savetheearth | Video - Late Friday Night

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Video - Late Friday Night

[The video flickers on to a close shot of a dark-haired woman's face. It's possibly you might have seen her face before, on the ad at the bus stop, or model that new dress in a magazine. She usually appears to exude pure confidence in her photographs, but right now, she doesn't look confident in the least.

If anything, she appears to be a bit apprehensive.]

I don't know if this is the right place for this. [She runs a hand through her long, black hair.] I'm not even sure if all this is real.

[Her thoughts flicker to the newly-formed scar on her chest. She shakes her head, as if to dismiss the thought entirely.] What am I saying? It had to be real!

[She forces her lips to curl up into a small, tight-lipped smile.]

I'm Misato Katsuragi. I don't remember any of my past life, but I'm hoping that someone out there might be able to tell me more. If that name or this face mean anything to you, I'd like you to call me. My number's 555-736-7360.

[Her smile widens now. It's certainly more genuine than the smile a few minutes before -- and relaxed, too.]

Hope to hear from you soon!

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[Julien uses two feathers to fish a wrapped bendy straw from a pocket, gets it out with the help of a claw, and plunks it into his water. He can drink from a normal straw or the edge of the glass, it's just more of an effort.]

Hmm? Oh, yeah. Well, I moved in with her to help take care of her baby daughter. And mostly we get on great. I love her to death. I kept her clued in on the network and the stupid shit that was happening to me... They moved when things started getting too exciting here.

We didn't have a lot of problems, but one was how she didn't approve of some of my friends. I like people more than she does - [He pauses, and grins.] More than most people do. She didn't try and stop me, at least.

[Misato watches this process with much curiosity; when Julien begins to speak, though, she manages to snap out of it.]

Well, yeah, I don't blame them. My folks are thinking about leaving too, after that big snake attack last month.

You must be really patient if you're friends with some of those folks on the network.

So. Can you fly with those wings of yours?

[He smiles at her.] A lot of people are doing that. It's always a little surprising now to find out someone's just moved here.

I'm not sure if it's patience or a thick skin! [Julien shrugs a feathery shoulder.] I just like people, and lots of things just don't get to me. And it's just fun when someone thinks you don't understand they insulted you. They get so frustrated!

[Now Julien contemplates his wing.] I didn't die when I fell off a building. Otherwise... Not sure. I get some lift if I run.

It's a good place to be if you're working in construction, anyway. [She smiles a bit at that.]

[However, her expression gets wistful at Julien's next few words.] I wish it were just that easy for me. It's hard for me to keep my emotions in check.

[Case in point: her interaction with Marina earlier in the week.]

I'd think that flying would be the best part of having wings. I'm sure everyone feels the need to fly away from their problems sometimes.

[Misato glances out the window. The sun's slowly setting in the distance -- not that she can see it herself from behind all these buildings. Misato doesn't have long to admire the view before the waiter returns with their meals and sets them on the table. When they both make it clear that there's nothing else they need, he departs, leaving the two of them to continue their conversation.]

You know -- [She takes a bite of one of her fries.] -- I just wish that there was something I could remember about the other me. The past me, the alternate me -- whatever it is.

Yeah... I'm lucky that way. [Julien hides emotion all the time. It's better for people to see nothing he feels except shades of happiness and concern.] It's easier advice to give than follow!

Mm. I would like to fly. But you can't go up without coming down, really.

[Eating in a civilized way isn't a casual task anymore. Julien eyes his hamburger macaroni and cheese. He picked it because the stickiness of the dish should make things easier. Nothing big to hang on to, nothing to cut, no little bits to have to finagle. He takes a fork up in his prehensile feathers. Growing from his hand as they are, if he used his fingers they would range all across the table.]

Hmm? Oh, yeah. That's always a concern with newbies. Is the other me a good person? What do they do, what should I expect, how like me are they?

[Instead of bringing the forkful to him Julien leans towards it, too slow - it turns in his less-than-steady grasp and the food plops back to the plate. Julien makes a face and tries again.]

If you ever do learn how to use those wings of yours, you'll have to give me a ride.

