gesture, she was determined to provide him as much comfort as possible. "If at any point you feel uncomfortable during all of this, how about you squeeze my shoulder? I know everything is really overwhelming right now, and I'd be totally fine taking you back to your room or the activity room if it ends up too much. There's never any shame in acknowledging and accepting your feelings."

A beat passed, and she smiled sheepishly. "Ah, sorry- that probably sounded really cheesy, huh?" She really was a bit of a loser, wasn't she? But, then, she hoped that her somewhat silly ramblings might distract him and ease his mind a little. With that in mind, she had continued walking along at a slow pace slightly through her speech, hoping that the chatter would make the journey pass a bit faster. Once they made it to Elijah's room, though, she still made a point of sticking close to Hagusa and keeping her arm available if he still needed some grounding contact. Oddly, though, his response to Elijah's question tugged at her heartstrings. The sentiment he'd expressed was admittedly what she'd thought when she initially had gone into their group meeting earlier that day, but her eyes were now open to the fact that it wasn't that simple. Not everyone had a grand, loving home to return to. It'd be presumptuous and cruel to assume otherwise. How could she have been so foolish?

"I don't know if it could be summed up so simply," she sighed, letting her eyes flutter closed. "Undeniably, there's some excitement involved, but... it's been a very strange, exhausting day. I'm not sure any of us are feeling terribly much beyond just confused, weary and wary, you know?" It was difficult to admit to such feelings when she'd woken up so optimistic and joyful this morning, but today had truly been something else. And besides, she definitely was still excited to get home; very much so! The process just... wasn't what she'd been anticipating. "But that's neither here nor there, huh? I think we're all right with Clark on wanting to hear you out, so... was there anything specific you hoped to share with us?" she wondered, tilting her head slightly and fixing him with a curious gaze.

@Takumi @Ver @Rwac96 @Josh @Ottonomous Ghost @Jeremi @Elijah's Room​

He wa relieved that she hadn't been weirded out or made uncomfortable by his hold on her, and relaxed considerably as she kept talking to him.

He hesitated for only a moment when she suggested that he could hold her hand, before doing so with a soft 'okay'. Though her ruffling his hair had, at first, caught him by surprise for a split second, then a slightly sheepish look crossed his features. He felt only slightly embarrassed by the gesture, feeling a bit like a lost child who found their mother and clung to her in fear, but he had calmed as he listened to Takara ramble and lead him down the hall to their destination.

"I would appreciate it if you walked me to my room later...please." he mumbled out.

"It's fine, I-uh, thanks." He replied rather lamely as Takara apologized and after she added her own input regarding his sentiment on leaving this place as well as asking for what Elijah called them there for, he thought it over.

"At this point, I guess I'm just tired of being stuck here, but yeah, I think I get it." He replied towards Takara, scratching at his collar bone absent mindedly. He missed Mizuchi.

@Not a Writer @Ver @Josh @Ottonomous Ghost @Rwac96 @Jeremi @Elijah's room
 
ERIN NATICK
@Ver @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies

It was quiet at first, but as the whispering got louder… and louder… and louder… and louder, Erin just couldn't take it any longer.

Erin got frustrated earlier than the others, but instead of yelling, she vented her frustrations through dance. A frenzied, sporadic dance that often times lead to her sprawled on the floor or on a chair.

Hair strung over face, and heavy breaths came out of her mouth that blew her hair away with every exhale.

Erin turned to Fujiko, pulling her hair back with her blue gloved hands.

"The voice? I'm not sure where it's coming from, either," Erin said, "It reminds me of the voice in the hallway,"
As Fujiko and the others who decided to stay in the Activity Room were left to their own devices, it wouldn't take long until they too were disturbed by something strange. It started out faintly at first, but after a while, a soft whisper in the ear could be heard, gradually getting more audible like a muffled voice behind a wall.

... me in... Find...

Slamming her open palm against a nearby desk in a flare of irritation, Fujiko looked accusingly toward the others who remained with her.

"Who keeps doing that? Cut that out already!" She exclaimed, seeming to believe it was someone else in the room playing a practical joke on her or so.

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies

Upon hearing the sound, Morgan sighed softly. She looked up from the book of Chinese Poetry she had been reading. "Not sure why any of us would be making a noise like that." She stood up and stretched, placing the book on the chair and gestured towards the walls. "I can take a look to see what that was, if you'd like."

She turned to Erin and gave a smile. "Just have a seat and breathe for a few minutes. Do you want a cup of water while I'm up?"

@Gummi Bunnies @Capri @Ver @@Activity Room​
 
[We're fine but how about you?] Michelle signed over to Elijah with a concerned look on her face. [Dr. Staple didn't do anything weird to you when we left? I don't trust her alone with anyone of us anymore.]

As for his own question Michelle would nod. [At this point it's clear that we're trapped here under false pretenses.] Or at least Michelle seemed to think it was clear. [We need to get everyone out of here and out of reach from Staples and this house.]


@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Ver
 
From a young age, Karina had learned that crying and pouting could usually get her her way as long as she did it cutely enough. And while she wished the waterworks earlier had been nowhere near as genuine as they actually were, at least she got a discharge for it. But oh, God...what if she ugly cried? Bawling her eyes out in front of everyone...ugh! Talk about humiliating. But she won't see any of these people after tomorrow, right? So maybe it wasn't THAT bad.

