One Knitted Sweater

[grimmdark]

A. Phone. Early Morning. Unfiltered.

[It's not that Rose is an early bird. She's a rather regular bird, if the metaphor lends itself for such uses, but she wasn't supposed to be sleeping. Dave was supposed to be sleeping and waking up later, as per the effect she expected to cause after that yarn ball throw. Still, she was the one waking up in a place that was most definitely not Derse, unless they had suddenly populated the place with a completely outdated series of identical suburban houses.]

I seem to find myself in quite the predicament. On one hand, I have the imperative necessity to return to my duties, as they played a rather critical role yet to be defined. In the other hand, though, I am called by the Great Outdoors, as this new locale pleads to be explored.

But before I devote myself to that enterprise I would like to ask for further instructions regarding the nature of this place.

[For the record, Rose sounds as if someone had done something of the magnitude of using all the sugar in the kitchen, not displacing her through time and space. She's really playing it cool here.]

B. Streets of Mayfield, Afternoon.

[And so Rose traverses the streets, sometimes silent, sometimes barely humming a tune, but always keeping an eye on everything. She doesn't even bother with the drones, leave alone the adult ones, but rather focus on those that have a certain shine in their eyes the canon fodder lacks. To them she gives more examination time, although she won't really engage in a conversation by her own initiative. Not until she has managed to get the upper hand in this place. Or in its default, to have lost her patience, whatever happens first.

But yeah she's wandering around, go bother her.]

C. Mayfield High. Fashionably Late.

[Like the coolest teenager, Rose arrives late to school...and goes directly to the yard, where she sits somewhere calm and with shade. The day has been too exciting -or rather, mildly exciting- to enter the classrooms; she'll have time to do that later. But it's a good time to have a chat with her fellow classmates, perhaps?]

Comments

[grimmdark]

It was a refreshing exercise none the less, so there is little to lament about that.

[Well she rarely sees other people as well, so there.]

Yes...you do seem to be very honest about it. What sort of information would that be? Although immediate recognition surely plays as convenient strategy to you, considering you trolls made a point of having been spectators to the things that came and past in our lives.

[She does believe her, but Rose isn't about to decline extra proofs.]

[chastesaw]

Naturally I would volunteer something known to you as well; it would do me no good to simply say something anyone could know just from watching you.

Hm. *She's thinking for a moment, and then--* The first conversation in which we were temporal equals was our eighth. Does that suffice?

[grimmdark]

[Rose blinks, this time truly surprised.]

Well that should suffice more than enough. This is interesting, considering you and the rest of your party were secluded and protected from most harm, weren't you?

And there is also the interrogation behind your...human shape, if it can be defined as so. [She tilts her head to a side, inspecting her. Well it's not like Kanaya is suddenly going to grow horns or anything right?]

Would you say that your appearance has chanced much, sans the obvious lack of horns and skin coloration?

[chastesaw]

In a sense, yes, but we all knew that the only entities capable of finding us were those capable of killing us as well. *A pause.* Even so, it still seems so strange to have been brought here from our shelter in the Veil.

*Kanaya feels a bit self conscious as she's inspected, reaching up to her mouth and poking at a canine.* It is odd, speaking without fangs, for one. Otherwise my appearance is not wholly unlike my normal one, though I feel that troll sensory complexes *Indicating her face here* seem to be more angular than humans'.

[grimmdark]

This doesn't seem to be the case, as Dream Bubbles aren't this...alien, even if they are usually prone to swing the dreamers around. The presence of people that hail from other parts unknown to us make it even less believable. So we are most likely alive.

[She listens with interest. Rose hasn't seen a troll yet.]

May I?

[And almost immediately she extends a hand, although she doesn't go all the way to poke Kanaya's face...although it's evident that's what she's asking permission for.]

[chastesaw]

That is one of the options, yes. Others that I have considered include a particularly vivid afterlife or a fevered dying hallucination.

*But she quiets at Rose's question, her eyes flicking back and forth from the girl's hand to her face and back. Her cheeks tinge - an unusual red, rather than their normal jade flush.* Ah... if you would like, though I assure you I am very much human and not at all a troll right now.

[grimmdark]

Maybe I did manage to get to the Green Sun, and this is the afterlife. It would be a shame to have needed to die in order to meet you though. [Although being dead wouldn't change much things though.]

[Without further ado, Rose pokes Kanaya in the cheek. Besides the fact the other girl's skin is rather soft and nice to the tact she doesn't find anything particularly interesting. She also gives no thought to the blushing.]

Well, there isn't much to it, I suppose. And sorry for intruding in your personal space. I would offer you to retaliate and poke me back, but I don't know if that's something you would do willingly.

[Something tells Rose she should be careful not to accidentally touch her.]

[chastesaw]

*Flush aside, her expression falls slightly at the mention of the Green Sun.* I can think of no reason to not do it, but similarly I can think of no particular reason to do it, either.

*Kanaya hesitates.* I would not want you to have to perish to finally meet in person like this, either ...but I am not sure I want to know what intentions you had with the Green Sun. Or rather, I am curious and do want to know, but am concerned by the answer you would give.

[grimmdark]

As someone who has grown tired with our situation, I'm willing to break the rules to save as many as I can. [She shrugs.] It simply seems like the most straightforward way to act.

I believe you already know what I want to do with it.

[She's strangely upbeat about the whole thing, even if it means certain death for her.]

