[Out in the northern section of the Verdant Forest, Lucas stands facing a Swadloon. He holds a stick; the Swadloon holds an expression of contempt.]

One more time, Dozer!

[Dozer spits out some leaves. Lucas doesn't even bother swatting at them as he looks annoyed.]

You have to try harder! We're never going to get stronger if we don't try!

[With a roll of its eyes, Dozer proceeds to halfheartedly spit out some more leaves that travel approximately 0.5 inches further.

There is an elongated pause.

Lucas sighs, slowly shakes his head, and sets down his stick.]

...OK.

I know you don't like this. And I... don't really like it, either. I understand - I wish we didn't have to train at all. [Dozer snorts.] No, I really mean it! I wish we could just stay in Union and not worry about this. I just... want everything to always be the same. Without having to wonder about what might happen. ...But there's so much more to think about now.

[He gazes up at the sky.]

...I guess I'm a little afraid sometimes. You are, too, right? That's why you're not really trying. If you don't try... you don't ever have to be afraid of failing. I... definitely understand. [He pauses again before he shakes his head.] But please listen to me - I know you won't. You definitely won't fail. I know there are a lot of things we don't agree on, but... I hope you know how much I care about you. And I hope you know... I'll always believe in you. No matter what happens, and no matter how many times we have to try.

[A soft smile.]

So... it's OK to be afraid, and it's OK if you don't think you can do it. But even if you think that... I know you can do it.

We don't have to keep going now, but... just remember that. You're really important to me, you know? And I hope you know... I... I really...

[A bashful expression as he nods.]

I love you, Do --

[Oh my god Lucas shut up a sudden blast of razor-sharp leaves slams straight into him, knocking him completely off his feet before he can finish that sentence. ...On its part, Dozer's expression of shock makes it clear that it had no intention of doing that consciously, nor did it even think it was capable of doing that.

But there's not much time to be shocked - in the next moment, a blinding light suddenly envelops its entire body.

...From his position on the ground, Lucas scrambles into a sitting position and gasps.]

O-Oh!

[The transformation comes almost before he can process it. In the blink of an eye, the form of the creature is stepping forward, out from its hiding place, stretching outwards and upwards, standing on its own two feet. And as the light fades, there stands something else in Dozer's place.

There is a good ten seconds when Lucas can only continue to stare in shock without finding any words. When he does speak, his voice trembles.]

D-Dozer... I -- I'm so glad...

[He swallows.

...And swallows again. ...Makes a face.]

Um. ...........I love 'oo, buh I think 'oo cuh my mouth p'etty bad. ...Is there meh'icine?

The following is a listing of Lucas's regains after events, his important possessions including those picked up over the course of the plot, and his character relationships with family members and friends. If you are not listed here but would like to be, or if you would like the description of the CR to be changed, please feel free to email me at dli17000@yahoo.com or send me a PM.  Please do not comment in this entry.  Thanks!

( Abilities, Possessions, and Character Relationships )

[action]
[The race for the finish line is on! Every man for himself! Reach the end or don't reach anywhere at all!

Lucas naturally, immediately heads as far away from the highway as possible towards the people who live at the far end of town. Not without good reason, though.

Through the streets of Mayfield barrels a giant... head at high speed. Anything it runs over is squished, drone, hazmat, bear, or otherwise. Even if some of those weren't even in the town anymore. It screeches to a halt in the middle of most streets, and a boy covered in bloody stains will hop out and scream as loudly as he can.]

EVERYONE GET IN. NOW.  HURRY.

[So he did his lose his temper sometimes.  Sort of.]

[phone]
[Lucas puts on his serious voice.  He hadn't known he had one until recently, but apparently, he had developed the ability to not sound like a timid eight-year-old sometime when he wasn't paying attention, and so he pitches his voice as low and as authoritatively and as 'um'-less as possible.]

Everyone.

I'd just like to remind you... this is exactly the kind of thing that Karkat went to the trouble of asking about safe houses for.  Please, if you're alone in your house or if you don't feel safe when whatever happens happens, please know that you're completely welcome to take refuge at any of the houses that were volunteered.  If you don't have a list, I can read it off for you to copy.

