(Untitled)

[is_fear_itself]

Jon Crane's left his costume behind for a change, and he's sipping a cup of tea, a book open on his lap and a tape recorder balanced precariously on the arm of the chair he's staked out as his own. He marks his place in the book and looks up to ask his question.

"Do you believe in the thin line between love and hate?"

A why or why not is

Comments

[jdoesmith]

Jane gives him a silent once over. She doesn't know who he is but his appearance is cataloged in her mind. Fun fact, at the end of the day she writes down everything she can remember.

"Yeah. Love can easily turn into gate," Jane says with a shrug. "So they're just... linked that way.We-- People I mean tend to hate people they love more strongly than strangers too."

She's rambling and stuffing her hands into the jacket she has on. She doesn't speak like an educated person, more like someone who learned things on the fly.

[is_fear_itself]

One thing Jonathan really honestly loves about the Nexus is the fact that people don't call the cops on people here. He can just sit in the open and read, which is the sort of thing usually limited to Arkham, and there, people are obnoxious.

"Reluctant to bring yourself into the equation, are you? Personal experiences are welcome." He surveys her in turn, finding nothing interesting to comment on - but he never was one to judge by first appearances. "Still, you raise a cogent point. Do people hate their loved ones because they have idealized them into more? Because they need spend a longer time with them and so notice more flaws?"

[jdoesmith]

"My personal experiences in the wide birth of human emotion are somewhat limited," she admits with a shrug. The short woman has no problem admitting she's not very experienced when it comes to that.

"I used to hate my old man because I thought he was sheltering me. We.. He was all I had," she shrugs again. She likes to look unremarkable to the world. "Children dislike it when they feel they are being too protected. We-- People. They notice things about people they live close to."

She glances at him then shrugs. "I exclude myself because I'm not prone to hating people, just habits. And dogs. I do not like dogs."

[is_fear_itself]

"Ah." Crane meditates on this for a few moments, raising an eyebrow to himself as a thought occurs, and sets the empty cup of tea down, closing the book and waving to a seat in invitation. He can be semidecent when he's not wearing the costume. Sometimes.

"'Not hating people' makes you somewhat unique, you realize." His tone indicates he doesn't believe her, but he's a bitter, cynical old bastard, so it's not surprising really. "Do you hate dogs because you fear them?"

[jdoesmith]

She takes the seat crossing one leg over the other. Her left boot is muddier than the right one and they look worn in like she's had them for a few years.

"I just don't feel strongly enough towards people for long enough to hate them. Sure I get angry at them but nor for long enough for me to feel anything."

Jane laughs softly. "Not at all. I just don't like them. Ya see, I'm a private detective. Most of my cases? They come from people who are worried that their spouse is cheating. Got a dog set on me once. Big German Shepard. The husband trained them for private security."

She makes face. She really does not like dogs.

[is_fear_itself]

"I see." He sounds marginally more interested at this, "Would you describe the range of your emotions as very dull, then?"

He pauses and stiffens imperceptibly at the notion she's a detective. Being out of costume makes him more nervous as well, particular around law enforcement people. "Not a very popular or rewarding profession, then." He says this in an icy tone.

[jdoesmith]

"I get very basic feelings. Not very deep or... connected," she wrinkles her nose as she talks. "I don't know how to explain it. I feel yet I don't have the same depth of emotion I hear other people have. I guess it's my lack of connections."

She shrugs leaning back. "People don't like me very much. I'm used to that. Cops don't like me because they think I'm in it for the cash... other people don't like me because I expose whatever they're doing. People hate admitting they're screwing the help after all."

It doesn't matter to her. "Personally cops can be primadonnas."

[is_fear_itself]

"Are you sociopathic?" From anyone else this would probably be an insult, but Crane asks it in such a neutral and inoffensive tone, as if he's asking if she takes her coffee black or with cream.

"At least you understand your position," He muses, and then outright laughs at the second part, terribly amused. "Ah, yes... they can."

[jdoesmith]

"I don't think I am," she says with a shrug. "I know why I have problems with my feelings. I just don't care to share it with strangers."

She laughs a little. "You have experience with cops? Not that I'm prying. You don't have to share."

[is_fear_itself]

"Of course you don't," He says, mildly, and drums his fingers on the cover of the book.

He narrows his eyes. "Yes, I have had dealings with them several times." Jon rubs his head, not seeing any harm in the honesty, "Mostly our conflicts involve public endangerment... and, oh, let me think... Title 18, part one, chapter 11B, section 229 of US Code, to knowingly develop, produce, otherwise acquire, transfer directly or indirectly, receive, stockpile, retain, own, possess, or use, or threaten to use, any chemical weapon. Mostly the using. A great deal of using."

He cleans his glasses as he talks, eying her for her reaction to this.

[jdoesmith]

She has her gun out. She hadn't even thought about it and shows a flicker of surprise she had it out but just relaxes with an easy going smile.

"Sorry but I suddenly don't feel safe. I wasn't sure if you were mild mannered or not, that just confirms it." She shrugs and smiles in a way that isn't openly hostile but promises she isn't feeling affection for him either. "At least you don't lie. I find lots of people lie. I try not to since I have no deep dark secrets. Just things I don't know."

[is_fear_itself]

"This is the Nexus, you know, and barring the odd pocket of malfunction, I can't injure you and you can't injure me. --I could ...scare you, perhaps, there's nothing stopping psychological warfare, but physically I couldn't poison you even if I had the toxin with me."

He clears his throat. It must be said, he's eying the gun nervously despite his words. He has been shot before, it's not fun and it hurts a lot.

"What do you mean, things you don't know?"

[jdoesmith]

"I haven't been here in public long enough to learn about that," Jane admits. She won't put her gun away just yet.

She stares at him intently then gives in. "I have long term amnesia. Not even a hint of things... before. No records either. I've looked. The cops have looked. The... person who took me in looked. Nadda."

[is_fear_itself]

"Perhaps they should make some sort of...brochure for the new blood," Jon muses, watching her face.

He laughs, "What's your name? Jane Doe?"

[jdoesmith]

"Maybe. Might help," she admits with a shrug. she's relaxing to the point where the gun is just for show.

"Close. Doe-Smith. I wasn't creative," she says with a faint shrug. "I was mostly... angry. They didn't know what to do with me."

[is_fear_itself]

"Mm." He looks down again, and then folds his hands in his lap, reasoning that he should take care just in case the AVF is on the fritz. And yeah, he didn't bring any fear gas with him this time.

"Arkham Asylum wouldn't know what to do with you either," He muses, "Or, more accurately, doesn't currently, since I believe she's there."