8557/Balancing the Equation

Balancing the Equation
Date of Scene:	04 November 2021
Location:	The Curio
Synopsis:	Chas helps Jon move out of the Curio and they discuss the future of the Night Brigade without the Archivist's presence.
Cast of Characters:	Chas Chandler, Jonathan Sims

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Chas Chandler has posed:
    The lobby of the Curio has three figures sitting in it this evening. One is Chas Chandler. He's seated in one of the chairs watching a little girl with brown hair twirl in place on one of the checkered tiles. The remaining figure is a blonde woman with tired eyes, but a relaxed and content expression. She too is watching the little girl with a soft smile playing on her lips.

    Chas leans over to whisper something to the woman as the little girl starts to sing. Her voice is tinny but clear as she vocali, "A wiser man than I once spoke/ That life at heart is all a joke/ But he was not embroiled in smoke/ So it's pump, me boys, before we choke!" The woman laughs silently and idly swings a hand at Chas dismissing whatever joke he had told her in the whisper.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Another voice chimes in, lower in pitch and rich in timbre, from the doorway. "Pump, me boys, let her fly / Down to hell and up to the sky / Bend your backs and break your bones / We're just a million miles from home!"

    It's Jonny Demonic himself, though he's not remotely in his old stage persona. Instead of lightning-scar makeup on his eyes and steampunk-esque demon pirate getup, he's wearing a green cardigan and black slacks and no makeup at all. But he still sings with the relish of that old character, grinning broadly from the entry to the lobby.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    The girl stops in her spinning and lets the man finish up the chorus that she had started with him. She stares, wide eyed at him in a clear expression of star stuck disbelief.

    The woman too looks up and blinks at the man. "Is that...?" she asks Chas with a puzzled expression on her face.

    Chas nods and rises. "Jon. Good to see you again" he says. He did seem genuinely happy to see the therapist. "Here to get your things, right?" He gives the man a sheepish grin. "I hope you don't mind but I brought a couple of your fans out to greet you as well. Renee, Geraldine, this is Jonathan Sims or as you know him Jonny Demonic."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon grins and strikes a pose briefly, one hand on his hip, the other one held up as though holding a gun. "Indeed it is, lass, Jonny Demonic himself, in the flesh. Or, well, whatever I have that /passes/ for flesh. You know it is when you're a demonic space pirate." He winks broadly at her.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Geraldine squints at Jon. "Why are dressed like that, and where are your scars?" she asks pointedly gesturing to her own face in reference. Her tone is probing and direct.

    Renee tsks and says, "Geraldine..." in the way that scolding parents are wont to do.

    But Chas puts a hand on her arm. "Wait... just let this one go..." he says to the woman, the grin playing on his mouth a clear sign of his amusement of what might transpire between the child and one of her idols.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon takes it in stride. He crouches down so he's on Geraldine's level and leans in a bit. "Can you keep a secret?" he says in a stage whisper. Once she nods, he says, still in the 'Jonny Demonic' voice, "Me and the crew, we're laying low here on Earth for a while. Still on the run from Captain Ferrow, don't y'know. /Might/ transpire there's something happening here interesting enough to make a new album, even, but in the meantime... I'm in disguise."

    He gestures down at himself. "Everyone /else/ thinks I'm just Jonathan Sims, mild-mannered psychiatrist. Hence the cardigan." He grins at her, a slightly manic gleam in his eye. Chas at least knows that when Jon gets into a character he /gets into a character/, rarely breaking for anything.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Geraldine shakes her head. "Or *maaaybe*" she replies, her accent almost a ringer for Jon's own, "it's because Jonny Demonic is a *character* you play and you're really just Jonathan Sims, mild-mannered psychiatrist." Even so, she takes a few steps forward and wraps her arms around Jon's neck. "Oh my God, I've always wanted to meet you!" she says exhuberantly.

