InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "you know you love me"

Syd(ney) Barrett (_donttouch) wrote,
@ 2017-05-17 21:08:00

And, as they had discussed, the next day was back to work. She had gone to Cary first, the intention to find Kerry, but with a pleasant sidetrack of talking with the scientist. He did, in fact, have some poking and testing that he wanted to do --something about more theories that the journal brought up -- so Syd forced herself to stay still for the prodding. It worked, for the most part, particularly after Cary saw her trying and eased the tension with a little talk. Simple stuff, how he thought she could continue harnessing her ability and an unknown echo of
what Hank had said about part of it being psychological. The conversation also turned toward the light saber, with questions about whether she felt any after effects and if she'd like to continue working with that. Knowing all too well the stability that came with knowing the person you cared about could take care of herself, Cary saw nothing wrong in giving both Sydney and David that peace of mind. Just in case. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worse.

Syd, naturally, was pleased to continue being his guinea pig in that respect.

Afterward, it was Ptonomy she found next, which was actually perfect because she needed to bribe him into a favor soon. And what could she possibly offer the memory man? Pancakes. He loved them but couldn't cook them. Baking was apparently more his bag. So favor was exchanged for favor, and she couldn't quite help herself in innocently asking about yesterday afternoon, which had him looking at her suspiciously before she flitted away.

It all led her to Kerry, who had been heading over to Cary and her punching bag. But sparring was so much more fun. So that was exactly what they did, an hour and a half of moving and trying to best one another, moves and tips given from the younger girl as Sydney tried to get one over her. Still didn't work; the student still had much to learn from the master. They were about to switch when Kerry brought up a good point; had she tried with someone else? Other than David, because Kerry liked not having an explosion to worry about, thanks. Syd snorted, giving a shrug, but then she got to thinking about it. Maybe she should change it up. "I should find Rudy or Ptonomy and ask."

"Yeah, you should." Kerry thought that could possibly be interesting, grinning. "You get a hold on telekinesis and could toss things at me." Rudy wouldn't.

With that thought in mind, Syd wandered over to David's bedroom, figuring he wasn't there yet but would pop his head in relatively soon. She debated telling him about the newest plan, or letting him suss it out. Mostly because she was curious whether people were the same to him when they were switched. Humming, she plopped on the bed and sat cross-legged, going over various ideas in her head as she waited.

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xgene
2017-05-18 02:46 pm UTC (link)

Back to work. David's work was finally having The Conversation with the Birds about all the crazy his head was providing. Even if it was more Melanie's thing, the psychological, Oliver was a telepath and might have some insight, so as much as it distressed him to talk about it with two people in a room looking at him and trying to understand and assess and study... this was the best way to do it. Efficient or something. Two Birds (haha) one stone.

And so they talked. Every detail he could actually remembered was offered: the first time his mind split apart when trapped in his own mind by Farouk; when it happened again, Rationality returning as Anger decided to literally take the reins and push him out; then the last, some kind of bizarre arrogance and confidence that made David uneasy, a persona that had full certainty in every power at David's disposal and having no qualms about using them when the time was right. The circumstances for each of their formations he details as best he could, in case it was relevant.

The thoughts he got back were a mixed bag. Oliver, the telepath, thought they were a byproduct of his power. Telepathy and being the key phrase, as the telepathy was obviously the primary cause, but the and seemed to be the rub -- there was so much to deal with, a lot of power crammed into a person that didn't feel they should have it (Melanie's commentary) and couldn't deal with it (David's translation), that his own mind and its power was doing what it could to remain some kind of sane with it. While making him completely insane in the process.

Melanie wasn't entirely convinced it was inevitable, as Oliver thought it was. She thought there was more psychology in it, David's belief that he couldn't handle all of this making it happen as opposed to a natural side effect of telepathy and. At the end of it all David wasn't entirely sure what to think about it. Melanie set a time tomorrow to start diving in and, essentially, 'meet the family' in his head, something he absolutely refused to get into today. Another minor delaying tactic, but after being handed such conflicting viewpoints, he wasn't really feeling up to ruining what minor consensus there was upstairs by dragging every persona out to be analyzed.

