Colin's posts

Rene sighed again.

"I'm a race that almost went extinct, and hardly anyone remembers any longer." he told her.

He then went to the books that she had arranged, before finding one of the few that weren't medical texts. He brought it towards her and handed her it.

"Look under the table of contents for 'Lantha'." he told her.

"That's what I am, bound to the form of a human to blend in with their society." he said.

"I may look human, but I am a member of an aquatic warrior race." he continued.

"Specifically, a SEA lantha." he then clarified.

Aly was blushing as well, but nodded.

"Good for you, Eke!" she said.

"And water? Okay." she then said further, getting Eke a bottle of it from the fridge, and bringing it back to him.

"Here." she said.

"And that's good that you got it back." she told him.

"You look good in it."

Rene didn't have much time to wonder about Kalin's calmness, when she asked her question.

And he instinctively slapped a hand over his mouth... before sighing.

He brought his hand away, and shook his head.

He walked closer towards her, and got eye-level with her.

"You're not seeing things." he told her.

"Look." he said, opening his mouth, and revealing that she had, indeed, seen sharp teeth... and that there were 2 rows of them.

"Don't touch." he warned through his open mouth.

"You know your tormentors better than I." Rene responded.

"You'd know what they would go after faster than others." he went on.

"You wanna be a lawyer?" he asked.

"Gotta know how your opponents think." he said, tapping the side of his head.

"Stay one step ahead, and always make sure the evidence is properly handled." he continued.

"One way or another." he added.

"Also, I understand that you're wary, and I can understand why, but let's face it... leaving you in a pool of your own blood to die, with chemical burns? They forfeited ANY and ALL rights to fair play." he told her.

"They've established that there's no boundaries, so we'll show them what happens when intelligence and cunning team up against stupid raw force." he said with a grin... and Kalin could swear she saw razor-sharp teeth in his maw.

"See, that'll be the beauty of it." Rene replied.

"I'll go and get a brand new top-of-the-line laptop. And get it insured." he told her.

"If the drug is laced into the keys of it, you won't need to touch it." he continued.

"And odds are you showing up with something like that will attract your tormentors to steal it and use it, or mess with it." he reasoned.

"Especially if you 'accidentally' leave it unattended for a bit."

"How illegal? Very illegal." Rene replied.

"Also, when?" he then asked.

"If." he corrected her.

"And that's a BIIIIIG if." he went on.

"It's untraceable, as of now." he continued.

"...and it's long-term effects result in what appears to be a heart attack." he said further.

"So that wouldn't happen."

Rene pursed his lips for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Oh.... not really getting at anything in specific." he said.

"I mean... in theory, there may be a way to make it so that the next time they fuck with a laptop you own... it might be their last time..." he continued.

"...maybe because they'll be too preoccupied with... other things in their life that... have suddenly become addictive..." he went on, before sighing.

"Right, I can't be subtle about this." he admitted.

"I know how to get a street drug that is hella-addictive, and is absorbed through the skin frighteningly quickly." he told her.

"Whoever steals your laptop or screws with it will suddenly find themselves feeling VERY good for a short while... and then, when it wears off, they'll be too busy trying to find out what caused them to feel that good." he went on.

"...and they will abandon ALL other pursuits, in favour of recapturing that feeling."

"........" Rene was silent for a moment, thinking about it.

"Hmmmmmmmm..." he mumbled.

"I see...." he said.

"Iiiiiiinteresting." he commented.

"Might be more point to it then you think." he told her.

"But anyway, how's your recovery going?" he asked.

"Feeling any better or worse off than yesterday?"

Rene just shrugged.

"Though you might be hungry." he reasoned.

"And pizza keeps well." he added.

"And system errors?' he then asked.

"Damn it all." he cursed.

"I'll have to get you another laptop, then." he said.

"Or get that to a repair shop ASAP."

Sure enough, he returned home in a little over an hour, and sighed.

"I'm back, Kalin!" he called into the apartment.

"Grabbed pizza on the way!" he said further.

He walked into the den and sat the pizza down on the table in front of her.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"Making progress on your assignments?"

Rene just smirked.

"I know exactly where to get one." he told her.

"A diner, so we'll have to make a brief stop, but that's no biggie." he said, as they exited the parking lot.

"That all?" he asked.

"Or you want something to drink with it?" he asked further.

"They mix their own sodas there. And they have every kind of syrup you can think of." he went on.

"And they do amazing milkshakes as well. So yeah, got a preference for a drink with the salad?"

"Thankfully you'll have meds for that." Rene replied.

"And this way, dear lady." he then said with a smirk.

The two of them left the building, with her and Rene signing off on various things if need be, and made their way to his car. Once they were in, and buckled up, he started up the vehicle.

"Want something to eat on the way?" he asked, pulling out of the parking space.

"I can hit a drive-thru on the way back. On me." he told her.

Rene nodded in response.

"All right." he replied.

"Sure enough, after some checking and testing, at about 4 in the afternoon of the following day, Rene stepped into her room.

[b]"You're cool to go." he told her.

"As long as you're with me until you're fully recovered." he clarified.

"You ready to get moving?"

"......oh." Rene muttered.

"I... I see." he said.

"That sounds... complicated." he said further.

"Both her continuously trying and failing, and it not mattering to you..." he went on.

"But... all right, whatever then..." he continued.

"I'll do all I can to have you out of here tomorrow." he told her.

"And... well... I'll teach you something about myself once that happens."