Nineteenth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[filtered to Vince]
Mist -- . . . Vince?  If you're free sometime soon . . . Sometime really soon, preferably.  And, um.  If you don't mind having to pull off a small miracle.  And . . . If you promise not to yell at me or anything when you see me.

I really need a haircut.

[filtered to Luke, Wy, Shiraasan, Lyn, Ness, and Duster]
Are you all OK?  Did you make it through the night?

[open call]
Did anyone find out anything interesting at the party?  I think I might've gotten something . . . I don't know if it's important.  It seems as if Billy is nice as long as you play along -- He likes fire a lot, and he likes it when you don't mind about him setting them.  If you say anything about it, though, he gets upset really quickly.

It might be nothing.  I don't know.  If anyone runs into him, though . . . try and humor him.  . . . Maybe things would have gone differently if I agreed.

[For anyone who runs into him, Lucas now dons a stylish hat pulled down low over his face, and a strip of cloth cut as a mask wrapped around the top of his head with a single eyehole for his right eye.  If anyone asks, he is playing cops and robbers.  He bumps into things a lot.]

Comments

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

Sure! And trust me, whatever it is, I've probably seen much worse.

I'll be over soon, alright?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

T-Thanks. Take your time.

[ . . . He wonders whether or not that's true. He kind of hopes it is. Lucas had considered simply shaving off all his hair but he was afraid he would still cut himself. And he'd had enough of being a hurt for a while.]

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[Oh, it's true alright. This is the man who does Howard's hair, after all.

He'll be over a relatively short time later, knocking at Lucas' door. He brought his own scissors and everything!]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[The door opens cautiously before a hand reaches out and drags Vince in. Vince may notice that all the curtains are drawn -- in addition to Lucas's bizarre get-up, of course.]

Hi, M -- Vince. [He was going to remember to stop doing that someday.] Thanks a lot for coming.

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[Vince is in no position to judge an odd get-up.]

No problem, mate! [He pauses.] Y'wanna tell me what happened?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas hesitates for a few seconds.]

Don't tell anyone else, OK . . . ? You have to promise.

[He slowly takes off the hat to reveal that about a third of his hair has burned away, leaving raw, red scalp underneath.]

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

Cross my heart.

[When Lucas takes off the hat, Vince gapes in obvious shock. And something else. Anger.]

... Billy?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Yeah . . . He . . . Well. It's not worth talking about.

[He keeps the mask on and tries on a half-smile.]

I-If you can make it . . . Just not so much like I got set on fire. If you have to shave it all off, even, go ahead.

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[He examines the damage, trying not to let his worry show. Not even enough to even out...]

... A bit worse than chewin' gum, but not the worst. It'll all have to come off, but I've got some brilliant hats y'can borrow! And hair grows back pretty fast. See? [He runs a hand through his own hair which, while not as long as it used to be, isn't nearly as short as it was before.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas smiles a little. He'd thought that would be the case, but . . . hope sprang eternal.]

OK. Go ahead. . . . What's the very worst? It'll make me feel a little better, I think.

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[Insert hair cutting things here.]

Well... The worst I've ever seen happened this one time I was kidnapped by the king of Siam... But, y'probably don't wanna hear that one.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

You were kidnapped? Why? . . . Oh. I don't mind, but if you don't want to say, that's fine.

[Lucas stands as still as he can, trying not to watch his dark blonde hair falling away.]

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

'Cause I'm the best there is! And when you've got a Medusa problem and loads of money-- 'cause all kings've got loads of money, y'see-- y'always go for the best.

[Is he lying? Is he actually telling the truth? Does it make any difference?]

But there was a sale at Top Shop that day. So I said to him, I said, "King, I've been eyin' that fringe biker jacket since forever, so if y'want me to come along, you're gonna have to knock me out and throw me on a train."

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

And he did, just like that? Weren't you scared? Did you ever get the jacket?

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

Everythin' will be answered in due time! Trust me!

Alright, so I woke up on this old train far, far away from home, with nobody 'round me but this old billy goat, Mbuzi. He'd been travelin' the rails and knew all 'bout the king and his troubles.

"Once upon a time," he said in a well goaty way, "once upon a time, the king had a daughter that was well beautiful. Easily a ten. But, she's been cursed by an evil witch-- 'cause that's what evil witches do-- and turned into a snake lady. Only a hair dresser of great skill and even greater style can break the curse."

When he finished, I knew in my heart of hearts that I needed to help this girl. Me bein' chained to the train only sealed the deal.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas is probably more fascinated by this story than he really should be. It keeps his mind off the clipclip of the scissors, anyway.]

You can talk to animals, too, right? I've never met one that said so much . . . How did you save her?

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

Goats're well wordy when they wanna be! Like hearin' themselves talk.

Alright, so y'know how all the heroes in the stories get magic swords before they go off to face the monster? When I got there, the king gave me these massive scissors made of steel-- the only thing that's ever even cut through one of the snakes. But, I told him, "King, y'can leave those at home, 'cause I've brought my own scissors! These things got me through my BTECs and they'll get me through this, too."

Mine looked a lot like this one I've got now, but mine're better! George Harrison himself gave me 'em after I saved him from a runaway lorry during a summer holiday.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas has many questions, such as "Who is George Harrison" "What is a BTEC" "Are you cutting me with your magic scissors that cut through anything cause you're getting awfully close to my ears sometimes I think." but he stays silent.]

And then?

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

The princess lived in a cave far away, 'cause she was so ugly and nobody wanted to look at her. Also, I dunno if y'know this, but if y'look at a Medusa's eyes, y'turn to stone. So I was wearin' a blindfold. Like a ninja.

Alright, so it was an epic battle, with lots of clickin' and slashin' and snakes bitin' all over the place! I lost my favorite t-shirt to 'em, but, in the end, I was victorious! The princess was back to bein' gorgeous and I was a hero!

'Course, when we got back to the castle, the king wanted to reward me. He said I could have anythin' I wanted, but he was really pushin' his daughter on me, 'cause another curse said that if the rescuer married the princess, their kids'd make the kingdom well powerful forever. Y'wanna know what I did?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

You said no because you wanted to marry someone that you really loved but he gave you lots of gold anyway?

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

Nah, I asked for the jacket and enough bus fare to get back home.

... I got her number, though. Never called.

[He pats Lucas on the shoulder and grins.] All done!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Oh. So you didn't even get a reward for doing all of that . . . ?

[Lucas seems mildly disappointed. Glancing down at the blonde strands littering the floor, he tries hard to not seem even more disappointed. Losing his hair wasn't really much of a big deal at all in comparison to what he'd just done two nights before. He can't help sighing, though.]

Thanks, Vince. Thanks a lot. . . . Do you want me to pay you?

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

I don't think y'fully understand how brilliant that jacket was. Moral of the story: Fringe is always in. Remember that.

[He looks mildly surprised at the suggestion.] Friends don't pay!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He blames talking too much with Porky.]

Oh, well . . . I mean, I pay for haircuts usually, so.

[Lucas mournfully continues to stare at the remnants of his hair on the floor before reaching forward for a spontaneous hug.]

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[Vince doesn't even pause at the sudden hug. He just returns it, smiling a little.]

Y'know, you'd be surprised by how fast hair grows back.