May 05 05:42:52 107 PA - Ash, Crash, Angst, and Bob
From Chronicles
May 05 05:42:52 107 PA
Kingsdale - Plaza Park
Rain or not some people just can't seem to get enough activity. This early in the morning the park is practically empty with only a single soul really out in the cold rain. Ash is out running, and by running he is really running, moving at 50 mph on foot as he runs the footpath of the park, heading around it over and over again. Of course the stinging wind might be why he's wearing a pair of goggles, but otherwise he seems to be dressed in usual gym fair, shorts, shirt, running shoes. Zoom. For added resistance he's carrying a duffelbag slung across his back with his arms through the handstraps.
Some people are just stuck walking from one place to the other in the rain in the early morning. Or late night, depending how you look at it. Trying to catch a break, or a shortcut, Bridget steps off the street and into the park. She's smart enough to carry an umbrella, at least, which keeps her clothes mostly dry. The constant drizzle and gray still make everything feel more like a long night than a new day.
Ash doesn't slow or stop, instead if anything he runs even faster doing an all out sprint. Like all good things of course, they must come to an end and so does Ash's workout but not because he chooses to stop. Instead his shoes literally disintegrate out from under him and he loses traction on the path with a blink and a nice expletive. He slips off the path and ends up skidding across the grass of the park, one hand planted down, right leg tucked up as he ends up putting a rooster tail of water into the air behind him like a heavier rain. Unfortunately, wet grass isn't really doing much to slow him and he's heading straight towards a tree.
Bridget may not have even noticed the sprinting blur before, with her umbrella drooped over herself. She's overdue for coffee, anyhow, and that doesn't help her attentiveness. When Ash decides to stop running and start hydroplaning, though... the tail of spray is easy enough to spot. She blinks, with her expletive in the form of a question, then starts to step towards the skidding sprinter. Not that she can get anywhere to help in time at the speed he's moving.
It's not quite a WHAM with bone shattering force. Instead it's more of a THWACK-THUD-SPLASH. Ash of course can see the tree, he knows it's coming, he also knows there's not much he can do until he gets to it. Which he does. He pushes off the ground as hard as he can, trying to jump but it doesn't work out well when you're moving at that speed over a slick surface. He manages to plant one foot on the trunk of the tree and flip himself up but he didn't get enough air to do a complete flip. Instead he bounces off the tree and lands face first on the grass all spread eagled and not apparently moving move, beyond the faintest twitch of fingers. Probably got the wind knocked out of him at least.
Bridget isn't quick enough to stop him, but maybe she can help scrape him out of the grass? He's a little easier to catch up to, now, and she walks through the grass to him. "You Ok?" She remembers that working better the last time he tried it, especially the landing part.
There is a muffled "mmph shoe disimphagrphed." as Ash still isn't moving from where he landed, face down in the grass but he plants his hands down and begins to push himself up. "My shoe disintegrated." He says again, already showing a wicked bruise down his left arm and shoulder that had hit the tree. "Guess it wasn't rated for sixty..." He tries to joke, though he winces a touch.
"Or not all terrain..." The wrinkles of concern on her face are relaxed and ironed out when Bridget smiles. Since Ash didn't break his funny bone, it sounds like he'll live. "Maybe you should stay out of the rain, like most of the smart people do." It's true that she's out in it, too, and not dressed the best for it, either. She did only say 'most.'
"You kiddin'?" Ash asks with a wry grin as he hesitantly lifts his left arm so he can look at what hit the tree and start pulling off pieces of bark that got lodged in his skin, "Beautiful morning like this... couldn't resist going for a run... safer than trying to run in the Dregs. I try that there people shoot first and never ask questions." He smiles faintly as he rubs his arm and shoulder after pulling himself into a sitting position. "Needed to work something out anyways."
Bridget takes a step back so she's not crowding him when he sits up and, eventually(?), stands. Her smile dims down to a mild smirk. "Yeah, don't go jogging in the Dregs. The next rule should be getting better shoes... or a treadmill."
