riverviewlogs | [open] cast an illusion

Entry tags:

[open] cast an illusion

who: cisco + anyone!
what: memory share event & catch-all
when: october
where: anywhere
warnings: murder, torture, bullying

MEMORIES

Feel free to either have your character text Cisco (or comment on this post but indicate a text message) about having a vision / dream of his past, or to come to where he is to discuss it.

A. MURDER {third person dream OR first person vision}

[watch here

This memory is both intensely traumatic and one that Cisco has relived many many times. Have fun with it if you want, there may be small distortions - sometimes Cisco seems to remember Eobard's demeanor being gleeful, even smiling as he kills him. There may be odd gaps here and there, as well as inconsistencies. Or you can play it totally straight, just as it happened.]

B. VIBING {first person; vision}

[watch here (memory lasts up 'til 2:30)

This memory is likely to come across in jumbled pieces at first, and then more clearly as the week progresses. What's most important is that this memory captures the subjective experience of vibing from Cisco's perspective. So at one moment the memory is of looking down at a microscope slide of sand, feeling intense unease and fear, to hands reaching out and touching the sand. Once that contact is established, there is a swooping feeling, like missing a step going down stairs or plummeting on a roller coaster, and then the world goes static-y, with strange flashes of light, blurred vision, and an eerie blue tint. The warehouse that Cisco sees feels intensely present, though sounds are a bit muffled and occasionally there are jumps and starts. The end of the vision is as jarring as the start, and afterwards there is the confrontation with Stein, and a palpable feeling of panic over being interrupted and witnessed.]

C. PRISONER {first person; vision}

[watch here

This memory is clear and vivid, accompanied by feelings of hunger, exhaustion, frustration. Feel free to supplement after the cutoff at the end of the scene a moment where Cisco begs that he's already made them weapons (the heat, cold, and gold guns) and that's enough, and also Snart threatening to just out and out kill Dante, both of which are confirmed to happen but aren't shown in the clip I linked.]

D. BABY NERD PT 1 {third person; dream}

[ Cisco can't be older than nine or so, and he's adorable. We're talking a criminally cute child. His hair is cut short, which makes his ears stick out a little, and there's a tooth missing his bottom row of teeth. He's small for his age, (looks even smaller because he's wearing what are clearly hand-me-down clothes), all round-cheeked and bright-eyed. He comes bounding up to a bench in what looks like a small neighborhood park. Sitting on the bench is a pretty brunette girl with a high ponytail and big earrings, and a boy that looks a little like Cisco, around five years older. Cisco, bubbly and excited, asks: ]

Hey Val, hey Dante, do you wanna see what I made?

[ Dante, who has a hand very obviously and purposefully perched on Val's knee, glares absolute daggers at his little brother, but before he can say anything she answers with genuine interest: ]

Yeah, totally.

[ Cisco beams and pulls the lid off the shoebox. Inside is rather ugly-looking device, clearly cobbled together with materials from a bunch of different things. But Cisco pulls it out carefully as if it's the most precious thing on earth and holds it up, explaining in a delighted rush, what it is and how he made it. He has apparently cobbled together pieces from a broken cell phone, an old malfunctioning digital camera, and a half-smashed mp3 player, into a frankenstein'd device that can take pictures, make phone calls, and play music, too. Val sits up as he explains, going from indulgent to this kid with his little doodad to genuinely excited. Cisco hands it over to her and she tests it out, taking a photo of the beaming Cisco, clicking a number code onto the pad which makes 'I Could Fall In Love' by Selena play (though only loud enough that she has to hold the thing to her ear like a phone to hear it). Then, she even uses it as a phone, calling her mom, exclaiming that it really works, and hanging up again. ]

Cisco, this is so cool.

[ She jumps to her feet, saying that she's got to go get her best friend from the corner store across the street to bring her to see it, too, and goes rushing off. Cisco just stands there, holding the thing and beaming like he's never been more proud of himself in his entire life. ]

E. BABY NERD PT 2 {third person; dream}

[ (Continued from the last one, for anyone who wants an angst component)

As this scene was happening with Val, Dante was getting more and more visibly annoyed, trying to redirect attention back to himself. As soon as she leaves Dante snatches the device from Cisco, turning it over once or twice, unimpressed. Cisco's face falls, shifting from joy to trepidation, like he knows something bad is going to happen. Dante doesn't disappoint; he tosses the thing in the air and then catches it as it falls. Cisco pleads: ]

Dante, don't!

