~ Tнє Pαяα∂σχ Hσυѕє ~ now back to regularly scheduled chaos

"I suppose it depends if they tell you?" the Doctor said with a bit of a hum. "The Doctor is what I am called. But that doesn't mean it is my name. I don't tell people my name." She did her best to explain. It seemed reasonable to give more details. 
She nodded though. Alive for six months. Impressive.
"How long do you think it would take for you to learn another language?" she asked with curiosity. She knew a lot, but that wasn't always because she actually knew them.
"And have you been blinking into the Paradox House for much of that time?" she inquired as well.

L | Amplifier Room | strider ~∂єѕтιиу Razzle Dazzle

L managed to get to his feet, allowing himself to lean on Orpheus to keep his balance. He felt shaky and wrong, still. His body didn’t want to hold him, his heart still seemed determined to skip beats and move too fast, and his brain felt full of the wrong memories, the ones he’d done a decent job of accepting. Usually. Usually.
The main objectives were now to stop Hook from getting the sword back, and stop Czeslaw from killing Hook with it. He wished the hook wasn’t a problem, but he couldn’t quite imagine Hook being cornered and not using it. He wished he knew Czeslaw was going to disarm Hook without actually killing him. But there were a lot of things that could go wrong here, and he couldn’t erase any of them.
He could talk all he liked about their worlds. He could point out that in Hook’s world, he would probably now be beaten up for losing. He didn’t know, he wasn’t an expert on Hook’s world.
But that was not the language Hook spoke. His was a language of action. L was tempted to see if he could sneak up behind him and knock him out, but he thought he was more likely to fall over than pull off anything resembling a good kick.
Words weren’t going to work, and violence wasn’t an option. L was left with very few choices.
“I would really,” he said finally, voice ragged, “listen to him, if I were you. He has the sword. And something tells me you don’t have healing powers.”
There was something serious and almost humorous in his tone as he said it. He wasn’t laughing. He was just appreciating the irony of Hook’s own rules betraying him.

This was very quickly getting out of hand again, but there was nothing Orpheus could do to stop it. He wanted to run forward, wanted to tell Czeslaw to drop the sword. Wanted to warn Hook that violence wasn’t the answer here. He thought it might work if he just managed to summon up the right words, but the right words weren’t coming. It had something to do with the instrument laying on the ground where it could very, very easily be broken. He left it where it was, for the moment.
Orpheus bit his lip, trying to stop himself from doing anything stupid. Trying to stop himself from getting in the way of whatever L was planning. He could tell that his friend was out of it, but he believed firmly that he had something in mind. Orpheus doubted that L ever opened his mouth without having at least some idea of what was going to come out and how that would benefit the situation they were in. Orpheus didn’t think like that before he spoke. He just… spoke and said whatever words felt right, and most of the time it worked for the best. Here, though… there were lives on the line, even if the House was likely to bring them back. He couldn’t afford to say the wrong thing, no matter how much his heart strained against the violence.
The best Orpheus could do in the moment was make sure L stayed standing. He could do that, even if he didn’t quite understand the look Czeslaw was giving him and L. He had no idea there was something the kid wanted the two of them to do. He was just… trying to keep L out of range of both Hook’s hook and the sword Czeslaw had taken.
“Maybe,” he said softly, his tongue getting the better of him, “If we put the sword down and stop threatening each other, we can have a conversation about this.”

Czes

L | Amplifier Room | strider

L was exhausted, and it didn’t seem like he was going to be able to rest anytime soon. He didn’t trust Hook. He didn’t trust Czeslaw. Mostly, he wanted the sword and the hook to be out of this room, but he didn’t expect the House to help with that.
Orpheus was persuasive. That was a gift of his, one L had come to respect and value. Orpheus wanted peace. That was another thing L respected and valued. But the detective had been doing his job too long to believe this was going to end well if he didn’t think fast and do something to stop it. Emotions were poisonous, and this room was overflowing with them. You couldn’t be talked out of being angry any more then you could be talked out of feeling pain. Feelings weren’t rational.
This was exactly why he tried not to let them get too close to his brain.
He set his jaw, then let go of Orpheus and swayed a little, his legs trembling at the sudden need to do their job. He managed not to fall as he edged forward, hands raised in surrender.
He could agree with Czeslaw. The sword should be in Orpheus’ hands. But would that further antagonist Hook?
He wanted to speak. It was possible he could make them see reason, make them put the sword down. But his ever paranoid thoughts whispered stronger than ever; why give them the chance to find a way to stab you in the back? Why let them get the jump on you? You didn’t play chess by waiting for someone to put you in check. You didn’t play tennis by biding your time. You didn’t survive by letting go of control. And it was control he needed here. It was the ability to stop them both by force if words failed.
His eyes shifted to Orpheus. As the only trusted person present, Orpheus was exactly who he needed to make sure this went smoothly. He couldn’t communicate what he was planning. He didn’t expect his mind to be read.
He hoped Orpheus was good at improvising.
He darted forward, ducked, and spun. His momentum gave him more power than he’d previously had, and his intentions were no longer simply to make Hook rethink his decision that L was to be toyed with. This was a different kick entirely, one that was intended to neutralize the threat as quickly and efficiently as possible without killing.

