Got a Mind Like Swiss Cheese

[hollystrike]

Who: Katie and you
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Vanquish, Iskaulit
When: 25th June onwards

[You'd think she'd reach out to let people know she was okay.  What a jerk.

Instead, running into Katie might be an accidental thing.  She's either curled up in her room on the Vanquish (her actual room, not the personnel office), patting Licorice absently and not sure why the poor cat sounds so distressed...

...or the jumbled pieces of memory she has eventually lead her to the Iskaulit, exploring most places in the vain hopes it will fill in the gaps.

Run into her anywhere.  She's not staying put in any one place unless someone gets her attention, but moving through in a slow sort of way, wrapped in the warmest coat she has.  Except for one point where she passes her reflection and stares for a while.]

...

When did I get so old...?

Comments

[tsunergy]

[He feels the tug, of course, and he appreciates it immediately; it lessens the bite of that old loneliness he used to get a twinge of, back when Sorey was conversing with the fellow humans around him and the seraphim were left to their own devices, invisible and unknown. It's nobody's fault, but sometimes. Just sometimes.

It's the same now- it isn't Katie's fault, whatever's going on. He's not mad, it's only that it's harder than it used to be.]

If you think it'll help, I can go get it.

[Otherwise he's probably best to just stay out of the way.]

[hollystrike]

...hah. [That's right. There are dreamcatchers up in the office they said was hers, but she assumed she'd bought them somewhere. Now she recalls shells. What a weird hobby.]

You know, I learned to make those in primary school. It's something I thought I'd grow out of. But I must have been worried about you. I hope at least the idea helped.

[monolike]

Oh- no no, it's okay, we actually made a bunch of them together. I'm just fine. [Sorey automatically reaches for her hand before stopping, drawing back. Will she see Mikleo if he tries? Should he try? He doesn't want to frighten her.] So your...memories feel a little fuzzy? Is that all?

[hollystrike]

Mm. Well, I don't feel well. [Kind of feels like she's coming down with a cold. It's not that bad, though.] I just have pieces. But... when I see familiar faces, I get a little more back. I didn't really remember you at all until I saw you.

[She smiles apologetically.] Sorry.

[monolike]

Oh- no no no, please don't apologize to me. [And here Sorey's just gawking at her out here in the hallway with Mikleo when she feels sick! Geez.] C'mon, do you wanna sit down? I can make some tea, we- I was right over there. [Points to the entrance to the Interfaith Center.]

[hollystrike]

...tea would be lovely, actually. [She glances over to the Interfaith Centre with a curious look. It's wholly unfamiliar, but look, if there's tea to be found therein she's all for it.] Were you by yourself? I don't want to intrude or anything.

[monolike]

It's okay, you're not intruding... [NOT QUITE A LIE. But Sorey hesitates just a second before taking her hand, a little hopeful.]

[tsunergy]

[Mikleo spots this an recognizes what he's doing. He's a little skeptical, considering the severity of whatever Katie's lost, but they won't know without trying. And that requires him speaking out.]

If this doesn't work, it's okay.

[He'll just... go inside Sorey for a while, it's fine.]

[hollystrike]

[It's so easy to trust Sorey she barely bats an eyelid at him taking her hand. It just seems like a Sorey sort of thing to do, memories being fractured notwithstanding.

Though she shifts to glance in Mikleo's direction a moment later, blinking with some faint confusion. That was a familiar voice, but... she can't place it.]

...Ah. Okay. If I'm not, then that's fine.

[Maybe she's hearing things. These hallways seem weird for that kind of stuff. (Or, you know. Meeting other seraphs throwing a fit.)]

[monolike]

[She looked- did she sense something? Feel him? Sorey casts Mikleo a hopeful look before leading Katie over to the Center, keeping her hand in his, smiling at her over his shoulder.] You know, you actually don't come by this place very often. At least, not while I'm here. I think it's because you're always off having adventures.

[tsunergy]

[Mikleo's eyes widen as she looks towards him, and quickly he moves to follow, less downcast than before.]

I don't see her here much, either.

[Was it a fluke, or can she actually hear that...?]

[hollystrike]

[Chances are high, given she stares back in his direction with a confused expression, even as she lets Sorey tug her toward the Centre.]

There it is again. Does sound travel here...?

[monolike]

[She can. She can hear him...!

Sorey stops suddenly, Katie's hand still in his own.] Can you hear that, Katie? You hear someone talking?

[hollystrike]

[She flushes a little. It sounds stupid, admitting to hearing things. But Sorey seems hopeful more than skeptical, so after a moment's hesitation, she nods.]

I mean, this is a big ship, maybe there's an intercom system or... or something. [Look at her trying to justify shit.]

[monolike]

It's okay, it's okay! [Excited covers their joined hands with his free one, looking off seemingly to nothing at his side.] Mikleo, say something! She can hear you!

[tsunergy]

Some...thing.

[What the heck, he's just stunned for a moment. They end up using this method so rarely, and with Katie the way she is, he honestly didn't think it would work.

He shuffles closer, leaning in towards her ear.]

Not to startle you, but it isn't an intercom.

[hollystrike]

[Not to startle her, he says. Katie jumps at the closer sound and pulls back a bit in surprise, but it's not quite as twitchy as she was with Edna. For a start, hearing Mikleo's name lets her finally put a name to the voice, and half a second after her startlement she just looks more confused than ever.]

Mikleo? Why can't I see you?

[tsunergy]

[Whoa, okay! Settles that, then. Mikleo's just as wide-eyed, not that she'd know. So it's like Alisha used to be, huh... her resonance has dropped that much?]

I'd ask you the same question, but you don't seem to have the answer to that, either. Are you- you feel- are you human?

[hollystrike]

Of course I'm human. [So baffled.] What else would I be?

[...okay fine, there are probably aliens in space and all, but her point stands.]

[monolike]

[Glance at Mikleo. If the truth isn't hurting her,] Aren't you also a pooka?

[hollystrike]

[Uh. The word is familiar, but her brow furrows even more.]

No..? What's a pooka?

[tsunergy]

[What the hell, this is way more serious than he'd originally assumed. Sight and sound had brought back her memories of the two of them, but he has no idea what (if anything) could trigger a memory of her own existence.]

...Maybe we should focus on one thing at a time. Too much at once will only become a source of confusion for you.

[If someone he barely remembered showed up and told him he was human despite all evidence to the contrary, he'd be pretty annoyed, after all.]

[monolike]

[Probably for the best to let her remember things as they come to her. Sorey glances at Mikleo and nods, gesture short.] Tea first. We'll have some tea and try to jog your memory. Okay?

[hollystrike]

...okay. [She sounds so unconvinced, because her memory never had Mikleo being invisible before. But she's missing chunks, so maybe it's recent...?] Tea does sound lovely, after all.

[She's British, it's a thing.]

[tsunergy]

[Mikleo follows them in, reaching between them to give their joined hands a light pat before he turns towards the kitchen area. Feel that, Katie?]

I'll get the tea. There's not much point in my staying here with just the two of us when it's like this.