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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 22, 2007 23:34:16 GMT -5
Crash walked up to the ticket stand at the train station, and, after calmly warning the woman behind the counter to not ask about the pangolin he was currently wearing like a backpack, paying twelve rings, and was soon aboard the first train to Metal City.
Crash found an unoccupied car, and placed Julie across some of the seats, sitting across from her and crossing his arms. In the silence, Crash's mind began wandering to the female across from him, surprising him a little, but considering how quiet it was, at least he could have something to occupy his thoughts till they both got to Metal City.
Why am I taking this chick with me to Metal City? I mean seriously, what do I plan on doing once we get there? Sleep on the streets? Maybe she could stay with you.
Crash blinked at that sudden thought, the speed that his own mind answered his unspoken question almost startling him as he shook his head.
Please. She doesn't really trust me yet. I can tell that much, so why would she accept rooming with me? ... Although, she's obviously not from around here.... WHY AM I COMING UP WITH REASONS FOR HER TO STAY?
Crash leaned forward, resting his head in his hands as he actually LOOKED at the pangolin in front of him... She was kinda cute...
WHAT THE HELL? Where'd that come from? Jeeze, I must be getting soft... Although she seemed to be a pretty good fighter, if a little unpracticed. I could always teach her how to fight while she's staying with m-DAMMIT. I have NOT decided to keep her around...
Haven't you? You could've left her somewhere in Central, but you didn't. You could've even left her with that rabbit, and just gone home. Why didn't you?
I don't know. I mean, She seems kinda like me, but... not. And... I want her to trust me... But why? Eh, maybe I'll figure that out when I get to know her better.
So you ARE keeping her around, then.
Yeah. I guess I am.
So lost was Crash in his thoughts, that he didn't even notice the train slowing down, until he heard that recorded voice telling him that the train was now pulling into Metal City Station.
The devil stood up, and walked over to Julie, shaking her gently.
"Oi. We're in Metal City, and I'm not carrying you everywhere."
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 0:24:48 GMT -5
 The pangolin opened her eyes, but didn't immediately sit up. Though she'd been asleep for some time, she barely felt rested. Her mind hadn't really taken the time to organize and recharge itself during the downtime; rather, it seemed to have just made itself even more frenzied once the walls of reality were taken away. Finally Julie pushed herself upright. "Sorry for all the trouble," she quietly stated, popping her stiff joints. "You don't have to nanny me; I'll..... find some way home. But thanks for your help." As she rose to her feet, Julie rubbed her eyes, and found a bit of lingering moisture against her muzzle. The pangolin grimaced inside. I better suck it up and just.... deal with this, soon. I'm turning into such a girl. Sigh. |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 0:34:05 GMT -5
Crash just shrugged, seeming to not notice the moisture on Julie's muzzle.
"Well, until you manage to find a way home, I was thinking you could room up in my apartment. And before you start suspecting me of something perverted, I'll have you know I rarely spend ANY time in my apartment. I really only use it for sleeping, bathing, and eating, then I'm gone, so it'd basically be your place."
Crash knew they had to get THIS particular problem sorted now, rather than springing it on her somewhere like... his apartment building's front door or something.
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 0:52:21 GMT -5
"Thanks," Julie replied distractedly. She probably wouldn't have accepted the offer so readily under other circumstances, but the way she was looking at it, she didn't have much to lose by doing so. If he was telling the truth, she'd have a roof over her head while she struggled to find SOME way back home. And if he was lying... well, she'd lost pretty much everything else in her life, so anything else he decided to do probably wouldn't seem half as bad by comparison. |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 0:55:01 GMT -5
Crash simply nodded, and started walking down the street. He wasn't sure how to bring Julie out of this funk she'd gone into, and no ideas seemed to be coming until he looked down...
And saw his skates, which he'd never bothered to take off.
"'Ey, Julie? You wanna take a look at some Extreme Gear before we head to my place?"
Crash hoped this would work... and besides, he could join her on the track, and they could probably get some talking out of the way there.
