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| The necessity of pancakes; ic: Dustin || iso: Indigo | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 17 2009, 05:53 AM (335 Views) | |
| Cranmerrily | Dec 17 2009, 05:53 AM Post #1 |
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Long-time Villager
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Summer 4 Year 7 10:30am A second night on the beach hadn’t left Dustin any more presentable. He yawned as he walked through the doors of the Fluorite Café, shaking sand from his hair and onto the floor. It had been two days since he’d done anything to care for himself, and it was beginning to show. His dark hair pointed out in awkward directions, unwashed and full of sand. The rumbling in his stomach had become an ever present companion, and it barely disturbed him anymore. Now, he supposed, was the time to do something about it. He groggily stumbled over to an empty table, drawing wary looks from seated customers as he dragged his feet across the floor. Mildly amused by one child’s fearful expression in particular, he winked, causing the boy to yelp and turn away in terror. For a brief moment, Dustin chuckled quietly, but the hint of emotion soon faded away, leaving him as he had originally been: lifeless and apathetic. Once seated, he scanned the menu disinterestedly, not really registering anything he read. Food was just a necessity; not something he took for the enjoyment of it. What was there to enjoy? Eating was a monotonous activity. You bit, chewed, then swallowed. Bite, chew, swallow, bite, chew, swallow… When one really thought about it, the consumption process was just plain boring. Deciding not to bother with the options, Dustin selected the first item that happened to be listed-- pancakes. He removed a piece of paper and a pencil from his tattered, brown knapsack and got to work… After all, he was broke and didn’t plan to pay money he didn’t own. Within minutes, Dustin was standing beside his table, holding up his makeshift sign. His large, messy handwriting boldly challenged the increasingly nervous customers. Buy me pancakes or the world will blow up. |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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| Indigo | Dec 21 2009, 11:47 PM Post #2 |
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» bye-bye lover
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[ooc;; orz sorry it took me so long!] Did... did she really have to? Lee stood outside of the cafe, staring at the entrance. She felt like complete child standing there, all alone and frightened. Although she had bigger things to worry about, she wondered why. Perhaps it was all the bandages she had on, which were now visible in her summer shorts and t-shirt. Or in how she clutched her dummy like a toddler would their favourite doll. Or maybe it was the fact that she was currently feeling deathly afraid of eating at this restaurant alone. But actually, when she thought about it, it was probably a combination of all three. Letting out a sigh, she pulled Skylar away from her chest and looked at her, lips pulled in a frown. Can I really do this? she asked, as if sending a telepathic message to her wooden friend. And of course, the dummy said nothing. Instead, Lee gave herself an answer from herself or rather, the part that played the puppet's persona. Of course ya can! Ya wanna starve? Closing her eyes, she gave a slow nod before stowing the puppet away in the blue tote bag slung over her shoulder. Right... she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning and her stomach felt like it was digesting itself from hunger. But, still... maybe she could wait for her parents? How long until they would be back, anyway...? Looking at her watch, the teenager saw the time: 10:26. Frowning, she let her hand fall to her side again. Lee's mother and father said they'd be back from their conference around 5:00 in the afternoon today. So, no, she probably couldn't wait. Raising her face to look at the cafe front again, she took in a deep breath. R-Right. She could do this! It... it was a bit pathetic after all, wasn't it? The fact that she'd never gone to a restaurant alone, never ordered food on her own... it was sad. She was almost an adult! She'd have to learn to do this sooner or later. A-And besides, it was good practice, wasn't it? That is, to help her learn to talk to people. She just had to jump in and go, that's all. Ya can do it!, 'Skylar' added. Then, taking in a deep breath, Lee absorbed her little pep talk, repeating it in her head like a mantra. Clenching a fist with determination, the girl gulped anxiously before strolling into the cafe. The coolness of the building was welcoming, and almost like a congratulations for her step forward. Though, now came the really hard part. Lee bit her lip and looked around. Was someone supposed to come seat her? The dark-haired girl frowned and looked down, unsure. (Briefly she wondered why there was sand on the floor, but she glanced up again and focused on what she should do.) Well, she didn't really see anyone around the front. So, she assumed she could just sit somewhere. Besides, er... she didn't want to trouble anyone with seating her, since she could probably just find a table herself. (... That and of course, the less interaction, the better.) So, hesitantly, the girl began to walk through the cafe. She passed between the tables, looking for an empty one that was also in a good place to sit. After a short time walking about, she found herself approaching a man standing next to his table. He looked kind of messy, like... a hobo. But soon after thinking this, Lee chastised herself for the unkind thought. Maybe he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Still, the girl felt guilty and found herself quickly looking at the floor as she drew close. Before she did, though, she caught glimpse of a sign he held that she couldn't help but glance at as she walked by. And when she did, she forgot all guilt and stopped. 'Buy me pancakes or the world will blow up.' Lee read his sign once, twice, three times over. Um... eh? The girl blinked. She supposed... he was really poor and really hungry? She touched the bottom of one of her braids, her fingers toying with her hair idly. Maybe... he is a hobo? If that was the case, she would feel awfully bad about just walking by and letting him starve. After all, empathy was currently very much within her abilities. So the girl, hesitantly raising her uncovered eye to look at him, decided to speak. Kind of. Well, not at all actually. Lee could only bring herself to part her lips slightly before she jerked her face to the ground. Her hand jumped into her bag and retrieved Skylar, whom she quickly used, relieved but disappointed in her pathetic effort. Lee held the puppet in front of her face, hiding herself, as she spoke in Skylar's loud voice. "We'll buy ya some pancakes but... how d'ya know the world'll blow up? An' what're pancakes fer you gonna do?" |