So for now, he just went right back to his room to collapse and hide for a while. Which he could do with Syd there, seeing her on his bed an added benefit than truly being alone with his thoughts. Stepping in, door closed, motioning for her to scoot and make room, David said nothing as he crawled onto the bed and simply collapsed, grabbing a pillow and shoving it over his face. Why can nothing be simple? A projected thought, spoken that way so he could keep smothering himself with the pillow for a few moments longer.

Once those few moments were up, he pushed it away and sighed. "In true married couple fashion, the Birds have different views as to what's going on with my head. Oliver thinks it's permanent, Melanie isn't sure." Of course. The scientist and psychologist -- black or white versus all the grey in the world. David looked to Syd, managing a rueful smile. "How's you day been?" Hopefully better.

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_donttouch
2017-05-18 05:54 pm UTC (link)

Looking up from her thoughts, currently the contemplation of lamps and how to fix them, Syd offered a smile in hello. But she was quick and easy in the movement of scooting over, even if the action of pillow-smothering had her amused. “Rough day at the office, dear?” The projected thought her answer, her smile turned sympathetic. The meeting must have gone awkwardly. “You’d probably be a little suspicious if things were simple for you.” Especially things of this nature. Hell, she would be a little suspicious if things went too swimmingly.

Stretching out, she turned to give David her attention fully, watching him with a tilted head for a minute. “Yelling into it might help?” A suggestion before she saw his pretty face and he went over the basics of the meeting. “Well. Shit.” She paused, pressing her lips together in thought. “Which do you think? Which do you want?” That certainly cleared up a whole lot of nothing, though. And the two schools of thought were so different that any compromising would be difficult too. She definitely understood the pillow.

“I wish I could share the relative goodness of my day.” As in push some of her good day onto his. Fidgeting with the ring sans pop, merely because she liked to do so now, Syd chuckled. “It was good, though. I talked with Cary – he poked me—“ Her facial expression shifted to show how much she didn’t like that. Ugh. “But it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. We were talking about my plan for working on my power, and he also asked if I’d be willing to continue studies with the light saber. I don’t mind being a guinea pig for that.” Obviously. “Then I found Kerry and we did our routine; except she wants to change it up and wants me to try to switch with Rudy. So I can—“ Syd paused there, moving her fingers in air quotes because of course Kerry would want this. “Throw things at her. Which means that I get to go find Rudy and ask him if he’d like to be blonde for a little while.”

“I ran into Ptonomy too.” She grinned then, adding some levity in. “Asked him how yesterday was. He knows something’s up but can’t figure it out, and it’s really funny to watch.”

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xgene
2017-05-18 06:58 pm UTC (link)

This was one case where he would have loved a simple answer. A simple answer to a complicated problem. Sure, it might've sucked to have been told something like, 'Sorry, you're just crazy, deal with it.' At least closure would have come from accepting that and moving on. But now there was conflict, two opinions, confirming at least that neither of them had ever heard of this happening before. Which also sucked. Yeah, David did kind of want to yell into the pillow.

But he didn't. If he let any of what was brewing inside go, shutting it down would be difficult. Better to just... take this all in strides. Baby steps.

"I wish I knew what to think," he said with a sigh. "My 'rational mind' told me that my power made it happen, at least with him. Some kind of self-preservation, I guess." But if that was what was happening with all the others? David wondered if that was pointing to even bigger problems. Melanie's methods might help stop more from developing, but he had a fear that the personas in his head already were there to stay. "I'd love to be in one piece one day, but I'm not optimistic." That was generally how he was feeling. A blend of both -- Oliver's permanency mixed with Melanie's thoughts to stop it from getting worse. Maybe.

