Put to the test || [RP log + thread for questionorigin & arkhams_dr]
[RP log is poorly edited - will fix later!]
It was a weekend, nearly a month since Dalia originally asked Jonathan Crane for assistance, but the first time on her schedule that she had time to set aside. She arrived at the Crane house and knocked on the door, trying not to be as nervous as she was. She'd heard stories about Crane's methods, seen her mother after years of his treatments...
A few moments later, the door opened, and Duela Crane looked at her sister. She offered a slight smile and opened the door further, taking a step back. "Come in."
Dalia was dressed down - a long-sleeved black shirt and black sweatpants, hair up in a ponytail. "Thanks," she told Duela. "Uh...how are you?"
Duela nodded and shut the door behind Dalia. "I'm good. How've you been?"
"Busy...but...good." Dalia smiled a bit.
"Curse of working for the city, I'd imagine," Duela replied.
"Something like that," Dalia shrugged. She glanced around, out of habit.
"Jonathan's down in his laboratory, preparing," she replied. "Would you like something to drink until he's ready?"
"Some water maybe?" Dalia shrugged again. It wasn't like the sisters usually had a lotto say to each other normally, but Dalia was considerably quieter than usual.
Duela nodded, leading the way into the living room. "Have a seat. I'll be right back."
Dalia took a seat, waiting for her sister.
Duela returned a few moments later with a glass of ice water. She handed it to Dalia before taking a seat in the armchair in the room.
"Thanks." Dalia took the glass and drank.
Duela watched her, remaining silent for the moment. She'd promised Jonathan she wouldn't interfere in his tests... much.
"Mom and Dad are okay," Dalia said, not as pointedly as she might normally have.
Duela smiled slightly. "Good. I'm... glad to hear it." And she meant it. Old wounds still hurt at times, but she didn't really hold it against them anymore. Not too much.
Dalia looked around again. "Where's Joshua?"
"Out," Duela said, giving a quiet "hmph" after saying it.
"....with Helena?" Dalia couldn't help ask.
Duela said nothing, but she straightened up where she sat and her eyes narrowed just slightly.
"Guess that's a yes," Dalia smirked. "You know...she's not bad."
"I don't doubt she isn't. But she's also nowhere near good enough for him," Duela replied.
Dalia took a drink of water, then spoke. "You sound like Mom. Just so you know."
"Mothers are supposed to disapprove of their childrens' choice in... partners," she replied. In that way, at the very least, she could stand being compared to her mother. At least she wasn't getting concerned too little too late. She'd been there for Joshua from the beginning. Duela closed her eyes and took a breath. She wouldn't start down that road now.
"Still." Dalia couldn't believe she was saying this. Mostly, it was out of concern for Helena. "She's nice."
"'Nice' is certainly... nice." Duela looked at her sister, "But it's hardly all Joshua deserves. The girl is far too like her mother."
Dalia rolled her eyes. "I doubt they'll get married. But they both seem to like the other's company. No harm in that."
"And what about you? Are you seeing anyone?" She couldn't help but smile. "And if you are-- do Mom and Dad know?"
Dalia shrugged, taking a longer sip of her water, which was an answer in itself.
Duela chuckled. "Who is it?"
She hadn't told anyone--technically, Helena had found out on her own---and for a moment, Dalia was wary. ".....we've known each other awhile....but we just started seeing each other..."
Duela arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Aw, how cute." She leaned forward slightly. "Who is he?"
Dalia looked back, and her concern showed on her face. ".....James Gordon. Er. The third."
Duela stared at her for a moment. And stared. Before bursting into laughter.
Dalia covered her face with her hands.
The composure Duela usually kept herself to as a Crane melted as she laughed, unable to help herself.
"It's not funny," Daliamuttered.
"A Dent and a Gordon. Of course it's funny," Duela managed.
"...I haven't told Dad and Mom. Obviously." Dalia said.
Duela was still chuckling, even as she struggled to regain her composure. "Probably a good move."
Dalia wasn't amused. "....although...I'm more worried about his father than Dad...if it ever...even gets to that point..."
"I'd be worried about them both," Duela replied.
Dalia sighed and looked around again.
Duela smiled slightly. "I'm sure, if it gets that serious, you two can handle it."
"Or we could just run away." Dalia smirked.
"Good luck with that." Duela smiled more.
Crane entered the room. "Is she - oh. Hello. Are you ready?"
Dalia looked up and nodded. "I am." She got up from the chair she'd been sitting in.
Duela stood as well, nodding.
"Then follow me." He led the way to the basement. "Duela's insisted on a few restrictions. A shame. I felt the direct route was preferable."
"...direct route?" Dalia raised a brow.
"It's no matter." Crane waved the idea away.
Dalia glanced at Duela, questioningly.
"You'll be fine," Duela promised, putting her hand on Dalia's shoulder.
"Dad'll kill everyone if I'm not," Dalia murmured. It was hard to tell if she was kidding.
