Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 12:41:19 GMT -6
Holding a plate filled with snacks, waddling towards the Scot, Sunny couldn't help but chuckle.
"Man, you scared her good, Cal!"
Cal sighs.
"I do feel bad about that. But I understand Ms Clara, after all, I'm not an ordinary individual. It'd be rather foolish to trust an unusual stranger like myself."
"Yeah, and like you don't really see a lot of Celtics around these days!l Sunny adds while slipping on her bottle of prune juice.
Calum shakes his head.
"When referring to the Celts, one does not pronounce Celtics the same way you would that bloody basketball team! And besides, I prefer being called a Pict. I'm not that old." Calum crosses his arms.
Sunny doesn't really understand the distinction or care.
"I mean, dude, you had a vendetta with the Roman Empire, right? That makes you pretty old! Even in a room filled with seniors!"
"I suppose."
"Hey, relax, buddy!" Sunny slaps Calum on the back powerfully loud. He nearly tumbles to the ground! "I know you're not a bad guy. That's all that matters!"
|
|
|
Post by chronoeclipse on Jan 22, 2019 12:58:07 GMT -6
Gavin strutted over to Sunny and Cal.
"Ah you must be Sunny! The time-tossed hippie girl. Enchanting." He said taking her leathery hand to kiss. "You must have an amazing record collection. I'm a bit of a collector myself... and is this the man that sent you back? So interesting to meet you sir." He said shaking the tall mans hand. Across the room Clara made a noise of disapproval.
"It's okay Clara, this is a classic example of codependency. To a certain extent, by sending Sunny back through time it was in a way a bit of kidnapping. And being that Cal here is the only person who knew what had happened to her it was quite natural that Sunny would form a bond with her captor. Truly fascinating. May I ask - how many young women have you - done *this* to? Sent back in time to a point where they would live to experience their original time line again - just as at an older age?" The bearded hipster asked examining Cal as if he was a prized artifact.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 14:17:52 GMT -6
"Oooh, hundreds of thousands?" Cal shrugs. "At one point, you lose track."
Sunny laughs, demeating her drumstick.
"He sends like tons of future grandmas or moms back in time, but he only hangs out with the ones he likes. Like me!"
"And to be clear, it's strictly platonic."
"Duh, you're not really my type, Doctor Knockoff! Now, if you looked like Jodie Whittaker!" Sunny grins, her laugh lines heavily on display.
Cal sighs.
"I also want to be clear, though we're friends because I think Sunny is a good person now, I, admittedly, am not. In my heart, truly, I will always be that angry, shackled little boy, taken away from his homeland, enslaved and brutally whipped, wanting so passionately to wipe out all of my enemies off the face of the earth!"
A little weird to admit. Right?
"You're kinda a good guy, though." Sunny shrugs with her spongy arms. "Get this, he only goes after people if they harm his sister's kids! Isn't that like super sweet?! Every first daughter born, Calum projects from murderers, rapists, you name it! I dunno, I think that's something a good guy does."
|
|
spyguy
Elder Member
Posts: 380
|
Post by spyguy on Jan 22, 2019 14:25:25 GMT -6
"Salutations." He says in a smooth deep voice that almost sounds like what Scotch would sound like if it could talk. He leans in to get a closer look at Lexa, still lightly holding her veiny hand.
"So you're Lexa? The medical student that found herself thrust from your late 20s to near retirement age? How beautifully fascinating." He purrs.
Clara subtly moved Gavin a few steps back to give Lexa some breathing room. "Gavin is a Psychology scholar who specializes in geriatric psychotherapy!" She explains to the women excitedly. "And he's single!" She adds in a sing-songy voice with a slight nudge to Lexa. As Gavin holds her hand in his, she’s immediately struck by how smooth and strong it feels compared to her own, thin and creased and pale.
She feels her cheeks warm again as his voice hits her ears, and was it just her or did her pulse just kick into a new gear?
”Not retired yet, ha ha! I may look like someone’s mom but I’m still just the same, 27 year old me. Just...uh... crinklier. And a little achier some mornings, but who isn’t in this weather huh?”
Monique avoids looking directly at Lexa, letting this train wreck happen all on its own and turning to Calum and Clara.
“So, Mr ‘Time Traveler’, what’s your deal? You just up an zap people into little old ladies? How’s that even work?” She asks, the doubt pretty evident in her voice.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 14:36:54 GMT -6
"Salutations." He says in a smooth deep voice that almost sounds like what Scotch would sound like if it could talk. He leans in to get a closer look at Lexa, still lightly holding her veiny hand.
"So you're Lexa? The medical student that found herself thrust from your late 20s to near retirement age? How beautifully fascinating." He purrs.
Clara subtly moved Gavin a few steps back to give Lexa some breathing room. "Gavin is a Psychology scholar who specializes in geriatric psychotherapy!" She explains to the women excitedly. "And he's single!" She adds in a sing-songy voice with a slight nudge to Lexa. As Gavin holds her hand in his, she’s immediately struck by how smooth and strong it feels compared to her own, thin and creased and pale.
