fandomhighdorms | Werewolf Hunt - Sunday Morning

Duce strolled quickly down the stairs to the basement, kicking an idle gremlin or two out of her way. She felt awful - she'd meant to come downstairs and keep Oz company during his laying-in, but had gotten so caught up in her conversation with Red that she didn't get back to campus.

"Hey Oz, are you.." her voice trailed off as she surveyed the ruins of the wall. Her face paled as she rounded the corner and saw the full extent of the damage and the meaning of the damage filtered into her brain.

Ignoring little things like common sense and personal safety, she ran forward, looking for .. bodies, blood, anything. "Oz! OZ! Are you in here? FUCK, man! WAKE UP!"

Finding him not at home was no comfort, considering it meant he'd been loose and was outside somewhere, probably with no clothes. Quickly snatching any boy-type clothing laying around, she turned and bolted back up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"Hey! What the fuck?" Jake protested as he was bowled over by a... person? girl? thing with snakes? "I was walking here!" He waved his notepad at the girl. "And writing!" He didn't seem to be paying much attention to the fact that he was flat on his back.

Running full-tilt-boogie into the boy on the stairs, Duce stumbled badly and tried to recover. Failing, she landed flat on her butt with a grunted, "UMPH!"

Scrambling madly to her feet, she belts off, "We're sorry! We didn't see you! Have you seen a naked boy anywhere on the way here?" Waving handfulls of clothing, she gesticulates back the way Jake came from.

Having started her morning feeling out of sorts, Wednesday had ruthlessly trimmed the carniverous vine in the kitchen. She made a note to herself to see to the conservatory in the main house at some point and paused to feed the gremlin. After a pause to stare thoughtfully at the headless rose she scowled.

Being an Addams meant a great many things, but no one had ever caught an Addams mooning over an anonymous flower. To hear her mother talk about it, they were practically common-place. Rolling her eyes, Wednesday turned on her heel. She had a list of places she wanted to investigate, and now seemed as good a time as any.

Half an hour later found her wandering more or less aimlessly, scowl deepening. A familiar voice caught her attention just as her temper was truly beginning to sour and she paused for a moment before deciding to follow the voice.

It wasn't any real surprise to find Duce shouting at someone sprawled on her back, although it was with a sense of mild disappointment she realized the boy in question was still more or less in one piece. "Duce? What are you doing?"

Spotting her roommate, Duce fills her in, "Des, remember the boy we told you about? The one we were going to go read to? He's not there. He got out last night. There's marks indicating he had lupine help as well." She pauses, takes a breath, "Des, he's out there somewhere, naked, after everyone on campus heard the werewolves howling all night long. He's not safe. There are stupid people out there, and they have guns. If he's not on school grounds, he'll be fair game as far as Rover's concerned."

Jake remained on his back, staring at the girls. "What? Naked boy? Werewolves? Rover?" And then it clicked. "Naked boy werewolf! Rover's looking for werewolves!"

"That would be inconvenient," Wednesday returned slowly, frowning. "Perhaps it would be best if we found him and you took him home. Coming back here tonight would probably not be wise. Torches and pitchforks aside... this place isn't exactly the most secure."

"Oh FUCK US!"

Duce looked as though she'd be yanking her hair in frustration, if, y'know, it wouldn't bite her.

"There's more than one of them. He wouldn't have gotten out on his own. The other one got at the wall from the outside. It's not his fault! We have to find him before Rover does, or he'll get a detention for sure!"

Trying to forcibly calm herself, she stops and takes a few deep breaths. Forked tongues flicker from dozens of mouths as she tastes the air.

"He's close. The spoor is everywhere, though."

Oz is secluded nearby hidden by trees as much as he can. Hearing people approaching, he sinks further back, carefully looking to try to see them, which way they'll go, if they're even looking for him.

His heart both soars and plummets when he sees Medusa. He's considered her a friend, after the incident with the gremlin and helping him to the clinic and getting him help and...everything. She was very definitely hunting for him.

He tried to be as still as possible, and invisible to anyone scanning the area. Like he could escape the detection of those snakes. Well, he could try.

"Um," Jake said cautiously, getting on his feet. "You want to find the werewolf?"

