Summary:After ending up thwarting a would be bank robbery at a local credit union, Avery and Moondragon go for coffee and donuts to get to know each other. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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A credit union—not a big one at that, and the neighborhood isn't the best either, still, there's a few people inside getting last minute deposits and the like done. One such is a girl dressed in the oh so distinctive brown on brown shorts, t-shirt and hat with golden UPS logos on them. Yep, looks like a delivery person or perhaps someone who works in Shipping if the gloves tucked in her belt are any indicator. Just as she's about to step up to the counter, an armored car pulls up out front, and a pair of guards exit. One to keep an eye out, the other to open the back and take a small case from someone inside. Pretty much business as usual!
Outside on the street, a bit farther down, is a open gym, which has relatively cheap prices. Of course, it's for fighters. Mixed martial arts, primarily. It has equipment, and that's what Moondragon prefers. After several weeks of going, people have stopped trying to pester her or smirk at her when she asks to spar. In fact, some just flat out avoid her or take bets on other people fighting her for how quick they drop.
She's dressed in her "casual" fighting garb, which looks like it'd belong more in a WWF Divas match than normal workout clothes…but she does pull it off well, admittedly.
As she wanders she's idly keeping her telepathy on passive…more for sharp sudden hostile emotions or similar mental warnings when someone might be about to do something violent or rash. So she can avoid them, if possible. She approaches the credit union, glancing over at the armored car as it parks and starts disgorging guards.
Stepping up to the counter the UPS girl smiles sunnily to the teller on the other side of the glass, and takes out a check. "I would like very much to deposit this into savings, please. I have filled out the required bank slip." The teller looks a little non-plussed, the girl's manner being a tad odd, but hey, New York! He nods, taking the slip and check, turning it over to get to work on the scribblies and the stamping!
Outside, things are getting a little more interesting as Moondragon's senses would definitley pick up some tension from people in the area. Okay, that's curious…several men exit vans, one up the block, the other down the block, and the half dozen or so gents (and two ladies!) that emerge are tense, and seem to be converging not towards the guard entering the credit union but towards the armored car itself…
Moondragon slows as she senses trouble in the tension, her head cocking before she continue past, then puts her back to the wall to the left of the credit union, folding her arms over her chest, apparently people watching. In reality, she promptly starts more directly scanning the group heading for the car. Could be many things, after all. Theft. Terrorism. Flash mob. She's not particularly threatened by it as of yet, but then they haven't done anything quite yet to make her feel she needs to be.
Business attended to, the UPS girl offers another smile as she accepts the receipt. "Many thanks, good sir, for your kind assistance so close to the time of quitting." A half bow, yep…she actually did that, and then turns on a heel and heads towards the exit, holding the door for the guard dropping off. "Evening!"
Moondragon's scan turns up some interesting information - first - they're after a small bag inside the armored car, it contains industrial diamonds, which is odd - they're not /that/ valuable, this many hired guns would be pretty costly. One of the guys moving towards the armored car stops to look Moondragon up and down. "Hey." He greets, pausing to lean next to her, and light up a cigarette. His THOUGHTS are clearly not on flirting, they're focused on keeping an eye out. Not bad!
One of the ladies moves up to the van, offering the guard a ditzy smile, complete with head bounce. "Oi! I'm so lost…can you help?" The guard, holds a hand up, motioning her to stop. "Step back, miss, I'm sure I can…but…" And the other is going to be shooting him, tranq dart at least.
Moondragon will sense the moment she's going to fire of course.
"Hey." Moondragon purrs back at the man, cocking her head, then suddenly pushes off from the wall, a straight-fisted punch going into the watcher's solar plexus, designed to disable him. She's stepping past him already to avoid him crumpling, a glance at the girl with the tranq gun as she focuses her mental powers this time, settling into the girl's mind as she attempts to shortcircuit her ability to move. Or to pull the trigger by enforcing her control over the woman's body. She's never been one for pulling punches…it's probably why she's never tried to be a hero so much as…just her.
Honestly, it's as much for the challenge of real opponents than anything else that she's in motion.
Moonie is definitely striking, and with that build and her sheer size and fitness, yeah, the guy who was focused on her finds himself shifting gears towards what he was trying to do to her! Which is REALLY unfortuante for the man, he barely has time to register the attack before he's gasping for air on the ground, feeling like he's going to DIE. Definitely not crippled, but just as obviously down for the moment.
