2021-05-22 - Resonance

Itzhak had a long night of insomnia, much to the dismay of several players on the Overwatch competitive ladder. As a result, he did not fall asleep at work, but maybe he was just sitting down for a minute. Just a minute--until that sound whined in his ear. Tinnitus, probably, he's spent his life around music and loud noise. Until that sound changes to the breathing of organ pipes, increasing to a massive bellowing shriek, and Itzhak's scrambling to his feet, he can't see, everything is black stars in his vision, but his fists are up, STAY and DOWN, and he's reeling a little in place but his teeth are bared in a snarl. He's panting with adrenaline and pain, just waiting for someone to come within his reach.

Eleanor was in her office at Espresso Yourself, working on payroll and scheduling and orders, when the overhead light went on the fritz. Then...came the sound. She crouched down with her hands over her ears, eyes shut tight, her senses on overload as she opened her mouth to scream, then BOOM. There she was, on the other side.

The redhead has her hair back in a messy bun. She is in khaki shorts, a burgundy tee with the cafe's logo on it, and sneakers with slouchy socks. She was clearly not planning on a.) interacting with humans today or b.) being pulled into the Dream. Mind you, she should have expected the latter, because she's been fixing all the plant life her husband has been inadvertently damaging since his last Dream jaunt.

Ellie straightens up from her crouch and looks around, bewildered. "Itzhak?" she asks. "Itzhak it's me, Eleanor! Are you ok?" She frowns. "Shit, I should have expected this." She looks down at herself a moment. "Well, I have clothes on at least."

Devlin appears in his army fatigues as he is holding a coffee mug that still has a bit of steam coming off it. The Mug reads, ' Combat Medic, I've only met about 3 or 4 people that understand me. Everyone else assumes I'm either angry sarcastic or just an ASSHOLE '. He takes a deep breath, "At least I'm on stand by for medivac flights this weekend." as he rolls his eyes. He takes a moment to look around at things, "Well.. this is a change. Looks more interesting that checking up on some private's attempt at inventory." If there is a cringe on his part, he's doing a good job of hiding it for now. A black Beret appears to be neatly folded and just the end hanging out of a cargo pocket.

Sound building, building, until it's felt more than it's heard. Until it makes his ribcage resound like a beaten drum. Those moments where it shakes him like a god's hand - and recalls that first insane moment in the darkness of the passengers' little chamber, with the storm of ignition unseen beneath him.

But it's a Dream, and there's Itzhak, among other familiar faces. The sailor hastens to the mechanic's side, giving the others a weak little smile that fails to reassure as it's meant to.

Grant was the one at work trying to work instead of the one blinking incredibly, incredibly slowly. He's in his work clothes from the Steelhead Autoshop: work shirt and his grubby work jeans. The sound and feedback are incredibly disorienting and unpleasant to a point of pulling his hearing aides out. Wrench in hand the scrappy skateboarder is still holding his ears trying to catch his bearings. He looks up, trying to adjust and waggles the wrench at Itzhak wordlessly. Miss Ellie and Spaceman are there. Cool. Ooh and medic guy! Situation's okay. Ohh and and someone looking hot and angry. No. Non-plussed. He can't hear for a damn right now, but he has to imagine they might sound like Vyv at a higher register. He gets up and reaches up with a finger in the air using just a nudge of glimmer to nudge at the wind chimes. "Bitchin..." Oh shit that was his external voice... maybe.

Javier's driving back from Seattle when the ringing starts. The DA wanted to meet in person to go over some casefiles, and some other business better kept just between us, for now. When the ringing starts to drown out everything else, starts to make his vision black out with the weight of it, he swerves out of his lane -- much to the chagrin of the driver beside him. A horn blares, tires screech as the Charger hurtles toward the ditch and he slams on the brakes and fishtails into the dust and gravel, and blacks out.

And when he opens his eyes, he's in a fucking Catholic.. church? Wonderful. He steps toward the others slowly, a hand going to his hip first and foremost to make sure he has his gun on him.

Devlin is sipping coffee as he registers a few faces, "And no.. Doc does not share his coffee with anyone. Find your own brew." He sips at his mug, those that know NCO body language.. yeah, he's trying to figure things out from behind the mug.