[ Which, of course, only seems to encourage the older boy. Dante throws it into the air, higher this time, and catches it, but Cisco winces, clearly terrified that he'll drop it. He tries to grab it away from his older brother, but Dante gets to his feet, holding it above his head. ]

Come on, don't be such a fucking girl, I'm not gonna drop it.

[ He tosses it into the air with enough momentum to it goes behind him and he has to spin to catch it. Cisco keeps pleading with him to quit it, trying to wrestle it away from Dante, who only laughs. It's inevitable, what happens eventually. Dante hurls the thing much too high, and it's hard to say, whether he was really trying to catch it or not. Either way, it slips between his hands and crashes onto the asphalt, shattering into about a dozen pieces. Cisco scrambles to pick up all the pieces, but the lens from the camera has shattered and the casing is cracked. ]

Oops.

[ Dante shrugs, sounds absolutely unapologetic. Cisco starts sniffling, fighting back tears as he tries to fit the thing back together. He starts putting the pieces back into the shoebox, wiping tears from his cheeks as they start to fall but saying nothing, not even looking at his brother. Dante, for his part, says scornfully: ]

Seriously, Cisco, it was an accident. You gotta stop being such a sissy all the time. It doesn't look good.

[ Then he walks off in the direction that Val had gone without another word, leaving Cisco to clean up the rest of the mess. ]

OR hit me up on plurk to plot something else!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Rey turns off the engines, parking the vehicle right where they're at. Even with the engine off, the speeder still hovers above the ground. She doesn't mind Cisco's dismount, more concerned about hurting himself. He looks like he's ready to kneel over. Concern flashes across her face as she hops down, almost ready to offer water to him to help combat whatever he's feeling.]

Okay...

[If he's saying he's fine, then he's fine. She won't push it. Rey takes off her goggles and the cloth from her face, placing both of them in her bag. Her hand brushes against the hilt of the lightsaber she's been carrying around and takes out a small torch of her own. Backpack shut, she adjusts the strap of her staff.]

Glad you like it. It took some time to build her, but she's been good to me. [Yes, it was her baby in a manner of speaking. She built her, fixed her up and it's helped her over the years.]

Understood, come back out in what? An hour? Two? [It doesn't matter to her how long they're out here for, just as long as they're both safe.

Once a time is set, she follows Cisco's lead into the warehouse. The small light in her hands illuminates the building a little. Different beams that have come down, or walls that were cracked. The place had seen better days, but this was her element, moving around and looking for something of interest, unknowingly listening to the Force to have it guide her. There seemed to be a few old components..maybe from a computer...]

[ Cisco settles on two hours, and the two of them move inside and get to work. Cisco had been an amateur when he first started doing this, but he's learned a few things, at least. He knows to step carefully, to watch out for rotting floorboards, to keep his eyes peeled for old security systems, and any wildlife that might have snuck in for a little shelter.

He avoids a little nest of mice, coming up to a storage room with doors that have rusted shut. Fortunately, he'd brought a crowbar, and Cisco gets to work prying it open. When the doors shriek open, he stands back, peering inside with the flashlight and holding up the crowbar, ready for... whatever. But there is no danger. Just a whole lot of nearly undamaged components, ripe for the taking.

He whistles loudly, calls: ]

Hey, Rey, check this out!

[ He walks into the little closet, brushing dust from the labels of various small boxes. There is stuff here that will be invaluable - supplies of rare elements that are essential to building microprocessors and the like. A few of them, Cisco doesn't even risk putting into his backpack, but instead transfers into small but sturdy plastic bags and tucking them away in the pockets of the vest he is wearing. Others, though, are much larger, and not quite so rare. As soon as Rey arrives, Cisco gestures eagerly, saying: ]

Do you think that case of platinum'll fit in your saddlebags?

[There were some components that Rey wanted to reach out to take, but she didn't think they would be right for what Cisco or her had in mind. Still, she wanted to take in a closer look, and all the dust was irritating. She would have to make her scavenger outfit once more with helmet and everything.

