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 Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 4:20 pm
It wasn't a hard decision for Sailor Atë to go to the Virgo outpost. She was after all the Senshi of Pollution, yep thats right. Pollution. The mere thought brought gangrene and decay to mind and that wasn't a good thing. After all this was a rescue mission and it defeated the point if she ended up killing a few of them. So if anything the place with the best healing abilities won hands down every time. Ergo, Virgo. Yet she couldn't shake the unnerving thoughts that stabbed at her mind, she was out of her depth. Here she was in space, like in outer space. The type of outer space that is not on earth type of outer space. And she had brought potato chips. Her hands had found her temples before she even had time to think and the slow rubbing of skin on headache began. " Goddamit I should have brought some dips! Rookie mistake Venice, rookie mistake!" She would just have to find someone not-as-needy to have them that was all. Someone who can stand dry savour potato goods...this was going to be harder than she thought...
Her slow effort search took her from the confines of the castle and into the garden, making sure to avoid the few stray civilians that had begun to do the chores set out for them by sheer gratefulness. The place was a dump after all and it needed to be cleaned for which Sailor Atë was more than happy for them to give it a dam good go. Without her of course.
"Oh...what ever will I do with allllll these chips!" Her voice came out in a sing song tune as if 'pretending' to be confused and unknowing of what she was going to do. It was obvious what she was going to do. She was going to eat them. All of them. It was going to be good. A stray ruin, a marble column of some sort lay on it side on the outer confines of the would-be garden, it would make a perfect spot for some intergalactic snacking.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:07 pm
Fritz had spent the better part of past three hours setting up cots, wrapping injuries, searching for a clean towel, trying to rid himself of his ringing headache, and attempting to discover whether or not, within all of the miscellaneous things scattered about, there just happened to be an extra pair of shoes in his size lying conveniently around.
Needless to say the last part had not been successful.
He was hot. And tired. And dizzy. And the pools of crystal clear water that lay in strategic places of land around Virgo's outpost were looking very, very inviting.
Except the dizziness was not due to his headache (though that was a major contributing factor), but from hunger. Frederick St. James was hungry.
And had no food. That was a problem.
Stomach growling like an unfed tiger, Fritz dragged himself around the outpost, attempting to figure out where he could find some grub (Such a weird word, "grub," he thought to himself as he walked). Unfortunately he found himself lost very easily and somehow wound up outside again.
"What de eff - "
He wailed internally. His stomach rumbled again.
"Oh...what ever will I do with allllll these chips!"
The voice was quite unexpected and Fritz, lost in his inner ramblings to himself, jumped, looking around to figure out who had spoken. A young woman, looking to be somewhere around his own age, sat on a fallen, marble white pillar a few yards away, holding -
- is that food.
It was time to make new friends.
"Hi," Fritz said cheerfully, stepping barefootedly across the slightly damp grass towards the girl. He swung a leg over the pillar and sat sideways on it, smiling brightly at her.
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:27 pm
If Atë was surprised or shocked by the newcomer she hid it well. What she didn't hide well was the attempt to hide said chips behind her back while giving the ultimate evil eye to the stranger. She knew she was caught, just knew it. But Venice didn't do sharing! But sadly, she thought, Sailor Atë just might have too. "Aww dammit all to hell! Well h-e-y there...civilian...guy? Having...fun?" What? What was she meant to say? Freaked out yet? Broken any limbs? Mental hospital anyone? This wasn't exactly the most sane thing to happen to a random person. God she was hardly coming to terms with being able to shout a few words and transforming into clothing she could never avoid let alone know she was on a distant planet in space. SPACE. She looked over at the boy and wondered if maybe he should be comforting her and instead in an act of friendship weary offered the pack.
"Fine...you can have half, no some...a handful...no wait three, you can lick one.....ohhhh! Just take the whole bag then, jeez!!" Her hands waved to the sky as if seeking vengeance for such an act before crossing them over her ample chest. It may have appeared worrying to some people to see a senshi battle over her most inner thoughts on a packet of chips but it was the least of the boys problems this day.
