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Post by Valencia Donahue on Mar 31, 2007 5:58:28 GMT 1
((OOC: Yay. More exposition. Open to any, many, or all ‘cause I’m quite partial meeting new characters~♥ ))
The camera followed the form decked in the black, three-piece suit, complete with white gloves, and a fedora hat to finish off the stylish ensemble reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties. The one in the suit was doing battle with a young man, who in turn was dressed in a brown pinstriped suit with tie with a tan ankle-length coat and Converse Chuck Taylor trainers. The choreographed fight was nearing its end as the ebon individual carried out the routine with the “good guy” using a cane and a black umbrella in each gloved hand against the protagonist’s bare hands and martial arts, if you could call it that. Obviously, the one in black was the “bad guy” and that certain someone had to be extremely careful during routine, or the hero’s head might go sailing after a sweeping strike during their volley of blows. Finally, the routine ended and the call was made to cut the camera for the next sequence.
“Was it good this time?”
[DIRECTOR]: “Yeah, this time Charlie actually kept up with you! We’re going to swap him now, before we continue shooting.”
[ROSEMARY]: “You should take a break, Valencia. It’s not every day you actually play a real character for once instead of a double, so I recommend that you rest.”
“It’s just a couple seconds and a few lines, Rosemary. Besides, this character dies in a few episodes.”
[ROSEMARY]: “Well, just rest while the crew gets ready for the next scene and I think you should meet up with the makeup crew. The past few routines kinda messed some of it up and the heat isn’t really helping your image!”
[DIRECTOR]: “She’s right. Your character is supposed to be skilled enough not to break a sweat, so you just chill off to the side for a bit.”
Valencia nodded and removed the black fedora hat, revealing that her character was indeed the antagonist and to an untrained eye, the costuming and makeup would’ve been enough to fool anyone into thinking that she was a he. That was intentional because her character was supposed to be mistaken for a male until her demise. She untied her long golden hair and took off her gloves, fanning herself as she sought refuge under a shady tree. It wasn’t a blazing hot day, but the humidity was bothersome. This scene was supposed to be during foggy conditions, but since it was a flashback and their permit gave them permission to use this street for only a day or two, a few camera tricks was all that was needed to compensate. Valencia removed the jacket to the suit and went to makeup, did her thing, and the camera was ready to roll.
[DIRECTOR]: “ACTION!!”
Her form was bent slightly forward as she was taken aback by the hero’s sly attack, but a smirk krept across her lips as she straightened herself and shouldered the umbrella. Valencia grinned and held her chin up high, laughing lowly with a sigh sliding in to complete the ridicule.
[HERO]: “Renard of Clubs… Where are the other Suits!?”
“Take my advice, monsieur. Don’t come to them and let them come to you.”
[HERO]: “Oh, as if THAT’S smart… And you trying to kill me a few seconds ago was nothing.”
The hero shoved his hands into his pockets and hung his head low, shuffling his feet towards Valencia. She skipped back a few steps and smiled, posing confidently with the cane by her side and the hat covering a sneaky eye. The camera on the crane captured the hero’s derision at a high angle while the next shot was behind Valencia as she haughtily brushed a loose strand over her shoulder.
“Mais oui, of course it’s nothing in comparison to what’s going to come. It’s best that you don’t bring about your own demise.”
[HERO]: “Renard… Don’t play games with me. Everyone must die sometime, but evil has to most of all.”
Valencia shook her head and tuttutted the hero.
“Tsk tsk. Is our existence so bothersome that we ‘have’ to die? Au contraire, maybe I should be asking you… WILL we die?”
She opened up the umbrella and nodded to the hero.
“I bid thee adieu, foolish investigator.”
With flourish, she swung around and tossed the umbrella at the camera. What should happen after that was once the umbrella rolled away, the hero would be shown staring at where Valenica used to be as a dramatic breeze fluttered through his hair. This entire sequence took a while to complete though, since the umbrella had its tendency to roll where it shouldn’t have and it even hit the camera itself at one point. Not to mention the various shots and angles that had to be done to give off a dramatic edge. Once all that was done, Valencia was allowed to leave while the rest of the crew got ready for another shoot. This was a good day in her opinion, even though the heat was making her uncomfortable. After she returned the props and her costume, she left the set and wander down the streets in her more casual attire until she came across something that brought twinkle in her eye.
A zoo.
Valencia loved animals and didn’t hold back the quiet smile she allowed upon her features. Once she paid the admission and whatnot, she wandered about aimlessly and curiously, unsure of what to check out first… But her expression alone showed that she was feeling at peace and serene in the company of so many creatures. She felt more welcome here than she did at school, so when Valencia leaned against the railing to look at a couple of foxes… She commented offhandedly…
“For as long as I could remember, my life revolves around fooling others and convincing them that I’m not what they expect me to be. Funny how the world works in such strange ways… That underneath me wanting to conceal myself, I just want the right moment to be myself. Myself-myself, if there’s such a thing.”
She sighed and sat down on the nearby bench to watch the foxes play around with one another, thinking about how nice it is to be lonesome… And deep down, where no one can see it, how grievous it was.
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Post by Odin Reeves on Mar 31, 2007 18:27:20 GMT 1
The zoo: a place where beasts of the wild are brought and caged for the amusement of a ‘higher class’. Normally Odin wouldn’t find himself surrounded in such a happy, peaceful, area surrounded by the likes of children, parents, and park attendees. But today he had an exception for his sister’s sake. She was jealous that he had moved across country on the dime of the school system, even more so that he was in San Francisco. The one thing that she asked of him was to head off to the Zoo and take pictures, and then send them back to the family home in Varron so that she could see what animals a zoo actually held. That, perhaps, was another reason Varron had been so dreary, because it had no zoo to speak of.
Walking along the soft paved path Odin began on his way toward the variety of tigers caged and on display. Their power and ferocity had always attracted him, as did their instinct to survive. He felt it was something he could strive toward obtaining, that killer mentality in a fight could be invaluable if used with a clear head. In his mind, however, he expected the tigers being shown to be nothing more then pussycats after being raised in a zoo. A downer? Yes. Enough so for them not to be seen? Obviously not. Yet, on his way toward the tiger pit a voice spoke out. His head swayed from side to side as his ears absorbed the words being spoken. It seemed like something was talking to him, but he was unable to find a face to meet his, only a young lady with her back to him. Taking a second to truly listen to her words. They came straight from the depths of her mind; they had no purpose for conversation. She was saying them just for the purpose to get them out into the open so they were no longer a weight upon her shoulder.
