Illusion Looking Glass

[Not a Writer]

Moving his blue eyes to Takara, seeing her holding out a cup of water. Reaching out to grab it, Clark nods his head lightly. "Thank you," bringing the cup to his lips, taking a sip of water. Moving the cup from his face, holding it with both hands as he stares into his drink. "and, well, admittedly, no. I am not okay," he furrows his brows once more; but not into a fierce glare.

"I'm...I'm not sure who's word to trust at this moment. Either I trust the word of a possible maniac," his hands shake a bit, "or trust the words of doctors...doctors who are likely hiding things from us." Clark closes his eyes, bringing the cup to his face to take another sip. "I don't know if this is my reporter's instincts or...well, this Superman's life experience. All that's certain...something isn't right."

@Ver @Not a Writer @Yun Lee @Capri @Ottonomous Ghost @StayingGroup​

Eno Liberi
@Ver @Rwac96 @Yun Lee @Takumi @Josh @Not a Writer @Gummi Bunnies @Stayingbackgroup

"Your own... Superman...?" Eno said, repeating Elijah's words quietly to himself.

His gaze turned to Clark for a moment, recalling the persona he had been rehabilitated of. Though... Clark was far from the only one here who thought they were some kind of hero.

And in some ways, he envied them.

Mephisto was no hero. He was... An abomination, someone twisted both physically and mentally, destined to become a special kind of catastrophe. He shuddered to think what would happen, if he truly was Mephisto.

But yet, he couldn't help but be haunted by Elijah's words. At least until Takara spoke up, her words making him recall someone. Someone who made the very air around her warm, someone who always knew what to say.

She brought him to meet others too, including that cold woman who sang to him, and... There was someone else... Someone who had been there for him since his childhood.

Eno stiffened, realizing he had almost come close to relapsing. Those weren't his memories. Those were Mephistos.

Quickly, he tried to take Takara's suggestion, turning his gaze to his former classmate, Chloe Winders. They were friends, and had been since his childhood.

Though he was somewhat of a loner in school, she was one of the few friends he had made, and kept all this time.

And perhaps... They could return to that life soon.

After all, they were better, right?

It was just Elijah who needed some extra work...

Shaking his head, he took a few deep breaths, and managed a smile.

"Thank you, Takara. I was worried I would relapse again." He said, though he turned to Clark, his expression shifting to more of a frown.

"Perhaps... We shouldn't think about our delusions anymore. We wouldn't want a relapse when our time here's almost done, right?" He added.

But even as he spoke, that uneasy feeling was coming back. Though at least the pain hadn't set in this time.

Just as long as he kept thinking about his life before his delusions, maybe... Just maybe... He'd be fine...​

Hagusa took the offered cup from Takara with a muttered 'thanks', before blinking at something she said.

A person they liked? The first person to come to mind was...Mizuchi. God, it felt like it's been far too long since he saw her. She was a close friend, despite their tendency to argue as well as the fact that she was usually a little on the mean side when they first met.

Blushing, he brought the cup to his lips and drank from it, letting it sit in both of his hands as he glanced into it momentarily.

'When I get out of here, the first people I'll look for is Mizuchi and my sister...' he thought to himself, his blush having subsided. Looking for them was better than seeing Kouto's dumb face in his opinion. Maybe he could ask Dr. Staples if that was possible?

@Ver @York @Not a Writer @Yun Lee @Josh @Rwac96 @staying group

Clark would agree with a 'yes' or 'nod', but instead, he stayed silent and stared intently at his water. Returning it towards his face, the journalist takes another sip. A sigh escapes his lips, lifting his head up and turning to Eno. "We have more pressing matters," he says, gesturing to Elijah for the moment. "Delusions or not, he picked a time to be rather talkative. From my experience in doing articles, investigative ones to be specific." He adjusts his glasses, clearing his throat. "It usually means someone has an agenda," he stops for the moment, taking another sip of his drink. "and so far, he's been...riling us up."

@Ver @York @Takumi @StayingBackGroup​

"Ah, sorry... Poor phrasing on my part," Takara admitted sheepishly, rubbing her neck. "I know nothing is really okay right now. But if we can get to something adjacent to okay, just vaguely in its vicinity... maybe that'll be good enough. It's clear this is a tough group of people, with all of us having made it this far; so let's keep hanging in there together, as best as we can." It wasn't a perfect solution, but she figured that the more they could support one another, the better. And even if anyone in the group were to scoff at her rather optimistic and idealistic sentiments, at least her little speech was a distraction. If they were thinking about how stupid she sounded, at least that meant they weren't occupying themselves with thoughts of their fears. That would be enough for her.

In any case, she was glad to see at least a couple of the others taking her advice. Eno's expression of gratitude was met with a humble wave of her hand, she shaking her head slightly. "There's no need to thank me. I know how it feels, how scary it can be when you start to slip," she assured. "These are just little things that've helped me when I've gotten those feelings, myself. I'm glad they helped you, too." Accompanying her words was a gentle smile, warm and fulfilling not unlike the sensation brought on by a good bout of sunbathing in the afternoon. She noticed Hagusa was blushing, appearing deep in thought, and she almost asked what was on his mind... but in the end, she felt that likely wasn't appropriate. If he wanted to share, he would; she'd leave it at that. Sometimes, digging too deeply into a fond memory simply made you regret that it was now long gone.

