Out last night

[Ron Caliburn]

I had a puzzling one the last night, and I‘m not sure what exactly happened there, so I’m going to lay out for you what happened and see if the rest of you can put this one together.

I went out into the Blight on Tuesday night. This is a bit of a rare thing for me these days. With the shop so busy I try to get as much sleep as I can during the week and then monitor the Blight on the weekends or special days. For whatever reason I felt I had to go out there, so I went.

I didn’t bring Mr. Fluffers with me, or try to contact any of my friends on the street or even send Hannah my usual message that I’ve gone out, so she’ll know if something happened to me. In short I didn’t follow any of my usual routines. I just grabbed my stuff and went into the Blight.

Unlike normal, I didn’t try to do a patrol route of any kind. I just went, parked my car, got out, walked down an alleyway and stopped. Why, I don’t know. I just did.

I stood waiting in the alley for quite some time. Waiting for what, I wasn’t sure. I found myself there, waiting. My phone started buzzing in my pocket, for some reason I ignored it.

Finally, after just standing there, the details of the alley began to become apparent. It was a familiar alley; I’d been in it a few times. But it stood out in my mind for some reason.

It was hard to think for some reason. I stared down at a smudged and faded design on the ground and the tattered remnants of police tape. I knew there was something about this, but what? I couldn’t be certain of.

Then it came from the shadows in a rush, a mixture of man and black furred feline. Its roar was a barely intelligible call for revenge.

I tried to get my Piece up, but whatever had brought me to the alley slowed me down a step and the thing slammed into me before I could get a shot off.

From there it was a desperate street fight. My Blade and his claws. He was faster and stronger than me, but I was more experienced and fought dirtier than him. We both scored on each other, but neither one of us could find the gap in the other’s defences necessary to make a telling blow.

Then, for a brief moment in our struggles, the cat-thing’s voice became clear. “You killed my father, now you’re going to die!”

Why that had been clear when the rest was just barely sensible snarling, I don’t know. But in that sudden moment of clarity I recognized the alley; I remembered another cat-thing who had come to settle a score with me there, I remembered the old adage about knives and gunfights.

Of course, while my mind suddenly filled in the details about the alley, the cat-thing launched another attack. Distracted, he caught me and knocked me across the alley. My Blade skittered away under a dumpster, my Piece landed among a pile of broken crates and my armour was shredded open from belt to collar.

The cat-thing turned on me, measuring me for his next strike when a blinding pulse of light suddenly filled the alley. As the spots danced before my eyes I saw the small figure of a girl standing between the monster and myself. In a forceful voice she told the cat-thing to leave. Then blackness swallowed me up.

I awoke this morning at home. I have no bruises or cuts from Tuesday’s battle. If it wasn’t for Clarity Grace sitting in my living room playing with Mr. Fluffers, I’d have thought it was all a dream.

As usual, Clarity is friendly, but her answers about what happened are too short on details for me to fully understand how she got there, where the light came from, or what she did to make the cat-thing back down. But seeing as I owe her one, I’m going to let that slide.

I just wish that when she brought me home, she’d picked up my Blade and my Piece too. Would have been even better if she had used my car instead of taking me back on the bus.

I also wish I understood why she thought putting my tattered armor in the dryer would 'heal' it.

[Tms3]

Ron the offer still stands about some help for the shop. part of it is selfishness on the part of my order, but I can have some of our newly trained members come and interview for potions in the shop... granted there looking for a professanel apprenticeship rather then just a job. we do try and have most of or members in as many professions as posable. it makes things a tad easier if say the plumber is in the know. in case he sees something strange working on your pipes. we don't have many gunsmiths though. there good kids and some of them come form police or military families

[Cybermancer]

Damn.

I was afraid of this happening.

Sorry.

[Ron Caliburn]

Well apparently you could have prevented it too.

[Cybermancer]

I admit, I screwed the pouch on this one, big time. I'll do what I can to make amends.

Some of you may be wondering what's going on. You're going to have to keep wondering as there is a security concern at the moment.

Hannah,

I'll tell you when I see you. I don't expect you'll be happy about it or with me.

[Gotham Witch]

It looks like it was busy, oi.

I agree with Cyber - hindsight is 20/20, but it still hurts.

[Ron Caliburn]

He's not talking about Not Me.

He knows who the werepanther in the alley was and has known for some time I gather.