By listening to her words Odin realized something, which he too was trying to fool others, only he wasn’t trying to convince them that he wasn’t something else. His form of trickery was devised by trying to remain invisible, unknown to the greater population, all while gaining recognition for his small accomplishes. It was a dawning task, as he never made his views public, nor did he accelerate in making friends. All he did was fight, and rarely at school – even when attending Varron. And so, he never truly understood who his actual self was, simply because he had filled his life with one thing he felt he could live for.
By the time Odin snapped from his daydreaming he found himself to be staring at the ground behind the bench. The same bench the young lady had sat upon. Caught between fulfilling his desired task of taking pictures and leaving, and wanting to understand more about this girl in order to lead his life into the light, Odin remained standing there, no more then three feet from the young lady. Shaking his head softly he moved around the side of the bench, sitting down at a comfortable space away from blonde haired girl. A few moments passed, and in his mind these were awkward moments, then he opened his mouth, stammering softly with an odd opening line.
“So…ah, you relate to the foxes?”
Having said it made him feel like a complete idiot, and a creep as he had basically just said; “YES! I was listening to your thoughts.” But now that it was said it couldn’t be taken back, nor did he have more to add.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Apr 1, 2007 2:21:35 GMT 1
“You can say that… Today, I can relate to them. Who knows what I’ll be tomorrow or the day after. The funny thing I’ve realized about human nature is that everyone has a full spectrum of emotions, yet they only use one set at a time or even… For their entire lives.” She tilted her head towards the direction of the disembodied voice, calm and collected, to get a better idea as to whom she was talking to. Valencia was acknowledging this stranger as a new stimulus in her environment and as soon as the form materialized out of the corner of her eye… She couldn’t help herself from actually giving the young man a closer inspection. Fifty frames a second, each contained a different snapshot as if it was a slideshow in fast-forward. The film reel clicked in her head and ended with a single frame of an autograph on her ticket. “O. Reeves” for Odin Reeves……And the montage of the entire tournament faded into the present with Valencia facing Odin, yet their eyes didn’t meet. She nodded her greeting and continued, body too tranquil to bother with her usual inhibitions that told her to keep quiet. She felt like talking, so she followed her will. That’s the funny thing about acting on impulse sometimes. Maybe her subconscious was telling her something. “As for yourself? Have you ever found an occasion where you could feel as though you’re… Projected or personified in another form, like an animal you can relate to?” |
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Post by Odin Reeves on Apr 1, 2007 6:58:25 GMT 1
“It’s odd to think about, but I believe I have at one time or another.” A dim smile creaked its way across his lips, so small that it could’ve been misplaced as a shadow on his face. He found her question amusing as it brought him back to his earlier thoughts about how he’d like to adopt the characteristics of a tiger, their animalistic tendencies being the key idea in his mind. “While I doubt that I’ll ever have the cunning of a fox, I believe that with my life style I’m more so related to that of a tiger.”
Now actually looking toward Valencia he began to take in more of her features, her grey eyes that seemed to stare past him – or through him – caught his attention the most, enough so that his line of sight wasn’t drawn away from that moment on. This was both a polite thing to do, showing that she had his full attention, but might be considered odd in this day and age.
A few moments after he finished his sentence he took into full consideration that he had seen her before, if only for a brief moment. The problem was he couldn’t remember where. Most of the time, if not attending classes or fighting in the ring, he found himself training in desolated gyms, one’s that were so far out of the way that it was surprising that he even found them. His mind scrambled to remember from where he could’ve seen here, but decided to push that aside and assume it was somewhere in the hallways of Hircine. It seemed pointless to divide his attention to a menial task when he could simply bring it up in conversation.
“Oh, my names Odin… Reeves.” The pause in his name was given with a small amount of uncertainty of whether other not to say it all, but eventually it had to come out. “May I ask you what yours is?”
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Apr 2, 2007 1:58:57 GMT 1
“Pleased to meet you, Odin Reeves. My name is Valencia Donahue.”
…Valencia said with a nod. With a tilt of her head to the side, her gaze dropped and lilted off into space, but it wasn’t long until she closed her eyes and wiped away a bead of sweat induced by the heat of day. Valencia was beginning to feel a little dizzy, but dismissed it as just symptom of her exhaustion that could be cured by a couple minutes of rest. She murmured back to Odin after hearing what he said about being personified as a tiger, unable to contain herself about a subject she had interest in…
“A tiger, huh…? Interesting that you say that… Aside from cats and humans, tigers are one of the only animals in the entire world that can kill for sport. It can kill without need for survival and often leaves its slain prey lying about until it decides to come back for it later, knowing that it can kill scavengers that’ll try to steal its food as well. Thusly, why hunters try to hang around the carcasses, hiding up in the trees…”
She sighed, face turning a little pale and nerve endings causing her fingers to twitch. If Valencia could see the coloration of her features, she would’ve known right away that there was something wrong with her… But instead, she endured the firing of random sensory receptors and continued talking to Odin, muchly appreciating his company. She wiped away some more sweat before continuing.
“And they hide up in trees because most tigers can’t climb them. Sure, they may leap pretty high, but climbing isn’t their thing… They remain on the ground. I… I saw you at the tournament hosted by Kurtz. You can say that I agree very much with you saying that you’re a tiger. You were relentless.”
Valencia shivered and sighed through her teeth, cursing in her mind at the blasted temperature cooking her. To most, this heat would be considered average-high and she would’ve concurred with them if it weren’t for the fact that she spent most of the day burning away her energy and her iron deficiency was kicking in. It didn’t help that she was more sensitive in these matters compared to most. Her vision got blurry, fuzzy, and suddenly shifted to monochrome shades of bright grays and whites. She trembled discreetly as only faint splotches of black outlined the figures around her, specifically Odin. Valencia’s headache made the world revolve a couple revolutions faster and blood drained away from her limbs, making her feel as though she was floating in emptiness.
And… And so, I see black, purple, and white stars… It’s hot, yet so very cold… Oh god… I rested, but pushed myself so much that it did no good…
“Odin… May I ask you a favor? May you please take me somewhere cold and out of the sun… Like the reptile exhibit indoors or somewhere like that…”
Valencia’s voice was shaky and growing faint by the second.
“…And get me water… Lots of cold water… I’ll pay you back, I promise…”
It was almost as though she was dehydrating as well.
