failguardian | 4 ❀ Action/Video

[Early morning comes with a special delivery by the Malnosso: one half-conscious Anise Tatlin, wearily knocking on the door because she doesn't have a key on her. She feels unsteady on her legs, and there's some weird feeling that won't leave her alone, but she's too tired to care.]

[But the person opening the door is in for a surprise. Anise doesn't look like Anise any more. In fact, she looks more like a certain other resident of the house, one with long hair, glasses, and a smile that is frankly just a bit terrifying.]

Late afternoon: Video

[Anise is getting bored with sitting around. Besides, it's no fun if she doesn't try impersonating the Colonel, especially now that she's somehow in his body! The thought still weirds her out, so she tries not to think about it too hard. Now, how did the Colonel speak again...?]

Greetings, Luceti. [There, that sounds formal enough. Okay, time to try being assertive.] I need all the details on the wei-- [Er, too informal. Quick, Anise, think!] On all the most...the biggest changes the Malnosso did to your bodies, and how long the changes had lasted. This information is critical to my research. Your cooperation is appreciated.

[The observant may note that, despite it being Jade's face on camera, the name on the entry is Anise's. Those familiar with Jade may also note "he" sounds much stiffer than usual.]

[OOC note;; Replies will come from

failnecromancer!]

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[...Man, why did the puzzle-solver have to be the first guy to reply? Anise didn't even know he and the Colonel knew each other.]

[Oh well, nothing to do but tough it out!]

Yes. [It's an effort to not sound happy and excited while speaking. How do people always manage this? It's no fun.] Sorry, but I can't give details.

[She gives herself a pat on the back for that; it's great that the Colonel is always such an evasive guy.]

[How... mysterious. ~~Is this how Luke feels all the time~~]

Asking for details but offering none? I'd hate to have to call you stingy.

[She almost lets out a long, loud "booo". Almost.]

Well... [How would the Colonel respond to that? She coughs, trying to stall for time. Thinking of witty comments on the fly is hard.] Well. You kn- uh, you understand. People are always nosy- [Dammit, she can't think of a more serious word for it, but she hopes the Professor feels the full weight of that word directed at him.] - and I'd like to keep my business to myself.

Edited 2013-06-16 07:46 (UTC)

Hm. [Did the man just make a PA pass at him?? Well, wutevs. Layton is beginning to get an idea of where the colonel's need is coming from.]

To address your inquiry, the Malnosso have done relatively little to me physically. However, they did turn one of my housemates into an owl for about a month.

[When does Jade ever not make PA passes at everyone?]

A month?! [Her voice might have squeaked. Just a little bit. But she quickly coughs again, trying to bring her expression under control. The Colonel never gets ruffled, after all.] I-I mean. I see. Did the...transformation just wear off on its own?

[Layton's scrutiny kicks up by a notch or five.]

Yes. He went to sleep an owl and woke up a human, as far as I know. [And then, a bit dryly:] Are you all right? It sounds like you've developed a cough.

Yeah, of course! [Oops, sounding too upbeat again. She coughs again, before realizing that might not be the best thing to do. Man, the Professor probably had her figured out already.] Anyway. Ah. That is, are there any other incidences you can tell me about?

[He might be smiling if he could do that thing. Alas.]

An individual suddenly thrust into an older body and given new memories to bridge the gaps. I'm disinclined to believe he was actually from the future. Also about a month.

[He's being vague for reasons of privacy, but anyone attending school in February might remember the case of one Henry Mills.]

[Hey, that sounds familiar. But huh, not exactly what her situation is. And the month thing is pretty worrying.]

Are there any that haven't been for a month? [Oops, probably sounding too nervous again.]

[... Let him think about that for a moment... No, Czeslaw's de-aging also lasted a month... Layton's current effect has been going for almost two weeks strong...]

Not that I know of. Does that pose a problem?

[Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh fuck.]

Ah - no. Of course not. I mean, that is - this is useful data.

Happy to be of service. Oh, but before you're on your way, may I ask a question of you?

[Uh-oh.]

If you must.

[Well, at least she just got the chance to practice the "mysterious and condescending" voice.]

Remind me: what was it I left with you during the draft?

[And again, uh-oh.]

[Um...Okay, gotta stall for time and hope he drops a few clues. She continues to grin the best she can, trying to appear nonchalant.]

I don't quite remember. It was a difficult month. [Well, this is the Professor, so...] Was it a puzzle?

Would I forget giving you a puzzle?

[Plz. Plz.]

[Yes, finally, the chance to make an old man joke!!!]

At our old age, our memory is very unreliable.

Yes. Almost as unreliable as your acting ability, I should say.

[Man, how'd he figure out so quickly? She's unable to stop a frown from crossing her face. (If it had been her real face, it would have been a pout.)]

What do you mean?

[Might as well try to play it cool!]

I mean that I am capable of putting two and two together... Colonel. But if you must insist on this charade, then call me mad and I'll speak no more of it.

[It's all the same to him as long as there's no real mischief afoot.]

[She can't hold herself back from letting out a sigh, wondering what to do now. Oh well, she'll have to go see the Professors about school anyway. Might as well do it now.]

How'd you figure it out? [Yeah, not even gonna bother try getting the Colonel's formalness down any more.]

Though you have the Colonel's general mannerisms down, there are times when you slip into a younger, more casual manner of speech. That alone might not have caught my attention overmuch, but then I remembered the topic of your entry. 'The biggest changes the Malnosso did to our bodies.' It wasn't a large leap in logic for me to assume that your strange behavior was linked to your body changing somehow. Since you appear the very picture of the Colonel, I began to think that the change was either small enough to be hidden or large enough to be all-encompassing. And you did mention 'big changes'...

Does that sound reasonable?

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