Tutoring Trouble

[demikara]

In order to learn control, actual practice was needed, even if Tyrus well knew that the practice was Catherine's least favorite part of their lessons. It was the most essential part, so he didn't let up on it, or on the expectation that she practice regularly, even if it wasn't here, and was just going through the motions. The mage had been working with easily his oldest student at council order, but he was glad for it. She was also the closest thing he had to a friend, and the lessons were a good break from the insanity that imposing his will on Broadmoore. Part mental asylum, part prison, it was all headache and if he had his way, it'd be two entirely separate buildings.

Then again, he did have his way. Funding was tricky and he had put entirely too much of his own funds into it, but he had wealth enough that he wasn't concerned. The wealth was largely inherited though he made hand over foot whenever anyone wanted his expertise that wasn't a small child. He had a terrible weakness to children and the children he taught control to knew very well, that though he was stern with them he was also certainly a softie. 

Lessons usually went, and that was the nicest thing that could be said about them. Catherine was resistant to using magic and her magic knew it and didn't want to behave for her. Then again, it was only the truly powerful who had to deal with magic that was damn near sentient. And by truly powerful, he meant people hooked into the veil itself. No one born after the veil had that level of power. There was a reason no one actually believed how old he was. 

Today though. Today the lesson went badly. Her control was all over the place and he had a feeling he knew exactly why. The question was, would she actually own up to it, or would he have to tear it from her. He guided her through the remnants of a kata, magic trailing his fingertips, though he didn't release it and stopped, watching her quietly.

[Circe]

Rahal was anything if not a relentless teacher, there were few excuses that could get her out of their weekly sessions, and only one or two of them were accepted. Those were being tied up on a case, or having to make a court appearance; both things were common, but not so common that she wasn't able to make time for their lessons. But this week, she'd have much rather had to speak to the Council about someone's charges than be there with Rahal. Everything in the past week had been difficult, especially after the incident with Cheyenne. That had been a large mistake, and one she wasn't entirely sure how it would play out yet. She had never had anyone so blatantly force things the way MCU's new doctor had, and Catherine still found herself greatly puzzled as to how she'd even allowed it to happen.

Moving through the Kata, she couldn't but continue to think how much she detested the things. It wasn't as if they did anything but make her feel foolish and out of place. But, this was better than the alternative punishment that the Council was likely to dish out. The binding was already tight enough as it was, and they had become increasingly creative with their punishments on those that didn't toe the line. Their latest one was to saddle two problem children with one another and make them sort it out amongst themselves; unfortunately though both the problem children giving the Council the headache this time were tied back to the veil. The veil was the thing that provided the power for most ever magical thing in the unseen, but unless you were tied directly into it by one means or another, that power was weak and limited to most practioners of the unseen.

Taking another deep breath she tried to concentrate on finishing out strong, but it wasn't any use. Her mind was everywhere and anywhere, the veil was doing it's best to lure her into the depths of it's embrace. So far it was succeeding, and it wasn't long before once again her concentration was broken and the magic had run amok again.

[demikara]

"Shit!" Catherin'es magic run amok was always dangerous, and he cast a shield up just in time to not get hit. "You shouldn't even be able to do that in here!" H let the shield drop once the magic dissipated and groaned. "Catherine. Your magic is significantly stronger than usual. You look healthier and less stressed than usual. And I'm sure, if it weren't for your glamour, you'd look much less human than usual." They were all signs of something he was actually rather loath to deal with. But they were sign none the less and he had to deal with them. Given her nature, and the fact that her connection to magic had certainly strengthened, there was only one conclusion that came easily to hand.

"You're not completely torn up over it, so you didn't kill who ever it was, but you've fed, haven't you? And not on one of those ridiculous blood boxes. Seriously they looked like apple juice boxes. It was a little ridiculous.

Still, if she had fed, and if this was the result of her feeding, they'd have to go back to step one. Catherine was going to get upset over the very idea of that too. If nothing else, she had to get a bit more concentration going than this. "Right. Let's talk about it. Fed or not, you're incredibly distracted right now."

[Circe]

"Îmi pare rău..." Catherine said dipping her head and quickly apologizing. She knew that she needed his help to gain some kind of control over the magic, but his methods weren't exactly appreciated some days. Severing the connection to the magic, she considered Rahal's question for a moment. She had fixed the glamour, but not before having had to tear through half her own personal library to figure out just what Cheyenne's magical sledgehammer had done to it. At least it wasn't like Molly's, where the other was hiding a completely different appearance. Her's was just a few things here and there, namely just the need to make everything look human. Most vampires she'd met over time didn't bother with them, reveling in their pale complexions and preternatural beauty. Catherine on the other hand, despite having been raise among the fae where similar beauty was a prized thing, didn't seem to find herself obsessed or caring much even for her own appearance; which by her admission she enjoyed keeping rather plain.

"It's complicated." She finally said as she pushed a few strands of hair out of her face.