The dart gun is just pulled out when the would-be tranq-inatrix is frozen in place, thoughts panic stricken as she struggles with about the effectiveness of a fly in amber. So that's two.
The guard blinks as he registers the violence, and is about to go for his gun when the ditzy seeming girl drops the act, and knees him full in the gut, and then brings both hands down on his neck. "What the HELL, Jaz…" She grips at the frozen girl.
The others are clearly alarmed by how fast things have changed, and a wide array off weaponry is being pulled free, mostly melee items, though a few guns. Apparently the goal was NOT to kill people!
The UPS girl stops, taking in the tableau, and then her eyes narrow. Moondragon would find that /her/ thoughts are sort of hazy, though she could get through whatever she's using, it would take a bit of effort.
Moondragon advances on the pair, her eyes flicking to the people pulling weapons. "Oh, it's not her fault." she murmurs. "Neither is this." And she simply directs the girl to shoot her friend with the tranq. Then herself. Two less opponents to worry, she figures, though she'll also add a little bump of telekinetic force to knock the gun out of the woman's hand and under the armored car where it's harder to get to.
She idly cracks her knuckles, stopping amid the group. "It's been a while since I've had sparring partners I didn't have to hold back on." She smiles, a little cruelly almost, not looking bothered by all the weapons as of yet. Sure, there's a lot…but Moondragon has never been lacking in confidence. Or possibly overconfidence.
"Your pardon, Miss…might I offer my assistance? It is plain you seem confident you can handle this gaggle of blackguards but…I cannot in good conscience stand by and not at least offer my assistance." Dear lord the girl's speech is odd, her accent is like the faux British accent one might hear on TV, still, she moves with a considerable balance, and her eyes are tracking the right things, the right people. She knows -something-.
The thugs are more than a little stunned when 'Ditzy' shoots 'Jaz', and then herself. "The hell…?" One exclaims and then another looks to Moondragon. "Lady, I don't know who you are, but this really is not your business. I suggest you fuck off."
And then the eight guys move in a rather coordinated mass attack. Weapons of note - four have brass knuckles, one has a Police standard issue billy club, the kind modeled after a tonfa, and there's three with knives.
Moondragon raises a finger. "See, a smart person would have realized that they miiiight be outmatched-" she starts to say, and then they're coming at her. And rather than stand there and be surrounded, she kicks off, performing a amost wire-work worthy flip to put herself behind the one with the tonfa and slamming her elbow into his kidney, then continuing the motion, to grip his weapon hand, pulling it taunt and sweeping his legs to put him face first into the asphalt. And she'll claim her weapon if she can at that point.
She glances over, quirking a brow at Avery. "If you feel you must…I /suppose/ there's enough to go around…
"Oh, SPLENDID!" The UPS Girl removes her hat and puts the gloves inside, and then sets them on the bench inside a bus stop. She watches with keen eyes as Moondragon makes her spectacular nearly wire-fu attack. "Oh, that was Brilliant, Miss!" And then closes with two of the men trying to converge on Moondragon. Not really able to avoid her, they instead engage. Avery's fighting style is not quite as brutal and direct as Moondragon's, it is swift, and uses circular motions and redirection to keep her from being cut, these guys both being armed with knives. For the moment, she seems content to take their measure, focusing on defense — very effective defense!
The remaining knife guy flips his into a throwing position, and then lets fly at Moonie. Not like he's expecting her to have TK! Hell, she might not even use it! The remaining four close in, working in well synched strikes from differing directions, brass knuckles backed by beefy muscle and brawn.
The knife goes spinning towards Moondragon, as her blue eyes flick over to it as it suddenly stops as she grabs hold of it, then redirects it, the blade spinning past her to slam into the foot of one of the brass knuckle-armed men, before she's forced on the defensive, backing up as she bobs and weaves, using the tonfa to block with sharp clacks of metal against wood, before she abruptly drops low, snapping up a tonfa towards one of the men's jaws to crack him upside the head.
