97. [Action for Goldenrod/Private Text]

[foolishwren]

[Locked to Ironhide, Minnie Mouse, Otacon, and Dale Cooper]

I don't know if it'll fix anything at this point, because I said some pretty horrendous things to all of you, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry.

I'll understand if you're still mad. None of you need to reply to this.




[Action for Goldenrod]

<sub>[It's probably not surprising that there's been radio silence from Heather on the 'Gear for awhile, considering... well, everything. Even if she hadn't had her 'Gear confiscated as part of the 'grounding', she hadn't exactly been in a chatty mood.]

[But even if she's bound to the city, she's not bound to the hotel room, and considering that she's sort of in the doghouse at the moment, she's not too interested in staying cooped up with the people who are rightfully upset with her.]

[So she can be found wandering the streets of Goldenrod City with Cujo padding along at her side, window-shopping or occasionally lounging on a bench-- minus the firepowers that blew the metaphorical Diglett-hole into a volcanic mountain a few weeks ago, but unfortunately still with the unattractive aftereffects of the whole ordeal: smoky black hair, patches of scorched-looking skin, and a permanent burnt-toast smell following her around.]</sub>

Comments

[foolishwren]

why not

[vulpesvivus]

Look, I know you were angry. I know what wanting revenge does to people. Besides, a few insults aren't going to stop us from being family.

I heard you were in Goldenrod. Do you want me to come find you so we can actually talk properly?

[foolishwren]

_{[A significant amount of time passes before her reply comes, but when it does...]}


sure. I'd like that

[vulpesvivus]

Where are you?

[foolishwren]

I'm by that little cafe...

that one with the Togepi mascot

it's down the block from the post office

[vulpesvivus]

I know which one that is. Hang on, I'll be right there.

[He left immediately, of course, with Liquid's overeager Houndoom trailing a step or two behind. Otacon had dyed the mutated white streaks in his hair--hopefully it'd stick--and replaced his broken glasses, so the only unusual thing about him was the fact that his eyes were still bright red. Nothing as striking as Heather's, and he was pretty sure he didn't smell like toast.]

[Reasonably sure.]

[At any rate, both the trenchcoat-wearing engineer and the fire-breathing hellhound turned up not that long after.]

...hey. How're you doing?

[foolishwren]

<sub>[It's okay, Otacon. It's a good thing you don't smell like toast.]

[Heather looks up when he arrives. Her hands are shoved into the pockets of her jeans-- apparently she's at least able to manage pants now without overheating herself into oblivion. Still in the tank-top, though.]</sub>

Hey.

... Honestly, I dunno.

[vulpesvivus]

[He smiled awkwardly at that, hands in the pockets of his trenchcoat.]

...I'm listening, if you want to talk.

[foolishwren]

That's half the problem. I dunno how to even start. Or if I even wanna.

_{[It's EASIER not to. Even thinking about approaching the subject is exhausting. It's something she's kept so quiet here. Even the people who she'd told about Claudia and the murder of her father... they didn't know how much deeper it went than that. How her whole life was tangled up in the series of sad circumstances that had led to that night.]}

[vulpesvivus]

That's alright. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to.

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather heaves a sigh at that. Not at HIM, or even really at HERSELF, but just... the situation.]}

... Wanna go in and get something to eat?

[vulpesvivus]

Sure.

[He offered a small smile at that; Otacon knew he couldn't really understand the situation, but he was willing to try if nothing else. After all, he was more than certain she'd have done the same if their positions were switched.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She would-- but what is there to do when there's just no words for a situation?]

[In any case, she's grateful for the distraction-- heading over to the door, she pulls it open and steps inside into the cool air-conditioning. It's a breakfast cafe-- the chalkboard menus on the walls show various kinds of crepes and omelets.]</sub>

[vulpesvivus]

...At least it's quiet.

[foolishwren]

I guess after all that shit that went down with stuff exploding and people getting sick, nobody really feels like crepes.

[vulpesvivus]

Can't say I blame them that much.

[foolishwren]

Me either.


... Want me to go order or something?

[vulpesvivus]

Yeah, sure--don't have much of an appetite, though. I guess I'll probably just get coffee or something.

[foolishwren]

Sure.

_{[She sounds dull-- morose. Probably more than he's ever heard her sound. But all the same, she moves off towards the counter. He's free to pick out a table.]}

[vulpesvivus]

[Somewhat distracted by several things--Heather's tone, the current situation, his own general sense of unhappiness--Otacon quietly found his way to a table and took a seat.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Eventually she comes heading back over, a small coffee and a plate of crepes in one hand. Even if she doesn't have much of an appetite either, screw it. She wants sweet things. Fancy pancakes with fruit and shit fits that category.]

[She sits down opposite from Otacon and slides the cup towards him.]</sub>

[vulpesvivus]

Thanks.

[He gave her a smile at that, though it was faint and hesitant.]

[foolishwren]

Mnm.

_{[She nods as she picks up a fork from the side of the table and proceeds to prod the food around awhile, occasionally eating, but mostly just fidgeting.]}

... So you got that sickness too, huh. How was it? ... I didn't exactly pay much attention to the network.

[vulpesvivus]

I didn't have it too badly. Blew up a few lightbulbs, had trouble sending messages without my Pokegear going haywire...other than that, it wasn't too strange by Johto standards.

[foolishwren]

Oh...

_{[Man, she... REALLY wishes that's all SHE got...]}

... At least that's all it was...