See, the thing about Daine is that for all she's human, she's also People, rather strongly. She's more comfortable around animals, talking to animals, almost more comfortable being an animal, though that's a new talent she's still developing.
But that means that when she steps into the Rift room, looking for something, and she sees Medusa, her instincts have to have a nice sit-down to discuss which reaction they're going to have before sending the message to her brain.
The People win.
Daine's kneeling on the ground in front of Medusa almost instantly, reaching out to tentatively touch her shoulder. "Miss? Are you injured?"
She sounds concerned. Not terrified, just... worried, about her.
Medusa flinches away from the touch. She would have liked that touch if she were not so afraid, if all the statues of her garden were not burnt into her memory.
"Please ... be careful."
She wants to laugh at the girl's question. She has a head again, so she is very well, thank you.
"I am not injured, I am ... fine." A strange word, but instantly fitting. It means nothing and keeps a distance while still giving others assurance. "But please do not look at me."
She pauses a moment. "Where ... what is this place?"
If it is the Underworld, perhaps she can take her hands from her face.
"Why shouldn't I look at you?" Daine asks curiously, though she pulls her hand back. This girl seems like a frightened animal. She'll have to feel safe before she'll be comfortable with Daine. "I can close my eyes if you like."
What is this place? Oh dear. There's something about this girl (probably the dress) that is practically screaming to Daine that she's out of place. Which means saying "Chicago" isn't going to clear much up. "It's... a different world," she says finally. You were brought here-- well, they say that it's at random, but I think maybe there are gods who control it. Or a powerful sorcerer. But you've come from your world to a different one, and... they don't know of a way for any of us to get back."
A commanding note creeps into Medusa's tone. "It would perhaps be better if you turned your head away from me." Better safe than sorry, yes? "I do not wish for you to be turned to stone."
Medusa gives a bitter little chuckle at the girl's words. The gods. But of course.
"Yes, gods controlling things seems more ... likely," Medusa says, rallying herself. Because whether she knows it or not, this girl has just given her good news. Not going back means not going back to where she was humiliated by Athena and Perseus, not going back to -
Daine wants to put this girl at ease (though she doesn't much appreciate that hint of a command in her voice), and turns her back to Medusa.
"Turned to stone? Are you like a basilisk?" Oh, yes, it's not the same, since a basilisk has to consciously turn someone to stone, but that's the only time she's heard of that happening. The sound of her voice should make it pretty clear that she's turned away.
"And, no, this isn't death. Or if it is, it's not what I'm familiar with." She pauses for a moment. "Not that I'm familiar with death, but I've never heard of an afterlife anything like this."
What Medusa needs is another cave. Another place to crouch within to keep herself away from all these vulnerable beings. The cave ... it was not perfectly safe, of course - always were there idiots with their fatal curiosity or animals who knew no better - but it was something.
"Yes - I - I know nothing of this basilisk, but my gaze will turn those who behold me to stone." Medusa swallows. "Thank you for not looking at me."
Medusa is not used to thanking anyone. She feels surprisingly ... vulnerable.
"Then I am living." She feels her heart beat, she breathes. She is alive. She must ask for more assistance, though she dislikes it.
"Are there caves here? Places to ... hide?"
She can't think of a better word. But hiding - the very concept makes her feel sick. Again.
"I... I don't think so, no," Daine says slowly. "It's a city. A very... very large city. There's all sorts of strange buildings and metal carriages on wheels called 'cars' that move terribly fast, and... I don't know anywhere to hide. This is about the safest place in the city. We're below a...hotel. It's like an inn, or a boarding house."
She's still confused by some of this stuff, it's hard to explain it.
If Medusa weren't already cradling her face in her hands, she would be now. A great city. Many buildings. No hiding place.
Hotel, inn, boarding house ... none of it really makes sense, though house sounds like home and this, at least, Medusa knows.
If this is the safest place ... it is not safe while she is here. Perhaps she could live with cloths over her face - but she tried that once before and it was stifling, irritating. Besides, the snakes didn't like it.
"Is there no place to keep myself from - from humans?"
Other humans, she had almost said. But she isn't really human anymore, is she?
Daine can't help herself. She squeezes her eyes shut and reaches out for Medusa's shoulder, and actually manages to find it with minimal groping in the air.
"You need not be sorry." There's a little note of despair in her voice that she can't quite help.
Medusa, this time, tries to breathe through the touch. After all, the girl has already touched her and nothing has happened. Back home, no one had ever successfully gotten close enough to her for Medusa to know if her touch was as deadly as her gaze.
"I am Medusa." It doesn't occur to her to say anything else. "Nice to meet you" was not part of her repertoire back home.
Daine chews her lip a bit. "I... I'm sure we could find you a veil of some sort. If you'd like. Though it'd be a shame to cover your hair, it's lovely..."
That's bound to get an interesting reaction, the narration thinks.
