How Wonderful!

((yaaaayy~ i hope it’s cool i went with default!verse, lemme know if you want to tweak anything))

Kevin prided himself on being observant. Whether they were things that others physically couldn’t see, or things that they just didn’t bother paying attention to, Kevin had a keen eye for details of all sorts. Just one of those many “soft skills” for which StrexCorp truly valued him. 

So when on his morning commute to the Greater Desert Bluffs Metropolitan Area Radio Station he noticed a young man passed out cold by the road near the Whispering Forest, Kevin could only assume it was because of the former–no one else could actually see him. He was, after all, lying right across the sidewalk. Something like that is hard not to notice.

Kevin pulled his car to the curb, stepped out, and leaned carefully over the sleeping (unconscious?) youth.

“Ah…”  Earl paused uncertainly.  “W-well…  if you could drop me off at the Scouts’ HQ downtown… I can regroup and figure out what happened.  I - I’d really appreciate that.”

“Absolutely! Oh…would you be alright giving me directions? There are still parts of Night Vale I haven’t seen yet, and I tend to get turned around easily!”

Kevin offered Earl his hand again, and as he did so, an odd thought crossed his mind. In Desert Bluffs, everyone was very kind and jovial; but here, in the Night Vale part of the Metropolitan Area, people tended to be less friendly towards outsiders. Obviously this was because of the reputation StrexCorp had developed–a reputation he and others hoped to change very soon–but Kevin had to wonder why Earl wasn’t having the same reaction to his presence that most others had.

((yaaaayy~ i hope it’s cool i went with default!verse, lemme know if you want to tweak anything))

Kevin prided himself on being observant. Whether they were things that others physically couldn’t see, or things that they just didn’t bother paying attention to, Kevin had a keen eye for details of all sorts. Just one of those many “soft skills” for which StrexCorp truly valued him. 

So when on his morning commute to the Greater Desert Bluffs Metropolitan Area Radio Station he noticed a young man passed out cold by the road near the Whispering Forest, Kevin could only assume it was because of the former–no one else could actually see him. He was, after all, lying right across the sidewalk. Something like that is hard not to notice.

Kevin pulled his car to the curb, stepped out, and leaned carefully over the sleeping (unconscious?) youth.

Earl took the bottle and fumbled with the lid a little, but managed to get it off, drinking gulp by gulp before exhaling loudly, breathing hard.  He looked up and smiled faintly at Kevin.  “…Thank you.  That helps a lot.”

incorporearl:

Earl took the bottle and fumbled with the lid a little, but managed to get it off, drinking gulp by gulp before exhaling loudly, breathing hard.  He looked up and smiled faintly at Kevin.  “…Thank you.  That helps a lot.”

“You’re very welcome, friend! So glad I could help.” 

Kevin straightened from where he’d been kneeling on the sidewalk, brushed off his slacks, straightened his bow-tie and returned Earl’s gracious smile with his own (probably over-exuberant) grin. It always did his heart good to lend a hand. 

“Is there anything else I can do? I know you said you’d be alright looking for your scouts alone, but…well, it feels awfully rude just to leave you here. 

((yaaaayy~ i hope it’s cool i went with default!verse, lemme know if you want to tweak anything))

Kevin prided himself on being observant. Whether they were things that others physically couldn’t see, or things that they just didn’t bother paying attention to, Kevin had a keen eye for details of all sorts. Just one of those many “soft skills” for which StrexCorp truly valued him. 

So when on his morning commute to the Greater Desert Bluffs Metropolitan Area Radio Station he noticed a young man passed out cold by the road near the Whispering Forest, Kevin could only assume it was because of the former–no one else could actually see him. He was, after all, lying right across the sidewalk. Something like that is hard not to notice.

Kevin pulled his car to the curb, stepped out, and leaned carefully over the sleeping (unconscious?) youth.

He shook his head, then blinked hard to clear the spots from his eyes.  “I’ll… I’ll have to check on them, they’re probably in similar condition somewhere… somewhere else,” he mumbled.

“Just… just water, I think.  That’d be… really helpful.  I don’t want to make you late.  Punctuality’s important.”  He smiled a little painfully.

Kevin gasped, and puffed up his chest a little. An acquaintance who valued good work ethic just as much as he did? What a wonderful way to start the morning!  “Oh!--Yes. Yes it is!”

((yaaaayy~ i hope it’s cool i went with default!verse, lemme know if you want to tweak anything))

Kevin prided himself on being observant. Whether they were things that others physically couldn’t see, or things that they just didn’t bother paying attention to, Kevin had a keen eye for details of all sorts. Just one of those many “soft skills” for which StrexCorp truly valued him. 

