[OPEN] Prick your fingers, it is done, the moon has now eclipsed the sun

[manufactured]

WHO: Albert Wesker (eventually) and whomever decides to join him (presumably you!)
WHERE: Dreamscapes.
WHEN: Slightly backdated to 8/24.
WHAT: Dreamdiving.
WARNINGS: Medical experimentation, brainwashing, child abuse, violence, body horror, depictions of self-harm, a general blanket warning that Wesker has been through Some Shit and as such this is probably going to suck on several levels.

[It's cold.

It isn't the familiar drop in temperature that might come from the weather, but a sterile, artificial chill, the sort associated with medical work - hospitals and laboratories and other places that bring with them a sharp, chemical smell and an unpleasant sense that you don't really want to be there.

Of course, the metal table against your back probably isn't doing much to keep you warm, either.

Trying to sit up will be a bit of a problem, given the heavy restraints locked around your wrists and ankles, your hips and your upper body; they're a combination of metal and leather, old-fashioned and imposing, clearly designed to restrain something very, very powerful, and they're keeping you from going very far. You can look around enough to tell that where you are is...probably not somewhere you want to stay for long - it is, in fact, a laboratory of some sort, full of instruments and vials and jars of things that don't look very nice, the metal walls giving way somewhere just on the edges of your line of sight, turning into something else - a sort of open entrance to what looks like a cave of some sort. Either way, it'll probably take you somewhere that isn't here if you follow it. Tipping your head back will show another potential exit to the area - a metal door in the wall near all the instruments and materials.

Of course, you can't really utilize either route if you're bound down, now, can you? You should probably work on figuring out what you're going to do about that, first.]

Comments

[manufactured]

[There's a distinct lack of a response to that as well, but it was a good try; he does seem to be trying to register that you're here and what you're trying to do, at least, with...minimal success, but at least there's an actual effort being forth into it.]

[scythegun]

[Hmm... Well, at least he seems to be trying to listen. After a moment of thought, Jaeger holds out a hand. He doesn't exactly expect the kid to take it, but it's the same sort of thing he usually offers to Wesker when he's not sure if touching him is a good idea.]

I promise I won't hurt you. I'm sure you're very wary of everyone right now, and I'm someone you've never seen before. But I want to help you; I certainly don't want to leave you here all alone. I don't like being alone, it's kind of scary, ja?

[He doesn't really expect a response, the words are more to keep the child's attention while he tries to sort out what to do here.]

[manufactured]

[He seems to understand the physical gesture, at least; he sort of blinks dully at the hand being offered to him before reaching out and accepting it, the motion strange and blunted. He still doesn't offer words, and he's still keeping his head down and his eyes averted.]

[scythegun]

[Oh no, that's precious... Jaeger squeezes his hand reassuringly, but otherwise he doesn't keep his grip too tight in case the kid wants to pull away.]

You remind me of someone I know. He's a wonderful person, someone who always does his best and works really hard. He's very smart too! He can be a little shy, and sometimes he doesn't know what to say, so he's very quiet. His name is Albert, and I came here to look for him. I haven't had much luck finding him so far, though.

[Part of it is talking to fill space, to do what he can to try to keep the child calm (although he seems remarkably calm given the circumstances) and part of it is because he wants to see if any of that will get a reaction out of him.]

[manufactured]

[He doesn't say anything to that, nor does he look up, but after a while it seems that his grip is tightening against Jaeger's hand; it's a little difficult to parse what it's a reaction to, but it's very definitely a reaction of some sort.]

[scythegun]

[That's a good reaction! That's a very good reaction. He's not entirely sure what part of that it's in response to, though. Hmm.]

Don't worry, I'm sure I'll find him! But he's very strong, I know he can look after himself.

[...He's still worried, sure, but he does believe that.]

I'm a little more worried about you right now, though! I don't want to leave you here; I really don't like this place. Would you like to come with me?

[On the one hand escorting a kid through whatever the hell this place has decided to be is not a good idea. On the other, leaving him here is infinitely worse and he is absolutely not going to do that.]

...We don't have to go right now, if you don't want to. I can tell you a bit more about Albert, if you'd like.

[manufactured]

[His grip tightens again, noticeably, at the mention of leaving.]

...Can't.

[It's the first thing he's said, and it comes out thickly, hoarse in a way that implies he hasn't said anything in a while.]

Can't...go with you.

[scythegun]

Oh?

[That's interesting, he wasn't actually expecting a verbal response. He tightens his grip in return, once again trying to be reassuring.]

Why can't you go?

