ᴊᴇssᴇ ғᴀᴅᴇɴ | ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᶦʳᵉᶜᵗᵒʳ. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
outlierdirector) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synthneon2023-09-19 12:40 am
outlierdirector) wrote in synthneon2023-09-19 12:40 am
oceanview || ❝ hold hands with my demons and creatures of night. ❞
Someone who can hear me and drink from the light
To see things from the same side
Is there anybody out there?
no subject
[ He stands just a tad straighter. ] Been trying to contact you for many times. Never connects, then it starts over. My assistant needs to know the rules of this place--otherwise, poof! Axe buried in the phone.
[ Rather than elaborate further, Ahti gestures foe Alan to continue into the Hotel.
The music from his radio can be heard over the speakers that are built into the hallways, made for announcements and to help the play. The one Alex Casey had been investigating.
Polaris' resonance is weak, but steady for now. A faint shimmer can be seen down hallways and around corners. Every time Alan feels he is close to the resonance, the Dark Place shifts the hallways. The resonance is alien to this dimension and thus does not naturally synchronize with it. The Dark Pressence is more akin to the Hiss--dominating a mind and person to husk them out. Polaris is gentler, symbotic. One might could interpret it as "kind", even though it is a human construct placed on an alien being.
A change in tactics.
Polaris gently vibrates down a hallway Alan has already come down. A familiar set of doors. This time, a flashlight would reveal an arrow pointing to the correct one. The door seems to shift and the words Janitor's Office appear where a room number should be.
Inside looks as one would expect a janitor to operate in. Except, there is a middle aged man standing in the middle, looking at a television. He is dressed as a sheriff with a familiar town logo.
He looks up and smiles a little. ] Oh. Hey, Alan. You snuck up on me. It's probably easy with my back turned to the door--hey, have you seen this room before? A janitors office here?
no subject
So, loops, huh? Sounds familiar. I'm not so sure people on the outside can reach into this place. Like I said, it fights back. [ He's not surprised that attempts to contact him didn't work. ] By the way, what do you mean "assistant"? [ And what exactly does "axe buried in the phone" mean? He can guess, of course, but... before he gets an answer to either thing, Ahti's shooing him off, gesturing that he needs to continue into the hotel.
If he ever gets a chance to do so, he'll ask Jesse about it.
For now, navigating the hotel is the priority. It would feel stranger if he wasn't already very accustomed to the idea of looping back on himself. The concept seems to be the same now; whenever he thinks he's close enough to Polaris's resonance, the Dark Place shifts things around, turing him back on himself and leaving him lost. Luckily for him, Polaris doesn't stop, and as long as Alan can detect her resonance, even if it is faint, he keeps trying. These waves won't wash him away, not if he has anything to say about it. He can't give up just yet.
His flashlight slips into his hand almost automatically, like it's something he's done several times before. Many times before, actually. He points the beam at the doors in front of him, more to illuminate the area than for anything else, but that's when he spots the arrow. Maybe he's not as alone as he thinks he is. Someone out there is still on his side. Pushing open the door and stepping through, he walks in, not sure what to expect. ]
Uh... Hello? [ He tilts his head to the side, trying to place whoever this is. He feels like he's someone he should know. ] No, I've never seen this room before, but... have we met?
no subject
[ Clearly, Breaker didn't run into Ahti at the front of the hotel. ]
Are you feeling okay, Alan? You're looking a little rough around the edges. More so than usual, anyways.
[ Polaris beats a steady resonance still, but it is hard to determine from where inside the janitor's office. ]
no subject
[ He envisions Jesse somewhere frowning or glaring, because he's gone and done it again: dragging someone into his problems without asking if it's okay. ] Sorry you have to do this song and dance with me again. [ He pauses for a moment. ] Breaker... Breaker. I've known a few Breakers. [ Specifically, a Breaker. But now he can make that at least two. ]
It's hard to map a dream. [ He repeats those words, because it's true. Especially if the Dark Place is shifting around the layout of the dream. But at Breaker's question, Alan rubs his head tiredly. No, he's not feeling okay. Something strange is going on here, and the Dark Place is trying to keep him from finding out what that is. It doesn't like having Polaris trying to intrude, and it's still very not happy about Jesse's attempt to reach him earlier.
Polaris isn't an easy target, and Jesse's not here, which leaves only one person who is: Alan. ] The waves are trying to sweep me back out, but I don't want them to.
[ Not yet. Not before I've found her. ]
no subject
[ He chuckles a bit. ] We're a local family. All in the same trade.
[ The reaction he has is more of a note to how Alan is feeling than what he says. Breaker nods slowly in some form of understanding. While he may not fully relate or understand? It can't be easy being stuck in a place like this. Maybe he can help map a way out some day. If Alan has "some day" left. ]
Usually you need to go with the flow of dreams. Pushing against waves can mess with things. Or, that's what the guy on the t.v. says. I've never seen this show... "Dr. Darling the Science Man", huh. Sounds like a show I would of seen as a kid.