Having decided to stay behind (no WAY was she about to talk to Elijah after how creepy he was earlier), Karina narrowed her eyes at the others in the group. "Well, like...we ALL heard that, right? Like, that was totally a voice talking just now." She was NOT about to start hearing fucking voices on her last night in this hellhole!!! "I mean...there's something totally off about this place. The vibes have been off for, like, ever. Honestly a ghost would explain it, maybe? But I dunno...I think we should just, like, call some ghost hunters or whatever once we get out of here and, uh...not go chasing it."

@Ver @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Capri
 
"Oh? Worried about leaving before it's really your time, Mr. Kent? I wouldn't worry about that," Elijah said, tutting audibly as he shook his head. "The good doctor may have promised that you'll be allowed to leave by tomorrow, but aren't promises made to be broken?"

View attachment 11200

Peter narrowed his eyes, leaning forward. "What's that supposed to mean?"

However, Elijah only chuckled. "I'm getting ahead of myself. There's a lot that we have to discuss, and the time you get to leave is, in fact, the least of your concerns."

To Michelle, he shook his head again, continuing to speak as he signed. "Oh, don't you worry about me on that front. Let's just say for now that she and I had an interesting conversation about... the nature of our reality."

With an irritated breath, Peter stepped back. "If you're just gonna speak to us in riddles, then clearly this was just a waste of time."

"Patience, Mr. Petrelli," Elijah chuckled. "But you're right. I may as well get to the point already. After all, there's no delicate way of getting your attention, so I'll move it along. But before that, young man, would you kindly open up the drawer in my nightstand? There's something I think you'll find... interesting inside."

"Uh, okay..." Peter only said with a furrowed brow, reluctantly doing as requested. The man was half expecting some sort of booby trap that would cause him serious harm, but inside, Peter only found two comic books. Puzzled by what he found, he took out the two issues and held them up to show everyone.

...

View attachment 11201 View attachment 11202

"... Okay? The hell am I looking at here?" Peter asked, not seeming to immediately catch on, and Elijah did nothing to elaborate, only smirking in some cryptic sense of self-satisfaction. "These mean anything to you guys?"

@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi




"No, ghosts aren't real," Fujiko shook her head toward Karina. If they had spent all this time at Raven Hill learning to accept that stuff like superpowers and the like weren't real, surely the same could extend to ghosts as well, right? The woman would have liked to think so, but even she had to admit she couldn't deny she still had a bit of superstitious streak. Still, rather than trying to look away from it, she couldn't help but feel inclined to... look into it.

Giving an uneasy look toward Erin, Fujiko raised a brow. "In the hallway? You mean the voice you heard when you were pretending we totally didn't get an earthquake?" She said, somewhat provocatively, but reigned herself back in just as quickly. "You know what? It's probably just someone trying to play a joke, making us feel like we deserve to stay here, you know? Well, I'm not gonna take that standing still."

With that, she stood up and gestured toward Morgan. "Let's go check it out," she said, and stepped toward the door, pushing it open. Though the corridor outside was dimly lit, it was clear that there was no one around, and it didn't seem as though any prospective prankster would have had enough time to screw with everyone and then promptly run away.

"Huh? So is there really no one--?"

"AGGHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, an unfamiliar male voice -- much louder and clearer than the whispers from before -- could be heard screaming out, carrying through the walls like an echo, piercing through the air like a knife. The scream caused Fujiko to jump up where she stood, startled by the noise.

"W-What the hell...?!"

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee
 
ERIN NATICK
@Ver @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee

"AUUUUUUGH!"

Erin yelled back at the screaming voice, turning to the rest of the group before going out into the hall and searching around.

It probably would be nothing, but things are just getting stranger and stranger around here.​
 

View attachment 11204

Leering over the comic book, Sylvia's jaw dropped. "The Eternals". That was her dreams said she was a part of. Sylvia turned away from the group, bending over, the women started gasping. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Sylvia took a deep breath, lifting her body up. The young women's brain was going a mile a minute. Visions of her past. Of her wedding day with Issaac, but it was nothing like she remembered

Sylvia walked over back to the comic, her hand hovering over it. Another deep breath as she closed her eyes, opening the book. Opening her eyes, she began to read. This comic, it was different than her dreams, but also similar. In tranced by the book, something caught her off guard. Pointing at an image, she turned to the group.

"Sersi? That's me! That's what my vision's called me! That's me! In the book!" A pause. A puzzled, somewhat annoyed look was now plastered on Sylvia's face. "Wait, I'm a white woman?"

@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi
 
From a young age, Karina had learned that crying and pouting could usually get her her way as long as she did it cutely enough. And while she wished the waterworks earlier had been nowhere near as genuine as they actually were, at least she got a discharge for it. But oh, God...what if she ugly cried? Bawling her eyes out in front of everyone...ugh! Talk about humiliating. But she won't see any of these people after tomorrow, right? So maybe it wasn't THAT bad.

Having decided to stay behind (no WAY was she about to talk to Elijah after how creepy he was earlier), Karina narrowed her eyes at the others in the group. "Well, like...we ALL heard that, right? Like, that was totally a voice talking just now." She was NOT about to start hearing fucking voices on her last night in this hellhole!!! "I mean...there's something totally off about this place. The vibes have been off for, like, ever. Honestly a ghost would explain it, maybe? But I dunno...I think we should just, like, call some ghost hunters or whatever once we get out of here and, uh...not go chasing it."

