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[benhargreeves]

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tex @acri

[deadlycurves]

[During this.]

Hey.
What are you doing right now?

[benhargreeves]

[ Ben only checks the network sporadically, and doesn't spend every moment in Klaus's vicinity anymore, so for once he isn't the first (or only) one to know about this latest incident. ]

In the library. What's up?

[ If Diego is texting and being this vague there's probably a reason. ]

[deadlycurves]

Did you know Klaus has a whole bottle of [No. The point of this isn't throwing Klaus under the bus. He deletes it and takes a moment before he starts again.] You've seen this weird stuff growing around the park and shit, right?

[benhargreeves]

[ Ben still has no idea this is about Klaus but now he's worried DIEGO is about to get up to something dangerous. ]

I sure fucking have.
Made that mistake already.
I'm pretty sure it's got hallucinogenic spores or something.
Don't go near that shit.

@GOSUCKADICK; text

[substances]

ben sorry i kno its like 3 am but i need help

@lazarus | text

[benhargreeves]

[ Zero to full of adrenaline and panic real quick. God having a body sucks sometimes. ]

I'm here.
Where are you?
Are you safe?

[ He's, like, already pulling on pants and ready to race out the door. ]

[substances]

o ya im fine liek
physically

just havin a like
existential crisis

[benhargreeves]

[ Give him a heart attack why don't you???? ]

Promise?
You're not just saying that because you think I'll be mad or judge you but really you're in trouble?
Because I won't I just want you safe.

@Pratt

[theweakhavepurpose]

Dont suppose youre missing an octopus are you?

@lazarus

[benhargreeves]

Can't say that I am.
Like a live octopus?

[theweakhavepurpose]

Glass. It showed up in my room randomly.

Don't worry, I don't actually think all tentacled things are yours. I pulled the camera out of the lights like your post showed so I'm gonna guess we can't find out who broke in and left me a sculpture?

[benhargreeves]

THAT'S WHY YOU THOUGHT IT WAS MINE?

[ The outrage is mostly faked, here. Ben is actually, privately, a little bit delighted over all this. Because Pratt is joking about it. And joking about it is, in a way, acknowledging and accepting him, eldritch monstrosities and all. Which is way new, coming from anyone who isn't family. ]

I'm not sure if it was a break-in. I found something weird in my room and I assumed my brother was just leaving his shit lying around but I've talked to two other folks who found random stuff in their rooms so I think we're looking at something Anchor-wide here.

text ; @Qubit (Oct 26)

[superposition]

Ben: quick question. You're close with Cole, correct?

[ I mean, he saw them at the Goop Festival yesterday, and... it was pretty sappy. thank you, I'll see myself out ]

@lazarus | text

[benhargreeves]

[ Qubit had witnessed the good half of yesterday; if he had any sense of how things had gone after they left, the tone of Ben's reply might make a bit more sense. ]

Yes I am
Why?
Did something happen?
Is he okay?

[superposition]

[ Yeeeeah it's a little worrisome? But then again, he knows Ben is inclined to fear the worst, so maybe he's just afraid this is bad news. ]

You'd know better than I would - I haven't spoken to him in a while. I simply wanted to ask if you could pass along a message for me.

Is everything all right?

[benhargreeves]

[ Oh thank god, there wasn't some new disaster, some awful news. Ben heaves a sigh of relief, and he's agreeing to Qubit's request before he even stops to consider. ]

Oh sure I can do that if you want.

[ That actually just raises a whole lot of different questions. Why wouldn't Qubit just text Cole himself, or if that didn't work, drop by to see him? Ben knows that communicating over these devices isn't Cole's favorite but it works well enough for small things. And if the message is more than a small thing, surely Qubit would want to tell him face-to-face? It's just... odd. But, whatever. If he can be helpful...

As to whether everything is all right or not, that's a big question, with a complicated answer. After a moment, confused, Ben responds: ]

Wait, is 'is everything all right?' your message?

text; @a.h.

[hersay]

[ after her first meeting with julie, allison very calmly and nonchalantly texts ben: ]

Hey are there cameras in our room?

[ haha everything's fine haha ben probably just forgot to mention this egregious invasion of privacy there's nothing to worry about right! allison isn't stress-braiding her hair at all nor is she thinking about going to the bar and getting one of those shitty tequila sunrises! nope! ]

[benhargreeves]

[ Well, fuck. ]

There were. I ripped them all out. Don't worry, I quadruple checked. Or whatever the word is for doing it ten times.

[ That had been... a very, very bad day. ]

[hersay]

[ well, at least they're gone. one less thing to worry about. but to allison, the cameras are only part of the problem.

she debates for a few moments whether or not she should send the next message. she doesn't want to upset ben more than she has to, more than she probably has already. but why not tell her? ben wouldn't just decide she didn't need to know, right? so what's going on? ]

I'm not mad or anything [ a lie! ] but why didn't you tell me?

text ; @aa (ambiguously backdated)

[livingdeadgirl]

omg ben
ok im only up through issue 2 but this simply cannot wait
serious question
can you actually summon lovecraftian horror tentacles from your stomach

@lazarus | text

[benhargreeves]

[ Wow yep so it's definitely happening, huh? Still, Ben doesn't mind answering questions and honestly over text it is kind of easier. ]

I did tell you my powers were super creepy.
(Yes, I can.)

[livingdeadgirl]

dude are you kidding
that is the most metal superpower ever!!!
move over noahs arm youve got competition

@cho | text

[tenuefarfalla]

Hey! Are you doing anything today? Specifically for the next two hours.

@lazarus | text

[benhargreeves]

Nope, I'm free.
Everything okay? You need me for something?

[tenuefarfalla]

Yes. I’m not in any trouble.

[ Which is also Cho’s unspoken code for not having a panic attack and being in need of an escort and a hug. ]

This is time sensitive, though. I’m in the lab. Can you come up now?