[ Breaker looks back at Alan's appearance. He seems... driven. More so than he can recall seeing at least. And then, there is a glint in his hand. A key? He looks around before gesturing to a small lock box next to the back door. ]
There's a box there I couldn't open--needs a key. Maybe yours will work? Where'd you find it?
no subject
It's kind of a crazy family, you know? [ Alan tries to smile but it's a strained one. He'd be the first to say that his sanity has taken several hits which probably contributes to his rougher appearance. He doesn't want to think about what might happen when it goes away completely. ]
Now that you mention it, I have heard that before. Going with the flow of dreams. But I wouldn't be pushing right now if I thought it wasn't important. [ Jesse tried to call me for a reason, I'm sure of it. Polaris isn't pulling me in just because she's bored and needs something to do. The Dark Place can't stop me from finding them.
But no sooner does he express that defiant thought then the Dark Place reasserts itself and the control it has on Alan: it pulls on his thoughts, on his mind, trying to turn him away from his resolve and will to fight. Just give in. Stop fighting. No, I won't!
With monumental effort, Alan pushes away the insidious thoughts and tries to focus on what he knows to be true: Jesse and Polaris are still trying to help him, and now Breaker is too. ]
I found it at a phone booth. [ It was almost as though it was placed there specifically for him to use. Given to him by someone unseen for reasons he still doesn't know. ] I guess there's no harm in trying it on your box.
[ He holds up the key so Breaker can get a better look. ]
no subject
[ Breaker stops to watch the man in front of him. He just passes through on dreams, but from what he knows of Alan? The man has been stuck here for a very long time. Thirteen years, if memory serves from the case files. It's impressive that Alan Wake has managed to stay as sane as long as he has in here. Breaker isn't sure if he could manage more than a few dreams at a time.
He leans forward to look at the key, tilting his head. ] "Oceanview Motel and Casino"? I thought it was the Oceanview Hotel. Huh, interesting. Things just get weirder and weirder.
[ He gestures behind him to the locked box next to the door. ] Might as well see if it works. Who knows in a dream, right?
[ It seems luck, or something other than the Dark Place, seems to be on Alan's side this one time. The key is a perfect match for the small locked box next to the door at the backside of the room. In it are a few batteries, a few things of ammo, but also official documents with a familiar seal to at least Alan. On the bottom of the second page is handwriting--a woman's--that reads "Follow the Rule Of 3 tugs."
Breaker frowns as he looks around Alan's arms at the documents. Oh, he knows that seal. ]
"See Dr. Darling presentation"... [ He looks back at the television. No, it couldn't be the same person. What the hell is going on? ] A light switch cord? That mean anything to you?
no subject
As for the name of the motel or hotel or whatever it is, Alan simply shrugs. ] Strange kind of hotel, when there's never any guests. [ But that's probably a good thing. And it's probably a good thing that there doesn't appear to be signs of the Dark Presence in the hotel. Who knows what would happen if the Taken could follow him in? ] Weirder and weirder sounds about right. I don't think this is even an actual hotel.
[ He might not be as in tune to sensing things but there's just something about the Oceanview that feels different to him. ]
Might as well give it a shot. [ And as luck would have it, the box opens when he puts the key inside, and he pulls out the batteries and ammo but his attention is immediately drawn to the documents. ] Dr. Darling... Light switch cord... three tugs. [ It all sounds familiar somehow, as though he'd heard things relating to the light switch cord and three tugs before. He hasn't a clue who Dr. Darling is (not having made the connection between the name and the man on the TV), but he must be relevant somehow. ]
I thought that I passed a light switch cord on the way here, but maybe I imagined it. I'm not sure why it's important or what it has to do with this place. Other than transporting people here, I mean. [ And what exactly is the Oldest House? These documents raise more questions than they do answers, at least for Alan. ]
no subject
Depends on what you consider guests. Not that I've seen more than those shades that roam around. [ He gives a small shrug. ] Maybe it's not. More like a pit stop? Somewhere you go and visit before you keep going.
[ His eyes keep on Alan as he reads over the pages. Manuscript pages being around Bright Falls isn't too surprising around certain times. These pages, however, aren't the same. Official documents. He takes one step closer to look at the seal and his expression falls. The Federal Bureau of Control. He glances at Alan--does he know who they are? ]
I'd say it would be worth backtracking, but, we both know the Hotel doesn't keep one path the same. [ He nods to the door beside them. ] It was locked too, but you can try to open it with the key. Maybe you'll get somewhere to find that cord again.
no subject
I wouldn't consider anything that's not solid flesh and blood to be a guest. And that includes doppelgangers and people trying to imitate me. [ He realizes that won't make any sense at all to Breaker, but he just needed to put that out there. ] I'd say a pit stop is a good description.
[ At least, it seems to fit. Who knows what this place really is. He glances back at Breaker. ] Something wrong?
[ He was about to announce his plans to do a little backtracking, with a side of hunting for the cord, but then he saw the look on Breaker's face. And honestly, he's not in a hurry to leave, not when it's been some time since he had someone real to talk to. ]
no subject
[ Breaker then gestures to the papers in Alan's hands. He feels they were left on purpose for Alan, but, he can't say why. Other than someone wants the man to know about what the Bureau knows. None of that is comforting at all. ]
That seal on the paperwork. I've seen it before... in the waking world. They, uh, are another part of the government. They look into stuff like this. I'm not sure I'd trust everything they say. But, that's just me.
