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 Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:41 pm
Kyndall's life was rather upside down the past night or two. All of this new found knowledge and power coursing through her and no outlet to vent it was driving her mad. She didn't dare show Harmony and could only think to find Tony and tell him what happened. She knew what side she belonged on and what she was meant to do but Kyndall was clueless on how to begin. It all seemed so overwhelming! She still wasn't sure if wishing had made it happen or if it was there all along and she just didn't know it.
Shalott, Page of Earth. And Kyndall Rosen, high school drama teacher. Were the two compatible and, like Batman, could she find a balance between night and day? How would she lie to her daughter to protect her from these things she'd already been hurt by? She couldn't imagine how Tony did it with his own son and his own day job. Frankly the idea frightened her: trying to create an entirely new life to overlap the old.
She hurried along the sidewalk, finally emerging to find the one person who might be able to make sense of all of this. The one person who might understand her plight and offer valuable advice based on his own experiences. She spotted him ahead, powered up, and sighed with relief. She broke into a run, trying to catch up, with her heels clicking lightly on the pavement.
"Camelot!" Distantly she remembered Shalott and Camelot were related in mythology. It was where Lancelot and Guinevere settled after she left Arthur. The poem, too, was famous though little else came to mind about the fabled place she was named for. "Camelot, please! Stop!"
She felt somewhat like a mad woman. Perhaps she had gone a little crazy with all of the things happening to her at once. Harmony's kidnapping, the attacks on the City Council meeting, her daughter's death and subsequent return and then finding out Tony was more than she thought. But as she approached him, finally coming to a stop in front of him, she was glad they weren't too far from the library. She finally felt useful!
"I'm sorry to interrupt your patrol but I need to talk to you, privately. Can we go into the library for a few minutes?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:55 pm
Camelot nearly jumped out of his armor when he heard a voice calling for him, looking around but seeing the familiar owner of said voice coming directly toward him. He slowed, smiling at her, though he was immediately concerned that she was out so late and that she was calling for him.
Neither were particularly conducive to a nice stroll out.
On guard, he looked behind her to see if there was anything coming after. He felt no Negaverse agents of any strength, or any other chaotic aura, nearby, and he stretched his ability feel as far as he could. He didn't see anything behind her, either, from a youma to a wild dog trying to bite her. No street thugs or homeless people really insistent for pocket change.
Nothing.
That was a relief, but the smile he offered her was thin and wary. He nodded his head.
"Yes, of course," he said. Walking back toward the library, where he had started his very short patrol, "what's the matter, Kyndall? Are you hurt? Is Harmony okay?" He didn't power down, not yet anyway, though he would have to in order to unlock the library again. Still, if she was in trouble she would need a knight, possibly even in shining armor if the street lamps were thoughtful, and not a librarian.
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:47 pm
"Camelot, please." she asked him, catching his eyes. She almost called him Tony. "Alone."
She immediately shook off his questions about herself and Harmony. they were just fine and she hadn't meant to imply that they weren't. Well, she was physically alright. Mentally she was still through some loop she hadn't quite deciphered and felt like she was upside down: a roller coaster in mid loop. She felt like she couldn't hold still, shifting from one foot to the next until he unlocked the doors to let her in. She didn't want to do this out in public just in case...she didn't know. Just in case someone saw them.
"Harmony's adjusting well enough for a girl that died and was resurrected by an unseen force." She smiled an ironic smile and considered him. "She's been sleeping more, at any rate. It's all I can ask for right now."
The library was dark and she shied away from the windows, overly paranoid with her secret. Her hands held his and for the first time a smile graced her lips. She was excited to be able to share this with him...for them to have more in common. He could be a mentor as well as a friend and she was looking forward to that, taking her namesake as a sign that this was the right path to take...it was meant to be. She remembered touching the corsage for the first time, feeling the power jolt though her veins.
"You won't believe this, Tony, it's a miracle. I wanted you to be the first to know..."
