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 Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 10:08 pm
It had been a normal visit to see Rhona, and perhaps to let her know he'd been involved in awakening new member to the court, what he wasn't expecting was when he settled in was Rhona to start talking about a new group she was working on. She was working on a team, within the dmc.
Drawing his legs up close he made himself comfortable as he tilted his head.
"Tell me about the group. You know I'd like to help in whatever way I can." Anything for his family - anything for the dmc. He would tell her about Fulu later, once this talk was done. He just hoped it didn't become obvious he was hungry, though it wasn't so bad now, he'd come over before grabbing lunch as he figured he'd grab something to eat on his way home. He had a feeling he'd be here a while now, not that he minded at all.
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:13 pm
Despite her invite to join, Liam had decided to sleep in that morning, and that suited Rhona just fine. She had some waffled under a tea towel for him and bacon in the microwave should he emerge hungrily from his slumber or his hiding or whatever it was he was doing at that moment. Rhona would not begrudge him the freedom he had now. As for Xi, however, she poured him tea, made it up the way he liked it and passed him the cup can saucer before she answered his question. "Well, given what happened to Leto recently, and I will call a meeting about that as soon as she and Loreley are well enough, I realized that we are everything but organized. I wanted this court to be a better reflection of the White Moon, and let's face it Xi, we're not." She sipped her own tea, dunking her biscotti into the drink as she gathered her thoughts. "But we can be, I think. I know that in light of what happened, Leto is doubling down her militant efforts to corrupt who she can and eliminate threats but... what about the home front?" That was a good idea for a name... Rhona slipped it into her back pocket and went on. "That's what I want to do. Really. I've already been compiling information about who we are and what we do, and have been kind of informally taking care of the home base but... I want to make it formal. I want to make a... I don't know, I kind of team in charge of taking care of business in the Court while Leto is off at war and Remarque is searching for a new home... "What do you think? Too ambitious?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:27 pm
"I've never met Leto...not beyond the few times we've been in close quarters." But talking to her? Never. That had yet to be. He only really knew one of the royals of his court, which he wasn't upset by really. Remarque had given him a lot...and still did, as he still had a job with the other. "I wasn't aware anything happened...you'll have to fill me in after this." After the talk of what Rhona was planning for the small court. Sipping his tea he set the cup down gently, not wanting to make much noise. He knew someone had moved in, he was glad Rhona had another member of their court to take care of, she seemed at her best when caring for other members of the court. She thrived it seemed.
"A meeting though...that serious. Let me know ahead of time and I can try and bring food maybe...or help prepare or something." Anything he could do in aiding Rhona in hosting a meeting. The court wasn't large but hosting them all would still be a task, since they'd all need to fit somewhere and be able to move about as well.
"I'm not much of a fighter....my magic is useful - I know it. I'll do what I need to...but it's not me." Giving something of a useless shrug of his shoulders. He wasn't like Leto or Rhona. He wasn't a fighter...though it didn't mean he wouldn't protect those of his court - they were family. He just wasn't going to try and eliminate people and threats. That seemed so final....and just not him.
"You have...you've done that for a while. Providing for those in need and such. It's something I appreciate more than most I'm sure." As she very well knew his home life before joining the court, and even slightly after it. He had found his family and found home in the court. It meant a lot and she had helped with that. "So you want a team, made up of other members, to help take care of the members in need? To do what you've done on your own? Get to know people, their names, and help as needed?" Nodding his head, sure he understood right, it was something the other would wanna do and he understood it.
