12594/Part 2: Erin, Will and The Book

Part 2: Erin, Will and The Book
Date of Scene:	02 September 2022
Location:	Location
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Hope Summers, Robbie Reyes, Michael Hannigan, Phoebe Beacon

---

Hope Summers has posed:
    It's been nearly two weeks since Erin had her incident at the park during the massive LARP session which went off well for a bunch of the other players, but not for those that were near hear and her friends. Especially Will. The young woman with hair that has been slightly de-prioritized the past fortnight because of her concern for what happened to her friend and because she's been afraid to look at herself in the mirror for what she's done and what others told her she did and looked like during the incident.

    The card Phoebe gave her rested on her chest of drawers for a while now and as the woman is finally starting to feel like she needs to do something unless the urge for self-fladulation overtake her for penance, Phoebe is finally called.

    "Yeah, this is her, Erin. Um..." She mumbles and fumbles over her words. "How's Will? C-Can I come and see him?" She asks.


    'The Book' is also in Phoebe's possession, yet remains closed since before the whole incident started, so we believe. As Erin didn't open it during the LARP.

    Then There's Mike, one of the handful of leads of this melodrama, who did more than he might think he might have. A link to the story that the book will not allow to slip away from the ties that have been seeded.

    Also we've got to find out a way to bring Robbie into the story, so the camera will pan to the young mexican man with what could be called a shrug from the camera-man behind it, or the guy behind him with the boom mic shrugging and someone whispering, "Line. --Say your line."

Robbie Reyes has posed:
The aforementioned Mexican-American kid is working. Which he's thrown himself into with aplomb since he broke up with his girlfriend and moved into his shithole of a temporary apartment.

Work for Robbie involves -- today, at least -- arguing with some old white guy about the price of an oil change. The lanky young mechanic is in his grease-stained coveralls, wiping his hands off with an even greasier rag while he tries to talk the red-faced guy down from calling his manager.

"Look, you gotta pay what it says on the sign. I don't make the fuckin' rules."

"You're a god damn punk is what you are. You sure you even changed my oil?"

Robbie makes a face, because he sure as hell does not want to think about changing this guy's 'oil'. "Fixed your spark plugs, distributor rotor, valvetrain and gave you a new air filter, too." He counts them off on his fingers, but the guy isn't having it; he storms off, presumably to talk to said manager.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
As the arguing is going on, Mike is heading down the sidewalk near the open garage door. In his hands is a brown paper bag and a cup of coffee. He frowns to the familiar sound, turning his head. "...Robbie? Is that you?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe had answered, and though it took a small bit for a computer program to do the speaking for her. Will was fine; he was sleeping off what might be the world's worst hangover from being stoned. He was being kept comfortable and sedated in a private location. Phoebe had run a PICC line, kept him in nutrients and medications, and about an hour before Erin was to arrive, she had sent texts to Michael and Robbie, asking for their help in comparing notes, and a vague request to the Outsiders, asking for help with 'a sensitive matter involving someone getting stoned'.

    She had a sense of humor.

    Apartment 3A is on the third floor of the Curio building in Gotham, and Phoebe has cleared away the floor and arranged the furniture so that there was plenty of sitting space. The magic circle carved into the floor, though, there wasn't going to be hiding that.

    And probably not the shallow Will shaped dent in it from where his heavy body was taken for granite and was sedimentary for quite some time. A Rocky start to their friendship to be sure.

    Will was even still in his LARP Garb, minus the fact that Phoebe had removed the PICC line and his chest was probably a bit itchy, but she stood, looking at her phone as the 'multi message' icon popped up with a warning that it may charge additional funds!

Hope Summers has posed:
    Erin takes note of the time and agrees to meet Phoebe then before making sure she's safe and not going to cause anyone any more harm, by wearing long sleeves with a hole cut in the cuff so that her thumb can stick through and cover of most of her palms. Just to be safe, and feel more secure in herself. She's not sure what exactly set off Will's physical reaction to her. Though she does bring the satchel she had the other week at the LARP, just to have Phoebe or the others give them a once over to make sure that's safe too.

