[Log] Forced Healing
This takes place a day or so after Jeff escaped from the Shop.
Sanctuary
* Soze steps inside. His left arm is still held in a sling. Something about him is more empty than when he left the Nexus the first time around. Maybe you don't notice.
Ankhenaten: "Hard to say..." He trails off and glances behind him at the newcomer.
* Jeff_Levitt actually brightens noticeably. "Keyser." Look, he's doing better now!
* `Lita glances to Soze, "Mm, hello."
* Some has an unpleasant, sour expression. "He didn't come here and ask for help, either."
* Jeff_Levitt 's shoulders slump a little. "...no?"
* Soze actually looks like he's in physical pain for a moment, when he sees Jeff's state, but he recovers as he always does. Jeff might be improving, but it's still a step down, and he thinks about what might happen (and what he might force himself to do) if Jeff doesn't actually recover. "Jeff. And everyone, hello."
* `Lita is lounging across a couch like she owns the place, sipping a drink.
* Ankhenaten seems to be having a lounge-off with her and has gone as far as to drape one scrawny arm over the back of his overstuffed chair.
* Jeff_Levitt is perched on one of the bar stools. "Getting better," he says, managing a bit of a smile. "More words. More thinking. Better."
Some: "I'm not sure, but I don't... oh, I'm so sorry, Jeff."
* Jeff_Levitt shrugs again. "Just...want to know why. Why take? I'm not...special." Ooh, new word.
* Soze manages a smile. "That's very good," he says, before finding a couch-- interestingly enough, not next to Jeff.
* Some reaches over to touch his shoulder, squeeze it.
* Jeff_Levitt doesn't seem to mind either Soze's avoidance or the hand on his shoulder. He leans into the latter a bit, his teeth clicking instinctively.
* Some shifts to a closer stool so he can hug him. They may not have been close, but it's a shared trauma, in a way.
* Soze ducks out, rather abruptly, for a smoke.
* Jeff_Levitt squeaks a little, surprised at the contact. He recovers though and hugs back. "Thank you."
Yard
* Soze[yard] is out here trying to light a cigarette with one hand like a trooper.
Sanctuary
* Rassilon stumbles in, looking like he just rolled out of bed, into his clothing, and out the door. Possibly literally. He spots Jeff.* "Oh, thank goodness, there you are."
`Lita: "Ah, Rassilon. Hello, dear."
* Jeff_Levitt spots Rassilon. "Ras!" he chirps, looking ecstatic. "See? Better!"
Ankhenaten: "You know this rat?" To Rassilon. Hey, someone had to say it.
* Eddie_ tries to move the shelf so he can look behind it. He is not really very good at that.
* Jeff_Levitt looks a bit indignant. "*Not* rat," he insists. "Just...sometimes. *Person.*"
`Lita: "His name is Jeff."
* Rassilon pushes uncombed bedhair out of his face. Someone looks just this side of exhausted.* "You've been looking after him? Thank you." *At Jeff's chirping, he smiles.* "Better? That's good... and no, he's not a rat."
* SomaC looks to the newcomer a bit crossly.
* `Lita has been keeping an eye on him, yes. As has half the Sanctuary
Ankhenaten: "My mistake. Jeff."
* Rassilon sits next to Jeff.* "Have you been all right in here?"
* Eddie_ may be about to knock all this stuff over. Arg, there's dust back here!
Yard
* Soze[yard] finishes his cigarette, but he needs something more than that, doesn't he? Somewhere else, there's an itch he needs to scratch. His mind is so cloudy.
Sanctuary
* Jeff_Levitt nods. "Safe here. *Friends* here. Helping. Remember more now."
Rassilon: "Good, good."
SomaC: I hope his recovery continues quickly.
* `Lita beams a little at Jeff. <3
* Eddie_ jumps when the bookshelf falls. Ohshi...
`Lita: --!
Ankhenaten: !!
* Jeff_Levitt squeaks and dives with surprising nimbleness behind the bar.
Rassilon: "It'll progress as quickly as it ca--!" *startles*
* Some comes back from the kitchen, bearing cheese toasted on bread.
* Eddie_ stands there, startled.
* Ankhenaten gets up. "What did you do?"
* Njoki ambles on in. Wuffle and pre-emptive bitchcakes, sir.
* Jeff_Levitt peers over the top of the bar. "...Safe?"
Yard
* Soze[yard] hand digs into his pocket, feeling something small and smooth like a pebble. If he helps Jeff, he helps himself. He's so tired of seeing Jeff trouble, but if he could step in, take his own control... (And maybe this is what he needs.)
Sanctuary
Rassilon: "It's all right, Jeff."