God. Complicated. So complicated.

Better to hear about Syd's own day, which if it was good? David was cool with. He could do the vicarious thing. Certainly sympathetic about the dislike of being poked (David didn't like being studied at all, and yet...), he listened to the rest happily from where he lay, looking up at her as she spoke. More lightsaber testing, fair enough -- he knew now to expect more calls to charge said lightsaber so his girlfriend could keep being a badass. The thought of her being a badass in Rudy form though, that had him grinning. "You'll finally be taller than me." That was his helpful commentary on that score. Rudy was at least two inches taller!

As for Ptonomy, well. "It's only a matter of time before he connects his brain pictures of how everything looked before and after to us." With a memory like that, the kind David really, really wouldn't want, it really was a mere countdown. "What'll kill him is how." And there was the true comedy of it!

"When were you thinking of tracking Rudy down?" David's eyes wandered as he scanned the various buildings of Summerland. "Looks like almost everyone's making their way to Melanie's office right now." Cary was the farthest away, but even he seemed to be en route.

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_donttouch
2017-05-18 08:19 pm UTC (link)

There was the option of a third opinion but, in spite of thinking it, she was not going to even try to suggest that one. There were only two other people she knew who could possibly help, but that could also possibly be like having someone who by poking a beehive.

"You did say it all has mother hen tendencies. Mother henning isn't always good or whatever though, right?" Her mouth pressed in a thin line while thinking, eyebrows furrowing slightly. “Hopefully, they can at least help keep you one and three rather than one and ten or something.” There was more thinking and then she realised something, eyes wide. “You’re going to have to have group therapy, huh?” With himself. Like in the car. She studied him quietly for a minute, solemn before her mouth tilted in a half smile. “Let me know afterward and we can figure out something really fun to do.” Something fun and stupid and distracting, allowing him to talk about it or not on his own terms.

Speaking of distracting, Syd had to pause at the comment of being taller, which made her laugh. "I didn't think about that. Might have to watch out for the thin air way up there." The woes of being on the short side of average amongst giants. Nodding in agreement in regards to Ptonomy, she affected an innocent look and shrugged. “Obviously, we have no idea. We didn’t get back in until late.”

“Oh? Did we miss the memo?” Curious! But she made an amicable motion of her head. “Now can be good. You up for the entertainment?”

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xgene
2017-05-18 08:51 pm UTC (link)

There were only two options. If Oliver couldn't help on the telepathic side, then that was it. But it sounded like he would be helping Melanie to explore the potential of fixing things, or stopping things from getting worse. Thankfully he hadn't just thrown his hands up, said it was done, and walked away. So... two options. David was still going to try, going to humor whatever Melanie wanted to try, just in case.

"Every time I've freaked out about something, it," the mother henning, in a sense, "goes overboard." And since he had a tendency to freak out a lot? It could keep getting worse and worse. It all boiled down to the fact that he was an incredibly imbalanced person with coping skills in all the wrong areas for the kind of life he'd been thrown into. Or something like that. But yeah, maybe, just maybe, they could put a stop to this happening again. "Melanie wanted to do that today," he replied with a roll of the eyes. "I asked if I could have a day to come to terms with the idea of group therapy with myself."

He was definitely going to need something fun to do after. "It's gonna have to be really fun to get over this special kind of therapy," he grumbled, but was smiling soon enough anyway, knowing he'd be fine with just about any distraction after something like that. Company outside of himself would be fantastic.

"It's why I'm so clumsy, obviously. Always a little woozy from the lack of oxygen." Duh. From there he simply shook his head and shrugged. "No idea what he's talking about. We just got in and crashed." So innocent. Perfectly so.

On the subject: "Maybe they're having a meeting about all the stuff moving around so mysteriously." Grinning, he sat back up and dragged himself back to his feet. "Fiiine." Dramatic for the sake of it. "Let's see you all tall and handsome if Rudy's up for it."