    About an hour and fifteen minutes later, there's a knock on Phoebe's apartment.

    Hope stands in the doorway, asking Phoebe some questions about what's going on, and who's the guy on the floor and trying to get into the loop when there's a presence behind Hope's shoulder, Erin showed up but a bit late and her hair is a mess. In fact she doesn't exactly seem super fresh, or smell fresh for that matter. The scent of body odor lingers around the woman, obviously she's not in the best state of mind, but she does ask, "I-is Will here? D-did you help him?" She asks, looking past Hope, only to Phoebe, and Mike and Robbie if they've made it up to the room in that time.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
Robbie's raking his fingers through his hair agitatedly, and getting ready to clock out when Mike suddenly appears out of nowhere. He pauses to squint at the guy, then gives an amused snort. "Nah. Figment of your imagination." He turns to head back inside. "You need something? I'm off in fourty-two seconds, so."

So, it's going to have to wait, is the implication there. He grabs his phone from where he left it atop the workbench, and.. frowns as he spots a message from Phoebe. Well, that's coincidental. "You see this?" he asks Mike, holding up the phone to show him the screen.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The phone sounds its singular tone. Mike has a message it declares. The musician looks far from pleased and doesn't make a move to grab for the phone in his pocket as it appears that Robbie has ALSO gotten a message.. He sips his coffee instead, waiting for Robbie to check his similarly notifying phone instead.

The musician tilts his head, looking to the held up phone.

It appears to be a Phoebe. And when a Phoebe messages a Robbie and a Mike around the same time. Yaaaar. Thar be monsters.

"I did /now/" Mike answers, glancing to Robbie. "That's a ways... Can you drive?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe gives a slight smile to Hope, greeting her in ASL with a 'hi' and using the regular ASL for Hope, and rolling her wrists for 'how are you' before she blinks, Erin showing up, and Phoebe presses her lips together. The mage is wearing a pair of comfortable yoga pants in dark slate and a loose fitting, long sleeved top in blue with a pink hair-wrap on covered with little Superman symbols. She blinks a moment, and then stiffens at the scent of Erin's presence and looks to Hope, then she brings her left hand up, presses against her temple, and sweeps outwards.

    <I would be happy to explain. Your friend is going to be fine, but probably very disorientated. He's lost two weeks of time, but as far as I can tell as soon as he wakes up, he'll have a headache and some cotton mouth.> she 'thinks' out to Erin and Hope, and tries to move her mouth with the spelled words. They tend to echo a bit though. Weird effect.

    She motions the two ladies in through, and m otions to the comfortable, overstuffed couch. The place looks like a cross between the higher end IKEA display rooms and someone's grandmom's. Minus the bullet hole in the wall. That's a different story.

    And the carved-and-burned-in magical circle.

    Will is laying in his garb on the love seat, which leaves two overstuffed chairs and the couch to sit on.

    <Erin. This is my friend Hope. Hope, Erin was in possession of a book that turned a beanbag into a petrification spell. She was properly mortified. She's a good person who I'm sure --> Phoebe pauses and lights a censor of strong, sweet frankensence to cover the scent of depressive episodes for the room <-- feels awful about what happened.> she pauses a moment, and she watches the smoke.

    <Will was in the weeds for a while. He pulled through, though. It took a *lot* of work... and I'm concerned that this is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. I have a couple more folks on their way over... I trust them.>

Hope Summers has posed:
    The couple of folks on their way are certainly on their way. Robbie is more than skilled enough to navigate and drive through New York traffic on a friday afternoon and even through Gotham traffic and crime.

    Hope takes all this news in amazing stride, no part of it causing her to blink or balk, though to be fair, one would be hard pressed to find some combination of words that would surprise Hope. Though there are some out there. For sure.

    "Erin." Hope says, repeating the name in greeting towards the brown haired woman and she steps in side Phoebe's apartment after allowing Erin through.

