Manual was pushing his way out the front door of the local RaceTrac gas station a little after 3am, as the morning shift came in to take his place. Honey was off tonight, so his typical bouncy counterpart was no where to be seen. Not having bothered to change out of his work uniform, the blue logo'd polo remained neatly tucked into khaki pants, held up by a simple brown leather belt.
A cheap disposable cell phone emerged from the pocket with a bit of a tug, so that its owner could type away with his thumbs while wandering under the bright lights of the pump stations and toward the less well lit sidewalk. A few shorter strands of the dark, curly hair escaped from their tie at the base of his neck and would frequently be blown away, only to fall back a few seconds later. The man mumbled to himself as he walked, completely distracted by the phone "Shampoo, eggs, milk, laundry soap. There was something else..."
A cheap disposable cell phone emerged from the pocket with a bit of a tug, so that its owner could type away with his thumbs while wandering under the bright lights of the pump stations and toward the less well lit sidewalk. A few shorter strands of the dark, curly hair escaped from their tie at the base of his neck and would frequently be blown away, only to fall back a few seconds later. The man mumbled to himself as he walked, completely distracted by the phone "Shampoo, eggs, milk, laundry soap. There was something else..."
Away from the blindingly-bright light of the gas station, the world was dark. Little stirred in the early hour but what wind gently rustled. Faint traces of cold mist hung in the air, visible only in a rare glimpse of light and around the oblivious walker, the world slowly changed. As the lamp posts died away, more trees stood tall, blotting out ambient light from the sky. Buildings melded into the background, becoming shadowed distant hills or a thick copse of trees, and the pavement beneath the man's feet became hard packed soil.
A stranger watched the walking man, waited to see how long it took him to notice. By the time the gas station employee finally looked up, he walked amongst the trees of an old, dense forest. He was on a small winding dirt path through the underbrush towards a shadowed building some half-mile distant. Snatches of moonlight through the thick canopy overhead caused patches of the mist to glow. Eerie cries in the distance echoed off the trees and made it impossible to locate any source. No gas station existed on the path behind, and the scent of decaying plant-matter overlapped with the damp, clinging mist to rounded out the change.
A stranger watched the walking man, waited to see how long it took him to notice. By the time the gas station employee finally looked up, he walked amongst the trees of an old, dense forest. He was on a small winding dirt path through the underbrush towards a shadowed building some half-mile distant. Snatches of moonlight through the thick canopy overhead caused patches of the mist to glow. Eerie cries in the distance echoed off the trees and made it impossible to locate any source. No gas station existed on the path behind, and the scent of decaying plant-matter overlapped with the damp, clinging mist to rounded out the change.
It took the man very little time to glance up from the screen once the scenery had changed. Certain skills that were ingrained long ago still remained, and a knowledge of one's surroundings would likely be the last to fade for Manny.
The footsteps halted, phone held steady as he quickly took in the path, surrounding trees and brush, then... a large building? A sense of dejavu washed over him and resulted in a low chuckle. Anyone in the vicinity lacking mental shielding would suddenly find themselves with an overwhelming thought of... salt. If there was another slimy snail causing this mess, he'd be finished with it soon enough - hopefully skipping the demon hordes this time around.
How quickly he spotted the other would depend upon if any thoughts drifted his way. If the individual were fully shielded, it may very well take a moment before his attention settled on them. "Hello?"
He assumed he had stumbled through some sort of portal again, which kept suspicion of the other to a standard wariness of strangers. Nevertheless, if the stranger were adept at sensing such things, they may notice the faint brush of mental probing against any mental shielding to determine the strength. Most who entered the gas station never even noticed the standard inspection.
The footsteps halted, phone held steady as he quickly took in the path, surrounding trees and brush, then... a large building? A sense of dejavu washed over him and resulted in a low chuckle. Anyone in the vicinity lacking mental shielding would suddenly find themselves with an overwhelming thought of... salt. If there was another slimy snail causing this mess, he'd be finished with it soon enough - hopefully skipping the demon hordes this time around.
How quickly he spotted the other would depend upon if any thoughts drifted his way. If the individual were fully shielded, it may very well take a moment before his attention settled on them. "Hello?"
He assumed he had stumbled through some sort of portal again, which kept suspicion of the other to a standard wariness of strangers. Nevertheless, if the stranger were adept at sensing such things, they may notice the faint brush of mental probing against any mental shielding to determine the strength. Most who entered the gas station never even noticed the standard inspection.
Manuel. That mental probe confirmed it. The man grinned and doubled down on his focus; he prepared for this for years and wasn't going to blow it now. Before his prey could get anything from him specifically, he reflected. Knowing the purported skill level of his old acquaintance, he didn't bother trying usual methods and disguised himself in the feelings of their surroundings. Like a mirror, he showed only Manuel's presence nearby in his mind, and echoes of preoccupied people around at some distance, despite the uninhabited appearance of their surroundings.
From the building far ahead, Manuel could hear a person thinking only of lingering pain and a looming threat, but they were alone. One dim yellowy light was on near the door on the ground level.
The silent man waited, concentrated. He was part of the landscape. Everything hinged on Manuel's total acceptance of his surroundings. The trap was nearly complete.
From the building far ahead, Manuel could hear a person thinking only of lingering pain and a looming threat, but they were alone. One dim yellowy light was on near the door on the ground level.
The silent man waited, concentrated. He was part of the landscape. Everything hinged on Manuel's total acceptance of his surroundings. The trap was nearly complete.
While he should be wary of the new found situation, Manuel fell for it hook-line-and-sinker. Without hesitation he began moving straight for the building with its suffering occupant. Although it had been quite some time since he'd last found himself in a situation warranting stealth, he nonetheless moved with nearly silent steps and instinctively kept to thee shadows as he moved toward the building. While otherwise silent, he reached out beyond the bustle of other unseen presences to the one apparently in need of assistance. "Hello? I'm here to help. Do you know where you are, exactly?" Manny to the rescue!
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