One person who absolutely sounds like Vyv is in fact Vyv, although in his usual register. He's in his whites, which suggests he was at work, though not the hat, which implies to the few who might note such things that he was probably in the back office doing something office-y rather than baking as such. If he'd been in the kitchen people'd notice him disappearing, after all. Notice the wince at the building sound, too.

In fact, another sign he was probably alone is that when he first appears he's got his head bent and hands pressing against his ears and fingers against the back of his skull as if holding it together. This is not a thing he'd probably be giving in to if he could avoid it with witnesses, and indeed, as it subsides enough that he opens his eyes to see others are there, his arms drop in a casual sort of way as he straightens up and looks around. "Ah. I see." Sort of, anyway. A slight head-inclination of greeting to most of those around, and he shifts somewhat in Bax's direction as he takes in the place and the apparently local denizen. "Good afternoon. Very... musical decor you've got here." And an entirely acceptable suit! That, at least, has his approval. Even paired with the person's expression. There are worse accessories.

Itzhak whips to face Joe, left fist already launching--abort! He realizes who it is a second too late and his attempt at not slamming Joe in the face winds up just kind of a baff to his shoulder. "Jesus Christ, Cavanaugh." Chest heaving under his ribbed, clingy tank top, he comes back to himself, hands opening as he looks around. "Okay. Okay..." His gaze takes in the organ and the enormous amounts of resonant musical instruments, and the figure who--NOPE Grant touched a windchime and Itzhak's now clamping his hands over his ears, suddenly pleading in a cry, "STOP! Stop oh GOD please STOP!" as he doubles over.

Eleanor's head snaps towards Grant when he begins using his Glimmer and she shouts, "No! Don't!" but the kid's hearing aid is out so he doesn't hear her. Her hands clasp back over her ears, her teeth jangling in the wake of the assault on her senses, as she peers through slitted eyes at the movement of the strange person heading for the organ. That does not bode well.

In fact, it bodes so NOT well that Eleanor ignores her own warning to Grant and reaches out with her Movement art to try and flip the switch on the organ back to the 'off' position the strange being toggled it from. "Pretty sure if they play that organ we are not gonna like it," she notes to the others.

Going to be one of those days.. is the expression on Devlin's face till the cacophony of sound goes beyond what the experienced veteran has gone through before and then he just cringes with his neck vanishing for a moment as his head tries to shift down between his shoulders and the pain is easy to see in his expression. Yet.. no coffee spilled, (small victory there).

"Oh man.. what the hell did I do to disserve this?" He sighs over the mug and then drains it dry. He nods in agreement with Eleanor. A hand goes into a pocket to pull out his hearing protection and puts it in his ears.

The blow startles Joe, but it doesn't hurt him. Then Grant sets the thing off, and Joe doesn't hesitate. He's doing his best to gather Itz into his arms and try and shield the musician. Mostly by the expedient of pressing Itz's head to his chest, hands over the other ear. Like that might help. Javier gets a pleading look and a hasty beckoning with one long hand. "Jesus, yeah," he says to Eleanor. "If this is what windchimes do, that organ is gonna sound like a fucking rocket launch," he agrees.

In a world where OMG Bax stop touching things! is a mood... one man stands triumphant against all reason. And then the reverb is felt. Eleanor was right: stopping would have been ideal but they already started. The auditory component is missed by gesture that he's the only one not grabbing his ears, but the shockwave goes into his bones like the amplitude of the bass is way too high and making him physically nauseous. He doesn't drop the wrench which is good because then Itzhak can't throw it at him later for losing it. He trusts the angry Jedi master mechanic would find a fucking way to make that happen. Eyes go to teh person covered in smug and then too Vyv and then to the person and there's a halfstep shuffle to sloooowly (without losing his lunch) at least put himself between the organ and all of Vyv's organs. His dude just got out of the hospital. He's not putting a revolving door on the place!

Ruiz -- perhaps inexplicably, perhaps not -- shows no reaction to the sound coming out of the wind chimes. Beyond a slight, initial tensing of his shoulders.. nothing. He resumes his approach, dark eyes fixed on the figure in front of the organ, and comes to a halt slightly off to one side of Itzhak and Joe. His hand falls away from his gun, and he asks the seated person, "Who the fuck are you, and why are you doing this?"

