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Every move you make is scrutinized by the anomaly. Its grip on the baseball bat tightens every time it thinks you're trying to get closer to it. Okay, okay, you need to earn its trust somehow. At the very least, you're not risking a second concussion.
You whisper what you know about the anomaly via the INSIGHT MODULE to your two friends, just in case.
"I'm Vincent Cruz." You calmly introduce yourself to the anomaly. "What's your name?"
The anomaly tilts its head, clearly confused. Did it not expect that? You suppose that tracks; most people would've ran away from this thing by now.
"<span class="mu-i">i'm.</span>" The anomaly struggles to articulate a response. Its voice is as frigid as the winter breeze. Its wispy voice doesn't seem to be coming from its mouth but instead, as a directionless voice hanging in the icy air. "<span class="mu-i">nobody. not anymore.</span>"
"<span class="mu-i">nothing's left of him. not anymore. nothing will be left of you soon.</span>" It growls out a warning. It presses its back against the backmost wall of the containment cell.
Him, huh? That narrows down which missing person this thing might be based on.
"Uhm." Lucy awkwardly joins the conversation. "Nice baseball bat. D-do you play?"
The anomaly makes a low, droning noise that might've once been a laugh. "<span class="mu-i">used to. it was fun. a good way to burn time. met some tolerable people.</span>"
"O-oh! D-did you, uhm, win a lot?"
"<span class="mu-i">it was a time killer. nothing more, nothing less.</span>" The anomaly deflects the question. "<span class="mu-i">there was nothing else to do down in that town."</span>"
"Down where?"
The anomaly visibly tenses up at the question. It raises its bat up in the air as it begins to approach your group. Okay, okay, best to change the subject. You gesture at Hidaka to say something to the anomaly.
"Which bands do you like? Megadeth? The Roaring Darkness? Perhaps even Dead Kennedys?"
This stops the anomaly in its tracks. It stares at Hidaka, trying to process what she just said. You didn't expect her to know any of those bands; frankly, she didn't seem like...the type?
"<span class="mu-i">all noise to me. it doesn't matter anymore.</span>" The anomaly growls under its breath. Its voice subtly softens as it remembers something. "<span class="mu-i">a kid got lost while i was on patrol. had a cassette with 'holiday in cambodia' recorded on it.</span>"
"<span class="mu-i">it was a reprieve from the howling wind.</span>" It pauses. "<span class="mu-i">hook in mouth.</span>" The anomaly growls again, seemingly with no context. You guess that's the name of a song it used to listen to. You've never really been much of a music person, to be honest.
It's enough to keep the anomaly from getting any closer, so you're not going to question it. Hidaka curtly nods. "May we play a song?"
The anomaly stands still, not responding at all to Hidaka's question. You suppose that's as good as a 'yes' coming from this thing.
You pop in the HEAVY METAL disc into the CD PLAYER before placing it down on the ground. The anomaly stares at the CD player, "<span class="mu-i">...small? very small. too small.</span>"