"I think it's a good idea...and I'll help in whatever way I can. It's something I can do." Because it wasn't violent and so...final feeling...to eliminate enemies...he couldn't do that. "We can try recruiting too maybe....or...finding civilians..and expanding the family?" offering it up as he sipped his tea a bit more, blowing on it to cool it before doing so.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 12:58 am
What happened. So word hadn't gotten out the way she thought that it had. That was too bad. She would need to hold that meeting very soon... though with the knight gone, there wasn't much rush, she supposed... "Leto was captured along with another Dark Mirror Senshi, Loreley, in December by a knight and someone else. We don't know the second person involved, bu thte knight was killed when the building fell during the rescue mission. Leto and Loreley are still recovering as of now. Their traumas were... substantial." Rhona took a rather deep, quivering breath at the memory. A princess had been captured and subdued. And there was still that second party out there... but there hadn't been any recent killings of Dark Mirror Senshi recently, at least not in the same brutal way as the knight had been killing them. Rhona did her best to smile brightly at Xi's approval of her idea. She was worried that it had been too big of an idea, but he seemed to believe it was possible. And like she told Romulus when they had met, all it took was one person to buy in. And not only was he buying in, he was suggesting where he would be most useful. Pride swelled again in her chest and she sipped her own tea to hide the way her breathing caught when she thought about it. "You're Eternal now," she stated over the rim of her cup. "I'll be asking you to take a bit of a leadership role, Xi-Wang. What do you think?" He second-guessed himself so much. Maybe being put in a position of responsibility would work that out of him. Or at least make him confident enough that he could ignore the nagging worry at the back of his mind. "Of course, I'll be right behind you if you need me." As always.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 1:03 pm
Kidnapped...that didn't sound good, nothing about being kidnapped was good, but why hadn't he known or been made aware so he could help? He did wonder about that but he didn't say anything, he wasn't much for fighting really. Not that he couldn't, or wouldn't, use his magic if need be - he would. But he could understand not being invited, if someone had made that choice.
"I hope they recover soon...we may need them..." In case someone tried it again, or incase something else happened. They were the smallest court so everyone counted.
"You want me...to have a higher role?" He knew she'd said it, he knew he hadn't misheard, but she was going to trust him when he was never sure if he should trust himself? He wasn't the most confident of people, he knew it, and he certainly wasn't the sort most would want leading anything much less other people. But Rhona wanted him to; there was a reason.
"I-I think I can. I did just help, as much as we can anyway, awaken a new member of the court." Something he was proud of. Katya had helped him in awakening, because she'd identified the person. He hadn't been alone though, he'd been out with Avior and Crocus.
"I can - I can try. If you're behind me I can do it." He'd have her as backup for when, or if, he fell or failed in some way.
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:53 pm
"Their bodies will," Rhona reassured him. She wasn't so certain about their minds, however. Leto, probably, would be alright. But Loreley... Rhona worried about her. She would need to check up on her soon. Bring her a gift basket or something. And she'd want to stick close to her if she should power up at all. there was so much to do in the fall out of this whole thing, Rhona often found her head spinning at it all. But she had to be present here and now. She had company and delightful company at that. "You'll do beautifully," Rhona assured him after another sip of her tea. "And of course I'm only a call away. I'd never set you a goal that I didn't think you could reach, but I'd also never abandon you to flounder on your own. Besides, it's time to come out from behind my skirts, love. You've become an extremely capable senshi. Had it not been such an emergency that night, I would have sought you out to help with Leto but... All I could do was make a frantic call for help over the compacts and get into it." She took a delicate bite of her biscotti, and as soon as it hit her stomach it growled in the most unlady like way. Rhona blushed deeply as it settled back down and coughed a bit as though that would somehow cover the sound. "Oh dear. I think I was so busy making Liam's breakfast I quite forgot about myself... Have you eaten, Xi?" She pulled a drawer on her side table open and shuffled through envelopes and slips of odd papers before she pulled out some take out menus. "Burgers... pizza... chinese? I haven't had chinese take out in a hot minute... what do you think?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 9:02 pm
"Emotionally and mentally are another thing...I should know." His mother had never laid a hand on him but she, and her wife, had done enough damage to him in other ways. It still lasted and hadn't healed, not fully, where as physical injuries would have. He knew more than most about mental and emotional wounds and scars, at least he thought he did. "If I can help at all...feel free to ask or send them my way. You know where they can find me." Smiling gently as he offered whatever help he could. He was more than willing to help his family, his court, they were his...and he was theirs.
"Yeah...and I likely wasn't powered up that night so I didn't get the call. I wish I'd been powered up so I could have come to help." Though he wasn't sure he would have made much difference, he was sure things had gone well in bringing the two back to safety. Of course he hoped nothing similar happened, their court was small and it felt like they were surrounded really. But it felt warm and close at the same time, even if he'd not met everyone in the court - yet.
"Mm, no. I didn't think to honestly..." Laughing a bit he smiled. "Chinese sounds good - if you're up for it." The answer should have been expected, at the least choice in what sort of food, as he settled in to finish his tea and let her make the call. "If you have a menu...so I know what the place has..." Since different regions meant different types of food, different dishes, and different levels of spice...which he rather liked and could handle well. He figured it best to find out just what sort of place she was going to get from.
