11659/The Scarab and the Jackal

The Scarab and the Jackal
Date of Scene:	19 June 2022
Location:	Dormitory 01 - The Midnight Mission
Synopsis:	Cael has visitors - Layla tries to get Cael to be more accepting of change (HA!) and Lydia suggests trying to force Cael to Jackal-out. Also: there's baked goods.
Cast of Characters:	Cael Becker, Layla Abdalla El-Faouly, Lydia Dietrich

---

Cael Becker has posed:
    Even as confined and restless as she is - Cael can only spend so many hours using the punching bag and treadmill she'd had brought in. So at the moment, Cael is stretched out on the couch, playing a video game on a Nintendo Switch. Drawn on the walls and on the inside of the door to Cael's rooms, the eye of Horus has been drawn again and again with golden sharpie, creating a ward that keeps Cael in. A nearly depleted container of homemade snickerdoodle cookies rests on the coffee table, next to a glass containing an amber hued liquid.
    As soon as Cael hears a knock at the door, she calls over without pausing her video game, "It's open!" Layla will have to let herself in - Cael can't reach the door as long as the wards stay active.
    And she likes them to be active.

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Layla carries a fresh container of snickerdoodle cookies as she enters the room (she may have been told they would be appreciated). She offers a smile towards Cael and lifts her free hand briefly before turning to shut the door. "Hi. I'm Layla. We... we didn't really get to meet, perse. But I wanted to check on you while Marc is dealing with some stuff. How are you holding up?" The cookies are offered out to Cael with lifted brows, "I was told you like these, I hope they're okay." She looks like her default mode is awkward socialization, but she's trying to get better.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Layla?" Cael repeats. She pushes herself up, flicking the pause button, and shoving herself towards one side of the couch - away from the door. "You can, uhh- I'd rather the door was open, actually. That way... there's always a way to get out." If something goes wrong. If somehow, she //can// change when it isn't the full moon.
    "Did Agnes make another batch?" she asks - as she accepts the cookies, and sets them down on the coffee table next to the other cookies. "I'm Cael - but I'd guess you know that already. I'm... alright."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Nodding, Layla turns the handle to swing it back open an inch or two, then looks back to Cael. "Better?" No attempts at assuances that she'd be fine, no bravado over how she held Cael off the first time. She just trusts that it's in Cael's best interest to leave the door open. Glancing down at the container, she lifts a shrug, "I suppose? I'm... still pretty new here. Ah... Ma'at's Avatar.. Jon? His daughter. That's Agnes, right?"

Taking up a casual lean against the wall so she doesn't give the impression of trying to hem Cael in, she just gives a smll nod, "We met under less than ideal circumstances. So anything better from that would be an improvement, I hope." There's a sort of warmth and calm that radiates from the woman. Assurance. "But I am glad you feel your'e doing okay." Layla glances down, then clucks her tongue at herself and looks back to Cael, "Jeez, it would probably help if I gave context, right?"

Sighing over her own denseness, she motions with one hand, "I arrived in the city just this week. I was sent to watch over Marc while he deals with his.. issues. I also happen to be his estranged wife. Not quite ex, since he never signed the papers, but thaaaaaaaaat's a whole other can of worms." Layla shakes her head a little, still amused at how that all played out. "Anyways. I'm the Avatar of Taweret. She's an Egyptian Goddess of protection, healing, and cleansing."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah," Cael confirms. "Jon's daughter is Agnes. And I'm Jon's girlfriend and Agnes'... something. 'Family friend' is the best I've got. She's... a good kid, I'm glad-" Glad, what? That she didn't eat her? She lets out a sigh. It's still a lot.
    "We met?" she starts, before supplying her own answer. "Oh. You were on patrol with Jon, and Lydia, and Marc when- during the full moon."
    She listens as Layla explains her presence - offering a small nod before adding, "Jon told me. Well - about the hippo stuff. I hadn't heard of Tawaret. He'd said- ... protection and birth, I think? Anyways." She pushes herself to her feet, to move towards the small kitchenette in the quarters. "Can I get you something? Coffee, tea? Beer? Whiskey?"

