.: Chapter Thirty-Two: Fading :.
.:1.23.2018:.
She spent a better of the afternoon staring at her PCUI when she received a reply from Mesteno. Just stared. Seriously....The way he had acted before she figured he had lost his phone and any connection with her whatsoever so at first it was simply trying to figure out if it was him that sent it. By the time she actually replied it was closing in on the evening and the weather outside was starting to dip a bit to the cooler side.
The message was simple: an offering for the sadist to visit in a place he had never been. Rather...she invited him to her home. Asile-aux-Falaises, as her brother deemed it, was built on a mountain side overseeing the ocean and just on the borders of town so he would not only receive the text offering to visit but also directions.
Mesteno had never been good with directions, and was too stubbornly proud to resort to the modern convenience of GPS. Likely, it existed somewhere on his battered phone, but if that were the case, he hadn't explored its unappreciated functions to find out. So of course he wound up lost en route as he entered unknown territory, finally arriving at the cliff-top residence a half an hour later than he'd planned.
Despite the wall, he'd view enough of the property beyond it to realise that Katt wasn't slumming it (as if the address hadn't hinted it already) but it amused him to recall her visiting Sanctuary, the cabin so run down and shabbily maintained that most likened it to a warzone. He wound down his window (literally, manually winding it down - he hadn't entered the 21st century) at the gate to speak over the intercom for admittance, and so long as Diana didn't see fit to deny him entry, drove on until he found suitable parking, before sliding out and leaving his eyesore of a van on the avant garde property.
He amused himself imagining Katt arriving to welcome him at the door in pastels with a rich woman's manicure and some feather-trimmed, flouncy loungewear, which might have been why there was a renegade glint in his eyes if she came to answer his knock, rather than someone in her employ.
Mesteno would find that he'd barely have to speak a word into the intercom before the gate was opening. Why was that' Simply enough, really. Out of the handful of people Katt trusted Mesteno was pretty damn high on that list and that list had him on Diana's watch list, so to speak. So once the A.I. knew who he was it gave him full access without even need of verification. The guy could come and go at all hours if he deemed it, not that he knew it!
No guards to greet him, though there was a mighty big cat lounging out in the sun in the middle of the yard. The beast was about the size of a lion but black as night with lighter stripes. It gave Mesteno absolutely no care, as cats tended to do in that oh so indifference way. It seemed to be the only thing, other than Katt, to be around.
There was no waiting Katt at the door but she was around somewhere close enough that she heard the vehicle coming. No fancy outfit, not even shoes. She was in, instead, a pair of tattered jeans and a t-shirt that looked like it had seen better days. Oddly enough her hair was tied up in a ponytail. This is what greeted him as she came circling the side of the building, arms folding as she casually strolled to the edge of the driveway. Once he was out (and yes she would wait until he was completely out) she unfolded her arms to raise a hand in greeting.
His feet detoured him towards her once she was spotted, his study unrepentant. Brief though their last encounter had been at the inn, he hadn't forgotten things overheard, and now he searched for any indication of lasting physical damage. Katt had survived much. Anything that had hit her hard enough to compromise her mind must have been considerable. He approached without more than a glance toward the equally indiferent feline, which was either extremely foolhardy of him, or merely a sign of his own trust, upon entering someone else's territory.
"Ah, the Lady of the House," he drawled as he neared, and here the evidence of a smile did slip past the grim norm of his expression. "Come to escort me to the servant's entrance?" he asked. "Can't have the rabble entering through the front?" It was good natured teasing, rather than any real hostility. If there were even any neighbours close enough to spy (and he doubted it), a place of this size, and with Batten technology installed, was likely going to have good defenses about peeping toms. Katt could probably have thrown an orgy and have no one be the wiser. No one would care about one disreputable man showing up.
And really, that was precisely what he looked like. Something playing at dress up, trying to pass for civilised.
The Moor Cat would only react if needed to and since the one it was bound to was calm, so was it. Though really it was lazy and spoiled. While she waited for Mesteno a look was given towards the great beast before her sharp greens found the man again. What notes he would find in his observation was actually a very noticeable one - she looked exhausted. Her movements less fluid and sluggish though she did her best to conceal this. It took effort to simply shift from one foot to another, which she did as she regarded the man thoughtfully.
"Mrm?" She blinked slowly at him before tilting her head and scoffing. There came a low, throaty chuckle at his tease. "If we were going inside, maybe." She gestured to the side in the direction she had arrived from, looking to take him around the building to the back porch. Past the infinity pool and to the sitting area. She was curious to see his reaction to the warming stones the porch was made of and the low flow of warm air that kept the winter chill at bay. "I know you aren't a big fan of sweets ...or food in general..but I do have something to offer you in the ways of drink." And she never knew him to pass up on a good drink.
His eyes narrowed, scrutiny all the sharper. What had been a burgeoning smile waned as if it'd never been. Whatever had happened, plainly she hadn't yet recovered fully. While he theorised, given his own recollections of her usually rapid recovery, he stepped into motion alongside her, strides unhurried. For now he was content to move at her pace, the better to study her, and keep track of where she led. The place was big enough that he was just as likely to lose his way as he would on the roads.
