Dec 02 00:58:23 106 PA - Building up pressure
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Fri Dec 02 00:58:23 106 PA.
The large garage has a small corner desk, with pieces of paper and catalogues of machine pieces on shelves against the wall. Along three of the walls, huge metal shelving units hold a variety of brown boxes, each marked with some arcane mechanics scrawl that indicates the contents. The other has two separate workstations against it, and a series of hooks and shelves, upon which tools sit, in apparently random order, behind one. The other has a large cupboard designed for paper, drawing implements and a line of tools. The workstation is designed for the drawing of schematics, and the other workstation bears the weight of half a dozen dismantled machines of varying sizes. The floor is concrete, stained with oil, with patches of sand here and there. A large tub containing sand squats beside the garage doors, a shovel sticking out of the top as if someone shoved it there after use. A row of pegs against the wall by the workstation has various coveralls, coats and other things hanging on it and a large noticeboard has a range of oil stained pieces of papers stuck to it with pins. Along the beam that runs the length of the garage, several jars have been attached with a nail through their lid. They seem to be storing small components of different sizes.
A door exits the garage, apparently allowing entrance to the upper floor by the use of a key pad.
Weather at Fri Dec 02 00:59:18 106 PA (-12.91C, 8.76F): Today it would appear it's a blizzard out there. Dark clouds piling up in the skies as the wind carries fat flakes down at stiff angles with the gusts. Looks like there will be some serious drifts after this one.
Early December and the weather is showing it. The snow is falling hard and the wind blows the flakes down at stiff angles. The garage door is ajar, the music blaring out to indicate someone is home, despite the early hour. One am is a rare time to find a mechanic at work. Inside, it is warm, aided by a soldiering flame, held by the petite figure of Caliopa. The mask covers her face entirely, and the coveralls are snug on her hips where she is sat straddling a structure that might be part of a tractor. The music plays, a strong female voice singing angrily.
Vixen is out and about for some quiet chilly time. Her light outfit covered over for the moment by her armored long coat, which cuts the wind's bite and holds in the warm good enough, mixed with the thickness of her bodysuit. It's not cozy, but the chill is more annoying than potentially dangerous. Keeps her sharp as she notices from the far side of the strip that there is a light on. She pause, hesitating for a moment. Considering for two, then easing towards the garage. Slipping in past the open door quietly and spotting Cali. Hanging back for the moment, her expression guarded.
Caliopa is focussed, her head bent over the work, a familiar sight from times past. One foot taps the rhythm of the music, or near to it at least, and then she sits back, running a gloved hand over the work she has done and gives a satisfied nod. As she lifts the mask, it is obvious she is talking to the piece of machinery, and perhaps it is replying, because she is smiling as she rises, turning to put the tool down. Seeing the figure in the open door, she stops dead, staring, her smile fading. "Ain't you the sight for sore eyes?" Her tone is slightly sour, and she turns to twist the flame off, placing it down safely.
"You can yell if you wanna," Vixen murmurs. "Don't got no excuses so I won't give none. Just.. had to get away a bit." Her shoulders roll and she steps forward slowly, the warmth of the interior inviting her to open her coat and feel a bit less constricted. She does so slowly. "Didn't figure you'd be pulling hours this late."
"Lost my workers." The comment is abrupt as Caliopa stows her tools safely, and turns back to Vixen, lifting the mask from her head. The movement leaves hair falling down around her shoulders, revealing the pretty face smudged with oil and carbon. "Figured folk'd let me know if you were dead." The comment is spoken in an even tone, the temper behind it held on a tight reign, but the indicators are there; the reddening cheeks and the lack of the sunny smile.
"Leo would, I bet. But I took him with me.. or I guess I should say, he took us," Vixen replies. Vixen spreads her arms and murmurs, "C'mon Cali. You can let it go. You know I can take it. Ain't gunna do you no good bottling shit up.. you know what happened to me." A faint little grin quirks, as if thinking back on her own moments amuses her somewhat.
There is a long moment of silence before the dam does burst and Caliopa steps forward, her lips tight, face flushing as she raises her voice over the music, possibly over the storm outside. "You vanish off, like it ain't worth tellin' me that you are goin' some place, leavin' folks to worry their heads over you! Not even a fucking word!" The swearing reveals a deep worry and anger, and then, she turns on her heel, heading to pick up tools. "That was real selfish, 'n' reckon it were the most selfish thin' you ever done."
