Becoming Monsters is the creation and property of Ai Loves, setting used with permission.
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Chapter 15: Seeking Truth
The next morning dawned slowly and painfully. Thursday. In fine college tradition, a day to get through until the parties could happen. Especially today, the first one of the semester. In suite 222, five people were dragging themselves out of bed after an unbelievably busy Wednesday. Well, three were, anyway, after being woken up by the two who had turned in a bit earlier than the others.
May was many things. "Subtle" and "quiet" were not among them as she rode Todd into the bed.
The two emerged from Todd's room to three sets of raised eyebrows. He was slightly sheepish. May was no such thing. Song, wearing her Human face, yawned a bit before archly asking "I thought you were mana-limited?"
Todd winced slightly, then called up his Status screen. "Um, thirty-nine percent now. If my rates hold up, I'll be able to recast Investiture at full strength after dinner?"
Song sighed with relief. Ghata's grin was a bit wry. "As opposed to doing so, what, right after lunch, then getting to buff me?"
"I, ah... crud. I screwed that one up, huh?"
May was digging through her bags for that day's clothes, but looked over with a smile. "Maybe, but you also screwed me upwards, so you can count it even!"
Ghata's left eyebrow raised, a gesture oddly like the conversational equivalent of the sound of a shotgun cocking. "Is there anything you don't turn into innuendos?"
"Was I too subtle?"
"ANYWAY!" Todd was desperate to avoid a cat fight. Especially when one was a Rakshasa. "I need to get to breakfast if I'm going to make it to History. We do still need to study, next week's placement testing is going to be kind of important."
May grinned. "True. And Ghata, if your vagina is feeling lonely, I can fix that while you wait."
Todd ran. Fast. Made it to the cafeteria in record time, and found that the doors weren't open yet. It was odd to just be standing still. It just seemed that whatever else was happening, all this week he'd been DOING something... or someone... always going places, dodging people, in a class, out of time. Just standing here, waiting for doors to open? That was different. Gave him time to think.
There was a lot to ponder, though. Martin still needed help, for one, and there were a million ways that could have happened. Privately? Todd thought he likely was thinking with his dick instead of his head for a moment too long and got caught. It just seemed like the kind of mistake someone around here could make. Whether his remorse would be enough to convince his lady to accept him back would be its own problem.
There was a more immediate concern to ponder as the doors opened. The assignment from Professor Ruddertail. He had a notebook with notes, contexts, ideas... but nothing definite. He needed to get SOMETHING to show for his week away from the classroom or his college career would definitely be getting off on the wrong foot. Or tail. Todd's thoughts were slightly scrambled, he figured it might be a good time to grab one of his infrequent cups of coffee.
Which led to a different problem. There didn't seem to be any. In a freaking college campus cafeteria. This was not something he'd anticipated dealing with, despite recalling some moments later that the campus was kept free of coffee due to the number of Races that had severe reactions to it. Something in the info pamphlets somewhere. He had to settle for orange juice and brain fog, and being thankful he hadn't built up more of a reliance on it before coming. Todd could therefore be excused for how long it took to catch up with two more facts while munching on his scrambled eggs.
Two things were missing this morning, besides his suitemates who had a bit of extra time to get ready. He could see no members of Alpha Omega anywhere. It was like every Angel, Demon, Spirit, Ghost, and Shade all decided to eat elsewhere that day. Todd looked around to check, and sure enough. Plenty of fur around, Theta Delta was still out in force, but zero Alpha Omegas. There was also almost no signage or poster up for the Development League. Just one up in a corner that appeared like it got overlooked.
"That's... strange."
"What's strange?" Martin's nasally New York accent seemed to come out of nowhere.
Todd shook his head. Either Martin had used his abilities to sneak up and sit down with his own breakfast, or else Todd needed more time to wake up. "Nothing posted at all for Development League. After how hard they were pushing it the past few days, I'd have thought it would be more bold. Not less."
"Yeah, you know what? You got a point. It should have some pop," went the Weasel.
"Mind keeping an ear to the ground? I know you're not participating directly, but I am, and so are basically everyone else in our little group unless they changed their minds."
"Sure. Hey, uh, you're headed to World History, right? Gonna leave here in about five or ten minutes?"
Todd nodded. "Yeah. Tiny and Corey are there, too."
"Thought so. Look, Jem's meeting up with me later this morning to start her hunt up, but here's the deal. School's only got three Protogen in it, they tend to be close to each other, and one of them is gonna be coming out of that building when you get there. Brassy colors, got musical notes on his displays. He might have some info on Lucas if you ask."
