Welcome to Gaia! ::

((This post will be bridging time between the shared evening, and current.))

In the morning Daniel had felt little better than he had the night before. He hadn’t slept much, even after returning most of the items. He was correct in thinking that he was able to reassemble most of the items, though not all. He had stashed the broken toasters and computer in the back of one of the Director’s bookshelves. That thought was almost enough to cheer him up from his funk, but not quite. Daniel had folded his extra shirt and pants, and sat on his bed with them waiting for whatever was going to happen. After the sun came up, Billy arrived not long after. Daniel was slightly confused by the small case that Billy came in with. Billy set the case on the bed next to Daniel.

“Listen, the director was pretty harsh with you the other day. I mean, not having a home is bad enough, but only having hospital scrubs to your name? So anyway, I figured you we about my size and brought some old clothes that I figured you could use.”

Daniel looked surprised, but opened the case. Inside were a handful faded t-shirts, a couple pair of pants, and even some shoes. Daniel finally did smile, and looked back up at Billy.

“Well, well. Billy, I do believe you’re going to miss me. I think this calls for a hug.”

Billy backed up a step and held his hands up.

“Uh, yeah. How about not. But yeah, I suppose you’re not that bad. Definitely weird, but okay.”

Daniel smiled as he closed the case after repacking, and picked it up.

“Fair enough, then. Well then, if this is to be our final moments, then I have only this to say. Bet I can beat you to the front! ZING! BwahahahHAHAAA!!”

Daniel dashes from the room, case flailing behind him. Billy just trotted after him, chuckling to himself.

<<<>>>

A few days later, Daniel found himself walking down the street, suit case in hand. The shelter had been almost too easy to get away from, though the fact that no one had tried to stop him probably had something to do with it. He had stopped at a corner convenience and got directions to the address that dame had provided, and was looking for it now. Upon passing a small park, Daniel heard a chittering coming from a bush and stopped. Peering into the bush, Daniel found a small ferret squeaking and chirping at him. Daniel was taken aback at first, but then look puzzled at the ferret.

“What? No. I was just looking.”

The ferret reared back and continued making noise at him.

“Well, no, I’m afraid I haven’t seen any squirrels. Why?”

The ferret huffed at him.

“Oh, I see. Well, I’m looking for something too. Maybe they’ll have food at this bar thing. Wanna come?”

Daniel held out his hand, and after a moment, the ferret leaped up and scampered to his shoulder, squeaking as he got there.

“Oh, well you’re welcome. So, what do I call you?”

The ferret made a long hissing sound followed by a few seconds of chatter and a then a series of squeaks. Daniel scratched his chin.

“Wow. That’s, uh, complex. Is there something, I dunno, faster?”

The ferret made a single huff.

“Well then, nice to meet you Snik. I’m Daniel, pleasure to meet you. Now let’s go find something to eat. Cause now that you mention it, I’m kinda hungry too. I wander if this bar place has pudding?”

((continued here))

Daniel managed to linger on the bench along the sidewalk for the entirety of five minutes before he became bored and antsy. Snik seemed to sense this as well, as he began bouncing and squeaking and chirping, trying to convince to go play or do something other than just sitting. Daniel was not a hard case to convince.

With his case in tow, Daniel set off to wander the area he had found himself in. Snik followed along best he could, but when he became tired, Daniel let him back up onto his shoulders and head. They found many signs indicating places that the gentleman from the bar had told him about, but even Daniel could realize that without money no one was going to just give him anything. At least, they probably wouldn’t. Snik wasn’t above suggesting that they just grab something when no one was looking, which was his typical way of doing things. Daniel tried his best to explain why that wouldn’t work as well for him, but the concept was too foreign for Snik to grasp.

The pair of them did draw a number of stares, and more than a few worried glances. A man walking down the street with a ferret on his head was no ordinary sight of course, but a man walking down the street talking to the ferret on his head was apparently a cause for concern.

As the sun began to set, Daniel found himself wandering past a very familiar bridal boutique closing up for the evening. He found himself grinning at the memory of being found there, though he cringed at the memory of being subdued. Then came the apartments that the man at the bar had mentioned, and they too looked familiar. So after one more turn and then ducking between two tall buildings, Daniel found himself standing in an alley, at the location where he had first awoken.

Landed more like, but how in the blazes would I go about explaining that. Especially when I don’t understand it myself.

Snik chattered something about finding something to eat, and then skittered down Daniel’s side, and then deeper into the alleyway. Daniel set his case down against a wall, and slid down to sit beside it. He knew that he must have had memories at some point, but couldn’t help but feel down about the fact that in a matter of hours, he had retraced the steps of every memory he could definitively call up. Looking up, he could just see the stars starting to show as the sun went down.

What happened here? Who am I? What am I?

Daniel felt like sighing, but was interrupted as Snik returned dragging a rather sizable chunk of an old bread roll along. He stopped in front of Daniel with it, and offered to share. Daniel politely declined. He looked back up at the sky, but instead of sighing, he smiled a little.

“You know what Snik. Maybe winding up back here is just what I needed. Sure the little side trip was fun, and meeting Dame was nice and quite the stroke of luck if this whole job thing goes through, but now I get to take another run at things. Maybe this time people won’t take me for some escaped crazy, or just another excentric. Maybe this time, I’ll get more answers than questions.”

Daniel gazed up at the stars until his eyes slowly fell closed and he drifted off to sleep, with Snik curled up in his lap.

Daniel was suddenly aware of standing in the inky void. Sudden memory of the previous occurrence came flooding back to him. There was no fear in it, just memory of events that transpired. Though they were of pain and fear, he found the ability to remember strangely soothing. He looked around trying to see if there was anything was there with him. In doing so he noticed that he was again wearing not a stitch of clothing.

