Video - Late Friday Night

[imbibing]

[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!

Comments

[espigeonage]

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.

[imbibing]

[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?

[espigeonage]

[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.

[imbibing]

[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.

[espigeonage]

[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.

[imbibing]

[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.]

[espigeonage]

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?

[imbibing]

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!

[espigeonage]

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.

action

[imbibing]

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.

[espigeonage]

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.

[imbibing]

[Misato leans slightly over the table.]

So then, what brought you back?

[espigeonage]

[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?

action

[imbibing]

[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!

[espigeonage]

[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.

[imbibing]

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.

[espigeonage]

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.