Phoenix Place, Friday night

[sharp_as_knives]

After this evening, hearing some of the things that had happened at the carnival and finding only a few tantalizing clues to solve the mystery of it, Hannibal came home, made himself a bit of tea and a nice meal, and settled in to relax for as long as he could.

Of course, for him, relaxing included rethinking every possible angle of everything going on, but he was alone and in a comfortable chair; that was the important part.

[OOC: Expecting one, but open to anyone who feels they might want to drop by! Also if anyone wants/needs a place to stay, though if you don't know Hannibal, be prepared for him to grump at you. :)]

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[trigons_child]

"She will feel whatever I decide she will feel," Raven growled. "And I grow weary of these questions. I should end your life now, for questioning me."

Yet even as she made the threat, she could feel the human half of her stirring, prepared to resist any such attack.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Would that make you happy?" Hannibal asked. "Are you capable of happiness?"

Because if he kept asking questions, she'd either answer them, start to try to kill him and have her human side break through again, or try to kill him. It was a no-lose situation, really.

[trigons_child]

"I said enough of these questions!" Raven said.

She dug her claws into the arm of her chair (rude, Raven, rude). "Must I tear out your throat for you to stop? For I will."

[sharp_as_knives]

At least she wasn't knifing them.

Hannibal nodded to acknowledge the point, though if she hadn't made a move to yet, he was more confident she wouldn't. "You could always answer them, to yourself if not out loud. Are you afraid that you won't like the answers?"

[trigons_child]

"I said enough!" Raven snarled. She swung her arm out, claws poised to tear into Hannibal.

But her human side, submerged though distantly aware of what was happening, wouldn't let her follow through, not with a friend, not someone she cared about. "No!" she cried, and fell back into her chair, eyes wide and looking frantically about, unsure about what had just happened.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal watched her for a moment, then picked up the tea and handed it to her again, keeping a hand on hers. "How are you feeling?"

[trigons_child]

"I...I am not certain," Raven said. Everything seemed fuzzy in her mind, and she wasn't even certain how much time had passed. Her demon side was still clawing inside her, though it seemed not as strong as it had been when she'd first arrived at Hannibal's doorstep.

"I remember trying the guided meditation to calm me, but...what happened?"

[sharp_as_knives]

"We talked about what it is that part of you wishes for," Hannibal said. "Do you feel calmer now?"

[trigons_child]

"I feel more in control," Raven said carefully. Her heart was still racing, though.

Her expression turned distressed. "What that part of me wished...? You spoke to her...to me? Dr. Lecter, that is dangerous."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled back and squeezed her hands. "I'm speaking to you now, too. If I'm to help you, I should understand you, don't you think?"

[trigons_child]

"But I could never forgive myself if I were to hurt you," Raven said, shaking her head. "I have spent my life trying to deny that side of myself. The times I have failed weigh heavily upon me, and I do not wish you to become victim to another such failure."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Nor do I," he assured her. "But you haven't hurt me, nor do I believe there was much of a chance of it." They'd discuss the problems with denial another day. "Do you feel calm enough to try to reach for Jono again?"

[trigons_child]

Raven closed her eyes, trying to reach out with her empathy to find Jono. Usually she was able to pick out his emotional signature if he were anywhere on the island, and while she did feel a faint trace of him, it was blunted with pain and despair, so much so that it made her gasp and break the connection.

"I think I felt him," she said. "But it was also not him. And something powerful pushed me away."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal frowned and shook his head. "I think you should stay here until morning. We need more information about what this is and how to combat it."

[trigons_child]

She wanted to protest, but she had to concede that Hannibal was right. As worried as she was about Jono, and even though she felt a little more in control, she was still unsettled and off balance, and going into the carnival again without resting her body and mind could result in it succeeding in influencing her this time.

"Yes," she said, nodding. "That would be wise. And I thank you for the offer of shelter tonight."

[sharp_as_knives]

"You're quite welcome." Hannibal smiled at her. "I would be a poor friend if I didn't. And now, because you know I must ask - would you like anything to eat?"

[trigons_child]

"Thank you, but I do not feel very hungry right now," Raven said. At the moment, her stomach felt like it had an overabundance of butterflies loose within it.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I will try not to take that as a personal insult," Hannibal teased. He smiled at her. "I understand your nerves, but Jono will be fine. And so will you."

[trigons_child]

"I pray that you are right," Raven said softly.

And with a twist of shame, she added, "And I am sorry that you had to see that side of myself."

[sharp_as_knives]

"I'm not," Hannibal said. "I'm pleased to have had the opportunity." He smiled. "More tea?"

[trigons_child]

Raven nodded. "Yes, please."

And because she wasn't sensing any fear from Hannibal, she asked hesitantly, "You...you are not afraid of me?"

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal smiled as he picked up the cup. "No, I'm not." He reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "I'll be right back."

[trigons_child]

Raven settled back in her chair, taking a few deep breaths to try to calm her racing heart. People had been taken or transformed in Fandom before, she reminded herself. They would be able to find Jono and anyone else who had been pulled into the carnival and get them back.