Eddie_: .... :/
* Eddie_ nudges the fallen books with his toe.
Njoki: "Evening." She nips behind the bar to get a cup of coffee before settling on the couch. "So, what's the latest news?"
* Eddie_ nudges the dust behind where the bookshelf was, too. No piece!
Some: Cheesy bread anyone?
Yard
* Soze[yard] 's eyes roll back in his head, and he down he goes, into the snow. Whoops.
Sanctuary
* Jeff_Levitt is in the process of jumping back over the bar when...something happens. He squeaks again, this time louder and shriller, spilling onto the floor.
* `Lita blinks, sitting up somewhat, eh?
* Jeff_Levitt picks himself up again, and though wobbly he stands up a lot straighter. He holds a hand to his forehead. "K-Keyser? Keyser *what have you done?*"
Soze[yard]: ["No no no no, don't say that, don't let them blame me. No, this is the right thing to do. It's the right thing."]
* SomaC gets up. "Jeff? what's wrong?"
* Rassilon stares
Jeff_Levitt: "No no no no..." he mumbles to himself. He looks around, eyes wide and much clearer. "It's all come back. I'm...I'm thinking. Oh God, it makes *sense* again."
* SomaC gapes in some disbelief - and is a little speechless.
Ankhenaten: "You... sound different as well."
* `Lita frowns, watching Jeff.
* Eddie_ tries to lift up the bookshelf.
* Rassilon gets up and stumbles toward Jeff.* "What is he doing?"
Some: o,o
* Jeff_Levitt lets out a little sob. "This is how I *should* sound. It's so much quieter. Things in my head aren't *screaming* anymore."
Rassilon: "What has he done?!"
* Eddie_ will get this here, guys, don't worry. Soon as he can. Lifting x_x
SomaC: What is going on...? *He looks between them.
* Njoki puts her coffee down and goes to help Eddie.
* Eddie_ knocked all of the books over and the shelf, and it's dusty and he's totally stuck lifting this now. Help, yes? Awesome!
Rassilon: *His eyes glowing, he reaches toward Jeff.* "I don't believe it... somehow, he's re-established the bond between them."
Jeff_Levitt: "He's trying to *help*" His hands worry the cuffs of his sleeves, fingers twitching like living things. "Ras, *please.* This is how I got out. I don't know how he's doing it but if he didn't I'd still be an animal."
* `Lita sets her drink down for the moment. She's sitting on a couch, watching Jeff with a concerned expression.
* Some will help too, since Ras's here.
Rassilon: "It's too fast, it'll burn your mind out!"
* Jeff_Levitt looks scared and agitated though. Soze's emotions leaking through or something else?
* SomaC bites his lip.
* Njoki is a strong little thing, and she can get the shelf up without any trouble.
* Jeff_Levitt is the rat man from yesterday, but he seems much more lucid than he was last time Rennais saw him.
SomaC: Ah - hey Rennais. *He looks pretty fretful, and might be reopening the cut he has on his lips again.
* Rassilon looks outside. Oh, so there he is....*
* Jeff_Levitt visibly calms himself. There isn't a deep breath or anything. One minute he looks agitated, the next...dead calm. "Everything's fine, Rassilon," he says, his tone strangely dead.
* Rassilon stares at Jeff again.* "..."
SomaC: ...?
Eddie_: "I was trying to find the missing piece to that puzzle on the bar, but it's juuuust not happening. It sucks." He sneezes. Dust.
* Rassilon bolts for the yard.*
* Jeff_Levitt becomes agitated again. "I need this, Rassilon, *pleas--* RAS!"
* `Lita stays here to keep an eye on Jeff.
`Lita: "...."
Some: "Check the- ?!"
* Jeff_Levitt follows Rassilon out.
Yard
* Rassilon runs out into the yard.
* Jeff_Levitt follows and somehow manages to stay on two legs this time. He stops, his manner changing like a switch has been thrown. "You know," he says, almost eagerly. "I'm helping as much as you are."
Rassilon: "You most certainly are not, Soze. You'll burn his mind through, doing this!"
* Soze[yard] is by the side of the building, lying on his back in the snow. His eyes are open and blinking, but it's fairly clear he isn't seeing anything. A burnt out cigarette is next to him, buried half in the snow.
* Rassilon lunges toward Soze.
Jeff[yard]: "Ras *please,* don't do this," Jeff pleads. Then, in a completely different tone. "I'm giving us a chance. Jeff, You know I'm giving us a chance." Another shift. "*Yes!*"
* Soze[yard] 's entire body flinches, but he doesn't make any more effort to get away from Rassilon-- he's too deep in this.
