Spite > Sprite

[JDGreat]

Walking to the cafe alongside Secernia, Rust found himself feeling on top of cloud 9. The girl had accepted his apology and had actively wanted to go grab a quick drink. Sure, it was lemonade instead of Coke, but who cared? It was fizzy and full of sugar. The mechanic loved it anyway.

Sure, Secernia was still acting a little odd around him, but that was natural, right? He did lamp her one in the face for no reason and due to that, Rust was still keeping a slight bit of distance despite the two of them walking together. He tried to ignore the few looks that were shot their way too. Let them think whatever, right? Was what Ace said. And Gabrielle.

Mrs Ze would probably just deal with it in her own quirky way.

"So...Secernia?" Rust asked politely. "Why'd you come to Solstice in the first place?" Sticking his hands behind his head as he walked and wishing he had a t-shirt under his jacket as a slight breeze picked up and chilled him, the Brit continued to walk forward towards the drink section. "I mean, aside from the power thing. Cause you've been here a while apparently and I just wondered what you thought of the place, really."

[Secernia]

Secernia Grelix ran her fingers through her fiery hair, and adjusted the tie that held it in place as she walked after the boy. She was quite parched, and was looking forward to leading this boy down the path of believing every single thing she said. It would be interesting to watch him grow closer to her before breaking him into several pieces on the floor. She had after all promised that he would not remember what happiness was, when she was through with him. Just because he didn't remember that she said that didn't mean she hadn't.

She noticed as they walked into the Café that a few people were looking at the two of them, knowing that the wound beneath her eye was still healing up, and the rumor that he had lashed against her having spread... She bit her lip as though nervous of the looks. As though she knew what people would be thinking of her giving Rust a chance again, after what he had done.

"Don't worry..." She said to him softly, stepping a bit closer to him, "They just don't understand the full story... I was like that too..." She explained, as though that would make that better.

He then asked her why she came to Solstice in the first place. The real reason danced across her mind before she let out a sigh, "Well, if you must know..." She began, "I have a curse."

She left it at that. Simple. Easy. This was going to be amusing...`to say the very least.

[JDGreat]

Seeing her step a bit closer, Rust turned his head slightly and gave her a small grin.

"Thanks, Cerny..." he muttered to her, honestly grateful at this point. "That actually means a lot. Guess I'll have this for a while yet, huh?"

Looking back to the cafe, he just let his thoughts wander.

I don't think anybody knew the full story. That's how this whole situation got started in the first place. Cerny didn't know I was pissed at myself, Kikime didn't know I wasn't like the others, Alora didn't know whether she could trust me, I didn't know when not to overstep my boundaries. Man, I really should just keep my nose out of things that don't concern me sometimes.

He thought of Alora, the poor girl with arms in casts, terrified and frightened...then of her giving a small grin and a tiny laugh. He smiled a bit wider.

Then again...

He was jolted out of his thoughts by Secernia revealing her cause for coming to Solstice.

"Wait...what? A curse?" the mechanic asked, slightly disbelieving in shock. "As in, a proper 'plague on your house' kind of curse?"

[Secernia]

Secernia gave a light smile, "Probably, but I'd say the looks will probably be gone in a week or two. News gets old fast around here." She explained. She found it sort of amusing really that people get bored of things that happen around campus about as fast as they forget her memories. Funny, things like that.

She looked over to his face, carefully observing it as it twitched and reformed itself between disbelief and shock over what she had said. Muscles were fascinating. So much so that she was slightly distracted for a second, tilting her head to the side to look at his face move. She blinked to alert herself.

"Oh yes, a curse. Yeah, like that... There's a monster inside me." She said with a shrug, taking a seat at a free table and crossing her legs gracefully, resting her head against the back of her hand with her elbow as support.

"I came here to control it... " She locked eyes with him, "Would you like to learn more?" She wondered somewhat coldly, then paused. "Well, I mean, I'm sure it is really random for you and everything... I can explain more, but if the idea makes you uncomfortable, I completely understand..." She said, adding a sheepish tone to her voice.