And to everyone who volunteered their healing services when I asked the last time... Please be ready for anything that might happen, too.  It would be wonderful if people could know exactly who to go to in case of a severe medical emergency.  If you have any sort of power to heal at all, magical or otherwise, and you're willing to help out, please let me know, too.  Everyone else, again, if you don't know who to turn to, I can read off the list for you to copy.

Thanks.  And... be careful, everyone.

((OoC: The list in question can be found here.))

[voice]
It's a lie!

[Though his voice trembles, it carries conviction.]

They already did this last time!  It's just reusing an old story.  When we were trapped in Westport... there were graves with our names on them then, too!  And I'm still alive!  We all came back just fine.  Whatever's really going on, this is just another twisted way to lower our defences.  Don't believe it.

[There are a few moments of deep breathing after that, as Lucas composes himself.  Somehow, this kind of anger was getting the better of him very often nowadays...]

...Did anyone else hear what he said about... virtual reality?

[voice, public]
Sorry to bother everyone.  This is Lucas.  Um.  I've been thinking...

Halloween is coming up pretty soon, right?  And we know by now to expect... if not bad, then at least... not-so-good things on holidays.  We can all celebrate for real whenever the town is done playing games with us, but for now, I think we should consider preparing for whatever might end up happening.  Last year, about a week after Halloween, they gave us candy that made us... change into different things.  Mostly the types of things you'd dress up to be: vampires and werewolves and... I think there was a milkman candy, too, actually.

[He trails off a little bit, and takes a breath to pluck up his courage.]

Anyway, I've been thinking!  For a long time, now.  There's almost always someone who needs to be healed in times like this, isn't there?  And every single time, there must be a few who suffer serious injuries who can't find anyone to help them.  So I'd like to ask...  Everyone in town who can heal, through magic or psychic powers or through practicing medicine...  I want to ask us all to get together sometime.  Or if not that, then I'd like to hear from all of you. We can make a list, or we can agree to take charge of a certain area of the town, or organize something else among us.  So that if anyone is ever injured, they always know someone to ask.

I can start.  My name is Lucas, and I'm a psychic.  My strongest abilities are for healing and shielding; when I have all of my PSI back, I think I can heal almost anything.  Unfortunately, I'm still only at about half-strength right now...

[action]
( Happy fifteenth birthday, Lucas. It's been two years. )

[phone]
[So.  Zombies.  The moment Silence has left the house on his mission to locate Crowe and defend the others, Lucas is on the phone again, making a public call to the town.]

Everyone!  If you don't know what we're about to face, these are zombies.  Reanimated bodies of the dead.  I know it doesn't make any sense, but you're going to have to believe me on this one.  They're going to go around eating people, and if it happens, you're going to end up as a zombie, too.  So.  Um.  ...Don't get eaten.  [That had been how his zombies had worked, at least.]  And if you have to fight, go for the head!  The person whose world these are from... He says these ones are killed by destroying the brains.  I'm going around to put up some shields.  Let me know now if you'd like me to come by especially.  Luke, Crowe, Rin, Tavros, Ness, Miss Taiwan, Mr. Netherlands, everyone....  Don't go out!  Lock your rooms!  Close the windows!  ...Try to stay safe...

[action 1]
[And immediately after that, Lucas expressly disobeys Silence's instructions and bounds out the door, his pockets loaded with what he thinks might be helpful items.  ...It was just like adventuring the wilds of Tazmily again.  He'll pause just outside his house and concentrate, a glow beginning to emanate from his body.]

Shield Omega!

[And with a brilliant flash, the house on 846 Goldberg Street is happily floating in a teal bubble.  Though he had no idea if it would actually keep zombies out of his home, he figured it was worth the effort.  With a repeated cry of 'Shield Omega!', Lucas himself is encased in the bubble, as are any lucky neighbors within 100 feet.  He jumps on his table and rides down his street and out into the town, continuing to cast his spell repeatedly, hoping to protect as many as he can.  He'll especially be checking up on the houses of his friends.] 

