Hannibal's house, 22 Phoenix Place, Saturday morning

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal had spent the night on the island to take care of a few things. He woke up, listened to the daily radio as he dressed, then headed downstairs for a bit of breakfast and drawing up invitations for the housewarming party he was planning.

Those damn flamingos were still on his lawn, and he glowered at them. And tossed some shrimp out the door when nobody was looking. What? They were annoying, but he wasn't about to let them starve because they were too stupid to go back to the beach. "I have some very good recipes for flamingo, you know," he told them.

The flamingos were unimpressed.


[OOC: Open post! The cannibal is in and amnesia-free!]

Comments

[sharp_as_knives]

"Nonsense." Hannibal ushered them in and closed the door behind them. "You are both my friends, whether you remember it currently or not. I'm pleased to help, and it's never an imposition."

He reached out to put a hand on Jono's shoulder if he'd allow it, and held out a hand for Raven, too. "Please, come this way."

[trigons_child]

Raven had been hoping for some recognition herself, and was disappointed when Hannibal's face didn't seem familiar. Still, he did know who they were and was willing to help.

She took the offered hand gratefully as they moved into the house. "We awoke together this morning with no memory of the night before...or anything before that," she said. "It has been very disconcerting."

[furnaceface]

//Extremely disconcerting,// Jonothon agreed, not exactly shying away from the hand on his shoulder. It was reassuring in its own way. A gesture that a friend would give to a friend, certainly. A motion made by someone who likely didn't think of him as some sort of monster. //There's been... a lot to try to figure out.//

Like 'why the hell am I on fire,' and 'how the hell am I not dead,' and 'how did she do that healing thing and could she survive doing more of it?'

[sharp_as_knives]

"I can imagine." Hannibal squeezed Jono's shoulder. "I hope I can provide some answers. For a start, I can assure you that in all likelihood your loss of memory is temporary." He smiled at them both and waved them toward the dining room.

"Please. I have breakfast and coffee. I'm afraid I can give you few pointers as to how your abilities work or why they manifest like this, but I will answer what I can."

[trigons_child]

The sight of breakfast made Raven's stomach rumble to remind her just how hungry she was.

"Thank you, Dr. Lecter," she said as she took a seat at the table. "For breakfast and especially for your help. I am very glad you think it will be temporary. Do you know what has caused this to happen to us?"

[furnaceface]

Jonothon wasn't hungry, but he took a seat at the table as well, if only to be polite. He wasn't certain that he could eat. Or, even if he was able, if he'd have the appetite to try.

//And how long it'll last, if it's only a temporary affliction?// The voices were chewing at the inside of his head even here, and he closed his eyes, lifting his hands to cover his ears, not that it did him any good. //I don't think we're the only two who can't remember who we are.//

[sharp_as_knives]

"The island we're on tends to cause such things from time to time; they generally last the weekend," Hannibal answered. He looked at Jono keenly. "You're hearing the thoughts of others, aren't you?"


[OOC: Sorry! Got maternally kidnapped. Expected to have iPad internets, but nope.]

[furnaceface]

//Is that what they are?// At this point, Jonothon would believe practically anything. He was already speaking with his brain, after all. //Maybe they could do me a favour and think a little more quietly...//

There were a lot of them. And they were getting progressively louder and more distressed as more people around the island woke up.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You can let us hear your thoughts in order to speak," Hannibal pointed out. "You also hear everybody else's, though I don't know at what distance." Really, when all this was over, he'd have to get more information. In case it happened again, naturally.

"I assume that you normally block them out, but you don't remember how. Can you try to?"

[furnaceface]

//Wouldn't know where to start,// Jono murmured, looking from Hannibal to Raven and then back again. //Still trying to figure out how sending my thoughts works. Wasn't even aware I was doing it, at first...//

Still, he was closing his eyes and trying to focus on shutting out some of the noise. Picturing a volume control button? No dice. Trying to just ignore it did no good, either. A mental push outward?

That just carried a wave of confusion and uncertainty and self-doubt along with it, for anyone within range to see, in a brief sort of splash of red-black music-scented butterscotch ripple psionic mud.