* Rassilon grabs Soze. It's risky, horribly so, but he needs contact in order to try and draw him out of Jeff's mind with any precision.* "Can't you see what you're doing to him? There's too much in there already! This can't be solved by brute force!"
* Jeff[yard] winces from the contact as if he's feeling it himself. Maybe he is. "This isn't brute force. I'm taking the initiative. We need this."
Rassilon: "No. You need it. I can sense it."
Jeff[yard]: "Ras, you know what it's like in our head! We can't go back to being an animal again!"
Rassilon: "/Your/ mind, Jeff! Yours alone!"
* Soze[yard] 's hand fumbles for Rassilon's sleeve, but in this state, he can't get a grip. It falls uselessly back into the snow.
* Soze[yard] swallows, eyes perfectly blank.
Jeff[yard]: "*And look what they did to it!*" Jeff's hand twitches, grasping clumsily at nothing. His eyes turn from black to yellow.
Rassilon: "You wanted your mind to yourself! That cannot be achieved with someone else intruding upon it! Please ... listen to me... any properly-done healing has to be done slowly. If it's rushed, it'll only hurt you. Instant changes are what put you in the trouble you're in now!"
* Jeff[yard] backs away, shaking his head. "No...no...oh God *please* not now!" He's panicking. His skin ripples as he fights the change. Ras can see fur changing to scales and back again. "Stop. *Stop.*"
* Soze[yard] makes a low noise in the back of his throat and jerks in Rassilon's grip.
Rassilon: *gazing intently at Jeff* "You can control it on your own, Jeff. You don't need him. What he's doing to you is no better than what that geneticist did."
* Jeff[yard] GLARES at Rassilon, first furious then terrified. With the groaning of shifting bone and muscle, he straightens and *screams.* There's a split second where he tenses, and then a pop of displaced air as he vanishes.
Sanctuary
Jeff[arena]: *There's an animal scream from the yard. It sounds *nothing* like a rat whatsoever, but it might be familiar to anyone who's seen Jurassic Park. Immediately after there's a pop of displaced air, then another scream from the arena.*
SomaC: !
SomaC: Mios Dios.
`Lita: --!
Rennais: ...should I go to the arena and try to help with this, or will I just make things worse.
Some: ... That sounded like a dinosaur.
Njoki: "I'd say they can sort it out themselves."
`Lita: "I believe it -was- a dinosaur."
Eddie_: "Suddenly, a dinosaur."
Jeff[arena]: *Pretty much!*
Njoki: "If they need help, they can call for us, but Rassilon is usually pretty on top of things. Anyway, where are you trying to get back to? In case I find a portal."
* `Lita glances to the Arena, now, eyes sharp again.
* SomaC watches the arena.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] appears, his claws scrabbling for purchase on the sand after it's aborted charge. It screams in rage.
Yard
* Rassilon startles. Oh, bloody /Void/...*
* Soze[yard] is still here. Twitching. Grinding his teeth. Staring into space. Hey, Rassilon.
* Rassilon looks at Soze.
* Soze[yard] is grinding his teeth, his body jerking occasionally. When Jeff screams, he opens his mouth, but he doesn't make a sound.
Rassilon: "Maybe you ought to take that as a sign, Keyser Soze--you've no right and no business doing what you're doing! Get out of there while you still can!"
Arena
* Jeff[arena] stalks toward the exit, its claws scrabbling on the stairs.
Sanctuary
* Jeff[arena] appears in the doorway of the arena. Hi! We have a humanoid in shredded clothing, a velociraptor head with VERY SHARP TEETH looking around like its examining the lunch buffet. He's got the claws too. And the tail. It growls and advances on whoever is closest.
* Eddie_ is laughing again, sorry. Little fear of death.
* Jeff[arena] screams, charges...and disappears again. From the sound coming from the arena, it's *not* happy with this development.
* Njoki is a horrible person and takes a picture to send to the General with the message, 'Jesus Raptor has come.'
Njoki: "...anyway, you found a place to live and work and all that?"
* Some is up in the rafters, agh.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] appears in the arena. Again. And screams. Again.
* Jeff[arena] begins to methodically pace back and forth.
Yard
Soze[yard]: "C-c-c-c..." Low, barely a whisper, and then the instincts that aren't his flood back again. Memories. Raw meet, still moving, all the blood and the -satisfaction.- It isn't entirely foreign, not to him, but it takes over his body. He jerks again.
* Soze[yard] squeezes his eyes shut. They had been open until now.
* Rassilon squints at Soze again for a moment, then vanishes.*
Arena
* Rassilon appears in the Arena. With the dinosaur.*
* Jeff[arena] turns on him, growling. He doesn't charge, however. He claws the ground, leaving furrows in the sand.
