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1986
It didn't take long for Joan to leave the hell she was trapped in. She woke up slowly and groggily, her eyes fluttering in an attempt to block out the sun in her face as it seemed to burn into her skull.
Whatever that thing did with her had messed up her body for real and something about that scared Joan more than anything she had encountered so far.
Water splashed over her face and Joan sputtered, tried to wipe it off, but frowned and looked down to see ropes tying her to a random wooden chair. She examined the knots just in time for another cup of water to splash over her.
"Holy fuck, I'm awake!" Joan spat out and tried to blink the droplets from her eyes, shaking the water off of her the best she could with a splitting headache. "Christ, you trying to drown me?"
"Maybe." Steve said sternly as he crossed his arms after setting the now empty glass down. Joan tried to figure out where she was, but the light in her eyes and the darkness around her prevented much imagination. "Where is Joan?"
Her brain backfired and a snort left her lips on disbelief. "I'm Joan!" She insisted, repeating herself again when Steve only narrowed his eyes. "Seriously, I am Joan Henderson!" It wasn't a lie, that's for sure.
"You've been acting really weird lately." Steve commented, sitting down opposite of the teen. "A total 180 in personality. Kinda weird, dontcha think, Ags?"
"I-I mean, yeah, but me getting nicer shouldn't be a shock." Or maybe it should be. Where was the suspicion when Agatha-Joan had started acting out and gaining an attitude? "Seriously, Steve. What's going on?!"
Steve didn't answer, only stared at Joan without any clear emotion. It sent her nerves going crazy and her hands flexed underneath the tightness holding her down.
"...Robin is picking up and moving Eddie here since his location was, ah, compromised." Steve supplied, ignoring Joan as he stood up from the wooden chair. Her panic increased when Steve stepped behind her and almost hesitated before tying a thick cloth around her eyes. "Unfortunately, we don't have time to figure out what happened to Joan-."
"I'm right here!"
"-so just hang tight. Don't go anywhere."
"Oh good god. Family video is rotting your brain with those stupid movie quotes." Joan huffed in an attempt to distract herself from the situation with humor. "Shitty one liners do not make you look cool, Unc- Steve."
"See! Right there!" An excited voice spoke up from behind her at a distance. It was barely understandable, muffled behind a wall or door or something... and Joan frowned at the recognizable voice of Eddie Munson. "Have you guys not noticed that she says weird shit and then tries to correct herself as if no one noticed?!"
"Yeah, it's definitely weird." Steve agreed and Joan could practically hear him ruffling his hair anxiously from her spot. "...I need to confirm... something."
