Helen, Michael, the Distortion. It's the avatar of the Spiral. I've almost found the center. I think. Or was it the other way? I've seen that rock before. Remember that I saw the rock shaped like a heart, Ava.
[He's disoriented enough that he won't actually be that hard to find once she makes it to the park. Jon's just wandering the little shoulder-high maze, getting periodically distracted with shapes, objects, random people passed out along the paths...]
[ Why are there people passed out along the path........
You know what? She's just gonna focus on Jon for right now. That's a good plan. She follows Jon's trail, looking for the heart-shaped-- Oop, there it is. It's not hard to find him at that point, and boy does he look awful. ]
[Some, at least, reek of alcohol, so that's probably good indication. When she finds Jon, he's crouched over one a man in a colorful coat who's cuddling a dildo. Jon's face is maybe three inches from the man, and he's down on his hands and knees. He looks at her, but doesn't move otherwise as he stage whispers to her.]
There's a spiral on that thing he's holding. He must know where Helen is.
You texted me, like, half an hour ago. And I was already sort of around.
[ These are her peak hours, after all, even if she's been sleeping early back home in order to get up earlier and enjoy a few hours of sunlight these days. ]
No...? Unless my device is broken. But you've definitely been around here since you texted me. After you got mugged.
[ She'll deal with that later. Christ, one more thing to think on.
Jon's so single-mindedly focused on his concerns that she's really starting to worry, and when he stands, she's quick to follow him down the path towards the center he's talking about. It's just a hedge maze, though, so she doubts there's going to be a door. ]
No, no. It was the doors. The yellow doors. I've seen them around town now and again. I should have paid more attention. She likes me... sort of. Helen Richardson liked me. Helen saved me from Michael when he was going to eat me.
Okay but that's the Institute and not you. And you said Helen liked you. Why would she want to kill you at this point unless you've really pissed her off?
I'm the Archivist, the avatar of the Beholding. Most things want to kill me. I represent the Institute. I expect she's holding off for something. Michael helped us stop the Corruption before he tried to eat me. They're all playing a game. Stopping each others' rituals, maintaining the balance.
Balance... Do you feel unbalanced? The ground keeps moving. [He looks down.] Because we're walking. Right.
[That answer is immediate. The rest takes a little longer to process.]
I really don't know what I'm supposed to do. Elias told me I'm meant to experience and know things, either through my own actions or through the eyes of others in their Statements. Seeing the different rituals. Maybe it's a part? See them, touch them, feel them.
[As might be expected just from looking over the hedges, there is no yellow door at the center of the maze, just a couple having sex. Jon walks right on past them, seemingly unaware that they've missed their Helen opportunity here.]
Yeah, well, Elias seems to get off on the idea of you suffering, for what it's worth. He really is just a giant dickhead from what you've said. If all you're going to do is See things and become a part of them, then--
[ Wait, hold on, isn't this the center of the maze? Ava slows, stops, and Jon pulls right out of her grip. ]
[ Ava's looking around too because she's...pretty confused as to what he was hoping for. He brought them into the center of a hedge maze, essentially. If he was hoping for a door, it was never going to be here, and it wasn't going to be a door so much as a gate. ]
You're probably not thinking straight. Why don't we head back home? It's late.
It was... it was only 6 o'clock a moment ago. Wasn't it? No, no. We haven't been walking that long. Was looking for the door.
Martin's door. There was a knock at the door, but it was Mr. Wallace. Something pretending to be Mr. Wallace? Ava, we have to get Martin. He's in danger. It's three. Three... multiples of three. In his office. Three and then there were... no. Eight? Eight like infinity.
[ Jesus Christ, he's really far gone. With a sigh, Ava crosses over to him, and gently takes him by the shoulders. She waits for him to really look at her. ]
Jon, buddy, look at me. Listen to me, okay?
[ No Dominate. No compulsion. ]
It's three o'clock in the morning. We're out in a hedge maze. You are not doing well. Come home with me, okay? We'll get you back to Sandy's place. Martin is probably resting like a normal person at this hour.
[He has to trust her. He's decided to trust her. If she says there's something wrong with him, she might be right. And Jon has no desire to repeat the mistake he'd made in the inferno, to hurt her so badly.]
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winterfish
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Date: 2019-09-14 02:22 am (UTC)It's the avatar of the Spiral.
I've almost found the center.
I think.
Or was it the other way?
I've seen that rock before.
Remember that I saw the rock shaped like a heart, Ava.
[He's disoriented enough that he won't actually be that hard to find once she makes it to the park. Jon's just wandering the little shoulder-high maze, getting periodically distracted with shapes, objects, random people passed out along the paths...]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 03:05 am (UTC)You know what? She's just gonna focus on Jon for right now. That's a good plan. She follows Jon's trail, looking for the heart-shaped-- Oop, there it is. It's not hard to find him at that point, and boy does he look awful. ]
Jon? Jon, what're you doing? It's almost 3AM.
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Date: 2019-09-14 03:14 am (UTC)There's a spiral on that thing he's holding. He must know where Helen is.
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Date: 2019-09-14 03:58 am (UTC)Jon, that's... That's the design on the dildo. I don't think it has anything to do with the Spiral.
You okay?
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Date: 2019-09-14 04:20 am (UTC)[She might be right. He pushes himself up and sits back on his heels.]
I'm fine. I've nearly made it to the center. [A pause.] How did you get here so quickly? It's been hours.