He was pretty terrible at this.

[trigons_child]

Raven had been eating and watching curiously, but as that wave of emotion washed over her, she dropped her fork with a quiet whimper of distress.

"What if we never remember who we are?" she said, all that doubt and uncertainty sinking into her. "What if we never know how to control these things we can do?"

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal was momentarily distracted by Jonothan's artistic (if futile) attempt, then turned to Raven, looking her over. "I have little doubt you will remember shortly," he answered. "And if not, you will relearn it. For now, I think, you both should work on blocking out external thoughts," he nodded at Jono, "and feelings," Raven.

He lifted his coffee. "Breakfast first, though I won't be insulted if you choose to eat quickly." He planned on doing so himself, but two of them here did need to eat to survive. "Then, if you are both amenable, we can settle in the living room and try a bit of hypnosis. I'm a psychiatrist," he explained, "and often use it in therapy." He smiled at Raven. "You won't remember, but I have used it with you before, and you found it helpful."

[furnaceface]

//Hypnosis?// Something about that made Jonothon's insides lurch, which was quite the accomplishment for somebody with no insides. //The 'you are getting sleepy, when I snap my fingers you'll think you're a dog' sort?//

...

Presumably with less 'think you're a dog' involved?

[sharp_as_knives]

"I doubt thinking you were a dog would be of any help here," Hannibal pointed out dryly. "No, a bit more subtle - and hopefully more helpful - than that. And you may choose to stop at any time."

[trigons_child]

Meanwhile, Raven was contemplating what Hannibal had just said to her. "Feelings?" she said. "Is that why I feel so strange sometimes, like feelings coming out of nowhere? I can sense them?"

Such as Jono's unease about the hypnosis now. She looked from him to Hannibal, trying to figure out what her own true feelings were as opposed to someone else's. "I trust you, Dr. Lecter," she said. "You were the last call on my phone, as I said, and we talked a long time. And...I think I feel your desire to help us."

[furnaceface]

Jonothon hesitated for a moment longer before nodding, relenting a bit and trying to focus on Raven's trust for the Doctor.

//I... guess I'll follow her lead,// he offered, scratching the back of his neck. //At this point, I don't suppose it'll hurt. I already don't know who I am.//

Jono-on-Monday was going to have feelings about this.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I doubt I'll be able to help with that," Hannibal said, "but hopefully I can help you to be the only one in your head."

[furnaceface]

//I would settle for getting everything down to a dull roar,// Jono admitted, looking back down at the top of the table. //What do I have to do?//

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal looked down at his half-eaten breakfast and over at Raven. "Would you rather finish eating now, or put it aside for the hypnotism?"

[trigons_child]

"If you are prepared to do so now, I am agreeable," Raven said. "As delicious as your food is, I am eager to try anything to restore my memories."

She was sure she'd never tasted anything so good, but then again she couldn't really remember tasting anything before.

[furnaceface]

//The food won't go anywhere without us, right? And it'll be easier to appreciate without the weight of... everything... pressing in from all sides.//

That, and Jono was about to go outside to see if getting the flamingos to teach him how to bury his head in the sand would help with the voices.

[sharp_as_knives]

No, it wouldn't. And you were thinking ostriches, Jono.

Hannibal nodded and set his silverware down. "Come along, then. We'll see what we can do."

He led them to the living room and a very comfortable couch and pair of chairs. "Sit where you like; you should be comfortable."

[trigons_child]

Raven picked the chair she usually sat in, though she didn't know that of course. Her stomach felt all a-flutter, and she was fairly certain that was her own nervousness, though she was eager as well.

"What must we do?" she asked.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Sit comfortably," Hannibal advised. "Close your eyes. Concentrate on your own body, on feeling yourself. Raven, breathe deeply and slowly. Feel your breath, in and out. Jono, feel the shape of your flames. Try to feel their texture and movement."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Sense them and influence them," Hannibal clarified. "And I should hope so," he added with a smile, "because I do wish to help you both. And if you've any questions about yourselves I can answer as well, please ask."