Ash is still seated, not wishing to try and stand up just yet. "Like I can afford a treadmill." He notes wryly, "I can barely afford to keep my armor repaired and my weapons charged." He shrugs his sore shoulder out of the duffelbag on his back and then sets it down next to him. He doesn't however, look up at Bridget, or really anywhere in her direction for some reason as if he doesn't want to meet her gaze. Maybe he's embarassed. "I'm lucky enough to have sleeper sofa's in my apartment."
"Stick with better shoes and dry days, then." Bridget just watches him and his bruised and barkiness a moment, even if he's not looking her way. That makes it easier for her to look his, really. "Well, I said I'd see you around, sometime... just didn't think it'd be this quick."
"Yeah." Ash says with a slight darkening of his cheeks at that, "Guess you did say that after all." He continues to pick bark from his shoulder and thankfully the rain is also helping to keep it clean. He sits on the grass, legs sprawled out in front of him with a duffelbag beside him. Bridget stands somewhere nearby and looking at him. "Figured I'd bump into you eventually..." He rolls his shoulder in a shrug. "Though I'm not sure what to expect anymore. I thought we were getting on rather well... then you just up and left so suddenly."
It should be noted that Ash is looking everywhere but at Bridget, mostly his left arm and shoulder that's already bruising.
Bridget stands a step or three from Ash, an umbrella keeping her mostly dry from the dreary drizzle. It doesn't keep out much of the dreary or weary, though, and she looks like she could use a nap, or a few large cups of coffee. The frown she now makes doesn't help, either. "Sorry about that. It was a ...job ...emergency sort of thing. I was having fun, too. Leave it to work to ruin a party, right?" Now it's her turn to try and joke, and push her frown upside-down. It's harder than it looks.
The sweet smell of coffee drifts on the winds before Nemain enters the park. Both hands craddled around that's probably the largest to-go cup availible in town. Steam wreathing her as she walks towards one of the benches looking more than a bit on the 'I'm awake WHY?????' side. Bleary enough that she probably wouldn't see anyone unless she tripped over them for a little bit still.
Ash reaches down to take off his one shoe that's still on and looks at the soles, worn flat and smooth by the running he does. No wonder he was hydroplaning. He hops to his feet, bending down to pick up his duffelbag and sling it over his hurt shoulder with a tightening of his jaw but he absolutely refuses to wince now. He flings the still good show at a garbage bin, looking back where he slid for the pieces of the shoe that disintegrated, "Yeah sure." Ash says non-comitally, "Shit happens right?" He risks a look over at her and he shakes his head, "Well, I won't keep you from your coffee." He starts to work his arm around in a circle as he starts to slowly walk away from the infamous tree and towards the exit but once his back is to Bridget he actually winces with each step. Goes to figure that his foot got tore up in that slide too after all.
Bridget just starts to get some caffeine-free lift and her grin going again when she realizes Ash's sarcasm isn't as understanding as she thought he was. "Yeah, getting shit on happens..." A mutter, a sigh, a scowl, and his reminder makes coffee sound divine. So much that she can practically smell it, and then she sees it, too, catching notice of the steaming Nemain as she turns to watch Ash limp off. "Maybe you should get your feet checked out before you put the new shoes on..."
Nemain stretches slowly after about four or five sips from the cup. A blink registering as she's not alone in the park. Nor is she poisoning pigeons either, yet. Her head turns slowly towards the voices "Morning. Care to pull up a stump?" is the soft offer as she just barely manages to focus on the moving Ash. A hand freeing itself to waves to Bridget as well as she's place the voice, just hasn't turned her head that far.
"I've got to get out of this rain." Ash says in response to Nemain's offer, "Am soaked through to the bone and I need new shoes." He is of course barefoot, which is not the healthiest thing to be in Kingsdale. Thanks to his augmented hearing Ash easily heard Bridgets mutter and for half a second it looks like he was going to stop and say something, but then her comment about getting his feet checked out makes Ash call back sarcastically, "Yeah, I'll get right on that." His voice trying to be sarcastic but it doesn't hide the hurt in his tone either, not a physical hurt either. Apparently Bridget's sudden departure stung more than he originally let on. He picks up the pace though, starting to walk faster and at that he -does- start to limp.
