9368/So You Met The Local Cult Leader...

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So You Met The Local Cult Leader...
Date of Scene: 29 December 2021
Location: Recreation Lounge: Triskelion
Synopsis: After talking to Caitlin Fairchild, Cael comes to tell Jon how it went. (Badly. It went badly.) But at least they both have hope for the future.
Cast of Characters: Jonathan Sims, Cael Becker
Tinyplot: Path of Glory


Jonathan Sims has posed:
    When Cael texts him, Jon is sitting in his office doing some research. He considers whether to meet her there, but he decides to leave the suite and head out to the lounge, bringing his research with him. So when Cael comes to see Jon, he's sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee, still doing his research. It passes the time.

    Said research? Marking up a copy of the Bible, flipped right toward the back. He's going back and forth between the Bible and a his phone, and when Cael walks in he's got his pen in his mouth and is frowning at the book, head tilted. "Mmmm," he murmurs around the pen. "Conquered him by the blood of the Lamb... but who'll his Lamb /be/?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    There's a brief falter in Cael's step as she sees the book that has Jon's rapt attention.
    It makes sense. Hell, she almost should have expected. And yet... she hates seeing it there. She hates that book.
    She makes no comment, however, as she makes her way over to the couch - dropping heavily onto it, and patting the cushion beside her. That's all the prompting Bear needs to jump up onto the couch, and crawl his way into his person's lap, leaning his head up against Cael's chest as his tongue lolls out cheerfully at Jon, and his tail wags behind him. Couch time with his person! YES!
    At least someone's living their best life.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon blinks and looks up, pen still in his mouth. "Hmm? Oh! Cael!" He pulls the pen out of his mouth, caps it, closes the Bible in his lap. "Sorry, I was doing some research, you know how I get when--" He pauses. Frowns.

    "Well, maybe you don't, come to that."

    He puts the book on the table next to his coffee, so it's out of sight. "So how are you doing? I know Oblivion was a little, ahh, weird, but..." He shrugs. "We'll be doing future meetings in Shadowcrest, I think, at least until people can put their heads together about something longer-term. Atrun and Meggan seemed to have good ideas."

Cael Becker has posed:
    A ghost of a smirk flickers over Cael's expression at Jon's words. "Somehow it doesn't surprise me, though," she says in a dry tone, before letting Jon go on for a bit about the meeting.
    She strokes at the dog in her lap, glancing aside at the man beside her, then back down at the cheerfully panting pup. She doesn't answer Jon immediately, instead allowing a moment of silence before she remarks, "I went to church."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon stares at her, blinking, mouth half-open. Starts to speak. Stops. Frowns. Puts up a finger. Frowns again, and shakes his head.

    "...I'm sorry, come again?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael keeps her gaze directed down at Bear as she answers her friend's confusion, her voice soft. "I went to talk to Caitlin Fairchild," she explains. "I though- I hoped- that if I explained my experience to her, if I really let her know- if she could hear it from me..." She takes a deep breath in, and lets it out slowly as she shakes her head.
    "She was kind. She listened, but- she didn't hear. She- well. She says there's only two possibilities. That you're some //mastermind// that's fooled and manipulated all of us... Or that I got exactly what I deserved."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon blinks at Cael for a moment and then laughs weakly. "Me? A mastermind? Lord, if I were that good would I have had any pushback on my proposal at the meeting?" He shakes his head and rolls his eyes. "Not that I actually mind. I think it was the best outcome. But surely a master manipulator wouldn't want to share power with Zatanna and John, hmm?"

    He sighs. "She's..." He hesitates. "There's, umm, a paradox known to psychological research... the backfire effect. Basically, it's a form of confirmation bias. Some people, when presented with evidence that challenges their beliefs, will reject that evidence outright. In fact, sometimes it will only make those beliefs stronger as they convince themselves that the evidence being presented is wrong."