Yard
* Soze[yard] opens his eyes and he can see the world around him, -finally-, but the effect fades fast and he needs to close his eyes again to ground himself.
Arena
* Rassilon waits calmly. Still and quiet.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] forces himself to sit up, his vision switching between the arena and the snow, his entire body -humming- with the desire to kill, to leave his mark. Anything.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] forces himself to take a step back, one at a time. He doesn't stop growling, and the steps are clumsy, awkward.
Rassilon: *softly* "I mean you no harm. You know me. Yes?"
Sanctuary
* Some peeks in the Arena door to check if anyone's in there with Jeff.
SomaC: I... I hope this isn't going to get ugly.
Jeff[arena]: *Rassilon is there with Jeff, speaking in quiet tones. Jeff is slowly forcing himself to back away, shaking like a leaf.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] is finally here, alone. In his own body. He can still feel Jeff, though, as clear as the bond ever was. It's incredible, how alive he feels.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] nods, jerkily. Rassilon can feel Jeff trying to hang on, trying to hold back the urge to make the creature in front of him *prey.* Every muscle is tense and shaking.
Yard
* Soze[yard] sits on the ground for a few more moments, a little dazed. He may not fully be connecting anymore, but he's living more as Jeff than himself.
Arena
Rassilon: *still softly* "Your name is Jeff. You're a human. I know you remember. You remember your hands, each finger." *His cadence slows.* "You see them, now, on your hand, don't you, all ten of them. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.... And the other..." *He carries on in this vein.*
Jeff[arena]: "Jeff..." it's barely understandable through all the teeth. He's still shaking, still tense, but he looks down at his hands. Though they're more claws than anything else.
Rassilon: "You remember being human. I know you do." *He goes to slip into Jeff's mind just enough to bring the human memories more into focus. The memories of himself.*
* Jeff[arena] lets out a deep trill from his throat, hopping from one leg to the other, agitated. So hard to *think*.
* Rassilon can help with that, again. Will you let him in? Will you let him turn the noise down and cool the awful blood heat?*
* Jeff[arena] 's legs slowly sink down to the sand. He has to fight against himself to get his guard down that far, but he manages. Jeff's anger is dissipating, replaced by fear, but the animal is still there, fighting him.
* Rassilon takes a few steps forward and reaches toward Jeff slowly, to touch his fingers to Jeff's forehead.*
* Jeff[arena] growls warningly at first, but the stops, lowering his head. He squeezes his eyes shut. If he can't see Rassilon's hand, he can't bite it. He whimpers a little.
* Jeff[arena] 's skin is surprisingly cold, given the fact that he'd been running around before, and the temperature in here. Cold-blooded, perhaps? He's still trembling as Ras reaches out.
* Rassilon lightly rests his fingers on Jeff's forehead, and in Jeff's mind, things go green and clear. Quiet. The shriek and growl of instincts neatly ordered again; the path for his human self lies before him again.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] , out in the yard, starts thinking more clearly again. It might be with Rassilon's aid, or it might be the fact that slowly, very slowly, he's detangling himself from Jeff. Chances are they'll remain bonded, though, at least for another day.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] moans as the instincts finally fade, finally stop shrieking at him. He still hasn't stopped shaking, but he sinks to his hands and knees, willing himself back human. The teeth and claws begin to disappear with excruciating slowness.
* Rassilon kneels with him, carefully slipping an arm around him, whispering to him that it's all right, everything will be all right again....*
* Jeff[arena] wraps his arms around Rassilon, holding him as tight as he can. "I'm sorry," he says when he has working jaws again. "Oh God...I'm *sorry.* I'm *sorry.*" He's on the verge of tears.
Rassilon: *softly* "I forgive you. I always will." *He keeps his arms curled around Jeff, holding him.*
* Jeff[arena] makes a mess of Rassilon's robes for the second time in as many days. Guilt, exhaustion and frustration pour out of him.
* Rassilon doesn't care about that, they can be washed. Jeff obviously needs a good cry. He lets him do that, petting him and making vague comforting sounds as only the English (or analogues thereof) can achieve.*
* Jeff[arena] eventually cries himself out, and he curls up in Rassilon's arms, eyes half closed and breathing deeply.
* Rassilon nudges him lightly, smiling.* "This sandy floor isn't any place to sleep. Would you like to go home?"
Jeff[arena]: "Okay." He can feel the clarity fading again, and he almost cries again in frustration. It's not *fair!* "...Home," he says instead.
* Rassilon will work on that clarity with you. It'll get better.*
* Jeff[arena] closes his eyes and lets Rassilon take him away.
* Rassilon doesn't bother to stand, they simply vanish in a swirl of green light.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] is eventually gone from the yard. Just gone.
