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Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
by Hannah
If you see Nemesis/Darcy be really careful.
The morning she smashed up Gotham Witch's place, using Gotham Witch as the sledgehammer.
I'm at the hospital with Gotham Witch right now. She's badly beat up, but she'll live.
If Ronin hadn't been there this would have been much worse.
Nemesis is still out there somewhere. If anyone sees or hears from her, be careful. Even when she's not acting crazy I'd describe her as dangerous, rght now, I have no clue.
Hannah
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:27 pm
by Tms3
What happened with nemesis... um also im me with what we now about Her powers and or skills...
Edited : because of and error
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:51 pm
by Technocrat
Hey Tms3,
I don't think that Nemesis has any secret abilities that haven't been shown on this site at one point or another. Really, she's just a human being.
Who kills for a living.
She seems to favor sniper like attacks but has made posts describing herself using knives and pistols as well.
I only encountered her once or twice myself. She got me to help her looking for Ron Caliburn when he disappeared awhile back. She carries a small aresenal and often wears body armor. I imagine she's quite capable in close quarters combat as well.
Hannah,
Please send my best to Gotham Witch. I hope there's no lasting harm and she recovers quickly. I do have some questions though. What was Nemesis doing there in the first place? And what was Ronin doing there? Is he all right? Tell him to call me, please and thank you.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:14 pm
by Hannah
Techno,
That's a pretty good assessment of Nemesis' abilities. I'll make sure to pass along your best wishes to GW.
Nemesis was living at GWs, and, well, I mentioned two good friends of mine getting to spend Valentine's Day together.
Oh my goodness, today is Valentine's Day. How could Nemesis do something so mean and cold-hearted? She seemed like she was so happy with things. Poor GW, she's gonna be so heartbroken when she comes to.
Ronin was visiting New York to compare notes with GW and me about the rituals we witnessed back on the Winter Solstice.
Hannah
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:38 pm
by Ronin
Just to clarify a few points.
Technocrat, I am unharmed. I will call you later.
When the attack began, I was partaking in my morning meditation on the roof of the building. It was there that I became aware of the confrontation and rushed back to the apartment to render aid.
After I got there, I thought it odd that Nemesis was assaulting Gotham Witch as they did not seem to have what one would call an advesarial relationship. What's more, there was a look of twisted glee on the face of Nemesis. The thing I thought was really odd was that Nemesis was not being her usual, efficient self.
Immediately I intervened in defense of Gotham Witch. Oddly, Nemesis persisted in what I would consider sub-par attempts to engage me. At times it seemed as though her focus might be divided.
Frankly, I'm surprised she didn't draw her side arm on me. That would have been the rationale thing to do in her situation.
In any event, she did not linger after meeting serious resistance and fled the apartment. I considered following after her but Gotham Witch's condition was my immediate concern. I called emergency services and Hannah.
Technocrat, I noticed that you are starting an investigation. I am involved in this situation at the moment but I will come assist you as soon as I am able.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:09 pm
by Tms3
best wishes to GW it was great working with you.
nemesis did not seem her self you say. how likely does passion or a dopel ganger seem to any one?
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:06 pm
by AceofSpades
Jesus, Gotham Witch was just down here. Hope she recovers quickly and that there's no lasting damage.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:33 pm
by Cybermancer
Hannah,
Please pass my thoughts on to Mel as well as my wishes for her speedy recovery. Also, please assure her that I don't beleive Darcy was responsible for her actions today.
Darcy is in protective custody and heavily sedated.
She is sedated because I have reason to believe that her actions today were the result of "Not Ron's" interference.
I'll say more a little later when I've had a chance to let the asprin do its job. I have a headache from a rather nasty mental sucker punch I endured.
Speaking of which Hannah, I'll be coming to New York tomorrow morning. You and I need to have a little talk.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:39 pm
by Tms3
I thought Darcy and nemesis. where 2 ppl?
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:41 pm
by Cybermancer
It can seem like that sometimes but they are in fact the same person.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:12 pm
by Sparks
Weeeeeell. Damn.
Don't suppose I can find out what hospital she's in? I am her favorite bartender - and I promise to only bring flowers, not liquor.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:10 pm
by Hannah
Whoa,
back this train up - my nightmare?
I am so sorry everyone for what's about to go down. Please, watch your backs, especially those that I know well. Don't trust anything that seems out of the ordinary.
I gotta call dad.