Now that I have it figured out, it makes a lot of sense, I guess one has to be used to looking at things from an outside point of view.

[Hannah]

Matt just let me in on this.

Of course Peter isn't answering his phone either.

Seriously, why does every man in my life have to be so secretive?

Hannah

[Gotham Witch]

Ron - I knew he wasn't talking about Not-You. I just find it less than coincidental that the same night I get used as a sledgehammer and Darcy pulls a Manchurian candidate, you have a sudden urge to wander the Blight in a completely unprepared fashion.

The other stuff with the lycanthrope... ehhh. I've got enough of a headache as it is without trying to formulate an opinion on that one.

[Clarity]

_____Hello again, everybody!! Mr. Ron let me use his computer. Wasn’t that nice of him? He’s eating breakfast right now and creating funny faces. He wondered what happened between now and when I was living in that big castle with Mr. Just and some other nice people, but I don’t really remember enough to tell him.
_____After we stopped at the place that wasn’t the camping place, I felt like I needed to leave to help someone else. I wandered around and wondered how those really big statues could move and if they needed my help. But that didn’t feel right so I kept walking. Then I helped a little girl. Then I helped an old man with whiskers. Then I walked around some more and tried to help others. Sometimes I did and sometimes I didn’t. The times I could help helped me feel happy. The times I couldn’t help helped me feel very sad and frustrated and dismayed.
_____I hoped Hannah would call, but that was probably silly of me because she would be busy becoming popular at her new school and creating friends with old people who think she’s adorable and helping Mr. Ron and talking to Gruagach and whispering about boys and girls with Miss Darcy, because I can’t do all that and she can.
_____The dream visions are so strong sometimes it’s difficult to think of other things. The excitement at possibly seeing Hannah again was diluted at the sense of urgency I felt, but couldn’t understand. She was laying down beside another lady I didn’t know. They looked asleep, but a wrong sleep. They were hurt.
_____I raced faster than I had ever done before. Probably faster than I should have. Ethan saw me run once and told me I should hold back. But I decided right there that was only if my best friends weren’t in any danger.
_____The actual path I took is rather an obscure. I meant to go to Hannah’s house, but sometimes the dream vision’s shadows send me a different way. I didn’t go to Hannah’s house. Instead, I raced a different route. I just barely saw a car that looked familiar, but was already steeping under the legs of two buildings, vaulting a wooden fence, and finally jumped atop a big garbage block before I could remember it. Muffled battle happened below me. But it wasn’t Hannah and that new lady.
_____It was Mr. Ron and Peet. They were fighting each other. Peet looked horrible. Normally in his catskin, he looks sleek and handsome. But then, he looked angry and violent and outside his brain. Mr. Ron was having a difficult time holding his sword.
_____“You shouldn’t be fighting,” I pleaded. “Please stop, right now. Please? Please stop it!”
_____They didn’t listen. Peet helped Mr. Ron drop his sword under the garbage block. The panic arose when Peet threw Mr. Ron against the garbage block, but vanished as warmth drenched my insides and skin.
_____I leaped into the air right as the sun woke up all around us, helping me by chasing all the shadows and fear away. Mr. Ron flinched. Peet jerked back and armed his eyes with his elbow.
_____“You shouldn’t be fighting each other,” I declared when I landed between them, breathless but calm. The sunlight spirited away as hastily as he had come, the darkness returning in a curtain. But I still felt warm, standing with my back to Mr. Ron, spreading out my arms and hands in case Peet attacked again, which I hoped he wouldn’t. “You guys are both good guys. You shouldn’t be fighting each other,” I repeated because I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
_____Mr. Ron fell asleep. Peet looked like a cat witnessing a mouse fighting back against him and winning. He was about to ask something, but then turned his mind, jumping up the wall and galloping across the roofstop like he and his sister and friends are so fond of doing.
_____I took Mr. Ron to his home. He was heavy. Mr. Fluffers greeted me with joyful surprise, nudged Mr. Ron until he was satisfied Mr. Ron was alive, and took a nap without brushing his teeth. I couldn’t heal Mr. Ron’s plastic chestshield or panties, so I put them in the washer and hoped that would help heal them.
_____I still don’t know what to do about that black disc that is eating Mr. Ron’s head. It looks like those pictures in some churches where some men have a golden circle hood, only this one is dark and slimy feeling. I tried to heal it away, but it comes back a few seconds later. It tried to eat my head too, but it melted away and stayed with Mr. Ron.
_____P.S. I helped Mr. Fluffers brush his teeth before going to bed.
_____P.S. Again. Hannah doesn’t live with Mr. Ron anymore. I hope she’s all right.
_____P.S. Again, again. Why would Peet attack Mr. Ron like that? Is something going around?

