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"Of course I don't think you're crazy, Takeo." Now that the other beta seemed calmer, Genaris took a moment to settled back on the rocks they had been sitting on before Tak had attempted to escape. The connection he had felt with the younger beta seemed even more apparent now, for better or for worse.

"It would probably surprise you to know you're not the first I've met with this sort of... issue." Expression grave, serious, Gen added, "I suspect one of your parents had a hand in this?" If anything, he knew that few things could damage a mind more than those that had hand in creating it...

Gen nodded his head, listening. Somehow, it didn't surprise him that Takeo would be close to his mother. That would leave... "And your father?"

"Your uncle sounds like a very good man." This was certainly worse than what Genaris was familiar with, and he sighed mentally. Could he even help the boy? "Your brother stays with you there as well?"

I'd like to see him try. Genaris didn't speak the words out loud, but he definitely felt them in his chest, a slight swelling of muscles and rippling of fins at the idea of anyone threatening Genaris or one of his charges. And despite all odds, Takeo was rapidly becoming one of those charges. "He'd have to find out about me first, I presume." Rearranging the boy's scarf, he added, "I'm sure you wouldn't say anything."

"You're probably afraid of how they'd react if you did tell them." Now that there was less danger of Takeo darting off, Genaris loosened his grip, so that they could both get more comfortable. "Most betas don't have any experience with that sort of thing, after all."

"Yes..." Genaris hesitated, because few knew of Lana's disability. Since Takeo had trusted Gen enough to confide his secret, however, he thought that this was a case of quid pro quo. "My daughter also hears voices, and while they do not generally ask her to do anything dangerous, there are often times that she lets them take control and have their way."

The thought of that, and Anwahs' dismissal of the affliction, cause Genaris pain. To distract himself, he carefully checked on Tak's scrape.

Managing a slight smile in return, Genaris finished looking at the scrape. "That's not too bad; your scales should close up nicely over it once it's done healing." His far fin dropped away, leaving just the closer one around Takeo. "She's been dealing with it for a long time, but she never really showed any desire to end it. I..." Gen had to stop himself from finishing that sentence out loud. ...blame her mother for that...