"You don't need t'play hostess f'me, Katt," he reminded her, content to dispense with any formalities. "And you have a lot of faith in my ability to drive safely under the influence. I won't pass up a water though, if it's not putting you out." Mesteno's scruples might be somewhat lacking, but he was a fiend for driving responsibly.
His gaze skirted out temporarily, to the view beyond the infinity pool as they moved alongside it. He could understand the appeal, the exorbitant luxury of it, but it still didn't fit with his perception of the artlessly dressed, barefoot woman he walked beside. Knowing of her associations, it didn't take much effort to conclude who was responsible for the opulence of the place. He barely managed to keep from asking her whether he was going to end up on surveillance footage somewhere.
He would find her pace slow and unhurried even if he had sped on ahead. Likely to get lost. "You took your time getting here." A little jab in return as she guided him along. A brow rose up as she tilted her gaze up to him. "Host' Why would I do that. Aren't you a friend coming over for a visit. I am hosting any party." In a roundabout way it was her saying her home was his. Though she probably should start placing up arrows so he knows where to go if he got lost! If you are going to be here for a while I am sure one glass isn't going to send you spiraling off the road but if it is water you wish..." That was clearly no problem.
A single table was set aside for what was company, it seemed. Four chairs despite only two people, a bottle of some amber liquid and a few glasses, and a pitcher of water. Not that she knew he was going to ask for it but rather it was for herself. The condition she was in made it hard to deal with too much and that included liquor.
Scratching back her bangs she'd would wait, letting him pick which seat he wanted if he were to sit at all. "You know...I was surprised to get your text. Last time we talked you seemed rather...busy. I guess that is what has been keeping you for the past few weeks?" Month. Something like that...
"I don't recall having ever driven out this way, to be honest." The confession came as he selected a seat, dropping into it with an inelegant bonelessness and a grunt jostled from his throat. Briefly, he considered the ground instead, because floors had always been his preferences, but instead he watched Katt, to see if she handled herself with any particular delicacy as she sat herself in one of the other chairs. "I could get lost in a wet paper bag, where cities are concerned. Unless it's alleys. I'm good with those."
Alleys and wilderness. He was equally at home in either. Plainly he didn't intend to dwell on excuses for his lateness though. Instead he addressed her latter comment, unsurprised by it.
"Things're pretty unsettled right now," he admitted with a grimace. "Nothings been right for over a year. I'm sleeping in the van as often as I am with a real roof over my head and I'm never sure when things are just gonna show up and cause a shit storm. It's less busy and more....unsure how safe it is to stop in the city for more than a little at a time." He snatched a glance at the sky then, as if he half expected storm clouds to start gathering, though from what he could say it was merely a uniform, wintry grey. "Sorry if it seemed rude," he had the good grace to say. "Y'probably not the only one pissed."
If it were not for him she likely would of sat on the ground herself. Warming stones made for good heated seating after all. Pulling two glasses to the side she poured water in both to the rim before sliding one over within his reach. Only when this was done did she actually settle into a seat, choosing across from him. She was more like slumping down into her seat rather than the usual straight back sitting she usually did but it may have been because she was flattening her feet to those stones. Ahh! Warmth.
As he started to speak she leaned in her seat, attention turning to him as if giving full attention. It sounded like he had his own brand of trouble. Slowly her brows furrowed and her lips parted to say something only to draw closed. She was still trying to figure how to tell him about her memory loss....but by the sounds of it they hadn't talked about this before so it was easy to conclude that it wasn't something she had forgotten. "Things" What sort of things?" She found she had to stop to ask herself if she could help. One, she was in no condition to and she was well aware of her limits, and two, if he wanted her help he would have asked so by now, correct' Instead she turned her eyes up to the sky as, trying to see what it was he was searching for. His apology, however, caused her to blink and look back down to him. "Pissed?" She shook her head slowly to him. "I am not pissed, Mesteno. Concerned would be better to describe. After all you asked me to call you and I get no reply...Several times in fact."
"I got so used to being talked to in my head that phones..." he grimaced. This was Rhy'Din, where anyone suggesting they heard voices upstairs likely didn't need to explain or worry about being considered lunatic, so he spared Katt the temple-tap to indicate what he meant. "You're not the only one I found a few messages from, let's just put it that way. It was pretty well buried when I dug it out of the sand."
Another mystery, though he didn't offer to explain why it might have been lost in sand. Instead he addressed her other question, reaching forward to collect the glass of water with murmured thanks.
"A long time ago, I did something stupid for fun. Now it's having repercussions. My presence has been brought to the attention of a bunch of beings that can't decide whether they want to use me like a game piece, or just wipe me off the board entirely. And you know, I hate chess references, because everyone uses that shit." Rough spoken as always, words half snarl."Same lot I was having trouble with this time last year when we spoke though..." And now he eyed her, attention wicked-bright and unblinking, "You might not remember much of that."
He might have left it at that, a prompt, but he wasn't taking chances. "What happened to you? You're all sorts of wrong."
Use to being talked to in his head - now that was new to her. She had not been aware he had such abilities but maybe that was for the best. As long as he didn't attempt such on her if only for his own health. "I am not surprised, really. While you don't seem to think so...you are pretty popular..."