[A tiny grin.]

Well, yeah, there's that, but that Shinji Ikari kid apparently remembers me, even though I don't remember him. And we apparently lived together, too.

[Misato's discomfort is palpable.]

I have no idea what I was doing hanging around with kids in my past life. I just... I really hope I wasn't Shinji's stepmother.

[Julien snorts, and raises his eyebrows. Yeah, bird monster or not, he's going to run with this.]

I give better rides on the ground.

[hah he gets a good mouthful this time, and hasn't spilled anything yet! Progress!]

Mm. Well do you know how long the other you lived with him? It could be anything, for any reason. You don't need to think of the other you as you, especially if she does things you wouldn't.

[Misato continues eating as Julien responds. She swallows before she responds in turn.]

What, like piggy-back rides? Seems like that would be kinda awkward.

I have no idea. I had apparently written his name for a sign on his door. I mean, I guess that's no guarantee that we lived together, but I did leave him a note instructing him to wait for pickup or something.

[She considers what Julien says.]

I know this probably sounds silly and all, but with everything that's going on now... with everybody fighting... I feel that I have some sort of responsibility too. Playing the same role that other me did might be part of the reason why all this is happening to me now.

[A beat, then sheepishly:]

...I'm not making any sense, am I?

Less awkward than flying with someone! But there's other kinds of ride too, you know.

[Misato did flirt a little before finding out he doesn't look all human. It's not going to hurt to remind her of that.]

Well, you can get pulses from doing anything similar to what the other you's done, if it's not something you've done before out of Locke. In that sense playing the same role would have an effect.

As for responsibility? [Julien shrugs.] Maybe, but the way you enact it is up to you.

[Misato lets out a bark of laughter at that.]

So, you mean that kind of ride. Well, you know...

[She leans slightly over the table.]

...I don't ride with just anyone.

[She grins slyly, then falls back into her chair.]

That's the hard part. If I'm going to be quite honest here, I'm not exactly the superhero type. My life up until now has been completely normal. And until I start actually regaining memories, they're probably going to stay that way.

I feel a little selfish for saying this, but... a small part of me hopes that my life back then was perfectly normal. But given what I've found out about the people I knew, it probably wasn't.

[She sighs, then shrugs with a smile.]

Well, what are you gonna do, huh?

[She eats another fry.]

So, what'd you do for a living before all this happened?

[Julien smirks.]

It's impossible for two adults to ride each other without riding coming up. I like to think I'm not a bad partner - but, I would.

[he's also inclined to silliness rather than serious attempts.]

Nah, that's a natural enough hope. If it gets too bad it might do you good just to skip town for an evening, or a day.

[Slowly but surely, Julien appears to be mastering the art of keeping a loaded fork steady and eating from it. The trick involves a prehensile feather wound around and around the handle, and more wrapped or bracing against it.]

I worked at a low-cost health clinic. Not as a doctor! But they could always use a receptionist, someone to clean and stock, someone to remind patients they haven't been forgotten. It was nice.

[He felt useful there. Julien smiles without it reaching his eyes. He looks tired.]

Now I've got a friend saying I should look into modeling - it's the exotic factor, sure, but it's something.

[If she had been friends with him for longer than approximately twenty minutes, she might have made some joke about how the wings might make for some pretty clumsy bedtime play.

But she really doesn't know how sensitive he is about the whole wing thing yet. She can't imagine this transformation of his was all that good for his love life, either.]

A vacation would be nice to take anyway. You wouldn't know it in this line of business, but things can get pretty stressful.

[Especially depending upon which of the other models she was working with.]

Yeah! I'm sure that with that look, there's someone out there who'd be willing to photograph you.

[A beat, then suddenly, Misato's eyes suddenly light up.]

That's right! I've got a friend who could definitely do something with you.

[She picks her purse up off the chair next to her and starts rummaging through it. Before long, she procures a single business card and hands it to him. The name on the card?

Tommy K]

Tell him Misato sent you. He should be able to give you a hand launching that modeling career of yours.