The thug with the knifed foot is probably even more surprised than the knife thrower was when his attack was redirected by…he has no clue, honestly. Still, he'll just blame Moondragon, that seems easiest. He produces a pair of commando knives, not the ginormous things they like to show in the movies, but sleek and compact weapons meant for serious use. THIS guy clearly is several notches above the rest - and they're competent, even good! The gent hit in the face by the tonfa staggers back a couple steps and tripping over one of the tranqued girls! The thud is almost comical. The other three focus their fire, and try to create an opening for their knife wielding ally.
Having taken these guy's measure, the UPS girl nods once, and then engages. The girl is FAST, not speedster fast, though her reactions are very comparable! She cuts loose on one of the guys, letting him strike past her, and then hooking him into a shoulder throw that tangles him up with the other knife guy she was facing. When they sort themselves out…huh…somehow she has that guy's knife! Now HE is unarmed, and she isn't!
The next punch thrown her way, Moondragon twists out of the way, bringing her arm up under the extended knife arm and shoulder throws the knuckler into his body, before going for the not-quite-cricket but effective method of stomping on sensitive areas while the man is down. And then..she has a knife fighter to deal with as she skips back away from the knucklers, putting her back to the wall. "Oooh. Shiny." she purrs softly, bringing up the tonfa, then calls to the very efficient UPS girl. "If you could handle the rest for a moment, I'll be right back with you…."
Who knew how DETERMINED UPS was to get their deliveries through! That should be in a video or something. The girl turns a bright smile towards the Moondragon. "Glad to assist, Miss. I'm Avery, by the by." She doesn't give last names, there's bad guys about! And then she launches into a bewildering flurry of strikes…and…yeah, um, some of them come at the second knife guy from impossible angles, if Moondragon weren't otherwise occupied she'd have seen more. Still, she sees enough - the girl is not merely good, she's paranormal! Hell, she can sense something akin to psionic energy as Avery attacks, so she's doing something. Regardless, the second knife down, Avery takes his knife and steps sideways, appearing next to one of the brass knuckles wielders, sweeping his legs from under him, and burying one knife into his thigh. "I should hold that were I you, sir. Would not want you to bleed out, mm?" This of course gets the attention of the other knucklers…as intended.
Moonie's knife guy is VERY skilled, though a tonfa is a very versatile weapon, well suited to defend. The first flurry of blows is lightning quick, he might even mark her!
He's very good, Moondragon decides. She's actually having a good workout here, though her attention is slightly diverted by keeping an eye on Avery as she dances around. Well. Another unusual fighter, it seems. How intriguing! There's another sharp clack and clang before she suddenly swings it up, knocking a slash a bit too wide as she slaps at the other with the back of her armored glove, then the tonfa spins, coming up under the man's chin to launch him into the air….landing with a broken jaw, most likely, and certainly missing a few teeth. "Are you almost done?" she says conversationally, watching Avery. Or at least, doesn't seem like she's going to intervene in her fightly as she saunters over, holding out her right hand, before the tranq gun spins through the air and lands in her hand. She promptly uses it to shoot the downed knucklers with careful squeezes. Not very good with guns, perhaps?
"I am Moondragon."
The thing is that Avery never stops moving…and she is often just -gone- and somewhere else, as Moondragon approaches after having broken Knife Guy's jaw she can actually see as Avery skips through space with an almost strobe-like quality, flicker-punch, flicker-sweep, she's clearly having a great deal of fun, and she's equally as clearly doing her best not to kill anyone, though the guy with the knife in his thigh will surely attest to her willingness to hurt!
"Oh, sorry, Miss…" A nod. "…Miss Moondragon, I'll finish up, yes." Of course it doesn't hurt when tranq darts take down for a while the ones Avery puts on the ground. In all, it is swiftly concluded once the kid-gloves came off.
Breathing a little swiftly, Avery reclaims her hat and gloves, then looks to Moondragon, offering a hand. "A pleasure to meet you, you're an -excellent- fighter, Miss Moondragon, quite extraordinary in fact! My compliments."
"I should be, I've trained hard to become so." The tall woman looks Avery over. "You're very good yourself…that's an interesting talent you have there." She almost casually underarms the pistol to the security guard by the truck, who presumably has been gawping at the fight or retreated inside the truck at least. "We should probably move on, however, I feel the authorities will have many questions and I don't feel like answering them. Perhaps some tea?"