Rey was drawn out of her thoughts from the sound of a whistle and Cisco's voice. She stops what she's doing in favor of going to him, careful of where she stepped. The last thing she wanted to do was fall through a floor board. That wouldn't be fun, and if she hurt her ankles or legs, that wouldn't be fun either. When she gets closer, she sees what he's pocketing.]

They should, the cargo net is pretty wide. [Saddle bags she doesn't have, and doubtful her bag would be able to hold all that platinum.]

Could attach it and take the entire case and whatever else back---! [She fell quiet, hearing something skittering about. Rey moves in front of Cisco, staff already drawn out. A lightsaber would be more useful, but considering they needed these parts, but not to chance cutting them down in size.]

Stay behind me.

[ Cargo net, saddle bag, potayto, potahto. The point is that the speeder can accommodate it, and already Cisco is wondering how he ever managed the trips on foot and without Rey. He is going to be able to make so much cool stuff now.

It is just in that moment of feeling elated and carefree that he, too, hears that skittering noise. His head whips around, and he goes still, heart beating too hard as Rey moves in front of him, brandishing her staff. Cisco reaches out to touch her shoulder, a cautioning gesture, as if to hold her back from going forward, doing anything too risky.

There is another soft sound, a scraping ,and Cisco sucks in a tiny gasp, barely audible. He's keeping as still and quiet as possible, brain working. If they get ambushed, he doesn't think he can get at the gun in his bag in time, but there's always his powers. They've been inconsistent, in the past, but he always managed a blast when the need was really dire. He waits, heart hammering, until-

A crash, as a stack of containers just outside the door is knocked over, and Cisco sees something move and he yelps, short and startled, recoiling from...

A very fat, very startled raccoon, that emerges from the pile of containers goes lumbering off away from them as fast as its small legs will carry it. ]

Edited 2017-10-16 19:45 (UTC)

[Rey was ready to defend whatever beast or creature was lurking in the shadows. If her staff wouldn't do, she had the lightsaber. While she may not be proficient in it, at least she had some semblance of how to use it. It would be able to help in an instant, though it was hard to say if she would have enough time to get it out of her pouch and into her hand in time.

She felt Cisco's hand on her shoulder, unsure if he was trying to keep her from attacking whatever was in the dark, or ready to push her in. She couldn't tell how someone would react in a fight, but she was prepared for whatever it was. Already her mind was picturing something big with claws and sharp teeth, ready to rip bone and skin--

And it was a damn furry creature with a mask on its face and skittered away.

Rey stared at the scene then looked at Cisco...and then back at the scene, and then back at him. Relief was starting to wash over her. All that shook up over a small furry thing?]

That... [A smile started to tug at the corners of her lips.] That was it? [Chewie's howl would've scared that thing and everything else a hundred kilometers away.] You...you okay? [No, she will not laugh.]

[ Cisco, on the other hand, has no such restraint. As soon as the little thing's wandered off, and the alarm bells stop ringing in his mind, he brings a hand up to cover his mouth. He'd been so petrified, had let out that terribly undignified shout, and all because of: ]

A raccoon?!

[ And then he is dissolving into laughter, bending over double and staggering a few paces, until his shoulder comes into contact with the wall, steadying him. He laughs and laughs, eyes watering a little with tears. ]

Yeah, I'm fine. Did you see the size of that thing?!

[ Cisco does his best to master his laughter, forcing himself to stand up straight and swipe at the corners of his eyes with his heel. ]

You were so brave, though, Rey! I mean damn, girl, you were ready-!

Is that what it's called? A raccoon? A fat ball of fluff that was skittering away with a tail between its legs? Once Cisco starts to laugh, Rey doesn't hold back. Her shoulders start to shake and she's covering her mouth to keep herself...quieter.]

I did! He was taking a nap I bet. [And their rummaging and footsteps probably woke it up and then it was trying to hide, got confused (maybe hungry again) and it took off. Really, the situation turned from stress and wondering what would eat them to the pair now laughing about it.

She took a few deep breaths, calming herself down from the fit of laughter. It briefly reminded her of flying off of Jakku with Finn. The same type of stress, but now nothing was going to blow up, and nothing was going to get them hurt--hopefully.]

I said I wouldn't let anything happen to you. [He was her friend, and she fought to protect those she cared about. Besides, she was used to having to fight against those who tried to steal her hard earned scraps.] I think...we should take the case back to the speeder. Could explore further or head back. Your call.

