Excuse You I Had Vows to Keep

[hollystrike]

Who: Katie and you!
Broadcast: Yes!
Action: Vanquish / Iskaulit
When: Today!

[Last thing Katie remembers is literally dragging a troll's battleaxe through a town on the verge of rioting, a large collection of stray cats nipping at her heels.  (Look, life is complicated.    Don't ask.) 

Waking up to absolute stillness after that?  Disconcerting, to say the least. 

There's a dreamcatcher above the bed she's lying on, crafted with familiar wool and laced with magic, and it's the familiarity that pulls at her memory before she rolls over to see a collection of woolen dolls.  That she crafted, she remembers suddenly.  She'd forgotten.  When did she--?

Then she's out the door and into the hallway, wide-eyed and disoriented.]  No, no, no--

[It's the Fleet.  Worst possible timing, oh my god.  Or someone's god, anyway.  You can find her in the halls or in the blanket fort, much beloved and missed cat winding around her ankles as she... starts pulling the blankets down and folding them neatly into a pile.  Goddammit.]

-----

[And much later, a video broadcast, cheerful British accent warped slightly by a little American influence--]

Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.  Do we still have a theatre?  A fox park?  If all else fails, I suppose people would consider me old enough to drink for once.  [It's not a familiar face, except for the same bright green eyes.]  I have all the time in the world to waste, and I'm new.  Tell me where I can waste it?

[She'll be on the Iskaulit anyway, trying to match old-new memories with what she finds and feeling more than a little displaced.  Find her pretty much anywhere.  Later, she'll head out to the hotel and the planet, but that's a different post.]

Comments

[goldenglasses]

The Katie I'm thinking of? No. No I would not. [He doesn't care if Katie is older or not.]

[hollystrike]

Luckily I'm not the Katie you're thinking of, then.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash sighs.] Oh thank goodness. [That would have been awkward!]

Then... how do you know me?

[She can't be from Gunsmoke, right?]

[hollystrike]

[...somehow this man has missed the memo about her lying shtick. But hey. He can't really be blamed when she's also older, and more fun for her.]

I don't. I read your name on the crew lists. You just looked like a Vash, that's all.

[goldenglasses]

[Really it's the difference between speaking to a kid and speaking to an adult. While he knew Katie lied... a lot he never did get that it was all the time.]

I looked like a Vash? I'm not sure I get that very often. Why would you say that? [Has she seen his wanted posters? He's a bit suspicious of that answer. Never mind she's said the same answer twice.]

[hollystrike]

Too hard to explain. I mean, you also look like the kind of person that puts up hammocks for raptors, but that's really stretching it.

[If that doesn't do it...]

1/3

[goldenglasses]

Well, no, actually I put up that hammock for myself not-

2/3

[goldenglasses]

[Wait.]

3/3

[goldenglasses]

[And the light bulb comes on.]

Oh crap. You ARE Katie!

[hollystrike]

Oh, tsk. Now who's guessing at names?

[Huehuehue.]

1/3

[goldenglasses]

THE ONE GUESSING ISN'T ME!

2/3

[goldenglasses]

Oh-man.-I-just-flirted-with-a-kid-but-she's-not-a-kid-anymore.-Is-that-okay?-NO!-It'S-NOT!

3/3

[goldenglasses]

[Katie is still here. Have your crisis later. FOCUS!]

So, hope you've been well.

[hollystrike]

[I am greatly amused by your moral dilemma.]

As well as can be, I'm sure. Is it a problem that I'm bigger now?

[goldenglasses]

NO! No, no! It's fine! Of course it's fine! Why wouldn't it be fine!? [The longer he speaks the faster he goes.]

[hollystrike]

Why wouldn't it, indeed. [She pats her pockets.] I need a stopwatch.

[goldenglasses]

A stop watched? [He doesn't care why so long as it isn't about what he just shared with the fleet.] Why? You trying to win a race or somethin'?

[hollystrike]

To time you. I can't be sure, but I think you're getting faster.

[You're almost like a bad Youtube meme, man.]

1/2

[goldenglasses]

Time me? But I'm not moving.

2/2

[goldenglasses]

[Waiiiiit.] HEY! That's rude!

[hollystrike]

So's staring. So's trying to pick up a girl you don't even know the name of. For shame, Vash. I'm only nine.

[I'm only trolling but you're just so expressive it's hard not to be mean.]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash isn't sure if she's serious for a moment and her size is due to a glitch or she's gone home again.] Hey, can't blame a guy for finding new ways to talk to girls, hahaha- right?

[hollystrike]

Can't blame him at all. Also won't sympathise when he suffers the consequences.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash shrugs a shoulder with a smile and chuckle.] Yeah, I suppose that's only fair.

So, were you heading inside?

[hollystrike]

Hmm, that depends. Are you going to buy me a drink?