Eyes roll and Bridget starts walking towards Nemain. "I'd love too..." A smile finally comes back and she even sounds to mean it. Then there's a sidelong look and a sigh, "but... Next time?" Without waiting much for an answer, she turns to walk after Ash, and fast enough to gain on him.
Nemain's lips quirk slightly as she arches up a brow. "Ahh.. lover's spat. He hurt himself and doesn't want help?" she calls after Bridget. Then hides a smirk behind the cup as her eyes focus on the pair finally. Seems her caffiene system finally purges the blood out of it.
Damn those bionic ears, "We're not lovers!" Ash practically shouts at Nemain more than a little annoyed as he spins in place to look at the techno-wizard and his hands clench into fists. "And I am fine thank you very much, though your concern is truly heartwarming." Yes, there is some vitriol in his words as he speaks but then he catches sight of Bridget closing, or at least she was and he defensively folds his arms across his chest as he waits.
"Yeah, more like complainers... He did, and he's getting some, anyways." Bridget is finally smiling again as she answers Nemain, but her eyes are on Ash as she approaches him. "That way, he has one less thing to complain about. Come on, and we'll get you out of the rain."
Nemain nods as she glances back to the pair, the mega-cup resting in her lap as she smirks openly. "Couldn't prove it by how you act with each other, luv. And yeah, I'd take you back to the shop and try out the medic bed with ya, but.." She trails off with a shrug and returns to coffee-bliss. "Looks like you have help. And she's got better legs."
"I don't need help." Ash says simply, his wide dark eyes going a little darker. There wasn't even emotion in his voice that time, it was just flat and... well a void practically. It's unclear which he was talking to. "I'm fine. I'll be fine. Go enjoy your coffee." He says simply, "I don't need anyone's help or pity." His back straightens up at that and Ash turns to start walking away again. Unless of course Bridget tackles him or some other such method is used to stop him from doing so.
Bridget grits her teeth, but she's still doing her best to keep hold of that smile. Tackling him doesn't seem quite necessary, yet, but she does reach for his arm as she keeps pace. "I can get coffee -and- make sure you can't bitch at me about gangrene, tomorrow. I'm multi-talented. You're getting help, not pity, so cut it out."
Nemain chooses to simply shush as she seems to be making things worse. Amazing isn't it? She got a clue. She sighs into the coffee for a moment and muses mostly to herself, "Now I need to find a loved one to care about. Might stop the twenty hour days at the shop."
There isn't quite a jerk of Ash's arm when Bridget reaches for it, but it's close. Instead of continuing he stops walking and just looks at her. "I've lived on my own for years Bridget and I've been through much worse than this without getting gangrene and needing a limb chopped off." Seems even those words from Nemain cause Ash to bristle a bit as he looks over towards her and smirks, "Go get that bouncer from last night." He offers, "I'm sure he'd love you long time, or Bart, or any of the other people falling all over you." His voice has that definate 'cry me a river' tone of bitterness in it before he looks back to Bridget. "I'm fine, and I'll be fine. I just need to dry off and not run without my armored boots anymore." For some reason, it seems the idea of anyone needing to take care of him has the aliens back up.
"Oh for fuck's sake..." Between the bristling and the 'I'm a big boy' lecture, Bridget gives up on the whole smiling thing, or trying to reach out. Now it's fresh scowling, and venting, instead. "Fine. Sure. Go suck it up, walk it off, whatever. You're the tough guy, I guess..." Her hand is better used to wave him off as she starts walking again, away rather than after. "Guess bread is still better... Let me know about that bouncer, Nemain! Maybe he's got a friend, or a brother..." She must have heard the other woman, too.
Nemain's head snaps up at Ash's vent. "The bouncer? He used to change my diapers, dolt. He's like an uncle to me. Better than the flesh and blood jerk-off who tried to use me like he used his sister. Go dry-hump a cactus or something." The news about Burt being all over her seems to come as a rather pointed suprise since he barely spoke to her at all. She blinks at Bridget and sighs, "Take him. He'd love it. I just tease him anyway."