Edited (ugh tags) 2014-04-12 01:36 (UTC)

[It's important to Julien to keep flirting when he can, even though the likelihood of it going anywhere has dropped severely since he grew wings.]

Hey, cool. [Taking a card is another process, since his wings are so big. He ends up using those prehensile feathers again, brushing her fingers. Julien's feathers are soft.]

The friend I mentioned referred me to her father, Askell Sölvason. I'd fit in well with a... project or something he's doing.

["Wildlife fusions". It's actually kind of depressing to think about, but not as bad as begging friends and family for money when his savings dry up.]

Still, it's good to have options. Thank you.

[They tickle, too!]

Oh? [Misato dips her fry in ketchup.] What kind of project? You can't just leave me hanging!

[She takes a bite of her fry, then dunks the remainder back into her ketchup.]

I haven't seen much of it! I guess he goes for model and runway photography in general, but he's got this... series, I guess, juxtaposing models with wilderness settings and animals and so on.

[As someone who attended various artsy colleges, Julien knows a little about these things, though they weren't his focus. He resumes working his way through the pasta.]

Apparently I'd be good for that - well, he got excited over the phone, anyway. How 'bout your guy, this Tommy?

Oh? That sounds fun! [A smile.]

Most of the time, I'm just stuck modeling clothes for fashion catalogs. When it comes down to it, that just means standing around in ways that flatter the garment. You can't ever do anything fun with that.

[Misato makes a face, then starts digging into her burger. She just hates the taste of cold fries, so she usually tries to finish those first. She continues talking, albeit in between bites of burger.]

Oh, he's just a friend of mine from work. He's a really good photographer. The kid's a year younger than me. It's sometimes hard to believe he's got that much talent in him at such a young age.

[Misato shakes her head, then smiles.]

But what about you? I'm sure you've got some special talent I don't know about!

It might be! And yeah, I can't say modeling clothing sounds like fun. Plus it'd be pretty impractical. Anything I wear is very custom.

[He can't fit his winged arms through sleeves or even normal arm holes. The tail is also an issue.]

Cool. I'll have to drop him a line.

I think you know them already! I'm a people person, and turning into a bird monster. [Which does admittedly come with strange senses and minor 'powers'.] Also I've worked a lot of different jobs, and moved around a lot.

Do you have someone who tailors your clothes for you? I'm sure that gets pretty pricey.

[Misato's had a few outfits custom-tailored, and it wasn't cheap.]

I take it you didn't grow up here in Locke City, then.

I have some connections. People who'll go a little cheaper for me as a favor. They're cutting and hemming my old clothes, not designing new ones. Still, my wardrobe's a lot more restricted now.

[He was more of a clotheshorse before.]

Well, around! I was here for a few years in high school, but I haven't stayed anywhere more than three or four years since I was a kid.

[Misato leans slightly over the table.]

So then, what brought you back?

[Julien shifts a bit in place. It gets less comfortable sitting astride a chair, after a while.]

It was maybe three years ago? Well, I'd gotten out of college and was looking for work. My sister lived in Locke and was like, well the job market's better here, and I want someone to help with my kid.

So, I came. How about you?

[Misato shrugs a little at that.]

Grew up here with my parents. My dad's work brought him out here before I was born, and I never really left. Even went to Locke City University. I guess I'm just really attached to this place.

Where'd you go to college? I'm sure it's better than LCU, anyway!

[He's moved on to the fruit. Grapes are troublesome, small and slippery, resistant to being speared.]

Cool. Well, there's nothing wrong with that.

Oh, different places. I graduated from Arizona State, though. It's a beautiful state, but I'm as glad not to live there anymore.

Why glad? The heat really get to you?

[That's basically the extent of her knowledge on Arizona, anyway.]

I've never been. All my family vacations were up here in the northeast. We did go to Disney World once, though.

It was kind of face-melting at times. Gah. I do better in the cold.

[Probably especially now, since he can't sweat anymore.]

Yeah? If you ever do see Arizona - and you should! Someday! - don't do it in the summer.

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Video - Late Friday Night

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