Look, if anyone's going to do disdain around here Vyv claims right of... somethinging. Not that he takes it over immediately; instead, there's just an arch of a brow in return for the sneeriness. Of course he dares. Why shouldn't he?

Granted, the way that sound yanks and jangles at a spot inside him that is not generally accessible to... anything is disconcerting at best, and his jaw tightens a touch in reaction, fighting off anything more obvious. A glance to Eleanor, who may well have a point; he recognizes the qualities in their host(?)'s smile well enough not to expect any of this is for their benefit.

He may not quite catch what exactly the idea of Bax's self-positioning is, and certainly doesn't actively move to cooperate and hide behind him (well, to where height allow); he does move closer, taking a quick look to make sure the skater seems to be okay, but seems like he might actually be aiming to head closer to the organ. There are other ways to flip switches if one must, right? "What do you want?" he asks the being, apparently continuing to dare.

Itzhak huddles against Joe, gasping, tears leaking from his eyes. All the horrible sounds stop, for now, and he's able to uncurl a little, lifting his head. It's to Ruiz his attention goes first, Ruiz standing there unaffected and bold, asking the right questions. Itzhak swallows, wets his dry lips. "Javeleh." And then...goes still, as the bell chimes. He looks at Joe, those gray eyes big. "Did you hear that?" He looks at the androgynous figure in the most acceptable suit. "You're...the Song."

Ok, that was annoying, as Devlin unleashes the patented 'You annoyed Doc' glare, the NCO edition towards the person at the organ. He just holds his free hand up as the earplugs fly back to his hand. He starts to walk towards the person, "Please would you explain what is happening here?" Yes, a bit exasperated in tone.. but even medics know when irritated sometimes a little politeness pays off. "I was not expecting this at all."

Ellie stands defiant in the face of the being's anger. As the windchime is flung at her, she steps to one side and her Glimmer shivers up around her into a shield. CLANG! It connects with her but the shield reduces it to a bad bruise to her left shoulder. She grunts but stands tall.

She has become so much more than the freaked out by everything and everyone conspiracy theorist they all first met. All credit due to August and their friends, and maybe some selkies for helping her grow into this strong woman. She's still totally a derpy nerdlet in the real world, but on this side of the Veil? She's kind of a badass.

"You're damn well right I dare," Eleanor says flatly to the strange being. "Why did you bring us here?" The ringing of the bell has her looking puzzled, feeling the resonance in her power. She looks inward to that sensation and seems surprised.

"You were destroying that world," Joe tells the figure, desperately. "We didn't have a choice," A plea in his voice, even as he lets go of Itz. There's sweat shining on his face, the pallor of deep unease. "They're one of the Books. One of the manifestations of the shine....well, one of the roots or the wells," Frustration in his face - spoken language isn't going to do it here, but he doesn't trust his own stock of the Mental art well enough to revert to that.

Bax is not having a good time here. While the sound is inaudible to him it's not without making him incredibly uneasy to the point of piqued. Rubbing his face the signing is in short sharp gestures. Yeah. He's got some words. and they come out in ASL: STOP STABBING AT ME DAMMIT!

Reflexively his hand flinches closed where it was impaled once before, the- ooooh yeah that damn book thing exploded hurting Cavanaugh, cutting Vyv's shirt to shit and impaling his own palm which required stitches and... oh yeah. He, uh, had the doc save it for him soooo he could make the bit into his bracelet whiiiich he happens to be wearing right now.

It occurs to him this and with much irritation but his stance shifting he signs Or stop stabbing those two guys... please... yeah.

Not entirely unaffected. Javier prowls forward another step, and another; until he's close enough to tangle his own power up with that maelstrom of fury. Sharp little nettled shards of it go seeking answers, while he grits his teeth and breathes through the blowback. And then, "Don't.. try to communicate with it. Any of you. It can affect you in some way it can't affect me. And it's fucking angry." His gaze shifts to Itzhak for a moment, as if to make sure he's all right. And not doing anything stupid. Then to Joe, for a long moment. And then back to the seated figure. "Tell us what you want."

