003 ;; [ VISUAL ] revelations are never what they seem

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

((Also [ location: sanctuary (for all) ], this is also an accidental visual))

Ashley couldn't remember the last time that she'd had a good nights sleep, so when she woke up that morning she actually felt tireder than usual. After failing to go back to sleep to shake off the feeling, she pulled herself out of bed. Something though, didn't feel right. There were things in her room that looked out of place, like James for one; Ashley thought that she'd lost him years ago, but it wasn't just her room it was her. And that feeling was growing stronger. Meeting people, making chocolate chip waffles and... Druitt.

"Mom!" In a place this big she didn't usually hear, but on that one occasion that her mother was passing, she would take that chance. Still in her pyjamas, Ashley left her room in search of her mother; not best pleased either.

Comments

[location: SFA hallway]

[aregulargirl.livejournal.com]

Max had been heading to her room when she heard a voice calling out for her mother. Thinking Ashley might be lost again (and needing a distraction from what had happened with Peter), she headed in the direction of the voice...

...and instead of a five year old, found a woman about her age.

She remembered talking to Magnus, about how her daughter had gone from twenty-three to five overnight. And she remembered how Gabriel's state and how that hadn't been permanent, either. So did that mean this was...

"Ashley?"

[ location: sanctuary hallway ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

A voice stopped her and she turned. "Max?"

She knew her, but she hadn't met her as any form of 'herself'. This was just too damn weird, and someone better have an explanation for it. Changing her and letting Druitt in? That was a sick joke if there ever was one. Moreso if it was real.

[ location: sanctuary hallway ]

[aregulargirl.livejournal.com]

Max nodded. "Yeah. Nice to meet you as...yourself. When'd you go back to normal?"

[ location: sanctuary hallway ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"Normal? When I was sleeping, not quite sure what the hell happened though." She had the memories from it but it was sort of phasey; waffles, 'bonding time' with Druitt, meeting a lot of people and keeping James with her. Just like when she was a kid, mostly.

[ location: sanctuary hallway ]

[aregulargirl.livejournal.com]

"Do you remember anything about it?"

Well, obviously, she knew who Max was. But did she remember what she'd done?

[ location: sanctuary hallway ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"Enough that I need to find my mom and ask her what the hell she was thinking." She'd promised not to bring Druitt in but she had, and had even let him spend time with her. That just wasn't fair.

[ location: sanctuary hallway ]

[aregulargirl.livejournal.com]

"Why? What'd she do?"

[ location: helen's lab ]

[notanemptymotto.livejournal.com]

Helen looked up from the various files she had pulled together. Going through various data she collected from the Sanctuary's newest residents took some time. Time that she used when she had put her five year old daughter to bed. Though it sounded like Ashley had returned to her normal self, by the sound of her voice. Which did cause much ease for her. At least one person was back to normal in this mess.

[ location: helen's lab ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

Her mom's office was the first place that she'd looked, her lab the second. The more awake she became the more the fogginess seemed to lift and the memories slotted into place, and the more that pissed her off. The rest of it, fine. Druitt? No. Whatever the hell happened? No. There were some lines that didn't get crossed.

"What the hell happened to me?"

[ location: helen's lab ]

[notanemptymotto.livejournal.com]

"Well, if I knew that, Ashley, I certainly wouldn't have gone to the drastic measures that I did." Helen looked down long enough to finish writing the sentence she was mid-way through. "And I would say contacting your father and allowing him into the Sanctuary is drastic."

[ location: helen's lab ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, that was pretty extreme. Though I'm pretty sure that not all of it was that bad for you." It was stemming down into a low blow, but in a way being pissed at the situation gave her reason.

[ location: helen's lab ]

[notanemptymotto.livejournal.com]

That only helped to fuel the feelings Helen had. "Excuse me, young lady. But seeing my daughter be twenty-three the night before and then having her be five years old again is a very distressing thing. It was hardly fair to both of us."

[ location: helen's lab ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"So you brought him in? Because he could really help. Making waffles with him? Completely distressing."

[visual]

[redeemedripper.livejournal.com]

He'd wondered when this would come. There was a time limit on any gift, and his time to see his daughter in ways he never could before had come to an end. With a sigh, he reached for the tablet and switched it on. He was getting better at that, at least. There were small favors in even the most confusing and dire situations.

"Calm yourself, Ashley. From what your mother tells me, these 'glitches' are quite common in this place. We should be thankful you hadn't turned into worse." His voice was calm, but firm. He had no intention of trying to be her father, but there was reason to be spoken.

[ visual ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"Like what? A murderer? There's plenty enough in this place without making a new one." How could he talk to her, after this? Being there while she was a kid was not fair and talking to her now? Nothing had changed, regardless of any happiness she'd felt as a child. That wasn't her real childhood.

[ visual ]

[redeemedripper.livejournal.com]

"Ashley, I know you're upset, but lashing out isn't going to do anyone any good." He hoped she was only acting so unpleasant with him. After seeing the sort of behavior Ashley had the capability of exhibiting, this callous sarcasm only irritated him.

"Have you spoken to your mother?"

[ visual ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"Well it feels a lot damn better than doing nothing." Actually, not talking at all would.

"We spoke earlier, it's peachy."

[ visual ]

[redeemedripper.livejournal.com]

"You know, I think I much preferred you when you were small."

John's irritation was evident on his face. Did he mean it? Probably. At least the younger version of Ashley had given him a chance. Then again, the younger version of her wasn't aware of all the pain he had caused.

[ visual ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"You don't know me, and that wasn't real. It doesn't change a damn thing."

[location: sanctuary (for all)]

[hulk]

When Bruce heard Ashley call out like that, he just went toward the source of the sound. After all the kid wasn't that bad, and well. He'd already spent enough time with her he felt kind of obligated.

"Ashle-- Oh." He stopped in his tracks, seeing she was back to normal.

[ location: sanctuary (for all) ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

And a brief, barely there pause. "Let me guess, you expected a kid?"

[location: sanctuary (for all)]

[hulk]

"Uh. Yeah. I mean, it's good and everything that you're back to normal, of course. It's just. Unexpected."

[ location: sanctuary (for all) ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"Oh it's peachy. Don't tell me you preferred it?"

[location: sanctuary (for all)]

[hulk]

He shrugged, slightly squirming up against all that displeasure.

"Can't really say. Only talked to you the once before the whole, y'know. Glitch, or whatever it's called, happened. So."

[ location: sanctuary (for all) ]

[notthatnormal.livejournal.com]

"Perfect. I don't plan on changing again."