[ Maybe he's wrong and this is a good sign.
Then, a steady beat resonates from beyond the locked door. Polaris. Calling, reaching out. Time is of the essence. It won't be long before the Writer attempts yet again to write the section of the story he needs. The window for Jesse to try and reach the drowning man is growing smaller and smaller, and she feels as if he's drifting further away.
Maybe she can try to send him a message again... ]
no subject
It's familiar. I'm sure I've seen it too, but things tend to get lost up here sometimes. [ He points to his head for emphasis. ] I... [ Wait. Hadn't he heard the name of the agency Breaker's referencing before? He's reasonably sure he heard it from Jesse in one of the many loops he's gone through. ] Federal Bureau of... Something. But if this is the kind of thing they look into, maybe they can help. [ And if Jesse is connected with this Bureau, which he's becoming more convinced that she is: he just can't recall the exact details. The knowledge is somewhere in his mind; it's just been obscured a bit. ]
Maybe I need to try and find them. Take what they say with a grain of salt, of course, but...
[ Then he feels it again: Polaris calling to him through her resonance. And it's coming from behind the locked door. ] Breaker, I hate to go, but I think I need to see what's behind that door. I'm sure we'll see each other again, but- I guess I won't remember this if I do.
[ He holds out a hand for the other man to shake, if he wants to. ]
no subject
[ Breaker is a little surprised by the sudden turn of determination and readiness. However, its good to see Alan with it. So, he nods, takes the man's hand and gives it a good firm shake. One more of friendship than new meetings. ]
Here's to you remembering. Good luck, Alan. Hopefully you can tell me all about this later.
[ Even if it ends up being in another dream for him.
The door unlocks perfectly with the supplied by Ahti. It leads to another hallway in the hotel. Doors line the path, some with red lines, others without. A few more arrows point to the supplies that Breaker has stashed away. Polaris remains a stronger presence, despite how hallways seem to want to bend around.
It is a dream world, after all, and as such the logic applies. It's not a straight lead to his destination as it never is. Especially in the Dark Place.
However, eventually, an echo shines.
A familiar detectives voice can be heard. One that Alan should know, as he wrote years of material for him. A detective to help guide him through a horror mystery. ]
『 "Wake needed a hero. A hero needed a crisis. For the part in the story about the government agency, Wake needed something special. Something to convey an alien force mimicking human intelligence."
Weirder things had crossed my desk to investigate. Especially this case with this "murder cult" supposedly led by Alan Wake. But, my source said it was important. That it'd help me find the writer. Someone needed the case solved--where their missing Director went.
Director Jesse Faden. Somehow she was tied to Wake and it was now my job to make sure she was found. A woman ho spent her life hiding her tracks. A woman who usually didn't want to be found.
Just my luck. 』
no subject
But Polaris is still out there beckoning, trying to draw Alan along to whatever the destination is. He says goodbye to Breaker a little reluctantly and regretfully, but he can't stay here forever. Maybe one day, they'll meet again in the real world. If he ever gets out of this dimension, anyway.
For now, all he can do is keep moving forward, as best as he can. The door opens, and that's a relief, and at least he can still feel Polaris calling him. But the Dark Place isn't making this easy. The halls seem to shift and bend around him, and as is very easy to do in here, Alan loses track of how long it's been. Doors open and close and lead to nowhere, and sometimes it feels as though he can't sense Polaris anymore. Time doesn't have a lot of meaning in the Dark Place, and especially not when one is wandering through a constantly changing maze.
He turns a corner and pauses; his eyes latch onto a peculiar shining, followed by a very familiar voice, and even more familiar words. He wrote them, he remembers them in almost perfect clarity. Some of the words are different, but it's not the words themselves that Alan focuses on. It's a specific name: Director Jesse Faden. Jesse.
They had something together, once. It was short-lived, and it never seemed to happen again because he couldn't bring himself to let it happen again. Not because he doesn't care about her or even have feelings for her. He very much does. But he had to make himself forget, even if forgetting was the very last thing he wanted to do.
A woman who usually didn't want to be found. Alan frowns as that line echoes in his thoughts. Maybe Jesse doesn't really want him to find her. Or maybe she doesn't really want to find him, since he's the one who's lost. He knows he can't blame her, not after what he's done. But if she doesn't, then how does he explain Polaris? Speaking of Polaris, the halls have grown quiet and even though he strains himself to try and focus on her resonance again, he realizes he can't detect it. ]
...Are you still there?
[ He knows his voice sounds quiet, small... but if the resonance ended or if Polaris simply stopped sending the frequency (or something stopped her, or he couldn't hear it over the echoes of that other voice), then he did all this for nothing. He'd double back to find Breaker again, but who knows if he can even manage that a second time? Maybe this is just a sign that this loop is ending and he'll have to start again at the beginning. ]
no subject
The Dark Place seems to react to his doubts and thoughts. It shifts once more, changing the way the pathways go, designed to turn in on themselves and spiral around and around. If Wake seems keen on trapping himself inside, then the nightmarish dimension will certainly accommodate that. It's not fond of giving up what it has claimed.
The tune can be heard after his question, faintly, as if it's coming from another room down a hallway. Voices, muffled, can also be heard: ]
...you're losing him, aren't you? He's going deeper and deeper. We have to do something! Please, do whatever you have to...
