32nd Howl [Action | OPEN]

[professorwolf]

Who: Randall Lyall, various versions, and OPEN
When: All week
Where: The high school, his house, and around the city
What: Catch-all log for the week

With school back in session and the full moon for the month behind him-- and four transformations, to go with it, to his dismay and annoyance-- Lyall is trying to get something of a routine going again. Difficult, what with everything still a mess downtown and rumors still flying, but he's trying. At least he has school again, and his students, even if half of them are sure he has something to do with everything that went down, and the other half are busy laughing at the half who do.

Also difficult, when he's tempted to experiment with wolf shape, now that he can. Midway through the week, he gives in, but at least he does is responsibly: he calls some of his usual guards for the full moon to invite them to keep an eye on him. Just in case he loses it. And then wolfishly begs them to let him out of the house, once it actually works and he's himself again, inside the wolf body.

Wandering the city as a wolf, for half the night, is probably not a great way to keep those students from thinking something's up, when he comes in the next morning yawning... but it was still exciting. And this time, he can be sure he didn't bite anyone!


((feel free to run into him at school or around the city, visit his house, or meet the wolf :3 only problem with the latter is, he doesn't know how to change back yet ;) so it'll be animal pantomime time!))

Comments

Monday the 17th, Lunch period

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura makes his usual appearance during lunch, heading for the back of the room, dropping his book bag on the back table and pulling out a notebook and a textbook. Everything about his appearance radiates foul mood as often it does when he's at school.

But that's clearly a textbook for his math class. And he's actually doing his work for it....

[professorwolf]

This is a situation which has Lyall tilting his head and trying to get a better look at that book, instead of eating his lunch like he should be doing. That can't be math homework he's doing... can it? Since when does Bakura do homework, period, let alone math?

"Found something interesting in math class at last?" he asks, coming over to see how Bakura is doing.

[shiromadoushi]

"No," Bakura scowled. "Like anything in math ever would be..." he muttered. "Chris isn't even around any more to even tutor me even if she still was, which she stopped doing months ago and she was the only one who made this crap make any sense!"

And one for later, at night

[shiromadoushi]

Late night walks are nothing new for Bakura, especially after troubling events. He's wrapped himself in Diabound's invisibility, not wanting to be seen, the subtle presence of his kaa enough to keep the few other late night walkers out of his path.

Lost in his own head, he doesn't even notice the wolf in his path...

[professorwolf]

The wolf which spotted Bakura several minutes ago-- scent is such a wonderful thing, really-- and who is now sitting, prim and proper and trying to look serious, right in the boy's path. His tail is even curled around over his forepaws, like a cat's might be.

[shiromadoushi]

The teen paused, blinking a few times. He was still invisible, wasn't he? Why was--

...wait.

He stared a moment more before dismissing his kaa, materializing into view.

"...Mr. Lyall...?"

[unelven]

[ He's walking home late from the temporary offices they've set up, planning and organizing the rebuilding effort. It's going to be a long few months of long nights until the project is finished and the damaged city is rebuilt. He's alright with that, never one to go out and spend the night with other people anyway.

Anyway he's alone, it's late, he's walking home and he stops. It's that wolf again, seriously? He doesn't say anything, because the last time Lyall hadn't exactly been conscious of himself. ]

[professorwolf]

[This time, at least, is going to be different-- this time, when Lyall spots the now-familiar face, he freezes, too, and his tail goes down unthreateningly immediately. He'd been exploring, trying to see just how different the city seemed when on four paws instead of two (quite different, actually), but he has thus far been trying to keep out of the way of most people, unless he recognizes them or thinks they won't notice him.

Running into Teagan? Not actually in the plan. So he holds still and ducks his head, trying to look harmless. Or as harmless as a big shaggy canine who had once tried to kill you can look, anyway.]

[unelven]

[ once he makes eye contact with Lyall this time, oddly enough he's no longer scared. He can see it in those eyes, in the hang of his tail, that he's not angry like he was before, or had any vicious intention. It's something he's getting used to now, being able to read people (and animals apparently) better than he ever could before. He frowns, stands his ground, crossing his arms over his chest. ]

You're going to get caught by animal control if you keep on like this, you know.

[espigeonage]

Nightblind, Julien sees streetlamps and windows and distant cars, but little else but the vaults of the sky. Being out alone is not prudent, but he hasn't gone far from Isabela's house, he's not likely to be seen at this hour, and he has to go out now and then, or he'll keep pulling out feathers. The pulse that had given him some modicum of grace helps him now, when he can barely see even with fully dilated eyes and is exaggeratedly leggy besides.

