Dec 08 20:20:40 105 PA
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Tue Dec 08 20:20:40 105 PA.
It's been a rough couple of days. Between working out a payment plan with his apartment and somehow trying to explain, in paperwork, precisely WHY he had missed four months of work would drive anyone batty. For someone who was still waking up both screaming -and- on fire, it'd been heck on a haystack. He was lucky he'd switched to asbestos sheets. He was lucky the wallpaper was easy to replace and the underwall was solid cinderblock instead of cheap pressed wood pap. None the less, he was pulling through. He was getting better, even if his emotional state was still in a solid swing. Survival instincts honed in a world of DEATH were hard to abandon, especially when the same nightmare seemed to be creeping into his waking world too. Still, he was Ordo Malleus, and there were certain aspects of life that he had to attend too. Such as narcissism. Thus, the beggarded ex-Noble is found strolling through the Market Plaza towards the barbers. His wild hair still matted and knotted, despite his best attempts at taming it with a boiling bath and various salty soaps. He's even got a slight down along the soul-path under his lips and chin, where he usually has such a hard time growing.
Kid is standing in front of a sturdy, little stall amid the rest of them, studying various bolts of cloth, rhinestones and other colorful accessories laid out in baskets and on trays, all within easy reach and view. Though she marks a stark contrast, her normally 'out there' manner of dress replaced with her simple, common black Urban Warrior and simple braided hair. In one hand is her helmet, being lightly tapped against her padded thigh, the other hand lifted and extended, stirring the sparkling contents of one basket slowly. Tossed over one shoulder is a length of shimmering, dark blue cloth, it's future in her possession yet to be determined. She plucks out a smooth polished red stone with black veins shot through it, a small hole bored through one lumpy protrusion.
It was hard, getting back into the swing of things. Once familiar paths have become confusing, faces he had seen all the time are strangers, older and weirder and getting worse. How'd that old song go? The one allegedly created by the pro-Coalition band, the Windows? 'People are Strange'? It sounded a bit odd when Ordo first heard it, but it'd stuck in his head ever since. And the song itself mentions quite a few things that Ordo is certain can't be found in Chi-Town. The thought purses his lips a bit, but he doesn't follow the thread of thought down to its conclusion. No, that way Madness lay. Rather, it is by pure coincidence that his blitheless wandering brings him in eyesight of the Urban Warrioress. He pauses, hole-riddled cloak pulled a bit tighter about his shoulders. Head tilting as he watches the simple braid of hair. It's hypnotising. When the realization of who it belongs too strikes him, a slow grin grows across his features. "Well.." He murmurs. "We've all got to die sometime." A single eye closes in half a wink as he concentrates, really concentrates; Feeling the inferno within grow and swirl as he calls to it, pushes into it - through it - and reaches forth with hands that are not hands, fingers that have no flesh. A telekinetic pinch. Rowr. Certain death has a habit of making one feel slightly frisky.
Kid goes on about her business after being spotted with a quiet, vague contentment. One of those moments where her mood floats in a place that is neither good nor bad. The red/black stone tossed casually back amongst the rest before she starts to twiddle her finger in the midst of the baubles slowly. When the pinch comes, she jumps, startled. Her finger coming up out of the basket with a few of those little sparklies flicked up as a result. She wheels around, the simple neutral of her mood flipping in a snap towards something darker, the girl having her right arm cocked back as the pivot completes, loaded and ready to hit someone. But no one is right behind her, which gives Kid pause, a soft confusion misting over the flash of rage. Her eyes flick about, darting.. taking a moment to actually find Ordo amid the other people. When she sees him, her eyes narrow and her expression tightens. After staring at him for a few moments, she snaps back around, pointedly turning her back on him.
The grin of expectation slowly fades away as Ordo watches Kid turn back around, and a vague confusion settles in. Followed by an unconscious comb of fingers through tangled hair. And blows out a breath. Women. If they were predictable, it'd make life so much easier. Maybe not as exciting, but certainly easier. With a faint grunt, the Burster begins moving through the crowd - his intent such that he actually bumps a few, gaining himself more than a few angry glances. His tattered appearance marking him as either a beggar or a madman, which means that - for the moment - he is mostly unmolested. He finally reaches the cart Kid is fiddling with, frowning a bit in thought. Hesitating. Then, finally, speaks. "So." HE starts. And stops. Tries again. "... I never got around to asking. What've you been doing while I was.." Another pause. And a soft tremble, caught and controlled. "While I was gone?"