"Tea would be splendid, actually. And with plenty of sugar." Avery nods thoughtfully as the guards do in fact come out, and yes, the authorities have been contacted. Her smile is bright as she turns back to Moondragon. "Oh, yes, I am most fortunate in my gifts, I can Walk the Space Between Breaths." A pause, and then she somewhat shyly offers her hand to Moondragon. "Were you willing, I could help us get to a place where we might partake and converse?" Sirens can definitely be heard, and they're approaching, though there's still ample time to depart.
A quirked brow, then the bald woman reaches out to take Avery's hand, unafraid. "Very well. Do lead on…I've never walked the Space Between Breaths." she says simply, stepping closer. "And I think a bit of quiet where we can talk would be appropriate."
Avery's hand is actually quite warm, warmer than recent exertions might indicate, and her grip is firm though well within the normal range of human strength. "I have been told that others do not see what I see, but hopefully the experience will be one you find of interest." And with that they twist, and fold at impossible vectors and angles, before the process reverses and you're both on top of a skyscraper. And then another skip, and a third before you come out in an alleyway behind an Aldi supermarket, closed of course. "There's a Dunkin Donuts just a hop, skip and a jump from here. Does that meet with your approval, Miss Moondragon?"
Moondragon staggers slightly as they emerge, then gathers herself as she straightens. "My. That was interesting." she murmurs. "You take short jumps between targets to reach your destination, or does the process just route you through different locations?" She hmmms. "…Dunkin Donuts will be acceptable." she decides. "Though perhaps for coffee over tea, in such case."
"Save for a very few locations I have memorized I needs must see where I wish to Walk Between." Avery admits. "But though I have this spot memorized I do not like making direct jumps…after all if /I/ can trace a rift, well, others can as well, can they not?" She quirks a brown, and looks quite interested. "Did you -see- anything?" In truth the experience was incredibly brief, there /was/ something there, but it all sort of swirled and jumbled together. Maybe with more exposure? She inclines her head in thanks at the acceptability of Dunkin. "Well then, just two blocks this way, and yes, their coffee is actually good, I admit I rather like their sweeter ones." Sweet tooth much? Why yes!
"Just brief images, not enough to see details." Moondragon says thoughfully, then begins striding out of the alley. "Let's go then…presumably we can find a quiet corner there and I'll see that no one interrupts us, or overhears us." Because she can do that. Phyla keeps telling her not to just casually nudge people's minds like that, but she doesn't see the point. It's not like she's hurting anyone, after all.
The walk is a brief one, and in fact the shop is pretty much deserted, with only a couple of school kids off in one corner smoking heavily and drinking lots and lots and LOTS of coffee. Avery and Moonie can easily find themselves a quite corner and be confident of privacy. Avery will fetch donuts and coffee for the pair of you, and settles into a seat where her back is covered and she has clear line of sight over the shop. She doesn't even notice she does it! Just gut instinct.
A hand if offered again, a polite smile with it. "Avery Aaronson, Miss Moondragon, delighted to make your acquaintance."
Curiously, everyone in the store seems to be ignoring the pair…mostly Moondragon at first, then both of them as they sit down, Moondragon keeping up a gentle 'nothing to see or hear here' telepathic field around her. Her handshake back is firm, strong as she nods. "Likewise. A good choice of profession, being a delivery person, considering your abiltiies…but I'm guessing UPS did not instruct you in martial combat?" she says, pausing to sip from her coffee, then snagging a boston creme and nibbling on it.
Avery adds a truly appalling amount of sugar to her coffee, and she snags a chocolate frosted chocolate cake donut. "Oh, I do not actually make deliveries, I work in the shipping department. I do not believe anyone at work is aware of my ability to Walk Between." A laugh, and shaken head. "No, Miss Moondragon, UPS did not." Avery's brows furrow as she ponders, eyes distant. "I…am truly unsure of the origins, the TRUE origins of my training." Eyes of gold-flecked hazel shift to meet Moondragon's gaze again. "I am told I was in a coma for most of my life, there are detailed records, even recorded images. And yet…I remember growing up in a place much different than this one." A sigh. "A world lost to me now, along with my father, the one commonality between both worlds."
That brow quirks again. "…another dimension, then?" she murmurs thoughfully, licking a bit of custard off her lips. "I'm not unfamiliar with such things. There are ways to travel between such worlds without your body joining your mind, through the astral plane. Astral projection, normally."