"I didn't think you'd let me sink or just...toss me to the wolves sort to speak. I'll do my best with the one I brought into our court. I want to make sure they do well." So they could grow and become stronger, so they didn't find themselves being injured to often or badly. He would make sure they were as safe as they could be...or so he hoped.
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 9:49 pm
Of course Xi caught on to what Rhona was saying. She dropped the menu into her lap with a heavy sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Leto will be fine, I think. She's a battle-hungry warrior. Good to have on our side. I love her to death, but she's terrifying and the closest thing we'll ever get to a Valkyrie. Loreley though... I don't know her enough. Later today I'm going to drop around her patrol route with a care package, I think. Offer my number and my home should she ever need it, poor lamb..." Rhona turned her attention back to the menu, refusing, as with all of her traumas, to acknowledge the damage that had been done to her own psyche. Refusing to remember, at that moment, that Leto could not have been subdued by just one rogue knight. That there was someone else... "I want you patrolling with a partner from now on, Xi," she said suddenly, still focused on the menu and yet reading nothing on its glossy surface. "Just for a while. I don't want anyone patrolling alone. Let Jason and Nischal know that there is a court emergency until further notice. And the new person you brought in. I'll hold a meeting soon enough... Anyway," Rhona forced her tone brighter, forced her smile harder, and looked up at Xi. "This place is supposed to be super authentic. Have you been there? What do you think?" She passed him the menu for his to inspect. All Rhona knew about Chinese food, really, was fortune cookies and sesame chicken...
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 10:21 pm
A fight...is physical mostly. Some emotional...but not like what they dealt with....not from the sound of it. At least though she is a tough person. That'll help." He said nodding his head slowly. "I've never really met her...just seen her. And the other...Loreley...I don't know her at all...wouldn't be able to point her out in a group meeting." He felt bad for admitting that, he really did, it wasn't something he liked. Not when this was his family, and would always be. He needed to meet the rest of his court.
Slowly Xi-Wang stood and moved to seat himself next to Rhona. He moved and sat himself down as close to her as he could. "You know it'll be ok. All we can do is keep close - as a court. We're small...it helps us. We can comfort each other easier...we should be familiar with everyone else. It's something we should work on...to help us all." And to give comfort and help each other with issues...with coping with a war. It wasn't easy for everyone, himself included. "We should have...a part of your team that does that. That focuses on helping mentally and emotionally."
Nodding his head, reaching out for one of Rhona's hands. "I'll tell them tonight....I would talk to Kit...b-but he's gone." He didn't know to where but he was gone. No doubt Rhona knew as well. He wished he knew where the other had gone. "Someone needs to let the other one...the one who speaks Thai. Someone needs to let him know also...." Who knew Thai though, or could talk slowly enough to get it across to them...who could work with and keep them safe?
Looking over to the menu he found himself frowning slowly. "Dim sum...but that's not a food item...dim sum is a type of eating....and general tso's...." Shaking his head the teen closed her menu slowly. "Dim sum...is many foods that you can pick. So it is not a food. General tso's is not something in China...it is not real."
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 10:10 pm
Rhona looked over as she felt Xi move to the seat beside her. She opened her mouth to say something gently reassuring and redirect the conversation away from her, but he spoke first. And, of crouse, he spoke pointedly. She took his hand in hers and squeezed, once again blown away by just how much the young man before her put others before himself. He had every reason to be cruel and selfish and yet... "I think you're exactly right about that," she sighed, "and, if you don't mind terribly... I think... I want you to be in charge of that part. If you wouldn't mind, of course." And then the mention of Kit. Rhona felt her heart his her throat and then crash to her feet. She looked away from Xi then, still holding his hand. so he didn't know... And really she didn't know... not for sure. But she did feel responsible... "Kit... he and Leiko vanished really soon after... after I kicked Jack out of the apartment." Had she driven them both away? And Leiko with them? Had her rage finally done her in and caused those close to her to abandon her? She could feel the panic rising swiftly in her chest, a hot ball of emotion climbing her ribs like a ladder. She raised her free hand to her sternum, as the pressing down would cut off the terrible feeling's escape route. Rhoan cleared her throat to further push the panic attack away. Time to talk about something else. Anything else. "Sorry. That's a... it's a long story, and I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say... Wow, sorry, what? so like... dim sum is like antipasto for Italian food? What the ******** else isn't real on this menu?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 10:37 pm
He was going to head something up? That was a lot of trust she was giving him..and a lot of responsibility for him. He would have said he wasn't ready but he knew Rhona wouldn't place him somewhere if she thought he wasn't. She knew what he didn't, saw what he didn't see in himself, he was sure of it. Most people seemed to have that ability. He knew why though...he really did. "O-ok...I can run that. Just...i guess let me know any in the court who might be having emotional issues or anything?"