Kid acts as if she'd not even seen him before, once her back is turned. Which means she goes back to her shopping, though she plucks up a few of the scattered baubles to plink them back into the basket. Just the ones in easy reach. So too will it be as Ordo talks, a dead silence all he gets at first as she slowly digs her finger through the accessories. After those few silent moments, Kid states, "What else? Taking care of myself. After all, it's not like I can count on anyone else but me, really." The words low and strangely lacking in overt anger. Instead, there's a quiet conviction behind them.
Ordo fiddles for a moment longer, frowning aside at the silence. The frown only deepens when Kid finally does speak. Without conviction, and without rage. There is a brief balance act, when it's almost tempting to simply walk away and leave it be. Let it lay. Let it dissolve. Which is when his heart begins to pick up it's pace, and Ordo's hand quite suddenly clamps down atop the cart. "Kid. I'm -back-. You understand I crawled out of .. out of.. Emperor, I don't even -know- what I crawled out of to get back here. And you're gonna treat me like a stranger?" Ordo glances aside now, nostrils flared as he snorts. "Well, fuck that. What the hell happened to you?"
Kid snaps her head upward and stares hard at Ordo on that note, her expression remaining tight, though some of the fire is in her eyes. "After you ran off without one word," she states firmly. "Why the hell shouldn't I treat you like a stranger? That's what I do to everyone that up and disappears on me. Kinda like a reflex by now." Though her voice doesn't rise in volume, each syllable is sharp and biting. "What happened to me? Same shit as always, just like I thought." Her lip curling slightly.
Ordo seems taken aback, but is not willing to simply lose something so simple. He growls, and jabs a finger towards the Urban armor. It won't be felt through the thick mega-ceramics, but the point remains. "Without a word? Dammit, Kid, I -told- you I had to get a letter out of Kingsdale. And the asshole you sent my way turned out to be a wanker. What else was I supposed to do? I took it myself. Hell, I wouldn't have even been gone more than a week or so if it weren't for-" He breaks off, and straightens up. Snorting again. "So. You've got a shitty set of reflexes. And an even shittier memory."
Kid doesn't flinch at the poke, her tensed expression not fading in the least. "Big difference between talking about shit and actually doing something," she snaps back firmly. "So you can stop trying to play fucking semantics with me. Make as many excuses as you want, won't change what happened. What'd you think I was going to do? Welcome you back as if nothing had happened? Now you know better.. and so do I." Her arms have lifted as she spoke, crossing over her chest loosely.
Ordo merely gapes. His jaw works a few times, and at last he manages to find his voice. "You're.. insane." He states. It's a sudden realization. "Completely nuts. Are you listening to yourself? We've got a fucking undead nightmare strolling the streets, I'm -really- damn sure it's the same fucking thing that I just loose from, and you're made -because I forgot to leave a fucking note before I was abducted-?!" The last part is quite loudly shouted. His arms part and wave wildly, then collapse inwards to grib the sides of his head. "I don't -believe- this. Emperor give me strength, that has got to be the stupidest thing I've.. hell, I don't think I've anything to compare to it. You're -insane-."
Of course, this hardly seems to improve her mood, Kid's eyes narrowing to thin little slits as Ordo raises his voice. Of course, the yelling, along with the mention of undead draws a good deal of attention from the people around the two. Though Kid herself doesn't even acknowledge the increased attention. She and Ordo are in the midst of the plaza, standing in front of a stall that sells cloth and baubles/accessories. Kid herself is armored, helmet dangling the fingers of one hand, arms crossed over her chest. A length of shimmering blue cloth is draped over her left shoulder. "Doesn't change what you did. Or didn't do," the girl replies steadily. "Just because you happened to run into trouble on your way, I should fall all over myself to make it all better for you? You got the wrong girl if you're expecting that shit." Her tone even more chill than before. "And you're not exactly getting on my good side right now," she notes, almost too calmly.