[JDGreat]

"A...monster inside you?" Rust parroted, confused. The notion seemed like a fairy tale, but this island had continuously thwarted his notions of reality thus far. Why stop now? Besides, Secernia didn't look like she was lying at all here. Why would she? A horrendously cruel prank?

Would be REAL elaborate to fake all of this just to get back at me for hitting her... What am I saying?

Shaking his head, he took the seat opposite her.

"Uncomfortable? Not at all. I'm guessing you're probably not speaking metaphorically here either?" the mechanic asked back, not being able to completely hide the slightly shocked tone in his voice. "Err...more importantly... you sure you wanna tell me about this stuff? I am technically a random guy you've known for less than two hours in total."

Calling over a waiter, he got the first round of drinks ordered and looked back at Secernia.

"I mean, it does seem kinda personal..."

[Secernia]

Secernia shook her head, "No... it's not a metaphor..." She said with a sigh. She repressed the urge to smile. She was about to explain whenever he asked her whether she should be telling him this sort of thing. Well, that was a good question. But he isn't going to hear the real story is he... This is a little white lie[/b]... In other words, Secernia didn't really think that it mattered much.

"I don't see why not. I mean, I don't see what the point of hiding it is... This Island... it's meant to be a place where you're accepted no matter what the rest of the world thinks, right?" She looked around at the outdoor area of the cafe, where people openly demonstrated their powers of cooling down their drinks or heating them up, making their own popcorn with their energy waves and roasting marshmallows with heat vision, as ya do.

"It can be difficult to talk about but being open is part of a process... Besides, I'm hoping to find a cure." She lied with a smile. "I don't want to have a curse go down my line, who does? I mean it's not even something I did. It was my great great grea-t grandmother..."

She leaned back, watching as the Waiter slowly came around again with the lemonades. She gave him a charming smile and a look like something hunting for dinner. This caused the waiter to glance away while growing slightly red and walk away nervously. She stuck a straw into her lemonade and took a long drink.

[JDGreat]

"I suppose you're right. Though I'd have thought you'd be a bit less...I dunno, forthcoming about that sort of thing. That's actually a really mature way of thinking about it..." Rust admitted, impressed and it showed with his eyebrows raised. "And it sucks that your entire family got caught with it... Leave the kids out of it and do it yourself is my honest opinion."

He shrugged, then leaned back, smirking a little as he saw Secernia basically eye up the poor waiter.

"Hehe, I guess you found something you liked, eh?" he joked, taking a swig of his own lemonade, the sweet taste refreshing his mouth. "Still, seriously though...what kind of cure is there for something like that? Exorcism or something?"

[Secernia]

Secernia observed his face curiously as he described her as forthcoming and mature. Once again she felt the urge to smile somewhat maliciously at the thought, but she refrained. "Heh, I guess so, I don't know..." She said, as though unsure how to take his opinion on how she handled the situation.

She nodded, "Oh yes, the curse has been disastrous for my whole family, I will admit. My mother suffered especially from the affliction." She said as though saddened by the though. She took another sip of Lemonade through the straw, "But that was a long time ago..." She added after. That bitch is probably dead now.

She laughed playfully at his suggestion that she found something she liked. "I guess you could say that." She said, glancing back to Rust with a mischevious grin, her eyes lighting up with a strange sort of fire behind the dark maroon.

Her expression changed whenever he started to talk about the cure she spoke of, and she raised her eyebrow in amusement at the boy. "Yes, I suppose exorcism would be what I would be looking for... He's an angry spirit... You wouldn't happen to know who would be up for such a task, would you?" She asked casually.

She didn't let him know exactly the particular 'affliction' that Daidamus was, or the means of the curse. Besides, the most important thing to come out of her inquiry would be to learn of his connections. Who would strike against her if she chose to take him down? Did anyone he know pose a threat against her?... Or was it free game?

[JDGreat]

The mechanic's features softened slightly as Secernia talked about her mother and in the past tense as well. To Rust, that only really meant one thing.

"I'm sorry..." he said. "I can't imagine how hard that must be as a kid. I was lucky, I suppose. My mom's always been happy around me and stuff, so to see yours in pain ll the time because of it..."