"Just dont act like your enjoying them ok?...Sailor Atë, Senshi of Pollution at your service, what's your name punchbag?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:41 pm
"Hey," Fritz protested, giving the girl a (definitely over dramatic) crestfallen look, his eyes moving to the bag of chips that she had swung behind her at his arrival. "I was looking at those."
Then realized how overwhelmingly stupid that sounded, and attempted to give her a wide smile.
- and then rose his eyebrows at her unexpected question. Tilting his head, Fritz regarded her with a curiously amused expression, the way a cat might look at a mouse it was going to catch later.
"I can...lick one?" he said, slightly bemused, but when she held out the bag of chips to him he did not ask twice, instead grabbing them almost greedily and holding them in a ridiculously reverent fashion.
Then he decided to just screw it and stuffed a handful into his mouth very unceremoniously.
Oh, the joys food can bring.
For several blissful moments, Fritz forgot he was sitting on a fallen pillar outside of what looked like a Greek temple in the middle of outer space after being ambushed mysteriously from his loft, attacked by a giant whale and then being turned as green as a green bean.
Then he remembered he was, and that the girl sitting in front of him was still sitting in front of him and talking to him.
"Oh," he said thickly, and then swallowed the mouthful of chips, sticking out his hand brightly. "I'm Fritz. Thank you for the chips! What's your name? Are you one of those senshi people things?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:51 pm
Venice couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle before her. Like a hamster he had stuffed his way through half the bag in seconds and was still able to utter coherent words. Taking the now rather salty covered hand Sailor Atë shook it gently, unsure just how injured this one civilian was and grinned in response to his question quietly praising that her transformation came with gloves.
"The 'Senshi of Pollution' bit of my name didnt give that away? Haha, yeah am one of those people. Out of my way to come get you back where you belong, earth! I mean!.." She stood now, again the over acting playing its part as she drummed up the drama, her arms out wide as she shook her upturned palms to the clouds. "I mean what are you guys doing out here in the first place! Am not saying you were asking to be attacked by a gaint...turtle...squid...some sort of sea based creature...in space. BUT...I mean...why!"
She could see she was overreacting but it didnt help her pacing. She wanted to know why she was missing Iron Chef.
"Do you remember anything? I mean..how it started? You guys...you guys have been missing for weeks now. Do you remember anything at all?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:08 pm
Fritz certainly felt like a hamster, and most likely he looked like one that had its cheeks all puffed out idiotically and filled with seeds.
"Such a light handshake," he said, glancing down at her hand. Realization dawned in his expression, and he flashed her a wide smile. "Oh, don't worry about me being injured! I'm all good. I mean, I have a headache. And I have that weird feeling in my ear- you know, the one where it feels like you have water in your ear and everything is all garbled and whatnot."
Fritz paused. "Oh," he said, a little sheepishly as he realized his mistake. "Sorry, I must've, er...not been payingtoo much attention because I was too hungry."
He quickly composed himself. "Senshi of Pollution, eh? So what exactly does that mean? I mean, I don't know what these senshi people do, anyway, except that you're sort of, you know, 'save-the-world-ish.'"
Swallowing the next mouthful of chips he'd had (his stomach felt a little more satisfied now), Fritz frowned a little, trying to think back.
"...I remember my head started ringing," he said after a moment, brows contracting together as his mind worked. "And I remember my chest felt a little tight, and my heart started beating really fast."
He grinned cheekily. "And then, suddenly, I was experience Star Wars without the Wars part."
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:22 pm
She stopped moving as the boy explained his slight injury. Nothing life threatening but god was it annoying when you got water in your ear. She felt his pain. She made sure her smile was soft and playful as he realised his overlook of her fancy name and waved a hand as if chasing the comment away.
"Pfft don't be sorry, its hardly like I can blame you for being distracted! And god knows if I know what being a Senshi means. Apparently you get absolutely no discount anywhere, and trust me, I've looked!" She could see she wasn't exactly selling this otherworldly gift very well and took it upon herself to sit back down, her body leaning towards him on a strong arm as she gestured to the garden.
