Owner	Pose
Nemean	During an assault to get their friend back, the Turtles had managed to recover somebody else as well. They had broken through, if only briefly, into Nemean's mind and he had agreed to go with them in order to receive the help he needed. They had not wanted to take him back to the Lair, at least not until they were sure he was cured, so they had taken him to Alopex's old home, where Master Splinter would have plenty of room to work. Nemean had demanded that they chain him up, even if he knew that he was probably strong enough to break the chains with enough force. He didn't trust himself. He wasn't sure if this was another trick by Kitsune to make him gain the Turtles' trust. At the moment he is sitting alone in the main dojo of Winter's Fall, tugging at the chains here and there, not trying to break out, but at least trying to make them a bit more comfortable.
Splinter	Splinter had taken some time before visiting. He's still bandaged, from the wounds left on him by the Shredder. Without saying a word, he lights incense and bitter herbs in a burning bowl, the smell cloying, acrid, smoky. He looks up at Nemean, studying him with beady black eyes. "...Another life, destroyed." The old rat says. "How many more?"
Nemean	Nemean looks up when he hears the rat ask a question, "I know that's probably rhetorical, but at least a few because of me." He says, before he hangs his head a bit, "You know him better than anybody, though I don't know how." He says, looking back up after a moment, "From what I saw he sees everyone as a tool, even his own family. How does somebody get like that?"
Splinter	Splinter studies Nemean, and he says, "If I truly knew, the story might be different. Remember this in all future dealings with the Shredder. He *craves* control! Of things, of people! And what he cannot control, he must destroy!" Then he sighs, and says, "Your thinking has been overlaid with a veil by the Shredder's fox witch. She twists truth to lies... good to evil, as an agent of chaos--" His whiskers twitch. "Poetic, that. What she has done, I can undo. Or rather, I can show you how to undo it. Begin, with the breathing."
Nemean	The lion nods in response, "I can still feel like..I dunno, it's not a voice. It's like a feeling, that I should lash out at you. But I'm fighting it." He says, though he listens to what Splinter is telling him, closing his eyes and trying to focus on breathing. He did yoga once upon a time, so he's trying to remember how that worked. It's gotta be something similar, right?
Splinter	"Begin by remembering, as far back as you can." Splinter says. "The earliest details of your life that you can recall. Keep going forward." He says. "When you come across something that does not mesh with the memories before it, focus on that. No manipulation of the mind is seamless."
Nemean	"Everything is cloudy." He says, in response, as he tries to focus on something he can remember, "The only memories I could see clearly were?The ones where the Turtles and Alopex were against me. I think that's how I figured it out.." He takes another deep breath, and slowly exhales, "Their actions didn't mesh up with my memories." He finally locks onto a memory, something he can see through the fog. His time in the military. He begins to focus on it, and then works forward, through his career and into becoming a cop.
Splinter	"When you find the seam, the point where things begin to feel wrong, focus on that. The seam is where we make the tear." He says, "It will be painful, but the hooks are in deep. You must continue to do it!" He sits, his hands in his lap. "Find the thread and pull, and let her lies unravel."
Nemean	It takes a bit, but then he finally finds something. The first time he encountered Shredder and the Turtles and Alopex. He was there to find a missing person. He found a different missing person. That memory seems to be behind a veritable wall, but he tries to do what he can to break through it. To see the truth, that the Turtles were there to save their friend from the Shredder who had taken them. Just like he did with Pippi. Just like he did with Nemean himself. Just like he had Nemean do with the Punisher. The lion growls deeply and clenches his fists, trying to fight back against the pain.
Splinter	"Focus on that." Splinter says. "That's a defense the witch put in to keep you from exploring those memories. You MUST bear with it, push through it!" He leans forward, slightly. "Keep going! Focus!"
Nemean	He keeps on breathing, focusing on his breath and trying to pry back the veil from around that memory. He winces visibly, groaning from sudden pain, but he breaks through, seeing the real memory. His first meeting with Alopex outside of this very building. He's seeing it clear now.
Splinter	Splinter looks up, and then says, "Enough, for now." He gets up, and makes a pot of tea, pouring two cups. "This sort of thing isn't done all at once. More later." He says. "This an exploration and a gradual undoing of harm, and the damage done will persist for a long time to come. In some ways, the rest of your life." He offers the tea. "You need to reflect upon your identity, who you are, the events of your life. If you can do so without being seen, and take Leonardo with you, visit places important to your memories of the past, they will help you separate what is true from what is fabricated."
Nemean	The lion opens his eyes, clearly feeling a bit better, "Thank you." He says, as he takes a couple more deep breaths, "I'll speak with him when I can...And we'll figure out how to best procede. Thank you." He rises up to his feet, and then flexes to finally break the lock, "I don't think I'll be needing that after all.