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 Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:53 pm
There was one thing that Jerry had decided upon during his short time as a Hunter... and that was mostly wrapped around the fact that if he wanted to survive anything, odd trickery of his superiors aside, he needed to do something about his physical health.
He didn't smoke (usually), He tried not to drink (If he could help it), ate well (when he remembered) and was fairly confident that he had a good set of lungs on him, but compared to the other soldiers... or at least compared to ones like Robert, there was always a very good chance of the Enemy snapping him in half like a twig.
And so he had decided to do something about it. He had his responsibilities around the place, but what little free time he could find, he set towards at least TRYING to build some muscle. A difficult task when one didn't want to venture too far into the fog. He had spent a good hour jogging back and forth across the facilities and, winded, set to the next task at hand. He had found a broom, and with some finagling, managed to wedge it up in the doorway to his room as best he could. There, now he had a chin-up bar! With some testing, it definitely held his meager hundred and some pounds.
Alright! He rubbed his hands together, in nothing but his undershirt and trousers, staring up at the bar intently before grabbing hold. Just... heft yourself up! Just like gym class!
And just like gym class, his arms trembled and shook and protested no matter how hard he tried to flex. His feet rose from the ground a couple inches... just... keep... going...!
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:42 am
Candace needed a break. Too much was happening too quickly. From the tests to the subject matter of their text book to the training and the evaluations and the..just...ugh! She'd spent the better part of her day laying on her bed just staring on her ceiling while her MP3 player blared music into her ears, the look on her face growing more and more irritated until she finally couldn't take it anymore. She needed to get out. She needed air, a walk, interaction..anything! The MP3 player was turned off and put away with an irritated sigh as she sat up and just stared at the floor, feeling quite groggy and lightheaded from sitting up so suddenly after hours of refusing to get up. Ugh. She almost wished she smoked. Candace was well aware of how disgusting and unhealthy the habit was, but just watching people do it made it look so relaxing; it was almost a shame she never tried it. Oh well. She wasn't hungry. She was...she was bored! No television, no internet, no computers, no nothing. She was bored! That was it! She needed something to occupy herself that wasn't studying or sleeping. What was there? She had yet to go out and socialize yet, Candace wasn't even sure who was near her dorm she'd been so wrapped up in her own thoughts.
Maybe she could go find Caelius and ask for extra lessons? She grinned helplessly at the thought of getting private lessons from the man. The man and his scythe. It gave her goosebumps just thinking about that scythe, remembering how it felt in her hands. Heh. What she wouldn't give to be able to hold it just one more time. Seeing it wasn't enough, she needed to have it. It was like a drug. It was better than drugs, even! It was pure bliss!
That settled it. She was going to go look for Caelius. Candace stood, slipping on a pair of sneakers before she walked out of her room and began to wander down the hall. But where would she find him? He usually just...appeared. Or he sent a message and said to meet him somewhere. Should she check that room? She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she almost missed the sight of a guy trying to pull himself off the ground as she walked by.
...Wait. What?
Candace stopped and turned on her heel to see what the slight movement had been, blinking and just staring. What the hell? Was he trying to work out?
"...Is that a broom?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:38 am
The man struggling to try to pull himself up flinched at the sudden question, "It's... a..." Was all he managed to wheeze before the movement was enough to dislodge the thing from it's precarious perch and he was sent falling down onto his back with a pained "OOF!"
After a moment, he managed to rub the back of his head, gingerly groping about for his glasses that had tumbled off and slid somewhere. "It's supposed to be a pull-up bar, but I'm not sure I'm the best handyman," He laughed nervously, squinting blindly as he sat up to try to search more thoroughly.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:51 pm
Oh, ouch! Candace winced and put a hand over her eyes as the man slammed to the ground, hissing with sympathetic pains before peeking through her fingers to see how the man was doing. Oh, good. He was sitting up and looked just fine if not flailing like a blind person. It reminded her of Velma from Scooby Doo. She couldn't see without her glasses! Oh no! She tilted her head, listening to his explanation of what the broom was supposed to be. "And...you decided to make a pull-up bar why, exactly?" Candace asked with genuine curiosity, looking down to see what he was looking for.
Her toe tapped against something, so it was a very good thing she didn't take a step forward or she would have stepped on his glasses. Oh dear. What would happen if something like that broke here? Would the facility replace them for him? She hoped so. Candace hummed a bit as she got down on one knee, scooping up the glasses and putting them on her face. What had she been expecting? She wasn't exactly sure. Candace had never been dumb enough to wear someone else's glasses before.
"Oh my god, man! How do you see?!" She was quick to get them off her face, rubbing at her eyes with a frown. But seriously, why was he trying to make a pull-up bar? With a broom?
