This is how there ends up being a Beast curled up on the steps of the Belltower.

Aegis is the first person Jane notifies, and she's not yet managed to get herself in the middle of anything back on Peace. Bird, Aegis says, and she bounces Jane's report on the matter to Sue.

[He hasn't tried to come in,] Jane says. [He just went and curled up on the front steps. I would've let him in.]

"The hell?" mutters Sue.

He whimpers in his sleep.

[Do you want me to contact anyone else?]

[Like who?]

[Another Bell or Joker? I believe Micaiah met this one.]

He starts crying.

"Something is fucked up here," Sue announces.

Aegis asks Jane to put her in too, and appears beside Sue. "Are you okay?" she asks Beast, putting her hands on her knees and leaning over him.

"Ma belle?" he murmurs, and blinks up at her, and shakes his head, and cries some more.

"Was that - what is that, French?" Aegis says, frowning. "Doesn't Milliways have a translation aura?"

[It doesn't cover names and similar,] Jane says.

"What happened to you?" Aegis asks, reaching out to touch the side of Beast's face.

He flinches away, then presses his face into her hand with a shudder.

Aegis holds her hand quite still so he can be in contact with it or not as he likes. "Are you dreaming?" she asks softly.

"We can't go to his world if he's dreaming," Aegis murmurs, looking over her shoulder at Sue.

"I could try," says Sue. "I could go through his door."

"When Alice got stuck in Jokes's head Stella had to physically go to where he was to get him out," Aegis says. "What if you get stuck? Angela couldn't force the door to his world when she tried."

"I don't get stuck," Sue points out. "I am the anti-stuck."

"Okay, but - go in linked up to me and Jane - have you got coins?"