Subject 8: Francois Laffont, definitely gay; possibly French

[Humphries]

The people of Kalispell really needed to work on home security, especially with mutants around. Why, a feline could easily sneak in through an open window, even potentially carrying a laptop with him. Or a feline could have had the laptop slipped in by various peoples. Really, do the details matter all that much?

No, what mattered is that Humphries had managed to sneak into the home of François Laffont and was currently prowling about. he'd never actually been in this home before, and he had a feeling that Francois wouldn't be home for some time. So in the meanwhile, he entertained himself by exploring the various nooks and crannies. His laptop sat upon on a table nearish to the kitchen, mostly because it was the most convenient spot. Also because Humphries had been thirsty.

He'd solved this latter problem by pushing the faucet slightly and letting the cold water flow. It wasn't quite as good as he would have liked, but it sufficed. He'd endeavored to turn it back, but water had gotten on him. He'd then spent some time bathing himself away from the water, and then figured that he'd simply wait until someone with opposable thumbs returned. Then he'd apologize.

So for now: exploring. Though he stopped as he heard someone entering. The cat then bounded toward the kitchen, sprinting down the halls to finally leap onto the table near the laptop. Though he wasn't sure he'd quite make it in time for his usual calm, collected display of cunning...

[François Laffont]

Franck didn't particularly liked the gay stereotypes but he had to admit that he fit one very well: he was a bit of a fashonista. Franck simply could not look bad, even when dressed to do dirty chores or lazily watch television all day. He always had to look his best. With Spring, it was time to dig through his drawers for the clothes he wouldn’t wear anymore and, also, check what fashion was like this year, in case he found anything of interest. It was why Franck was not home today. He still left the window in his room open. Temperature was getting warmer and he enjoyed the breeze. Since his window faced the courtyard, he thought there was no problem in leaving it open while he was away.

He came back from his shopping day without any bag. Well, none with clothes inside. It was not a problem however since he only went there to have a look and Franck never had a problem spending a day shopping even if he was to come back home with barely anything. He was not doing this often, he believed he had the right to now and then. He did buy a few things but they were more along the lines of pens, notepads and batteries, things he needed. He also bought some candies to eat because he had been hungry while out and, unlike his good friend Frank, he did not carry food on his person at all times.

When he returned home, he half-expected to see his father there but the fact the car was not in the driveway told him he would be alone. Franck didn’t mind. He was rarely alone and even if he certainly preferred to be surrounded by people, he also felt the need to be on his own now and then. He’ll get on the internet, see if some friends of his from Europe were on to chat with them.

It had been the plan and he was about to do so but as he passed by the kitchen, Franck jumped, nearly sending his bags in the air. There was a cat, in his kitchen, on the table. As for the laptop, owning one, his brain first told him it was his, even though he already knew he did not leave it there but on his desk, in his room. “How’d you get in! Shoo, get out’” he let out. He thought the cat would freak out at seeing him but it apparently did not. Franck then heard the sound of water pouring down and noticed where it came from. He walked to the sink and turned the water off. Franck then froze. If it was open, someone came in. Were they still there? Franck slowly turned to face the cat and tried to listen if there was anyone. Although, with the scream he let out when he saw the cat, whoever broke in his house heard him and were probably being all silent too.

[Humphries]

Somehow, Humphries did not imagine his initial meeting with Franck beginning with an attempt to shoo him away. The boy didn't seem too overly obsessed with the feline though, instead moving to the faucet. Ah, that, Humphries had been preparing for.

So while Franck began to panic, the cat calmly turned to his laptop, punching in the recording that he'd painstakingly put together. The computer began speaking with the inhuman voice that generally came with various computer speaking programs: "Apologies for the issue with water. I turned it on, but then found that I could not turn it off."

Humphries waited, knowing that Franck would likely turn to him, likely with that slight look of surprise that people often had when they began to realize that yes, the feline was intelligent and had apparently brought a laptop to speak for him. Humphries took advantage of the momentary lull to punch the next recording, reaching a paw over to work the keyboard in a manner that would make his less intelligent brethren jealous.

"I am certain that you are wondering why I am here today. It is with regards to someone or something that I believe may be of potential interest to both of us: a certain blog of ill intent."

Well, he had to program in several phrases, and the message did have to pull something like quadruple duty after all...