"I cannot say, it seems likely, however. All I can say for certain is that my father had taken me home to care for me in my comatose state, and when I was found some ten months prior his—I suppose /our/ home, our home was gutted, a perfect sphere gone, the edges fused." Okay, that sounds truly weird! "And you, Miss Moondragon? Where did you learn to fight, I had tutors in the arts of Eskrima and Aikido, father insisted."
Moondragon ponders a bit, obviously turning over in her head how much to say. "When I was little, I was taken to another world across dimensions, to a monastery where the inhabitants worked to perfect their mental and physical being. I spent most of my life there, learning and growing." She considers. "The style I use does not have an easy to translate name…The Way of the Empty Mind, I think it would be?"
Avery's interest is definitely piqued. "That sounds most intriguing, Miss Moondragon." Avery grins then. "Mostly I traveled the Hidden World, it was a place of high adventure, ancient cities peopled by monsters, city states that fought for resources, and of course the ne'erdo well elements of slavers and their foul ilk, barbarians, dinosaurs, the list is endless." Her grin broadens to a full smile. "Your monastic upbringing sounds quite challenging, and The Way of the Empty Mind…fascinating."
Moondragon nods slightly. "It sounds like an adventuresome place to be." she murmurs. "There were great cities in the dimension I was in, seven in all, each with its own champion. Martial arts was something most people had at least a passing understanding of, though few trained to become full warriors. " She shrugs at the mention of it being challenging. "The name comes from focusing on reaction that comes without having to stop and and think…instinctual understanding of a fight. And it was…challenging. But it is the only life I have known, until relatively recently."
"It was. Always adventure to be found, even it was just hunting in the wilds, or climbing to the top of a mesa solely to see what was there, or on the far side. It grieves me that when I Walk Between I am limited to the world I'm in, so I cannot travel to others." Avery seems quite captivated by the description of Moondragon's world of seven cities. "Sounds like, yet un-like the Hidden World." She smiles. "I have had some significant training in the arts of Eskrima and Aikido. And I have adventured most of my life, of course. And…now I am here, of a certainty another adventure but muchly differing from those I have known before." A hand tucks some loose hairs behind one ear, and the smiles.
"Adventures, hmm? What kind of adventures, traveling from place to place?" Moondragon says, sipping her tea thoughfully. "I would guess you may have been to the Philippines or Japan if you have studied those arts, or were those local masters?" The bald woman seems perfectly at ease, having pulled her legs up to sit crosslegged on her chair. It appears to be more familiar or comfortable to her.
"No, I have not had the pleasure of travel to these 'Philipines' or 'Japan'. My father in both worlds did hire for me most excellent tutors, I started training in the arts martial by age six." Okay…so…if she's from another world, a 'Hidden World', how did she get training in Martial Arts from this one? Definitely something going on, though it is plain that Avery is telling the truth as she knows it. "Adventures! Saving people in distress from monster attacks, often I would carry goods for those who lacked the skills to travel safely, exploration of ruins was always fascinating and quite profitable. Of course there were bandits and slavers to deal with."
Moondragon hmms. "A monster hunter and a ruin explorer, and a bandit fighter to boot. Quite a tale. How did you learn of marital arts from this world if you grew up there?" she wonders after a moment, spotting the oddity in the tale. "Also, I didn't realize adventurer was a job these days, or is that another name for a superheroine?"
Avery looks honestly puzzled. "I cannot say, Miss Moondragon. I had never given it any thought, what was -was-, does that make sense?" Gold-flecked hazel eyes look very thoughtful. "Since my father did dwell in both worlds, perhaps he managed the training for me somehow. It is a most intriguing conundrum." A soft laugh. "Oh, would that it were, here. In the other world it was — but not so much here, though I suppose superheroine would fit this world. In the Hidden World there were many adventurers and treasure hunters, crusading knights, powerful magi, fiendish assassins and dark cults. Being an adventurer was an accepted, if not trusted, calling."
The other woman nods thoughfully. "It sounds quite interesting. So…you simply woke up here, then? You don't remember anything odd happening in that other world?" She reaches over to snag one of the remaining donuts, a cronut in fact, then nibbles on it as she listens.