So she turned her attention back to the here and now, taking a moment to consider the discussion at hand. Part of her wanted to agree with Eno; it was one thing to own up to their delusions and to let them go, but if they kept digging further and further into them, there was high risk of falling back into their depths. It was apparent Clark himself was struggling, seeming to toe the line between who he was and who he thought himself to be. But on the other hand... she had thought the same; Elijah's outburst seemed almost too convenient. But if she went too far down that train of thought, Takara wasn't sure she'd ever come back. So she shrugged, trying to find a more logical and simplistic meaning to all of this than... that. The explanation that involved a fantastical world of heroes and villains, bearing all sorts of fantastical powers. "Maybe this is some sort of test," she suggested, taking a brief sip of her own drink. She tried to speak quietly enough that Elijah wouldn't hear. "We're all on the verge of graduating... maybe this is some sort of final hurdle, to make sure we won't crumble if a situation where our limits our tested ever arises down the line. And if we fail, our time here is extended." This definitely felt pretty fucked up for a test, but even so. It was better than the alternative.

@Ver @Rwac96 @Yun Lee @Takumi @Josh @York @Stayingbackgroup​

 

[Rwac96]

"Ah, sorry... Poor phrasing on my part," Takara admitted sheepishly, rubbing her neck. "I know nothing is really okay right now. But if we can get to something adjacent to okay, just vaguely in its vicinity... maybe that'll be good enough. It's clear this is a tough group of people, with all of us having made it this far; so let's keep hanging in there together, as best as we can."

Leaning back in his seat, Clark proceeds to finish his drink. Rising from his chair, he walks over to the nearest trash bin and tosses the empty cup into it. He massages his forehead, slightly moving his glasses as a result. "I'm sorry," he replies to Takura, "I'm on edge. Just like everyone else here, probably."

The journalist's eyes shift to those who are still present, rubbing the back of his neck. It was clear Elijah's words had struck a core with everyone, and Clark was no exception. Plus, it was so close to their release. To be reunited with loved ones, to what semblance of lives they had left.

"Maybe this is some sort of test," she suggested, taking a brief sip of her own drink. She tried to speak quietly enough that Elijah wouldn't hear. "We're all on the verge of graduating... maybe this is some sort of final hurdle, to make sure we won't crumble if a situation where our limits our tested ever arises down the line. And if we fail, our time here is extended." This definitely felt pretty fucked up for a test, but even so. It was better than the alternative.

That possibility, that thought made his teeth clench and his hands ball into fists. Now, these series of possibilities were plaguing the Kansas-Raised man's mind. One, the Superman he imagined himself was definitely a delusion as a result of stress and his inability to find out who he was. Two, there was some truth to Elijah's words; they were mentally compromised, and the doctors' intentions weren't noble. Three, the most horrific; This was a test, to find out if they would break and see if they fail. Clark didn't know which possibility to accept, as if it was a no-win scenario.

Then, another image flashed in his mind...

View attachment 10788

A bald man in a suit stood over the still form of a raven-haired, violet-eyed woman. Though her eyes were open, it was evident that they were lifeless and a fresh, crimson oozing bullet wound scarred her forehead. The man, likely her murderer, stared in exasperation; as if he expected pleading from her. He held a smoking pistol in his right hand, panting heavily.

"You," he stutters over his words, "you see," The man, Lex Luthor, forced a chuckle. "You should've...begged. I asked...," shaking his head in disbelief. "Why didn't you beg?!"

The gruesome scene in his mind forced Clark to clutch both sides of his head, panting a bit. Lex Luthor, killing his wife..and he wasn't there to save her. The journalist felt beads of sweat rolling down his brow, moving his left hand to wipe his forehead. If these flashes were telling him what would happen if Superman...if he stopped helping people. They weren't welcoming, as the second and first involved the demise of Lois, his wife, and the mother of their child.

@Ver @Not a Writer @StayingBackGroup​

 

[Minerva]

Morgan quickly dashed into the bathroom and ripped several paper towels off the the dispenser before rinsing them in water and pressing them against the coffee stain on her shirt. She took a second to breathe, closing her eyes and listening to the buzzing of the flourescent light above her head. Finally, after rubbing the stain out somewhat and throwing the wet paper towels away, she began to splash her face with water. When she looked up, there was not only water dripping down her face, but she noticed an irregularity in her face, a small streak of color where there shouldn't be.

She leaned closer into the mirror, lowering her right eyelid with her finger. The eye was reddish, bloodshot and dark. She leaned in closer to analyze it, burshing several strands of her hair out of the way. She moved the eyelid around, just to make sure it wasn't just on one side, and she blinked again to make sure it wasn't just a specific floater.

As she leaned in, a quick image of her in what looked like a nicer, more private bathroom flashed in front of her eyes, her brown MIT sweatshirt replaced with a red space suit of some kind. She was taken aback for a second, and threw herself backwards slightly. She felt dizzy, speechless. What the hell was happening?

A burning feeling rose in her throat, and she proceeded to vomit into the sink. She gripped the side of it, and held tight as she bent over, retching into the water, which was still running. She spat some more out, and then grabbed another paper towel and wiped around her mouth, wiping away whatever was left. Her hands slowly turned off the sink, shaking as she did so.

"I need to get my dosage changed..." She said to herself, breathing a deep sigh. She leaned back once again and breathed deeply out.