Hannah
What Dreams May Come
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:20 pm
by Cybermancer
Yes Hannah, your nightmare.
Before I explain what exactly has happened, I feel that some explanation is in order. Partly to show that everything is more or less alright at this end and to show that this too can be overcome.
Have you ever wished there was more time in the day to get done everything you need to? I've been wrestling with this problem since I was very young. It was my god-father who introduced me to a technique that allowed me to increase my working time. What he taught me was something called Lucid dreaming. The techniques allow me to not only be aware that I am dreaming but also to exert control over my dreams.
There are limitations, of course. I am no sensitive nor an arcane student. I do not leave my body or visit other planes of existence during this time. For me it is not a time to reach outwards but rather to explore inwards. Introverted by nature, I have come to know myself extremely well by knowing my dreams.
While I can and occasionally do act as just an observer within my own mind cycles through subconscious imagery, I often take direct control. My control is such that I have been able to compartmentalize my mind. I can access any part of these compartments at any time, even when awake but when I'm in a dream state, they appear to take on a reality of their own. I have refined this to the point that my memories are labelled and filed away with easy to use (for me) directories.
There is even a section of my mind specifically designated for 'garbage'. This is where negative emotions go until I have the time and means to deal with them constructively. there is only a limited capacity in this compartment which forces me to 'clean house' from time to time. I have gone so far as to create caricatures that serve different functions within my mind. Some help with solving logical problems, some manage various schedules, some manage physical departments and some confront me with emotional states.
It should come as no surprise that I have also built up numerous and layered defences within my mind. Everything from barriers to booby traps to more active defences.
I may not always be very empathic but I do know my own mind incredibly well.
This did not happen overnight or in weeks, months or years. It took me working every night for over two decades, while training with a select few others with similar goals to achieve the level of personal control I have achieved. Nor can I say that it is perfected. Indeed, I am constantly studying the architecture of my mind, looking for ways to improve it.
These skills have aided me in the past when dealing with external psychic influences. Attempts have been made to invade my mind in the past and they have been successfully repelled. There can be no doubt that within my own mind, I have a clear home team advantage.
So why all this talk of dreaming?
I'll come back to that.
Now I will seemingly diverge on a tangent but you should think rather that I am bringing divergent strands together for comparative analysis.
The initial catalyst was a call. The display indicated that it was Darcy so I answered. "Hello."
"Matthew... I need to see you." There was an odd hesitation in her voice.
"What's this about?" There was curiosity touched with concern in my voice.
There was a pause and then she said in a much more coy voice, "Look at the calendar, genius."
I didn't really need to. It was Tuesday, the 14th of February. Darcy was calling me on Valentines Day, telling me that she needed to see me.
It was odd. As though she was suddenly misconstruing the nature of our relationship. To be clear, I will describe how I perceive that relationship as I do not believe I am betraying any sort of trust by doing so. While Darcy's past and profession cause me no end of concern, recent developments and shared experiences have led me to appreciate her as a person and a friend.
I acknowledge that there is an attraction on a physical level. While I suspect it may be mutual, I have made it clear that beyond a certain threshold of flirtation; I do not want to pursue it further. I do not believe that we would be ultimately compatible as a long term romantic couple and I am not interested in transient couplings.
That is why I replied with, "It's a work day and I'm quite busy, Darcy. I'm sure you can line up some other booty call if that's what you're looking for."
There was another uncomfortably long pause, "Please, I want to talk face to face. Won't you make time for me? Or don't I mean anything at all to you?"
She seemed much more maudlin than I was accustomed too. "Is something wrong, Darcy?"
The pause wasn't quite as long this time, "Yes, I can't discuss it over the phone."
She did seem to be genuinely upset and I did consider her a friend. "Okay Darcy, where did you want to meet?"
"At the border, my side." She was sounding more confident. "I'm sure you can understand why."
"When do you expect to be there?" I asked while I brought up a mapping tool on my computer.
"Six hours." Came her prompt reply. "I'm already on my way."
"You shouldn't talk on the phone and drive," I said almost automatically. Given how reckless she was in other areas of her life, it seemed unlikely to influence her behaviour about this. "Alright, I'll meet you at the usual cafe."
"See you there, sweetie." Then she hung up.
I convinced myself that she was just being her usual impish self.
After checking the mapping tool I confirmed that I would have to leave in about four hours and we would probably be meeting in the early afternoon. I just had to have my assistant cancel my afternoon appointments.
