trans_9 | Getting out of the 'house'. [Open]

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Getting out of the 'house'. [Open]

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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"Arms and legs and one that he keeps sheathed in his head."

Seeing how completely flabbergasted he was at the revelation of the bizarre nature of some of her teammates brought a wide, lopsided smile to her face. She reached forward and patted him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"Well, the world of suprahumans is very peculiar. There are many different ways that they get their powers and...well, a lot of them and their powers are pretty outlandish (and that's an understatement)!

When the image of a shark tail-head man floated up in his cognisphere, she returned it with one of her own. It wasn't a shark, but the 'man' most definitely had a fish for a head. An anglerfish (http://www.comicbookreligion.com/img/a/n/Anglerfish.jpg) head to be precise.

"That one isn't a superhero, actually. He's a minor villain."

Nope, that was too much. He flopped backwards, wrapped his arms around his chest, and laughed himself absolutely silly.

He'd seen plenty of crazy things in his time --outlandish, nightmarish, monstrous, or just plain weird -- but nothing like that. They made Festergut or the Faceless look downright reasonable!

"He may look (very, very) silly but his ability is actually pretty useful...if he can pull it off successfully! Aptly named 'Anglerfish', by the by."

She leaned forward and cradled her head in one upturned hand, elbow on knee. Amusement was written across her fair features at just how much he was enjoying himself.

"I'll be the first to admit that there's something fundamentally goofy about grown men and women running around in (brightly colored) spandex, calling each other by code names. A lot of them take it as veeeeery serious business, though. And that is just the tip of the iceberg on how...ah...(quote, unquote) unique they come."

"Oh, man," he said, swiping at his eyes with the back of his hand once he finally regained control of himself. "I probably shouldn't laugh so much, but that's wild. You make Azeroth seem sane by comparison. Our colorful casts of characters generally remain humanoid for the most part, with relatively few animal or mineral parts grafted on!"

Though he was certain some people WOULD replace their arms with swords if it gave them enough of a combat advantage!

"Wow, well that sounded like it's quite a feat, then. Always knew the world of capes could out-do the insanity found, well, almost anywhere! It doesn't help that you can get superpowers from just about anything (even STDs, shamefully enough)."

That last one was actually pretty common. There was at least four on the team who received their powers that way.

STDs weren't quite the terminology used on Azeroth -- they still called them 'social disease', you know -- but he picked up enough from her mind to get the general message.

"Are there even any normal people left on your world, then?"

He could appreciate a little more why her teammates might envy her appearance, though. Even the price she'd paid wasn't, to his mind, terrible. She looked cute in her visor.

"Oh, there are. Suprahumans are pretty common (enough that they offer degrees for the suprahuman studies) but they're not everywhere (yet). I suppose with the way I talk, superheroes seem like the only people I see on a regular occasion (which is, sadly, close to the truth). With the increasing frequency of both alien and demonic...ah...'visitors' to the world, the rise in suprahumans will only increase."

She straightened up and placed her hands on her knees. "And that, my good friend, is why the constant battle of superheroes versus supervillains continues and is, astonishingly enough encouraged in some cases. Granted, most supervills are pretty small time."

Ooh, good friend, progress.

"Ah, I understand that. So much of the production and economy on Azeroth is war-focused I don't think the various nations would know how to survive if peace somehow broke out. Or if some of them would even want to."

"We have less of a problem than before when it concerns nation to nation (which isn't to say we're all at peace); but considering our various alien visitors can and will open a portal to the center of the sun so that we keep up our side of planetary contracts...well, that's a good enough reason to squash plenty of the squabbling."

"You're lucky, then. Every time Azeroth hits a crisis the Alliance and the Horde seem to decide it's the best time in the world to fight. We had to shoot down an Alliance airship in the middle of our assault on Icecrown just to get to the upper level!"

Though it had been exhilarating to cross blades with Muradin Bronzebeard, he had to admit. So much more rewarding to fight weapon-to-weapon with the giants of history and monstrosities of legend, than to stand in the back hurling fireballs.

"When you have to deal with keeping your word or being incinerated by (sub) 27 million degree temperature, I think the smart thing choice is obvious!"

She straightened up and folded her hands over each other on her lap.

"By the by, I (greatly) appreciate the delicious (yummy!) meal, Mar. You weren't even (remotely) stretching the truth about your skill."

"It would be rather dumb of me to do that when you're both in my head and about to taste it," he said, though her compliments made him beam no matter how cool he tried to play. "I just hope I get the chance to do it again soon. Of course, I could always fake it in the sensorium. I think food there is supposed to taste real even if it isn't."

"Oh yes, but that doesn't stop them from trying (quite the opposite, really). I agree. Though it helps that I have the cooking skills of a small child. Never have been good with my hands, I'm afraid."

"Maybe teaching you would be a profitable way to spend time together!" he said, quite pleased he'd even had the idea. She did seem to carry a certain amount of desire to be a bit more normal, and while he couldn't grant her that, at least he could give her some time doing more normal things?

Of course, he was thinking 'normal' in terms of Azeroth, so learning to cook involved going out and slaughtering turtles for their meat...

"And in return, I teach you a bit more about how to use the Media Library? (Deal)." She didn't know how to use it yet but given her current skills, there was plenty of room and reason to be over-confident in those pursuits.

"It'll be an arduous job, I warn you! Though really, I'm grateful for the assistance (and the company!). Personally, I'm already looking forward to recreating your 'specialty', Spice Bread."

Using the hardware in the Library was no challenge; it was the software that baffled. He had no doubt that her background and knowledge would prove far more applicable than his.