[ It is good, to see Rey laugh. She seems like maybe she could use one in her life - not just because of the things she's told him about Jakku (though that definitely is a factor), but also because Cisco knows she is new to this place and still wary of it, still trying to find her place to fit in. Making her laugh - unintentional as it might have been - feels like a tiny victory. ]

Aw, you make me feel bad for the poor little dude.

[ Hopefully after they move on the raccoon will be able to come back and make himself comfortable again. The ruins are probably his home - Rey and Cisco are just visitors.

He considers her question a moment or two before deciding: ]

Let's load up the case and then keep exploring. I'll close this room up and we can come back for the rest sometime soon, but there's a couple of places I wanna check out now that there's two of us.

[ And that is exactly what they do. Cisco closes up that store room securely, follows Rey back to the speeder, helping to carry the heavy case. This time, when they climb onto the speeder, he is a little less awkward about it, a little less wary and tense.

They travel a little ways to the east, until Cisco is calling out: ]

Up here! That tall building to the right!

[ Once the speeder is stopped, and he can communicate without shouting, Cisco explains (though part of what he's about to say should be obvious from the state of the place). ]

I've been wondering what's in here for ages but the door's totally blocked by that tree that fell, see? But I figure, with the two of us, maybe we can... climb up to a window, or something? Get a look inside. I thought about building a grappling hook, but I just hadn't gotten around to it yet...

Edited 2017-10-19 01:02 (UTC)

[The last time Rey came this close to laughing was when she and Finn escaped the First Order ships. Both in awe of the other and surprised they managed to make it that far. Their excitement was cut short when Falcon or "Garbage" had a part that blew out. Then it was back to being serious and making sure they stayed alive.]

Don't. He's still alive. [For now anyway, until something eats him, but hopefully that wouldn't be the case.

There's a nod of her head, picking up the case (really, it wasn't too heavy) and going back to her Speeder. The case was placed in the cargo net, secured tightly and back on the road they went. She listened to Cisco's instructions and went to the tall building he pointed to.]

It's doable...finding a window...or doing something else..

[The tree presented the biggest problem and Rey was trying to figure out the best way to go about it. The lightsaber in her pack...she knew it had the capability to cut down a tree, but even if she cut it in half, they'd have to remove part of it, and the tree itself was big.]

What about the other side of the building? Anything blocking that?

[The lightsaber wasn't a toy, she knew that, but if there wasn't anything on the other side, she could try to create a make shift door.]

I mean, we could try going through a window, but I wouldn't want either of us to get cut form the glass. [Regardless if they had a first aid kit or not, a wound would slow both of them down. Or, if they had rope, tied it to her staff, chuck her staff through the window and try to climb up that way: make-shift grappling hook.]

I like the sound of 'something else'. Glass is a real pain and I don't know the condition of the floors inside. Might not be safe to drop down.

[ Cisco doesn't know what she might have in mind, but Rey has already proven over the short time of their acquaintance that she is sharp, and clever, and resourceful. He doesn't doubt that whatever it is, it'll probably work. ]

Let's have a look.

[ He starts around the building with her, so the two of them can examine it, see what their options for ingress, are. Whatever the building is, the windows are set high up - too high to look through, and strangle narrow, with thick glass. The building itself is made of stone, almost entirely obscured by vines, and bushes, and moss. There is, however, on the far side of the building, the remains of some low stairs. Cisco stops by them, frowning, and then follows them towards the walls. The growth of vegetation is thick, there, but he feels around and says: ]

I think... this might be a door, too? Help me get some of these vines off...

[Rey gives him a nod, glad they both agree that it would be wise to not deal with the glass and to look for other alternatives. She walks with him around the building, her eyes looking over the stones that the building is made of. She's certain the lightsaber would be able to go right through it. Though a new challenge presents itself, the vegetation is thick...]

Okay, hold on.. [She was foolish for not thinking about packing gloves for this. It would've made things so much easier.

She pulls back the vines, even managing to rip out some of the thinner ones. They work together to pull and move the vines aside until a handle for a door becomes visible.]

Try to see if it's broken, if it is...I can try to cut through all of this.

[ Cisco doesn't just stand aside and let Rey grapple with the vegetation; he tries to tear away as much of it as he can. He pulls some of the vines loose, though he manages to scratch up his hands a bit in the process. ]

You brought a knife? Good thinking.