He shook his head.

"Just seems unfair. But I guess that's what the world is, sometimes."

Swigging more lemonade, Rust damn near choked as Secernia grinned at him whilst her eyes flashed.

Did...did she just...Nah couldn't be. She's still massively unsure about you. She's gotta be messing around as a joke. Gotta be.

Still, he looked off outside the cafe to avoid her gaze, trying to stop himself coughing and washing down more lemonade.

"Anyone who could perform exorcism?" Rust wondered aloud. "Hmm, not honestly sure. But I do know Gabrielle's part of the church or at least lived her life in one, so maybe I could ask her if anyone she knows could help out? I'm not sure. Not really religious."

[Secernia]

Secernia watched as his face softened at the talk of her mother. She supposed she could play the pity card. Honestly however, leaving her mother alone in the house with nothing but the knives in her kitchen and the chemicals in the operating theater was nothing but sweet relief for her. She allowed her fingers to move to trace the scar down her chest, similar to what she was doing whenever he was coming up the hill, only without the knife.

"It was difficult... But I can understand why she did it... end her own life I mean..." She said, tilting her head as she looked at him, "The monster inside of her did this to me." She explained slowly, continuing to trace the scar slowly up and down. Her eyes didn't leave his face.

Her hand paused and she blinked, "Jeez, I'm sorry." She said glancing away, "I really think..." She said, keeping her eyes on the floor and her hands together on her lap, "That it would be a great idea to meet Gabrielle... Do you think you could introduce us, Rust?"

She slowly picked up the glass of lemonade and let the straw between her lips, "I really think I need help with this..." She added softly, as though somewhat embarassed by her actions. Don't frighten him just yet. You need to eliminate your enemies first, then destroy your allies. Kill this Gabrielle, and any other people he could call upon. ... He won't know what happiness is... that's you're goal...

[JDGreat]

Rust just stared at the mention of suicide. What the hell could you say to that? It had gotten so bad for her mother that she'd killed herself? How the hell was Secernia still sane and pleasant after all that? So gobsmacked was he, he couldn't help but look when she started to trace the scar on her chest.

Jesus, how the hell did I not notice that?! God damn and whatever forced her mother to kill herself did THAT to her?! Secernia...

It was only then he realised he'd basically been staring at her chest for the past couple of minutes.

"Gah! Sorry!" he apologised, abruptly looking away and blushing like mad. "Didn't mean to!"

Eventually, he coughed and looked back at her, still a little red.

"But yeah, that might be a good idea." he thought aloud. "Gabrielle's really nice, so I bet you two would get on fine."

The mechanic clicked his fingers as he remembered.

"Oh yeah! This Friday, there's gonna be a house warming party in Dorm 5 and we're trying to drum up attendance. Gabrielle's definitely gonna be there so maybe that's where I could introduce you? If you're interested, that is."

He coughed and looked away awkwardly again, face still burning, though internally, his mind was still reeling a bit.

She's...kind of taking this way too well. Demon inside her, mother killed herself and injured her. And she's just sipping lemonade like nothing's happened?

A slight frown crossed his features.

Something doesn't add up here...

[Secernia]

Secernia watched his eyes lower to her scar. After a few minutes of male gaze, he alerted himself and started apologizing. His face turned red and all. Secernia laughed a bit, "It's alright, Rust. I don't mind..." She assured him.

She nodded, "Oh I'm sure we'd get along. There'd be no problem there." She said easily. I do love religious types. They always put up a good fight.

She paused at the suggestion that she attend a dorm room party. Too many people "Well... See, I don't know... Rust..." She gave him a slightly concerned look, "People are still talking..." She said, glancing around, "I don't know how it would look... I mean, you understand..." She said simply, seeming somewhat embarrassed.

"Perhaps I could meet with her somewhere more quiet, with less people? I mean, I want it to be dealt with..." She glanced away for a moment and then back to him, "I'm sorry... I really hope that you have fun at the party though.." She said with a small hopeful smile.