She powered up, her armor appearing out of no where, the garland on her wrist with pretty purple flowers along the ribbon. She stood silent for a few minutes, letting him take it in, her entire stance showing how unsure she was of how he'd react. She didn't try to explain figuring he went through something similar his first time. She sort of shrugged, a half smile dancing on her lips. Since she'd shown him this way he'd always know who she was. Their secrets were in eachother's hands.
"Shalott, Page of Earth at your service." she whispered.
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:11 am
Camelot swallowed hard and nodded his head. He felt he had no real choice here, and whatever it was she needed to tell him, he needed to hear. In the back of his mind he wondered if he was going to be yelled at, but he had done nothing to warrant it after telling her his secret, had he?
Pondering a blanket apology just in case, he powered down and let her into the library, locking the doors back up behind them and leading her into the staff area behind the front desk. He could turn on the light in his office, which had no windows, without anyone passing by thinking it was odd. Plus there was a sofa to sit on.
Tony listened as he explained how Harmony was, nodding his head. Understandable, and good to hear that she was sleeping better. She would continue to adjust, and understand.
He looked at her expectantly, then blinked as she powered up. That was not what he had been anticipating, certainly. He stared at her for a very long moment, far longer than was comfortable or appropriate, but he was trying to process what had just happened. He had seen many people power up before, and quite a few when they were just awakening.
But he had never anticipated it with her. For some reason, he had considered her his civilian to protect. Someone to confide in and explain things to, but never get involved directly. Now she was a fighter, just like he was. A knight, just like he was. He saw the symbols of Earth on her outfit and he finally took a breath. Not that he'd noticed he was holding it in.
He powered up just for the sake of it. Camelot, Squire of Earth, stared at the new Page some more, before finally shaking his head and snapping out of his daze. He could feel her aura now, crisp and pure.
"Shalott! I... how... you're a knight! When did this happen? How?" He knew how, of course. He knew that items appeared to those who would awaken into knights. He just couldn't fathom anything at the moment, and couldn't take his eyes off her. It hadn't occurred to him how to feel about it yet, certainly. That would come after this valiant struggle just to understand.
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:06 pm
"It happened about three days ago. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it myself. I spent so long wishing to be able to help and make use of what I know. When it happened I guess I just...freaked?"
It was one thing to wish for something and quietly assume it won't be granted. She'd wanted to help in this war and felt helpless as a mother and as a citizen and when the corsage appeared she was so surprised she hadn't had a chance to resist it. It was certainly another to have them granted for you in such a forceful and permanent way. She didn't have a chance to resist. While the power thrilled her and she was immediately tempted to see what it meant she also knew enough about the war to take a few moments and think about the consequences.
Thus, why she came to him first after the shock wore off and why she hadn't wanted to do this in public. Frustratingly she still couldn't tell whether he was pleased by it or upset. She wanted to believe he'd like the idea of having her by his side to help him and train beneath him. He'd obviously been at this longer than she had and she'd need someone to teach her what to do and about the things she didn't know. Specifics.
"Please say something."
She was freaked out enough on her own. She'd come to him as a friend to share her news knowing he'd understand. Or, rather, hoping he would. She couldn't handle the enormity of the change on her own and needed just one person to be able to talk to to tell her that everything would be alright and this was only a part of her. She was still Kyndall, too. Shalott had not absorbed her completely into this new role.
"Shalott and Camelot are related in their mythology, you know. Like Avalon, it's on the outside of the stories but tied to the Kingdom."
She felt like that was relevant somehow, as if it proved why she was here and why this happened to her. She hadn't chosen it. It had chosen her for some reason she had yet to find or understand. The time it was taking made her less sure of herself with each passing moment. She didn't know he'd felt especially possessive of her as his normal friend to protect and trust.
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:23 pm
Camelot smiled and looked her over, calming himself from his shock so he could really take in this new knight.
"It was not the wishing that awakened Shalott," he said, thoughtful but his tone was happy. He imagined this was a good thing, though there would be so much to worry about. She would be leashed to him, he could already see it, so he could keep her safe as she learned the ropes. True enough, most lessons were learned the hard way for senshi and knights alike, probably for all the others as well, but Camelot would not risk Kyndall getting herself hurt if he had some chance of helping her.