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 1:06:17 GMT -5
The pangolin blinked, obviously still greatly disconnected from reality. "Oh... Thanks, but, um, I don't know if--" She stopped. She'd been about to say, "I don't know if my currency will work here," but the explanation that would follow would just sound completely crazy. After pausing to rework her wording, Julie finished with, "...if I have enough money for anything." |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 1:11:06 GMT -5
Crash considered this for a second, then responded.
"All right then, how about something to eat? I'm pretty sure neither of us've eaten, unless you got a snack while I was blinking at some point."
Crash was gonna do whatever it took to figure out what was wrong with this chick... and besides, he usually didn't get back to his apartment till after 11, which was when his super would fall asleep...
It was quieter that way.
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 1:14:04 GMT -5
Julie folded her arms tightly (read: uncomfortably) to her chest. " I.... really don't think I can afford anything." |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 1:15:56 GMT -5
Crash didn't even miss a beat as he kept walking.
"Then I'll pay for it, and you can pay me back later. Actually, what the hell, this can be a freebie."
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 1:19:31 GMT -5
She wanted to protest further, but before she could decline, her stomach growled. Loudly. It'd be kind of pointless to try using an, "I'm not hungry," excuse after that. " ..............Thanks, Crash." |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 1:27:58 GMT -5
Crash's own stomach growled seemingly in response to Julie's, and the devil chuckled a little.
"Don't mention it. I know a good hot dog stand around here... somewhere."
Crash quickly sighted the stand, which let you buy the hot dog and the bun, or a sausage instead of the normal hot dog, an option Crash chose, then top it yourself.
So, buying himself a sausage, and a hot dog for Julie, Crash put only some brown mustard on his, and stood aside to let Julie pick her toppings as he spoke.
"So... What're things like where you're from?" Why this choice of words? Simple. It didn't say WHERE she was from, so she could've been visiting from anywhere.
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 1:36:48 GMT -5
With the grand array of toppings she had to choose from... Julie was also rather simple in her decision, and went with a single line of ketchup. The pangolin took a bite from her meal and carefully considered her companion's question. "Not like here," she eventually replied. "It's more like where I met you. Kinda rural. This place is more like Soleanna..." |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 1:39:20 GMT -5
The slight drop in volume at the mention of Soleanna wasn't lost on the devil, as he walked away from the hot dog stand, motioning for Julie to follow him.
Once they were out of earshot, and considering no one was around, Crash asked what he REALLY wanted to know.
"Ok, seeming to talk about your home, or at least major places, seems to bother you. What's up?"
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 1:41:58 GMT -5
Julie took another small bite of her hotdog, her eyes centered on ground. "I already told you. ...I'm lost." |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 1:44:35 GMT -5
Crash sighed, finishing off his sausage in another quick bite before looking Julie in the eye.
"Don't treat me like I'm stupid. Tell me what's going on, and I promise I won't laugh, or think you're crazy. In exchange, I'll tell you about something that most people still wouldn't believe."
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 1:46:40 GMT -5
" You wouldn't believe me." Julie stared down at her half-eaten hotdog. Though she hadn't eaten much, she wasn't all that appetized for the rest of it. |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 1:58:08 GMT -5
Crash shrugged. Well, people said you had to give, to get, or something like that.
"Ok then, I'll go first."
Crash took a deep breath... most people who weren't from Westopolis would NEVER believe what he was about to say, even if it was only from denial, and some story the government had had about terrorists.
"Didja know that my home city, and most of the rest of the planet, was invaded by aliens about six months ago?"
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 2:04:25 GMT -5
Well, it was certainly unexpected information. And given that he was going first, it was unlikely he was making fun of her. Julie looked again at her unfinished meal, and forced herself to eat a bit more, if only to stall for some additional time. However, when she'd eaten the last bite, there was no more putting it off. Letting out a preparatory breath, the pangolin quietly said, ".......Would you believe that... um...... my country's not on your maps?" |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 2:07:32 GMT -5
Crash just shrugged, and then grinned at the pangolin next to him.
"Trust me, I'll believe just about anything after getting into an impromptu boxing match with an alien."
Crash kept walking, and stretched his arms upwards for a minute.
"So that's what's bothering you, then? Your country's not on the map? Then I guess we'll just have to try finding a map it IS on, won't we?"
