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Event - Dogged

Dogged

The message goes out to everyone on ADI's network. It seems to be something captured live. It's Pam Ruan, head of HR who holds a prosthetic finger up to her lips before whispering, "Everyone's pushing for transparency right now, right? Figuring out where threats are coming from and sharing. I think that should come at all levels. Let's see what Nia's talking about with Mr. Zyrian Steel, hmm?"

The camera flips around as Pam clearly creeps closer to an office door. There are muffled voices, and Pam sets the phone face up before using one hand to shove the thing under the door. The video shows a sliding picture of the office's bland ceiling for a moment before coming to a stop. The voices become much clearer.

"-down in Wolf Trap," a masculine voice is saying. Presumably, Zyrian Steel. "There's just no need for that."

"Zyrian, this ain't a negotiation." Nia Lehrer's voice is familiar to most people working at ADI at this point. They've likely heard her speak in some pre-recorded training videos at the bare minimum. Nia's tone is no nonsense and clearly on the edge of snapping in frustration. "You're not hiring us. I'm sending my people down to Wolf Trap next month. We've got evidence of those signalhead things being on the march, one down that way, your kick off for New Horizons in the park, and evidence out of there about the Lullaby Girl from some of my people."

There is silence.

"You remember her? Ava? Or Amber, it seems like. She's the one you gave us those Lucidio masks to help train our people against. Frankly, I'd be surprised if you don't remember her, Mr. S." Another drawn out pause. "You ain't been straight with me for a long time. You ain't been straight with ADI since Tawnya was Warden. You tell me you need us in Buffalo, payback for helping in Wolf Pen and Cortana and the mobile med units, and not only do half the staff come back with crab claws and whiskers, but I find out you're using us for business politics." There's venom in her tone. "Or were you just going to stay quiet about Etcher's enterprises competing with your own software companies? ADI is not your personal attack dog. You are our client. And I thought my friend. But I'm about 30 seconds away from firing you from both."

Further silence, then a heavy sigh. "And I was going to offer to send you and your staff on such a nice retreat." There's the sound of a chair being pushed back. "Warden, I think you misunderstand the nature of our relationship. You are the dogs. I am the master. I hold your leash. Or have you forgotten just how much technology I've donated to ADI over the years, how many of your systems run on things I built? We've had a mutually beneficial relationship up until now- Well… you and I have. Tawnya got to be a problem before the end, too. But I made sure that was taken care of."

"You self-aggrandizing son of a-"

"You're a much more practical woman than she ever was, even with those shiny ideals you hold so dear. You'll compromise for the greater good, to protect what's yours. Such a good Warden, looking out for her charges."

"What are you talking about? And get your hands the hell off my desk."

"Haven't you ever wondered about the title? Warden. Odd name for a leader of any organization, even one like yours. But maybe not so odd when you consider your more eldritch masters." A scoff. "The Hunt always does pick out the most oblivious avatars, doesn't it? What does a Warden do?" A beat. "She controls the monsters, Nia. Sniffs them out and contains them. And she goes after the poachers coming after her prey. Tell me, have you ever noticed how you're always picking up on threats far afield with uncanny precision. It's been getting stronger, hasn't it? Tawnya was the same way. As was her predecessor, I imagine."

"That's not- I wouldn't ever…"

"Wouldn't you, though? Every time you sent your own dogs after a threat, reveled in it, you were being such a good Warden, instilling terror in the hearts of your enemies, ADI's enemies. So many cults know who and what you are and they fear it. Fear the Warden of ADI, famed avatar of the Hunt. Even now, I know you've compromised yourself. Have you considered what that's done to you? You let that Visionary kid stay alive. I rather think that might have been the start of your slide, hmm? Making exceptions, just this once.

"Now," he continues, voice growing louder and footsteps starting toward the phone, "I realize this is a lot to take in, to think about. Why don't you do that self-reflection while I attend to other matters? You are doing good work, puppy. I need a dependable pet to take care of all those nasty pests who keep trying rituals. But no need to worry about the New Horizons launch, really. I'll just-" Zyrian pauses and everyone will have a view of a middle-aged caucasian man with dark, slightly graying hair and a beard. He's wearing khakis and a Hawaiian shirt, and he's looking down at Pam's phone.

