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[fireincarnate]

[Jean is looking a bit worse for wear. She felt okay, more or less, after the port ended; she thought, then, that she just had a headache. She's used to those, after too many voices crowding her head.

But it's gotten worse. The voices are still there, clamouring at the edge of her consciousness. She can taste food she's never eaten, feel textures she's never touched, smell the air of worlds she's never dreamed of. Sometimes, when she closes her eyes, she sees them die.

She'd hoped, if she just waited, it would just fade away, and she could focus on helping other people. But now, it takes all of her focus not to be overwhelmed.

There are deep shadows beneath her eyes, stark against her pale skin. Her words are steady, but slow.]

So - I know at least a few of us were...affected by Karazhan. I was wondering if we could - pool our information. Maybe figure out why.

[She takes a breath.]

I was in the Celestial Watch, when I was pulled back to the Barge. I think - it's like the galaxies there infested my head.

Comments

[routemistress]

Oh thank goodness you're back to normal, Jean love, you give me a right scare.

[fireincarnate]

[Her eyes widen.] I did? ...Did I do something? [Is she losing more time than she thought?]

[routemistress]

Bit blurry still, is it, lovey? I'm getting that and all. Still, all's well that ends well, eh?

[americasdirtiest]

I feel like shit, if that's what you mean.

[fireincarnate]

[She raises a hand in the weakest fistbump in the history of ever, mustering a wry smile.]

Can you give me some details?

[americasdirtiest]

I dunno. Dizzy spells, sometimes. I keep, um... [He shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.] ...you know, forgetting the...

[fireincarnate]

Mickey. [Her voice is sharper, louder.

Like Charles, she remembers, when she was starting to drift.]

Focus. On me, on my voice.

[americasdirtiest]

Words. Christ. [He blinks dizzily, but he's back.] It's annoying as fuck.

[surfaceshine]

How d'you figure that?

[Dean, like a significant portion of the Barge population, has sounded better in his lifetime.]

[fireincarnate]

Well, Anya has horns. [There's a quiet, desperate worry behind the flat tone.] Other people are hallucinating. I don't think it's a coincidence.

[surfaceshine]

[He pauses at that, of course he does; his tone is slightly more guarded when he speaks again.]

Meant yours. Hallucinating?

[forsaken_queen]

The majority of the tower is designed to ensnare it's guests permanently. Did you ever consider perhaps it simply didn't want to let you go?

[fireincarnate]

[She almost blinks, before stopping herself.]

That explains a lot.

...Do you know how it works?

[forsaken_queen]

Last I checked I wasn't Medivh.

[That would be a no.]

[fireincarnate]

[She sighs, runs a hand through her hair, winces again.] Do you know any way to find out? Anything that could be - in the library, or...

[forsaken_queen]

You're a warden and you look to me to find the solution to your problem?

[She laughs.]

If I did know, I wouldn't share it. You all deserve as much suffering as you get. And then some.

[fireincarnate]

[There's a flicker in her eyes, as her voice sharpens.] You realise it's not just wardens, right?

[forsaken_queen]

[The sharpness makes Sylvanas smirk.]

The suffering of inmates is a given. They should take comfort and pleasure in knowing that their jailers suffer as they do.

[fireincarnate]

Jailers. [Her laughter is low, and brittle.] You act like we have control here.

[forsaken_queen]

And you act like you're innocent. Without wardens there would be no point in inmates. There could be no Barge. You are culpable in your own suffering and the suffering of those who have no choice in being here.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Jean is a tough cookie and nobody's really going to convince Elena otherwise, but galaxies in her head?]

Are you holding up okay?

[fireincarnate]

[Jean musters a smile, wavering but warm.] I've survived worse.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Yeah, I guess you have. [She reflects a small smile back.] But are you okay?

[fireincarnate]

I... [She reaches up, gently probing her temple.] Anya helped stabilise it. I don't think I could be talking to people right now, otherwise.