Captains (Uno, Lyra, & the Shepherds)
Quote from Indy on August 2, 2023, 4:09 pmI rested my forearms on the table, glancing between Lyra and Chapman. She wasn't wrong. It really depended on who our enemy was, what their motivations were, and how intent they were to snoop up the dirt. Chapman would know better than most, having lived in the Svalnaglas' backyard the entirety of his career.
With Lyra, there was no halfway. She either knew, or she didn't. And now that she knew, there was no sense in holding back details.
"Right. The basics. Every werewolf is forced to turn on the first full moon. It is not a choice - it's written down to the way we're programmed. But those who have good bloodlines or a lot of training can take their other form at other times. It can be exhausting, but it can be done. Everyone on the force can do it, I'm sure.."
I considered, somewhat amused this was my knowledge to share. I'd been on the receiving end of this talk before. Except, at the time, it was to learn how to hunt werewolves. Somewhere out there, if there was a God, He was laughing at me.
"Sometimes werewolves are obvious, but other times they can hide in plain sight. Strange eye colors, reflective eyes, hair textures, smells... they can be hidden, and they can be fooled. Just because nothing seems amiss, doesn't mean it isn't. It really depends on who is watching you".
Her words still bothered me. I knew Chapman had thoughts on the matter. If Lyra pretended nothing was the matter, would our enemies really believe it? Or, would they really not be willing to test it? I didn't know enough on the politics to take so much as an educated guess.
I rested my forearms on the table, glancing between Lyra and Chapman. She wasn't wrong. It really depended on who our enemy was, what their motivations were, and how intent they were to snoop up the dirt. Chapman would know better than most, having lived in the Svalnaglas' backyard the entirety of his career.
With Lyra, there was no halfway. She either knew, or she didn't. And now that she knew, there was no sense in holding back details.
"Right. The basics. Every werewolf is forced to turn on the first full moon. It is not a choice - it's written down to the way we're programmed. But those who have good bloodlines or a lot of training can take their other form at other times. It can be exhausting, but it can be done. Everyone on the force can do it, I'm sure.."
I considered, somewhat amused this was my knowledge to share. I'd been on the receiving end of this talk before. Except, at the time, it was to learn how to hunt werewolves. Somewhere out there, if there was a God, He was laughing at me.
"Sometimes werewolves are obvious, but other times they can hide in plain sight. Strange eye colors, reflective eyes, hair textures, smells... they can be hidden, and they can be fooled. Just because nothing seems amiss, doesn't mean it isn't. It really depends on who is watching you".
Her words still bothered me. I knew Chapman had thoughts on the matter. If Lyra pretended nothing was the matter, would our enemies really believe it? Or, would they really not be willing to test it? I didn't know enough on the politics to take so much as an educated guess.
Quote from Adriana on August 2, 2023, 4:28 pmWith a look, Chapman passed the explanation to Tara. She slid further into her seat than she was previously, as if she were going to sink under the table, and rolled her eyes in a brief fit of defiance. How much longer was the night going to go on? Then Val spoke up and she perked up with relief.
Except he forgot the most import part.
She sighed and slumped forward on the table, spinning the ashtray in front of her, a finger in the ashes.
"Forgot something, Newbie. The full moon is also when all that tacky-werewolf-movie-drama actually borders on being real-a full moon is the only time that if you're bitten by a werewolf, you'll be infected. The science behind it is... still a mystery to us."
Tara took her finger out of the ashtray and let her intrusive thoughts win - licking the ashes off of it. A shudder crawled over her body, and Chapman quietly took the ashtray away, a smile concealed behind his eyes.
"Can I-can I be excused, pretty please?" she pleaded, looking to Chapman. "I've got like, buku paperwork tomorrow."
Chapman nodded. Tara stretched out of the chair and waved the other two off.
With a look, Chapman passed the explanation to Tara. She slid further into her seat than she was previously, as if she were going to sink under the table, and rolled her eyes in a brief fit of defiance. How much longer was the night going to go on? Then Val spoke up and she perked up with relief.
Except he forgot the most import part.