It's easier now to tell the ways he doesn't smell like a pigeon. Julien's saliva and digestive system are still basically human. He's tried using soap, which proved difficult to wash out. He still wears clothing, if clumsily modified and without shoes, and eats human foods by chewing them. And of late, he's spent a great deal of time lying in bed in an unrelated woman's house, some of it in entirely human tears.

Which he's producing now, actually. Tucked behind an old pine, out of casual sight of the street, Julien has pulled one massive-winged arm up to hide his face, and incidentally a lot of the rest of him, under the joint of his wrist. He's been at this for a while. It's almost noiseless - it has been a very long time since Julien could sob while in Locke.

[professorwolf]

And yet, there's still something ineffably "Julien" about the scent, which is what Lyall traces first, before the almost-silent sobs catch his sensitive ears. Wolves can't wear earplugs, so he, at least, can hear them. He pauses when he realizes what that sound actually is, uncertain whether he ought to continue or not, but in the end, he's a friend and teacher, and he's going to see if there's anything a tawny wolf can do.

The sight of Julien makes him pause, again. That's... definitely different. And a good reason for the poor boy to have wanted to leave town, even if Lyall didn't see it, before.

So after that pause to digest, he pads the rest of the way over and noses at the wing with a little whine. It's entirely possible-- even probable-- that Julien will have no idea who this shaggy dog-like thing is, but who knows? Maybe that'll be better for him? Lyall has no idea, but he definitely wants to at least try.

[espigeonage]

Julien's breaths keep steady and very deep and slow, despite a half-closed throat, loud enough that he doesn't hear the warning before something he can't really see nudges at him and makes a shrill sound.

Immediately he yelps and jerks backwards, flinging his wings out and open, fanning his tail, rising on his very long legs, and his feathers fluff and stand out. It's a defensive reaction, one all kinds of animals use. I am Big and I am Fierce and you should not bother me.

He blinks his inner eyelids repeatedly, pupils blown, and sees a vague outline - a dog? - near him. Julien has never been fond of strange dogs. This one's not after him, apparently, but for once he is in no mood to make friends. It takes him a second to remember the words. Then, harsher-voiced than usual, he says a phrase in Elvish, a language that animals can understand. Without actual study their precise meaning is hard to gleam, but in broad strokes it's much the same. I am no meal for you!

Julien stands like that, panting, pine needles pressing against his skin.

[detectivetroll]

When Lyall'd called him to come keep an eye on him while he turned into a wolf, of course Nick'd gone over. They'd worked well together after the snake had been taken out, and he'd actually found that he enjoyed spending time with Lyall as a wolf.

It's weird, but kind of fun.

He already knows Lyall's perfectly capable of being outside like this, so he has no problem opening the door to let him out. "But I'm coming with, man, you're not going to have all the fun."

Nick'd actually worn his sling in preparation for this - if he's going to be running around outside with a wolf, he figures it's probably a good idea to keep his shoulder immobilized like he's supposed to.

[professorwolf]

Lyall makes a huffing noise that's as close to a laugh as he can manage in this form, and pauses before he trots out the open door to hook a fang into the key ring poking out of his coat pocket, slung across the arm of the couch. He tosses it in Nick's direction with a flick of his head. The message is as clear as day-- he hopes-- for the guy to lock up as they're leaving. He's not about to leave his home (what little there is inside it, at this point) for vandals to get to while he cavorts about outside.

[detectivetroll]

Nick catches the keys with a laugh. "Don't worry, I won't leave your house unprotected. I'd say someone'd have to be crazy to break into a werewolf's house, but it's not like that's common knowledge at the moment."

Sure enough, he pauses to lock the door once they're outside, tucking the keys into the pocket of his jeans with his own before he turns back to Lyall. "Where do you want to go?"

[struckout]

Even before all of this started, Kallie wasn't the type to go out after dark alone if she could help it, and she'd since given up on the high school after the continued shenanigans... but she still has to eat and purchase other necessities, so she can't escape having to visit the store at some point.

She isn't expecting to see her old teacher there though, and blinks at him with an unusual blankness in her expression as she processes. Never mind she's actually been to his house by this point, because it still manages to be weird.

