Colin's posts

Ash just nodded and reached forward, pulling the echoes off of her, and back into himself.

The process was definitely uncomfortable for her, but when it was done, she felt... herself again. Whole again... as much as she could be.

Ash, then clutched at his head, and growled a little, before shaking it slightly.

"I'm sorry." he apologised, falling to his knees.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." he went on.

"It just happened. I'm sorry." he repeated again.

"......." Ash felt a wave of guilt wash over him.

"Um..." he stammered.

"Hey..." he said.

"Let... let me help with that..." he offered.

"Those traces are really messing with you." he said further. "I can get rid of them." he told her.

"Let me help?" he almost pleaded.

Ash was silent for a moment, before nodding.

"R-right." he said.

"I..." he stammered.

"I should... apologise to agent Gardner." he then mumbled. "As a spirit, she's probably all sorts of messed up right now." he commented further.

Hal just rose to his feet.

"Make sure you do." he said.

Ash could only look away guiltily, not making eye contact with anyone.

"...that... that hasn't happened in... forever." he said quietly. "Why... why NOW...?" he asked, knowing she couldn't answer, but merely wishing to get it out of his system.

He then just shook his head, and left.

Ash looked to be... scared.

Honestly scared.

"I... I don't know." he admitted.

"I was... it wasn't Agent Sharp..." he told her.

"I was talking with him... and then... I heard this... this cry..." he continued.

"It was Agent Gardner." Hal interjected.

"It was getting closer, and... and then the rune just... activated." Ash then said.

"The mana just... seemed to take over..."

It seems her combination of physical and mana dominance had worked. Ash's rune dissipated into nothing, and Ash himself was dazed.

Hal suddenly came to, and shook his head.

"Kiah!" he exclaimed.

"Kiah, are you all right?" he asked.

He, himself, was feeling out-of-sorts, still... but that didn't matter to him.

Right now, Kiah's welfare was top priority.

Ash... didn't respond at first.

Didn't even seem to notice she was there... until he whirled his head around to look at her.

"STOP ME!" he yelled.

"I CAN'T CONTROL IT!" he told her.

"...." he was then silent, before she saw his eyes darken a little.

Whatever was happening, it was clear that the curse was starting to take over.

But why? Why here? Why now?

Her phone chimed, signalling she'd received a response, but it went unnoticed and unanswered, as the owner was not there.

Instead, she was making her way towards where she felt this presence... and soon was able to see a disturbingly familiar rune creeping about.

Meanwhile, in the office, Hal was frozen where he was, barely able to speak.

And Ash was freaking out.

Part of him was trying to control the rune, part of him was feeding into it, but it was clear he was losing it.

He had become a bit unhinged, to understate it.

"....agent Gardner..." Hal said quietly.

"I wonder what-" he started to ask, before he noticed Ash looking uncomfortable.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Is... is that...?" Ash asked quietly, trailing off some.

"Agent Gardner. She's our resident banshee." Hal responded.

It was then that they heard the sound get a little louder... as though it were coming towards them... when something happened.

Ash seemed to explode with mana, and a rune of surprising strength shot out from him.

"Of course." Lindsay responded.

"I'll be there ASAP." he told her.

--

Ash made his way to the secretary's office, where he was told to wait for a moment. As he did, he heard Hal inside, talking with someone.

"...that is a good idea. I hope it'll help. Yes. Yes, I'll see to it he has proper clearance, and for Jake to expect him." he continued. It was clear he was on the phone with something.

"All right. Bye, then." he finished, as the secretary buzzed him.

"AJ from Candentus Lux here to see you." she said.

"Send him in." was the response.

Ash nodded to her, before making his way in so they could finish up his business there.

Lindsay was silent for a moment, before sighing.

"I'll show up there within a half-hour." he told her.

"And petrification?" he asked.

"Admittedly, I've never actually encountered a gorgon before, but Zeria and I have talked about it." he continued.

"Odds are I should be fine." he said.

"When a phoenix's lifeforce snuffs out abruptly, its remains turn to ashes, regardless of their state." he went on.

"So we surmised that the same should apply to me."

The phone rang... and rang... and just as she heard his voice mail start to answer, she heard some fumbling with the phone and someone ACTUALLY answer it.

"H-hello?" Lindsay stammered, his voice a bit weird and groggy.

"Sorry, was kind of in a half-dazed, half-asleep state." he apologised.

"Anyway, uh... Kiah!" he then said, checking the caller I.D. again.

"Kiah, what's up?" he asked.

"Not often you call me." he commented further, stretching out a little and yawning slightly.

"He might be sleeping." Ash then said.

"You know, might've dozed off and there's a chance he won't hear his phone." he continued.

"If that's the case, just get someone to wake him up." he told her.

"Call... I dunno, Casey, and have Kitt give him a rude awakening." he chuckled.

"That always does it." he said.

"Anyway, I'm off. Good luck in dealing with this... crap... and call me if you think of any way I can personally help." he finished, before heading off to go and speak with Sharp.

Ash nodded in response.

"It's cool." he said.

"No problem." he told her.

"Let's catch up and talk when things aren't so hectic here." he then suggested.

"For now, I need to go and speak with your boss." he went on.

"Get the last of the red tape outta the way, involving the dude I brought in."

"....that IS a good point..." Ash admitted.

"I don't think it's ever come up." he said.

"I suppose I can ask him, but doesn't Ilias's petrification work a bit different than a 'legit' gorgon's, or something?" he then asked.

"...well, whatever. The more time we talk about this without him here, the less time your weapon tech has left." he reasoned.

"I can go back home and speak with him, try and get him to get over here." he offered.

"Or you can call him and ask, or whatever you think is the best way to do this." he then said further.

"This is YOUR domain, not mine." he chuckled.