"Well…not exactly." Avery frowns in concentration. "I woke in a most peculiar location indeed. It was much like a hospital, but very focused. There were many devices around, and — THIS is the part that gave me pause, there was another girl. She looked like me, only her form was withered and was deep aslumber. And then I became aware of Father and was fighting some scalawags in dark attire." Her arms curl around herself, her donut and coffee forgotten for the moment. "They were fighting, and in my haste to assist I tried to leap from my bed…but…wires confounded me, and there were great sparks, and for a time it were as if I was /both/ girls." Her eyes are dark with the memory. "And then there was a burst of light and I knew no more until I woke later in a hospital, a proper one this time 'round."
Those pale blue eyes study Avery thoughfully as she chews on the cronut, then washes it down with more tea. "I see…did you have a twin sister, perhaps? It sounds like you might have been being treated for something…an injury, perhaps?" She considers. "If you wish, I could see if you have any memories that might have been disrupted by something like that."
"I think the other girl was, yes. It was as if she'd been always asleep, and come to think of it she was also hooked up to many wires, and the like." Avery looks up then, meeting Moondragon's studious blue eyes. "It might have been a sister, or sib of some sort…and she might have been injured. Why else be where she was?" At the offer to check her memories, Avery thinks about it before she answers. "You can do that? Read my very thoughts - thoughts even I do not recall?"
"It was the primary talent taught at the monastery I was raised in." Moondragon confirms. "To strength the mind in exploring the astral realm, and to strengthen the body to explore this one. I'm quite strong." she says, with just a hint of arrogant pride to her voice. "I can't guarantee I can recover anything though if something actually disrupted your brain to erase the memories."
"I have some small resistance to such thing, but you sound strong enough to get through will I or nil I." That Avery has any resistance of all is unusual, even so, it would not even seriously slow a telepath of Moondragon's calibre. She ponders a moment, then nods slowly. "Well…if you are willing, I am as well. Though I think perhaps we should retire to other environs."
Moondragon considers that, finishing off the cronut in a few precise bites, then the rest of her tea before she set the empty cup down. "Where would you prefer, then?" she asks simply. "I do not have a residence here, currently, precisely."
Avery's smile is warm. "Well…I can walk us between to my apartment, though it is not fancy or large, it -is- mine and of certainty private, lest you count my cat, of course." She looks about, a little surprised how little attention anyone is paying them, before she offers her hand once more. "Shall I then?" Should Moondragon agree, Avery teleports them to the middle of her living room. The apartment is definitely not the best, but it IS clean, if a bit on the ascetic side of things. There's almost no art or decorations for the decor, and not much. The cat ambles over, and thumps his side to Avery's leg, rubbing along it even as it checks Moondragon out. "I apologize, I was not expecting any guests, there is precious little I can offer by way of refreshments."
Moondragon reaches out to take the hand, and then they're somewhere else. The ascetic side she doesn't seem to mind overly…then again, considering where she grew up, perhaps that's not a suprise. "It's quite comfortable enough." she assures Avery, peering down at the cat, then crouches a bit, holding out her fingers for it to sniff. "I think I am fine for refreshments after two donuts and a tea that you generously purchased for me already." she says with faint amusement.
What is interesting about Walking the Space Between Breaths is that there's no flash, no inrushing of air, it is juststarted and overand that's that. Regardless, Very smiles warm welcome, and looks around the plain and austere surroundings, and then nods. "Truth be told a home of this size would be housing for a full extended family." The cat is a little hesitant at first, but does sniff at Moondragon's fingers. He's a perfect fit for the apartment - certainly no competition grade feline, he's a grey tabby. "He found me on the way home from work, adopted me right then. I call him Gibbs. One of my co-workers introduced me to a show I adore…N-C-I-S, do you know it?"
Moondragon reaches out to scritch the cat behind the ears for a moment. "Mmm, I'm afraid I don't watch TV." She peers up. "You named him for this show, then? A character in it?" She straightens up, then arches slightly, stretching. "Mmm…those Dunkin chairs are not made for longterm comfort…."
