doubledollar | IC INBOX

[Rren sent the following text messages one after another, rapid fire, not leaving time for response between.]

Hey. Hey. Mr. The Stampede.
What the ever loving fuck is happening?
Do you know?
How involved are you?
I want to help out! LMK, seriously.
Probably should note, I am not a cat anymore. So I CAN help.

[Well, that was only mostly true. Now that they were stressing about this so much the ears and tail had come back. Seriously?? But. Not relevant.]

[ hoo, boy this is a Series of texts he's getting--not that he minds. it's fair to want to know? and what with how many friends he's made in the city, he doesn't mind being contacted, just... ]

Calm down, slow down, Rren. I'll answer your questions, just.
Let's take it slow, okay.

First of all, Hi.

Second of all, it turns out that the Libra app is run by Demons. Bad demons? Demons who want to gain immortality for unsavory means. Careful about what you say on there, they can see it all.

As for how involved I am, I'm sad to say 'not very,' if only because I'm actually from a different planet? I wound up here on... weird circumstances I haven't told you about.
But, I'm going to get involved, because they took two people who I care about. And I can't just stand around and let that happen...?

Good to hear you solved your feline problem, and if you think you can help...
Well.
Be me the last person to refuse someone's aid.
Just.

...Promise you'll be careful, yeah?
I'll be there with you, I'll watch your back.

[Rren took some time to try and calm down before replying. It helped that he'd replied with text walls which slowed them down.]

Yeah, someone warned me about the demons and their plan to use some weird peach to become immortal. That's why I texted you about this. I just knew you would end up involved.

And... yeah, one of the other two, the kid? He called to try and help me calm down before you did after my video the other day. And even if I don't know the others... we'll. I don't care. All of that is bad news.

I can help out. I even found dragon outside my door yesterday with a note about the stars aligning or some such? So, I suppose he'll be doing a lot of my heavy lifting.

[They might not have noticed missing it, but the promise was conspicuously absent.]

..ha.
Knew I'd be involved because I'm a busybody, or because I just exude the energy of a mighty hero?

[ the text is MEANT to sound like his usual, airheaded self, but somehow, it feels... forced? ]

Kid...
Was it that "Danny" individual? I hate to say we haven't met, but. That doesn't mean I'm not willing to help him out, too. All four of them--the ones who disappeared.
I won't feel right until they're home and safe.

I'll be making a plan as soon as we know what we are dealing with. If you think you can help, then. Please.

A dragon will be a good aid, I'd like to think.
..Never saw one before.

... Yes.

[Look, they understood forced humor.]

I only know him from that one conversation. And I don't know the others. But I don't care. I mean. I guess I'm with you on this.

They're in trouble and I want to help get them home safe.

So yes, when you have plans, I want in.

I mean, I don't know how many types of dragons there actually are, he's the first real one I've seen. But he is about the size of a horse, breathes fire (My poor garden!), and looks like and iguana with wings.

Ha.

...I think it's fine to want to protect others, even if you don't know them terribly well.

If people were only moved to action by motivation of familiarity, the world would be a dark, dire place.
It's people like you that makes me sincerely believe everyone has good in them. Thank you.

[ his brother was wrong. ever since he came to kaisou, his faith had been stronger than ever; people were naturally good. it was only the few that were capable of evils. ]

Ha, it sounds like your dragon needs a little more training, your poor garden indeed.
The fire breathing may well come in handy for the possible fight to come, though.

[Gods, Rren was so grateful this was text because they would not want anyone to see how red they got at that compliment]

That was my thought exactly. Obviously, I do not exactly have experience with anything like this. At all. But I figure he is bound to give me a bit of an edge.

And look, I blame you entirely for wanting to get involved. It is entirely unfounded, of course, but that changes nothing.

[Unspoken? They were terrified, and they would not have even dared attempt to help alone. But joining someone they knew, they could do.]

[ He genuinely has to smile when Rren blames him for them wanting to get involved. a low, bubbling laugh actually escaping his throat. ]

if it's my fault, I'll take the blame.
if my own blind heroism can move others to also want to help others, well.

I think that's a good thing.

...

Also, speaking of blaming others for something, I did also want to mention I recieved a very strange bird on my lawn yesterday...