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Chuckling, Layla gives a nod, "That works about as well as anything else. You hold a special place in their lives, that's really what matters." She gives a nod, "I think we're all glad we were able to get there when we did. And not just for Agnes' sake. For yours too. This... whatever it is, it isn't your fault, but it doesn't remove guilt, right? So.. any guilt we can spare you, I think we should."

She gives a small nod, "I arrived at the apartment right on Jon's heels and helped get you to the Mission so we could better protect you." Because that sounds better than 'stick you in a cage'.

She grins briefly, then nods, "The childbirth thing tends to fall under the protection bit, so I generally leave that part out. There are bigger fertility Goddesses out there than Taweret. She's more like... like that cool, gossipy aunt that never married?" The mention of tea has her nodding, "Yes please, tea would be wonderful."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah, well... Now that I know, now that I have a chance to... control things, anything that happens is my fault. For not being careful enough." Cael fills, and turns on the hot water kettle as she's talking. "Jon has an idea for an amulet that should allow me to be aware, and in control... hopefully. So I don't do anything like attack an innocent again. I, uhh... I appreciate you guys coming, and stopping me. I-" She hesitates a moment, then turns to look at Layla directly.
    "This is something I can't ask of Jon, because it would hurt him too much. But if it ever came down to it - I'd rather be dead than a murderer. If you need to kill me to save a life - do it. ...but, you know, hopefully there'll always be another option."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
"Mmmmmmmmmmm, not really how that works..." Layla's brows furrow as she watches Cael. "Having a -chance- to control it won't always mean that you will. And that isn't something you can help. There's no fault or blame there. You're afflicted with a very nasty and powerful condition. Made worse by the fact that it plays on instincts and urges that already exist in humans, but that we have kept buried for a long time under veneers of 'growth' and 'civility'. But it's never very far from the surface."

Watching Caael as she starts the tea, she smiles faintly, "You're welcome. Like I said, it was as much for you as it was for Agnes. Taweret doesn't discriminate against those who need help, regardless of the current circumstance." The smile fades and her brows lift when the request is made of her, then it returns as she offers, "There's always another option. But I understand. I'll do what I can to make sure you don't hurt or kill anyone."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Oh, God, Jon brought over some of his loose leaf," Cael mutters as she peers into the cupboard. "I never get that stuff right. Do you want to...?" She gestures to where there's a little ceramic tea pot, with a built in strainer, and a few different varieties of tea.
    She takes a step back, crossing her arms over her chest as she adds, "That is how it works. That's why I'm staying in here... until we're sure it's only the moon that makes me change. If that's the case... it's as simple as locking myself up every full moon. And then no one ever gets hurt. If there's other ways to make change then... it gets more complicated, but we'll figure it out."
    They have to.

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Laughing lightly, Layla gives a nod and steps forward, "Sure, I can take over." She looks over the tins, then plucks out two and mixes the two loose leaf blends together before replacing the tin. She puts a bit into each strainer and puts a strainer in each mug, then pours the hot water over top. Looking back to Cael, she lifts a brow, "Sugar, honey, milk, lemon?" Asking if Cael wants any.

Fixing up the cups how she and Cael would like them, she offers the one out to Cael, then keeps the other for herself and stirs the cup lightly, "Are you so certain? So.. you're going to make sure you're locked up every day prior to the full moon, to ensure that for the entire day that you can't possibly do anyone any harm? No matter what else might be going on during the full moon itself? During the day, before you would change?" She lifts a shrug, "People find ways to rationalize whatever it is they want to do."

Still, Layla sips at her tea and smiles, "There are cures for lycanthropy. We just have to know which type you're afflicted with so we know which cure to go after."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael shakes her head. "The only thing I ever add is whiskey. Drives Jon and Martin a bit nuts." She smirks with amusement at that.
    She takes the offered drink, retreating back towards the couch, where she perches herself on one of the arms. "What valid excuse could I possibly have to risk innocent lives? What excuse would be good enough - that it'd be worth possibly allowing others to die?" she asks.
    She takes a sip, before offering, "Jon says he's going to try to find the cure for me. But right now- well. He has an idea for an amulet that should at least allow me to be in control of my mind and body during the full moon. He's working on it."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Chuckling, Layla gives a nod, "Brits. They're very particular about their tea, despite tea not originating even near England." She retakes her lean against the wall and sips from her cup, watching Cael.