He often referred to his instincts as a hero complex, but at the moment it was feeling very much like a white knight complex.
"You had this inside you, and you were awakened in a time of need. Your own need, and that of those around you. You're worthy of this, I know just from seeing how deeply you care about people, about your friends and family. But there is so much to learn, and your life will never be the same. At least, not until we can find a way to end this war. But I know you are more than capable. And if you'll let me, I'll help you."
He felt it did mean something that their wonders were related, through Arthurian legend of all things. He had always thought being awakened as Camelot had been some sort of cosmic joke, but now it felt more like a plan. He already knew Avalon, the knight, and now Shalott.
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:47 pm
Kyndall finally let herself grin as he seemed to accept her. His tone was happier, anyway, and for that she was infinitely grateful. She let out the long breath she’d been holding and threw her arms around him, hugging him hard. She knew he’d understand how huge this was for her and how important it was that she had someone who could teach her things and help her find her way as a knight. It was a relief to have him there who’d done it before.
It was true they were close as friends and she felt very protective of him and of his feelings as he did over hers. She imagined they’d spare each other any pain in the world if they could. Because of this she trusted him more than most and more than anyone else with this particular secret. She finally let him go and stepped back, feeling pleasantly happy.
“You have no idea how much I needed to hear that, Tony. It’s overwhelming.” She let out a nervous chuckle, finally sitting down on the couch in his office. She seemed to spend a lot of time on this couch in times of crisis or when she felt like this. “I need you to help me. I’m not even sure I know what this war is about fully, much less what part I can play to end it. People are dying. I know that. And I don’t want that.”
She was having a hard time trying to come to terms with the idea that this was somehow inherent to her. That she had it in her all the time and simply “woke up” when she needed to. When it was time, like a pie baked just long enough. Maybe as an innocent she wasn’t ready for it before. When she had no idea about youma, or the Negaverse she wouldn’t have been an effective knight.
“But I don’t know whether to tell Harmony or not. She likes Camelot and trusts him but if her own mother joined the fight? That’s a little too close to home. She’s been through too much, Tony. I don’t want to add to it.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:42 pm
Camelot let her sit down, scratching at the back of his neck, which was often irritated by the chain mail he wore. He looked at her, looking over her in a new light, his brain finally moving to function normally after being absolutely overwhelmed by surprise.
He stood near the sofa, letting her think. And he wasn't sure his knees knew how to bend at the moment.
"Ah, well,that is a long story that I only know the highlights to, I think. I know that the negaverse believe this to be their planet, and they are fighting to keep it. They want to drive the senshi, who are from the stars, off. They call the senshi invaders." He wasn't sure why he was telling it from the negaverse's perspective. Maybe to emphasize that there were two sides.
It was very easy to brand the side of Chaos as evil, and fight just for the senshi, but Camelot fought for all life. Whatever side they were fighting for, most of the warriors were just kids. He explained this much to Kyndall, hearing his voice droning on and wondering if she was regretting her choice in asking him.
"As far as telling your daughter... I suppose that decision is up to you. It's dangerous, putting them in that position of knowledge. I didn't want to do it to you, you remember. I worry about making them targets... and I worry they might make a mistake and mention it. I haven't told my son. Not that he would care one way or the other." he sighed.
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:59 am
She listened to his lecture on the war and decided she was not directly against Chaos and she wasn't directly for Order. She was light all the way. So long as people didn't end up dying she didn't care. After all, she didn't know for sure that the senshi weren't interlopers. She cared about the people caught in the middle and the children. And the teenagers. Like Tony, she didn't want to see anyone waste their lives needlessly. She imagined her own daughter out there in the fight, surrounded by people that wished her death and shuddered bodily. She was a mother and that was her reason for fighting. To protect those that could not do it for themselves. To preserve all life in the hope that someone who do the same for her baby.
"I know I should, Tony, but I just don't know how to lie to her. She's been through so much lately. I just don't want to do anything that might make it worse. What if she finds out?" She paused and then looked horrified. "What if I die? Who will take care of her? Our family's gone."