She took another sip of her lemonade, looking at the expressions crossing his face. He started to frown and she furrowed her eyebrows. She hated not knowing. "... What's wrong?" She asked curiously.

[JDGreat]

"Yeah, but guys aren't supposed to ogle like that. S'disrespectful." Rust coughed. "Besides, looks awkward if it's the first time we've seen each other since 'that time' and I'm looking straight at your chest with my mouth hanging open, right?"

He nodded slightly at her explanation.

"I getcha. No big deal. Feel fee to swing by if you change your mind though... Which reminds me, I need to slip Alora an invite under her dorm sometime. An apology for losing my cool there or something like that, right? I mean, she still has my Queen CD."

He smiled slightly at that before finishing off his drink.

"And I'll mention it to Gabrielle during the party or if I see her before then. Actually..."

Rust took out his phone, opened up his contacts and selected New Contact. Then, he slid the phone over to Secernia.

"You got a phone? You give me the number, I'll be able to organise a meeting between the two of you at some later date, yeah?"

He did notice her asking him what's wrong.

"Nothing. Just got some thinking to do on a subject."

[Secernia]

Secernia gave a shrug at his comment on the etiquette of the situation. "Never stopped them before." She said simply with a somewhat devious expression. She blinked whenever he added the rest. "I suppose it would look a tad disrespectful of some people, and you might come across badly to them," She replied, "But what is done is done. I do hope you enjoyed the view?" She said with a raised eyebrow and a big smile.

"Alright then, if I change my mind about it, you'll be the first to know." She told him. He then said that he would be inviting the girl. Secernia blinked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" She wondered aloud.

"I mean, inviting Alora... After what happened... How do you think Kikime would feel? I mean, you must have come across badly the last time, and now you're inviting the girl to a house party? I'm just saying that... well, if something, anything happens to the girl, then... Well, I don't think you'll ever be forgiven." She stared at him for a moment, as though considering the severity of the supposed situation. "It would be your fault... Are you sure you want to risk bringing her out when you could simply seek forgiveness seperately? It seems... Well, no offense or anything, but a little thoughtless..."

She shook her head and finished her lemonade. "Yeah, that would be great anyway. Maybe she could help me anyway..." She said with a hint of seriousness.

He passed the phone over to her and she gave a smile, "No problem, Here.." She typed in her number and put her name to it, saving contact. "Done and done." She said easily with a smile.

He wouldn't tell her what was on his mind and she squinted slightly at this. "You know..... after I told you my secrets.... I would think you'd open up a little..." She said as though the notion of him hiding it from her was slightly hurtful.

[JDGreat]

Rust didn't respond to the taunting, he just turned an even deeper shade of red and coughed even more awkwardly. That was a minefield question and a half! Say no and be accused of insulting her? Say yes and be accused of being a pervert?

WHAT. DO?

Mercifully, he was saved by the next topic of conversation.

"Hmm...that's a good point, actually..." he muttered, looking down into his empty glass and idly playing with the straw. "I mean, all I honestly was trying to do was show good faith. And everyone coming would be really nice so she wouldn't be in danger or anything..."

He trailed off, staring a hole through his glass and the table.

Would it be better to talk to her privately? I mean, it had it's benefits like with Secernia, but Kikime probably wouldn't let Alora anywhere NEAR him after what had happened.And at the party, maybe Kikime would be able to see he wasn't like every other guy. Hell, majority of the party was gonna be females anyway.

But she doesn't know that. And with her mind twisted like that...

He finally sighed and rested his head on the table, looking a little defeated,

"I guess you're right."

Said head jerked off the table after Secernia's OWN accusation.

"Oh, sorry..." the Brit muttered. "It's just...I'm having a hard time taking it all in. You just seem so at ease with what's happened to you. Guess I've been thrown for a loop a bit."

[Secernia]

Secernia noticed that he didn't respond to her question but noticed his face get redder and just gave a light laugh. As the next topic came around and she had barraged him with reasons not to invite the girl, he seemed to come around to her thoughts.

