pile of birdshit.

Tosh looked down at the blue-inked pen that had finally stopped moving almost of it=s own accord on the pebbled white surface of the pad of recycled, tree-free paper sitting on the featureless white lacquer finish of his desk. He stared at the words for a while, then crumpled up the paper and ate it. It tasted like packing foam.

Not that Tosh was entirely certain of what packing foam tasted like, either. But it tasted like what he *imagined* packing foam would taste like. He made a mental note to actually try some the next time he got a Acare package@ in the mail.

He=d been having these literary episodes since the semester began a month ago, and was seriously beginning to wonder if he shouldn=t have his head examined by the university=s medpsych. After all, economics major or no, he was just at the presitgious New Jork University for the sports... he wasn=t supposed to be thinking. He didn=t enjoy the process that much anyways. It always reminded him of the gaps IN his thinking. He fidgeted with his ID card, the plastic edges worn smooth by their constant handling. The holographic image on it contained a litany of information that he knew by heart now, stored behind the visual of his face.

Toshi Washio. (Yes, *that* Washio, he would find himself explaining at the beginning of every new class during introductions. The picture staring back at him bore the same wide, clear blue eyes that had been his grandfather=s hallmark, but framed by a cardinal=s wealth of red hair rather than dark) Age 19. Sophmore, NJU. Blood Type: A, 175 cm, 75 kg. Hair: Red Eyes: Blue Parents: Shiro and Tsuiko Washio (deceased) Family Contact: Makoto Washio (cousin), New Utoland City

It was those last few lines that were the worst. He didn=t remember Shiro or Tsuiko. The imagecard in his wallet of the handsome dark-haired man, and his lovely red-headed wife might have well as *come* with the wallet. He=d woken up in the hospital a year and a half ago, the kindly medic explaining to him in overly hushed tones as to how sorry they all were.. How he was the only survivor of the tragic, tragic accident that had robbed the world of one of the sons of the legendary Eagle.

So here he was in a dorm room in New Jork - his half of the room spartan compared to his roommate=s colorful posters and basic lack of housekeeping talent. Tosh sighed and leaned back in the plastic and metal chair, rubbing his eyes. The door to the room opened with a shushing sound, like it was trying to get the person coming through to be quiet. AHey, joq-boy. Trying to figure out how to make fire by rubbing two sticks together?@ Ferdinand quipped. He was a swarthy, skinny, flouncy, ferret of a fine arts major, constantly complaining of how art today was no more than mid-20th century Soviet public sculpture - hardly worth the grand and noble title of AArt@ (art being always said as though it had a capital AA@.. Tosh was never short of amazed at Ferdy=s ability to do this)

In response, he shook his head, immediately feeling cro-magnon at the pasty chaw of writing paper still in his mouth. ANrthin=.. Hmwrk..@ he choked out, scrambling for the room=s tiny fridge and a bottle of herbal-enriched WonderPop to try and wash it down.

Ferdy watched him with the same amusement he=d watch the ape house at the zoo. AYou are so old skool it=s not even news, hermano.@ He lost interest in Tosh with that, rooting through his clothes for ones that bore no visible difference from the stark black ones he had on at the moment. AThere=s going to be some poetry slam down at the JavaShaq, duskish or so. You gonna drag your knuckles over there and watch yours truly bring the house down?@

Tosh shook his head in-between coughing gulps of the green, fizzing liquid. AMel..dinner..@ he was able to get out after the last of the paper was washed down. A{Gack}..Mel wanted to go to the movies..she=s crazy for Petra Sorenson=s flix then we were..{choke}..gonna hit Hayashiland.@

Ferdy patted him amiably on the back. ASee you there, then, Throg.@ Before vanishing into the bathroom to rehearse for his poetry reading. The scat-patter of Ferdy=s beatnik verse came in staccato bursts through the door.

Ferdy=s words were lost in the burble of toothpaste, and Tosh frowned, turning his attention to the shiny red label of the WonderPop bottle.