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:00 pm
"Well, if we're going to be in battle, I figure it's best to be prepared, right?" He laughed nervously, still squinting uselessly as he found the broom handle and the door frame at least for reference. "I don't see me battling any monsters with string bean arms like these, huh?" His smile wavered at her sudden exclamation, brows raising, "Er... not very well?" He managed, but relaxed a bit as he theorized what she could be talking about, "Could I ah... have those back?"
He gave a meek, embarrassed look somewhere just to the right of her. "I know they said they want to keep things sparse, but maybe our superiors would give me a real one? Or at least maybe some brackets I could mount it with better..." lost in thought, his outstretched hand for the glasses dipped a bit.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:07 pm
"True enough, I suppose. But why a pull-up bar? Surely you could have started with something easier." Something that didn't risk him getting a head wound. Candace carefully twirled the glasses between her fingers, keeping a tight grip on them so they wouldn't slip away. He did have pretty skinny arms. And legs. And everything. He really didn't look the fighting type, so why was he here? "Apparently...and maaaaaaybe. What's in it for me if I give 'em back, darlin'?" Candace crooned, putting the glasses back on in a way that she could look over the rims. She would give them back regardless of if he had a 'price' for her or not, she just couldn't resist teasing him.
Haha! He couldn't even look at her he was so blind! A glance was cast to her right before turning back to the man, smirking. "I dunno, but I honestly wouldn't start with this. I'd start with...push ups. Sit ups. You can work your way to pull ups when you get some upper body strength."
Candace held a hand out, even if he couldn't see it she had to give proper introductions. "Candace. You?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:51 pm
"Well, it just... seemed like a good idea?" He managed, still flushing as he tried to gather himself up to his feet, using the doorway to keep his sense of direction. The world was a total blur, but he could somewhat make out the dim fuzz of a shadow of a person just outside his doorway, and by the motion of things, she indeed had them. He tensed slightly, locked on the movement as his hands reached up to try to snatch them back, knocking into her outstretched one in the process with a jump, "OH! Ah, Jerry Collins, or er- Zeta Four?" He offered hopefully. One never knew if you had met someone before, really... although her voice wasn't familiar. "A Sun Hunter, apparently!" That, he added proudly. "Push ups would have been more practical, I suppose you're right! As for er... trade..." He lowered his hand after shaking her's, "I'm not sure what I have to offer, really. I didn't think to pack any instruments..." His smile faded a bit, mourning his poor forgotten ukulele. And harmonicas. And all those other little diddly things he dappled in but had no real talent for. "I could sing you a song, I supposed?" He sounded a bit too eager.
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 12:00 am
Though it may have seemed like a good idea at the time it clearly turned out to be a horrible idea. She blinked and leaned back a bit on her heels as he suddenly reached out like he was trying to hit her, or take his glasses back? Hmm! Either could have been a possible option. But she was going to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope the man was just reaching for his glasses and not trying to attack her for some odd reason. Had he been in that room, maybe? She had no idea. The gas mask faces were but a blur to her, all she remembered was--no...no. She couldn't think about that right now. Not here. Not now. There was a time and place...
"Zeta Four? Mmmmmmnope, doesn't ring a bell." Candace shrugged. "Candace. Epsilon Ten." It seemed she was the only Epsilon so far, at least that she could recall. Were there any others? There were many alphas, and a few zetas, but other than that...she had no idea. And they all knew each other. They were all friends. Relatives. They all..knew each other, and got along. What did Candace have?
...What did she have left? She frowned quietly, though tried to sound happy about Jerry's excitement about being a sun hunter. "Oh, yes. Congratulations." Candace replied with a forced smile. She couldn't think about that here. She had to wait until she was behind closed doors. "Instruments?" She raised a brow, a bit of amusement bubbling up over the near-depression she was beginning to feel. He was honestly going to trade her for these things? She'd been kidding. Though...he sounded like he really wanted to sing a song...
"Ah...I suppose, if you really want to. I'm not much of a singer though so don't expect me to sing along with you." Candace chuckled, gently grabbing the man's hand to place the glasses in it and close his fingers around them. There. Glasses returned. She pushed herself up to stand straight again, hands on her hips and a cocky grin on her face. "Alright. Sing for me."
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:16 am
"Epsilon... huh! I think I might have met a few... er... were you the pink ones? I remember there was a fellow who um..." He coughed politely, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Candace!" He returned the glasses to his face gratefully, blinking as she came into focus, "Ah! There you are! Haha!" At the sudden demand of song, his smile faltered slightly. Sing. On the spot. For what appeared to be a very pretty girl. "Ah..." His eyes glazed over a moment as the Panic gripped him, but that was always the best time to sing, right? Right. His mouth opened and the first song to come to his head began to leak out: "What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key..."
He laughed, still flushing, "I bet you know that one!"
