☼ 004 ☼ | Video

[wilder]

[Filtered from Seles]

[A rare video feed from Kaneis comes on, partly because one of his roommates had to turn on the tablet. It becomes quickly apparently why- it seems his hands and locks of his hair are tangled up with strips of brightly colored leopard print duct tape. Someone attempted to do home repairs when they knew absolutely nothing about home repair. The background shows one giant hole in the wall about six inches in diameter, just to give you an idea. Allen is next to him, trying to get some of the duct tape off]

Okay okay- I'll ask! Just get me outta this stuff!

[He gives a huff and looks at the camera. He looks rather disgruntled]

Say, does anyone out there know where a person can get a couch? Ours kinda...got wrecked the other day and we can't fix it.

Oh and, stuff to seal up holes in the wall? That'd be good too.

Thanks in- [And then he YELLS "OW" as Allen his roommate pulls a piece out of his hair not so gently]

ALLEN! THAT WAS MY HAIR!

[Transmission end!]

Comments

[aequivoci]

What is his status within the Order?

[anklets]

Exorcist.

[aequivoci]

[ ...

hm. he might have to dig a bit deeper into where exactly she was brought from. ]

Is that pain in the ass [ Lvellie of course ] still forcing your brother to keep my idiot apprentice and I separated?

[anklets]

[There's a tightness to her that had not been there before. She feels it in her toes. In her lungs. He's planted some bitter seeds, now; the Inspector is enough to make the shadows beneath her eyes look positively ugly.]

I suppose so. [ "force"... it's a word she strongly associates with that man ] You'd both just left for Central.

[aequivoci]

[ and the points of the timeline are now marked. he crosses his arms as he walks towards Lenalee, changing the topic now that he knows where they stand. ]

And what has become of your Innocence during your time here?

[anklets]

[ ...well, she warms slightly when he nears her ]

It's fine. The Initiative hasn't touched it.

[aequivoci]

[ he stops in front of him, taking her chin in his hand as he examines her face. his hand will drop once he is happy with what he sees. ]

Good. We do not need a surprise to see what their sentience would do when in the same space as the Innocence.

[anklets]

[The way she lifts it in his hand could be construed as challenging, were she someone, anyone else; she's brambles save for where her allies are concerned, raising her chin so he can inspect, as the Order always inspects.]

It isn't their duty to go poking about anti-Akuma weaponry in a place without Akuma. [ and she does not wish to take the Fall for it ] And yours, General?

[aequivoci]

It remains intact. [ his hand brushes his coat, shifting it enough that, if Lenalee is looking. she will see the gleam of black steel in a leg holster around his left thigh. ] They could give me a lifetime of Romanée-Conti, and I still wouldn't allow them to mess with Judgement. I'd gladly keep the wine, though.

[anklets]

[ is always looking (the Order always inspects), and it relieves her

(she never wanted to be relieved by weaponry) ]

I have to wonder if there is any Romanée-Conti to be found in this place.

[aequivoci]

[ he smirks as his hands rest on his hips, looking to the side as a flash of gold flies in — Timcanpy. ]

I'm not holding my breath. I will simply have to...strongly encourage them to do a mission for a large supply sooner rather than later. [ Timcanpy will fly around Cross and then settle on Lenalee's shoulder. ]

[anklets]

[Lifting a hand, she rubs the spot between the golem's wings. Solid. Reaffirming, again, that this is not the preface to another nightmare.]

You would be the one to convince them, General. Somehow, things always seem to bend in your favour. [ wry ] Almost always.

[aequivoci]

[ Timcanpy flutters his wings at the rub!! Cross scoffs lightly, the smirk never really going away. ]

They'll learn fast enough to let me have my way. Some wine and cigarettes for my time & effort shouldn't be an absurd demand.

[anklets]

But it is still a demand.

[aequivoci]

More like a strongly-worded request.

Speaking of missions, exactly what do they entail?

[anklets]

Meddling with the past.

[ "meddling" ]

[aequivoci]

[ he scoffs lightly. ]

How exciting. So hardly anything is done in the present?

[anklets]

[ hardly anything, until they've no choice but to fight (and lose) in the now ]

Have you had the chance to look into the events of the past few months, General?

[aequivoci]

[ how exhilarating ]

Only a quick skim. [ because it is boring to do a detailed read without a sip of wine to help him read through the bullshit. ]

[anklets]

They destroyed a Transport's world. [ brings Tim from her shoulder so that she can worry his cheeks ] Shipped a virus to the island. Dropped bombs on the Hold.

[aequivoci]

[ Tim lets her do that because cute girl!! yay!! ]

What a joy. [ and the sarcasm is strong in his voice ]

[anklets]

[He is blessed to be so malleable. Worry worry.]

Is it so different from what we've come from?

[aequivoci]

[ he is blessed to be in the hands of a cutie patootie. squish squish. ]

Certainly not. Your brother would still have a fit over your well-being anyway. [ he pauses for a moment and then swears under his breath in another language, probably one of many he's picked up from his travels. ] His damn robots would liven up this place, even if they malfunction seconds after starting.

[anklets]

[Most people have had the wisdom to be more careful of mentioning the estranged sibling in front of her, General. A pucker appears between her brows, fondly. He won't ever realise she's been gone.]

He doesn't need to become involved in this. He belongs at home. So do you, General, but I hold faith that you will take to these waters.

[No Vatican to tail him, for one.

Her hands do not stop their pulling.]

[aequivoci]

[ Cross isn't "most people," darling Lenalee.

"Home." the word makes him want to laugh, a bitter, harsh laugh, but he refrains from doing so. he may not consider it a home, but the person in front of him certainly would not agree in some aspects. ]

Being back in the Order's clutches and with Lveille breathing down my neck, I doubt they'd send me off again without heavy surveillance. As for Exsilium, I will manage. I still want my wine and cigarettes, damnit.

[ he notices her hands still pulling and stretching Timcanpy and waits for a moment when they come close once more, and then playfully knocks Timcanpy into the air with a loose fist from her grasp. and in an equally lighter tone than before: ]

Timcanpy is a wonderful pillow that needs no stretching, Lenalee.