At first there's just scorn - it's radiating from every part of her - that this girl, this Daine, is too afraid to say the truth, to acknowledge the snakes, the hideousness. (Or what most would consider hideous, though Medusa truthfully has become very fond of her snakes.)
But then she pauses a moment, and carefully, slowly leans forward. She feels the hair brush against her skin.
And then there is laughter. Quite a lot of it, actually. It's near-hysterical. In fact, Medusa comes very close to dropping her hands. Because she feels a kind of triumphant certainty.
"The curses are gone. They are gone."
... Sorry if the whole laughing thing creeps you out, Daine. And don't worry - she's not going to test it out on you or anything.
But that means that when she steps into the Rift room, looking for something, and she sees Medusa, her instincts have to have a nice sit-down to discuss which reaction they're going to have before sending the message to her brain.
The People win.
Daine's kneeling on the ground in front of Medusa almost instantly, reaching out to tentatively touch her shoulder. "Miss? Are you injured?"
She sounds concerned. Not terrified, just... worried, about her.
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"Please ... be careful."
She wants to laugh at the girl's question. She has a head again, so she is very well, thank you.
"I am not injured, I am ... fine." A strange word, but instantly fitting. It means nothing and keeps a distance while still giving others assurance. "But please do not look at me."
She pauses a moment. "Where ... what is this place?"
If it is the Underworld, perhaps she can take her hands from her face.
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What is this place? Oh dear. There's something about this girl (probably the dress) that is practically screaming to Daine that she's out of place. Which means saying "Chicago" isn't going to clear much up. "It's... a different world," she says finally. You were brought here-- well, they say that it's at random, but I think maybe there are gods who control it. Or a powerful sorcerer. But you've come from your world to a different one, and... they don't know of a way for any of us to get back."
Daine chews her lip a bit, still worried.
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A commanding note creeps into Medusa's tone. "It would perhaps be better if you turned your head away from me." Better safe than sorry, yes? "I do not wish for you to be turned to stone."
Medusa gives a bitter little chuckle at the girl's words. The gods. But of course.
"Yes, gods controlling things seems more ... likely," Medusa says, rallying herself. Because whether she knows it or not, this girl has just given her good news. Not going back means not going back to where she was humiliated by Athena and Perseus, not going back to -
"So this is not ... Death?"
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"Turned to stone? Are you like a basilisk?" Oh, yes, it's not the same, since a basilisk has to consciously turn someone to stone, but that's the only time she's heard of that happening. The sound of her voice should make it pretty clear that she's turned away.
"And, no, this isn't death. Or if it is, it's not what I'm familiar with." She pauses for a moment. "Not that I'm familiar with death, but I've never heard of an afterlife anything like this."
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"Yes - I - I know nothing of this basilisk, but my gaze will turn those who behold me to stone." Medusa swallows. "Thank you for not looking at me."
Medusa is not used to thanking anyone. She feels surprisingly ... vulnerable.
"Then I am living." She feels her heart beat, she breathes. She is alive. She must ask for more assistance, though she dislikes it.
"Are there caves here? Places to ... hide?"
She can't think of a better word. But hiding - the very concept makes her feel sick. Again.
She should not have to hide.
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She's still confused by some of this stuff, it's hard to explain it.
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Hotel, inn, boarding house ... none of it really makes sense, though house sounds like home and this, at least, Medusa knows.
If this is the safest place ... it is not safe while she is here. Perhaps she could live with cloths over her face - but she tried that once before and it was stifling, irritating. Besides, the snakes didn't like it.
"Is there no place to keep myself from - from humans?"
Other humans, she had almost said. But she isn't really human anymore, is she?
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Daine can't help herself. She squeezes her eyes shut and reaches out for Medusa's shoulder, and actually manages to find it with minimal groping in the air.
She just can't not try to comfort her.
"I'm Daine," she says after a moment.
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Medusa, this time, tries to breathe through the touch. After all, the girl has already touched her and nothing has happened. Back home, no one had ever successfully gotten close enough to her for Medusa to know if her touch was as deadly as her gaze.
"I am Medusa." It doesn't occur to her to say anything else. "Nice to meet you" was not part of her repertoire back home.
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That's bound to get an interesting reaction, the narration thinks.
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At first there's just scorn - it's radiating from every part of her - that this girl, this Daine, is too afraid to say the truth, to acknowledge the snakes, the hideousness. (Or what most would consider hideous, though Medusa truthfully has become very fond of her snakes.)
But then she pauses a moment, and carefully, slowly leans forward. She feels the hair brush against her skin.
And then there is laughter. Quite a lot of it, actually. It's near-hysterical. In fact, Medusa comes very close to dropping her hands. Because she feels a kind of triumphant certainty.
"The curses are gone. They are gone."
... Sorry if the whole laughing thing creeps you out, Daine. And don't worry - she's not going to test it out on you or anything.
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