6th Howl [Text/Friday early morning]

[professorwolf]

There is a new statue in the Dead District, in the small square on the corner of 8th and Lincoln. It has the same effects as the first in the police station, except it makes me want to leave the area, not trust someone. Has anyone else been by it? Has anyone else touched it?

What interest could these people, and Thunder Corporation, have in keeping people out of that part of the city? What connection could the Thunder Corporation have with the people who want to find the "snake" and shoot kids?

And does anyone know anything about David Proud, the sculptor? I can't find anything much online. There must be some connection with him, as well, if he's making these things.


Also a note to my students:
If you don't see me around school today, don't worry, I'm fine! I just called in sick today.

Comments

voice;

[comparative_insanity]

Another one? Ugh, I'm tempted to go check it out, but I ain't sure I should.

[He sighs, and then continues after some hesitation:]

I... had another of those moments when I was working. And it made something pretty weird happen to me.

[Audio]

[professorwolf]

Phone call, then?

[He's happier discussing those things on the phone, since he does already have the young man's actual phone number and all. Besides, that's a lot easier than trying to work with the laptop mic.]

[Audio] -> [Phone]

[comparative_insanity]

Oh! Yes, of course. Silly me. Hold on, I'll call you up.

[And he does.] There you are. Hi.

[Phone!]

[professorwolf]

Morning.

[There's a smile in his voice, but it's a tired one. Despite it all, Fai is fairly charming.]

Doing all right? Despite the weird things and more visions?

[Phone]

[comparative_insanity]

Oh, I'm- I'm really good, actually. I met... someone that I feel like I have met before. Like, instead of a thing there's this whole person? It's pretty weird.

[He sounds rather cheerful about it though. Never accuse him on brooding too much over anything for long.]

[professorwolf]

[Apparently not.]

That is strange. Though considering what all we've come across so far, I suppose we don't have enough to go on to determine what is actually strange....

[He considers that a beat, then shakes it off.]

Who was it?

[comparative_insanity]

Uhm, well, I- [He laughs a bit sheepishly.] I don't actually know that much about him. He's a mechanic of some sort, I think. He's- [-really good in bed. Maybe not.]

Well, he's like us. He's got a string of numbers in his head and he feels as if he knows me too.

[professorwolf]

He feels like he knows you back?

[Thankfully oblivious to Fay's train of thought, Lyall has no idea what to make of that. He scratches his head, frowning.]

That would be a weird thing... did you get his number? Er, both of them? Seems like something you might want to keep up with.

[comparative_insanity]

Oh, I definitely got his number.

[That jumps out of his mouth before he can decide if he really should say it, but he just laughs lightly.]

Both of them, yes. And I told him about the network, and I think he's at least going to check it out, even if he looked at me a little bit like I was crazy. But... well, I knew about the number and the heartbeat thing, so.

[professorwolf]

[That has Lyall pausing, and he'd be giving the boy a look if they were in person.]

I see. That is pretty good incentive to trust someone, or at least to know they aren't crazy... I'm glad it worked out, at least.

[comparative_insanity]

[He squirms just a little bit, not that Lyall can see it, but he still keeps his voice light and unbothered.]

I thought so! I know I took a bit of a risk just... asking him about the numbers out of the blue, but- but I just had this feeling, like I could trust him. Like I'd known him for so long. It was kind of scary.

[professorwolf]

That would be. I wish I knew more about these visions we're having... it's almost like we're getting glimpses into someone else's lives.

[As he doesn't believe in reincarnation, for whatever reason, that hasn't even occurred to him.]

I mean, everything I've seen has been consistent with a single person, in a... disjointed kind of manner. But everything has fit together, in its feel and what bits of scenery I've seen.

[comparative_insanity]

I know what you mean. All those different creatures, the fondants, that library that I remembered when I got the book, that- that someone chopping their arm off with a sword, and now this strange craving I got when I met this person... It's all pretty durn random stuff, but it all seems to fit together somehow, you know? Like someone's giving me pieces to a puzzle one at the time.

[professorwolf]

A good description, yes. Puzzle pieces. But none of us can see the whole picture. Though just how the sense of smell fits in, I still don't know....

[He pauses, then adds,]

What's this craving? Or, ah, should I not ask?

[comparative_insanity]

[He sighs a bit, laughing ruefully.]

No, it's okay. But it's pretty weird, because... well, it's blood.

[professorwolf]

Blood?

[Lyall frowns in confusion on the other end.]

What about blood? Was he bleeding?

[Did Fay bite him over the course of "getting his number"? Ugh, mind out of the gutter, Randall....]

[comparative_insanity]

[Well, he did bite, but not that hard, Jesus...]

No. I just... really wanted to taste his blood for some reason? Only his. I can't explain it, I just have this nagging urge that I should.

[professorwolf]

Taste his blood.

[There's a pause there, as Lyall digests that, and winds up with two conflicting sets of thoughts on the subject: first, remembering what Bakura said about his sunlight problem; and second... a somewhat uncomfortable, brief little vision of a similar blonde fellow. It takes a second to shake that off.]

That's not what I expected. Did you tell him that?

[comparative_insanity]

[Fay laughs, sounding a little bit embarrassed.]

No~o, not really. I ain't sure about what's right and proper in this situation, but don't you at least wait until you've had one date before asking someone if you can taste their blood? [A beat.] Besides... sampling the blood of strangers is a good way of getting HIV, right? [See, he's being safe.]

[professorwolf]

[By now Lyall has recovered enough from the momentary almost-deja-vu moment that he snorts amusement.]

Very true. And I actually didn't think of that, at all. Shows you how long it's been since I've had a proper date, I suppose. I'm assuming this blood-thing is new, and only connected to this one person...?

[comparative_insanity]

Oh yes. Like, if I think about tasting anyone else's blood? Gross. But his... well, it's still gross, but I want to anyway. [He sighs.] I know it's really weird, doll, but so is everything else that has happened so far, right?

[professorwolf]

[Doll. Yeah, that deja-vu feeling is still there. There is someone who's called him that before. Or something very similar. Someone who also called him a darling puppy. Lyall shuts his eyes and rubs at the space between them, on his side of the phone.]

Very true. And on the subject of weird. You haven't ever called anyone a puppy, before, have you?

[comparative_insanity]

What? No, I-

[Wait, give him a moment to get over the feeling of a sudden Echo happening. And then he breathes out shakily.]

Yes, but... but not you. But the guy I just met, I've got memories of calling him Big Puppy, and... Kuro-woof. And... Kuro-min, Kuro-tan, Kuro-pon, Kuro-rinta, Kuro-puu, Kuro-chi... [There are just a bit too many names there, and he could just keep going forever, so he stops.] And neither makes sense, because his name is Youou.

[professorwolf]

I don't know enough Japanese to have any idea what any of that means, but... ugh.

[Rubbing at his eyes, now. This is just too strange and confusing.]

You calling me Doll was familiar, too. It's as if-- as if whoever I'm getting these visions from, he knows someone very much like you. Except not you, because unlike with your new friend, I don't find you familiar at all.

[That's a good thing, Fay. He has the vague impression the vision-him didn't much like that other blonde.]

[comparative_insanity]

That's Japanese? [That was news to him.] Sounds like a lot of nonsense to me. [Political correctness. He has it.] Like, I know Youou is Asian or something but... yeah.

[He hums softly, thinking.]

That's... really weird. But I guess I ain't exactly what you'd call a special snowflake, so there being someone else like me except not me ain't much of a surprise?