Wednesday gave him an expressionless look. "My cousin Frederick is a werewolf. Is that a problem?"

Moving to help Jake stand up, Duce more or less deliberately makes sure Jake's back is facing the way the scent goes. "We're really sorry. It's just very important that we find him before a lynch mob or Rover does. Will you help us, please?"

Looking from determined fact to expressionless face, Jake tried to come up with something that'd get him out of this. His gaze turned up at the snakes. "Help?" he said faintly.

Nodding firmly, Duce spouts, "There haven't been any bite or mauling reports, which means right now, all we have is one student on the grounds who's done nothing wrong. He's probably naked, confused, and upset as hell at not being locked in his room like he'd arranged to be.

There are also a shitload of students and teachers going apefuck this week and persecuting people just for being different. We don't want him to be next." Her mouth tightens grimly, "We need to find him before they do, or before Rover does. Rover won't give him a chance to explain, and with the paranoia going around, we doubt anyone else will, either.

Now, are you going to help us, or are you kindly going to get the fuck out of our way?"

"I have a choice?" This was novel. Jake blinked. He wasn't sure what do with that. However, as he'd helped Rover before, it was only fair that he help NakedBoyWerewolf now. Dad would approve. With that in mind, he nodded. "Okay, I'll help."

Wednesday patted him absently on the head, having to reach up to do so. "Very good. Duce, where do we look?"

Nodding absently, Duce tossed a genuinely relieved smile at Jake. "We're Medusa. This is our roommate Wednesday. We're looking for a boy about so high, with red hair, kind of skinny, probably naked."

Eyeing Jake up, "If you find him before we do, could you please loan him your shirt or something? We didn't think to grab enough clothing for a posse."

Catching her roommate's eye, she gestures to the far side of the trees, "Wednesday, can you take .. sorry, didn't catch your name....over there? You probably know what to look for better than he does. We're going to try to scent track, but it's very confusing. There's more than one of them, and we don't know which one is which."

Looking up at Jake, she adds, "If it's any help, we scent no blood, human or otherwise. That means nobody's been hurt. Yet."

"Oh good," Jake said weakly. He didn't like the addition of 'yet'. He looked down at the solemn girl who was patting him kindly. "...I'm Jake?" His face shifted to outrage. "Hey! I know who you are! You're the cr-- uh, eccentric person who lives at Efferton manor!"

Wednesday gave him a look of mild surprise. "I am looking after it for my aunt, yes. I am pleased to meet you... Jake." She shifted her hand to his arm and tugged him gently toward the trees. "Pawprints, I think... are you any good at tracking things?"

"Only when I have shiny gadgets," Jake replied, not sure if he was comfortable with beeig touched by someone who appeared to be staying at the manor voluntarily. That just wasn't human. And now he wished he hadn't left shinytellinggadget at home.

She probably wasn't human.

She could be anything.

Jake considered this statement, and nodded to himself. Yes. Anything.

Duce waits a few moments to let the two get farther away, and makes a show of tracking something. Winding her way through the bush, she circles around until she's sure Wednesday has Jake's full attention elsewhere.

Then, she heads straight for Oz, only to come face to face with a gardener. Since the gardener seems to be ignoring the naked boy in the bush, Duce optimistically nods to him and goes to help her friend.

Spotting a flash of pale skin, she stops, "Hst! Oz - catch." and gently lobs the clothing over the bush protecting his modesty.

He may not thank her. She'd grabbed whatever was handy, and.. the results weren't pretty.

Edward *nods back*

*sees Medusa throw clothes over...bushes?*

*is thoroughly confused, and amused, and hopes for more 'dress the bushes' action*

"Werewolves in human society are solitary creatures," Wednesday told Jake, stepping directly on a paw print that was pointed at right angles from their own path. "Which doesn't fit in with normal wolf-like behavior at all. I've never asked one about socializing within regular wolf-society or whether they have a society of their own, however. I wonder if I could put together a biology paper on it."

Maybe she was a werewolf? No, didn't sound like it. Jake pondered, only just avoiding getting a brained by a branch. "You're in biology too?" He turned his head to look at her. "Do you find it challenging?" His tone of voice suggested that he didn't.