Both brows lift up over the rim of her cup, and Layla sips, then sets it back down. "The life of your loved ones? People will do some... seriously mental shit to save people they love." She lifts a small shrug and smiles, "It's human nature. I'm just saying... don't be so set on blaming yourself. Murphy's Law exists for a reason. The most well-laid plans can go awry over the most inconsequential detail."

Giving a nod, Layla murmurs, "I'll check in with him, see if there's anything I can do to help. Maybe nothing. Maybe I can help put him on the right path to a cure. After the amulet, anyways."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "It's not just them - not ust Jon, and Agnes. I mean, if I ignore this - and end up at a music concert during the full moon... I mean, that's an extreme example. But I need to control it. I need to keep people - //everyone// - safe. For their sake, and for mine, and there's no excuse good enough for doing otherwise."
    She takes another sip, watching Layla with an uncertain expression. "Sure you're not just... I dunno - humoring me? There's some things that can't be fixed in this world. Though... I know Jon means to try. They gave their word, and... I'm not sure really what happens if they try to break that, but Ma'at doesn't let them lie."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
"Nobody said it was an excuse. I said there are circumstances that cannot be forseen or accounted for that can make life very difficult at the worst possible moments." Layla shrugs, then smiles towards Cael, "I'm just saying... don't paint yourself into a corner."

She lets out a small laugh, "Yeah that's... not really my thing. I protect -people- not -feelings-. I don't know what form of lycanthropy you have, but it may well come down to a choice. Go back to being human, with all its associated frailties. Or. Keep the curse, try to manage it, control it... and perhaps have to take a long hard look at yourself and ask why you want to keep it." She finishes off her tea in a few quick gulps, rinsing out the cup, disposing of the leaves, setting it all aside. Then she looks back to Cael. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be more. Wanting to be able to do more. Most of us have ended up in that position at some point or another. Some of us were given a choice... change or die. Some have to make that choice for themselves."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I don't want it," Cael says firmly, and without hesitation. "I don't understand why anyone would. Hell, I had an amulet before this that made me... stronger, gave me armor, let me heal faster, let me fly... I needed it to face the angels. But when that was over... I got rid of it. I don't need shit like that. I don't want to be changed, or influenced. I want to be //me.//"
    She takes another sip of tea before adding quietly, "Jon knows all this. I know they wanted me to keep the amulet and- funny thing is? Maybe I wouldn't be in this situation if I had. But they'll do whatever they can to fix this for me, because... because that's how they are."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Layla lifts a brow at Cael and tries to fight a smile, "You think I'm not 'me' anymore? Is Jon not actually Jon? Do you think you're the same static person that you were five years ago? Ten? People change. They evolve. That doesn't make them any less -them-." She shakes her head, "Changing what you can do doesn't change who you are."

She lets out a sigh and looks to Cael, "So... you're going to be co-dependent on your non-human mate to continually save you from whatever you choose to get into, knowing full well that you probably shouldn't be doing it because.. well... you're only human? Because that's what it sounds like. That you want the freedom to get into whatever you feel like... but without having to actually live with the consequences of your choices." Layla holds up a hand to forestall, "I'm not saying that's what you -are- thinking, I'm saying that's how it looks to an outside party based on what you've said. You want to be able to 'stay you' but also be able to do all the things that the 'others' do, but also have someone else fix it for you when there are consequences to it."

She motions towards Cael, "I'm hoping you can explain to me what you actually mean, because clearly my take on it is... not good, and I would very much love to be wrong right now."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael shakes her head. "That's not what I mean. I- honestly, I know that Jon worries about that sometimes - to a degree. I've told them it's not true. They're still Jon. Still //mine.// Still the person I love."
    The rest of what Layla says... clearly gets her hackles up - and it shows in the way she stiffens, her back straightening, and a scowl pulls at her features. "That is not at all what I meant," she replies in a frustrated tone. "I'm not some bloody damsel in distress. I went to Duat. I faced the trials - and I brought Jon back. This isn't some fucking one way street, where I get myself into trouble, and he has to save me. I- look. There's a difference between changing, and //being changed//. I don't want to be changed. I don't want to be... influenced. Bad things have happend to me before because of... that. I work hard, and I train, and I'm fucking capable. I work with SHIELD, and with the //Avengers.// I damned well hold my own."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Nodding, Layla releases a breath and smiles, "Thank you. I knew I must have been interpreting incorrectly."

