| Dissociation | ||
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| Summary: Tabitha finally wakes up on Sun's couch and things get a bit weird. More of the extent of the damage accumulating in her psyche is revealed and at least one character is set ablaze. Had to end this one abruptly due to time. RL sucks.    |
While Tabitha has been out, Sun has done her best to be a good caretaker, cleaning the girl off as much as she can without disturbing what is apparently some much-needed rest. She's still on the couch with the blanket on her, but she's now in clean clothes, the tattered rags that she was initially wearing sitting folded, clean, on the recliner nearby. Nothing special, just some pajama pants and a t-shirt. Might be weird to know someone saw you nekkid while you were unconscious, but those were dirty clothes, and Sun didn't want them messing up her couch. She did try again to liberate Tabitha of the knife, but it kept going back. After the third time, the tattooed woman simply gave up, instead positioning the girl so that the knife wouldn't cause any damage -- to her or the furniture. Shit's not cheap.
Sun herself is in the kitchen, preparing a stew of some kind. It smells pretty damned tasty, whatever it is, bubbling over the stove as the tattooed woman cooks. The convenient positioning of the kitchen offers ample opportunity for Sun to see Tabitha return to the land of the living. The gulp of air, and the gasping is her first notion, that and the elevated heartbeat. Blue eyes turn from stew to girl, brows raising. Turning the heat down to simmer the soup, Sun ventures out, moving to Tabby's side to place a hand on the girl's shoulder. When she speaks, her tone is gentle, sweet. "Hey, you're up. You okay?"
A loud crash can be heard as suddenly a coffee table is thrown over onto it's side. The girl stands where it once stood, her hair and bits of fur standing on end and she slowly scans the room. Her eyes still full of fear eventually lock onto Sun as she turns around and instantly she cringes back, her tail wrapping herself. "Wh-what have you done to me?" Her eyes glance down as flames and darkness suddenly go shooting up her body each struggling to consume as much of her as possible. With a high-pitched scream she leaps backwards over the upturned table, rolling into a ball until she crashes into a nearby wall. Luckily the fire doesn't seem to be affecting anything, including the girl's clothes, but it's uncontrolled presence certainly fuels her fear as she continues to scream and thrash.
And then Sun is stepping back again, hands up in the air to show that she means no harm. That coffee table was expensive, though, and now she's gonna have to fix it or get a new one, and that shit isn't cheap. Dammit. "I cleaned you up and put clean clothes on you? And I washed your clothes. And I was cooking some stew for when you woke up." And then, fire and darkness! That's a weird combination. By normal standards, fire and dark don't tend to go together, because fire makes light, and...yeah. "Calm down, that's not gonna help! Hey, don't thrash around, you'll break something...else..." She moves over to the girl, reaching to put the calming hand on her arm. No grabbing, just a palm on the arm. Hopefully she won't get hurt by the weird dark fire shit that seems to break the rules of light and dark.
The fire and darkness is luckily more show than physical, although they do spread onto the woman's hand as she places it on Tabitha. She does calm from the touch, however, turning her head to look at her with eyes filled with tears. "What's going on? Why won't it stop?!?" Without thinking she throws herself at Sun and sobs heavily into her chest. The two forces struggling for dominance lessen, but still find themselves partially engulfing the woman as well. She stays there for a good while, if allowed, at least until the yin-yang of powers finally fades and the girl goes back to breathing normally.
Oh, that's pretty! Thank goodness it doesn't hurt or anything, or Sun might have been freaking out in unison with Tabitha. Because, you know, burning sucks and generally is no fun for all involved. Though the fire might like that. For a moment, Sun is fascinated by the display, eyes glittering at the dark fires as her mind wanders a bit on the topic of fire that doesn't burn. Tabitha's question brings her from her thoughts rather easily, though, blue eyes turning toward the girl's face. To her credit, Sun seems to be good at staying calm in new situations. "Not sure...I think that's your powers? I think --" Oh. And then there's hugging and crying. After a few quizzical blinks down at the girl, Sun slowly puts her arms around Tabitha's back, lips against the top of her head, between those soft neko ears. "Shhh, shhh. Try calming down. Let's do a breathing exercise, okay? Try and match your breathing to mine." To emphasize, the tattooed woman takes a deep breath, then slowly lets it out. "And count as you breathe. Inhale, One, Exhale, two. Count up to ten like that, then start over back at one." Sun has no clue if this will actually help or not, but she at least knows that powers tend to react to strong emotions.
