When people needed to meet up with Ellie, they usually went to the Spectre household. Ed and Kat were rarely home, so discussions about senshi stuff was easy enough to do without concern of being exposed.
The blonde couldn't say she was expecting the text she got from Waylon. It was an address of where she was supposed to meet up with him.
She didn't fight it, but as she approached the condo, she was starting to have second thoughts.
"...why th'f*ck are we meetin' 'ere?"" she groaned as she buzzed to get let in.
Desukyun
After the faint buzzing and whirring of the mechanical door, it was a short elevator ride to the 17th floor. Muffled voices echoed throughout the hall in a haphazard pattern of both French and English. A little girl with waist length pigtails stood with her face pressed against the glass, watching the bright lights of the skyline. It didn’t take her long to notice Ellie down the hall. The girl’s bright green eyes scanned her up and down before she cocked an eyebrow.
You here yet? Considering there was little time between the elevator and the condo, it was an odd time for a text message.
The little girl dropped from her perch on the window, side stepping towards the door. “MAMA! Waylon’s girlfriend is here!” The girl smirked as she ran back to the window. She could have said it in French. She probably would have of French but she made it a point not to just so her older brother was well aware. Siblings could be cruel.
Sorry... Another message.
Waylon’s voice was mumbled as he strode towards the door until a pair of heavy footsteps followed him. “-Ma! Just let me get the door! MA!” The door was almost wrenched open and someone looked into the hallway. The woman was nearly the spitting image of her son from her sharp features to her yellow-gold eyes. Even their heights were similar though the fact that she was taller was something Waylon would never admit to.
"Ellie, I take it?”
You here yet? Considering there was little time between the elevator and the condo, it was an odd time for a text message.
The little girl dropped from her perch on the window, side stepping towards the door. “MAMA! Waylon’s girlfriend is here!” The girl smirked as she ran back to the window. She could have said it in French. She probably would have of French but she made it a point not to just so her older brother was well aware. Siblings could be cruel.
Sorry... Another message.
Waylon’s voice was mumbled as he strode towards the door until a pair of heavy footsteps followed him. “-Ma! Just let me get the door! MA!” The door was almost wrenched open and someone looked into the hallway. The woman was nearly the spitting image of her son from her sharp features to her yellow-gold eyes. Even their heights were similar though the fact that she was taller was something Waylon would never admit to.
"Ellie, I take it?”
Ellie glanced to her phone after the new message popped up, but then her brow dropped instantly as she heard a young voice said some unapproved words in an unapproved order.
Ellie's text back to Waylon?
I am gonna f*cking kill you
From that point forward, she grudgingly moved towards the door. If Ellie had the manners, she might have put on a more pleasant face and attempted small talk.
"...yeah... what of it?"
That was not how Ellie worked as she practically glared at the woman.
Desukyun
The woman’s eyes narrowed at Ellie’s response but she made no other movements until Waylon nearly barreled past her. “See. My friend is here and I have to go.” His mother glared as the blond before whispering something to the increasingly nervous Waylon standing beside her. “No, Ma. She is not my girlfriend!” The woman continued on as his sister strode towards them, tugging on Waylon’s arm. “We’re just friends. I'd tell you if I had a girlfriend.” He whined pathetically as his sister started to rock him back and forth with her tugging.
"You're never going to get married at this rate. Why can't you be more like your brother? He has a lovely girlfriend. Ellie seems...adequate" Waylon rubbed a hand over his eyes. I'm going to die.
"Ma. Can we not talk 'bout this now? Please..." The gentle tugging on his arm grew stronger, to the point where he was almost being pulled level to the little girl. “What do you want, Summer?”
“Can I go with you on you date?” The littler girl’s smile widened at the growing distress on her brother’s face.
“No. Just go inside. I’m leavin’! Let’s go, Ellie. ” Waylon wriggled his arm out of Summer’s grasp before quickly striding out of the apartment. “ And it's not a date! I’ll call you when I’m on my way back, Bye!” Both his mother and his little sister watched the pair for a moment before slinking back into the condo.
