11295/Sun King Ascendant: Mixed Faces

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Sun King Ascendant: Mixed Faces
Date of Scene: 30 May 2022
Location: The Midnight Mission
Synopsis: Marc awakens from his coma only to not be Marc at all. It's Jake Lockely and he's not aware of the situation concerning his body. Jon and Cael see that the man is safe to head out and then give him leave to depart the mission due to his apprehension of being there.
Cast of Characters: Marc Spector, Jonathan Sims, Cael Becker




Marc Spector has posed:
    The Midnight Mission sits rather quietly on the evenings of the New Moon. Memorial processions had been made across the city and even the Mission's front was littered with the remains of red-white-and-blue confetti and the detritus of a parade. Even so, the interior is a somber one. While the peace of the location still remains there is an emptiness that lingers, as if something (or someone) essential is missing from the premises.

    Moon Knight's oldest friend and companion, Jean-Paul "Frenchie" DuChamp sits in the main area in a pristine white suit. When Mr. Knight is unable to fulfill his duties to the Mission and its visitors, it has ever fallen on him to do as he believes his friend would want. His position is two-fold. Not only is he keeping watch over the Mission and any patrons that may find its doors. He is also keeping guard.

    Behind the large statue of Khonshu is a hall that leads to a small room. It's not used often, but Moon Knight had instisted it be built and suitably stocked. Just in case.It seems foresight had smiled on him then as that is where his body has lain for nearly the past fortnight. Whatever damage had been done to him when his heart was torn out and then quickly replaced and restarted had put him in a coma ever since the aftermath of the battle.

    Frenchie is fine being both watchdog and greeter for the Midnight Mission, but even so a man needs breaks. He had phoned one of Moon Knights other friends, and known associate, The Archivist Jonathan Sims, to take over watching over the location for a spell. Just so that the ex-mercenary could get a few winks in. Now all that is left is to hold out a bit longer.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon's been spending a quiet night at the new apartment, unpacking, when Frenchie calls. He's come down to the Mission more than once in the past couple of weeks, to light some incense or do a patrol, giving Frenchie his breaks. It's been a while since Agnes was there, however, so Jon proposes that the three of them--well, really, five--head over. So it is that when a door that wasn't there before opens in one wall of the Mission's main area, it's not just Jon that comes through. Cael and his daughter Agnes are with him as well as the two dogs, Bear and Lady.

    "Hey, Frenchie," he greets the man as he comes through the door. "Been a long night, has it? You know Agnes... this is my girlfriend, Cael Becker.

    It's Agnes that notices the odd feeling about the place first, frowning around as she follows Jon through the door, Lady heeling at her side. "Dad," she murmurs quietly, "something's... wrong."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Bear likewise stands at Cael's side, tail idly wagging and tongue lolling out cheerfully, while Cael offers the man a nod of greeting. "Frenchie?" she repeats curioussly. Was that a nickname of some sort? "A pleasure to meet you." Her hand drops to rest on Bear's head, showing the brightly colored leather cuff she often wears on her wrist.
    Her attention soon shifts towards Agnes - a faint frown on her features before she asks the girl, "What do you mean something's wrong?" Vague statements aren't, in her experience, terribly helpful. "Should we send her and the dogs back?" she asks Jon quickly.

Marc Spector has posed:
    The man in the white suit stands and smiles. He's tall and leaner than Moon Knight and perhaps a bit older as well, with the peppering of gray in the dark hair at his temples. Even so, he has the gait of someone who is well aware of his body and moves almost like a prowling cat when he walks. "Jean-Paul," Frenchie corrects, properly introducing himself. He's lived in the states for several years but his accent--a testament to his nickname--hasn't softened at all. "A pleasure, Ms. Becker. Any friend to Jonathan and Mr. Knight are friends of my own."

    His attention shifts to the girl at Jon's side. "Ah. You feel it too, child. Not surprising. There is an unease in the air of the place. Something missing..." He shakes his head sadly and glances at the large statue of Khonshu. "I would almost think the place knows that he's unconscious." He chuckles and glances back to Jon. "Silly thoughts, right?" He shrugs with an uneasy chuckle.

