Shambling

[Miriam Bell]

"Right then..." Miriam says, pulling up a chair and sitting down, dropping the comforter down to around her waist. She tries to think back to the time she split Will in half, to get into the right mindset and suddenly finds herself regretting making the claim of being able to fix this. In retrospect it hadn't exactly been her brightest moment. Jealous, angry and alone she'd lashed out to try and recreate something and it backfired horribly when she missed the landmine buried in Will's head.

But this is simpler, right? Colette was meant to be two people to begin with. Their minds are still mostly distinct, she can feel that much even at a glance. Reaching out she tries to find the core difference between them and, as much as it annoys her to tap into, her fondness for Basil is the most obvious one. Also by far the easiest to screw up if she lets her own opinions of the invisible man seep in. Shaking her head to clear it she focuses on his willingness to let her feed. Isolating good thoughts was never her forte, but she tries her best to grab a hold of Colette's mind by her attachment to Basil...

[Colette Rosenhof]

At first there seemed to be no effect, the two pink women watching Miriam nervously as she went to work. But the glassy expression of the one holding a bundle of clothing seemed to suggest that SOMETHING was happening. Her features became less and less pronounced until she was more like a mannequin than a person.

And then she fell off.

Well, sort of. It wasn't like she slipped off a chair or something, rather she lost all solidity and fell to the floor in a puddle with a wet splat. The nucleus was protruding above the rest of it in a half-globe, a sunny-side-up Rosenhof. And that's how she'd remain until Miriam was finished. Colette's form was already recentering herself, even if she did look rather shocked by this sudden development.

[Miriam Bell]

"I... think she's alright." Miriam says as she gets up and walks over to the sunny-side-up Colette, resisting the urge to poke her with her foot and instead kneeling down to scoop up the nucleus.

[Basil Benson]

Basil was clearing panicking internally, which manifested in a concerned look on his face.

He'd only known her for five minutes and was scrambling desperately for something that might be the same between the two entities to rouse her.

And then, Christmas came to mind.

"Time to wake up, little himbeer." He coaxed, trying to use her father's chosen nickname for her to provoke a response.

[Colette Rosenhof]

The nucleus was, well, soft and squishy, and the pink goo clung to it in a thin film even as Miriam scooped it up, stretching up from the ground. Colette appeared somewhat worried but decidedly less so than Basil, perhaps because she still remembered when she would return to such a state when she slept. Whether it was through Basil's efforts or just coincidence, there did appear to be some movement stirring in the puddle. It began to draw itself in, climbing up its own strands toward the nucleus like a gelatinous peak. As the area around the orb became more bulbous the base shifted inward, less a cone and more a pillar, and soon began to gain some definition; simple legs and arms, simple body shapes. Eventually there was a little pink form about two feet tall with stubby limbs and the simple details of a chin-length bob haircut opening it's eyes, looking up and around in confusion.

"C’est des conneries!" Began a squeaky rant in French, about how displeased she was with her current situation and everything that had happened that day.

[Basil Benson]

Basil stared at the foul mouthed little creature, and instantly fell in love with it.

"Look at how adorable you are!!" He cooed, crouching down to get eye level with her. All of the anxiety he had been experiencing was gone in a flash.

It was as if Miriam had manifested into being a kitten, just for him.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette tried not to giggle at her other self's misfortune, having come out none the worse for wear though she was a little on the short and less curvaceous side compared to her usual look - her hair only down to her shoulders.

Mini-Colette (Croquette?) pouted and stomped her foot ineffectively. "I am not adorable, I am a grown woman!" She protested in her tiny voice, which didn't help her case any. Still she was obviously upset, but could anyone really blame her? What if they found themselves in her situation?

[Miriam Bell]

"Well, you're an adult. I'm not sure about grown right now." Miriam says, regarding the woman whose cheek she has cupped in her hand.

[Basil Benson]

As if transfixed by the small person, Basil continued to stare at the miniature Colette. He didn't say anything else about the tiny Colette's stature or appearance, but the excited and slightly goofy expression he had on his face betrayed him that his composure was mostly for show.

Then he realized something. He turned his back to the ladies and took off his jacket, being mindful of his bandaged wrist as he did so. He stripped down with his back turned, removing his a-shirt. He then put his arms gingerly back through the dress shirt back and threw his a shirt over his shoulder while he buttoned enough of the buttons that he wasn't exposing his chest.

He then bent at the waist and held it out for the tiny Colette to take.

"Here. This should do."

[Colette Rosenhof]

The smaller Colette continued her pout, though she didn't try to swat Miriam away or anything, just stepping back. She looked up to her and then to Basil as he offered her his shirt, taking it and regarding it for a moment before she put it on. It did the job, looking like a simple white sundress of sorts. She was still barefoot but at least she wasn't a naked kewpie doll running around.

"Zank you, monsieur... Henson?"

"It's Benson. Like ze dog... Basil! What happened to your hand?" Colette asked, taking his arm and looking at his bandage.

