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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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[ Steph winces as an elbow hits her, but otherwise she's able to keep from getting too badly trampled. Closer now, she still has trouble making out what the shape actually is, if it's all one thing or not. But... She recognizes that voice. ]

...Rue? Is that you?

[ She does her best to pretend the screaming masses aren't there, but she has to raise her voice to be heard. ]

...Yes.

[But the uncertainty wraps around their tone is terrifying to them.

Steph moves closer, and something in her physical closeness has the owlbear throwing up a wing and taking a shaky step backwards, trying to shield themself from sight. But all it does is highlight just how strange their feathers have gone - thin, translucent, fluttering and buzzing like tiny, insect wings - looking like the whole of them is covered in bugs.

Maybe later - much, much later - Rue will find the humor in having only just married a bugbear before they became a bit of a bugbear themself.]

Please. I'm all wrong. I'm a m-monster.

Hey, no, it's okay!

[ Steph stops and holds up her hands. She won't come any closer if they don't want her to. ]

You're not a monster. You just look a little- [ don't say 'weird' ] different. Trust me, I know monsters. These people, all they know is that new things try to hurt them. That doesn't mean you're a monster.

[Rue couldn't possibly agree with that sentiment. Nothing about this was even remotely okay.

Somewhere in the chaos, whether it's from the sight of Rue or just the frightening panic around them, a child lets loose a wail of a scream, just fearful and sad and desperate for their parent. The sheer sound of it knocks Rue back a few heavy steps, shoving them just off balance that they end up on all fours, whipping their head from side to side, as if trying to shake the very memory of the sound out of their mind.

Everyone is so terrified of them. They have never even so much as raised a paw to another and the world still hates them so desperately.

At this point, Rue does not even realize they are still on all fours, an owlbear in a fancy dress and a chic hat, stomping around like an animal.]

It does not matter. I can't stay here. I'm - [The sigh that shudders out of them sounds like the saddest hoot.] They are so scared of me.

[ That child's wail catches Steph's attention, and she looks back for the kid. Luckily it looks like the crowd isn't so thick that the child will be trampled, but she spends a precarious moment wavering over whether to change course. How often does kidnapping happen in Gloucester?

But no, Rue need her right now, and she's right that they need to get away from here. It's not doing anyone good.

She bends to offer the owlbear a hand and a weak smile. ]

Then come with me. We'll go somewhere quiet. I won't let anything happen, I promise.

[It is a kindness Rue is not prepared for.

Steph bends and the owlbear shudders in fright, not for the young woman's approach, but for how terrifying they must look from this near, but even with the awful way those insect wings flutter and buzz around them, Steph's offer of a hand does not waver.

Rue can feel the burn of emotion in their throat, the prickling of tears at their large eyes.

It takes a moment to dig deep and find their courage, but with an ambling step forward, they gently place their giant paw into Steph's hand, before rising back up to their full, towering height. They may still tremble, eyes wobbly with tears, but they are back on two feet again, a small step forward.]

Thank you.

[ It's true, Rue looks very strange. And the sheer quantity of fluttering insect wings sets off that primal fear that hundreds of bugs are going to fly into her and land on her. But she's dealt with enough weirdness in her life to be able to set all that aside.

Given, this does set the record for weirdest entity she's seen or spoken to.

Her smile warms as she cranes her neck to look up at her friend, then looks at the streets around them. There should be a park somewhere... that direction, she's pretty sure. Gloucester has so many more of them than Gotham. ]

Just ignore them. In 5 minutes it'll be like nothing happened.

[A title that Rue one day may be able to laugh about holding.]

Truly?

[Rue can not even begin to fathom how much a difference five minutes will make when they look like this, but at the same time, they feel compelled to trust this young woman's word. She smiles up at them, brighter than Rue feels as if they deserve, and without another thought, they allow Steph to guide them away from the frightened masses, further and further from their distressing screams.

And with each step away from the people calling them monster, some of the heavy weight along their broad shoulders feels lifted. The bug wings, as disgusting as they are, do not disappear, but seem to flutter and twitch more irregularly than that constant buzzing that was earlier filling Rue's head. The little moth pin on their hat still glitters and sparkles in the sunlight, but step by step, Rue finds a touch more of their agency returning.

Their huge paw engulfs Stephanie's hand, squeezing it tightly as they walk.]

I do not know what went wrong or w-why I look like this.

I promise.

[ People will remember it, of course. But once they realize they're not in danger and nothing else happens, they'll get back to their lives. It'll just be a strange thing they saw one day.