"Got a name to go with that description?"
"I've been awake for less than an hour, or I might have." Martin shrugged.
"Can't argue that." Todd scarfed down the last of the fruit on his plate and grabbed his tray. "I'd better get going, then. Thanks for the info again!"
The two took off from there, heading in entirely opposite directions from each other. Martin was headed back towards the dorms and Order houses, but Todd was on a schedule. One that just got a lot stricter as he had someone to intercept. Someone who might need something else, but who might have info that could keep him alive. Only mostly figuratively, so he picked up the pace. It was good that he had, as he approached the class building he spotted a knot of students leaving. Mostly Humans, but a solid mix of various shapes and forms. Pointed ears, folded wings, rainbow skin tones... and one familiar wolf-like shape plated in brass and standing about six feet tall. The displays on this one showed sixteenth notes.
Yes, he knew what those looked like. Bardic Knowledge isn't limited to math.
Another big difference with this one? He was smiling. An expression that was not at all present on the last Protogen Todd had come across. It might have been drawn in pixels, but it was definitely a smile. Todd breathed a sigh of relief at that tidbit of information. Knowing that he wasn't likely to be slain in this coming exchange, he decided to just walk up and try introducing himself. The group alerted onto him like a bunch of gazelle spotting a tiger.
That was also a new sensation.
There was muttering in the group he could not quite make out, followed by one distinct voice. "Aha! The Bard who managed to simultaneously prove and disprove every stereotype we have!" It was like the sound of a pop song perfectly written and scored, then fed through a bad autotuner expertly used. The Protogen stepped forward, smile on his facial display.
"I guess that's me. Todd Reed, I actually wanted to talk to you for a sec if you have the time."
"You can call me Kithkin then. I have a moment to spare, and more than enough curiosity." He turned to the others. "Guys, don't wait up. This is either going to be quick and I'll catch up, or it will be detailed and I won't realize the time has passed. Either way, I suspect he wants this one to be one on one."
In moments, the two were alone. "Bit of an odd name, Kithkin. Nickname?"
The tall robot shook his head. "No, it's my legal name now. A lot of us took that after the Change, when things didn't work out. It is poetic, really. Family of a friend, or friend of the family depending on how you want to read it." The fact that he could affix Todd with a piercing gaze when his eyes consisted of a few dozen large pixels each was a testament to his skill at body language. "So what is it that you need from the family of a friend, Todd? Or should I call you Tidbit?"
Todd managed to limit his own wince of pain at those words to a momentary freeze. "If you do your research well enough to know that nickname, you should probably already know what I'm here for... and that I hate being called that. Cards on the table, last night Lucas almost put myself and seven of my friends in the hospital during the League game. I need to know what his deal is."
"Lucas? The Soulsaber? For him to raise his weapons in anger is something I'd not have expected. I assume you are asking me because Protogen stick together, yes?" His words were melodic, but his body language blanked. His movements ceased other than the absolute necessity of facing, his imitation of breathing and adjusting posture became as a statue.
"You're right, and I get the feeling you have not told me what you know."
"I would normally ask a favor for that, but the knowledge of the question is favor enough. If something has convinced him that it was worth turning his weapons on fellow people, that something was worth the price of his soul."
"He was working with Alpha Omega." That seemed important. It seemed very important, when talk of souls were on the line. "If you can, I'd appreciate it if you talk to him about this. One Bard to another, Kithkin? There is a lot going on at this school that isn't on the surface. Lucas is a symptom if what you tell me is true, and I'd rather stop it now. You know, before someone gets hurt."
"Or hurt worse, you mean. I hear you also had a run-in with Bradley's fist after having a run-in with his girlfriend."
"You're a couple of days slow on that bit of news. Tell you what. I can fill in the details later if you put in a few good words? No time to talk further, gotta make it to class." Tiny was walking up, which meant that Todd was about to be late to the class they shared.
"You have any idea how rare it is for anyone to say any piece of that statement to me while having the sheer audacity to be right? Fine, you've got yourself a deal."
Across campus from this conversation, another bit of investigation was happening. At the edge of the fence between the campus and Yellowstone Park, well away from the actual gate, a building stood. Though new, like everything on campus was, this one had an unfinished feel to it. It was as though between states, like those inside wanted none of the finely polished facade of the rest of the world. Or, perhaps, they just wanted to be closer to the raw wood and stone.