Vixen is a bit surprised, but she's also a bit disappointed. Quick burn.. or perhaps its just starting. "Emotion ain't that logical, Cali. And you know me.. selfish is what I do. I ain't even sure why I got how I was. I just know I had to go somewhere.. quiet. Simple." She shrugs, stepping after Cali slowly. "I'm sorry. Though I ain't asking forgiveness."
It hasn't burnt out yet, the very controlled movements of the woman revealing the tighter rein she is trying to keep hold. "Emotion 'n' excuses." The words are snapped out, as she wheels on Vixen once more, the brown eyes bright with temper. "You ain't sorry, else you wouldn't have gone done it." Her accent thickens as the red headed temper's is unleased, along with her voice, rising above the music. "Ain't enough that folks around here lose folks all the time, without them that they cared over vanishin' off without a moment's fucking thought for them left behind. Reckonin' them dead 'n' all sorts."
Vixen frowns, coming to a stop, her expression tensing slightly. "You don't gotta tell me about losing shit, girl. Been there.. done that. Maybe that's why it ain't so big to me.. why I didn't think to say nothing. Maybe not." She shrugs her shoulders slightly. And while she is more controlled there is a composed gravity to her words. Her manner a bit lax, but not flippant.
Inside the garage, past midnight, the music is on loud. As is Caliopa. "Like I ain't?" The fury in Caliopa's response is clear enough and she takes a step forward, two steps, moving into Vixen's space, glaring up at her. "You got some real nerve, tellin' me that, Vixen. I lost as much as you 'n' if you ain't got the balls to care over folks, I do, 'n' it ain't done by leavin' them that do wonderin' if you are lyin' dead some place." Her voice is raised, loud enough to be heard outside, loud enough to make the singer seem quiet. "Reckon you best explain, Vixen." She folds her arms, glaring at the other woman, her cheeks bright red.
Vixen tenses a little as Cali comes close. Why.. could be any number of reasons. But it passes after a moment and she sighs. Reaching out, she looks to put hands on Cali's shoulders, looking her in the eye. "Don't twist my words. I didn't say you ain't lost. I know.. you know I know. You told me yourself. Just saying I understand. You want to know what happened?" She breathes out lightly and takes a moment. Her eyes dipping slightly before and as she speaks. "I panicked. I don't know why.. It wasn't no thinking thing. It was just.. just.. intense." Her eyes lift a bit. "I wasn't thinking about nothing. So yeah, you're right I guess. I had to get away. Ain't sure from what, but Leo did what he could. We went. To a quiet place. Dunno where.. Leo used his magic to get us there. I wasn't real concerned with where. I know it sounds stupid. SOunds stupid to me now, but it wasn't when it was happening."
There's a sound from the door, and it opens - Alistair steps in, having dusted most of the snow off of him and the small document bag he's carrying - it's probably a little more frozen than he is. He exhales, closing the door and taking a very brief moment to enjoy the comfort of this warmer place here, though the assault on his ears is discomoforting - but that has never stopped him before. He turns to look inside the garage and seeing the two women, he remains where he is for the moment so as not to interrupt.
Caliopa does listen, a difficult thing to do when tempers are running so high, but the anger does work as a defense, her arms crossed in front of her. "'n' ain't neither of you could drop someone a note saying I ain't dead?" The sarcasm is worthy of Vixen herself, biting, from the petite woman. Her lips are tightly pressed together, her cheeks flushed. "It don't sound real stupid, makes a piece of sense but it ain't fine to be leavin' your friends worryin' over you." She takes a breath, moments before Alistair steps in and continues, "'specially when folks need to be askin' you stuff that they ain't able ..." She stumbles a moment, before the temper carries the next words, loud and clear. "Reckon I'm late."
"Ain't said it was ok," Vixen states simply, the final bit not really registering at first, nor dose she hear Alistair's arrival over the sound of the music and focusing on Cali. She then frowns faintly. "Late.." Her mind slips over a gear and she frowns faintly. "You ain't saying what I think you're saying, are you?" Her expression gone grim. Obviously not the happy giddy sort for such news.
Alistair makes it in now, lifting the bag up to his chest and holding it there with his arms crossed over it. Poor thing needs to be warmed up. "Hi, um ... " he says softly, looking between them; he frowns faintly, "Late for what? Why would being late be this bad? Did I forget to pay a bill?" that last thought makes him blush nervously.
Caliopa is staring at Vixen, a moment where she might have replied stopped by the entrance of Alistair and she gives him a stare with wide eyes for a moment before she forces a reply. "Late for dinner with you." The reply requires forcing out, as does the smile he finally gets before she gives Vixen a hard stare. "Figured you'd be waitin' for me." She moistens her lips, giving a glance at Vixen, her cheeks flushed as she continues. "Vixen came back."
