6. Video. Laptop.

[flamberge]

[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.

Comments

[always his scribble - and cool beans :)]

[moarnomsplz]

I don't think they're any of mine but I can't be sure. Do you happen to know anything else about them?

[and always video on his end]

[flamberge]

Any of yours? You mean that you've recalled aliens?

[moarnomsplz]

Yeah, I am one. A kind that looks like fuzzy blue centaurs. Usually anyway, they're shapeshifters. And there's a kind that look like slugs. They're the bad guys in other-me's world and I really hope they're not in this one.

[flamberge]

How bad would you say the slug ones are?

[moarnomsplz]

Very bad. I think they won in that world. As in enslaved all of humanity with mind control.

[flamberge]

Do you know if there had been any way to defeat them?

[moarnomsplz]

I'm not sure yet. They had a power source they needed or something. But I don't know if we other-me and his friends tried to disable it and couldn't or if they didn't try.

[flamberge]

Then until you recall more, all we can do is hope that these aren't the same aliens we're facing. Potential enslavement isn't a particularly appealing future.

[moarnomsplz]

The good guys lasted a while tho? Still not really encouraging.

But I think the slugs were more subtle than these guys.

[flamberge]

Their methods aren't similar to the ones being used in our situation?

[Then again, he really hopes no other aliens would use flower stickers.]

[moarnomsplz]

I don't think they were. I don't remember a whole lot yet. For sure they didn't want us dead. They wanted to like. Use our bodies because of the powers we had. Especially other-me.

[flamberge]

What powers did your other self have?

[moarnomsplz]

As far as powers the shape-shifting was what they wanted. It was some kind of big deal to them but I don't remember all the details.

His tail has like a blade on the end too. That's his main weapon. And mine now.

[flamberge]

A power of the sort could be used to their advantage for a variety of reasons. No one, at least those I've spoken with, have mentioned anything regarding collecting those with such powers, thankfully.

[So mind control aliens may have been averted.]

You now have a tail?

[moarnomsplz]

That's good to know!

Yeah it was one of the first pulses I got. Like for a while I was me, you know totally human, only I could grow this blue tail.

[flamberge]

Still, if possible, I ask that you share any further information you recall about your aliens.

A curious if handy ability. Have you regained any of the shape-shifting abilities?

[moarnomsplz]

Sure, I totally will!

I have some more of his body now, like about half. Back half him, me from the waist up except I have his extra eyes on my head. And I can change back to completely human.

[flamberge]

His body is not that of a human?

[moarnomsplz]

Nope he's more like a deer-y centaur-y sort of thing. Only blue.

[flamberge]

[A blue centaur. Huh.]

I see. Are you able to shape-shift into any other form?

[moarnomsplz]

I can't yet. But I know for sure that other-me could be a shark and some kind of bird and probably other stuff.