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Post by dante on Apr 2, 2007 5:30:18 GMT 1
Boredem... yup that was it. That was the only reason why a black, spiky haired man standing at about 6,2 was present today among the other people in this zoo. Yes, boredem is what lured him to the zoo, wanting to look at the animals hoping it relieve him of some of it. Not only that but it seemed like a nice day today, albeit a bit hot, a good day to put on a pair of blue shorts along with a black and sleeveless muscle shirt. At the moment he was looking at the snake exhibit, the smell of feces very present in this room, tempting him to leave rather quickly. Though he dealt with it at the moment, looking at a rattlesnake lay in a rolled up coil, simply living. He yawned with a frown plastered on his face thinking how boring snakes were in general,
"3 seconds of action when they eat, 72 hours of digestion." he mumbled as he left the room. His feet would start running down the empty hallway amazingly enough, going through the first set of double doors that lead to the Gorilla exhibit. It was there that he laid his eyes upon the majestic beast that most called big and rather dumb... a gorilla of course. He smiled lightly at it as it swung on the branches put inside there, an agile being for one of it's size,
"It reminds me of myself actually." he whispered absent-mindly, watching the animal have fun swinging around and walking on it's knuckles. Yes, if there was any animal that was truly similar to this man in anyway it was the graceful gorilla. It was a beast that was extremely powerful, being able to lift things and destroy like no human or many other animals could. Though despite wielding such power, the beast was passive and an omnivore and would eat either animal matter or plants. Though what truly linked them other than their great power was the fact that both of them despite their size were rather agile. While this man could in no sense climb trees and what not like a gorilla, he was very flexible and could kick very high and do many things people of his size weren't expected to be able to do,
"Heh kind of makes me want to be inside there with you as a gorilla." he added without notice as well, a person beside him looking at him strangely as he walked away. Regardless, the black haired man soon slipped his hands into his pockets, a smile on his face at his recent little "epiphany" as his thoughts went to a different animal... foxes... they were awesome. That in mind, the man quickly used the signs and made his way to the foxes noticing two people on a bench. They seemed normal and rather passive, but then again looks could be deciving. Though, nothing ventured, nothing gained and if the man were to simply stand stationary and do nothing he'd never know whether they were allies/friends or foes/eneimes. As he walked forward and would just be getting into their view clearly (he had been partially behind a little food cart before to which he snatched a bottle of water from), he could see the girl looked rather sickly as if dying or something through his dark orange eyes. Immediately he shot forward, instinct telling him to investigate and help in anyway he could and was just in ear shot of what she said,
“Odin… May I ask you a favor? May you please take me somewhere cold and out of the sun… Like the reptile exhibit indoors or somewhere like that…And get me water… Lots of cold water… I’ll pay you back, I promise…” she barely got out through a shaky voice. Quickly, his eyes looked to the bottle of water in his hand which was still rather cold thankfully for being stored in a cooler,
"What's going on?" he asked suddenly as he handed the woman the bottle, hoping that would be a good start for her cold water needs. His head turned to Odin, his face taking a rather serious expression,
"I know where the reptile exhibit is if you want to get there quick just follow me. I will pick up some waters from that cart that's on the way while you help her get to the reptile exhibit." he explained quickly, taking off toward the fastest way to the reptile exhibit which was due east, a food cart close by. Quickly, the man threw a twenty to the man inside and pointed to the cooler with the water inside. The twenty was luckily enough to cover for all the water inside (we all know how overpriced things are at the zoo) as he grabbed it by its ends and gestured for Odin to come,
"With the way she's looking now I won't be surprised if she gets severely injured soon so let's hurry!" he shouted to Odin as he waited for Odin to catch up before he start running more toward the reptile exhibit. After all, he had to make sure that Odin was going to help in the first place. He could easily just leave the girl behind and carry on with his business and just forget about the entire ordeal. If that were to happen, the black haired man be quick to act upon that reaction and help the girl to the reptile exhibit (whether he have to just sling her arm around his shoulders or carry her).
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Post by Odin Reeves on Apr 2, 2007 7:21:00 GMT 1
‘The tournament, so that’s where I know her from. Well, I guess it’s safe to say she knows about a vast majority of my life. I wonder if this gives me an excuse for being so simple minded… Probably not. Best to keep off that subject then.’
His thoughts led him away from Valencia’s complexion, her tone fading softly in front of his eyes. If his attention hadn’t been driven away to his own personal thoughts he would’ve also noticed the beads of sweat beginning to drip from her pours. Even he’d be able to pick up that she was becoming dehydrated when putting one and one together, but he just wasn’t as perceptive as he could’ve been. No, as he should’ve been. His mind didn’t truly snap back into attention until she said his name along with her favor. It wasn’t wrong to ask him, nor would it be for him to help. But what happened next was rather confusing, and annoying when brought to Odin’s attention; the random act of a nosy youngster.
His questions reminded Odin of comics who often mockingly did impressions of dogs; “Where’s-the-ball? What’s-going-on? Oh-boy! A-Treat!” He simply saw this kid as a nosy do-gooder who lived in the world of comics. Needless to say though, his intentions were for the best, and rather suspicious when it came right down to it. Having a bottle of water already, knowing where the reptile exhibit was. Perhaps this kid was a stalker. Perhaps a lot of things, but none of these would help the situation.
After the water bottle had been handed over Odin stood up, moving closer to Valencia and crouching down beside her. Carefully he brought one arm behind her shoulders, cocking his elbow upward so that if her head were to roll back it would fall against his bicep. His other arm scooped underneath her knee’s, allowing for one easy push of the legs to lift her up and pull her in close to his body. With that he started off on a steady pace, following the anxious youngster toward the air-conditioned reptile exhibit. He made sure not to run, or walk into any benches or obscure obstacles so that he wouldn’t cause any unnecessary strain on Valencia. In a matter of minutes he found himself walking through the held open doors of the exhibit. The cool air brushed over his face like a glass of fresh water, a refreshing feeling that he was hoping would make the young lady feel better.
Taking a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the lighting Odin looked around for a chair, the soft blurs slowly forming shapes of glass exhibits, people, railings, and finally a chair. Now his steps were hastened, no longer as steady as they were on the way. His feet pounded heel-toe into the floor as he moved to bring Valencia comfort. Sitting her down he spoke for the first time since asking for her name. “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine.” Standing from a kneeling position he spun around, flipped open the lid of the cooler being carried by the overly helpful kid, and grabbed a few more water bottles from the icy depths of the plastic container.
Kneeling back down besides Valencia he wasn’t sure how much, if any, of the previous bottle she had drank, but placed one down and twisted the cap of the other off. He held it, waiting patiently for any indication that she wanted it, letting his thoughts flow through his mouth. “Feeling any better?”
