Academic Pursuits

[Black Philip]

Flick thought about the latest question and answered quickly and excitedly!

"Dare of course," he chirped. Pinky chirped too, excited Flick was excited. "But you can also ask me a truth because it's more fun if it's both."

He would follow Digital to the dressed rooms, curious to see the inner core of this wizard school.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Digital had hoped for dare and was surprised Flick chose truth as well. Hadn't he been truthful all along?

"I dare you to dance! Get up, get down, get all around," Digital clapped his hands together and twirled, almost launching Vane off his shoulder, but the rat clung onto his clothes.

Digital continued to move, squeaking his feet on the tiled floor, pop and locking, crumping, flossing - everything he'd ever picked up was attempted.

[Black Philip]

Flick laughed at the idea of a dance off. It was such a random thing to do, and he was excited to participate. Flick had long ago studied ballet and so he gracefully began twirling and jumping down the halls. His technique was far from perfect, but his natural grace and coordination helped him fake it well, that and his joyful smile. Pinky hung on for dear life, not nearly as happy with the dance dare. Digital's moves were silly and fun, and altogether different than his own. He enjoyed his pops and krunks and flossing, whatever any of those things were. For an impressive finish, he leaped into a grand shatay, landing in a front split and posing.

"Truth or dare," he yelled back at Digital as he hopped to his feet. Pinky looked at Flick severely, before seeking refuge inside his hoodie pocket.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Digital's eyes widened behind his goggles at the acrobatic feat. He couldn't scissor open his legs that far and was impressed that Flick could. How was he not splitting open? A question for the ages.

"Both!" Digital replied, repeating Flick's answer. Truth might be a touch more difficult for Digital, as he knew some of his voices lied to him. He would have to stick with what he personally knew - if only they would let him.


A nibble at his lobe attracted his attention. Vane was hungry. They would have to find something for the rats to feast on besides them.

[Black Philip]

Flick thought about it for a moment. What was a good dare, or was it better to be a seeker of truth? He placed his right hand on his chin, contemplative and impish. Suddenly he tapped Digital on the shoulder and yelled, "I dare you to chase me this time!"

With that Flick shot off like a bullet, slowly stripping off his clothes as he ran. His bones began to crack. His organs shifted and his eyes glared red. Pink skin was replaced by white fur and hands and feet gave way to large paws. Flick the wolf darted off through the hallways of the underground wizard school, hopefully leading Digital on a merry chase. Pinky would wait in the discarded hoodie, unsure if his new friend was coming back.

Flick found another staircase leading down and hooked it, going deeper into the basement part of the complex.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Digital was told to chase the wolf, and chase the wolf he did. Watching the transformation was wonderous and he slowed to take it all in. The wolf was getting away so he sped up again, powering down the corridor and almost overshooting the lower basement stairs. For a moment, he stood waiting, waiting for the voices to tell him what was down there.

Computers. Security. Storage for equipment. Nothing else. Only way in or out was this staircase.

Good. He slowly moved down the stairs, which remained dark, but the wall panels at the bottom had lit up when Flick had gone past them, giving away the opportunity for hide and go seek.

"Fee! Fi! Fo! Fum! Hide Mr Wolf for here I come!"

[Black Philip]

Flick's speed made him crash into a sound cart of some kind, sending it skittering across the bottom floor and crashing into a wall. Flick made wolf cries, a paw damaged in the crash. The wolf then heard Digital coming down the stairs. Flick lowered himself to the floor and slunk along, until he found a room full of TV monitors. The wolf looked and saw a jungle of wires that fed into some major TV. Flick had never actually seen a computer, and so he didn't recognize this as the security room and the wires he was hiding in were feeds from cameras all along the basement. They weren't on yet. That was good.

Flick didn't need to breath and so hidden among the wires he waited for Digital in silence. He wanted to tease him via mental communication, but he wasn't sure if that would give away his hiding spot. He looked to his hurt paw, and closed his eyes. The blood moved in his body and the paw healed, leaving behind only a bit of soreness.   

