002 — audio. [iphone]

[argents]

[ What first rips across the audio post is deafening silence. Fitting, as it's late—not terribly so, but enough that all smart people were either currently sleeping, or otherwise cramming for finals, in most of his acquaintances' cases. But this particular silence is tense, and smothering, and dark. As if it's currently awaiting something that's never going to happen. In realization of this, a slow, shaky exhale reveals the presence on the other line, stirring the otherwise quiet post to life. A whip of sheets, footsteps, the flick of a light switch.

A quiet mumble, if only to himself:

Just once?

Whatever Banagher was hoping to capture via audio, or prove the existence of, he's missed his chance. So instead, he brings his phone up to a proper speaking distance. ]

Hey, those werewolves. The ones from the Dead District, a few weeks ago. They... they're all supposed to be gone, right? There's howling, somewhere outside. Or, a howl. I only heard it once, but there was no mistaking it, it wasn't normal.

[ Distantly, a the tinny echo of another voice joins him, distinctly mechanical: Banagher! Didn't hear anything, didn't hear anything! A dream? ]

I heard it, Haro! It wasn't some dream!

[ A heavy sigh, to blanket the nervousness. ]

And it wasn't only the howling, either.

Comments

[angelskills]

It sounds like it.

Um, if it's okay to ask, what else happened? Aside from the howling.

[argents]

[ There's a discernible pause, as if he's debating on answering truthfully. Eventually, he decides there's no point in trying to keep it off the table. ]

For the last few hours, I've felt something different, all around. Like that feeling you get when someone's near you, or watching you. Enough to give you the chills. I tried to write it off as something else, but...

[ Easier said than done. It wasn't his ability that was the cause, he's sure. ]

[angelskills]

[ That's not good. That feeling usually only happens when there is someone near you or following you. It doesn't happen for no reason. While the howling might have put him on edge enough to become paranoid, she's still worried. But he definitely doesn't need any more stress right now. ]

Are you alone?

[argents]

[ Regarding his phone quietly, Banagher stays put against his bed's headboard, having picked up Haro and set him to rest on his stomach, using him as an armrest. ]

Yes and no. Here, say hi, Haro. [ A soft whirring, followed by: Hello! Are you well? ] Not exactly a person, but.

[ In some way, he was intuitive enough. And... ]

Hearing your voice helps, too.

[angelskills]

Haro? Hello! I'm well, thank you!

[ A toy? It sounds cute! And at least it's some kind of company. ]

It does? Hm... how about I stay with you until you fall asleep again? We can talk about anything at all.

[argents]

[ Before Banagher can reply, the robot beats him to the punch with a quick: Good, good! Still awake? ]

I got him back a while ago, like one of those memories. Except it ended up being him. [ Her offer is tempting, but his nerves are more than a little shot at this point. He frowns, tipping his phone just for the sake of the movement, giving his room a cursory glance. ] I couldn't ask you to do that. I'm pretty awake now, so.

[angelskills]

Right, I bet it'll be difficult to get back to sleep now. But I wouldn't mind talking for a while regardless. Being alone with a textbook for a long time can be pretty exhausting!

Heheh - so yeah, I'm still awake.

[ It's such a cute little voice, she can't help but to laugh. And truth be told, she's not really even sure if she wants to sleep anymore. ]

I wonder if I'll get anything cool like him, someday.

[argents]

[ Somehow, Colette's gotten awfully good at subverting his arguments that aren't really arguments, when all is said and done. Maybe she just has to laugh and that's enough to make even the gentle protests circle the drain. He exhales patiently.

Okay, a break from studying it was. ]

It seems like anything is possible. I could have done without him hitting me in the face when it happened, though.

[ Literally flew out of no where and clocked him right in the nose. Since then, he's learned better manners. ...Mostly. ]

[angelskills]

He hit you in the face?

[ Ouch! Sounds like that probably hurt. Like that time in volleyball when she was spiked in the face and then tripped into the net. ... High school volleyball was awful. ]

I guess that's one way to say hello. It certainly makes for a strong first impression!

[argents]

Square in the middle! Just like that. [ Not one his most dignified moments, for sure, but already his tone is lighter in spite of it. Haro flaps a few times underneath his wrists, red eyes blinking. ]

I don't know where he got all that momentum, but it was actually kind of impressive, thinking back on it.

[ And on cue: Good shot! Good shot! Such sass. ]

Did you get anything yet? Physically.

[angelskills]

Um... well. I don't think I've gotten anything at all? Not that I can tell.

[argents]

Nothing? [ A curious shift to match his tone. ] Not even when you found how to connect to the network like this?

[angelskills]

No... I don't have any strange memories and nothing's fallen out of the sky for me to find. There's not even anything I can do now that I couldn't do before.