@Ver @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Capri
"No, ghosts aren't real," Fujiko shook her head toward Karina. If they had spent all this time at Raven Hill learning to accept that stuff like superpowers and the like weren't real, surely the same could extend to ghosts as well, right? The woman would have liked to think so, but even she had to admit she couldn't deny she still had a bit of superstitious streak. Still, rather than trying to look away from it, she couldn't help but feel inclined to... look into it.

Giving an uneasy look toward Erin, Fujiko raised a brow. "In the hallway? You mean the voice you heard when you were pretending we totally didn't get an earthquake?" She said, somewhat provocatively, but reigned herself back in just as quickly. "You know what? It's probably just someone trying to play a joke, making us feel like we deserve to stay here, you know? Well, I'm not gonna take that standing still."

With that, she stood up and gestured toward Morgan. "Let's go check it out," she said, and stepped toward the door, pushing it open. Though the corridor outside was dimly lit, it was clear that there was no one around, and it didn't seem as though any prospective prankster would have had enough time to screw with everyone and then promptly run away.

"Huh? So is there really no one--?"

"AGGHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, an unfamiliar male voice -- much louder and clearer than the whispers from before -- could be heard screaming out, carrying through the walls like an echo, piercing through the air like a knife. The scream caused Fujiko to jump up where she stood, startled by the noise.

"W-What the hell...?!"

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee

ERIN NATICK
@Ver @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee

"AUUUUUUGH!"

Erin yelled back at the screaming voice, turning to the rest of the group before going out into the hall and searching around.

It probably would be nothing, but things are just getting stranger and stranger around here.

"Jeeeesus." Morgan would wince at not one, but two, loud screams nearby, one from Erin in the same room. She looked down at the ground and mumbled something.

"As Shakespeare once wrote: 'There are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'" She said, shrugging with a small smile as she quoted Hamlet towards Karina. She didn't know if there were ghosts, and frankly, she didn't care. She was more focused on things outside of Earth: The stars, and what lay beyond.

"Anyway, it's probably just someone fucking with us." She said, stepping out the door, and holding it open for Fujiko and anyone who would follow her out. However, a thought tugged at the very back of her head, one she had thought she had put away. The Phantoms of Talos One speaking in their garbled voices:
"What does it look like? The shape in the glass?"​
 

"Patience, Mr. Petrelli," Elijah chuckled. "But you're right. I may as well get to the point already. After all, there's no delicate way of getting your attention, so I'll move it along. But before that, young man, would you kindly open up the drawer in my nightstand? There's something I think you'll find... interesting inside."

"Uh, okay..." Peter only said with a furrowed brow, reluctantly doing as requested. The man was half expecting some sort of booby trap that would cause him serious harm, but inside, Peter only found two comic books. Puzzled by what he found, he took out the two issues and held them up to show everyone.

...

Eternals.png
AC.png


"... Okay? The hell am I looking at here?" Peter asked, not seeming to immediately catch on, and Elijah did nothing to elaborate, only smirking in some cryptic sense of self-satisfaction. "These mean anything to you guys?"

Similar to how Silvia was reacting to the comics, Clark opens his mouth agape as he reaches out for the comic that's titled 'ACTION COMICS', the first issue that was released in 1938. His blue eyes gaze upon the cover of the book, an image began to flash within the journalist's mind; something that hasn't happened for hours. The journalist's hands trembled, but he kept his grip on the comic. He saw the image; a caped figure smashing a green car against a rockslide, causing the occupants to flee. He saw a similarity with the cover, though his mind saw obvious differences. To confirm his suspicions, he opens the book; steadily reading and flipping the pages.

View attachment 11205

Sure, his first heroic act involved a green car, but the difference between Clark's surfacing memories and the comic was obvious. In the book, Superman styled himself as a champion of the defenseless in the Era of the Great Depression; being rough with criminals and even some citizens to make meaningful change. The adventure and the book, while memorable, are a product of its time. In the memory he was seeing, he was preventing a horrific incident; saving the occupants of the car and a young boy.

"Thanks," the boy picking up his hat said, "cool costume."

"Thank you," a young Superman replies, giving the boy a welcoming smile. "My mom made it for me."


"My...My God," he stares off as if he had a great epiphany. "Things are certainly different from my visions and the memories, but... the man from another world, gifted with amazing abilities, uses them to fight for others. I'm not human," moving his gaze back to the comic book. "The Krypton, my actual home...long gone! Kal-El, my true name! Superman," Clark removes his right hand from the book, rubbing it through his black locks. "I am Superman!"

"Sersi? That's me! That's what my vision's called me! That's me! In the book!" A pause. A puzzled, somewhat annoyed look was now plastered on Sylvia's face. "Wait, I'm a white woman?"

Turning his attention to Sylvia, the journalist blinks as she was comparing differences to her memories and the Eternals book. "Sylvia," he spoke, but grimaces as if he fumbled over his words. "Sersi, these books...these are about our lives. Sure, they're different; in my book...I'm...wow, a jerk despite the intentions. But, it's clear that neither of us is from Earth."

@Ver @Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Jeremi @Elijah'sRoom
 
"Oh? Worried about leaving before it's really your time, Mr. Kent? I wouldn't worry about that," Elijah said, tutting audibly as he shook his head. "The good doctor may have promised that you'll be allowed to leave by tomorrow, but aren't promises made to be broken?"

View attachment 11200

Peter narrowed his eyes, leaning forward. "What's that supposed to mean?"

However, Elijah only chuckled. "I'm getting ahead of myself. There's a lot that we have to discuss, and the time you get to leave is, in fact, the least of your concerns."