Then she shifts her weight a little bit and lifts a shrug, "Not all change is going to happen on a schedule, Cael. You won't always get to pick and choose when you want things to happen, or when change occurs. Your body will change without ever consulting or getting consent from you. Control is.. an illusion. The only thing you can ever -truly- control is how you choose to handle the things that happen. And clearly, bad things happen even when you aren't being influenced. Bad things happen. Period."

She motions to herself and chuckles, "You think I wanted to be an Avatar? That I went looking for it? I went looking for my husband. The adorable idiot demanded a divorce, paid for the paperwork, then forgot to sign them. I was trying to find him so I could give him the papers to sign, since he insisted on it. Instead, I end up kidnapped by a cult that's going to use me to lure Marc in, then sacrifice me to their evil God. Then Taweret stepped in. And I had a choice. Be used as bait to lure Marc to both our deaths... or accept that my life was going to irrevocably change so that I could get free and make sure he -wasn't- drawn in. I didn't want it. I didn't want to be beholden to a Goddess. But time was limited and the choices were even moreso."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah, well..." Cael mutters under her breath, staring into her tea for a while. "For me... I let people in the past influence me, and lead me in the wrong direction. Jon doesn't seem to think it's possible but- I very nearly became a very different person. The sort of person I dispise, now. And I mean - I know people are going to influence me. //Jon// influences me. A lot, I just- I know how easy it is to be lead astray, and I'm extra cautious about it."
    She takes another sip of her tea and then adds, "And more recently, I had a literal fucking archangel get into my head. Fill me with awe for the glory of God. Made me see the error of my ways, and crave God's love, and acceptance for forgiveness. And convinced me that the only way to get that forgiveness... was to nail myself to a cross, so I could get murdered for my sins."
    She looks towards Layla for a moment, and then back down to her tea. I don't let things in my head. Not a god, not an angel... not an amulet. I make my own decisions. Somtimes they're bad decisions, but they're //my// decisions."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
"Okay but... you aren't always going to be given a choice in the matter. Or you are, but it's a Sophie's Choice, so really not actually a choice at all. It happens. A lot." Layla spreads her arms out, "I mean... look at Marc and I. We're both Avatars of Egyptian Gods... but Marc -definitely- got the short end of that stick. Meanwhile... mine communicates with me, she works with me, tries to help out. So it's less an intrusion than just.. it's like being in a cubicle with one of those old pneumatic air tubes and every so often something will come down the pipe. Sometimes it's a suggestion. Sometimes it's a job. Sometimes it's just a note to say hi, I appreciate you."

She smiles, "My point is.. you can't judge everything solely on the bad interactions you've had, otherwise you close yourself off to a world of possibilities. Which is not to invalidate those experiences or say 'get over them', just... make the conscious decision to not keep letting them drive who you're going to be."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah. Well. I don't want to be a monster that tries to eat my boyfriend's daughter," Cael replies in a dry tone. "That one seems pretty fucking straight forward, you know? I mean - I //attacked// my //dog.// I- don't even feel safe to be around him right now. I don't want this." She lets out a huff of air, before taking another sip of her tea - still perched on one arm of her couch. Two containers of snickerdoodles sit on the nearby coffee table, and Layla is just across the room, propping up the wall.
    The quarters Cael has been moved into are a vast improvement over the cage - and she's even added a treadmill and a punching back. Drawn on all the walls and the inside of the door in a gold sharpie is the eye of Horus - forming the wards that currently keep Cael contained within her assigned quarters.
    "Change is inevitable, and I'm //proactivelly/ trying to train myself and change myself in ways I like. I mean, I've been learning how to use Falcon's wings. I'm damned good with them now. If I keep it up... I should be be able to get my own pair soon."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    "Knock knock!" comes a rather cheery voice from the other side of the door, before it opens and Lydia peeks through. "I have an idea that we should try, and I have some Banana bread," she says holding up a brown paper bag. Her gaze flicks over to Layla before asking, "Am I interrupting anything?"