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 2:10:56 GMT -5
"It's not just that," she added, again crossing her arms tightly. "You map... doesn't look anything like a real one. That was a map of the world, wasn't it? The world doesn't look like that. It's.... It's like the whole world changed, except for me." |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 2:12:34 GMT -5
Crash thought about this for a moment, then, his expression serious, faced Julie as he spoke.
"Or maybe you're from a different world than this one... Still, I'll help you find a way home, if I can."
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 23, 2007 2:19:37 GMT -5
But what if I can't GET home? What if I'm stuck here forever? I'll never see them again...That familiar sting began to gather in her eyes, and Julie quickly turned away and clenched them shut. It was bad enough she'd already done this once; she was NOT about to do it a second time. The pangolin pressed her fingers tightly to the corner of her eyes, as though to physically hold the wetness back. " Stop acting like such a girl," she muttered to herself.
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 23, 2007 2:24:55 GMT -5
Crash took a step towards Julie, one hand reaching out to... what? Pull her to him? Hug her? He wasn't even sure himself, so settled for the safest option.
Resting his hand on her shoulder, he spoke up.
"Ey, you must've got here SOMEHOW, so there's gotta be a way to get you back, right? No such thing as a one way trip. There's always a way to where you came from."
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 24, 2007 1:30:10 GMT -5
Though it took great effort and an absurd amount of self-control, Julie managed to keep her raging emotions at bay, only ending up with a slight moistness against her gloves. After sniffling once, the pangolin turned to face Crash. Despite her lack of tears, her face still easily conveyed her dismay. "Thanks... I just wish I could be as certain as you." |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 24, 2007 1:32:51 GMT -5
Crash just grinned, beating a fist against his chest.
"It's easier to just be certain about everything, than worrying about nothing."
Crash looked around, getting his bearings. His apartment should be... that way.
"Should we head back to my place? If ya want, we can talk more there."
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 24, 2007 1:49:12 GMT -5
Being certain about EVERYTHING is a good way to screw yourself over, the pangolin idly thought, though she kept the thought to herself. Still, his point remained. Going somewhere quiet and stable sounded appealing, though she wondered where the conversation would go. Drawing in a long breath, then releasing it slowly, Julie nodded once to the devil's suggestion.
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 24, 2007 1:55:46 GMT -5
Crash gave a nod of his own, and headed off, making sure to walk past an Extreme Gear shop that was near his apartment. The shop was closing up, but the three Gear that they had displayed in the window, consisting of a Board, a Bike, and a pair of skates, were still in plain view.
The devil didn't stop at the store, though, instead walking up to his apartment building, which was about a block away, and looking back to make sure he hadn't lost Julie at some point.
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 24, 2007 2:01:50 GMT -5
The pangolin had trailed behind a bit, but luckily didn't get separated from her escourt. Julie did glance briefly at the gear shop as they passed, but didn't pay it too much mind; it would probably start to resonate more loudly with her once she'd settled back to normal. |
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Post by The Huggernaut on Oct 24, 2007 18:21:24 GMT -5
Crash nodded, and went inside after Julie had caught up, heading up to the second floor, and passing by the super's apartment. Fortunately, the apartment's occupant seemed to be asleep, so they weren't bothered.
Crash's apartment, which was near the stairs leading to the third floor, was rather sparse; a couch and a pair of recliner chairs (all facing a TV) were all that occupied the living room. His bedroom continued the trend, containing, well, just his bed and a nightstand, with what looked like the remains of a too-noisy alarm clock. Beyond that, the other rooms -- a bathroom, and what Crash had turned into a computer room with the latest in anti-crocodilian security measures - were rather.. plain
It would take a moment, but then a person would realize why this apartment seemed so... un-lived in. There were no personal effects in the entire apartment. No photos, not even any personal decorations, as if Crash hadn't wanted to make any connections to this place.
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Post by Leedzie on Oct 24, 2007 18:27:14 GMT -5
Well. This place is sterile, Julie thought grimly as she glanced about the near-naked room. However, what she said out loud was, "Nice place."
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THE ONLY ROUGE COSPLAYER WITH A MATCHING BALLOON.