Angry schoolteacher expression just gets another tiny quirk of demi-challenging eyebrow out of Vyv, until that tiny ring sounds out to his ears and Glimmer. For that, his eyes narrow slightly, and there's a tiny adjustment to the way he's standing, slightly more toward the 'ready'. Though for what, exactly, who knows.

"You were destroying that world," he agrees with Joseph, "And even so I didn't do anything to harm you until you nearly killed him." A tilt of his head toward Bax, though he amends with a glance Joseph-ward, "Them." There's probably still anger there, but he's doing a good job of keeping it tamped down, if so, tone staying reasonable. "Canticles of Earth and Dynamism. That's you, isn't it?" A tiny tightening of his jaw, but he goes on, "We met one of the other books recently. We helped her. Perhaps we can also help you."

He glances to the other men, realising suddenly that this is the same group, though now with added Eleanor; it's Ruiz his gaze ends up on last, with that remark about communication, and he tilts his head slightly, then inclines it, falling silent for the moment and allowing him a chance to take over the matter of communication.

Itzhak shudders, not the least of which is fear. That place in him where the Song lives is ringing like a great iron bell, in tune with all the chimes. And yet...the Book claims he is hers, and so he is. Her accusations and her pain bring fresh tears from him. He glances at Devlin and Grant and Joe. As the organ ramps up its fury, he gasps again, cringing, hands over his ears. "Don't--please--please--" but he can't do anything else until the organ's voice quiets. Unsteadily, he takes a step forward, reaching for Ruiz's shoulder to hold on. He's sweating and pale, all the lines on his face showing. "Let me try. Let me--"

He approaches the set of standing chimes, cautiously, eyes on the figure in case she take exception. "I just want to..." words are slightly failing him, and his hand flashes in ASL. Let me talk to you.

Reaching out, he taps the chimes, carefully picking out a simplified but instantly recognizable song: Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Ti-ti-tink...tinktink ti-ti-ti--tink. Somehow he's asking, somehow he's apologizing, somehow he wants to know how they can help.

"The books?" Eleanor asks Joe, then looks to Itzhak and Ruiz. "Like the one we saw in Portland that time? Air and Darkness?" When those two saw a whole lot more than a book. She blushes but looks to Vyv talking to the thing-book. Then she too looks to Ruiz at his words about communication. She presses her lips shut, despite wanting so badly to say something, anything. Then the organ is back on and she is feeling that cacophany move through her. She steadies herself, prepares to cut that organ off again if it gets any worse, but lets the being have their say. She knows nothing of what happened with the other two books.

Devlin nods as he steps off to the side from the others, "Your right. I am sorry about your brother. His actions endangered others. I can't help or heal one that refuses to be helped and lashes out at everyone. We were not given a choice in the matter. If there had been a way that I understood to help him within my abilities, I would have done so. His actions how ever denied those there that opportunity." He stands tall as he speaks, "Second rule for the combat medic.. Doc can not save everyone." He steps away from the others. "And there was no chance for me to break that rule at that time and place." He swallows, "If you need to blame me fine.. I share in it along with your brother.. he had choices also."

Ruiz directs....and as ever, Joe obeys. Well, tries to. His lips are parted to answer the Book's accusations, but he clamps his mouth shut, sweat standing out on his brow. The questions it asks....there he can't help himself. He nods. He remembers his own human, mortal version. Sudden breaking and slow healing, a painstaking reassembly won in sweat and effort, and only partially complete. Itz's advance gets a hand flung out, as if to call the younger man back, but he doesn't actually touch him. Devlin's speaking up earns him a surprised look, but he still doesn't speak. As if he doesn't dare.

Javier looks right back at the being, as they point at him. Jaw hard, no leeway in him. It's hard to imagine that he of all people, was capable of mercy. Then he follows the being's gaze toward Grant, and spots the bracelet around the younger man's wrist. And makes a split second judgement: "Your bracelet. Give it to me." It's tempered a moment later with, "Please." He's right there, of course, for Itzhak to hold onto if he needs him.

