Secret meeting with Shelley - Planetarium - Wed, approx 8:30 PM

[caineraisingproject]

The letter under her door was to the point: "Planetarium at 8:30. Need to talk to you as a friend and storyteller. Come armed if you'll feel better. -Caine."

If she does, he's waiting, and closes the door after her. He holds up the journal. "Probably shouldn't look at this yet. I'm absolutely sure it counts as disclosing my experimental or control status, and I'm not keen on either of us Blissing Out in a place like this."

He's dead serious. Not a completely different person, but more, say, what happens when Keenan goes to war. And he has gone to war before, if his stories from home are to be believed.

Comments

[tibkins]

[Of course she was going to go, she trusts Caine. She even goes without any weapons, that's how much she trusts him. Then again, she trusts people easily, so...]

I see. But I suppose there's something valuable I can hear about, right? I have seen you with that before.

[Or at least she remembers Keenan having some sort of journal when they were talking about aliens before]

[caineraisingproject]

"Let's just say I'm trying to work things out. And part of the job requirements for being an ANIMa pilot is lucid dreaming. You get much better equipment for Nightmare hunting in the dream, and all you need to maintain it is to be a trustworthy guy."

He will speak no further on his status. On Piloting, sure.

"There is other valuable stuff we can share about the situation. Here's one: were you asleep back home right before you woke up here? Cause I was."

[tibkins]

Oh! Have you progressed in your research? [She's hoping someone in this hotel has managed to achieve something, since she hasn't]

I...I think I was sleeping, yes. Are we the only ones who were asleep back at home?

[caineraisingproject]

"I'm trying to find that out. It's important, especially because there are safeguards against being dreamnapped back home that... weren't up when I was taken. Were there folks who weren't that you know about?"

He's just. Putting Shelley's answer in the journal.

[tibkins]

No, I think...I haven't really asked, but it doesn't fit, right? There are a few things the scientists couldn't know unless I told them. I think we may have talked with the doctors...before...?

[She is really unsure about that possibility, but she can't throw it away yet]

[caineraisingproject]

"And Yuuki's handwriting on the privacy screen." Keenan frowns, tapping his journal with this pen.

"First off, do you mind sharing what secrets you mean? Second, was there a message on the divider and if so, who wrote it - or, hang on, or what was their relationship to you even? Yuuki was my Anchor and my..."

'Girl' or 'girlfriend' seemed too flippant. Keenan looks away.

"And we were in love."

[tibkins]

The image shown in last week's motive comes to mind. It was a very private thing and only me and two people more knew about it.

[Needless to say, seeing proof of it didn't go well with Shelley, even if she tried to keep herself calm]

Mine was from Charlotte, she's my intern back at home, someone whose friendship I cherish. I have known her since she was nine years old. She's just sixteen, but she's one of the smartest people I have ever known.

[Shelley's eyes light up when she talks about Lottie. She's clearly very fond of her]

[caineraisingproject]

Given that my "regret motive" was Yuuki breaking up with me for damn good reason, yeah, uncomfortably intimate is a good baseline.

Okay. So the person who wrote that message was one of the most important people in your life. Fits the pattern so far.

[tibkins]

I think being able to reach that person may have something to do with it, too. I have a sister I love and would do anything for, but right now she's in a...very difficult place to reach. I think her handwriting would have hit me harder than Lottie's.

[caineraisingproject]

Thanks. That's a thought we both needed. I'm legit terrified.

(He really is.)

Okay. Unless you have anything else you think it's safe to ask or add... I have a bit of advice and. A favor to ask.

[tibkins]

Ask for anything and ye shall receive! We're pals, I'll do anything I can do.

[And she'll take the advice too, of course]

[caineraisingproject]

The advice is this - drink half a bottle of water before bed. When you wake up, IMMEDIATELY drink the other half and write down your dreams before taking care of other business.

The favor is...

If something happens to me, you'll know if I'm C or EGM. Which means I won't be revealing it. Which means reading this should be safe.

So read it then, and make sure everyone who wants to but especially Mikami reads it too.

[tibkins]

I promise I will.

[Hmmmm...]

I suppose you'll keep the journal in your room, won't you? Then if something happens to you, the door to your room will open and I'll pick up the journal. Yeah, that seems about right...

[She's completely sure Keenan won't kill anyone, yeah]

[caineraisingproject]

That's the idea. And you'll be be able to find it just fine.

I told Mikami. I'll let you know who else is in on it.

[tibkins]

Alright.

[...]

...don't get killed, Keenan. Please, be careful. [She really wants you to survive, buddy, stay alive]

[caineraisingproject]

..,you know I can only promise the last one. I'm not promising anything unless I know I can keep it. Yuuki taught me that too late.