“What is it with me being naked all the time?”

There was a low moan which grew to a chuckle and Daniel slowly turned to find the white and black mask appearing before him. Its visage now a laughing sneer frozen in place.

“You again. You know, I’m really not liking this dream thing. Especially if this is the best my head can go.”

The long red arm shot from the darkness once more, clamping around his neck and choking off his words.

Have yyyyyou found It? I grow immmmpatient.

Daniel tried to pry the huge, six-clawed hand from around his neck, but it did not so much as feel like giving. He strained to speak through the grip.

“Y’know, I think I established the last time this happened that I haven’t any idea what you’re talking about. Maybe if you gave me a hint. What does it look like? Smell?”

The grip only tightened, choking him into silence once more.

I knoooow you havvvve It. Perhapsss you need inccccentive.

Another huge red arm emerged from the darkness, and twisting in its grip was a red haired woman whom Daniel felt he knew. She writhed amongst the claws, her strange looking clothing being torn and tattered in doing so. She cried out as the grip suddenly tightened, driving the claws into her flesh, and something tore inside Daniel’s chest. He turned to the face the mask.

“Torturing random young woman, though a good way to anger me, doesn’t seem the best way to clarify your request.”

The mask drew near to Daniel’s face, its sneer flickered and faded between anger and confusion, before settling on a wide and toothy grin that was anything but mirthful. Daniel watched as the form of the woman shifted and contorted. Not in pain, but as if changing somehow, and suddenly Daniel’s eyes widened. The unknown woman had become Dame, dressed in the night clothes he had last seen her in. Almost immediately she began thrashing about and screaming wordlessly as the claws began tearing at here. Daniel’s eyes burned as he turned back to mask.

Thissss one is known, yessss?

“You leave her out of this! Whether you’re a figment of my own subconscious, or something else altogether, you leave her out of this! Do you hear me?!”

The voice only laughed, and the evil grin on the mask flickered wider.

Yet another ssstudent that you cannottttt help. They are like sssstones around youre neck, that I wwwwill use to pull you downnnnnn.

Daniel struggled harder to free himself, but no matter how hard he pulled or pried, no matter how desperately he struggled, the iron grip never faltered or even shifted.

You cannot rrrremain hidden foreverrrr, And when I ffffind you, you will watchhhh as I flay her alivvvve.

“NO!!”

There was a sudden low thrum, more felt than head, and the entire scene before Daniel suddenly rippled as if a stone had been thrown into a pool of water. Dame and the claw holding her vanished, and Daniel felt the grip holding him go as well, and he dropped to his knees on the nonexistent floor. The mask turned to look away, and the voice seemed uncertain and surprised for the first time.

WHAT?!

Daniel looked up and saw a man descend out of the darkness to land heavily on his feet just beyond where the mask hovered. He wore clothing that was strange, yet familiar. He wore a helmet that covered his face, which combined with the rest of his outfit, gave the appearance of some sort of armor. The newcomer faced the mask for but a moment, and then turned to Daniel.

“Do not reveal anything, do not say anything. Wherever you are, stay there. He is unable to locate you and is trying to draw you out. We are holding our own, and will do so for as long as we can.”

The voice roared, and a red claw flew from the darkness to strike the armored man. The man yelled as he tried to fend of the blow, but he was caught off guard. With a grunt the blow caught him and sent him flying, only to vanish as quickly as he appeared. The mask turned back to Daniel, its face now one of furious anger. For some reason, this made Daniel want to smile. The voice roared at him.

I. Will. HAVE IT!

<<<>>>

Daniel started awake, startling Snik in his lap. He looked up into the bright blue sky and saw that the sun had already begun rising over the buildings. Stretching out his legs he stood up, picking Snik up as he did. He remembered bits and pieces of the dream, not all of it sliding away as last time. He still didn’t know what it was about, but he had a feeling that it was more than an overactive imagination.

“C’mon Snik. Let’s see what today has in store for us.”

Daniel walked casually back the way he had come, headed back towards the Most Wanted bar. He passed a few people that were out and about, doing their morning routines. A group of woman waved at him, and he waved back. Then one of them whistled at him.

"Hey good looking, nice threads you got there. They finally make you cover up?"

Daniel blushed slightly, but still grinned broadly. He still just waved, but hurried along his way. The ladies behind him laughing and whistling. Snik meanwhile entertained himself by chirping and peeping nonsensically, like a ferret humming as best Daniel could figure, whilst bobbing his head up and down while riding on Daniel's shoulders. Everything seemed light and airy this morning, and Daniel began to feel some of his previous inner cheer bubbling back up. Soon he was skipping and dancing down the sidewalk, waving at people as he passed. And as such, he finally arrived at Most Wanted.

((continued in MW thread))

damey was put on watch for a few days after she completely freaked out and shut down a bit. They upped her meds slightly and had to talk her out of hyperventilating. She mostly slept for three days, whether this was her own doing or the meds, it was hard to say. Finally on the third day, dame decided to talk to the doctor, but not before speaking to Dec and Bonnie first. She still needed to get her things out.

((...I may not post more about the whole 'telling Dec/Bonnie thing'. I'll have to talk to Dec IRL first.))

{{Aww. Sad. sad }}

Amy sighed in relief when Karrie said he liked the counters and wrapped his arms around her. She sagged against him slightly and laughed.

"Oh good! I'm so glad you do. I was afraid that since you didn't answer me before, you didn't like the counters and were trying to think up a tactful way to tell me. I was hoping I could see your surprised expression when you came in and saw them for the first time. A person's first reaction is always the best. Maybe you could re-enact it for me."

She winked at him and giggled.

{{Did you forget to post as Karrie again? lol.}}