Bax is not really grasping what the hell is going on but he can read mood. He's angry, and more than irked. Is he missing more than half of the conversation? Uhhh yeah. In all accuracy yes because people are talking that-a-way and not this-a-way so he works with what he's got on hand and that's say sign back indignantly, wrench jammed in back pocket,

<"You tried to tear me apart first. I have been pulled apart more than I can tell you. Destroyed again and again for my name by people I haven't ever met."> Oh, shit, yeaaaaah Bax has pretty much all the body language of someone young, skinny, and stupid fronting up to get into a physical altercation with this person in the suit. Hands go into fists. There's a flicked twist of his hand sharply at his cheek and a downward gesture: Vyv, stay here it says.

Was it mentioned this is a terrible idea?

Really it's Ruiz waving at him that gets his attention. Jaw set he's really torn for a moment between running at suit-bro all fists and noodly windmill arms, and listening. It's trust that wins here when Ruiz waves, points to his bracelet, and makes the gimme gimme gesture. There's confusion and a slow pause as he pulls his arm to himself and covers it. No it stabbed him. His now. But it's Wolf-bro so... with great irritation doth the skater comply working on untying it.

That feeling of the building music is not particularly... pleasant. And there's a flicker of annoyance at the being's declarations, though Vyv aims to keep it still tamped down. "And now: has it stopped?" he asks, and a hand silently moves outward into Bax's way in reply to the silent 'stay here', as though he sense this imminent noodle-attack building in the skater. "Do you have a choice now whether to attack us or to accept help? Because I didn't and don't know how to cleanse you, nor any of your siblings. I've no idea how the Captain did it and had no idea it could be done." Not that it was likely to have been Plan A with something trying to kill his boyfriend regardless, granted. "But I do know how we helped your sister when she returned. If you need rewriting as well, and you want not to be filled with fear and hatred this time, I am willing to attempt the same for you. Do you?"

Itzhak is the extreme end of that power. He's not alone, but he is one of the rare handful whose Song is so powerful, it's as if he stands in front of a searchlight, limned with brilliance. His imbued soul is a blazing light against the darkness. Arm around Ruiz's shoulder, holding on like the other man is a lifeline thrown from a ship in a raging storm, he taps the chimes swifter and more sure. They make us afraid, too. Just like you. We didn't know. I can fill you. I can rewrite you. He can't make verbal words, not with the way his brain has partially melted down from overstimulation, but he can always find music.

Eleanor listens quietly. She was missing most of this information, having been busy with other more mundane things in the last few months, and she is absorbing all the data now. "If you need help, we'll help. I don't know what happened with the other books, I only saw one, once, but I don't believe in leaving anyone or anything to suffer needlessly." Her countenance is grim, but honest.

Devlin nods, "If there is a way to help, yes, I will help." He remains where he is despite that sensation of something sword like to his neck. He slips the ear plugs into the case in his pocket.

He can't help but draw courage from the others' example. Joe straightens, just a fraction, lifts his chin. Takes a deep breath and says, "They're all right. I don't know what I can do, I'm hardly a power compared to the others here, but....you're right, too." His adam's apple bobs as he swallows hard. "I'm one of yours. You're one of the wells I've drunk from. I'll help, if I can." His tone is strained, as if, for once, he was on the verge of succumbing to fear.

The bracelet's handed off, and Javier jerks his head in a curt nod to Grant, signifying his gratitude. It's turned over in his palm for a moment, and his power threads through it, burns through it, like an electrical circuit closing with a shudder of impulse. Whatever it tells him, whatever he sees, he nearly drops the thing in his haste to unsee it. Dark eyes wild for a moment, he returns his gaze to the figure seated in front of him, and eases away from Itzhak with a quiet murmur.

And, swallowing thickly, he takes that last step to bring him close enough to press the bracelet into that outstretched hand. It takes some effort, but he does not break eye contact.

Joseph's got courage. Bax has balls for days to follow up on a fight for the sake of...following up. The resonance is buried deep in him and in its own way fueling his feelings like a tuning fork with his bell rung. He can't hear but he can still speak and it comes from a reservoir deep in the codex of his being, "So we go kick their asses! We are the harbingers of getting shit done or...whatever. " He doesn't move from Vyv's hand though telling him to stay there. It hurts. he can't hear it but the whole of its overture still threatens to shake him apart. Well... at least it's not an Addington. This is a step up? Death by not-an-Addington. yeah...still bad.

