redshiftlogs | persona non grata. [OPEN]

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persona non grata. [OPEN]

WHO: Rey and you!
WHAT: After keeping her distance for a while, Rey runs into the inevitable -- other people. And also an obsessive mutant cat that seems to follow her wherever she goes.
WHERE: All over Anchor.
WHEN: Month of October.

NOTES: I have a strong preference towards prose but I can handle brackets as well!

i. Bar;

There were periods in which Rey would spend days without seeing or communicating with another person. An unhealthy habit for sure, but it was something she had become used to during her period in the sky prison, carefully evading the synthetic wards among the labyrinthine corridors and inner tunnels and pipes. For someone as heavy and lumbering as Rey, she was surprisingly agile and stealthy. It also helped that she had plenty of experience in knowing where to go and how to avoid being seen.

Right now she's not spending much effort in doing so. After all, she's found that this isn't in fact the sky prison. There's no IV or synthetic sentry in sight, as far as she can tell. If there were... Well, she would just have to deal with them as they came.

Today, she just wants a drink or twenty. Except every time she orders, the fucking robot bartender gets her order wrong. And it couldn't have possibly gotten her order more wrong if it threw its memory core through a trash compactor where it belonged.

"Useless heap of fuck-metal shit," Rey seethes as she tosses the tequila sunrise aside. "Don't you know how to-- AUGH."

Luckily, she's not too drunk to avoid ducking in time as another tequila sunrise goes sailing over her head, intended for her face. The glass shatters against the wall, spilling liquor across the floor and then some.

Hissing between her teeth, Rey straightens herself immediately, fingers balled into fists as her eyes widen at the robot. "You motherfucker, you planned that, didn't you!"

Honestly, you just can't trust robots. None of them.

ii. Mess Hall;

Much like her social habits, eating is something Rey has been putting off for a while. There's plenty of water and booze at the bar, but you can only go on for so long on a liquid diet before the body starts to crave for something more.

Rey, on the other hand, could stave off those urges for months if she had to. If she had to being the key phrase here. Once it became glaringly obvious that she doesn't have to starve herself in order to evade whatever authority or presence here, or if it even matters to do so at all, she finally takes the risk to venture deeper into the depths of the city for something more than just scouting the vicinity. She could survive without food and water longer than a human, but that doesn't mean the urge doesn't creep up on her after a few weeks. Then, once again, it's about survival rather than obstinacy and pride.

Upon arriving there, however, she's not quite sure what to do with herself anymore. She's never cooked before, at least never any complicated meals that didn't come already prepped out of a can. She grimaces at the pre-made options, most which look to be well passed their expiration.

"Wehhhh," comes a whiny voice at her heel.

Rey looks down to see the same one-eyed tripedal feline bumping its head against her knee. It's been following her after she ran into some other weirdo at the bar, and she hasn't been able to shake the thing ever since. It doesn't take an animal person to assume what it probably wants, though. "Guess you must be hungry, huh?"

Naturally, the cat doesn't answer, though you never know. The last saptient being pretending to be just another animal turned out to be pretty wordy in the end.

No such luck this time. Just another flat "weehhh" as the feline sits on its hindquarters to paw at her with its one front paw. Chances are more likely that it's trying to urge her to care for herself first, but hell if Rey is going to take that hint.

iii. Bottom Levels;

Despite a perfectly functional barracks in the upper floors, Rey doesn't make herself known there. Being in places where people can expect to find her, where she can be easily tracked, is not something she is accustomed to. It's better to make herself scarce wherever possible. Don't get comfortable. Keep moving. No use in getting attached to whatever lifestyle they're expected to have here. And she refuses to become a complacent little hamster in a cage. No, that's not her. She won't let it happen; not if she has a say in the matter.

What few hours of sleep she allows herself ends up being in the most awkward places. Sometimes she can be found at the plaza or park, eyes mostly closed, only peering through slits as she stands in the middle of a walkway or shoulder leaning against a wall -- quietly snoring and drooling a little out the corner of her mouth until she's nudged awake by a concerned or amused passersby.