[ She shifts a little herself, turning the page of a book idly, though she's not really looking at it. Everyone else had something -- and while it wasn't as though she felt left out, the fact that everyone else had something strange happening that they were aware of while she didn't notice anything was a little alarming. Was she broken? A mistake? Or was something going on that she had no idea about? In a way, it was a little scary. As confusing as being aware of weird changes was for everyone, she would prefer it to this. ]

I wonder why that is.

[argents]

[ Banagher mulls over that a moment, even when the silence is still companionable. ]

Can I ask... how you got your numbers? If you don't want to answer that's okay! It's just...

[ It is strange. Maybe if he could help, somehow. ]

[angelskills]

[ It's not normally something she talks about - most of her friends don't even know. But... she trusts Banagher, even if she's only know him for a few weeks. And maybe a new perspective may help figure out why she got the numbers at that time. She had certainly thought about it by herself enough. ]

... It's all right. I don't mind. But would it be okay if I connected to your number directly?

[ She doesn't want to plaster her personal problems on the network to bother everyone else. ]

[argents]

[ Though he doesn't really know what he'll be able to do, he's not going to be able to sleep for a while, and he's not really entertaining anything in retrospect just yet. He's calmer, but still experiencing the slow trickle of adrenaline, and for some reason, he gets the feeling she might need the company even more than he does. ]

Mm, sure. Hang on—I'll read it to you.

[ When he does, it's quieter, the number being the one thing he feels like he shouldn't compromise. ]

// private

[angelskills]

Thank you.

[ She fiddles a little to connect directly to his number, making the rest of what she says unavailable to the public. This is the first time she's done it, though, but she'd been told it works so she'll have to trust that. ]

I think it worked?

// private

[argents]

[ He hasn't seen much of a reason to use it either, being among so few people like them as it was. Better to not foster secrecy, right? Like this though, he's sure it's worth it. ]

Seems that way. Are you okay?

// private

[angelskills]

Mhm! I just didn't want to spam up the network with this. I'd hate to bother anyone.

[ She hates to bother others with her problems. But... well, she's concerned enough at this point to admit what happened that day, even if she doesn't much like to talk about it. ]

// private

[argents]

I don't think anyone would see it that way. We can talk to each other like for a reason, right?

[ He's thought so since day one. Even when things took a turn for the worst, even when tempers flared, and people were hurt... they weren't meant to go this alone. ]

You can go ahead.

// private

[angelskills]

That's true.

[ Though this lends itself to being more... personal in nature. What this was... it wasn't some sort of memory that came out of nowhere, or an item gained when it was most needed. She pauses for just a second before she speaks again. ]

I first got my numbers when my mother told my father and I that she wasn't sure if I was actually his biological daughter or not, because she had an affair right around the time they first got married.

I didn't get any new memory from it. I just knew the numbers when I saw how upset they both were and when I -- [ Felt awful, so awful. ]

... Well. I asked someone if anyone else had gotten their numbers without any new memories or getting anything with it, but they said they hadn't heard of it happening before.

// private

[argents]

[ Though he remains quiet while she talks, it's hard not to get swallowed up by the weight of the situation. Among all of them, with their experiences that were inexplicable and otherworldly, she'd arguably probably been the one who had her world ripped apart the most in the blink of an eye. Over something that could happen to anyone. But it didn't just happen to anyone. It happened to her.

Banagher doesn't really know what it's like, having never known his father. But he would rather try here and now than shying from the knowledge simply because it was painful. ]

I'm sorry. You're right, that's different than anything I've heard about happening so far. It must be hard for you.

// private

[angelskills]

At first it was a little difficult but I'm okay now!

[ That's a lie. ]

So please don't worry. Things will work out in the end, I know they will.

[ That's a lie (though it's true she doesn't want him to worry!) ]

I was just a little concerned because no one else ever mentioned anything like it happening before... it doesn't make much sense to me. But maybe it's the kind of thing that will make sense in time? I wanted to ask my parents but I don't think that's a great idea. I'd rather not tie them up in any of this.

// private

[argents]

[ Time... time was useful, but it could also be cruel. Weathering it out, never really knowing for sure until the right moment. If the "right" moment ever really came at all. Right now the stakes felt a little too high to just leave it up to chance, regardless of whether or not they had a choice in it. ]

It's not really fair to tell me not to worry. We're all different from other people now, but even then, you haven't had any way of knowing what's going on, right? Nothing to compare it to. That must have made you feel really isolated.

[ "Time will tell" just felt so passive, especially with a matter so sensitive. Here, he can't get behind that platitude. ]

// private

[angelskills]

It's all right - I don't mind. Being able to talk to everyone and help them when they need it has definitely been worth it.

[ And that, at least, is true. While she has her own concerns they feel so much... so much lesser when compared with the suffering of others. Or maybe not even that - she simply just cares about everyone else more. It's not something she can help, a feeling in her chest, an instinct, a belief. ]

Though, it's not like I'm not curious! I just don't know what else to do but wait and see. I don't think anyone has really figured out how these memories are happening for sure.