The Year Of Rain

Just a bit more

Rushed steps echoed through the crowded halls, the sound lost among the noise, the screams of the raging creatures from floors way below, trying to escape their containment, the non-stop discussions the researchers had with each other, the latest rumors, complains about the new recruits and the uncooperative D-class, long schedule hours and the low pay. Sheppard Len walked past them, returning a greeting when offered or simply a smile, but though his body was there, his mind was lost in another place, in a recently opened shopping center in what appeared to be the home of a strange group of creatures. And now they were taking back their home...or so they supposed. Communication was a bit of an obstacle at first

He finally reached the end of the corridor, a sigh escaping him as the security monitor scanned his face, his eyes, voice, everything. Dr. Bloom had become rather paranoid lately, but let's be honest, which of the Higher-ups weren't? better yet, who in the Foundation wasn't a touch insane? Oh, well, in a way madness is a requirement when dealing with the supernatural.

"Did you manage to find anything?" Dr Bloom asked Len, without looking up from the papers spread across his desk, continuing to write down the report.

"Not yet, Sir, but soon. Our linguistic team finally managed to decipher their language. We will begin negotiations immediately." Len said, placing the file he had brough with him on the doctor's desk.

"Alright. What about the investigation we ordered on the Pale King and those who stay with him?"

From what the Foundation had managed to find about the history of the land, nothing major stood out, except... Before the center had been constructed, someone, James (L/N), was protesting the project, claiming that the land had an important historical meaning and held special species of bugs and flowers. Unfortunately, nobody supported his claims and his proposal to stop the building of the shopping center. That picked the interest of the Foundation. Did he perhaps know about the bugs, the sentient ones? They looked more into his background, and after a bit of research, they found another thing which put them on edge. His address was the same as the one given to them by the Pale King back at the incident, a mere procedure that everyone had to go through. And now it proved invaluable. Thus, an investigation was ordered to find out what was going on.

"It's" Len began, a node forming in his throat, "There going well, but there have been some...complications."

Dr. Bloom stopped, lifting his gaze from the numbers and letters on the report to look at Len.

"What do you mean?" he asked, giving the young staff an inquiring look.

"I'm afraid" Len began, trying to swallow the lump in his neck, "That the situation with the Pale King is more complicated than we thought."

"What do you mean by complicated?" Dr Bloom inquired, beginning to lose his patience.

Len swallowed again.

"There are more than bugs there. The Moon Presence and Amygdala are living with them as well." he said, his eyes falling upon the files he brought in.

Dr Bloom followed his stare and reached to grab the documents. He looked over the information regarding James (L/N). He had quite a resume, high school in Japan, attending college in Sweden and then doing further studying in Egypt and Australia. His field of study was mainly history, but had graduated some courses in literature, economics, and business management. A few of his mentor's names caught his attention, Olaf and Gertrude Myrtles, Mizusaki Hekima, Gretchen Boyle, Patrick Rolleston, former members of the Foundation or people who had somewhat a relationship with it. Overall, he seemed useful enough. Maybe they could persuade him to join the Foundation. Lord knows they were in constant need of personnel.