Morgan then stumbled out of the bathroom and back into the hallway.

@Ver @Hallway group I guess​

 

[Yun Lee]

Karina mumbled a small thank-you as Takara handed her a glass of water. She didn't drink it, though, instead sloshing it around a little in the cup. She wasn't sure if she was okay or not, especially not now. All of this because she had to go and open her big mouth and say something stupid...is that even fair? She hadn't thought so, back when she was first undergoing treatment, but now...

It's kind of like a messed-up fairytale, honestly. Back in church when she was forced to go by her grandmother (who managed to get her grandfather to break with the Orthodox Church to go to her own Protestant one), she always ignored the sermons to read the old stories further back. One of them was about some king or whatever, who got too prideful and was turned into a crazed beast for a while as punishment. Was this the same thing? Was Karin her own punishment for not looking past her own nose? Who can even say?

Ugh...her mind always gets super dark whenever she gets reminded of Karin. And the mood here totally isn't helping things...but maybe this is a test? God, she hopes so! She can't remember anything specifically as Karin right now, thank God. No, she's Karina. Only Karina. And she's going to stay that way, no matter what.

@Ver @Not a Writer @Josh @Takumi @Rwac96 @York @GlassGang​

 

[Ver]

View attachment 10796

"Uh, yeah, yeah, all aboard," Peter nodded toward Michelle; he was among those who hadn't gotten around to mastering ASL just yet, and moments like these, he did feel bad about it.

Once the others had made their decision, and after Morgan had dashed in and out of the restroom, the man nodded toward everyone choosing to accompany him and with that, were on their way, stepping outside the room and into the hall. Above the door they exited, a clinical sign, devoid of much personality, hung overhead that read "Activity Room," obviously denoting what room it was.

With a breath, Peter -- with his little entourage in tow -- began sauntering down the hall. "Not even sure if we can do this, but... not like Dr. Staple told us we couldn't, right?" He murmured. The lights in the hall flickered erratically; Raven Hill had never been in the greatest state of build, though one had to wonder if it ever was in good condition.

As the group walked from one empty corridor to the next, passing through another double doors on the way, Peter started to speak again. "You know, this might sound weird, but in a way, I kinda feel sorry for Elijah, you know? Thinking he was destined to be evil or something, unable to aspire to be anything mo--" He began, until something strange happened.

"Stop that. You're going to break it."

It was faint, but unmistakable, audible to everyone. A hushed, unfamiliar voice cut through the air and interrupted Peter, prompting him to stop and turn around, looking to the rest of the group, as though he thought someone behind him said that.

"What?"

@Jeremi @Minerva @Ottonomous Ghost @Capri @Crunch @Hallway

---

Elijah said nothing, only maintained a devious smile as the others left the room, and gave a silent look toward everyone who elected to keep an eye on him. It seemed he decided to ease up with his mind games... for the time being.

Shaking her head in exasperation, having remained mostly silent throughout the exchange, Fujiko crossed her arms and legs in her seat. "Sheesh. Not to enable Mr. Glass here, but you guys did make it a bit too easy for him to rile you all up," the woman said nonchalantly, as though unfazed by everything that had transpired.

"What can I say?" Elijah chuckled. "People are open books to me, and I always manage to read between the lines. But then, manipulation comes easily to someone like you too, doesn't it, Ms. Mine?"

"Tch. In another life, maybe," Fujiko grunted, choosing not to engage with the man any more, pointedly looking away from him, and trying to focus on everyone else instead, nodding toward Clark's words in particular. "Yeah, I already know how this is gonna play out. Staple's gonna come back, and just in time, Elijah's gonna play possum again and make us look like the crazies. Or... oops, I guess that's a bad word here," she said drolly.

Meanwhile, as Sylvia attempted a dialogue with Elijah, the man took the cup of water offered to him. "How do I know your truths? Well, I suppose you could say I have a knack for... bringing out the best in people," he smiled wryly, before beginning to speak clinically. "Do you read a lot of comics, Sylvia? Big fan of fantasy? There are many different ways that special abilities can manifest in people. Gifts or curses, they might be called. My brittle bones are my curse, but I was gifted with a mind... just a step or two higher than yours."

"But being born with abilities isn't the only way. Sometimes, people are granted their powers by someone or something else. Maybe that's why they gave it to me. The..." Elijah continued, but then trailed off, suddenly feeling his throat go dry. He raised his cup to take a sip, before blinking in surprise, eyes wide as he looked up at Sylvia.

"I thought this was water. Where did you get this coffee?"

A pregnant pause pierced the air around Elijah and Sylvia as he stared at her for an uncomfortable matter of seconds. Sylvia, after all, once believed she had the ability to transmute matter, to turn one thing into something else. Did she truly have powers? Did she--

Elijah began wheezing with laughter, before showing off that his cup was indeed simply water. "Got you there, didn't I?"

@Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Activity Room​

 

[Jeremi]

[What?] Michelle signed looking around when Peter stopped in his tracks. [Why did you stop? What's going on?] Sudden stops and confused looks were something Michelle wasn't much of a fan of. Especially when you're not part of the joke.

@Ver @Minerva @Ottonomous Ghost @Capri @Crunch @Hallway

 

[Capri]

ERIN NATICK
@Ver @Jeremi @Minerva @Ottonomous Ghost @Crunch @Hallway

"I don't know," Erin spoke, "I think we should continue,"

Erin turned to Michelle before alerting her about the noise. Luckily she knows sign language.