Waylon sighed when they finally disappeared into the door. “I’m sorry ‘bout that. They wouldn’ believe that I actually had something; to do tonight. They wouldn’ let me leave. I had to show them you at least existed."
"You're never going to get married at this rate. Why can't you be more like your brother? He has a lovely girlfriend. Ellie seems...adequate" Waylon rubbed a hand over his eyes. I'm going to die.
"Ma. Can we not talk 'bout this now? Please..." The gentle tugging on his arm grew stronger, to the point where he was almost being pulled level to the little girl. “What do you want, Summer?”
“Can I go with you on you date?” The littler girl’s smile widened at the growing distress on her brother’s face.
“No. Just go inside. I’m leavin’! Let’s go, Ellie. ” Waylon wriggled his arm out of Summer’s grasp before quickly striding out of the apartment. “ And it's not a date! I’ll call you when I’m on my way back, Bye!” Both his mother and his little sister watched the pair for a moment before slinking back into the condo.
Waylon sighed when they finally disappeared into the door. “I’m sorry ‘bout that. They wouldn’ believe that I actually had something; to do tonight. They wouldn’ let me leave. I had to show them you at least existed."
"...naw... Ellie's a b*tch..."
Polite and discreet Ellie was not. Didn't matter if there was a child or an adult there, she was not going to let this label stick by any means. If it meant burning some bridges, so be it.
With a shake of her head, she turned away as Waylon managed to escape the clutches of the dreaded monster under 5 feet in height.
"F*ck this sh*t... you could have just said I was a dude... they probably woulda let ya go if ya said that!"
They began to walk towards the elevator, and Ellie carefully asked "...so... no more of that sh*t with that monster... right?"
Desukyun
Waylon sighed again. “It’s not that you’re a girl. They're worried about the whole…blackout thing. I guess they jus’ don’ want me goin’ out until they figure out what’s wrong. I keep tryin’ to tell them it was a one time thing bur they don’ believe me.”
He leaned against the wall, pressing the button for the elevator. “It’s gone. I’ve been sleepin’ jus’ fine. There’s somethin’ I wanted to ask you though.” His eyes scanned the hallways, making sure no one was there as he continued in a hushed voice. ‘What was all that back there? The death stuff? Did that really happen or were you jus messin; with me?”
He leaned against the wall, pressing the button for the elevator. “It’s gone. I’ve been sleepin’ jus’ fine. There’s somethin’ I wanted to ask you though.” His eyes scanned the hallways, making sure no one was there as he continued in a hushed voice. ‘What was all that back there? The death stuff? Did that really happen or were you jus messin; with me?”
Ellie turned to Waylon, her eyes locking onto his the moment they met. For that moment, her gaze had lost the edge it usually held when she was this simple girl of Earth. It softened to something like that evening when she told him about his fate from the Silver Millennium.
"...I never joke when it comes to the Silver Millennium, Waylon..."
There was a drastic pause as the two entered the elevator when it opened. Even then, her gaze seemed fixated upon her companion's. Once the doors closed to their small space, she continued. "It was an era of true peace over a thousand years ago that ended with a war that brought many worlds to extinction. All of us were alive and met our ends in that era... and were reincarnated here to this era."
She closed her eyes, turning away finally. "I was telling the truth that you were the first to pass on..."
Desukyun
“Reincarnated?” At least that explained the dying part. “So, I guess that thing really did kill me.” Waylon watched as the numbers flashed on the screen as he tried to figure out how to respond. He’d gotten so close to his past to the point where it had almost tried to finish him off in this life. It was hard to think something so distant would cause trouble for him now.
The loud tone signaled the doors opening and once again he looked around to make sure no one was waiting. Though a couple of people talking about random weird stuff wouldn’t be all that out of place, there wasn’t any harm in making sure. “Did you have to deal with any of this? The whole ‘face your death’ thing? Or is that jus’ somethin’ I had the privilege of doin’ myself? I'm not all that used to actually workin' through this magic stuff. I normally jus' fight when I need to and move on. It's all kinda new to me.”
