[Phone/Fax Machine]-Early Morning

[shendude]

[Being an old man, of course Shen Fujin owns a fax machine. But being an old man who at least tries to keep up with the times, it is a fax machine, phone and answering machine combo. It would probably be state of the art back if anyone but old people used faxes. Heck, it even prints in colour.

Trying to get the thing to stop printing sheets of pink is the trouble. In frustration, he eventually yells into the phone section.]

Stop wasting all of my ink, damn you!

Comments

[shendude]

What do you mean you do not know how? What sort of fax machine are you using?

[secondcomingof]

This isn't a fax.

[ Because who even uses a fax machine these days? Seriously... ]

It's manuscript. Merely pen and paper, being transmitted to you through some... supernatural means, I suppose.

[shendude]

...Supernatural means.

You are telling me you are a wizard.

[secondcomingof]

Yes.

A wizard.

[ Who has now arrived at the unfortunate conclusion that they took one too many Xanax last night and is regretting every second of this "conversation". Still... a seed of doubt, and perhaps curiosity, nags at the back of his mind, compels him to keep writing. ]

However, powerful though I am, your name has escaped my all-seeing eye. I would be much obliged if you provided it to me.

[shendude]

They call me Old Man Shen, and I did not get such a title by being that naive. You tell me who this is, and where you go this number?

[Probably not magic but... who knows what's going on with technology.]

[secondcomingof]

[ Well, that's not particularly helpful, but since the name doesn't ring any bells, he's just going to assume he somehow encountered a random geezer halfway across town. He'll piece it all together later, though for now— ]

Pardon my lack of manners, Mr Shen. I am Captain Casval Mass. Perhaps you've heard of me.

[ Considering his arrival to America had been broadcast on every major news station, to his knowledge. If he had to grin and shake hands for the camera one more bloody time, the unfortunate operator of said camera was winding up in a ditch. ]

Truth be told, I don't know your number. But let me ask this: did you receive a number of a different sort, lately? Perhaps a number that was slightly unusual in nature?

[shendude]

[Now that's better.]

Hm. Please accept my apologies for being short. Unusual situations bring out the worst.

[With an eye on current events, Shen Fujin is indeed aware of whom he's speaking to. But he'll downplay that for now.]

I believe, Captain, you are asking because you have done so yourself. And we share in that.

[secondcomingof]

[ Off to an even start again. Good. At least this random geezer is capable of settling down. ]

Mine as well. And indeed, two seemingly unrelated numbers have managed to connect two seemingly unreleated people.

I don't know about you, but this certainly qualifies as a strange start to my day.

[shendude]

And did your number come with something more?

[Because he's been able to float for a while now.]

[secondcomingof]

Perhaps.

[ Read: yes, and I'm still kind of sort of severely disturbed by it. ]

[shendude]

I think then, circumstances are uniform across all those connected here.