Damage Control
Quote from Kaqurei on May 11, 2024, 1:46 pmThe plot thickens. Lyra looked riveted, chin propped on one hand, elbow on the table, munching her own fries with eyes as bright as a wide-eyed child's. "It's not really that counterintuitive," she said. "Sounds kinda like having a C.I. - you get into their mindset, get the inside info to land the bigger fish, and they get some form of protection or pay, yeah?"
She sat up straight and grabbed a napkin to wipe away some stray ketchup. She figured she was starting to piece the puzzle together. So Val lost his parents as a kid and ended up in the care of his werewolf hunter uncle. Met Robin (the werewolf) by her association with the uncle, and she's who actually raised him. Somewhere between there and here, Val met Chapman, became a werewolf, and the rest is history. The pieces were starting to form a picture, anyway. Still incomplete, but a little more comprehensible.
She swirled a fry in some sauce. "What does a werewolf hunter, like, actually do? Do they... Actually hunt werewolves? And why?"
The plot thickens. Lyra looked riveted, chin propped on one hand, elbow on the table, munching her own fries with eyes as bright as a wide-eyed child's. "It's not really that counterintuitive," she said. "Sounds kinda like having a C.I. - you get into their mindset, get the inside info to land the bigger fish, and they get some form of protection or pay, yeah?"
She sat up straight and grabbed a napkin to wipe away some stray ketchup. She figured she was starting to piece the puzzle together. So Val lost his parents as a kid and ended up in the care of his werewolf hunter uncle. Met Robin (the werewolf) by her association with the uncle, and she's who actually raised him. Somewhere between there and here, Val met Chapman, became a werewolf, and the rest is history. The pieces were starting to form a picture, anyway. Still incomplete, but a little more comprehensible.
She swirled a fry in some sauce. "What does a werewolf hunter, like, actually do? Do they... Actually hunt werewolves? And why?"
Quote from Indy on May 11, 2024, 2:12 pm"Kinda," I found the ketchup on the table and was smearing a fry aimlessly in it, "More like.. ultimate hired muscle, lie-detector, and smell-e-vision"
I grimaced. The trouble with the comparison is that the C.I. at least had committed a crime and was entitled some measure of rights. The werewolf... may also have committed some crimes, but it wasn't required for the arrangement. What the werewolf got in exchange was the right to live.
I nibbled at the ketchup-soggy fry, taking any distraction I could in the taste, "Asking the hard questions. Yeah, they do - usually alive, not always. And well, technically, for money. Because there's guys that pay. But there's easier ways to come about cash for sure. There's always something personal to it. For my uncle, for me, probably a lot of them... it was about feeling powerful over something that made you feel powerless".
Or you were a psychopath. Or all of the above...
"... What's done after, it depends on who hired you. But think of it like human trafficking. Your imagination can supply the rest".
"Kinda," I found the ketchup on the table and was smearing a fry aimlessly in it, "More like.. ultimate hired muscle, lie-detector, and smell-e-vision"
I grimaced. The trouble with the comparison is that the C.I. at least had committed a crime and was entitled some measure of rights. The werewolf... may also have committed some crimes, but it wasn't required for the arrangement. What the werewolf got in exchange was the right to live.
I nibbled at the ketchup-soggy fry, taking any distraction I could in the taste, "Asking the hard questions. Yeah, they do - usually alive, not always. And well, technically, for money. Because there's guys that pay. But there's easier ways to come about cash for sure. There's always something personal to it. For my uncle, for me, probably a lot of them... it was about feeling powerful over something that made you feel powerless".
Or you were a psychopath. Or all of the above...
"... What's done after, it depends on who hired you. But think of it like human trafficking. Your imagination can supply the rest".
Quote from Kaqurei on May 11, 2024, 4:06 pmLyra sighed and leaned back, crossing her arms. "Ayyyyy, of course. I guess that's what I should have expected."
Sort of disappointing. But it made sense. The world wasn't really different now that werewolves were real, after all.
She could see the topic was still raw. He was being forthcoming, but she didn't want to dig any deeper for now. It was time for a tactful subject change.
"How's your burger?"
Lyra sighed and leaned back, crossing her arms. "Ayyyyy, of course. I guess that's what I should have expected."
Sort of disappointing. But it made sense. The world wasn't really different now that werewolves were real, after all.
She could see the topic was still raw. He was being forthcoming, but she didn't want to dig any deeper for now. It was time for a tactful subject change.
"How's your burger?"
Quote from Indy on May 11, 2024, 4:27 pm"Barely tasted it - inhaled it," I said humorlessly, still swirling a fry in ketchup.
I wasn't sure I could stand going back to surface topics... but nor could I go headlong into my criminal history. Surely, there was a place between it.
"Alright. What's the last fun thing you did? Actual fun. Not work-fun".
"Barely tasted it - inhaled it," I said humorlessly, still swirling a fry in ketchup.