    "Even so... I should make my way out to get a bit of rest. I doubt much will change, his condition hasn't shifted since you brought him in. I changed his IV maybe an half hour ago. It should be fine for another couple hours. I take it you can handle yourselves well enough?" he asks looking between the trio of people and the pair of animals. "As always, room three has some foodstuffs if you get hungry. Or you could call something in." He smiles wistfully. "Ah, the beauty of having the world's cuisine at your fingertips. Technology."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon frowns and actually lifts his right hand, feeling the air. He looks between the three statues, to Ma'at and then Bast and then Khonshu. "I don't think... I don't think it's dangerous. I think..."

    He turns to frown at the statue of Khonshu. "I think whatever sealed Khonshu away from Marc has sealed him away /period/. Ma'at's been... restless? Mmmm, it's hard to explain. I've had this vague feeling something was wrong, but it's like being aware your boss is dealing with something that they're not telling you about. She doesn't /lie/ to me, but she can't possibly tell me everything, it'd be too much."

    Agnes rubs her gloved hands on her skirt and heads over to light the incense at the base of the statue of Khonshu. "So that's what I'm feeling? The... absence of the god? It's odd, it's like an... echo, emphasizing how empty things are."

    Jon nods, and beams at Agnes for a moment. "Yes, exactly! Very good." He looks to Frenchie then and says, "I think it'll be fine. You go get some rest." A glance to Cael, to be sure she's still okay being here, even with some weirdness.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Jean-Paul," Cael corrects herself. "A pleasure." She follows this with a look towards Jon. Frenchie, really?
    Right. As if Cael never says anything offensive.
    "A God has been sealed away? That's... possible? If it can be done, though - can it be undone?" The concern on her features has eased - as it seems that rather than a //danger// there was simply a //problem.//
    And really - when did they not have problems?

Marc Spector has posed:
    Frenchie--he really doesn't mind the nickname, but introductions are important--nods to Jon. "You would know better than I" he says to the Archivist. He watches the girl light the incense and sighs. "Thank you. Really. It's been... rough without him around." He tugs on the hem of his coat, straightening it out before he inclines his head.

    "Again, a pleasure Ms. Becker. Jonathan. Agnes." And with that he's heading out of the Mission and into the evening air of Queens. The general unease in the air is enough for the dogs to catch onto as well and Lady whines dourly before yawning and going to lay at the foot of the statue of Ma'at, curling into a ball of brown, grey, and black fur that barely resembles a dog so much as a tumbleweed.

    The candles flicker suspiciously and something shifts in the building. The air getting momentarily heavy before thinning out again. Perhaps it's the new moon. Perhaps it's a shift of the gods in an attempt to shield the place without the empowerment of Khonshu. Whatever it is... it has to mean something.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon just looks at Cael and says, "He calls me 'Limey.' All the time." A smirk. He and his friends usually do give and take pretty evenly.

    He frowns as he watches Frenchie go, then shakes himself and looks around as the candles flicker. He goes over to the statue of Ma'at and looks up at it, considering. "Without Khonshu here... perhaps..." He frowns more deeply and reaches up to touch the base of the statue. "How to provide more protection...? There are people who depend on this place."

    "I could ask Sekhmet to offer hers?" Agnes bites her lip and looks over from lighting the incense. She felt the weird sensation too.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "The Worst, Sims," Cael counters - but there's a smile on her lips. She turns to watch Agnes making her offering of incense, her fingers trailing on the top of Bear's head as the pup whines anxiously. "Everything's fine, Bear. We're safe here. Yeah?"
    She's unsure how to help Jon and Agnes with this dilemma - in fact, she's fairly certain that she can't - so as they discuss it, she settles onto one of the benches, pulling out her phone to continue reading over one of the research paper's Jon found. It's //dense// reading, and it's a struggle for her - but she's trying.

