(no subject)

[whatseparates]

Who: Jack Wynand and mirror!Mark Meltzer
Where: Starting in the hallway outside Jack's room, eventually moving on to the door
When: Right now, during the event, with the Bandersnatch running about
Rating: PG? Possible swearing.
Summary: Two men from opposite sides of the looking glass strike a dangerous bargain.
The Story:

Jack is venturing out. Despite the horrifying monster on the loose, he's tired of the packaged fare the closets offer, and he's confident enough in his ability to light fires and hurl furniture items at a distance that he's willing to risk a frumious encounter, just to taste something fresh.

He's well-armed, too, in case fires and telekinesis don't do the trick; he has his wrench, his handgun, and a shotgun slung across his back. He's unmasked--for now, peripheral vision takes precedence over his comfort.

He sets out with purpose, but pauses. Turns back.

He's seen something written on the mirror closest to his room: a chess grid.

It seems an odd time to expect him to play chess, what with a beast that could be upon him at any moment, so rather than make a move, he simply looks into the mirror, frowning faintly.

Comments

[carbon_knight]

He shrugs, moves so his back is to Jack, and lobs the crowbar at the mirror he was working on--eyes shut, of course.
It breaks, cracks spidering out from the point of impact.

"Well now."

[whatseparates]

"So it only goes through if you're holding it."

Interesting.

[carbon_knight]

"Maybe. It might still go through if that's what I wanted. Or it might not. To be contrary."

Wonderland!

"If you want me to try that later, I'll play."

[whatseparates]

"Okay."

With that settled, he keeps walking, breaking mirrors and cameras as they come across them.

[carbon_knight]

A light fixture or two might get broken into the mix, so the hallway they're following is a sparking, flickering wreck when a low growl sounds from nearby.

Mark stops what he's doing and glances at Jack, wondering if he heard it too.

[whatseparates]

Jack heard it all right. And he doesn't particularly want to tangle with it.

"Let's move."

[carbon_knight]

A short nod. He can always escape through a mirror--all he has to do is duck into an unoccupied room--but he doubts he'd have Jack's continued cooperation after a stunt like that. So he steps ahead of Jack and makes a point of toning the destruction down a bit. It wouldn't hurt to leave less of a trail, disappointing though it is.
Fortunately, they aren't far from the foyer by this point.

[whatseparates]

Jack actually turns around and begins walking backwards, gun at the ready when he's not shooting cameras or mirrors (his wrench has gone back in his belt) or reloading.

Any feelings about whether they get jumped now or later?

[carbon_knight]

Silence follows for a short while--but the implicit trust in Jack's turning his back--and the lack of eye contact that it entails--makes it easier for m!Mark to ask a question.

"Who marked you?"

His voice is a little lower than normal, but otherwise perfectly steady. Almost conversational.

later plz

[whatseparates]

"I don't know exactly who. The people who made me, I guess."

kk

[carbon_knight]

"Made you."

He's got some fragmentary idea of what that means, from some earlier eavesdropping, but it's still fascinating.

"It's a pity you don't remember."

[whatseparates]

"I saw a little at Christmas. Didn't convince me I want to know the rest."

[carbon_knight]

"Through your door, you mean?"

[whatseparates]

"That's right." He turns his head sharply to one side as if to spit, though he does nothing.

[carbon_knight]

"Are you sure it was true?"

[whatseparates]

"I'm sure. I remembered, when I saw it." His knuckles are white around the grip of his wrench.

[carbon_knight]

"You know, some mirrors come into being--are made--with complete memories of whole lives they never had. Some of them never figure out the difference."

[whatseparates]

"That's what happened to me. It's not right."

He pauses, glances back.

"What about you?"

[carbon_knight]

He shrugs. "I know what I am."

[whatseparates]

"Better than than lies, I guess."

[carbon_knight]

"I'm not bothered by it, anyway. I've decided not to be."

[whatseparates]

"How do you decide?"

[carbon_knight]

Shrug.

"How does anyone decide anything? I make up my mind about a thing, and then I let that be the end of it."

[whatseparates]

"I can't do that."

Beat.

"We're close."

[carbon_knight]

He nods and lowers his voice.

"I want to try HER SIGHT. No space, you and I alternating letters."