    There's a faint tension in him. "It's... terribly common in people who are, or have been in, a cult. Bringing someone out of that kind of thinking requires... not trying to convince them they're wrong. You, umm... it's best, for one, to be kind. Part of cult indoctrination is convincing someone that only in the cult can they be loved and appreciated. And giving them information does help. But you have to kind of... you have to speak from within the language of the cult, a lot of the time. Appeal to authority, avoid loaded language about how 'bad' things are. Telling her what Michael did to you, it... probably just confirmed to her that she's right, because, well, as you said--either I'm a terrible mastermind, or you /deserved/ your fate. Which only makes her cause more right, more righteous." His tone is sad, his expression solemn.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...so I fucked up," Cael remarks quietly, letting out a heavy sigh. //Great//. "I just- I thought... I really hoped..." She shakes her head.
    "I asked her to //ask Michael// if what I said was true or not but- yeah. I guess when he confirms - if she ever asks him at all - she'll just... She'll know I deserved it."
    She glances aside at Jon, then back to Bear again before she adds, "I just felt like I had to try - while I could still talk about it. While I could think about what happened without locking up in terror. You know?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Hey." Jon reaches over to put a hand on Cael's, where she's stroking Bear's head. "You meant well. And eventually, maybe that knowledge will help. Perhaps she'll see you, your courage and your burning desire to protect people and do what's right, and she'll think... 'how can that person be bad? How can she have /deserved/ what she got?'"

    He sighs. "Or... maybe she won't. It could be that Michael has her mind controlled as much as he had you... but it's also possible she just /believes/ that strongly." He shakes his head. "I mean, people think that way all the time. They'll see someone who does good things, but violates some precept of their religion, and say 'that person /must/ be bad.' It's not... exactly /new/."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael's hand goes still under Jon's as she sits there - staring down at her dog, and at their hands.
    "Thanks. I, uh... I didn't really think it would work," she admits. "But I'd hoped, you know? I don't want to fight people. I don't want to hurt anyone in this stupid war. But even if it had worked... I suppose someone else would have stepped up.
    "It'd be better if whoever it was, //wasn't// a //Titan// though. You know?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon pats her hand and then pulls his away, the black ring on his middle finger catching the light briefly. "We've got non-lethal measures to take people down. I'm going to give that order, and I'm sure Zatanna and John will agree--and I'm certain most of our allies will too. Don't kill humans. They're being tricked, misused, mind-controlled."

    He sits back a bit, frowns. "Because she's well-known? You think that's making it worse?" A pause. "I, ahh, I /did/ tell Troia about the problem. I don't know what she can do, but... I figured it was worth a shot."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "And what guarantees do we have that they're going to follow the same rules of engagement?" Cael remarks in a dry tone. "Even with our ICERs... It's gonna be a mess, Jon." But they knew that already.
    "I just - I've been trying to find the ways I can help us prepare. Help our side of things. And I hoped... I really hoped I could use what happened as a... possitive, somehow. Use it to our advantage." She lets out a quiet laugh as she adds, "Hell - I'd get on internation TV and tell my story to the world if I thought it'd help us save reality." She'd be seen. Would she be recognized? Did that really matter, compared to all of //this//?
    "Of it's making it worse. She's a Titan - it lends credence. An air of authority, and trustworthiness."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "We don't," Jon says bluntly. "But that doesn't change what's /right/. These people... if they knew what was coming, how many of them would be flocking? How many that will fight would, if they /knew/?" He shakes his head. "And even if they would... does that make it right, to kill them? I... I don't know."

    He sighs. "I won't blame you if you kill a mortal in self-defense. I won't hate you. But... I don't know that I can."

