Don&#39;t believe in no-win scenarios

"That's why I came to him." Jim agrees. "Schön knows his stuff. So the possession is less a concern now than the prison I have in my head of ghosts. They were elemental magi. Each had a different specialty, and they're the reason Naugus can do all those different types of magic."

Jim struggles to remember the finer details. They didn't give him much to go off of. How they were killed. Why Ixis trapped them. Or even how. Just that they were and that Naugues was only able to use so many kinds of magic because of them.

"They're trapped in there. They wanted me to talk to Naugus on their behalf. Warned me that he'd do the same to me that he had to them. Then I woke up."

Edited Date: 2016-01-28 01:05 am (UTC)

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She gives Schön an appreciative little smile. She knows there'll be costs and promises... but it might be worth it. Right now, the idea of it is helping.

But the smile fades into a more serious look when she shifts her attention back to Jim. "You think they were telling you the truth? Or do you want to believe them because you hate Naugus so much?"

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Schön inclines his head graciously--they can talk specifics later. Jim still owes him two favors, but he's someone worth keeping in fit condition to do those favors, and Naugus' marionette is not a fit condition for helping him. Besides, if what he's learning now turns out to be true, it'll be a useful insight to his rival. And Jim might carelessly shed a hair and leave it behind, or (better) opt to offer a strand in payment. But Verity is asking pertinent questions, and as he didn't meet these specters, he can't contribute to their answers.

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"I don't know." Jim admits. "At first I thought Ixis was jerking my chain, and he just wanted me to complain so you'd tell me to stop being mean to him." Jim shakes his head and sighs.

"I didn't come to you right away because I wanted to make sure it was really a thing before I bothered you. You've had to deal with enough of this since this whole fiasco started. And I trust Schon's judgement." He probably wouldn't near as much if he knew he still owed that many favors to the magi, but it's for the best. Jim's good for them either way.

"All I know is that someone begged me for help, and when ghosts are begging for help, that's a first for me and I'm inclined to at least hear them out. I don't trust Naugus as much as you do. And he's threatened me." Jim feels that is a very important point to stress. "Do I want it to be true? No. Because that means I have more reasons to worry about Naugus. But I want to do the right thing. And preferably not get haunted and/or possessed."

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It's an effort to avoid pointing out that they should both stop being mean to each other. One that involves biting her lip. But the effort is made and successful, hurrah!

The rest of Jim's points are good, and she'll consider them for a while before speaking up again. "If you want to know what's happening, I think we should call Viatorus. He's the expert."

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"Thank you." It's nice to have his judgment trusted, even if a few moments ago Jim was leery of Schön's calling Verity. That they seem to be getting somewhere (even if it includes a referral to another expert) is vindication enough, and he restrains himself from gloating. This isn't the time.

"Shall I see about getting us something to take the edge off? I know a place that delivers, if we prefer to call the young dreamwalker to us."

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That was more about timing and circumstances than it was distrust. Schön is a friend, and as such is (unfortunately) privy to Acts of Kirk. Welcome to the club, buddy! Both Schön and Verity seem fine with calling in this Viatorus, who is nearly a stranger to Jim.

He's pretty sure they spoke once, and it was all the incentive Jim needed to never seek the kid out again. Oh, he's personable enough and friendly, but he's able to see into people's heads and that is a huge helping of Do Not Want for Jim Kirk. Usually.

Tonight, however? Seems to be just what the doctor ordered.

"Yeah. O...okay. Thanks. Both of you." He'll apologize for waking the pair of them up later. For now he's just glad someone seems to know what they're doing.

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"You're welcome, sweetie." Does she know what she's doing? Not really. But she's willing to fake it for his peace of mind. "I probably shouldn't ask for coffee, but coffee, please. If I'm up, I need to be up."

While Schön's working out their order, she'll get out her phone and send a carefully-worded text.
Jim is having Naugus' dreams. Did you ever finish those drawings?

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"Quite welcome, I assure you, Captain. And thank you for coming to me." Stepping to the doorway, he gets out his phone again, enacting the ritual which summons coffee and Chinese take-out. This could take a while, after all.

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Even with all the chaos, Viatorus had managed to grab his phone to text Isidor reassurances that everything was normal. The last thing he expected was to get a text from Verity. He spends a minute hesitating before he reads the message itself.

I did. Has anyone told Naugus? He considers for a moment before adding, Would you like me to talk to Jim?

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Not yet. Yes please? He's very upset. He told Schon. Sounds like we're getting Chinese, you want anything?

Following are directions to the place in the Sphinx. Gotta love Nexus landmarks.

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No thank you. Harrowheart doesn't eat. That last part is mostly put as a reminder that he won't be in his own body when he shows up.

He has to grab a few things, but with a leather satchel slung over one shoulder, he follow the directions he's given. The more he does, the less certain he becomes about being in the right place. Nevertheless, he knocks on the door that he's pretty sure is correct.