"Well… fuck." He stomps a heeled shoe on it and the transmission ends abruptly.

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[Eda has—more or less—long since come to terms with her curse. The owlbeast is no longer a source of fear in her everyday life; in fact the version she generally interacts with is, she has to admit, pretty cute.

None of that changes the fact that the silhouette she sees crossing the dimly lit street is, quite literally, the stuff of nightmares. While it may not have separate wings, the general build, the posture, the way it moves, the large round eyes that reflect in the evening light–all of it hits close to home in a way that makes Eda’s breath catch in her throat.

She freezes in the tracks, struck by an ingrained sense of childhood fear and disoriented for a split second by the fact this is even something that she’s seeing while awake.

And then she forces herself to breathe, to look closer, to watch as the creature passes under a streetlight. Her initial surprise turns to… confusion, as light glints of the creature’s feathers that seem to shift in a strange way. As she quickly remembers that while they don’t usually move like an animal, she certainly knows someone with this general shape. And is that a little hat?]

…Rue? [Her voice is uncertain as she calls out, nervous in a way that’s both a tiny bit uncharacteristic for her and which makes her feel a little guilty.]

[Let's be honest, it's the dainty little hat with the chic glittering broach that gives Rue away.

A lifetime of carrying themself on two legs, even when four would have been easier, makes Rue's gait a touch clumsy as they amble down the public sidewalk. And their once beautiful dress doesn't help - a cream-colored dream of a thing, all liquid satins and gauzy, draping sleeves with delicate pearls clasping at the wrist - left hanging around them in dirty shreds, tangling with their paws at every step.

And most disturbing of all, the tiny insect wings that have sprouted up from their own feathers, all of them are buzzing around Rue, flapping and straining, as if trying to take flight.

But the owlbear doesn't seem too aggressive, even as Gloucester's civilians are sent running and screaming away from the beast. Mostly it seems lost and overwhelmed all on it's own, a wild animal let loose in an unfamiliar setting, screeching out a deafening bird-like shriek whenever a human stumbles too close for comfort.

If the animal remembers her or not, they certainly don't seem to respond to Eda's arrival onto the scene, it isn't until the woman calls their name that the owlbear's head lifts up, wide, empty eyes lighting up with recognition for just the briefest of seconds.]

[Eda pauses again when the owlbear looks at her. There's her own bad memories and there's something... else, too. Something that's bristling, wary and uncertain whether to be friendly or territorial. Even if Rue is normally Eda's friend.

She shakes her head briefly to clear it and heads closer to get a better look. It's definitely Rue, judging by the outfit as much as anything else, but something is *clearly* wrong, from their shimmering, rippling feathers to the fact they're very obviously not their usual self.]

Hey, it's alright. [She's not sure it is, but she does her best to sound gentle and reassuring.] Are you... in there? Rue?

[Eda steps closer and the beast rises wobbly up onto two feet, with none of Rue's usual grace, their paws held out in front of them. Having spent their whole life making themself smaller to better suit those around them, it must be strange to see Rue stretching to their full height so indelicately, no purposeful gentleness in their movements, no attempt to soften the blow of their own appearance.

Instead they stand just as a bear would, bow-legged and giant, though they don't appear to be taking a defensive stance as Eda approaches. Instead, their head tips curiously at the woman, that recognition still warm in their eyes.

They can not understand what about the woman in front of them is familiar, whether it's her scent or the shape of her or the sound of her voice, but something about her stills Rue's fear, at least momentarily.]

[If everything else about this wasn't very clearly wrong, it would be nice to see Rue taking up space. It would even be nice to see them a little less concerned about whether they came off like an animal.

But at the moment it's upsetting to see them so clearly not themself. Is it them? Eda's not sure. The owlbeast isn't her. But as far as she's aware, Rue has only ever been one thing. One thing that's simply grown up to be someone who's trained themself not to act in their more animalistic instincts.

But as she remembers this, something occurs to her; they said magic was involved in the fact they're not a normal owlbear. What happens if they go long enough without feeding here? That's... a terrifying thought, actually.

But maybe that's not it at all, because that wouldn't explain... whatever is going on with their feathers. Are they even feathers any more? She's close enough to see it doesn't look like it.