    After a moment, letting that hang in the air, he smiles. "So... I'm a terrible evil mastermind, hmm? I tricked you all with, what, illusions? Magic? Mind control? And all of this is backed up by a Titan, of course." He rolls his eyes. "I don't know why I was ever worried about our /image/."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I don't plan on killing any humans in this," Cael answers. "I'm just hoping they don't kill me while I'm sparing their lives, is all."
    Leaning forward, she gives Bear a hug, before turning her head towards Jon - a small, but amused smile growing on her features. "Yeah, that's about the gist of it. You've beguuiled all of us I didn't know you were so //powerful// - but I guess the cat's out of the proverbial bag, now."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon tenses, for a moment, when Cael mentions one of those people killing /her/. His brow furrows, slightly. But, no, he's not focusing on that just now. He's /not/. It does no good, so he's going to just move on past it and not dwell on the idea of how many people they might lose.

    Instead, he smiles broadly. "I /am/ terribly charming," he admits. "/Such/ a good liar. And I'm /such/ a powerful master magus that I had to invent an archangel just to provide myself with a powerful-enough seeming foe to impress everyone. I'm certain I'll look /very/ dashing and brave when I stand atop Michael's corpse."

    He actually stands, puts one foot on a coffee table, puts his hands on his hips, shoulders back to puff out his chest. He points his chin and looks off into the middle distance nobly. His voice drops into a stereotypical 'superhero' tone to declare, "'Lo, I was wrong, the foe /can/ be vanquished! Fear not, citizens, for I, the Archivist, have saved you all!'" His eyes twinkle, and he can't help the hint of a smile through the ruse.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Look. If you do that, then I'm allowed to waterballoon you right in the fuckin' face, Jon. It's in the rules," Cael points out reasonable.
    "So go ahead," she encourages him. "...make my day. I'll get my ammo ready so I'm prepared." Hell - if she'd had some //right now//...
    "What're you going to do after we win this thing? What's the first thing?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon holds the pose for just a moment longer, then breaks down into a grin and goes to lean over and give Bear a pet since he hadn't had a chance yet. Then he drops back down onto the couch next to Cael.

    "First thing? Honestly? Probably cry with relief." He smirks. "I know, terribly heroic. Second thing...? I... don't know. Sleep for a week?"

    He's not thinking that far ahead. It'll just make him sad, if he thinks about it for too long.

    "What about you? First thing. Dye your hair again?" He raises a brow.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...that's not a bad idea, actually," Cael agrees in a thoughtful tone. "Literally wash my hair of all this bullshit..." She goes silent for a moment, then shakes her head.
    "That's not the first thing. First thing is I go to a Thai place for some spicy noodles, and a stiff drink to go with with them. //Then// I'll go get my hair dyed. ...then I'll sleep for a week." Crying'll probably fit in there somewhere, though.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I could be talked into Thai," Jon muses. "I might go to the little kebab place 'round the corner from the Laughing Magician, myself. It's hard to turn down good kebab. But... I could be talked into spicy noodles instead. And a /very/ stiff drink."

    He eyes her for a moment. "Do you believe in us? Really? Even after everything that's happened? Do you believe in... /me/?" He cannot afford to doubt his own ability now, jointly leading the Justice League Dark. Cannot let Atrun's words at the meeting get to him too much. He just has to prove himself. But Cael has more reason to doubt him than most, and better reason than Atrun.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I'd be lying if I said despair doesn't whisper in my ear sometimes," Cael answers with a small, sad smile. "Before, uhh... Before Raphael helped me find some modicum of peace, before I had Bear here to bolster me up - I'd wonder if it was worth fighting. I'd think back to the moment where I surrendered to Michael, and how good it felt, and wonder if- well. If it was really worth struggling at all."
    She shakes her head. "But I'm not just going to lie down. I'm not going to give up on my friends, on my world, on the people in it. I don't know if I'll see the other side of this fight or not - but I know I'll do everything I can to see that the world - the universe - survives this, no matter what it costs me. And... Jon, you've been the one stepping up to the plate. You need people at your back, and at your side. But... we have to do this. We don't have a choice."
    She shrugs her shoulders, looking back down at Bear as she remarks quietly, "Besides - I don't think an Archangel comes down from heaven to tell me to get my head out of my ass, and back your plays unless... well. Unless you're really and truly on the right track."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon snorts. "I suppose you have a point. But I'm not going to let it go to my head. If this hinges on my choices, then I need to think through those choices. I need to remember what we're fighting for, and not get too puffed up with my own importance."

