Paradise [Isabella's phone] Haunted

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

She doesn't strike me as the type to say anything about that either. Reputation to uphold and all that.

I'll stop on some time soon and see if you're on. I have a feeling you'll beat me again, but the only way I can go is up, right?

I'm surprised no one caught Will before I did, to be honest. He's not exactly quiet about his interests this time around either. I guess it worked out well, though.

We were learning about the Salem Witch Trials and she had a few choice words about the men of Salem. It struck me as odd. It may be nothing, but it's worth investigating, right?

No less than you? Not much of a comfort when you're a reincarnate too, but I guess if we're talking anyone, that's including normals.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

I certainly wouldn't tell anyone... -Lower voice- Unless she gave me reason to. -Chuckles-

No offense taken.

Maybe. I used to think that destiny was just a figure of speech, but after everything here, I'm beginning to wonder if there really is something to the theory after all.

I'd have some choice words for them too, but I don't know, there was something about the way she spoke, like there was something personal there. I know I need to investigate into this more, but it's a lead. Can't do much if we don't act on leads.

That's true. Forty percent of the school would possess 'old soul eyes'. I just wonder why mine are so prominent to her? Unless she goes around telling everyone that they have old soul eyes, which I highly doubt.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

To the contrary, Joan. Messing with her and getting caught means messing with Clyde and almost certain death.

That said, I still don't think I'll be messing with her.

Would be nice to have found another. Were you ever a recruiter or did you just become a leader this year? I know, kind of personal, but out of curiosity.

-Laughing- Are you trying to insinuate something?

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

I know that she is, she just really gets on my nerves sometimes.

You made her cry? Pray tell, Joan of Arc, how exactly did you make Bonnie Parker cry?

I suppose the Voices would come in handy for recruiting. Some people don't make it as easy as I did, after all. -Laughter- So you're on the panel until graduation then?

-More laughter- That would be incredibly strange, you know that? Coming across a descendant, I mean. I never had any children myself, but I had plenty of nieces and nephews. I recently discovered one of my nieces, Ivonette, actually died the year before I was born in this life. She was 99.

Makes me wonder what would happen for some of the more recent reincarnates, if they came across someone they knew.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

I suppose that's probably true. But really, reincarnates or not, we're from different crowds. We just happen to have a few friends in common. It's not like it's exactly expected for us to be all buddy buddy.

-Laughing- You played gunshots? So that's how it happened. Unfortunate that it ended the way it did, though, but at least your hair's finally growing back out? Hopefully everything will be fine again by break...I'd hate to have to explain that one to my parents, and I can't imagine you'd feel any more thrilled about it than I would.

Just curious. Figure if I'm in this club for the next four years, I might as well get some idea of how it works.

Would imagine there would be. To be fair, though, you're right in that most people I know don't trace their lineage back that far. Hundred years is a lot different than six hundred years, and the number of ancestors grows exponentially with every generation.

I don't know what I would have done had I been reincarnated earlier and come across a niece or nephew. I certainly couldn't explain what happened to me, could I? I'm sure I could prove who I am, but they might think that they were going insane...not something I'd want.

It is a bit like time travel, isn't it? Never thought about it that way before, but it does sort of fit.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

Well, I am used to her for the most part.

Well, she provoked you first, didn't she? And I suppose that's for the best. They shouldn't be too shocked when you return home, at least.

I don't see it as that silly. Then again, we're kind of special cases, aren't we?

I think it would be best to keep quiet too, but I honestly don't know if I would be able to do it if I came across someone I knew back then still in their original form. I don't know if I could live with myself knowing that they were right there in front of me and I passed them by. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about that...

I know. It's hilarious when you think about it, isn't it? -Laughter- Seems like some sort of cosmic irony. I forget the exact quote Darwin used about Magneto, but I think it fits.

We have Einstein here? Really? That should not surprise me in the least bit, honestly, but it does. That's a bit sad if I have to be honest.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

Can't say I've ever been burned myself, thankfully. But I can attest that plane crashes hurt. Bad. You know when you have to walk with not one cane but two it's bad.

-Laughing rather hard- I never thought about it that way! Gotta love the way these things work, eh Joan?

I'm glad I won't have to answer it either. I don't know if it's something that any of us can answer, to be honest, no matter how many lives we may live. I can only imagine what might happen if this secret got out.

Junior level classes? Well, I guess that makes sense. I'll have to ask Will or Darwin to keep an eye out for him. Race switches certainly don't seem as weird as gender switches would be, but we already addressed that. And thankfully Wilbur did not turn out to be my son OR a girl, thank you very much.

Instead, he just turned out to be my roommate, which is both convenient and far less awkward. -Chuckling-

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

I did survive, though, so I do consider myself lucky. It was just a bit hard to get around for a while.

I... -Falters- Solve the problems of the world? We can only do so much. I mean sure, we're much stronger as team, if you look at it that way, but that's assuming that we all get along well enough to work as a team. -Laughing-

Until he...what? Where on Earth would you get such an absurd idea? That would be completely crazy! That would be... -Trails off, as he can definitely see where they would find stuff in common...-

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

I'd have to agree with that point.