Folding her arms over the tabletop she continued to listen, not interrupting or at least attempting not to. His words gave her much food for thought and many questions sprang up due to it. She may have started into those questions if it wasn't the fact that he was already on the ball with his own. It was then she turned her eyes. "All sorts of wrong, huh?" She knew the question was coming but not like that. The statement of being all wrong had her silent. Eventually she sighed out and turned her eyes to him. "I can honestly say that I don't know everything. Clayton has informed me best that he could. I was infected, in a sense, by something that was attempting to take over my body. Not like use it for a period but rather take it over and kill off what made me..me..." Her brows furrowed a bit. "My brother did something to me and I don't know what because..he is missing. What I do know, as limited as it is..is that I was in a state of uncertainty for a few months, locked in a sort of crystal chrysalis." She paused for a moment, regarding her own water, but she knew if she stopped now she may not continue. "I woke up without a lick of memory. Clayton was able to assist to a degree with that but I am still missing four years or so and there is a bunch of holes in my memories as is."
Leaning back in her seat she looked back up to him again, scratching at the side of her neck. "Along with that I ...My condition is questionable and the doctors have no idea what is wrong with me. Best to describe I am like a battery that is losing its energy..." For a moment, brief as it was, her expression dropped into something of helplessness before fading away into that emotionless mask she was so good at keeping up. "So I guess saying I am all sorts of wrong is very ...fitting."
Perhaps predictably, he didn't address her remark on his popularity, but he did make a face as if to suggest he was either extremely dubious it was legitimate, or he thought the whole idea of popularity was a goddamn awful thing to begin with.
Better that she let him lead the conversation to more Katt-centric topics. He immediately looked more comfortable, albeit at her expense. Attentive, as she had been, he listened with ever increasing levels of malaise flattening his mouth, until there was really little more than a bloodless line before he spoke again, all grim-eyed and low growl of a voice.
"I've come across something like that before, a draining like this. I doubt yours is going to be the same root cause," that particular threat had been dealt with, but the methodology...."You're not short on advanced tech, so I'm going to go ahead and assume here that you've gone through about every kind of medical examination the city has to offer, looking for a scientific explanation for the draining you mention. If you haven't already looked into arcane reasons, that'd be next on the agenda, but if that chrysalis you were in before was keeping you stabilized and preventing the drain, you'd be better off back in there until a long-term fix has been sorted. Otherwise you're gonna end up wiping out somewhere you're vulnerable."
As if expecting protest, he lifted a finger. Wagged warning.
"I know you don't wanna be back in there and you got your pride 'n shit, but that's not important if you wind up dead."
His expression pretty much mirrored her own when someone made the comment she was so say...popular. So she likely found his expression to be very amusing. That was for another time.
She watched his waggling finger for a moment. Okay so she was considering biting it. What' He was waggling the digit with clear indication that it should be bit! "Not short on tech, no. But we are short on the man who has done something to me that we have no idea about." Her eyes left his finger. "That includes the chrysalis state....We have no answers to what was done to me and what caused the state to begin with." As she spoke her hands clenched against her arms to the point her fingers grew white. There was something else, something that was upsetting her greatly.
"I know my state leaves me vulnerable..." she murmured as she turned her eyes to the table's surface. "I do. But damn if I cannot sit still. I am so frustrated and ...I can't do anything to help my brother. I have spent nights just roaming the streets because I feel so damn restless." Being drained and restless at the same time made for one hell of a combination. One she did not appreciate!
Important she didn't wind up dead. Important' She looked up to him and raised a brow.
Likely he would not respond well to a bitten finger. It was wagged her way, but at least with a table's distance between them! If he noticed any predatory observation of it though, he didn't respond. Just went right on with his lecture. He was a damn pro at telling other people what they shouldn't be doing, and then being a hypocrite about it.
"I doubt he'd want you out there putting yourself at risk on his behalf, Katt. I don't know a lot about your brother, beyond what you've told me, and last I recall, you said—..." His words seemed to hit a brick wall. Katt had claimed she'd lost four whole years, and that, he was fairly certain, was going to include the period in which she'd confided that her brother was going to die. How much did Clayton fill her in on, he had to wonder. Perhaps she'd catch the implications of that pause. Perhaps she'd fill in the blanks and reassure him that she knew, but until that happened, he wasn't keen on blurting tactlessly, 'he's dying'.
One corner of his mouth pinched tight as he reformulated what he'd meant to say.
"You're not gonna remember the conversation we had in the Dragon's Great Hall a few years back, I figure. But it doesn't change the fact he wouldn't want you at risk on his behalf. Before he left, there was no data stored, no letters written, nothing you had access to that might indicate what the chrysalis was protecting you from, or what might have caused it in the first place?"
This had to be the weirdest feeling she had in a long time. Mesteno, of all people, lecturing her. Why did she feel like this should have been the other way around. "I am not doing it on his behalf, Mesteno. I can't help it. Seriously...I stand around here too long and I get frustrated and start breaking things. I am pretty sure my brother doesn't want me to break his place." Her arms released and she raised her hands to comb her back only to remember it was in a ponytail. His pause caused her hands to rest at the back of her head, sharp greens staring at him. "What was our conversation about?" He should have known that was coming. After all he knew she had no memories so of course she would want to get them back.
