warped_replica: Temporary sketch mode until I can make better icons (Human: Troubled)
warped_replica ([personal profile] warped_replica) wrote in [community profile] saveourearth2018-07-13 09:37 pm

Secrets Revealed [Log]

Date:End of June

[Ever since the night of the celebration that had captured so much attention when the aurora appeared despite the Earth being inappropriately tilted along its axis for such a phenomenon, Benjiro had been preoccupied by the familiar experience. The number that had returned had burned itself into his mind. He jotted it down on post-it notes or briefly in search engine lines before being respectively crumpled or deleted. He figured his neurons must have misfired, conjuring the number and causing the odd cluster of temporary symptoms that had long passed. Surely, his brain had latched onto the random numerical sequence as significant secondary to the anxiety brought on by the incident. Writing it then, would give him a way to express it harmlessly.

That only worked for a few days.

While writing on his tablet at lunch, he scrawled the number out in some empty space. Before he could turn the stylus over to erase it, something else followed without his input. Messages began appearing. He shut the case cover without powering down. Later that night, when everything was calm and he was certainly alone, he opened it to examine once more. The text was gone...until he wrote the number again. With the return of the text, he started to drag and move it around, revealing more. What had seemed entirely random came with names and clues connecting those names - and beyond even that, audio played. Once he had combed through what he could find, he tried to screenshot the text so he might access it from his photos without entering the number only for nothing to show when he checked the images on the device and again at his computer.

Reliably, the words would appear with the use of that number, but he couldn't seem to capture it electronically.

Since then, he has checked every evening with the number to monitor, reviewing whatever new occurrences he could find through it. More names...one that came with a surname. One that was undeniably familiar as some of the voices in the audio had been. As the first names had been in the first entry he found.

Nearly two weeks since the aurora, late in the afternoon, he stands at the doorway of the office belonging to Professor Jacob Petty with a paper notebook held tightly in both hands. School was over, and technically, these were not his office hours. That alone made the teenager more uneasy as he stared at the floor leaning with his back to the wall and his bag hanging from one shoulder. He has been doing his best to keep focused on everything, especially classes, but by now, his preoccupation with the strange connection has begun to show physically after skipping more sleep than usual.
]
brofistsforall: (while the cradle's burning)

[personal profile] brofistsforall 2018-07-15 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[Technically, he could leave at any time, but the life of a professor could be long and unpredictable. Jacob was staying late today, grading, and...well.

Taking notes about a number of his own.

He could think of no logical reason behind all this - but there had to be one. Somehow, someway. But it was frustrating, now, and he was just about at the end of his rope. Petty sighed and got to his feet, resolving to at least get back to more comfortable surroundings at his flat, gathering his things and getting to the door and-]


-Ben? Can I help you?
brofistsforall: (all the while the world)

[personal profile] brofistsforall 2018-07-15 11:47 pm (UTC)(link)
[Benjiro's not always the most relaxed of people, but his demeanor has Jacob arching his brow and stepping aside the door to allow him in]

I have a few minutes. Is everything all right?
brofistsforall: (so clearly on the wall)

[personal profile] brofistsforall 2018-07-16 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
[Well.

That's worrisome.

Jacob closes the door behind him, not bothering to hide his own concern. Immediately he gestures for the boy to take a seat, then pauses, looking at the notebook.

It's an interesting mix of emotions that cross his face. Surprise, alarm, worry- and then, a sort of resignation as he lets out a heavy breath.]


You're part of whatever this is too, aren't you.
brofistsforall: (deep and loud)

[personal profile] brofistsforall 2018-07-16 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
[he closes his eyes as Ben speaks, listening. Thinking. Then, absentmindesly, tapping his desk]

Numbers. It always comes back to that. I can't fathom what it means, but there has to be something.

[he opens his eyes after a pause]

Was there anything else? Other than the number. Maybe some sort of change?
brofistsforall: (oh the more that it's surrounding us)

[personal profile] brofistsforall 2018-07-16 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
I'd tell you mine, but I'd rather not see if that can connect me here. It's fascinating to see how that happens. [But he leans forward, ignoring the look at his sling. Yes, he knows, but...

He's not certain. How can he be? It's different, but it never healed right. Maybe he's just being optimistic...]