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Apr 4, 2007 9:50:54 GMT 1
Purple and white stars. A sight that Valencia never wants to see as long as she can help it. But since her nutrition has been a bit on the questionable side, she can’t help herself if she lacks the proper minerals to sustain her health as she goes day by day, doing something that’ll put her life at risk anyhow. People these days with their terrible eating habits and faulty rationalization… The prickly feeling of a thousand needles punctured Valencia’s fingers the same way you’d feel if your arm fell asleep from the elbow down; it was for the most part the same thing. Everything blasted into white and she no longer found use in keeping her eyes open aside from savoring the opportunity to see what its like “before you die” or something of that nature. Priorities, sheesh… In spite of her visual and tactile input slowly being diminished, she was still able to here things pretty clearly if she could get a thought straight enough amidst the dizziness. Valencia heard Dante inquire her about the situation, but couldn’t really see him offering her the bottle. However, she snaked out an arm into the direction of the voice for kicks and fumbled in the air until she felt something cold… And assuming that it was for her, Valencia immediately grabbed hold of it and snatched it out of Dante’s hand with the best of her ability while he frantically gave the inside skinny, so to speak.
What a pleasant coinkidink.
…Valencia thought as she brought the chilled bottle to her warm forehead and savored the cool temperature. It wasn’t long until Odin scooped her up into his arms and began to carry her to their destination. Although most of her sensory input was either scrambled or gone, that didn’t stop the fact that she considered it a comfy ride. Kinda like how if you poke a numb part of your body, you can still barely feel something in that area. Along the way, she unscrewed the cap to the water bottle and the first thing she did was dump some of its contents over her head and onto her face, then began to drink whatever was left. She hoped that Odin wouldn’t mind this, but was sure that in a situation like this, he wouldn’t. With each hurried step he took, Valencia felt every careful stride he took and distinguished them as his and even got a good guesstimate as to where his center of gravity was. It was firm and she didn’t have to worry for a second about being dropped.
Bam. The cold air was so refreshing that everywhere Valencia’s face was drenched was alive again. Her fingers were still recovering, the rest of her body was still limp, and her skin was still pasty in color in a few places, but she was glad that she was out of the burning rays of the sun. She felt Odin hurry and eventually, she sensed a pause and a change in direction, signaling that he found something and that something was a place for her to rest. Valencia nodded and smiled gratefully into the dark of the reptile exhibit when Odin reassured her, murmuring quietly, almost inaudibly, her appreciation before resuming the process of her rejuvenation…
“Gratitude…”
…And her arm fell off the arm of the chair, though mostly for her to rest the empty water bottle on the floor. Valencia was still dizzy and preferred not to move at all, but she wanted to be conscious at least long enough to make sure she was safe before taking yet another nap in public. She didn’t know where Dante was, admittedly because her eyesight was still readjusting to the dearth of light after the bright blazing white got replaced, but if she was able to, she’d give her thanks too should she have had the vigor. A form was found in the dark and Valencia accepted the bottle, nodding slowly yet apparently to show that she was feeling comparably better. She didn’t want to talk any more than she needed to and just wanted her headache to go away. At least her breathing was more stabilized this time around and the twitching stopped. Those were good signs.
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Post by dante on Apr 4, 2007 18:38:35 GMT 1
OOC: Doing just a bit of char control here on Odin, hope you don't mind.
'Well I guess that's my good deed for the day.' Dante thought a bit sarcastically as he watched Odin open the cooler and take a bottle out. Dante dropped the cooler down lightly, making sure that it didn't make a loud noise so he could avoid any unpleasantries that could be associated by doing such an action. His form would soon find itself taking a trip over to a wall, leaning his back on it as he crossed his arms and looked over to the girl approximately 5 feet away from him,
"Feeling any better?" he would say in unison with Odin oddly enough, a glance being shot over to him with a bit of confusion evident on his face. It was soon wiped away as he snickered just a tad and shook his head,
"In any case if you need anything else just tell me and I will do my best to provide it for you." he spoke lightly but just loud enough so that all in the room could hear him. Though rather than just end talking there since, Dante would look back over to Odin as he grinned lightly and added,
"Oh and I forgot to introduce myself. Name's Dante Burkot pleasure to meet you two. If I remember correctly your name is Odin right? I remember hearing that when I was walking by and saw you two and barely managed to catch what you two were saying from my distance." he asked with an explanation to follow, a small nod being returned to him as he then let his dark orange orbs travel over to the woman, her condition seeming to become better,
"Unfortunately I didn't quite catch your name. Mind filling me in here? If you'd rather keep that information to yourself though, I understand and it's not a problem in the least. All I am really concerned about is your health at this moment." he spoke softly, not wanting to irritate either of the two if he could. While normally he'd be a sarcastic goof ball at this point, this was a more serious situation that needed to be treated more delicately. The last thing he wanted to do was worsen the girl's condition by possibly pissing her off and making her over-exert herself in someway, nor did he want to irritate the other man since a fight of any sort would not help the current situation. He hoped his words weren't twisted in this situation in anyway. Considering how abruptly he had came in on the situation, chances were that one of the two or both were assuming he was a stalker or something of the sort. How often did you find a chivalrous man in this day and age rather than some arrogant womanizing asshole? Not often, and chances were that they would not think of him as such and rather just a guy that was stalking the attractive young lady,
'Hopefully they don't get the wrong impression and this just blows over as me just being someone who is actually nice and perhaps chivalrous... heh I doubt it but who knows. Perhaps they can see me for who I really am to some degree.' he thought, making sure to pay a good amount of attention to his surroundings and anyone that would speak as to not look like an asshole who asked questions but then let his attention wander elsewhere.
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Post by Odin Reeves on Apr 4, 2007 21:20:48 GMT 1
“Her names Valencia. Now be quiet.” Odin’s view on the situation was that Valencia needed her rest and any unnecessary questions would undoubtingly be the cause for a longer rejuvenation. While he didn’t mind waiting here in the air-conditioned exhibit he did mind that she was going through something somewhat unknown to him. She could have a medical problem in which see needs to take some pills, or she could simply be dehydrated due to the San Francisco heat. Either of these were possibilities, as was everything in between, so until it looked like she was getting worse he’d lay off on any unnecessary gobble and remain silent with an observant eye.
Pivoting toward the cooler Odin didn’t even bother to stand up, just dropped down to his knees and reopened the plastic lid while reaching in for a few more bottles. After having taken three from the icy compartment he rocked back onto the balls of his feet, then found his way back against the wall, sitting beside Valencia with three water bottles lined up to his side. “Valencia, I’m just to your left. I haven’t gone anywhere.” He tried to give her any small reassurances that he possibly could, whether her eyes were open or not it was key for her to know where he was, helping to reduce any stress that might arise from being left alone in a relatively unknown area.