Hook - Amplifier Room

“[Oops] no!” The pirate snapped back at Csez, stepping closer again. His hand was still extended out, ready to pull the weapon back into his possession the second an opportunity offered itself. “I don’t believe in neutral parties,” he hissed as a follow up, giving a sideways glance at Orpheus and L. Neutral? What horse shit.

He looked back at Czes, ignoring Orpheus as the poet started blabbering on again. “This is your last chance to turn that damn thing over peacefully,” he muttered to the kid in front of him, but he knew Czeslaw didn’t want peace. His hand dropped back, and his hook once again crossed in front of his chest defensively. He was ready to block a strike, but his hand was also slipping into his belt to unsheathe the smaller knife. If Czes lunged at him he’d have every excuse to plant the blade in his neck.

He was holding his breath, watching Czeslaw intensely, when suddenly white hot pain flooded his senses. His hand wretched free the dagger with the jolt of the impact, but it didn’t leave his tightened grip around the handle as the pirate hit the ground on his side. He hardly had a moment to register the pain or danger he was in before he collapsed vulnerable and unconscious on the ground, unaware of what had taken him out from behind.

L | Amplifier Room | strider ~∂єѕтιиу Razzle Dazzle

“I would apologize…” L managed as Hook dropped, voice low. “...but that’s probably just something I learned in my world. You wouldn’t understand.”
He stepped forward and leaned down, plucking the dagger out of the pirate’s limp fingers. He considered tossing it to the side, but that just meant someone could make a dive for it...it was hard to say how long Hook would be unconscious. He checked his pulse, then straightened up, satisfied that he wasn’t dead.
He didn’t move to stop Czeslaw from tying the Hook’s wrists. He didn’t personally object to it. It seemed called for, under the circumstances. He regretted being the cause of more violence, but really, Hook had started this fight, and he’d still been armed. This was never going to end peacefully.
He glanced at Orpheus, taking in the guitar in his hands. Good, he’d gone for a weapon. That was the best thing he could have done.
Was he disappointed in L? Did he think he could have talked them both down? He searched the poet’s eyes, trying his best to read him...he wanted to explain, but he didn’t know that this was really the time or place for it.
Also, he was still swaying. Adrenaline was the only thing that had made that even remotely possible, and now that it was fading, he was left with two things.
One: Orpheus was correct in this situation.
Two: Brain damage is a possible side effect of strangulation.
“Just to make sure there’s no misunderstanding, Orpheus was right,” he muttered. “So I would appreciate it if you didn’t speak to me as if I’m on your side.”
He swayed again. The room tilted. He felt lightheaded. Was it the panic attack he’d just had or a side effect of being strangled? Was the brain damage already kicking in? Would he go back to work only to find he could no longer solve even the simplest of cases? Real terror flooded him for the second time, but he didn’t quite have the ability to deal with it at the moment.
“There is an 89% chance I am about to collapse,” he said, to no one in particular.
And then his legs gave out.

Czes - amp room - orpheus, L, unconscious hook

Czeslaw reared his head back when Orpheus exclaimed at him. He was shocked at the response, having forgotten for a moment that people could actually be caring and empathetic.
Not just other people... He paused as memories fluttered into his brain--very subtle memories. They weren't distant, either. In fact, even his memories from before he had blinked in today felt harder to recall than usual. There was something about a candy shop.
The kid blinked his eyes hard, and gripped the handle of the sword harder. Fine, Hook would remain alive, but at least he would be restrained. Czeslaw propped him up against one of the metal chairs but didn't take a seat himself as Orpheus suggested. He wasn't intensely suspicious of them; it was actually because the way they were set up seemed too inviting and Czeslaw didn't like being told what to do. Besides, he didn't want to seem like he was hanging out with these two. L maybe, but even the detective had said just now he was siding with Orpheus, and that just didn't fly.
"There's not much to talk about," he determined. "There's one more door to try, so we should do it." He pointed with the tip of the sword at Orpheus, or rather over his shoulder in the direction of the room's final door. The other two from before had been sealed with bricks.

L | Amplifier Room | strider ~∂єѕтιиу Razzle Dazzle

“Seemed like the thing to do,” L mumbled in reply, going limp as best he could so he was easier to move. He didn’t like that he’d made Orpheus catch him twice now, but he didn’t actually mind the being caught part of it, surprisingly enough. He suspected it had something to do with lingering effects from the blizzard room. His brain had linked Orpheus with warmth and safety. He couldn’t really hold that against it when Orpheus just kept supplying evidence to support it.
He pulled his feet up onto the chair instinctively, though he didn’t quite crouch the way he often did. It was a compromise. His cognitive abilities were somewhat increased and he wouldn’t fall off his chair.
He felt...odd. He closed his eyes and tried to describe it to himself, but he couldn’t. He tried to think, to remember what he’d just been feeling a moment earlier.
Why had he kicked Hook? It seemed like a stupid move, now. Orpheus had been trying to talk to them, and L couldn’t see why he hadn’t thought they’d listen to reason. Surely they’d listen if they could just see why they should, surely Hook wouldn’t have hurt Czeslaw…
“That’s an option,” he replied with his eyes closed. “Perhaps the House will let us out, now...I don’t see what else it could want from us.”
Surely it wouldn’t put them through anything more. Surely Hook hadn’t known that brain damage was a possible side effect of strangulation.