[ He just assumes, quite naturally, that that is what she would use to cut away the plant growth. Cisco reaches for the door handle, testing it, then announces: ]

Yeah, I think it's broken. Not all that surprising, considering. The flora's really done a number on this place.

[ Cisco stands up, setting his hands on his hips and sighing. The gamble is, of course, that there will be nothing really worth scavenging inside, and that this whole endeavor will be a waste of their time. But curiosity is a hell of a thing. And Rey had said she could get through, so Cisco turns, and asks: ]

Think you could get through it?

Sort of.

[A lightsaber wasn't a knife, but it was a tool. A weapon for her to use as she saw fit. Perhaps, this could count as training? Learning how to wield it without hurting herself or Cisco. A very far-fetched idea of training, but she had to learn how to use it sooner or later.

At least the door was broken. She could do away with the plant life and they could move on.]

With nothing keeping it in check, it'll grow, but... [She slings her staff back on her back and reaches into her pouch for something.] You may want to stand back.

[She can feel the cool metal on her hand, carefully taking it out and Cisco might see it. A cylinder of sorts with no blade it. Rey doesn't say anything, turning the lightsaber on. The sound might be familiar to Cisco, but it's one that Rey has only heard a few times. The soft glow of blue from the weapon itself. There is strength and power in this weapon, but she is careful. A few, quick strikes to cut down the vines that are in the way. They fall down easily enough and once the task is done, she turns the lightsaber off and tucks it away.]

Ready?

[ Cisco blinks, smiling and bemused, but he indulges Rey and takes a few big steps back. What has she got in there, a frigging machete?

But then she is pulling out the lightsaber and Cisco's interest sharpens. Not a blade at all, but some kind of tech. Suddenly her caution makes a little more sense. He watches, hand coming up to cover the delighted smile blooming across his face, as she activates the weapon and it hums softly. It's not like anything Cisco's ever seen before - and he's seen a lot. Its hum is soft but curiously hypnotic, and he watches her wield it to quickly slice through the vines. They part easily, like the weapon is a hot knife going through butter. Curiouser and curiouser. No need to saw through, barely any resistance. ]

What is that?

[ It seems like the kind of fantastic thing he would see in a movie, not something that could be real. He wants to know everything about it - what it's called, where she got it, how it works. ]

Lightsaber--a weapon.

[And by the tone of Rey's voice, that's all she really wants to say about it. The item now tucked away, she moves to the door again. Cisco maybe interested in it, but she wasn't about to let someone else touch it. Not just out of fear for them hurting themselves, but because it was meant to go back to someone else.

Reaching the door handle, she turns it and finds it easy enough to open. It's dark inside the door and she has to take out her flash light again to see what could be around.]

I'm not seeing much in here. The floor looks stable at least. Made of stone rather than wood.

[At least the bottom level of the floor. Pointing her flash light up, she can see a set of stairs. There appears to be old crates, but she isn't sure if Cisco wants to go in further or not.]

It's beautiful.

[ The fact that Rey is being so tight-lipped about the lightsaber (and puts it away so very quickly) when she was more than happy to explain so much to him about the speeder, certainly speaks volumes. Sure, Cisco doesn't know the precise reasons why she's being so secretive: maybe she doesn't understand it herself. Maybe it's precious to her and she's worried he'll want to steal it. Maybe it's some kind of religious thing in her world that isn't meant to be discussed.

Regardless, it doesn't seem like something he should push, just yet. He knows from their earlier conversations that Rey has some issues with trust, and Cisco reminds himself that he's not just her friend. He's her boss, in some capacity, and should be cautious not to make her feel pressured to talk about shit she'd rather not talk about.

So he shrugs, and lets the matter drop - for now, anyway. Maybe someday, when she trusts him more...

He goes inside, flashlight up, looking primarily for traps or animals. The building is, thus far, disappointingly empty. Cisco goes over to those crates, first, pulling that same crowbar from his bag and getting to work trying to pry them open. Maybe there would be something in there that gave him a clue as to what this place once was... ]

There's gotta be something good in here, right? I mean, it was sealed up too tight to just be... nothing...