That's true. Bonnie and Clyde would likely go to jail, or worse...and though I'm not a huge fan of either of them, I don't think they deserve that. I'm sure the air force or something would try to use Will and I, France would be all over you...and I don't even want to think about Saladin and the Taliban. None of us would really be free to live our lives the way we want to this time around, which is part of what's so nice about this second chance.

Well, at least we'd be related again? -Feeble laugh- Yes, yes, I can see it, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen. Do you realize how strange it would be if the stars just so happened to line up that way? It would be like Bonnie finding Clyde again, or me finding...

Okay, those are really bad examples. I'm just going to hang up now before I dig myself all the way to China.

-Sound of a drill before hanging up the phone-

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

-Laughing- Yes Joan, that's PRECISELY what I was doing. Drilling a hol to China. Or just drilling into Hayden's skateboard.

-Stops laughing- You probably would have a lot of influence in the world, considering. That could be used to your advantage, especially for getting those like Bonnie and Clyde out of trouble. Maybe you could even convince the Vatican to give evolution a second thought.

-Laughs again- NASA? Funny you mention that. There was an organization before NASA called NACA. Basically NASA without the space aspect, so an aeronautical committee of sorts. I was on it.

NASA nowadays, though? That would be an absolutely BLAST, I have no doubt. -Excitement evident in his voice-

Yes, yes, I know it's well within the realm of possibility. That doesn't mean that I don't have to think it's strange. You already mentioned how awkward such a thing would be for me, and I still think it's doubtful.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

Well no, not exactly. He gave it to me to see if I could make it fly. -More drilling-

Joan, before you say anything, I am not about to make his actual skateboard fly. I learned my lesson that day in the library. -Laughing- I'm just going to fix his skateboard and say I had no luck. The real experiments are going to be taking place in my dorm. Can't risk him finding out about RSOR and all.

The clergy played a part in executing you? You would think they would have been in support of you, considering...but then again, there's no telling what goes through people's minds. Especially when something different is thrown their way. And a peasant girl heading an army would certainly be considered as different.

Mission to Mars? That's a bit...advanced? -Chuckling nervously- We certainly know our share of flight technology, but space travel is a different beast from what I know. -Typing can be heard in the background as he's speaking-

My... -Splutters- What about you? Do you have any boys that you've had your eye on around school? That you think might be any good...company? -Laughs lightly-

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

That's the problem. All of the designs I've come up with thus far involve major restructuring of the board. It's not as simple as just attaching wings to it and saying 'tada! Flying skateboard.'.

Everything seemed to require a bonfire back then. I would say at least things are more fair now, and they are for the most part, but...

-Laughing- I can see the headlines now. "Joan of Arc has taken over France. Next stop, Britain!" Have I uncovered your secret plan?

I'm looking up information on rockets. I suppose that might? Provided they don't read the headline and assume that the author was on something. But this is all hypothetical, right? A 'what if we were discovered' sort of thing?

I passed on a bit of information to Lenita. I'm not sure if this would help, but I could pass on your number to her if you want to talk to her directly I suppose.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

Yes, probably more like a sled. Or a flying carpet. -Laughing-

Good. I'm sure a few at the school would not be entirely pleased about you trying to take over their little island. Especially given that the principal herself is English. First step...Riverdale High School. Next step? England.

Pssh, no, I'm not worried. I'm just curious. We seem to be getting awful into a 'what if' discussion. Then again, it can be fun to fantasize sometimes.

-Still typing, but pauses before his next statement-

I'll give her both and let her decide what she wants to do. It's her recruitment, after all. I just look forward to the day when I'm not the only freshman hanging out in the RSOR room!

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

No, it's not, is it? -Chuckling-

I'd say you're a better tactician than a politician anyway. So I take it you're seriously considering the FBI route then?

They can be fun. Lord knows there's plenty of them to be had in RSOR. Just when we think we're done, another question pops up. It's never-ending.

I was still looking up information on rockets and space travel. Now? I'm checking to see if Lenita's on MSN so that we can get her recruitment finished. Well, the recruiting part's done I guess, it's just all the red tape. -Laughs-

Worse comes to worse I'll have to call her. No big, as long as I'm not attacked with pillows again.

[Oliver Lee Winchester]

FROM OLIVER WINCHESTER

-Laughing as well- Those would be really fun. I can see all of us zooming around the RSOR room on 'em too.

I don't see you as the type of person to stay put in an office all day. I'm not that sort of person either. You need to be out in the field, and I need to be working on something hands on. It's definitely something we need to consider when making career choices.

Not like we don't have a couple of years left anyway.

Oh yes, red tape is a blast.

Last time I left a voicemail for Lenita I was hit with a pillow by Cleopatra. I'm just hoping that such a thing does not happen again. Don't want to make it a theme.