1/11 Instance: And Then There Were Three

[Starfish]

Timelined an hour or so before 'Just a Little Prick'


Karma: He/they stared at the phone for a moment, or more specifically the list of numbers there. They'd counted six hours like this now, and they had already gone feral from panic once, could still feel the after effects of the anti-psychotic as their healing siphoned it out. There had to be someone he/they knew in here, someone who could help, right?

Karma: Hepzi White Lady. Bingo. Karma, the loose singular made up of two personalities that couldn't quite remember who they were hit the speed dial and chewed his/their lip. Needed to talk to someone, and everyone agreed this someone was a good one. Knew them both well. Right?

Hepzibah: Her cell phone startled her as it rang. Checking the caller ID she smiled, "Hey there! Happy New Year," she answered - not completely sure who she'd be talking to.

Karma: There was a moment's silence - oh yeah, it had been, right? "Um. You too." They chewed their lip, eyes staring at the ceiling. "H-Hepzibah, right?" Yeah, confirm who it was first, good idea. He/they knew, of course. But not quite.

Hepzibah: "Yeah... this is Hepz." Her smile faded to a worried look as she tossed another handful of dirty clothes into the laundry basket. It didn't really sound like Karr or Mayhem. Well, actually it sounded like both of them and that made her worry a little more. "Who's this?"

Karma: "I-I..we...we don't know." They swallowed. "Um. Can't...seem to get it straight." Karma rubbed their eyes - trying to think through the funk of the drugs and the dual-mind was making his/their head hurt. "S-sorry if we caught you a-at a bad time..."

Hepzibah: "No... never," she forced a smile she hoped made her voice sound less anxious. She sat down on the edge of the bed. Laundry could wait. "What's wrong?" She gripped the phone tighter. What were they doing to him??

Karma: "We're not...sure..." The person who coined the phrase 'pull yourself together' probably never foresaw it being used like this. "W-we woke up like this. Messed up. Ugh...we can't think. They've had to drug me - us - already a-and it's making it harder..." They growled a little in frustration, closing their eyes.

Hepzibah: Was this their idea of helping him?! "Everything's going to ok." She wished she was sure of that. "Do you want me call you Karr or May?" she bit her lip and waited.

Karma: "No it won't - not yet - we don't know." Karma blinked slowly. "We're calm, that's a good sign, right? Shit...this is so fucked up. Uuuh...w-we've come up with Karma, feels right. Sounds right?"

Hepzibah: She smile despite herself. "Karma, I like that. Bad karma does seem to follow us around doesn't it?" She took a breath. "Just tell me what's going on..." She couldn't do much for him - but she could listen. It was the very least she could do.

Karma: "We...Mayhem...he was in the appointment yesterday...we remember that. He cracked..." They struggled to pull apart the memories. "Right. He started talking and couldn't stop...then Karr joined in..." Karma nodded to himself. "We woke up l-like this. They drugged us because...we kicked off, they had to." It had felt nice, suddenly crumpling like that, if they were honest...

Hepzibah: "I'm so sorry Karma." Hepz couldn't even imagine what May and Karr were going through. Her voice was soft. "And... do you know what they are planning to do next?"

Karma: "Us? Even they don't know what to do, and they're the fucking p-professionals." Karma laughed derisively. "We don't...don't know, Hepzi." They said a little quieter. "This...this feels weird, like the o-only reason we're not going mad i-is because we can't...agree on it or something..."

Hepzibah: She couldn't help but laugh at that last comment. There was Karr's sense of humor with May's uncertainty. "Well, so long as you can agree to disagree?" Her expression softened to a more concerned expression again. "I doubt there are many who've seen a case like yours... You may just have to fix yourself."

Karma: "Well, then we're all fucked." There was a dry chuckle even as Karma's tail ticked uncertainly. "Amanda...sh-shes the doctor looking after us, she deals with dissociative p-problems. This is...'unique' in her words. Might be something to do with all the unusual trauma or some such bullshit." They chewed the inside of their mouth. "The problem is...we don't remember anything very well..."

Hepzibah: "Is... is there something you need me to help you remember?" She bit her lip.

Karma: "No...no...it's there. But..." They stared at the ceiling, the drugs finally drifting off. "Two sets...and very different ones...Karr's are all angry and Mayhem's are sad and from different p-points and don't get me started on when they were both awake..." Karma trailed off. "We remember...Kraven, we remember all the...how is Pietro?"

Hepzibah: "Dead." Her voice was flat. "He lives, but he's dead to me." She shook her head, not wanting to remember. "Just tell me what you need, honey. If I can give it to you - you know I will..."

Karma: Karma blinked good for you I wish we'd been there and purred a little. "Tell me...who we are. No, who I am. We don't make much sense, and it's like we can remember things but they're all floating loose. We need an anchor...and we all agreed you'd be the best person, you dealt with Karr and Mayhem, didn't you?"

Hepzibah: "They are both my friends," she nodded feeling a bit like Alice in Wonderland. All she needed was see a white rabbit shoot by... with Kyle in close pursuit knowing him. "You... you I don't know... yet."

Karma: "We...I...I-I think I'm both." It was fairly surreal for Karma as well, or it would be if only they could think right. It was like the thoughts weren't matching up, one trailing off and another beginning somewhere else. "Somehow...we're...both awake and in c-control and it's...they're separate and I'm them or..." He chuckled. "Wow, this is all colours of messed up."

