Night, dark room. Vertex 23S. Fastest update
"Are you worried about James?" Zach was on his upper bunk, lying on the edge of the bed and looking at Dale on the lower bunk.
Dell glanced up, put the small fluorescent flashlight in his mouth back on the pillow, closed his diary, and said weakly, "Can you see what I wrote?"
"Vampires have lived in the dark for a long, long time..." Not enough, Zach added another, "A long time."
Dale sighed, stretched his body and groped on the wall, and turned on the light.
Zach changed his position, lying on the bed, with his head outside, "When Benjamin told me that you had the habit of writing a diary, I didn't quite believe it."
"What? Your werewolf brother knows that I write a diary??" Dale's face was still sickly pale, "No, we only met once."
"Oh." Zach gave Dale an 'amazing, it's just that magical' look, "Anyway, he knew, and then he told me."
Dale stuffed the closed diary into the quilt, pulled the edge of the quilt to cover himself, in the embryonic position, and looked diagonally at the head exposed on the edge of the upper bunk, "So I have the habit of writing a diary, is there any problem?"
"No problem, I'm just curious." Zach raised his eyebrows, "How could a person who does a job like yours have such, um, unprofessional habits." What do you mean? A guy (Susan) who would destroy the body after completing the commission actually had the habit of writing down all his psychological activities in a small notebook. hehe.
"That's still a problem."
"Okay, do you want to answer it?" Zach was very persistent.
"It's just a habit. It helps me clarify my thoughts." A very objective answer.
"Is that so?" Zach tilted his head, "Then expressing your concerns about James in the diary also helps you to clarify your thoughts?"
"Well, how many have you read?" No matter what the situation is, it is not a very happy situation for someone to see the diary.
"You just wrote two pages." Zach answered honestly and raised his eyebrows, "Thanks to your diary. I just found out the reason why James has been acting abnormally these days. I thought it was something more serious. .”
Dell arched twice under the quilt, pushed the diary in front of his face, opened it and actually looked at what he had written.
Reading fairly quickly, "I wrote Wes telling James in the car that I was another Hank."
"Uh-huh." Zach responded.
The diary was dragged back into the quilt by Dell and covered. "I don't understand your relationship with James." Dale spoke again, "He hates you, it's very obvious. But at the same time, when he realized that he was going to lose you, it became..." Dale paused, "Like this. I don't understand what happened."
"You don't understand? Didn't you just write it yourself? I have been playing police detective games with James this year." Zach actually smiled, "When I say playing, what I really mean is, I did it All work. Errands, science popularization, negotiation, and hands-on work when necessary~"
"Is it fun?" Dale asked.
"Maybe~" Zach said very realistic words, "It would be more fun than doing nothing in Grande and waiting for Zachary Grande's status to expire~"
Dale probably didn't expect such an answer and curled his lips, "This is the part I don't understand, you can do anything. If my understanding is correct, if you need a 'playmate', you have unlimited ways. For example... Dale frowned, "You can become a serial killer, or the mastermind of some conspiracy. As a detective who will definitely make his mark in the police world, James will still be your player. He will still hate you." , this will not change. Then now he will not have this incomprehensible contradictory state."
"Ha! Isn't this too boring?" Zach was too objective. "If human life was not so fragile, your suggestion might still have some meaning."
Dale once again did not expect such an answer, and froze for a moment, "Is this some kind of twisted version of the 'mercy of the strong'?" The vampire did not become a serial murderer just because taking human lives was too easy, so he chose the difficult one. character, police detective game.
Zach shook his head and smiled, "Twisted? I thought it was a universal value."
Come to think of it, Zach is right.
At least Dale is thinking, "Yes, you are right. This is the basis of human civilization. You said that aliens must have part of the same worldview as humans when integrating into humans. I guess this is the part of you that is the same as humans."
Zach continued to smile, "And this is what distinguishes humans from wild animals~" Although the way he said it made people uncomfortable, it was the truth.
The room was quiet for a while.
"Then I guess I don't need to care about James. I don't like his ambivalence towards foreign races. It's just a problem in his own head. It's his fault that he can't turn around. I have no intention of becoming like him." Dale made a statement, which made no sense.