At his question of the information her hands slowly lowered, palms flat against her thighs. "If there was it isn't anything I can access. My brother keeps his private stuff...well...private. So Diana requires a certain passcode in order to access that stuff." She slowly shrugged to him. "I can ask Clayton though. I never really thought of the chrysalis protecting me from something." While it may not of seemed it, Mesteno's lecture was helping. Helped add a few questions that might fill blanks.
"Seems strange he'd keep something relevant to your health behind security you're not privileged to get past," he remarked, though his tone suggested he was musing over it, speaking aloud rather than really expecting any reply. "Unless he was trying to protect you from information he thought would do more harm than good." He didn't pretend to know the way Batten's mind worked. Playboy millionaire's likely had a logic entirely different to that of sadistic necromancers with the bad habit of forgetting where their cellphones might have been left.
He didn't want to touch on that conversation. Was avoiding it, unrepentantly, so he outright didn't answer. She was probably going to have to get pushy about that!
Again he fired questions instead, checking that bases had been covered, that beyond the future-tech, the talents of Rhy'Din's preternatural populace hadn't gone unsuspected. "This draining. Have you been able to follow where the energy is being drained to' And if so, what did you find at the other end" Is it only happening when you're in certain locations, with certain people, or at odd times of the day' Have you approached someone you trust with mental talents who could try and unlock the amnesia patches in your head?"
She gave him a look that clearly stated that he was not being helpful! "He keeps much from me and I seem to find out in the most unorthodox ways. That being said I don't know if he even kept records. I mean I know for a long time now he's been experimenting with my blood. Since things like aspirin have no effect on me he made me my own brand of aspirin to help me." She grinned, seeming rather proud of her brother for such a small feat. He really had the brains that she had no chance of shoeing when the time came.
His dodging of the question did not go unnoticed. She noticed this rather quickly, in fact. Her brother did the same thing when he was avoiding answering! "Drained...to?" Her head tilted. "I don't think there is anything draining the energy from me. At least I do not feel such a pull. Instead it seems like....Like I can't keep energy and I am quickly feeling like I have none to keep to begin with." Her arms moved again, this time to rest atop the table with palms flat. "Last time I approached someone to touch my mind, my own nearly drove them insane so no...not looking to go in that direction. I have been told that either the memories will likely return on their own..." As she spoke this bit her eyes tilted up to him. "What are you hiding, Mesteno' What is it that we talked about that you won't answer to?"
It required a lot of trust, to hand over ones blood and give another free rein over what they did with it. Mesteno didn't question that trust, but he did make another remark. "Seems weird that you'd let him do whatever he wanted and he wouldn't return the favour. But then, I suppose he trusted you with other shit..."
He groaned, set his untouched water back on the table and rubbed both palms over his face as she went tugging at the thread of conversation he'd been so eager to leave behind. There was some R-rated cursing in his native tongue going on behind those hands, and Katt ought to be glad she didn't understand it.
"Fine," he muttered darkly, "I'm only telling you this though because he already told you once, so he obviously wanted you to know. Not my business, really, to keep it from you. And if you already know, there's no harm done anyway." Did he sounds like he was reasoning with himself" "You told me he was dying. That he didn't have long. At the time I thought you meant he had maybe weeks or months, but here we are a couple of years down the line, and I guess he's still busy, so maybe he found a cure after all and fixed it. Is any of this ringing bells?"
It was weird and something she didn't have an answer to which is why she lowered her eyes. She wanted her brother to trust her and even though she knew he did but to what extent' After all he didn't tell her a number of things and kept her in the dark until it was too late. She started to fidget before forcing her hands flat. His sudden cursing helped with that.
Her eyes turned up to him and he was given such a dumbfounded look. While she didn't know what he was saying it didn't exactly sound like he was singing joyful tunes. That and his body language spoke volumes. "Am I supposed to pretend I understood all of that' I could ask Diana to translate for me." She may of very well of meant it too! His dark tone kept a teasing tone from rising, though. Seriously how could she tease him when he looked like he was being tortured!
His words gave her pause but it was soon enough she realized where he was going. Part of her wanted to laugh but instead a softness took hold of her sharp gaze. "Oh, that. Yes, Mesteno. I ...I know. Clayton told me after...after I had a run in with the person holding him captive. She decided to allow me to see my brother through a portal mirror to which I ...may of jumped down his throat." She scratched at her hands sheepishly. "He greeted me in such a nonchalant manner that it seemed like he was more of a house guest than a prisoner. We barked at each other and before the portal closed I could see him in some great pain. That...is the last I saw of him." Which has lead to her restlessness. "I don't want those words to be my last time him, Mesteno." Her hands clenched tight as she said those words.
He didn't bother to remark on a possible translation. Better she forget all about the obscenities and focus on what he'd just confessed. Which, as it turned out, was nothing she hadn't known already. The only obvious sign of his relief was a slow, quiet exhalation, and the slight easing of his posture through the shoulders and spine, as if he'd been subconsciously been holding himself ready for action of some sort. Neither fight or flight would have been entirely appropriate for the situation had she been shocked, but that didn't stop the instinct priming his wiry muscles!
"Sounds like you're not quite as in the dark as I thought you were," he remarked, "especially if you actually know who has him. So what?s she demanding" She's taken him for a reason, obviously. Blackmail" Revenge" And is it personal, or is she trying to get at you through him?" Important questions. Ones he was far more comfortable talking about than he had been the issue of Batten's looming expiration date.
