03 ;

[shroudedsecrets]

Who: Haggar and you
Broadcast: No
Action: SS First Breath, Iskaulit
When: Late August/Early Sept

I.

[First Breath]

[ After a certain new arrival had made himself known to the fleet, Haggar has spent more time than she usually does aboard her "home" ship, mostly to frown at Loki's decorated walls and the very particular worlds they shift to represent whenever the cat that's taken to accompanying her around the ship brushes into them in her presence.

Almost like he's doing that on purpose.

In which case it results with her staring off against the cat instead. Because this is perfectly normal.]

Why you insist upon this, I know not, Kova.

[... Well, she's either having a staring contest with him or muttering at him occasionally if he's following her about. She didn't ask for this.

Sometimes he just sits outside the lab or her quarters waiting for her to emerge just to do this. As if she didn't have the ability to teleport.]


II.

[Iskaulit: Misc/Wildcard]

[ She's more cautious with her presence on the Iskaulit these days with regard to the fact that certain people she knows have been notably coming and going, so when she does visit her usual spots, 90% of the time she is in her familiar guise as Katie's double.

Notably, she takes time for meditating in the fox park, a usual favorite resting spot; or reading in the library, or frowning at a chessboard set up in one of the rooms -- or tucked into a quiet booth at one of the food or drink establishments, mostly there to quietly observe others until someone reminds her to actually make an order. Or perhaps an encounter in passing, even if she does her best to take the shortest routes. ]




[Locked To Katie]

[When one is bothered, they seek distractions. In this case, the distraction was movies, as it often was, with Katie. It was enough to willingly subject herself to this asinine sort of torment, but what she really wanted was a way to numb her mind and sort her thoughts without drawing any further attention to herself.

And at least she had left Kova on the ship. But her mind was no less crowded, as Katie herself could likely tell--a certain presence lingering in the theater, sometimes alternating to another, perhaps more menacing form. And last but not least, sometimes a different figure altogether appears, always glaring when he does.

Of course, she's not really aware of how prominent her thought-cluttering is, her eyes fixed on the screen as another movie rolls to it's ending, even if everything about her seems distinctly disinterested.]

Comments

[hollystrike]

[Goodness, it's crowded in your thoughts today, space witch. Katie tries not to pay attention because it's only polite and, you know, she's pretty sure these scowling folk will only be here briefly and don't need encouragement to stick around.

This movie's called the Lords of Magic, and it's all about necromancers being complete idiots in a movie best described as Z list quality. Go figure. She's seen it before-- seen everything in here at least three times by now-- and this time, as the movie drones on with terrible attempts at medieval accents-- she glances more and more at Haggar.

How odd to see you so stubbornly fixated on the screen. Katie only drags you to these things because it amuses her to see how you barely tolerate them, Haggar. It's her sense of humour, sue her.]

[shroudedsecrets]

[By watching this movie it really becomes all the more clear that Humans do have bad ideas when it comes to subjects they clearly know nothing about, even if it's meant for entertainment. In agreeing to come here Haggar had wanted something mindnumbing while she tried to sort her own thoughts, and this only passably qualified. Even if her gaze stubbornly fixed on the screen, even if it was cringeworthy--well, there really are no redeeming qualities that this movie possesses, it's completely terrible--but usually, she reacts more, or at least engages more with Katie, whom she's barely said a word to since the torture started.

And so, as stubbornly as she is watching the screen, those figures in the back stubbornly do not see reason to leave either.]

[hollystrike]

[Annnd credits roll.

She flicks the lights back on, stretching. And wonders whether she should poke at Haggar's mood.]

I think that's the best one yet, don't you?

[shroudedsecrets]

[She's not usually this grumpy, despite her usual resting expression. It even takes her that extra moment to recognize that the movie had finished, but her own problems remained... unresolved. Her gaze flickers over to Katie.]

It is not the Princess Bride.

[hollystrike]

Oh now, I think you're not giving it enough credit. [So amused. No, this movie is terrible.] I should think it's a few steps above Attack of the Killer Refrigerator, at the very least.

Perhaps you'd have liked it more if you'd paid more attention to all its subtleties...

[Of which it had none.]

[shroudedsecrets]

[She can tell she's being a little called out here. Maybe not a little. Perhaps a lot. That... actually helps relax some of the grumpiness, even if the "crowd" remains.]

No, I do not believe I will give this movie any credit. I am certain it would be even lower were I truly paying attention.

[Because she had no reason to lie about that.]

[hollystrike]

So have I finally found the movie that breaks you, or is there something else on your mind?

[A burning fixation is more like it. Echoes don't turn up just because you're thinking of those people. Unless you're thinking about them to unhealthy obsession levels. Hnn.]

First Breath

[this_loser]

[For the most part, Prompto has enjoyed the shifting walls on the ship. He knows to avoid them on bad days, so he doesn't inadvertently trigger a scene he doesn't want to see. It's also pretty cool to see what other worlds look like.

Like now.]

Oh cool! Is that where you're from?

[Also.] Is that a cat? Is that your cat?!

[shroudedsecrets]

[She usually avoids the walls altogether, even on what had been better days, unless someone else had an image on display that drew her attention.

Frankly given what it does reflect, it was like a bad joke. As such his innocent questions -- all of them valid, but not anything she had ever verbalized, catch her slightly off guard as she turns her attention to her crewmate.]

... Perhaps.

[Her favorite non-answer. The cat, however, is clever and moves to sit itself in front of her.]