Tabitha actually does start breathing along with her after a bit, although each breath is punctuated with heavily shuddering. As the manifesting energies subside she finally pulls away, clutching herself tightly with folded arms. The nekojin doesn't bother to wipe her own face, and just stares blankly at Sun with eyes ringed red from crying. Occasionally she'll sniffle, but otherwise she offers no other effort to communicate. Her eyes eventually fall upon the overturned coffee table which is probably in better shape that it should be, assuming the floor is carpeted. With one more sniffle she mutters, "...sorry."
As Tabitha pulls away, Sun doesn't hold her, instead leaning back to quietly regard the girl with kind eyes. "It's okay. It's just stuff. Stuff is replacable." She waves a hand uncaringly at the coffee table. Then, gently touching the girl's arm, a warm smile is offered. "Here, let's get you some food, okay? You've been out for long enough, and after what you've been through, you've gotta be hungry." She nods sagely, then heads toward the kitchen, stirring the stew before ladling a hearty portion into a bowl.
While the girl looks at her while she speaks, she does not follow Sun out of the room. Instead she watches her until her head lazily droops and she begins to stare in that general direction not really seeing or staring at anything. Like a lobotomized mental patient she drools slightly; lost in her vacant stare. Once a single drop of said drool hits her arm she shivers and stands, walking to the nearest window and gazes out at the city around them. Eventually a woman in a Batgirl costume catches her eye. Watching intently, she places her palms on the glass, her breath randomly fogging the glass - or so it appears. It would only take a moment of watching to realize she's not breathing heavily... she's smoking. The flames rise up again and out in the street the sound of the woman in the costume screaming fills the air as she engulfs in very real flames. Tabitha finally backs away from the window, screaming herself, as she looks down at her hands and begins to flail dramatically. "I-I-I DIDN'T WANT TO-!!!" Here we go again.
Sun must be able to move fast. She doesn't worry about personal boundaries this time, because just as she starts screaming and flailing, Sun is wrapping her arms around the girl from behind, breathing that same steady rhythm as before, counting this time for the girl. After one round of counting to ten with breathing, she speaks. "Shhh, shh, stop now, calm down." What on earth did she just walk into? "When you start feeling yourself feel bad, you need to start breathing, okay?"
This time the girl's only response to her is to stop screaming and flailing. In fact almost instantly she just stops moving all together with that vacant expression on her face once more. Still drooling the girl leans her head to the side and giggles briefly before her mind checks out once again. Her entire body goes limp and unless she's held tight she collapses into the floor with no effort to stop herself. After a too long sixty seconds pass the girl seems to check back in. Her body tensing back up as life again returns to it. If able she'll squirm her way into a sitting position on the floor with her legs crossed, wiping away the drool with the back of her hand before smiling up at Sun fangedly, "Hello!" Yep. This certainly shouldn't register as 'normal' behavior to anyone anymore.
Thankfully, Sun is strong enough to hold the girl up. Though she does gently lower the girl toward the floor, for comfort's sake. When Tabitha comes to, wiggles away and offers the greeting, Sun very slowly blinks a few times, before raising a hand and waving. "Uh...hi." Her features turn sympathetic, then, and she moves to sit cross-legged on the floor nearby. "Are you okay? Can you tell me anything that happened before you came here?"