    "Th-thank you." Erin speaks, as she moves slowly past Hope and putting her eyes only on Will and frowning deeply. She very much wants to go to him, but she pauses, flinches even. "I don't want to hurt him again." She says as she reaches to her bag and lifts the strap over her head and holds it out to Phoebe, explaining, "These are the bean bags I was throwing that friday, I didn't know if it was something they did or if it was me, I-. I don't know." She seems awfully remorseful and regretful, trying to attone.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
Can Robbie *drive*? Mike's evidently never been taken for a spin in the Hellcharger. First time for everything. And the kid's definitely skilled; the car's like an extension of his own body, and the racing helmet stowed in the back seat looks recently worn.

"Wonder if that guy's woken up yet," he comments as an aside to Mike, as they tromp up the stairs to Phoebe's apartment. Then a brisk knock on the door, and a pause before he tries the handle carefully, and lets himself in. Erin he recognises, but Hope doesn't seem familiar to him. She gets a gruff 'hey' in greeting while he loiters in the doorway awkwardly.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
WILL he drive? WILL he? Wow. Who knew Robbie was Mr. Grammerly? Either way after they finish Mr. Reyes's Wild Ride, Mike gets out of the car. With more coffee than he did prior to running into Robbie. It appears they made such great time they were able to hit a shop on the way.

"Not sure." Mike responds, regarding the stoner. "It's possible." But he wouldn't take it for granite.

Mike comes to a stop as Robbie does the knocking. "Thanks for driving." He adds in before the door ends up opening, revealing the others waiting inside. He looks to each, giving a nod of greeting. Mike's eyes set upon Hope. "Ah hey. Feeling better?"

Mike really needs a better concept of how much time has passed since the unicorn incident.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <Erin, it wasn't you. Unless you had, deep down inside of you, the desire to hurt will -- which I don't think you did -- it wasn't you at all... but thank you.> Phoebe accepts the bag of beans and bags, and she holds them in her hand a moment, as if trying to determine if there was any magic left in them (which she was, trying to anyway), but then there's a knock on the door.

    <Come in.> she 'calls', though she's stopped moving her mouth. <Oooh. Coffee. Mine?> she questions simply, and she gives a slight smile. <Hope, you've met Mike.> she states, using First Names Only. <Robbie, this is Hope and Erin -- the girl from the incident.> she introduces everyone neatly, and then she herself sits down on the floor, having claimed (or stolen, who's to say) a coffee from Mike, and she assumes a lotus position.

    <Erin. I /would/ like to ask how you came into possession of the book.>

Hope Summers has posed:
    "I- No. I'd never want to hurt Will." Erin remarks and frowns, turning away from Phoebe with a jump and a startled yelp as she hears the knock of the door.

    Hope turns her attention to the door as the two men enter, waving softly towards Mike and then furrowing her eyebrows towards Robbie and then giving him a kindly wave as well. "I'm new here. Catching up, so I'll be quiet." Hope says in explination as she stands up from her cross legged seat to move up and around behind the couch and out of the way so she can lean against a wall and watch from 'afar'.

    Erin gives a nod to Robbie and Mike while swallowing at the lump of fear in her throat. "I was j-just explaining to Phoebe that I brought the be-bean bags to make sure they aren't still dangerous." She says, knowing now that the danger was in or through her. The beans are not dangerous at the moment. The girl is seated on the floor next to the couch, wanting to touch Will and hold his hand, but she doesn't, she can't bring herself to touch, the fear of risk too great to keep her from knowing that closeness.

    "The book?" Erin asks, looking to Mike, then Robbie, Will and finally Phoebe before asking, fatally, "What book?"

Robbie Reyes has posed:
How many coffees they've shown up with is entirely up to Mike, since Robbie's a hoodlum who'll drink the cheapest, blackest, nastiest shit from the machine in the garage-- and like it. Which isn't to say he's not guarding his own drink zealously; it's been a long, difficult day, and he needs it.

"What's the verdict, then?" he asks Phoebe, with a hitch of his chin toward the beanbag.. bag. Yes, he did change out of his coveralls; and no, he does not seem to own a pair of jeans without shredded knees, or any other jacket besides that lived-in leather one he shows up everywhere in. "Hey," he greets Hope with a straight-faced wink. "Who's she?" he thumbs at her in a question to Phoebe.