The loud tone signaled the doors opening and once again he looked around to make sure no one was waiting. Though a couple of people talking about random weird stuff wouldn’t be all that out of place, there wasn’t any harm in making sure. “Did you have to deal with any of this? The whole ‘face your death’ thing? Or is that jus’ somethin’ I had the privilege of doin’ myself? I'm not all that used to actually workin' through this magic stuff. I normally jus' fight when I need to and move on. It's all kinda new to me.”
Even after the elevator signaled they were at their destination, Ellie's eyes remained closed for about three extra seconds before she opened them and walked forward.
She could have confessed how much she had truly remembered if she wanted to, but that wasn't the girl's style and it never had been. Only a few others knew how much she truly remembered, and though she trusted Waylon, it wasn't the right time to tell him.
"...it was not the first thing I remembered..." she said as they stepped out. "In that sense, you were just unlucky... but..."
There was a pause as she considered how to phrase the next thing. It wasn't even something she had discussed with the cat yet. The cat knew of the Silver Millennium, but she didn't truly remember, so she didn't know what sort of heartache could come from it.
Eventually, the words simply fell out from her lips. "I do remember my own death." In a sense, she somewhat envied how Parthenope had gone out, for his death in the past had been quick. That was not the luxury she had in the end.
Despite how heavy the conversation had gotten, she still moved with no problem towards the entrance she had been at just moments ago.
Desukyun
Waylon pushed the button and the electric whirr of the door sounded through the small lobby. The night air was surprisingly warm.
“Unlucky huh?” He supposed it was true. From what she was saying, none of the other asteroids seemed to start out at the very moment of death. Granted she hadn’t told him much about anything concerning the rest of the time. What did they remember? They’d been at a different level than him for longer than he’d been a senshi at that point. Shouldn’t they have gone through this to? Waylon figured it wasn’t his place to ask her about everyone else. She trusted him enough to tell him this.
“So…does that mean I’m gonna remember more?” She’d said her death hadn’t been the first thing she remembered. It obviously meant she remembered something else. “Do you remember anythin’ about me? Or is it a personal memory type deal?”
“Unlucky huh?” He supposed it was true. From what she was saying, none of the other asteroids seemed to start out at the very moment of death. Granted she hadn’t told him much about anything concerning the rest of the time. What did they remember? They’d been at a different level than him for longer than he’d been a senshi at that point. Shouldn’t they have gone through this to? Waylon figured it wasn’t his place to ask her about everyone else. She trusted him enough to tell him this.
“So…does that mean I’m gonna remember more?” She’d said her death hadn’t been the first thing she remembered. It obviously meant she remembered something else. “Do you remember anythin’ about me? Or is it a personal memory type deal?”
It might have seemed like an odd pause in the conversation, but Ellie couldn't help but pipe up with the simple question "...so where we goin' anyway?" She only knew about going to his place to get him out, she didn't know about anything else after that. The blonde was completely okay with wandering if that was all he wanted to do.
However, glancing over the sidewalk as they began their path to wherever he was going brought her back to the actual conversation at hand.
"I remember a great deal more than most in all honesty... I've visited my asteroid many more times than some would consider. What you remember is always a gamble... but each piece will help you see who you were back then."
Inhaling the warm air, she turned and grinned at Waylon. "Of course I remember ya... I remember all of ya, even th'cats!"
Desukyun
They weren’t a few steps out the door before Waylon had shed his jacket, throwing it over his shoulder. “I’m not jus’ gonna remember bad things am I? I mean, I can’ say that dyin’ was all that pleasant. I'd like to remember good things too. If I died, I lived righ’? I kinda wonder what I was like…” His trip to his asteroid had been terrifying at best but trying it again wouldn’t be too bad. He already faced that horror once before. Anything after that would be a piece of cake.
“There’s this hotel a few blocks down that does a buffet until midnigh’.” The lull in the conversation was awkward considering the conversation. What could he even say to all of this. Maybe a little food would make help. “Bernard gets in for free with his membership deal. I swiped his card when hewasn’ lookin’. Migh’ as well take you somewhere nice on our date righ'.” Waylon chuckled, instinctively putting a bit more distance between him and his normally volatile companion.