To Michelle, he shook his head again, continuing to speak as he signed. "Oh, don't you worry about me on that front. Let's just say for now that she and I had an interesting conversation about... the nature of our reality."

With an irritated breath, Peter stepped back. "If you're just gonna speak to us in riddles, then clearly this was just a waste of time."

"Patience, Mr. Petrelli," Elijah chuckled. "But you're right. I may as well get to the point already. After all, there's no delicate way of getting your attention, so I'll move it along. But before that, young man, would you kindly open up the drawer in my nightstand? There's something I think you'll find... interesting inside."

"Uh, okay..." Peter only said with a furrowed brow, reluctantly doing as requested. The man was half expecting some sort of booby trap that would cause him serious harm, but inside, Peter only found two comic books. Puzzled by what he found, he took out the two issues and held them up to show everyone.

...

View attachment 11201 View attachment 11202

"... Okay? The hell am I looking at here?" Peter asked, not seeming to immediately catch on, and Elijah did nothing to elaborate, only smirking in some cryptic sense of self-satisfaction. "These mean anything to you guys?"

@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi




"No, ghosts aren't real," Fujiko shook her head toward Karina. If they had spent all this time at Raven Hill learning to accept that stuff like superpowers and the like weren't real, surely the same could extend to ghosts as well, right? The woman would have liked to think so, but even she had to admit she couldn't deny she still had a bit of superstitious streak. Still, rather than trying to look away from it, she couldn't help but feel inclined to... look into it.

Giving an uneasy look toward Erin, Fujiko raised a brow. "In the hallway? You mean the voice you heard when you were pretending we totally didn't get an earthquake?" She said, somewhat provocatively, but reigned herself back in just as quickly. "You know what? It's probably just someone trying to play a joke, making us feel like we deserve to stay here, you know? Well, I'm not gonna take that standing still."

With that, she stood up and gestured toward Morgan. "Let's go check it out," she said, and stepped toward the door, pushing it open. Though the corridor outside was dimly lit, it was clear that there was no one around, and it didn't seem as though any prospective prankster would have had enough time to screw with everyone and then promptly run away.

"Huh? So is there really no one--?"

"AGGHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, an unfamiliar male voice -- much louder and clearer than the whispers from before -- could be heard screaming out, carrying through the walls like an echo, piercing through the air like a knife. The scream caused Fujiko to jump up where she stood, startled by the noise.

"W-What the hell...?!"

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee

Hagusa's brows furrowed in confusion as he shuffled closer to Takara, as both Clark and Sylvia instantly believed what was classified as their delusions once a pair of comic books had been presented. His arms uncrossed and went to his sides for a moment before he reached for Takara's hand in a form of comfort.

He was so confused. He glanced to the green haired woman beside him as if she had any idea what was going on, or at least had a better understanding than he did.

@Ver @Not a Writer @Josh @Rwac96 @Ottonomous Ghost @Jeremi @Elijah's room
 
View attachment 11206

...Ah. What a relief. Having glanced over periodically to keep track of how Hagusa was doing as they went along, Takara was happy to see that the boy appeared to be slowly calming down. A soft smile graced her lips as she observed his embarrassed response to her reassurance, as she couldn't help but think... he really was a lot like her sister. In their early youth, she remembered plenty of times where Fumika had sought her out for comfort; be it a plea made amidst a bout of tears for protection from some manner of 'evil spirit' hiding in the closet, or a request for assistance in taking on 'the hero hunter' in an epic unexpected team-up during playtime, or even just a request for a hug on an inexplicably rough day. Her sister had never been good at standing up for herself, but that was exactly why Takara took it upon herself to stand up for her. No matter what consequences it would bring herself. Seeing Hagusa feeling so scared and alone, having heard bits and pieces of his story and picked up on his subtle mannerisms enough to infer what sort of life he came from... she couldn't help but want to do the same for him, too.

Lightly, she returned his grip on her hand, her smile remaining as they continued on. "Of course. Just say the word or give the signal and I'm on it," she assured. And maybe, doing so would give her an opportunity to talk to him a little more. To see if there was anything she could do, any way she could help him out of his situation. But for now, all of them had a situation they needed to get out of; and she didn't know if Elijah's plan would make it better or worse.

"...Huh?" she mumbled, her eyebrows furrowing at Elijah's bold declaration that promises were meant for breaking. Momentarily, she wanted to ask what the heck he meant by that, but she quickly remembered something important: Elijah wasn't in the same place as the rest of them. This was likely still just part of his own delusions. She sighed softly, shaking her head as the man went on about how the matter of their release was 'the least of their concerns'. The whole thing might've been kind of funny, honestly, if it weren't so sad. She felt bad for Elijah, for she couldn't imagine how frustrating it must be to know that the majority of your peers were being released while you were left behind. Was that why his mind had developed this theory that they were being lied to about all of it? She didn't know what would be worse for him; if they played along, or if they told him the truth that he was simply dreaming.

Except, with the reveal of a couple of flimsy comics from Elijah's nightstand, it suddenly seemed like he wasn't the only one lost in dreamland.

Before she could confirm to Peter that, no, she had no clue what the significance of the comics was, both Sylvia and Clark had practically lunged forward for the things with urgency. It was enough to make Takara blink a rapidly with surprise, her eyes flickering back and forth between the pair with an utterly dumbfounded expression upon her face. It was almost comedic, and she was at a loss for quite a few moments before managing to regain some sense.

View attachment 11208

"Eh..."

Not a whole lot, though.