[ The hallway seems to shake as Polaris' resonance seems to answer Alan. It's not a forceful energy, but instead, loud. Almost as if Polaris is trying to resonate with another energy to amplify herself. It only lasts a brief moment before once again being nearly drowned out by the feeling of the Dark Place, but at least a faint shimmer returns to guide down the hall that the voices and music are coming from.
Pushing past the door reveals the lobby of the Hotel. Except, this time it is large and expansive. There are abandoned carts and the front desk. A radio is above where the attendant should stand with the tune coming in slightly clearer. Just to the right stands the ghostly image of Casey, talking to a figure that appears to be in a lab coat. ]
『 Darling, wasn't it? Researcher?
"Former Head of Research of the Federal Bureau of Control, yes. And you're the infamous detective Alex Casey! Wow. This is an honor, truly."
I'm sure it is. I have questions for you, Darling. Let's start by breaking the ice. You're a the FORMER Head of Research?
"Yes, I uh, promoted myself. I guess that's how you could put it! Learning what I need to required me to... elevate myself, y'know? I left the spot vacant for my replacement. Emily Pope. Wow, now there's a real scientist."
As Head of Research you probably saw some weird things. Things you couldn't describe to a normal person. Moving objects, paintings that look off, people that weren't quite the same as they should be. You ever hear of a light switch cord?
"Oh, of course! The Light Switch Cord, O.o.P. It will take you to the Oceanview Motel if you tug on it three times. Just, y'know. Quickly little tugs. Boop!"
Cute. Real cute. What's this got to do with the current Director Faden?
"Well, anyone can use the cord once you find it. If you find it and use it, it will attune your dimension to the Motel. I'm assuming Director Faden is trying to use it to reach out to your missing Writer. That's what it's about, isn't it?" 』
[ The man in the lab coat then gestures to where Alan is standing, as if he is completely aware that the writer is standing there watching their supposed fictional display. ]
『 "The Oceanview is already connected to the dimension he finds himself in. That's how I could get those CLASSIFIED papers to him. Now he just needs to realize the Cord is in front of him and it'll take him where he needs to be."
You DO realize Alan Wake is a missing man. You're talking about him as if he's standing in the very room with us. Now, I can't tell if you're a quack, or a hack, and I don't care either way. This cord will take me to wherever Director Faden is?
"Well, it'll certainly take him to the Motel. If he takes you is entirely up to him!" 』
[ The conversation fades out. A rumble, like a thunderstorm, echoes from outside the Hotel lobby doors. The Dark Presence is stirring as it senses something else coming into it's domain. ]
no subject
He takes another turn, goes down another hallway, and tries desperately to push down the growing fear that he's never going to find Polaris. Fear gives the Dark Place weapons, but try as he might, he can't quite push it away. Finally, he has to stop for a moment, leaning against a wall and pressing the heel of his hand against the side of his head. The pressure helps ground him, or at least, it did once. How long can he keep this up? How many halls will he go down that he may or may not have been down before? Maybe that's the plan: to keep shifting the halls until he's even more lost than he already is.
I don't know if I can find you. But he can hear the faint tune from far away and he hears the sound of muted voices talking. I can't stop now. If he stops, then he'll never find what he's been looking for, and it'll be another victory for the Dark Place.
But before Alan even registers what's happening, the hallway shakes and it nearly sends him tumbling over. He catches himself at the last minute, and when he's managed to steady himself again, he tries again to focus on anything he can hear of Polaris and her resonance. But this time, it's... louder. She's amplifying herself somehow, and instinctively, Alan latches onto that resonance. But it fades again a moment later, and he has to work to keep a feeling of disappointment at bay.
It's faded, but it's not gone, and that's what he has to focus on. Just keep going. You can do it. He takes a deep breath and lets it out again, and then he resumes walking down the shifting hallways, doing his best to stay focused on the faint shimmer that's trying to guide him along.
Eventually, Alan's steps lead him down yet another hallway to a door that he pushes on until it opens. What he sees is something he just chalks up to the weirdness of the Dark Place. He knows where he is, but what he's seeing isn't there. He's greeted by the sight of what is clearly a hotel lobby. He takes in what he can see of it: he carts and the desk, the radio, the usual things that one might find in a hotel lobby. What doesn't belong there is a ghostly image of a character he recognizes and a man in a lab coat. He's seen him before as well, but only on a TV screen.
But he stops to listen to the exchange between the familiar man and the man in the lab coat. Something tells him that this isn't just any old message. It's something he was meant to hear, and so he does his best to focus on it. The two men introduce themselves, and then the conversation switches to a discussion of objects, namely a light switch cord, and that's when Alan starts to really pay attention.
What Casey is saying isn't nearly as interesting as what the man in the lab coat is talking about, but Alan's careful to listen to every word. It's strange to hear himself being spoken about, and even stranger to see the labcoat-wearing-man gesturing to him like he knows he's there. Does he know he's there? Alan shakes his head. That's something to worry about later.
The takeaway here is that he needs to use this cord to get from where he is into the Motel. But where is it? Right in front of him, apparently, but... Alan glances over his shoulder as that echoing rumble draws his attention away for a moment. He has to find this cord before the Dark Presence stops him and before he loses Polaris's resonance again.