Nico hesitated, eying Sam’s hand for a long moment. He didn’t want to seem rude by denying it, but he wasn’t used to physical contact like that. He wasn’t used to being able to take someone’s hand. But… but Sam was offering, Sam was giving him the choice, he hadn’t just grabbed Nico’s hand and pulled him along. And Nico felt safe with Sam for reasons he couldn’t quite name. Hesitantly, he reached across to take Sam’s hand. They were okay. Sam was more confident in this room than Nico was, but he had superior jumping ability. They were okay. Nico didn’t quite manage a smile, but he felt his hand catch on L’s, felt the strength of Sam’s grip.
“That sounds nice,” he managed, voice quiet as he looked up at Sam. He glanced up at the next platform, aware that it wasn’t straight up anymore. They needed to angle just the right way. Which meant they’d probably need to jump at about the same time.
“On three for the next one?”

There was a difference between caution and paranoia, realism and pessimism. There was a fine line between being careful and being too careful, and it was one L had crossed more times than he could count. He would rather be overly careful than end up dead, and he didn’t see a better option. He wasn’t willing to risk not being careful enough. It was a bit like adding sugar to your tea twice instead of risking not adding it at all.
He glanced at Hook on the floor. Would he have listened if L had let him? Was he only unconscious because L had antagonized him? Orpheus had been right, they didn’t need to be enemies. Maybe there would have been a peaceful way out.
He looked up as Czeslaw spoke, eyes widening a little. He hadn’t been paying attention to the door. It should have bothered him that he’d let something potentially catastrophic happen without being ready, but it really didn’t.
“What are you seeing?” He asked, leaning back in the chair to try and see Czeslaw better. “Is it a way out?”

L | Pride Room | strider

Community was one thing that had come out of the struggle. L himself hadn’t fought this war as much as some people had - did screening possible Wammy’s House employers and firing them if they showed any sign of hate count? - but he knew it eas there. He could feel it in every veiled comment, in every polite question meant to destroy. He was aware he was not as bothered by it personally as he might have been. He was comfortable with his gender identity, and he’d never listened to anyone else’s opinion of who he should be anyway. But he did ache for the people who felt the words like shards of glass.
“I wonder whether you’d enjoy pride,” he mused, his thoughts leaping to another track. He tied the flag around his neck, not tight enough to make him feel like he couldn’t breathe, but tight enough to stay up. “It’s an event, of sorts. A celebration. It’s outside, there is usually food and music and people wearing all sorts of different colors and flags, a lot like this, actually. I’ve gone before, but not for a long time now. It tends to be very loud. I’ve never been able to decide whether I enjoyed it or not...”
He met their eyes, trailing off. Was it helpful or annoying to listen to this? He didn’t know. He hoped it was helpful. Otherwise Orpheus would stop him, right?
He sighed lightly, looking at the flags again, a serious expression on his face. “It is amazing,” he agreed quietly. He could understand not belonging...he’d spent much of his childhood at an orphanage, even if Watari had technically adopted him. He traveled now, never really staying in one place for too long. They were similar in that way.

“What is it?” Orpheus asked almost immediately moving out of his seat to make sure that he was in front of L. A human shield, almost. This could be very, very dangerous, and he didn’t want to risk L any more than necessary. L had already been hurt. Were there additional side effects to strangulation? What was it about the being strangled that had caused him to panic so much? Orpheus’ eyes narrowed as he took L in, making sure he was okay but also trying to make sure that he wasn’t planning on doing anything reckless. This was more dangerous than he was prepared for… he needed to be prepared, even for the most unlikely scenario.
“Oh,” he murmured, coming up behind Czeslaw close enough to see what he was looking at. He couldn’t really tell what it was, but it was different, and he wasn’t so sure he liked different. Different in this case meant dangerous. Very, very dangerous. He sucked in a breath, trying to figure out what the House was asking them for, here. Was it smart to do what it wanted? Would it be more or less dangerous to try to figure out their own way out without obeying it blindly? He didn’t know how to calculate that, but he felt the distinct need to.

“Orpheus,” Orpheus returned, pleased that the stranger seemed relatively friendly. The vast majority of people he had met in the House were friendly, at least at the outset. The two from a few blinks before were perhaps the exception. Hook and Czeslaw had been almost anything but friendly, though he was fairly certain that the strength of their reactions had more to do with the room than it did with Orpheus themselves. Either way, Vincent seemed like he was going to be a nice break.
“What’s your name?” Orpheus asked after a moment, realizing he hadn’t returned Vincent’s question. The last thing he wanted to do was be unintentionally rude, but he did know how difficult that was to avoid. He didn’t tend to think as much as he should have before he spoke.