Night 4 - Alfendi

[selfsufficiency]

[Alice can't say she's surprised at many of the reactions to the execution. It's a little unsettling, to say the least, but she's no stranger to death and even less a stranger to seeing people who haven't actually done anything wrong die, so it doesn't distract her from the task at hand: figuring out what's going on in this place and getting out alive.

The current task being catching up with Alfendi, which isn't really a difficult task at all since they're headed to the same apartment. He doesn't really look too good, but then, he has a lot of moments where he doesn't look too good.

Maybe a distraction is in order. She reaches over and tugs on his sleeve to get his attention as she falls into step beside him.]

Hey... do you still want to try out the pills from the commissary?

Comments

[selfdenying]

I hope not.

[He smiles like he always does, but he does seem honestly touched by that - Alice may be questionable at times, but even so, this kind of support is not what he's used to.]

Thanks, Alice. I'm sure it won't come to that at all, so don't worry. I have no desire to die just yet.

[selfsufficiency]

Good! ♡

[Never really one for sappy moments, Alice moves right along.]

So, how's your memory feeling? Is it - [Aaaand a sneeze. She has the good grace to cover her nose and mouth, at least.] Is anything feeling clearer?

[selfdenying]

Hm.

[Alright, time to try! He wracks his mind, again trying to get up against one barrier he knows is there - him being a detective. He thinks, and thinks, and thinks...and nothing comes.]

...Uh. Not really? Still seems the same as ever.

[selfsufficiency]

Nothing at all?

[BOO. Alice frowns a little at that, folding her arms across her chest.]

Try thinking back to the trial, then. Can you remember anything from that more vividly than you normally would?

[selfdenying]

[Alright, back to the trial. He can do that. He purses his lips, thinking hard, trying to see if any memories are radically different or clearer....annnnnd nothing changes.]

[He shakes his head, looking disappointed.]

It's not working. Maybe I need more time?

[selfsufficiency]

...maaaaybe, but it worked right away for me.

[Weirder and weirder. Alice wrinkles her nose.]

Is there anything else you're noticing that seems different?

[selfdenying]

That is odd. Maybe it's because I'm older than you? I'm no doctor, so I can't say...

[He considers the question.]

The pain from the shot went away quickly but...other than that, I haven't noticed anything else, really.

[selfsufficiency]

The pain did?

[...that gives Alice an idea.

Without warning, she surges forward and makes to slap Alfendi across the face.]

[selfdenying]

[There's almost like a delayed reaction, here - his hand goes up to his cheek in shock a few seconds too late, his eyebrows furrowing.]

...Ow? What was that for?

[He just seems confused - he didn't even wince.]

[selfsufficiency]

...are you saying ow because you think you're supposed to say ow after you get hit, or because it actually hurt?

[For Science, that's what.]

[selfdenying]

No, it hurt, but...

[He shakes his head in slight disbelief.]

It isn't as much as I...expected it to? It's weird. It was more like a very hard tap...

[selfsufficiency]

[Curiouser and curiouser...]

Hold out your arm.

[selfdenying]

[SUDDENLY CONCERNED]

What are you going to do to it?

[selfsufficiency]

Nothing too bad. ♡

[If he doesn't stop her, she'll reach out and give him a pinch with her fingernails - not too sharp, but not too light, either.]

[selfdenying]

Hey!

[And he sort of jerks back, but there's a blink of surprise as he glances to the place she's pinched him.]

Oh...that wasn't too bad, either.

[selfsufficiency]

...I guess they were different after all.

[Which concerns her, a little. What the heck is she going to do when she runs out of her pills...?]

[selfdenying]

...Oh, no.

[He did it and it didn't even help his memory at all? He feels cheated, somehow.]

Why would they name the both of them "Mystery Drug"? Ugh, this isn't fair. If this...whole pain thing is the result of it, that's all nice and good, but it wasn't what I was looking for.

[selfsufficiency]

[Alice pauses to consider it and slides a hand into her pocket.

On the one hand, no. The idea of giving up her pills just feels a little wrong, but... whatever the serum he has could be really useful, depending on the circumstances.]

Do you have any more of that liquid, or did you use it all when you stuck yourself with the needle?

[selfdenying]

I used it all. There wasn't much, honestly - I think the dosage was only for one person.

[Ugh, he feels terrible. Back to square one...]

And there weren't any more syringes besides that one.

[selfsufficiency]

...it can't be helped.

[If he had more, she'd have traded her remaining stock, but... okay. She sort of feels sorry for him. She fishes out one pill - no more than that - and holds out her hand.]

I'm not doing this to be nice. I'm just doing it because if I'm going to be sleeping in your room, I want to understand how your blackouts work, and this might help do that. Hold out your hand.

[If he does, she'll drop the pill into his palm.]

[selfdenying]

Alice...?

[But he does hold out his hand, cupping the pill in it when it drops there. He sighs.]

Thanks, Alice. I just...I want to get to the bottom of this however I can.

[selfsufficiency]

Don't thank me. I'm doing it for me, not for you.

[Being thanked by people makes her skin crawl, honestly.]

[selfdenying]

Thank you anyways, Alice.

[THIS WILL NOT LEAD TO ANYTHING BAD WHATSOEVER AT ALL]

...You know, you surprise me, Alice. I didn't expect to like you as much as I do, if I have to be honest.

[selfsufficiency]

What's not to like about me?

[A LOT OF THINGS, HONESTLY.]

I didn't expect to like you either. You're interesting, but being interesting is different from being likable.