Sheesh. Okay. Words. She could find them. Awkwardly, she reached up to rub the back of her neck with a sheepish expression, unsure how to handle such a delicate situation as this. "I, ah, don't think we should go rushing to any conclusions just yet," she willed the pair with a weak grin. They knew how this worked, didn't they? The psyche was easily influenced by outside factors; it was likely that the Sylvia and Clark had read those comics long ago, and had subconsciously internalized the grandeurs depicted within them, drawing deep feelings of relation with one or more of the characters within. It also explained why the comic image of Sylvia was white, and why Elijah seemed to know so much about her and Clark's delusions. Takara didn't want to crush their dreams, but it seemed just as cruel to allow all of this to go on. "Look, um... Clark, Sylvia..."

The words trailed off as she felt Hagusa's hand lightly grasp her own, pulling her attention back to him. He seemed just as confused and lost as she'd felt at first, and it was unfortunate that she didn't have the answers. Jeez, this group made things hard. Why did this have the same feeling as giving the talk about the birds and the bees, or telling a child that Santa Clause wasn't real? Giving Hagusa's hand a light squeeze and flashing him a small smile for reassurance, she turned her gaze forward once more, steeling herself to speak her thoughts. "...Look. I know it's really easy to believe you're something grander than you are, believe me. I've been there- all of us have, haven't we?" she began, looking around at the others with a small gesture of her free hand. Her tone was gentle and unaccusatory, her smile as soft as when she first began. "Life is hard. We've all been through a lot, and I think our chat this morning made that pretty clear. But we have to learn to accept things for what they are. If we spend our lives running away from things we can't change, spend them focusing on protecting ourselves, then... how can we ever hope to be heroes to anyone else?"

"I know it's a lot to process. Today's been crazy, and there's a lot to think about. I don't think you're in the wrong for hoping that all this means something; I can see why you do,"
she assured, reaching up to carefully brush a stray bang out of her face. Ordinarily, she would've tried to sign this for Michelle, but she couldn't bring herself to take her hand away from Hagusa and honestly? This speech of her was beyond the level of ASL she actually knew, anyway. "But please... don't discard all the hard work you've put into caring for yourself just because there happen to be a few comics that remind you of where you've been. At least give it more thought before diving all in on this, ah... 'theory', if you don't mind my word choice. Okay?" It was a big ask, and she knew that even with her kind approach, there was a chance the others would be irritated or offended by her lacking belief. But she hoped they'd be able to get past that discontent, someday, if it came. "...Can you do that for me?"

Even if they could, there was still a big question left unanswered: why had Elijah brought all of this up in the first place? What did he stand to gain from this? Was there a point in showing these two that he was familiar with what was likely the source of their delusions? She didn't know, and she honestly didn't want to ask and risk opening the floodgates to more potential regression of the group's progress. In fact, she half wondered if she ought to fulfill Hagusa's request early and take him back to his room before any further 'evidence' was unleashed... but ultimately, she had told him to tell her when he was ready to leave. She wouldn't take that decision away from him, not when he was likely all too used to having his freedom of choice removed. She would just have to wait and hope that the so-called evil mastermind didn't have anything too grand up his sleeve...

@Takumi @Ver @Rwac96 @Josh @Ottonomous Ghost @Jeremi @Elijah's Room​
 
"Oh? Worried about leaving before it's really your time, Mr. Kent? I wouldn't worry about that," Elijah said, tutting audibly as he shook his head. "The good doctor may have promised that you'll be allowed to leave by tomorrow, but aren't promises made to be broken?"

View attachment 11200

Peter narrowed his eyes, leaning forward. "What's that supposed to mean?"

However, Elijah only chuckled. "I'm getting ahead of myself. There's a lot that we have to discuss, and the time you get to leave is, in fact, the least of your concerns."

To Michelle, he shook his head again, continuing to speak as he signed. "Oh, don't you worry about me on that front. Let's just say for now that she and I had an interesting conversation about... the nature of our reality."

With an irritated breath, Peter stepped back. "If you're just gonna speak to us in riddles, then clearly this was just a waste of time."

"Patience, Mr. Petrelli," Elijah chuckled. "But you're right. I may as well get to the point already. After all, there's no delicate way of getting your attention, so I'll move it along. But before that, young man, would you kindly open up the drawer in my nightstand? There's something I think you'll find... interesting inside."

"Uh, okay..." Peter only said with a furrowed brow, reluctantly doing as requested. The man was half expecting some sort of booby trap that would cause him serious harm, but inside, Peter only found two comic books. Puzzled by what he found, he took out the two issues and held them up to show everyone.

...

View attachment 11201 View attachment 11202

"... Okay? The hell am I looking at here?" Peter asked, not seeming to immediately catch on, and Elijah did nothing to elaborate, only smirking in some cryptic sense of self-satisfaction. "These mean anything to you guys?"

@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi




"No, ghosts aren't real," Fujiko shook her head toward Karina. If they had spent all this time at Raven Hill learning to accept that stuff like superpowers and the like weren't real, surely the same could extend to ghosts as well, right? The woman would have liked to think so, but even she had to admit she couldn't deny she still had a bit of superstitious streak. Still, rather than trying to look away from it, she couldn't help but feel inclined to... look into it.

Giving an uneasy look toward Erin, Fujiko raised a brow. "In the hallway? You mean the voice you heard when you were pretending we totally didn't get an earthquake?" She said, somewhat provocatively, but reigned herself back in just as quickly. "You know what? It's probably just someone trying to play a joke, making us feel like we deserve to stay here, you know? Well, I'm not gonna take that standing still."