[It's been maybe 30 minutes since their exchange about the maze.]
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Date: 2019-09-14 05:47 pm (UTC)You texted me, like, half an hour ago. And I was already sort of around.
[ These are her peak hours, after all, even if she's been sleeping early back home in order to get up earlier and enjoy a few hours of sunlight these days. ]
You're hoping to find this...Helen at the center?
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Date: 2019-09-14 05:56 pm (UTC)[He looks up and around. Where is he?]
Helen? Yes! Yes, I'm looking for Helen. The door will be at the center. The yellow door.
[Jon stands up.]
Come on. It has to be here. If I'm losing time... it's a classic symptom of the Spiral.
[Or sleep deprivation.]
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Date: 2019-09-14 08:01 pm (UTC)[ She'll deal with that later. Christ, one more thing to think on.
Jon's so single-mindedly focused on his concerns that she's really starting to worry, and when he stands, she's quick to follow him down the path towards the center he's talking about. It's just a hedge maze, though, so she doubts there's going to be a door. ]
Jon, are you feeling okay?
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Date: 2019-09-14 08:16 pm (UTC)My wallet. They took my wallet.
[He switches directions.]
We should find them. I'd forgot about that.
[Single-minded, but also prone to distraction.]
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Date: 2019-09-14 09:38 pm (UTC)[ And he just turns on a dime. Ava sighs, following him again. She slips an arm in his, at least to keep him from wandering without her. ]
How long ago? What did they look like? Do you remember which way they went?
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Date: 2019-09-14 10:04 pm (UTC)[He slows down, gaze going distant. What did they look like? Where was he when that happened?]
I think I was mugged.
[He checks his back pocket. Tape recorder, no wallet.]
I was mugged... somewhere?
[He turns back into the maze again.]
Helen will know. We can have her take us there.
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Date: 2019-09-15 03:06 pm (UTC)Why do you think she's here? Because you keep seeing spirals? Do you think she's even going to help us?
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Date: 2019-09-15 03:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-15 03:31 pm (UTC)[ ...Or is she not understanding? ]
Helen sounds nice. If she's here, it'd be cool to meet her. It'd be nice to have more allies.
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Date: 2019-09-15 03:34 pm (UTC)[It all makes perfect sense, really.]
I think she's going to kill me, too. Just a matter of time. Gertrude stopped the Great Twisting, its ritual. It probably hates the Institute, really.
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Date: 2019-09-15 03:46 pm (UTC)Okay but that's the Institute and not you. And you said Helen liked you. Why would she want to kill you at this point unless you've really pissed her off?
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Date: 2019-09-15 03:52 pm (UTC)Balance... Do you feel unbalanced? The ground keeps moving. [He looks down.] Because we're walking. Right.
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Date: 2019-09-16 02:18 am (UTC)[ Like Jon's gait, which is why Ava gently takes his arm as they walk, finally beginning to encroach on the center of the maze. ]
It just seems... I don't know. You've been at this longer than I have. Is that what Archivists are supposed to do?
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Date: 2019-09-16 04:01 am (UTC)[That answer is immediate. The rest takes a little longer to process.]
I really don't know what I'm supposed to do. Elias told me I'm meant to experience and know things, either through my own actions or through the eyes of others in their Statements. Seeing the different rituals. Maybe it's a part? See them, touch them, feel them.
[As might be expected just from looking over the hedges, there is no yellow door at the center of the maze, just a couple having sex. Jon walks right on past them, seemingly unaware that they've missed their Helen opportunity here.]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-18 02:54 am (UTC)[ Wait, hold on, isn't this the center of the maze? Ava slows, stops, and Jon pulls right out of her grip. ]
Hey, Jon? Jon, isn't this where you wanted to be?
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Date: 2019-09-18 03:34 am (UTC)[Said in the dry tone he might usually quip with. Bashing Elias brings out the focus in him. At least for a second or two before it fades.]
What? No, we...
[He looks around.]
But the door, it's supposed to be here?
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Date: 2019-09-21 02:20 am (UTC)[ Ava's looking around too because she's...pretty confused as to what he was hoping for. He brought them into the center of a hedge maze, essentially. If he was hoping for a door, it was never going to be here, and it wasn't going to be a door so much as a gate. ]
You're probably not thinking straight. Why don't we head back home? It's late.
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Date: 2019-09-21 03:10 am (UTC)[He looks up and around.]
It was... it was only 6 o'clock a moment ago. Wasn't it? No, no. We haven't been walking that long. Was looking for the door.
Martin's door. There was a knock at the door, but it was Mr. Wallace. Something pretending to be Mr. Wallace? Ava, we have to get Martin. He's in danger. It's three. Three... multiples of three. In his office. Three and then there were... no. Eight? Eight like infinity.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-21 03:13 am (UTC)Jon, buddy, look at me. Listen to me, okay?
[ No Dominate. No compulsion. ]
It's three o'clock in the morning. We're out in a hedge maze. You are not doing well. Come home with me, okay? We'll get you back to Sandy's place. Martin is probably resting like a normal person at this hour.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-21 03:17 am (UTC)Okay. Okay, I trust you, Ava. Let's go home.
[He has to trust her. He's decided to trust her. If she says there's something wrong with him, she might be right. And Jon has no desire to repeat the mistake he'd made in the inferno, to hurt her so badly.]
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