«Remember the other book? This one may need writing too,» Vyv signs for Bax, just in case that portion hasn't come across from lip-reading. «She did suggest the others would be in worse moods.» Other comments are held back for now; who knows if the Canticles might understand ASL too, after all?

For now, however, he's made his bid, and watches Ruiz's reaction to the bracelet, then the returning of it to the book. His hand drifts over to lightly touch in the small of Grant's back, without further comment.

The bracelet's relinquished, and while Javier's not too sure what was meant to happen next.. this, he does not approve of. Some.. thing forming out of the Canticle's grief, and launching itself at his lover, in its rage. He's not generally one to act on impulse, but he does so now. He throws himself in front of Joe, his bigger frame slamming into the blond's, knocking him back. And hopefully out of the path of the silvery, smoking strand that's aimed at him like a missile.

Javier's faster than Joe, who quite simply freezes like a startled rabbit. He hasn't exactly covered himself with glory in these Dreams. But he breaks out of the shock in time to catch the cop. Not to stop him, but to turn it into a more controlled fall, as they both tumble out of the path of that shining strand.

Being ready to face the 'music' is one thing, but the desire to avoid letting the Grim Reaper win is a powerful thing even for Devlin. Almost subconsciously, his stance changes slightly as he focuses on the silvery rage smoke coming at him. To Devlin, there is no contest in what happens as he envisioned the move long before the smoke was halfway to him. To the others, it appears that at the very last moment, Devlin's torso twists to the side as one foot shifts behind him as the silverly rage smoke goes past him; missing Devlin by a hair's breath.

Eleanor watches carefully, her eyes moving around to take in everything in the room and commit it to memory. Maybe she can make a list of the instruments later. Then Ruiz is handing off the bracelet to the Canticles and the being is breaking down. She feels her heart lurch at the grief exuding from them, until that mercurial thing coalesces and jabs out a tendril at her. She dives to the side, rolling and coming back up to her feet, her shield still in place around her. She makes a mental note to give Joey Kelly a lifetime free coffee card for the shop for his training at the gym. "What the hell is THAT!?" she shouts.

Itzhak's fast to react; as Ruiz slams Joe out of the way, he gives one of the huge standing chimes a hard smack with the side of his fist. They jingle madly and as they do, light bursts into being, a miniature star. "Make light!" Oh, he's found words again, and he roars them out. "It can't stand the light!"

Vyv is not particularly comfortable with people-- beings-- dissolving into tears. It does, however, rank higher than attempting to kill him or his, so... result, sort of? The tolling of the bells and the way it hits the seat of his art is also somewhat uncomfortable, which makes it somewhat easier to watch the strange pooling liquid instead.

And see the way it begins to coil up into smoke, which has him first tilting his head, and then when the Canticles panic at it and it begins to move, shooting a very fast glance around the room and gesturing at Bax: the bells, the smoke, a hand clapping cupped against the other before both arms extend and move as if grasping one of those massive Zen bells in the back. It moves, lifts, flies toward them and over the nearest to it of the streams of smoke, which turns out to be the one gunning for Devlin. The bell comes over it and down like a specimen display or a dining cloche, aiming to catch it within. He glances over to Itzhak at the call, then at the bell. Well, light is probably not very effectively getting into there immediately, but maybe this will work as well? He begins considering light just in case, or they might need a third bell... but there's a more immediate issue as far as he's concerned: "Canticles, what is that? What does it want?"

Grant remembers the first rule about winning every fight that Itzhak taught him: Always be the one doing the punching. He is scared and when that happens he just...does...shit. The good news is Vyv is giving him a Plan™. Reaching up toward one of those giant bells he snaps it from its moorings and sends it sailing over Eleanor's head with some good clearance to drop on teh one chasing her. "Not coffee mama!" He checks to see how everyone else is doing. Right. That. Winded he gives a nod to Vyv and makes his way over by Eleanor, hands out, keeping that bell held down.