That thought sent her into fresh thrills of abject terror imagining leaving her child alone. She didn't like the idea and though Harmony was nearly grown she'd been through so much already she didn't want to think about it. She couldn't imagine what would happen if she died for this cause. She didn't want to but it was always a possibility. Harmony had already died and she wasn't even a part of it to begin with. Kyndall shuddered again, trembling on the couch as she stared at the floor. She got up and moved to him, taking his hands in her.
"You have to promise me you'll take care of her, Tony. Please, promise me. She loves Camelot. She'll trust you and you're the only one I trust. You're the only one that I know that will love her like I do. Promise me."
Of course this was a phase she'd go through with this new role to fill, thinking of the worst and preparing for it. Chances are she wouldn't die in the line of duty but the weight of it wasn't on herself alone. It involved her daughter now. She'd write up a will soon and make sure everyone knew of her wishes. She'd probably have him sign it as her witness to make things official. Everything would go to Harmony including the money from her parent's house that she had in savings for college for her daughter. It would all go to her through Tony, the executor of her estate.
God willing these provisions would never need to take effect but she couldn't ignore that someday they might be needed.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:27 am
Camelot looked surprised as she took his hands, but he couldn't say that she was overreacting. They could die, very easily, and he knew that. He had seen good people being killed, lives being ruined in other ways, people simply going missing, whether dead or not.
Anything could happen, he knew that. It was not a simple life, not matter how hard they worked to try and live like it was.
He felt he had found a balance, but that in no means meant he was prepared for the worst. In fact, he generally avoided the idea that something might happen to him, and Nathan would be left to deal with things on his own. What would happen to his son? Tony had a feeling the younger Darrow would not care as much as Tony would like, but maybe that was being unfair. Tony didn't want to find out, really.
And who would take care of Dogby?
"Kyndall..." he gripped her hands reassuringly. "If anything ever happens to you, I'll take care of Harmony. But, as knights, I will fight for you and do my best to make sure that doesn't happen. We're allies now. And there are more of us. I have a team, and if you'd like to join us... we take care of each other."
And they fought for life, for normalcy. All things he knew Kyndall had wanted and needed.
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:07 pm
The team he mentioned sounded a bit like a throwback to superheroes and their Justice Leagues or whatever it was. Not that she minded. It made her feel a bit better to know she wasn't the only one and that he was there for her. That he'd take care of Harmony. She hugged him for that, forgetting everything else for a few moments. It was nice to know that if anything happened to her Harmony would have someone who could love and protect her on her side.
"I'd take care of Nathan, if I could, and Dogby too you know." she mentioned softly, not wanting to broach the subject too much in case he didn't want to talk about it. But she wanted him to know that the things he loved would be cared for, too. What had they been talking about? A team? Oh, right.
"I'd like that. I'd feel better knowing there are more of us working together for peace. I'd like to join."
Kyndall didn't want to get swept up in this new identity and have it overwhelm the old. She wasn't always satisfied with her old life but she was generally happy with who she was and how she'd spent her time. She had a beautiful, capable daughter and a job she took pride in and enjoyed. If her romantic life was largely unrequited she was working on that. She had a date, in fact, the following night. She wanted to prove to herself that she could move on past the very charming white knight standing before her being very understanding and endearing.
A little too quickly she took her hands away from his and turned around. "You'll have to be my Yoda." she joked, not sure he'd get the reference. "But not tomorrow night. Tomorrow night I'm going on a date with one of the English teachers at Crystal Academy, Dave Roberts."
She'd known Dave in passing for a while. He'd recommended some shows to her and local events and she'd always judged him to be a safe friend until he finally got up the courage to ask her out. In her defiance of being one of those love sick unrequited lovers she'd accepted. But she didn't admit that was the reason to anyone, even herself. She just told herself they had a lot in common.
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:21 pm
At least she hadn't made a knights of the round joke. That was usually what he got when he mentioned the team. Or even when he didn't. But looking like a knight was bad enough, and was usually just what people needed to start jokes, but when they found out he was Camelot it usually just made things worse.
He was okay with it though.
He smiled, the conversation a bit heavy, but he felt comfortable with her. They were talking about things that were most important to them, things he tried not to worry about but knew he had to. He had to. This was his son, her daughter. They were the future, and they needed to have one.