She sighed and slumped forward on the table, spinning the ashtray in front of her, a finger in the ashes.
"Forgot something, Newbie. The full moon is also when all that tacky-werewolf-movie-drama actually borders on being real-a full moon is the only time that if you're bitten by a werewolf, you'll be infected. The science behind it is... still a mystery to us."
Tara took her finger out of the ashtray and let her intrusive thoughts win - licking the ashes off of it. A shudder crawled over her body, and Chapman quietly took the ashtray away, a smile concealed behind his eyes.
"Can I-can I be excused, pretty please?" she pleaded, looking to Chapman. "I've got like, buku paperwork tomorrow."
Chapman nodded. Tara stretched out of the chair and waved the other two off.
Quote from Adriana on August 2, 2023, 4:41 pmChapman now turned his attention wholly on Lyra.
"Yes, I'd imagine your family is quite capable, if you're of any testimony of their temperament." a smirk played at the corner of his lip and he might have made the slightest move to flinch.
"However, I'd still feel better if you were watched. In the meantime, call your family and tell them you've been sent to help in Reknab Bend with the sinkhole efforts so that they don't worry. "
Chapman now turned his attention wholly on Lyra.
"Yes, I'd imagine your family is quite capable, if you're of any testimony of their temperament." a smirk played at the corner of his lip and he might have made the slightest move to flinch.
"However, I'd still feel better if you were watched. In the meantime, call your family and tell them you've been sent to help in Reknab Bend with the sinkhole efforts so that they don't worry. "
Quote from Kaqurei on August 2, 2023, 4:54 pm"I'll do that, sir."
Lyra leaned over the table again and swept and hand through her hair. Laughing, quietly. What else could she do? Science and werewolves. Si, papi, someone just put those two words in the same sentence.
She put her elbows back on the table and laced her fingers, placing her chin on them as she looked at Val.
"Si. And there's that walk." She kind of rocked her shoulders just so, attempting to imitate it a little. "Every one of you who's turned out to be a werewolf tonight, I noticed that even before I knew. You all kind of carry yourselves differently. Observe things differently. Your facial expressions. What catches your attention. It's subtle, but it's there. I guess it just sort of became 'police officer' in my mind. Authoritative. But not everyone on the force has it, and I have seen it a couple of other times, outside the force."
"I'll do that, sir."
Lyra leaned over the table again and swept and hand through her hair. Laughing, quietly. What else could she do? Science and werewolves. Si, papi, someone just put those two words in the same sentence.
She put her elbows back on the table and laced her fingers, placing her chin on them as she looked at Val.
"Si. And there's that walk." She kind of rocked her shoulders just so, attempting to imitate it a little. "Every one of you who's turned out to be a werewolf tonight, I noticed that even before I knew. You all kind of carry yourselves differently. Observe things differently. Your facial expressions. What catches your attention. It's subtle, but it's there. I guess it just sort of became 'police officer' in my mind. Authoritative. But not everyone on the force has it, and I have seen it a couple of other times, outside the force."
Quote from Indy on August 2, 2023, 5:00 pmI blinked - blinked twice, turned to Chapman, and frowned.
"Walk...?"
It was just one more thing to be self-conscious about. Had I always had it, or was it really some weird werewolf thing like Lyra said. Couldn't werewolves do anything normal? I groaned.
"Just tell me where you want me Chapman... I'll be there..." I sighed, looking downwards. This all had gotten too weird, too fast.
I blinked - blinked twice, turned to Chapman, and frowned.
"Walk...?"
It was just one more thing to be self-conscious about. Had I always had it, or was it really some weird werewolf thing like Lyra said. Couldn't werewolves do anything normal? I groaned.
"Just tell me where you want me Chapman... I'll be there..." I sighed, looking downwards. This all had gotten too weird, too fast.
Quote from Adriana on August 2, 2023, 7:17 pm"Interesting." Bob hummed.
"Go home and try to get some rest, Val. Torres, I'd like to put you in a hotel for tonight."
"Interesting." Bob hummed.
"Go home and try to get some rest, Val. Torres, I'd like to put you in a hotel for tonight."
