042: It's the Fear, Fear of the Dark

[contract_star]

[Hei is here, wearing a lab coat and ridiculously dorky glasses. He looks tired and rather rumpled. He's also carrying what looks like a pile of iridescent, dark green putty.]

This is it, isn't it? How did I manage to make this thing?

[Hei's sheer genius and determination to help his family had led to a breakthrough. After years of trying and failing, years of long nights in the lab and painfully meticulous research, he had done it. He had created the ultimate tool for psychological therapy.]

Alright, alright, I get it. So it's a therapy thing...maybe that was why that Halliwell person was so interested.

[He turns the blob over. The blob shimmers and makes a sound almost like a purr.]

I wonder how I make it--

[The tool had of course been created with trigger phrases used to prompt transformation. For instance, the phrase Black Cat...]

[The blob shimmers again and suddenly transforms into a large brown monster that looks like a cross between a rat and a dog and an alligator. It's thin and spindly and has no eyes, only a long, heavy muzzle filled with lots and lots and lots of two-inch teeth.]

[Plane, meet the Gate monsters. Hei throws the thing several feet away before it's done transforming and stumbles backward before falling onto his butt. He reaches for his knife, but since he's a scientist for now, all his weapons are gone. Hei looks completely terrified.]

No, no, no, you can't be here, you're not supposed to be here...

[The Gate monster snarls and stalks closer. Hei scoots backward.]

No, you're not real. You can't be real. This can't...

[From out of nowhere comes some really creepy and intense background music.]

Voice...voice, how do I make it change back? How...

[No answer.]

Dammit...



[ooc: PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE TAGGING!!!!!

Comments

[contract_star]

[Guilt starts to leak in.] I made it. I didn't even really mean to...it just sort of happened. It's that voice...whatever's happening, it...

[madamemoiselle]

{She pauses for a moment before hugging Hei from behind quite suddenly. It's comforting for her, probably not so much for Hei. But you know, Joel is scary.} Hei hears a voice too?

[contract_star]

[Whoa, holy shit surprise hugs from Diva. Hei flinches a little, out of surprise but also because for a moment he thinks she's really mad at him. That she's not only surprises him more.]

I do...you too?

[madamemoiselle]

{Come on Hei, if she could ignore the things that Amshel did wrong for 150+ years, she can certainly ignore this.}

...Is that one "real"?

[contract_star]

[Hei is still going to angst about it later ):]

Real? I...think so. Other people are hearing it to.

[madamemoiselle]

Thank goodness...

{Setting her head on his back now} I'm sorry, though.

[contract_star]

You're s...no. Don't apologize. I'm the one who brought it here.

[madamemoiselle]

Oh, but you had to see something unpleasant. Ne, so that's why.

[contract_star]

That wasn't... [He sighs and closes his eyes briefly.] I've seen things like that before. It's alright.

But this thing...it has triggers. Verbal cues. The voice said black--[cuts himself off]--said that before, and it changed. So...

[Little did Hei know that there was far more to the newly developed too than met the eye. True, it could transform into that which a person most feared--but it could also transform into that which a person most loved, simply by saying "White Cat."]

[Yeah, Hei will be killing the Twins next time he sees them. The blob shivers and shimmers and suddenly there's a young girl there, staring at Hei with wide eyes and a wider smile.]

Nii-chan! Nii-chan, look at this place! It's so beautiful!

[The remaining color in Hei's face disappears.]

[madamemoiselle]

{Peering over Hei's shoulder to look, first at the girl, then at his face}

A little girl? Ne, is Hei scared of this girl? I hope not.

[contract_star]

Bai...

Nii-chan, [She grabs his hand and points upward] What is that one called? I bet it has a story too, right?

[Hei smiles rather brokenly.] I'm sure it does...but I don't know it. I'm sorry, Bai.

Hmm, that's okay! [And then she's hugging him, oblivious to Diva.] Nii-chan, can we do this every night? Can we look at stars every night?

[He hugs her back, squeezing his eyes shut, but he can't bring himself to answer.]

[madamemoiselle]

{Diva just watches for a few moments before loosening her hug a bit} Bai? Ne, I kind of remember that name. Is that...Is that Hei's sister?

[contract_star]

[Hei doesn't speak. He just nods, hugging Bai tighter. It's incredible how real she is.]

[madamemoiselle]

{Diva smiles} She's pretty. It's really lovely, how much Hei cares for her.

[contract_star]

[Hei pulls away from Bai but keeps his hands on her shoulders. He smiles sadly and smooths back Bai's hair.]

She was all I ever had.

[Bai tilts her head.] Nii-chan? How come you look so sad.?

[Hei closes his eyes.] This isn't real either, is it?

[madamemoiselle]

{That makes her smile fall, and Diva hesitantly reaches out to touch Bai, as if that would make her stay for Hei}

Is Bai dead, Hei?

DAMMIT HTML

[contract_star]

She died. Awhile ago.

[As soon as Diva is closer, Bai shimmers and transforms. And suddenly it's Amshel standing there.]

[madamemoiselle]

{Diva gasps then steps from behind Hei to get closer to Amshel. She clings to him and buries her head into his chest with a blissful smile}

Amshel...My Amshel.

{Because even if it's not real, it's enough to actually, truly feel him with his arms very gently around her}

[contract_star]

[Hei just stares at the two, because he doesn't think he's ever seen her so happy.]

[madamemoiselle]

{You haven't. Which probably tells you just how much Diva loved Amshel.}

Ne, Amshel, I'm really sorry that things turned out how they did. Well...I think so, anyways. I didn't tell you about Sam because I was afraid that Amshel would take that away from me too, but this place is the one that I mentioned a long time ago. The place full of stars that Grigori would have really loved.

{She doesn't even give him the chance to speak, just pulls away to take his hands and smile towards Hei. Amshel definitely looks like a cold person, but he's certainly smiling warmly as Diva babbles on} And this is Hei! I don't think I ever mentioned Hei, not even to Nathan, but he's very nice. I think Amshel would like Hei. Well, definitely more than Sam and Ikki, but that's was always a secret, wasn't it?

[contract_star]

[Hei just sort of watches the exchange, feeling rather like he's watching something private. When Diva looks at Hei he straightens up a little.]

It's nice to meet you, Amshel.

[madamemoiselle]

A pleasure, sir. {He bows his head quite politely.}

{Diva is absolutely gushing, smiling so happily that it must seem odd to Hei based on what Diva had told him of Amshel. She talks excitedly for several minutes, to which Amshel just listens silently. She knows that this is not Amshel, but in a "therapy device" this is much more successful. Even if this Amshel isn't real, it's real enough for Diva to say everything she didn't get a chance to. So Hei is learning a lot of things about Diva that he certainly didn't know, but if anyone, Diva doesn't mind if Hei knows. But I am too lazy to type these out, duh.

She takes a deep breath after she's done and sighs. Diva then, very tenderly, stands on her toes to kiss Amshel. Which is probably awkward for Hei, but when she's done, she turns to face Hei again, looking absolutely aglow.}

Ne, sorry Hei. But...I guess I'm done now.

[contract_star]

[Hei just stays silent through the whole thing, watching and listening and feeling torn between awkwardness and just generally feeling terrible. But he can't help a tiny smile, because Diva really is genuinely happy.]

[At her words he nods.]

Undo.

[Amshel fades with one last smile and returns to blob state.]

[madamemoiselle]

{Diva can't bear to turn around so she just takes a few steps forward to Hei, taking his hands in her own.}

Thank you.

[contract_star]

Thank...why?