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 Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:34 pm
Purification was all a wonderful thing in theory, but not all that many knew the end results. Her teammates were familiar with the symptoms (especially Lydia). Extreme fatigue, resulting in plenty of bed rest. It wasn't just something that burdened her for a day, but for a stretch of days.
Ellie had already cleared this issue with Hank, who seemed extremely curious about the origin of the situation, but was wise enough to wait to ask about these things in person.
However, it didn't mean that Ellie was getting the rest she required. Annie kept checking up on her to make sure she was feeling better.
This time, it was clearly not Annie. Annie was familiar enough to not bother knocking, but this time there was a knock at the door.
Probably a visitor.
Without even bothering to sit up, the blonde called out in a groggy voice "...come in..."
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Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:51 pm
Kairatos swung the door open part way, poked his head in, and then stepped in when he was reasonably sure that he wasn't stepping in on something he shouldn't. Between an excited cat and the girls awkward English skills, he was a hair cautious. That and it wasn't just every day you dropped in on a princess, even one who shared Taco's with you.
"Hey." He added by way of a greeting, picking at the cuffs of the button down flannel shirt he'd put on, and wore with the uncomfortable self awareness of someone who was wearing something unfamiliar and borrowed. "I brought take out but I wasn't sure if you were up for it. Just... wanted to check in. Say thanks and stuff. So... yeah. Thanks."
He caught himself picking at the cuffs, glared at them and shrugged, uncomfortably awkward in the setting. Everything still felt so.. weird. Not having a feel for powered signatures made him feel like he'd gone blind, like someone had rolled him up in thick cotton that kept him from moving or... seeing at the peak of his skills. He didn't know how she could stand it.
"I owe you one."
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Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:00 pm
The girl rolled her head towards the guest. She had clearly never met him before like this, so it was just like meeting a stranger. Even if his face was unfamiliar, just his choice in conversation topics made it clear who she was speaking to. "...if you could, close the door... that'd be great..." Last thing they needed were more people (or intellectual cats) popping into the conversation. Letting an arm flop down the side of her bed, she pointed to a black beanbag chair sprawled nearby. "...that sh*t smells awesome... yer totally leavin' it here so I can have it later..." For many girls, a bedroom was a sanctuary. For this girl, it seemed a little less than stellar. It was legitimately a mess, with clothing tossed in piles on the ground. Her bed was occupied, but it still looked as if the blankets were tossed about without any care. Posters of different cars adorned the walls and a desk with a computer was along the wall, though said desk was nearly impossible to see with all the other random crap piled up. There was another door opened up to the obvious interior of a bathroom. "...So... I go by Ellie..." There was a pause before she asked "...so...wutcha go by now?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:31 am
It was probably for the best that most of Kairatos' ideas of what to expect from Iris... er... Ellie had been formed in the park, where she'd nearly punched Zia, and on the roof top, where he'd been unceremoniously pegged with a soft taco. (An event he blamed for a new found fondness for them.)
He pushed the door shut with a free arm, and looked for someplace to put the take out bag that was within reach of the bed. She looked sort of like she'd been wrung out for everything she was worth, and given the power he knew she had in full princess form... that was quite an accomplishment.
"You want this by the bed or...?" He asked, rustling the take out bag as he edged toward the beanbag a bit uncertainly. Her appreciation for speed and her willingness to throw a punch rather made her a princess after his own heart, he'd concluded, but he still wasn't sure if there was some kind of ceremony he was missing involving automotive fan royalty and beanbag chairs.
At least the answer to the question was easy, even if the brief flash of stubbornness on his face was tempered by a battle with sheepishness, perhaps indicating that he had either already had a 'conversation' about this, or was anticipating one as he answered.
"Kairatos." He didn't have another name. He wasn't particularly versed in thinking of one. The one printed on the ID in his wallet was no good, and he didn't care for it anyway. "Apparently it used to be Falco." He added, conversationally with a derisive snort. Haha. Let's make fun of the silly name. Woo. Isn't that better than trying to think of a new silly name?
....Somehow he didn't think she'd buy that train of thought.
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:03 am
"...yes... by the bed... easier fer me to talk wit'ya this way..." With a mild groan, she rolled her body so she could be facing the knight in civilian clothing without any extra effort beyond that point.
Once everyone was settled, he gave an answer which was probably not the correct one. Though he also offered an interesting tidbit too. "...sh*t... you were Falco? That's kinda awesome actually... though... nope... yer not anymore..." Though there was familiarity with the name and who he used to be, she wasn't someone he really knew before this all happened.
He probably already got the explanation, but Ellie continued on with her version of said explanation. "...Kairatos is a title fer when yer in uniform... ya need somethin' to be called when yer out of uniform... even back in th'day ya had a name fer when ya were out of uniform. Also ensures yer safety in this city... so if ya die... it's in battle and not while yer out buyin' lunch one day."
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:25 am
... He looked, at best, a bit confused by the unexpected reaction to the name, which did a bit to soften the scolding about using 'Kairatos' as a name.
"Yeah... It was Falco Marks..." He blinked, debating if he should ask why that had been cool.
He shrugged a bit defensively over the lecture on a title, adding "...I... get that. I do." He sighed, half heel dragging, half just...
"I just have no clue where to start. Point me toward a fight or something and I'd be fine but this... I've got no idea. Nothing sounds right."
He spread his hand in resignation and frustration.
"What's so 'cool' about having been Falco? Not that it matters I guess but now I'm curious."
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:36 am
"...Falco... used to race... and if ya couldn't tell... I'm into that sorta sh*t..." A hand tiredly flopped up briefly, not quite making the full gesture towards her walls (not even up to half way). '...so that's why it's cool..."