Sanctuary
* Soze steps inside. His left arm is still held in a sling. Something about him is more empty than when he left the Nexus the first time around. Maybe you don't notice.
Ankhenaten: "Hard to say..." He trails off and glances behind him at the newcomer.
* Jeff_Levitt actually brightens noticeably. "Keyser." Look, he's doing better now!
* `Lita glances to Soze, "Mm, hello."
* Some has an unpleasant, sour expression. "He didn't come here and ask for help, either."
* Jeff_Levitt 's shoulders slump a little. "...no?"
* Soze actually looks like he's in physical pain for a moment, when he sees Jeff's state, but he recovers as he always does. Jeff might be improving, but it's still a step down, and he thinks about what might happen (and what he might force himself to do) if Jeff doesn't actually recover. "Jeff. And everyone, hello."
* `Lita is lounging across a couch like she owns the place, sipping a drink.
* Ankhenaten seems to be having a lounge-off with her and has gone as far as to drape one scrawny arm over the back of his overstuffed chair.
* Jeff_Levitt is perched on one of the bar stools. "Getting better," he says, managing a bit of a smile. "More words. More thinking. Better."
Some: "I'm not sure, but I don't... oh, I'm so sorry, Jeff."
* Jeff_Levitt shrugs again. "Just...want to know why. Why take? I'm not...special." Ooh, new word.
* Soze manages a smile. "That's very good," he says, before finding a couch-- interestingly enough, not next to Jeff.
* Some reaches over to touch his shoulder, squeeze it.
* Jeff_Levitt doesn't seem to mind either Soze's avoidance or the hand on his shoulder. He leans into the latter a bit, his teeth clicking instinctively.
* Some shifts to a closer stool so he can hug him. They may not have been close, but it's a shared trauma, in a way.
* Soze ducks out, rather abruptly, for a smoke.
* Jeff_Levitt squeaks a little, surprised at the contact. He recovers though and hugs back. "Thank you."
Yard
* Soze[yard] is out here trying to light a cigarette with one hand like a trooper.
Sanctuary
* Rassilon stumbles in, looking like he just rolled out of bed, into his clothing, and out the door. Possibly literally. He spots Jeff.* "Oh, thank goodness, there you are."
`Lita: "Ah, Rassilon. Hello, dear."
* Jeff_Levitt spots Rassilon. "Ras!" he chirps, looking ecstatic. "See? Better!"
Ankhenaten: "You know this rat?" To Rassilon. Hey, someone had to say it.
* Eddie_ tries to move the shelf so he can look behind it. He is not really very good at that.
* Jeff_Levitt looks a bit indignant. "*Not* rat," he insists. "Just...sometimes. *Person.*"
`Lita: "His name is Jeff."
* Rassilon pushes uncombed bedhair out of his face. Someone looks just this side of exhausted.* "You've been looking after him? Thank you." *At Jeff's chirping, he smiles.* "Better? That's good... and no, he's not a rat."
* SomaC looks to the newcomer a bit crossly.
* `Lita has been keeping an eye on him, yes. As has half the Sanctuary
Ankhenaten: "My mistake. Jeff."
* Rassilon sits next to Jeff.* "Have you been all right in here?"
* Eddie_ may be about to knock all this stuff over. Arg, there's dust back here!
Yard
* Soze[yard] finishes his cigarette, but he needs something more than that, doesn't he? Somewhere else, there's an itch he needs to scratch. His mind is so cloudy.
Sanctuary
* Jeff_Levitt nods. "Safe here. *Friends* here. Helping. Remember more now."
Rassilon: "Good, good."
SomaC: I hope his recovery continues quickly.
* `Lita beams a little at Jeff. <3
* Eddie_ jumps when the bookshelf falls. Ohshi...
`Lita: --!
Ankhenaten: !!
* Jeff_Levitt squeaks and dives with surprising nimbleness behind the bar.
Rassilon: "It'll progress as quickly as it ca--!" *startles*
* Some comes back from the kitchen, bearing cheese toasted on bread.
* Eddie_ stands there, startled.
* Ankhenaten gets up. "What did you do?"
* Njoki ambles on in. Wuffle and pre-emptive bitchcakes, sir.
* Jeff_Levitt peers over the top of the bar. "...Safe?"
Yard
* Soze[yard] hand digs into his pocket, feeling something small and smooth like a pebble. If he helps Jeff, he helps himself. He's so tired of seeing Jeff trouble, but if he could step in, take his own control... (And maybe this is what he needs.)
Sanctuary
Rassilon: "It's all right, Jeff."
Eddie_: .... :/
* Eddie_ nudges the fallen books with his toe.