So when on his morning commute to the Greater Desert Bluffs Metropolitan Area Radio Station he noticed a young man passed out cold by the road near the Whispering Forest, Kevin could only assume it was because of the former–no one else could actually see him. He was, after all, lying right across the sidewalk. Something like that is hard not to notice.

Kevin pulled his car to the curb, stepped out, and leaned carefully over the sleeping (unconscious?) youth.

Kevin was unsure of how to respond.

He had known fear once–a long, long time ago. Long before StrexCorp, and the destruction, and the becoming, and smiling; back when it felt only natural to question authority, regardless of consequence.  

There was something about this situation that suggested he should be afraid. He recalled all those bodily changes that were supposed to occur: the pumping of organs, the flowing of blood, glands and sweat and tremors and muscles and blood–he could remember all of that happening, but the feeling, that mindset, was foreign to him now. 

Here was his God, his Smiling God piercing him with its gaze, speaking through the veil of a child’s face, telling him to run. And he had no idea if he should obey, or if satisfaction of base curiosity was worth putting his life at risk a few seconds longer.

Eventually curiosity triumphed over obedience. Kevin smiled.

His entire being belonged to the Smiling God now, that was true. But he wasn’t a monster--or at least, he didn’t think he was a monster--so he pulled himself up to his full height and gave her space, careful not to loom over her. 

“Hmm...y’know, I may have forgotten. Let me think...” What had they sent Kevin for? He was one of the very few, the most loyal StrexCorp employees that were allowed to have direct dealings with the Smiling God; that was obvious. But there had been something specific, something unique to his position, for which discussion had been absolutely vital...what was it...

“Oh!” he gasped, and clapped his hands abruptly. “I remember!

((yaaaayy~ i hope it’s cool i went with default!verse, lemme know if you want to tweak anything))

Kevin prided himself on being observant. Whether they were things that others physically couldn’t see, or things that they just didn’t bother paying attention to, Kevin had a keen eye for details of all sorts. Just one of those many “soft skills” for which StrexCorp truly valued him. 

So when on his morning commute to the Greater Desert Bluffs Metropolitan Area Radio Station he noticed a young man passed out cold by the road near the Whispering Forest, Kevin could only assume it was because of the former–no one else could actually see him. He was, after all, lying right across the sidewalk. Something like that is hard not to notice.

Kevin pulled his car to the curb, stepped out, and leaned carefully over the sleeping (unconscious?) youth.

“Wakey wakey…” Kevin angled his briefcase to shade the young man’s head from the strengthening sun. “Are you alright?”

Kevin was unsure of how to respond.

He had known fear once–a long, long time ago. Long before StrexCorp, and the destruction, and the becoming, and smiling; back when it felt only natural to question authority, regardless of consequence.  

There was something about this situation that suggested he should be afraid. He recalled all those bodily changes that were supposed to occur: the pumping of organs, the flowing of blood, glands and sweat and tremors and muscles and blood–he could remember all of that happening, but the feeling, that mindset, was foreign to him now. 

Here was his God, his Smiling God piercing him with its gaze, speaking through the veil of a child’s face, telling him to run. And he had no idea if he should obey, or if satisfaction of base curiosity was worth putting his life at risk a few seconds longer.

Eventually curiosity triumphed over obedience. Kevin smiled.

That was something that took the little girl time to get used to. Immediately, people did whatever she told them to. She received a nicely decorated bedroom, fancy clothes…a whole company doing her bidding. No. The Smiling God’s bidding. Their word was everything now.

Which is why the sudden thought, free of the Smiling God’s censoring, caught her off-guard. So off-guard, in fact, that the warning slipped out of her mouth. Ina blinked, looking at the radio host in surprise, her smile fading for a second. “I-I…”

“Ah...well, I think it’s super sweet that you care about my well-being! You’re very kind, little miss. But...” 

And here Kevin stooped to Ina’s level, the deep black pits where his eyes should be gazing at her, fearless but not by choice.

“But there isn’t much left underneath that belongs to me anymore.

((yaaaayy~ i hope it’s cool i went with default!verse, lemme know if you want to tweak anything))

Kevin prided himself on being observant. Whether they were things that others physically couldn’t see, or things that they just didn’t bother paying attention to, Kevin had a keen eye for details of all sorts. Just one of those many “soft skills” for which StrexCorp truly valued him. 

So when on his morning commute to the Greater Desert Bluffs Metropolitan Area Radio Station he noticed a young man passed out cold by the road near the Whispering Forest, Kevin could only assume it was because of the former–no one else could actually see him. He was, after all, lying right across the sidewalk. Something like that is hard not to notice.

Kevin pulled his car to the curb, stepped out, and leaned carefully over the sleeping (unconscious?) youth.