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| Cranmerrily | Dec 28 2009, 11:25 AM Post #3 |
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Long-time Villager
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((No problem. I took longer! ^^;;)) He was aware of her the moment she walked through the door, and he knew she would be the one. She would pay for his meal, she would sit with him, and she would entertain him. Her appearance said it all. It was in the timid way she walked, in the ridiculous number of bandaids plastered across her skin. This girl was different. Vaguely interesting. Dustin stood his ground, continuing to show off his sign as he observed the newcomer approach from the corner of his eye. Maybe this day would be somewhat less boring. Maybe. Then it happened. Dustin had been prepared to take control of the conversation. He had expected the stranger to be too shy to speak. It probably wouldn’t have surprised him even if she had suddenly bolted out the door. But this? The young man stared blankly at the wooden puppet, his expression deceptively unphased. Inwardly though, the feeling was undeniable. He was surprised. Genuinely and utterly stunned. So much so, that it took a few seconds for him to remember he had to reply to the… object’s… questions. “I know because the Martian in my stomach is plotting it,” he droned in his monotone voice. “And pancakes are the only thing that will appease him.” He patted his belly as he spoke, eyes still glued to the artificial human. His previous evaluation of the girl behind this peculiar puppet had been wrong. She wasn’t just vaguely interesting. She was vaguely fascinating. The brief moment of shock she had given him was likely the most exhilarated he’d felt in a year or two. This game would be the best he’d found here yet. “But I’m sure you already knew that since it’s obvious you have X-ray vision,” he continued, nodding toward the ventriloquist to indicate her covered eye. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell. I’m one of you. I have eternal youth.” |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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| Indigo | Dec 30 2009, 04:39 AM Post #4 |
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» bye-bye lover
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To be perfectly honest, Lee didn't know what on earth she was to expect. Would he admit that it was just a ploy to beg for food? Would he shrug and say nothing? Would he actually try to give a real explanation? ... No, surely he won't, he'll probably just-- But then, he did. Lee, who had just hid herself, slowly peeked out from behind Skylar's head of orange hair as the man spoke. Her uncovered eye widened as she listened to him. Not only were his words completely and utterly nonsensical, but the way he spoke, it was... It was... so flat. He wasn't even passionate about his insane claims, he was just stating them. Like it was the weather, or perhaps the day's stock report. The girl couldn't quite decide whether this was completely crazy or completely amazing. After a moment she realized that it was both, and she was, in turn, completely enthralled. However, she was not spellbound enough to be unphased as he directed his focus to her. With a small squeak, Skylar jumped in front of the teenager's face. Though, behind her puppet, Lee was completely intrigued by this man's words. She had X-ray vision? 'One of you'? Eternal youth...? The young girl frowned, her gaze dropping to the floor. Did this man think - or rather, was he pretending - that she... they had superpowers? Eye wide, she lifted her face and peered out from behind Skylar, this time through her hair in order to be a little stealthier, a bit more inconspicuous. For a moment, Lee found herself only able to stare at him. What... what was she supposed to do? Her mind and her logic told her to respond rationally and realistically. There was no Martian in his stomach, and they had no superpowers. This man was either a lunatic or totally immature, and not worth her time in either case. Yet, despite this, the stronger feeling in her heart told her to go along with it. He was strange, yes, but for some reason... She really wanted to be a part of the little world he was creating. I-It seemed like it was a lot of fun, even if he spoke so monotonously. Although she wasn't sure if she could be as interesting, she wanted to try. And besides, it would be a win-win situation for both of them. He would get a free meal, and she would be spared the pain of social interaction with the waitress. She took in a deep breath behind Skylar, preparing herself to jump into the man's little world. Thrusting the dummy further out towards his face, she spoke. Her voice - or rather, 'Skylar's' - was louder and rowdier from the effort she was putting forth. "No kiddin'?! Well then, we gotta get a move on! Sit yer ass down, man, and le's order us some eats! We gots a world t'save, don't we?" Lee waved the puppet around as she spoke, attempting to make the wooden woman look energetic... or something. But, she only managing to make her look like she was seizing. Cl-Close enough. "Though how will ya know if the Martian's stomach can process the pancakes?" she went on, finding herself babbling out the first things that surfaced in her head. It was actually a little frightening, how quickly she was able to slip into the nonsense herself. "I mean, what if pancakes will really make 'is stomach explode, an' bring on the destruction of the world even faster? He could be a real evil bastard, ya know, so how can ya trust him?" A pause. Lee shrank back into herself, suddenly realizing how loud her voice had become. Feeling the stares of nearby patrons on her neck, she quickly sat down at the table. After doing so, she forced her voice down a few decibels before adding, her tone quieter and suspicious now, "Actually... how can I trust yoooou? How do I know yer not in cahoots with him, Mr. Big-Eternal-Youth-Hotshot?" |