[A voice spoke] she signed [It said "Stop that. You’re going to break it," or something]​

 

[Rwac96]

Fujiko brought up a concern; should those who went out to the hallway return with Staple, Elijah might indeed pretend to be catatonic. Discrediting their recovery and concerns, which brought more stress to the journalist. Clark takes a deep breath, then rises from his seat and turns his gaze to the man conversing with Sylvia and Fujiko.

"But being born with abilities isn't the only way. Sometimes, people are granted their powers by someone or something else. Maybe that's why they gave it to me. The..." Elijah continued, but then trailed off, suddenly feeling his throat go dry. He raised his cup to take a sip, before blinking in surprise, eyes wide as he looked up at Sylvia.

"They?" Once more, his words brought interest to the Kansas-Raised man. He takes a few steps toward the wheelchair-bound patient but does not get too close. "You're saying someone gave you your abilities?" Clark inquires, the tone of his voice increased. Then, he noticed the brief pause as he drank his water, making him blink for a minute or two.

"I thought this was water. Where did you get this coffee?"

His blue eyes shift to Sylvia, remembering that she believed herself to have the ability to transmute matter. Like turning water into coffee, similar to a certain revered figure's power. Clark took a few steps back, unaware if this was some sort of mind game Elijah was pulling or if she did possess such powers.

Elijah began wheezing with laughter, before showing off that his cup was indeed simply water. "Got you there, didn't I?"

"Elijah," he spoke up to him, as he was growing more frustrated. "do you really think this is funny?"

@Ver @Yun Lee @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @ActivityRoom​

 

[Neko Shogun]

She was close to being rehabilitated—just like the others. Lucinia should've been proud of the progress she made, but deep down she was uncertain. Sure, she had released her vice grip on the illusions that had plagued her, but the bluenette still had a problem she never spoke of. The girl was afraid that if she did, her stay in this place would be extended. That was the last thing she wanted. The young woman had never decided to come to this place at all, in fact, it was her mother's suggestion from the start.

The lingering insanity of her illusions came in the form of visual hallucinations. Sometimes, she would see ones and zeroes, statistics, and information—as if her eyes were scanning the room around her. As if she were some kind of computer. For example, when Michelle signed for the group, Lucinia knew what she was saying. Her words hovered in the air like subtitles on a movie screen. But this was all wrong. Lucinia didn't know sign language! She didn't any languages aside from her native tongue! Her brain was clearly still broken from the motorcycle accident. The stupid, reckless, ridiculous motorcycle accident she had gotten herself into to blow off steam. Lucinia hated the fact she had allowed herself to even ride the thing in the first place.

She also hated that Dr. Staple wanted them to talk about themselves in this group setting while she was right in the middle of having visual hallucinations. It was so much more difficult to hide them when attention was focused on her. So she waited, opting not to speak about herself and hoping that by some miracle Dr. Staple would forget about her. While this miracle did not come to pass, another circumstance caused the girl to be let off the hook: the good doctor had to leave the room for some reason. She was left unbothered, and focus shifted toward Elijah. This gave the girl all the time in the world to gather herself, and eventually her hallucinations faded.

Deciding she could speak now and probably not look as crazy, her eyes flickered to those still remaining in the activity room. She slouched back in her chair and crossed her arms, letting out a sigh. "When can we go back to our rooms? I'm over this whole group therapy thing, honestly," she groaned.​

 

[Josh]

---

Elijah said nothing, only maintained a devious smile as the others left the room, and gave a silent look toward everyone who elected to keep an eye on him. It seemed he decided to ease up with his mind games... for the time being.

Shaking her head in exasperation, having remained mostly silent throughout the exchange, Fujiko crossed her arms and legs in her seat. "Sheesh. Not to enable Mr. Glass here, but you guys did make it a bit too easy for him to rile you all up," the woman said nonchalantly, as though unfazed by everything that had transpired.

"What can I say?" Elijah chuckled. "People are open books to me, and I always manage to read between the lines. But then, manipulation comes easily to someone like you too, doesn't it, Ms. Mine?"

"Tch. In another life, maybe," Fujiko grunted, choosing not to engage with the man any more, pointedly looking away from him, and trying to focus on everyone else instead, nodding toward Clark's words in particular. "Yeah, I already know how this is gonna play out. Staple's gonna come back, and just in time, Elijah's gonna play possum again and make us look like the crazies. Or... oops, I guess that's a bad word here," she said drolly.

Meanwhile, as Sylvia attempted a dialogue with Elijah, the man took the cup of water offered to him. "How do I know your truths? Well, I suppose you could say I have a knack for... bringing out the best in people," he smiled wryly, before beginning to speak clinically. "Do you read a lot of comics, Sylvia? Big fan of fantasy? There are many different ways that special abilities can manifest in people. Gifts or curses, they might be called. My brittle bones are my curse, but I was gifted with a mind... just a step or two higher than yours."​

View attachment 10798

"Comics? No, not at all. Mythology, however? I am a fan of Mythology, Elijah. They're morality tales, for the most part. Some are lost interruption of actual events. Explanation for them anyway. I will admit, thematically? Your explanation makes sense. Animals in the wild evolve like that, too. Lose one trait, specialize in another. It's basic Darwinism."

