[right][h3][color=f26522][i][b]Alexander Furst[/b][/i][/color][/h3][/right][hr][color=gray][b]Confidants::[/b] Ava ([@addamas]), Hakuro, Raven ([@FalloutJack]))
[b]Whereabouts::[/b] The Metaverse?
[b]Day::[/b] Friday Afternoon[/color]
[hr]
Alex glared at the bird before stepping back a foot or two, shrugging nonchalantly while tilting his head to the side, eyes shifting between the bird and what was behind him. Honestly, there really was no choice in the matter as he placed a hand on his hip and lifted his ear up, as if either to act as an amplifier or some form of mockery towards the bird, most likely the former. [color=f26522]"Sure,"[/color] he murmured disconnectedly.

His breathing was long, expiring and inspiring deeply as the bird flew up, beckoning to guide them in a foreign direction. Just as he took a step forward, he stopped, eyes widening as he threw his head to look behind him. [color=f26522][i]"What was that?"[/i][/color]

Alex swore he heard what sounded to be a mix of a growling grizzly or wolf combined with aspects of a child gurgling and the sounds of a car engine. The sound was alien to him as he felt the hair on his skin stand up so straight that he could probably impale someone with it. As much as it could be bizarre, this was supposedly reality right now as he strode forward, passing by Hat Boy and Ava, taking the lead.

As they traversed this landscape, their guide began talking and explaining to them things about this site, about what they've gathered from years of living here. However, as the bird continued to talk, his mind began to drift between the waking world and dreams with particular terms this bird rattled off. [color=f26522]"Everyone's minds, huh?"[/color]

Those cards came to mind once more. He didn't understand them, at least completely at first, but maybe he dreamed that this was to come? A future premonition? As ridiculous as it sounded, he slowly began to believe it, though there was one ridiculous thing he couldn't believe as he grit his teeth and turned around to glower at Hat Boy, or rather Hakuro. He mouthed a silent "cease" to the guy before facing forward again.

Despite the short pause, the Raven was finally getting over to the "they's" they mentioned earlier. Hushed, Alex soaked up all this information as the bird spoke of "shadows," describing them as dark imaginings, nightmares, and so on. [i][color=f26522]"Are they the unconscious side of us?[/color][/i]

His eyes were glazed over for a split second, visualizing Amari and Igor, repeating the words they spoke in his head, sound by sound, articulation by articulation, before returning his attention. It seems they began squabbling over something else, but based on the explanation, the Raven to Alex was a shadow. [i][color=f26522]"I wonder if their real word counterpart has some issues."[/color][/i]

[color=f26522]"Or maybe you're a Sun, who knows."[/color] Alex looked up the raven, studying them quizzically for a split-second before looking to the road ahead. His eyes widened for a second. A thought.

[color=f26522]"Say, you guys don't think anyone else got pulled in here aside from Laurence, do ya? Actually,"[/color] Alex cocked his head upwards, [color=f26522]"oy, birdy or Raven or whatever you want me to call you, is there anyone else here you've possibly forgotten about?"[/color]