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| Cranmerrily | Jan 10 2010, 12:43 AM Post #5 |
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Long-time Villager
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Having seen both the girl’s initial timidity and her puppet’s confidence, Dustin was unsure what to expect… And he loved it. The outcome of this interaction was something he could not possibly predict, and for the first time in what felt like years, he was genuinely looking forward to something. Perhaps the excitement was fleeting, but for the moment at least, life almost seemed interesting. For a few moments he watched the girl silently, waiting for her reply as she seemed to shrink away behind her hair and dummy. When she finally spoke-- or, at least, the wooden puppet spoke-- he tried his best not to flinch. She… it… had become boisterous, nearly shouting as it seemed to flail about. He obeyed it’s orders to sit, but kept his eyes glued to the peculiar object, a faint glimmer of fascination in his usually vacant stare. “Though how will ya know if the Martian’s stomach can process the pancakes?” it continued, apparently comfortable with his far-fetched tale. “I mean, what if pancakes will really make ‘is stomach explode, an’ being on the destruction of the world even faster? He could be a real evil bastard, ya know, so how can ya trust him?” Dustin listened attentively as his new companion spoke, intensely focused and practically unblinking. The fact that the noisy and animated character before him could be produced by such a frightened and jumpy looking girl struck him as comical, but he did not laugh. This odd show had enraptured him, and he could only stare dumbly. Whispers and glances from nearby tables went by him unnoticed. When the puppet spoke again, a little more quietly now, he finally blinked, realizing once again that he needed to answer. The more this thing talked, the more it’s peculiarity seemed to pull him in. “Something like this happened once a hundred years ago,” he said dramatically, deciding that the situation called for more emotional display on his part. “The Martians invaded in order to steal the world’s pancakes, but heroes like us stopped them.” He pointed to the two of them to indicate his meaning. “But now they’re coming back, and the one in my stomach was sent to spy and scout the area before they invade. I managed to prevent him from doing much by eating him, but he says unless he gets pancakes, he’ll use me as a human bomb to blow up the world.” Placing a hand on his stomach and lowering his voice to a whisper, he added, “And pancakes make them a little drunk. I thought we could get some information out of him after he eats. He was too gluttonous to realize he could have used that threat to be freed instead.” |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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| Indigo | Jan 10 2010, 04:46 PM Post #6 |
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» bye-bye lover
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This... ah... wow. Lee had made her voyage to the cafe, preparing to experience everything that could possibly go wrong. A rainstorm. A closed cafe. A fully-fledged, all-out mental breakdown. Arma-freaking-geddon. In her head, the girl had played every awful, horrible scenario she could think of. And Lee still never anticipated anything quite what she had thrown herself into. But then again, when could anyone possibly expect this? Playing along with a lunatic - though, the constant ventriloquist wasn't one to talk - was not really something one could expect anywhere. However! This was not to say that this was a bad thing. Right now, the girl actually wasn't sure what to think of it. It was something that, until now, she hadn't even imagined experiencing. After all, who knew that she would run into someone like this here, of all places? While fascinated, the teenager still was a bit uncomfortable. She was unsure of whether this was a good thing to have gotten herself into, and that indecisiveness made her uneasy. However, with some thought, the girl realized the only way to decide was to keep going with it. And so when the man spoke, Lee poured her attention back into listening. After putting her bag down at her feet, she found herself slowly inching forward as he spoke. Her face gradually moved out from its hiding spot behind Skylar's big wooden head. Although the logical part of her brain was having a fit, Lee found it surprisingly easy to ignore it. The man's voice didn't seem quite so monotonous anymore - there was more flair in his words as he told her the story of the Martians and their evil plans to invade. And that drama captivated her even further. As the man's voice dropped, Lee leaned even closer to better listen. Only about a quarter of her face still hidden behind Skylar, though she did flinch and hide a bit when he motioned to the two of them. Then, once he was apparently done, Lee quickly realized how close she had moved. She straightened up in her seat. Her face retreated back behind her puppet, her gaze falling to her lap as she digested his tale. Well. He still didn't say how she could trust him. But, she was really hungry. And she assumed he was as well. So she wouldn't dawdle. Raising Skylar, she positioned the puppet so she seemed to be standing on the table. "Hot damn!" she exclaimed, again speaking louder than she meant to. Lowering her voice a bit, Lee shrank behind her dummy and went on, consciously steadying her voice at normal speaking volume. "Good thing ya were here, man! Lawdie, lawdie, imagine if ya weren't. Well anyway, we've got no time t'waste then! Le's get us all the damn pancakes in this joint!" With that, Lee retracted Skylar towards herself. Peeking over her dummy's head, she looked around for the waitress. Soon, she spotted a young woman whispering with her co-workers nearby. One of them cast an uneasy look in their direction and, just as she was about to turn back, did a double take. Her eyes were like a deer in headlights; the look on her face clearly said, 'Oh shit'. It was then, seeing her face so suddenly and violently, that put things in perspective for Lee. Lee felt her face burn as she turned back. It felt as if her cells all decided to