"Oh, fuck your good side." States Ordo, finding himself in quite a rage over the flat unfairness of it all. He survived the rifting, or whatever the hell those four months of terror were, stumbled back to Kingsdale just to find everything he came back for down the toilet and swirling. His hands are curled, but he'll not use them; Striking at Kid, even now, would be damn near impossible. It's at these heady screamfests that he feels in love with again; At least he wanted someone who could feel as explosively as he did. "FUCK your good side!" Repeats the ex-Noble, because it felt like a good line; having long since abandoned flowerly language when he started 'dating' Kid. "I'm done stumbling and smashing my head against the wall trying to keep you happy. 'Cause, frankly, you don't -want- happy. You want someone to either smack you around and justify your viewpoint or ignore you and do the same. Well fuck you, 'cause you've got the wrong guy for both." He draws back, suddenly noticing the crowd that has begun to gather to watch the spat. But it doesn't stop him for long, because his lips begin curling again. "Fuck, I would've taken a hello. At least after I got my head back on straight."
The door to the Ye Alchemy Shoppe opens slowly and out steps Rune, at least half way. "Tharabed. The name of the city was, Tharabed, Slither. And yes, I owe you a true story.." With that Rune slides away from the door and into the public. Though, most likely not meaning to be a public scene, though turning into one, Rune has found himself near enough to hear some of the yelling. Catching a sight of one of the participants, Kid, Rune stops to observe what is going on.
"Don't act like you fucking know me," Kid replies acidly, her eyes remaining narrowed and intently focused on Ordo. "I never asked for anything from you, so don't act like 'taking it away' is gunna effect me, man." She does her own prod this time, arms unlacing. Fortunately her armor is mostly padding, though the tips of her fingers have some firm caps underneath the exterior MDC padding. But it gives a little edge to the two prods at his chest. "I was just starting to think you'd never come back and I'd finally have some peace in my life once all this bullshit blows over. So maybe you ought to just think about that." She still doesn't seem to care just who is watching them, completely ignoring others for the moment.
"Oh. OH! Is -that- a fact? Is -that- a fucking FACT?!" Shouts Ordo, not at all shaken by the facade. He knew her! Perhaps not as well as he would want, or perhaps a bit dulsioned to the depth of his knowledge, but he knew her kiss. And her body. But not like that, you perverts. "Yeah. You never asked for anything. So how the fuck am I supposed to know what you want? Shit fuck hell." Finishes Ordo in a flurry, before his laser like gaze alights upon RUNE. Why? There's no telling. The fellow isn't particularly striking, much like Ordo himself. But perhaps it's because he said 'Tharabed'. Perhaps the stars aligned above him. Perhaps the Flying Spaghetti Monster's invisible strands intervened. Whatever it is, Ordo suddenly points a finger, parting the crowd like a red sea. Because no one wants to be pointed at by a mad man. "HEY. You. Yeah, you.. C'mere."
The Liberian seems taken back by the harsh words being sent back and forth. And as much as this is a public scene, it should most likely be kept to them. With that Rune attempts to make his leave through the crowd of people. Yet, the finger and the voice pinpoints the man. Turning slowly Rune looks at Kid for a second and then to Ordo. "Me?" This said in a calm but questioning tone to Ordo.
Kid glances towards Rune when Ordo calls him forth out of the small crowd that has stopped to goggle at the public fracas. She snorts faintly and turns her heated gaze back to Ordo. "Because if someone tells you what to do, it isn't really genuine, is it? Kinda common sense isn't it? Letting someone you supposedly care about know before you go traipsing off. Wouldn't think someone would need a clue when it comes to that. Then again, you seem pretty short on clues at times. So I guess I should have expected it."
"Yeah. Come here. You seem like a stranger." There is a curious glint to Ordo's gaze, as he splits his attention between Rune and Kid. "Namely, someone without a stake in this matter. We need an outside opinion." His attention goes back to Kid, and his face actually flushes red. With ANGER. "Yeah? Well, fuck me if I couldn't tell when you're happy and when you're not. God damn it, Kid, the most affection we've ever managed is just after -braining- each other. You're on, you're off, you're hot, you're cold, and there ain't a person in the Emperor's green earth that could manage to keep up." He throws that arm out again, emphasizing his point. "And I did try. A lot. I usually either got a cracked skull or a cold shoulder for my troubles."