"Well you say it's a party... You mightn't know everyone that will be there... I'd say it's too risky, and I'm warning you- if you do invite her, be prepared for the consequences." She said solemnly, as though the thought made her sad. She gave a sigh and finished her glass of lemonade.

She nodded whenever he finally agreed, "Yeah, of course. I don't say these things for the fun of it." She told him with a shake of her head. Well, I do, but...

His head jerked off the table whenever she insinuated he was being rude and secretive. She gave him a warm smile, "I'm sorry... I really shouldn't have put it all onto you like that... You must remember... It has been years since these things have happened to me, and I've come to terms with them... That's all. I'm sure hearing it all at once must be a shock for you... and for that, I apologize. " She said with a sincerity to her voice. She played with the straw in the glass as she spoke, moving about the ice at the bottom.

[JDGreat]

"Well, it is a bit much. I guess I'm not used to the whole exposition thing yet. Don't worry about it though. T'is alright." Rust gave a small smile back, just relaxing back in his seat. "Wish I could deal with my stuff as well as you did. Mine just seems so small compared to all that."

Signalling to the waiter for two more lemonades, Rust turned back to the red head.

"So, Where're you staying round here? I don't see you round the dorms that often, probably why I couldn't find you to apologise earlier, but yeah..."

[Secernia]

Secernia blinked at his small smile, as he seemed to admit that it had startled him slightly. She was mildly surprised whenever he seemed to show some form of envy for her ability to cope. She found this very strange. She wasn't really coping at all, but festering her past up, building up the tension for a chance to explode, slowly noticing Daidamus creep into her consciousness more and more second after second, minute after minute, day in and day out. She wouldn't call it coping.

She gave a light laugh and a warm smile, "No, really. I'm sure you will come to terms with whatever ails you with time. People are stronger than you think." Unless you really are as weak and pathetic as I assume... She added inwardly. Despite this thought, she knew better than to underestimate her opponent.

She glanced back to the waiter as the drinks were ordered and then turned back to Rust. "I do stay in the dorms... Dorm 12." She said. She looked at Rust in the eyes, as though to see if she caught any glimmer of recognition.

Does he know where Kikime stays? Was she mentioned in relation to me... The gears in Secernia's head ticked over as she considered how this could pan out if the wrong thing was said. She didn't want anything to click with Rust. She needed to make sure of it.

[JDGreat]

"Damn, you're good at this philosophy stuff." Rust admitted, impressed. "Guess you're right about people's strength though. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here right now, yeah?" He shrugged. "I dunno, never was one for counselling stuff like that. Could you imagine my office? People'd be getting flung through walls if they annoyed me too much," he cracked, showing it was obviously a joke.

"Dorm 12? Huh, no wonder, haven't been that side yet." the mechanic muttered. "Sorry about the noise a few days ago. Me and one of Ace's friends had an argument, we fought and he pulled a gun, so..." Rust then realised what he said and hung his head.

"I REALLY need to work on my anger issues, huh?"

[Secernia]

Secernia shook her head, "Well I don't know about that really... " She said in response to his commenting on her philosophical notions, "But exactly. People are stronger than they look." Or feel. She mentally added, thinking momentarily on how easily bone could be crushed. She blinked to alert herself once again and maintain a calm and pleasant expression.

She gave a faltering sort of laugh at his description of his office. Her shoulders seemed to stiffen slightly as he said the words, obviously trying, however, to reassure herself that it was indeed just a joke.

He then described his encounter with the other student. She remembered a noise from a few days ago but had figured that it would have just been the usual sounds of students practicing and breaking some piece of furniture or whatever. A gun... She thought, surprised by the weapon pulled. She would have appeared to be a bit shocked, but slightly intrigued at the same time.

I wonder how deep his anger issues go... Secernia wondered to herself. She gave him a smile softly at first and then it became wider and more accepting. "It's alright... " She said, reaching her hand out towards his to take it, "We all have things we can improve about ourselves..."

[JDGreat]

Just before Secernia's hand reached his, Rust sat back up, inadvertently moving out of her reach.

