AU OOM :Test drive 18 year old Annabelle.

[aeons_crackshot]

The Annabelle Newfield that stumbles into Milliways is not the Annabelle the patrons are used to. This Annabelle is 18 years old and has just, barely, survived having her brain highjacked by a no good bastard of a psychic in Cuba.

Calling her psyche a mess at this point is an understatement. Metaphysically speaking, she's crisscrossed with open, bleeding wounds. (That tends to happen when you battle mind to mind with a psychic employing brute force to puppeteer your body that doesn't particularly care if you're even alive after they're finished with you.)

But this is not the main problem. The REAL problem is that Milliways does not allow two versions of the same person to exist in the Bar at the same time. Reality shuffles itself like a deck of cards and the 'new' Annabelle gets slammed with a whole different set of 28 years worth of memories as the 'old' Annabelle ceases to exist.

Memories that don't settle properly thanks to the mess her psyche is at the moment. Oh, they're probably in there to be found.....somewhere, eventually.......maybe. Damn it.

Annabelle looks around the Bar, too shocked and disoriented to even swear for the moment.

Comments

[leadinghome]

"Right... I hope I don't get stuck anywhere; the others would worry." Yeah, as much as they pick on him... KK, Caz, Kady, Miki, would definitely worry, Karl too...

[aeons_crackshot]

"If the readings are correct, there won't be any time for them to worry in," Annabelle reassures him.

"We're outside of..." Her breath hitches as the pain spikes sharply for a moment. Connor can probably feel a spike in her emotions too: worry and shame.

[leadinghome]

He was about to ask what she meant, but the flare-out of pain makes things change priorities. "You're hurt." You can't fake or hide pain around him.

[aeons_crackshot]

"You have a knack for reading people," she says with a wry grin.

"I'm not hurt. Not injured," she clarifies at the look on his face. "This is, hell I don't remember what the medical folks at home called it."

She swallows. "I was...injured about 4 months ago." No, she's not keen on trying to explain spending a month as a human lab rat right now. "If I was anything but what I am I would have died of it like the other poor bastards, but I didn't."

"These pain spells are the legacy of that. God damn it, I hadn't had one in more than a month, thought I might be done with them at last."

[leadinghome]

His purple eyes catch the dim light in a way that makes them almost seem to glow; Connor was very tempted to probe, but as an empath, he is extra sensitive about privacy.

You have to be, when even inside your own head you can never be alone. "Ah..." He does not understand, but will not push.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle would appreciate that, if she was aware of it.

She smiles. "I'll explain in a bit. It might be a good idea for us to head back inside, before this gets worse."

And it will get worse, she knows that.

[leadinghome]

He... actually takes her hand. "You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to." Specially to a stranger.

[aeons_crackshot]

It feels nice, him holding her hand.

"Talking will be something of a distraction," from the pain, that is. "But you probably don't want to hear about that any more than I'm eager to discuss it," she adds with a wry smile. Who needs more nightmare fuel?

"But there are other things I can tell you."

[leadinghome]

If she does not mind, he will keep holding her hand while they walk back to the bar. "Things, like what?" Hm, there are people there, but nobody seems to pay them any attention; Connor will lead the way to a table not far from the door.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle doesn't mind at all.

"Well, what I meant by 'what I am', for a start."

"Are there stories about people with strange abilities, ones outside the human norm, where you're from?"

[leadinghome]

"You mean, like books and comics and movies?" Because the government is not letting stories of the Freakangels themselves spread.

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle nods. "Yeah, like that."

"Back home, well, they're not just stories anymore. Five years ago, certain people started developing abilities that should have belonged in fiction, including me."

She sighs. "Which would be a lot easier to prove if I'd gotten a more dramatic power set." Yeah, she's used to people thinking she's joking or delusional.

[leadinghome]

That is... strange. "What's your... power set?" It's not like the Freakangels themselves can't do very subtle things.

[aeons_crackshot]

"Nothing flashy," Annabelle explains. "You ever heard of someone making a so called million to one shot? I can make those as easy as most people breath."

"Dixon thinks it's 'subconscious probability manipulation', whatever the hell that means."

She chuckles. "On the other hand, I know people who can make people not notice they're there, punch a hole through a 5 ft thick concrete wall, read minds, heal with a touch, create fire, you name it."

[leadinghome]

Connor gives a nod, unsure... that would be a cue to mention the Package, but being hunted teaches wariness and discretion.

Maybe... maybe later. "I... see."

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle's breath hitches again. "I know it sounds insane, but it happens to be true. Surprised the hell out of me, when I found out."

"Although I think I made out better than a lot of folks when my power came in. You couldn't PAY ME to pick up on people's thoughts."

[leadinghome]

"Yeah... it would be strange, to hear people's thoughts, or... feel what they are feeling." He nods, frowning. "Not able to be alone even inside your own head."

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle nods. "I know people who've learned to cope with it, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make the cut myself."

Something about the way Connor says that makes her wonder.....could he be psychic? In fact, she's about to ask precisely that when a flair of pain so intense it whites out her vision for a moment hits her.

[leadinghome]

Her answer is quite evident, when Connor winces hard himself; distracted by the subject, he let the mind-barriers lapse somewhat...

[aeons_crackshot]

"Shit, I'm hurting you," Annabelle says, concerned.

Annabelle rummages for the medkit again. "Morphine makes me a little....loopy, but it'll take the edge off."

[leadinghome]

He shakes head, and takes her hand; it feels... warm.

Soothing.

...what was she wincing about, again?

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle blinks in surprise. "That is a very neat trick." She smiles at him. "Thank you."

[leadinghome]

He rubs his temples. "Sorry. I don't do that kind of thing without asking, usually, but..." Both of them could use some no-pain time.

[aeons_crackshot]

That they could. Annabelle nods in understanding. "It's okay."

It's good that he asks first, she's dealt with enough people that DON'T to last a lifetime.

"You have much better control than most psychics I've met that are our age."

[leadinghome]

"It part of the Package, for me... memories. And emotions." Connor sighs. "Bit it's draining, trying to not feel what everybody around is feeling."