Tabitha's tail swishes behind her happily as Sun sits down before her. "Nnnnnnope! It was really dark, and then it was really noisy... annnnn' ummmm" She tilts her head as she thinks a second before responding with a nod, "...then I was here!" The girl looks down at her clothes, pulling at them a second before letting it go and watching the fabric fall back into place. "These are pretty!" This is the same person, right? With a smile that's practically beaming she chirps, "I'm Tabby!" Yes. That explains everything, doesn't it?
Oooookay. Sun tilts her head to one side, peering quietly at Tabby with eyebrows that seem to keep traveling higher on her forehead, the more she hears and observes. "Um...nice to meet you, Tabby. I'm Sun?" She blinks a few times, before shaking her head once. "Are you different than Tabitha?" She puts her hands on her knees, peering at the girl with ever-raising brows. She glances toward the kitchen, though she doesn't move to leave the girl's side yet. "And are you hungry?"
Tabby smiles as Sun introduces herself again and then giggles at her question, leaving it unanswered. Ever the copycat (cat-pun unintended), the girl puts her hands on her knees as well with a clap. "Yeeeeeeeees!" Her smile fading briefly, the girl closes her eyes and nods her head a second before trying it again, "Yes, ma'am." Well, at least she's trying to be polite. "Could I please have somethin' to eat?" Each word comes out sounding like she's trying to string them together with care.
With a nod, Sun raises to her feet, reaching out to touch the top of the girl's head once. "You call out if you need me, okay?" She smiles, this one tinged with a bit of healthy doubt, before moving back into the kitchen with a puzzled look on her face. The half-full bowl of stew is picked back up, and filled the rest of the way. Then, grabbing a soda from the fridge, Sun turns back, moving as quickly as she can back to the girl. Wouldn't want her freaking out and burning the place down...
The girl giggles again as her head is touched, "Okidokie!" Her tail continues to swish back and forth as she watches Sun walk away. This time there's no burning, although she does seem to dissapear as she decides to crawl along the floor after her, popping back up onto her feet when she's close enough. "What's that?" Her eyes are drawn to the bowl as she watches it intently looking ready to pounce at a moments notice. She drools again slightly, but it's the good kind of drool from being hungry. Of course with the same regard as before she wipes her mouth on the back of a hand.
Blinking down at the much more cheerful girl, Sun offers the bowl of stew. "Beef stew. It has all kinds of stuff that'll have you feeling better in no time." The tattooed woman offers forth a bright smile, holding a spoon up with her other hand. "So, I know your name," And the other you's name, though that comment is left unvoiced, "but I know nothing else about you. So, mind indulging my curiousity? Tell me about yourself. And Tabitha, if you know anything about her." This is said as Sun goes about preparing a bowl for herself, most of the cheer returning to her face. For now.
Tabitha yay's aloud as she takes the bowl and spoon, finding a seat at the kitchen table before proceeding to take a bite without hesitation. She immediately spits it out and whines, "It's hot!" With her tounge still hanging out she looks back at Sun, listening to her request before pulling her tounge back and giggling. "My naaaaame is Tabitha, but everybody calls me Tabby. Your silly." Returning her attention to the bowl, she scowls at it before blowing on it to try and cool it down. "Mommy said it was a pretty name. Weeelll... she's not my REAL mommy. She's tha made up one that the horney guy put there but she's not around anymore." The girl grins again before giving the stew another go and apparently deciding it's not as hot anymore. "Mmmm. I like it here."
"It generally is when it's just come off the stove." She smiles to the girl, before promptly taking a nice big spoonful herself -- seems like the heat doesn't bother her so much, if at all. "Made up mommy? The horny guy?" The woman blinks a few times, though her bafflement certainly does not prevent her from gulping down another spoonful without even a flinch at the heat. The last sentiment does prompt a small smile, because at least it means that she's good at this whole hospitality thing. "I'm glad. You just kinda came out of nowhere, seemed like you needed help." She smiles faintly, and yet another spoonful of stew is devoured.