"Well, my list's about a mile long." he tried to grin. "But I suppose today's the first step and that's always the hardest one, right?"

Leaning back slightly as the waiter deposited two more lemonades on the table and took the empty glasses away, the Brit took a swig. Didn't taste as good as the first one, but what did?

"Anyway, my anger issues aside, I've heard you've been here for about 4 years or so?" the mechanic asked, conversationally. "S'helluva long time, what's it been like here? I've only been here less than a month and already so much stuff has happened to me."

He grinned again.

"Both pleasant and stuff I'd rather forget."

[Secernia]

Secernia watched with slight surprise as he retreated his hand. She had to keep herself calm and refrain from narrowing her eyes in frustration at the act. It was as if he knew that it was coming, and that did nothing but infuriate her. She watched that smug face of innocence move again in a description of his list of things to fix about himself. Secernia could think of a few things that she could fix for him.

She laughed and smiled, looking slightly flustered and embarassed as she pulled her hand slowly towards herself once again on the table. It was obviously a dejected look that she was giving. "Yeah... The first step is the hardest, you're right..." She said with a sigh.

She quickly took in a breath and fixed her posture, brushing the waiter's hand as he gave her the lemonade. She smiled and thanked him, giving him a very special look having learned his secret. It was something indescribable. At least she had learned Something that day.

He began to ask her more questions about herself.

"Oh yes, I've been here 3 years, this is becoming my fourth." She explained with a nod, "It's been fine. I've learned a lot being here... Of course a few run ins with a few bad people but, nothing that I couldn't handle. I've made very good friends..."

Her eyes glimmered slightly as he made his last comment.

"Like what. What was pleasant and what would you like to forget?" She wondered conversationally, locking eyes with him, a growing grin on her face.

[JDGreat]

Raising an eyebrow at the odd look as her hand moved it's way back across the table, the mechanic didn't really pay it any mind after a tiny bit of thought. It's not as if he'd told her to bugger off, right?

Though her next look made him swallow uncontrollably. He felt kinda like a piece of meat. Or worse, that she could see right through his clothing or something.

Is...teleporting her ONLY power? Might need to make sure off that.

Coughing again, he decided to answer with as much dignity as he could.

"Well, I've also met some very nice people. And one in particular I wouldn't mind seeing gone." Rust admitted, staring right back at Secernia. "Pleasant times would probably include meeting all my friends here, whilst I'd like to forget ever lamping people in the face."

He held her gaze.

[Secernia]

Secernia watched his face change, his eyebrow raise, his throat go up and down as he swallowed, and lastly his shoulders moving as he gave a cough. Secernia realized that this was a cue for speech and so gave a small smile and looked alert once more.

She tilted her head innocently to the side as he vaguely told her what he had done so far on the island. I've also met some very nice people- Secernia's heart beat a little faster and the excitement of this. Did you really? She thought to herself, careful to think of whether or not she wanted to change this. No... No this is too vague. There is too much evidence against me here... It needs to be more specific, something that can be hidden from him...

She frowned slightly, "One in particular? Why, who might that be?" She asked casually. Her eyes danced between his, the corner of her lip twitching up as she realized. He's holding my gaze... He's staring me back.... She leaned down to take another sip of her lemonade, not looking away from him, I wonder what he thinks he'll find in my eyes... The thought made her smile grow slightly.

"You alright there?" She asked him, her eyes not moving from his. She smiled, wondering whether he was just staring or if there was something he was determining. This game is getting all the more interesting... isn't it...

[JDGreat]

"That would be my best friend's.....old best friend. A certain Rags." Rust answered back, leaning back slightly with a grin. "Thought the best way to introduce himself was insult my beer than try to hit on my mother. The people in dorm 8 weren't too happy about what I did to the wall, but you don't go after my mom like that."

He continued to hold her gaze.

Okay...she's after something and I'm not sure what. Or rather, don't want to know what. Let's prove I can't just be rolled over here.

"Doing fine." he responded, matching her stare back. "Just wondering what it is you're staring at. Haven't got anything on my face, have I?"

A playful smirk followed.

Just keep this up. She'll slip something.