He reached for his glass again, and this time drained half the contents before he set it back down, knuckling a stray drop from his lower lip and clearing his throat quietly before he addressed the other issue they'd been discussing. "Your energy....if it's not being drained from you to be utilised by someone else - which is really damn wasteful by whoever's done this to you," his tone suggested he thought they were an idiot for it! "then can we consider it a tactic from this woman who has him captive to keep you from just going on the warpath effectively to try and get 'im back" Like they've managed to target you with some virus that's keyed to you. Personal biological warfare."
Oh it was quite clear he expected her to react not as she had. Probably expecting tears and freaking out, both she was all but sure the man didn't know how to handle so why did that amuse her" It was a tiny bit, mind you, but endearing at the same time. At the same time it was a reminder of sorts, at least to her. One that she would not be bringing up lest make the man uncomfortable. Well more.....
"Mrmm..." The sound rattled her throat at his question and her lips slowly pursed. Her reasons...."I can say I honestly do not know. She is forcing him to work on something but what it is, I have no idea. Part of me thinks...No....I know she is also keeping him as a sort of torture for me. She thought I knew about his condition, which I didn't up until recently, but knowing she has him has been driving me up the wall." Adjusting in her seat she turned her eyes out to the long scape of water that reached out to the horizon. "The woman is a nutcase and one I should of killed..." The words were low and she did not try to hide the venom they held.
It was in that moment she flinched and turned her eyes on him. He sure did know how to choose his words and in this case he hit the nail quite squarely. "You are a very smart man, Mesteno." It was followed by a single-noted chuckle. "What you speak of, the biological warfare..." The virus..." Raising a hand she tapped at her temple where the dark veins had at least eased up some. "That is what she had done to me and my brother countered. Reversed?" They both knew by now she had no clue what her brother did so she didn't clarify it past that. "The woman set a virus in me that was, from my understanding, suppose to wipe me out and replace what makes me...me...with something that is her. Kind of like..mmm.." Her head tilted one way then the other as she considered the word she was looking for, "replicate" Yes...we can say that. Replicate herself into .." she gestured to her body. "If this lack of energy is that virus or her doing, I couldn't say, but if it was I would think she would take better advantage of my condition than she has been. Up until now she has just been removing people from helping me...She enjoys watching me feel...helpless to the situation."
"Rhy'Din's full of nutjobs that need wiping out. You're not the only person to have regretted past mercy when it comes back to bite 'em in the ass. Or....just not having been thorough." In case mercy had nothing to do with it. He wasn't about to ask, and made a dismissive gesture with one hand as if it didn't matter either way.
For a moment he turned to peer out over the bay view, and frowned. It should have been cold as Hel's breath up there, and yet here they were, sat outside without a single shiver assailing him. He didn't question it though. Put that 'very smart' brain of his (he'd refrained from laughing when she said it by only a small margin) to use and deduced that it was likely some kind of climate control. Thankfully he was too focused on the conversation at hand to bother investigating why, his concentration deepening to the point his eyes had a glassy, far-seeing aspect.
He still sounded somewhat distant when he spoke again, as if really, he was musing aloud, rather than discussing it with her. "What she was trying to achieve suggests she's capable of some fairly advanced biological tampering. Perhaps in his rush to prevent the take-over, your brother didn't eradicate every....process" It's starting so sound as much computer science as genetics." His mouth twisted in undisguised malaise before he went on. "Perhaps to fuel the changes she intended, the virus had to use your body's own energy to achieve it, and that part didn't get shut off properly. So it's still burning through your system and not actually achieving anything" Fuck if I know, I never did science in school. What I know now is only because Lexius has been teaching me." He'd a habit of getting involved with men smarter than he. Not that it was hard to find them! "What're your plans?"
Her reasons were probably foolish to anyone she spoke it to so she never said anything about it. Most just chalked it up to mercy and she was fine with that though there were times she wondered if she was simply so weak for falling prey to her own fears. "I think when it comes to her, in particular, there is a lot of biting of both my brother's ass and mine. She claims to love him but...the things she's done to him makes me think more of an obsession than love."
Shifting in her seat she tucked a leg under herself, using it as a sort of prop up so she didn't seem like she was slouching so much. He had points, more than he realized, with his words. Still, she was putting him in danger with just telling him this much. "I don't know..." she found the words were muttered much lower than she had meant them to be. His musings did give her some routes to check and suggest to the team. "At least you went to school..." The words came with a light teasing tone. "Sir Lexington. Shame on you for telling me that. I hope he..." She paused, deciding that her choice of words were not the best in this situation. The mention of the other man did bring questions that she had to tame down.
At his own question she blinked and turned her eyes to him. "What are mine plans. That...is a good question. I suppose I should just stay home and let Clayton and Leo deal with the situation of my brother. I don't think I will be much help and as you said, it would be bad for me to be caught somewhere in my condition." She obviously didn't care for the idea of leaving it to other people. "Help out were I can here without putting myself out there..." she gestured in the direction of the city proper as her hand lowered she uttered a single word. "Meh."