Four hours to think and stew over one of the oddest conversations I'd ever had with Darcy. It was enough for me to make some calls of my own. Then I opened up my mapping tool again and took a good hard look at the area around our usual cafe. It was all probably nothing but I have learned that Louis Pasteur was correct, chance favors the prepared mind.
I had a further two hour drive to hammer out the rest of my plan and to get everything into place. Don't worry, I wasn't driving so my calls were no danger to myself or other motorists.
We crossed the border by car and then made our way directly to the airport where a helicopter was waiting for us. Soon we were flying over the city in a radius around the cafe. From our vantage point it was easy to spot Darcy. She was lying down on the roof of a skyscrapper, watching the patio of the cafe. She had her rifle with her.
"Really Darcy?" I thought to myself, "in broad daylight no less? You're not worried about getting caught, are you?" I checked my watch. She would be expecting me any minute now. So I sent her a text.
Held up at the border. Running 90 minutes late.
I watched through my binoculars as she pulled her phone out of her back pocket and stare at it. She seemed to shrug and then put it back.
There was a time I would have simply informed the police who she was, where she was and what she was up to. That was before I got personally involved. I wanted to know what was going on. I wanted to give Darcy the benefit of the doubt.
So we did a low fly by and dropped a good dozen or so knockout gas grenades on her head. Then I rappelled down while the choppers blades cleared the smoke away. Amazingly, she wasn't quite out although her movements were jerky and sluggish. The only reason her close support weapon couldn't be brought to bear against me before I fired a tranquilizer dart into her. And then another just to be sure.
Taking chances with Darcy is like bungee jumping into a piranha infested waters from 1,000ft up. With no bungee cord.
I restrained her hands and arms then relieved her of her personal arsenal. It took a few minutes. Enough time, apparently for her eyelids to begin fluttering open again. "Impressive." I commented with some admiration.
She kicked (like a mule) me in the abdomen. The physical sensation was painful, to say the least. The mental sensation was rather like feeling one's bungee cord falling off mid jump.
As I went down, she was leaping to her feet. There was no way I could possibly defend myself from her intended onslaught.
So instead I say five words. "Stephanie, your father is alive."
She went down harder than a bag of bricks.
Mr. Blue didn't just clean out a lot of junk from her head when they were working together. He implanted a shut off switch deep in her sub-conscious, just in case. He saw her as a dangerous weapon and while he hoped that her recent turn around would take, he intended to be prepared for the worst.
Indeed, even if it did take, he reasoned that the possibility of her being subverted via psychic or other means still existed. Thus the suggestion had to be deep enough to avoid detection. It had to be deep enough to shut down everything but the 'essential services' that kept her body alive. I inherited knowledge of that kill switch along with other things. I also inherited the knowledge that it was good for one use only.
Humbled, I restrained her legs this time as well. Once I was satisfied, I signalled the helicopter to return. As all this was going on, I was well aware that I was no longer alone within my own mind. Something was rummaging about in my personal garbage bin.
It is my unpleasant duty to inform all of you that there is no doubt about it. Not Ron is once more out and about.
I've already had one mental tango with him and I expect another but I feel that I am ready for round two.
November Yankee
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:34 pm
by Hannah
It went after you/sent Darcy after you too?
Oh Matt, I am really, really sorry.
Hannah
PS: Is anyone around DC right now? My dad isn't picking up his phone.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:40 pm
by Cybermancer
It confused me at first, to be frank, Hannah. But I think I understand now. Hopefully I can get my next post done tonight before I go to bed.
I'm in Buffalo at the moment. I don't think I could get to DC in anything resembling decent time.
Sorry.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:02 pm
by Hannah
Thank you Matt, for everything.
I am really sorry. As near as I can figure out this all started when I had that silly fit of anger last month. It's probably still mad at you about that.
It will come after you again, watch yourself.
Hannah.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:18 pm
by Sparks
Hannah - you're in luck. I was visiting m' mum and I'm about 20-30 from DC. Let me know where to look and I'll see what I can find?
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:26 pm
by Hannah
Sparks, I just PM'd you a bunch of addresses he might be at. I also sent a list of intersections, in between them is an area of town my Dad likes to call The Blight. He may be somewhere in there too, but I'll warn you it's a rough neighborhood to say the least.
Also, check out the Secret Handshake thread. That was developed to counter this thing. So far, in all the manifestations it's worked to help identify who is and isn't real. My dad himself may be dangerous right now, so flash the sign early. If you don't get a response, get out of there as fast as you can. Don't look back, just go.