Marc Spector has posed:
    The door to the hall and infirmary behind the statue of Khonshu opens and a man steps out. He's tall, as tall as Jon, and well built. But there is a hunch to his shoulders that speaks of suspicion and paranoia. His eyes dart around nervously as he emerges from the hall. He's dressed in a dark turtleneck, rough jeans, combat boots, a brown bomber jacket, and a slate gray flatcap pulled down over his hair.

    He emerges and his eyes fall on Cael, then Agnes, and then Jon. "Oh... you're here, Doc" he says, a thick Chicago accent lending his vowels a strange cadence. The man looks similar to Marc Spector, the identity of Moon Knight but... there are subtle differences beyond just his tone of voice and general demeanor. "Look. Thanks for... whatever you did to pull my ass out of the fire... but did you have to bring me here? You know how I feel about religion..." he says to Jonathan. "The Madman does good work but..." he shakes his head and nervously glances up at the statue of the Moon god of Egypt. "I don't want more notice from him than I already have."

    Jon's met Jake Lockely before so the voice and cadence shouldn't come as a complete surprise. But the last Jon knew, Jake was sealed away for the protection of the collective within Marc for the safety of all involved.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon turns away from the statue of Ma'at and frowns at Jake as he comes out from the hall behind the statue. "Jake..." he says dubiously. "It's... been a while..."

    Agnes turns away from the statue and blinks at the stranger, smoothing down her skirt, licking her lips, and looking between Cael and Jon in confusion.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael can only offer Agnes a helpless shrug as she looks up from her reading to study the man, her brow furrowing, and her fingers running over Bear's head - which he's thrust into her lap.
    "Not generally a huge fan of religion myself. Which- is maybe odd, with the company I keep," she remarks, as she watches the man. When had Jon ditched this man here? And why? He hasn't brought it up...

Marc Spector has posed:
    Jake, for that -is- the man's name rubs at his jaw a bit, his hand exploring the hair growth. "Couple weeks?" he asks. "Seems right from the feel of it" he says, working the muscle for a moment. "I just... what happened to me? Things are a little... fuzzy." He rubs at the back of his head. "I figure I got jumped?" he asks looking around the Mission.

    "Must've been pretty bad to need an IV and all.." He sighs. "Even so... thanks. I guess. Uhh..." He looks around nervously. "He's not here is he?" he asks. From the nervous glance at the statue again it's clear that he means Moon Knight. Which might come off as odd, to Jonathan at least.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Long breath in. Long breath out. "Cael, Agnes, this is Jake Lockely. He's an associate of Marc's. Jake, this is my girlfriend Cael Becker and my daughter, Agnes. I haven't seen you in... months. I thought..." A pause. "I thought you and Marc were, ahh... that your professional relationship was on hold for a while?"

    A pause. "You... took the IV out by yourself?" Jon sighs, and glances to Cael and Agnes and then back. "I... ahh, I need to..." He hesitates. He needs to check to make sure that Jake's heart is okay, but how can he say that without giving things away?

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Hello Jake," Cael remarks. "You had an IV? I thought Jean-Paul had meant... Moon Knight's IV?" she asks. She studies the man, noting his resemblance, but puzzled by his words and demeanor. They wouldn't be keeping //multiple// people here on IVs. Would they?
    Looking towards Jon, she mouths to words. 'The hell?' The 'what,' obviously, is implied.

Marc Spector has posed:
    "It's an IV, Doc... not a cathader..." Jake replies and then winces glancing at Agnes. He isn't good with kids, the circles he runs in doesn't really allow for it much. He frowns as he looks around and assumes that Jon's non-answer is a negative. "We're not on the best of terms but that doesn't mean I don't help him out here and there." He shrugs and moves a bit closer to the center of the hall.

    "Look, I understand that you thought it was safe but... like I said, we're not on the best of terms..." he says, eying the statues of Bast and Ma'at. "So I'd rather be far from the place when he gets back. I assume I can go?" he asks, arching a brow to The Archivist.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon reaches up a hand to rub at his face. There's not much point in hiding things, for the moment, and he literally cannot lie. So he says, "Jake... you almost died. Your heart was ripped from your chest, and I healed you. You've been in a coma for two weeks, and I need... I need to look you over, at least, before you go, okay?"