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The door opens on a thin man in a well-tailored suit, who looks Viatorus over briefly. "Well, those duck dumplings are running late. Mr. Durant, I presume? Please come in." Stepping aside, he gestures to invite Harrowheart's undead bulk inside.

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"Oh! Hey uh..." Jim that's not Harrowheart. Harrow was in some kid's body. Remember? The one in the obnoxious green coat with fist gloves. "Shit, you too huh?" Jim gives Viatorus a sympathetic look.

"Sorry if you got woken up over this too..." The apology really extends to everyone here, Jim's just been too unnerved and nervous to really say much.

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Verity glances up when V arrives, watching him out of the corner of her eye. Her hair's a mess and she's in her pajamas with a sweater pulled over them and she can't sink any further into this chair, she's tried.

"It's okay, sweetie, you didn't choose for this to happen. Viatorus can explain what happened much better than I can." With that absolutely no pressure what are you talking about pronouncement, she abandons the warm chair by the fire so V can sit down. She'll drift over to sit by Schön instead.

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For a second after the door opens, Viatorus still isn't sure he's at the right place. He's heard Schön mentioned plenty of times by different people, but never did get around to making introductions. Hearing his name is a relief and he nods before stepping inside with a, "Thank you. I'm... usually in a different body..."

He's in for another small surprise when he sees Naugus... but it doesn't take much to put two and two together. Jim in Naugus' body... gets Naugus' dreams... After a moment to consider, he nods thoughtfully. That answers a question or two. Quickly he nods at Jim as he returns his thoughts to the present. "It's alright. Harrowheart doesn't sleep. This... just gives me something to do. I was planning on spending the night reading anyway."

Verity gets a glance and, awkwardly, a nod of a greeting, but won't move to take a seat. Fiddling with the strap of his satchel, he looks around. Schön, Verity, Jim... He decides to start with the basics. "What can I do to help?"

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"If I may suggest," the thin man offers, "it is much less difficult to be at ease with a situation when one understands it. Perhaps you could explain to the Captain what he experienced, and his options for dealing with it?"

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"I have ghosts imprisoned in my head begging for help." Jim points to his noggin with his big ol' hulking claw to further drive this point home. He's less panicked than he was before, mostly because the whole possession thing will be sorted out thanks to Schon. And as for the whole Naugus killing Jim's body?

Well, Jim's going to try to stay enough on the magi's good side for that not to become a concern. It's not a great solution, but it's the only one he's got for the moment.

"They're stuck in my head and I know no one signed up for this whole body swap fiasco but I am not getting haunted by the first ghosts I have ever met because of Naugus. Can we help them somehow?"

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"You see why I thought we could use your expert opinion," Verity adds quietly from where she's flopped down next to Schön. "As if it weren't complicated enough before."

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Though his attention is mostly focused on Naugus, he glances to the other two when they talk. Hands tighten and relax around his bag strap while he thinks.

After a moment, he regards everyone in the room before settling on how to start. "Perhaps if I could speak to Jim alone... I-I don't mean to be rude, but... When I saw what I saw, Naugus was letting me into something very personal. I don't want to betray his confidence any more than I need to."

With a small sigh his gaze rests on Jim. "Everyone's privacy has been invaded enough already as it is with this bodyswap."

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"Of course." Schön rises with an air of dignity from where he had perched, gliding toward another room. "In any event, I have a scathing review to compose on the subject of absent dumplings."

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"W-we'll just be a minute okay? Sorry guys." Naugus' privacy isn't something Jim gives a whit about in light of how the mage has been treating his body, but it does give some huge points to the 'not pissing off Naugus to the point of killing Jim's body out of spite' plan.

Once Schon and Verity have left, Jim scrubs his face with Naug's good hand.

"Thank you for checking this out for me, I didn't believe in ghosts until I woke up and holy shit I don't think I can handle this..." He sighs, not even able to keep up the pretense of being calm anymore. "I hate this..."

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"No sorries, sweetie. It's fine. Call if you need us." They both get a thin smile from her before she follows Schön to the mysterious elsewhere of the other room. She really hopes those dumplings are in the other room because she has been promised duck dumplings and she's hungry now.

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He offer the two of them a small smile of gratitude as they leave. It's easier than words, mostly because he doesn't know what to say to Verity right now, and he doesn't know Schön at all except by reputation.

Once he's alone with Jim, he moves to take a seat. One on one, discussing dreams... Viatorus calms a bit as he slips into a more familiar role. There's a confidence and calm that comes with his discussing dreams. "It's alright. It's always scary the first time, even if they're nice spirits. Try not to worry, the dead don't have much power over the living. You're safe. Now, just... take a deep breath, and tell me what happened. Everything you can remember. Even the little details, even how you felt."

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