[Hannah]

Hi Clarity,

Thank you oh so much for what you did the other night. If something happened to Peter or my Dad I wouldn't know what to do.

I am alright, but things are a big mess up here. I am glad you are there with my Dad. I'd love your help here, but I think he needs the help more.

Hannah

PS: Just to ask Clarity, who's brush did you use on Mr. Fluffer's teeth?

[Cybermancer]

Hello Miss Grace,

I'm glad to see you've made it back from where you were and that you appear to be well. I know that Mr. Just was quite worried about you but he had other responsibilities to attend to.

It is a good thing that you were able to help Mr. Ron. I think he may have needed it a bit more than Hannah did at that moment.

How did Fluffers feel about you helping him brush his teeth?

Hannah is alright for the moment and I intend to see that she remains that way.

Something is definitely going around and we're doing what we can to deal with it.

[Rowan]

A strange, dark—something—around Ron Caliburn’s head? Like a halo of sorts?

Ron Caliburn, how’s your eyesight been? Before this and lately?

[Gotham Witch]

Hm, maybe a halo. Maybe something else...

Regardless, hello Miss Grace, I'm one of Hannah's friends. Thank you for keeping Ron safe.

[Chalice]

Er . . . plastic panties? I never thought of Caliburn as that kind of man.

[Sparks]

Having been there and done that, clearly he's a braver soul than I, risking dismemberment and discomfort at the same time.

[Clarity]

______I just made a terrible mistake. I hope she’ll forgive me.

[Gotham Witch]

Uh oh. Did something happen, Miss Grace?

[Celeste Darken]

Perhaps the answer to your problem is the mundane one that all mortals face and fear, Caliburn.

Age is catching our indomitable hero.

[Ronin]

Greetings and Salutations, Miss Darken.

Allow this unworthy one be the first to welcome you back to the boards. Surely there must be great things afoot to warrant the attention of one as mighty and powerful as yourself.

Indeed, even in the land of the Rising Sun your name is known. And I am certain it is not only because of this simple human invention known as the internet.

Long has your absence been felt here. And just as strongly is your remergence felt.

It boggles a simple mortals mind, that there could be anything of interest for you here and now though. Clearly there is much that I do not see.

Would that you could shed just a slight hint of light, nay not even that but a shadow of knowledge upon this lowly peasant.

Will you be partaking in the transpiring events or merely blessing us with your witty and may I say, insightful observations?

[Ron Caliburn]

Update, I am now in New York.

That terrible mistake Clarity mentioned - apparently she told the werebeast the connection between Hannah and I. So now as much as I wanted to avoid confusing people in New York about who is and isn't real I have to be there in case the werebeast decides Hannah is a target for its revenge.


Age must be catching me, because you don't exist anymore Darken.

[Grace]

I'm sure you got some good years in you yet, Ron.

Do you need some help? I can assure you that Not Ron is out of my head. Challenge me any way you see fit, I'll pass.

[Ron Caliburn]

Right now Dar, you're still officially compromised. Just chill until everything else is done with and then we'll make sure that you are clean.

[Grace]

______I just made a terrible mistake. I hope she’ll forgive me.

Hey Clarity. I'm glad to see you're posting again and that you were able to help Ron.

I don't know what you did but I'm sure it wasn't as bad as what I did. I'm sure you can be forgiven.

[Hannah]

I've forgiven her already. Dad might take a bit longer.

I was hoping to tell Peter myself, and in less exigent circumstances.

I wish he'd answer his phone.

Hannah

[Ron Caliburn]

Of course it will be a while before I do. She told that thing our connection. That puts you in danger.

So now I'm here to protect you from it, but that causes problems where there may be a mis-identification between me and that dream spirit.

So yeah, she caused us a lot of problems.

[Hannah]

Dad, lay off her.

Besides, I would have told him as soon as I found out too.

Hannah

[GhostSpider]

Wow, quite the developing CharlieFoxtrot we got going on here. Anything I can do to stop this train before it derails?

[Hannah]

Find Peter, keep him safe but don't hurt him.

Hannah.

[GhostSpider]

Any tips on a possible location?