“There’s this hotel a few blocks down that does a buffet until midnigh’.” The lull in the conversation was awkward considering the conversation. What could he even say to all of this. Maybe a little food would make help. “Bernard gets in for free with his membership deal. I swiped his card when hewasn’ lookin’. Migh’ as well take you somewhere nice on our date righ'.” Waylon chuckled, instinctively putting a bit more distance between him and his normally volatile companion.
Though her Cajun companion was smart to distance himself, Ellie soon enough was filling the gap and punched him hard in the shoulder. "I can pay fer my own sh*t, Waylon!" Her face was red, a clear sign that he was hitting a very sore subject.
With a clearly annoyed shake of the head, she at least seemed willing to answer his previous question.
"Ya should remember somethin' good I'd like t'think... but it's not like ya get t'pick and choose which memories yer gonna remember... it's random... it doesn't work th'same fer everyone."
She cracked her knuckles a bit as they continued to walk, reminding her companion to tread lightly about the teasing. "...my first memories were probably some of th'most meaningless sh*t t'be honest... Jus' basic day t'day stuff..."
Desukyun
The punch had almost been worth it. Almost. Waylon rubbed at his shoulder as they continued to walk, dreading whether or not there’d be a bruise there come tomorrow morning. The crack of her knuckles was an even greater indicator that he should watch whatever he said carefully. No need to get another bruise, no matter how deserved they were.
“They probably weren’t all that meaningless. My memories were stoppin’ me from powerin’ up or whatever it’s called. If I didn’ fight it, I'd probably be in the same place I was a few days ago. ” As they spoke, he wasn’t sure what to think of his memories anymore. How would his death hold him back? He was a different person right? “Maybe I’ll find out more if I go back. I mean, I already relived my death. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“They probably weren’t all that meaningless. My memories were stoppin’ me from powerin’ up or whatever it’s called. If I didn’ fight it, I'd probably be in the same place I was a few days ago. ” As they spoke, he wasn’t sure what to think of his memories anymore. How would his death hold him back? He was a different person right? “Maybe I’ll find out more if I go back. I mean, I already relived my death. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Glancing to the pathway they were taking down the street, Ellie sighed.
"...yeah, I know now that they weren't meaningless... I mean... it was dumb lil' sh*t like that which made me who I was in the past... it all builds up gradually t'form the person ya once were..."
She smiled and closed her eyes briefly. It was clearly something that the blonde had come to embrace, something that now brought her a sort of peace, even now, as the typically rambunctious Ellie Spectre.
The tranquil look upon her face did not last very long as she opened her eyes and glanced to Waylon. If he only knew what was in store for him when it came to delving deeper into the past. It would be a surprise which could result in many different reactions. The blonde definitely could not place a finger on what would happen once he did remember.
A half smile formed upon her lips as she idly commented "Yeah... what could happen?"
Desukyun
Past life memories that made you who you are? He supposed it was true. His memories invaded every facet of his life for weeks. Nothing like spending every waking hour haunted by another being entirely to bond you together with them. Still, he couldn't help but wonder….
“Do you mind if I ask you somethin’? It might sound kinda dumb though.” It had been quite the experience but there was something else he couldn't put a finger on. He had been Parthenope in both the present and the past but it didn't explain why he’d seemed different. If felt like he’d been crawling around in skin that wasn’t his own no matter how many times he’d been told it was his own self. Something felt off. “Was there anythin' different about you back then? Something you couldn' explain but you could feel? Even though it was my memory, it felt like it wasn’t me, you know? Or somethin' like that. I dunno. It was weird.”
“Do you mind if I ask you somethin’? It might sound kinda dumb though.” It had been quite the experience but there was something else he couldn't put a finger on. He had been Parthenope in both the present and the past but it didn't explain why he’d seemed different. If felt like he’d been crawling around in skin that wasn’t his own no matter how many times he’d been told it was his own self. Something felt off. “Was there anythin' different about you back then? Something you couldn' explain but you could feel? Even though it was my memory, it felt like it wasn’t me, you know? Or somethin' like that. I dunno. It was weird.”