Gibbs accepts the attention gravely, accepting his due, and then thumps against Moondragon before ambling off to sprawl on a cat bed next to the kitchenette. "I have never seen such a thing, not so as I remember. This show is a mystery of sorts, the agents in it working for the branch of the military known as the Navy. They are criminal investigators." A nod and a bright eyed smile. "Gibbs is the leader, a stern and unflinching man of deep feelings he masks with a rough exterior." Avery beams. "It is most engaging." Avery nods about the Dunkin chairs. "Sit, please. The couch is most comfortable, I found it at a yard sale for most reasonable price."
The tall woman saunters over to seat herself on the couch, pausing to untie her boots to slip them off, then sitting crosslegged again. No socks, it seems, just barefoot. She wiggles thoughtfully for a moment. "It /is/ comfortable." she decides. "It will do nicely."
Avery smiles. "A moment, if you please, I should like very much to change out of my work clothes. It shall take but a moment, I assure you, Miss Moondragon." Assuming no objection, Avery is gone only a few minutes and returns in a t-shirt that hangs almost to her knees, the shirt itself a deep blue that's faded to a lighter hue. Barefoot, she's also wearing some shorts. Long hair gathered in back, a scrunchy keeping it semi-tamed. "Much better!" She declares before joining Moondragon on the couch, sitting Indian style facing her guest.
The monkish woman turns her attention back to you as you return from where she was watching Gibbs snooze idly. "If you're ready, then?" Moondragon says, quirking a brow. "Keep in mind that if you are thinking strongly of things, I will probably see them, in addition to looking for broken memories."
Gibbs is laying on his side in a boneless sprawl, his front paws half curled up in a praying mantis like curl. Absolutely adorable! Avery nods her understanding, and smiles again (still?). "So…what should I do to facilitate?" One thing Moondragon would likely sense is Avery's shutting down of her shields, they're not very strong, but considering she's not a psychic, decent for all that.
"You've already done what was needed by lowering your shields." Moondragon says evenly, then gazes into Avery's eyes. <Just stay relaxed.> she says in her mind, before pushing smoothly into it, with all the grace of a shark moving through deep water, starting to shift through AVery's memory towards the day she remembered coming to Earth."
Avery tries to relax, it is VERY apparent that having someone inside her head is sort of nervous territory for her, but…she also is willing to trust. As Moondragon's touch proves to be very deft, she relaxes much more fully. The first thing about her mind is it is very — clean. Yes, she's seen bad stuff, but she truly is very much an optimistic person for the most part. Moondragon would no doubt recognize some minor inconsistencies in the environment that Avery moved through and interacted with for most of her life. In truth - from age six or so forward, up until the last eight months or so her life and memories cannot, simply CAN'T have been genuine experiences. And yet…her body, her powers, her skills…all trained. The first six years are buried under layers of denial, buried deeply and defended very strongly by her subconscious. Massive trauma seems very likely, and it won't be an easy nut to crack — not without breaking her mind in the process.
Moondragon mmms as she considers, noting the lack of psychic scars from trauma and the like. It's obvious she's been trained and the training was real…and then there's the obvious wall of trauma currently at the beginning of the strangely clean period. <There is a strong difference between our memories previous to eight months ago and since then.> Moondragon notes after a moment.
Avery's mind voice is crisp, she's clearly spoken mind to mind before, but it lacks the power of a telepath, or other full on psion. <Really? They all feel the same to me, my memories are my memories.> She is silent a moment, thinking, and her thoughts /race/, she's no speedster but her perceptions are in that league. <I confess, my memories of when I was but a child are…tenuous.>
<Yes.> Moondragon says in her cool, clipped voice. <There is a great trauma blocking the path to your early memories. A wall you have crafted for yourself.> She closes her eyes in reality for a moment. <I would not push them without you being willing to do so. And you are not.>
Mind and voice together, Avery looks to Moondragon. "Is there anything that can be done?" <Is there anything that can be done?> There's definitely emotion, nerves, even a bit of fear but also determination to find the truth. Avery is many things, but willing to live deluded is not one of them, it speaks to her character that willingness to self-examine, many wouldn't or couldn't.
Moondragon's eyes open again, coolly regarding the other girl. "Not without risking your mind at the moment. As I said…it is your wall, not an external one erect against your will. Breaking it is to damage the mental will holding it together." She tilts her head slightly. "I can push at it. But it would take time to wear down safely. It might be easier to restore some memories previous to the trauma, possibly."