With that, she stood up and gestured toward Morgan. "Let's go check it out," she said, and stepped toward the door, pushing it open. Though the corridor outside was dimly lit, it was clear that there was no one around, and it didn't seem as though any prospective prankster would have had enough time to screw with everyone and then promptly run away.

"Huh? So is there really no one--?"

"AGGHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, an unfamiliar male voice -- much louder and clearer than the whispers from before -- could be heard screaming out, carrying through the walls like an echo, piercing through the air like a knife. The scream caused Fujiko to jump up where she stood, startled by the noise.

"W-What the hell...?!"

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee

View attachment 11191

"Oh, trust me, I try my best to get along with everybody, but some people like to make it harder than others," Peter said flatly in response to Hagusa, and he did mean it, though it seemed he didn't care to dwell on that topic. With that, he was on his way, with the rest of the group in tow.

...

The halls were dark and isolated during this late night; it was close, but not quite curfew just yet, so the orderlies that they'd pass by -- few as they were -- only gave them the occasional curious look, but said nothing. The trip was silent, but brief, and before too long, they had reached the outside of Elijah's room, with Peter knocking his hand at the door.

Knock knock.

"Ah, my esteemed guests. Come in, the door is unlocked," the voice of Elijah came from the other side, and indeed needing no further gesture, Peter opened the door, leading everyone inside.

Elijah's room was, of course, nearly identical to everyone else's bedrooms, though it felt sterile and overly clean to an almost unnerving degree, at least to Peter, though he wouldn't have been able to explain why. Elijah sat poised, facing the front of the room as though he had been sitting there in wait for a small while.

"Alright, Elijah. We're here, just like you wanted."

"And I am so very glad you decided to humor an old man," Elijah smiled, a devious edge on his face conflicting with genuine bliss. "How are you all this fine evening? Eager to finally leave Raven Hill and put this place behind you, I take it?" He asked, signing all of his words seamlessly for Michelle's convenience as always.

@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Jeremi




As Fujiko and the others who decided to stay in the Activity Room were left to their own devices, it wouldn't take long until they too were disturbed by something strange. It started out faintly at first, but after a while, a soft whisper in the ear could be heard, gradually getting more audible like a muffled voice behind a wall.

... me in... Find...

Slamming her open palm against a nearby desk in a flare of irritation, Fujiko looked accusingly toward the others who remained with her.

"Who keeps doing that? Cut that out already!" She exclaimed, seeming to believe it was someone else in the room playing a practical joke on her or so.

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies
Get back to the room, get back to the room. Get back. Get back- get back to the fucking room for the love of God. Get back get back get back get back get back get back get back get back-

But he wasn't back yet. No, the world couldn't allow that one saving grace. The day's events didn't proceed any differently for Flynn as they did for anyone else. For a time, it was nice. All eyes turned away from him. Flynn couldn't speak off to his room like he'd been wanting to do this entire time. Something compelled him to stay. Fear, maybe? Was he afraid that something would happen if he was alone? No. No, that couldn't be it. That doesn't make any sense, he thought. But what does?

He wouldn't be afraid for his own sake.

Eyeballs glue to the panels on the floor. Wide, unblinking. Red wires on the surface. Pulsating mass. Burning out the soft whites. He did this, sometimes - seeing how long he can keep his eyes open. It was something. Something to think about. Focusing on the burn meant he wouldn't focus on anything else. It was fun. Well, no. It wasn't fun. It was agonizing. But it was better than nothing.

He did that for awhile while everyone talked. Then, no one was talking. Silence, peace. Flynn closed his for longer than a second this time, breathing deep and hanging his head low between his arms, elbows sat up on his knees. Then, someone was talking again - but this time, it was no one in the room. Fujiko slams her palm on the desk - he flinches.

That was annoying. Though, her reaction was alarming, because that meant the voice wasn't just in his head. Quietly, while the rest of the Activity Room's inhabitants spoke, Flynn turns his ear to the source of the voice. It sounded real, and oh-so-very quiet. He had a thing for identifying the smallest sources of sound in near silence. The voice was familiar.

"Wait. Wait, wait, Fuj-" the large, scarred man meekly protests like a kitten as Fujiko starts moving past him. She was already out in the hall when Flynn forces himself up off the chair, looking back behind himself and then to the door she left from. "N- No, listen, we don't need to--"

Scream.

Flynn flinches, eyes wide. His white-knuckled fists tighten 'till the muscles in his hands threaten to snap like bands. Erin thought it'd be a good idea to scream in response, and had she been any closer, pure instinct on his part might have cost her a few teeth. The tension bleeds out of his body with a quiet, seething breath through his teeth. Someone punking them in a mental hospital - yeah, great. And like she did before, Erin marches off to go investigate. Same verse as the first--

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Flynn wheezes. He only hesitates for a moment, before jogging after her. "Kid, wait--"

They heard a punk, or a prankster, and he heard a sound meant to lure them out of a familiar area into the dark.

@Capri @Minerva @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee @Ver @Activity Room
 

"...Look. I know it's really easy to believe you're something grander than you are, believe me. I've been there- all of us have, haven't we?" she began, looking around at the others with a small gesture of her free hand. Her tone was gentle and unaccusatory, her smile as soft as when she first began. "Life is hard. We've all been through a lot, and I think our chat this morning made that pretty clear. But we have to learn to accept things for what they are. If we spend our lives running away from things we can't change, spend them focusing on protecting ourselves, then... how can we ever hope to be heroes to anyone else?"

