One Star for Service, Five for the Food (Open)

[DanteMGalileo]

"That tingled," I said, removing the probe from my forehead. "But a living shadow with mass? How can that be? Even shadow monsters..."

"Well," I added, "These Pantry-nesses obviously ain't Euclidean in nature. It stands to reason that a defective one- overcooked, half-done, whatever- would follow the same trend."

"So... It's kind of like a-"

"Kinda, except that these things actually are unkillable. I mean, how do you fight a shadow?"

There was a pause.

"... Normally I'd say you fight it in the dark to break up its form but my encounter with one of the bosses in the cave says that ain't gonna work. We're all gonna have a bad time."

[ParamountKeymaster]

"W-What...??" This revelation completely baffled Toby, on top of properly terrifying him. "B-But... I... I've had checkups before. I've always been identified as human. E-Even though I can turn into one of them, I... I'm alive! I CAN'T be...!"

He sat back down, dropping his head into his hands and staring wide-eyed at the table. "Th... There's gotta be more to me than... just shadow and soul..."

[ryocker]

Solace sighed. No point sugar coating this. "Maybe there was once, but clearly you're not human anymore. Besides... Try thinking of the bright sides. Even if you're not quite flesh and blood, you're still clearly you, right?"

[DanteMGalileo]

"Yeah!" I placed my hand on Toby's shoulder, this time being careful to mind my strength. "Just because you ain't exactly human anymore don't mean you have to act like, well, a soulless undead thing. In fact we'd rather ya wouldn't. Also," Everyone just looked at me. "There are worse things to be made outta than pure shadow. You could be made of highly flammable twigs, for instance. Or glass bones and paper skin. Oh yeah, that reminds me of a joke I heard. It goes-"

"Is it the one where three men walk into a bar?"

"Argh! Close! A shadow creature, a deer, and a pelican walk into a bar-"

"Is this the one with the pine wine?"

"Maybe...?"

"Well, that one's not very funny..."

[ParamountKeymaster]

"I-It's not like I had any intent to..." Toby's arms slumped onto the bar, his head still hung low, his hands tightening into fists. "I refuse to accept that I'm one of those abominations. And I'm gonna fight them... as long as it's within my power."

He loosened up and slumped again as Lark continued. "P-Please, just... I-I should really get home. It's late. I'm tired. I have friends who will need to be told what's going on in the morning..."

[ryocker]

Solace backed away. "You need me to make a portal to your home?" she asked. "I have lots of things- I even have ways to prevent someone from making their own portals."

Now, as broken as it sounds for her to have such a trinket, to her credit she's been studying to better herself for a fairly long time. It honestly makes sense she's discovered one or two methods to prevent someone from teleporting away from her.

[DanteMGalileo]

"Sure, you can take Soly's portal," I said at that. "If you don't mind the possibility of missin' a limb or four once ya exit. I can warp ya with my Galaxy Cloak too. Takes you anywhere you want in realty."

I paused to glare at Solace. "AND you get to keep all your limbs!"

"Mr. Mercury, please, you're scaring the kid," I said. "I'm sure my teacher's just exaggerating things-"

"I am not!"

"Definitely exaggerating things. I'm sure her portals are perfectly safe."

[ParamountKeymaster]

Toby swallowed hard upon hearing everyone's offers. In all fairness, Solace's means of preventing portal construction sounded like it could be quite useful in the future. He'd have to keep in touch with these folks. He was going to need all the help he could get...

"Th-Thanks... But I can... shadow-hop back there myself. I-I'll be alright."

[ryocker]

Solace gave him a polite bow. "Alright. Do take care," she offered.

[ParamountKeymaster]

"O-Okay. Thanks." Toby stood up and started to walk away, pausing to look over his shoulder. "I-I'm at the apartment complex. I... I'd appreciate if we kept in touch. ...Fighting them is gonna be a long and arduous process, and given that they're no doubt gonna be hounding me twenty-four seven, I'd appreciate knowing someone has my back."

[ryocker]

Solace nodded. "I can't say whether or not I'll have your back later on, but for now, I will do what I can to assist," she assured him.

[DanteMGalileo]

"Hey, you wanna save this island from bein' assimilated, right? Well, I've got your back too- and I'll actually be there," I added, throwing a glare at Solace. "Just say my name if you need something destroyed."

I nodded. "Take care. Also if you drank raw birch tea you might want to get some water in you first."

[ParamountKeymaster]

Toby nodded and gave the group a wave. "Th-Thank you... Goodnight..."

He then stepped out of the tavern and into the night, pausing to contemplate what had just happened. Within one short night, Toby had discovered that the Præt'nos were trying to absorb the island, met some odd new friends (?), and on top of it all, not only was he quite possibly more shadow than he had originally believed, but he was potentially the key to the Præt'nos' defeat.

And all of this after such a great day. Talk about whiplash.

He took a giant breath of air before surrounding himself in shadows, pulling himself into the darkness and using it to travel smoothly and near-instantly back to his room. He wanted nothing more than to put all of this behind him and let things return to normal.

Then again... when were things ever normal?

This was going to be a long night...