[ He manages to wrench the top off one of those crates, and peers inside. Inside is not jewels, or gold, or tech, but rather what looks like a stack of old X-ray images of various parts of human bodies and... some other types of bodies, too. ]

Whaaaat the hell?

[ Cisco pulls out a few of them, holding them up against the light and squinting at them. He doesn't know much about this sort of thing, but they don't feel fake. He turns to Rey, says: ]

I think this is some kinda... medical center, and we must be in the basement. Help me with these other crates?

[Part of Rey wants to tell Cisco about the weapon, but now isn't the time. Not when they were trying to scavenge around the tower. There's so many things she doesn't have answers to, she can only guess, and talking about the Lightsaber...it would be difficult. It could put him in danger, assuming anyone from the First Order found their way to Riverview. Or maybe she was worrying for nothing.

But...given time, she would tell him. Rey did trust Cisco, more so than she could say about most people. He was her friend, one of the closest ones she's made here. And he was an even better boss than anything else. Though, she can appreciate his statement...and maybe to help explain things she says:]

Thanks, it's....it's complicated.

[Given the history of the Lightsaber, the vision she had, and explaining all of it....it would take time to build up to that, and time to go over everything.

She lets him open a crate, shining her flashlight into other areas of the place,making sure nothing would suddenly sneak up on them--like a fat raccoon. The X-Ray he had in his hand does look interesting..what type of facility were they in?]

Medical? Okay...[Maybe that's hwy it was kept so tightly closed. There would be charts, could be other things here that were private. Rey doesn't waste time in helping Cisco, heading to another crate, opening it and finding other x-rays, some paper files with faded writing on them.]

Just documents, too faded to really tell what was on them. [She moves to another crate, this feels heavier...] Might need your help with this. Or, should we forgo the crates and try to head up? [Assuming the stairs were in good condition to do it.]

Let's go on up, this is all probably paperwork and stuff like that.

[ Cisco makes his way over to those stairs - but not too quickly. He's hanging closer to Rey than he had in the last building they explored. This place is new and, well... creepier. Maybe it's the thickness of the walls, the staleness of the air, the relative lack of light. Regardless, he's not going to suggest the two of them split up, in here. He's seen too many movies to fall for that one.

Together they head up those stairs and onto the second floor. Cisco shines his flashlight, but instead of several small rooms there is one big open space. It is not empty, the way he thought it might be, but rather the center of the room is taken up by chairs that, to Cisco, look rather like something you'd see at a dentist's office. There are various pieces of equipment - all high-tech and all silent, powerless and standing where they'd been left. The dust on the floor is thick, and Cisco says, trying to break the tension and ignore the prickling on the back of his neck: ]

Sooooo this is super creepy, right? It's not just me?

[ Cisco is torn between curiosity and caution. He doubts there is anything in here that would be very useful to him, but he still kind of wants to know what all this might have even been for. ]

Okay, stay close.

[Because an area like this one, it wouldn't be wise to separate from one another. Their flashlights could only illuminate so much ahead of them, and Rey promised Cisco she would protect him. He was her boss, but he was her friend first. She followed with him to the stairs, nearly opting to go in front of him, but stayed behind him. Each step up the stairs was met with caution and worry. All it took was one wrong step and they could go back to the first floor.

Rey's eyes are trying to take in everything she could see, mentally mapping out where they were going and looking for anything that could be dangerous or of use. When they do reach the top, it's unsettling to see how much space there is, and how much dust there is. It had to be years maybe decades since another soul stepped inside here. Her ears were straining, trying to listen for anything other than the two of them.]

It's creepy, very creepy. [She was confirming his suspicions, but not letting her worries leak out into her voice, or show on her face.]

Do you have something to cover your mouth? [She asked as she reached in for the cloth to place over her mouth and nose. There wasn't a need to inhale all that dust..and whatever else could be in the air. She had an extra cloth to hand over if he needed it. Cloth secured on her face and flash light in hand, she carefully took a few steps closer to one of the pieces of machinery. The floor creaked under her weight, making her still and wait for a sign of something to happen. The floor on this level was...stable.]

We could try to take something back. The floor, from what I can feel, isn't rooted through.

[ It's a relief, hearing that Rey is just as wary as he is, even if she seems to be handling it much better. Her show of confidence and lack of fear thoroughly convinces him. He gets the extra cloth from her and ties it around his face in the same way that she did. Then he moves further into the room, ignoring the prickles of fear running across the back of his neck.

