Hey there, Ben! How've you been? How's life and work around the Valley been going for you?

The "Jersey Devil" thing; do you think that the creature there is related to you in some way? It seems very similar on a lot of levels from what I understand...Have you ever looked into it in any real fashion?

How's the love life going, as well? Everything going alright for you there?

And last, but most certainly not least, have you run into the "Bear-Thing" that I've heard about kicking around the Valley? Or any other truly strange or uncomfortable beings, presences or events? Because I know that place is properly spooky, and weird things just...Happen there, all the time. People go in and never come back, mass animal die-offs, UFO sightings, unexplained noises heard for miles...You spend so much time out there. Has there ever been something that actually unsettled, spooked, or scared you? Anything that made you want to move to the city for a while, just to get your head together?

Oh, and I don't know if you'd be aware, but uh...Have you ever run into a Wendigo? And if so, how'd that turn out?

Ben: 'Lo there. I'm doing as well as can be expected - thanks for asking. And work's been going pretty well of late. It's been real quiet this season so far - nothing more eventful than having to give a talking to some drunk guys who didn't have up-to-date kids that didn't have fishing licenses, directing hikers and campers to safe areas to do their thing, and covering up some of the animal carcasses I left on my... Ah... "Nights off".

Honestly? It's a possibility; first time I heard about the Jersey Devil, I asked my dad if we had any kinship to it, and he got cagey. I haven't done any serious investigation into it, though... I've had to deal with a lot in years past, and I've just never made a priority of it.

Love life? Heh.... Not too much of that going on. I haven't had a serious relationship since... Shit, a little after I got my job. College sweetheart, Maureen... We were going pretty strong for about two years, but she felt like I was holding something back from her - which, well, yeah, I wasn't sure how to tell her that I wasn't entirely human. She wasn't "in the know" - and breaking that to someone can be... Real rough. Otherwise, I've had a few flings over the years, one-night stands... Savannah Murphy and I got together a few times times, but think she's got eyes for someone else now - which is fine. We were just friends with benefits, and if she's happy with someone else, that's alright. I'm probably a little too old for her, anyway - eight year gap and all.

Hnn... Never met that thing face-to-face - but I've seen its... Leftovers, when there's been anything left. If I ever have the displeasure of doing so - might be one of the few times I'll happily, readily transform and tear something apart. That thing is fucking evil; I don't often say that about the stranger side of the world, as most times, it's just something acting on instinct and natural impulses - not genuine malicious intent. That... Monster? I've got the feeling it enjoys its victims' fear - and the misery and pain that their loved ones experience.

That being said... Yeah, I've seen and heard some damned weird things; actually had a few of those "UFO" experiences - seven in total. Two actual extraterrestrials, three Fae (or Fay - not always clear on the difference), and two that I still have no fucking clue what I saw... And I have been involved on more searches for missing folks than I'd care to admit... Kids are always the worst. I usually need to step back and... Recover... For a few days, after one of those searches are called off. Usually crash with friends, have a guy's weekend, or call a number from my "little black book"... Something to try and forget, y'know?

Heh - yeah, I've run into a Wendigo. Technically speaking, I run into a Wendigo at least once a month, usually more - depending on what's going on with Chris's schedule. He's a good friend when he's in his human form, and... Well, his "other" half has changed a lot since he met his girl. Before that, though, I ran into Chris in his Wendigo form when he managed to escape his panic room once. Both of us transform on the New Moon, so when we crossed paths, it turned into an all night brawl through the Valley. We're both tough sons of bitches and heal supernaturally fast, so it was pretty much a draw. Goddamn, we were sore, exhausted, and buck-ass-naked in the middle of goddamned nowhere. Thank God we're both woodsy guys and worked out the way back to his place - just took half the day.

I suppose dealing with locals is bad enough, but I imagine city-folk and outsiders must be a real hassle. Locals at least "get" some of the bad shit out there on some basic level.

When it comes right down to it, I guess it's not too important to figure out if there is some connection. The Jersey Devil is probably related in some way, but seems to be content sticking to its own neck of the woods, anyway.

Fair enough on the romance front. Maybe someday, yeah? But you've got your priorities as-is.

There's a bit of a theory floating around that whatever it is, it's a transplant to the region. Wouldn't surprise me; I can't imagine something like that tooling around for generations. It has to be within the last century or so, I'd guess. Otherwise some of the old timers locally would know more about it.

And I can understand the stuff about the searches being bad. I remember hearing about a fire a few years back; ranger caused it trying to kill something, I think? Only one survivor out of a whole group of search party members, and they never found the kid, either...Think the survivor got hired by S.3.R.A., actually.

Honestly, given how things work with XTs and whatnot, you're lucky it was only fighting that ended up leaving you guys sore, exhausted and buck-ass naked. Glad things turned out okay, though. I know that the Wendigo has had a run-in with the Bear-Thing. Managed to kick it to the curb, but it's still out there. I think the Wendigo *hates* that fucking thing. Might detect another apex predator. Or maybe even the Wendigo has limits to what it'll tolerate.

