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 Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:09 pm
When the van arrived at HQ, it took some time before the kelpie looked up from his handheld gaming device. The trip had been long and frustrating; and now that they'd arrived he wasn't sure he wanted to get out. "Hold on, I'm killing this boss," he muttered, jamming at buttons.
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:11 pm
Toby just let the kid have it. That was one hell of a use for government money, a gaming system. He supposed teenagers would be teenagers, though. A pizza only cost so much.
He took the time to help the other two agents unload the back of the van and its barrels of water on hand trucks. They couldn't go all the way inside the building, though. Nobody knew how resilient he was to draw objects and that wasn't something they tested on kids.
The werewolf came to the door then and opened it, offering a smile.
"Alright, you at a good save point? It's gonna be a while."
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:17 pm
The Kelpie saved his game and closed the 3ds. He looked up at Toby. "You're the werewolf that came to my lake," He observed. "The other agents aren't so fun." Agents, in his experience, didn't seem to do much in the way of fun. They drove him around, became irritated (which WAS fun), but did little else with him.
He entered and looked around."So this is where you work?" he asked
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:27 pm
Toby smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am. They, uh--" he looked to the others, still smiling, "They try, I like to think." He looked around them then and nodded.
"Sure, on an entirely normal agricultural plant that houses and educates kelpies," he quipped, and held the door open for the whole cavalcade. "Have you thought about whether you want to be integrated or relocated?" That hadn't made it into his file yet.
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:32 pm
"Well obviously this is like your secret base in disguise, why else would they have brought me here?" the Kelpie said, looking to Toby. "I've seen movies, you know."
He did seem to think about Toby's question, sticking the 3ds in his pocket. "I don't know. I wanted out of there. I want to learn."
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:35 pm
"Well, one option means you go out and pretend to be human and do human things and make friends and get your own food, maybe your own car," Toby said, "The other means we drain your lake and fly it and you somewhere else and you're just a kelpie with no bridle at a lake." Presumably 'learning' meant the first.
"You'll have some time to work with our Research head during classes to decide what you want, if you haven't already." And down into the HQ proper they went.
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:41 pm
The Kelpie made a bit of a face at the first option. "Humans are so dull. How about, you give me my bridle back and I don't eat anyone?" he suggested, hopefully. He paused then, and thought more seriously on the subject. "I suppose pretending wouldn't be so bad," he said, after a moment. "But I don't know how to."
"Can't I work with you? I don't like anyone else!"
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:46 pm
"If we relocate you, you lose your pizza privileges and have to compete with other Unseelies for food," Toby offered helpfully, and then nodded, "That's half of the education. My girlfriend went through it recently. My partner went through an altered version of it. It's just pretending. Of course if you break your disguise and draw attention to us bad things can happen, but that's what contracts are for."
Toby shook his head then. "I'm head agent. You're one of my cases, but I have a lot on my plate. The man who'll be teaching you is Agent Yraudhen. He's a good guy. He's head of research. He knows his stuff."
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:59 pm
The Kelpie scowled for the first time. "I don't want to lose pizza privileges! I'm always hungry!" He grumbled for a moment, then gave Toby a sly look. "Your selkie girlfriend?" He asked. "The one you brought to work?"
"I don't want the research agent," he complained. "But I'll try. I still get pizza?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:02 pm
"So then it's integration or right back to where you were," Toby said, guiding the agents and the kelpie with an arm behind the teen's back and a swift stride. "Maia, yes. She's my girlfriend now." But that was irrelevant. "You can't get pizza delivered, but while you're here you'll have full access to the cafeteria and can order specific items on the Bureau's dime. You'll have your own place and-- just in here." Toby motioned for one of the agents to open a door and he held it open for them to enter, then motioned for the kelpie to follow. It was a 'clean room,' not entirely sterile but whitewashed and otherwise empty.
"Your own place in the apartment building and access to the HQ's facilities if you want to... swim or whatever."
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:14 pm
"I don't want to go back," the kelpie said, immediately. "Is she?" So she hadn't been before? "The cafeteria has pizza?" he asked. His own place? Hm. He followed Toby into the room.
"Swim?" he echoed. Did they somehow have an indoor lake?
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:18 pm
Toby nodded and then smiled. "Not delivery pizza, but pizza, yes."
He took a pry bar and began to open one of the barrels. "We have two pools, one fresh water and one salt water." He gave one sound of exertion and the lid popped off.
"Alright. As a kelpie, you're bound to your lake. This is your lifeline." He pulled from his pocket a capsule on the end of a string and dipped it in the tepid water, filled it up, capped it, and offered it to the kelpie. "We'll give you a globe for your room so while you're here it shouldn't be an issue, but when you're out on your own, if you lose thisit's a slow and painful death for you. If it breaks, you're trapped in that area until we can come get you." He tapped the side of it with a fingernail. "Hence the plastic."
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 5:36 pm
Pizza was pizza. The kelpie returned Toby's smile.
"Right," he agreed. And it sucked, being bound to one place. He took the necklace carefully, and put it around his neck. "I'll be careful," he promised. "I won't lose it."
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 12:10 pm
Toby gestured to the barrels. "We definitely have enough to make you a few more before you leave, and then should anything happen when you're off-grounds we can ship you a new one. Your old lake will stay protected, just in case." He shrugged then.
"Would you rather see your apartment or get acquainted with L--. Agent Yraudhen."
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 1:27 pm
The kelpie looked skeptical, then. He didn't want to meet this agent Yraudhen, he didn't want to deal with any other agent. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" he asked, frowning at Toby. "I come all this way to see you, Agent Werewolf, and you want to pass me along to some geek."
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