Vixen frowns darkly, her eyes flicking to the side when she does finally ken to Alistair's presence. She steps back, her hands dropping to he sides and when she turns to face him, her expression has shifted to its 'norm'. Casual, perhaps a little tense. But when isn't Vixen tense? "I'd say you're real late if you're worrying about dinner," she opines. "Should more be thinking about sleep. Or breakfast." And she is back after being utterly gone since they last spoke.
"I'm - " Alistair starts and smiles faintly, apparently the tension is contagious and his shoulders tighten a bit. "I made a bit extra too for you" he offers, "Anyway I finished these, so I thought I'd bring them over; figured you'd be working" then a look to Vixen, "Welcome back" he smiles at her, and looks from one to the other once more, "Uh, so, I guess I sort of stepped in at a bad time, so, I ... " his expression becomes confused as he looks at Cali for a moment, "Will just put these on the pile."
Caliopa returns Vixen's gaze, trying to respond truthfully and accurately. "Ain't eaten since breakfast. Feels like a couple of m..meals missed." She turns back to Alistair, offering him a strained smile. "Was real nice of you to bring it down. I ain't real up for eatin'." Just like that, he is told, her tight smile hardly sunny, and she turns back to the tools, paying attention to them as she cleans them slowly.
Vixen glances back at Cali, then towards Alistair. Her lips tightening into a straight line. "So let me guess, I missed something?" There isn't a sense of confusion about her expression or voice. More a certainty. She then notes to Alistair, "You're fine, man. At least as far as I'm concerned."
Alistair's smile fades more at that declaration, his chin dipping a little and his lips parting a touch to release a breath. He starts to turn towards said pile, pausing when Vixen asks, and he bites his lower lip. "Cali is mad at me" he murmurs after a few moments, but he does as he said - stuff goes on pile. There's the usual hesitation but he turns back to look at Cali's ... back, things being as they are.
Caliopa slams the cloth she was using for the tools down on the worktop, turning to face him. "I ain't mad. I'm jus' busy. 'n' tired. 'n' I ain't belonin' to someone to snarl over, like I'm a bone or somethin'." The snarl suggests a lie in the first part of it at least, before she gives Vixen a glower over her shoulder and moves to put her tools away. "Ain't no problem here." Finally tidy, she begins her closing down routine.
"Yeah, my trouble sensor ain't going off a bit," she sends back to Cali, her lips still a straight line. She considers the woman's words, then glances at Ali. "So what'd you do, man?" She lifts a hand, motioning towards herself as she says, "Fess up." Her arms lifting to cross over her chest lightly.
Alistair's face begins to show frustration, and perhaps somewhat uncharacteristically, irritation. "But you just got mad at me and -" he stops there, "If some woman came asking me to dance with her and you're there, I'd never look confused about it, I'd say no right away - because if she's not asking you, she's disrespecting the fact that you are my other half, and if I say yes, even worse, I disrespect you - and you are my love so you have a say" he blurts out, followed by, "And even if done right I'd be inclined to decline on a date that's special to us - and he tries to get into all the girl's pants anyway, calling them by pet names and stuff and ... " flustered, see? "I'm sorry. I could have handled it better - it isn't about owning you ... what he did wasn't right."
"Guy invited me to dance. Ain't no call for snarlin' like I'm a bitch in heat that ain't able to tell him no." Caliopa's cheeks are flushed, two red spots on them, as she wheels on Alistair. "You were snarlin' from the moment you got there, 'n' he'd bought me a drink." A moment later and her voice is raised, her arms tightly crossed over her chest. "'n' if he is friendly with everyone, it ain't like he is interested in me particular like, 'n' it ain't like I ever messed on you." That said, she moves to close the club up, anger in every line of her body.
Vixen is thoughtful as the situation is laid out in front of her. It hits a little close to home and she seems at the same time eager and hesitant to.. perhaps say something. "Ok, look," she belts out suddenly, her voice lifted and firm. She points at Alistair, telling him. "Sounds like you jumped the gun, ok? A guy can be friendly without being lewd. And you should trust Cali more. Cause one thing I know about her is she don't less around on people." Of course, then she turns that finger on Cali. "And don't you tell me it dont' feel at least a little nice.. having a guy that's willing to fight over you. Cause if you don't even feel a little warm over that, somethings' wrong. Maybe he was stupid about it, but it means something. Been waiting a long time for a guy that'd fight over me cause he wants me that much. Even if it is stupid." Her head turns, eyeing Alistair as she says as much.
