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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2028781" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 149: Human InsanityShadow was not going to yell at Akan. She didn’t need to. He already knew how furious she was about his idiocy. Now, any slight advantage in secrecy they may have had was gone. There was no doubt that Ket knew they were there. So as they walked back the streets back to their very nice room in silence. Or at least Shadow was silent. Akan had tried saying something at least a couple times but she didn’t hear him. To Shadow, he hadn’t spoke. That was how good she was at ignoring. Most people knew someone was speaking and just tuned it out. In Shadow’s case, the person had never spoken any of the words, and therefore was able to ignore without even a ‘hm?’ if something relevant was said. Nothing relevant would be said. Idiot.    And then her eyes locked onto someone as they walked past. There was an odd feeling and she nearly slammed into a large Trandoshan. Dodging around and falling into step next to Akan again, Shadow took one last glance back...but he was gone. He? Yes. He. Who? Didn’t matter. That was Marix’s line of thinking, at least. Shadow was busy trying to understand. It wasn’t the first time she’d been...distracted like that. In fact, it had occurred numerous times on their walk back. Each time her eyes seemed to lock onto a human and cause her to walk into someone. But why? She thought carefully about the other instances.They had all been human...or at least near human. Alright, there’s one. There had to be more than that. Did there? Yes. Of course there had to be. Had to be. Definitely. Her mind started wandering as her eyes found another human and she walked into a lamp post on the side of the high walkway. Shadow cursed, and even whimpered slightly, rubbing her forehead and catching up to Akan...again. He glanced back to her, raising an eyebrow at seeing a bruise on her forehead, “You okay?”    She didn’t answer, though she did hear him. Yes. She was fine. He knew that. Fine. Where was she? Ah. Right. Why did that keep happening? Think. Calm. Look foreword and avoid distraction. Think. Think. Why was that so hard?! Damn humans! So confusing! Wait...all human. Right. Okay. Humans. What else? Ah ha! All males. Male. Why? What did that mean? She mentally whimpered and muttered something about humans being confusing and odd and crazy and...and...    Her eyes had found another and her head was turning. But before her mind caught up with her eyes, she walking into Akan. Hard. Stumbling back and nearly falling down, Shadow cursed the human race again, wondering why she hadn’t picked another less confusing body. Akan had asked something. This time, she hadn’t heard, but it wasn’t on purpose. He was. And...it was. Why couldn’t she...think straight?!    “Stop...looking at me like that,” Shadow said very slowly and deliberately, almost having to force the words out.    Akan raised an eyebrow and asked, “Like what?”    “...that,” again, Shadow’s voice was forced.    “What?”    “...that!! Stop. It.”    “But I’m not doing anything!” Akan looked honest in that....but...he was...and...how could he not know?! He had to be doing that on purpose! It wasn’t really that bad...but...yes it was!! She couldn’t think! Couldn’t...couldn’t...think straight at least! Or understand most of the other thoughts. Marix did...but she didn’t seem to be divulging any new information. In fact, that traitor seemed to be hiding in a little corner giggling to herself like a small child. This wasn’t fair. Shadow didn’t understand a thing that was going on and nothing was helping and...and..and..he was still looking at her like that!!    “Stop it!!” she whimpered more than yelled, trying to push past him and walk very far away despite the part of her that was curious as to what was actually going on. That part was likely Marix. Traitor. This wasn’t fair.    “I would stop it if I knew what it was!!” Akan grumbled sharply, catching up with her and putting a hand on her shoulder to get her to stop, “What am I doing wrong?!”    She hadn’t heard that last question. Instead, for some reason, she had become hypersensitive to the fact that there was a hand on her shoulder. And he was still looking at her. Shadow didn’t understand anything about it, and couldn’t even find anything comparable. There wasn’t a fear...no...no danger. No. Then what? His hand was still there!!! But she couldn’t move. Slowly, Shadow opened her mouth, but only a small ‘uh’ noise came out.    Akan leaned down a little, tilting his head to the side in a curiously Alraxian motion(though it did look odd from a human). There was a mixed expression of both concern and confusion on his face, “You’re...not okay.”    She nodded her head very slowly. Or rather, her head nodded without asking her brain if it was alright to do that. It was like she didn’t have control of what was going on and that was making it worse and she still didn’t understand anything and he was still looking at her like...like...that!!    “You alive in there...?” Akan asked, obviously seeing the panic that was racing through her. The link would give that away in a second, especially because she wasn’t even thinking about the link it all...which meant she wasn’t protection her thoughts.     Again, Shadow nodded. Ignoring the people around them, who were actually ignoring them too, Akan shrugged and let out a sigh, “Come on...lets just get back and figure out what to do next from there.”    He turned and pulled his hand away. Shadow’s body reacted without asking permission for the second time, grabbing his hand before it got very far. He spun back around, even more confusion on his face at that. She was holding his hand in both of hers, looking down at them. After a short moment, she took a small step forward and looked up to Akan with a lost expression on her face.    Akan didn’t know what to do. Something was wrong, definitely, but he couldn’t understand the thought processes flying through their link. They were all crazy and far too fast to be understood. But she was acting oddly. Very oddly. That much he could figure out. And now she was looking at him looking for some kind of answer. Help. Something like that. Carefully, he tried retrieving his hand but she stepped forward with it and didn’t let go. This brought her extremely close, and she looked straight up to him with that same look of confusion and helplessness on her face.    Looking down slightly, Akan wondered if the best course of action would be to simply run away. Somehow, he doubted that was going to work at this point. He started to say something, but noticed she was leaning up slightly to do something that he doubted she had any idea she was about to do. Shadow got very, very close, leaning up a little more...then Akan’s comm beeped. Loudly. So loudly that Shadow jumped back, letting go of Akan’s hand and looking around in panic. What had just happened?! What was that?! Were humans always so...so...crazy?! She had been about to...about to...    Wouldn’t have been that bad Marix picked that moment to comment. Shadow was intelligent enough not to respond, regaining control of herself in those few seconds and forgetting anything that had or had almost happened.     Akan was already talking into the comlink, “Right. We’ll meet you there.”    He then clicked off the comm and looked to Shadow, a more businesslike expression on his face this time, “Voorts just arrived in system. They’ll be setting down not far from here. Lets go.”    Shadow nodded and followed him. Her eyes stayed ahead of her and this time she kept complete control of everything. Everything. Oh, come on...can’t be a child for the rest of our life.    Again, Shadow did not respond to Marix. In fact, to Shadow, Marix hadn’t even ‘said’ anything at all. This didn’t matter, Marix was happy enough to talk to herself. The irony in that was not lost on her, either.</blockquote>

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