Other times she is pouring over what remains of the library, though barely able to keep herself cognizant of the words in front of her before nodding off at a desk. From time to time she'll jolt herself awake, slamming her forehead against the tabletop.

That damned cat might be accompanying her again, pawing and nudging at her as if trying to communicate some message that she refuses to diciper. Honestly, she figured that it would have moved on by now once it realized she had nothing special to offer it, but no matter what she does the animal always seems to find its way back to her. It would be annoying if it didn't also didn't help keep her awake at the same time. Small miracles, indeed.

iv; Wildcard

[ooc: Have something else in mind you'd like to do with Rey, or none of the above suit your fancy? Make your own or hit me up! Also feel free to check out my CR meme comment for info/ideas.]

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"And what do you want?" Rey says sharply, though the harshness of her tone has diminished somewhat in hopes that Elleru would indulge her for now. It's clear that she's not comfortable being the subject of scrutiny, whether Elleru intends it that way or not. Rey just doesn't have it in her to pour her heart out to some random person who gets curious enough right now. "What do you get out of this?"

Why do people try to learn so much about one another? Is it a bonding thing? On the surface level, it's probably a bonding thing. But Rey can't help but suspect ulterior motives, like whether someone might be digging for info. In some lines of work in her past lives, she would consider this to be a tactic used to probe for intel that could be used against someone at a later time. Even when that doesn't have to be the case, the slim possibility of it being true is still too much for her to easily overlook.

Rey might be dodging the question left and right, but Elleru seems perfectly happy to answer it right then and there. In fact, she seems more than happy -- maybe even a little annoyed that Rey hasn't figured it out for herself yet. Is she being too subtle? Are uprights not perceptive, or is this one simply ignoring the obvious because she does not want to see it?

Whatever the reason, Elleru spells it out plainly.

"I want. To be. Your friend. You are here alone, save for your interesting companion. He loves you, but you do not love him. You push away those trying to be nice to you. It is difficult to connect with strangers, but I am trying."

She sits up again, tall and proud. "If you want me to leave, I will leave. But you cannot say I chose that. You cannot say you are disappointed, or that it was expected. Choose."

If anything else, one would have to commend the tenacity. It's not all the time that Rey meets someone who's keen on something as trifling as... friendship with her, and she'd be lying to herself to say that she enjoys the total solitude. She didn't like it in the sky prison, and she doesn't much like it here, either.

Whether she deserves the companionship or not, or a bizarro mutant creature's 'love' for that matter, it's not something she can really afford to dwell on for long. Either she bites the bullet or eats one, and the latter has never ended well for her. Against her judgment and her very nature, she can't quite bring herself to that brink.

"Whatever, it's a public venue, so do what you want. Can't really make you leave." She waves a dismissive hand. "That enough of a choice for you?"

It's the closest thing to consent as Elleru is going to get at the moment, so she keeps her tone light and permissive rather than irritable, though still somewhat robotic.

That might be the closest thing to consent Elleru is getting, but having Rey bend even a little is enough to placate her for now. The corners of her mouth rise in a soft smile.

"It is good enough."

Perhaps Rey is too proud to admit she'd like the company, she considers. She was too proud to admit she has wants like any other being, after all. That's okay. Bit by bit, she'll get to know her. Any upright willing to help her in a time of need is worth knowing.

She sets her elbows on the table, leaning on her hands. "So. What books do you like to read? If that is not too invasive of a question."

It is in that moment that Rey pushes aside all of the earlier bullshit and remembers where they are right now -- a library.

Oh, maybe that's why Elleru was so intent on keeping quiet earlier. Not that it matters, with how goddamned empty the area is.

"Well, um." Rey's brows arch as she thinks. "Anything by Faulkner, really. Liked Margaret Fuller's work, though hers was nonfiction. Read a few more... modern books as well, but those were more available at the townhouse..."