"Kit....I didn't know that was why. I didn't know Jack was kicked out...though I didn't know him well. Kit told me he was leaving...just not when. I went to mirror walk to his apartment - and it didn't work. The landlord said he'd left...." So the mirror had been taken down and thus why he hadn't made it through. At least now he had another piece to the puzzle. He hadn't known why Kit had left but now it seemed he knew, thanks to Rhona. "Thank you....I didn't know why he left. I-I'm glad I know now. It hurt finding him gone..." There hadn't been a relationship, aside from the sexual one, between them but he'd had feelings for the other. He'd just kept them to himself, for the sake of having what he could get from Kit. He had taken what he could and not complained...he'd enjoyed it.
Laughing at how shocked she seemed to be he shook his head. "I don't know about antipasto, you can explain later to me. But dim sum...traditionally it's when carts, with bamboo steamers, are pushed around and people take what they want. The baskets have different things...crystal shrimp dumplings, chicken feet, egg tarts, xiao long bao, pork buns, and other things. Dim sum is more...the experience. It's social and not a formal meal. It's where people sit around and have tea and share all the food, though that's normal. So...when they put dim sum on the menu...what food are they serving as dim sum? There are a lot of options...and they don't say. You can't really just....list that and not what options there are." It made no sense to him. There was no list under it with options to pick from. It was just those two words and a price across from it. He was figuring it was something common but what?
"For dim sum...you go to a dim sum place." He hoped he explained it properly to Rhona. It was hard to describe really. It was something he'd need to take her to see, and enjoy. Maybe, he hoped, she'd become as confused as he was by that being on the menu.
"There is no general tso's...that's not a thing. You won't find it in China at all." Shrugging his shoulders his fingers moved over the menu as he poked at something else. "Not in China either...we don't do that." It was the crab rangoon. "We don't fry wanton wrappers. I've never seen that in an authentic place." Which he frequented, for good reason. He was picky, and perhaps it was showing, but he'd grown up with the foods and then when his mother snatched them away he'd sought them out and cherished them. It was home and comfort and a connection to what had been missing from his life for a long time, the family he had in China. It was a precious thing to him and seeing it so...wrong was bothersome. He knew he'd ruined Jason for Chinese food forever. He wasn't sorry about it.
"Mmm, beef and brocooli is wrong. Most chinese food is pork...beef is too expensive...but it's becoming more of a thing. But the brocooli is wrong - it's not the chinese variety. This one looks and tastes different." Looking to Rhona he felt bad, he really did, for shedding a light on several items on the menu. But it was true, he knew it was, and while most people knew the food was westernized for western taste buds...some of these things were just not a thing at all in China.
"And the soy sauce - avoid it. It's more chemicals than what it should be....those cookies...the fortune cookies...were made in this country." Bowing his head he smiled softly. "I'm ummm...sorry. I got a bit carried away." But he couldn't help himself. Shifting in his seat he lifted his head to see how Rhona took this...would she be mad? Or think him a bit...too over the top? That he'd said too much?