I wasn't sure I could stand going back to surface topics... but nor could I go headlong into my criminal history. Surely, there was a place between it.
"Alright. What's the last fun thing you did? Actual fun. Not work-fun".
Quote from Kaqurei on May 13, 2024, 7:06 pmShe grinned like she had something really smart to say. Then, she really thought about the question. And the answer. It had... been a while. Not quite a year. But several months.
She shook off a thought, cleared her throat, and swept a lock of hair behind her ear. Smiled again. "Uh, I went to a rave. How about you?"
She grinned like she had something really smart to say. Then, she really thought about the question. And the answer. It had... been a while. Not quite a year. But several months.
She shook off a thought, cleared her throat, and swept a lock of hair behind her ear. Smiled again. "Uh, I went to a rave. How about you?"
Quote from Indy on May 14, 2024, 4:57 pm"Huh, sounds fun," I say, really trying to imagine how that was fun, and utterly failing.
And it turns out, I should get better at asking questions I know the answer to. It takes me longer than I'd like to admit. For a second, I fear I'm actually a deeply boring person. Yes, I read the newspaper with a fresh cup of coffee and fell asleep the night before to the static on television.
I almost laugh as the answer comes to me. Because apparently if I don't channel old man, then it's five-year-old boy.
"A little while ago, I found an entire box of old manga at a thriftstore. It was awesome, since I never had seen most of it before. I spent the next few weeks reading it after work, between shifts... Robin made fun of me for weeks".
I manage a short laugh, "Hope that doesn't lower your opinion of me"
"Huh, sounds fun," I say, really trying to imagine how that was fun, and utterly failing.
And it turns out, I should get better at asking questions I know the answer to. It takes me longer than I'd like to admit. For a second, I fear I'm actually a deeply boring person. Yes, I read the newspaper with a fresh cup of coffee and fell asleep the night before to the static on television.
I almost laugh as the answer comes to me. Because apparently if I don't channel old man, then it's five-year-old boy.
"A little while ago, I found an entire box of old manga at a thriftstore. It was awesome, since I never had seen most of it before. I spent the next few weeks reading it after work, between shifts... Robin made fun of me for weeks".
I manage a short laugh, "Hope that doesn't lower your opinion of me"
Quote from Kaqurei on May 17, 2024, 7:15 pmShe smiled, seeing right through the pleasant small talk response to what she's said about the rave. "No it doesn't," she said, "Not to you."
But she did not seem at all to take an unshared interest personally, and her eyes were still bright, posture still inviting, observing Val's movements and expressions as they played out across his face.
"Not at all!" she said, and genuinely. Truth be told, she didn't know what Old Manga was. At first she thought maybe a hard-to-find favourite beverage--perhaps mango flavoured--which instantly transformed into a rare and unusual collection of paintings or knick knacks the moment he said thrift store, and just as quickly morphed into some kind of novel when he said he spent weeks reading it.
Whatever it was, she'd always considered herself to be of an open mind. And the fact that he found it interesting made it interesting to her. For a moment she doubted her natural curiosity, not wanting to sound stupid or uninformed, but inwardly admitted to herself that, if it was something of common knowledge, then she was uninformed. It was nonsensical to pretend she knew something when she did not.
"What was it about?"
Tactful. She'd give herself an imaginary pat on the back. Score one for Lyra. Expressing interest and fishing for more information, all without totally revealing she had no idea what an old manga was.
She smiled, seeing right through the pleasant small talk response to what she's said about the rave. "No it doesn't," she said, "Not to you."
But she did not seem at all to take an unshared interest personally, and her eyes were still bright, posture still inviting, observing Val's movements and expressions as they played out across his face.
"Not at all!" she said, and genuinely. Truth be told, she didn't know what Old Manga was. At first she thought maybe a hard-to-find favourite beverage--perhaps mango flavoured--which instantly transformed into a rare and unusual collection of paintings or knick knacks the moment he said thrift store, and just as quickly morphed into some kind of novel when he said he spent weeks reading it.
Whatever it was, she'd always considered herself to be of an open mind. And the fact that he found it interesting made it interesting to her. For a moment she doubted her natural curiosity, not wanting to sound stupid or uninformed, but inwardly admitted to herself that, if it was something of common knowledge, then she was uninformed. It was nonsensical to pretend she knew something when she did not.
"What was it about?"
Tactful. She'd give herself an imaginary pat on the back. Score one for Lyra. Expressing interest and fishing for more information, all without totally revealing she had no idea what an old manga was.
Quote from Indy on May 19, 2024, 4:55 amBy look of Lyra's clueless expression... her opinion of me was about to get a lot lower. I flushed slightly, looking aside just so. Maybe the werewolf in the room was the least of our problems.
"Welll, a lot of stuff. It wasn't really from one series, because it was just a random collection ... Astroboy, uhh Akira, Nausicaa. Astroboy wasn't in English though so I mostly looked at the pictures..."
I struggled to keep my tone even. Just because Robin had taunted me endlessly for it, didn't mean Lyra would.
