dualislogs | [closed]

How do you find someone you know nothing about? By pure dumb luck, probably, and that’s about all Tidus had to rely on in this case. The woman he’d met briefly -- more than brief, with her quick whizzing around talents -- had seemed familiar, and he’d been able to remember why in time: his first NAPs, but that meant less than zilch when it came to a name or a way to locate her.

It wasn’t exactly pressing. It was just--concern, a desire to know she’d gotten out okay, give some late thanks he didn’t think at the time (did he? didn’t he?) to give. It bugged him more than it usually would after the executions than took place on TV, none which involved the woman, but--

It may be the reason why the few days after that, up in the third floor lounge and with Tidus popping his head in while searching for someone else, than when he spots her -- pausing first, the realisation taking a second to really hit -- he sounds excited when he comes out with, “Hey-- hey! It’s you! You’re okay!”

And pleased, too.

It wasn't a big dorm, and Jane had been spending less time at the Gallows these days. It still didn't feel safe after the NAPs and the giant predictive painting of the Heart's executions hadn't helped, so she was sticking close to home for now. Running into Tidus might've been less luck and more probability, but Jane remembers him from the disastrous Heart meeting and the few seconds they'd spent together.

“Hey,” she says back, flashing him a fleeting smile. “I'm okay. Are you?”

It's half a sarcastic retort, half a genuine question. Half a dozen other personalities had been fronting in the fight when Tidus – “the kid” in her mind – called on them, but she knew firsthand that he had been sharp and helpful. And he'd also let her get away with kicking Travis's ribs, so he's endeared himself to her.

He may be slightly aware that yeah, getting excited and just going 'it's you!' isn't the greatest of second (third?) meetings with a total stranger, but Tidus can't be bothered to be sheepish to the slight mocking edge in her response. Hey, better that than... about most other possibilities in this place.

"Yeah, I'm fine! I'm just glad to see you after..." He waves out a hand, needing a second to think up, "the last time."

If it wasn't for the pause in between, it might sound like any other conversation, but discretion wasn't a skill easily learnt, or not for Tidus. Regardless, he did know it was better not to get hung up on small hiccups, make them even bigger ones, so he carries on with the same easy cheer.

"Thanks for your help with that, by the way. We got everything done a lot quicker 'cause of you."

So to speak.

“Yeah.” She remembers the last time. “You too. Glad you're okay, kid.” She turns away, heading down the hallway towards the exit. “I'm getting a mocha. You coming with? I'll buy you some chocolate milk.”

While Jane is in the mood for coffee, she also figures the walk to get it would make the conversation harder to surveil than if they talked in the dorms.

“That wasn't me, but I'll pass it on.”

Edited 2020-02-02 11:39 (UTC)

His answer would be quicker if not for that last part -- 'that wasn't me' -- which confuses him, though he is following to keep up with her despite that. Offering to go anywhere usually meant let's talk somewhere else around here.

But still it comes, if dumbfounded. "Uh, sure. I mean--I can get myself something." That isn't chocolate milk. "Do you have a sister here?"

Because it had to either be that or denying any connection to what he was talking about. Sorta?

It confuses most people which is why Jane walks briskly to the exit, her hands in the pockets of her slouchy jacket. Tidus was right, that was exactly the code she was trying to get across to him.

"No." Once they're outside, she starts walking toward a specific coffee shop she knows does a good job with their drinks, past two others she never liked. "I'm Jane," she explains. "I'm the one who's here the most, but I have other personalities. They come out sometimes and one of them was the one who helped you. Her name's Flit. She can move people around but I can't."

It's a little difficult to explain what's going on in her head and she waits to see if he understands her.

He first goes "Oh" like a placeholder, until he follows it up with a less sure and a more quizzical, "Really?"

A confused kind of Really? before sceptical, Tidus's brow furrowed as he juggles to work out if he's actually understood what she's said and keeping up with her pace. Which the latter isn't hard or getting in the way of the first than just the...actual explanation itself.

Because it's fairly straightforward, but also the last thing that should ever be considered straightforward.

"So you're different--" people; no, that doesn't sound right. Tidus quickly starts again. "So it's like multiple people in one body, but you all take turns and do different things?"

Saying it out loud, that's when some part of him wonders if she's screwing with him. But at the same time? Everyone in Dualis was just -- weird. And apparently, there was still plenty of room for surprise in his life.