spontaneously combust. They were in a public place... probably disturbing other people... Guilt began to well up in her, and she felt herself slowly being torn in two. She was being inconsiderate here, wasn't she? Playing this game, and being so loud... it would be best for her to stop. Be normal, or at least as close to it as possible. The dispute wasn't in what she wanted to do... and that was why she was suddenly feeling so bad. She was being rude - that was part of it - but mostly, it was how she so selfishly had no desire to stop. Her conscience said one thing, but the buzzing excitement and wonder this game brought completely drowned it out. Do I do what I should? Or do what I want? Lee thought, shoulders slumped. However, a woman's uneasy voice brought herself out of her head. "W-Welcome to Fluorite cafe! What... can I get for you two...?" Looking up hesitantly, Lee saw the waitress from earlier standing there. Her smile was bright and big, but it was clearly fake in its failure to reach the rest of her face. Lee slowly lowered her puppet into her lap, placing the wooden woman face-down almost as punishment. . Her heart thud madly in her chest, and her cheeks were still stained red. Still, Lee's lips parted, and her eyes slowly rose to hold her gaze... But it was as if she lost her voice and her eyes had weights on them, as she found herself unable to say or do anything. Turning her face into her lap, she whispered hoarsely in Skylar's voice, "Order!" |
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| Cranmerrily | Jan 14 2010, 06:56 AM Post #7 |
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Long-time Villager
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Having finished his tale, Dustin briefly turned his gaze from the puppet before him to the girl behind it. She seemed to have come out of hiding, a small portion of her face now visible as she peered at him from around its body, leaning in to absorb his words. For a moment, a vague question floated through his mind-- something about what this girl’s story was and why she was so strange or some silly thing like that. However, he soon remembered that it didn’t matter and that he didn’t care anyway, and the thought was quickly extinguished. All he needed to know was that this ventriloquist was unusual and it amused him. As the young man collected his thoughts though, the teen seemed to realize she had dropped her guard and withdrew behind her wooden shield, raising it to “speak” once more. For a second time, Dustin sat in silent wonder, drinking in every aspect of the peculiar display before him. He realized now that the object’s vernacular intrigued him. A puppet with an accent. Was that part of the act, or did she naturally talk like that? He tried to imagine the cowering girl sitting across from him shouting “Hot damn!” and the corners of his mouth twitched upward. When she had turned to search for a waitress, he followed her gaze, coming to a halt on a nervous worker staring at them with wide, fearful eyes. The girl had quickly looked away, but Dustin continued to stare, eyebrows raised expectantly. Startled, the waitress jumped then hastily scurried over and stammered a greeting, taking out her notepad to write down their order. Her fake smile nearly took up half her face. To Dustin’s surprise (If only everything were nearly this interesting!), the girl put down her puppet and lifted her eyes to look the waitress in the face. Would she speak? Was it really so difficult for her? He watched intently as the scene unfolded… Only to end with disappointment. That was fine. In fact, that was great. It made him all the more curious. The world needed more stuff like this. “We need pancakes,” he spoke in the girl’s place. “Your flat, circular cuisine of fluffy goodness will aid our heroic efforts.” With a nod, the waitress scribbled down the order and hurried away without another word, clearly eager to leave. Dustin chuckled quietly at this, then looked down at his company. Apparently she found her lap to be very interesting. “Get up, brave hero!” he commanded. “We have work to do! Look inside my stomach. What’s he doing?” ((Sorry for the fact only the last paragraph actually adds anything. It just turned out that way as I wrote it. @_@)) |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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| Indigo | Jan 17 2010, 03:46 PM Post #8 |
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» bye-bye lover
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[ooc;; no worries! :> after all, the bulk of my posts are usually just thought... ;;] Lee was a bit ashamed of herself and her inability to do such a simple task. Really. While the man spoke to the waitress and she had her head down, all she could think of was how easy it was. 'Two plates of pancakes' was all she had to say. Four simple words! She could say fifty times that through Skylar. So why, oh why was it so difficult when she wasn't hiding behind the talking wood? Lee sighed quietly, her misery growing by the moment. But before she could wallow in her despair for too long, she was suddenly yanked back into reality. "Get up, brave hero!" the man suddenly ordered. Jumping in her seat, Lee grabbed Skylar - funny, how that was a reflex - and looked up again, eyes wide but at full attention. "Y-Yes, sah!" Her voice faltered at first, a tinge of her own voice audible before Skylar's took over. By the time the man went on to ask what the extraterrestrial threat was doing, she had overcome her surprise. And strangely enough, the man's rather authoritative manner of speaking put her in a hurry, and yanked her right back into the make-believe. He sounded so leader-like; the kind of person one did not keep waiting. And so, she didn't. Her moral dilemma poofed away out of her head, just like that. Her mind and mouth went on autopilot again. "Well! Ya gotta lemme take a look then, woncha? Jus' gimme a sec an' I'll take a peek." Once more, she found herself acting on the first things that popped into her brain. After all, it seemed that was the only way to keep up with this man's insanity. This was something she felt was her responsibility, now that she had involved herself. Though, there still was the possibility that she could back out. However, she was still caught up in the current of the game and was now too busy glaring at the man's stomach to think. The teenager hid her face behind Skylar's