Second feather [Video-phone / Monday afternoon]

[charcoalfeather]

[Out and about in the city, Rakka was walking down the streets, wrapped in winter clothes and trying to avoid any contact with anyone. The introduction to the numbers club had made her even more apprehensive of others than before, if that was even possible. All of the information that traveled through her mind sent shivers down her spine. She was in a battle now, whether she wanted to be or not. Stopping in front of a store, she stared at the window for a moment, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do.]

[The network opens and the screen focuses on a store window, a small nativity scene set up in the window. A tiny manger, with a tiny baby, surrounded by tiny shepards, and a tiny flock of angels. The screen then moves, obscured by a finger, until it finally settles on Rakka's face. She doesn't seem to be sleeping well, which is likely a common side-effect of discovering that you're a reincarnate of someone else.]

Okay, so Christmas is coming soon. I'm still pretty new to this whole... numbers thing and all, so I have to know.

What's it like during the winter here? Is there going to be some kind of Christmas invasion I'll have to look out for now? Some information a few days in advance would be nice.

Comments

[espigeonage]

[Julien's ribs are still sort of tender, despite two bouts of healing. It feels kind of unreal. When he's idle he finds himself poking the bandages, which by now are almost for show.

In any case, he's about five-five and compact, with some muscle hidden by layers of black clothing. His eyes are oddly bright, but his smile is brighter. Julien has the kind of smile that states that he's genuinely happy to see someone.]

Salutations! Would you be the lady who arranged with me to meet here?

[charcoalfeather]

[He's actually only a few inches taller than Rakka herself. she's wearing an average winter coat from back home with boots to match.

Rakka looks up at the sound of his voice, having been looking down to avoid anyone else's gaze for the most part.]

Uh, y-yeah, I am. I'm Rakka.

[espigeonage]

Ah, good. Otherwise it would be awkward! [not that it would have stopped him for a second.] Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you! Of course, I'm Julien.

[He offers his hand. It's cold out but he's not gloved. His skin is... soft, and fever-hot.]

[charcoalfeather]

[It's still kind of awkward really. Julien is still one of the first reincarnated Rakka has met in person.

She reaches out for his hand a bit nervously...]

I-I'm Rakka. It's nice to-

[And she recoils.]

Ah! You're really hot!

[espigeonage]

[He flexes his fingers and lowers his hand, smiling faintly.]

Hah... sorry, sorry. My temperature changed, recently. I'm ten degrees hotter than I should be. It's not hurting me, or hot enough to hurt anyone else, though. Promise.

[charcoalfeather]

R-really? Okay.

[This whole thing was still so new to her.]

That's... really kind of strange.

[espigeonage]

Don't I know it. [He pushes his too-soft nothair back out of his face and considers going on about some of his many mutations, but decides not to.] It's hardly the strangest thing to happen, though. You get used to it!

But it's pretty weird at first, yeah. We're not all ending up human anymore.

[charcoalfeather]

Not human....

[She shook her head, running a hand through her ruffled hair.]

Is it always like this? Everything's changing and different.

[espigeonage]

Somehow we're connected to other people, people not from around here, and becoming more like them. Some of these people aren't human. At all, some of them. What changes, and when, is hard to predict.

[He says it with no small measure of resignation, but smiles warmly enough.]

Walk with me, Rakka. There's a cafe that does great hot chocolate like a block away.

[charcoalfeather]

Uh, o-okay.

[Hesitantly, she follows him when he starts walking. The snow crunches rhythmically under her boots]

I'm s-sorry, I'm still really new to all this.

[espigeonage]

[He keeps his pace easy and half-turns, hands in his pockets, hoping he can put her at ease.]

It's all right. We all start somewhere. Me, I'm one of the ones who's been here longest. Not from the beginning, maybe, but pretty close. Turns out it's possible to get used to almost anything.

How did befriending your crows go?

[charcoalfeather]

I... I don't know if I want to get to that point.

[Truthfully, she didn't. But there was a curiosity to all this. something that she just needed to know.]

[Her face brightens at the mention of crows.] It went pretty good. I've been leaving some food out and they're eating it.

[espigeonage]

I can't blame you. It does get easier, though. Eventually.

Oh yeah? Cool. Maybe at some point they'll eat out of your hands. It's fun when birds do that. But you have to either wear clothing you can wash, or keep them away from your body to try and keep the poop off.

[charcoalfeather]

Ugh... [She visibly shuddered a little.] Yeah, I'll have to watch out for that.

...The last time I talked to you, I got a... a memory. l-like of my past self or whatever.

[espigeonage]

Mmm. That happens, sometimes. You get pulses when you hear or do something that's like something the other you knows.

[He stretches his arms a little as he walks, rolling his shoulders.] I don't believe in the "past self" theory, by the way. One, there's no proof or real logic behind it, two, my guy is from the future.

Is it a memory you'd want to talk about?

[charcoalfeather]

There's no real logic behind any of this. What's your point?

[She looked down at her feet, kicking a small tuft of snow.]

I don't know, maybe?

[espigeonage]

Honestly, "there are people living on other worlds and we're connected to them for some reason" sounds every bit as plausible. I don't see why one's favored over the other.

[Julien shook his head, smiling faintly.]

Well, you don't have to. Either's good.

[charcoalfeather]

Maybe it just makes sense to some people? I don't know...

[She continued walking in silence, looking up at the sky now. Did she want to tell...?]

I... I remember talking to some girl my age. She was talking about how crows were bad and always got into trash. And one crow was watching us from a wall nearby. I think it was watching me.

[espigeonage]

Huh. -ah, here we are.

[There's a line to the counter, and most of the seats in the little cafe are taken. Julien wipes his feet on the entry rug and takes his place at the back, grinning and giving a flashy salute to someone who nodded to him on his way past. He then turns back to Rakka.]

So the other you has friends who don't like crows, sounds like. How do you feel about that - the memory, I mean?

[charcoalfeather]

[Rakka followed him in, trying to avoid the looks she got as she did. People looking at her wasn't something she enjoyed much. She took a seat beside him.]

Well, it doesn't bother me at all really. I'm sure there's a reason for it.

[She looked down at her hands, clenching and unclenching them.]

It's just... the girl. She had...... wings.

[espigeonage]

Wings...

[Surprised, his pupils visibly adjust in size, expanding and shrinking, and he blinks not the normal way, but with a semitransparent inner lid that flicks horizontally across his eye. No one else seems to notice.]

Wow. What did they look like?

[charcoalfeather]

[She rubs her eyes, failing to notice what just happened.]

They were sticking out of her back, she was wearing special clothing for them I guess. They didn't look that big, but I can't really see them much anyways.

....S-she also had a halo, floating above her head.

[espigeonage]

[Julien tucks a lock of soft nothair back behind his ear.]

That must have been strange to see. The obvious jump here is that she's an angel. An angel concerned with some pretty banal things, admittedly.

[charcoalfeather]

Maybe.

[Was she an angel? Did they really exist?]

It was pretty strange, and the memory is kind of short. I don't know for sure.

[espigeonage]

Well, it was one memory. Maybe you'll get to find out more.

[The waitress comes. Julien smiles at her in his way. For someone with blue hair and, apparently, bright vanity contacts he gets remarkably little notice, except when he engages with someone. He practically glows under attention, but when she's continued on her way he sobers again.]

Have you considered that the other you might be like that too?