"Until I was seven. Then there was some....serious class cutting." It didn't take a stretch of the imagination to reach the conclusion. He just hadn't gone! "And sorry about Lexius. Nothin' meant by it." That he felt comfortable letting his rare moments of humour glare through the cracks when he was around her, suggested he'd known she wouldn't be offended. Merely a pity she had no recollection of anything. "I'll introduce you properly, one day. He's not much of a talker, and he's kind of difficult to get to know, but don't take it personally. He's just bad at socialising. Like me, but a whole lot worse."
Following the gesture she made with his eyes, he offered a grunt of acknowledgement to her discontent word (sound") and offered her a look of commiseration. "It's a shitty situation, Katt. Really. And I know it's gotta be driving you mad. I also don't think you're gonna be able to stick out the whole sittin' back and letting everyone else take care of things for very long. Sometimes it's hard to trust other people to do what you feel you could be doin' yourself, even if they are people you're close to. Especially when it's putting them in the line of fire, too." Especially, he did not add, but very much thought, when it was a lover." I hope that your brother is makin' the most of the time with her to try and find a way to get to the bottom of your health problem. It's a good opportunity for enemy insight. Maybe this time around, you an' yours can put an end to Ms. Nutjob."
"Oh...I am not offended or anything but your friend didn't seem enjoy being called that very much. Pretty sure I saw him looking at you like he was about to take it out on your hide." Better her saying than something else, right' Yeah, even she caught that one! "I would like that. To properly meet him, that is." Her lips twitched then ticked into a sort of crooked smile, "If I didn't know better you just described me in a nutshell." After all, who was it that usually sat and watched people" Good grief, how long had she been doing that now if she couldn't remember the last four years"
The roguish touch of her smile faded though not fully. "Yeah. See I think you know me too well." She chuckled when his assessment of her and the situation. He was right. Chances are she wouldn't be able to sit on her hands and do nothing. It would drive her even more mad. "I don't know, Mesteno. I honestly don't think my brother could kill her, even if given the chance." A hand lifted up, briefly, before lowering - apparently she was about to do something but decided against it.
"If I die..I go out fighting. You know that right' But I don't plan on dying if I can't help it. I do.." No. Appreciate didn't cover how his concern made her feel. "I am honored to have a friend like you, Mesteno. Thank you." Yeah, probably a bit squishy talk for the sadist but heart-given regardless. "I will admit I am sort of surprised you aren't trying to use my condition against me to earn some payback."
"No challenge in it when you're like this," he pointed out reasonably, "and besides, this kind thing isn't a subject that's exactly ticklin' the old funny bone." His expression matched his words. Even the rogue smile she'd offered him wasn't something he could offer in kind. There was a tenacious frown, and a certain tension to the corners of his mouth just as reluctant to budge. Thoughtfully, he rubbed at the nape of his neck, and looked out over the water again, rather than at her.
"You're usually hard to kill." He stated bluntly. He'd seen her pock-marked with bullet holes at the Red Dragon, and he knew of the damage Ravenlock had done her, years ago. "Right now it's soundin' like you might just burn out before you ever get chance to face this bitch. That's not somethin' to laugh over. The hell's so special about this bitch that you don't think he could kill her, anyway?" The way Katt had worded it left him with an inkling that she meant she was resilient in unnatural ways, rather than just thinking Batten had some kind of soft side making things awkward.
Before she could answer, he hummed a low note of discontent, and added, "If I were a real good friend I'd be offerin' to help you out with this." There was no excuse he offered as to why he wasn't. Hopefully, Katt knew him well enough to guess at the truth of the matter. He was barely keeping his head above water with things himself. Didn't want his trouble finding her, when she was weak...and it just might. Even sat there in her home, there was a chance something might come prowling after him to see what he was up to.
Again, he had a point and despite his frown...she smiled - granted it was a ghostly variety of it. Even that faded as he spoke and her eyes slowly drew closed. "I am not laughing over that, Mesteno. But if I don't laugh, even a little, at something..anything...I may very well drown more than I already am." She took a moment of silence, her head tipping one way. She felt the tears threatening at her lashes but for his sake she managed to will them down.
A slow exhale passed her lips and her eyes opened, half-mast and focused on him. "Because at one time he loved her. I think he may even still...to a degree..or just can't let go of that feeling enough that he would kill her. I don't know. Maybe he even feels responsible for her state of being though I can't seem to think the woman has always been mad and she just talks a good game at pretending not to be batshit crazy."
Her eyes opened fully and she chuckled softly. "That right there makes you more than a good friend, Mesteno. But we both know you have your plate full enough as is and besides...It is nice to have someone I can confide in and trust like this so trust me when I say you have been helping. You are one of two people who have actually taken the time out to check on me when they saw how I was looking." She wasn't going to insult him by saying she also wasn't going to ask for help because the woman was attacking anyone who even so much as hinted at helping her.
He was oblivious to the carefully stalled tears, too busy glaring at the ocean as if he could blame it for the current state of affairs. He did tilt his head her way when she spoke again though, and tilted a look sidelong at her, as if the prospect of Batten having been romantically involved with his kidnapper made him want to start ranting about how batshit crazy her brother must be for feeling anything even remotely for her, after what she'd done to Katt. In the end he let it go though. It was no less than what had happened to Evander with Niamh. "Like some weird fuckin' stockholm syndrome." It was finally, sullenly offered, and he reached for his water again, though this time only to sip at it absently.