Rune looks around with his eyes from Kid to Ordo and then nods his head, but says, "..out of respect though to you two, I would suggest a more private place? Perhaps over some drink, so that tongues are not at bay, and truths, real truths can be told?" But then he says in a more stressed tone, "..for a stranger I am not. I know her, not well but I know her.." His words are all accented in what seems to be some type of Dragonese.
"Not my fault of you don't have the fortitude to handle me," Kid retorts with a slow curl of her lip, maturing steadily into a flat our smirk with a side of smug. Her eyes flick towards Rune and she tells him, "I'm telling him my truth. Not my problem if he can't deal with it." Her eyes flick to Ordo. "Just give it up and walk away.. or be a man and admit you fucked up. Again." she turns away, back to the stall as she slips a hand into one of her belt pouches, pulling out some credit chits, which she starts to sort through. The stall keeper, having quietly, invisibly been looking after his wares, looks over as the money comes out.
"What? You -know- her?" Asks Ordo, incredulous. He glances between the two, and repeats the question. "You -know- her? EMPEROR above, who DON'T you know?!" The last shouted towards Kid, but not in anger; More that Ordo has gotten used to saying things loudly. When Kid starts up with the lip curling comments, Ordo merely gestures and glances to RUne, as if to say: See? SEE?! And, finally, the fire blows out of him. He runs a hand through his hair, unconscious gesture of stress, and growls softly in his throat. OH, to walk away. OH, to be done with it. ".. Damn my heart. Fine. I fucked up. I didn't think things through.. again." Grunts the Burster. Better to swallow pride than swallow defeat. But is there truly a difference?
Rune remains silent for the moment as he seems to have said enough. The man seems to be partial in his gaze, which is very nonjudgmental, but he remains. Who knows why?
Kid mutely goes about paying for the cloth over her shoulder, passing the stall keeper some credits, her change quickly returned. Afterward, she slips the money back into her pouch, turning back towards Ordo. A few moments at least past his relenting words. That smirk lingers on and she considers Ordo briefly before she nods her head once and states, "Good." And that's all before she starts to step around the man, starting to walk away without another word, her intended direction seeming to be south. Wha?
Ordo stands there for a moment, ready for anything. Anger, sure. Being ignored, of course. Maybe even an admission of being missed? It's a fantasy he'd occasionally envisioned. But when Kid finally turns towards him, speaks a single word and steps off as if it meant nothing at all? No, he wasn't quite ready for that. Ordo just -stands- there, dumbfounded once more by the mystery that is ovarie-beasts. He glances to Rune, to Kid's retreating back, adn then back to Rune. After a moment? A single worded question. ".. -What-?"
Rune gives Ordo a short but understanding grin, and turns as well since it seems his word is done. The might work, is done! The man didn't mean to ignore anyone or any question, but gave answers in expressions of ok, sure, understanding..
"Come find me later, when you're in less of a mood. Maybe we'll talk." Kid's response as she walks away steadily. Glancing back over her shoulder enough that one eye can be seen, her expression slid back into a cool sort of rest. "Maybe." Then she focuses forward again and continues along. Meanwhile, those lingering die hards who just can't get enough of a little public scene either start to scatter and go on about their business or murmur to one another in that just audible, but unintelligible way.
Ordo gives Rune a rather annoyed twist of the lips. "Helpful." He mentions, before Kid speaks. And continues to walk. Ordo releases a long held lungfull of air in one explosive breath of frustration. "Emperor give me strength, wisdom, and patience. Then a roadmap to the female heart." Comes the grump, before he turns back to Rune again. Tilting his head a bit, suddenly a lot more 'polite' without his bad influence around. ".. Forgive me, I did not mean to intrude. I was.. a bit put out at the time. I hope you understand."
Rune stops and then turns his head in a questioning gaze. "No offense was taken." A pause and a thought, "..what Emperor do you speak of? If I can ask.." This said still with the stance of leaving, but a lingering question had to be ask before such an action. A quick look is given to Kid as she leaves, but there wasn't much Rune could add or do for her tonight. Tags: kid, ordo, rune