[action 2]
[Whoops.  Looks like wandering around alone wasn't the best idea.  Here's Lucas up against five or six zombies.  His table, though non-organic, lies twitching underneath another small pile of zombies, and it appears he's in some dire straits.  ...Thwack!  The sound of a baseball bat smashing a zombie's head off its body marks the beginning of the battle.  The enemies converge.]

[action 3]
[Well, one couldn't fight zombies all day on an empty stomach.  Lucas, panting and exhausted, shows up in the DA's practice room in the late afternoon, both to take a break from the constant fighting and also to check if any of his friends had made it to safety.  He'll stumble in the door, hoping he's not alone.]

[voice]
[There is a note of harshness to Lucas's voice as he begins to speak, an unusual depth that isn't normally found in his shy stammering.  For a few moments, there is the brief illusion that this isn't a little boy speaking any more, but a young man.] 

Everyone, please listen. 

A lot of strange things are going on again, as we should have expected after what the Mayor announced.  Whether or not you decide to drink the milk, be careful.  It seems like everyone who's being droned has become homicidal.  If you come across someone like this, it's more important that you try to protect yourself or escape instead of trying to reason with your friend. 

.......They won't listen.

As for the milk, let's pool what we've found out today.  One of the traps in the milk is razor blades - the Milkman did something like this before, I think.  I can heal this pretty easily, and probably a few other people can, too.  If you've been injured, or you become injured by the blades in the next few days, please call me or someone else you know who can heal.  If you can't talk, try to write something to a friend if you can.

What else have people seen?  I'm sure dying immediately is one of them, but... Maybe the rest, I can help with, too.

ADDENDUM:
It sounds like there are a few different types of milk this time.  I've heard about hallucinations, sickness - a little like the flu, and venomous spiders.  I don't know how much I can heal any of these, but please call if you think you need help, anyway.

[Having progressed through the symptoms all week, Lucas is aware that the day is coming when he's going to blab some of his secrets, too.  He keeps out of the house as much as he can, wears a mask on his face to serve as an instant gag if necessary, and when he does feel the need to blab, he spills the beans to his pet bug, who listens very carefully and doesn't judge.  Mostly 'cause it knew everything already anyway. 

It's like being on withdrawal from caffeine.  Super early Friday morning, Lucas is plugging and unplugging the phone alternately in turns, sweating rapidly.  ...He gives in soon enough.]

I... I... 

I destroyed my world.

I destroyed it!  For the sake of saving it, I had to...!  All the responsibility... It fell to me.  In the end, it was my decision, and I ... I chose to destroy it.  It was the only thing that could be done.  I didn't want it.   I never asked to be the one to choose; all I wanted was to beat Pok -- [a brief muffled sound as Lucas clenches his teeth.  he absolutely couldn't say that name it would be against everything he wanted] -- Poh... P-P-Porky.   Porky!  King P.  I wanted to beat him.  I wanted to make things like they were before...!  Before everything was ruined...

It would have been remade according to my heart.  I came here, right after I pulled the Seventh Needle, right after I awakened the Dragon.  The world was destroyed and recreated based on how good I was...  And I'm afraid.  I think about it a lot.  What if I wasn't good enough?  What if I wasn't the right one?  What if they made a mistake when they chose me?  What if... the world just stays destroyed because.... because I was too weak....

I don't know what to do. I'm afraid to go home because I think, sometimes, it'll just be... nothing.  Just... nothingness.  All that will be left will be me, knowing that I failed.  Everyone, everything I care for.  I'm afraid... And I know that because I'm afraid...... It just means I'm that much weaker.  I go on and on about love and friendship and things, but sometimes, every now and then...  It's just because I know that's what I should believe.

[Deep breaths for a while as Lucas recovers himself.  That wasn't even the biggest secret.  For the sake of keeping his urges under control, he had let it out.  So be it.]

The savior and the destroyer of the world.  Pathetic, right...?