"Yeah I guess you can say we're the good guys. Don't want to let you in on too much but as long as you view us that way you will be safe...maybe not with me but anyone of the other funny dressed people will keep you from shuffling off this mortal coil." she gave another grin just as wide as the boy was giving her and felt quite at ease with him. She really wasn't sure what she could say never having spent more than a few minutes in a victims presence. She was on tender hooks not to reveal her social security number to him! Nodding at his explanation of his arrival, not really coming to any conclusion but curiosity slightly dampened she tapped her head slowly trying to work it all out.
"Sound like me after a heavy night...but...you can't think of any reason why you would be here? What do you do back home? International spy? Drugs mule? Student? Any one of those could be a reason for you to be kidnapped like this!"
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:44 pm
Fritz gave Ate an emphatic nod, as if to silently say See? Doesn't it suck? He was quite glad at least someone here could understand how terrible it felt to get water stuck in your ear.
Especially when there was no such water and no amount of shaking his head stupidly to the side would do anything except make his head ache even more than it already did.
He gave her a wide, astonished look and said "What? You don't get a discount? Why'd you sign up for this shift, anyway?"
The pun was ridiculous, and he knew it, but Fritz stifled a smile anyway and focused on what the young woman was saying instead of his own (stupid) brilliance.
"Hm, okay," he said, tapping his chin thoughtfully with one long finger as he contemplated her words. "So what you're saying is...all I have to do is dress funny, talk to cats, give chips to unsuspecting and hungry strangers, and I can be one of 'the good guys' too?"
The cheeky grin was still on his face, but it faded slightly as Fritz lapsed into another musing silence, reaching up to push the muss of dark red hair away from his face. It was really getting to be a bit too long, but there was nothing much he could do about that here.
Except find someone who was bored and wanted to do something. Which Fritz wasn't sure he actually trusted someone to cut his hair without being an actual hair stylist.
"Yes, that's exactly right," he deadpanned. "I'm an international spy who's also a drug mule posing as a student."
Waving his hand in a noncommittal way, Fritz added, a little more seriously "Nah, in all honesty I'm just an art student at DCU." He shrugged. "Nothing particularly interesting. I mean, I draw for an online webcomic that my brother writes, but other than that, my life is pretty darn dull."
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:52 pm
Ate played with the crumbling marble as she listened, offering a look of "Don't be do stupid" right back at him with his summary of how to become a sailor scout...although he was hitting the mark pretty dam close.
"There is a little more to it than that! Plus I just can't see you in a skirt and leotard, although you do have the legs for it..." She raised an eyebrow in jest as she pointed to his pins giving them a quick nod of approval as her minds eye imagined him in a mini skirt. "Mmm...oh, ahem, t-trust me though, you dont get to pick what you wear. You think this - " Pulling at her top she gestured to its ridiculous nature. "Is good for fighting in? I can't even pee in this without it taking twenty minutes!" She threw the rocks into the open space in frustration, not really aiming for anything before starting to laugh. Her cranky mood quickly lifted at his agreement of her attempt to find out what he did.
"Haha, and i thought i had an unusual job! But...other than the drug mule part, that is pretty impressive! Maybe one day off duty I can come check out your work, I myself am an arti-iss-eek -" A bolt of panic ran through her spine. Could she say she was an artist too? Was that too much information? Would he hunt her down and reveal her identity if she did!! Better safe than sorry.
"Uhh i mean...want me to...uhh....show you my powers or something?" She wasn't sure how to entertain herself let alone a complete stranger!
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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:03 pm
"What?" said Fritz innocently, smiling widely at her reprimanding look of exasperation. He lifted his hands in a gesture of Who, me? "Come on, you gotta admit - some of these outfits are definitely a little off the wall."
Laughter rose in his throat, bubbling out and spilling over as he sputtered and gasped. After a few moments he managed to pull on a straight face again, giving Sailor Ate the most dignified look he could manage (which wasn't very dignified at all).
"Excuse me, but I think I would look utterly fantastic in a skirt and leotard, thank you very much."
Fritz had decided he rather liked this woman. She was different from the rest he had met; slightly more eccentric, perhaps even a little odd, but she was also entertaining and seemed to have a great sense of humor; all things that Fritz supported wholeheartedly.