Thank you and be careful.
Hannah
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:28 pm
by Sparks
No worries Hannah. You never saw my neighborhood.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:31 pm
by Hannah
Thanks Sparks. Next time I'm in your place you'll have to ignore my age and let me buy you a drink.
Hannah
Flight into Fantasy.
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:33 pm
by Cybermancer
If I might offer a suggesiton, Sparks, bring silver if you have it. My understanding is that the Blight sees its fair share of were-beast activity.
In any case, on with what happened next.
The chopper ride back to the helipad was its own commentary on hell. It didn't help that I now had something of a busy dream gremlin inside my head trying its darnedest to make things worse. It was like having raccoons tossing about garbage in your front yard and you're too tired to want to get up to chase them off at the moment.
Containing him wasn't as easy as I thought it ought to be. Something that has been happening to me a lot lately. Still I managed it and we eventually landed.
I had friends and family waiting for me when we disembarked. The first to greet me was my older sister, “Matthew, you look a mess.” She's been living in England long enough to effect some of their accent. Her children are thoroughly British.
“It's been quite a bad day, I'm afraid.” I said with sardonic humour.
She scrutinized me carefully. “So I see. What's going on?”
“I'm going to need your help and Diana's for this one. Tough bugger.” I clutched my temple in pain.
“Of course dear.” She has mothered me since our parents died in a car jacking when I was very young. So it was only natural for her to help me on my way.
Meanwhile, my brothers were seeing to Darcy.
“What's with Red here?” My older brother asked. He no doubt remembered her from the Long Island incident where he was helping as her spotter.
“She was setting up to kill me. Possible possession.” I said.
“Not anymore.” My sister said after looking over her shoulder. “Whatever it was, is probably in your head now.”
“Indeed.” I agreed with a somewhat pained tone. “All the more reason to hurry.”
There was no need to stress the urgency to my family.
Darcy and I were both in good hands now.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:36 pm
by Hannah
Oh, if anybody has any idea on where Elionwy Solstice is, please, please let her know what's happening.
I've tried to contact her as well, but she's been really slow to answer communications the last while.
She is one of the few have been repeatedly successful against this thing and we might need her.
Hannah
PS: Matt, I'm glad you're with people, but still be careful, okay?
Great Expectations
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:38 am
by Cybermancer
Good luck getting in touch with Wie. She could be very useful right now.
As for being careful, when have you ever known or heard of me being reckless?
Time to finish the afternoons activities.
I was in an easy chair at my god-father's place in New York City. It was leather and the most comfortable antique chair one could hope to have. It had always seemed so huge to me when I was a child but I seemed to have grown into it nicely. Beside me was a hooded lamp that gave off shadowy light. There was a dim haze of cigar smoke around me.
Not far from where I was seated was a long row of filing cabinets. In front of one of these cabinets was a rather large caricature of a man. As I focused on him, he was lit up by a florescent light that flickered on over his head. He looked up in annoyance. One more frustration as every file he pulled out turned out to be blank despite such promising titles on their tabs.
“Looking for something?” I asked patiently.
He turned around and saw me for the first time. His eyes instantly focused on a folder I was holding up.
“I see that you were.” I carefully laid the folder down on the end table beside me. He began to lunge but halted as the folder evaporated. “That raises some serious questions.” It seemed as though my position in relation to him was raised. “The first of course is how you perceived those files as they're of course very carefully coded.”
He sneered up at me, “I can consume the information the way you consume food. Make it a part of myself. No amount of careful coding can stop me.”
“Ah.” Said in tone that suggested that I didn't quite believe him. “Let us just table that for a moment then as it really is not of any real concern. No I have two rather more pressing questions.”
“You? Have questions? Don't you think you know everything?” He seemed to enlarge a bit at the thought that he knew something that I did not. “Have you no plan then? No lecture on how I should go about things?”
“Tut, tut. I'm asking the questions at the moment. You can have your turn at the end. No, you see the first question is why were you looking for that file? And perhaps more importantly, what made you think that I would have it?”
He glared at me for a long time, unwilling to give anything away by answering either question. Even lies might provide me with some clue and he wanted nothing more than to deny me new insight. The unblinking staring contest lasted some time. I think.
“If anyone would have it, you would.” He finally admitted.