"No." Wednesday was wearing a long skirt, but didn't seem to be letting it impede her very much, pulling it out of the way with the ease of long practice. "I am looking forward to the trip to the body farm, however. Decomposition tells you so much about a corpse."

"Like what? How extremely dead it is?"

"How long it has been dead," Wednesday told him, glancing over her shoulder to see if Duce had reappeared yet. "Perhaps whether or not it died there or was moved later, how long it has been there...." She paused and gave him a serious look. "Decomposition is terribly important."

"Riiight," Jake nodded slowly. He had never been this happy for his mutant ability ever. "I can see that." New topic. New topic... "Genetic manipulation, what about that? I find that fascinating, of course I would, what with everything, but it could make other people change as well, if it's done right of course..."

Wednesday blinked at him, startled by the shift in conversation. "... into what? Like werewolves, you mean? In a lab? Or perhaps you mean making people who can breathe underwater?"

"More the latter." Jake blinked back. "I thought you turned into a werewolf if one bit you? Doesn't take a lab for that, does it?"

"We are looking for a werewolf," Wednesday reminded him, attention fully on her companion for the first time. "When you said genetic manipulation, it was the first thing to spring to mind. They do such interesting things in the lab, these days." She shrugged. "You simply never know."

Edward approached them. Hey, hate to interrupt your conversation, just wanted to let you know, Duce found the boy and i believe she is taking him to...your house? *points at wednesday*

Wednesday smiled at Edward, giving an approving look at him. "Thank you very much. Aren't you in my gardening class?"

i am yeah. That's how i got this job as a gardener.

*smiles back*

She smiled at him one last time before turning away. "You must come to see my aunt's conservatory after class on Friday."

"That's true. Dad said they're doing very interesting things with the courier telepaths at the company these days." Jake nodded in agreement. "Don't think ms. Sidle would approve of me expermenting though. She didn't like it when I did the thing with the hand," he added, still confused by the teacher's reaction. It would have been helpful, surely, to see the nerves and muscles in a working hand?

"I didn't see that." Wednesday was definitely looking interested now. "Telepaths? I don't think I've ever met a real telepath. Grandmother can tell what you're thinking, but she uses other methods."

"Low-level ones are common as muck where I'm from," Jake dismissed. "They aren't supposed to be, I think. But they are." He looked towards where possible-gardener person had pointed. "...Does that mean you're going back to the manor? Because if you are, I'm just going to... head thataway."

Wednesday took his arm firmly. "You told Duce that you'd help. We'll go check with her, shall we?"

**

Oz wasn't sure exactly what was going on for a couple seconds, until a set of very mismatched slothing sailed over the bush and landed next to him.

He looked up at Medusea for a moment, then dressed quickly. Green camaflauge pants and a orange striped shirt did not flatter each other. but it was clothes.

He hesitated then, unsure what to expect now.

Duce just about bounces with impatience, "C'mon, we need to get you out of here. There were two werewolves out last night and Rover's been sent to investigate. It won't look good, you being found outside and naked. If we can get you to the Manor, it'll get you away from some damn awkward questions. Dude, you so seriously need to get that sleepwalking thing checked out, and we mean now."

Dozens of little forked tongues flick the air again, and Duce seems to relax, sagging in on herself a little, "Luckily.. noone got hurt last night. Let's get you the hell out of here."

Oz blinks rapidly at her. She's not turning him in? He doesn't quite know what to say, and he's still trying to take it all in.

"Get me to the manor?" he repeats, his mind replaying the words 'Luckily...noone got hurt last night'. Definite relief there, and his shoulders slump a little.

Nodding, Duce says, "It's probably the safest place right now. It's not on school property, so Rover has no authority. Wednesday's family owns it. We live there with her." Covering for all she's worth, Duce adds, "We can also keep an eye on you to make sure you don't go sleepwalking again tonight. It's really not safe for you to be out at night, with two werewolves on the loose."

Turning, she eyes the gardner thoughtfully.

Oz nods. He's not completely dumb. he knows what she's doing. Giving him an out. She knows, as he does, damn good and well he was one of the two werewolves running around campus.

He licks his lips. He's always so tired after a night with the wolf.

"I...appreciate it," he says with a little hesitant smile.

*Edward is still dissapointed because of no pink dress*

"I don't know why he's naked outside, but it's probably a good idea to keep him away from all the cops here in the town, i guess" edward sais.

