savetheearth | 6. Video. Laptop.

[Hello Network! Guess who's face pops up after like a month of being MIA? Yup, it's good old Mr Locke, now wearing spiffy new glasses. Behind him, a bit of his fancypants living room can be seen. He stares at the screen momentarily, clearly hesitating, before finally opening his mouth. Boy does he have a lot to say.]

As of Monday this week, my memories of the Network and everything associated with it returned. Nearly a month of unawareness has made me realize how necessary it is to divulge certain information. Not only do you all deserve to hear it, but certain details may prevent unnecessary problems on the chance my memory fails again in the future.

[He takes a breath. Okay, time to do this.]

First of all, in regards to myself: Richard Locke is an alias I go by. My real name is Karl Aurion. I am a Deputy Superintendent on the Locke City PD and have been on the force for 18 years with an additional 3 years served in Boston. To affirm that this information is not another practical joke, here is my badge [said badge gets whipped out and held up for a good while before being set aside] and several individuals here can confirm this information, as well. For those unfamiliar with police hierarchy, my rank is the 6th highest position on the force. I will state for the record that my position does not gain me special favor with Sherman, Edwards or anyone else.

[This is a nice segue into topic two. The seriousness falters briefly before he continues.]

Which leads to the second matter: Miki Kaoru and his death. Unlike the media and the police department claim, Miki was not a victim of gang violence and obviously not of terrorists. The culprit behind his death had been another police officer. That officer had given Miki chase for reasons unknown to myself. Upon noticing the chase, I followed. When I arrived on the scene, Miki was cornered and the officer had his gun raised. I attempted to interfere but to no avail. The officer incapacitated me before killing Miki. [a sigh] I apologize for my own elusiveness on both this matter and everything associated with the drug bust on the high school.

In regards to the bust itself, I admit to being the one behind it. I had been stationed at the high school since last year to help bring this bust to fruition, among other less noble reasons; however any Network arrests were done without my knowledge. I had not assumed my investigation would be used to bring in suspected individuals and I take full responsibility for this oversight. Though it may be difficult to believe, I did not provide my superiors with any information pertaining to the Network or those associated with it, nor do I intend to do so long as I can help it. I, unfortunately, could not help it during the past several weeks and was more than willing to take note of suspicious behavior. This is why I ask for caution when approaching me in person as I can potentially end up endangering lives should this occur again.

[He actually looks apologetic at this. Any seriousness, however, is interrupted by a teeny kitten suddenly popping up on screen, jumping up on Karl's head and plopping itself down for a nap in its new favorite bed. A brief, if somewhat exasperated glance gets spared up at it before the seriousness returns full force at the laptop]

Finally, during the last month, I managed to speak with both Edwards and Sherman, gaining the latter's trust enough to be given details of his investigation and offered modification. [a heavy pause] I accepted this offer a week after my memory of the Network was lost.

The modification process as I experienced it went as follows. It was done at a farmhouse outside of town. A robot greeted me and informed me to lay down on some sort of an operating table. Then, by use of an [insert a very unsure pause] old fashioned, pink perfume bottle, it rendered me unconscious. By the time I awoke, the procedure had been completed. I was handed a pamphlet and a... mint before being sent on my way. Here is the pamphlet in question.

[The front and back of this flower sticker monstrosity get held up to the screen for a few moments before being set back down.]

I have not experienced any significant side effects and can provide further details on the modification if asked. Should there be any other questions about any of this, they will be responded to... honestly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Good. I'm glad you finally came forward with this.

[There's a smile in his voice.]

I can verify pretty much all of what he's said. He's the one who got me out of jail, after all, and he certainly does smell different, like the other modified police officers.

Also, I forgot to mention, but I did warn people to be careful with you, by the way, when you forgot everything. So there is that.

I had said that I would.

[Have a very weary smile in return. Saying all that had taken a lot out of him.]

Thank you. You may have saved them from having their names given to Sherman.

I do hope so. It was the least I could do when I realized.