For a moment, she closed her eyes. One could assume maybe she got tired and was attempting to drift back to sleep despite the current company. However, she was momentarily digging through her brain. She had a few more memories than most people had these days, but some things were harder to recall than others.
Especially when she had a tendency in the past to call people by their titles rather than their birth names.
It took a moment or two, but with her eyes still closed, she eventually asked "...have you tried th'name 'Xanthus' yet?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:53 am
"...Nnno." He dragged out the sound as he turned the name over in his mind. It was definitely not a 'John' or 'Bill' sort of name. It stood out, but it sort of ...
Well he couldn't say it sounded familiar, it didn't. But it kind of settled in to his thoughts the way an comfortable old shirt went on.
"No I hadn't, but I kind of like it." He rubbed the back of his neck, fidgeting again. "Now that's two I owe you I guess. I did notice the posters. You've got some good taste."
She looked so drained though he had to ask. "...Did you need me to clear out?"
So he used to race. That sort of rung a few fuzzy bells. Very fuzzy, but picking anything out of the spaces of his mind that had been wiped clean felt like something of an accomplishment.
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:01 am
"Do whatever ya want... Xanthus Goldman..." There was a half smile as she opened her eyes again. "I ain't th'type t'enjoy sleepin' all day, even if I need it." What did it matter if she slept thirty minutes now versus thirty minutes later?
"...so how're yer cats settlin' in with... b*tch-face?" Ellie was definitely the epitome of maturity.
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:12 am
"Heh, I think that comes with whole liking fast cars and bikes thing." He grinned.
Xanthus Goldman huh? Yeah. Yeah that would work just fine.
"So far they haven't killed each other yet, though the little black and white monster has made a few furry torpedo attempts." He illustrated the action with his hands, trying to demonstrate the small, fast young cat's speedy charge through peoples feet. "Technically I think that's more an attempt at highway robbery than murder but I'm not sure he gives a s**t either way if he gets what he wants."
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:00 pm
"...cats are so f*ckin' retarded..."
Yet again, it was obvious that Ellie was not a cat person. However, she grinned a bit as she made such a negative statement. With a sigh, she briefly glanced to the ceiling in an odd lopsided manner.
"...So what the hell do ya think yer gonna do with yerself now? I mean, yer obviously a bit old fer school an' junk... you gonna keep bunkin' with b*tch-face... or you gonna try an' get yerself yer own place?"
After Psyche had been altered so much, it really had been hard to get her into a normal life again. Sure, the newly dubbed Xanthus only lost half of what had made him the person he was before, but that didn't make the transition any less strained.
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Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:35 am
"I... I'm still working on that." He rubbed the back of his neck again thoughtfully. "I'd like to get my own place. Zee's doing her best but she's uh... ok there's a certain degree of irony that she hates cats, but.... she hates cats. "But to do that I need a job and stuff, and at the moment even the drivers license I have is a big friggin' red flag to the wrong eyes. Well. Honestly I doubt they've even noticed I'm gone. They talk a great game about being an family unit or an unified army and all that s**t, but thats exactly what it is. It's talk. It's..." He frowned... gesturing mute and angry with his hands to make up for the words he was looking for. "It's a farce. You're either a favorite pet or you're the yard dog people keep waiting to get hit by a car because they don't want to be bothered with."
He fell silent again and shrugged, trying to lighten the mood back to where it was. "I dunno. I'll just have to see how you go about building up someone who didn't exist last year."
He was pretty sure a certain amount of it could be done by living basically off the grid, but there were sure to be things that would draw notice, either from the Negaverse or from someone else.
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Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:45 am
Zia hated cats. This sadly wasn't a shocker, since ********* didn't count as a cat, but as a Mauvian in Ellie's mind.
However, Xanthus continued to explain the whole "family" aspect of the Negaverse to her, her mouth sort of twisted and turned, uncertain of what expression to actually make. In all honesty, she had never heard of this supposed "family" aspect to the organization. Sure, she was an outsider looking in, but nobody had ever said anything like that before. And his description wasn't painting it as a family to her.
"...it sounds like high school in all honesty. Popular kids versus the 'nobodies' in a sense." It had only been 2 years since high school for her, but the memories were still quite fresh as to how high school functioned. "...if yer popular... ya need to be in the spotlight at any turn. If yer a nobody, then you just do whatever ya want and hope t'not draw attention in a bad way." The "bad way" in the Negaverse obviously meaning that you died.
She briefly forced her head up a bit and attempted to mush her pillow a bit into something a bit fluffier before heavily plopping her head back down.
"whatever... I'll see if I can...help out where I can in all this junk..."
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Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 3:58 pm
"Yeah I guess that sounds about right." It did sound sort of like a High School, now that he thought about it. Reminded him of telling Mariposite about Zinkenite's civilian side being crammed into lockers, not that he remembered who Zinkeite was in the civilian world. Not that he cared. The particularly dangerous side was the short man who didn't like to come out of the Rift and his 'tactical planning' room.
"I came over here to see if I could give you a hand, but I keep on owing you more favors instead. How does this work?" He laughed, quietly.
"Probably why Zinkenite didn't like me terribly much. I'm not very good at being an obedient little ghost."
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Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 5:44 pm
"You only owe me favors if I gave a damn about bein' paid back..." Such a statement made it clear that she did not care about being repaid.
The stray comment about his former commanding officer didn't go unnoticed. "Only jackasses worry 'bout what they can get outta a person..." It might have been human nature to be greedy at times, but it didn't mean she couldn't call that flaw out.
She smiled again before reminding Xanthus "...but now ya don't have to worry 'bout that a** anymore... yer your own man now as I recall! Jus' don't go an' get yerself killed is my only request."
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