Getting out of the 'house'. [Open]

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

Now that the crisis concerning the clock and the children were over, she couldn't be more thankful. The gurgling roar that filled her mind had died down to a more manageable but similarly annoying simmer that continued to give her plenty of reason to be eternally displeased. Still, if she planned to be anything more than a lethargic shut-in, it would require her to brave the 'babbleroar'.

Mulling over her choices for some time, she eventually decided on Hydroponics and made her way there. With the minimal amount of time she'd actually spent on Earth after joining with the Superhomeys, most of her encounters with the natural world were only conjured up from the depths of her memories.

She began walking through the wide expanse of shrubs, trees and other vegetation, intent on both relaxing and rebuilding her mental imaging of how forests and jungles were actually supposed to appear.

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[expendable-mind.livejournal.com]

Soon enough, the simmering babbleroar turned to a far away whisper, barely audible. She knew by now, what that particular even meant. Someone she'd gotten to know better was nearby, and knew she was as well. Otherwise, why would he bother dampening her pain?

Splicer was leaning against a tree, his usual assortment of cigarette in hand as he let out a long cloud of smoke that spiraled and swayed in the air, almost playfully. He inclined his head, his shades dropping slightly and he smiled at her.

"Decided to come out huh? Wish you would have told me earlier, would have brought something nice for ya." He'd somehow taken a liking to hydroponics, thanks to Zouichi and his thing for animals. The time's he'd spend here talking with him had been relaxing, so he had a tendency of visiting the area to think.

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

She ran hand through flaxen locks as the voice knocked her out of her own thoughts. Admittedly, she should have realized earlier when things became easier for her to sort out in her mind.

"Oh, no need for something nice (though it's appreciated). I would think purposely injuring yourself so that I could enjoy just a teeny break would be more than enough, don't you?"

[expendable-mind.livejournal.com]

"Never enough for a pretty lady," he winked as he teased her, much like she already knew he liked.

"And it's not a problem, if I could take all of the babberoar unto myself so you could at least go out and about without being in pain, I would. Everyone deserves to go where they please and enjoy it."

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

Ah, you selfless types," she said with a laugh. "I think you have enough problems in your own mind to deal with before trying to take on a planetary-portion of a headache inducing mess. It just means I'll have to find a way to cope beyond being (completely) enochlophobic about it all."

She paused. "Oh, what is it the (over)optimistic say? 'Grin and bear it.'"

[expendable-mind.livejournal.com]

"What? Me? Problems in my mind? Naw, I think you might be thinking of someone else!" he said with a sly grin.

"We can grin and bear it together then, I don' mind none of course." He spun a can in mid air, seemingly a soft drink. It twirled, spun and orbited around her for a bit before hovering in front of her.

"Go on, it's a nice treat. Still have a few cases worth from my trip down planet side."

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

She plucked the can of soda out of the air and turned it towards herself to look at the label.

"The last time I drank alien cola...well, let's not talk about that (my poor, afflicted stomach). But I do sort of miss the empty calories, overabundance of sugar and syrupy taste that comes with processed drinks." A pause. "Why the heck not? It's not like I have to actually watch my weight, now (no lotus portal with strict mass limits).

[expendable-mind.livejournal.com]

Splicer chuckled and smiled at her, "Well I haven't died yet, so I'm sure it's safe. I really missed the taste so I downed the first case in the planet itself. It was really nice, a simple comfort and all that."

Another smile, in her direction as he eyed her over his shades. "I highly doubt you would ever have a figure problem."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately for the powerful telepathy, peace and serenity were far from one girls mind.

Azula had been taking advantage of Hydroponics since discovering it to try and help focus her mind as well, but today was...a bad day.

She'd fallen asleep in the warmth and quiet of the area, exhaustion finally catching up with her and dragging her into it's dark clutches. In her dreams she'd been frozen in ice once more. Unable to move, unable to breath! It took every ounce of her self control last time this had happened to keep the air in her lungs, but in the dream try as she might she couldn't exhale or otherwise.

She awoke panting, gasping for the humid air that had brought her comfort before and now seemed too thick to be breathable. Sweat poured down her pale skin and her dark hair hung, once more wild and untamed around the crown of her head.

Every shadow seemed to hide danger. The rustling of every leaf, the sound of alien creatures, all worked to put Azula more and more on edge till every muscle in her body was wound as tight as possible and she was one bad surprise away from setting fire to every plant on deck.

Somewhere amongst the screaming voices of her mind Azula roared back to try and be heard among the noise. NO! No I will NOT ruin this opportunity! Cease your panic this instant!

But that voice of reason was drown out by paranoia, fear, self loathing and anger.

They're plotting against you right now.

Where are they? Why haven't they made their move?

You let your guard down, they could have killed you and you would have never even woken up.

How DARE they act as if I'm not a threat? After everything that's happened they owe me a face to face confrontation!

It'll come from the side. Not in front, not behind, slide up along side you and smile as the knife digs into your belly and spills your guts.

Azula was on her knees rubbing her forehead with one hand as if trying to massage out the chaos of her shattered mind while the other hand was gripped into a tight fist, heat pulsing off it, so close to firebending that steam was rising from her flesh.

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

She spotted Azula far before she could actually make out the details of who it was. Angered expression, tensed body and smoking hands. Great, it had been so long since she'd seen someone who was on the verge of losing it. She didn't miss it.

Nonetheless she walked up to the disheveled girl, hands firmly in her pockets. A voice floated in Azula's mind; light with a teasing inflection.

My, you certainly look like you're having the worst day ever. Bad dream?"

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

"SILENCE!" Azula's voice pierced the peace of the area as she screeched out at what she thought was another mocking voice. She brought both fists down onto the ground hard and indeed fire burst from them in twin pillars of blazing orange setting light to the grass.

As it twisted and died smoke rose and the girls eyes remained tightly shut as she tried in desperation to smother the voices by focusing on the choking black air instead.

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

Mindfuck only raised her eyebrows at the command and watched with curiosity as the woman engulfed the vegetation surrounding her in flames.

"Ouch! It really is a bad time, isn't it (admittedly I already knew that to some extent)? Maybe I'll just continue on my walk and bring you back a few asprin."

[burnedbrighter.livejournal.com]

Azula was breathing heavy trying to focus now, there was someone here. Someone who was real...or at least looked real, speaking in her head like Stacy did.

Biting her lower lip she struggled with trembling hands and did her best to control the spreading flames before they reached the more valuable plants. Some grass was one thing, but the rest of these plants had significance, importance. Purpose.

"Speak normally." She spat as she forced the words out trying not to scream again, "I can't abide people speaking in my head without permission!"

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

She withdrew her hands from her pockets and folded them under her chest, backing up a step as the fire continued to eat through some of the plants and smolder on others.

"(Still speaking without permission, but bear with me here.) The only problem with that is I don't have any choice (but) to speak telepathically. I'd ask, but really I would be breaking the whole 'permission' thing by doing that, alone. I'll halt speaking in your mind, now. (Really! Oops.)"

Yay!

[seesbosscrotch.livejournal.com]

She'll 'spot' him before he spots her; out a little ways in the zone was a familiar mind, thinking some nonsense word that happened to be 'elekk!'

And indeed, the paladin is watching, from the safety of a copse of trees, an elekk grazing out in the field. Why safety? Well, that doesn't appear to be a wild elekk -- which means it's likely one of the local draenei's mounts. And therefore it probably is not favorably inclined towards Horde.

Still, it's good to see something familiar and homelike. So forgive Mar his moment of sentimental vulnerability as he watches it.

\o/

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

She walked up beside the paladin, hands clasped firmly behind her back. She was hardly the stealthiest of people so every dried leaf and fallen twig cracked loudly under her footsteps.

"Thinking about starting a circus with alien pachyderms? (Three sets of horns? Really?)

[seesbosscrotch.livejournal.com]

He turned to look as she approached. Maybe she could be gratified by the delight that blossomed both as a bright grin and a warm emotion.

"The Consortium paid good money for those horns, but that one belongs to someone. Besides, now isn't the time or place.

"How've you been? I'm glad to see you."

It probably went without saying, but his thoughts exactly paralleled his words.

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

"It's always the time and place for a circus. Do you know how much I would pay to see you as a lion tamer in a top-hat, cracking a whip at ferocious creatures? Top dollar (oh yeah)."

A smile lifted at the corners of her lips. "Well. As well as could be, I suppose. Decided to forgo my mastery of the comm and put myself in some of the nature that I so rarely saw on the space station. We had a biodome there, too but it was nowhere as large and advanced as this one is (and also completely run by one person. Hrmf.)."

[seesbosscrotch.livejournal.com]

He hadn't ever used a whip, but one time he HAD worn a really sweet top hat, so he conjured up a memory of himself in it for her viewing pleasure.

"So you found somewhere to stay that isn't too bad on your head?" (Because he'd quite like to see more of you.)

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

She audibly laughed and shook her head. "That's a good (hilarious) look for you. All you need is a monocle and cane. But yes, I did find someplace. It's not particularly great (or well-maintained for that matter) but it's unquestioningly 'home', in a sense. How have you been?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi's mind was, in general, a quiet and orderly one, without much background noise. Today, however, he was thinking of several things.

For instance, if Ildraniath was being candid about enjoying their talks, perhaps he owed her a visit. Also, hadn't Howard been sticking around a little more closely than usual? Maybe it was because of the Percival Phoenix mission.

There was also the small matter of Alastirra-- no, probably not.

He turned as he heard someone approach. "Hello; enjoying Hydroponics?"

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

She looked up suddenly, furrowing an eyebrow in surprise. So involved in rebuilding her mental image of rainforests and the like, she'd not even truly been paying attention to where it was she was walking.

"Oh, afternoon," she replied, the thought floating into his mind. "I'd certainly say so. Far more flora and fauna than I could ever recall visiting on earth (view from space notwithstanding, of course)."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

He blinked in surprise at the sudden sound of thoughts not his own. "Ah. I... didn't realize you were an esper. Yes, it's certainly something else, isn't it?"

Hmm. Espers actually made him a little uncomfortable, considering his history with them.

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

"I'll conclude that 'esper' is another word for 'telepath'? Though you're hardly alone with that thought. A lot (as in a lot) of people find them fairly disconcerting. Unfortunately I have no choice (but) to speak using telepathy."

She raised her hands in silent apology.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Basically. Although it's also applied to people with a wide variety of psychic abilities." He hesitated for a moment. "...I understand. It's just that most of the psychics I know try to kill me on a fairly regular basis."

"I'm Zouichi, by the way. Nice to meet you."

[piggyback-ride.livejournal.com]

"I'm far more restrictive with the use of my abilities so there won't be any killing this time around (really!)."

She extended her hand to him. "I'm Mindfuck," she replied. "(I know, very silly supranym)."