The girl stares at her a moment as if unable to believe what was said. Processing it a moment she puts her hands on the sides of her head mimicking horns. "The horney guy! The guy with the horns!" While she doesn't say it her expression screams, 'Duh' as if it's the most obvious connection in the world. She doesn't say much else before she takes a few more bites - wincing ever so slightly from the heat. After about half the bowl is gone she sits back with glazed eyes and announces, "I'm sleepy..." Once again the girl goes limp, nearly falling out of her seat. This time her vacant eyes only remain that way a moment before her body becomes rigid again and the young lady looks down at herself in confusion. Looking around the room for some kind of explanation she identifies Sun and the bowl before her and once more the waterworks start. "Oh god... What tha fuck is goin' on?" Tabitha buries her head in her hands, resting her elbows on the table to keep herself propped up.
Guy with horns. Sun blinks a few times. She's only seen one guy with horns, and he came and went pretty quietly. Huh. She's about to respond, when the change-ey things happen again, and then there's a different girl sitting in the same body. It only takes her a moment to react, instantly putting a warm hand on the girl's shoulders. "I think you have two...you's...in there?" She raises her brows. "Just a second ago you were acting like a kid. Now, you're, well, you." This is said calmly and matter-of-factly. This is rather strange and surreal. "Just keep calm. You're safe here, okay?"
Tabitha pulls herself away from the unwanted touch. "Don't you TOUCH me!" The girl leaps to her feet, letting the chair fall to the floor behind her. However, this was just not something her weakened body was prepared for and she has to grab the table to keep from falling over. "Seriously, what the fuck?!" Carefully she lets go of the table, hoping to keep her balance. "I don't know who you are, but you've drug me into your house an' I can't remember anythin' that happened before that!" She looks down at her clothes and gestures wildly, "I'm not even wearin' the clothes I had on anymore!!" The girl pauses long enough to run a hand through her hair, "So either you're some kinda sicko or there is something /really/ wrong with me because I don't even know how I got from tha couch I woke up on to here." Cautiously she steps away from Sun, holding one hand out towards her to motion for her to stay away. "M-my head is throbbing. I feel like I've been drugged. Did you drug me?" Once more her balance escapes her and the girl comes crashing down atop her tail forcing her to yelp in pain. "Owwwwwwwww, oh god someone help me!!"
The tattooed woman raises her hands, shaking her head. She doesn't make any sudden moves, eyes on Tabitha with a calm, concerned expression on her features. "I haven't drugged you, honey. You came to the coffee shop I work at, and collapsed. I figured I would bring you here instead of letting you lay in the street. Much safer here, and I have food." She pauses, and gestures toward the door. "You're not being kept here, you are free to go any time you like. I would advise that you stay here, though, at least until your head thingie clears up." She shrugs nonchalantly. "I'm just trying to be a good samaritan."
Stops rambling and listens with Sun begins to speak, eventually wiping her eyes as best she can with a corner of the shirt she's wearing. Obvious guilt washes over her once silence resumes again and Tabitha responds by picking the chair back up and sitting in it, rubbing part of her tail for comfort. "I... I'm sorry. I'm just..." Does she really need to admit she's scared at this point? Instead she briefly makes eye contact only to look away sheepishly a half second later. "Thank you, I guess. You-well, most people wouldn't bother. Why are you...?" She ponders her next words carefully, "Why go to all this trouble over someone ya don't know?"
A shrug rolls over the girl's willowy shoulders. "It's okay, I can't blame you. I'd probably do the same as you if I was in your shoes." A small smile. "You can still enjoy the stew, it's still nice and warm." She gestures to the half-finished bowl of stew. "If you don't believe me on the drugging, you can have the one I've been eating from." She takes another bite to indicate that she's not crafty or anything. "Don't know why I'm helping out. I guess I just felt like I should. I mean, how mean would it have been for me to walk away from you and leave you in the streets?" She wrinkles her nose. "Anyhow, if you're not hungry, I have a spare bed. Or anywhere you want to sleep, really." She glances at the clock. "Speaking of sleep...I should probably get some of it." She stands, stretching. "Make yourself at home. Get as comfy as you like, I won't kick you out until you're ready." Then, she's making her way | |
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