healthy choices start with going to gas stations, clearly

[struckout]

Who: Kallie Raydan + John Mitchell
What: Catching up.
Where: The Kingdom of Slurpee drinks, awww yeeaaah.
When: Friday late-morning.

[ There's plenty of places to get food on campus, sure, but that doesn't mean Kallie is obligated to make use of them.

Weight shifted to one side, the young woman passes the time waiting in line for the 7-11's front counter by idly eyeing the selection of doughnuts behind the clear barrier of their plastic case - a stark contrast to the overpriced protein bars she's already filled one of her hands with. Despite her gaze, however, she abstains without effort. While the effects of a skipped breakfast are about the only reason why she's here, she also knows that something as heavy as doughy, sugary things, like these (claimed to be) fresh from the bakery pastries, are only likely to weigh her down or outright make her sick.

After all, the cherry-limeade Slurpee in her other hand is about as indulgent as she ever gets. Her "figure" isn't really any part of her concern, but her health is something she's careful to maintain. Most of the time, anyway... ]

Comments

[struckout]

[ A thousand panicked thoughts are quick to rise to the front of Kallie's mind- potential explanations for what just happened, even though there just... isn't a good way to play off an abrupt magical wardrobe change. This has the potential to put her in deep shit. ]

I...

[ ... Thankfully, then the question sinks in, and even if she continues to boggle at the man, finally, things start to click into place. She straightens, lifting her chin... but then spins in place, looking back and forth towards the ground. ]

Don't let them get away.

[allinvein]

[No explanation, no attempt at an explanation--nothing.

His eyebrows lift, but he doesn't comment on it. If she wants him to go looking for more vermini-infected cats, then that's what he'll do. With a slight nod, he moves past her to search the bushes; John's just going to hope that he doesn't actually run into one though.

Only one of them here has anything that can actually deal with that sort of threat after all.]

[struckout]

[ It's the escaping Vermini themselves Kallie is after, no prisoners taken. Fortunately, even if the boots she's in now are unfamiliar, they're fairly well-suited for stomping tiny alien critters into oblivion- she gets at least one with a well-placed stomp, steam issuing up from the smear on the ground even as she looks about for more.

Unfortunately, she can't spot any... a fact that could almost make her scream in frustration, at the thought that some sort of 'reporting back' could be involved here. She sort of stalks about a bit, but the blasted things are bound to be long gone by now, so... ]

[allinvein]

[As he's moving through the bushes, a small thing comes skittering out, and it's actually more on instinct that he ends up just stepping on it. John sort of stares at it (or rather, what's left of it) for a while before turning his attention back to Kallie.]

You seem familiar with getting rid of the things.

[It's a compliment. Sort of?]

[struckout]

[ She clenches her hands a bit more, once again looking down at them, before finally, forcefully making herself get a grip and calm down. As she steps up closer to John, however, she still feels weird in the strange clothing - not uncomfortable, but the various weird ways all of it is strapped on, the asymmetry, is distracting to her. ]

Mm. [ She blinks a few times, brows drawing together, but it's more awkward and a little troubled rather than annoyed. ] How long have you...?

[allinvein]

[He makes a soft, thoughtful sound, brow furrowing. It had seemed like a long time ago, but it really wasn't, was it?]

I think I had my first memory at the end of June, but... [John rubbed at his jaw.] I didn't actually find out about the network until this past Sunday.

You?

[struckout]

[ What a newbie... and how coincidental that they should just happen to run into each other in such a way so soon afterward. She crosses her arms and frowns at the thought, looking towards the apparently dead cat and subtly keeping an eye out for anyone else coming to investigate. ]

Since it first went up. April 1st.

[ So, uh, yeah, that explains her 'experience' at least... though only from stuff like this rather than any sort of choice towards doing something. She frowns at that thought, too. ]

There's been... a lot more people on there, lately.

[allinvein]

[His eyebrows lift. April first? Since the network first went up? He is suddenly feeling a bit... inadequate.]

Yeah? [John's not really sure if that's a good thing or not. On the one hand, it sucks that more people will have their lives ruined by having another life forced upon them, but then again, maybe having more people to deal with the situation isn't a bad trade-off.] I wonder why that is. Maybe this... thing--[Whatever it is.]--is snowballing?

[struckout]

Who knows... maybe before you know it, the whole city's gonna be in on the joke.

[ Except, like, the bad guys, she guesses. In any case, she's heard and developed enough of her own speculation by now to write a couple hundred books on the matter. Fielding more right now isn't really in her interests.

All she wanted was a Slurpee.

8( ]

[allinvein]

You don't think whoever is orchestrating this is hoping to create an army for themselves, do you?

[It's supposed to be a funny comment, but it falls flat. John's honestly not sure who's the good guy and who's the bad guy anymore because while there is an apparent enemy they're trying to face off against--aliens, no less--he's not going to be buddy buddy with whoever has done this to him either.

Ignorance is bliss, thank you very much, and he's quite convinced that he has enough problems on his own without more weird thoughts to cloud his head.

Anyway, sorry about the Slurpee, Kallie. 8(]

[struckout]

[ It falls flat, yeah; the sentiment shows itself easily on Kallie's face as she tilts her head, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. All things considered, it doesn't seem that far-fetched a theory. Which is ... just sad. ]

... If they want an army, their organization skills blow.

[allinvein]

Maybe the mind control comes later.

[After all, what's to stop them from doing that when whatever power this is has started stuffing their heads with memories from another life? Or maybe everything is just made up--maybe nothing that anyone has earned is from a past not their own. It could all be new and specifically designed just for them.

Hell, what does he know? John's just joined this freak show!]

It'd be easier than trying to organize things.

[struckout]

[ Dude, that... that hadn't even crossed her mind. Kallie looks a little stunned as she stares at him, hands suddenly seeming to lose their funding towards staying lifted half towards her chest, slowly drifting down back towards her sides instead. She doesn't answer, otherwise.

From what she knows, the possibility doesn't seem to have a very high chance, but what if...? ]

[allinvein]

[When he gets no verbal response from her, he licks his lips, a bit unsure of what to do or say now. John doesn't take her silence as a good sign though.]

I... [--Probably just jinxed the lot of them. John runs a hand through his hair in agitation and then clears his throat.] I should probably... go. Work, you know.

[He gestures sort of... lamely in the general direction of his car.]

[struckout]

[ Awkwardness all around. Kallie blinks to snap out of it, but still can't entirely erase evidence of that troubled feeling she's suddenly found herself with. As absurd as it is, everything about this whole thing is absolutely batshit. She'd believe a whooole lot more now than she used to, that's for sure. ]

Yeah. [ Reason to escape this situation? She'll definitely take it! ] I guess I'll just...

[ ... Uhhhh. Something. She can't really go back to class like this, can she? She frowns as she considers, wondering how she'll even get started in getting her new ensemble off-- once she's figured out how to get home first, in the least attention-grabbing way possible, of course. ]

[allinvein]

[There's a part of him that wants to powerwalk as quickly as possible back to his car and pretend that none of this ever happened, but as he stands here giving Kallie the most awkward smile ever, John can't help but feel a bit bad for her.

After all, she's stuck wearing... Well. Something not from this world, probably? It looks kind of cool in a costume-y sort of way, but walking in the street in it? No thanks.]

Do you... [Oh, Christ, why is he offering? Offering means more awkward times!] Do you... need a ride home?