Zach reacted for a while before he understood, "Is this why you are worried about James? Are you trying to figure out whether you want to be like him?" Zach raised his eyebrows and curled the corners of his mouth, "What are you looking for?" Role model, Dale?"
Dell subconsciously resisted this statement, but he had to admit, "Yes, I am a 'role model'." Looking at Zach, "I am not the first human being to accidentally enter the life of a foreign race. Sometimes, I have to explore my How do I deal with the problems I encounter in my life, but I don't need this, a foreign race, I just need a 'role model', I just need to copy it." The corner of his mouth twitched, "No more confusion, no more confusion, no more I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. It’s just easier to do what everyone else has done.”
I think this is Dale's summary of his entire psychology from the moment he knew about the alien race to now, including confusion and confusion. Objectively speaking, Dale was good enough. At least he followed Zach quietly and didn't do anything stupid before he knew what he was doing.
Now, he was just tired of fumbling around on his own and wanted to find a shortcut.
Zach still laughed because it was so laughable, "And James is one of your 'role models'? Are you serious?"
"Very serious." Dale continued to twist his lips. As you all know, the way Zach spoke was really unpleasant, "Do I have many options? I only know three people! James, Wes, and Hank." Dale frowned, "Hank You know what you are right, that’s why he was so sure that you won’t always be in Grande.”
oh! Poor Dale…
"yes."
"Awesome." The side of Dale's face was pressed against the pillow, "So Hank just turned your destined departure into Grande's exclusion of you. Now I feel like a fool!"
"Why?" Zach was really curious.
"I said to Hank that he is an old thing! A thing that should be taken care of in retirement! Before I stupidly ran up to you and decided to go west with you!" Do it again~Poor Dale~
"Haha, okay~ You have one less option~" Zach held out three fingers like a kindergarten student, "James, get rid of it. Old Hank, get rid of it. It looks like you only have Wes left. ~"We are talking about 'human beings who have entered the life of a foreign race' role model, aren't we~
"Wes." Dell was excited for a moment, then regained his composure, still in the embryonic position, "I haven't even written about Wes in my diary yet." Probably just to express his displeasure at having his diary interrupted.
"I'm more useful than your 'Dear Diary'~"
The way Dale kept his diary, we know. So this was just Zach telling Dell that if he needed a way to clear his head, talking would work better for Zach than writing.
Dale glanced at Zach, who was smiling, "Don't you feel the weirdness of this situation? You understand that the target of my question about 'how to get along with aliens' is you, right?"
"It's true, but I'm not the only alien~" Listen to Zach's sophistry, "We are going to the Sabbat. There are many vampires like me. The pattern is bigger, Dale, don't pin the problem specifically on me. , what you need to find is the way to deal with yourself as a human being in a group of alien races (emphasis), not just to get along with me."
It makes so much sense that it can’t be refuted. This is a textbook technique on how to get rid of targeting and improve the problem orientation. Zach is suddenly Dell’s biggest problem, isn’t it~
"Hey..." With a long sigh, Dale gave in, "I don't know what's going on with Wes, but this guy always makes me feel uncomfortable." He added, "But he's obviously not like James, and he likes you. "
"I'm very friendly with his personal affairs, I've helped him find his grandson who respects his elders, I even bought a car from him. So, yeah, he should like me."
"Tsk." First of all, Dell really didn't want to ask specifically what each of these things was, and secondly, "I'm not talking about interpersonal liking. You know what I'm talking about, alien. He expressed it very clearly, he was very , 'Grateful', these were his original words on the train, 'Grateful to have you'. He trusts you." Dale rubbed his pillow, "In contrast, he obviously didn't trust him when it came to going to the West. Friend, human James, but he believes in you. It makes me feel, I don't know, weird."
"You don't have to be surprised by this. Wes and James didn't have much military life..." Zach paused, unable to think of the right words. (Miley revealed the fact that all of James and Wes' comrades-in-arms died. ) passed by, "Wes doesn't have a good impression of the Sabbat vampires. In comparison, I am a trustworthy person."
Dale should be thinking, "Okay, I can accept this reason. But I also know very well that Wes's liking for you is not just as simple as the Sabbat vampires, but also for personal reasons."