Which almost, but not quite, makes him miss the confusion over the book. He turns to Erin, and scowls a bit. "You don't remember? The book you were carrying when we found you?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike reaches over to one of the untouched coffees but halts as Phoebe retrieves one first. He gestures to the smaller bag he has since acquired during the pit stop. "Creamers and sugar are in the small bag."

He'll pick up coffee but he's not a mind rea-

Well not in that sense.

Mike finds a table to set the remaining coffees down along with the bag. His own drink in hand he steps away from the others.

Mike looks back over to Erin as the topic switches back to the book lady. He gives a nod as she mentions bringing over the bean bags. But the confusion to what book was being discuss does cause for his brows to raise. Robbie ends up voicing the question that comes to mind. "If anything on you was dangerous, then it would have been that book."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <She's my Obi-Wan.> Phoebe replies to Robbie, but she doesn't look at him. She instead moves the censor between herself and Erin. She looks to the smoke, as if the smoke would tell her secrets that she's not seeing, and she let out a breath, and she gives a nod.

    <She's telling the truth, Robbie. Whatever spirit was in that book had a hold on her. Possession's a tricky thing.> she considers a moment, and then she holds out her hands.

    <Erin. I would like to see if there's anything residual. I want to make sure you are comfortable before you leave my workspace. Would it be all right to hold your hands?>

    <Will should be coming out of his sleep sometime soon. Is there a coffee for him? The caffeine will help with the headache.>

Hope Summers has posed:
    Hope turns towards Robbie and shrugs her shoulders. No idea what Phoebe means by that, but she'll take it and points her fingers at her eyes, and then points a single finger towards Robbie. She's watching. For sure. Uh huh. Seems to be all she really does since returning to the Outsiders. But she's trying.

    Back at the plot: Erin takes a deep breath and a frown, looking lastly at Will with the deepest fear in her eyes as she listens to Phoebe within her head. The frazzled and semi-stinky woman pulls away from Phoebe and Robbie, but no more than leaning back and looking at their hands. "I don't want to hurt anyone else." She says, and it's easy to see that she's been a wreck since that friday afternoon and how she has locked herself off from society and people in general. "I-I-uh, I'll go get him some coffee." Erin says, trying to stand back on her feet to get out of the place. The feeling she doesn't want to touch people, to share in connection is palpable, like a fish afraid of the air even. But worse, human's need that interaction, that connection to others, even slightly, else they start to break. And after two weeks. She's showing cracks. Almost becoming a fish afraid of water.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
Robbie doesn't seem to understand the reference. Sure, he knows who Obi-Wan *is*, but what's that got to do with the redhead? He eyes the girl consideringly a moment or two more, and raises a brow at her gesture to him. He looks sort of amused.

"Hey," he tells Erin, gloved hand on the door handle to prevent her from leaving. "I'll come with you, huh? Coffee's on me. I'll getcha one, too." He flashes her a dimpled grin. She could *try* to break his grip, but she isn't going to get very far.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Judging from the blank look from Phoebe's description, Mike doesn't get it either. We got some sheltered people in this room.

But as for the coffee concern, that is something Mike can respond to. "Just don't claim the last cup and it can be his." Mike replies, looking to Phoebe "There wasn't a proper body count in the text message." So someone will be going without coffee. And unless someone in this room wants some rockstar's backwash, Mike's not the one going without. He takes another sip.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks to Hope, and then back to Erin. She lets the others talk a moment. She stays seated, but she reaches and takes off the leather band at her left wrist. She takes a deep breath and she rubs at the ring of white scroll work, a magic circle bound to her left wrist that helps hide her full aura, and she relaxes.

    <Erin. You won't hurt me. I am one who holds a spark of Creation. I have touched The Light, and not been burned. We all want to make sure that you come out of this as prepared as you can be to continue your life, whole and without fear. That's my job. I want to help you, but I /cannot/ unless you let me.> Phoebe replies with as soothing a voice as she can make. THe sweet smell of the frankensence, slightly lemony, fills the small livingroom of the apartment easily.

    <You can't hurt me.> she repeats, and she holds out a hand to Erin again, her dark eyes focused on the fleeing girl.