    He stares at the far wall, his gaze going distant. "Honestly... when this is all over, the first thing I'm going to do--or at least, what I'll do when I get the first chance--is sit down with Chas and listen to every album of my old college band." He smiles, expression growing fond and nostalgic. "He still loves those albums. His daughter, Geraldine, she's got the songs memorized." His chuckles. "Meeting her was the only time in my life I've felt like a celebrity. Even gave her an autographed band shirt--which I /cannot/ believe I had sitting around. I think Martin kept them." He shakes his head, ruefully.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...college band?" Cael asks - letting out a laugh.
    "Okay. How about this. I pick the noodles. You pick up the kebabs. Chas brings the booze," she suggests, just casually inviting herself along to Jon's 'rock session' with his old friend.
    She glances aside at Jon before she adds, "Or, you know, you tell me to fuck off because you need some time alone with your friend."
    Hey, at least she's aware she might be imposing. That was something, at least.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Depends on how much you like overly clever literary references and folk-style filking," Jon smiles, a little wryly. "Though I suppose our last album owes more to Rush than folk, really." He shrugs. "It all seems somehow simultaneously over-earnest and overly edgy, now, but it was a good time, and we made some good music." He raises his brows at her. "I do warn you, however--it's /terribly/ nerdy."

    That warning delivered, the smile fades. "Are you alright? I know it must've been difficult, re-visiting what Michael did to you."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Can't promise I'll make it all the way through the album. Depends on how free we are with the whiskey," Cael counters.
    The smile she's wearing fades at Jon's question, as she looks down at Bear again, then back to her friend once more. "I had Bear with me. He's- he really helps," she answers. "And Caitlin was kind, at least. And she listened." She lets out a sigh. "It wasn't easy, but... I have to be able to remember, yeah? To think about it without... without collapsing under the weight. So... I mean, it wasn't great - but I'm alright.
    "And like I said, if that story can help others - can help us get out of this mess somehow. If I can somehow turn what happened to me into a positive - then I'll do it."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon nods. "I suppose we'll see," he says. "I don't know how much propaganda we'll need. I... I don't know. I don't want to put you through that unless we need to."

    He frowns at Cael for a long moment, then shakes his head. "Anyway... I think it's about time to be getting some dinner. Did you want to come to the Food Court with me? Martin's catching up on his sleep, so I figure I'll just grab something before I go back home." It's an innocuous enough offer, given with a friendly smile.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Hell, I don't want to go through it needlessly either," Cael agrees. Not least of all because it could mean exposing her identity - and letting her enemies know where she lives. Even if they conceal her name - they'll still know to look in New York for her.
    Rubbing Bear's shoulder, she looks down at the pup as she asks, "What do you think, Bear? Are you hungry? Yeah? You want food? Yeah? Food?"
    Bear's ears perk up as Cael talks to him - letting out quiet wuff at the first 'food' and a louder one at the second.
    "I think that's a yes," she agrees, flashing Jon a smile.
    After a deep breath she adds, "Thanks for taking the time away from your research, by the way."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon shrugs. He stands and grabs up the Bible and the coffee on the table. Downs the coffee and tucks the book away under his arm. "Really it's filling the spaces in between doing other things. It'll take some time anyhow, I don't have all the data that I need. Have to speak to a couple of people, hunt down some apocrypha, observe the subject." Another shrug.

    "Anyway, I don't think they have spicy noodles, but I /do/ think they have those cookies Wilson likes so much. Think we should pick some up for him...?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    Observe the 'subject'? Cael's eyes narrow for a moment, but she doesn't comment.
    Instead, she remarks cheerful as the pair leave the room, with Bear padding alongside them, "I dunno. We'll have to wait and see if I //save// him any."