"Surely you don't think I've failed to prepare for that,” Crane said.
"You'll be fine," Duela repeated. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Anything long-lasting, at least.
"....right. Okay." Dalia didn't attempt a smile. She was a bit scared...but it had to be done.
“We're just going to secure you - safety first, safety first - and then see how you react under extreme circumstances."
Dalia nodded. "Right..."
"Duela?" Crane nodded towards the exam table. where several montioring devices and restraints waited.
Duela nodded in return and approached the table. "Dalia?"
Dalia followed her sister, approaching the table. She looked at it a moment, then got up on it.
Crane began activating the montioring machines.
Dalia watched as he did that, trying to let go of her nervousness.
Duela moved silently, hooking Dalia up to the various machines.
Once he pulled the final restraint tight, Crane smiled and said, "There. Are we ready?" Before he finished the final syllable, he plunged a syringe into her arm.
Dalia gasped in surprise. A few short seconds later, she let out a scream and tried (uselessly) to thrash.
Duela braced herself and closed her eyes. She waited, listening to the scream and to the monitoring devices, ready to act if anything went wrong.
Dalia continued screaming, her face screwed up, like she was mentally trying to fight what she couldn't physically fend off.
Crane concentrated on the readouts. "Interesting. Very interesting." After a few moments, he began taking a blood sample.
"You're okay, Dalia," Duela whispered, even though she knew her sister wouldn't hear her. "It can't hurt you."
"Shush, my dear. It can, indeed,” Crane said. “And besides, you shouldn't interfere.”
"Son-of-a--" Dalia began a string of expletives, cursing whatever it was she was seeing, as her fingernails clawed at the table.
"I think she may be correct,” Crane observed. “It's definitely looking like the metagene's present and active. It's a shame you wouldn't let Joshua try his skills on her."
"I am not going to give him an excuse to fight with her," Duela replied. "I try and keep the peace between them. Useless as that is."
"Yes, but we still don't know the limits of what he can do..." Crane countered.
On the table, Dalia continued to get angrier - the curses becoming lengthier and more...creative, coupled with an occasional scream.
"Tsk. Language," he murmured.
"She's her father's daughter," Duela murmured, chuckling.
"Exactly. As are you, for which I'm quite thankful."
Dalia continued yelling and clawing at the table, though her voice started to get hoarse.
"I do wish you'd let me bring Joshua in."
"This is sufficient."
“I think that’s my decision.”
She looked back at him. "No. I am not putting these two against each other, Jonathan. Definitely not like that."
It was a weekend, nearly a month since Dalia originally asked Jonathan Crane for assistance, but the first time on her schedule that she had time to set aside. She arrived at the Crane house and knocked on the door, trying not to be as nervous as she was. She'd heard stories about Crane's methods, seen her mother after years of his treatments...
A few moments later, the door opened, and Duela Crane looked at her sister. She offered a slight smile and opened the door further, taking a step back. "Come in."
Dalia was dressed down - a long-sleeved black shirt and black sweatpants, hair up in a ponytail. "Thanks," she told Duela. "Uh...how are you?"
Duela nodded and shut the door behind Dalia. "I'm good. How've you been?"
"Busy...but...good." Dalia smiled a bit.
"Curse of working for the city, I'd imagine," Duela replied.
"Something like that," Dalia shrugged. She glanced around, out of habit.
"Jonathan's down in his laboratory, preparing," she replied. "Would you like something to drink until he's ready?"
"Some water maybe?" Dalia shrugged again. It wasn't like the sisters usually had a lotto say to each other normally, but Dalia was considerably quieter than usual.
Duela nodded, leading the way into the living room. "Have a seat. I'll be right back."
Dalia took a seat, waiting for her sister.
Duela returned a few moments later with a glass of ice water. She handed it to Dalia before taking a seat in the armchair in the room.
"Thanks." Dalia took the glass and drank.
Duela watched her, remaining silent for the moment. She'd promised Jonathan she wouldn't interfere in his tests... much.
"Mom and Dad are okay," Dalia said, not as pointedly as she might normally have.
Duela smiled slightly. "Good. I'm... glad to hear it." And she meant it. Old wounds still hurt at times, but she didn't really hold it against them anymore. Not too much.
Dalia looked around again. "Where's Joshua?"
"Out," Duela said, giving a quiet "hmph" after saying it.
"....with Helena?" Dalia couldn't help ask.
Duela said nothing, but she straightened up where she sat and her eyes narrowed just slightly.
"Guess that's a yes," Dalia smirked. "You know...she's not bad."
"I don't doubt she isn't. But she's also nowhere near good enough for him," Duela replied.
Dalia took a drink of water, then spoke. "You sound like Mom. Just so you know."
"Mothers are supposed to disapprove of their childrens' choice in... partners," she replied. In that way, at the very least, she could stand being compared to her mother. At least she wasn't getting concerned too little too late. She'd been there for Joshua from the beginning. Duela closed her eyes and took a breath. She wouldn't start down that road now.