[demikara]

"It's forgiven/" He assured her in arabic, understanding more form her actions then from her words. He cut a hand through the air, pushing the offense away and considered things. They would likely end up just talking most of the rest of the session wouldn't they? Most of their sessions ended on talking. He had a feeling it helped more than anything else did, even if he wasn't fully comfortable acting as her therapist for this. "And isn't everything with us complicated?" He pointed out, pulling up a chair. "Sit. Tell me what happened."

Whatever it was had thrown her far off kilter. He was interested to know and at the same time dreading it. With luck, it wasn't more council shenanigans. Those bastards were trouble making enough and he ought to know, raised to deal with their brand of politics as he was. As both of them had been.

[Circe]

Catherine sighed as she took a seat across from Rahal and once again started to sift through the thoughts that still lingered after the incident with Cheyenne. "The council finally hired a new physician for my team. Someone that theoretically should be able to deal with what happens in the field and that shouldn't be appearing in an emergency room." She started to explain. At least the Council had started thinking, that maybe it was best that some cases were kept underwraps for the most part. It wouldn't do for the rest of the world to know just how deep the rabbit hole went, especially when it hadn't even been a year since the revelation of the unseen's existance.

"Apparently she has some sort of exam... magic.. whatever it was involved runes I can't remember ever seeing." She continued, remembering with a slight shudder the unearthly blue glow that the things had bathed the room in. "Either way, she wasn't exactly informed or didn't recieve a security briefing before commencing the exams. The magic clashed violently, it felt as if it would consume me if I lingered long enough." Catherine recounted, shaking her head slightly. It wasn't like the veil, where it's embrace seemed warm and inviting despite it's dangerous undercurrents. "Either way, this.. doctor...this woman almost ended up headlong into the magic before she could stop."

[demikara]

Well that would do it. Catherine hated magic and undergoing a magical exam with unknown runes that apparently terrified her and nearly took another would knock her for a loop on the best of weeks. "I'm glad they got your team a physician. But it sounds like she should have waited for a briefing. And it sounds like there's more." And more didn't mean better, not for Catherine. It just meant that she was going to be more twisted up from it all.

The magic had unsettled her, but a fear of being consumed? Well that may explain at least part of the reason she was nervous with it even now. "It also sounds like she didn't enough up in the magic and that the magic didn't consume you. That's good and it's a good sign." If he could pull any good, even a minor one, out of this, it could only help Catherine. And he wanted to help her. She needed the help and needed to become more comfortable with her magic. Yes it was dangerous, and yes it was formidable, but it was also part of her.

[Circe]

"I agree she should have waited.. or I could have said no. I was distracted, Bronson had done something stupid again and I ended up called in to fix it." She replied, at least that's the way Cheyenne had said it. It was above her paygrade, and that if anything happened she was to call Catherine. There were days when Catherine dreaded going to work, and finding out what Molly had potentially broken earlier that morning or over the weekend. It was bad enough that she had to deal with the girl at work, but there was also the issues with the fae which while not yet resolved, were close to being so. "After I attempted to fix whatever new hell that girl brought on herself, the doctor reminded me that I was next on her list for the exam."

Catherine was still distracted, and it was difficult to pull her mind back to the here and now. "The exam showed anomalies..which of course were to be expected. But then she fucking exploited them.. she decided that slitting her hand open and declaring that freely giving blood would solve everything." She said running an hand through her hair, stopping at where it was tightly braided at the base of her skull. She could feel the heat and sweat pooling underneath the hair, only to trickle down her neck to pool once more underneath the tank she wore. Rahal was more than eager to not only put her through her paces magically, but physically as well.

[demikara]

"She did what?" His voice was chilly. "I will be having a talk with your new physician." He assured Catherine. "I will continue to supply the potions you need as well, given I'm not fool enough to force blood on you, willing given or not." Oh would he ever be having a talk with this physician. He'd read her the riot act for putting Catherine, herself, and everyone in that building in danger. "You've been starving yourself since before we met. Cutting herself open like that, in front of you, without adequate warning for you to get your guard up..."

He sighed. "If she is alive, it's more than she deserves Catherine. Keep going." This new physician was going to hear from him and nothing about it would be pleasant at all. He took a personal interest in the specialists, if only because all too often they ended up working together as well.

It was, perhaps, a good thing that he had been working out himself before Catherine arrived. He didn't think his temper would hold if he wasn't already physically worn out. Though he certainly planned on letting loose letter to calm down before he spoke to this so called physician.

[Circe]

Catherine wanted to protest that she hadn't, but she knew that it wasn't the truth. "I realize that's a problem... it's just I'd rather not." She commented, still trying to sort through the mental detritus that came with the topic. "And the thing is I warned her, but she continued." Catherine added with a frustrated sigh. Even after the warning, Cheyenne had decided that it was still the best thing to do.

She wasn't proud of her actions, and would have much preferred to not discuss them then and there; but Rahal had so kindly reminded her earlier of the conditions of both of their probationary periods. "I didn't kill her.. but could I have? My god yes, it would have been so easy." She said thinking back to how she had held Cheyenne pinned in place. How she had so easily ignored any and all of the good sense she had, instead she had nearly slit open the woman's throat, drank her fill, and left the woman to bleed out. "And the thing is, she seemed to enjoy it, Tyrus! Fuck all if I even know what to do with that."