    Agnes blinks. "Wasn't that...?" Then she presses her lips together, frowning thoughtfully.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael shrugs her shoulders helplessly at Agnes' question - and shakes her head subtly. She gets the feeling they should leave that will enough alone, for the moment - and besides, he seems a bit jumpy. "Look... Jake. Do you like dogs?" she asks curiously. "Why don't you sit and pet Bear for a bit while Jon makes sure you're okay - and we can get you something to eat, or order something brought... uhh... What should we feed someone who hasn't eaten in two weeks, Jon?"

Marc Spector has posed:
    Jake gives an irritated glower at Jon before rolling his eyes. "Fine. Sure, dogs are fine" he says and moves over to the bench to give the dog a bit of attention. At this proximity, Cael can clearly see the similiarities between Jake and Marc... in fact... the resemblance goes beyond uncanny. Even identical twins have some differences; Jake and Marc do not.

    "You're joking right, Doc?" he says to Jon as he pets the massive Pyreness' head. "Pretty sure I'd be done if I got my heart ripped out. I get that you and the Madman have powers but bringing people back from the dead is a bit much... even for me to accept. But fine, if you want to give me a once over... you don't have to make up some stupid story to do it." His eyes move to Agnes again. "Didn't take you for a father type, Doc. No offense. Seemed a bit too... stuffy to manage a kid. Just my opinion though."

    He tenses suddenly and looks at the polished tiles of the floor. His breath catches a bit and he shakes his head before muttering softly. "This place is fucking haunted because of course it is..." he says under his breath, Cael would be the only one close enough to make out any of the words clearly. Well, Cael and Bear.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I am, indeed, the 'father type,'" Jon says with a smirk of amusement. He's wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and his hair is dyed a slowly fading green; he looks a lot less 'stuffy' than Jake would ever remember him.

    He thinks for a moment and then conjures, out of thin air, a stethoscope. Walks over to start checking Jake over, though not in time to hear what Jake muttered. He glances to Cael apologetically as he approaches and murmurs, "I'll explain later." Then, louder, "Let's start with soup and then we can go from there if that's tolerated. Agnes, if you please...?"

    Agnes has been /staring/ at Jake the entire time. She starts at hearing her name, nods, and runs off toward the basement like she's glad to get out of the room before she bursts out with something.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I was brought back from the dead," Cael says to Jake, her smile small. "...and I was there, when it happened. Jon picked up your heart, washed it, and put it back before healing you. It's what happened. Besides - Jon literally can't lie. I mean - ask him what he thinks about me teaching his daughter how to use guns," she remarks - an amused twinkle in her eyes.
    She gives Jake a curious look at his muttering, but doesn't think much of it - instead turning her attention to Agnes briefly as the girl runs off.
    "So, uhh... Jake. What is it that you do?" she asks - keeping her tone light, as if this is mere small talk. But no seriously - is this guy insane? What is it that he thinks he does?

Marc Spector has posed:
    "I'm a cabbie" Jake replies as he lifts up his shirt to give access to his chest for Jon. "East Harlem to Inwood" he says to Cael's question. It's an honest answer. He's not lying. His expression is skeptical at he looks between Jon and Cael. "You're both serious... my heart was out?" he says, looking down.

    There is a small, maybe 7 inch long and surgically thin, scar just to the left of the middle of his chest. "Huh..." he says, sounding suddenly ill. "I... I've never been dead before... that's... new..." his breathing is accelerating and he looks close to a freak out.

    Suddenly, he yells. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut UP! You're not real!" he says to something just a bit behind and below Jon. Something only he can see. He rises and stumbles almost fall backward over the bench.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon has the stethoscope up to his ears as he considers the scar on Jake's chest, giving Cael a /look/ about the whole 'teaching Agnes to shoot' mention. Before he can say much more, however, Jake starts to freak out, and Jon puts up his hands.