"Bread when it gets left out gets stale and hard too." Ash shouts at Bridget, "This isn't about -me- being a tough guy, it's about me relying on -me-!" He continues to shout at the woman as she walks away, "I can't count on -anyone- in this whole fucking world -but- me." He taps himself in the chest. "Everytime I start to think different, I just get broken. I'm sick of it. You want to go back to bread, be my fucking guest! All anyone -ever- cares about, is what they can use me for, and I'm not having it anymore. You want to try and make me feel better out of some guilt about bailing on me, well to fucking bad. I'm not some damned D-Bee pet to be taken care of and fed only when you feel like it!" He turns and stalks off.
Bridget keeps on walking, and doesn't bother to look back. She picks up a strong, long stride, too. Even Ash's chest-beating, self-righteous, angsty speech gets no visible response. Just an audible one, maybe, for those with the fancy ears focused on her and her barely-breathed, muttered whisper, "Never said I wanted to bail, idiot, and you don't know shit about being used."
Nemain glowers after the departing Ash. Then rises to head after Bridget. The cup hauled along. At least Bri is slow enough to catch is she stretches her stride to a near job. Damn it sucks sometimes being short.
Bridget isn't so speedy, which is probably why she doesn't go through shoes as fast... unless they go out of style. When Nemain catches up, the scowl is mostly gone and she's obviously not yelling anymore. Of course, she's not talking right now, either.
Nemain simply offers the mug over as she matches stride. If the mug is taken she folds her arms and just walks along beside the taller woman. Of course most women are taller than her these days.
The large mug is eyed sidelong, then taken, following a very one-sided and brief internal debate on caffeine. "Thanks." Bridget even says that before the gulping. Nemain shouldn't worry about being shorter, since half the men are short compared to Bridget, and she's used to it. "At least you were smart enough to bring the coffee..." With the compliment, or insult to other people, she offers the mug back.
Nemain chuckles as she waves the return of the cup off. "I've had enough I think. And you could use it more at the moment." Her smile gentle and almost mischivious for the moment as she quirks a brow up. "You were really into him, weren't you? Ahh, he'll probably calm down after he spends some time beating on that hover bike of his."
Bridget is thrown into another debate as soon as Nemain mentions Ash. Smile? Scowl? Talk about the good impression or all the stupidity after it? In the end, she keeps the mug, rolls her shoulders, and sighs. "He's a good dancer, and funny... but I think he's fallen on his head too many times, too."
Nemain laughs lightly and shakes her head, "I think he's still young and a guy. Probably thought he was going to get lucky last night. Then if you left like he shouted you did, it probably left him feeling pretty.. ummmm.. blue-sey." Her head canting slightly as she shrugs in turn. "Also I get the feeling he's bene left alone way, way too much. Probably snubbed by people for being the D-Bee as well."
"If he's guy enough to shrug off all that," Bridget's annoyance comes out, but it's not alone, "would think he'd just look to the next girl at the bar..." A flash of smile at Nemain's laugh then flicks away most of the annoyance. "He was playing it pretty smooth, maybe he thought that... Of course, like I said, I figured he'd just grab a new one..." Ok, maybe that isn't as worth smiling about, and so she pours more coffee in.
Nemain nods slightly, "Sometimes it's not the next girl in the bar that does it. I know I've tried that and it didn't work so well." She offers a disheartened smile as she shrugs, "Really think he just has issues letting down the barriers he's built growing up in the Dregs. Heh, I have issues letting down my barriers as well. And I grew up in hte lap of luxery compaired ot someone like him. Yeah, I was dumped into an uncle that thought I should warm his rack at the tender age of ten." She holds up her hands, "The warming of racks came later when I started to show curves, mind you. And it didn't help that I excelled in the TW stuff, while he was stuck as a shifter."
Bridget coughs on the coffee somewhere in the middle of that. "Sounds like your family tree needed pruning..." She almost stops to add 'no offense,' but she's not sure that'd be right, so she moves on. "Everyone hs shields, but maybe his needs fixed..."
Nemain winks, "Maybe you need a bigger hammer then. And yes, it needs pruning. But he's also about the only family I have left. Not like I could off him and not piss off some Coucil someplace."
"I don't know..." Bridget looks to be about done with the coffee. "Seems I already hit something tender, and I don't know if I'm even looking for anything, much less something that takes alot of work..."