That had been the strangest part of it to Catherine. The woman's thoughts had been so easy to read, jumbled after the incident with the magic yes, but still easily read for someone like her. "Look, I'm terrible as a vampire and terrible as a human. What do you want from me?"

[demikara]

"It doesn't sound like you are terrible as either." He said simply. Oh yes, he was going to tear this physician to shreds for what she's done. The man had forced a changed on Broadmoore in his friend's name, even if he hadn't been able to while she had been there. He would do more to this foolish doctor. "A foolish adult, and she would be an adult, Catherine, as young as she is to you, made herself vampire bait in a building that more than likely has either you or a full vampire in at at any given time. She then continued to force herself upon you, and yes, that is what it sounds like, until you gave in and fed. And even then, even have a fool taunted you and forced herself on you and somehow broke that iron control you usually have, even then you left her alive."

He shrugged elegantly and met her eyes. "It sounds to me like you did good." She hadn't killed the foolish child. "You and I can both kill with a thought. The difference is only in the manner of execution. A vampire bait idiot who got off on giving blood forced herself on you, and pushed you to the brink. And I am willing to bet that this was at the end of a long day, given you first had to deal with Bronson."

[Circe]

"Some days it all feels fucked up beyond belief, and yes it's been a rather strange week. Between Bronson and fucking Grigore.. I'm about to go insane again." Catherine spat. She much preferred to keep whatever tenative hold on sanity she had left. Broadmoore had done more than a number on her and likely Scottlyn too, but somehow she felt that the other might be having a somewhat easier time of it. "There's this strange tug between two halves most days, and it's getting exhausting. Yes, the woman is lucky I didn't kill her... all things considered after that hell hole place they put me in."

As a precaution, or rather a sadistic form of punishment, Broadmoore had cruely pulled fangs claiming that it was to protect both parties involved. Instead all it did was leave residual pain in more ways than one.

She had managed to slit Cheyenne's neck with a sharp nail, and gave into the other's demands. Despite these demands it had still felt wrong.

[demikara]

"Grigore is your sire. And Bronson is of course herself and nothing but trouble." He shook his head. "I understand her value to the team but I wish she would learn at least a little common sense." Still, it sounded like her nature as a dhampir was getting to her and he considered what he could do t help. "The woman sounds at fault here. Only an idiot baits any being with any form of blood lust." There were more than vampires out there after all, and more vampires than those that fed on blood. "And Broadmoore is...it's getting better. I've abolished what they did to you entirely." He had found the records. He knew she was missing her fangs.

No one else would lose their fangs there, ever again. And he was working, in what little free time her had, to try and find some sort of bone growth potion or ritual that wouldn't end up with bone cancer as a possible side effect. But he had incredibly little free time.

Still, Catherine would need something to help her regain her equilibrium. "Now that you've done this, you may have to remain fed. There's a certain addiction to blood and having a walking blood bank volunteer herself for you at work may mean in order to work, you need to actually feed. There are programs, for vampires who don't wish to feed directly on donors. I can set you up with one of them. All the blood is willing given; the donors are aware of the purpose." And utterly stupid given what could be done with blood, but given the amount of contracts in place, well, they felt secure at least. "As for the tug on both halves, I can provide you with...say a bloodstone amulet. It's a powerhouse for restoring and rebuilding the mind and body. Carved into the right shape, and the right set of runes, it may help you feel more like one person, and not two in one body."

But the cost would no doubt be satiating both her hungers, and not just her human half. "You'd still have to drink blood, but less. You're not a vampire, and besides you're old enough to rarely need it. Just more than you have been, I think."

[Circe]

"Yes, Bronson is nothing but trouble personafied." Catherine agreed on that much. It was bad enough that from what she could tell, Bronson and her partner, Xiaolian, had taken to placing bets on the amount of times the other got in trouble that week. It had started as a joke and potentially a way to keep the other out of trouble, but it was quickly failing at being a source of amusement and keeping the ward breaker out of her boss' office. "As for Grigore, I'm more than eager to keep my distance from him." She said to the other. There was something about her sire that made her deeply worried, not just for her safety, but the safety of the rest of her community. Catherine hadn't even discussed much with Tyrus past who he was.

"In all honesty, I would prefer to avoid it if possible... it makes everything that much harder."

[demikara]

"You may not have a choice, eventually. You're here to learn control, and I suspect this may have to be part of it." If he treated her like a fledgling in this, despite the fact that she clearly wasn't, perhaps it would help some. "Control for the blood lust is possible to learn though, along with control for the other less savory aspect of being partially a vampire." He still never knew why she avoided it all so very much.

Still, she'd prefer not to drink blood. "I'm not certain you can avoid drinking it entirely Catherine, not without dying of starvation, or eventually losing complete control." Given it was Catherine, odds were on starvation first. She did have good control over her blood lust, so long as she didn't drink blood at all.