Twenty-Fifth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[Here's another stranger around town, Mayfield.  Ten years later, the blue-eyed, blonde-haired boy is a twenty-four year old man of stature nearly rivaling the Netherlands.  Those who are familiar with Lucas will easily recognize his shy smile and bright eyes.

1.  Immediately after his appearance in Mayfield, the man is simply meandering, lost in thought with hands stuck into the pockets of his slacks.  He'll be a bit shy to strike up conversation with the people he comes across, although he'll readily do so if he meets anyone he remembers

2.  An odd sight you might come across in the park is a fully-grown man attempting yo-yo tricks.  The vast majority of his attempts are abysmal; he's rusty and hasn't had the opportunity to try this in years, so maybe he'll hit you by accident as you walk by.  After a while, though, he might pull off an amazing trick every now and then, instead.  Regardless of the outcome, he'll be smiling and shaking his head to himself.

3.  For someone like Lucas, the clothing he's got on is really way too fashionable.  Why does he look so spiffy?  The answer might come to those who enter the school's music wing.  Seated at the piano is a grown man, and he plays it beautifully.  This is his occupation on the side, after all, and he may have been interrupted in the middle of a performance.]

((This is the only icon of adult!Lucas I have, so pretend the rest of the icons match.  He's wearing the same outfit as in the icon.  He is not anywhere near as good at yo-yo-ing as the guy in the video; that guy is just amazing and I felt like linking it.))

Comments

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

It must have something to do with that weapon, then. No one ever went home and came back in the same day. Not that I remember . . . And if it is because of that, it’s probably just the town pulling something funny.

It’s almost nice to be back . . . Even if it’s Mayfield. . . . I missed you guys. Even if I didn’t remember. I guess that doesn’t really make sense, but I think it’s true.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

That was my guess. Just another Mayfield prank. I suppose that means we'll be sent back eventually.


You know? I was thinking the same thing. I even remember saying something along those lines to someone here once too, when I was here the first time. I'd miss the people here even if I didn't remember the. I think it's true too.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

If that’s how it’s going to be, then . . .

[He nods slowly to himself for a moment before reaching out to grasp Crowe’s sleeve. Lucas as a grownup is still a bit overly affectionate. He gestures towards a bench a good distance down the street.]

Come on. Whatever time we’ll have . . . let’s make the best use of it we can. Tell me how you’ve been

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He grins and follows along.] I've been doing pretty well. I don't know if you'd believe me when about what I'm doing for a living. I'm a private detective.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I remember hearing that from you a long time ago . . . So you made your dream into a reality. That's really great, Crowe. Was your family understanding?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Ah, unfortunately not. We still talk but... they stayed in the US, and I moved back to Italy for school and then stayed there to open my business. One of my friends from high school is working with me though, which is great.

[...Subject change!] What about yourself? What have you been doing?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He couldn't quite remember much about Crowe's friends, except that one of them had supernatural powers of some sort.]

I don't know if you remember much about my world, but everything turned out fine in the end. The new world . . . it became exactly what it always should have been. And the people of the islands grew the stronger because of it, too.

You could call me a farmer now, I guess. I took over when my dad decided he couldn't keep up anymore. Every now and then, I play for the DCMC when they come by, but that doesn't happen to often.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He smiles and gives you an encouraging pat on the shoulder.] That sounds pretty good. I'm glad to hear it. Especially after we were both stuck here for so long. It's good to hear about happy endings.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He's pretty sure Crowe had no idea what he had been talking about, but it didn't really matter.]

I guess that's so. But you say that like our stories are finished, concluded. I'd say we still have a few more pages to write.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Probably not? But he wants to be encouraging anyway. He laughs though.]

You're right. I'm sitting here talking as if we're old men. It's good to know we get out of here though, even if they had to bring us back here to show us.

