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The Beginning
From the journal of Mason

"Responsible Adult." It's an absurd phrase, really. People don't grow up, they just...decide to act in certain ways. Me? I think responsibility is overrated...but sometimes it's necessary.

If somebody told me last week that I'd agree to be some really weird-looking kid's adoptive father, I'd laugh in their face. Probably pause again, then laugh a little more.

Yet, here I am, and precisely that did happen. Crazy, I know.


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The call came at about 9:30 on a Monday morning. It was probably precise on somebody's clock, but I couldn't really say. I like to be awake by that time, but that particular morning I was still in bed. Therefore, I fumbled around for a minute before getting a hold of my shiny new phone. "Hello?" I managed with a surprising amount of clarity.

"Mr. Callahan?" The voice in the phone, an austere sounding man, asked.

"Yeah, what is it?" I replied, sitting up in bed and running a hand through my hair. That particular morning, it was mostly "normal" in color, aside from about a half inch of bright green on the tips.

"I would like to meet with you today, we need to discuss some things." He certainly didn't sound informative, or warm...

I sighed and glanced at the clock. Might as well get up, now. "Well, why don't we discuss it right now? Phones work just fine."

There was a brief pause. "No, that won't do. Let's meet for lunch at noon today."

"Wait, wait. Who am I even talking to? Why should I meet you?" This was certainly out of the ordinary, and I circled around it slowly, waiting for this call to finish.

"I represent a company called D-Corp, Mr. Callahan. We have a business proposition for you. I assure you that it will be very advantageous to do so."

I spent a moment considering, then said, "Alright, fine. I've got some time today...so I'll meet with you." The conversation lasted just a few minutes more as details were arranged. Then I went off and had my morning shower & breakfast.


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Noontime rolled around, and I was late. Admittedly, this was entirely intentional. I really don't like it when people wake me up in the morning. But hey, if this was a nice opportunity for easy money, I was certainly happy to go. Late, just because. Sure, I know the sorts of things people read into intentionally being late--to feel like they're in control, a sense of rebellion, etc. Me? I just do it because it gives a certain impression...That one.

Anyway, we met at a fancy bread & tea joint Arenap, or some such. The guy, maybe is name was Smith? Johnson? Doe? Something painfully generic, I'm sure... The guy was really easy to spot. Proper-looking. Suit & Tie, the whole deal. Very neat and conservative. And here I was with spiked hair and green tips, and a decidedly informal outfit. That type of dissonence always makes me smile.

After a moment to look him over, I walked over and sat down. "Hi there, Mr, uhm..."

"Black will work," he replied, and sipped his cup of...some kind of tea, I couldn't really tell.

A name like that made me laugh. "Black. Right. Okay, Mr. Black, I'm here. What is this proposition you and... D-Corp have for me?"

Mr. Black made a show of pulling his briefcase up onto the table. "Yes, of course. Now, you probably don't know anything about what we do at D-Corp, let me explain." He spent a while weaving a fantastic tale of mad science, flying dragons, and half-human beings. It was...quite something. I would have laughed, had he not put in front of me pictures and documentation all the way through. Hell of a thing. Looks like fun to ride a dragon--but apparently us 'mere humans' can't do it. Shame, really.

Anyway, after a while, he came to the actual reason for the meeting. "Mr. Callahan, we want you to adopt one of our new children." That very plain statement, which came shortly after he had handed me a collection of pictures of young...I don't know what to talk them, exactly. Children works, I guess. I nearly choked on the tea I had picked up over the course of the discussion.

"Wh-what? ME? You've got to be kidding." I put the teacup and the pictures down. "First off, why me? Second...that's just a terrible idea." Really, the idea of me being someone's father is silly. I'm about as responsible as the teacup I was holding. But here I was.

"Oh yes," Mr. Black replied, "We're quite serious. You're certainly not the...sort one would usually choose, but you possess a certain...outlook that will help. This is the child," He picked one of the pictures out of the pile and slid it closer to me.

I looked down to see a picture of a snake--no, a boy, but he was covered in scales, quite the variety of them, really. No legs, but quite the tail to make up for it. "Well, uh," I wasn't really sure what to think of it. "I have kinda always wanted a pet snake..." I shook my head then. "But, no. No way in hell. I like my freedom, and a kid...that's certainly limiting. Not to mention the costs."

He smirked at me. It seemed very...forced. "You will be compensated, of course. We have a shortage of...well, people like you." Nothing I said during that meeting revealed much about what he meant, although I did get the impression he didn't mean 'essentric slacker.' At that point, though, he pulled out another paper and put it in front of me. It was a contract, of sorts...listing compensation for my participation.

I whistled. "That much, huh? Well, I guess along with my investments, this will cover things...I'll have to think it over." I stood up. "This has been... very interesting."

He stood up as well. "We will need a response soon. Within the next day, preferably." The papers were rather quickly gathered up into his briefcase.

"A day? What? That fast?" These guys don't screw around, that's for sure...This company really doesn't sound particularly upstanding. But I can't hold that against a child...

Mr. Black nodded. "That's right. A day. We need to get the children to parents before they grow too much. Make sure they're attached."


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So after that, I went home and stewed about it for the rest of the day. Wasn't really sure of an answer when I went to bed that night. In the morning, I was only slightly surprised to receive a call at the same time again: 9:30. "Have you come to a decision yet?" Mr. Black's voice wanted to know.

"What the hell, man?" I demanded, somewhat annoyed at this. Then I sighed. "Uhm...yes, I have an answer. Fine. I'll do it."

...And that's how it happened. The most absurd adoption in the history of mankind, I'm sure.

Numbers
From the journal of Mason

He also had a coloring sheet for numbers to show off today. The boy has no idea what makes for good color combinations, that's for sure. But hey, that's how everybody starts out! He does seem to at least diligently try to color the things, rather than scribble all over them like I know some do.