Starting over...

[Miach]

"FUCK SIN !" Miach retorted, nearly all composure gone now. The analytical part of his mind noticed the slight glitch in the discussion. How things like the entire Awakened Nation and Sin had popped up in the conversation... but it wasn't the part that was running the show now.

It was the doctor's guts, his core-most beliefs that were at odds with the woman's in front of him. She was manifestly hurt, but she was so wrong, that he couldn't help but try to outcry her. "FUCK FREEDOM ! WHEN YOU'RE DEAD, YOU CAN NEVER EVER BE FREE !" he shouted back. He should know, having had his life suspended for months in the Banisher's hands.

"Survival is key ! Survive, get stronger, fight back, get your freedom then. Bear Imprisonment like another hurdle, and live on. It's the only way to make a difference." By her rationale, she should kill herself. She was imprisoned by the Lie, was she not ? And it was worse than death ? there was an easy answer... But perhaps it was that struggle that made her so tense.

At least through all this, the Enchanter had had the sense not to move on toward her. As he was ending his reply, he even had the sense - or the instinct - to take a couple of steps back and raise his hands in a peace-offering gesture. Body language.

[Avis]

This conversation was insane. The more he spoke, the more she felt her blood roiling, his ignorance smothering her like the tide of a briny sea. Yet no matter how hotly she burned, no matter how fiercely she tried to sear that ignorance away, she could not turn an entire sea into steam.

Not alone.

She would need more words than just her own.

Panting, skin still flushed, she dug a hand into her pocket and grasped for her phone.

"You're fucking crazy," she growled at him, her voice raw from the shouting, "but I know you think the same of me, so I'll have other people prove it to you."

She began furiously tapping out a text to summon help, her eyes flicking up from her screen almost every other word, her trust in the mystagogue having evaporated.

[Miach]

"Wait, who are you calling ?!" the Curator interjected quickly as he saw Avis draw her phone, stepping forward toward her again. At least there was no more shouting, but he was not necessarily pleased by the current turn of events either. She thought he was crazy ? Great... At least she had enough sense to realize it was reciprocated. In truth though, the doctor thought she was less crazy than sick, and he wanted her to open her eyes more than he wanted to get rid of her.

So if it meant coping with the VT - even uninvited - to get a chance at it, he might be willing to play along a bit.

[Avis]

"Like I said, other people," Avis snapped, skittering sideways from his approach, the texting paused.

"Truce, a Councilor, and someone who's more knowledgeable about Death than either of us. Emrys, because he's your Councilor. Crowley, because he's radical Free Council compared to Emrys. And Star, because I trust him more than anyone. Now, you gonna wait and let me finish so we can all talk or what?"

Carefully, she began to edge backwards, hesitant to flee though clearly uncomfortable with any attempts by Miach to advance.

[Miach]

As Avis continued shuffling away like a cornered cat, Miach stopped his approach. It would only get worse. He squinted his eyes when she gave him names, hoping she was at least being honest with him. She was usually straightforward to the point of bluntness, but her current behaviour was at odds with that.

In the end, the Enchanter knew it would only get worse if they didn't finish what they had started now. They had to see it through. At least it wasn't the full VT crew.

"OK. Let them come." the doctor said at last. Group therapy was doubtful at best, but whatever floated her boat if they could at least try to get a functional Consilium out of this mess. "You know, I called you to talk, remember ?" he heaved at last, saddened.

"You don't mind if I text Wayland , then ?" the doctor finished. Just in case it weren't Truce, Emrys and the others that actually showed up...

[Avis]

"And talking is what I want to do," Avis agreed, carefully tapping out the end of her text and pressing 'send'.

"That's why I'm still standing here. Thing is, nothing you say is going to convince me that you're right. I assume the reverse is also true. That's why we need to bring other people into the conversation. Other ideas. Other perspectives. So if you really want to reach a resolution then you should be prepared to talk to them, too."

Though, really, it was more important that they hear what Miach had to say. Hear, and recognize, the time bomb that was ticking away in one of the Order Head's mind. If it went ignored there was no telling how much damage it would do.

Nevertheless, Avis stilled when she heard Miach's request. Involving Wayland would be...less than ideal. Avis hadn't asked any of the other members of the Mysterium here, after all. Sure, she'd included her cabalmate, but he was another Order Head. Not beholden to her. So what was the pseudo-curator angling for?

Avis didn't know, but after a few more moments of consideration she nodded.

"Fine. I have no objections. It'll be interesting to see what he gets out of the conflict between his First Talon and his cabal, anyways."

[Star]

Avis' phone gets a new text.

[Miach]

Talking is what she wanted to do, Avis claimed... it sounded more like she wanted others to do the talking for her, while she herself remained quiet in her corner. If that was the case, he would get cleared in front of other's eyes, but what about her ? Could her opinion be swayed if Truce, Ermys or Crowley agreed with him ? Would she even state her opinion so that they would realize what it was at all ?

Doubts still crept in Miach's voice as he just made a slight correction to her statement "Fair enough. And that's why we should be prepared to talk to them."

She had mistaken his intent about Wayland, but it hardly mattered at this point. After a slight nod, the Curator quickly texted his Doorwarden - and purposefully didn't look up from his phone to check on Avis's doings.

Once finished, the Enchanter looked up at the Arrow, and with a slight inclination of the head, showed the way back to the entrance. They were not so far. Perhaps the displays of colorful Maidu paintings would help soothe their minds... "Shall we go and greet them, then ?"

[Avis]

Continue here...