Old literature was pretty commonplace at her father's old home back in Chicago. For six years, reading and recreation was the only thing keeping her from going completely insane again, so some of those nonfiction pieces helped more than she probably realized at the time.

Despite not recognizing a single one of those authors -- and how could she -- Elleru listens intently, her eyes affixed on Rey, ears lifted in interest.

"I am not familiar with those," she admits, "but as you are from another world, I would not be. I enjoy books with... relationships. And adventure! And some that I may learn about other peoples, though I have found none like any of those in this place." She pouts. "I have only a few books from my home to keep me company."

Well shit, of course she wouldn't recognize those names. It's clear just from the way she looks and talks that Elleru likely isn't from the same world as Rey. She winces internally, before adding, "War stories, mostly. And, er... philosophy."

Words that kept her grounded when everything around her felt like chaos. Words that she could somewhat relate to, even if their experiences might not all be the same. Whatever she could find that soothed the madness, she kept close.

"By 'relationships', do you mean... romance, or...?" What other type of stories focus on relationships?

While Elleru might not have recognized the authors, she does seem to recognize the topics, nodding at Rey's short list. War stories of interest to someone with many scars. Was she a soldier, then? She certainly seems like a fighter, at the very least, from what Elleru has seen.

"I like all relationships," she clarifies. "Friendships are good, but romance is better. How interesting it is to see how... people fall in love." She managed to avoid saying uprights there, but the pause was noticeable. "There are so many ways I did not expect. Sometimes, it is dangerous, and other times, it is a dream."

Fortunately, the brief pause doesn't strike Rey as odd. This woman clearly isn't human, so she has enough sense to put two and two together...

Speaking of which... The more Elleru talks, the more familiar her voice sounds. It's not like she heard anything through text, so it wasn't that. No, something else about her gives Rey the impression that she's being reminded of... something. What is it, though?

God, she's tired. Maybe it won't be too weird to keep her head rested on her chin. It isn't rude to talk with your eyes closed, right? Like she would care if it was.

"Romance, huh?" Can't say she's surprised. "What about it is so interesting to you?"

Now she's reminded of the phantom brush of a thumb on her lips, however brief that it might be. Rey has never really been into that stuff before. These days, she's not so sure, and she's avoided confronting it whenever possible.

"It is hard for me to know," Elleru admits, however awkwardly worded her admission may be. She continues, her voice soft, thoughtful. "I believe it may be the connections that they make -- the characters. They are bonds so strong that they would do anything for one another. Even die."

Yes, she made that sound as dramatic as it needed to be. She continues. "Sometimes, the book describes how they feel in great detail, from their heads to their hearts. It is interesting to me how wonderful and dangerous love can be. It takes many forms. It is a shifter, in a way."

Like her.

Rey hums. She could think of a few who she could apply those feelings with, though hardly romantic. There was Faye, who Rey was willing to lay down her own life for the sake of revenge, but Faye chose mercy and kindness instead. For what reason Rey still can't say. Though it only happened a few weeks ago, it feels much longer than that now that she finds herself in a completely different place, worlds away (and maybe dying) before she can hope to get any confirmation.

And then something dawns on her.

Opening one eye, Rey cants her head aside to look at Elleru.

"You have firsthand experience with that stuff, or do you just know from those books?" A stupid question, maybe. But if getting home is off the table for the time being, the least she can do with the time she has is parse how feelings work.

Elleru seems taken aback by the question; she blushes, her already dark skin made all the richer, her ears flicking in embarrassment.

"It is mostly from my books, but... I believe I have loved before, yes. It felt like love to me, but how could I know for sure?"

Was that too forward? Rey can't help but arch a brow at Elleru's coy response and wonder.

"Ah. Never had time for that stuff, personally." Rather, she never allowed herself the time. She just shrugs.

Elleru's head is still dipped to the side as her eyes, so vibrant and sharp, make their way to Rey.

"You have much time now, do you not?"

...

Maybe Rey's not the one being forward here. She blinks at Elleru.