Alas, those plans have been put on hold, so there is no need to concern ourselves with that for now. Where you going somewhere? I wouldn't mind a partner for the time being.

[chastesaw]

I told you that those plans were dangerous, Rose... *And so was she.* There is no way to determine the result of drastically breaking the parameters like that. You may inadvertently harm far more than you seek to protect.

*Kanaya looks very serious, but then her expression softens.* But... I do not think that conversation is one we need to have here, in this place and at this moment.

I was only exploring.

[grimmdark]

That's why the only way to know is to try...but yes. We will just keep going round and round without truly reaching any useful conclusion.

[The mood lightens. Of all the trolls, Maybe Kanaya is one of the ones she doesn't want to get angry at without reason.]

Would you mind if I join the explorations?

[chastesaw]

No, I would not. Perhaps you can explain to me some of your human constructs.

*And here, Kanaya looks away, almost shyly.* I... had always wanted to meet with you in person, Rose Lalonde.

[grimmdark]

With pleasure. Although some of this things had ceased to be by the time I was born.

[She's just going to blink...and now it's her time to blush. She can usually take compliments with a poker face, but her defenses were low right then.]

Oh...I hope I am on par to your expectations. I also wanted to meet you in person, Kanaya.

[Oh BOY isn't it awkward now?]

[chastesaw]

You would still be more familiar with them than I.

*That is an... endearing expression that Rose made, just there. Yes, that is the proper human term for it.* Did you? I think I should feel flattered.

Thus far you seem to have met my expectations indeed.

[grimmdark]

True enough. So just point to whatever calls your attention and I will see to explain it to you in the easiest terminology I can muster.

[Did she just make a joke? Anyway, Rose brushes the heat on her face -or tries- with a hand movement before starting to walk. AND THEN SHE JUST KEEPS TALKING. Rose is going to try to hide her face but her hair is too short.

FAIL.]

I do what I can. As far as I'm concerned you have done a great deal of things worth of praise yourself.

[What else can she do but counter the flattering?]

[chastesaw]

*No don't hide Rose it's endearing. But she starts to walk beside Rose, looking around at all the strange human constructs.* Have I? But that was all before making your acquaintance here, which would make it more difficult to live up to those expectations in reality, would they not?

[grimmdark]

[Well if she's at her side she can't hide a thing, can she now? Good thing her gaze is not solely focused on Rose.]

In a way, I can tell you are a dependable person. It's an easy conclusion to reach once you compare what I have gathered about the other trolls and what I know about you. You do seem to care on a level the others don't, so it's completely understandable that even with a limited source of information I had managed to gather, my perception of you would be that of someone worth consideration.

[She made a pause, mostly to get some air and to check if she was still making sense to Kanaya.]

Furthermore, it's refreshing to speak without fearing my interlocutor will be capable of understand what I'm trying to say without needing a repetition...or to read it thrice.

[chastesaw]

*Nope. You get a pass now, Lalonde.* I am... pleased that you consider me worth considering. I would hate to have my own considerations go unreturned, after all.

*She nods, looking back at Rose.* That is a condition that I can certainly sympathize with. It seems that the two of us are naturally more... verbose than our cohorts.

Do you often need to repeat yourself for them?

[grimmdark]

I would say it's only polite, but this is not a simple matter of manners. But anyway, pilling compliments won't take us anywhere. [Besides the further regions of Awkwardland.]

Oftentimes I thought it would be easier if I just watered down my speech, but as it is my friends are not precisely clueless when it comes to understand me. Then again, they can read it and think about it, so perhaps the fluidity is nothing but a mere lag induced illusion.

And I never repeat myself.

[chastesaw]

Ah, I see. Then their ability to understand may be a result of our mutual text-based interactions. Have you encountered the same comprehension when speaking to them in a face-to-face scenario similar to our current one?

Sometimes it is necessary for the benefit of others.

[grimmdark]

We hardly ever speak like that, seeing how we live in different places, at different time zones, even. But most of the counted times have resulted in almost positive results, so I'm optimistic.

I trust my friends to keep up, as I keep up with them. Still, I might have rephrased my propositions now and then, of course.

[She's considerate with her friends after all. Mostly.]

[chastesaw]

Optimism can be a good thing to possess. But I thought it was more the purview of that leader of yours.

And I see. Yes, rephrasal is sometimes necessary for us. *A pause, as they walk* I imagine it will be refreshing to have someone with whom we can converse without necessitating that.

What is that? That barkbeast over there. It's very... small. *Pointing at a dog!*

[grimmdark]

[To that Rose puts a finger over her lips. Shhhh, John can retain the optimistic title if he wants.]

We have always preferred written communication though. It made things faster and easier...on occasion. I couldn't agree more, though.

That would be a dog. [She stares for a moment at the thing.] Do you trolls have pets? As in, creatures you tend to and keep with you out of some sort of emotional attachment?

[chastesaw]

A... dog. I see. *Glancing back at Rose.* We trolls have a Lusus, yes. It is an animal that selects us when we are very young wigglers, and raises us as a guardian until we are old enough to help care for it in turn.

...let's just assume she didn't?

[grimmdark]

That, Kanaya, is something that could quite qualify as the opposite of a pet. Humans choose their pets, and those aren't as intelligent as their owners. Well, not in the desirable, average case at least. My point is, your Lusus seems to take more the role of a parental figure, not a pet.

[And yet that makes her think about her past conversations with her.]

Did you ever mention your Lusus to me? I might be imagining things though.