"I should hope so! Spice Bread is one of the foundations of learning to cook! Simple to make, no agonizing ingredients, and really quite good if you do it right. We'll have fun!"

At least he would have fun, to be sure! And damned if he wouldn't do his best to make sure she did, too.

"Oh, I'm sure we will, despite the (presumably disastrous) results! Just name a...well days and time don't really matter around here, do they? In which case, just let me know when you have the free time, hm? I'm more than positive that I'll have the time as well (consider my oh-so-busy days, right?)"

She straightened herself up and regarded the elf with a sincere smile. It was different than what she was used to--so much so that it was actually a bit odd. Though she knew her teammates and spent quite a bit of time with them during briefings and other such superhero related activities, she hadn't really become close on a personal level with any of them, save two.

Not that her powers aided in that in any way.

Regardless, it felt good that there was at least someone not constantly thinking about letting their secrets slip while in her presence.

"Time barely matters, yes. I can't even keep track of what should be day or night," he said, rubbing at his temple with the heel of his hand. He'd been relying on his own body clock -- eating when it told him to eat, sleeping when he was tired -- but without the sun and the moon(s) to guide him, he still felt very out of whack. At least he wasn't a Tauren.

"As for when, I'll drop whatever I'm doing for the chance to spend time with you," he said with a wink.

Of course, he was assuming that he wasn't going to be neck-deep in a crucial fight any time soon! He probably wouldn't drop that if she came looking for him.

But he did like her. And even if his efforts at wooing her failed (which, given his rather defective nature, might be better for her in the long run, in his mind...), that wouldn't stop him from being her friend. Not on his life!

A smile lit up her oval face.

"Awfully nice of you to say that. As much as it'll be a bit of a headache to walk around on a planet filled with what is going to be interpreted as nothing but gibberish to me, I'm looking mighty forward to seeing a sunrise and sunset during the next shore leave."

It wasn't that he had failed, per se. She did enjoy his company, along with his wit and penchant for speaking his mind in a sometime brutally honest method--it was equally amusing and charming. The part she was having trouble with was ignoring the emotional aspects of her otherwise very rational mind.

Despite being dumped by Theresa more than a year ago (and in a particularly hateful manner), she still had rather strong feelings for her. Enough that she loved her and wanted her to be happy, but wouldn't interfere in her life and the...different men that it was composed of.

That, to her, was the irrational part. It showed in the eyebrows furrowed in thought and the pursed, slightly skewed appearance of her lips as she looked at the elf before her. He was a pretty good guy, defects and all. But she supposed there would be time; plenty of time on this sentient ship, for her to make that type of decision.

Really, what type of woman would she look like if she jumped on the first man that gave her compliments and props during a time where she was struggling to adjust (again)? Elyssa. That's who she'd be.

Oh, don't think he'd given up yet! As much as he knew nothing of her history, he'd formulated his own theories. She'd lived away from people, wasn't used to them. She WAS used to them fearing or at least disliking her powers. And... even if not for all of that, well, she had every right not to be attracted to him, or not to respond immediately.

He just had no idea if he was getting anywhere or not. Doesn't mean he won't keep trying. (Even if, a part of his brain insisted, it was much better if she didn't like him at all.)

"Don't worry, in the Sensorium we'll start simple," he said confidently. "I already showed you Silvermoon and the Eversong woods. Well, I first learned to cook not far from there. It won't be too bad, I promise. You're completely right about the sunrise and sunset, though. It WOULD be nice to see a real one again."

"I didn't think it would be, and even if it is I think I can cheat juuuuust a little bit (it'll taste delicious to me at least," she said, casually draping her arms over each other against her lap.

A flaxen eyebrow rose ever-so-slightly, along with the corner of her lips. "As far as that whole 'sunrise and sunset' thing go, you should join me if we get a chance on the next shore leave."

She was really no good at the whole 'being coy', thing.

"You'll get the hang of it quickly," he said with a confidence that was mostly unfounded but he nonetheless believed wholeheartedly.

"And I'd like that," he said with an unusually sincere smile. He hadn't picked up on the 'being coy' thing (sorry!), but the request meant plenty even taken as a straightforward offer.

"Excellent!"

She stuck out her hand out to signal that she required his assistance to stand. She didn't need the help at all, but she was interested in the pressure of his grip and just how his hands felt. Despite being fast friends, they really had...well, no physical contact. Time to remedy that...just a tiny bit.

Would she laugh to know that they hadn't in part because he was just a little shy about it? After all, she felt everyone's mind as a matter of course, whether she wanted to or not. Allowing her the sanctity of her own body was compensation.

Still, she almost didn't get her wish -- but by lucky chance, or perhaps cunning pretense on his part, he had just taken off one gauntlet to clean some sauce out of a joint. A lady's request came first, though, so he tucked it into his belt and offered her a hand.

As it happened, his grip was quite firm, and tugging her up was fairly effortless. His hands were rough, but not as much as one might expect; he'd been wearing armor so long that the calluses from gripping a weapon had slowly faded.

Actually, she probably would have. 'Shy' was certainly not a word she associated with the elf standing before her. Witty, confident and loquacious would be more accurate.

Mindfuck hopped to her feet and gave him a nod of thanks, still holding onto his extended hand. At any other time the lengthy hold might have been considered awkward, but she couldn't feel that way considering she'd been the one to initiate it.

She smoothed her thumb over the back of his hand and across his knuckles. Just as she assumed, they were the hands of someone who engaged in physical work far often than not. Much different than her own, but it was a sensation she enjoyed nonetheless.

Getting out of the 'house'. [Open]

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You always tag mere minutes before I get to Mar on my tag sweeps. ^.^

I apparently have pro timing skills!

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