“Ah.” I nodded my head in agreement, a slight, perhaps flattered smile on my face. But slowly I morphed that into a frown, “how did you know the file existed?”
That question seemed to surprise him a bit. Then he smiled, “maybe you're not the smartest after all.”
“Maybe. Maybe.” I agreed. Slowly I stood up. “After all, I have all these questions, don't I?”
He smiled with a superior air.
I walked to the edge of cylinder upon which I stood. “Have you noticed this odd perspective?”
“Yes!” He sneered. “You're on a pedestal. How modest of you!”
“Hmmp.” I pursed my lips. “That's just the thing, you see. This is not my fabrication. It's yours. You put me up here. Which of course raises yet another question.” Then without warning I got angry. From my heart it grew until it filled my lungs. It flowed with my blood to my hands which were clenched fists. I raised one of them above me and then it heaved it to the ground with all my might while shouting, “HOW DARE YOU?!”
The pedestal shattered with a shock wave that tossed filing cabinets flying, releasing a flurry of blank files. Likewise, he was blown off his feet.
I lifted him up by the lapels of his long coat, “how dare you make such expectations of me?” I growled in his face. He seemed to shrink back from my rage. “You set me up for a fall and then have the audacity to blame me for stumbling about your fantasies?”
He grabbed my wrists and attempted to push back my anger, “you could have been the one!”
“The one what?” I demanded. “Who gave you the right to declare me the one anything? Did it occur to you that I might have my own life and my own expectations? Or that I couldn't possibly know what you wanted of me?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. The teeth of his own anger showing through. “You still don't know, do you?”
“How could I? Why are you even here? You've never shown the slightest interest in me before, what the hell changed?”
“I have seen more of you then most ever see.” Then he laughed as he pushed me away from him. “All of it lies.”
We stood facing each other, waiting for one to show a weakness.
“Why are you so angry with me? What could I have possibly done?”
“You're a LIAR!” He screeched at me with the force of a heated tornado. “You can't have her!”
I blinked at him, “I can't have... what are you talking about...?” And then my eyes widened. “Oh...”
In that moment, my defences dropped and he sucker punched me in the gut. I doubled over for only a moment but it was enough for him to escape the containment of my mind and into the ether.
I don't know where he is right now. But I suspect I will be seeing him again tonight, and a part of me is looking forward to it. I think its time to try something new in approaching this particular problem.
Good night everyone and see you in the morning.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:49 am
by Hannah
I'm glad you were able to hold it off and don't worry about it getting out. He's gotten away from a lot of folks over the years including Shadowstalker, KT and Wie.
You're right in that he'll probably be back. He's persistent like that.
It turns out he's probably been in Mel's mind a fair bit too.
If anybody else out there has had any really strange dreams in the past month or notices other Society members acting weird all of a sudden, please let us know.
I'm so sorry that I couldn't hold it longer.
Hannah
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:59 am
by Hannah
Matt,
Most people code that thing's speech in yellow letters like my father, since it looks like him. Why did you put it in violet instead?
Also, why would it have you on a pedestal . . . there are a lot of things about your exchange with it that make little sense to me. Of course I'm still exhausted from cleaning up Mel's apartment.
Hannah
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:52 am
by Gotham Witch
Good morning, folks - or whatever time it is.
Yes, I'm alive, and in marginally better condition than my apartment. Don't expect much out of me until I'm out of the hospital, either. There's... a lot on the cards right now.
Thanks for the wishes, but don't worry about me.
PS: A special thanks to Ronin for keeping me on the mortal coil, and Hannah for bringing me my things so I have something to do.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:55 am
by Ron Caliburn
Okay, so people did try to call me. I wonder where Clarity put my phone.
I'm glad everyone is still in one piece up there, even if a few of you are little sore.
I'm not sure Wie's been giving everyone the silent treatment lately, but it needs to stop. If Not Me is back then we need her help. Shadowstalker, Kon-Thak, the Russians and a few others should be advised too.
Use that secret handshake people, I will be updating it regularly. It has saved lives in the past.
Also if you see me when and where you don't expect, I won't take it personal if you start shooting. It's probably Not Me.
Cybermancer, Gotham, I'm going to keep my distance from you for the time being, to cut down on the chance of blue on blue.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:00 am
by Sparks
Oh, there you are. Good to hear.
Ron, I think I found some of your... effects in one of the hangouts your daughter described. Figured they were better to hold onto than letting some splatterpunk wave them about. I'm thinking you may want these back.