That feeling of desperation bordering on panic settles in as he looks around him, willing himself to approach this calmly. The cord is here, he just hasn't realized it yet. The trick seems to be finding it. But there must be another prerequsite to doing so, or he would have just walked in, spotted it, and pulled it three times.
A search of some kind is involved, so... with barely any time to waste, he starts looking for it. His first attempts at looking around yield nothing, so he takes another turn around the area, and that's when he feels something knock him on the side of the head. ]
What-? [ Only then does he realize that he's literally walked right into the cord he's been searching for. ]
...I guess that counts as finding it. [ It's not how he envisioned it, but he doesn't have the time to stop and question it. ] Pull on it three times... Here goes nothing.
[ Half expecting this to end with him looping back on himself again, he pulls the cord once, twice, and then a third time. ]
no subject
Click.
The area doesn't shift, but instead seems brighter all the sudden. The angel lamp in Alan's bag reacts, as if trying to pull the added light into itself.
The Dark Presence seems to scream.
Click.
The area shifts again. It's almost pitch black, save for the red lights of the symbols of the Cult of the Word decorating the area. That familiar electric feeling is in the air as the Dark Presence approaches.
A familiar face stands on the outside of the Hotel glass door. Alan's own face, hair slicked back, a grin wide on his face as he raises his hand to push the door open...
Click.
Suddenly, it all changes.
The Oceanview Motel.
Like a combination of every roadside motel at once.
The doors around him are marked with different symbols. A black pyramid, a white pyramid. A black spiral. A torch. Some other doors with different markings--and all of them are locked.
A jolly tune plays over the radio beside the desk. A nice sort of peace bathes the motel. Perhaps its a feeling Alan has forgotten, or perhaps it's something nostalgic at the same time. Like a dream.
Polaris' resonance is clear in the Motel. Powerful, but still something that feels distant. She shimmers at the desk, highlighting the small desk bell. Each ring opens a new door on the opposite end of where Alan entered.
In each room he finds different things. The first holds a familiar crate from Breaker with batteries, ammo and flares. The second holds a familiar blue thermos with warm coffee, but not hot to the touch. The last holds a key with the tag of a spiral on it. The black spiral.
Polaris shimmers once more to the bell.
This time, the Motel changes. It's night and the lights are dimmed.
However, there's no rumble of the Dark Presence. Polaris' resonance is strongest its ever been, even inside the story that changes reality.
Below him is dotted black and white tape that stretches down both hallways. One strip leads directly to the door with the Spiral. The other leads down to a circle at the end of the hallway. One made of various pieces of small electrical items from the various rooms. The black and white tape makes various lines within the circle that lead to the center. In the center, a familiar red headed woman is crouched down.
Her head is lowered, causing the red hair to tumble forward. Bare hands and feet are pressed down into the carpet. The hands shake from the sheer amount of power rolling off the familiar woman. Polaris shimmers around her brighter and louder than ever. The power--the resonance--is being channeled along the tape that travels to the Spiral Door.
She's breathing heavily, as if there's a strain on her from the amount of resonance she's funneling. She wears a white blouse, blue slacks, and her missing shoes and jacket can be found tossed on the chairs next to the entry desk. A pin of the logo of the Federal Bureau of Control rests on the dress jacket. ]
Come on, come on. [ Her frustrated voice is obviously directed either to herself or her invisible partner. Her fingers curl into the carpet further. ]
no subject
But those thoughts flee again when the area seems to brighten, and the angel lamp he's been carrying responds to the sudden brightness. ] Okay, that has to be a good sign. [ The feeling that the Dark Presence is screaming is not, because that just means that he made it angry. Who knows what the repercussions will be if this all fails?
There's another shift, and Alan blinks in something like surprise. Of course, he couldn't have known just what would happen when he pulled the cord, but the shifting surprises him. And then he just about jumps out of his skin when he sees his own face staring back at him. ] No, not you...! [ If there's anyone he's scared of, it's Scratch. He's never said as much aloud, but he just feels a cold sweat sink in whenever he sees him or thinks about him.
Finally, there's a third click and another shift, and... ] What the hell? [ Alan stops and takes a long, long look around him, noting all the doors and just taking in the surroundings. It's quiet here. Peaceful. He hasn't felt a sense of peace in who knows how long. He's always been looking over his shoulder, jumping at shadows, and just generally being in a state of high alert. ] How do I know there isn't some monster from my imagination waiting to take me out?
[ Out of habit, he pulls out the angel lamp and wraps his fingers around it tightly. He wants to pull the gun out too, just to ease his nerves, because even with the peaceful atmosphere, he can't help but feel on edge.
At least he can feel Polaris here, without the interference of the Dark Presence. She seems to be telling him that he needs to ring the bell at the desk, and since he's trusted her this far, he does what she suggests. There's different rooms with different items in them, and Alan enters each one. Finally, he rings the bell again, and doing so causes yet another shift. Now it's night in the motel, and with the onset of darkness, Alan feels his nerves rise to a heightened state again.