    "Whoa," he says. "Take a breath. What are you seeing? What are you hearing?" He's snapped right into 'psychiatrist' mode, although he sounds like he's willing to believe whatever Jake's saying more than be condescending or anything.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "It's okay, Jake. Nothing can hurt you here. You've me, and Jon... and Bear," Cael says in her most calm, and reasonable voice - concern showing on her features. She doesn't move, staying seated where she is to avoid 'cornering' the erratic man - but at a quizzical look from Bear, she offers quietly, "Go. Crawl." The pup obligingly drops his belly onto the floor - crawling towards Jake with a hopeful sort of whine, and a few thumps of his tail.
    After all - this sort of thing is quite literally Bear's job.

Marc Spector has posed:
    Jake takes note of the dog and his breathing eases some. Bear is good at his job. "There..." he says hesitantly, pointing just a bit behind Jon at the tiles. "He's got... he looks like me but... it's not me. He's... he's telling me to let go and let him back out... I don't know what the hell he's talking about or who he is..." he says his voice turning from fear to anger. "But if you brought my ass to a haunted church and didn't tell me I'm well within my right to knock someone's block off."

    He shakes his head erratically. "Get out of my fucking head you... whatever you are!" he shouts to the unseen figure in his mind's eye. "This is my body... I don't need no ghost doppleganger taking over and fucking my life up more than it already is!"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    There's a moment where a kind of stricken look crosses Jon's face. Jake is probably too distracted to notice, but Cael might. That's definitely Jon's 'oh gods I fucked something up' guilty look.

    They shake it off. No use for that right now.

    "Alright, Jake," Jon says, calmly. "I believe you, alright? I know it's... difficult to hear voices and see things, but it's usually best to at least respond to them, counterintuitive as that may seem. So can you ask the apparation what its name is? And what its message is for you?"

    As much as he knows Cael hates people being in her head, he throws her a thought--thinking /really/ hard more than anything. <<Keep an eye out for Agnes? /Fuck/.>>

Cael Becker has posed:
    The look Cael gives Jon quite clearly says 'What did you do, Jonathan (insert middle name here) Sims?' It's almost palpable. There's a momentary start as she hears Jon's voice in her head - but it is //Jon's// voice, so she responds with a simple nod - taking a moment to get the sudden tension to ease out of her jaw. Her eyes flick in the direction Agnes had gone, ready to intercept the girl as necessary - while Bear continues to do what he does best, gently but relentlessly inserting himself into Jake's personal space to beg for petting and attention.
    How bad can things really be when there's a dog to pet?

Marc Spector has posed:
    Jake allows the dog in, because... well, he's a dog. And he's friendly and real. Not some figment in Jake's head. "I..." he takes a few calming breaths and shakes his head at Jon. "Look... Doc. I know you got training and all but I'm not letting this fucker take me over and I'm not going to let yu shoot me up with drugs and toss me in the looney house... okay? Just not happening..."

    "SHUT IT!" he shouts at the unseen companion. "I don't care who the fuck you are! My name is Jake. Not Marc or whatever you want to call yourself! And I don't give a flying fuck if you're trapped inside or not!" he says in anger, unintentionally giving Jon the information he asked for in the first place. "This is my body! My life! You can go fuck yourself!" At least he's got the cabby lingo down well enough, that's for sure.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I didn't say you should let him take you over, and I'm certainly not going to drug you or commit you." Jon frowns. "You're not..." A pause. "Committing you would not be likely to do you any good, and might in fact cause harm. I just want to... to bring about a rapproachment between you and... Marc." And Steven, but he doesn't /say/ that.

    Instead, he gives Cael a look, like she might be able to help better than he can. Agnes, in the meanwhile, is coming up the stairs with a bowl of soup on a tray, but hesitates on noting the shouting.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Jon didn't have me committed either - because I would have broken his fucking nose if he'd tried," Cael remarks in a dry tone. "But he was still able to help me... when I needed it." She's silent for a moment before asking, "Can Marc hear us? If I tell him to calm the fuck down and stop making things worse with his fucking impatience?" she asks, her tone holding just a hint of amusement in it.
    Jon's friend is insane. Actually, completely, certifiably insane. //Shit.//
    At the sound of steps on the stairs, she pushes herself to her feet, going to intercept Agnes to retrieve the food. "You got your phone on you?" she murmurs quietly, "To entertain yourself for a bit? Or you want to borrow mine? Might be best if you stay out of the way for a little bit. He's a little, uhhh... sensitive right now."