Unsure what to say about the lack of visits, he considered a moment, then turned back to her, legs stretched long under the table. "You'n me, life gives us a good battering. Isn't often we're not sportin' some new scrapes. I dare say that's the way it is for most folks in the city who have some fight in 'em, and those kind of people....well they're survivors. Folks expect them to pull through. They usually expect whatever's causing them problems to be more'n they themselves can handle when push comes to shove, that they'll just get in the way, hinder rather'n help, you know?" He seemed to expect that she did, because he went right on. "I don't have people knockin' at my door either when shit happens. If you're not out in the open, they probably figure it's with good cause, so try not to take it personally."
How reassuring she'd find that, he didn't know. Maybe he was just making excuses for the way people behaved around them, or maybe he'd thought it all to death. One thing he knew for sure, usually people were struggling up their own shit creeks, and usually, minus a paddle.
She was actually waiting for him to ask how it was her brother loved this woman and she wasn't exactly sure how to answer even if it had came up because hell if she knew!! She felt somewhat relieved when it didn't happen. "I don't know. I really don't. Maybe he is fascinated in her mind or something. He does tend to let his thirst for knowledge run away with him. Or his curiosity. Whatever you wish to call it."
Her hand lifted again and this time went through the motion of combing back her bangs and scratching them to meet with the rest of the black on her crown. She didn't want to do it earlier simply because she had been trying to hide the raised, dark veins. "Hey, I tried to check on you but..." Her brows furrowed as she looked to him. "Your place is no longer there. I guess you moved and I don't...remember.." Her hand lowered along her forehead then along her lower face as she huffed. "I do make it a point to check on those I care about."
Her hand paused, fingers barely resting against her chin as if something just...popped into her head. With a tip of her head she turned her eyes to him, looking him over for some reason. After a moment she hummed thoughtfully. "I cannot say I agree or not. Some people are just..too busy with their own lives to really go out of the way to check on others. You know..smoochy face and popping out babies."
"Maybe he got to know her in her lucid moments," he suggested quietly, and not altogether easily. "Maybe he harbours some fool hope that he can fix her one day. Maybe even while he's with her now. Talk her out of whatever crazy she's planning." Could he blame him, were that the case" Calling time on something like that, making the choice to cut out the infection the person had become, was not going to be an easy choice, whatever the case.
He left the subject alone after those brief suggestions, finishing off the water and leaving the glass back on the table. "The place is still mine. It's just not safe to be there anymore. So right now, I don't have a place. I have plans, but it's going to take some work to get it all finalised, so until then, I'm either in the van, in a room at the dragon, in the desert with Lexius, or borrowing a room at my friend Vadriel's. S'not ideal, but stopping in any one place too long is asking for trouble, and I've never really needed much anyway." His home hadn't exactly advertised any particular domestication on his part.
As for the mention of popping out babies, he didn't bother to hide the distaste. "Yeah well, I suppose most folks do that at some point." In a 'fuck knows why' tone of voice, too!
"Lucid. I honestly doubt she ever was. When she was 'with him' she had infected me back then too. I...killed a lot of innocent people on the streets under her command. He may still harbor feelings and hopes for her but I think she has been nothing but using that. She doesn't love him. She just wants him like some obsession." The more she spoke the more her voice seemed to grow dark, almost edging on blood thirsty. "Quite frankly I have stopped caring how he feels about her. I know in the past he has questioned me for not forgiving her for some of the things she has done but this...I will never forgive her..." And if her brother died" There will be no hell that the woman can hide in that Katt would not find her.
Her lips flattened as she listened to him. "Do you want a place to stay' Both you and Lexius may and it is safe. I know a place that has wards and barriers." Even as she asked, she was pushing up out of her seat. She knew he said it wasn't safe to stay in one place too long but if the wards and barriers could provide a sense of peace, she was happy to offer it.
His tone had her pausing and it took her a moment or two but man was it hard not to laugh. "You know ...if I could have kids I would have them call you uncle Mesteno and have them visit you. Every ...day..." Like it was some sort of torture.
Mesteno wouldn't have forgiven either, after hearing what Katt described. He had to hold his tongue after hearing that her brother had questioned the lack of forgiveness. Really, for a genius, he seemed to be lacking some wisdom there! "I hope you get chance to kill her, Katt. Get some fucking closure on the whole mess. Watching her do this to him, now, is salt in the damn wound."
As for needing a place to stay, he offered her a wry smile. "S'kind of you, but I've stayed at places with all sorts of wards and barriers. My own place had 'em extensively, and these things're just..." he struggled to find a term without plain stating he was dealing with Powers. Admitting it was likely to call them right down on their heads. "...I'm safer on the move." He rose as she did, with a faint sigh.
"People 'round here got a habit of makin' me godfather or whatever," he grumbled at her threat. "It's like they want the kid to grow up with mental problems and bits missing." Was he kidding" His face was so difficult to read in that moment that he just might have been serious.
Her brows furrowed then raised. "No. I don't want closure. I couldn't give a rats ass about it. What I want...I..." She swallowed down the lump that suddenly rose in her throat. Every time she thought about it she started to feel sick. "It is him dying with our last words to each other being an argument. I can't stand the thought of it. I don't want him to die thinking he is..less important to me than he really is." The last few words managed from her lips before she sealed them with a frown.