Mel was waiting for him in front of Ramsey House, tapping her foot and pointing significantly at her chrono when she saw the glimpse of red hair coming towards her. AAll I can say is at least you=re consistently late, Toshi Washio.@ She rested her hands on her hips, the late spring breeze tugging at her hair - each strand coated to produce a peacock=s-tail iridescence. AYou know we=re going to miss the flix at this rate.@

Tosh gave her an innocent smile. He couldn=t much stand the blond Huntworlan actress and her grating singing voice. Couldn=t much stand musicals in general. And that was pretty much all you got in your choice of flix. AWell..we could always just hang around Hayashiland..Ferdy said he=d cruise by after his poetry contest@

Mel rolled her eyes dramatically. AAll you do there is eat and run up a tab. I swear I=ve never met anyone so bad with gelt as you!@ But she took his arm anyways. AAnd that little creep Ferdy and his poetry. He says some pretty stupid stuff about the government...@

Tosh shrugged as they walked, passing the patrolling Public Safety Enforcers in their beaked helmets, the stylized red bird logos on their body armor. The past few decades, they=d been an increasing symbol of the UN government=s pledge to world order, a comforting reminder that the UN would never allow something like the Galactor war to ever disrupt the peace and security of the world again.

It wasn=t until they reached the neon-lit din of Hayashiland...the popular franchise spot that was part disco, part multiethnic cuisine restaurant, and part entertainment center... that Tosh realized he=d been walking with his shoulders so tight and squared, he could have used them to level Ferdy=s Aleaning tower of vids@. He sighed and Mel nodded, sensing the tension. AYou have got to learn to relax around the birdboys, luv. You look like you=re going to snap around them...@ she patted his arm, finding them a table.

It wasn=t until a tray of chili anpan, two pitchers of brewz, and a lot of gelt wasted on games later, that Mel muzzily wondered aloud where the hell Ferret Ferdy was.

A controlled stagger took them to a conspicuously closed JavaShaq, a reflective strip across the door. AThings musta gotten out of hand. Crazy artsy people.@ Mel made a snorty, vaguely drunken laugh. AC=mon. Ease up there cowgirl..@ Tosh poked her in the arm. APublic drunkeness is a fined offence..@ He was feeling pleasantly numb, but not numb enough to feel a total lack of concern. ATh= ranch is that way.. Time to stable up the ponies..@

Morning came and fluttered through the blinds in Tosh=s room on delicate little fairy wings before dropping an anvil on his throbbing, cotton-stuffed brain, and chittering psychotically back out.

AOh... ghod...@ He clutched his head, wondering if his legendary forefather ever faced mornings like this. The animated rabbit clock that Mel had bought him was jumping around, flailing a carrot at him Agetupgetupgetup ya big dumb cromag! You gotta be in class in half an hour!@ He shot the rabbit a virulent stare and staggered through the immaculately clean dorm room to the empty bathroom.

Like he=d never been here.

He=d stop at the housing office on the way back from his 8:45 chemistry lab (part of his minimum UN education requirements) he promised himself. Find out what the hell happened to his roommate.

Grey eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses (a fashionable affectation.. Vision defects were so easily corrected) glared at him. AAre you going to puke a hairball up on me while you=re at it?@ Handsome and pale-haired, the young man had the overly serious air of someone rapidly approaching graduation.

Drowning in the air, a newborn=s lungs
full of polyamniotic gel stinking of the sea
grey eyes and steady hands balancing those
first unfamiliar steps
Do you hear voices now?
Not just Apush the bad lady off the train platform@
voices in your head
But joan of arc quality voices
saying Asociety is eating itself from the inside out@oroborous
that fabrege egg of mirrors and smoke is just filled with decay
and the people need a hero.