head, with only her eyes were visible as she peered over the top of the dummy's bright hair. The dummy's painted-on gaze also appeared to be directed to the man's gut. And so the pair sat frozen like this for a moment... and in that time, Lee realized just what she was doing. Her embarassment spiked again as the realization settled back in. When it did, the girl sank back into her seat and turned her face away. Skylar came forward once more, but she didn't speak. Her emotions were all over the place - she was feeling quite indecisive about it all. Her thoughts and feelings were twisted and looping rollercoaster... Or maybe the in-and-out motion of waves on the beach. Or perhaps like the fluctuation tide, or... Ah. I'm... even indecisive about my metaphors, she thought miserably in her silence. Sighing quietly, she decided to try to figure out what was the heart of the matter. Was she still worried about disturbing others? Lee slowly turned her head to look around. There seemed to be a few odd glances her way, but for the most part it seemed people were just focusing on their own business. Nodding to herself, she looked to her lap again. Well. If people seemed okay... she didn't have to worry about being rude. She just had to keep her - Skylar's - voice down. So then, the problem was in herself, wasn't it? Was she... embarrassed? Afraid? Lee honestly had no idea. This was an entirely new experience - she didn't know what to think. Putting her free hand to her head, she rubbed her temple. Well, her own feelings aside... the situation didn't really leave a way out, in any case. She still wanted food, and if she went away she most likely wouldn't get it. She also apparently had the money, and if she left the man wouldn't be able to eat, either. And she didn't want that - that was the only thing she was sure of. So... considering the facts, Lee supposed she was somewhat bound here. Thus, her options were to a) play along or b) don't. Option A seemed like it would be fun - she was enjoying this... whatever this was. The only issue would be the clenching grip of self-consciousness and uneasiness on her shoulder. Whereas with Option B... well, she had no idea how this man would react, or how anything would go. Would she feel guilty? Awkward? Better? Worse? Hesitantly, Lee raised her face. I guess... some discomfort is better than taking a gamble on the unknown, she concluded. Feeling a little more - only a smidgen - decisive, she took a deep breath and finally broke her sudden silence. "Angry!" she said, as energetic as usual, though not as loud. There was a brief pause as Lee switched gears again, sighing once more before she put herself - or rather, Skylar - on autopilot. "Ya gots a really pissed off Martian in there, man! He's sulkin' an' kickin' yer insides, doesn't that hurt? But yah, he doesn't look like a very happy alien." Skylar seemed to shake her head a little, though her whole body moved a bit as well. "Ya should really give 'im a smack or somethin'. Show him who's in charge, yeah? What if ya drink some orange juice or somethin', would the acid like... hurt 'im?" |
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| Cranmerrily | Jan 24 2010, 12:06 AM Post #9 |
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Long-time Villager
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As the girl looked down to investigate the martian’s behavior, Dustin puffed out his stomach a little, as if to help her get a better view. He remained quiet while she stared intently at his abdomen, somewhat amused by the expression of deep concentration on her face. However, when she suddenly turned away, he exhaled, letting his posture return to normal. The puppet remained facing him, but the girl seemed to have shrunk back. It was rather confusing. She carried on fine with her little wooden friend, and yet herself seemed so uncertain. At least it made for unpredictable behaviors. He’d chosen his game well. Several moments seemed to pass in silence as the girl glanced around, scanning her surroundings then turning back to stare into her lap. Again. Was she reconsidering her participation in this act? Would she bolt out the door after all? Dustin rested his chin on his hand and stared at her blankly, awaiting her response. He supposed there were always others to play with that were at least of slight interest, but he had to admit it would be a bit disappointing to lose this chance. When the girl had, at long last, chosen to look up once more, Dustin raised his eyebrows. So she was going to keep going after all. Very well. He listened wordlessly as she-- or the puppet, whichever it really was-- rambled on about the outraged martian, suggesting he discipline it. Traces of a small grin tugged at the corners of his lips, and he replied very matter-of-factly. “It doesn’t hurt because my eternal youth comes with a certain degree of immortality.” He poked at his chest to indicate his body. “I could still be killed, but my organs are stronger than average,” he continued. “I guess it’s possible drinking something could do a little damage, but I’ve yet to test it ye-” Suddenly, he paused in mid-sentence and his eyes shot downward toward his stomach. He frowned slightly, then gave his torso a small whack before turning his attention back to the teen across from him. “Hm… I felt that one. He must be really going at it today. I guess we really should do something about it then…” "Yo!" he shouted, waving his arm to grab the attention of their waitress, who froze in her tracks without turning to face him. Most likely to rearrange the dread on her face into a more customer-friendly expression. "Can I get some orange juice? Preferably the most acidic you have. None of that fake sugar water stuff. We've got a martian to interrogate here." |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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| Indigo | Jan 28 2010, 02:26 PM Post #10 |
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» bye-bye lover