"I know it's a lot to process. Today's been crazy, and there's a lot to think about. I don't think you're in the wrong for hoping that all this means something; I can see why you do,"
she assured, reaching up to carefully brush a stray bang out of her face. Ordinarily, she would've tried to sign this for Michelle, but she couldn't bring herself to take her hand away from Hagusa and honestly? This speech of her was beyond the level of ASL she actually knew, anyway. "But please... don't discard all the hard work you've put into caring for yourself just because there happen to be a few comics that remind you of where you've been. At least give it more thought before diving all in on this, ah... 'theory', if you don't mind my word choice. Okay?" It was a big ask, and she knew that even with her kind approach, there was a chance the others would be irritated or offended by her lacking belief. But she hoped they'd be able to get past that discontent, someday, if it came. "...Can you do that for me?"

As if there was a hesitant, though reasonable voice among those who were gathered in Elijah's room; Clark turns his attention to Takara, seeing that his excitement did bring concern not only to her but to Hagusa as well. His brows creased in worry, guilt, and conflict as he gazed at the two, turning his head to Elijah; and lastly to the comic book that he held with his left hand. Sure, the events of today had startled the journalist and made him skeptical of Doctor Staple's intentions. Though, he remembered that he was a model patient before all of the madness of this day; coping with the mystery of who his birth family was, even when he loved the Kents with all of his heart.

But, the warning from Steve Trevor still echoes in his head, furrowing his brows. The right side of the Kansas-Raised man's lips twitches slightly as if he was having an inner battle within his mind. Though the contents in the comic were different from the images in his mind, delusions, or his true life; they seem to answer a missing piece that he couldn't help but notice since he found out about his adoption all those years back.

"I know I really shouldn't get my hopes up," Clark replies to Takura, turning his attention back to her. "But, earlier, that man: Trevor, though I wrote his obituary, he was there; right in front of us." His tone was firm, as this was a man who had few answers and too many questions. "A man who seemed to have been looking for us. Something isn't right here, Takara, and I for one will want to know the whole truth."

@Ver @Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Jeremi @Elijah'sRoom
 
View attachment 11206

...Ah. What a relief. Having glanced over periodically to keep track of how Hagusa was doing as they went along, Takara was happy to see that the boy appeared to be slowly calming down. A soft smile graced her lips as she observed his embarrassed response to her reassurance, as she couldn't help but think... he really was a lot like her sister. In their early youth, she remembered plenty of times where Fumika had sought her out for comfort; be it a plea made amidst a bout of tears for protection from some manner of 'evil spirit' hiding in the closet, or a request for assistance in taking on 'the hero hunter' in an epic unexpected team-up during playtime, or even just a request for a hug on an inexplicably rough day. Her sister had never been good at standing up for herself, but that was exactly why Takara took it upon herself to stand up for her. No matter what consequences it would bring herself. Seeing Hagusa feeling so scared and alone, having heard bits and pieces of his story and picked up on his subtle mannerisms enough to infer what sort of life he came from... she couldn't help but want to do the same for him, too.

Lightly, she returned his grip on her hand, her smile remaining as they continued on. "Of course. Just say the word or give the signal and I'm on it," she assured. And maybe, doing so would give her an opportunity to talk to him a little more. To see if there was anything she could do, any way she could help him out of his situation. But for now, all of them had a situation they needed to get out of; and she didn't know if Elijah's plan would make it better or worse.

"...Huh?" she mumbled, her eyebrows furrowing at Elijah's bold declaration that promises were meant for breaking. Momentarily, she wanted to ask what the heck he meant by that, but she quickly remembered something important: Elijah wasn't in the same place as the rest of them. This was likely still just part of his own delusions. She sighed softly, shaking her head as the man went on about how the matter of their release was 'the least of their concerns'. The whole thing might've been kind of funny, honestly, if it weren't so sad. She felt bad for Elijah, for she couldn't imagine how frustrating it must be to know that the majority of your peers were being released while you were left behind. Was that why his mind had developed this theory that they were being lied to about all of it? She didn't know what would be worse for him; if they played along, or if they told him the truth that he was simply dreaming.

Except, with the reveal of a couple of flimsy comics from Elijah's nightstand, it suddenly seemed like he wasn't the only one lost in dreamland.

Before she could confirm to Peter that, no, she had no clue what the significance of the comics was, both Sylvia and Clark had practically lunged forward for the things with urgency. It was enough to make Takara blink a rapidly with surprise, her eyes flickering back and forth between the pair with an utterly dumbfounded expression upon her face. It was almost comedic, and she was at a loss for quite a few moments before managing to regain some sense.

View attachment 11208

"Eh..."

Not a whole lot, though.

Sheesh. Okay. Words. She could find them. Awkwardly, she reached up to rub the back of her neck with a sheepish expression, unsure how to handle such a delicate situation as this. "I, ah, don't think we should go rushing to any conclusions just yet," she willed the pair with a weak grin. They knew how this worked, didn't they? The psyche was easily influenced by outside factors; it was likely that the Sylvia and Clark had read those comics long ago, and had subconsciously internalized the grandeurs depicted within them, drawing deep feelings of relation with one or more of the characters within. It also explained why the comic image of Sylvia was white, and why Elijah seemed to know so much about her and Clark's delusions. Takara didn't want to crush their dreams, but it seemed just as cruel to allow all of this to go on. "Look, um... Clark, Sylvia..."