Exhaling with a soft sigh he turned his attention over to Dante, picked up a water bottle and tossed it toward him with a under handed lob. Should he not realize the bottle-turn-projectile was heading toward him, it would fall just in front of his line of sight. Taking his time to bring everything into focus Odin’s eyes returned to the Valencia. He wondered what exactly was going on, though was unable to portray his words in such a manner that she wouldn’t have to answer. So instead he grabbed another water bottle, bringing the cool plastic bottle and resting the base of it against his neck. It was at this time did he realize his shirt was soaked across the shoulder and pectoral region, but the combination of water and air-conditioning felt good, almost as though he had dipped part of his body into the ocean during the middle of summer.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Apr 6, 2007 19:21:30 GMT 1
For a heat stroke, this was probably one of the more brutal cases Valencia experienced. However, it wasn’t the most extreme episode she’ve ever encountered, so this one was more “bearable” ones in comparison. Having people around to assist you makes things less uncomfortable as well. The dim white light of the exhibits illuminated the dark, casting moving silhouettes faintly against the floor and anything else nearby that happened to catch them. It was a welcoming sight to Valencia, to see a chameleon traveling patiently across its enclosure in the near-distance directly across from her, while forms were moving in and out of focus. At least she figured it to be a chameleon because of its shape. She blinked and closed her eyes again to rest them and heard Dante talking away. By doing this, she knew where he was and by hearing Odin’s response, she knew where he was too. Valencia could’ve sworn that she heard a little kid off to her right asking his mom to read a placard for him, in which it read “Gaboon Viper”.
I wanna look at the Gaboon Viper after this… With its shapely head, big enough to eat birds… And maybe monkeys if they get big enough… I wonder how big this one is?
The sound of Odin’s shoes sliding against the smooth concrete floor attracted her attention and the sound of his voice reinforced that he was still where he was. A hollow noise became unhollow, the sound of something being opened. Valencia didn’t know that there was a cooler nearby, but then assumed that this was the container they two young men used to carry the bottles. Her dangling hand began to reach for it, mostly to get another bottle of water. By now, only the tips of her fingers felt prickly, as well as a few small areas on her palms. Her legs also their numbness, but they were weak and felt like jelly. Valencia was feeling better now and only needed rest until her ordeal was finally over. Like, a small nap, but she was very thirsty and had to quench it no matter what. Her headache was still present, yet not earsplitting and like many headaches, they rarely go away so quickly.
“What time is it right now…?”
Valencia lost track of time the moment she began experiencing the symptoms of the heat stroke. She opened her eyes only a smidge, peeking through the gap between her eyelids, wondering how long it will take until she’s properly rested. Most people would recommend that Valencia should immediately go home once she’s able to. But right now, she just wanted to be healthy enough to manage before continuing her trip around the zoo. Her priorities…
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Post by dante on Apr 7, 2007 20:26:20 GMT 1
“Her name's Valencia. Now be quiet.” Odin would reply to the question Dante had asked very hastily. A sigh escaped Dante's lips as he smiled lightly while relaxing his back a bit more into the wall best he could,
'Quite a talkative guy he is. Though then again he probably just wants the girl to rest and talking probably won't help. Still it be nice to talk and get to know each other a bit.' he thought as he crouched down, taking a deep breathe on his descent toward the floor. His eyes traveled around the room, looking for anything that might be of assistance to the blonde woman but to no avail. Nothing in the room looked remotely helpful that was conveniently placed in a corner or something similar like in the video games... what a bummer,
'That always did make me wonder... why did zombies leave pot... or rather "herbs" and ammunition everywhere for you to use to help kill them?' he thought, a small snicker escaping his lips as he smiled warmly, thoughts of killing zombies coming to his head. They were soon banished though as his head turned over to Valencia, hoping her status would improve but it didn't look too much better. As he did so though, his eyes fell upon Odin, watching as he threw a bottle of water toward him lightly. His smile grew into a grin as his eyes widened a bit, actually rather thirsty at the moment as he caught the bottle... for a moment. When the bottle had went into his hand, Dante had squeezed a bit too hard on the bottle and since there was water all over the bottle from melted ice... well it slipped. Quickly, the man stumbled forward, making a small, startled, and shocked groan (best I can described it) as he caught the bottle by the cap using his teeth to chomp down on it for a grip. He slowly grabbed it with his right hand as he twisted the cap with his left hand, grinning a bit sheepishly as he looked away, attempting to hide the fact that had ever happened. Once open, Dante placed the cap on the floor on the top side as he retreated back to the wall he was by once before,
"Still here and ready to help." he stated quick and simply so Valencia would still know his position and know that nothing happened to him when clumsiness decided to bite him in the ass,
“What time is it right now…?” Valencia would suddenly ask, Dante's head turning toward her as he scratched his head lightly with his free hand. What time was it...,
"Time for you to get a watch..." he started with his usual tone of sarcasm and a foxy grin plastered on his face, "hold up I'll check my cell." he added as he quickly took his cell phone out of his left pocket, looked at the clock and finished with, "It's about 1:45PM, my clock is a minute or two off I think though." he explained as he let his cell phone slip back into his pocket. Regardless, his right hand would then raise the bottle to his lips as he took a quick chug, swishing the water in his mouth a bit to battle the dryness inside. His lungs would expand as he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he cracked his neck and went back to his crouching position,
"At any rate, anyway we could help improve your condition?" he asked silently, just enough so it be audible for both to hear. He hoped Odin wouldn't get pissed at using the word "we" rather than "I" but putting in consideration his behavior and the fact that he had been helpful to Valencia up until this point, it was very unlikely he'd really argue. That in mind, Dante grabbed the cap to his bottle of water, taking another quick chug before he capped it. Regardless, his body would raise as he let his water bottle slip into his other free pocket as he cupped his hands behind his head. He grinned lightly as his head leaned back, awaiting any request Valencia had as well as hoping that Odin would be a little bit more talkative but... he doubted that severely.
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Post by Odin Reeves on Apr 7, 2007 22:08:18 GMT 1
‘It’s already near two o’clock. Hm. Seems time has slipped from my grasps.’ The dull, blunt stare on Odin’s lowered face told the tale of a man in thought. His feet were pushed away from his body; his knee’s brought in, arms resting over top. This showed that he was conservative about his body, but not to the point where he felt no one else mattered. By the way he had lowered himself to the floor beside Valencia it showed that he wasn’t full of ego, didn’t have the sense to care what other people thought of him. This went against his hygiene, as he was clean, shaven, trimmed hair, and wearing clean cloths. Only these were just insignificant factors, most of which could be true, but had no purpose. The only thing that mattered at the moment was Valencia’s health.