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It was doubtless that the man taken note of her hesitance. After all, who couldn't notice her uneasy looks, her silence of uncertainty? The man was a little odd but he certainly couldn't be oblivious. And so this led Lee to wonder in the brief time between her words and his response if he would say something about it. Glancing at him from behind Skylar, she noticed he was old. While she could not pinpoint his age through his messy appearance, he was an adult. So, would he... say something like one? Give her an, 'It's okay, don't do this if you don't want to' or maybe a, 'Sorry, I was just having fun, don't force yourself'? ... Somehow, she doubted it. And a moment later, she was proved right. He went on, explaining the finer details of his eternal youth. She listened and stared in silent wonder as he spoke. These things came to him so easily, so naturally. Maybe he... he really has...?! she thought, eyes growing in size. But before she could realize the silliness of that thought, the man suddenly stopped and delivered a smack to his gut. Looking up, he decided to do something about it and promptly called out to a waitress. As his loud 'Yo!' rang out, Lee instinctively slid down her chair slightly, warmth blooming in her cheeks. Having peoples' attention wander over to them - even if just for a moment - was still unnerving. Still, she made an effort to ignore any gazes directed their way (a difficult task) and followed Mr. Almost-Invincible's attention to a waitress nearby. Upon hearing the man's order, her already flimsy smile became even more lop-sided. "Coming... coming right up, sir," she said, giving a small nod before turning and scurrying away towards the kitchen. 'Hurry up with those damn pancakes! And get a jug of orange juice too,' Lee pictured the woman wailing in the other room. I'm... sorry, she murmured in her head, as if she had telepathy on top of her 'X-ray vision'. Once the waitress was out of sight and people went back to their meals, Lee turned to the man again. She was silent for a moment, unsure of what to do now. In this lull, her rationality sunk in and she reminded herself that they were just ordinary people, sans any crazy powers or martians. However, the girl shrugged this off, hesitanting a bit less than before. Maybe so, but her decision to play along was gradually setting itself in stone. And to do so, she had to kick reason to the curb, didn't she? Sighing quietly, she envisioned pushing out her uncertainty with her breath, putting herself back in the make-believe. Once she had sort of accomplished that, she posed a simple question to herself: what would I ask if this were real? "So, while we wait fer the torturin' materials," Skylar said, as Lee straigthened up slightly in her chair, "I gotta ask ya some questions. Like, how d'ya know this happened so long ago? Were ya alive? Did ya help then? I mean, ya seem like ya really know alotta 'bout this." The puppet tilted slightly to the side, and the girl's head followed suit. "Before I really help ya out, I gotta know more 'bout ya, see? Know that I can trust ya. I don't wanna be helpin' someone who's just gonna double-triple-crazy cross me." |
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| Cranmerrily | Feb 1 2010, 06:22 AM Post #11 |
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Long-time Villager
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A stagnant silence hung in the air for several seconds as Dustin watched the girl’s reluctance. She was such a peculiar and awkward young thing. Her behavior and mannerisms told him she wished to escape the radar, and yet everything else about her seemed to scream for attention-- Namely, the puppet that spoke on her behalf. Then there was the fact she had chosen to entertain his bizarre fantasies despite the constant anxiety she displayed. The thinking behind this stranger made little sense to him, but that was perfectly fine. It was actually rather refreshing. Most people were either too predictable or just plain dull. Soon enough, the girl became animate again, allowing her dummy to voice its (her?) concerns. Dustin nodded understandingly as he listened, glassy gray eyes staring unblinkingly at the puppet’s tilted body. His gaze wandered for a moment toward the young ventriloquist’s face as she mimicked the movement, turning her head at an angle, but he then closed his eyes and nodded one last time. “Yes, I was there,” he spoke solemnly, folding his arms. “I’ve been alive for much longer than most people.” The young man opened his eyes once more and fixed his gaze on the individual(s?) across the table, attempting to look as serious as possible. “My name is… Albert Windham,” he continued, grasping at the first alias that came to mind. “But keep that name a secret. I’m trusting you with my identity.” ((Gak! It became autumn right when I was about to post! xDD)) |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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| Indigo | Feb 2 2010, 10:43 PM Post #12 |
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» bye-bye lover
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It was difficult for Lee to keep her gaze constantly on the man, but occasionally she allowed her eye to settle on his features. While she spoke, she noted that his expression was surprisingly... blank? Which was odd; she figured that someone playing such an elaborate game of make-believe would chuckle or at least grin. But... perhaps there was some sort of glint hidden deeper behind them? Though she didn't get the chance to look at them too closely, unfortunately, as she was both preoccupied with Skylar. The objects of her observation also shifted to her own face, at which point her gaze quickly darted away, choosing to move towards the ceiling this time. The teenager tried keeping them there, but as the man began to speak, she found her gaze slowly drifting back down to settle on his face. She slowly sat Skylar down on the table, resuming her peeking spot from behind the dummy's head. She wanted to examine his eyes more closely, but they were closed. Neither puppet nor girl spoke, though, as she - they - were pulled into his tale. He was so serious in how he spoke, as though he were telling nothing but the awful truth. It was amazing how wonderfully he acted, unless... he really believed in this? Lee frowned slightly, her lips hidden by the wooden head before her. Well, it was a possibility, but she dismissed it. If she convinced herself the man before her had escaped from the loonie-bin, it would only sprout more dilemmas. So instead she tried to focus herself again on just going with the flow. As the man finished talking, she and Skylar both moved forward slightly, nodding. So his name was Albert Windham? ... Looking at him, it somehow didn't fit. But nonetheless, she figured