Duce eyes up the gardner, "He sleepwalks. He was locked in last night, but some fucking idiot thought it'd be funny to let him loose on campus. When we find out who did it, we're going to have.. words.. with them." Her voice is ominous, "There were werewolves out last night. We want to get him out of here before someone jumps to a conclusion. We'd appreciate it if you'd keep mum until we have a chance to straighten this out." Pausing a moment, she asks, "My roommate is over there," gestures in the direction Wednesday and Jake went, "somewhere. Would you be so kind as to locate them and inform them we're headed homeward? We'd really appreciate it."

Turning, she gestures with her head in the direction of the Manor. "C'mon, Oz. Let's bail."

Edward said: Oh yeah, i see. That's some pretty weird bussiness. But don't you worry, i am not much of talker anyway :)

*strolls off to find wednesday and jake*

*rover rolled on in his patrol*

*the poet confirmed two werewolves.*

*werewolves were security risks.*

*which one participated in the attack?*

*rover would find out.*

*...as rovers were wont to do*

*he rolled along and saw the gardner.*

*rover stopped and considered.*

*the gardener was sharp and pointy.*

*he might know about the werewolf.*

*rover headed toward sharp and pointy gardner.*

Spotting the security guard headed at her roommate, Duce froze, and then grabbed for Oz's hand, whispering, "Hurry!"

Oz didn't need to be told twice. Sleepwalker or not, he could be in real trouble here.

He gripped Duce's hand, and allowed her to lead him away from the gardener and the huge white ball type thing that was campus security.

edward sees a big, white...thing approaching. Is to shocked to run

*rover approaches the sharp and pointy gardner.*

*regards him quietly.*

*bounces once.*

Edward stares at him. uhhh...ohh. Hiya. Ehhh...can i help you...?

*eyes Rover with a bit of terror*

*bounces once too, hoping to form some sort of bond that way*

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Duce nods. "We have two guestrooms. Take your pick." She shoots Wednesday a glance, "Des? Did you still have the add up for roommates? We hadn't heard anyone else was interested."

"I'll take it down tomorrow." Wednesday told her, shrugging. "I think we have enough people here." She eyed Oz thoughtfully. "Do you cook?"

"Cook?" Oz blinked. He wasn't expecting that.

He swallowed. "I...can cook. A little. Mostly...vegetarian."

Duce shoots a glance at Des, to make sure they're on the same page, and cocks an eyebrow at Oz.

"Well, since you need a new room, and we don't mind another roommate, how would you feel about staying here with us?"

There's a gremlin living in a large, Lexan HabiTrail in the kitchen, and carniverous plants out back. Various arcane paraphenilia litter the common areas, as well as school books and homework assignments. If it seems as though the girls are taking this with extreme aplomb.. you'd be right.

"I...couldn't..." He looks over at Wednesday, locking the gate and looking unflappable. "I..." He nods and rubs a hand ove rhis face. "Thank you."

His hand moved through his hair.

Wednesday finished with the gate and turned to face him. "Welcome to Efferton Manor, then. Stay out of the main house unless I'm with you, however. It's quite haunted and Aunt Esmeralda is a little funny when it comes to visitors."

Oz nodded. "It's all good. I just...thank you." He gave Wednesday a slight smile. He was grateful beyond words.

Rubbing a hand over her face, Duce asked absently, "Oz? Do you have any idea who the other lycanthrope is? It'll be in danger too."

Leaving them to their discussion, Wednesday went to be sure the carniverous vine was moved a little further from the main work area in the kitchen.

Oz shook his head. "I...no. Maybe if I smelled him...I can, you know, smell another wolf. But...I don't know. I've never seen him before."

"After your nap, would you mind taking a walk around to see if you can find it? If it hasn't found secure lodgings yet.. bring it here for tonight."

Rubbing her face more as the adrenaline high wears off, she waves a hand in the direction of the bedroom. "Go. Nap. Restore. We're going to check email now and see if anything interesting's happened this morning."

"I...will." Oz nods. He gives her a look, a silent 'thank you' and heads into the room, which is now his room, more or less.

Werewolf Hunt - Sunday Morning - Consolidated and Moved

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject