capeandcowl2020 | Open Post 002

There isn't time!

[ she glances behind her, he's still calling back to her. if only she could make nepeta recognize her, there has to be something she can do. she glances down the alley to make sure it's clear, then switches her glow on, pushing it out of her to brighten the whole alley for a few moments before pulling it back in again, leaving them in relative darkness. she hopes it's enough. ]

Oh my god!

[her eyes are the size of saucers as she finally spurs her body into motion, ready to follow Kanaya wherever they need to go. it's a good thing that she isn't leading, because Nepeta's mind is still attempting to grapple with the sudden revelation. she'd always hoped that her friends would come back, but this isn't the sort of situation she thought she'd find them in]

[ she grabs nepeta by the wrist and pulls her into the next alley, telling her colleague that she's a friend. it's a bit of running from there, the jammers are active in this area, and she needs to find a window between their range to open a portal from. everything is usually planned so specifically and it's all gone wrong tonight. improvising can take so much work, too many factors to consider. ]

[if there's anything that Nepeta's good at by now, it's running. she speeds along behind Kanaya, eyes constantly roving the scenery to scout ahead for anyone who might become a threat in the near future. a cloud of apathy trails behind them, hopefully deterring curious passersby and agents alike from giving them anything more than a bored glance]

[ it's a few blocks of running before kanaya stops suddenly. she'd found the crack in the armor, finally, and space opens up to her like the sun peeking through the clouds. two seconds of calculation and she opens a portal ahead of them, leading to a small apartment that would be pretty dingy if it weren't kept so clean. she leaves nepeta in the living room while the man goes in the other room. ]

Don't... [ she puts her hands up to her mouth, a little shaken. ] Don't go anywhere. I'll be done in a moment.

[ she follows him into the other room and shuts the door, but she can be heard speaking very insistently through it. relaying instructions, but somewhat chiding as well, demanding that he be careful in the future.

this goes on for five minutes before she finally emerges, the room behind her empty now. it's time to deal with the real surprise of the evening, and she looks a little hesitant as her eyes fall on nepeta's once more. ]

[in the time Nepeta's been left alone she's pulled the hood down and migrated around the room a little, hands ghosting over the items with little thought. when Kanaya emerges from the room she turns and hesitates a moment before throwing herself at the other troll, pulling her into a heartfelt hug]

Oh my god, I can't believe it's you!

[ she's grateful for that, it's the same thing she was holding herself back from doing. holding herself in check is such a big part of her life now that sometimes she doesn't know when to really let go. now was one of those moments she doesn't need to doubt.

she lets out a sigh, like she's breathing out all the locks she'd placed on the stress of the night, and her body bursts with light as she does, subsiding to leave a troll in place of the woman in nepeta's arms. she wants to see her friend with her true eyes. ]

I didn't...I never thought I'd see you again! Have you been here the whole time?

Yeah! I couldn't leave when I knew that you'd all have to come back someday.

[it would have been so much easier to flee the city and disappear into the wilds of some South American jungle, living in a manner that was more comfortable and familiar to her. but if she had, then Nepeta would never have been able to make this very moment a reality. it's more than worth the effort.]

[ kanaya pulls out of the embrace to get a better look at nepeta, slipping a hand on her cheek. she tries to gauge her state of health, trying to get used to how the years have changed her appearance. ]

You've really just been waiting all this time? Where have you been staying? How well have you been eating?

[she's the same height, same smallness beneath her layers of oversized clothing. the hint of muscle that always accompanied her motions is more noticeable now, making her a lean, compact woman rather than the baby-faced girl of the past. she's maybe a little too thin, a little too ragged around the edges; food is difficult to come by when you're trying to remain unnoticed, especially when your supplements never grow larger than a possum. but she has the same broad smile that she flashes now]

Well, I've done ofur stuff in the meantime too! But I've been here the whole time, yeah; I stay in the park.

[ the reunion is reminding kanaya a bit why she always felt awkward about her height as a kid. she had always been taller than nepeta, but seeing her the same size while kanaya's pushing giantess territory really only punctuates it. ]

Well, for tonight, I'll have to insist that you stay here. At least until I've gotten you something to eat!

[ and maybe a bath, she thinks to herself as she moves toward the kitchen. she stops for a moment to take another look at her, and there's something sneaking into her smile that isn't as happy as it should be.

ah guilt, my old friend, it's been a while. ]

[the sunny grin that Nepeta returns with makes it obvious that any reservations in the room about their previous situation rest entirely on Kanaya. she's just happy to see a friend alive and well, happy to be able to do a little teasing as she flops dramatically into a chair.]

Hey, I'm purretty busy! But I guess since I purrobably won't be able to get you to budge on this I'll hang around fur a while.

It's been a long time, I should be allowed this much, I think.

[ she takes stock of what she has in the fridge before heating up a pan on the stove, pouring a bit of oil in it to get it started. ]

What...what have you been up to, since we've been parted? If you're keeping so busy.

I go to all those stupid rallies the government holds! And sometimes some of the bigger political debates, too.

[she leans over the side of the chair to watch Kanaya cook from the kitchen while they talk]

And sometimes when I get back to the park I scare a few people who come by really late, but I don't think that's as impurrtant.

You do why they hold those rallies, don't you? It's no place for someone like us.

[ once the oil's sizzling she drops a filet of fish on it, starting up another pot to cook some rice and putting a kettle on. ]

What kind of tea would you like?

Do you have any purrl grey?

[oh man that looks so good. Nepeta hasn't had a real meal since the last big town hall held by a politician that had come with a free buffet]

And I know I'm not supposed to be there, but that's why I go. Somebody needs to help them talk about diffurent purrspectives.

[ she takes out a box and prepares an infuser, covering the rice and seasoning the fish. it's gonna be a good one. ]

They don't want to hear differing perspectives. They're likely to try capturing you if they see you. ...Or worse.

I see this sort of thing all the time, Nepeta.

I know. That's why I have to go - someone needs to make them think diffurently, so it might as well be someone who can take care of herself.

[altering some people's feelings usually results in fights, but it's ok. conflict means discussion, even if it's not immediate.]

With your powers, you mean.

[ it makes a sort of sense. kanaya is using her own powers to assist the resistance, after all. nepeta's would take need something a little hands on. ]

Have you thought about becoming involved? I mean, in a more official capacity? It wouldn't hurt to have some support.

Sometimes. But I never knew who to go to, and I don't like to stay out too long in the daytime.

[she pulls her knees up to her chest, frowning thoughtfully] And they might move me to somewhere that everyone else couldn't find me if they came back.

[ at a movement like that, kanaya regrets that she's on the other side of the room, with a skillet full of sizzling oil and fish that she can't turn away from for long. she gives nepeta a look of guilt, loneliness, sorrow. it's hard to really place beyond general misery. ]

You know me.

Edited 2013-03-24 18:59 (UTC)

I do now. [she tilts her head a little to look over at Kanaya, a smile creeping in to replace the melancholy look of before] But I'm still not sure if it's the right sort of place for me.

We can find a way to work with the place you're in now. You shouldn't have to do any of this alone.

[ or, what the guilt really wants her to say: ] Now that I've found you, I'm not about to let you be abandoned again.

You guys didn't abandon me, we all just got sepurrated fur a while! [she's gently emphatic about this, voice ringing with sincerity] I always knew that you'd come back if I waited long enough. There really wasn't any other way it could turn out!

I should have helped you ensure your own well-being. [ but once the jammers went live, nothing felt right, like she'd had an entire sense cut off. she might have panicked more than a little. ] It can't have been an easy time for you.

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