    Renee puts a hand to her mouth, seeming quite emotional at her little girl's excitement. While Chas laughs and adds, "I told you had a surprise for you didn't I Pumpkin?" to the girl.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon blinks rapidly and then laughs, going back to his normal voice. "Yes, ahh... that /might/ be it. Outsmarted by a nine-year-old, /just about/ my speed." He flicks a glance at Chas and Renee to be sure it's alright, then goes ahead and gives the girl a hug.

    After a moment he pulls back and says, quite seriously, "Would you mind introducing me to that lovely lady over there who I presume is your Mum?"

Chas Chandler has posed:
    The girl nods and takes Jon by the hand to lead her over to Chas and the blonde woman. "Mummy, this Jonathan Sims, who you may know as Jonny Demonic of The Seven Righteous Sins" she says with a flourish toward the psychiatrist. "Mr. Sims, this is my mum, Renee Montague."

    The woman, Renee, holds out her hand to the man. "A pleasure to meet you" she says with a soft laught. "I've been a fan ever since... well, Francis introduced me to your music. And it's always been a staple in the home. Geraldine loves the stories, even if they are a bit violent at times."

    Chas nods. "As long as Geraldine knows they're stories... which we've already established, then I see no harm in her listening to them. Grimm's fairy tales weren't all happily ever after either."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon smiles and takes Renee's hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Yeah, ahh... it was an interesting thing to explain to our daughter when she was old enough to wonder why I was singing 'Rose Red' as being about a brutal war."

    Then he says to Chas, "I /don't/ know what you mean. /Every/ one of our stories had a happy ending." He ticks off on his fingers. "The Briar Rose got Rose Red's memories and her and Cinder got back together. Everyone /else/ they loved had died, but they were together! Ulysses got to die on their wife's grave and the Acheron got burned. Arthur survived Camelot falling into its sun. And, uhhh... Lyfrassir Edda... /probably/ didn't get eaten by Yog-Sothoth..." He grins. He's clearly joking. Mostly.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Renee chuckles. "I can imagine" she says and hides her own laugh at Jon's mocking of his own lyrics to Chas.

    Chas nods slowly. "Yeah... sure... totally Disney friendly." He sobers after a moment. "Here to pick up your things?" he asks softly. He had spoken to the man over the phone after all and had a clue as to the true meaning behind the visit.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon's grin falls away. "Yeah," he says briefly. "Umm... yeah. I..." He rubs at the back of his neck, looking embarassed. "Martin and I, we're, ahh, moving to a place in upstate New York. Still able to get down here by hyperloop, I don't know what we're... doing with the Chelsea apartment." He shrugs.

    "Regardless, ahh... well. Given the... situation, it's probably best to... well. Maybe you can find a /paying/ tenant, hmm?" Not that he wouldn't have paid rent, but Constantine was... rather insistent, after all.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas' expression is apologetic. "We'll figure something out" he says looking rather uncomfortable. "Oh, I moved the stuff from my place into your apartment here, just to sort of streamline the situation." In other words, so that Jon didn't have to go through the bar and possibly run into John.

    Renee isn't one to keep her mouth shut. "I think what John's doing to you is terrible. I thought that maybe a chance of scenery would help him grow up but no, he's the same childish, self-absobed, arrogant, arsehole of a man he was before."

    Both Chas and Geraldine look uncomfortable at the woman's outburst, but there is a note of understanding in the child's eyes that says that she hears this a lot from her mother.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "It's not his fault," Jon says automatically, defensively. "He's /sick/." Then he glances at Geraldine and closes his mouth. Sighs. "I'm sorry. It's..." He smiles to Renee. "It's fine. Really. He'll come 'round eventually." Or not. But he doesn't want to dwell on 'or not.'