When she mentioned a date, though, thoughts of the Knights of Destiny and taking care of their civilian lives while battling as Knights flew from his head. He was Tony, always, and Tony was a little wobbled that she was talking about her personal life with him. For some reason, he had never thought about it. Maybe he never let himself. He knew he had mentioned his own before, so it was not fair at all for him to be thrown off now.
But he was, and he blinked at her.
"A... oh. Well, w-we'll have to catch you up on the Knights of Destiny the day after, then." He made himself speak, but his words sounded weird in his ears. His muscles felt tight and he realized he had tensed. Why?
He tried to relax, offering her an easy smile and trying for a joke.
"Are English teachers more interesting than Librarians, I wonder?" He regretted it the moment he said it, though, and he looked pathetically at her for understanding. He was so awkward, and he cursed himself for it. They were friends. He was there to support her. "Uhm. I mean. Maybe you should get a good night's sleep."
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:37 pm
"Well, this English teacher is more available than the librarian I know." she replied softly, but pointedly.
More interesting than Tony? Not likely. He was a knight, for Pete's sake. All he needed was a white horse and he'd been her ideal. Smart, strong, charming, brave, handsome, stalwart, and loyal. Dave may be some of these things but she'd never know him like she knew Tony and with the level of trust they had together it would be hard to top. She might never trust Dave enough to share her secret with him.
She was looking away and missed Tony tensing which was probably a good thing. She couldn't conceive of him being jealous of her little adventure so that certainly didn't occur to her now. She simply wondered if she'd said too much. More than he wanted to know, anyway. Or maybe their romantic lives were taboo now since he hadn't mentioned his girlfriend much to her and she'd never had a romantic life before now to speak of.
"Are you alright? Did I say something wrong?" She did notice he'd gone from calm and collected to nervous and a bit off balance. He'd been confident before she mentioned her date. "Should I not have mentioned my date?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 1:35 pm
Tony blushed and stared at the floor. He knew what she meant, and he felt terrible for taking a jab at her crush on him, intended or not. Had it been purposeful? He was fairly sure the words had just tumbled from his mouth, but they had been there anyway. No, he was just making a joke, as he was often called boring, and he thought it was something he could relate to.
He smiled at her, shaking his head.
"No, no, I think I'm just overwhelmed by the level of new information I'm taking in tonight," he laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, first you're a knight and now you're dating? Heavens. Your whole life is changing and I am very behind. But I am here to support you. Maybe... more on the knight side of things. You'll likely need a girlfriend for dating advice."
He chuckled, getting his casual, warm swing back. His eyes were soft and he looked at her with an air of happiness around him, though a lingering doubt bit at the back of his head. There was a lot to deal with, certainly, but she had to do it a lot more than he did. He was just watching, she was living through it, and he would help with what he could.
"I do think it's getting a bit late, though. Can I walk you home?" He remembered she had come running up to him, so he imagined she hadn't brought her car tonight. And powered up, traveling was a lot easier. That was one of the many perks.
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 1:52 pm
"Tony..."
She lifted her violet eyes to linger on his but she wasn't sure what she meant to say. Her hand strayed to his bicep and wanted to explain that being a knight and having feelings for him did not prevent her from dating. His girlfriend prevented her from acting on her feelings but she wasn't going to deny herself the ability to develop new feelings if she could. Only he could stop her but he wasn't going to. He'd made that clear.
And instead of speaking at all she realized she'd kept her eyes locked on his entirely too long. Certainly longer than was comfortable or appropriate. She tilted her chin up for a few brief seconds putting her lips within distance of his own if he'd close the gap. That was before she realized what she was doing and blinked and then started backing away suddenly. This wasn't what she'd had in mind.
"Yes, quite a lot for both of us to deal with." She brushed off her own bizarre behavior with a laugh. She didn't address his thoughts on her dating advice. She didn't need advice. She knew damn well Dave wasn't the one she wanted but what she wanted she couldn't have. So they left it at that. "I can manage my own way home. I interrupted your patrol."
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