☞ 004.

[wouldnotkindly]

Is this sort of thing really normal... [He trails off, though, and shakes his head.] You know what, never mind. It seems like the more I ask that, the more likely it is that the answer is yes, so I guess I shouldn't bother.

[He pauses before continuing.] Uh... Ariadne. If you see this, do you think we could talk again? Thanks.

(OOC: open to fourth-wall shenanigans, have at him!)

Comments

[wouldnotkindly]

I know that, but it... It just gave me this bad feeling, you know?

[But he quickly shakes his head.] Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up.

[boutant]

A bad feeling? Like what?

[ Another slight smile. ] It's okay.

[wouldnotkindly]

Like... Like you were in danger.

[He shakes his head again.] No... I'm sorry. Really.

[boutant]

Well, it was a nightmare, right? That would make sense.

Jack. It's okay. Really.

[wouldnotkindly]

Yeah, but...

[Once again, he hesitates before continuing with a sigh.]

Never mind. You're right.

[boutant]

[ She hesitates for a moment as well. Would you kindly... the words roll around in her mind for a moment.

Well, why not? What's the worst thing that could happen if she says it? ]

Jack, would you kindly tell me what's bothering you?

[wouldnotkindly]

[There's another pause before he answers, but it isn't nearly as long as those preceding it — and when he does speak, it's nearly without a trace of his prior hesitance.]

I didn't see you for very long — in the dream, I mean — but when I did, you were fighting a Big Daddy. It rushed you, and it... It was gruesome. There was nothing I could do.

[boutant]

[ ... well. That's a response, though she's not sure if it means anything. ]

A Big Daddy?

[ Is that what those are called? ]

[wouldnotkindly]

[He nods.] Huge monsters in diving suits... Some of them have rivet guns, but there are others with giant drills on their arms. They're practically everywhere in Rapture.

[boutant]

[ Oh. Well. ]

That sounds... [ She's not going to finish that sentence. ] Why are they called Big Daddies?

[wouldnotkindly]

I don't really know... Maybe it's because they protect the Little Sisters—uh... Little girls.

They call them "daddy," anyway.

[boutant]

They protect little girls?

[ She knows what the little girls need protecting from, but why were those things going after them in the first place? ]

[wouldnotkindly]

Yeah... They're called "Little Sisters," but that's basically it.

[He sounds reluctant to say anything more.]

[boutant]

Why would they need protecting if they're just little girls?

[ Too bad. ]

[wouldnotkindly]

[He hesitates for some time.]

I don't know if you'd want to know the answer to that.

[boutant]

Why's that?

[ CURIOUS FOREVER. ]

[wouldnotkindly]

It's...gruesome.

[Yeah, he's clammed up again.]

[boutant]

[ Damn. Well, probably best not to push too much anyway. ]

All right.