It is complicated, but this seems to be what he wants.

[this_loser]

[Ignis was good at non-answers. He's learned to roll with it.]

That so?

[He crouches down to get a better look at the cat. It doesn't look like the cats back home, but definitely a cat.]

Is he friendly?

[shroudedsecrets]

... I know not.

[That's why it's complicated. The cat looks back at him for a moment, then licks his paw in feigned cat-like disinterest.]

It is likely that he would be wary of unfamiliarity, but he is a cat. If you feed him, it may please him.

[this_loser]

Never knew a cat that didn't like treats. Unfortunately, all I got are dog treats.

[He digs some out of his pocket anyway - always handy to keep some on hand if Umbra or Pryna deign to visit. He holds a couple out to see if the cat is interested.]

Bet we've got some fish somewhere. [Given Noct's penchant for fishing on every planet he was able, they had a surplus that would last a little while, even in his absence.]

Does he have a name?

[shroudedsecrets]

That would likely be more suitable.

[But treats are treats, and the cat looks up from his stubborn spot to investigate, which leads to a paw reaching out to swipe for the treats in an attempt to bring it closer to him.

He's not picky.]

He answers to Kova.

On the First Breath

[tallasaking]

[Tyrion has for the most part, kept to the parts of the ship that are indisputably His, and away from the walls that would show him Westeros. He chooses not to be reminded of all he's lost, thanks ever so much. However, he needs coffee. So when he needs coffee, he is in the galley. Which is where he finds the strange old woman staring ... at her cat.]

All right, this is a new one. [He drawls, as he hobbles over to the coffee maker.] Does the cat talk, or are you trying to win a staring contest?

[shroudedsecrets]

[Winning staring contests is one of her hobbies, don't judge -

Still, she'll take the distraction, as her eyes flick over into Tyrion's direction instead.]

Perhaps it is both.

[Or neither, but she's been hanging around some smart alecky people lately.]

I tend to his needs, but it does not seem to satisfy him.

[tallasaking]

Well, if the cat does speak, I hope it lets us know when we must change out its 'personal waste area', then. If it is a staring contest .... you are going to win. Clearly. Although the cat will most likely still stare at you long after.

[Full mug in hand, he went to the food supplies, and found a can of what was called 'tuna'.]

Most pets like physical contact. Are you paying attention to him properly? He is, after all, a cat.

[shroudedsecrets]

[The cat flicks his tail, watching the exchange.]

How very astute.

[She can appreciate that, as much as her tone remains neutral, as she considers.]

He and I had been apart for a long time. I am not accustomed to his current level of neediness, but... perhaps that could be the problem.

[It was complicated.]

[tallasaking]

Being astute is one of the few things I am famous for.

[He opened the can of tuna, and hobbled over to the two of them. He put the can down, and clucked at the cat, to see if he would come over while there was a stranger about.]

What is his name?

[shroudedsecrets]

... his name is Kova.

[This cat is not about to turn down an offering of food, either, as he slinks his way over to investigate. The stranger gets a wary look for proximity, a slight warning hiss, but otherwise the contents of the can seems to please him.]

He has a territorial nature, but he responds better to those who feed him.

Iskaulit

[princessences]

[ Allura is constantly torn between holing up in her barrack on the Tourist and running laps around the Iskaulit just to get her mind off of things. She's chosen the latter for that day, though rather than running she's decided to try and find some respite in the library. Something to occupy her mind lest frustration take the rest and she do something horribly stupid.

Slipping through one of the aisle between bookshelves, she bumps shoulders with someone, which is never a good thing--Altean strength can be something to reckon with even on accident. ]

Oh, my apologies--

[shroudedsecrets]

[It says much for Haggar's own distraction levels that she had not accounted for the presence of someone else entering the library, let alone one she would be aware of so keenly. Such as it is, perhaps luckily for both of them, she's in her guise at the moment, that of a young human woman, wearing a long skirt, plain blouse, with a green and gold knit shawl tucked into her elbows because she always needs something swishy in her life.

Such as it is, her reaction to being brushed into by someone much stronger than her is to take a small leap backwards and catch herself. Mostly, a little comically, to keep herself from immediately identifying the Princess, that would not do.]

-- You are -- ... very strong.

[Nailed it.]

[princessences]

[ Which is something she normally tries to check herself on, especially around such squishy delicate creatures as humans. To her credit, Allura does look apologetic. ]

Yes--I'm very sorry. Are you alright?

[ As distracted as she is, she doesn't need go pushing literally everyone around. ]

[shroudedsecrets]

... I am fine, you only surprised me.

[This time. The last time she had been this close to the Princess, Allura had gotten the best of her there--she had certainly not kept her strength in check then, and she had felt that soreness for a while past that. It was not something she liked to look back on, even if it was the start of many realizations to come.

Which was what made it so strange, coming face to face with her here.

She had to keep herself in check.]

Are you new to the Fleet?

[princessences]

[ There's a bit of relief on Allura's face. ]

I'm glad to hear it.

[ The question draws a raise of her brows. She hadn't realized that members might be so familiar with one another that she might appear easily out of place, but there is still a lot that she is learning. Allura nods to the other woman. ]

Yes, relatively speaking. I arrived a few mov--a few weeks ago. I hadn't realized it was obvious.

[shroudedsecrets]

I would not call it obvious, but I think I would have remembered seeing you around before.

[She gives half a shrug.]