video; from a cafe, not anonymous.

[demon_brat]

Good morning.

I believe most of you are aware of the recent... problem that some of the foreigners had, recently, becoming invisible and losing some aspect of who they are, whether physical or otherwise.

I have two questions regarding that, in an attempt to find out what happened, why, and how it can possible be prevented in the future. Of course, the primary theory for a reason is that disorder in Keeliai weakens the turtle and gives more power to the threat to it, or some variation thereof, but maybe that is imprecise - or not specific enough.

The questions are:

First, are any of you still afflicted by whatever you lost when you got shifted from phase? If not, did you notice something peculiar before, around the time of, or after the problem discontinued?

Second, [ and Damian holds up a sketch, police-style but executed very, very well, of a youngish, dark skinned kedan man, about 25-30, drawn from the description of the old couple running the museum and confirmed by them, ] have any of you seen or talked with this man? Whether you were affected by the occurrence or not.

My name is Damian Wayne, I will be here, at the [ name of the cafe ] in Earth sector until noon, feel free to find me here or ask to meet somewhere else later, if you are unwilling to discuss your answers over the consoles.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

[backinakidflash]

Not since yesterday. Peculiar how? I mean the whole thing's been pretty messed up.

[There's nothing unconnected with Bats. Nothing. So even though Bart's not making the connection when Damian holds up the familiar-looking sketch, he knows it's there. So maybe it's not so hot an idea to say he knows him on a feed. Especially with Damian all but waving around a neon sign saying 'come talk to me'.]

Never seen him. Sorry. Hey - is that the cafe with the really good dip that tastes almost like ranch? By the shop with all the little carved fish?

Aw man. Now I'm hungry. Order me something. I'll come keep you company while you wait for the Great Pumpkin, Linus.

[The feed ends before he can be told no.]

... action?

[demon_brat]

[Since Damian isn't given a chance to reply, he doesn't try to - but he does order food for Bart, not that it'll take that much more than ordering for the speedster to arrive, more or less.]

[But he wouldn't have said no. That is why he gave his location out, after all.]

action

[backinakidflash]

[Bart arrives at the cafe quickly, but not too much faster than anyone else would have. It kills him to wait when he has something to say, but Damian's playing this kinda casual. Bart is following his lead.

He drops into the seat across from the boy without waiting for an invitation.]

Hey. Did you order? Do you have that sketch? Can I see it before the food turns up and my hands get dirty?

[demon_brat]

[At least Damian's prepared himself to wait, with reading and lookup materials and keeping an eye on the console.]

[When Bart does show up, he looks over at him, then just slides the sketch across the table, sipping at his tea.]

Food will be coming, yes.

And I meant peculiar. In any way - one never knows what will provide a clue.

action;

[cowled]

[An elderly 'kedan' happens past Damian in the cafe later. The old creature has tentacles instead of hair, walks with extreme stiffness and a limp, looks to be barely 5'5, and has exaggerated jowls and a rather longish nose. He says nothing, but he does happen to, with a sleight of hand that goes unnoticed by the cafe's patrons, slide a piece of paper onto the work surface beside Damian.

It's in code, of course, but it's a detailed list of what Bruce knows about the phasic shifts, from the paint (and the nature thereof, apparently it's an organic compound made from the sloughed off skin cells of adult kedan) to the nature of the losses he's studied.

The old kedan coughs, wheedles his way around the cafe, orders a tea which he drinks with shaking hands, and heads back into the street, all without ever looking at Damian.]

action; later

[demon_brat]

[In the afternoon, during his hours at Wayne Enterprises, Damian comes into Father's office leaving - under the man's eyes, not when it's empty - a small stack of pages. Reports.]

[One of them includes - is cypher, of course - the information that Damian has received during his hours at the cafe. Mostly, the correction that not all ghosted suffered a loss - and the extrapolation that all who did lost something very important to them.]

[As well as other details. Raven's information. Data about the few people who have remained suffering a loss who responded, and that about the people who recovered what they'd been missing. The people who have offered to help, because that is something Father would want to know.]

[Damian waits for at least acknowledgment that the information has been recognized, before he will leave.]

action; later

[cowled]

[Of course, at the office Bruce is a very different sort of man, and father. He's bright and talkative, animated, charismatic. He flirts with all the women he's hired and discusses the merits of golf rather loudly with the men, and when he sees Damian he shuffles that paperwork to the bottom of one of his less conspicuous piles thereof and beams at him.]

