Chapter 4 - Can I Still See The Light?

[photonicfighter]

[A - Action, downtown, mid-morning/afternoon]

[It's important for a housewife to go grocery shopping. The household had to eat, didn't it? Even the nanoceran-plated member of the family wasn't exempt. Dakki's heart really wasn't into it today, though. You might find her staring off into space and leaning on her cart, can in hand, lost in thought.]

[B - Action, Rec Center, afternoon]

[With her shopping done and safely tossed in nano-storage, Dakki is off to take care of the next part of her plans for the day. She had to take a look at that "Rec Center" that Quinn had told her about! she wanted to assess the size of the facilities, equipment, and just how she'd go about getting use of a big room for a few hours each week.

Fitness and self-defense classes need to be held somewhere. Preferably somewhere indoors. Wasn't winter coming? Putting it in her backyard wouldn't do.]

[C - Action, Closed to 458 Stone Street, evening]

[Supper tonight at the Gatt household was... not really supper at all. Dakki had left out a loaf of fresh sliced bread and fillings for sandwiches, and had announced a weak "serve yourselves", before retreating to the backyard.

She had unfolded a lawn chair and sunk back into it, staring bleakly up at the sky. Tonight was as good a night as any to get her mope on. Aurica had become so distant. This body was only continuing to fail her. For the first time in a long time, she was not an expert and did not know the absolute best thing to do. She didn't even know the worst thing to do. She was utterly at a loss... but not ready to admit it and seek help.

Sunset was nice. Even a fake sunset in an alien sky was something pretty to watch. She'd do that. Watch the sunset and wait for this to pass.]

Comments

A.

[brotherseyes.livejournal.com]

[Nina's happy to see Dakki again, in the same aisle at the store she is. The other woman looks a little preoccupied, though, so Nina approaches a little bit hesitantly.]

Dakki?

[photonicfighter]

Wah!

[Startled, Dakki jerked and tossed the can in the air. Thankfully, she had good enough reflexes to catch it again.]

N-Nina!

[She was still surprised, but happily so. Nina!]

Oh, it's good to see you, Nina! How are you doing?

[brotherseyes.livejournal.com]

[Nina laughs a little at the display, but not cruelly.] It's good to see you too! I'm doing alright.

[She means it. Since the zombie outbreak, Nina has been far more subdued than before, and it probably shows. In her eyes, in her mannerisms. But despite that, she's doing alright.]

What about you? You seemed like you were thinking about something.

[photonicfighter]

That's good, that's good. [Conversational convention. That's what you say to someone after you've asked how they're doing and they say "alright".]

I... I guess I have. Things have been different around the house. We have a new arrival! Her name is Chen. She's... a cat. For the moment.

[brotherseyes.livejournal.com]

Ah? You mean Mayfield didn't put her into a human body when she arrived here? Or is she treated like your pet?

C

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Having known Dakki for as long as he has, Gat can tell right away something is wrong when he sees how she's acting. After watching her head into the backyard (and enduring a cheerful quirp from the drone daughter), Gat follows suit.]

[By the time he gets out onto the back patio, Dakki's already watching the sunset from her lawn chair. He stands where he is for the moment, looking over in her direction.]

Dakki? What's goin 'on?

Re: C

[photonicfighter]

Nothing's going on.

[Something's going on. Dakki didn't turn to greet him, isn't even making eye contact. Her eyes are on the skyline. And there's a visible stiffening of her posture.

Did he really want to talk about this? He wouldn't understand, would he? He already had his self back, he hadn't failed, he was always so capable...]

It's... a nice evening.

C

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Yeah. That's not like Dakki at all. There's a few seconds pause before Gat answers.]

Th' town's gettin' to ya, ain't it?

C

[photonicfighter]

...yeah.

[That felt safe enough to confess to. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair and lowered her head. She still wasn't looking back at Gat.]

I...

[There's a long, uncomfortable pause.]

I was reckless. I'm sorry.

B

[richtighammer.livejournal.com]

[Thor is a little confused by the Rec Center. Why on earth would anyone make a building specifically to perform activities that should take place outside? Who escapes the sun to train for battle?

He's walking about the inside with a perplexed look on his face, poking his head into empty rooms and pausing to watch exercise classes with unmasked contempt.

He may or may not run headlong into Dakki, distracted as he is by disapproving of this entire venture.

B (OMG OMG)

[photonicfighter]

[Dakki rounds the corner of a hallway in time to see Thor emerging from one of the rooms, and she stops short. Him! It's him! It's that guy.]

Y...you!

[Other than that exclamation, she's momentarily at a loss for words. But she's still advancing down the hall towards him, a wide-eyed and excited look on her face, as she tries to think of something proper to say.]

It's YOU! YOU!

[There is pointing! There's a slow grin forming on her face! It's probably kind of confusing!]

8DDD

[richtighammer.livejournal.com]

[Thor is startled out of his confusion by the appearance of... someone he's never seen before. He frowns, glances over his shoulder to make sure that she is not pointing behind him, and looks back at her, trying to put a name to her face.

This is unsuccessful. He stops in the middle of the hallway and regards her with suspicion.]