Especially with-- or perhaps despite how thrown-off she's been since the disaster. This is pretty much what her life has come to now: she'd probably be less surprised by a little gray man beaming down in front of her than seeing something as mundane as a former teacher somewhere she's not expecting.

"-- Oh."

[professorwolf]

Being out at night is actually Lyall's preference. Sunlight is still uncomfortable, so he'd rather avoid it when he can. So seeing him at the grocery store well after sundown isn't the least bit surprising, if you know his habits.

Kallie, obviously, isn't one of those people who knows his habits. He does, however, smile at her in surprised pleasure. "Kallie! I wasn't expecting to run into you here... the closer grocery story still in shambles, is it?"

[struckout]

"Something like that," she says softly, stepping closer with a sort of quiet awkwardness that she typically doesn't really let stick around with most people. That phrase might as well be her motto by now, given how often she says it these days. It's not that she means to be untruthful or even lie by omission, but generally it's easier than trying to explain; she's definitely... rarely in the mood, and certainly isn't now.

"What about you?"

[dead_black_eyes]

L knows, in theory, how to keep friends. It involves giving them their space while also taking an interest in their life and doings. Unfortunately, he's horrible at balancing these things out, and his attempts to be invested in the lives of the people who are close (or progressing that way) to him tend to be... extreme.

For instance, he knows that Bakura's teacher Mr. Lyall is someone the young man's spoken highly of. In an attempt to better understand Bakura, he's decided to trail the educator.

Hanging around outside the school is a bad idea; L already knows this, because he looks a lot gaunter and more haggard than he did when he was giving chess presentations years ago. He'd probably be mistaken as a drug dealer.

So he waits for Mr. Lyall to leave, following at a safe distance... but he sticks out a bit. A shabby, skinny, spooky thing in a trench coat that hangs off his frame, he's probably not the kind of person who blends into the kinds of crowds Lyall frequents.]

[professorwolf]

Seeing someone dressed like that and loitering around the entrance to the school is going to catch a teacher's attention, anyhow. Especially this one, as Lyall is rather over-protective of his students, and he can smell the man on top of catching sight of him out of the corner of his eye. Finding that person following him is a bit of a surprise, though... but there are all sorts of potential reasons why someone creepy-looking might be following him, given what all he's done and been through in the past year.

Once they're at the edge of the parking lot, where Lyall's car is parked, he turns around point blank to call back at his coated shadow: "Can I help you, sir?"

[dead_black_eyes]

Even for someone without heightened senses, there's a definite scent that hangs around L. It's not one that implies dirt, grunge or otherwise poor hygiene; quite the contrary, actually, to the point where it's equally worrisome. L reeks of chemical cleaners, Lysol specifically. Being noticed is never in the plan, but he has to roll with it when he is.

Fortunately, he doesn't exactly look threatening.

"Maybe... I'm looking for a cat. Don't suppose you've seen it... orange tabby, red collar."

A MILLION YEARS LATE

[soulsborderline]

[The good news is Asuka's allowed to wander around outside where she's being observed, even fairly late at night. She thinks, as one of the pilots they have under observation, she might have an FBI tail, and she's dedicated to boring them to death by really just going down to the 7-11.]

[She's a little worried about her boring-them-to-death strategy when she sees a freakin' wolf darting out of an alley.]

[professorwolf]

[The friggin' wolf is trying to be careful, but he does kind of look like just a large dog unless one is familiar with wolves. He skids to a stop at the sight of Asuka in his path with a startled little yip, and backpedals immediately into the shadows again.

Not really very dog-like behavior, that.]

[flamberge]

Being asked to serve as a body guard for Lyall is something considered normal by now. Being asked to do so with the added note of locking up no longer being necessary isn't. The idea took Karl by surprise. No longer having to worry about his friend roaming about the city without the potential of injuring himself or others can only be called a dream come true. Skepticism comes along with this amazing dream.

Needless to say, Karl is slightly weary upon seeing the transformed Lyall in front of him. Out of just instinct, his hand moves to the hilt of his sword. Please let Lyall have been right. Fighting off a wolf, a friend currently a wolf even, didn't seem like a fun late-night activity. "So you're fully in control of yourself?"

[professorwolf]

The wolf-shaped biology teacher sits down on his haunches and nods his head a few times, ears perked and tail thumping once or twice on the carpet behind him, trying to look non-threatening, given the sharp pointy thing Karl is carrying. Definitely not the actions of a moon-mad creature-- probably not a regular canine sort of animal, either.