Sylvia laughed softly. In a part of herself that she didn't want to admit, she was charmed by the man. He couldn't be denied. Like Clark Kent, he had a natural Charism that sucked you in. Almost hypnotizing. However, Elijah's next actions caught the Professor

"But being born with abilities isn't the only way. Sometimes, people are granted their powers by someone or something else. Maybe that's why they gave it to me. The..."

Elijah continued, but then trailed off, suddenly feeling his throat go dry. He raised his cup to take a sip, before blinking in surprise, eyes wide as he looked up at Sylvia.

"I thought this was water. Where did you get this coffee?"

A pregnant pause pierced the air around Elijah and Sylvia as he stared at her for an uncomfortable matter of seconds. Sylvia, after all, once believed she had the ability to transmute matter, to turn one thing into something else. Did she truly have powers? Did she--

Elijah began wheezing with laughter, before showing off that his cup was indeed simply water. "Got you there, didn't I?"

@Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Activity Room

Like an airplane's emergency arm's turning on, Sylvia just froze in place for seconds in raw shock and terror. FInal, she stood up, looking the Elijah's cup. As she leaned close, the more terror she felt. Till she saw the truth. Her fast at first was angry, furious. However, after it calmed, Elijah would a slight disappoint on the girl's face for a split second.

"That was cruel, Elijah. Cruel and hurtful. "

A pause as she points her hand at the up off water. She gave the man a knowing look.

"Any change now?"

@Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Activity Room​

 

[Minerva]

"Uh, yeah, yeah, all aboard," Peter nodded toward Michelle; he was among those who hadn't gotten around to mastering ASL just yet, and moments like these, he did feel bad about it.

Once the others had made their decision, and after Morgan had dashed in and out of the restroom, the man nodded toward everyone choosing to accompany him and with that, were on their way, stepping outside the room and into the hall. Above the door they exited, a clinical sign, devoid of much personality, hung overhead that read "Activity Room," obviously denoting what room it was.

With a breath, Peter -- with his little entourage in tow -- began sauntering down the hall. "Not even sure if we can do this, but... not like Dr. Staple told us we couldn't, right?" He murmured. The lights in the hall flickered erratically; Raven Hill had never been in the greatest state of build, though one had to wonder if it ever was in good condition.

As the group walked from one empty corridor to the next, passing through another double doors on the way, Peter started to speak again. "You know, this might sound weird, but in a way, I kinda feel sorry for Elijah, you know? Thinking he was destined to be evil or something, unable to aspire to be anything mo--" He began, until something strange happened.

"Stop that. You're going to break it."

It was faint, but unmistakable, audible to everyone. A hushed, unfamiliar voice cut through the air and interrupted Peter, prompting him to stop and turn around, looking to the rest of the group, as though he thought someone behind him said that.

"What?"

@Jeremi @Minerva @Ottonomous Ghost @Capri @Crunch @Hallway

“Ah good, you all heard it too, so I’m not going mad.” Morgan said, in reference to the voice. "well, any more than I already was." She shrugged her head slightly. She balled her hand into a fist.

"What the hell could we possibly break anyway? There's nothing out here." She asked, raising an eyebrow.

@Jeremi @Capri @Crunch @Ottonomous Ghost @Hallway​

 

[Takumi]

View attachment 10796

"Uh, yeah, yeah, all aboard," Peter nodded toward Michelle; he was among those who hadn't gotten around to mastering ASL just yet, and moments like these, he did feel bad about it.

Once the others had made their decision, and after Morgan had dashed in and out of the restroom, the man nodded toward everyone choosing to accompany him and with that, were on their way, stepping outside the room and into the hall. Above the door they exited, a clinical sign, devoid of much personality, hung overhead that read "Activity Room," obviously denoting what room it was.

With a breath, Peter -- with his little entourage in tow -- began sauntering down the hall. "Not even sure if we can do this, but... not like Dr. Staple told us we couldn't, right?" He murmured. The lights in the hall flickered erratically; Raven Hill had never been in the greatest state of build, though one had to wonder if it ever was in good condition.

As the group walked from one empty corridor to the next, passing through another double doors on the way, Peter started to speak again. "You know, this might sound weird, but in a way, I kinda feel sorry for Elijah, you know? Thinking he was destined to be evil or something, unable to aspire to be anything mo--" He began, until something strange happened.

"Stop that. You're going to break it."

It was faint, but unmistakable, audible to everyone. A hushed, unfamiliar voice cut through the air and interrupted Peter, prompting him to stop and turn around, looking to the rest of the group, as though he thought someone behind him said that.

"What?"

@Jeremi @Minerva @Ottonomous Ghost @Capri @Crunch @Hallway

---

Elijah said nothing, only maintained a devious smile as the others left the room, and gave a silent look toward everyone who elected to keep an eye on him. It seemed he decided to ease up with his mind games... for the time being.

Shaking her head in exasperation, having remained mostly silent throughout the exchange, Fujiko crossed her arms and legs in her seat. "Sheesh. Not to enable Mr. Glass here, but you guys did make it a bit too easy for him to rile you all up," the woman said nonchalantly, as though unfazed by everything that had transpired.

"What can I say?" Elijah chuckled. "People are open books to me, and I always manage to read between the lines. But then, manipulation comes easily to someone like you too, doesn't it, Ms. Mine?"