Standing as she was allowed for her to be able to turn to the waterfront, her hands clasping behind her back. Deep breaths, girl. Deep breaths! "That is fine but if you change your mind let me know. I had to use this place when I was being chased. It hides your presence and sound but you need to leave it for at least a few hours every day in order for its barriers to recharge. It is like slipping out of existence." And with her nightmares, sometimes it was best to be where people couldn't hear you scream.
She peered over at him. Him a godfather" The way he sounded was much like how she felt when people said she was a godmother! "Oh who are you kidding. As screwed up as I am' If I could have kids I think they would end up mentally broken or would run away once they could learn to walk. But I am not able to. At least that is what I am told. Being skewered in the gut too many times with swords and pipes will do that." Her head tipped and she peered over to him. "Mesteno' I do have a question....Have I ever given you a bloodjewel?" She knew it was out of the blue of a question but there was a reason.
Briefly, his hand found it's way to her shoulder. The kind of unobtrusive touch barely worthy of notice until it offered a transient, but warmly meant squeeze. Katt had never been keen on physical contact (unless they were hitting each other) and Mesteno was generally awkward with such things anyway. Still, it was an offer of a sort, compassion. He was just careful not to let it come with words, because the damned things could so often be the catalyst to tears, and he knew she'd hate to cry in front of him.
"Is it bad of me to say congratulations on being sterile?" he asked, and sounded genuine in his curiosity. There seemed to be no trauma in her admission of it, but he knew that some would deem him outright callous for thinking it. Whatever she might have answered though, she'd already gone and redirected his interest. There was only the briefest of hesitations as he rifled through his swiss cheese memory, and finally shook his head. "No. What is that' Food?"
The touch didn't startle her as most contacts did but it was him and he was the only one there. Granted if she had turned around and it was someone else with her mind playing tricks on her" That would have blown her mind! The squeeze did have her watching him a bit closer than normal but her eyes held a softness that barely held back the heavy stare that came so natural. She looked how she felt, no doubt. Tired....
A soft chuckle was given. "I don't know. I kinda wish I wasn't. I don't think I would be a good moment but at the same time..never know until you try right?" Okay that felt weird confessing that, of all things, to him! She wasn't sure if he even knew of her fear of kids...and pregnant women. Some things leave scars that nobody can see.
If his hand was still on her shoulder he would likely feel her lax a bit under the touch but not so much as to collapse. As light as the touch was, it felt like it weighed far more. "Mrm' F...food?" She snorted before she could catch herself. "No. I know better than to ask you about food." Her head tilted a bit as she eyed him, making sure he wasn't joking. Why...hadn't she given him one. Of all people she thought he would have one. "Hmm. How..odd.."
To his credit, he did nothing to try and persuade her she was better off as she was. She'd been brave enough to open up to him, so he kept his own natural revulsion of children unmentioned. Offered her a mild shrug. "There are places here in Rhy'Din who can fix anything. And I mean anything. If it's something you really want, you set your heart on it, you'll make it happen somehow. You're right though, I guess most people would want the option."
And like the subject of her brother and his strangely obsessive once-lover, he let the matter of her infertility rest. That she'd chosen to tell him was significant enough a thing that he didn't overlook it though. In fact he felt rather humbled to be so trusted with such a personal detail, even if she had made it plain before now that she had a good deal of faith in him.
When it turned out that what she was offering him wasn't edible, he arched an enquiring brow. "What's odd" Why would you give me jewellery?" Because that was what it had to be, right?
There were very few she trusted and even fewer that she trusted that was on the same level as he. She was guarded, for a reason, but Mesteno had proven himself time and again that he wasn't just worthy of trust but would be someone who was around for her to leave such trust in. She trusted him enough that she was able to reach out and lightly tap her fingers to his elbow without concern of touching him. He never reacted oddly to the way her skin touched.
The touch lasted two seconds before her hand fell almost lifeless to her side and her eyes closed. A soft sigh escaped her. "That can be explained another time, Mesteno. You should go now." She didn't want to admit it but her body felt close to collapse and that was one thing she didn't want to do in front of him. The guy would probably freak the hell out! "Not that I am trying to rid you of my company or vice versa but it is getting late and I am sure you have things to do..."
When her eyes opened to look back at him, she knew how drained she looked and she almost apologized to him for such. "Pardon me for not escorting you back to your truck but I think I should go rest for a bit. I will do my best to stay out of the public for a while until things are safer and will let you know when I am better. Do me a favor though' Do not be afraid to call me or contact me. I like hearing from you. I like conversing. I like sparring with you....just not when I am about ready to faint on you." The last words were spoken as in a way to probably add fire to his heels.
With Katt as plainly as exhausted as she was, he didn't linger about and keep her from collapsing somewhere more comfortable indoors. "Next time then," he agreed simply. "Look after yourself, Katt. I'll keep my phone on me."
Because after seeing how drained she'd become in such a short space of time, it felt like tempting fate to not have it around should she need him. He made his way back to the front of the property unescorted, and in short order, the eyesore of a van was headed back along the clifftop road to town.
(Thank you Mesteno for taking the time to play this scene out with me!)