[François Laffont]

Obviously, Franck did not make a connection between this cat and the one working at the school. He never told his father about the feline staff member as the man would no doubt then question the judgement of whoever ran the school. Since this was a friend’s idea, he didn’t want to hear any criticism. Still, right now, this cat was just a regular cat for Franck, one that, somehow, managed to sneak in for some obvious cat reason.

No need to say then that Franck startled when he heard the laptop talk. At first, he even thought it was the cat. Nonsense, really, although this could be someone able to turn into a cat who decided to get in. A cat burglar. Ah ah, stupid joke. “You...? Hey, you’re the cat from the school! How did you get here?” Finally, the connection was made although the reason as to why this member of the school’s security team was in his house remained unclear to him. Franck never did anything that could justify them to want to search his house or any of his belongings.

Slowly, Franck was trying to get over the fact a cat was talking to him. Because, for the purposes of making this easier, he preferred to say it was the cat talking to him. He had to make the laptop say the words he wanted after all. A normal cat wouldn’t be able to do this, or at least, they wouldn’t be able to write a coherent message such as an apology because they turned on the water. He probably should ask why he did it, but clearly, this was not the weirdest thing happening here. Is it really needed to remind people that Franck was conversing with a cat?

“A blog?” he repeated after the electronic voice talked for the animal. At first, he thought his blog. But who would care about it? And then, he realised. What blog everyone kept talking about? “You mean the Dirty Laundry? What about it?”

[Humphries]

As usual, Humphries had to sit there while someone worked out the details. He watched patiently while Franck put the pieces together. No normal feline would be able to do this, and none would certainly have a computer made for them. Certainly none would continue to look at him whilst he discussed specifics about behavior like this. Humphries let his tail flick a few more times, resisting the urge to purr with amusement.

Ah, at least he got down to the bits. Humphries let out a little meow of confirmation before turning to the laptop again. "Dirty Laundry has been of interest to me for some time. Before now, they have been interesting, but they have lately cast aspersions upon my character. Since we have no other threats at the moment, one is working to deal with the one we have."

It was a prerecorded message, one that he'd set up so that he'd be ready to respond to various conversation bits, but he figured that it worked. He nodded, then twisted to add his own addendum: "Being concerned of friendship would make one think that you would be most willing to undermining the devious nature of slanderous blog."

Yes, play on his tendency to be one with others. That should work well.

[François Laffont]

The fact Humphries managed to get to his house may seem a rather small detail, but it was one Franck was stuck on. He also seemed to realise this was not his laptop that Humphries hacked into in order to talk to him. He approached the table where the cat and computer happened to be sitting on. Yep, definitely not his. He stared at the cat, wondering how this happened. He couldn’t see... him? her? it?... walking all the way from the school to his house with a laptop on their back and then find a way into the house, set the laptop on the table and waited for Franck to show up. Franck looked around the room, expecting someone to show up and say they were the cat’s handler or something. Instead, he had another message talking about a blogger.

Franck couldn’t say he had any sympathy for the Dirty Laundry but he also couldn’t say he really cared about it. He preferred to ignore the entries. He still read them. That blogger dissed on his friends and sometimes on himself as well, he had to know what was being said. But he preferred to believe his friend than whatever what written there. He also didn’t see what he could do about it. It wasn’t like he was some sort of tech genius who could hack into the blog and from this find out where the messages were posted and then find the identity of whoever wrote them.

The cat explained why they were interested in the blog. Franck frowned at some point in the speech. Aspersions? Somehow, he believed that he should be insulted over the fact he had less vocabulary than a cat but he chose to ignore it and focus on what he could understand. “You want to go after the Dirty Laundry? Why? If you shut this blog down, a new one will show up soon after. People love gossips,” he said. It was a really good thing his father was not here. His son was talking to a cat!

Franck straightened up after the next message. “Are you trying to manipulate me into helping you?” he asked the cat. It felt like that. And it wasn’t as ineffective as he wished it to be. Because, in the end, he was right. Franck was ready to shield his friend if it was in his power.

[Humphries]

Hmm, it was always so difficult to convince the ones that had some degree of social savvy. Humphries had, of course, expected it to some degree. He wanted to make sure to get these people on his side, after all. So it was a matter of treating them with respect.

For now, he could certainly answer Franck's most pressing questions. He even had something of a recording. Humphries turned and entered it now:"Dirty Laundry has been of interest to me for some time. Before now, they have been interesting, but they have lately cast aspersions upon my character. Since we have no other threats at the moment, one is working to deal with the one we have."