Njoki: "Evening." She nips behind the bar to get a cup of coffee before settling on the couch. "So, what's the latest news?"
* Eddie_ nudges the dust behind where the bookshelf was, too. No piece!
Some: Cheesy bread anyone?
Yard
* Soze[yard] 's eyes roll back in his head, and he down he goes, into the snow. Whoops.
Sanctuary
* Jeff_Levitt is in the process of jumping back over the bar when...something happens. He squeaks again, this time louder and shriller, spilling onto the floor.
* `Lita blinks, sitting up somewhat, eh?
* Jeff_Levitt picks himself up again, and though wobbly he stands up a lot straighter. He holds a hand to his forehead. "K-Keyser? Keyser *what have you done?*"
Soze[yard]: ["No no no no, don't say that, don't let them blame me. No, this is the right thing to do. It's the right thing."]
* SomaC gets up. "Jeff? what's wrong?"
* Rassilon stares
Jeff_Levitt: "No no no no..." he mumbles to himself. He looks around, eyes wide and much clearer. "It's all come back. I'm...I'm thinking. Oh God, it makes *sense* again."
* SomaC gapes in some disbelief - and is a little speechless.
Ankhenaten: "You... sound different as well."
* `Lita frowns, watching Jeff.
* Eddie_ tries to lift up the bookshelf.
* Rassilon gets up and stumbles toward Jeff.* "What is he doing?"
Some: o,o
* Jeff_Levitt lets out a little sob. "This is how I *should* sound. It's so much quieter. Things in my head aren't *screaming* anymore."
Rassilon: "What has he done?!"
* Eddie_ will get this here, guys, don't worry. Soon as he can. Lifting x_x
SomaC: What is going on...? *He looks between them.
* Njoki puts her coffee down and goes to help Eddie.
* Eddie_ knocked all of the books over and the shelf, and it's dusty and he's totally stuck lifting this now. Help, yes? Awesome!
Rassilon: *His eyes glowing, he reaches toward Jeff.* "I don't believe it... somehow, he's re-established the bond between them."
Jeff_Levitt: "He's trying to *help*" His hands worry the cuffs of his sleeves, fingers twitching like living things. "Ras, *please.* This is how I got out. I don't know how he's doing it but if he didn't I'd still be an animal."
* `Lita sets her drink down for the moment. She's sitting on a couch, watching Jeff with a concerned expression.
* Some will help too, since Ras's here.
Rassilon: "It's too fast, it'll burn your mind out!"
* Jeff_Levitt looks scared and agitated though. Soze's emotions leaking through or something else?
* SomaC bites his lip.
* Njoki is a strong little thing, and she can get the shelf up without any trouble.
* Jeff_Levitt is the rat man from yesterday, but he seems much more lucid than he was last time Rennais saw him.
SomaC: Ah - hey Rennais. *He looks pretty fretful, and might be reopening the cut he has on his lips again.
* Rassilon looks outside. Oh, so there he is....*
* Jeff_Levitt visibly calms himself. There isn't a deep breath or anything. One minute he looks agitated, the next...dead calm. "Everything's fine, Rassilon," he says, his tone strangely dead.
* Rassilon stares at Jeff again.* "..."
SomaC: ...?
Eddie_: "I was trying to find the missing piece to that puzzle on the bar, but it's juuuust not happening. It sucks." He sneezes. Dust.
* Rassilon bolts for the yard.*
* Jeff_Levitt becomes agitated again. "I need this, Rassilon, *pleas--* RAS!"
* `Lita stays here to keep an eye on Jeff.
`Lita: "...."
Some: "Check the- ?!"
* Jeff_Levitt follows Rassilon out.
Yard
* Rassilon runs out into the yard.
* Jeff_Levitt follows and somehow manages to stay on two legs this time. He stops, his manner changing like a switch has been thrown. "You know," he says, almost eagerly. "I'm helping as much as you are."
Rassilon: "You most certainly are not, Soze. You'll burn his mind through, doing this!"
* Soze[yard] is by the side of the building, lying on his back in the snow. His eyes are open and blinking, but it's fairly clear he isn't seeing anything. A burnt out cigarette is next to him, buried half in the snow.
* Rassilon lunges toward Soze.
Jeff[yard]: "Ras *please,* don't do this," Jeff pleads. Then, in a completely different tone. "I'm giving us a chance. Jeff, You know I'm giving us a chance." Another shift. "*Yes!*"
* Soze[yard] 's entire body flinches, but he doesn't make any more effort to get away from Rassilon-- he's too deep in this.
* Rassilon grabs Soze. It's risky, horribly so, but he needs contact in order to try and draw him out of Jeff's mind with any precision.* "Can't you see what you're doing to him? There's too much in there already! This can't be solved by brute force!"
