Meribia Mansion: Rabastan Needs Some Advice

[gorgonfondness]

Meribia, the city of freedom.

As such, Master Mel has an open door policy. Meribia Mansion has guards on standby, but they offer friendly smiles and invite others in.

But Meribia is a big city. And there are other people with inviting smiles, the lovely ladies at Ramus's shop. Thanks to Draco, it's one of the only shops around that offers Wizarding sweets...

Comments

[gorgonfondness]

"I'm sure you'll be gentle as a lamb with Rabastan, honeybomb," Kyle says, taking a healthy swig of beer.

[iambetadraconis]

"Oh, I will," Elea purrs.

It sends a prickly sensation down his back.

The next hour sees much thefting of Rabastan's chips, more prickling of his back, more 'this room is hot', and more of that stupid buzzing.

"You're awfully sweet. You should spend more time here in Meribia, not Vane."

Someone's hoping there'll be a Jessica intervention happening soon.

[gorgonfondness]

"Hey," Kyle eventually says, words slightly slurred and a hand on Rabastan's shoulder.

The hand is firmer than the slurring would imply.

"I think we should go. The wife's spectin' me back an' Rabastan's m'guest."

[iambetadraconis]

So much for Jessica, but the intervention isn't unwelcome.

"Oh... Can't I come with you?" She puts on her prettiest pout.

A tension spot seems to be forming somewhere about his third eye, which isn't being helped by the drink.

"T'night? T'morrow? Iunno."

"When?" She's got a hold on his semi-cape, a 'please give me an answer' hold.

"T.. T'morrow. 'M feelin' funny. Need sl... Sl... Bed. Then vis't."

"Promise?"

"Yeah. Pir'miz."

"Wonderful! We can meet here again tomorrow and then you can spend time at my place."

Rabastan feels like he sobered up too fast. Way too fast.

"Righ'."

[gorgonfondness]

Kyle leads Rabastan out with a friendly wave to the tavern and a well-choreographed stumble.

But once they're away from the harbor, he straightens up and drops his act, keeping an eye on Rabastan.

[iambetadraconis]

For Rabastan, it's not that much of an act. He's no further in his cups than Kyle was—a little less, considering Elea's distractions.

But something's not right. He's been intoxicated before, and after all this time living here on Lunar the friends and relations of the Ausas should have seen him drunk at least once.

But tonight something is, well...

Something is off.

He's rubbing at his temples, and that rough breathing sounds...

Rather feral.

[gorgonfondness]

"What's going on, Rabastan?" Kyle asks, his earlier playful demeanor gone.

[iambetadraconis]

He can just barely hear Kyle over the droning.

"What did they put in that beer?" Pause. "I'm just ... gonna sit ... here..."

[gorgonfondness]

"Seemed fine to me," he says.

It's about here that Jessica does show up, surprised to see her almost completely sober husband. They quietly talk among themselves, Jess poking an accusing finger into Kyle's chest and Kyle shrugging. Eventually Jessica crouches down to get a look at Rabastan.

"You with us?" she asks.

[iambetadraconis]

"Yeah I'm here," he says in a snappish, growling tone. Then apologises. "I don't know why but I feel kinda ... angry..."

[gorgonfondness]

"How long have you been feeling this way?" Jessica asks, offering him a hand up.

[iambetadraconis]

Now standing he presses a hand to his forehead. His ears sound like a hive of angry bees have taken up residency.

"Angry the last quarter hour. Funny all during supper."

[gorgonfondness]

Jessica tries a spell to cure general ailments on Rabastan.

"How do you feel now?"

[iambetadraconis]

It's having an effect, but the wolf, strengthened by the alignment of celestial bodies, is pushing back against Jessica's magic as best it can...

...as well as Rabastan's efforts to restrain it.

[gorgonfondness]

Oh, but Jessica's a stubborn thing. Just ask Kyle. She ups the power on her spell.

"We might have to ask Mia or Draco about some of this, Kyle," she says. "He mentioned some nasty business in Milliways before but I didn't get a clear answer. And neither of them ever mentioned him getting like this before."

"Want me to head over to Vane, honey pie?"

"Let's see if this'll hold him over and then I'll go. A big lunk like you could probably handle this better than a delicate flower like me."

"Who's delicate?"

Jess scowls at her husband.

[iambetadraconis]

Everything seems to have stabilised. The buzzing has gone down that he can hear better, the rage is abating some, but he's still breathing hard. And sweating. And baring his teeth.

With fever-like coherency, he babbles.

"...it has ... no face..."

[gorgonfondness]

"What has no face?" Jessica asks.

[iambetadraconis]

"Th-the creature... Fog... Mist... Animals speak... Of a tall man, thin, black as shadow ... with no face and ... vines on his back... They are afraid of it..."

He remembers the whispers in the scent left by the deer. Keep moving do not stay we are frightened... And his mother's crying.

"...takes you and you are gone..."

[gorgonfondness]

"There's nothing like that here," Jess tries to reassure him. "You're in Meribia. You're safe. Nothing's going to take you."

[iambetadraconis]

"No. Is gone now. They sent it away. But..."

He swallows hard.

"Mind broke. Pieces in wrong. Can't fix it. Althena tried. Wolf won't let."

[gorgonfondness]

"Healing takes time... You'll be all right, Rabastan. You will."

"Hey Jess," Kyle says. "Think we should get him home before you get the others?"

She nods and steps back so Kyle can get Rabastan. With that decided, she heads back towards the mansion and the city gates, on her way to Vane.

"C'mon, pal. We're gonna make sure you get some rest. Jess'll be back soon."

[iambetadraconis]

He'd like to protest that, say that the disease of lycanthropy means healing is stunted, incomplete, but the rage left him extremely tired when it began to simmer down.

Getting to the mansion still standing on both feet is a miracle.

That comes undone when he slumps into the first chair he sees, all limp like a rag doll.

[gorgonfondness]

"Hey ladies, would you mind getting this guy some tea?" Kyle asks, waving down the closest maids once they're inside. "Whatever you guys fix when Mia and Draco come by'll be fine."

"Daddy?" asks a nearby Rachel, wandering around out of bed.

"What're you doing awake, pumpkin?" he asks his daughter, picking her up.

"You and Mommy were both gone."

"Well, Uncle Rabastan ain't feeling too good, so Mommy went to visit Auntie Mia and Uncle Draco. She'll be back soon."

"Okay," she says, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes so she can wait for her mother.

[iambetadraconis]

Hovering somewhere between sleep and awake, his exhausted brain conjures up images of the wolves he's seen in his dreams. Skinny. Black. Featureless human-like white heads. Vines.

They walk about the hall, weaving amongst the furniture. Crawling along the walls. Peeking out of doors.

He twitches. He growls. He bares his teeth. His hands curl like claws. He glares at the phantoms, eyes tracking their movements as if they were real. He thinks they are.

They come for him he'll fight back.

They won't dismember him this time.

[gorgonfondness]

Strong hands grab him by the wrists and a gentler hand is on his shoulder.

"Uncle? Uncle, what's happening?"