Yes, that certainly explained things. And did Humphries believe what Franck said? Perhaps. But what he didn't want to add was that he was less concerned about eliminating the gossip blog in general and more concerned about teaching DL a lesson as to who specifically it should be targeting. There were elements of his plan that he wanted to keep to himself, after all.

As for the manipulation. Humphries tilted his head and tried to let out the most innocent meow he could manage.

[François Laffont]

Because Humphries was, to begin with, a person, Franck was able to sense emotion from the cat, but the feline personality was so well merged into the human one that it was hard to read said feelings. It was faint, confused sometimes and if Humphries was t let the cat out more, Franck couldn’t sense anything. It was really weird and it made Franck uncomfortable a little. Sensing people’s emotions and how easily it can shift with just a thought became normal to him, since he could not turn it off. When he started sensing something from Humphries, at first it was weird but he remembered the rumours saying he was a man first. He thought he should be able to sense them like anyone else but it was without thinking of the cat. Getting only fragments of emotions was strange but he tried not to think about it.

Humphries reiterated his purpose for being here. “Yes, yes, you said that. I get it, you want to take the Laundry down. But what am I supposed to do here? It’s not like I know who writes those things.” Franck obviously didn’t know what the cat could want of him. Franck supposed, if you talked of the dirty laundry to people one on one, at some point, they’ll get the culprit and he might be able to sense it, if the blogger did not have a power suppressing ability, but it would take so long! Then, a thought popped in his mind. “You’re not thinking that I might be it, right? Because that would be absurd!” Or clever, but mostly absurd. Franck was not twisted enough to diss on his friends to cheer them up after.

[Humphries]

The cat kept staring, knowing that the human was attempting to figure things out. Humphries had done some research of his own: he knew Francois's power and his inclination. It would have been foolish to head in here without knowing at least that much in advance. he also knew that he had little contact with the Frenchman, so there was that to work through as well.

Yes, take the site down. At least that much was clear. Humphries flicked his tail, waiting to see if Franck starting putting pieces together. The young man did come to one conclusion:

Humphries had to let out a little purr at that, twisting to send another message through the computer: "Thinking of that possibility was one not. Though admitting you must that it does have some sensemaking," Humphries didn't even deign to give the laptop his customary glare: by now he'd simply grown used to having the thing mangle his words. He moved to punch in a message: "This is an information gathering mission. Several of you are regular targets or mentioned with enough frequency to pique one's interest. One wants to know why DL specifically targets you, and how. If one can figure out its motives, one can figure out much." And then fight much...

[François Laffont]

It was so strange to look at this cat, so stoic in appearance, and then suddenly making twists so he could send a message through a computer. It was already a little weird to talk to someone who had to write down everything they wanted to say to you but it was an animal he was discussing with right now. In a way, it was a good thing that his father was not around. Bellefonte and its universe was sometimes pretty strange for the man, Franck didn’t want to think what would happen if he had to deal with this.

The message was weirdly written and had Franck frowning in a puzzling expression. It took him some time to guess the meaning behind it. It makes sense that he could have been the blogger? “Because of my connections? But I am not, I am definitely not behind the Dirty Laundry,” he assured the cat. Yes, he was justifying himself in front of a cat.

So he was a person of interest because the Laundry was interested in him. He shrugged at this. “It isn’t so hard with me. I’m close to pretty much everyone in the school and I’m probably the least secretive person around. It’s very easy to know what is going on with me, especially with who I’m doing things with.” He might not like being targeted, and he was not the most targeted one there, but he could see why they would mention him. He could also see why he was not more mentioned than this: he was hoping to stay away from drama. Sure, his relationship with Jasper had them say a few things, but despite how scandalous this could be, the Laundry knew talking of Erika would attract more people than spend an entire article on who Jasper cuckolded him with, or who he almost been with in the past. Franck was not interesting enough. “What will you do once you’ll gather information? You really think you can find out who is writing that blog?” Somehow, to think the Laundry could be brought down by a cat was bewildering. And not very likely.

[Humphries]

Humphries nodded as Franck asked about his questions. The young man continued, insisting that he wasn't DL. Humphries had to admit that the idea was quite ludicrous, unless Franck was hiding something deep. The young man had nothing to gain. Well, unless this was some sort of long game: drive the various figures of import to him for emotional counsel... yes, Humphries could certainly see the potential of that. He would definitely have to take young Laffont into consideration.