Steph doesn't squeeze, but she holds that paw tightly enough so Rue knows she's doing it. The last thing she wants is for Rue to think she's scared of them. She sneaks glances the owlbear's way, trying to make out how the wings are attached. If one of them got crushed, would it hurt? Probably, right? She should be careful. ]

Can you tell me what happened? When did this start?

[The only slight reassurance that Rue will have later is that they are normally forced into their human facade whenever they leave ADI property. So the Rue that the people of Gloucester know will remain entirely unassociated with the strange monster stalking the streets. Though that will do little to ease their shame and deep guilt at this happening in the first place.

And how grateful it is that a monster running loose on the streets of Gloucester is becoming quite the normal event. Perhaps Rue's appearance won't even make the top ten strangest appearances of the month.]

I - Oh, I do not even know. The day started out the same way it always does. I am - forgive the pun - a bit of a night owl, so I slept in late this morning. My husband is quite the opposite, he rises with the sun, so he'd already left for work by the time I awoke. And he'd left me such a sweet gift on my vanity, I can hardly believe that was just this morning!

[It feels like a lifetime ago. They'd been so excited for the day. Hard to believe it's only been a few hours since and their entire world has shifted.]

But it was soon after I got up that I began to itch all over. And it was soon after that that all of this began to happen. I have done nothing out of the ordinary.

[ Steph can't help a smile. She's more than a little nocturnal herself. Before long Steph can see trees poking out beside a building up ahead, and she walks with a little more confidence. She's learning the city! ]

How soon? Right when you got out of bed? Had you eaten?

[ Food probably isn't the source, but it might help establish a timeline. ]

[Rue finds the late evening is the absolute best time to binge watch The Bachelor while sewing new outfits. It's only slightly different than how Steph spends her evenings.]

Let me see...

[It is not often - read: ever - that Rue allows others to lead them like this. Even on their impromptu camping trips with their spouse, Rue is all too acutely aware of exactly where their destination is. But for now, they are putting the whole of their fate in Stephanie's capable hands, trusting her judgement and her guidance, barely able to think back to the earlier events of the day much less track where they are walking.]

It started soon after I dressed for the day. I don't think I'd eaten anything until after. I thought it could have been something in the water, but my Hob would have said if he'd felt something off.

Do you remember anything that happened between getting out of bed and eating breakfast?

[ Ahead of them a woman turns a corner and startles at the sight of Rue. Steph shoots them a look that is apparently every bit as frightening, because they stiffen, turn around and keep walking. ]

I know I'm asking a lot, but any little detail might be important.

[The stranger steps out in front of them, but before they can even react, Stephanie is chasing them away with a glare and Rue does not think they have ever felt so grateful before in their life.]

No, no. It's - I can not thank you enough for all of this. I f-felt so incredibly alone. Having you with me, asking questions, it helps.

[Rue's head bows while Steph leads them, trying to think of a single thing about their day that had been at all out of the ordinary.]

I believe I stayed in bed for longer than normal. I was playing a game on my phone and completely lost track of time. I text my Knickolas good morning after I found the gift he left me and - [Though so much of them has been so horrifyingly transformed, their big, impossibly dark eyes remain unchanged. They blink slowly, beak clacking together thoughtfully.]

It was strange, I suppose. It isn't unusual for my beloved to bring me sweet gifts every now and then, but normally he does prefer to present them to me himself. We - It is a long tale, but we nearly missed our chance at being together due to a handful of letters never delivered. Since then, we've always much preferred to give things to one another directly, without the chance of someone else interfering. So it is strange that he left it then, with not even a note attached.

A gift?

[ That and the game are the only real possibilities here, and since there are artifacts floating all over the place the gift is the most likely suspect. ]

What was the gift?

[Curse you, Super Stylish Fashion Maker!

Rue's big eyes blink slowly, considering. For a moment, it feels as if the very gift given slips in and out of their memory, balancing right on the tip of their tongue.]

Oh! It was this brooch, on my hat. [The hat only remains on their head because it's been so delicately pinned in place - once by feathers, now by buzzing wings - but their talon lifts to gently tap against the beaded moth there, glittering in the light.]

[ It's a little strange, that Rue can't remember right off. Even if this whole mess screwed up their morning, a gift is usually at the front of your mind. Steph peers up at it, but Rue is very tall. ]

Could I take a closer look?

[Almost more terrifying than the transformation their body has taken on is the fact that they are struggling to even remember the shape of the gift pinned to their hat. Rue tries to think of it, they remember it glittering and cute and winged, but naturally, the insect part seems to slide over their thoughts.

Still, Steph asks to see it and Rue pauses in their journey to kneel down, easier to bend their long, elegant neck for the young woman. Simply unpinning the hat and handing it to her doesn't even occur to them.]

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