Colin's posts

"...don't let anyone know." he responded.

"They can't... see me... like... this." he told her.

"They... would... panic..." he went on.

"I feel... weak..." he then whispered.

"Going to... collapse..." he said further.

"Just... want... to die..."

Ty shakily grabbed it, and when he briefly touched her hand, she felt how frail he was. His skin was alarmingly dry, his fingers felt bony as anything, and she felt the shakes from him.

And that was just his hand.

"Shadow..." he said.

"But nothing..." he went on.

"Felt something." he continued, before coughing again, this time more violently, and almost passing out.

"Happened... just before you got back..."

".........." Ty almost couldn't answer.

"...hungry..." he said in a quiet hoarse tone.

"De... hydrated..." he managed to further get out.

"Pain... weak..." he continued, before coughing... with Hazel hearing how pitiful and dry it was.

"Help... me..."

He froze when he felt the sensation, and whirled around again.

"Hello!?" he called out again.

No answer.

"HELLO!" he yelled.

Silence.

"Ugh." he mumbled. "I'm starting to lose it." he said to himself, before starting to go back to the office... and then suddenly feeling hungry. VERY hungry. Starving. Almost literally.

"Wh... what...?"

Meanwhile as Angela was pondering her sanity, Ty had stood up and made his way to the door of the office. Hazel was getting something to drink for the two of them, and he wanted to stretch his legs.

He opened the door and stepped into the receptionist area, but paused when he thought he saw a shadow move just out of his line of sight.

"...what...?" he muttered.

"The hell was THAT?" he wondered.

"Hello!?" he called out.

@hadsvich: That's very nice of you!

As for me..... well, a Bento (Sea) would be nice, thanks!

"...that was weird." Ty mumbled.

"But I have little time to dwell on it." he sighed.

"I need to see about other sources of food, while you ask the lab about that." he told Hazel.

"We are REALLY going to need to pull together for this." he continued.

"...and just pray we make it."

Ty looked at Jane as turned to the door.

"Hey." he said.

"If something's wrong, or happening with you, please. Don't hesitate to tell us." he told her.

"For now, Hazel." he then said, addressing the other woman there.

"We need to find a way to source more food for this building."

"Perfect." Ty muttered.

He then looked at Hazel, and sighed.

"Seen the news?" he asked.

"Seems like rinderpest is on the rise again, going to take out over 60% of the world's bovine population." he told her.

"And food is spoiling HERE as well." he continued.

"As if this MISERY with all the disease wasn't bad enough, we're well on our way to a FAMINE!"

Ty's expression turned to that of disbelief, exasperation, and anger, when he heard that.

"...what." he said.

"80%. Rotting away." he said further.

"Something like that, yes." Jane responded.

Ty just let his head drop to the desk, hitting with a dull thud.

"GREAT." he said sarcastically.

"LOVELY." he growled.

Ty merely took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and exhaled.

"Indeed." was all he replied with, before they started to eat.

---

"It's open!" she heard.

She then opened the door, and saw Hazel and Ty there, as per usual. Ty looked over, and nodded.

"Hello again, Miss Jane." he greeted her.

"You look worried." he commented.

"Something happen?"

Ty was silent as she placed a hand atop one of his.

He looked at it for a moment, before he felt the clarity once more, and slumped down some.

"...yeah." he said.

"Yeah, that's... that's a good idea." he agreed.

"...damn it." he cursed lightly.

"Something BIG is happening. But WHAT?"

Ty just grimaced when Hazel said 'Mistress'.

"Rgh." he growled.

"...indeed. Vanessa Encrae IS dead, and in a place where she can never force anyone to call her 'Mistress', or enforce her will on anyone, ever again." he stated, gnashing his teeth a little, but he quickly stopped.

"So you're right. It can't be her." he agreed.

"Unless this is some long-term plan of hers that's been percolating on its own ever since she died." he then said further.

"...but I'm not so sure she'd have planned THIS far ahead."

"It's biologically impossible." Ty responded.

"I had it a long time ago." he said.

"I came back from it, and I was fine." he told her. "I know the pit that changed Lunet into a Regenerator wasn't a 'real' pit, but it was still mechanically a pit." he went on. "The net end should be the same for her. There's no reason for it NOT to be." he reasoned.

"But I just got the message from Angela. Lunet is showing early symptoms of it. Again." he continued.

"This is infuriating, to understate it. This makes NO goddamn sense!" he declared.