Nemain ahhs softly and nods slightly. "He might be a little work, but it could me worth it. But what to I know?" She flashes a grin, "I'm not one to talk about relationships. I'm not in one myself. Can't seem to find the right person to settle down with."
Bridget concedes, sort of, with a shrug. "Maybe we'll see..." Then she has no problems whatsoever jumping on the tangent leading away from herself. It also helps her grin immensely. "Really? You can't magic one up? Or build one?"
Nemain laughs hard enough at that to actually have to stop. "Ohh.. Ouch, no.. Not going the BoB route. I prefer natural to mechanical in that portion of my life. Though I've really not bene able to find anyone truely skilled with their tongue either." Her cheeks flushing a remarkable shade of red as she states that last. "And an invisible servent just doesn't cut it."
There's no blush, but Bridget quirks a brow as they stop. "And here I thought I'd never be jealous of magic..." There's an unexpected flicker of her smile in the wrong direction, but it quickly goes to a big grin. "Yeah, natural's better for that."
Nemain quirks a brow up in turn as she glances over at the grin. "You're jealous of magics why? You like the feeling of unseen hands stroking along your body? They aren't even very good at it. Nor are they even hung like a mouse."
Bridget now laughs without any hestitation. "Oh... I guess I'm not. Doesn't sound as nice, now." Her shoulders roll in a shrug. "I don't know anything about any of that, really. Well, unless knowing to duck when the bolts start flying, but that's pretty much the same for anything."
Nemain chuckles softly as she shakes her head. "So I can't place an order for a BoB for you then, hmm? Not that I think the gems would be all that fun anyway." She winks and asks, "You do like guys, right?"
"When they're guys and not assholes, yeah." Bridget isn't so sure they aren't intrinsically linked, but she grins at the other question. "That depends on how fancy they get. The ones that run off everyday micro-cells are good enough. Well, they're almost good enough as much as anything else is, I mean."
Nemain ahhs and grins, "I'll put it this way. I've yet to find a guy or girl that has drawn me in the way I saw drawing last eve on that dance floor." She glances away and coughs as she flushes again, "Haven't evne seen one of the micro-cell ones in a while."
Bridget is now the one to chuckle and puts a hand on Nemain's shoulder. "Poor girl. Maybe you need to seeing how many friends that bouncer friend of yours has. Or I can send you a gift box or something." She lifts up the all but empty mug. "For the coffee."
Nemain lifts her hand to lightly pat the one on her shoulder. "It's alright. Pop's taught me to try to help others." A grin showing, "Greg? I think he'd send me more than a few folk that would be interesting, but ummm.. no."
"Maybe you just need to go hunting, yourself, then." Bridget suggests this, then nods as if she's sure that's the right answer. "Much more fun that way, anyways." She gives Nemain's should a slight squeeze and lowers her hand back to her side. Then she tries to suck down what's left in the cup, and then some. "Better with more coffee, too. Or sleep. Maybe he wasn't the only cranky one... I haven't slept in a day or two."
Nemain frowns at that, "Shoo then.. Go curl up. You sounds as crazy as some of the doctors I've met. Up for three or four days, then sleep for two straight." She winks, "What is it that you do? I think everyone in the town knows I'm one of the few TWs around."
Bridget nods and sighs wearily, although it shows more in her voice than her face. "A little bit of everything, and sometimes alot. Mostly piecemeal, on-call sort of things. Might get to stare at a screen and dump in data one day, try not to get shot at the next. Whatever I can find, mostly." She smirks. "The schedule is hell, though, and I should get some sleep. Would've been nice to pass out last night after..." She cuts that short with another sigh. "Ok, I /really/ need some sleep, after a shower. Thanks for the coffee." Nemain is good for one more smile, at least.
Nemain waves and chuckles, "Don't worry about it. And sweet dreams. If you want to chat later after you wake up again, I'm usually down at the DS. Hard to miss it in the magic ward."
"I'll come take a peek when I can." Bridget returns the wave. "Even if we can't talk magic, there's always men... and coffee!" She winks and then continues on her way towards hot water and and comfortable sheets.
Nemain sighs as she turns to watch the other woman walk away. Heh, she's not above enjoying the view even if it is of a friend she's trying to set up with another. "I'm there most the time. Sleep well."