Quote from Kaqurei on August 7, 2023, 9:24 pm4:30 am, Tuesday morning, September 9th
-
Lyra woke up with a jolt. She'd been asleep maybe fifteen minutes. The hotel room Chapman set her up in still smelled like the Chinese takeout they'd picked up for dinner. Somehow that stuff was magical after midnight. Until the spell was broken at sunrise. So it still had about two hours and a half before the witching hour...
She spotted some fried rice that had spilled on the floor in the kitchen. The lights were out, but there was a street lamp outside that cast a perfect spotlight through the window to frame the mess. Her eyelid twitched.
She could already hear her mother's voice at the back of her mind: "El diablo está mirando, Lyra."
She did not consider herself a superstitious person. But her mother sure was. And after a night like she'd just had, she wasn't sure if she wanted to tempt the devil to pop out of the woodwork and prove he was real too.
As she was contemplating this--her own obsessive compulsion to tidy up at war with her mother's superstitions in her head--the phone rang, giving her a start. She sat up straight on the couch and looked wide-eyed at the phone. Who would be calling at 4am? Who knew she was here, except a select few?
Surely it was one of them. Right? ...Right? It definitely wasn't some mysterious mobster werewolf, an old lover, or El Diablo himself calling to tell her they knew exactly where she was and they were coming for her... right?
Well you'll never know if you don't pick up the phone, Lyra.
So she did.
4:30 am, Tuesday morning, September 9th
-
Lyra woke up with a jolt. She'd been asleep maybe fifteen minutes. The hotel room Chapman set her up in still smelled like the Chinese takeout they'd picked up for dinner. Somehow that stuff was magical after midnight. Until the spell was broken at sunrise. So it still had about two hours and a half before the witching hour...
She spotted some fried rice that had spilled on the floor in the kitchen. The lights were out, but there was a street lamp outside that cast a perfect spotlight through the window to frame the mess. Her eyelid twitched.
She could already hear her mother's voice at the back of her mind: "El diablo está mirando, Lyra."
She did not consider herself a superstitious person. But her mother sure was. And after a night like she'd just had, she wasn't sure if she wanted to tempt the devil to pop out of the woodwork and prove he was real too.
As she was contemplating this--her own obsessive compulsion to tidy up at war with her mother's superstitions in her head--the phone rang, giving her a start. She sat up straight on the couch and looked wide-eyed at the phone. Who would be calling at 4am? Who knew she was here, except a select few?
Surely it was one of them. Right? ...Right? It definitely wasn't some mysterious mobster werewolf, an old lover, or El Diablo himself calling to tell her they knew exactly where she was and they were coming for her... right?
Well you'll never know if you don't pick up the phone, Lyra.
So she did.
Quote from Indy on August 7, 2023, 10:11 pmI tried to follow Chapman's orders. After hitching a ride back with Tara to Chapman's to pick up my car, driving back to my place, and frying up some eggs and beans, it was just past 3. Sleep was one of those things where the more you thought about it, the less it would come. An elusive monster, rearing its head, promising you how much worse tomorrow would be - even if not sleeping made it all that much worse.
It wouldn't be reasoned with. Sometimes it could be consoled, but no matter how much terrible television I watched, nothing seemed to bring the sheep forward. Every inch of me was a coiled spring with nowhere to go. I'd emerged from tired to beyond tired. And knowing me, I could subsist in this state for the next two days if I had to.
Just call her.
Except what would I say? Or not say? What hadn't I said already that I'd already said at that table?
Robin had been right.
Chapman too.
She never should have been involved. I never should have been involved.
But now I was, staring at the static dancing on my TV because I couldn't be bothered to fish out the remote from the sofa. I was involved, I couldn't be uninvolved. I'm not sure it made it okay but it made it... less terrible.
I fished for my phone. Two rings. If she was sleeping, I didn't want to bother her more than I had. If she was awake....
I'd figure it out.
I dialed her cell phone number. It rang twice. Just as I was about ready to end the call, I heard the phone stall and breathing on the other end. Time... to figure it out.
"Sorry... did I wake you?" I breathed, feeling every bit the weirdo calling at 4 am I was, "I can call back at a normal hour".