"Still." Dalia couldn't believe she was saying this. Mostly, it was out of concern for Helena. "She's nice."
"'Nice' is certainly... nice." Duela looked at her sister, "But it's hardly all Joshua deserves. The girl is far too like her mother."
Dalia rolled her eyes. "I doubt they'll get married. But they both seem to like the other's company. No harm in that."
"And what about you? Are you seeing anyone?" She couldn't help but smile. "And if you are-- do Mom and Dad know?"
Dalia shrugged, taking a longer sip of her water, which was an answer in itself.
Duela chuckled. "Who is it?"
She hadn't told anyone--technically, Helena had found out on her own---and for a moment, Dalia was wary. ".....we've known each other awhile....but we just started seeing each other..."
Duela arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Aw, how cute." She leaned forward slightly. "Who is he?"
Dalia looked back, and her concern showed on her face. ".....James Gordon. Er. The third."
Duela stared at her for a moment. And stared. Before bursting into laughter.
Dalia covered her face with her hands.
The composure Duela usually kept herself to as a Crane melted as she laughed, unable to help herself.
"It's not funny," Daliamuttered.
"A Dent and a Gordon. Of course it's funny," Duela managed.
"...I haven't told Dad and Mom. Obviously." Dalia said.
Duela was still chuckling, even as she struggled to regain her composure. "Probably a good move."
Dalia wasn't amused. "....although...I'm more worried about his father than Dad...if it ever...even gets to that point..."
"I'd be worried about them both," Duela replied.
Dalia sighed and looked around again.
Duela smiled slightly. "I'm sure, if it gets that serious, you two can handle it."
"Or we could just run away." Dalia smirked.
"Good luck with that." Duela smiled more.
Crane entered the room. "Is she - oh. Hello. Are you ready?"
Dalia looked up and nodded. "I am." She got up from the chair she'd been sitting in.
Duela stood as well, nodding.
"Then follow me." He led the way to the basement. "Duela's insisted on a few restrictions. A shame. I felt the direct route was preferable."
"...direct route?" Dalia raised a brow.
"It's no matter." Crane waved the idea away.
Dalia glanced at Duela, questioningly.
"You'll be fine," Duela promised, putting her hand on Dalia's shoulder.
"Dad'll kill everyone if I'm not," Dalia murmured. It was hard to tell if she was kidding.
"Surely you don't think I've failed to prepare for that,” Crane said.
"You'll be fine," Duela repeated. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Anything long-lasting, at least.
"....right. Okay." Dalia didn't attempt a smile. She was a bit scared...but it had to be done.
“We're just going to secure you - safety first, safety first - and then see how you react under extreme circumstances."
Dalia nodded. "Right..."
"Duela?" Crane nodded towards the exam table. where several montioring devices and restraints waited.
Duela nodded in return and approached the table. "Dalia?"
Dalia followed her sister, approaching the table. She looked at it a moment, then got up on it.
Crane began activating the montioring machines.
Dalia watched as he did that, trying to let go of her nervousness.
Duela moved silently, hooking Dalia up to the various machines.
Once he pulled the final restraint tight, Crane smiled and said, "There. Are we ready?" Before he finished the final syllable, he plunged a syringe into her arm.
Dalia gasped in surprise. A few short seconds later, she let out a scream and tried (uselessly) to thrash.
Duela braced herself and closed her eyes. She waited, listening to the scream and to the monitoring devices, ready to act if anything went wrong.
Dalia continued screaming, her face screwed up, like she was mentally trying to fight what she couldn't physically fend off.
Crane concentrated on the readouts. "Interesting. Very interesting." After a few moments, he began taking a blood sample.
"You're okay, Dalia," Duela whispered, even though she knew her sister wouldn't hear her. "It can't hurt you."
"Shush, my dear. It can, indeed,” Crane said. “And besides, you shouldn't interfere.”
"Son-of-a--" Dalia began a string of expletives, cursing whatever it was she was seeing, as her fingernails clawed at the table.
"I think she may be correct,” Crane observed. “It's definitely looking like the metagene's present and active. It's a shame you wouldn't let Joshua try his skills on her."
"I am not going to give him an excuse to fight with her," Duela replied. "I try and keep the peace between them. Useless as that is."
"Yes, but we still don't know the limits of what he can do..." Crane countered.
On the table, Dalia continued to get angrier - the curses becoming lengthier and more...creative, coupled with an occasional scream.
"Tsk. Language," he murmured.
"She's her father's daughter," Duela murmured, chuckling.
"Exactly. As are you, for which I'm quite thankful."
Dalia continued yelling and clawing at the table, though her voice started to get hoarse.
"I do wish you'd let me bring Joshua in."
"This is sufficient."
“I think that’s my decision.”
She looked back at him. "No. I am not putting these two against each other, Jonathan. Definitely not like that."