Taking a moment to reflect back upon the day he found that meeting up with a familiar face was the only highlight from a relatively boring regiment. In fact, this was the only worthwhile thing that had happened to him in recent memory. The last time he had differed from his schedule was two weeks ago when he decided to skip his evening run and go out for a burger instead. This truly was the best thing to happen to him in awhile, despite the fact that it was marked with a dark cloud above Valencia’s head. It made him think, stop and truly think about life. What he had to offer, and what it had to offer to him.
Tilting his head backward his ears faded from the noise of families and couples observing the different displays. His eyes closed as a yawn began making it’s way up through his throat. He wasn’t tired, but his body was reacting to the heat and sudden break in his activity. He combated the yawn with a gulp of water, which only helped mask the exhale of air as simple breathing out. Yet another way of covering the truth shown by his body, another lie of physical nature. Odin’s open mind brought him to this subject, back to the beginning of actually meeting Valencia where he had overheard her talking to herself. His idle thoughts contemplated whether or not he too could be associated with the fox. Truly, he’d over look any answer he would eventually come to, if it had not been pushed aside by a distraction, a voice in fact.
Dante had spoken, not to him, but Valencia. The voice traveled right by him, breaking through the barrier his mind had set up for private thoughts, causing his neck to crane to the side and look up toward the blonde haired Asian. He had no quarrels with helping her in any way possible, as it both helped her, and himself.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Apr 9, 2007 16:10:11 GMT 1
Valenica got hold of a bottle and began draining its contents without a second thought. It was very refreshing and after a good while of resting, was just enough to do the final bit of perking up. Once she heard what time it was from Dante, she tried to remember what time it was when she entered the zoo in the first place and in failing that, tried to remember what time it was when she finished her shoot. It was a good while ago. That’s all she knew before the heat melded together the minutes. No matter though. If time was “wasted”, that means that one should merely make the most of the time that’s left instead of crying over spilled milk. Story of her life. A story. Valencia squirmed in her seat an inch here and there, antsy and in lack of better word, bored.
“It’s quite alright. Gratitude. I can take it from here.”
Her vision was much better now and the pokey, prickly feeling was gone. The only last symptoms that remained of her ailment were her legs of goo and lopsided headache. Valencia rested the empty bottle beside the other one on the floor, then attempted to get up. The task itself was a little harder than what most would expect, since it was like asking someone in a wheelchair (with both legs badly damaged) to get up. However, after some time, it shouldn’t be so bad after some getting used to, so Valencia followed that very mindset. Her fingers clutched the arms of the chair while her arms did a great deal of lifting. Her feet sent jolts up through her leg and to the rest of her body, showing that although the needle-y feelings were gone, nerve endings will still be nerve endings as her heels bumped against the floor.
I can do this…
With a “hup”, boinced herself a little with her arms until Valencia was on her feet. She was a little wobbly, so the first thing her hand grabbed hold of was the chair, while the rest of her tried to act as naturally as it could to not raise alarm from Odin or Dante. It wasn’t terribly convincing, but it showed that she didn’t want to rest any longer when she believed that she rested enough. She looked at the exhibits around her, unsure of where to start. It would’ve been nice to go all the way back and start from the beginning, but because of her current condition, she had to compromise.
Okay, so the beginning is in the middle now… And I’m not at the best of my health.
Valencia’s head turned to Odin and Dante, not specifically looking as either if you followed the path of her gaze.
“Maybe we could get some ice cream in a bit?”
She let go of the chair and commenced walking towards the direction where she heard the Gaboon Viper was. But if either young men watching Valencia’s legs carefully enough to notice, she was swaggering slightly with each step she took and the path she traveled was curved to follow the side of the wall.
((OOC: Blargh… Monday mornings…))
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Post by dante on Apr 10, 2007 1:49:20 GMT 1
“It’s quite alright. Gratitude. I can take it from here.” would be the answer given to Dante's question as he looked over to Valencia. It would seem she was getting better considering the fact she was talking with pretty good volume as well as with a clear voice. As she attempted to get up using her own power, Dante smiled lightly at the sight, a bit of admiration for the woman building up,
'It's a good thing to see that she is strong and would rather do things on her own if she can rather than burden other people... though it's not like I'd mind though.' he thought as he picked up the empty bottle(s) and threw the trash away into a nearby garbage can. As he turned around to watch the blond woman and make sure all was fine, he witnessed her get up on her own two feet, a bit wobbly it seemed but overall not too bad. While he would be inclined to help normally, he did not want to impose on the girl and help her if she didn't want his help or anything and in his own eyes he saw a woman trying to walk on her two feet,
“Maybe we could get some ice cream in a bit?” she proposed Dante smirking a bit as he shrugged lightly,
"Sure why not? Though I am getting all the Sherbert for sure!" he replied quickly as the woman started walking toward the location of the Gaboon Viper his foxy grin still present, rather happy at the moment. The reason why he knew where they were headed thoughm was because it was one of the destinations he had been at when he had explored the reptile exhibit earlier. Regardless, his steps were light as he traveled along with her, sure that Odin was close by and following. His eyes would go over to her legs, barely noticing the slight swagger she had with her steps. Due to this, his feet would travel closer to her, but keeping a few inches between them as not to crowd her and just be ready to help her if her legs gave out for some reason. As he made this little safety precaution, a deep breath would be taken as he tried to think of a topic to talk about. While he could think of something intelligent to talk about, thinking of an awesome game to talk about was much easier than doing the latter. Not only that but he was in the company of fellow students (persumably) as well as people who were probably quite near the same age as him,
"I could try to bring up something important and current to talk about..." Dante started, "but I'm rather lazy. So instead, I will ask... have either of you ever played any awesome "horror" games like Resident Evil or Silent Hill for example?" he asked, hoping to spark a conversation. He hoped to God one of them played Silent Hill since almost no one he asked ever did. After all, not many people were to comfortable with the idea of complex puzzles along with all the horrifying scenery in the Silent Hill series. While it was rather inviting for him, so many people thought otherwise. Resident Evil on the other hand, was a VERY popular game and he was rather confident one of them played it. After all, who didn't like blowing off zombies head and having puzzles that a five year old could solve? Or grabbing an infinite rocket launcher and blowing everything to smitherens? Nearly no one and he was pretty sure that neither of these two would fall into that category.
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Post by Odin Reeves on Apr 10, 2007 23:30:52 GMT 1
‘Ice cream, I haven’t had that in ages. Sounds like a good idea.’