He's spent most of his time in the dark, in both senses of the word, but darkness isn't a friend to him. Out comes his flashlight to try and illuminate the darkness of the motel. But it turns out that there's still some illumination even with the dimmed lights, at least enough for him to see the black and white tape stretching down the hallways in both directions. At first, he takes a step towards the door marked with the spiral, but something makes him pause and turn around. The strip that leads down to the end of the hallway, ending in a circle catches his attention.
Feeling some sort of mixture of curiosity and trepidation, Alan follows this strip until he reaches the circle. And there... there, he sees someone he did not expect. Well, he hoped, but he was not hoping very hard. ]
This is a trick, right? If not a trick, then something I'm imagining because it's what I want to see? There's no way this is real. [ Polaris's resonance is one thing. This is another thing entirely. It has to be his mind playing tricks on him. ]
There's no way.
[ But whether or not the woman in the center of the circle is real or a figment of his imagination, Alan finds himself moving forward as if drawn to her. Maybe she's an apparition, a vision... maybe he's seeing something from another time. Why would Polaris want me to come here if none of this is real? But what the hell, what do I have to lose? If nothing else, she'll just disappear and I'll go back to... whatever. The beginning. Again.
That thought makes Alan frown in annoyance and mild frustration. But looping again and again just seems to be the name of this messed up game. Her name. I'll just start with that. Why he's keeping up a commentary, he's not sure. It's not likely to make a difference either way. ]
Hi. [ Well, that's not her name. But he's getting to it. ] Jesse. Shouldn't you be doing whatever it is directors do?
[ At least he can still attempt to be somewhat funny. Maybe. But maybe she won't laugh. Oh well. He's had worse things happen.
He half expects her to not even register he's there, because whatever it is she's doing looks like it requires all of her concentration, and he's interrupting her. ]
no subject
Her fingers curl further into the carpet to the point the fibers pull.
Jesse knows it won't work the way she hopes. Resonance isn't a straight line. It's a wave and can only be stronger the further out if it can amplify itself. She doubts there is nothing to amplify Polaris in the Dark Place. It's why all her attempts have failed so far. Even this half-assed Control Point probably won't work. It's not done properly, even if she's cleansed the area of any other resonances. It's a long shot for him to even be able to recieve her call.
At least he did for a moment.
But, she has to try.
Her shoulders start to shake from the sheer amount of paranormal power she's exhorting. She has to keep trying to reach him. There's only so much time before he begins to write again and they're back at the start.
Polaris tugs to try and get her attention, and shimmers towards Alan as if to answer his questions. Yes, it is real. Yes, it is who he thinks it is.
Jesse doesn't hear his statements. She's so focused on trying to keep the resonance vibrations into the Dark Place. There's only so much time. She can't afford distractions. There has to be a way to break these cycles, to help Alan, because they can't let the Shadow out into their reality. Just like the Hiss. It'd destroy everything... ]
I can't project you any further. Not without something in there that you can use. [ Jesse speaks out loud without realizing. ] He keeps drifting further and further away. Deeper, and I can't project you that far on my own.
[ Tears of frustration burn at her eyes, even if Alan can't see it with her head lowered and her hair obscuring her face. What more can she do? What else can she try? This is her last resort. Her last idea without her team with her. ]
Come on, one more go. I'll do what I can.
no subject
He knows that he hasn't always been the most caring person. His marriage with Alice wasn't always happy, and he knows he didn't always treat her as well as he could have. But now... he regrets how things ended, and he only wishes the best for her. He doesn't know how he would go about making amends, or if she would even be receptive after so long, but he would at least extend an apology or ten.
But Jesse... he feels more of a connection to her than he has ever felt before, even though he once used those words to describe Alice. And now, watching her exerting all the power that she can and seemingly straining herself in the process, he knows he only wants to do one thing: to help her. He isn't gifted with the same abilities that she has; in fact, he considers what he can do to be far less useful while simultaneously having the greatest potential to be misused. But he can still try and offer his support. ]
Jesse. [ His tone is louder and firmer, and he reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder. Carefully, of course. As focused as she is, he doesn't want to startle her and cause something terrible to happen. ]
Jesse, you did it. I'm- I'm right here. [ Somehow. Somehow he managed to find his way through the constantly shifting environment he's been in for so long, with help from her and Polaris. He knows he's not free of it, not yet, but she got him to a place where they can at least talk. ] You stopped me from drifting. You made it happen.
[ Suddenly, he realizes he can guess how she must have felt, but to a less distressing degree: trying to reach out to someone in order to pull them back. To help them. And suddenly, the regret for what he's put her through fully sinks in.
He moves so that he's beside her, and instead of simply resting a hand on her shoulder, he moves to place his arm around her if she'll allow it. ]
no subject
Then, something is beside her.
Nothing should be able to get into the Motel like this. Not unless it knew how to get into the Motel. A key, or a dream, or a Light Switch Cord...
Her eyes widen. In a split second the extreme amount of paranormal power seems to drop faster than temperature. Jesse raises her head and her gaze slowly turns to the side. Her hair is still all over the place, but, he can at least see the tired and determined eyes.
« You did it. You really managed to make it happen. How? What did you find in the Dark Place to amplify off of? Who or WHAT helped you? »
Her frame is still tense and fingers curled into the carpet. However, if he really is that skilled of a writer? He can see the faintest smile on her face and in her eyes. But, also, the hesitation to believe it's real.
Trust, after all, is her hardest bridge to cross. ]
...Alan? [ Her voice is so quiet. Why? ]
no subject
He can see how tired she looks. He might not be an expert in the realm of using resonance and vibrations in the way that she and Polaris do, but it's not difficult for him to imagine how much effort it takes. The evidence of that is right in front of him, and speaks for itself.
Before he does anything else, however, he makes a mental note to thank both Jesse and Polaris. They've saved him, at least for the moment. This will probably end sooner or later, just as his brief meeting with Breaker did, but he's not about to rush it along. ]
Looks like you found yourself a writer. [ It's a slight attempt at humor, but he doesn't plan on being annoying about it, not when he can guess at what this must be like for her. That small smile on her face and in her eyes is a good sign, however, and he's quick to offer a smile for her benefit as well. ] I don't know how the two of you managed that, when I couldn't even do it.
[ If not for them, he'd still be wandering around seemingly endless hallways. ]
Want to sit down? [ On one of the couches, he means, not on the floor. ] You- Well, you look like you really need to take it easy for a little while. [ While he's speaking, he's debating just reaching for her and pulling her in for the biggest hug that he can give. ]
no subject
At his attempt of humor, emotions ripple across her eyes. A bit of laughter at his joke, but also relief, maybe a bit of hurt. It's all jumbled inside her and she's not sure where to begin. Yes. She's definitely found herself a writer.
« It's really him, isn't it? Not him projected into reality through his story. I mean, him. Trapped behind the Spiral Door. »
She finally is able to unfurl her fingers from the carpet. The trembling hand raises to touch his stringy wet hair. Wait, wet? How did he get wet? Does it rain in the Dark Place? Her gaze shifts then, as if she's seeing the real Alan Wake for the first time. He's in an outfit she's never seen before.
Which, weird to say, given it's the first time really meeting him, isn't it?
A brown suit, blue shirt, brown tie. The elbow patches are still there. The long hair is the same and so is the beard--beard. Did he have one when he messaged her over the Hotline those four years ago? He looks similar from what she can remember of the loops, but something feels different about seeing him like this. Here, in the Motel, away from Bright Falls and the Oldest House and... everything. ]
W-wow.
[ « Smooth, Jesse. Real smooth. »
Her own hand is covered in dirt and scratches, almost as if she's been running in the woods. In fact, she looks lik e a mess, despite the official suit of her own.
He said something about sitting down, didn't he? It sounded like a good idea. Just... sitting.
Which is probably why her legs seemingly give out under her and she ends up sitting down where she is. Rather, falling down on her ass, but that's just splitting hairs. It doesn't seem like she'll be able to move from the spot she's been at for God knows how many times in between loops.
She looks him over once more, noticing the bag he has. Flashlight, gun, and... an angel statue? Does she want to know what that does? ]
You're here. I mean, obviously, but. You're here. [ « With us. » ] And... you're soaking wet.
[ Her raised hand finally after hesitation touches his stringy hair. It's soft, despite how she thought it would be covered in dirt or mud or whatever gross things would be in the Dark Place. Then, she lowers her hand to gently brisk along the dress jacket, sleeve, and pants at his knee. As if she's just trying to confirm she's not dreaming in her dream.
Jesse looks back up at him. ]
Hi. [ The mind that had been wracked with what to tell him just moments ago is now oddly blank. ] I mean... hi.
Didn't you--you looked different. Before, I mean. Over the Hotline. Tweed and a Hoodia. Right? Sorry, it doesn't mean anything really, just...
[ She exhales shaking lying. What exactly is she trying to say but can't think of the words? ]
Alan. Hi.
no subject
How long has it been? He certainly can't measure it in seconds, minutes, and hours. Time is a nebulous figure here, and all he knows is that it feels like it's been thirty years. That doesn't mean it really has been that long, but to Alan, time is just one endlessly long, stretching tunnel.
But he's here. Jesse's done it. She brought him to this place where they can talk properly and meet properly and... it's almost overwhelming considering how many turns he took along the way just to get to this point. His shoulders sag just a bit when he sees the ripple of emotions making its way across her face. Hearing her laugh, even if it's brief, does something to him: it relaxes him, and that's significant in itself, because he can't remember the last time he felt as though he could relax. He feels like he's been so tightly wound that with relaxation comes a feeling of being rung out like one rings out a rag.
But beyond all of that, Alan's just tired. Exhausted, even. But it hasn't fully registered in his mind just how tired he really is. Adrenaline is still rushing through him and he's still in the near-constant state of fight or flight that's been his companion over the last however long. His eyebrows furrow together as he watches her with worry. Yes, it's her he's worried about, because... because worrying about him accomplishes nothing. He's still very much enmeshed in the Dark Place, but Jesse... Jesse's free.
She needs to survive. She's important. Needed. I have to- What do I have to do? I can't protect her. Can't save her.
Even though time is a vague concept in the Dark Place, Alan feels as though he's aged. He feels older, feels more tired, and there's a grim sense of resignation that wasn't there at the beginning of all this. But his mind reminds him a second time that he's here, and he has this reprieve, for however long it lasts. It registers in his mind that she's reaching towards him, hand raised to touch his hair, and it takes everything he has to not pull away.