"Well, yes. Just figured people would be spending their time being more... productive." However the hell they're supposed to be doing that with what they've got.

"Are such connections not productive, Rrey?" she asks genuinely, twisting a curl of her fluffy hair. "You meet those who may make you happy, and help you to find out who you really are, or who you want to be. That is productive, I say."

Her coy smile remains, but it softens as she recalls times gone by with a bittersweet remorse. She may never see the upright who taught her such things ever again, but she is certain neither of them will forget one another, or what they discovered through their relationship.

In all fairness, Elleru isn't entirely... wrong. There's some benefit to be had in building alliances, forming bonds. While her past selves rarely needed the companionship, some did seek it out, as others perished because of it.

Could those brief sense of longing just be vestiges of the women she used to be? How do all of those speak for the Rey she is now, with all those lives jumbled together...?

After a moment, she brings her hand over her mouth as she thinks.

"Mn, there is some logic to that. Some."

If she's going to be here... forever long? It can't hurt to have allies.

Some is better than none in Elleru's book. At least she's not saying it's pointless or a stupid waste of time. That's an improvement over her earlier disposition.

She tries to keep her satisfaction in check. "I am glad to hear we are in the same page."

Or on the same page, but she sometimes loses track of all the precise wording of upright idioms.

Ordinarily it would be a pointless, stupid waste of time. But if traveling through the walls of a prison tens of thousands of feet in the air has taught her anything?

It sort of really sucks to be alone. Or as alone as anyone can be with eight other people in their head -- their memories, at least. But it was those memories that kept Rey sane those weeks she spent on her own. That's just not necessary now.

"Er, that'd be 'on the same page', but sure," Rey so helpfully corrects. "Judging by your accent, take it that English isn't your first language?"

A slick conversation starter, but Rey is curious.

Actually, are they even speaking the same language right now? Wild.

Elleru stiffens, just a little embarrassed. "Ah, on the same page. No, this is not my first language. I still have much to learn."

Though she's never heard it called English before. Perhaps that's another name for common? After all, there are so many different kinds of uprights -- maybe each one calls it something different. She brushes her hair behind her ear again, the thick strands immediately falling back to the front, too weighty to be restrained.

"Do I... sound unnatural?"

Did that sound like an insult? Rey's brows arch in mild surprise at Elleru's question. If it did, the other woman doesn't seem to be taking offense.

"Um, no, not really? Different, sure, but having an accent doesn't make you unnatural." Or unnatural-sounding. It's an odd question, and an ironic one considering the nature of Rey's whole being.

That answer seems to placate her. She doesn't seem insulted, but was definitely concerned with being able to express herself properly. As open and forward as she may see, even she has some insecurities.

"I was not aware I sounded so different. I suppose it is more apparent to ears used to the words."

"Don't think much of it. Here, everyone's different."

It's a good thing that Rey was designed to blend in, to walk among the crowd, or else she would have a harder time hiding her own freakshow.

Everyone's different. That is true, and something that Elleru is sure has helped her avoid suspicion thus far. People can't suspect her of being a kaulahren when in their worlds, kaulahren don't exist in the first place. A strange concept, but one Elleru is admittedly enjoying, now that she's aware of it.

"Yes, they are. That is something I find so fascinating. When I left home, I had wanted to meet so many new people, and here, I can meet many from other worlds. I got more than I could wish for, did I not?"

Their common dissimilarities is an odd comfort for Rey. She doesn't have to worry about standing out too much when there are even weirder people among them. It's helped sneaking around that much easier.

"Er, yes, that does seem to be the case," Rey retorts, and there's an awkward pause after that. Her eyes open again to glance away for a moment, before darting back to Elleru. "So... you actually left your home willingly?"

Maybe not in the same context -- moving out of town isn't the same as moving to another reality entirely, but Rey never had that freedom of choice to start with. She wouldn't know what to do with that choice if it was handed to her. And, this past month, it sort of has been...

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