When Valencia spoke her gratitude Odin had stood up, his back still pressed against the wall as he walked her brace the airs of the chair with both hands. It reminded him of a few separate times visiting his mom at work, following her to the cafeteria and walking past physiotherapy. He had been just tall enough to peer through the large square windows, and with curiosity in his veins he was sure to peer through. That’s when he first saw the amount of damage that could be inflicted by human intentions. It didn’t sit easy on his mind.
When she move forward so did Odin, traipsing off to the other side of her as he kept his arms by his sides, his thumbs looped in the pockets of his jeans. His eyes were toward the ground, not at the exhibits. He didn’t feel like keeping his chin up while reminiscing. It was during this time that his pace slowed, his eyes caught site of Valencia’s legs, and he noticed the swagger in each step. He was brought out of his daydream and into reality. His pace quickened matching that of Dante and Valencia. He removed his hands from their gentle confines, ready to brace the young women. In a way she was stubborn, like himself. She had a plan of what she was going to do, and so she was going to continue with it, despite what other’s said. If she had asked he would’ve brought her to her dorm, or at least to a taxi if she lived off campus and preferred to keep her personal life separate from her social. No matter, he could respect her personality since it seemed similar to his in subtle ways.
Everything was quiet between the three, peaceful even, before the tallest of the three spoke up, mentioning video games that, to Odin’s knowledge, came from horror movies. Personally he hadn’t seen the movies representing the games, and didn’t even have a game console in order to play. “I don’t have a T.V.” Odin’s blunt response showed that unlike every other teenager in America he lived a life refraining from the casual relaxation that they took. He, in fact, had no use for a T.V. If something big arose in the news, local or national, he’d read it in the paper. If something happened back in Varron then his father would phone his cell, rather then his dormitory.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Apr 13, 2007 2:34:52 GMT 1
To say that Valencia was interested in the snake was an understatement. Her lifeless gaze had a spark-like twinkle of being enraptured and the way she held herself, aside from the small bouts of unbalance should she move at all, was like how one animal would see the other on accident… Then stop in a fixed stare that seemed to go beyond something like a few seconds. Obviously, if you accidentally meet the gaze of a stray cat, you’re going to have a longer staring contest with it than with a stranger on the subway. There was just this otherworldly connection that Valencia sensed with other creatures than those of her own species. No offense, of course. And besides, the Gaboon Viper was looking at oh-so intently was lounging about lazily, lifting its head sometimes, while the rattlesnake in the next exhibit continued to slumber with its eyes open. Hardly, hardly a parseltongue moment.
Then, the “blonde” noted that Dante was talking to them. It wasn’t a stately, business sort of thing, so she was alright with it, even though she preferred to continue looking at the reptiles. Who doesn’t want to see a frillneck lizard? Okay, one that’s sunbathing, but a frillneck lizard? It’s not going anywhere too soon, so…
Hmm…
Valencia lifted her head a little, but didn’t turn it, believing that the tiny gesture was enough to show that she was paying attention to a world that relied so much on visual cues displayed by body language. However, before she could say anything, Odin added his piece, saying that he didn’t own a TV. It puzzled her, but she figured that maybe he lived on his own and couldn’t afford one… Then it made her wander into the depths of her own mind for a bit as she raised her form more properly, with her hand pressing gently against the glass as she felt her legs feel wobbly again.
How long have I been watching TV, anyways? When I “was” blind, I can’t really recall if I actually watched anything… Did I? Hmm. Peculiar. If so, if I didn’t watch TV ‘til I “could” see, I missed a good chunk of the 90’s…
She walked a few steps, then placed her hand on the divider instead of the glass to regain stability. If she saw Odin with his hands ready, she would’ve deeply appreciated the gesture of concern… However… Although Valencia’s legs were still weak, she often went on as long as there was a way to… If she survived the worst, to her, this was nothing. It was her turn to respond.
“I haven’t had the pleasure of playing any video games of the survival/horror genre… But I have watched enough of my roommate’s playing whenever she rented something for the weekend to know what you’re talking about. Perhaps the only one I consistently urged her to finish was ‘Haunting Ground’… Where the only weapons you have aside from short-term items and quick thinking are… A wimpy soccer kick and a dog.”
That dog reminds me so much of the dog of my own…
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Post by dante on Apr 13, 2007 18:55:36 GMT 1
OOC: Bit of char control again, hope you don't mind Odin. If you do I will change it though.
Dante's eyes caught Valencia's body language as she lifted her head a little, assuring him that she was at least listening. He expected to hear a reply from her, but instead it was Odin to be the first to talk,
“I don’t have a T.V.” Odin's response would be to Dante's question. Dante's head turned toward Odin, his right eyebrow being raised a bit curiously. It wasn't everyday that you heard that a teenager didn't have a T.V., nor ever heard of Resident Evil,
"J-Just get out... j-just get out." he stuttered sarcastically, "just had to kill my discussion topic didn't you?" he added once more, his sarcasm apparent. Hopefully Odin would be able to take a little bit of heat and not get riled up about it. After all, dealing with people that took life seriously every second of every day were hardly any fun and Dante loved being with people who were willing to talk shi7 but not actually hold no bad blood over it. His eyes would return to the Gaboon Viper though, yawning ever so slightly as he watched it simply lounge about. Snakes could be so boring at times it was really breath-taking, or rather in this case yawn inducing. Though as he watched it, for some reason it seemed to remind him of the giant snake boss in Resident Evil 1, a slightly leecherous grin seeming to grace his features,
'I wonder if I steal and feed it enough it can turn into that thing.' he thought with a bit of a snicker. Though his thoughts were interrupted as he saw Valencia step forward and grab the divider, more than likely starting to lose her balance and possibly fall. Without hesitation, his hands were out and ready to grab her but not only were his own hands there but Odin's as well. His head turned toward Odin once again, a slight snicker escaping his lips as he grinned a bit sheepishly,
"Seems like we had the same idea." he mumbled under his breath, probably not audible at all but perhaps one of these two would have sensitive enough hearing to catch it. Regardless, it would be Valencia that would add onto the conversation Dante was trying to create as Dante looked toward her with mild interest,
“I haven’t had the pleasure of playing any video games of the survival/horror genre… But I have watched enough of my roommate’s playing whenever she rented something for the weekend to know what you’re talking about. Perhaps the only one I consistently urged her to finish was ‘Haunting Ground’… Where the only weapons you have aside from short-term items and quick thinking are… A wimpy soccer kick and a dog.” she would explain, Dante nodding lightly,
"At least someone here other than myself is normal." he would lash at Odin with sarcasm, hoping he could get Odin into "laconic", the dry wit the Spartans themselves were known for other than being fantastic warriors. Regardless, his head would turn back to Valencia, still ready to catch her if need be,
"I managed to get a hold of that game a while ago which is rather... unique but kind of boring. Personally, relying on a dog for so much of the game was kind of boring and that Panic Mode crap pissed me off. Though I did get all the endings after a few all nighters playing it and each one seemed pretty interesting. I got four saves for each ending so if you ever want to see one I can give you my memory cards and you can watch them to your hearts content." he replied, letting his eyes once again travel to the Gaboon Viper. Once again, his thoughts went back to turning that snake into a giant but was paying enough attention to the real world to hear anything either said or notice if Valencia needed any help. Maybe that be a good discussion topic... debating ways that snake could be turned into a giant monster.