"Tch. In another life, maybe," Fujiko grunted, choosing not to engage with the man any more, pointedly looking away from him, and trying to focus on everyone else instead, nodding toward Clark's words in particular. "Yeah, I already know how this is gonna play out. Staple's gonna come back, and just in time, Elijah's gonna play possum again and make us look like the crazies. Or... oops, I guess that's a bad word here," she said drolly.

Meanwhile, as Sylvia attempted a dialogue with Elijah, the man took the cup of water offered to him. "How do I know your truths? Well, I suppose you could say I have a knack for... bringing out the best in people," he smiled wryly, before beginning to speak clinically. "Do you read a lot of comics, Sylvia? Big fan of fantasy? There are many different ways that special abilities can manifest in people. Gifts or curses, they might be called. My brittle bones are my curse, but I was gifted with a mind... just a step or two higher than yours."

"But being born with abilities isn't the only way. Sometimes, people are granted their powers by someone or something else. Maybe that's why they gave it to me. The..." Elijah continued, but then trailed off, suddenly feeling his throat go dry. He raised his cup to take a sip, before blinking in surprise, eyes wide as he looked up at Sylvia.

"I thought this was water. Where did you get this coffee?"

A pregnant pause pierced the air around Elijah and Sylvia as he stared at her for an uncomfortable matter of seconds. Sylvia, after all, once believed she had the ability to transmute matter, to turn one thing into something else. Did she truly have powers? Did she--

Elijah began wheezing with laughter, before showing off that his cup was indeed simply water. "Got you there, didn't I?"

@Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Activity Room​

View attachment 10798

"Comics? No, not at all. Mythology, however? I am a fan of Mythology, Elijah. They're morality tales, for the most part. Some are lost interruption of actual events. Explanation for them anyway. I will admit, thematically? Your explanation makes sense. Animals in the wild evolve like that, too. Lose one trait, specialize in another. It's basic Darwinism."

Sylvia laughed softly. In a part of herself that she didn't want to admit, she was charmed by the man. He couldn't be denied. Like Clark Kent, he had a natural Charism that sucked you in. Almost hypnotizing. However, Elijah's next actions caught the Professor



Like an airplane's emergency arm's turning on, Sylvia just froze in place for seconds in raw shock and terror. FInal, she stood up, looking the Elijah's cup. As she leaned close, the more terror she felt. Till she saw the truth. Her fast at first was angry, furious. However, after it calmed, Elijah would a slight disappoint on the girl's face for a split second.

"That was cruel, Elijah. Cruel and hurtful. "
c
A pause as she points her hand at the up off water. She gave the man a knowing look.

"Any change now?"

@Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Activity Room​

She was close to being rehabilitated—just like the others. Lucinia should've been proud of the progress she made, but deep down she was uncertain. Sure, she had released her vice grip on the illusions that had plagued her, but the bluenette still had a problem she never spoke of. The girl was afraid that if she did, her stay in this place would be extended. That was the last thing she wanted. The young woman had never decided to come to this place at all, in fact, it was her mother's suggestion from the start.

The lingering insanity of her illusions came in the form of visual hallucinations. Sometimes, she would see ones and zeroes, statistics, and information—as if her eyes were scanning the room around her. As if she were some kind of computer. For example, when Michelle signed for the group, Lucinia knew what she was saying. Her words hovered in the air like subtitles on a movie screen. But this was all wrong. Lucinia didn't know sign language! She didn't any languages aside from her native tongue! Her brain was clearly still broken from the motorcycle accident. The stupid, reckless, ridiculous motorcycle accident she had gotten herself into to blow off steam. Lucinia hated the fact she had allowed herself to even ride the thing in the first place.

She also hated that Dr. Staple wanted them to talk about themselves in this group setting while she was right in the middle of having visual hallucinations. It was so much more difficult to hide them when attention was focused on her. So she waited, opting not to speak about herself and hoping that by some miracle Dr. Staple would forget about her. While this miracle did not come to pass, another circumstance caused the girl to be let off the hook: the good doctor had to leave the room for some reason. She was left unbothered, and focus shifted toward Elijah. This gave the girl all the time in the world to gather herself, and eventually her hallucinations faded.

Deciding she could speak now and probably not look as crazy, her eyes flickered to those still remaining in the activity room. She slouched back in her chair and crossed her arms, letting out a sigh. "When can we go back to our rooms? I'm over this whole group therapy thing, honestly," she groaned.​

"Don't know, but I don't think you'd really be stopped from going back to.your room at this point." Hagusa answered, having come out of his thoughts a short bit ago by Elijah's wheezing laughter. At first, the young man had wondered if the old man was okay, but he quickly came to learn that he seemed to have just done a prank on Sylvia. Speaking of, she did not look happy about it.

It made sense why she didn't seem happy. So far, Elijah wasn't very likeable to the boy. Then again, not many so called supervillians were. If people had the courage to do so, they could stop these so called villains with their own will and might instead of keeping quiet.

@Ver @Neko Shogun @Yun Lee @Josh @RwacNot @York @Not a Writer @Activity Room

 

[Rwac96]

"When can we go back to our rooms? I'm over this whole group therapy thing, honestly," she groaned.

View attachment 10799

Clark's eyes turn to the bluenette, who was silent, even when Elijah began to speak. He can understand that speaking in a group is not for everyone, especially with the things that are taking place at this very moment. "Well, I can't blame you for wanting to go back," he replies to the young girl, "even after how our 'friend' has been behaving so far." He gestures a thumb to the man who pulled a joke on Sylvia, one that no one present was laughing at.