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Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 7:47 pm
"Yeaaaah. Our tent was highlighter pink, too." Candace chuckled quietly, drifting off after that to look away with a small frown. She almost wished she hadn't been Epsilon, so she wouldn't feel any regret for how badly she'd betrayed what had been left of her squad. At the mention of a fellow she perked up and looked at Jerry with interest. "A fellow? What fellow? You have to tell me." She stepped closer to him until he was pinned against the door, her hands on her shoulders and her eyes wide, desperate. "Do you mean Thirteen? You have to tell me about Thirtee--is he here?!" If he was here...oh! She was going to be so happy! That room. Everything she had done in that room. It had been for him. How he had been so wrongfully struck down, so cruelly killed when all he wanted was to help someone.
At least it had been about him at first.
She quickly let go of him as he put his glasses on, rubbing at the back of her neck and putting her other hand on her hip. She didn't think he was really going to sing to her. It'd been a joke. She thought his offer had been a joke.
And then he actually started singing. Candace blinked, looking up again to watch him. She did know the song. It'd been in a movie she watched, she'd liked listening to the original too. Aw, cute. He was blushing. Heh. "Uh...yeah...I know the song." Please tell her he did not expect her to sing with him. No, no. Noooo way.
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Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:57 pm
Jerry gave a squeak as he was suddenly pinned, glasses slipping down his nose as he gaped at the young woman in alarm. "Er... it... m-maybe? I... I wouldn't know I ah... There was a lot going on in the room and uh... well he seemed nice is all! I don't know if he's here or not, I haven't er... met everyone!" He relaxed only once she had let go, fidgeting as he pushed his glasses back up.
"But well... I mean... even if he's not... I woke up later than it seems everyone else did, and that room was still filled to the brim with pods. Anything is possible! He's not really dead." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, gingerly patting her shoulder, "Were you two... er... close?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:01 pm
The room. Did he mean...that room? Candace jumped back away from Jerry as if she'd been burned by him, wringing her hands together as she tried not to think about that room. Not here. Not now. Don't think about it. Don't remember it. But it was hard to when someone mentioned being there. "Y..you were...there?" She asked quietly, eyes widened as she clenched her fists. Did she kill him? Oh, s**t!
Jerry had a very good point though. He'd woken late, so maybe..maybe they were doing it in spurts. Batches. Things like that. She looked around, trying to remember where the room of pods was. Could she find him? Could she wake him herself? She wanted to apologize. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, and that she avenged his death. His undeserved death. He'd been a good man.
At Jerry's question Candace blinked, frowning a little. Were they close? "We were on the same squad. He was...really nice. Too nice, even. One of the ladies in that room killed him so I...kind of...avenged him." Sort of. Candace rubbed at the back of her neck for a moment.
"I..I get..by with a little help from my friends...?" Candace sang out meekly. She'd sang in that room but honestly she was more of a 'sing behind closed doors where no one can hear you!' kind of girl. She was shy about it, because singing wasn't something she was perfect at.
She had to be perfect.
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Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:01 pm
"Er... yes. It um. It's a bit of a blur, really. I had a chair thrown at me, and there was a lot of arguing and er... A girl had a scythe and I remember trying to take it away from her but um." He rubbed his neck, his smile flickering slightly. "I think I lost my head. Literally. But it's alright, there was singing afterward, as far as I can recall! Like I said, it's all a bit of a blurr- like a dream, you know?"
He relaxed a bit as she continued, a knowing smile replacing the flickering one as he gently patted her shoulder comfortingly, but positively beamed when she started singing. "Absolutely! And I am sure your friend will not let you down! He'll be here soon enough, I am positive!"
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:58 am
Huh. Lots of people threw chairs that day. She'd thrown a chair, he'd had a chair thrown at him, and she'd had a chair thrown at her. What was with people and throwing chairs? Stupid. But his story didn't seem like something that said she killed him; she was pretty sure there were only ladies left when she was killed. Maybe. She was pretty sure he still hadn't killed him. This was good...someone who wouldn't have just cause to completely hate her. There was hope yet. "Yeah...I remember singing when I got there...but I didn't stay long." She chuckled, nodding in understanding about everything being like a dream. Time felt like it slowed down or even stopped for her sometimes. It was rather unsettling.
Candace stopped singing as he pat her shoulder. Sure, the action was comforting but...that hadn't been what she was trying to do. "Aren't you an optimistic little thing, Jerr-bear. I was actually trying to change the subject." Might as well just tell him flat out. She didn't want to think about that room anymore. She just couldn't allow herself to fall into that...
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Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 10:53 pm
Jerry flushed slightly at the sudden springing of nickname. Jerr... Bear? That was a new one. Finally he couldn't hold it back any longer, suddenly bursting out into ecstatic laughter.
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