"Really." She doesn't blame him for being confused by it, but is pleased he seems to grasp the idea. It's tiresome when people don't.

"That's what it's like. If you're not sure who someone is, you can call them Jane and they'll know what you mean, but it's not always me."

It kind of sucks, people assuming you're screwing with them when you introduce yourselves. But he had seen them in action before, and maybe he'd get it.

"What's your name?"

As Jane gets to respond, listening to her and seeing nothing to lean him towards the screwing with angle, it's easier to believe, so heck, it's not going to hurt him to. While still a little bizarre, Tidus accepts it, moving on to give his name.

"Tidus." A beat, and he jokes, "Guess I won't ask everyone to introduce themselves. Except...can everyone hear us? Hi everyone?"

Started as a joke at least, and ended right back into confused curiosity, with even a hand half-raising at his side, like he was considering giving a wave.

Good, he accepts it. A little too flippantly for some of the personalities to appreciate, but that's better than a lot of people do.

"Tidus, okay. And you'll meet them later." They can't all hear him, even if they'd be aware soon. She's the one on the surface.

"So how'd it go after we left?"

"Well, he woke up sounding like he got kicked around," which Tidus shares with little to no sympathy, "but he isn't going anywhere. We're taking turns making sure of that."

Which was a bigger pain than getting him out, but it was either that or the guy somehow slipping away. Hank was definitely serious about not taking any chances.

"You know an older guy from the dorm, been here for a while? White hair, a lil' pudgy..." He kinda wants to come out and just say a name, but decides to just continue a bit, so she knows why he's even asking in the first place. "He's the one who wanted him--wants to know what he knows. Plus, better we have him than the top guy."

Jane chuckles, not at all apologetic. On the contrary, she wishes she'd had more time with Travis. Ideally while he wasn't asleep and could respond properly (with Hammerhead on standby for phase two). "Maybe someone will show him what he missed. A creampuff like that couldn't handle a bitch-slap."

She can't manage to be too sympathetic to anyone from the Heart now. She was even coming around to Hammerhead's reaction after the executions: it was great those idiots were dead. The only pity was they couldn't kill them twice.

"Yeah. I know the guy." She arches an eyebrow. "You think that dumbass actually knows anything?"

Tidus sounds exasperated as soon as he speaks. "Personally, after the stuff at the warehouse with the others? I have no clue. You'd hope they had some idea after all they've pulled, but maybe everything about them's been a big waste of time."

The Heart, that is, and all that's making Tidus giving them an iota of having any worth to them is likely some misplaced faith in humanity. But it's not like it can come back and bite him now, with the leaders dead.

"But H's got interest in the guy, he knows a lot more than I do -- and I know he wants to see if there's a way of deprogramming people like that." Clones. Tidus shakes his head. "It's something. And we need every lead we can get."

"Dumbass probably doesn't know his ass from his elbow. None of the others seemed to." She'd wanted to trust the Heart, but they'd let them down badly. She's tired of being let down.

It's probably better to have some sympathy for them. She just can't manage it right now.

"Deprogramming?" That was interesting. "Huh. Hopefully one of us has a chance at that." It takes Jane a second to realize that she knows someone who could do that, but it would surprise her if anyone asked her for help. They've neared the coffee shop and Jane pauses the conversation as she holds the door open for Tidus. "What do you want?"

It’s not a frustration Tidus is going to immediately dispute when he hears it. Travis is about as much of a victim as the rest (one whose replacement smugly sold out his companions, so still worth a kick to the ribs), but the executions were fresh, the absolute mess of a meeting not that stale either. And everyone was frustrated, even himself. He didn’t want them or anyone to die, but why would they risk everything for a show? When they knew one of their top guys had been taken? The one who helped cover their tracks?

And how screwed were the rest of them? Tidus was waiting for the coast to clear, to be certain that Iterations weren’t going to come knocking on the rest of their doors. ...even if the ones at the warehouse hadn’t seemed interested in anyone but specific individuals.

He hums a short agreement to her remark -- hopefully one of us has a chance at that -- with a tune not so dubious as it is hopeful, stops when she does by the door and regards him. Oh yeah, he’s had all this time to think about that, but…

“Cappuccino?” He puts his hand to the door to take it, but then as they’re going in, he can’t get rid of the feeling that this isn’t quite right, and pipes up again. “Hey, let me buy. You helped me out, or your friend did -- still counts.”

Same body, right? So they all get a drink.

[closed]

crazy jane & tidus

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