They're coming to take me away, ha-ha...

[Brian]

She vanishes into the tunnel, yelling something loud and incoherent briefly before falling quiet.  You can dimly make out her and the guards as they move out of your sight, ostensibly to put her in her room.

When you turn back to look at the brute, he's on his feet -- you did not hear, or (improbably) see him move.  He's straining at the edge of the pool of light from the tunnel like a leashed dog, physically unable to move any further.  His hands are clenched into fists, and he looks ... not furious, but very very unhappy.

After a minute or two, the guards come back into view, making a bee-line for the entrance.  The brute visibly relaxes, sitting on the floor and huddling in on himself.  "Miss Megan does not look happy," he mutters.  "But I can't help her, 'cause the dark is in the way."

[Bjorn]

Light. Bjorn stares down at his wrist, at the junky piece of metal that seems to be important enough to completely reshape his life.  The only bloody use this thing seems to have is glowing.  I wonder if....

Bjorn bends his mind to trying to get the bracelet to glow again -- which is, of course, tricky, since he has no idea whatsoever how it works.

[Brian]

Your bracelet glints slightly, but you're not certain if it's a trick of the light around you, or if it's just your imagination.  Aside from that, nothing seems to have changed.

[Bjorn]

Stupid imaginary powers.  "I'm going to go check on Megan," Bjorn says gently to the big man.  "If I'm with you, can you get through the dark?"

[Brian]

He seems hesitant, but nods slowly.  "I c'n try," he says, shambling back to his feet like a living mountain of muscle.

[Bjorn]

"Okay.  Just keep your eyes on me.  Remember, as long as you can see me, it's not that dark."

With those less-than-compelling words of encouragement, Bjorn heads off, moving as quickly as the big man can follow him, down the tunnel with the mouth of painted vines, and towards Megan's room.

Hopefully Mr. Big knows where that is.

[Brian]

Towards the vine-covered tunnel you go.  The residents that are out pause to look at you -- or not at you, but at the brute behind you.  And you can sense him trailing you like a shadow, even if you don't look back.  You manage to make it to the vine-corridor, which is not, in fact, lit, but there is more light in it, as someone has left a  door open, and light spills out from it.

The brute pushes ahead, not quite running, but quickly walking to stand in that pool, then catch his breath.  He wears a look of determination, and says, "Miss Megan's room is..." he pauses to count on his fingers, "three more doors down."

[Bjorn]

"All right."  Bjorn nods, then hesitates.  "If you want, you can wait in the light here until I open the door to Megan's room.  That way, you won't have to stand in the dark."

[Brian]

He seems uncertain, looking between you and the darkened hallway as though torn.  His indecision is broken when you hear tiny feet pattering down the hallway towards you.  Emerging from the room that the brute indicated was Megan's, you see the little glass-crafter, who quickly latches onto him (she comes up to about his knee), then stares at you, and makes a series of hand-gestures (with one hand) that you recognize from the signers earlier.

You can't really understand what she's trying to explain, until she makes a gesture that seems to indicate you running down the hall.

The brute nods solemly, and pats her on the head.  "I'm gonna stay here with Bridgey," he announces gravely.

[Bjorn]

"All right, then."  Bjorn trots off down the hall to Megan's room, and knocks on the door.

[Brian]

The door is still open, as it is presumably where the glass-crafter came from.  The light's on low, and Megan is huddled on the floor of a sparsely decorated room, leaning against the matress and mumbling, "Too much noise, gotta think, too loud," over and over, rocking back and forth slightly.

[Bjorn]

"Megan?"  Bjorn takes a single step into the room before hesitating, a hand halfway lifted.  "Are you okay?"

[Brian]

She flinches when you step closer, and at the same time, your bracelet seems to tug at your wrist slightly, emitting a soft blue glow.  It barely stands out against the low light, but is obviously actually shedding light.  Megan shakes her head, as though coming out of a trance, and blinks at you blearily.

"You made it quiet," she says, frowning.  She then climbs to her feet slowly, unsteadily. "Is that what you do?"

[Bjorn]

"Absord power?  Maybe.  That seems to fit, anyways."  Bjorn frowns down at the bracelet.   Oh, sure, now I get the light.  "Though I still don't know if it's me or the bracelet.

"You're doing better, then?"

[Brian]

"No, it's ... it's like a wall.  She rubs at her temples.  Everything I ... ugh.  That test made it impossible to not pick up other people ... but now it's quiet.  Like you're just blocking everything else out."  She eyes you, then frowns.  "Ugh.  You were hard to read, before, but now it's impossible."