she should assure him that his identity - real or not - was safe with them. "Yessir!" the dummy squawked. "We'll take yer secret to the grave, ya can count on that! An' in exchange, we'll reveal our identities to ya, 'kay?" Now... hm. What should her name be...? Lee paused briefly as she wracked her brain. In her silence, both she and Skylar turned from left to right, suspiciously looking around in order to stall for a bit because, well, she couldn't choose. It wasn't that she couldn't think of a name - no, she had too many. Lee couldn't count all of the times she thought of names she'd rather have. So, it was a bit pathetic that she couldn't choose one, now that she actually had the opportunity to. But, she realized that things were less convincing the more time passed, and quickly chose the first ones that came to mind. "I'm Tessa!" ... Lee paused; she had meant for her that to be her own name. Cursing herself, she quickly went on, turning Skylar slightly so that she seemed to throw an arm in the ventriloquist's direction. "An' that's Katalina Smith. We're honoured t'be in the presence of someone as amazin' as y'are, Albert!" The two dipped forward again in a sort of part-bow, part-nod of respect. As she straightened up, dread filled her: what was she supposed to do now? However, much to her relief, their waitress came over, carrying a tray filled with all of their requests. When Lee saw her, she retracted her hand, withdrawing Skylar into her lap. The teenager turned her face downwards, staring at the dummy's eternal smile as she listened to the waitress speak. She was... a bit weirded out still, she could tell. But she was still trying to be civil and pleasant, which she was grateful for. I wonder... if I'm doing the right thing? Just playing along, and forgetting about others, she thought as she waitress began setting their things down. "Here you two go," she said, settling a plate of pancakes in between them. "Hot, steaming pancakes freshly made." A plate was set down in front of her, along with a fork and knife wrapped up neatly in a white napkin. The two made quiet thuds on the table, sounds she heard coming from Albert's side as well. A pair of cups were given to them as well and finally a pitcher of orange juice to top it all off. "Let me know if you need anything," the waitress said almost reluctantly before scurrying off. Once she was gone, Skylar's head rose up from above the table. "So then, time t'get down t'business!" [ooc;; xDD isn't it scary when that happens?] |
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| Cranmerrily | Feb 7 2010, 03:01 AM Post #13 |
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Long-time Villager
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Whether she realized he had lied or not, the girl accepted Dustin’s introduction without any qualms, and he had no intention of ever correcting her. If they ever crossed paths again, there would be time for new aliases, but for now he was Albert Windham. Well, until he got bored of that anyway. Only time would tell where his whims would take him. Arms still folded, Dustin raised his eyebrows at the mention of his company’s own identities. It hadn’t occurred to him because he so rarely asked for the names of others, but he, surprisingly, did want to know what she was called. Keeping track of the few interesting individuals on the planet would certainly keep life at least somewhat enjoyable. Allowing his arms to drop back to his sides, he leaned forward slightly to listen, turning his head so his right ear faced the other side of the table. But there was no sound. Dustin glanced over at the girl to see her scanning her surroundings with suspicion and, for a moment, he was somewhat impressed. He hadn’t even thought to do the same while giving his own name. She was absorbed in this. However, as a second too many passed, he realized what she was doing-- stalling. Ah, of course. He’d given a fake name. It should have been obvious he’d get one in return. Whatever. That was fine. He nodded in acknowledgement at “Tessa” and “Katalina,” showing that he too would not question them. The silliness would continue, real names or none. At this moment, the waitress chose to make her return. Dustin stared blankly at the plate of pancakes for a brief moment, remembering his original purpose for speaking with the teen across from him in the first place. He was hungry. He hadn’t eaten much in two days. While he didn’t exactly enjoy life, he didn’t necessarily want to die either. He’d almost forgotten. The sound of Tessa’s voice quickly interrupted this thought however, and the young man turned away from the dish to stare at her over the jug of orange juice. “We shall prepare the poison!” he declared, reaching out to grasp the handle of the pitcher. Dragging it closer, he positioned his cup to be filled before pouring himself a generous amount. With squinted eyes, he examined the cupful closely then, seeming satisfied, gave a nod of approval. “All right, let’s do this,” he spoke, lifting the cup close to his lips. “Martian, stop being an annoying prick or you drown!” With that, he took a swift gulp before slamming the cup noisily onto the table’s surface. “Quick, take a look!” he ordered Katalina. “Is it working? I think he’s angry.” Dustin grunted and made a wince, clutching his stomach with his free hand. “Something’s definitely going on in there.” |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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| Indigo | Feb 10 2010, 01:20 AM Post #14 |
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» bye-bye lover