It's better to eliminate this possible misunderstanding as soon as possible, "Believe me, there is no more. What's more, it's also the goodwill accumulated through simple interpersonal interactions that you just excluded."
Dale continued to think. This is probably necessary. When facing a foreign race that has a human appearance and shares some of the same universal values, one must include one's own considerations about the foreign race in interpersonal interactions. There is no absolute distinction between humans and aliens.
"When we get to the Sabbat, I can see Weiss again."
"It's your life~" Zach smiled and took his head back. Needless to say, everyone should know that you will get a sense of satisfaction from preaching to others and solving their doubts. Zach was ready to enjoy the satisfaction.
"I turned off the lights."
"uh-huh."
Just as the lights went out, there was a knock on the door, "Mr. Grand?"
The two people in the upper and lower bunks made no sound.
"Mr. Grande? Are you there? I'm here to return your coat."
Before Dale got out of bed with difficulty, Zach had already turned on the light, stood at the door, and opened the door, "Hi, today's hero."
"W-what..." The high school boy holding Zach's coat was obviously nervous.
"Come in." Zach smiled and let the door open, facing Dale who retracted into the quilt again, "This is the hero who saved the girl I told you about today."
"Uh, Jack..." The boy was obviously not used to such an introduction, even though it was true, "My name is Jack."
"Okay Jack." took the coat, "Then how do you know I am Mr. Grand?"
"Your business card." Jack relaxed a little, "And your wallet." Jack pointed to the coat in Zach's hand with an apology on his face, "It's in your pocket. I wanted to return it earlier, but …”
Also apologetic was Zach, who touched a certain pocket of his coat with a weird look on his face, and Wes stabbed Zach in a forgotten revenge.
But this is only a small problem. The relationship between a vampire and his wizard is not that fragile, so don't worry about it.
Jack was explaining why he came to return the clothes now, "I can only come here after everyone has gone to bed."
Zach put his coat back. Suddenly he noticed something and looked at the high school boy, "You're wearing makeup."
"Oh!" Jack subconsciously raised his hands to cover his face, "This is, this is..."
"The makeup that covered the bruises on your face." Zach had nothing to be ashamed of and told the truth, "That girl did it for you?"
"Ruth, her name is Ruth."
Zach shook his head, "So I guess you didn't use the photo I took as evidence to ask your consultant to help you deal with this conflict." Isn't it obvious? This is a cover-up. All in all, developing teenagers, at best, have the worst possible way of handling conflict.
Zach is disappointed, but so what, Zach is just a passerby.
Jack's lowered head shook. It's the default.
Zach had nothing to say, so he patted the other person on the shoulder and said, "Thanks for returning the clothes." This was goodbye.
Jack also knew that there was nothing to say, so he kept saying what he had said long ago, "Thank you, sir." It was also goodbye and he was ready to leave. As a well-mannered adult, Zach held the door to see him off.
It was clear that it appeared suddenly, but it was not abrupt at all... the sound appeared.
It felt like this voice was walking along the aisle of the cabin, passing from far to near. It's obviously hearing, but it makes people feel that they can see the arrival of the sound, and then continue to pass away.
This sound is a hum, light and melodious, with scales.
Zach frowned.
As if the first note of the prelude had passed, the high-pitched chirping made Jack, who was already standing on the aisle, tremble. Then his eyes lost their clarity and he took the first step forward.
Zach was helpless, these sirens really tried.
The doors on both sides of the aisle were opened one after another, and people in pajamas were holding or holding various inexplicable things in their hands, including watches, jewelry, safes, and even babies. He walked out of his room and walked down the hall.
Well, Siren not only tried, but he tried really hard.
Zach turned around and looked at Dale who was standing up from the lower bunk unsteadily. He actually held the blood bottle he got from Zach during the day in his hand and walked toward the door like a zombie.
Zach slapped Dale directly, "Are you funny? After the conversation just now, your most precious thing is my blood?"
Dale's eyes were regaining consciousness, "What? What did I do??"
"Uh. Go back and lie down on the bed." Red Eyes gave the order, stepped out of the room, closed the door, and turned around, "Jack?"
High school student? There were no more shadows in the crowded aisles. Uh, forget it, let’s cut it off from here.