    He hesitates a moment, then says, "Well, ahh... it's nice meeting you both, but I suppose I'd better... grab my things. And... talk to Chas, if he has a moment?" A pause, then, "Maybe I can come 'round again before you leave. I might be able to dig some old SRS merch out of a box somewhere for you two." He smiles, trying his best to keep things friendly.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Geraldine beams at Jon and then nods. "I'd like that, very much!" she says before moving to take her mother's hand. Renee for her part, presses her lips into a fine line. "It was nice to meet you too, Dr. Sims. Thank you... for being so understanding." Then without much else she turns and heads back to the the stairs and presumably up to the apartment she was staying in with her daughter.

    Chas rubs the back of his neck. "She's right. You're more understanding than most..." he says and gestures for Jon to follow him up to the second floor. "What's on your mind?" he asks as he heads up the stairs. There was no sign of Geraldine or Renee, perhaps they were on the second floor as well.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon sighs as he follows Chas up the stairs, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "A lot of things," he admits. "I... you weren't there the other night, when I tried to come back and apologize. I don't suppose he's said anything to you about it." He says that like he expects the answer to be no. He doesn't figure John's going around talking about him much.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas shakes his head. "Not really. Though, to be honest there hasn't been a lot of chances for him to talk to me about things." He pauses as he gets to the door to level 2 and opens it. "I've been... sort of busy myself with... things. Geraldine and her mother being here have made me realize that I can't keep myself locked up in the bar all the time. I got to get out there and... live."

    He looks back to Jon. "I know that's not really the resolution you were hoping for was it?" he asks as he heads towards apartment 2A the one that was set aside for Jon before everything else happened.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon sighs as he steps into the empty apartment. "No. But as long as people are alive, there's always a chance to fix things, right? Somehow."

    He hadn't really started moving in when he'd had the fight with John that had left with him putting his amulet on the bar, and then Martin had shown up alive, and he'd been busy with a dozen other things. So all that's there is a few boxes of his things, mostly what he'd had at the House and then Chas' loft, and a box or two of cleaning supplies and other things he'd brought over to prepare the place for moving in.

    He stands there now, staring around at it all. "I tried to say I was sorry for everything, but... he wouldn't listen. I don't know what he wants, what would... I mean, he wasn't /like/ this before. He didn't act like people had to... /grovel/ to get back in his good graces. He didn't stomp around throwing tantrums and saying that criticizing him means I'm saying he's a horrible friend." He looks at Chas. "I'm worried about him. I really am."

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas looked around the barren flat and nods. "I know. But... I'm not sure what I can do. He's a mule. You tell him to stop this, or do this, or change this and he digs in his heels and just does the oppposite. It's even come that way with me."

    He sighs and starts collecting small things that could go in the boxes. "I worry about him too. There's things going on behind the scenes that even he's not telling me about. Which is odd. I get that he has his secrets, he always does, but now he's actively trying to focus my attention elsewhere and I'm not sure why."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon folds his arms across his chest. "It's an old adage that you cannot force someone to change, and it's true. Therapy only works if the patient is willing to put in the effort to learn new ways of thinking and behaving. Interventions, forcing people into rehab... they don't work unless there's something deep down to be shocked into action. It's commendable that you're staying with him through all of this. I would myself if I could, but I've been making it worse."

    Then he fixes Chas with a hard stare. "But I meant what I said downstairs. He's /sick/. That's been my struggle, this whole time. He's been through terrible things, and in part because of that damn place," he obviously means Ravenscar, "he thinks his illness is /special/ somehow. Different, worse than anyone else's. It's not, and I've been trying to tell him that, but... I keep using the wrong words, and now it's too late. And... I'd leave well enough alone, but now he's got other people depending on him. If he flames out, he could take you all down with him."

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas nods. "I know" he says, frowning. Then something hard comes into his eyes. "But I won't let that happen. Not if I can help it. We'll power through if we have to." He looks at Jon. "We follow him, but we won't follow without looking in front of us. At least, I won't."

    "I don't think the others will either" he says with a half-hearted laugh. "We care about him, each of us in our own way, but we're not beholden to him like you might think." He looks to one side. The unspoken uncertainty plain on his face. "At least, not all of us are," he murmurs in a barely audible whisper.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "But you /are/ following him." Jon puts up a hand. "And I'm not going to say you shouldn't. I'm going to say..." He hesitates. Runs a hand through his hair. Fidgets for a moment.

