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Wearing purpose, Hotaru briskly enters the bar from upstairs, heading over to a rather isolated booth. Once there, she plops into it forthwith, and slides until her back is against the furthest point.

Her empty eyes are searching.

She sits modestly, hands clasped in her lap.

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"Hey. Come on over and sit with us? I don't think you've met Elaine yet."

He points to Elaine and Beth.

Having seen Spike walking in her direction at the last moment, Hotaru still didn't think he was walking towards her, really.

His mention of invitation makes her face goes a bit flushed, and she slides out of the booth, looking unsure, but smiling all the same, and follows him back to his table.

Hotaru arrives back at her isolated booth, and Peter follows.

Once out of earshot, she turns to him, a hesitant look on her face.

"...Peter. I need to ask you."

"I can't remember anything that happened after you made my attack go away. I don't understand what happened, or why..."

She flushes, "Or why I was suddenly standing, and holding your shirt."

"You asked me what made the attack go away. I said that I used magic. You--got a bit odd. Your voice changed. It was deeper than your normal one. And older. 'Magic,' you repeated. And then you put on a very saccharine, little-girl act. 'Oh, please tell me how the magic works.' Sickeningly sweet, and mocking. I didn't like that much, and refused. Then you stood up and grabbed my shirt and said, in that same cooing, mocking, falsely sweet tone, 'Awwww. Why not?'

"And I said, 'Because I said no.'

"And this terrified look came into your eyes. I've no idea why.

"And the next instant, you were yourself again, standing looking at me with a very confused expression. You apologised...and then you bolted."

Hotaru places her hands to her throat in a shocked motion, as if she could stop the foreign words of the past from emerging before they did.

"I... I changed?"

She looks frightened -- almost frightened for her life. Her knees buckle, and her legs give out under her as she falls, stunned. "No..."

With wide eyes, she looks up at Peter.

"Please, I need to know."

"I spoke to Moiraine a long time ago... and when I did..."

"She..." Hotaru looks immensely sad, "She told me that I was 'touched by Shadow.'"

She peers up at Peter - imploring, "Do you know what that means?"

"...And... And does that mean that... " She cannot finish her sentence.

Peter pulls her to her feet, and guides her over to a chair where she can sit down. Better than having her collapse to the floor again.

"Shadow can be many things," he says thoughtfully. "At least it can on Moiraine's world. Shadow can be evil, or deadly, or destructive.

"But," and he frowns as he says this, "I get no sense of evil from you. And by you, I mean you-Hotaru.

"The other one--well, she seemed hungry for knowledge, as well as power. She was very different from you. Older, I think. Which argues against her being a split personality. Split personalities are generally much younger than the core personality--the ages they were when the trauma caused the split. She isn't.

"But when I look at you," he continues, "I see no inborn evil. Only confusion, and pain. No Darkness that you chose, or that you wished for."

Which begs the question of what the other one is, if she is not part of Tomoe Hotaru. But Peter is focusing on being calming, as well as truthful.

Hotaru doesn't understand. ...She can't understand at all.

Still clutching at herself, she murmers, "I... I have... another person in me?..."

She turns to him, desperation in her face, and voice, "What... What should I do?"

She looks away, "I know it will... It will come back."

"First of all, know that you're not alone. You have friends here who worry about you. And I'm the Healer around here, and you're my patient, so that makes you my responsibility.

He hesitates. "I don't know if that helps, but it might, to know that you're not isolated or feared, and others want to help.

"As for what to do--it might be a good idea to try to find out who the other one is." And what, he mentally adds. And what she truly is. "The unknown can be very frightening; it might help to know more.

"And if it comes back--I will be there for you. Promise."

Eyes glistening, and grateful, Hotaru nods in acknowledgement.

The past several days have been particularly strenuous for her, it would seem.

Regardless, she is much stronger than she looks.

She draws a breath, wearily, "Who can identify what it is? Do you know? Can anyone here?"

Then she pauses, having digested some of his support slowly, and adds, "I am... so happy to hear that. But," she looks fully into his eyes, stern, "It might be better if you didn't use your healing power on me... ever again."

"There's a substantial library in the house in which I live," Peter replies, thinking of Tom's book collection and its frequent focus on Dark Arts, Dark Powers, Dark Rituals and Dark Creatures. "That has a good chance of helping. And there are others here who know more of Light and Dark than I do, and I will ask them for aid.

"And there are other ways to deal with convulsions and pain that do not involve magic," Peter says quietly. "I used what I knew best, but there are other methods; I can use those instead. I won't use magic on you, if you don't wish, but I will try to heal you. I must."

"Yes, I would like to read some of your books," she replies, enthusiastically.

Then quietly, "Thank you."

She puts a finger to her chin, "I think the best thing that could help me, would be a scientist, a researcher." She smiles, "I would very much like to speak to someone like that. Then she looks aside, embarrassed,

"And how... .... ....How do I find you again, if I need you?..."

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