And I'm glad to have you back, by the way. I'm not sure I made that clear before.

[More glad now that he's come forward with the truth, so he's not stuck with the secret. It makes him feel like they can be friends again.]

No, but I'd assumed as much. Not having to worry about students getting arrested all thanks to a teacher down the hall is no doubt a relief.

[Cause really, anyone would be happy about that.]

Well, there is that, too, but mostly I meant that it's nice to have my friend back.

[Yeah, he's forgiven him for the lying by now. He understands why he did it, after all, even if he was furious at the time. And the relief helps with speeding that along.]

[Okay that? Honestly surprises Karl. The last thing he expected someone to call him right now was a friend.]

After everything, you still consider me a friend?

I've had a little bit of time between when I was angry with you and now, so yes, I'm back to wanting to be friends.

[Which sounds a bit childish, but oh well. The sentiment is there, as is a bit of amusement in his tone.]

I understand why you couldn't tell me. And since this, here, was my biggest concern about you, I no longer have reservations. I do want to know what your modifications do, however.

[...Hearing that from Lyall touches Karl, so much so that a moment passes before he regains himself enough to speak.]

I had owl genes mixed with my own, enabling me to see clearly at night and put people to sleep by staring at them long enough.

Ah... huh. Hence, I suppose, the glasses? To keep from putting your students to sleep?

[He's surprised, and curious, and in general taken aback by the whole thing.]

What is it like? Is it hard to control, like everything we get from the pulses?

An astute observation. Glasses seem to dull the effect while sunglasses null it entirely.

Control would rank about the same. You become used to it over time. What makes it differ from echoes would be the permanency of it. Echoes can be lost, but this cannot.

[Lyall's an astute fellow, heh.]

I would think not, unless something or someone else know how to splice out genes. Even then, it seems more magical than scientific, I can hardly imagine the principles behind mixing DNA like that.

Are there any side effects?

The lack of a need to blink often, eyes that glow in the proper light or there lack of and... the properties of my hair seem to have changed.

[His hair be fluffy.]

[That earns a little chuckle.]

I'll admit, I didn't notice the hair.... Apparently sight is not one of those traits werewolves are better at than anyone else. We'll have to keep you around, for that.

The change isn't one easily noticeable unless you actually feel it.

[His head feeling overly warm is how he noticed. Weird as it felt, the added warmth during all the cold couldn't be called a bad thing.]

You have to feel it...? Is it softer, or more brittle?

[Trying to think of bird-like qualities. Feathers, and the like. This is either before the message about fluffy hair, or Lyall missed it. Mun is too lazy to double-check dates.]

[Only one word can fully describe the properties of his hair. Just one word.]

...Fluffy.

[His head is like a down pillow. His kitten has discovered this fact, too, and enjoys using this pillow.]

Oh. Well, that's an interesting and unexpected side effect.

[He sounds a little bit like he might want to chuckle but is politely refraining. Sorry, Karl. Anything being "fluffy" in relation to you is just a bit silly.]

Weird and/or strange would be the correct word.

[Not saying anything about the laughing. He deserves it after laughing at that accent.]

6. Video. Laptop.

[Audio]

[Video]

[Perma-audio. Boy needs to get him a webcam sometime.]

[Perma-video. that'll be his birthday gift, watch.]

Considering his birthdays' in August, that'll be a while XD

well karl will just remember it better cause so is his.

ahaha XD that amuses me. I picked mine kinda at random...

so did i!! i think i looked through like horoscopes or something? xD

... hahaha I did, too XD is Karl a Leo or Virgo then?

Great minds! And Leo, August 17. How about Lyall?

August 27, Virgo :3 It fit him best, haha

what'd it say about that date?

oh, typical virgo stuff: analytical, reliable, fussy... XD

xD okay yeah that does sound like it fits lyall

yeah :B when I read it I was like "oh. right, that one, then"

and thanks to that, they have birthdays only a few days apart~

apparently so! they can celebrate together. somehow :B

lyall just somehow needs to find out karl's birthday first.