I'm curious to see if this'll lead to anything else. Call me crazy, but I have the feeling this is only the start.
brofistsforall: (with a touch)

[personal profile] brofistsforall 2018-07-16 04:04 am (UTC)(link)
Could be genetic- that we share some sort of common ancestor. But why that ancestor would link us, well, we're almost getting in to psychotherapy or at the very least pseudoscience. And I'm not the guy to ask about either of those.

My guess? Some sort of random chance. Which does happen. [His lips quirk in to an almost smile, then fades]

Will you let me know if anything changes you think may be related?
brofistsforall: (send out the signals)

[personal profile] brofistsforall 2018-07-16 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Two heads are better than one, right? And if you need any accommodations, just let me know.

[He's not naming Sadie.

But he's sure thinking about her.]


When it comes down to it, we have far too little information to do anything but guessing. The most we can do right now is take notes, like you seem to be doing.
dragoonrouge: (Sadie)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2018-07-19 07:28 am (UTC)(link)
Sadie didn't immediately open the note, instead she waited until she had left the classroom and headed to the library for her free period. Reading the note made Sadie freeze in her seat. If Ben could see that bizarre Network...and with the way she'd been behaving recently...

She covered her eyes and focused on her breathing. It would be fine. It was Ben, even if she had been a pretty shitty friend since the aurora Ben would be alright with it right?

-

Finally the school day was over and Sadie slowly packed up her things, giving most of the other students time to clear out before she made her way to the courtyard.

Spotting Ben she made her way over to him, fidgeting nervously with her satchel strap. "Hi..." The greeting hung awkwardly in the air before Sadie takes a fortifying breath, "You have a number too...?"
dragoonrouge: (Sadie)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2018-07-20 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Contrary to what Ben might expect about being honest about having his own number, Sadie doesn't relax or look any less nervous. She tries, shooting him an attempt of a smile but it ends up looking wobbly and upset at best.

"I'm-I'm glad it isn't just me," She admits, "Everyone else seems to be older and then there's Mr Petty being on it too which is super weird-" She cuts herself off and bites her lip.

"When the aurora was out...did something else happen to you?" She ventures cautiously.
dragoonrouge: (Sadie)

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2018-07-20 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Sadie doesn't look at Ben, fiddling once more with the strap of her satchel until he mentions dizziness and struggling to walk.

Sucking in a breath she steps closer, only able to nod in response. Reaching up, Sadie closes her eyes and gently removes her sunglasses. Tucking the glasses onto the collar of her t-shirt she opens her eyes.

Instead of her normal, human, light-blue eyes, Sadie is starting at Ben with a pair of feline eyes, a clear and bright Amber colour with vertically slitted pupils, and when her eyes catch the glare of the sun her pupils glow briefly like a cat's eyes at night.

"It started with the shining pupils after the Aurora."She sniffles and bites nervously at her lip before continuing," And then they started to change colour, and the pupils..."

Said eyes start to glimmer with unshed tears, and Sadie's sniffles increase as she fights off her umpteenth crying session since her eyes had changed.
dragoonrouge: (Sadie)

Things I am realising; Sadie cries a lot

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2018-07-21 07:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Sadie watches Ben's reaction carefully through the tears, wringing her the strap of her satchel harder as she sees Ben's face go slack with shock.

The moment he puts her hand on her shoulder and tells her she isn't alone Sadie's face crumples and she throws her arms around his shoulders, crying into his shoulder.

"I've been so scared!" She sobs, voice slightly muffled.
dragoonrouge: (Sadie)

They can have an existential crisis together

[personal profile] dragoonrouge 2018-07-21 11:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Sadie continues crying on Ben for a while longer, but eventually the tears start to run dry as Sadie starts to loose steam. With how poorly she had been sleeping recently and the stress surrounding her eyes she wasn't exactly brimming with energy, and this has clearly taken a good chunk out of her as she sags slightly in Ben's hold.

"...I'm glad you're here..." Comes the quiet admittance, still muffled by his shoulder. "I'm scared Ben. What if this isn't the end, what if I keep changing and changing until I'm no longer me?" It's clear from the way the words tumble from her mouth that this has been eating at Sadie for the last couple of weeks.

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