[video]

[ihearcrickets]

[River is actually outside the ship. She's in the Old City, sitting on the street somewhere, arms wrapped around her knees. She's wearing the same dress she arrived in, and still hasn't gotten any shoes. There's a collar around her neck.]

I can't see them...can't pull out the bits inside. They talk to me, but I hear words that mean nothing.

[she says the next bit quietly, as if she's reminding herself] I could function like I'm a girl...


((ooc: There will be a separate log for collar removal once I know for sure who's all going to be involved in that. You're welcome to action thread here, if you like! River won't be able to read your character at all because of the collar.))

Comments

[lehnsherr]

[He manages a smile at that, weak, but there. The causes may be different, but he remembers being in a position like hers. Being cut off from the one semblance of power he held. But while he fought to get his back, River seemed to want the opposite. He just still doesn't understand why.

Slowly, carefully, he reaches up to put a hand on her shoulder, making his movements clear to her before he does.]

Come on. Let's go find you something to drink, and we can talk.

[ihearcrickets]

[It's not so much that she wants the opposite...she just wants to make things easier for those she cares about. She knows her abilities make people uncomfortable. That guilt is driving her reluctance to have the collar removed.

She doesn't shy away from his touch though. It helps remind her that he's there, even if she can't read him.]

It doesn't mean anything.

[lehnsherr]

[With her accepting that touch, he uses it to try and guide her away. He doesn't like being out in the open, especially after the attacks that'd taken place. For as long as River is there with him, he knows he can't take any risks.]

What doesn't?

[ihearcrickets]

[River can tell what he's doing even without being able to read him; it's obvious enough on a normal level. She allows it though, for now; she's not certain if her other abilities have been affected, too.]

Nothing means anything. I hear the words, but there's nothing underneath.

[lehnsherr]

[He doesn't plan on going too far into the ship. Just enough to move them out of sight so they can talk in peace. He knows, already, that he isn't the best choice in dealing with matters like these. He's never claimed to be, and it'd been made all too clear by the fact that Charles was the one to oversee the training regimes. But right now, he wants to try and change that. For River's sake, he's ready to make that attempt.]

You can't read them the way you used to. [His gaze drops to the collar again.] That can be fixed though, if you'll let it.

[ihearcrickets]

[she frowns, remembering what he said before] You know someone. A telepath?

[Telepathy isn't the same as her abilities, based on the definition she knows. But talking to them might still be helpful.]

[lehnsherr]

Two, in fact.

[Technically three, if he includes Charles' twin. But he doesn't trust the other version. Not in the slightest. So while he isn't going to stop others from approaching that Charles for help, it'll only ever be the one he worked alongside that he'll suggest to others.]

Shortly before our arrival, my friend had been teaching others how to control their gifts. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to do the same for you.

[ihearcrickets]

[River is just going to cling to you, Erik. No one has ever offered her something like that before -- the Alliance wasn't interested in teaching her control at the Academy. They were only interested in ripping up any shred of control she had.]

[lehnsherr]

[He tenses up immediately, only moments away from launching some kind of an attack in retaliation. He's been on edge since first waking up on this planet, so there's only a certain amount of physical contact he can deal with. Namely, anything he himself initiates.

But instead of shoving River away, he just steps back, trying to put some distance back between them.

Another moment later and he, somewhat reluctantly, offers over his hand instead.]