Hope Summers has posed:
    "I don't need any." Hope says from the wall behind the couch, giving up 'her' coffee and making sure Erin stays put. Hope crosses her arms beneath her chest and takes a deep breath, but is thoughtful to not be audible about it. Always keeping her side of the intel as minimal as possible.

    Erin pauses again and looks up to Robbie but quickly looks away past his hand and down to her own feet. "Um. I- uh. Guess I'll stay here." She whispers. Her eyes slowly turn over her shoulder to face towards Phoebe and she swallows again. Hope speaks to Erin, "It's in your best interest to give Phoebe a chance." A flicker of something hidden in Hope's eye gives Erin further pause.

    "O-okay. I-I'll try." She whispers and turns to look at Mike and Robbie, for some support or help maybe. As she's sitting down next to Phoebe, Erin asks, "Do I need to do or say anything?" She asks, holding her hand out and watching it shake in her own fear.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
He's hardly the softest, tenderest person around. But the girl's clearly terrified, and.. well, they're not going to get anything out of her in this state.

Releasing the door handle, Robbie ambles over to where Erin's sat down beside Phoebe, and settles in next to her. "It's gonna be fine," he murmurs low, though doesn't attempt to touch her. That might just make things worse. "Phoebe'll tell you what to do. And you ain't gonna hurt either of us, okay?" She probably can't smell the brimstone on him, or feel the heat that rolls off him like a forest ablaze, the sky filled with hot, black embers. Instead, only the clove he smoked out in the parking lot, the coffee he's drinking, the leather and engine grease.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike watches as the Robbie joins Erin's and he's left with a choice. Join in and possibly crowd the girl or linger behind. He compromises where he can. giving her as assuring a smile as he can from where he is. Being a performer, he's reasonably good at managing the expression from a distance. Being it's Phoebe's apartment and not a concert hall, there's not much effort really needed. "You'll be fine."

Smile.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <No.> Phoebe remarks, <Just relax. You may feel some tingling, like your fingers are going to sleep, or like when you lick a nine-volt. That's a thing that people still do, right? I've kinda been cooped up here for two weeks.> Phoebe remarks friendly-like. <Everyone else, you might see some lights. Uh... don't poke them. I have no idea if I'll feel it. Or if it will tingle on your end. Probably not tingle on Robbie.> she replies, and she takes a deep breath, downing the rest of her coffee.

    And then she holds Erin's hands, Phoebe's palms beneath Erin's.

    Phoebe closes her eyes, and feels the wounds from a demon's claws against her throat -- hidden still behind gauze -- burn slightly, but she begins to 'feed' her healing magic through Erin's left hand. She tries to feel if Erin has any more of that dark influence within her.

    And one of the reasons why she wanted Robbie, Hope and Mike present?

    ... the last time she tried to pull anything demonic from the aether, she almost died. Having your throat ripped out will make you a bit more cautious.

Hope Summers has posed:
    Erin watches with a sense of fear and concern eminating from her very being. She begins to sweat and breath heavily, her adrenaline is pumping with fight or flight blarring in the back of her head, and yet, she does her best to fight it, the calming touch of Phoebe and her abilities really seem to help the young woman.

    On Phoebe's end, and Eli, hidden within Robbie, there's again that build up of tension, that feeling of something coming to fruition, much like when Mike was about to exorcise the book in the park. With batted breath, and a silent moment, then another moment, and another moment, and ... another.

    Erin's response to the touch and the magic flowing through her from Phoebe is nothing. She feels like any other basic plain human. Not even a mutant, or a fever from a radioactive ant bite, or a need to don a mask after watching her grandma and grandpa die in an ally after a vague crime. She's boring even.

    "D-Did it work?" Erin asks, opening one eye. Seems it did wonders for her personality though, as she does feel much more open and like she might finally take a shower.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
Robbie twitches slightly as that 'feeling' washes over him. His own demon's restless, on edge; and losing control of Eli is not something he wants to happen here and now. He forces himself to breathe.. and tune in to the girl beside him.

