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[lifewithoutrest]

[Helen feels she’s fared better than many during the island’s most recent affliction. The bruises from Adam’s beating stand livid against her skin and she moves gingerly, but she takes comfort in the fact she’s noticed no signs of the radiation poisoning that once plagued her. The rest will fade.

It’s late when she picks up her phone, addressing the network.]

This island seems keen on tormenting us. I assume I should expect something similarly unpleasant on a regular basis, then?

Comments

[rule_britannia]

[Thankfully unaffected (very thankfully, since most of his old wounds would be capable of killing him outright and he's not overly fond of dying), he responds easily to that familiar voice and picks up the call after a few minutes of thought regarding his own motives.]

Unfortunately, though this is rather more brutal than the usual fare.

[lifewithoutrest]

[That's a voice she recognizes, though she hadn't been exactly herself at the time. She feels that complicates matters considerably, but there's little to be done about it.]

And I was worried life here would be dull. [Not that she enjoys these little games, but she's never really been suited to settling down. Perhaps she can appreciate that they relieve the routine. Her voice softened slightly.] You've been here for some time. How many months?

[She may question her status as a fictional being, but she suspects there's some truth to the claim they can never return home. It leaves her wondering where those who seem to vanish from the island have gone.]

[rule_britannia]

[Perhaps it would, had he not known her before.. but she can't be aware of that. He knows how this place works.]

I believe it's closer to two years, at this point.

[And he has to think hard to remember the last time he spent so long in one place.]

I've seen people come and go, but they appear to want to keep me here.

[lifewithoutrest]

[Two years. She can hardly imagine staying in this place for so long, but if that's to be her fate...well, a part of her had expected to burn with her former Sanctuary. She has yet to decide if death would have been preferable from a life separated from all she knows.]

A long time to be in one place. Perhaps you're more difficult to break. More suited to their goals, in the very least. I've gotten the impression we're unwelcome guests.

[rule_britannia]

It could be that I am. I've seen a great deal in my life.

[He's seen things here to top them but never quite enough to break him. Nations are hardy that way.]

Do you think so?

[lifewithoutrest]

As have I.

[She doesn't feel the need to elaborate, nor does she expect it of him. Some things weren't easily discussed.]

I'm not certain if it's merely dislike or if they're afraid of us. It's easy to fear what we can't understand.

[rule_britannia]

It certainly is...

[He's thought about it before, but having personally not run into that much trouble here...]

There have been factions before that have attempted to overthrow the place. I can't entirely blame them for being anxious.

[lifewithoutrest]

[Doesn't that sound terribly familiar? There had been similar attempts in her own world, on both sides. There were those in the Abnormal world who wished for more control and humans who wished to see the Abnormal threat eliminated no matter the cause.]

Placing action before thought? A common story. Did any of them even come close to succeeding?

[rule_britannia]

There was a great deal of damage done and several people were hurt but.. no, I don't believe they did.

[In the end all that had come of it was a lot of property damage and some sharp tightening of regulations...]

Rioting rarely achieves anything.

[lifewithoutrest]

I wouldn't say that. It simply rarely achieves anything good.

There were consequences? [Meaning, she wants to know what happened to those involved.]

[rule_britannia]

[Not really in the mood to argue semantics he just lets out a short, annoyed-sounding huff but finds his attention quickly diverted.]

Imprisonment, I believe, for a length of time. Eventually they were removed entirely.

[lifewithoutrest]

I see. They might have suffered far worse. [She does have some sympathy, but not a great deal.]

Did you know any of them, personally?

[rule_britannia]

I can't say that I did...

[He'd tried to keep as far away from the mess as he could. Not through cowardice but with his own knowledge that the tactics being employed would only end in people being hurt.]

I don't think that any of them are still here. If they are, they are versions of themselves who don't recall what they did.

[lifewithoutrest]

Does that happen often? People returning with no memory of their encounters here?

[rule_britannia]

Unfortunately. It can cause some difficult situations, as you might well imagine.

[lifewithoutrest]

Do you believe they're truly different people? Or does someone simply not wish for them to remember.

[rule_britannia]

I.. honestly couldn't say if it were one or the other. I wish that I could, to be able to tell you.

[lifewithoutrest]

I admit, I'm not certain, myself, which explanation I find less reassuring.

[rule_britannia]

I find myself at somewhat more ease by not thinking about it, though that's only a temporary reprieve.

[lifewithoutrest]

I've never liked avoiding a problem. [Not strictly true. It depended entirely on the problem.]

[rule_britannia]

Nor have I, but occasionally a problem does call for it, for the sake of continued sanity if nothing else.

[lifewithoutrest]

Sanity is relative. But I do understand.

[rule_britannia]

Quite so, but I rather like mine the way it is. [Sounding slightly wry.] Having experienced other states for comparison.

[lifewithoutrest]

You make a fair argument. I imagine this island has its share of...questionable sanity.

[Seems to her like the kind of place that could do that to a person.]

[rule_britannia]

I'm sure you'll find out soon enough...

[Not to sound ominous or anything.]

Hopefully not at the risk of your own.

[lifewithoutrest]

I haven't lost my mind yet. I don't intend to now.

[And her own world had given her plenty of reasons.]

I think I can handle whatever they have in store for me.

[rule_britannia]

I wouldn't doubt it for a moment. You unerringly present yourself as a rather formidable woman.

[lifewithoutrest]

I'll consider that a compliment.

[rule_britannia]

I would hope so, that was my intention.