AEssential Modern Chemistry@ was the most basic, old skool, cromagnon science class at NJU, reserved for students who only needed the most elementary of tech classes to fulfill their major requirements, and Tosh, like his fellows, managed it fairly well.

Begoggled and begloved, he sat across from Mel, the tabletop monitor showing the professor explaining the day=s experiment with polymer chains.

A...rada, my teaching assistant this semester, is going to look in on you mooks..@ the professor was saying, snapping Tosh back to awareness. Mel rolled her eyes. AJoqs. Earth to Tosh. You in there?@ He nodded, glancing back at the monitor. AYeah, just a little hungover..@ he offered, smiling.

AThat might explain why you left your toothbrush in the hallway@ Toshi froze at the same voice that had questioned his ability to generate hairballs, and slowly.. Slowly turned to meet the grey eyes with their amused smirk.

AOh, ghod. I=m doomed@

AOk everyone. I want computer models of one of the polymers we discussed today, and a short paper on it=s practical applications. Class dismissed. Except for toothbrush boy.@

Mel snickered and waved goodbye, as Tosh watched his classmates file out under the watchful gaze of the TA. Before long it was just them, and the gentle background hum of the lab equipment. Gabriel. That was his name. Gabriel Karada. He was a grad student and sci-dep TA this semester. Gabriel sat on the edge of a table, folding his arms. AOk, other than the fact that you horked Crest all over my shirt this morning, you seemed ... more than a little distracted in class. That=s not really acceptable mister.. :he glanced at the register onscreen: Washio?@

Toshi fidgeted with the safety goggles. It was true. He=d screwed up his and Mel=s assignment royally today. Mainly because he=d been watching Karada.

He couldn=t shake the feeling that he knew him.... the first time since waking up at St. Lucien General, he felt like he *knew* someone. He saw Karada nodding and realized with an embarrassed start that he=d said it out loud.

ASo you=re wondering if we knew eachother before your... your accident?@ He asked in a perfectly neutral voice, and Tosh felt as though the young man were trying to dissect him just by looking at him.

ASilly, I know. I=m sorry. About this morning.. And everything. My roommate=s.. Gone.. I gotta go check with housing.. I=m sorry. A lot on my mind..@ He shrugged, watching the TA=s face grow interested.

AYour.. Roommate?@ Toshi nodded, immediately becoming wary. A..... yeah. He=s gone. Like.. Everything.. Gone.@

AHe was at the JavaShaq last night, right?@ Karada leaned forward. AAll closed up now by the Public Safety Enforcers. Places like that are hotbeds of anti-UN sentiment.@

Birdboys wear//the symbol of freedom//but it=s red

Tosh blinked. AWhat.. Are you saying.. His stupid poem.. He got..@ he flailed Ataken away by the Enforcers or something?@ He was incredulous, but Karada simply pushed his glasses up his nose. AI=m not saying.. Anything.@ That infuriatingly neutral voice again, emphasized by a shrug. AGo check with housing. They=ll tell you he had a family emergency and transferred to be closer to home.@ With that, Karada gathered his notepad and his text. AMaybe we=ll talk later, Mr. Washio.@

AWASHIO! Get off the field till you=re thinking again!@

So he did. He was lost in thought and rising steam in the showers when a voice startled him. AI hate to say I told you so...@

Tosh turned to face Karada, leaning against a locker. A...but..@

ABut you were right. How..?@ Tosh paused, looking down, then turning around again, his back to Karada. AHow did you know?@

ABecause that=s what they always say when a student disappears.@ The response came softly, sending a chill through Tosh=s damp skin. A.....you make it sound like it happens all the time.@

A...it does.@ Karada noted blandly. AAfter all, the university is the traditional petri dish of dissent.@ Tosh turned off the water, and stood staring at the white-tile wall. AWhy are you telling me this?@

There was a momentary chuckle. AI=m not telling you anything.@ Tosh could feel the grey eyes boring into his back. AIf you want me to tell you something, I=ll see you at history park tonight.@