Damian! I didn't expect you to drop by, it's good to see you. Something to drink?

action; later

[demon_brat]

[ Just for an instant, Damian is irritated. Then he recognizes his reaction for what it is, as well as the necessity for Bruce Wayne to be the way he is, here - a necessity that he hadn't recognized when dealing with the WE board, in Gotham. Then again, he probably couldn't maintain it if he had tried, so. ]

Thank you, Father. I do not wish for anything, thank you.

Can I be of an assistance with something immediate?

permatext;

[iguanasolution]

i'm still mute and it doesn't look like it's changing any time soon

is that the man who stole our senses and memories?

text;

[demon_brat]

I am sorry. The people I know to have recovered have mostly done so in the last few days, but not all at once - I would guess it might still be a possibility.

[ Because what am hope, or, rather, how does Damian do hope? ]

This is what the person who volunteered to make the invitation cards for the museum looked like at the time. He was careless enough to have possibly been a false lead, but it still is the clearest one that we have.

text;

[iguanasolution]

i guess. thanks

[But he mostly ignores the first part of the text- not because he doesn't think Damian is reassuring, but because he doesn't know if hoping will do any good right now. If he does believe he will get his voice back and then he doesn't, it will be even worse.]

even if its false its still all we have and someone still has to have put effort into that false lead. we could follow that trail.

[gathersnomoss]

My sight returned, but I can't say why it did. I was out trying to get some answers as to why no one could see me when I lost it, and I wasn't doing anything in particular when it returned.

[demon_brat]

Thank you, your information has been very valuable already. It is good that you can see again.

[gathersnomoss]

Yeah. Hopefully everyone will recover.

video;

[strategisch]

I'm still blind, since November 3rd like everyone else that "lost" something, so I'm not sure how much I can help you...

[He hears the rustling of paper.]

And I'm sorry that I can't see your picture either.

video;

[demon_brat]

I am sorry - it is possible that the problem will pass, as most people have recovered in the last few days, I believe, not all at once.

And I apologize - it is a sketch of somebody who might be connected. Would you like me to describe them to you, in case you have seen them before you lost your sight?

video;

[strategisch]

I'm glad that they are-- I was starting to worry that the affliction would be permanent. I'm sure my sight will come back eventually too.

Please, go ahead. How do you think they're connected to what's been happening to us?

video;

[zinthosmantra]

[ Raven studies the sketch on the screen for a moment before shaking her head. Though she can't say she's surprised... a race of shapeshifters seems uncannily suited for not needing to hide one's face when committing a crime. ]

I tested some of the paint, it doesn't have any magical properties.

video;

[demon_brat]

[ Damian nods calmly. He's not disappointed, for the very same reason she's not surprised. Shape-shifters. And, well, after the visit earlier, he can't even guarantee it was a kedan. But he would get less information if he didn't ask at all. ]

Thank you. Is there anything you can do to trace it back to where it was made, by chance?

Re: video;

[zinthosmantra]

Within the city, at least. If it were made outside of it, it would have absorbed a different amount of magic than what's present in Keeliai, not unlike trace chemical elements.

video;

[virginprice]

I believe I'm still affected, but considering that it's a memory that I lost- I think- it's hard to be sure.

[His brows knit together slightly as he tries- again- to remember what's gone.]

video;

[demon_brat]

[Damian blinks, the situation more than a little bit familiar, then nods, slowly.]

If I may ask - what do you know about what you are missing? Perhaps people here can help, at least somewhat?

video;

[lineality]

I didn't lose anything when I shifted, and I didn't lose anything after, either. At least one other person I know is still suffering from extensive memory loss.

As for the kedan-- [Her mouth thins into a grim line. Something approximating a lead, at last.] I haven't seen him, but I'll ask around.

video;

[demon_brat]

[Damian frowns, slightly. He'll write the information down - what Father gave him indicated everyone who'd been off-phase had a loss, but...]

That would make you the exception, rather than the rule. I believe most people did lose something. So, thank you.

[All data can be useful. Better to see the pattern.

Will you need a copy of the sketch?

video;

[lineality]

That's the feeling I've been getting. [Beat.] Of course, if I've forgotten something like where I parked the airship back home, it could be ages before someone finds out.

It'd definitely help. Have you asked around the local gangs? Not the most cooperative kedan around, but they know a face when they see one.