[ Her breathing is still slightly laboured despite the conversation. It feels familiar and the memory takes a moment to come back to her. It's the way the darkness felt when she fought Hartman. It drained her powers. Only light helped restore them when Hartman was near. That must be part of why Polaris is trying to amplify herself off any light in the room. The resonance is being drowned out by the darkness.
By Scratch.
She can't restore her own powers while Scratch is there. Not without a more powerful source of light, and she feels he would absolutely refuse the opportunity to let Polaris' resonance restore to any degree. As much as Scratch says he doesn't mind her? Jesse can't fathom the thing that wants to be Alan Wake even tolerating a resonance that interacts so negatively to its own. ]
What makes you deserve it more? You didn't write the books that made him famous. [ A tired hand raises and makes a gesture of a circling motion. ] I'm not following it. You can want it and think you fit it better, but deserve? What did you do to deserve any of it?
[ Jesse stares Scratch down evenly through the strands that have fallen into her face. Her chest continues to rise and fall heavily despite the intense stare. She feels that her statement is right. Scratch can't have Alice now--neither can Alan--so she is the next person on the list to take from Alan.
« What would Alice Wake have died from? It couldn't be exposure to anything in the Oldest House... and she hadn't been to Cauldron Lake in years. Nothing should of been affecting her from that. So, what was... »
Her thoughts trail off the moment she feels Polaris tug at her mind. Interrupting her. Jesse's gaze focuses back on Scratch to see a different expression on her face. The darkness in the eyes has pulled back, revealing a gaze she knows all too well. Her heart catches in her throat.
« It's Alan. He can't mimic that look. Wait... what? Polaris? »
Polaris tugs at her mind again. Jesse feels as if she's being pulled under water. She knows instantly what her friend is trying to do. Alan is trying to break free and Polaris is bridging communication in her own way. Feelings, less words, coming in from that unique connection. Trying to fight above the waves but being pressed down back under the surface. How the dark waters can be enticing. Jesse knows that already. She knows Scratch tells the truth to a degree but then twists it like any good liar does.
The only thing that weighs down the message at all is the fact Jesse can tell Alan has only been able to push back as far as he can because Alice was pulled back into the conversation.
It makes sense. Alice was always Alan's motivation. His reason for going into the Lake to start with. The reason he's trapped in the Dark Place. His wife, the one he married, and the one who can capture the world in a frame. Jesse isn't an artist and she never will be. There's a part of Alan that Alice had that she can never even begin to touch, let alone truly see or understand.
Jesse knows Alan loves her. She doesn't doubt it for a moment.
She just wishes she could be half of what Alice Wake was for him.
Her expression doesn't change. Simply because Scratch will try to come back and she can't show any weakness.
« At least we know Alan is still there. »
Her head tilts down as she moves to try and push herself up to stand. ]
no subject
By Scratch.
She can't restore her own powers while Scratch is there. Not without a more powerful source of light, and she feels he would absolutely refuse the opportunity to let Polaris' resonance restore to any degree. As much as Scratch says he doesn't mind her? Jesse can't fathom the thing that wants to be Alan Wake even tolerating a resonance that interacts so negatively to its own. ]
What makes you deserve it more? You didn't write the books that made him famous. [ A tired hand raises and makes a gesture of a circling motion. ] I'm not following it. You can want it and think you fit it better, but deserve? What did you do to deserve any of it?
[ Jesse stares Scratch down evenly through the strands that have fallen into her face. Her chest continues to rise and fall heavily despite the intense stare. She feels that her statement is right. Scratch can't have Alice now--neither can Alan--so she is the next person on the list to take from Alan.
« What would Alice Wake have died from? It couldn't be exposure to anything in the Oldest House... and she hadn't been to Cauldron Lake in years. Nothing should of been affecting her from that. So, what was... »
Her thoughts trail off the moment she feels Polaris tug at her mind. Interrupting her. Jesse's gaze focuses back on Scratch to see a different expression on her face. The darkness in the eyes has pulled back, revealing a gaze she knows all too well. Her heart catches in her throat.
« It's Alan. He can't mimic that look. Wait... what? Polaris? »
Polaris tugs at her mind again. Jesse feels as if she's being pulled under water. She knows instantly what her friend is trying to do. Alan is trying to break free and Polaris is bridging communication in her own way. Feelings, less words, coming in from that unique connection. Trying to fight above the waves but being pressed down back under the surface. How the dark waters can be enticing. Jesse knows that already. She knows Scratch tells the truth to a degree but then twists it like any good liar does.
The only thing that weighs down the message at all is the fact Jesse can tell Alan has only been able to push back as far as he can because Alice was pulled back into the conversation.
It makes sense. Alice was always Alan's motivation. His reason for going into the Lake to start with. The reason he's trapped in the Dark Place. His wife, the one he married, and the one who can capture the world in a frame. Jesse isn't an artist and she never will be. There's a part of Alan that Alice had that she can never even begin to touch, let alone truly see or understand.
Jesse knows Alan loves her. She doesn't doubt it for a moment.
She just wishes she could be half of what Alice Wake was for him.
Her expression doesn't change. Simply because Scratch will try to come back and she can't show any weakness.
« At least we know Alan is still there. »
Her head tilts down as she moves to try and push herself up to stand. ]