I tried to follow Chapman's orders. After hitching a ride back with Tara to Chapman's to pick up my car, driving back to my place, and frying up some eggs and beans, it was just past 3. Sleep was one of those things where the more you thought about it, the less it would come. An elusive monster, rearing its head, promising you how much worse tomorrow would be - even if not sleeping made it all that much worse.
It wouldn't be reasoned with. Sometimes it could be consoled, but no matter how much terrible television I watched, nothing seemed to bring the sheep forward. Every inch of me was a coiled spring with nowhere to go. I'd emerged from tired to beyond tired. And knowing me, I could subsist in this state for the next two days if I had to.
Just call her.
Except what would I say? Or not say? What hadn't I said already that I'd already said at that table?
Robin had been right.
Chapman too.
She never should have been involved. I never should have been involved.
But now I was, staring at the static dancing on my TV because I couldn't be bothered to fish out the remote from the sofa. I was involved, I couldn't be uninvolved. I'm not sure it made it okay but it made it... less terrible.
I fished for my phone. Two rings. If she was sleeping, I didn't want to bother her more than I had. If she was awake....
I'd figure it out.
I dialed her cell phone number. It rang twice. Just as I was about ready to end the call, I heard the phone stall and breathing on the other end. Time... to figure it out.
"Sorry... did I wake you?" I breathed, feeling every bit the weirdo calling at 4 am I was, "I can call back at a normal hour".
Quote from Kaqurei on August 7, 2023, 10:18 pm"Val?" Lyra asked. She exhaled the breath she'd been holding, lightly, so he wouldn't hear it, and put her hand on her chest as if an attempt to still her racing heart.
Of course. It was her cell phone. No one knew she was here except the people who were supposed to. She wished she'd brought Tyranny with her. But after a night like they'd had, she felt better about leaving him at the station kennel. It was familiar, and he'd be guarded.
She cleared her throat. "Sorry I-- no, you didn't wake me. I was already awake. You... uhm... you doing okay? With... everything?"
"Val?" Lyra asked. She exhaled the breath she'd been holding, lightly, so he wouldn't hear it, and put her hand on her chest as if an attempt to still her racing heart.
Of course. It was her cell phone. No one knew she was here except the people who were supposed to. She wished she'd brought Tyranny with her. But after a night like they'd had, she felt better about leaving him at the station kennel. It was familiar, and he'd be guarded.
She cleared her throat. "Sorry I-- no, you didn't wake me. I was already awake. You... uhm... you doing okay? With... everything?"
Quote from Indy on August 7, 2023, 10:23 pmHearing her voice did wonders - mostly, that she hadn't already been kidnapped and thrown in the trunk of the Svalnaglas' trunk since I'd last seen her. Because myself, being an optimist that way, had already considered it next to "yes, call back at a normal daylight hour - or actually, call back never".
The invisible weight on my chest lightened. And then the hand on my stomach tightened, because now there was a whole host of other things to address.
"I don't know if I've ever been 'okay' with everything..." I replied, flustered and searching for the next words.
Why had I called again? If I'd had a plan, clearly it had gone with the sheep that had run off instead of putting me to bed.
I exhaled slowly, "I... feel I owe you an apology. Still. I didn't want to mislead you... I.. well, I knew I had to... But. If you need someone to be angry at, I promise I can take it".
Hearing her voice did wonders - mostly, that she hadn't already been kidnapped and thrown in the trunk of the Svalnaglas' trunk since I'd last seen her. Because myself, being an optimist that way, had already considered it next to "yes, call back at a normal daylight hour - or actually, call back never".
The invisible weight on my chest lightened. And then the hand on my stomach tightened, because now there was a whole host of other things to address.
"I don't know if I've ever been 'okay' with everything..." I replied, flustered and searching for the next words.
Why had I called again? If I'd had a plan, clearly it had gone with the sheep that had run off instead of putting me to bed.
I exhaled slowly, "I... feel I owe you an apology. Still. I didn't want to mislead you... I.. well, I knew I had to... But. If you need someone to be angry at, I promise I can take it".