* Jeff[yard] winces from the contact as if he's feeling it himself. Maybe he is. "This isn't brute force. I'm taking the initiative. We need this."
Rassilon: "No. You need it. I can sense it."
Jeff[yard]: "Ras, you know what it's like in our head! We can't go back to being an animal again!"
Rassilon: "/Your/ mind, Jeff! Yours alone!"
* Soze[yard] 's hand fumbles for Rassilon's sleeve, but in this state, he can't get a grip. It falls uselessly back into the snow.
* Soze[yard] swallows, eyes perfectly blank.
Jeff[yard]: "*And look what they did to it!*" Jeff's hand twitches, grasping clumsily at nothing. His eyes turn from black to yellow.
Rassilon: "You wanted your mind to yourself! That cannot be achieved with someone else intruding upon it! Please ... listen to me... any properly-done healing has to be done slowly. If it's rushed, it'll only hurt you. Instant changes are what put you in the trouble you're in now!"
* Jeff[yard] backs away, shaking his head. "No...no...oh God *please* not now!" He's panicking. His skin ripples as he fights the change. Ras can see fur changing to scales and back again. "Stop. *Stop.*"
* Soze[yard] makes a low noise in the back of his throat and jerks in Rassilon's grip.
Rassilon: *gazing intently at Jeff* "You can control it on your own, Jeff. You don't need him. What he's doing to you is no better than what that geneticist did."
* Jeff[yard] GLARES at Rassilon, first furious then terrified. With the groaning of shifting bone and muscle, he straightens and *screams.* There's a split second where he tenses, and then a pop of displaced air as he vanishes.
Sanctuary
Jeff[arena]: *There's an animal scream from the yard. It sounds *nothing* like a rat whatsoever, but it might be familiar to anyone who's seen Jurassic Park. Immediately after there's a pop of displaced air, then another scream from the arena.*
SomaC: !
SomaC: Mios Dios.
`Lita: --!
Rennais: ...should I go to the arena and try to help with this, or will I just make things worse.
Some: ... That sounded like a dinosaur.
Njoki: "I'd say they can sort it out themselves."
`Lita: "I believe it -was- a dinosaur."
Eddie_: "Suddenly, a dinosaur."
Jeff[arena]: *Pretty much!*
Njoki: "If they need help, they can call for us, but Rassilon is usually pretty on top of things. Anyway, where are you trying to get back to? In case I find a portal."
* `Lita glances to the Arena, now, eyes sharp again.
* SomaC watches the arena.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] appears, his claws scrabbling for purchase on the sand after it's aborted charge. It screams in rage.
Yard
* Rassilon startles. Oh, bloody /Void/...*
* Soze[yard] is still here. Twitching. Grinding his teeth. Staring into space. Hey, Rassilon.
* Rassilon looks at Soze.
* Soze[yard] is grinding his teeth, his body jerking occasionally. When Jeff screams, he opens his mouth, but he doesn't make a sound.
Rassilon: "Maybe you ought to take that as a sign, Keyser Soze--you've no right and no business doing what you're doing! Get out of there while you still can!"
Arena
* Jeff[arena] stalks toward the exit, its claws scrabbling on the stairs.
Sanctuary
* Jeff[arena] appears in the doorway of the arena. Hi! We have a humanoid in shredded clothing, a velociraptor head with VERY SHARP TEETH looking around like its examining the lunch buffet. He's got the claws too. And the tail. It growls and advances on whoever is closest.
* Eddie_ is laughing again, sorry. Little fear of death.
* Jeff[arena] screams, charges...and disappears again. From the sound coming from the arena, it's *not* happy with this development.
* Njoki is a horrible person and takes a picture to send to the General with the message, 'Jesus Raptor has come.'
Njoki: "...anyway, you found a place to live and work and all that?"
* Some is up in the rafters, agh.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] appears in the arena. Again. And screams. Again.
* Jeff[arena] begins to methodically pace back and forth.
Yard
Soze[yard]: "C-c-c-c..." Low, barely a whisper, and then the instincts that aren't his flood back again. Memories. Raw meet, still moving, all the blood and the -satisfaction.- It isn't entirely foreign, not to him, but it takes over his body. He jerks again.
* Soze[yard] squeezes his eyes shut. They had been open until now.
* Rassilon squints at Soze again for a moment, then vanishes.*
Arena
* Rassilon appears in the Arena. With the dinosaur.*
* Jeff[arena] turns on him, growling. He doesn't charge, however. He claws the ground, leaving furrows in the sand.
Yard
* Soze[yard] opens his eyes and he can see the world around him, -finally-, but the effect fades fast and he needs to close his eyes again to ground himself.