Ben: You've got that right. If it were me, I wouldn't let anybody in the park that didn't absolutely NEED to be there - but it's not my call, so best I can do is try to steer 'em toward the "safe" areas - and maybe overemphasis the rumors about bears, dangerous terrain, and the "Park Stalker".

I may try to investigate - or ask some of my contacts at S.3.R.A. if they have any knowledge about it - but it don't seem too likely that I'll ever run into the Jersey Devil. I won't say I'm not at all curious... Might be worth finding out so, if I ever do have kids, I can actually give 'em some answers. Not too likely, but still.

Yeah; not saying I wouldn't mind having someone to come home to, but I'm comfortable enough on my own. Getting into the dating scene can be a bit daunting.

Wouldn't surprise me, either... Leaves me wondering how it got here if it's not local - but maybe not as important as trying to prevent it from hurting people... And I know about that incident, some - god, I don't know if I'm glad I wasn't part of that group, or if I could have been any help... Worst part is I don't think any good came from it - most of the area's grown back in, and even if he did kill SOMETHING, there's still other things out there... At least someone made it out. Small favors.

Pft... Yeeeaaah, and I know Chris in Wendigo form is as much about fucking as fighting - I didn't really give it a chance to make a pass, though - when I'm hungry in my other form, all I can think about is filling my gut... Not saying that I don't get randy in that state, but, well - my priorities tend towards food... And wouldn't surprise me. Way I understand, the Wendigo can get territorial at times - especially with a mate to care for.

How do you feel about using the "Park Stalker" reputation to keep people in safer areas? That's got to feel weird. Have you ever run into anyone trying to investigate the rumors, some poor idiots not in the know? Or even professionals who are in over their heads?

And hey, if you DO have kids someday, at least getting some info could mean saving them a ton of hassle down the line. Like, if this is fully hereditary, it's good to at least get a foot in the door to see what you can do to prepare them.

And I don't know who survived that mass, in all honesty. I've heard it was a woman, but also heard there was a male survivor. It's all rumors on my end, of course; no official information. S.3.R.A. knows more about it, and probably that creature, than anyone else. And I'd heard about the regrowth. It...Shouldn't have regrown as fast as it did, that's for sure. I'd also heard that something ELSE interfered, which is the only reason there was a survivor at all. Who knows what that was; this region is just...Wrong. Beautiful, but wrong. Old Earth, so to speak.

Hard to imagine the Wendigo chilling out, but it is what it is. It's a good thing, too. Less trouble for everyone else if he's distracted on those nights, and fed on safer things.

Ben: It's definitely... Definitely more than a little fucked up if I think too hard on it, but if it means that some people avoid some of the "hot spots" in the Valley, I'll use what I've got... And a few times, yeah; the dumb townies or thrill seekers are easy enough to run off. Most times I can find a reason to chuck them back on the road towards town. As to professionals...? I assume we're talking about mundane professionals, rather than S.3.R.A. agents - most S.3.R.A. folks are already informed of the situation, know about me, and aren't dumb enough to go into the forest without a damned good reason and a ridiculous amount of support. For the mundanes...? It can be... Tougher. That's usually when I call S.3.R.A. and let them know what's going on so they can try and nip it in the bud... Or prepare to open another missing person case.

That's what I figure - though, I figure the chance of me having kids is low at this rate. Definitely not taking any chances on "happy accidents" with a one night stand - I make sure I always got protection handy.

Beautiful but wrong sounds about right for the Miskatonic Valley. Not gonna say that everything about it is bad - certainly not - but for the parts that are... Yeah, they even make things like me and the Wendigo uneasy.

Tch. Some people just don't know what they're getting into. Honestly, when it comes right down to it, if S.3.R.A. wasn't out there to try and cut these people off before they get into some of these situations, there'd be a lot more unsolved disappearances than there already are.

Like I said: Old Earth. It's a term I've used for a long time, and it basically fits the concept of old ground where things from before humanity still linger. Bad things, sometimes. But it's not necessarily an evil place, really. Just...Off. The walls are thin there.

Ben: Shit, ain't that the truth.

Makes plenty of sense to call it that... Certainly fitting; God knows, I've seen some stunning things out in those woods as well... Beautiful, terrifying things... And, on more than one occasion, Mothman - or maybe I should say Mothwoman. Heh.

Oooh. Seen one of their kind around, eh? I don't know a lot about them, but I know they pop up. They're "tourists", I think? Can't honestly recall. Not bad folks, though.

Ben: Yeah, you could say that. And yeah - not bad at all... I've seen Bertha around a couple of times - she's a real peach.... Definitely alien, but nothin' wrong with that at all.

Of course not; some lovely people locally could be considered "alien". Both literally and figuratively. Like Florence, though since you don't spend much time in town I doubt you'd know her, honestly.

Ben: Ah, I know Florence - not too well, but I've seen her and talked to her in M.E.A. meetings, and at the Lions' Den. She's a fine lady.... And goddamnit, Brenda. Her name is Brenda. Got it confused with another gal I know. Goddamn, I feel dumb.

It happens; there's a lot of folks around. I don't think she'd mind too much, considering how...Unusual her kind can be.