A faint smile, nerves betrayed by Avery tugging the hair gathered by a scrunchy at the rear over a shoulder to fiddle with it. "I am somewhat fond of my mind, Miss Moondragon. It sounds like it would take a great deal of work and effort, I should not with to impose too dearly upon your time." Eyes of gold flecked hazel meet intense blue. "But…if you be willing, I would be most grateful." She grins then. "But…that's something we can address at another time, pray consider it?"
The bald monk shrugs her shoulders. "I would be willing, it's unusual enough to be interesting. Just, as I said, it would require…delicacy. And time, most likely." she points out.
Avery smiles brightly. "Well then, I love a challenge as well as the learning of new things, twould seem that which is my problem is something of an opportunity in both arenas." Studying the other girl, she tilts her head to one side. "Do you wish to exchange contact information? I have found a most excellent communications device, a cellular phone, it is quite useful and versatile." Yes, she's excited by her smart phone, but based on her (faux) memories, she's never had much exposure to technology beyond black powder weapons. "An you wish to, you would be most welcome to stay here as well. My apartment is small, but it is a haven should you wish it."
A brow is raised at that, before Moondragon reaches back to rummage in her belt pouches, tugging out a smartphone and setting it on the table. "Very well. That is generous of you." she murmurs. "Allowing someone you have only just met to stay."
A soft laugh. "And I am asking of you a great service, possibly a dangerous one — more so for me, than for you, of course." Avery flips the hair back over her shoulder, and grins. "Truly, it seems small recompense for what I have asked and you have said you were willing to attempt." She takes out her own phone then, actually vanishing a moment before returning from her bedroom with hers to do the contact information exchange. "As you are my guest, I would offer you the bedchamber, Miss Moondragon."
Moondragon waves it off. 'That is not required. I am very used to not having a bed and using a floor or meditating to rest." she explains steadily, her eyes flicking to the flipped hair. "And it is an interesting puzzle, and I am fond of them. As long as you are willing to try with me, I will see what I can do."
"Very well, then." Avery smiles, apparently much more at her ease now that things are afoot. The hair thing, probably something she does when stressed or just thoughtful, she is not even really aware of it. "So…what shall we do in the mean time, I do have to work on the morrow, but I have some time err I need to rest." She hops up and moves to the linen closet, digging out clean sheets, a pillow, and a folded blanket. All simple, but better than nothing, right? The bedding is set on the small coffee table, and then she plops back down on the couch, and grins. "You will be my first guest." Yes, she's got a lot of energy, and hosting a guest is obviously something that makes her happy!
It's certainly better than what Moondragon has usually had for sleeping arrangements over the past fifteen years or so. She smiles faintly at the energy, remaining seated on the couch as Avery bustles around. "Hmm. I'm not sure. What do people in this place do for entertainment?" she wonders, her hands casually resting on her knees in what seems like a natural lotus position for her.
"Well, we could watch a movie…exchange stories of our past adventures, though that is more in keeping with my old life of course." Avery fiddles with her hair again a mite. "I have some board games, and a deck of cards. On the other hand we could spar, can always train to pass the time." Curious, she looks to Moondragon. "But what is it that /you/ enjoy doing, Miss Moondragon?"
"Hm, I think we already had our spar for the evening with those fools at the bank." Moondragon notes after some thought. "I am not adverse to sharing stories. I don't know how to play cards, unfortunately." She purses her lips. "…I enjoy pushing the limits of my abilities. But that does seem to be the sort of relaxing evening you prefer."
Warm laughter, and a nod. "Indeed!" Avery agrees. "In sooth they did seem capable enow for most people, but methinks either of us could have handled the lot with dispatch." Avery's eyes are bright. "The man with the knives you finished last had potential, however. Good technique." At the mention of cards, she laughs softly. "I only know Go Fish, and Blackjack, I am afraid my cards repertoire is most limited. As to pushing limits - I am intrigued - how so? Did you have something in mind?" A sly grin, yes, that pun was certainly intentional!
Moondragon squints a bit, vague memories of Go Fish rising in her head. "…I think I knew how to play Go Fish. Though it has been a long time." she admits. "Mm, this is not a good surrounding for pushing power levels, however. Too much damage would be done to structures. Perhaps another time however." She hesistates. "…we could search for…Fish, with the cards, while sharing stories, perhaps?"