The words trailed off as she felt Hagusa's hand lightly grasp her own, pulling her attention back to him. He seemed just as confused and lost as she'd felt at first, and it was unfortunate that she didn't have the answers. Jeez, this group made things hard. Why did this have the same feeling as giving the talk about the birds and the bees, or telling a child that Santa Clause wasn't real? Giving Hagusa's hand a light squeeze and flashing him a small smile for reassurance, she turned her gaze forward once more, steeling herself to speak her thoughts. "...Look. I know it's really easy to believe you're something grander than you are, believe me. I've been there- all of us have, haven't we?" she began, looking around at the others with a small gesture of her free hand. Her tone was gentle and unaccusatory, her smile as soft as when she first began. "Life is hard. We've all been through a lot, and I think our chat this morning made that pretty clear. But we have to learn to accept things for what they are. If we spend our lives running away from things we can't change, spend them focusing on protecting ourselves, then... how can we ever hope to be heroes to anyone else?"

"I know it's a lot to process. Today's been crazy, and there's a lot to think about. I don't think you're in the wrong for hoping that all this means something; I can see why you do,"
she assured, reaching up to carefully brush a stray bang out of her face. Ordinarily, she would've tried to sign this for Michelle, but she couldn't bring herself to take her hand away from Hagusa and honestly? This speech of her was beyond the level of ASL she actually knew, anyway. "But please... don't discard all the hard work you've put into caring for yourself just because there happen to be a few comics that remind you of where you've been. At least give it more thought before diving all in on this, ah... 'theory', if you don't mind my word choice. Okay?" It was a big ask, and she knew that even with her kind approach, there was a chance the others would be irritated or offended by her lacking belief. But she hoped they'd be able to get past that discontent, someday, if it came. "...Can you do that for me?"

Even if they could, there was still a big question left unanswered: why had Elijah brought all of this up in the first place? What did he stand to gain from this? Was there a point in showing these two that he was familiar with what was likely the source of their delusions? She didn't know, and she honestly didn't want to ask and risk opening the floodgates to more potential regression of the group's progress. In fact, she half wondered if she ought to fulfill Hagusa's request early and take him back to his room before any further 'evidence' was unleashed... but ultimately, she had told him to tell her when he was ready to leave. She wouldn't take that decision away from him, not when he was likely all too used to having his freedom of choice removed. She would just have to wait and hope that the so-called evil mastermind didn't have anything too grand up his sleeve...

@Takumi @Ver @Rwac96 @Josh @Ottonomous Ghost @Jeremi @Elijah's Room​

Takara's attempts at reassuring him caused a small smile to be returned to her, and her voice had lulled him into a sense of calm rather quickly. He may not have said it out loud, but so far he felt he could trust Takara, something that he hadn't quite felt like he could do for so long: put any trust into an adult.






As if there was a hesitant, though reasonable voice among those who were gathered in Elijah's room; Clark turns his attention to Takara, seeing that his excitement did bring concern not only to her but to Hagusa as well. His brows creased in worry, guilt, and conflict as he gazed at the two, turning his head to Elijah; and lastly to the comic book that he held with his left hand. Sure, the events of today had startled the journalist and made him skeptical of Doctor Staple's intentions. Though, he remembered that he was a model patient before all of the madness of this day; coping with the mystery of who his birth family was, even when he loved the Kents with all of his heart.

But, the warning from Steve Trevor still echoes in his head, furrowing his brows. The right side of the Kansas-Raised man's lips twitches slightly as if he was having an inner battle within his mind. Though the contents in the comic were different from the images in his mind, delusions, or his true life; they seem to answer a missing piece that he couldn't help but notice since he found out about his adoption all those years back.

"I know I really shouldn't get my hopes up," Clark replies to Takura, turning his attention back to her. "But, earlier, that man: Trevor, though I wrote his obituary, he was there; right in front of us." His tone was firm, as this was a man who had few answers and too many questions. "A man who seemed to have been looking for us. Something isn't right here, Takara, and I for one will want to know the whole truth."

@Ver @Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Jeremi @Elijah'sRoom

Hagusa blinked at Clark for a moment, brows furrowing as he gave a tilt of his head.

"That....that man couldn't of actually been the real Trevor if you wrote his obituary...not unless he faked his death since...since the dead don't come back and ghosts aren't real. Well, depending on your faith and all that, but...it could be a scam, some rando pretending to be somebody you know. " Hagusa spoke up. Why would a supposed dead man come looking for them? It didn't make sense to the teen.

Was something off about all of this? Hell yeah, sure, whatever. Was Elijah being cryptic as fuck for no reason? He's been cryptic as fuck all day!

He almost, almost, asked Takara to walk him to his room but maybe it was out of curiosity and the genuine fear of being back in the dark that kept him from moving towards the door leading out of the room.

@Ver @Not a Writer @Josh @Rwac96 @Ottonomous Ghost @Jeremi @Elijah's room
 
[What do you mean what does this mean???] Michelle signed mouth agape. [That's a first issue Action Comics! In good condition! That's worth millions!] The other one however was a bit more curious. [I don't know about that one. I know who Jack Kirby is, because, who doesn't. I don't think I'm really familiar with the Eternals.] She seemed keen to flip through it but something was holding her back.

Instead her focus went back to Elijah. [I take it our time is slowly trickling away? Is it time to find a secret passage out of here?]



@Takumi @Not a Writer @Ottonomous Ghost @Josh @Rwac96 @Ver
 
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