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If you want to say anything about the way I play Lyle, if he's out of character or if you know a way I can play him better, please, please comment here. ^^

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23/11/2309

Day Two of being a Small Electric Rodent

Spent two hours writing an email to my boss this morning with no spelling mistakes in it pretending I was sick (God bless Microsoft Word and its spellcheck). Accidentally shocked myself in the shower today. And I blew another lightbulb under the power of my own electricity. That takes the count up to three (3). FML.

... So, that was my day. How was it for everyone else?

[Brought to you by DDD-privacy-invasion LIVE!, have a recording that appears to be coming directly from Lyle's mobile, if the way that you can only hear half of the conversation is anything to go by. Also, sadly for you, dear listener, it seems like you've managed to connect only half-way through the conversation.]

... so there's nothing new as far as I can get on this en --

[pause. when Lyle speaks again, he sounds ever so slightly nettled, although that perpetual teasing tone is still there in his voice.]

Look, we've talked about this. I know you're just dying to get me out there, but I don't have the first idea how to work one of those bloody things, let alone do whatever it is you want me to do with them. And I can't just take myself off and vanish for weeks on end either.

[pause.]

... I'll think about it, okay?

[and with that, the recording cuts off.]

[Lyle was in one of the corridors during the Commander - no, sorry, Captain's - final announcement. He waits until it's over, and when it is he looks thoughtful, maybe even a little nostalgic. He doesn't want to lose his memories of this place, if there's a chance of that, but, well.... he's got a job to do.

He looks at the sphere, grinning a little lopsidedly at it.]

I guess this is it for us then, huh?

[filtered to Neil;]

Hey, Neil? Want to do one last thing before we leave?

♊ - In love/has a serious crush on
♊ - Reserved for his BFFs and family; people he will actually be fairly open with and will risk things for without question.
♊ - Good friends and/or people he considers comrades. He'd risk his life for you, if it came down to it.
♊ - He likes you, and you interest him, but you're not that close, so he isn't too bothered about being honest with or attached to you.
♊ - Has talked to/has a neutral opinion of you/might be mildly interested
♊ - Grey means one of two things: either that you've earned his dislike, or that there's something about you that he doesn't quite trust.
♊ - I don't know what you could do to end up here, but it would have to be pretty damn bad. This is the level of utter hate.

... and yes, that is the Gemini astrological symbol I'm using for him, don't judge me. I was torn between either that, Sagittarius, or Pisces, derp.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, and including dropped characters in {}s:

( Crucible people, please direct your attentions here! -unfinished- )

( And triple d lot, please to be looking here~ -unfinished- )

Last updated: 22/09/2009

If I have forgotten anyone, please tell me! I'll fill this in properly as and when I get time, so expect some delicious TL;DR. :D

Just a heads-up that this journal is now being used for both crucible_rpg and dramadramaduck!

I will tag all entries according to what game they're for, but as Crucible is ending soon and I don't see myself using this journal to make DDD-entries until that game's over, I don't think we'll have too many problems. ^^ Thanks for understanding!

[This is probably not the Lyle you are looking for. When the sphere switches on, it looks like Lyle's the latest to be hit by the no-holds-barred anomaly extravaganza that's going on at the moment - so, dear Crucible passengers, you currently have a twelve-year-old on your hands who looks about 3 parts lost and uncertain and one part unimpressed.

Oh, and that Ulster accent of his? Is even thicker than it usually is.]

Neil? Amy? Where are you guys? If this is some sort of prank, it's not very funny. And you didn't have to steal my clothes.

[He folds his arms, the sleeves of his oversized top having been rolled up so he can use his hands better. He's also looking a lot more nervous now that he's not getting a response.] Come on, guys, you can come out now!

[Well, some time during his previous wanderings in the forest Lyle happened to come across a dagger and he's now sitting pretty in some get-up that looks a little like this. He's also since discovered that he's suddenly a lot more agile - which explains why he's now sitting comfortably in the branches of one of the trees.

... or at least, he was until a group of archers suddenly started shooting at him, almost making him tumble from the tree in surprise. And they don't look very friendly.]

What the hell--?!

[okay, better plan. He'll just be shimmying down this tree really fast now and running away, with the sphere happily recording every detail of this misadventure. There is no shame in running from a group of archers when you are one man with a dagger!]

Okay, the running from people I've done before, but they didn't have arrows. [As if to illustrate his point, one of the aforementioned arrows whooshes over his right shoulder. Yep, he'll just be running until he finds a place to lose them or he finds something in these new clothes that'll help him get out of this situation!]

[The best way to find out about new places is to go and have a little look yourself, and after seeing someone - or several someones - post about being in Chicago of all places, that's what Lyle decided to do. Well hey, he couldn't help being more than slightly curious.

Things clearly aren't going as planned, though, as when the sphere lazily turns itself on, Lyle seems to be slightly confused and already deep in conversation with one of the people in this strange little parallel ship-world, and it looks like there's a slight misunderstanding.]

Look, I'm sorry, but I really have no clue who you are.

"Sure ya do! We've known each other for years!" [Something seems to occur to the other man] "Unless you're tellin' me that I've got you and your brother mixed up again?"

[Lyle shakes his head, still looking baffled and maybe a touch suspicious] No, you've got the right name. [How he knows any of this is still up for debate, but never mind...]

"Well, whaddya know. I must be getting better at this! Though ya know even after years and years of knowin' ya I still can't understand a word either of ya say with that accent of yours!" [The man nudges Lyle good-naturedly before seeming to sober up slightly] "Hey, listen, I wanted to talk to you 'bout somethin'."

Huh?