"No one will blame you if you chose to go," he says, giving her a glance of empathy. "Being in a room with so many people can be unnerving; especially if it's with strangers."

@Ver @Neko Shogun @Yun Lee @Josh @Takumi @Not a Writer @York @ActivityRoom​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

Chloe felt that stinging awkward tension in the activity room. Dr. Staple did say that Elijah was a... peculiar case, but it was extremely uncomfortable when he started to ramble on and riling everyone up about their past delusions. She practically kept herself quiet and was essentially staying in place, hoping that she'd be ignored and that things would move on already.

@Ver @Neko Shogun @Yun Lee @Josh @Takumi @Not a Writer @York @ActivityRoom​

 

[0ttonomous]

"Khada" Jhin - Hallway
@Ver @Jeremi @Minerva @Ottonomous Ghost @Capri @Crunch @Hallway

---

Khada had been drawing on his tablet while on the move. He had to keep himself occupied in order to distract himself from what happened earlier. Upon his tablet's screen was a portrait (albeit a rough sketch) of Erin's face. Evidently, the artist was curious as to why Elijah had referenced her "delusion" to be somewhat of an abstract Picasso painting. Perhaps he would see it better if he let his mind sketch it out.

That was, until his work was interrupted by another strange event, causing him to put his tablet back into a small satchel bag hung around his arm.

As the group walked from one empty corridor to the next, passing through another double doors on the way, Peter started to speak again. "You know, this might sound weird, but in a way, I kinda feel sorry for Elijah, you know? Thinking he was destined to be evil or something, unable to aspire to be anything mo--" He began, until something strange happened.

"Stop that. You're going to break it."

It was faint, but unmistakable, audible to everyone. A hushed, unfamiliar voice cut through the air and interrupted Peter, prompting him to stop and turn around, looking to the rest of the group, as though he thought someone behind him said that.

"What?"

“Ah good, you all heard it too, so I’m not going mad.” Morgan said, in reference to the voice. "well, any more than I already was." She shrugged her head slightly. She balled her hand into a fist.

"What the hell could we possibly break anyway? There's nothing out here." She asked, raising an eyebrow.

@Jeremi @Capri @Crunch @Ottonomous Ghost @Hallway

"Our hearts, most likely," Khada quipped to Morgan's question. "This Elijah character has really shaken us up, hasn't he? There's no use sparing sympathy for an amateur like him, a man who would upstage a performance the first chance he gets," he scoffed, glancing at Peter for a moment.

His focus quickly moved to the origin of the sound, however, going as far as to slowly walk toward where he thought it came from. "As much as I love surprises, could the stranger in the audience introduce themselves please? Don't be shy..."

This could be interesting.​

 

[Lucky]

Icarus (Issac) Clark

When it came to this whole group therapy thing, Icarus or as the doctor continued to call him outside of this group, Issac, a name that held no meaning to him- a memory as fleeting as most was not one to talk. For one, he didn't find anything useful to contribute. For two, Doctor Staple recommended he gave his vocal cords a rest, not as much because of the burns, but due to the dehydrated state they found him in. Who knew that spending five months on an island with very poor water rationing would cause so many problems? But he had taken the pills. He had done the work.

....He wouldn't admit it, but he didn't feel much closer to achieving his old life- either the fake or the real one then before. Not that he would say to Doctor Staple. Listening to Elijah, he raised an eyebrow, though nobody could see this as the bandages covered his whole face. Icarus attempted to use the text to speech app to request water from Sylvia, but due to tech being a jerk ( it had been muted somehow( and the people talking so loudly, his request would be missed. He knew that talking was not recommended for him, but he did.

"Could I have some water as well?" He asked, most likely surprising everyone as he rarely spoke ( even with the text to speech app). Hell, it was kind of a secret why he was even here to most as he didn't share his delusions ever.
​

@Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Ver @Activity Room

 

[Josh]

Still sitting near the wheelchair-bound man, Sylvia was surpassingly happy. There was a small part of her that was still angry, but after thinking, she realized something interesting. Elijah gave away the game, in an earlier comment. He was always a few steps ahead. He did truly believe she had powers. He was trying to trigger them. Getting her emotionally wrapped up that maybe something would happen. It didn't work sadly. Unlike most people here, Sylvia wouldn't mind if the whole "Special powers" thing was true. It was everything else that scared her. The fact she thought she was 7000 years old. Seeing that weird entity. That's what really frightened her. As she turned back towards the group. She heard a voice.​

Icarus (Issac) Clark

When it came to this whole group therapy thing, Icarus or as the doctor continued to call him outside of this group, Issac, a name that held no meaning to him- a memory as fleeting as most was not one to talk. For one, he didn't find anything useful to contribute. For two, Doctor Staple recommended he gave his vocal cords a rest, not as much because of the burns, but due to the dehydrated state they found him in. Who knew that spending five months on an island with very poor water rationing would cause so many problems? But he had taken the pills. He had done the work.

....He wouldn't admit it, but he didn't feel much closer to achieving his old life- either the fake or the real one then before. Not that he would say to Doctor Staple. Listening to Elijah, he raised an eyebrow, though nobody could see this as the bandages covered his whole face. Icarus attempted to use the text to speech app to request water from Sylvia, but due to tech being a jerk ( it had been muted somehow( and the people talking so loudly, his request would be missed. He knew that talking was not recommended for him, but he did.