And close enough that things could go badly if she scares them. Eda slowly holds out a hand—palm up, less like she's trying to touch them and more like she's offering to let them sniff.]

What happened to you? Can you... understand me?

[A terrifying thought that once kept Rue wide awake some nights during those first few months in this realm. It had been a very real fear, to consider that the magic that made them into who they are was needed to keep them awakened, and that without it, they'd simply devolve back into a wild beast.

But this many months removed, Rue had been so certain there was nothing left to fear. Naturally, they hadn't accounted for any of this.

Eda holds out a palm, calling out so gently to the beast, and Rue falls back to all fours before lumbering forward, stretching their elegant neck forward to press their beak right against the woman's hand. Owlbears aren't particularly known for their sense of smell, but pressed this close, Eda can feel Rue's breath against her palm, a quiet trill of a hoot already slipping from their beak.

This close, there's just no missing the exact moment the realization comes full circle right back to Rue.

Their big eyes blink slowly, carefully, as they peer up to where Eda's watching from above, their once feathery brow pinching strangely amidst the insect wings.]

...Eda? I - W-what?

[Eda's doing her damnedest not to let on if she's nervous, but she's glad when they stay calm all the same. She lets Rue press their beak against her hand.

There's a very slight pause, before she responds with a similar sound. Or maybe something else does; either way, Rue gets a similar trill in response.

She's even more glad when they seem to come back to themself, though.]

There you are. You're... what's happened to you? Do you remember? You don't--you weren't yourself.

[The speed at which Rue leaps to their feet, unsteady and wobbling, is all too reminiscent of a beast in their quick reflexes, not the gentle, careful grace they normally move with. But they rush to their feet, beak hung open as they pant, taloned paws clasping together.

Their big eyes dart from side to side, surveying their surroundings. The last thing they remember as themself was the jeers and screams of the crowd. But no, with Eda, they are safe.]

I don't. I - I don't know what happened. [And no amount of practicing their perfect composure can hide the absolute terror that clings to Rue's tone.] I don't know what happened.

[Fortunately, although it's certainly not the mannerisms she's used to, now that they've spoken to her she's not especially worried. Or at least, she's too busy being concerned about her friend for much else to show.

She just gets more worried when they don't have an explanation, not to mention their tone. But it won't do any good to panic, so she takes a steadying breath and does her best not to. She reaches to put a hand on their arm, gently.]

You don't...? Okay, okay, I've got you. What's the last thing you remember?

[Even Rue flinches away from how the wings flutter nosily at Eda's touch. It just makes their skin crawl.]

I remember - I remember - [Their beak clacks together sharply, head shaking as if shaking out feathers.] I was terrifying people. I thought that my glamour must be working - why would I think otherwise? - but the people, they start screaming and calling me a monster. I only remember running from them. Nothing after.

It's... not working. At least not now. [But she's guessing that it wasn't earlier, since that would explain the reactions. If not everything else.]

Do you know why your feathers are all--? [Eda just kind of gestures to their strange coating of insect-like wings. Even she's finding them off-putting, at least for the disjointed way they move and flutter.]

When did that start?

[Rue shakes their head, only causing those awful wings to buzz in protest all over again, making them flinch before they can answer.]

I do not know! It - Oh, Eda. It happened this morning. It started as this terrible inch beneath my feathers before they began to sprout like this. But I have not been able to stop it!

[Eda can't help also wincing a little bit. It's really not pleasant, especially with Rue's own reactions.]

Have you gone anywhere new or... touched anything new? We haven't finished rounding up all those artifacts.

[She's not sure if any of them would cause something like this, but she's not sure where else to even begin to figure out what's going on.]

[a fair reaction]

No! Nothing at all that I can think of! I have been most cautious since all of that mess began!

[Rue has done what they can to shield others from the artifacts, not to be one of the ones who needed saving.]

Besides, it began within my own home, just this morning.

[Eda might almost be disappointed with that answer. It's not that she wants to assume they did anything wrong, but at least it might have been somewhere to start.]

What did you... do this morning?

[That might also be nothing, but she may as well ask. Maybe she'll notice some sort of connection they missed--that's her only hope. Even if artifacts aren't involved, maybe they did something differently from usual.]