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
"That is entirely fair. Besides, Werejackals are not fun. Jackals are scavengers you know. Not nearly as nice as the myths would make them seem." Layla shudders lightly, then shakes her head, "Anyways. Like I said, there's a damn good chance we can cure this. It's just... research and then application. We have to know what kind of lycanthropy you have." She smiles faintly, "But in the overall... I'm confident that we can fix this."

Motioning to the fridge, she lifts both brows, "Water?" Then she gives a nod as Cael speaks, brows furrowing together before looking back to her, "Okay but that... that's technology. What about changes to -you-? Are you looking into like... ways to help you continue through the healing process of mind and heart?"

Turning, she smiles, "Not at all! I figured since we've both been camping out here, I should introduce myself to Cael and have a chat."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "There's water in the fride, yeah. I'm good with the tea, though." Even as she says that, though, she reaches for her glass of whiskey - and tips a little of it into her cup before her next sip.
    Then after a snort she adds, "Jon's a psychitrist. What do you think? I mean - he's not //my// therapist anymore but- I do have one. We've, uhh... been doing remote sessions. Back to //daily// again because of the stress." She lets out a huff of air. "But... well. Caldwell's been great through all this shit."
    Her attention shifts towards Lydia as she remarks, "What is it about 'lycanthropy' that translates to 'baked goods'?" she asks, before continuing more seriously. "What sort of idea?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia nods, and makes her way fully into the room, closing the door behind her. She pulls out the fresh loaf of banana bread that she had made earlier and sets it down on the table for people to enjoy. "Help yourself," she says to the other two women, "I've been told that my banana bread is delightful." Cael's question gets her to laugh, "I figured that eating something like this would help make you feel more human. It's about the furthest away from 'red meat' that you can get unless you want to get into salads."

    She looks around and finds herself a chair, which she scoots closer to the table and sits in. Turning to Layla she offers her a pleasant grin. "Hi, I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Lydia," she says extending a pale hand. If shaken, once the hand passes through the field of stars that twinkle about her... her ectoplasm, it's tingly on the skin, like somebody rubbed mint or menthol on it. Not entirely unpleasant.

    "I want to take you to the training room's training room," she says, turning back to Cael. "I want to test various stressors in a safe environment and see what you can handle and what might make you 'jackal out'." She glances at Layla, "I figure out of all of us, I'm best able to keep myself safe if you do."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Layla nods and gets a bottle of water from the fridge, lifting her brows at Lydia to see if she would like one as well. If yes, she'll get one handed to her, otherwise Layla will grab hers and take a swallow.

She lets out a small laugh, "Hey, I try not to assume. Which is why when we were talking earlier, I told you what I was hearing, then asked you to explain because clearly I wasn't getting the right inference from it." A smile follows, "But that's really great to hear. A therpaist is never a bad idea, and when someone is going through something as stressful as what you are... it's almost necessary."

Her eyes flit to Lydia, then back to Cael, "Lycanthropy is a disease. Disease means illness. Illness means baked goods!" She sidles back towards the door and quietly opens it back up a few inches, tipping a subtle wink towards Cael as she resettles against the wall. The hand is taken and given a small shake, "Layla. And I'm not making any assumptions since I know little about what you do, and vice versa. But I'm also mostly here to watch after Marc, so whatever Jon signs off on for Cael, I'd say go for it."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Uh, I prefer- oh. Thanks, Layla," Cael says in a grateful tone, as the woman reopens the door. Flicking her gaze back to Lydia she explains, "If I did change... The wards would keep me in. I'd rather you both have a way out without having to fumble with the door. Safer for all of us if we can skip the fight, you know?"
    She listens to Lydia's idea with a thoughtful frown on her features. "That does sound like a pretty good idea, actually. I- yeah, honestly that would make me feel a lot better," she admits with a nod of her head.
    "And- hey! Who says Jon gets to make my decisions?!" She protests - but there's a quirk of amusement at her lips before she adds, "Immediately - we probably should run the idea past him, just to be sure."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    "I don't think he'd have a problem with it," Lydia says with a snort. "It'll help us figure out what's safe and what's not. Hopefully we can determine that it's okay to let her out of her room." She shakes her head. "I... don't like keeping her here until we can cure her."