He wonders, looking at those strange instruments, what they were for. There is a way he could get some information, he knows. He could touch one of them, and vibe. He wouldn't hesitate if he were alone; he's scared enough that it would be easy. The only problem is Rey. Cisco thinks that he could try doing it discreetly, hope she didn't look over or notice when he went still and unresponsive for however long.

But then he thinks, well. He's been telling himself that he needs to start being a little more open about his powers. More and more people have been finding out, and not one of them has been afraid of him, or tried to hurt him. He's already put a lot of trust in Rey, coming out here with her. Why not try a little more? ]

Hey, uh, can you come stick by me for a few seconds and... and keep an eye out for trouble? I'm gonna see if I can figure out what this stuff is for, which means I'm gonna sort of um, go into a trance. Just for a little bit. I won't be able to hear or- or see anything, or move.

[ Then, before he loses his nerve, and before Rey has a chance to ask questions, Cisco reaches out, hand shaking a little, to lay it on one of the chairs. From Rey's perspective, Cisco will go still, eyes open but vacant, standing still and unhearing for half a minute or so. In Cisco's mind, everything has flickered out from around him, and come back blue-tinged and overexposed and strange. He sees this room full of people - bustling and busy. This clearly was not designed to be a medical facility, but has been converted into one due to necessity. The doctors moving between patients aren't wearing full hazmat gear, but it's something close. Cisco can tell, without any knowledge of medicine, that the people on the chairs are dying, painfully. Not injuries from an explosion or attack, but some kind of virus. A bad one.

He remembers what he's been told, that there was an outbreak of something awful around a decade ago that wiped out a lot of the population. It doesn't take too much of a leap to assume that's what he's seeing - thus the urgency, thus the desperate tests and protective gear.

Cisco snaps out of the vibe with a quiet gasp, breaths coming a bit faster as he re-orients himself - remembers where he is, what is happening, who he's with. ]

I don't think we should take anything from here. Or- touch anything more. We should leave. And, uh. Wash our hands really well.

[Rey stilled and turned to face Cisco. What was he was talking about? He wanted to figure out what the stuff was used for and...go into a trance? That sounded an awful like meditating and getting a Force vision. She opened her mouth to ask him a question, but too late! The man had acted on his own. She moved to him, doing as he asked and stared in silence. He...he was in a trance and she had no words.

Maybe the Force was trying to tell her to be calm and patient. Whatever the case, she turned her attention to the area around them, listening for anything that didn't sound right, and watching for anything to suddenly move.

There were...secrets between them, and it was naive of Rey to think Cisco didn't have secrets of his own. If he had a power, or a connection to the Force, wouldn't they have sensed one another? Kylo Ren sensed her, even wanted her to train under him, but she said no. Maybe in Cisco's world...they had the Force? Or something similar to it, and he was just coming into his own? Or he had mastered it and just didn't want to tell her? He had his reasons, she knew, just as she had her own for keeping her secrets away from him. All of her thoughts did come to a screeching halt once Cisco came out of his trance.

Leave, they'd have to leave, now.]

Let's go. [No questions asked, nothing they needed to discuss in an area that was dangerous and could get them both killed. As fast as they wanted to bolt out of the place, they still had to be careful. They had to go down those stairs and get out of the building. Once they step outside where the air is fresh, and the light of day hits her face, Rey bolts for her Speeder, turning it on. She offers her hand to Cisco to get him to climb up. They need to head back to the wall. They've been gone far longer than they anticipated and they need to talk.]

[ Cisco appreciates deeply the fact that Rey doesn't question him, despite the curiosity that is evident in her expression. She doesn't challenge him or delay, but rather listens, and leaves with just as much urgency as he's feeling. Once they're outside, Cisco lets out a long sigh. He doesn't make his way to the Speeder quite as fast as Rey; he delays, pulling the door shut and, after a moment's hesitation, tying it closed with some of those cut vines, so that no animals could easily nose open the door and wander inside.

After that, he pauses, pulling out his first aid kit and upending half of the bottle of disinfectant onto his hands. Is it a necessary step? Who knows. But he's not going to risk it. He hands the bottle to Rey on top of her Speeder, so she can do the same, and once she does he climbs up, clinging to her as she takes them back to the wall.