    Finally, "Screw it. In for a penny, right?" He takes a deep breath. "Alright. I do /not/ think you, or anyone else, should be following John, not in the state he's in. But I cannot and will not try to stop you--that's a decision for you and the rest of the Night Brigade to make. But he's going down dark paths. He's convinced he's doomed, and I don't think he is. I don't know that it's just all that's happened to him in the past couple of months--or at least, I think it's... he's not remembering things. He's not remembering /balance/. He's so convinced the... 'light' powers are the same as the 'dark' ones that he's just going to what's quick and easy, however dangerous it is. He's out of balance, /wildly/ so."

    He shakes his head. "And I need you to understand, I'm not Christian and I don't give two shits about your view of the world. I honestly do not care about a demon /per se/. A lot of your 'demons' are just old Mesopotamian gods vilified. There is a time and a place for darkness and destruction, for blood magic, for terrible vengeance. The /problem/ is the lack of balance. That's always been his strength, walking the path between, and he's fallen off that path in a major way. And I can't set him back on it; he'd never listen to me, even if that was my place."

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas stops what he's doing and looks at Jon. "And you think I can set him back on it?" he asks. "Did you not hear me? He's keeping things, from me. Things that he won't talk about to me. I've been with him through hell and worse and he's keeping something close to the chest from me." He shakes his head.

    "I get that he's basically forging on, light and dark be damned... but I can't give up on him. All i can do is try to catch him if he plunges off the deep end." He rubs at his eyes. "I know what used to be his strength but he's fallen into bad apples and the whole busshel is ruined because of it I fear." He shakes his head. "But I'm not going to let him ruin himself or the rest of us because of it. I'm going to help him... however I have to."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon glares at Chas. "Well, /I/ sure as hell can't set him back on it, Chas. He's... he's /so/ damn sick, he /needs/ therapy but he'd never go. I can't really accurately diagnose a friend but off the top of my head he's likely got co-morbid Bipolar I and some personality disorder. Maybe Borderline, maybe Narcissistic, it's hard to say and the terms matter less than the treatments, which he's not going to /get/." He runs a hand through his hair. "Gods, that's why I even put up with everything, why I... why I feel like this whole falling out is /my/ fault, whatever other people say. I'm supposed to be able to /help/ people, and I just... made it all worse."

    He sighs and shakes his head. "Anyway, look, I... I'll be around, okay? I'll answer if you call. I'll come if you need me. Even if you just need to bitch about John, just... need the support."

    He hesitates, then steps forward to put a hand on Chas' arm. "You're stronger than you know. Of anyone, /you/ can stand up to him. Tell him to stop if he's going too far. You have a strong heart, Chas. I just... for gods' sake, man, stop letting John treat you like his damn sidekick. You're not... Robin to his Batman. You're Batman to his Superman." He makes a face. That's not a great analogy, but he'll stand by it.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas gives Jon a look, one of consideration and then nods. "I... thank you..." he says. "I'll... think about what you've said." There seems to be something behind his eyes, something churning and thoughful.

    He looks around and notices that all the random bits from Jon's time at the Loft apartment is put away in one or another box. "So I guess all that's left is to get these downstairs and into your car, right?" he asks, looking at Jon. "Unless there's something else you wanted to tell me?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon shakes his head. "I don't have to tell you of all people to watch his back. I hate this feeling that I'm... abandoning him. But..." He shrugs. What is there to say? "Like I said... keep in touch? I'll be around, I'm not leaving the country or anything."