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 11:06 pm
Oh god. He was thanking her. She had done something horrible and unforgivable and he was thanking her. Someday... she'd tell him why she had done it... ask if it was the right thing to do... Jett had said that it was but... there was still that gnawing doubt. She had taken Jack in with the promise that she would protect and watch over him. And she had failed. And when it got hard... she left him to the wolves. Did Faustite have him? Did Faustite have them all? Again, she forced the worry from her mind. She had to, or else she'd be lost in a spiral of panic that she'd never lift herself out of. She had to focus on Xi and his kindness and his selflessness. Maybe one day... when he was more sure of himself... she'd lay all of her trauma out for him. She had told him about Bischofite but... nothing of the rest of it. She hadn't told anyone of the rest of it. Going to her own funeral... watching the empty casket be lowered into the ground. Watching her parents mourn and fight and divorce and her brother drift away to parts unknown. Was he even alive? The blood-chilling nightmare of Misha's limp and hanging body caused Rhona to pale for a moment before she regained herself. "I'm so glad to hear that you'll do it. Honey, this is going to be so good for everyone. the lives you touch are going to flourish, just like you have been. And leadership is going to help you blossom even more. So don't ever apologize for talking. don't ever feel bad about using your voice and sharing what you know, it's fascinating, really. So then... this place isn't really as authentic as advertised? I mean I knew about the fortune cookies, and I suspected that the rest was edited but... not to this extent. Is there a place in Destiny City to get really authentic Chinese food?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 11:13 pm
"I think the only reason - or the main reason that I'll lead like you want...is because you trust me and want me to. I may not think I can but if you do - then I know I can. I just hope I do well." He was sure he'd do his best...but what was his best? He was sure he'd find out, it would just take some time.
"Of course. I go to authentic places all the time. You just, at least for most, need to decide what region you want to eat from. Different areas in China have different types of food. My mother, and father, are from Hunan province. So when my mom, when I was much younger, used to make or get Chinese food it was Hunan style. Jason can't handle a lot of it - too spicy. But I grew up with it and I still favor it. But I don't mind other styles, plus they are easier on Jason. Nischal likes the spicy food so me and him can share when I get Hunan food. For Jason I'll get lighter foods. You can find a lot in China Town. I can give you a list later. But for now...do you like spice or no?" And he hoped he made sure, with his tone, that she understood he meant spice. Hunan was known for it. Though not everything was filled with spice - a lot was. There was also a lot of pickled foods too...maybe a mix of styles?
"I can call and order things." He had several places saved to his phone, he liked his Chinese food.
"I'll pay even." Since it wasn't that bad, and this was likely unexpected by Rhona.
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 11:32 pm
There were... different styles? Rhona's brow furrowed as she considered it. There was, she supposed, different styles of American food too. Southern, coastal, tex mex. Why shouldn't Chinese food also have regional differences? She wondered, also, what other foods and cuisines had she just been lumping together when they all actually had distinct cultural identities. Rhona actually felt sort of bad for not suspecting as such before this moment. "Er... spice? I mean I don't mind a little. I tried a Thai chile once, though, and thought I was going to have a heart attack. I guess I inhaled some capsaicin, the waiter said? It was terrible." She blushed despite herself at the memory. She wasn't once for being embarrassed by something, but somehow she was here. "So I mean I can handle like... southern spicy food here. Like gumbo? Or like hot Italian sausage. I'm not sure how comparable they are..." At Xi's offer to pay, Rhona brightened up. Her first instinct was to insist that she pay, but she knew better than to even try and offer. Xi would feel terrible if he wasn't able to do this for her, so she let him. Besides, he was an adult now with his own income. She could rely on him. Which was an odd feeling, since not so long ago he had been so unsure... "That would be lovely, Xi, thank you. I'll pick up the tab next time then. As for the food, I put it totally in your hands. I trust you."
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 11:42 pm
"So not Hunan then...it is known for it's spice. No Sichuan either, that's a numbing heat." Which while it was numbing it was just that hot. There was no way Rhona could handle the style of either region. Something much lighter for her would be good. As she gave him things to compare to he nodded his head.
"For peppers...use milk or yogurt - it breaks up the capsaicin...and the heat. Some Thai places offer a yogurt drink with their curry - to help. Even some chinese places sell yogurt or milk drinks to help coat the stomach before or after meals. Some people will drink them before and after even." He'd done it before but it wasn't for the heat but rather the oils in the food. It helped him with handling oils, which he couldn't handle very well otherwise. Greasy and oily food were an issue for him...and with his love for chinese food...that was an issue. There were hacks to these kinds of things though, thankfully.
"Ok...so I'll do some Hunan for myself....so that's one place. For you....maybe Canto...it's what you might be most familiar with..." Already he was on his phone pulling up a number and hitting the dial button. "You have soy sauce...or no?" And he would have to, if she had any, check what kind. Otherwise he'd have that brought with the food.
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