Excitement made him lean forward eagerly. "You're an artist too?" he said eagerly, then clapped his hands on her shoulders, giving her an intensely serious look. "Then I have a most important question for you:
"Do you know where I could get some more art supplies around here?"
He had totally missed her last question.
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 3:57 pm
If Sailor Ate had a tighter collar she would be pulling it away for breathing space right now. Her inaudible squeak had failed completely in stopping the words from forming and instead he had heard. He had heard all right, and now he wanted advice, advice. No one should ever ask Venice for that, she just didn't do it well. Pulling a face as if thinking she brought a gloved hand up to her chin, tapping it as if in thought, making sure she didn't knock his hands of her shoulders. She knew dam well the art supply shop she was going to suggest, dam, she was going to be working there in a few weeks she needed to drum up some clients! Well...when in Rome, she may as well tell him. Or in this case, when in space.
"That blockage did nothing to your hearing then I take it!" she added sarcasticly before jumping into detail about her new favourite shop.
"Its down from 5th Avenue, away from that shop..uhhh, that errr..oh yeah, "Things Recollected" place, no idea what it does but like two or three minutes walk from there. Its called "A Brush with Class Art Supplies" really cool joint. Get everything you want easy, if we ever leave this place I'll show you!"
It was only then that Sailor Ate pulled a face that resembled worry. She hadn't for a second thought that nobody wouldnt be going home. That this was a simple matter of picking up and taking back with no problems in between. For a moment she looked over at Fritz and felt the need to hug him but she ignored the horrible pang she felt and waved it off.
"Yeah I'll defiantly show you when we leave...Soo.. do you have much family back in Dee-Cee? As you can tell am not from around here...I mean back home, not space...even if that would be pretty cool...like an alien or something, yeah, that would be so cool...urrrhh sorry, where was I? Oh yeah! Am from York, England. Save the limey jokes or I will have to crack out the yankee insults and you do not want that happen!" she added with a grin, a finger pointing at him as if telling him off like a naughty school boy.
"You sure I can't use you as target practice?" she mumbled as she had the sudden feeling of protecting him...even if that defeated the point entirely.
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:53 pm
For a few moments Fritz just stared at Sailor Ate, attempting to figure out just what on earth had just happened. Then, as realization dawned in his brain, he leaned back, tilted his head, and then burst out laughing.
"You're pretty fun, you know that?" he said, pushing his messy hair back away from his face. After a few moments he gave an amused sigh, shaking his head as he turned to give her a smile. "I meant, where can I find some art supplies around here. Art shops are pretty scarce in space, you know, and I'm sort of at a loss for finding things I can draw with."
There was a definite mischievous twinkle in his eye as he added "But I'll definitely look up those shops if I get home."
His voice faltered just the slightest, his expression flickering. If, he had said, not when. He had not meant to say that, not meant to have shown that he, like everyone else, believed that their stay here would not be a pleasant one, nor a short one. His heart clambered in his chest, which felt abnormally tight for one brief moment, but then he took a deep breath, drawing the normal, goofy expression back onto his face.
"I have a brother," Fritz said, grateful for the question. "A twin brother, three and a half minutes younger than I am. His name is Tolliver."
He tilted his head, giving her an amused smile. "I'm from England too, you know," came the entertained response, the accent only slight. "My parents still reside there, in Bristol."
Dark red eyebrows rose. "Target practice? And what exactly would that entail, might I ask?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:48 am
The term 'face palm' couldn't quite cover how Venice felt right now. The boy wanted to know where to get art supplies...art supplies here. In space.....SPACE!!?? Her expression was one of true bewilderment as she looked at him. Maybe the lack of air pressure had done something to his mind? Edging away slowly may be the right thing to to do right now until something came to her mind about what she had said. She had seriously given away information about herself! Not only had she given her location away (he now knew she was from the DC area) but she had told him where she worked, her profession and hobbies and the worst fact was he hadn't even ASK FOR THEM!! She had volunteered that information entirely on her own!!!....actually this was a face palming moment. Groaning in her own stupidity she held her face in her hands as she breathed out long as slow, and without a further hesitation grabbed the carefully concealed box from beneath her bow and pulled out a cigarette, lightening it quickly before she could stop herself.