    He eyes the boxes for a moment, then grabs one of them. He's really not strong enough to carry multiple boxes, so it might take a couple of trips.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas stacks two boxes one on top of another and lifts them both. It doesn't seem to be much trouble for him. "Where *are* you staying?" he asks, as he follows after Jon, looking around the stack to gauge where he's going. "Your old place? Or... something new?" he asks, seeming genuinely curious.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Like I said, we're moving to upstate New York. My, ahh... my new employer is based in the area." Jon's tone is cagey, and he actually glances around to be sure nobody can overhear. "We haven't talked about what to do with the Chelsea flat, but Martin's still working as an EMT, so... might be good for after double shifts. Or maybe we'll sublet it, like Zatanna suggested." He shrugs.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas nods. "Well... same goes for you. If you need a hand or just an ear... give me a call, okay?" he says as they reach the ground floor. "I'm sure Geraldine would love to see you again. From the looks of it, she's pretty taken with you." He grins. "Better tell Martin to watch out, right?" he laughs. Once outside he sets the boxes down for a moment, scanning for Jon's vehicle.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon rolls his eyes. "Chas, she's /nine/. Good /lord/ there is no amount of time that would make that joke funny. Anyway, she might wind up not liking men at all. Or anyone!" He gives Chas an arch look, as if to say 'stop being so damn straight in front of me of all people.' "She's a sweet child and I appreciate the enthusiasm. And I'll definitely come by another time."

    He walks over to an unremarkable green sedan and pops the trunk with his key fob. "Oh! One last thing." He puts the box in the trunk and goes to start pulling the key off the key chain.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas makes a face of realization. "Oh, balls, I'm sorry, mate' he replies. "I wasn't thinking, sometimes some of the stuff that comes out is just unfiltered garbage..." He shakes his head and loads the boxes he has int the trunk as well. "Just... forget I said anthing."

    As Jon starts to remove the key from his keychain Chas sighs. "Even now it seems like the end of one chapter and the start of another, eh?" He holds out his hand to accept the key. "Doesn't mean we have to go it alone, in any of them really."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "We're not." Jon hands the key over. "Even if... I think even if we made up, I wouldn't come live here. Martin doesn't really trust John's methods or security, and I don't blame him. What good are wards when you let just anyone you meet through them?" He shakes his head. "That's not... don't mind me. I'm just... paranoid." He smiles at Chas.

    "I wish you well, all of you. I really do. Things will work out in the end. I just hope..." He hesitates for a long moment, then finally, there on the street instead of in John's own building, he says in a low tone the thing he's been avoiding all this time.

    "Please, Chas... don't let him fall to the place where the gods deem him unworthy. Thoth has heard every deal he's made and every terrible thing he's done and weighed his heart lighter than a feather in the balance. Don't let him tip the scales the other way." He's trying, very hard, not to cry. "There /has/ to be a reason Thoth brought me back here, I cannot believe otherwise, and given everything... I... I'm terrified that I'm here to /judge/ him, not help him."

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas frowns at Jon and puts a hand on his shoulder. "You won't have to..." he replies. "If anyone is going to make sure that John doesn't go down the left hand path permenantly... it'll be me." He gives the shoulder a squeeze. "Put that out of your mind, mate. That's not your task. At least not this time around."

    He lets go of Jon's shoulder and stretches. "We'll make it out of this in one piece... mostly. We always do." He smiles. "Maybe, when all is said and done the four of us can have a beer together and sing some tunes. Like old times."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon regards Chas with a heavy sort of gaze. "It /is/ the Archivist's task, Chas. It's part of why we exist. To bring balance to the world. John's too powerful to leave running about unchecked."

    He sighs heavily. "I hope you're right. I /really/ do. I'd like nothing better than to sit and have a beer and sing together. Or, well... you can drink the beer. No offense, mate, but you're not that good of a singer." He grins.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas laughs. "Good point. I'll sit and listen while the three of you sing" he says, clapping Jon on the shoulder again, this time in a more friendly than concilatory manner.

    "Don't be too much of a stanger," he says turning, "if nothing else come by and sing for Renee and Geraldine. They'd love it." He pauses at the entrance to the winding stairs up the Curio. "Even if you're not part of our team... you're still a friend in my book."