He appreciates that she doesn't try to question him while they're driving, though he knows he's probably going to have to do some explaining, once they're back to safety and no longer moving. So Cisco is ready for that, when they arrive back and Rey navigates to the garage where she'd picked up her Speeder before they left. Cisco dismounts, legs shaky, happy to be on solid ground once more. ]

[Rey doesn't hesitate to take the disinfectant and rub it over her hands. Whatever was in that building, she didn't want to bring it back with them once they reached the city. The drive back was made in silence, passing by different landscapes and old buildings until they're back in familiar territory. There's been enough time for her to think and figure out what she needed to say and how to approach it.

She turns off her Speeder and disembarks. The box is left in the cargo net. The adrenaline was still running through her veins. She had time to think of what to say, and now the words had left her...]

...That wasn't too bad. [A fat raccoon scaring them to death, using the lightsaber and....learning something new.]

I think you and I...we need to talk. [About what happened. What her weapon, about her past--and his. And what they could do, but not out here. Not where someone could over hear them.]

We can talk in my room. There's practically no one on my floor. [Really, it wasn't like her floor was the life of the party or anything. It sometimes felt like she was the only one there. If Cisco agrees, she'd take him up to the 12th floor, down a hallway or two and into her room. There's a pillow, a mattress and a sheet for a blanket. In a corner are a few books and papers. She hasn't done much to the place, but she doesn't own much either. She gestured for him to sit where ever he wanted. Once both of them were comfortable and the door was closed, she finally asked:]

What happened back there? It looked like you were in a trance and...were you...[How could she put this lightly?] Were you having a Force vision?

[ Cisco, perhaps because of the lingering unease from that vibe, feels a prickle of fear across the back of his neck when Rey says they can talk in her room. He's acutely aware of the fact that no one would know where he was, holds up a finger to get her to wait as he shoots Eddie a quick text, just where he's going, when, and with whom. Paranoid? Sure. But Rey doesn't need to know that.

Then he follows her up to her spartan, bare room, which is just depressingly empty. The lack of distractions means there isn't anything Cisco can look at or fiddle with to delay the conversation. Not that he would have much of a chance, since Rey launches in the moment the door is shut.

He at least had the duration of the ride back home, to think of what he will say. He's all ready to speak, when she asks that, cuts him off. Cisco pauses, furrow forming between his brows. ]

Force vision?

[ She says it like it's a phrase he will have heard before. The vision part is right, at least, but he's not sure what the whole force thing is about. Maybe a vision that is compelled, rather than a natural one? Like slang for a 'forced' vision? He's got no clue. ]

I was in a trance, and... I had a vision, yeah. A vibe, I call them. I can touch stuff, sometimes, and see... things. The past. Where the person who owns that thing is. The future, sometimes. I touched that equipment and saw people being treated for a plague in that building.

[There's a nod of Rey's head. Yes, a Force vision, something brought to him by the Force. Unless, they don't have the Force where he's from, or it's called something else. She doesn't say anything though, listening to Cisco's explanation of what he can do. So he was able to see the past, or the future by touching an object, something that she was all too familiar with.

For a moment, she looks relieved. Someone else who may understand what she's going through, what type of power she--they have. But could she trust him? He had shown her kindness, offered her a job, and connected with her on a personal level. She stayed still for a moment, trying to listen to the Force, to her own instincts...yes. She could trust him.]

It explains why you wanted to get out quickly. [She replies softly, gathering her thoughts and trying to figure out the best way to tell him her truth. She had set her staff down by the bed and opening her bag, and placing it at the foot of the bed.]

We have something else in common. The weapon, the lightsaber you saw me handling earlier. When I came across it the first time, I had a Force vision. I saw different things, it's hard to tell if it was the past or future. I'm still learning about the Force and how to use it. Aside from receiving visions and...

[Her words trailed off as she opened her hand. This was something much easier for her to do, it felt..natural in a way. The lightsaber from her bag easily floated out to her, landing in the palm of her hand.]...That.

You're the only person who knows what I can do...because I trust you. [Because he shared what he could do, and to repay him for that trust, she gifted him with the knowledge of what she could do. A faint smile formed across her lips, sort of relieved that she became friends with someone who had seemingly, similar abilities.]

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