"Could I have some water as well?" He asked, most likely surprising everyone as he rarely spoke ( even with the text to speech app). Hell, it was kind of a secret why he was even here to most as he didn't share his delusions ever.
​

@Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Ver @Activity Room

Sylvia froze She knew that voice. Like a deer in headlights, she couldn't move her legs as he mind raced a mile a minute. She forced her mouth to move, after fighting control back of her body.
View attachment 10801
"No, no, no way. It can't be."

Standing up, Sylvia stumbled forward like a newborn giraffe towards the voice. Back and forth she swayed as she stopped halfway. The women bent over, trying to catch her breath. Everything to Sylvia seemed to be shaking. The room was spinning. However, she kept fighting forward. The man might have been bandaged up, but she knew. A wife knows. Finally making it three feet from him, Sylvia was taking a deep breath. Tears fell lightly as she looked at him.

"I-I-Issacc? Issaac Clark?"

A pregnant pause.
View attachment 10800

"It's me, darling. Sylvia"
​

@Ver @Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Neko Shogun @Not a Writer @Josh @York @Takumi @Activity Room

 

[Lucky]

Icarus (Issac) Clark​

Icarus could somewhat see through the bandages and he noticed the woman freeze. It wasn't hard to hear for some reasons, he didn't understand that- but he learned better to question things.

Did she know him?

Icarus heard the movement and would hear her catch her breath. Had there been something that the good doctor hadn't told him? That seems more likely with each passing second. But yet, there was a part of him that wasn't certain. A small notation that maybe this was a mistake. But yet, his past was still a mystery to him. His real past that was. Not the one he remembered and was slowly being forgotten in his mind. Facial expressions were harder to read.

"That is the name Dr.Staple calls me outside of these sessions, so I assume it is my own."


If heartbreak could be expressed in sentence, it would be what Icarus said next.

"I'm sorry, I don't know that name...."

He paused.

"I'm not being cruel. I have Amnesia, by the way."

@Josh @Ver @Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Neko Shogun @Not a Writer @York @Takumi @Activity Room

 

[Rwac96]

"No, no, no way. It can't be."

Standing up, Sylvia stumbled forward like a newborn giraffe towards the voice. Back and forth she swayed as she stopped halfway. The women bent over, trying to catch her breath. Everything to Sylvia seemed to be shaking. The room was spinning. However, she kept fighting forward. The man might have been bandaged up, but she knew. A wife knows. Finally making it three feet from him, Sylvia was taking a deep breath. Tears fell lightly as she looked at him.

"I-I-Issacc? Issaac Clark?"

"Issac?" Raising a brow, he turned to one of the patients Sylvia was staring at. He remembered her talking about her husband, who seemed to have vanished without a trace...until now. Clark decides to stay silent for the moment, as this was a moment between the two of them.

"It's me, darling. Sylvia"

"I'm sorry, I don't know that name...."

He paused.

"I'm not being cruel. I have Amnesia, by the way."

He folds his arms, looking away for the moment, as he saw that this situation was tense enough. Being unable to remember your loved ones, was an unnerving experience. The journalist scratches at his chin, turning away from the tense scene taking place between Sylvia and Issac.

@Josh @Lucky @Ver @ActivityRoom​

 

[Josh]

Icarus (Issac) Clark​

Icarus could somewhat see through the bandages and he noticed the woman freeze. It wasn't hard to hear for some reasons, he didn't understand that- but he learned better to question things.

Did she know him?

Icarus heard the movement and would hear her catch her breath. Had there been something that the good doctor hadn't told him? That seems more likely with each passing second. But yet, there was a part of him that wasn't certain. A small notation that maybe this was a mistake. But yet, his past was still a mystery to him. His real past that was. Not the one he remembered and was slowly being forgotten in his mind. Facial expressions were harder to read.

"That is the name Dr.Staple calls me outside of these sessions, so I assume it is my own."


If heartbreak could be expressed in sentence, it would be what Icarus said next.

"I'm sorry, I don't know that name...."

He paused.

"I'm not being cruel. I have Amnesia, by the way."

@Josh @Ver @Yun Lee @Rwac96 @Neko Shogun @Not a Writer @York @Takumi @Activity Room

Sylvia was shell shocked. At first, it felt like a punch in the gut. Having amnesia is not unheard of, but Sylvia was his wife! You would think that her face would trigger something. However, on the other hand? A weight lifted off her chest, Issacc was alive! She knew she'd be right in the end. Walking close, she put her left hand on his bandaged face.
View attachment 10803
"I was, I am your wife. Sylvia. We meet at Oxford, remember? You proposed to me while we were on vacation in Egypt. We had a small wedding, only one hundred people. I would always annoy you because I hogged the blankets in bed.
."

Her hand started shaking on his face. She started peeling it back off his face to reveal himself.

"Please. Just, for god's sake, remember me, Issacc. I know that it's you."

Slyvia's eye turned to Clark Kent. Like any good reporter, he was watching this closely. Her worlds to him were a repeat of a conversation earlier

"A wife knows."

@Ver @Yun Lee @Lucky @Rwac96 @Neko Shogun @Not a Writer @York @Takumi @Activity Room​