[Malkavian Riddler]

Digital cried out BOO with delight behind an executive chair. No Mr Wolf here. He snuck over to where some monitors curved around, lending a bit of space for someone to stand there. BOO! Not there either.

Hrm. He turned and saw Flick amongst the cables but continued turning, looking past.

"Fee," he said, heading in a slightly different direction. "Fi," turning a bit so he was angled a bit closer to Flick. "Fo," he turned again, hands on hips. "FUM!" he cried with glee, pointing. "Here is a wolf that makes me go YUM!"

[Black Philip]

On cue Flick leaped out from the wires and cords and landed right in front of Digital. He let out a celebratory howl, and hoped Digital and Vane did the same, before shifting back into his Homid form. The transformation back took longer than the original one. Flick had spent much more time as a wolf in the last couple hundred years, and sometimes his human self seemed like the transformation. He now stood unashamed of his naked body, Digital getting to see all that there.

"You win," he said with mock disappointment. He turned and began to explore the place they found, finding all the equipment confusing and unnerving. "What is this place," he asked, his eyes being the last piece to change back. He looked to Digital for answer, an almost forest nymph quality about him. 

[Malkavian Riddler]

Digital indeed howled with the wolf and Vane did whatever Flick's connection with him wanted.

When asked about the place they were in, Digital moved to the computer monitors and keyboards, running a loving hand over them whilst looking at Flick standing amongst the cables. "My history lies in theoe arteries, pumping these hearts. I would inject myself into their silver blood and swim alongside bacteria." He held up his hands and whispered: "My fingers ripped apart old wounds and punched holes. These things... these things sleep now. We will go before they spring to life!" Digital roared at the end, attempting to scare the wolf and then laugh at the reaction.

[Black Philip]

((OOC: Oh my. Sorry for missing reply turn. *Bows))

Flick jumped back in fear as Digital predicted, finding he didn't want to see the strange things come to life, remembering why he hated technology.  He pouted and kept a quick pace as he skadooed up the stairs and found his clothes. Pinky was not pleased, and had begun to go feral again. He didn't want his new friend to think he didn't like him, so he bit into his wrist and held it near Pinky's mouth. The rat lapped up the blood, and started to change. It became calm, and it regarded Flick differently. His intelligence had been raised, for a rat anyway. With ease he crawled onto Flick's shoulder, obedient and happy. 

"Best stuff in the world little guy," Flick told him, scratching Pinky's little rat belly. He put his bottoms back on, but stayed shirtless. He picked up the hoodie, and the all important bag. He hoped Digital had followed, and wondered if he'd say sorry for scaring him!

[Malkavian Riddler]

Digital followed his friend upstairs and watched the blood transform the rat. Vane hadn't yet jumped off his shoulder or tried to eat him.

"Should I do that, too?" he asked, sounding anxious. "My pet might be confused."

He didn't want a confused pet. He didn't want to pass that on. Maybe both rats could be Flick's pets and he would just look after Vane.

At the same time, he wanted to keep Vane for himself. What to do?

[Black Philip]

Flick felt bad that Digital didn't know the gift of a Familus. Flick had not taken one for so long, so his spur of the moment decision to ghoul Pinky only now struck him. Vane could just take Flick's blood, but then he wouldn't be Digital's anymore, and he certainly felt Digital should have his own rat. He would let Digital play with Pinky of course, but it was hard to bond with more than one beast at once. He didn't want Vain to be confused either, and so he thought of a way.

"Well I'll bond him for now, and tell him to obey you and love you, and then I'll teach you how to bond him yourself. Does that sound okay?"

That was a good compromise. It kept the family together, and what would Pinky be without the Vain? What would Flick be without the Digital? He decided he liked the strange wizard school that was their home now. Maybe it was time for Flick to have one of those. Too bad the pesky wizards would want their school back eventually.