"There's some sorta rumour goin' round that you're gettin' involved with some of the mob, Lyle --"

[Lyle interrupts, incredulous, not sure whether this is all some kind of joke or not] What the hell are you talking about?

[The guy throws up his hands in defence] "Hey, hey, don't kill the messenger! I'm just repeatin' what I heard! We just don't want them to take you out, ya know? I mean, after that reporter got shot and all --"

Look, I'm not getting involved with the mob, alright?

[And now he's looking mollified, if still a little skeptical.] "Huh. Well, if ya say so... Anyway, the missus wants me to run some errands for her, so I guess I'll see you around..."

[And with that, the guy walks briskly off, looking slightly shifty and leaving Lyle looking very bewildered.] Bloody hell... [He turns, spots the sphere, and raises his eyebrows.] Looks like I have an audience, huh. Anyone else have any clue what all that was about?

[filtered to the Doctor;]

Hey, Doctor. Mind if we talk about something?

[There comes a time in the affairs of man, when he simply has to stand up and take matters into his own hands. Or in this case, stand up and do what the next best thing is when you're aware of what your limits are, which is to delegate. Which is precisely what Lyle intends to do. He grins at the sphere, looking mock-thoughtful from his position leaning against a corridor wall.]

Hey, Tieria, you know about stars and things like that, right? Which one do you think looks like a good bet for trying to hit first? [smirks slightly] And if he's not forthcoming with any information, I'm more than happy to take suggestions from anyone else.

On an entirely different note, if it's possible for anyone to point me in the direction of something that resembles a rifle, I'd be eternally grateful. [not that he's entirely optimistic about the likelihood of any sort of firearm being available on a luxury cruise ship, but you never rule anything out, especially in this place.]

[filtered to Neil;]
Hey, Neil. If something does turn up and I don't have to go all the way back to square one with this crazy idea, do you fancy trying to hit this thing together? Just think, we could be civilised and take turns.

[Lyle's just standing at a point somewhere near, but not too near, to where the Doctor and Oliver's shelter is. He's gazing up at the sky - or the black hole in the sky, rather - and just looking really... tired.

Dully:] You really wouldn't have thought that something so deadly would look so weirdly... beautiful.

Neil, I need to talk to you about something.

[Another broadcast so soon? Why certainly. Poor Lyle’s paranoia, while it’s been pretty mild so far, seems to have upped itself a notch. Maybe it’s because almost everyone he knows being crazy now to the point where it’s OVER 9000; maybe it’s had something to do with the run-in with the Doctor; or maybe it’s just taken a little longer to get to him. But right now he’s hearing voices, and what they’re saying isn’t pretty.

And while he’s stalking around the planet with a face like thunder and doing his best to ignore them, it doesn’t seem to be working. Even the small crowd of frogs that are following him around and croaking plaintively at him aren't distracting him enough.]

Shut up. You’re not real. Shut up.

[They like him better. All of them do. It’s easy to see why. Did you really think you could live up to that, “Lockon Stratos”?]

Shut up! I’m not him, I don’t need to be compared to him!

[How pathetic are you? Do you think that just because you made that shot on the Memento Mori they’re going to stop comparing the two of you? Or are you just going to run away from the ugly truth again?]

You’re not real. I don’t need to listen to you. You’re not fucking real!

[You’re a coward, Lyle Dylandy. You’ve got no fight in you. You couldn't even persuade him that what he was seeing wasn't real! No wonder he couldn’t stand the sight of you earlier.]

SHUT UP!

[It's probably a good job that the voices are just in his head, because he sure as hell wouldn't want anyone to hear what they were saying.]

[The first thing you might notice about Lyle is that the ground around him appears to be littered with spent cigarettes. Add to that that there's another almost-finished one between his fingers and that he's currently staring suspiciously at the nearest bush and you can guess that the whole paranoia thing is really beginning to take its toll. (Random Lyle Trivia: the more he's smoking, the more on edge he is. You do the maths.)]

I could have sworn that I -- [Suddenly he seems to hear another sound and whirls round. He stares at some point beyond the sphere's vision before he takes another drag of the cigarette, looking distinctly annoyed with himself.]

Fucking -- okay. Okay, it's not real, Lyle! Pull yourself together...

[His gaze rests on the recording sphere. He glares at it for a second, then sighs.] You can't leave me alone either, huh? [He gives a wry smile, trying to sound unconcerned.] How's everyone taking going crazy?

[As he speaks, he takes out a packet of cigarettes and looks into it before swearing softly. Yep, you guessed it, he's almost out.]

( Filtered to Neil, though he's really not expecting a reply; )

[Lyle appears to be on the beach despite the rain, and looks completely unfussed by the fact that he's now mildly moist.]

Well, what do you know. Looks like the rain just made all of that crazy pollen vanish. Just a guess, but is everyone back to their original gender now? [There's a small grin for a moment.] Allelujahs, Neil and Oliver, I'm looking at you.

[He suddenly begins looking a lot more serious than in either of his previous transmissions.]

Oh, and one more thing - did anyone else catch that weird message about five minutes ago? It might just be me, but that sounds like a chance to get a ticket out of here, assuming that our mysterious new neighbours aren't more likely to just bomb us once they've found what they wanted. What do you guys think?

[The Sphere appears to be recording... the inside of a green jacket, at first. But after a bit it rolls out and floats up to show... a mess. Obviously NOTHING in here was strapped down. There's clothes and one or two books all over the place, and in the middle of it all is Lyle, sprawled against the wall rubbing his head sightly.]

... Not that I'm one for stating the obvious, but that felt suspiciously like a crash.

[Looks up and sees his sphere recording.] Is everyone okay?