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It was only after the waitress left that she realized her mistake. Lee was her name - well, not exactly, but it was the only one she would respond to. And Skylar was hers. They were burned into her skull - going by any other would be rather difficult, as shown by how she was already forgetting who was who. She wondered if she could somehow make things easier for herself, but Albert spoke before her brain could churn out any ideas. "We shall prepare the poison!" he said, taking the orange juice and pouring a cup. Glancing up, Lee - rather, Katalina... or was it Tessa? - watched as he seemed to scrutinize the orange contents of his glass. This only lasted a moment, though; with a threat to the Martian, he took a swig and loudly put the cup down, causing her to start slightly. Lee - Katalina, right, definitely Katalina - swiftly recovered from her surprise as the man told her to take a look. Discomfort rose into his voice and onto his face, and he put a hand to his stomach. "Something's definitely going on in there." Right, then... turning her gaze from the man's face to his gut again, 'Katalina' began to piece together something for 'Tessa' to report to Mr. Windham. After a pause, she threw something together in her head which she promptly passed along to Albert through her dummy. "Sir! He's definitely pretty damn pissed! He's hoppin' around 'n flailin' 'n everythin'! Lordie, Lordie, he's bangin' against the walls 'n stompin' in yer gastric pits. We better do somethin' before he releases some gastric juices that'll eat away atcha! Quick, drink s'more juice! I'll prepare the pancakes so they're ready to be fired down!" Gingerly, Lee set Skylar off to the side and took her fork and knife in hand. She picked up two pancakes between them and - hesitantly rising out of her seat - reached over and set them onto the man's plate. Then, setting down her knife, she looked around the table for the butter and syrup. There wasn't any... had the waitress forgotten in her haste? To be honest, Lee couldn't blame her, but... well, pancakes were a little hard to eat plain, so... Frowning, the girl turned to the side, searching for the woman who had just left. Luckily for her, she was only a few tables away, attending to another customer. And even more fortunately, she turned around and caught Lee's eye. Jumping, the girl tore her gaze away and instead raised a hand, weakly waving. However, her head was filled only with doubt... though it was replaced with fear as she soon heard the woman's voice next to her. "Yes...? What... do you need?" Lee glanced up briefly to see the waitress looking uneasily between her and Albert. Lee bit her lip, instinctively reaching for Skylar. However, midway, she caught her hand. M-Maybe... she could try? Try talking? Slowly, her gaze travelled upwards towards the woman's face. However, just as she looked over, Lee's gaze dropped onto the table. O-Or not. B-but, I have to try. She could always let Albert take care of it, but somehow that seemed... wrong. Though, really only because she knew that she had to push herself to at least make an attempt at interaction. So... slowly coming to terms with this, she opened her mouth. However, almost as soon as her lips parted, they began to tremble. Chickening out, she shut her mouth again and instead did the next best thing - physical motions. With one hand, she took the knife and, holding it parallel to a pancake, moved it back and forth like sandpaper on wood. With the other, she made as if to grasp a pitcher and titled her hand, miming the pouring of syrup. All the while she sat, shrinking into herself with embarrassment. It was pathetic, really, that she had to resort to this. But... it was a start...? After a few moments of doing this, the waitress seemed to clue in. "Oh, syrup and butter? Right... sorry, I'll be right back then," she said, more obviously weirded out, before turning and walking away. As the woman walked off, Lee felt relief in the freedom to grab Skylar again. "Phew! Now, when she gets back with the pancake power-ups," the dummy quickly babbled, its ventriloquist much too glad to be able to speak with her again, "we should get right down to what we're here for!" 'Tessa' was moved so that she looked as though she was nodding. Behind her, Lee was still partially withdrawn into herself, her shoulders slumped and gaze averted. When the waitress returned in record time, she seemed to shrink even farther, staying there even as the woman delivered their things with a weak smile and left. Lee quietly cleared her throat. Although she couldn't find the strength to sit up straight again, she kept on speaking through Skylar, hoping that by pressing on, she would eventually forget about her embarrassment. "So! Before we start, we need t'know somethin'... Are we allowed t'eat any, too?" |
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| Cranmerrily | Mar 17 2010, 12:42 AM Post #15 |
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Long-time Villager
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((Holy snap, extreme lateness! I’m so sorry!! Dx Do you still want to finish up this thread? We could just leave it. ^^;; Oh, and what about Gabriel and Min’s thread?)) As Tessa gave her report, Dustin nodded slowly, his face scrunched up in mock pain. He made a clumsy grab for his juice cup and dumped its remaining contents down his throat. A small orange trickle poured from the corner of his mouth which he hastily wiped away with his free hand. When he had sufficiently drained the cup, he dropped it onto the table with a clatter then glanced over at Katalina. Two pancakes had been placed before him, and the young girl was waving over their waitress with a single raised hand. What did she want? Dustin silently observed the pair, a bit puzzled, until the waitress caught on to the girl’s request. Ah, of course. People usually ate pancakes with syrup and butter. Right, then. He listened with mild curiosity as Tessa referred to the “power-ups.” Why hadn’t he thought of that? It was right there in front of him. Oh well. “I would not deny pancakes to a fellow hero,” Dustin said calmly, still gripping his stomach. “However, for now, priority must go to the mission.” Seizing his fork with a trembling hand, he forcefully stabbed a pancake and broke off a messy piece. He shoved the morsel into his mouth as the waitress made her return, a pitcher of syrup and butter in hand. “We heroes will always remember the service you’ve given us,” he grunted to her, swallowing his mouthful of food. “You have our favor.” The waitress smiled weakly and nodded uncertainly before quickly scurrying away. “All right, here we go…” Dustin murmured, reaching over for the syrup. “The time has come. Get ready.” Dumping the pitcher’s contents onto his plate, he drowned the pancakes in the sticky, brown topping and slathered on a large chunk of butter. Well, there it was. Food. Sustenance. All that good stuff. And for the first time in a while, eating wouldn’t be quite so monotonous. Breaking off another piece, Dustin lifted his fork to his mouth. |
| [align=center]Dustin Rickard ~ Lorraine Morrison ~ Aaron Pritchard[/align] | |
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7:03 PM Jul 11