Since this doesn't seem to be the usual thing Mayfield does to bring people here, I wonder how long this will last. My stuff is still all at my old house. I left myself a note. [He laughs again, shaking his head.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I feel a little old. Ten years passed so quickly . . . It's so strange to think about what I did here as a child. I'm not sure I was meant to be an adult. I'm not very good at it.

[Lucas smiles sheepishly again. They've reached the bench now and he sits down, leaning over and placing both arms across his thighs.]

That's probably a good idea. A note of encouragement, maybe.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

I don't think anyone's ever prepared to be an adult. It just sort of happens.

Yeah. I know that I need it, in this place. Things get tough, and they never get any easier either.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Even so, it looks like we came out alright in the end.

Although . . . maybe we're not actually who Lucas and Crowe grow up to be. I never came back after I was shot . . . but we're guessing we will, right?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

It's hard to tell. I have to say, time travel is all new to me. [He chuckles a bit.] Chouno said something, like everythinf that's to happen HAS happened, so we're not changing anything. And being that we forget Mayfield when we leave, I suppose there's no real way of knowing. It is what it is.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

That could be true, too. I guess it's not really worth thinking about.

[He sits up a little straighter and looks up at the sky.]

If we're only going to be here a short time . . . We shouldn't waste it.

Let's do something exciting, Crowe.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He flashes a grin.] Something exciting? In Mayfield? What, should we go egg the Smith's house?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Why not?

Everything is so strange. I feel like doing something exciting and . . . and silly and weird and not at all what I'd ever do normally. I don't know why.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Too bad we're in the capital of dull. You can't even get a good drink in this town!

You know, if I miss anything in this town besides the people, it's the cars. They've got some real charm, don't you think? And they're really easy to hotwire. [That grin gets bigger.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[What are cars? Lucas had mostly forgotten. The blank look on his face slowly begins to shift as he dimly recalls -- Ah, right. The fast things. . . . There goes one now.]

Huh . . .

And you know, it's an infinite loop so it's not like we'll ever stop.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

I'll warn you - I've never been the best driver...

[Not to mention he's spent the last several years in Italy, home of the world's most terrifying traffic. Crowe checks the nearest unlocked car and hops in. Starting old cars without keys is easy, and he manages to get it going by just messing with the starter. He can hardly believe he's doing this, but screw it - this is Mayfield after all.

He waves you over, laughing.]

Hurry up! This kills the battery so we don't have long!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas quickly stands and jogs along behind, hopping into the car when Crowe beckons him to. The grin on his face is slightly sheepish, but he was the one who wanted to do something completely out of character, after all.]

Here.

[Crowe may feel a brief tingle as Lucas holds up a shining palm. Was Defense Up useful against car crashes? Who knew?]

Just in case! Alright, I'm counting on you, Crowe.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

...I have no idea what that is, but I trust you.

Alright my friend, buckle your seat belt!

[But before you can even do that, he hits the gas and takes off. Mayfield gets to put up with the holy terror that is Calleo Crowe behind the wheel of a car, but hey, he's having fun.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas is reaching for the thing to the side -- that was the seat belt right -- when he suddenly pitches backward at the sudden acceleration. Within a few moments, he is applying a copious layer of Shielding to the two of them as he clings to the armrests.

He has never gone so fast in his life. It is terrifying. It is also amazing.]

Everything's going by so quick! Just like that! L-Look, that tree, I blinked, it was gone, and another one and -- !

[Lucky that Crowe probably can't hear him too well over the roar of the motor since his babbling is very silly.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He's laughing the whole while. Crowe is a notoriously terrible driver, and does his best to just make sure he doesn't hit any pedestrians. Unforunately the battery will drain and the car will all be slow to a halt. And he's still laughing.]

You never get to do that back home.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas is clutching so hard to the armrest that his nails leave heavy marks in them. After they've slowed to a stop, he takes a few moments to finish panting, after which he exhales a sharp breath.

He turns to Crowe.]

. . . That was amazing.