Re: Anybody know where Nemesis is?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:02 am
by Ron Caliburn
Definitely, will PM you directions. Read up on the secret handshake thread too. I may be a bit violent if i meet someone not using it today.
Round Two
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:15 am
by Cybermancer
Mr. Caliburn,
Please take whatever precautions you think are necessary. I won't be offended except in the case of that blue on blue you mentioned.
Hannah,
I'm sure you're quite tired, all things considered. Hopefully this morning after a full nights rest things will make more sense. I can't be the only one who was oblivious. In any case, last nights events should shed some light on things.
For starters, "Not Ron" did come back as you predicted. Only once but it was a very telling encounter.
I was in my favourite easy chair in New York reading the paper. Except that I had gotten to the sports column and it was blank. I never read the sports column. Inwardly I sighed. This again. I let the top half of the paper fold back and looked down my nose at my visitor.
“You again. You are a persistent one, I will give you that.” I smiled indulgently as I laid the paper on the end table beside me. “That's to be expected though, isn't it?”
“I haven't come back here to bandy words with you.” He said with a menacing air. He even took a threatening step in my direction.
“Oh no? Pity as I was looking forward to meeting with you again.” I sighed in a resigned manner.
That caused him enough confusion to pause. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, simply put you're one of my favourite people. Well, when taken all together.” I waved my hand in a circle that engulfed him, “not this bit of tantrum of course. That is rather unattractive.”
A crooked grimace crossed his face, “you think that a few candied words can set aside my wrath or abate my plans to tear your thoughts from your mind?”
“You know, I would probably find that thought horrifying if I gave it the least bit of credence.” I steepled my fingers together in front of me. “As it is, I have a confession to make. The last time you appeared? When Khavik was pulling your strings? I wondered what it would be like to get you inside my head.”
Suddenly the room changed and he was strapped to a surgical table. I was standing over him with a scalpel in my hand. “You see, you've gotten quite good at gathering up bits of dream data. You deconstruct the minds of others but I don't think it has ever occurred to you that you yourself could be dissected.” I held the scalpel over his suddenly bare chest but then paused.
“But that is problematic, isn't it?” His face had been a mask of fear but now turned to relief. I began to pace around the table and let the scalpel return to the dream stuff from which it was created. The surgical table became a comfortable couch.
“It's rather unfair of you, you know. Only going after those who are close to you. Of course we can't hurt you. Not in any real way that matters. That would be cruel and because we are close to you, retaliation becomes problematic. Yet you engender conflict in all you contact. I have carefully read all the posts. Every time you have shown your face it has been the same thing. You are met with fear, anger, hostility and even hatred. Something even I was guilty of the last time we met.”
“You talk too much.” He growled. Trying to rise from the couch, he found it sticky and that it held him fast.
“I do, don't I?” I agreed as I sat in my favourite easy chair. “How does that make you feel? Does that make you angry?”
Pure rage. That was the only way to describe his reaction. All about us the horizon was dominated by a storm. But in the center there was just he and I. And where we were, it was calm.
“I see. You don't like being restrained, do you?”
“NOOOOOO!!!” His body began to undulate in unnatural ways.
“It takes away your sense of control, doesn't it?”
The area of calm about us noticeably tightened. I could now feel a slight breeze from the tempest.
“You've been quite unfair in so many ways, you know.” I tapped a pencil thoughtfully against a note pad. “Being in control of your own life doesn't necessitate controlling the lives of those around you. Those of us who are close to you? We're in control of our own lives as well and that sometimes means that we're going to do things that you don't like. And you know what? That's okay. Do you know what is not okay?”
I gestured to the storm around us and then to him and the mass of loathing he was becoming on my fine leather sofa. “All of this. This is not an acceptable nor constructive way of dealing with those close to you. We are not here for you to control.”
Well, as you can imagine, he was having none of it. He literally exploded in rage and the storm finally burst through and engulfed the scene. Just like that, he left my head.
I opened my eyes. My sister was there as was Diana and my God-father, Dr. Austin James.
“You were right.” My god-father started. “There's a metric ton of issues there.”
“It got away again.” Diana complained.
“You really should be more forceful in your attempts to contain it.” My sister commented.
“No.” I disagreed with my sister. “I don't want to hurt her. I want to help her.”
“You won't be able to do that until she's ready to help herself.” My god-father advised.
And he's right of course.
So how about it Hannah? Do you want my help in finishing this?