At Itzhak's shout, Ellie gathers up her Mover Art, which seems suddenly stronger than it has been before. She summons up the energy and creates what looks like a glowing orb in her hand, crystaline in appearance, looking as delicate as glass and bright as a lightbulb. With every ounce of will she throws it at the remaining untrapped smoke thing before she is whisked away from the falling cathedral and dumped back into her office chair with a grunt.

As the cathedral begins to tremble, the walls mazing, the floor splintering--Itzhak's Song rises like a tsunami. Awful in its power, inexorable as the tide, it comes and it makes ruin. Itzhak sings something completely inaudible over the roar, but the stone hears him, and it obeys. Under the sway of his power, the building shakes itself apart harder, collapses faster, Itzhak's strength nothing short of a psychic wrecking ball...

then he's on his hands and knees on the rug of the sitting area in his garage, panting madly, dripping sweat.

Stepping away from the bell-trapped smoke, Devlin can see that the building is straining to contain all the energies occurring within the Cathedral. Years of practice are drawn on by the Martial Artist as he forces himself to calm abruptly and focus on the foundation the organ rests on. His hands together and then he spreads them out with palms facing down. Then his hands move back together as if he's smoothing something out...the raw energies from the well of spirit flow forth from him along a crack in front of him that repairs itself. The energy flows down the crack to the cracks in and around the foundation of the organ. One by one many of the cracks are fixed as Devlin through sheer force of will keeps the foundation of the organ intact for the one playing the chords.

No. You don't get to touch them. They're mine. Well, that's something Vyv can relate to. Not to mention that he's fairly sure he would, in fact, prefer not to be touched by this thing, this thing that's trying to grab him, this thing that gives off those feelings and accusations--

He feels those familiar waves and the less-familiar touch, and twists as he's carried up through the gasps, focusing on the bell he's leaving behind and making another gesture at it, this one like something exploding from between his hands and flowing outward; below, the bell lights up like Christmas, a brilliant glow beginning at the base and radiating upward until the entire thing is lit, inside and out.

It leaves him half-blind as well as ears-ringing and body-wrung as he finds himself collapsed back into the chair at his desk, blinking against the comparative dimness. He takes a deep breath, both hands against the desktop a moment, and then pulls out his phone. It's almost a call, before he recalls the lack of hearing aids and pauses, then texts Bax instead: You're all right?

Grant holds that bell as long as he can. He waits for Eleanor and for her to make a glowing orb. THEN gets the idea which seems a bit like the same idea Vyv had. Since he has it already he makes the bell prison the light source causing a terrible time for the thing inside. Advancing on it slowly he pulls the wrench out of his back pocket and gives the side of the bell a good CLANG for good measure. There is, in the end, a great writhing and then a welcome stillness. It's disorienting, and he's drifting. And worse?

He can't tell his boss he was TOTALLY BUSY in the shop while he was busy blinking or whatever. Either way, job well done. Looking down he finds his hearing aids right where he threw them in a panic and scoops them up. Vyv gets a text that reads ''I M at shop. Am ok txt when U get-'' But there's a text coming in and in spite of having heart palpatations, he smiles. He follows that up with, ''M good. Call U shortly <3'' Walking over he knocks on the office door and pokes his head in to survey Itzhak's condition. Yeah, he's alright.

He watches, surveys and greets Itzhak meatside with, "Weeeell at least we were wearing pants. I'm a go grab us a coffee."

Though it's the well of the Physical art they're with....it's Mental Joe reaches for. It's almost startled out of him, that bolt of lightning. He even makes a flinging gesture, like it's a hot potato he can't stand holding a moment longer. The blue-white arc of it hits the nearest of the bells....

And then he's gone again, to find himself in his own kitchen. The door of the fridge is still open, even.

Ruiz tries to reach for his power, in those last seconds. But it's like grasping for something, and missing. It tumbles free, and then he's tumbling, slamming back into reality. And that horn blaring is his own, until he realises he's leaning on the steering wheel. Grunting softly, he shoves off it and throws an arm over his face, trying to catch his breath as cars blow by him on the road.

With the energies that Devlin released he is shoved back into the world.. back to the office he was about to occupy and nearly stumbles back into one of the medivac pilots walking by in the hallway. "Hey.. watch out Doc! I'd like to drink my coffee from a mug not off the floor."