Hello, I Am Detective Pearl Moon

Life is a Box of Chocolates

(yes I know others have said it before, but it's MINE now)

Summary

Grian is released and the web starts to crumble.

Friday, July 26

Somehow time passed quickly. Grian supposed it was some weird sort of community. The people he was surrounded by were actually that bad. His bunkmate was an unfortunate guy who had turned 18 only a few days before his arrest for stealing cars, and the others in the block came and went over the five months. But who didn't come and go? People Grian would've liked to see.

Twice, some goonies from the BIIIC asked him a few questions about Watchers (they had clearly not destroyed anything, Grian could still See like any basic Watcher). Neither Scar nor Mumbo visited. Not even some sort of cautious update from Xisuma. He didn't expect Pearl or the other musketeers to visit. Maybe if he had used his call someone might have come.

Now he stood on the other side of a plane of glass, watching an officer slowly type words into a computer. He was sweating slightly in his sweater and pants, warm air wafting in from the open doors. The fact that his hair was now a little past his shoulders didn't help.

"Alright," the officer clicked something. "Grian Moon. You are...released!" They grabbed something inside their little box and shoved it through an opening. A leather messenger bag with a few random pins. "There's your bag. Filled with mainly photos but also your official documents. Make sure to get your driver's license renewed along with your passport. Remember that you're not allowed inside the Hub without a pass and Admin at your side. And...that's it...?"

Grian put the bag on his shoulder, "You don't sound very sure."

"One sec." The officer clicked around a little. "Hm. Seems like you got no one picking you up. Do you want a few coins for the pay phone?"

He nodded and the officer slid a few coins through the opening. About two minutes of time. Grian walked over to the pay phone and had to rack his brain for a moment. Slipping a few of the coins in, he dialed a number.

After it rang for a concerning amount of time, the line picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Mumbo. Great to hear your voice again."

"Grian! You're out? How long? Where are you?" Mumbo seemed to scramble around on the other end.

"I...just got released, haven't left the compound yet. And, hey, I don't have much time-"

"Ok! Ok! Scar and I were planning to wander and see if we'd be into you. Wanna meet up at that park with the one tree in the middle?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Great! See you there!" Mumbo laughed before hanging up. The low hum of the dial tone filled the receiver. Grian collected the remaining coins and walked back to the officer, sliding them back through the opening.

The officer gave a small smile. "The bus is free, goes straight to Western Starion. If you want to fly, remember to go through the gates before taking off. Have a good rest of your life. Hope to never see you again."

"Uh," Grian was taken aback from the last part. "Likewise." He held on tight to his bag as he walked out the doors.

The sun was bright and warmed the ground even more. He'd have to fly high and fast to cool off in the sky. The guard in his little box gave Grian a nod and opened the gate. He stepped out of the compound and into the street. With no vehicles in sight, he flexed his horned owl-like wings and took a running start into the sky.