"Anyways, I didn't get to see the whole story, but sometimes it's just nice to see people with weirder problems than you. Astroboy is a robot living with people. Akira is set in a really terrible future, and I think the main character can accidentally blow-up cities with his mind. Nausicaa is a little more optimistic - well, not really, the whole world was destroyed by war and is basically a toxic wasteland with mutant monsters and plagues. But people are still doing people things, having societies and wars and stuff..."
I stifled an awkward laugh, "So anyways, haven't been a robot, blown up cities with my mind, or lived in a toxic wasteland yet. So, it keeps it all in perspective".
By look of Lyra's clueless expression... her opinion of me was about to get a lot lower. I flushed slightly, looking aside just so. Maybe the werewolf in the room was the least of our problems.
"Welll, a lot of stuff. It wasn't really from one series, because it was just a random collection ... Astroboy, uhh Akira, Nausicaa. Astroboy wasn't in English though so I mostly looked at the pictures..."
I struggled to keep my tone even. Just because Robin had taunted me endlessly for it, didn't mean Lyra would.
"Anyways, I didn't get to see the whole story, but sometimes it's just nice to see people with weirder problems than you. Astroboy is a robot living with people. Akira is set in a really terrible future, and I think the main character can accidentally blow-up cities with his mind. Nausicaa is a little more optimistic - well, not really, the whole world was destroyed by war and is basically a toxic wasteland with mutant monsters and plagues. But people are still doing people things, having societies and wars and stuff..."
I stifled an awkward laugh, "So anyways, haven't been a robot, blown up cities with my mind, or lived in a toxic wasteland yet. So, it keeps it all in perspective".
Quote from Kaqurei on May 30, 2024, 8:44 pmEverytime it came back to, Oh yeah, Val's a werewolf, for real life it struck her as such a funny shock. Not that that was a terribly new sensation. Real life had a way of reaching through the fog of her imaginings and slapping her across the face just long enough to wake up and acknowledge it's existence now and then. Then, like a disinterested (or perhaps overworked) child in math class, she'd nod off again presently.
It was just the irony of it. Real life would usually slap her awake with a Werewolves aren't real, chica, get a grip. Instead, today, it was Val is a werewolf, and werewolves like Japanese fiction. Well, Val does.
It was all so beautifully normal and bizarre. Even she couldn't dream this up.
"I have so many questions," she said, trying to find the happy place between an enthusiastic smile, but not come across as mocking. He'd already expressed some embarrassment of his interest. But he'd gone ahead been vulnerable enough to share it with her anyway. The last thing she was going to do was Mateo him about it. Yes, that was a verb now.
Everytime it came back to, Oh yeah, Val's a werewolf, for real life it struck her as such a funny shock. Not that that was a terribly new sensation. Real life had a way of reaching through the fog of her imaginings and slapping her across the face just long enough to wake up and acknowledge it's existence now and then. Then, like a disinterested (or perhaps overworked) child in math class, she'd nod off again presently.
It was just the irony of it. Real life would usually slap her awake with a Werewolves aren't real, chica, get a grip. Instead, today, it was Val is a werewolf, and werewolves like Japanese fiction. Well, Val does.
It was all so beautifully normal and bizarre. Even she couldn't dream this up.
"I have so many questions," she said, trying to find the happy place between an enthusiastic smile, but not come across as mocking. He'd already expressed some embarrassment of his interest. But he'd gone ahead been vulnerable enough to share it with her anyway. The last thing she was going to do was Mateo him about it. Yes, that was a verb now.
Quote from Indy on June 1, 2024, 10:32 am"By all means, don't let me stop you. Not that I've managed to do it before," there was heat creeping at the back of my neck, but a tinge of relief too.
At least, she hadn't rolled her eyes and stormed out the door, insisting someone less childish escort her home. Now the relief it had done something funny, when mixed with embarrassment. Apparently, I was grinning. Grinning like an idiot - perhaps a little manically so. Because of course I'd kept it all cool and suave in my grand reveal at the bar... but revealing an interest in manga was a whole new territory.
"Anyways," I broke the stupid smile with a short laugh and remembered my drink, taking a long slow drink of cold water, "You mentioned something last week. Telenovellas or something? You can't tell me the plots are any less creative".
"By all means, don't let me stop you. Not that I've managed to do it before," there was heat creeping at the back of my neck, but a tinge of relief too.
At least, she hadn't rolled her eyes and stormed out the door, insisting someone less childish escort her home. Now the relief it had done something funny, when mixed with embarrassment. Apparently, I was grinning. Grinning like an idiot - perhaps a little manically so. Because of course I'd kept it all cool and suave in my grand reveal at the bar... but revealing an interest in manga was a whole new territory.
"Anyways," I broke the stupid smile with a short laugh and remembered my drink, taking a long slow drink of cold water, "You mentioned something last week. Telenovellas or something? You can't tell me the plots are any less creative".