[Basil Benson]

"Ben.....jiiiii?" Basil theorized aloud, not following the dog comment. He was so distracted by Colette's comment about dogs that he didn't even think to try and hide his arm. He stayed still as she took his arm for inspection.

"Oh nothing. Miriam and I made a trade is all."

Basil again, seemed genuine in his statement. He didn't seem to care that Miriam fed from him. Especially since it had worked out in his favour. Truthfully, his brain was still on dogs and impossibly adorable Colette doppelgangers, the injury to his arm nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette was concerned about the nature of such a trade that saw her boyfriend's wrist bandaged this way, but she was more concerned with his well-being. She lifted it and gave it a little kiss, cooing over his injury in a way he probably didn't enjoy too much, doting on him instead of vice versa.

"My poor knight-errant, suffering slings and arrows and petty insults to save his princess."

The smaller Colette rolled her eyes.

[Basil Benson]

Basil reacted more or less as Colette should expect him to by now. Awkwardly.

"We both know you don't need saving." He replied, glancing away from her and changing the topic. Once she was done babying him, he switched back to English purely for Miriam's benefit whether she actually needed it or not.

"This one however, we need to get someplace safer than here lest something splinches her again in a way Miriam can't fix."

"Petite princesse, I'll carry you if you like. I don't have the blood to spare at this point to call in anymore favours if you accidentally get stuck in mon reine de la gelée a second time." He sounded like he was half joking, half serious.

[Miriam Bell]

Miriam might not understand French, but she can certainly gleam the meaning from the minds of those around her.

"Yes, a real white knight." she says, rolling her eyes. "Keep it in your pants, Benson, I'm sure she can walk just fine on her own."

[Basil Benson]

Basil's immediate response to Miriam's statement was revulsion. Her response in his own mind made some very specific suggestions that made his stomach turn at the thought.

He said nothing and walked away, eager to leave as soon as possible, with or without Miriam and Colette the Second.

Not really thinking the Colettes probably already tried it, Basil went for the double doors to get out.

[Colette Rosenhof]

"S'il vous plaît, attendez!"

The little Colette's footsteps made little wet slapping sounds as she chased after Basil with her stubby legs, reaching up to grab his belt.

"I... my shoes no longer fit me, and the floors are very dirty...." Basil might remember that, during their London excursions, Colette used to cover up as much of her "skin" as possible lest she get full of the dust and smog of the densely populated city. The small girl looked very embarrassed to be asking it, maybe a little ashamed that she had to accept the man's offer after having spoken so poorly of him moments earlier.

"Ow, ze edge." It was Colette's turn to roll her eyes at Miriam, before she turned to fallow Basil and her smaller half.

[Basil Benson]

Basil sighed, looking at the little creature, then at Miriam, and then back to mini-Colette once more.

"I'll carry you once we find the way out. For now, try to stay put so that you don't pick up too much along the way.

Ms. Bell." He addressed Miriam. He didn't really want to, but he didn't see another option.

"Can you feel anyone close by this door or am I barking up the wrong tree?

The door is stuck but If there's people out there, I've got an idea to get beyond it."

[Miriam Bell]

"Immediately behind it? No." she says, showing no signs of planning to follow the three. "There's plenty people out there, but they're all over the place."

[Basil Benson]

"Thank you." He replied, then casually picked up a chair, smashing it into the glass of the emergency fire axe box.

Once he had that, he began to knock against the door, trying to find the best place to get through.

It was all very methodical and he gave off little emotion throughout.

When he found a spot that sounded hollow, he began hacking at that spot until he'd made a hole big enough for him to get through.

"Madame, do you think you'll be okay to go through?" He asked, appraising his own handiwork.

He had yet to notice the exertion on his arm had caused him to 'pop a seal', nor would it be visually evident to Colette. Miriam could smell it however.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette tried not to smirk. "Matou, I could fit zrough a keyhole." With unnatural ease she was able to step sideways through the opening, thanks to being able to bend her body in ways that bones did not normally allow. She offered a hand from the other side for the next one through.

[Basil Benson]

Basil threw off his jacket and laid it in the hole.

"You're next Petite Princesse. Try not to touch one another on the other side. I'll be right after." He replied.

The blood down his arm was now visible, but he wasn't giving it any notice.

[Colette Rosenhof]

The smaller Colette had more difficulty climbing through, giving her stubby limbs and potato body, and actually tumbled through head-first to land on her rump on the other side. Still, she was none the worse for wear.

"Oh, Basil, you are leaking!"

[Basil Benson]

Basil looked at the obvious place for him to leak, appraising it with a shrug.

"So I am..."

He paused for a moment to look at Miriam.

"Would you like to go next?"

[Miriam Bell]

"Hard pass. I'd rather stay here than get any closer to the mental mayhem out there."

[Basil Benson]

Basil shrugged.

"Fair enough.

I'd leave you something but..." Basil left it hanging, he knew she knew what he meant.

"Best of luck." He states, nodding and slipping out the opening he made to join the Rosenhofs.