2020-01-16 - In the Meantime

The Veil is a pretty tricky place. As he became more and more familiar with his Glimmer, he found that he could find the exit to the Dreaming easier and easier. However, he got zero sensation for the Veil around Riverside or the Marine base. This meant that he could only practice what he was trying to do in the Dreaming and that didn't feel quite right to him. But it also gave him a pretty big boost of self-confidence, as he figured that it was the will of the goddamn Corps that kept the Veil away from the area. Hoo-rah.

Tyrone discovered something else during his time in Riverside. He discovered that he missed Gray Harbor. Of course there was Lyric and Harper and the gym. And maybe even Easton, even if he still wasn't over their last argument. But, even more, he couldn't settle in at Riverside. Even though he could go out to the bars or to the restaurants and eat and commiserate with his brothers in arms, he didn't feel right. There wasn't anything tangible or obvious about it. Something in the back of his mind just continued to give him a sense of unease. No matter how hard he tried to shake it, he felt like he just didn't belong; like he wasn't where he was supposed to be.

Even that feeling of discomfort didn't deter him from his self-proclaimed mission. Neither did the few warnings he'd received from people about Glimmer and how dangerous it could be. The more time he spent in the dreaming, the faster Tyrone could feel himself getting stronger. He was also getting his old shooting form back. While he'd never made for the Marksman medal, he knew the training regimen they used to acquire it. Plus, there were all the other devil dogs around who were more than happy to go shooting with a wounded warrior. And while he couldn't name any names, there were always friendly people happy to help him set up new targets or reset the firing range for him.

That was one of the mixed blessings of Tyrone's time as a Marine. He was laser-focused on the task at hand, getting to be a better shot and learning how to get around in the Dreaming. He was learning to sense Glimmer and learning that he could physically move objects of his own will if he tried. And while all of that focus strongly benefitted him, it also blinded him to some pretty important facts. Like the fact that no one really tried to get to know him. Or the fact that he seldom saw the same people in the same places very frequently. And probably the most telling fact that failed to register for the young man was that he never received any communication from the VA, his doctors or his family. No emails, no letters, nothing. His monthly disability was deposited, like normal, so he was never short of money, so he never noticed the lack of contact.

Back in Gray Harbor, Tyrone's landlord had emptied his mailbox twice and dumped it on the counter in his kitchen. It wasn't their job to notify anyone that he wasn't getting his mail. He had several 'final notices' about failing to turn in required paperwork to continue receiving his disability stipend and medical coverage. His phone simply beeped back as being unreachable, either by text or by calls. His emails went unanswered. His apartment remained vacant, collecting dust since there was no one around to disturb anything or clean. And no one of Tyrone's description or identification was ever seen travelling to or from Seattle.

After nearly three months, Tyrone finally felt ready. Almost. Now, all he had to do was find a way into the Veil, and he would show those Dark Men what he was REALLY capable of.