Marc Spector has posed:
    Jake calms some and relaxes, lowering himself down to the bench once more and letting the massive dog do it's job well. "It's gone... he's... gone..." he lets out a sigh. "What the fuck was that?" he asks Jon aggressively. "You got poltergeists in this place?! What the fuck, man?! I thought you guys are helping people here?!" he says angrily. "Usually that means keeping the ghosts attacks off of them."

    He runs a hand through his hair, displacing the flatcap in the process before wiping the hand over his face as well. "I should... I should probably get back home and give a call to my boss. Let them know what's happened. I'm pretty freelance but still... good to let them know I'm back on the clock, right?" It's clear he's looking for an excuse to get the hell out of here.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Agnes raises on her toes to peer past Cael. "He has a different ba despite sharing a khet, it's /fascinating/." Well, she's her father's daughter, alright. But she hands Cael the tray and sighs. "I can go back to the kitchen. He might need more than soup."

    "It's not..." Jon hesitates and shakes his head, glancing to Cael and Agnes, then back to Jake. His shoulders slump. "It's not ghosts, Jake." He goes ahead and checks Jake's pulse and breathing, then steps back with a sigh.

    "Look, just... keep in touch, alright? Don't... don't go /too/ far. And remember that you haven't had any solid foods for two weeks, so... go slow, alright?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Thanks Agnes," Cael murmurs to the girl, flashing her a brief smile before she turns to rejoin Jon, 'Jake' and Bear. She finds the whole thing baffling, herself, but she plans on simply taking everything in stride for the moment. Adding pressure to what was clearly already someone in crisis would be unlikely to make things better.
    "Will you eat something before you go? You haven't eaten in two weeks. We've got a little soup for you - to get your stomach a chance to readjust to food. Yeah?" she encourages him with a small smile on her lips. "But no one's going to keep you against your will." She doesn't think. Her eyes flick towards Jon for a moment, then back to the strange man.

Marc Spector has posed:
    "Yeah, yeah... BRATT diet, I got it" Jake replies, doing his best to ignore the 'it's not ghosts' comment from the doctor. "It's not my first rodeo being holed up for a while, Doc" he says, settling the cap back on his head.

    He gets a whiff of the food and his stomach growls audibly. "Hmm... I guess I could stick around to have some of that. But after that... I'm gone" he mutters softly. He's still apprehensive as he regards Jon.

    "I'm not going anywhere but back home and to work, Jon. Unless you think whatever hurt me is still a threat?" he asks, arching a brow to the doctor with a slightly worried expression.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon frowns for a long moment. "Just... be careful, okay? There's people... look, there's people out to get Moon Knight, and they might be after his associates. That includes you. So just keep an eye out, alright?"

    He looks between Cael and Agnes. "Can I talk to you both? Downstairs. We'll leave Jake to eat and head out." He doesn't seem worried about the man leaving any longer, at least.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Would you like Bear to stay up here with you, Jake?" Cael asks - her tone and expression still unusually gentle for the often brusque woman. She reaches out to take hold of Jon's hand, however, to show her willingness to accompany him downstairs. "Probably don't overeat too much at first, yeah? Take it easy, and you'll be alright."

Marc Spector has posed:
    Jake shakes his head to Cael. "I think... I think I'll be alright. Just gonna..." He sips a bit of the soup and then nods. "I'm gonna take my time with this and then head out. My car's not far from here" he says. "If Doc thinks I'm good to walk, I'll finish this and make my way there."

    To Jon he nods again. "Yeah. I'll keep my head down and an eye out. Something comes for me... I'll run." He smirks slightly and sips more of the brothy soup. "No more fights for me. At least for a while. You guys go ahead and do whatever it is you do here."