3rd Frost | Open Action

[icy_heavens]

[He's not far off of school grounds when he sees it. A small -- smaller than him, even -- walking mass of hair. He doesn't have time to even register an opinion on the thing's appearance before that pulse goes off in his head. Agh.

[Just what is that thing? What now? They're not dealing with enough?

[It hasn't seen him yet, whatever it is. And that whole mess in the Dead District a few weeks ago makes him leery of getting too close, at least by himself. So he'll just duck behind a nearby building instead, peering around the corner every so often to watch for an approach.

[... Maybe he should look for something that can stand in for a sword, just in case. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be very much lying around this area. Damn. Nothing's around when you need it.]

Comments

[italktofish]

[So, Arthur was sitting around in his school bus, eating a burger as he took a well-deserved break. He'll have to head to the school proper in a little bit to pick up some baseball players, but for now, he's all about relaxing in his bus. At least, that's what he was doing until he spotted a boy looking as though he were hiding from something. Only one thing to do now--check out the situation!

He'll get out of the bus (but not put down the half-eaten burger) to go investigate, approaching the building he saw the boy hide behind.]

Hey! What's going on? You having some trouble there, son?

[icy_heavens]

[He jumps at the voice. Geez, he's on edge. It's not like that . . . thing has found him. Instead it's . . .

[It's the wacko bus driver. Terrific. Yes, he'd seen the guy post to their secret network, but had declined to reply. Because he's too much to deal with if you don't have to.]

I'm fine. [Part of the "secret numbers society" or not, he really doesn't want to deal with him.]

[italktofish]

You don't look fine!

[He's scanning the area now, trying to figure out what's got the kid so on edge. Too bad there are no fish in the area; he'd just ask them.

Come on, Sport, if a bully's following you around, I'll give you a ride home.

[He's a bus driver! That is his job, getting kids to where they need to get in one piece.]

[icy_heavens]

[Please. Like he'd run from a bully. No, he always gets right back in their faces.]

As if I'd run from something that pathetic. And don't call me that. [Nicknames like that are incredibly patronizing.]

[italktofish]

Well, you're running from something!

[Just going to point that out there, and he's now redoubling his efforts to spot whatever has the kid so spooked.]

Then what do you want me to call you?

[Unless Shirou just wants the nicknames to get increasingly worse from here.]

[icy_heavens]

Keep your voice down, will you? [So damn loud, this guy. And he'll take another careful look around the corner, but he doesn't see the odd little creature anymore. Doesn't mean it's not still around, though.

[And in the interest of avoiding stupid nicknames:] My name is Toushirou.

[italktofish]

Well, now, Toushirou, was that so hard? My name's Arthur!

[Now he's trying to whisper. Which means it's a stage whisper about as loud as a normal person's speaking voice. He's now peeking around the corner over Toushirou, which is easy enough since he's 6'5".]

So if it wasn't a bully, then what was it?

[icy_heavens]

[... This is the best he's going to get, isn't it? Why is he always the most sensible person around? That's got to be wrong when you're eleven and everyone else is older than you.]

I know who you are.

[Sigh.] I don't see it anymore, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Smaller than me, walks upright, covered in hair.

[Arthur only gets this information because he's on the network. Otherwise, no way in hell would he be describing it to anyone.]

[italktofish]

Ooh! Maybe it was a monkey!

[He's looking around the area now.]

A very smart, trained monkey that can walk upright! Heeeeeeeere, monkey, monkey, monkey! Heeeeeeeeere, monkey!

[icy_heavens]

[Just . . . staring. And tempted to bang his head against the wall. It'd probably be less of a headache than trying to explain things to Arthur.]

It wasn't a damn monkey. I know what a monkey looks like.

[italktofish]

But it could have been a pygmy Bigfoot! I met Bigfoot, once, you know, on a camping trip! Would you believe the rascal stole my pants?

[Not that he believes a word of this himself, but come on. It's a great story!]

Heeeeeere, pygmy Bigfoot, Bigfoot, Bigfoot!

[icy_heavens]

[It's a stupid story. All of Arthur's stories are stupid, as far as Toushirou is concerned.]

Stop trying to call out to it. Why do you think I'm even back here?

[Pygmy bigfoot. Seriously? There are no words.]

[italktofish]

Well, if I call out to it, maybe it'll start bothering me, instead of bothering you! I can take care of whatever it is!

[Just trying to help, in his own way...]

[icy_heavens]

Look, if it is gone, let it stay gone. And I'm not helpless.

[He doesn't want help from a crazy person.]

[italktofish]

[Just think, Toushirou, you could have run into a homeless man talking to himself...instead, you've got this guy talking to fish. Isn't that so much better?]

But are you sure it's gone?

[There's a chuckle.]

I never said you were helpless--having someone help you out doesn't mean that!

[icy_heavens]

[Oh, it's the best ever. Really.

[... Okay, no. Seriously, can he have the homeless man who talks to himself instead? Also, that chuckle annoys him. He isn't funny, okay?]

No, but even if it's not, I can handle it.

[italktofish]

Oh, come on, what's the harm in getting a little help from a friend?

Besides, what happens if whatever it was comes back with more?

[He won't say more beyond that; he figures that if Toushirou was afraid of it, he won't want to be around multiples by himself.]