[That's fair!! All of this would be much easier figured out if only Rue had done something so wildly out of character on this day!

But alas, their morning routine, up until today, has been something they've cherished as of late.]

This morning? Hm. [Rue's big eyes blink, their awful bug wings quieting down for the moment. Why is the morning so fuzzy to them?]

I remember waking up, after Knickolas, because I never wake up before him. But he had already gone out for an early shift, as he so often does, so none of that was unusual. Ah! But I remember that he left me a gift on my vanity. It was - oh, it was -

[They have to think just a touch too long to remember, before it hits them.]

Oh! It was this little brooch, the one on my hat? The beaded moth? I remember thinking it so strange he left it without a note, but it was such a gorgeous gift, I simply had to wear it, even before I got to thank him.

[At first, there's a frustrating lack of clues. And what seems like an equally unhelpful amount of detail, but then suddenly it clicks.]

He left it without a note and you just... assumed it was him?

[She supposes that makes sense as a first guess, to be fair. Things normally don't just show up without someone putting them there, especially in the private apartments. But then again, it's new, and the artifacts seem to be making their way all sorts of places, so maybe she's onto something.

She reaches to snatch the hat off of their head.]

Knickolas is always bringing me sweet gifts and it was our home, why would I assume otherwise?

[ADI may not be entirely trustworthy, but they sincerely doubt Pam would want right into their home in the middle of the night and come into their bedroom.

They hope.

But before Rue can protest further, Eda is reaching up to swipe off their chic little hat, taking a few nasty bug wings with it, as Rue had pinned it carefully into their feathers.]

Eda! That was quite rude. I would have simply let you see it if you had asked.

[While they have a point, Eda's still not convinced; she's not sure all the artifacts were planted, so much as potentially able to spread themselves once they were out of containment. Some of them, at any rate.

Either way, she feels a little bad when the bug wings come away with the hat. But just a little. Who pins a hat in place that much?}

...Sorry. If I'm right I didn't really want to wait.

[She takes a closer look at the little both, but doesn't touch it. It might be nothing, but it's a bug, so maybe? It was a guess with reasons behind it, at least.]

Feel any different?

[Um!!! Do you not know who Rue is????

But her question at least leaves the owlbear pausing at least for a moment, holding their breath while they wait for something to happen.

And for a moment, there's nothing.]

...No, I am afraid not. I appreciate your attempt to help, but I fear - [but then a slight gasp falls from their beak, staring down at the plucked off bug wings that have fallen to the ground, newly returned to feathers.]

Well, I tried—

[Eda is briefly disappointed when it doesn't sound like things are improved, but when she hears their little gasp and notices the same thing about the loose feathers.

She takes a deep breath before looking back up at them, not wanting to get her hopes too high—but if their feathers are going back to normal, she'll look extremely relieved.]

[It is more slow going than that, the sluggish shift of fluttering bug wings back into soft, moss-green feathers, but Rue holds up their own great paws and watches the transformation slowly take over them. Beat by beat, their feathers are returning, unscathed and whole, their beak opening in gentle surprise as they blink back tears.]

Oh, I - I can not believe -

[Eda looks surprised, and then quite visibly relieved as she looks them over. She glances back down at the hat she's still holding—making sure not to touch the brooch—and then back up at them.

While one problem is solved, there remains the unfortunately obvious fact that their glamour doesn't appear to have snapped back into place just yet. They might no longer be distressing to her now that the strange insect wings are gone, but that doesn't mean they won't upset any humans that might see them.]

...I think we ought to get you home. And then figure out how to destroy this thing.

[It doesn't look hard, but then again some of the artifacts have proved a lot more difficult than expected.]

[She will hear no complaints from Rue about it's destruction, though they'll be reluctant to destroy it themself, if only out of fear of brushing against it again.]

Please. I - I would like that. Would you lead the way? I shall - I know it sounds foolish, but I shall try to blend in behind you.

Well, I've heard worse plans. Just try and look like you own the place.

[If nothing else, as long as someone's acting like something is normal, other people tend to assume it probably is. Sometimes.

Which means she's just going to start heading back towards the ADI, and trying to look like anyone giving them weird looks must be the ones who have some kind of problem.]

Event - Dogged

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