Waylon had prompted if it was okay to ask her something, but she never really got a chance to say "yes" or "no" before his question seemed to clumsily trip from his lips.
She was still smiling a bit as she answered easily.
"Well... I wasn't from Earth, I was from th'asteroid of Iris... Iridians... our vision was a bit better than th'vision I have now. So in that way, I was different. However, I still looked th'same for the most part. My headband was a bit more ornate and I guess I had my ears pierced... bangle-earrings or something like that..."
Running a couple fingers through the strands of hair framing her face, she mused "...I wouldn't have been able t'tell ya somethin' like that when I first was startin' t'get the memories that I have... so it might take ya a while t'figure out what might have been different back then."
Desukyun
“Pierced ears, eh?” He rubbed at the back of his neck, staring down at his feet as they walked. “I guess that’s why you’re the boss. Always bein’ the overachiever an’ figruin’ things out.” There really was a lot to this past life thing if she could remember something as insignificant as earrings. Why couldn't he remember anything? It all seemed so grand and important but his knowledge only broke the surface.
Hearing Ellie talk about her own asteroid made him wonder. His own civilization. The ancient monster. The extinction of said civilization because of said ancient monster. She'd known about his asteroid...or at least some part of her did. “We were still a team back then righ’? Do we get memories of each other too?" His tone was uncharacteristically energetic. "Do you have memories of all of us or do we all have to, like, mind meld or somethin' to see each other?"
Hearing Ellie talk about her own asteroid made him wonder. His own civilization. The ancient monster. The extinction of said civilization because of said ancient monster. She'd known about his asteroid...or at least some part of her did. “We were still a team back then righ’? Do we get memories of each other too?" His tone was uncharacteristically energetic. "Do you have memories of all of us or do we all have to, like, mind meld or somethin' to see each other?"
"There was an alliance... so in a sense, there was still a team."
It was a simple truth, though things were a bit more complicated than just a "simple alliance." However, when Waylon began to ask more questions, she laughed a bit.
"Yeah, you can remember other people... it'd be borin' t'not remember anything but yerself, right?" With a finger, she poked the middle of her companion's forehead.
"...And no mind meldin' required!" With a grin, she looked him in the face and mentioned "If yer so curious... you should go back! I ain't answerin' all yer questions, dipsh*t!"
Desukyun
”Yeah yeah. I’ll go back sometime.” Waylon rubbed his forehead where she playfully poked him. “When my head clears up…” After a few more moments of walking he pointed to the building just a short few meters ahead of them.
“That’s the hotel. Doesn’ really look like one but apparently it is. I didn’ even know it was here until Bernard took me once.” Waylon sauntered over to the heavy wooden door with intricate carvings of what looked like nothing in particular, awkwardly trying to rip control of the handle away from the doorman. He was perfectly capable of opening doors for himself even though this place exuded an aura of shoving nearly every tedious action onto some awaiting staff member. Once the doorman marched off to help another arriving couple, Waylon held open the door.
“After you. Feel free to tip me for holdin' it open if you’re feelin’ generous.”
“That’s the hotel. Doesn’ really look like one but apparently it is. I didn’ even know it was here until Bernard took me once.” Waylon sauntered over to the heavy wooden door with intricate carvings of what looked like nothing in particular, awkwardly trying to rip control of the handle away from the doorman. He was perfectly capable of opening doors for himself even though this place exuded an aura of shoving nearly every tedious action onto some awaiting staff member. Once the doorman marched off to help another arriving couple, Waylon held open the door.
“After you. Feel free to tip me for holdin' it open if you’re feelin’ generous.”
Once they had approached the so-called hotel, Ellie's sights switched to looking the facility over.
After a moment or two of silence, she commented "...yer right...looks nothin' like a hotel..."
With a shrug, she walked towards the door after her friend held it open for her. "...Sorry dude... I ain't tippin' yer sorry a**... but..."
There was a pause before she leaned in slightly so she could say something quietly to him.
"I'll need to borrow yer sorry a** in a few days..." She'd tell him more about the situation with Vespa once they were inside.
Might as well have some good food before talking too much business, right?