Arena
* Rassilon waits calmly. Still and quiet.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] forces himself to sit up, his vision switching between the arena and the snow, his entire body -humming- with the desire to kill, to leave his mark. Anything.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] forces himself to take a step back, one at a time. He doesn't stop growling, and the steps are clumsy, awkward.
Rassilon: *softly* "I mean you no harm. You know me. Yes?"
Sanctuary
* Some peeks in the Arena door to check if anyone's in there with Jeff.
SomaC: I... I hope this isn't going to get ugly.
Jeff[arena]: *Rassilon is there with Jeff, speaking in quiet tones. Jeff is slowly forcing himself to back away, shaking like a leaf.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] is finally here, alone. In his own body. He can still feel Jeff, though, as clear as the bond ever was. It's incredible, how alive he feels.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] nods, jerkily. Rassilon can feel Jeff trying to hang on, trying to hold back the urge to make the creature in front of him *prey.* Every muscle is tense and shaking.
Yard
* Soze[yard] sits on the ground for a few more moments, a little dazed. He may not fully be connecting anymore, but he's living more as Jeff than himself.
Arena
Rassilon: *still softly* "Your name is Jeff. You're a human. I know you remember. You remember your hands, each finger." *His cadence slows.* "You see them, now, on your hand, don't you, all ten of them. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.... And the other..." *He carries on in this vein.*
Jeff[arena]: "Jeff..." it's barely understandable through all the teeth. He's still shaking, still tense, but he looks down at his hands. Though they're more claws than anything else.
Rassilon: "You remember being human. I know you do." *He goes to slip into Jeff's mind just enough to bring the human memories more into focus. The memories of himself.*
* Jeff[arena] lets out a deep trill from his throat, hopping from one leg to the other, agitated. So hard to *think*.
* Rassilon can help with that, again. Will you let him in? Will you let him turn the noise down and cool the awful blood heat?*
* Jeff[arena] 's legs slowly sink down to the sand. He has to fight against himself to get his guard down that far, but he manages. Jeff's anger is dissipating, replaced by fear, but the animal is still there, fighting him.
* Rassilon takes a few steps forward and reaches toward Jeff slowly, to touch his fingers to Jeff's forehead.*
* Jeff[arena] growls warningly at first, but the stops, lowering his head. He squeezes his eyes shut. If he can't see Rassilon's hand, he can't bite it. He whimpers a little.
* Jeff[arena] 's skin is surprisingly cold, given the fact that he'd been running around before, and the temperature in here. Cold-blooded, perhaps? He's still trembling as Ras reaches out.
* Rassilon lightly rests his fingers on Jeff's forehead, and in Jeff's mind, things go green and clear. Quiet. The shriek and growl of instincts neatly ordered again; the path for his human self lies before him again.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] , out in the yard, starts thinking more clearly again. It might be with Rassilon's aid, or it might be the fact that slowly, very slowly, he's detangling himself from Jeff. Chances are they'll remain bonded, though, at least for another day.
Arena
* Jeff[arena] moans as the instincts finally fade, finally stop shrieking at him. He still hasn't stopped shaking, but he sinks to his hands and knees, willing himself back human. The teeth and claws begin to disappear with excruciating slowness.
* Rassilon kneels with him, carefully slipping an arm around him, whispering to him that it's all right, everything will be all right again....*
* Jeff[arena] wraps his arms around Rassilon, holding him as tight as he can. "I'm sorry," he says when he has working jaws again. "Oh God...I'm *sorry.* I'm *sorry.*" He's on the verge of tears.
Rassilon: *softly* "I forgive you. I always will." *He keeps his arms curled around Jeff, holding him.*
* Jeff[arena] makes a mess of Rassilon's robes for the second time in as many days. Guilt, exhaustion and frustration pour out of him.
* Rassilon doesn't care about that, they can be washed. Jeff obviously needs a good cry. He lets him do that, petting him and making vague comforting sounds as only the English (or analogues thereof) can achieve.*
* Jeff[arena] eventually cries himself out, and he curls up in Rassilon's arms, eyes half closed and breathing deeply.
* Rassilon nudges him lightly, smiling.* "This sandy floor isn't any place to sleep. Would you like to go home?"
Jeff[arena]: "Okay." He can feel the clarity fading again, and he almost cries again in frustration. It's not *fair!* "...Home," he says instead.
* Rassilon will work on that clarity with you. It'll get better.*
* Jeff[arena] closes his eyes and lets Rassilon take him away.
* Rassilon doesn't bother to stand, they simply vanish in a swirl of green light.*
Yard
* Soze[yard] is eventually gone from the yard. Just gone.