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Post by Odin Reeves on Apr 15, 2007 6:42:48 GMT 1
Odin’s interest fell short of awe-inspiring after his input regarding one of the ‘average’ house hold appliances that seems to be in every living room in America. He was an exception to what appeared to be a stocked market. He had made choices when he moved into the permanently docked boat, then continued with his life style when moving to San Francisco. The only difference was now he had more room to do nothing, thus leaving him with a waste of space in a two-bedroom dorm. A dorm that he was the lone patron too.
As Valencia moved along to the next exhibit Odin shuffled along in front of her. His hands were at the ready, despite his back being turned to the glass wall. The divider felt cold as it pressed against his lower back, it’s temperature being felt through his t-shirt. At the moment he was more interested in watching Valencia then observing the reptiles, though still peeked over his shoulder. He couldn’t tell if it was just her that he was interested in, wanting to know more about her and her idea’s, or if he just wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to lose her strength and collapse onto the hard concrete floor. Either way he admired he perseverance, or stubborn attitude – which he couldn’t tell – as she continued to press forward under her own strength. It showed she had strong mental character, but also knew her limits.
After they reached the Frilled-neck lizard exhibit Valencia responded to Dante’s question, her answer a lengthy sum more then his own. At this point he hadn’t really begun to pay attention, only listened to tones of either’s voice so he could guess when to pay attention. Sarcasm was noted in Dante’s voice, almost as though he was mocking Odin for his choices. The fact that he wasn’t considered normal was by all means, normal, since so many others had noted the exact same thing. But having Dante reference this reoccurring statement only made Odin think about it more, going into a detail as he delved into his own mind.
‘Truly, who would want to be normal? Isn’t this generation all about being unique? But then again, if everyone’s unique then that’s the normal, and wouldn’t that make everyone normal despite being unique? And if that’s the case, then the fact that everyone’s generalized as normal turns their unique status back to masses… Damn. This is why I stick to body language, otherwise I just confuse myself.’
Letting out a soft sigh Odin’s eyes focused more so on the ground, his head tilted to the side so he could be considered staring at Valencia’s feet. His hands had migrated behind his back through instinct during his thought process, his palms holding his weight on the divider. When he came back around to the general conversation Dante had just finished offering something called a memory card to the blonde haired beauty. It seemed that Odin’s addition to this conversation wasn’t needed, nor did he feel like adding in any useless information relating to his personal life.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Apr 15, 2007 18:31:00 GMT 1
“I’ll think about it…”
…Valencia replied, when offered Dante’s memory cards to borrow. Like she said, she didn’t really play the games, most of the time because she often had something else to keep her busy like school. As for the rest of the time… Ruth would tell you partially that Valencia is intrigued by survival horror games, but sometimes (though rarely) gets a li’l jumpy when to comes down to actually playing them. It’s like being thoroughly engrossed by road kill; it bugs you out, yet you still want to look at it. She doesn’t get scared into oblivion, she just gets startled a smidge the same way she does in real life when people slip through her radar and end up inches away from her all of a sudden. It’s a long story, but it can be summed up to that. She resumed looking at the frill-necked lizard, which was peacefully taking in the heat in its exhibit, then the Asian looked at the placard, which read to this effect:
The lizard Valencia was looking at didn’t seem like the “bicycle lizard” as described, but because of this, she paused to use some imagination and tried to remember the footages shown on Animal Planet where a frilled-neck lizard would come charging at the cameraman. Then, a confused expression would light up briefly on her face as she wondered how the camera was able to escape the scaly beast of doom by accelerating backwards. Was it on a crane or something? She knew that there was a major field on filming wildlife and natural wonders, but sometimes she forgot how complex it was in comparison to the filming she personally takes part in. Yeah, cameramen do their own stunts and you have people like, but not as influential as, Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter.
If it weren’t for his shows, I wouldn’t be as much as an animal lover as I am now… Huzzah for encouraging conservation by doing daredevil things with all the matter of dangerous critters. Hmm… How long HAVE I been watching his shows, anyhow? Oh, the mysteries of eyesight and memory. It’s not like I have amnesia, but I sure am having trouble remembering certain things.
She looked to Dante and Odin, wondering how they were brought up. Valencia can only guess, of course, by what both of them said thus far. Dante brings up video games and is evidently knowledgeable about them. He seems to have grown up a decent life away from boredom and by how sociable he was while Valencia was trying to get some rest, it didn’t seem as though he grew up lonely. Right? As for Odin, he didn’t say much, but the way he carried himself and the fact that he didn’t have a TV suggested several things. A life based on necessity, or something like that. He won an underground tournament, so he must have a good amount of money by her standards, but since he didn’t spend it on a TV, it’s likely that he’s saving it for more practical things. After all, he came from Varron, so maybe he’s still settling in. As for observable behavior… Odin was okay with talking in leisure when it was just he and Valencia, then kept things brief when Dante came along. A quiet life? No, those can’t be determined by how much you speak… At least, not entirely. Hard to put it into words. Well, that’s as much as Valencia felt like pondering, for if she stayed in one place long enough without displaying any physical signs of life, people will start to worry.
Foxes and tigers… Something or other about necessity…
Valencia felt some strength return to her legs after that moment of thinking and resting, so when she began to walk again, her path wasn’t as wobbly or a swagger and resembled more like a crooked line. Not quite a zig-zag, yet straight enough to be compared to an average person’s gait. One hand was placed into a pocket to feel around for her wallet while the other hung by her side, ready to use anything near her as a wall or crutch if she judged the strength of her legs incorrectly. They were approaching the exit of the reptile exhibit and she squinted her eyes at the sight of the hot day outside. Going back out there might not be pleasant, but anything for ice cream, right?
“Now… Where would the nearest vendor be…”
So I can just make a beeline for it and seek refuge under the umbrella instead of wandering all over the place in the heat and risk another heat stroke by cooking myself in the sun again…
“A sherbet or a popsicle would be nice, but I’m in an ice cream bar mood… Choices. Hopefully they’ll still have a bunch to choose from… Because of the climate and tourists and all.”
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