poly_chromatic | video: memory theater.

Entry tags:

firestarter - charlie mcgee

video: memory theater.

[So, Charlie's actually aware it's one of those weekends. And she's keeping her eyes on the feed. And she knows resistance is futile as fuck so when the following pops up, she doesn't even care. At least, that's what her facial expression says.

Really, she does in fact give a damn, but what can you do]

[And now her face shows, attempting to look unamused and being almost entirely successful, save for the faint glare in her eyes.]

Oh, City. I am disappointed. Didn't we do this one already? C'mon. This isn't even original anymore.

[And the feed shuts off. She won't be answering it right away and has probably gone down to the beach, far away from populated areas and is sitting on the sand, glaring at the water. A part of it will be steaming slightly and it'll be fairly warm around Charlie so approach with care.]

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[Setsuna doesn't think he can do any good, but as he's flying around he notices a part of the beach clearly cooling off. He lands near Charlie. His wings stay out, though they fold on his back.]

[Silently, he ignites a fire on his hands. He's not sure if they ever talked about powers before, and he can't recall how much they know about each other. They tend not to get personal, typically.]

[With him it's just chance, and he doesn't like talking about his abnormalities. With Charlie, he suspects she's very closed off.]

[He sits next to her, and gives her a weak smile before reaching out to put a hand over hers. We've all done things we regret. He can't even begin to start with his own. It's hard being different. He's always hated it. Even those pretty, useful wings on his back. But all he can do is sit there with her, and share it silently with her.]

[ Fifteen men versus a frightened child. Charles has noticed the fact that Charlie doesn't seem to talk to anyone about her past as much (despite having told him about it) and all he can think is that she was much too young to have this on her shoulders.

Governments, children, forced experimentation and mutation never seem to add up to anything good, does it?

A problem of this particular curse is timing; Charles would rather ask questions in person than this way, but that's not easily achieved at the moment. Especially since he can't exactly sort out where any one specific person is on the island right now. ]

I'm afraid expecting originality may be a stretch for this place to manage, Mrs. McGee. It is merely called 'The City', after all.

[charlie's glad to see him, even if he still can't speak. It's nice to have someone around even if she did try really hard to be left alone. It's just so confusing for her, seeing something like that and remembering how angry she was and how badly she wanted to make them hurt. And the scariest part to remember was how much she enjoyed it. She's always enjoyed it, even when she used it for things she still saw as Very Bad Things.

And no, she doesn't like talking about it at all because just telling others is a reminder. Even with her husband, there's still the occasional reluctance.

So her fingers lace through Setsuna's for a moment, squeezing slightly before she leans on his shoulder. She doesn't want to say anything because that'd break something and she'd start crying and she doesn't want to. Instead, she lets her posture express how heavy all of this feels and how tired she is of all of it.]

[It's almost a half hour before she texts back. She always has a lot to work through and it usually just gets bottled, anyway. This is unhealthy, she knows it, but it's hard to explain things to someone without getting unwanted sympathy, especially when it was the City's decision to show off and not hers.]

Good point. That's why I don't get these weekends, I think. It just seems like chaos.

[Being battle hungry at times, he knows that feeling. The times he's almost gone too far in a fight. There's a part of him that enjoys fighting, and he'll always be slightly at war with it, being soft-hearted at the same time.]

[The only sounds are the waves lapping, rolling up on the shore. He tilts his head against hers and just sits there watching the water.]

[He manipulates some water to pull up to them, it make a heart shape in the sand before sinking through, leaving a darker patch in its passing. He hopes she knows it's not romantic. He doesn't see her that way, but he has plenty of platonic love, and he isn't sure how to express everything any other way, not right now.]

[Charlie watches, smiling just a bit. Yeah. She gets it, Setsuna. And she appreciate's it. She extends just a small tendril of fire, pushing it to trace around the edge of the heart. She loves him, too.]

Thank you.

[For all of what he just did. She appreciates every second of it.]

[ He won't ask what kept her from replying. People have lives, and coping mechanisms. ]

They are chaos, of a sort. How have you been? We haven't spoken in a while.

Edited 2013-02-23 23:20 (UTC)

All things considered?

[Meaning her shop being restored her...insomnia issues (Seriously, the girl lives with Merlin and she refuses potions.) and the recent shit from the city.]

Stressed. How about you?

Or as many things as you choose to consider. Ah...tired, but hopeful, I think is an accurate assessment of my current state. There are plans underway, new and exciting sorts of plans I'm looking forward to see come to fruition. Property of mine has arrived here, but I can't speak for several weeks. Amongst other issues.

Deity trade?

Yes, in fact. One I may have underestimated but it's temporary, so there is at least that. Have you conducted a trade before?

Yes. One. Around Christmas. I traded memories for a wooden dragon for Merlin. His father made it for him. I'm not a huge fan of believing in Deities so the one and only one I've done was for my husband.

A wooden dragon? Was it a toy? I don't believe I meant to indicate myself as a 'believer' with my trade but I would not be surprised if it were interpreted that way by one of them. Memories, however...are an important part of ourselves, I doubt I could choose to part with any of my own.

[He can't say, 'You're welcome,' but he does nod and give her hand a squeeze. Maybe it's better he can't talk, he thinks for the first time. While some things are harder, moments like this...maybe he's making more of a difference this way?]

[For the first time he contemplates if he should go silent longer.]

[He can no longer remember meanings of flowers, that curse long past, but he can still make seeds out of no where, so he does. Then lets a flower grow in his other hand. A white rose, like the ones he made for her wedding, which Setsuna hands to Charlie.]

[Ken hears everything she says, but he knows her well enough to see past it, too.]

[He sends her a text a little later.]

Do you wanna order out tonight? Take a break? Everyone needs one, sometimes.

I don't know. I just know it's precious to Merlin. And you didn't. I was just expressing my general dislike for the people that run the place. I learned that about memories, too. I became...different, I guess. Slept a lot less than I do. Mistrusted almost everyone in some way or another. Never again. The old couple in my memory? They took me in after things got really, really bad.

If you're okay with that. I don't think I'm going to be much use tonight.

Setsuna, you're amazing. [That's Charlie for thank you. She takes the rose carefully, holding it close. It's instantly precious to her and she'll protect it like she protects her loved ones. She lifts her head, resting her chin on his shoulder and grinning at him.]

Did you know you're amazing?

I hope they were able to keep you safe. [ But he knows the likelihood of that is very low, after what her memory showed. ]

Did you manage to reclaim your memories, then?

[He figured as much, and doesn't want Charlie to push herself.]

I'm okay with it, yes. It would be best, I think.

[There are times he might have responded to that with playful ego, but this isn't one of them. Instead he looks wide-eyed and shakes his head, completely honest. Why...? All he's doing is sitting here with her and making flowers.]

For a while. For a few years, actually. It was nice, for the most part. My memories returned after a month.

You're always looking out for me, Ken. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around.

You're distracting me and helping me calm down. That's why you're awesome.

[How's that for an answer?]

[It explains, but for him it's still a bit of a surprise. He settles for making her another rose.]

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video: memory theater.

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