Which is when he realises that, "She ain't possessed anymore. Like I said last time." His eyes dart to Phoebe, then Mike. Then across to Erin. "Figure whatever it was that got her, it carved out a place to hide. But it's gone now. I can feel where it was, like a.. photographic negative, you know?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike looks at Phoebe with the mention of battery licking. He shakes his head in response to her immediate follow up question. As Robbie confirms that Erin is still no longer possessed, Mike nods. "Think it was in her, THEN hopped to the book?" He wonders, "I hit it with the Call. Book seemed to move on its own prior to striking it."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    No reaction. No demons leaping out of her eyeballs, projectile body products or swords leaping into existence from the splayed and ruptured chests burst into bloody existence.

    Good. Phoebe liked her Super-Girl hairwrap. She'd genuinely be sad if it got projectile bodily products on it.

    She takes a deep breath and opens her eyes, the outlines of her iris glowing along with lines leading from her fingertips and trailing downwards -- which then fade.

    She gives a smile to Erin.

    <You have nothing to worry about.> she affirms to Erin. And she looks over to Will, who after his snooze might start waking up.

    <I would fill the hole with volunteer work. Walk some dogs or play with some cats at a shelter. Find something that you love to do... because the best cure for that sick, worried feeling?> Phoebe turns back to Erin.

    <Is Warmth.>

Hope Summers has posed:
    "Yeah. Warmth." Erin repeats softly and starts to pull her hands away, actually showing a faint smile for the first time in half a month. At least. She starts to get up, pulling her hands back and taking a deep breath. "Oh my goodness, I've always wanted to try one of those kitten swarm room things that you see online. It looks so great." Erin says, almost squeeling.

    The girl then hesitates and looks back to Phoebe, and then over to Will who rustles softly, but stays asleep. "You said there was a book, and it sounds like it did some nasty things, but you don't know where it came from?" Erin asks, "Can I see it, maybe it'll jog my memory? I won't touch it." She adds, while sounding like she wants to help with this mystery, and as Robbie and Phoebe both just confirmed, she's no longer possessed.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <I'm not sure that's a great idea...> Phoebe states, and she looks to Erin.

    And then she hops to her feet, and she goes to the bedroom behind the door, and returns with the book.

    It's wrapped in black cloth, inscribed with white symbols of protection and binding. She looks to Robbie, Mike and Hope.

    And then she places the cloth package down in the middle of her working circle, and unwraps it.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
Robbie looks a little uncertain about allowing Erin anywhere near the book. Considering even *Eli* got tetchy and anxious about whatever power was resident in the thing. He shrugs however at the request, and sips his coffee. "Wouldn't let her touch it, if I were you," he tells Phoebe.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <I'm not going to let her touch it. Erin, stay outside the circle.> she warns.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
As Phoebe brings out the book, curiosity takes over. He walks over, not crossing over into the circle but getting close enough for a better view of the book.

Hope Summers has posed:
    "I don't want to touch it, I just want to look at-" Erin stops, and stands, wanting to reach out to the book, but she stops all thought and feeling.

    Will rustles on the couch near by but that wont be heard.

    The smoke from the censor wafts awkwardly, and unusually before the book unveiled with the cloth opening and the bound front opens of it's own accord. Within the circle, things are ment to be safe, devils and demons have rules and precident they are demanded to follow. But as shown to those present, demons nor angels are involved here. Not yet.

    The book's pages start to rifle past one another and fly rapidly from the beginning to the end. In the middle, the book rises in the air and a scream is heard. Not from Erin, though her mouth is open and not from the book though it feels a world of horrors. Erin reaches out to the tome and in an instant the hollow space within her ceases fully, collapsing her form in on itself, smaller and smaller as her flesh crumbles into the void.

    Mirroring her inward self destruction, the book crinkles and bends, folding unnaturally, until it starts to bend impossibly. The flame keeping the smoke pouring from the censor is caught up in the bending of is. Giving a faint orange glow to the horrors surrounding the four in Phoebe's apartment. After about ten seconds in all, the two are gone, and the room is eerily silent.

    All that remains is a singular receipt that slipped from the book while the pages were rolling from one side to the other and a singular name is printed on the top. "Westsider Rare & Used Books" with an address beneath for the book store.