tushanshu | o1 ☽ video;

Entry tags:

o1 ☽ video;

[Hey Foreigners there is a cutie brunette on your screen right now. She’s tapping her chin a little thoughtfully, eyeing the camera] Okay, so I get the whole other realm, hi-you’re-on-a-turtle-and-also-there-are-computers thing. Which, weird – seriously, who expects the afterlife to be so high tech? Also, sorry about the possession thing, that must've sucked. But I have something a little more important to ask about right now.

[She leans back and gestures at herself. She’s wearing a green dress that, while it looks good on her, isn’t exactly appropriate for every day wear] Does anyone have clothes I could borrow? Pants, especially pants. You have no idea how long it’s been since I even saw a pair of jeans.

Other than that, does anyone know if there’s a dance club around here or something? I had a look around myself, but maybe someone who’s been here longer can help. There’s gotta be some place teenagers can go to let loose, right? [She winks, and reaches forward to turn off the camera when something else appears to occur to her]

Oh yeah! I’m A – Catty, I’m Catty. [She holds her hand up in a Vulcan salute] Greetings to my fellow inter-dimensional travellers. Especially those of you with pants.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It wasn't a test! [The protest tears itself from her lips as she pulls back so she can look Vanessa in the face properly. Guilt crawls in the pit of her stomach, clawing its way up her throat, and she can feel the expression on her face shifting into something like despair. She can't handle this, can't handle Vanessa being mad at her right now] There wasn't any other choice, it would have have known, it would have been able to tell - and who knows what it would have done to you if it thought you'd betrayed it. Not telling you was the only way to keep you safe, Vanessa, you have to believe me. There wasn't any other way, not for any of it.

[Her hands curl into the other girl's clothes, clinging to her. She's begging, some part of her realises dimly. Begging Vanessa to just let it go, to let them be best friends again and hug it out and for things to just be okay, because it has been so freaking long since anything was okay at all for Catty]

I wasn't safe, though! Everyone's always pushing and pulling me one way or another. Be a good girl, Vanessa. Go be a brave girl, Vanessa. Be mine, Vanessa. Accept the darkness. [You all left her to that. Catty and Jimena and Selene and Stanton. They all did that to her.

The fight is seeping out of her, shoulders slumping in defeat. She doesn't want to hurt Catty. She stares at her friend, sucking in a deep breath as she sniffs.] I'm tired of people thinking they know the best way to keep me safe. [Vanessa realizes that she sounds like a petulant child. She should just be happy that she has Catty now instead of worrying about what's happened, but she just can't. It's been eating her up inside for months.] Can we go inside?

[Catty just stares at Vanessa, her every heartbroken thought written across her face right now. Because she hadn't prepared for this. She'd thought - hoped - that Vanessa would get to live a nice long life, with no Atrox trying to seduce her and no Followers caring once she'd made her Choice - because she knew Vanessa, knew the other girl wouldn't become a guardian in the end.

Chris, she'd been preparing for. A hurt Vanessa - a Vanessa that blamed her - she didn't know what to do with that.] It wasn't the best way. [She whispers it.] It was just the only way. [Something in her jaw clenches a little, and she looks away] And it...wasn't about you, in the end.

[She sucks in a breath and slowly rearranges her face. Her fingers uncurl from the other girl's shirt, shoulders straightening. She lets go, taking a step backwards. She manages a smile.] Sure. Mi tree es su tree.

[Vanessa firmly believes that it couldn't have been the only way. How would Catty have known? Did she even try to find another way? Which is stupid of her to think, because Catty wouldn't have just wanted to die, right? Right?

Or maybe... Or maybe she's just being a huge jerk to the one person who had to stand up to the Atrox alone to save everyone else. Not even a jerk. She was being a bitch, and Catty didn't deserve that. She was a savior, the savior, no matter how she had gotten there.

It doesn't help loosen the tightness in her chest. Doesn't help her anger and fear and pain go away. Catty made her choice. Vanessa didn't even get the chance to have one. She looks away at Catty's words, feeling an appropriate amount of guilt and shame and a little bit of self-loathing.] No, but that doesn't mean I wasn't used in the end, all the same. [There's no venom to the words, just what she sees as fact.

Her hands scrub at her face, taking a step forward as Catty steps back. Pauses. Reaches down to grab the clothes.] I brought stuff. For you to wear.

[Catty is too tired and upset and dead to be able to address that comment of Vanessa's. She pushes it all aside and jacks her smile up a few notches]

You're the best. I thought I was going to freeze. Or flash someone, one or the other.

[Catty might be able to smile, but Vanessa's tired too. Of her own feelings and the past week and just being here in general.] Because that's really ever bothered you before. [A beat.] No jeans. I'd kill for jeans, too.

