Day 230 audio; @dreamsnhonor [cw: anomaly body horror]

[heroproceeding]

Hey, Zack here. So, Enoch mentioned this earlier about our anomaly buddies coming around again.

Thing is... there's something off about all of this. Not only is the one that's been following me different?
But Zell and Kuns have been telling me they see 'em like a mess of something or other. You know, your typical anomalies. But for me and Jim, it's different. The anomalies almost look like someone we know. Just faceless.

[ It would have sounded crazy maybe six months ago. But right then, if anything, Zack just sounds tired as he makes note of that. That's before the video comes on to capture one of the anomalies in question. To those who've had their lights stolen, the anomaly looks like a young lady in her mid-teens. Innocent looking enough, right? Well- expect her face is gone as he mentioned.

Those who haven't had their light stolen will see something more akin to the Norfinbury flavored expectation. An oversized flower curls and spins, the leaves that remain with it red and curled almost like a bow behind it. The creature crawls along on multiple lithe hands with eyes running down the sides of them. They look worse and worse for wear the further down you look, black and cold with frost bite though only iced over with a blue hue. Sometimes Occasionally, the flower opens wide enough to reveal its center to be a mouth lined with tiny, sharp barbs for teeth. Typically when it seems to get off balance which also reveals what at first looks like to be a long braid behind it to be a set of roots that uncoil from one another and help balance it out.

Zack flicks the video back off with a frown. ]

I feel like we should do a tally of who's seeing what and maybe then we can figure things out from there. So, shoot me a message and let me know what you see. And if you have any theories, I'd like to hear 'em right about now.

[ He's just about to cut it off there when one last thought- if not a slightly distracted sounding one -occurs to him. ]

I'm also attaching an updated list of those who've been discovered and identified in the morgues, too. You can thank Davesprite for the help.

[ An attachment can be found along with this message. ]

( ooc: Durp. Slight edit in the brackets due to a reading error. This is why you don't read the new plot in the middle of the night. )

Comments

@Iwillnot ; video

[absentconstellation]

A moonflower, I believe, with a mouth instead of pistil. It seems to be using hands as legs, though they do not look healthy. They have a large number of eyes along them as well.

The leaves are the wrong color, as well. Red, instead of green.

audio; @dreamsnhonor

[heroproceeding]

[ Thanks for the... creepy description of his former girlfriend gone postal flower anomaly. He.. probably didn't need to hear it in that much depth. But it sure does tell him exactly what he's seeing at least.

Still takes him a moment to answer though if only because of who it is, even if he knows it wasn't really...
And it's been a week. Of course, he'd be... ]

...Back to normal, I see.

audio;

[absentconstellation]

[ Any time, Zack, any time at all. ]

Indeed I am. I do apologize, for tormenting you so.

[ Sometimes instinct takes over... and you play with your food. ]

[heroproceeding]

It.. wasn't like you had much of a choice, was it.

[ At least he'd hope not. He sure seemed almost happy about it at the time, but it's the town. He has to remind himself that it's just the town doing things to them. Messing with them. ]

Besides, I'm still in one piece, so... Well, anyway- uh, that what you see when you look at the thing following you, too? Some kind'a anomaly?

[absentconstellation]

No, I did not. Though perhaps I got carried away. Play is in my nature, after all.

[ He at least sounds genuinely apologetic. He knows there's nothing he could have done, but it grieves him to have caused such dismay in someone he likes. ]

"Anomaly" is how I would describe it, yes.

[heroproceeding]

[ That actually gets something between a scoff and a snort out of Zack. Although whether he's amused or offended, it's hard to say. What happened... happened at this point. And he's had enough of his own personal experience to understand that.

Unfortunately. ]

So, another one seeing an anomaly... Got it. Is it- saying anything to you?

[absentconstellation]

[ It's a good response if you ask the Cat. Never make things entirely clear if you don't have to. ]

It is silent.

[heroproceeding]

Quiet... Got it. [ Another thing to write down. Then, Zack's quiet again, himself. At least for a minute. ]

...by the way, sorry. You know- For stabbing you in one of those eyes. [ There's a mix of seriousness and almost sheepishness in his voice. But that comes with the territory of just how ridiculous it sounds. Even if the Cat knows and understands why, it doesn't dismiss it. Will never dismiss that he reacted before thinking and did that to someone that mattered. ]

[absentconstellation]

It's quite alright. It was a clever move to make, and no permanent damage has been done.

[ It was incredibly painful, but he has to appreciate the tactic. He's spent too long with warriors of all kinds not to. ]

[heroproceeding]

No permanent damage, huh... Well.. That's good at least.

[ There's no hiding the sheepishness in his voice still. Not that he hadn't gotten some payback for what he'd done. Just somehow, the scratches and whatever just feel low key by comparison to a literal stab in the eye. But maybe everything healed up when the Cat returned to normal? Seems that way anyway. Still. ]

Hopefully, it won't have to come to that again.

[absentconstellation]

[ The eye ceased to exist, and so the wound did too. His leg does feel a little odd, but that's to be expected. ]

One can hope. It does not seem that we can depend on it, though.

[heroproceeding]

Well, that goes for a lot of things around here. But that's why we gotta be prepared- at least.. as best as we can be, Smoke.

[ Not that it ever seems to do anything for them in the end. But that doesn't mean they just stop trying, right? ]

[absentconstellation]

Indeed. But we should always strive to be as prepared as possible for any eventuality.

[heroproceeding]

True enough. So, hey... You take care over there. Just you know... next time, I hope when we meet, it'll be less of a cat and mouse game.

[absentconstellation]

You as well. Thought if it must be a game, may it be a game which you have some hope of winning.

[heroproceeding]

Heh... I'm not one to go down without a fight. Though I guess if anyone would know, it'd be you.

[ And more than a few others perhaps, but someone the weak joke makes things feel... a little more normal between them. ]

[absentconstellation]

Under normal circumstances I might be formidable in my own right, but under normal circumstances I would not fight at all.

[heroproceeding]

Fair enough. Or, you know... maybe I'd take you down with a few scratches behind the ears. Most cats seem to like that. You wouldn't- [ He takes a moment to clear his throat. But by the huff of breath, maybe there was more to it than that before he continues. ] -wouldn't stand a chance.

[absentconstellation]

[ He notices, but chooses not to comment. ]

I certainly encourage you to try it.

[ He would like some ear scratches, yes please. ]