Alistair looks like he's about to protest again, his expression a bit more pained - until Vixen speaks up, and he looks at her, taking a moment to breathe, struggling with frustration and whatever other emotions might be mixing in there. "Uh ... I didn't mean to ruin the date" he says apologetically, then he makes his way over to Cali, to speak to her up close, unless she's trying to get away - he'll try to cup her shoulders with his hands, lightly. "Cali, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you, maybe what I did was stupid - and I can understand that you're mad about it, it's just ... I have a bit of pride too! It just felt like he was trying to walk all over me. I don't mind if you dance with him or he buys you a beer. Ain't I allowed a stupid moment or two?"
Caliopa is not settled as easily, almost clinging to her temper, as she shakes her head, lifting her hands palm forwards, a movement either defensive or pushing away. "I ain't talkin' this over this time of night." She speaks firmly, giving Vixen a glower that still holds the heat of her earlier yelling. "'n' you, you ain't off the hook, vanishin' off the face of the earth!" She steps back, breaking Alistair's touch to her shoulders, before she turns to grab her coat from the pegs, ignoring the coveralls and their stains. "I'm gettin' me some sleep. I got work for three people here, 'n' I'm done tired."
"Who said I ever am?" Vixen snorts faintly. "Just remember what I said. Some people gotta fight for what they get. You ain't never had to fight, Cali. Maybe they ain't all perfect, but you ain't got no shortage of the good boys that only got eyes for you from glance one." Her expression souring slightly as she turns in a whirl, her coat drawn up as she starts towards the ajar door.
"But ... when? You're busy and you don't wanna come eat and ... I don't wanna fight or make you feel bad or angry, but I don't want you to be mad at me either, uh" Alistair trails off with a sigh, his expression one of mixed confusion and frustration - he looks at Vixen too for a moment, helplessly, her words giving him pause for a moment. He looks to Cali again, perhaps wanting to say something, though nothing is said.
Caliopa tightens her lips, the movement sitting oddly with the temper flaring in her cheeks and she turns around, her back to Alistair. "You mean like Ordo done for you?" It is a lash out, designed to hit, but the girl's brown eyes are glittering in the light, and she blinks rapidly before turning towards Alistair. "I'm not mad. I'm tired and I have work and ...." She shakes her head, moving rapidly to flick switches on the alarm, her movements angry.
Vixen stiffens and pauses. Almost about to round.. for what purpose who can say? But she stifles the urge and simply storms out of the garage with a low growl. Her coat still half undone, but that doesn't pause her as she stalks into the night.
Alistair blinks his eyes at the scene unfolding in front of him; while the details are unknown to him, Vixen's reaction leaves little to the imagination. He makes a sound, but he doesn't chase after her. "Cali" he says, looking back to Caliopa, " ... I ... what is happening? I've never seen you like this, isn't she your friend? She just stormed out and ... what's happening?"
Caliopa stares after Vixen for a moment before she tugs her coat on over the coveralls, "Nothin'." The flatly spoken word is given as she holds the door open, pointedly standing with the blizzard flying through the door. "Reckon I'll lock up 'n' get some sleep before I got more workin' to do tomorrow." She hugs the coat closer, the cold seeping through despite that, but the flush in her cheeks doesn't vanish.
Alistair looks somewhat frustrated now, but he manages to clear that as he steps outside, the tension however, remaining. It isn't easy to put Ali in a place wher he can't just bounce back - but those you love hurt you the most, so they say. He closes his eyes for a moment, then looks at her. "Fine, okay. At least let me keep you warm on the way home" he says.
"Don't need company. I need sleep 'n' peace." The snap isn't even softened by anything as she bolts up the garage, turning to stomp off through the snow, huddled into her coat.
Alistair spreads his hands a little as she heads off, jaw not quite but nearly on the ground. As she leaves, frustration - and the lack of anyone to see or hear it - at least so he thinks - gets the better of him and he slams his fist into the wall. Hitting inanimate objects is a reasonable expenditure of energy and damper of frustration, except ... "Ow, ow, ow!" Alistair snaps his wrist back and makes a face, "God damned idiot, why hit the stupid wall so hard?" he takes a moment to glower at the wall, then his first, "Idiot. Idiot, idiot, idiot." A moment passes, a sigh, "How come it's snowing but it isn't half as cold here as ... "
