laytondressing | (no subject)

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[Hendel's sitting on a chair in the lobby, the perfect picture of calm. Anyone passing by, though, is going to feel distinctly not calm. There's a solution to that, though - along with the sudden onset of anxiety, there's the feeling that spending some time with Hendel here is exactly what they need to calm themselves down.

Someone really shouldn't be allowed mood-altering powers.]

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[Her crying is ceasing as Hendel pulls the anxiety back, and she's holding onto her for dear life. This makes her believe the woman's calm disposition actually helped.]

T-thank you. [Pulling away.] Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a crazy person....[laughs nervously.]

Of course not. How could I think you crazy, when you're so like Clarence from my own world?

[No! No! I'm not Claire! I'm...I'm...]

Clarence?

Your double, in my own world. You didn't think he'd be called Claire too, did you?

[Giggles lightly.]

No, I suppose not. Were you in love with him?

I... was, yes.

...not any more, though. He died.

Oh. I'm sorry...

[Smiles still, trying to remember who she is.]

...don't be.

[Hendel watches the smile for a long moment, then hits her with another blast of anxiety.]

[And the anxiety hits her like a bus. She looks down, starts breathing hard and pulls her knees to her chest.]

God...I'm just so nervous...

[She rests her face in her knees, not sure what to do.]

...

Good.

[Looks up puzzled.]

Good? What's good about this...

[Holding herself in worriedly]

Getting to see you like this, my dear.

What? What do you mean?

[Moving away from her worriedly.]

Are you doing this?!

I want to see you broken.

Because you've... got nothing on me, any more. And neither does your double. You are not a weakness.

No. No! Please!

[She starts crying and tries to get up to run away, but as she stands her ankle twists and she falls.]

Please don't hurt me!

Why wouldn't I hurt you? Saying that has never worked for anyone else.

[She huddles herself up against a wall, tears falling and the anxiety still wreaking havoc on her mind, completely jumbling up the ability and keeping her the way she is.]

P-please...

Please what?

[She steps forward, letting the anxiety fall away for the moment.]

I...I...please don't hurt me...

What can I do?

You can hurt, my dear. But the crying is boring. You can stop that.

[She tries stopping in far of what she'll do to her.]

[She hums a little.]

This power, and still I can't decide what to do with you. I'd throw every fear you've ever had at you, but I expect the reaction would be rather predictable.

[She stares hard, clenching her jaw and holding back tears.]

I don't think Clarence would appreciate this, why would you hurt him?

That's rather the point.

You... Clarence would be viewed as a weakness in me, were people to know the truth. That is not the case.

I intend to prove it.

I'm not Clarence! Hurting me--there isn't a point!

[And at this point, she's far too weak to fix any of her powers. Damn.]

Wouldn't hurting me only prove I'm a weakness?