Hepzibah: Had she lost both Mayhem and Karr?? And gained... Karma in their place? She wasn't sure what to say... how to help, so she just made an intonation that she was listening. "How are the colors messed up?" She knew he saw the world through smells and colors.

Karma: "They're...Karr and Mayhem see them differently...but I - we - they get both interpretations. It kinda hurts." They raked a hand through their hair need moar mudk- -where'd that come from? and sighed. "I'm sorry...we're not making a lot of sense, are we?"

Hepzibah: "It's ok... sometimes it just helps to get it out." She paused for a moment. "If... if you are both of them, maybe you just have to find your own was of seeing things..." Where the Hell was that school shrink when they needed her?!

Karma: "I don't know what I am." He admitted, sheepishly, his ticking tail starting to calm. "I didn't exist until...uh...seven hours ago. I've been...referring to us as 'we'...I um. I'm not sure if I should have an identity or if it'll make this a bigger mess or...if this is meant to happen...or if I'll disappear next time we sleep or something. Mayhem and Karr...w-we're both still here but..."

Hepzibah: "I'll tell you like I told Karr. You're here now. You might be gone tomorrow, but you are here now. Whether you are a person - whole and true, or Karr and May's way to cope. You are a person you're alive until..." she swallowed, "until you're not."

Karma: "I- we figured that. It doesn't bother us." Karma shrugged, curling his tail up and watching the tuft tick. "Karr...neither of us are scared. We were earlier, that's why we got drugged. Didn't like it, makes me think funny. Well, funnier. We...I'm glad we could talk to you though. It's helping. Feel like w-we have more of a handle..." They trailed off. "So how are you?"

Hepzibah: "I'm... I'm good." She stared down at her human hand. Nope. He didn't need to know her drama. He had enough to deal with. "New year, new start, you know," she smiled.

Karma: "Oh yes, tell me about it...Mayhem's birthday on the first as well." Karma felt awkward. That is, both personalities felt awkward at the same time. "We miss the school...it's quiet - well, it was quiet here. Maybe...if this is what's meant to happen...we'll be home soon?"

Hepzibah: She laughed, "I think I know what you mean. And I hope you get to come home soon too. We all miss you."

Karma: "Oh yeah. We want a rematch with Kyle." There was a definite growl there. "See who fucks who this time." They suddenly remembered who they were talking to. "Uuuuuh...I-I mean...w-we...."

Hepzibah: She laughed again. "It's alright.... I got a good sense of smell too. Picked it up as soon as I saw Kyle - who was looking very satisfied with himself." She shrugged. "But, boy's got talent... if I weren't with Hector Kyle would probably be having to put me out of his room to get any rest." She grinned. "But as it is - I'm sure he'll take you up on that rematch if you want."

Karma: "Oh- you knew?" That made Karma blush. "Well. Um. We think he might lose next time..." There was a pause as one part of them wondered does the entire school know? and the other part oh god, Monet had better not find out... "How is Monet? Any change?"

Hepzibah: "It's hard to hide things like that from a feral," she smiled but it faded at Monet's name. "No change yet, I'm afraid. But the docs are working hard. They are doing mandatory testing today..." She found a dirty sock trying to hide under the bed and tossed into the basket.

Karma: "Mandatory...." Memory flipped up a card and they remembered an email. "Oh! Right. Uuuuh...should we...get them to send some blood over...or something?" Karma curled up on his side, free hand tracing circles in the sheets. Phoning Hepzibah had been the best idea. Given them something to latch onto rather than feeling like they were completely alone.

Hepzibah: "That might not be a bad idea... you... well - May spent a lot of time in the lab sitting with Mo." She nodded. "I think I'm going to pass... or have to be passed out if they want to get blood outta this turnip." She was joking - but not really.

Karma: "I...remember...um. You don’t like the lab? No, of course n-not, sorry. Stupid question." He shook his head."All we need is to have the Legacy on top of this, right? I'll talk t-to Amanda later..."

Hepzibah: "Yeah... when it rains it pours right?" Hepz sighed. "If - I mean when Monet wakes up I will definitely call you if you're not home yet," she offered. "And you know I'm just a phone call away if you ever just want to talk or shoot the breeze..."

Karma: "Yeah...yeah, thanks Hepzibah." Karma smiled. "I'll have to buy you something nice for this...you've been o-one hell of a h-help. Um. We'll try to remember not to ring when it's night for you though..." There was a beep. "I-I think my phone's going to die or something."

Hepzibah: "Anytimes a good time. I keep weird hours," she grinned. "And knowing I could help out a little is gift enough." She still wasn't sure how she'd helped, but she was so glad he thought so. "I'll talk to you later?"

Karma: "Hell yes. Wouldn't miss talkin' to you f-for the world, lover." Karma grinned as their phone gave another incessant beep. "Um...look after yourself, alright? Bye, Hepzi." He barely got the words out before the handset cut out. Motherfucker.

Hepzibah: "I -" She heard the phone go dead. "-will." She looked down at the phone worriedly. "You take care of yourselves too."

[Esynthia]

hmph. lol.

[steyn]

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