"Uhhh, don't tell anyone, I seriously need this right now!" she said with a look of despair and inhaled deeply. Venice wasn't one for moving away so other people weren't harmed. In fact it never even came to her mind to ask Fritz if he was even OK with her smoking. She was doing it either way. "We can have a look around if you want? I mean this place is a dump but I am sure there is paper somewhere, maybe we can find some pens...or at least some chalk or something. I can imagine your bored as hell!"
She mulled over his statement regarding Bristol and wrinkled her nose in a joking manner. "Oh haha poor you! Bristol? And I thought I had it bad coming from York! You don't sound like your from England...then again am working on picking up the accent, even if its to stop everyone going "Oh my god, your from England? Say something Posh!" she stated putting on her best (which was the worst) American accent that she could muster.
With a quick flick of the cig she leaned into him briefly, all smiles and evil twinkling eyes. "Oh target practice! Nothing too it! I am after all a novice to this Senshi malarkey, you could be helping me you know by....by being covered head to toe in rubbish..."
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:38 am
Fritz laughing at Ate was good natured, not demeaning or mocking in the slightest. He could see embarrassment and realization tinge her cheeks a pale red before a look of bemusement replaced the slightly sheepish one; he had the sneaking suspicion she thought him quite peculiar for asking such an outlandish question, but he was starting to go stir crazy trying to keep himself occupied out here in space. His art supplies - his beautiful, hundreds of dollar art supplies - were all sitting back on his enormous desk in the loft he shared with Tolliver; most likely gathering dust, since his brother never bothered with them himself.
"But thank you," Fritz added cheerfully. "I now know where to get supplies i- I mean, when I get back."
The word if had almost escaped again. He shoved it forcefully to the back of his mind, then gave Sailor Ate a meaningful look.
"Those aren't very good for you, you know," came the mildly stern reply, but other than that small comment he dropped it, turning instead to face outward, across the lawn of Virgo's temple.
"'Bored as hell' would be a bit of an understatement," Fritz replied dryly, after a moment. "And I don't sound like I'm from England because I don't particularly enjoy having an accent. People - girls especially (no offense) - tend to squeal at a decibel only dogs can hear at and demand I keep talking so they can listen. Besides," he added with a small shrug. "I came to DC when I was about ten, and I've had much time to practice getting rid of it."
He gave her a look that clearly said why no, he did not really want to be covered in rubbish, then said lightly "I'll think about it.
"Maybe."
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Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:05 am
It didn't take Venice long this time to notice the hesitation in Fritz's voice, the concern regarding going home. It was almost like the unspoken secret that everyone knew about but no one wanted to speak aloud in case it made it more real. And even if she was the one dressed head to toe in magical garb she didn't have the information to help him out on that one, or anyone else for that matter.
She gave a half hearted smile at the smoking comment and expertly flicked it into the dried out bushes, a sudden panic of "Oh my god thats going to set everything alight" passed quickly as she nudged the boy in the shoulder. "God don't I know that! I mean if anything I hate our accent...not saying your accent is crap or anything I just mean...well you know. I doubt we really come across all intelligent and suave like we do in the movies...I know i dont...and I defiantly know you dont!" she sated with a laugh giving him another nudge. She was trying to distract him from any darker thoughts that may begin to surface and with his rejection of her power show she was slightly stumped for ideas.
"I think...you made the right decision there." She mumbled as she stopped the tingling sensation in her hands from forming. Really they needed a Youma attack to happen right now but surely that was just asking for trouble, and if anything they already had too much of that!
"We should be getting back to the others." She said softly, although they had hardly spent that long out here Venice knew that there was only so much a complete stranger could ask a super hero without going down the route of their early demise. "Am sure theres lots for us to do...sadly." With a huff she pointed the way to temporary safety of the ruins, her mind slowly ticking that at least this young boy doesn't get thrown to the wolves any time soon.
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