He knows he must look rough, wild, and even undesirable. The rain drenched his hair and clothes, only adding to the wildness of his appearance. He's nothing much to look at, and Jesse's attention is only making him feel exposed... embarrassed... unfit to be seen.
But he stops thinking about how rough and unseemly he must look when he sees Jesse's legs give way beneath her, sending her sitting down where she fell. He's at her side in an instant, the lines of worry even more pronounced on his forehead, beneath the strands of hair. ]
You- You should sit. I.. I mean, you are sitting, but- over there. [ His words are just as halting and staggered as hers are, and there's a note of something bordering on controlled hysteria in them. It sounds like a contradiction, but paranoia and hysteria have been Alan's companions of late, and unless he's experiencing a moment of completely losing his head, he manages to keep them in hand. ]
I- Sorry. It's raining. Was raining. Is it still raining? I don't know. [ I sound insane. He startles when he feels her hand touching his hair. Part of him wants to tell her to stop. He's not clean, he'll only get her dirty, even if it might not be immediately obvious. It doesn't matter that her hands are covered in dirt themselves. Just like the passage of time, normal every day things like showering are nonexistent. It's a fight for survival every day, and suddenly Alan feels ashamed of his rough appearance.
It takes a monumental effort on his part to not lean further into her touch when she brisks her hand over the clothes he arrived here with. They're soaked too, which only adds to the feeling of embarrassment. ]
I'm sorry. [ He apologizes again, even though he's not really sure what he's apologizing for. ] Hi. Jesse. [ Faden. The hero. ]
How long ago was that, for you? I can't- I don't remember. [ He remembers reaching out to her via the Hotline. Sending messages asking for help. Wake needed a hero. Faden sensed a drowning man. Am I not still drowning? I have air for now, but for how long? ]
Are you okay? [ Funny, isn't it? Asking if she's all right, when he's been in a hellish nightmare for the last who-knows-how-long. But he won't be all right, not until he's free for good. It doesn't matter if he's all right, but it matters a great deal if Jesse is all right or not. ]
no subject
He looked so happy. Jesse had thought to herself at the time. The man that contacted me is still him, but, he's definitely changed.
The more wilder appearance doesn't bother her. Well, she wouldn't even call it wild. She just sees it as someone whose run a marathon in the rain and realized they've stopped. Maybe he hasn't realized he's stopped because he's going again. Asking if it's still raining, saying she should move to the chairs further into the Motel lobby. For a moment it's almost overwhelming with how exhausted she is. But, she focuses enough to get an idea of how to handle the situation.
« One thing at a time. First, let's just... stop. Breathe. Then all the rapid fire things. That sounds like a good idea. »
Jesse raises both hands this time and puts them on his shoulders. He's already next to her, but her point is that he needs to stay down with her. Her fingers curl slightly into his suit jacket and she lets out another shaky exhale. It's not just the fact she feels she can't get up and walk at the moment. She can control things in this little circle. Everything in this dream is stemming from her, and as long as she can control it, no one can interfere. Nothing can interfere. ]
Let's just... One thing at a time. Okay? [ She locks her eyes onto his as a way to try and get him to follow along with her. Breathing, just, calming down. There's no reason to panic here in the Motel. ] Just, slow down, okay? We're safe here.
[ « Because it's my dream. I can control who comes in, who leaves. The only thing I can't control is when it'll end. That's up to him, isn't it? He'll start writing again and then I'll wake back up. Wake up somewhere in Bright Falls. » ]
So, first things first. [ She shifts how she's sitting to cross her legs. Just in case he thought about picking her up. ] Don't apologize. That's--it's--we don't need to go over it again. Because we did, last time, didn't we? If we're going to repeat ourselves, let's just... let's just do it in Bright Falls and not here.
[ « That sounds good. Right? Understandable, clear. Good. »
She squeezes his shoulders again before reaching up and finally moving her hair back from her face. Dried blood rests in her hairline above her forehead and the sides of her head. It's left overs from the loop where Scratch killed her the first time. The one where they were actually close to... whatever it is they are.
It's her dream and she can chose how she looks. She's kept those markings for a reason. That version of the story may have ended with her dying, but, it was important to her. Alan is important. What they share is important. No amount of revisions of his story is going to take that away from her. So, she'll keep the markings in her dreams if it means holding onto that.
Jesse grabs his hands to keep him with her, in the half-assed Control Point. Maybe he'll try to run away, or maybe he'll run away in his head. She won't let that happen now that she's finally got him here. He has to stay and focus with her. If she can bear the scars of his story then he can too--together. With her. ]
It was just a week after I took over being Director. 2019. [ She smiles sheepishly at him. ] Which makes it four years ago.
[ « Four years of trying to figure out what happened in Bright Falls in 2010. Reading everything I could that the Bureau had on that AWE, and the ones back in the 60s and 70s. Reading all the books he wrote, watching the episodes of Night Springs he wrote. All so I could try to understand what might happen NOW. I'm not the best at research, but, I did what I could. I'm... not sure it helped at all. Except maybe in understanding a little bit of Alan Wake himself. » ]
I'm... I'm fine. [ As fine as anyone can be in their circumstance. ] What about you? Are you okay?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)