    She raises a hand and shakes her head at Layla's offer of water. "I'm good, thanks." She turns back to the two women, "Me and Jon are going to be banging our heads together for the next couple of nights to see if we can't enchant an amulet or a bracelet or something that will keep the jackal under control." She leans back in the chair and rests her hands in her lap. "It probably won't keep you from changing during the full moon, but it /should/ be able to keep it from happening for all the other days. If we do it right we may even be able to keep you in control during the change instead of the Jackal." She lets out a little chuckle, "I've already started out getting a general framework down."

Layla Abdalla El-Faouly has posed:
Nodding to Cael, Layla settles back against the wall with her bottle of water and just smiles faintly. She looks between the two before her attention is drawn by Cael's outburst, making her grin, "Hey, I said 'signs off on' not 'decides for you'. Besides, he's closer to the situation and seemed to know what this 'VR' -is-, so he's better positioned to say whether or not he thinks it's a good idea than I am." She gives a nod, "There, that's probably a better way to put it."

Looking back to Lydia, she lifts a brow and looks back to Cael, "Well, I should probably go check in on Marc and make sure he's not slipping off as Steven or Jake. But I did want to stop by and introduce myself. I'll probably be here for awhile, so if you ever want someone to provide... human contact? Socializing? Whatever you want to call it. Just knock on the wall, I'm right next door." SHe smiles, then nods to both women, "It was nice to meet you both."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I, uhhh... Can't actually knock on the wall when the wards are up," Cael admits - before reaching towards the wall behind her - her hand stops abruptly a few inches shy. "It's... actually kind of neat. Jon's very clever with this stuff - but it would keep me from scratching up the wards and breaking free. Anyways... I appreciate the company."
    After another sip of her tea, she leans forward to simply break off a piece of the banana bread, rather than bothering to get any utensils to cut it. She's such a heathen. "Want to take any of this with you?" she asks Layla, before taking a bite.
    "Mmm. Pretty good, Lydia." She takes another bite then adds, "I could text Jon your idea and see what he thinks. Then we can go... whenever you like. He might want to be there as well, but... We'll see."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia gives Layla a grin, "It was good to meet you, too. I hope to see you around more."

    She watches as Cael tests the wards and nods appreciatively. "Yeah. Jon's gotten a heck of a lot better at it then when he first started out. We began with Father Morton's ward against hedgehogs, and he picked that up pretty easily. Surprisingly, it's a good one to start with, too. Has most of the fundamentals in one place."

    Her grin gets wider at the compliment of her banana bread. "Thank you! Even though I can't really enjoy it the same way you do, I find the smells pleasant." She looks thoughtful and nods, "Yeah. Let's see what Jon has to say."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael watches Layla leave, then pulls out her phone, quietly typing in a comment, and hitting send. She nibbles again at the bread before adding, "I wouldn't eat salad to get my greens in, anyways. That's what mint chip is for." She smiles despite the fact that it's a patently stupid joke, and sips her tea when a message comes through. "Jon thinks we should," she remarks. She's just lowering the phone with a second message comes through, and after a glance she adds, "He thinks he almost has the runes figured." There's a faint note of hope in her voice, with that piece of news.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia looks rather relieved at the news. "Oh good. Then we can start putting together your talisman." She stands up and reaches over to take a pinch of the banana bread and pops it in her mouth. "Mm," she nods. "Okay. Decision time. Do you want a pendant, or a bracelet? I'd be able to do either."

    She walks over to the door and opens it to lead Cael to the training room, upstairs in the main room of the temple. "I've got a couple of tests we can do. Poke at the beast and see if it stirs."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I doubt it'd be that easy to force the change..." Cael remarks in a wry tone. She hesitates a moment, then declares (seemingly nonsensically), "Bear is a good boy." As she does - the wards power down, allowing her to step past them, and through the door into the Velvet Room. Even being here, a relatively safe location, the tensionin her form is easy to read. She doesn't like being outside her cage.
    "Which would be easier to keep on me when I change? You saw what I looked like. It needs to... stay. No matter what. That's the most important thing."