[She smirks a little. It's easy for her, second nature at this point] Well. Freezing isn't fun. [She hufs a sigh] Definitely not heaven. What about cookies?

[Vanessa finally cracks a small smile, dumping the clothes on the couch.] We're not in anywhere. We're... [No, not yet. A real smile now.] Rations. It's hard to get cookies with rations. Not impossible, just more expensive.

[Something in Catty's form relaxes when she sees Vanessa smile like that. She wanders over to the clothes and slides into the pants first before going for the zip on her dress] Rations, right. I heard something about that. [Or went rummaging through a few minds.] But they exist! So that's something, at least.

[The dress goes off and gets dumped on the floor. On goes a shirt. Catty sighs, looking lighter. She hesitates for a second] Can we...try the hug thing again?

They're kind of a big deal. [Does she look thinner to you, Catty? Yeah, that's why. Losing a little weight, gaining a little bit more muscle.] Well, yeah. There are bakeries and cafes and you can make cookies, if you want. Just because we're on a turtle doesn't mean we've lost civilization.

[Vanessa figures, if she can keep talking about things that don't matter, maybe she won't fall apart.]

I might cry again. [But she holds her arms out.] I don't remember the last time I got a hug.

[Look Catty hasn't had time to check you out properly yet okay Vanessa. But she nods.] People seem really worried.

[Her lips twitch a little, somewhere between a smile and a sob.] Me too. [She steps forward quickly and folds Vanessa into her arms. Now that the issue's been aired, she can feel that Vanessa is thinner than she should be. She forces out a laugh, although it's a little wet sounding] Jeez, I'm not surprised. Look at those biceps, people are probably afraid of being squeezed to death.

[There are the waterworks again, breath hitching as she starts to cry, holding onto Catty like an actual person this time instead of a lifeline. Was it Serena that was her last hug before she pushed her through the barrier? Stanton? Vanessa can hardly remember anymore. She makes a noise that sounds like a snorting huff that could be mistaken for a laugh.] Girl's gotta be able to take care of herself when she's alone, duh.

[The tears have stopped up after Catty's initial outburst, something inside of her clinging to them and not letting them out. Left over from her time as a Follower, maybe. Emotions weren't allowed. She strokes Vanessa's back gently instead, trying to give comfort this time] You've always been way stronger than you give yourself credit for. None of the others are here?

[The comfort's nice, makes her relax against her best friend, the only person in the whole world who has ever really known her. Vanessa's a terrible person, she realizes. A really terrible friend. She rests her cheek on Catty's shoulder anyway.] Just me, for the past... I don't even know. Months. Four, five.

[Vanessa relaxing makes her feel better. Catty tells herself that she can feel good about that, even if her heart is still aching from the girl's earlier outburst. That number startles her, though] That long, are you serious? What about your Choice?

[Vanessa pulls back then, hands on Catty's shoulder as she gives a bitter laugh. She doesn't mean to, but it's there all the same.] I arrived on my birthday. No Choice. All my memories, all my powers. [Abandoned. Abandoned by everyone.]

[Catty frowns, reaching up and cupping Vanessa's cheek lightly. Her fingers slide up, tucking a stray lock of hair behind Vanessa's ear] Did you know what you were going to choose?

[Another sniffle, then a shrug as Vanessa's hands fall away first, and then she takes a step back.] No. [How could she be expected to choose? How?] I still haven't really decided yet.

[Except Catty is stepping forward with her again. Sorry, she's not done hugging you.] Then this is a good thing. You have time to think about it.

[Oh. Well, okay then. Hugging is good and normal and comforting. Vanessa can deal with this.] I had time to think about it before, and I didn't. Who knows how long we'll be here?

[c:!!] A while, hopefully. [What can she say? Catty doesn't want Vanessa's last memory of her to be her disappearing in a flash of light. She's quiet for a long moment, about ninety nine percent sure she has her answer, but still needing to ask] Chris...?

I hope not. [You're not going to like what you'll hear about this place, Catty. A frown as she pulls back again.] I told you, it's been just me from our world.

[She gives a sad little shrug] I'll take what I can get. [She bites her lip, looking apologetic] I know, I know. I just had to ask. To make sure.

[The look on Vanessa's face mirrors Catty's.] He's probably waiting for you, whenever the Emperor or Tu Vishan sends our souls back. That's what Stanton said. That you two would find each other again.

[Catty's relationship with Stanton has grown closer, all things considered, but he's still a grumpy old man, so she makes a face] Since when could he tell the future? [She rubs her arm a little awkwardly] I guess we have to hope, right? ANd I have you here. That's something.

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;