Especially with the repeated insistence that he was "the least secretive person around." It was most intriguing to hear it phrased that way, and Humphries again found himself growing more suspicious. There was, however, a direction question, and Humphries certainly didn't intend to leave that without a response:

"One is hoping to track down the blog and doing the proper handling of it. Punishing would be meted out and things would be put aright," more or less. Humphries flicked his tail and then moved again for further messaging: "If FRANCOIS is interested, only need offering minor aid. One would like permission to follow," as if Humphries wouldn't anyway, "and determine what persons would be knowing of information that appears on said blog. Also any potential information or aid you could provide would be most appreciated."

Because the more allies Humphries had, the better off he was.

[François Laffont]

The thought that Franck could be a potential suspect for the Dirty Laundry came to the boy when he realised just how close he was of so many important members of the school. The student ones, of course. After all, most of those who happened to be DL’s favourite targets were those he was close to. Of course, he thought it was ridiculous to accuse him. He might like a gossip or two on occasion but he wanted be to be happy around him and the blog was cruel. Of course, he then considered the fact that he often went to those who were targeted to talk about it. An interest could now be found. Still, he was not behind that blog and despised it.

As he justified himself to the cat, he found himself ridiculous and not believable for a second. Maybe it was best if he just shut up? He could most certainly do that. Humphries kept referring to himself, at least he assumed he was talking of himself, as one. One hopes to do this, one wants to try that...At the thought of being followed by a cat... well, that was weird. “Well, I would love to see the blogger punished, of course, but I don’t know anything that might help. I might not scream around what I’m doing but as far as for what they said I did, it was the kind of thing anyone could have seen.” Kissing in public sure was not subtle if you didn’t want anyone to know. Not like he didn’t want anyone to know.

He looked at the cat. Obviously, it managed to come here on its own. And get a laptop in his kitchen table. So clearly it was not without resources. If the cat wanted to follow him around, Franck was not really seeing how he could prevent that. “If you think you can find something by following me, you can try but other than that I really don’t see what I can be useful for.” At least it might bring the blog down. Wouldn't that be great?

[Humphries]

It did seem as though Francois and Humphries had at least something of the same goal. Strictly speaking Humphries didn't want to fully take the blog down, though if that happened as a result of his actions, he would most certainly take it for the victory it happened to be. that was just one more detail he didn't intend to quite fully share with his potential ally just yet. Let Francois think what he would.

So, it was sometimes simply what everyone could see. That had Humphries wondering. He needed to find out more, to see if the information was more private or something that all could see. So much to learn and find out, and yes, he knew the best route would be to go through with his plan, to follow certain individuals who had, for whatever reason, caught most of the blog's attention.

And he'd gotten Francois to agree. Humphries purred at that, nodding his head slightly. "Will be taking you up on offer, nice French human," he sent through the laptop, "of much help you are being," he hesitated for a moment, studying the other human. Well, it was worth a shot, especially as Francois was being quite agreeable: "Being the friend of one FRANK COX are you?"

[François Laffont]

Even for a mutant school, the thought of a cat going to war against a blogger was ridiculous at best. Yet, it seemed to be what was going on as Franck had a cat telling him so in his very kitchen. He was still ready to think of it as a prank someone was pulling on him. In just a moment, someone will burst from one of the doors and laugh at him for actually thinking this cat was talking to him.

Or not.

In a way, he supposed it was nice of the cat to ask permission. How hard could it be to just follow people around? Certainly not as hard and tedious as to go to them and ask if they agreed to it. It had Franck wondered if he would have done it anyway, even if he said no. He couldn’t seriously go after the cat and tell him to leave him alone. Or was it a she? Not, it was a he, he heard said the name was Humphries. Sounds more like a guy’s name.

He was used being called French but a nice French human was a first and actually weird. He figured it was over but another question popped up that had him startle. He was not expecting this one. “Uh, yes I am. Why?” What did the girl do this time to get the cat’s attention? Everything was possible with Frank.

[Humphries]

No direct answer regarding actively following. Humphries took that to mind, logging it away for later information. it seemed as though his last question was the one that really came to attention. Humphries had to shift awkwardly at this, looking away for a moment.

If cats could sigh, Humphries did before turning back. "FRANK COX is being bane of existence. Interrupting when doing duties, much torment, and also much disobeying of rules. Was hopeful that you may be able to request a lightening. Most grateful for help on either matter you can be giving."

Ugh, this was a part he actually hated. The stupid Cox girl had been a thorn in his paw since his arrival, and she had some strange immunity to him. Humphries just needed someone to work around her, and this seemed like the best option.