[Mm, that might be a bit too much, hang on.]

Is someone making you stay here?

cw: child abuse, inhumane medical experimentation

[manufactured]

[He shifts a bit, keeping his hand in Jaeger's, but the other drifts upward toward the collar of his shirt, pulling it down a bit to expose the skin high on his chest, starting near his collarbones and trailing down toward his ribs.

There's a device attached there.

It's centered over his sternum, the center of it a translucent red with some sort of mechanism barely visible inside, containing tubes and a pump of some sort, along with vials of something dark and difficult to see; the casing is a dulled grey metal, and attached to it are several steel tubes and cords that seem to be implanted into his skin, digging in tightly and buried deep into his chest.]

[scythegun]

[It takes a moment for Jaeger to process what he's seeing.

At first he mistakes it for his own blastia. The shape isn't the same and it doesn't even look all that similar beyond the red center, but the uncanny similarity between the thing attached to his chest and this device isn't something he can miss.

Shock quickly gives way to anger, and while Jaeger doesn't usually get angry, he's suddenly unable to think of anything else. Who would do this to a child? Why? What the hell could they possibly be getting out of something like this?

His expression hardens and it takes him a long moment to breathe and steady himself before he speaks. He's doing his damn best not to let the anger seep into his words.]

Something will happen to you if you leave because of this, ja?

[He doesn't reach out to touch or anything, don't worry. It doesn't look like the sort of thing that can be removed...]

Who did this to you?

[manufactured]

[He doesn't really answer; he just shakes his head a little and moves to cover it again with the fabric of his clothes.]

Shouldn't...go anywhere.

[...]

...Be...fine. It'll be fine.

[scythegun]

[That's not an answer. That's not an answer and he doesn't like it.]

Yes, I know it'll be fine. You're a very strong person.

[The words are gentle, more gentle than they were before. After a moment, he sets the briefcase down and moves to undo the cravat. It takes some doing with just one hand, but once he's got that undone, unbuttoning his shirt is easier. It doesn't take long before the blastia is exposed.]

I have something like that too, see? It isn't exactly the same, but someone put this on me too. I was really scared, I didn't know what to do.

But Albert was there for me. He reassured me that everything would be okay. It is okay now. So I know you'll be okay too.

Do you believe that?

[manufactured]

[He's quiet for a moment, but he nods eventually.

Yes.]

[scythegun]

Good, I'm glad.

I want to help you. Will you let me do that?

[manufactured]

[His gaze shifts a bit; he kind of withdraws a little.

He's not altogether sure what you mean by "help" here, buddy.]

[scythegun]

[Hmm.]

I want to find a way to get you out of here. I think I can do that if I can find the person who did this to you.

[manufactured]

[He's still keeping his gaze low, but he nods a little again after a moment.]

...Okay.

[scythegun]

Good, I'm glad.

[He squeezes the kid's hand a bit again.]

Do you know where this person went? There's a hallway out there that I haven't been through yet, but I don't know where it goes.

[manufactured]

[Again, it takes him a moment to try to focus on the question, but eventually he'll shake his head. No.]

[scythegun]

[That's about what he was expecting, unfortunately...]

Well, it looks like I'll have to explore some more and find out.

[He's not making any move to leave just yet, though.]

Can you tell me the name of the person who did this to you?

[manufactured]

[He shakes his head again. No.]

[scythegun]

[Given the state of things here and what he's learned about this kid, he's got a pretty good guess.]

Okay. Thank you for listening to me.

[After a moment, Jaeger reaches into his pocket. It doesn't take him long to find what he's looking for and eventually he offers Wesker's heart stone to the boy.]

I promise I'm going to come back for you. It might be a bit hard to believe that, so I want you to hold onto this. It's very important to me, and I could never leave it behind. Will you take care of it until I return?

[manufactured]

[He hesitates for a long moment, but eventually... Well, eventually he'll take it, holding it in both hands and just kind of looking at it, turning it over between his fingers.

Looks like he'll keep it.]

[scythegun]

[It gets him to smile, and were this any other kid he'd probably ruffle their hair a bit or something. As it stands, he's content to leave things like this for now.]

As I said, I'll be back. I can take care of myself, so don't worry about me!

[He'll move to stand then. Are you going to be okay...?]

[manufactured]

[He'll stay where he is, at any rate, continuing to turn the stone over between his fingertips and examine it a little. He doesn't look like he's going to try to break or drop it; if anything, it looks like the first thing he's been actively able to be curious about for a while.

That said, he'll be fine for now.]