[They found themself laughing at that, grateful that he brought it up. It helped calm their nerves a bit.]

...

Really? How bizarre! I of course know nothing about this mysterious giant horned bird.

...

...

So what are you going to name it?

[ whats the best way to break the tension and get back into feeling more lighthearted? easy, be funny. and whats funnier than bringing up that he's suddenly got TWO birds living in his garden-slash-farmhouse? ]

No clue, huh? Complete mystery? So strange how these things happen.

It's just plain weird because the day before, I found a thomas wandering around outside the Dunkin Donuts I go to for breakfast every morning.

...

I named the thomas Brad, so i thought it apt to name the big beaked bird Luida.

[ rren is gonna get a photo on their phone a few minutes later. a picture of a big, green ostritch-like bird standing nearby the smaller, but still somehow big blue bird.

this is his life now. ]

ASDFG

I love Brad, a LORGE boy.

Oh hell. That. It is beautiful. I like what I can see of the garden, by the way.

[They had been working hard on their own garden but it was still a work in progress, and somewhat singed looking now.]

And I think the shopkeeper said Luida was a Shoebill? A type of Shoebill I guess, mundane ones are significantly smaller and have less in the way of horns.

The important question? How pettable are they? I need to know. For Reasons.

He's pretty big! He's from my home world, they're actually used as a means of travel from place to place because cars are pretty hard to get your hands on back home. ...And I. Am kinda really bad at driving. But riding a thomas is easy! They love to run.

[ upon complimenting his garden though, rren is gonna get a few more pictures on their phone.

two

more

shots of the thing from different angles, showing a myraid of trees and flowers, even a section that looks like crops--olive branches and even grape vines? ]

I kind of have an attachment to nature and plants, so. This is pretty much the best home I've ever had.

And as for petting, the Shoebill is actually pretty chill? She doesn't really move much, and even bows sometimes.

Brad is very friendly. Extremely.

...

You know when this mess is all over I am visiting and petting both of them, right?

[No they didn't know where he lived. They didn't care.]

I love your garden so much! Might be a bit jealous. Just a bit.

Haha, no need to be jealous.

We're friends, so you're welcome to visit anytime. It can get pretty lonely out here, I live way out on the outskirts of the city, out of the way of everything, so.

I might just pawn off some apples and grapes on you, though, they grow out here like crazy and I can barely eat it all myself.

I am not going to refuse free fruit. Especially not grapes!

If you ever need help in the garden, hit me up.

[Every day things, like they weren't about to deal with hell breaking loose (or breaking into hell, whatever) at any time. It helped. And when they scratched at their head they realized the cat ears had disappeared again. Huh. Calming down really did help with this stuff. Good to know!]

once this chaos is all over, it's a promise, Rren.

[ he honestly wants to go back to his calm gardener life and not worry about his friends disappearing into black shadowy gates. his mind still isn't going to let him stop thinking about this until it's solved. ]

Good. I will hold you to that.

But first. The chaos.

I wonder if I should get anything else?

...I was thinking maybe a mask.
Something to cover your identity. We're going up against the people who, basically, run the city? I guess?

Probably best to wear something to hide your face.

... Right. I cannot believe I almost forgot that.

I mean, if it is the rule for peaceful protests, it is doubly the rule for actively going against someone.

[Yeah, okay, they were going to be stuck on almost missing that detail for a while]

hey at the very least there's lots of like
costume shops and antiques shops and stuff downtown

im sure you can find Something

And if I don't, I have bandanas I can use, but better remembering now, right?

a bandanna is definitely better than nothing!

Yeah. I would rather something a little cooler though. Even if this is serious. I mean, maybe it will help boost my confidence. Y'know?

Probably should pass on the pride flag as a cape, huh?

[Ah yes, back to the fine art of humor to avoid how they actually felt about this.]

im having difficulty figuring out what to wear myself

i usually just default to my coat, but
it kinda makes me stick out like a sore thumb

Take this as a chance to spread your horizons, Mr. The Stampede.

Wear another color.

Any other color

No one would recognize you.

Wouldn't even need a mask.

4/3 | After Shroud's Network Post | Text

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