Seek you the son of Odin?

YAY LJ IS UP

[photonicfighter]

[The confusion on his face does not dissuade Dakki in the least. Not one tiny little bit. She had expected it. Finger still pointing, she came to a stop a few feet away from him.]

Yes! Yes I do!

[That pointing finger was jabbed towards him.]

YOU are the guy that PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE and broke THREE of my ribs!

[She's not angry. She's something closer to delighted.]

B

[emperorsangel.livejournal.com]

[Make your own facilities fit for the size of a Primarch. At least, that is what Sanguinius did. Enough room to fit him, his wings, and a lot of spare space.

SWORD PRACTICING WAS WHERE IT WAS AT. With his massive Blade Encarmine, he focused on his precision, nearly on par with his brother of perfection, Fulgrim. Yes, practicing was the greater part of his day.]

[photonicfighter]

[Oh. Oh wow. She had never imagined that the Rec center could be so COMPLETELY AWESOME.

It's so awesome that Dakki is left standing in the entrance of this practice area, jaw slack and eyes wide.

It would be nice to join in. It would be nice to have her own weapons back. It was so beautiful...]

[emperorsangel.livejournal.com]

[Noticing someone watching is easy enough for him. He stops, reverses the blade, and tosses it in its red armored sheathe.]

Can I help you?

[photonicfighter]

[Dakki is startled to see the man stop, and a little more startled when he addresses her. But there's nothing to be afraid of. She remembers him.]

I'm sorry if I've interrupted. I was just watching.

[She looks back behind her, hesitating a moment, then steps further in.]

I didn't expect that someone had already... set up an area like this.

C is for Chen who is coming to Dakki's rescue!

[spinningorange.livejournal.com]

(Chen wasn't bothered so much by the evening's "supper;" she was bothered by how distant she seemed to be all the while. Almost Aurica distant. It didn't take instincts to notice that something was getting to her. That's why when she noticed her keeping to herself in the backyard by that silly little dog house, Chen decided to find out what was wrong.

As was usually the case for cats getting people to open up to them, she had to get Dakki's attention and hold it. This would be easy enough to manage. After all, how could anyone ignore a cat brushing up against your legs? She didn't think Dakki would, so that's exactly what she did.)

C is also for Cute!

[photonicfighter]

[Chen was still a novelty to Dakki. A new arrival to the household and a creature full of behaviors that she didn't quite anticipate. The rubbing against her legs did get her attention, and did bring forth a smile... tired and sad as it was.]

Hey, Chen. You lonely?

[She leans down pet her gently, if she'll allow it.]

Re: C is also for Cute!

[spinningorange.livejournal.com]

(Chen allows it, easily. She knows that having someone to hug and talk to helps you feel better, the same sort of thing she did with Ran. She hopped on to Dakki's lap to make it easier for her to pet her.)

I'm alright. I'm just wondering why you're out here all alone and not with everyone inside. I'd understand if it's because of the drone lady; she scares me, too.

[photonicfighter]

[It's even nicer to have the cat on her lap. She's so little and warm and fuzzy... Dakki shifts to let Chen settle further, if she wants, while still petting her.]

Euphie isn't so bad. She can't help what the town did to her. I don't mind her.

I... guess I need a bit of time to think. That's all.

C.), After Gat & Chen

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

[Of course, Aurica was standing nearby the backyard entrance on the inside, listening in on Gat and Chen's conversations. It was so much just to hold everything in as she listened, as well as to make her presence a secret as the housemates went back and forth between Dakki and the house.

With her not!mom alone again, she considered going to her but hesitated, wondering if it would only bring more hurt to each other. Eventually though, she stepped outside and walked up to her, sulking like a wounded cat as she did so, eyes downcast.]

Dakki...

[photonicfighter]

[Having talked with Gat and Chen, Dakki feels less hopeless. No less tired, but much less hopeless. The sun was almost completely down, and the sky was full of stars, but she wasn't quite ready to turn in.

She could hear Aurica's footsteps coming up alongside her, after all.]

Aurica.

[She turned and smiled softly at the girl. This was inevitable, wasn't it? Maybe next time she'd need to hide on the roof if she wanted to have a good sulk. But things needed to be said... might as well say them now.]

You've missed most of the sunset. But the stars are nice. Pull up a chair and have a seat?

[There's another folding lawn chair nearby.]

[dclassreyvateil.livejournal.com]

[The night was just beginning, but the sound of crickets (http://www.youtuberepeat.com/watch/?v=3huJaa0nBqo) orchestrated the background to accommodate those stars in the sky. A relatively quiet night otherwise, for talking.

She looked at the chair, two small packages held behind her back. When a moment happens, Aurica went over and opened it, placing the packages there as she dragged it over. Then she slowly sat down, taking care not to mess them up. She presented one to Dakki silently.]

[photonicfighter]

[The silence didn't surprise her. But the packages did. Dakki has a look of mild wonder on her face as Aurica brings them, the chair, and herself over.

And she takes her own with a smile. She holds it in both hands, carefully testing the weight and feel of it.]

...what's this?