She feels her cheeks warm again as his voice hits her ears, and was it just her or did her pulse just kick into a new gear?
”Not retired yet, ha ha! I may look like someone’s mom but I’m still just the same, 27 year old me. Just...uh... crinklier. And a little achier some mornings, but who isn’t in this weather huh?”
Monique avoids looking directly at Lexa, letting this train wreck happen all on its own and turning to Calum and Clara.
“So, Mr ‘Time Traveler’, what’s your deal? You just up an zap people into little old ladies? How’s that even work?” She asks, the doubt pretty evident in her voice. "Ever watch Doctor Who?" Sunny asks, wrapping her bingo wing around Cal's shoulders. "It's totally like those Weeping Angels!""Not exactly." Cal defends himself. He hates when Sunny makes that comparison."Dude, it's totally like Weeping Angels! And, hey, that's kinda cool. Sucks a little, but at least I'm not dying anytime soon!""If you keep eating like that, I'm certain you will!"
Sunny childishly sticks her out tongue.
"Meh!"Calum sighs."I suppose it's not the worst comparison. That being said, I have more freedom where I send my victims. I usually go fifty years back. However, sometimes, I go farther. For example, one of Cleopatra's Great Grandmothers was actually an 18 year old girl from Chicago circa 1987."
|
|
|
Post by chronoeclipse on Jan 22, 2019 15:21:21 GMT -6
"I also want to be clear, though we're friends because I think Sunny is a good person now, I, admittedly, am not. In my heart, truly, I will always be that angry, shackled little boy, taken away from his homeland, enslaved and brutally whipped, wanting so passionately to wipe out my all of my enemies off the face of the earth!"
"Ha! Did anyone else hear the man in the bowler hat just say he was evil!?" Clara said tossing up her hands as if she was the only sane person in the room.
Gavin had turned his attention back to Lexa. "Yes, it's very clear that there is a young woman inside that... mature package. Your choice of words, the way you hold your body. Even the way you are responding to me saying this is indicative of a contemporary girl my own age rather than someone of my mothers generation." He says giving her a look with his piercing eyes. "Can I get you a drink?"
Clara stands up on a chair to make an announcement. "There are a few more women coming. The e-mailed me to let me know. I'm not sure if they will be bringing guests or not, which is absolutely fine." She says shooting a look at Sunny and Cal. We can all just mingle for a little bit before I convene the meeting.
She hops down from the chair and fixes herself a cranberry juice walks over to Monique who is talking to Cal and Sunny. "Thank you so much for coming." She says specifically to Lexa's roommate. "I wanted to ask you - are you ever nervous that you might catch what um... the thing that Lexa has?" She whispers pointing at Lexa and then smiling sweetly.
|
|
spyguy
Elder Member
Posts: 380
|
Post by spyguy on Jan 22, 2019 17:28:46 GMT -6
Monique glances over at Lexa and shakes her head. “She said the CDC gave them the all clear before they re-opened her wing. According to the hospital, the only people who have to worry are those who already got sick.”
Monique lowers her voice, “she doesn’t like talking about it but the bacteria are still there, in her system. She could have an episode...well... whenever.”
She shrugs, “and even if she was contagious— which I’m sure she isn’t— I’d still be right here.” She runs a hand through her rich, dark hair. “I’m not scared of a few extra years. I think I’d make an excellent old lady.”
|
|
|
Post by chronoeclipse on Jan 22, 2019 18:09:27 GMT -6
Upon Monique declaring that she thinks she'd make an excellent old lady Clara turned and put a finger up to the mask of Clem. "Don't get any ideas!" She warned.
She then turned back to Monique and also opened up her body language to Sunny to indicate she should hear this. "After our last meeting I went home and googled this guy - let me tell you. I've seen YouTube videos of his victims that would make your hair stand on end." She whispered loudly.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 20:09:03 GMT -6
Upon Monique declaring that she thinks she'd make an excellent old lady Clara turned and put a finger up to the mask of Clem. "Don't get any ideas!" She warned.
She then turned back to Monique and also opened up her body language to Sunny to indicate she should hear this. "After our last meeting I went home and googled this guy - let me tell you. I've seen YouTube videos of his victims that would make your hair stand on end." She whispered loudly. "Oh, are you talking about Lurking7?" Sunny answers slowly. She's high, but even sober her responsiveness is rather slow. "I love that channel! It's so funny!"Calum coughs, speaking to the room..."See, a 'friend' of mine likes posting videos of her hunts." Cal lowers his head, scratching his neck. "She basically forced me and five others to join in the fun now and then. It's, uh, Me, a Pig Demon obsessed with gluttony...""His name's Fung. He makes like the best egg foo yung!" Sunny chimes in.
Calum continues, being interrupted every time by Sunny in the process.
"A Cursed Victorian Doll..."
"Vivian, and she's nuts about dresses and tea parties!" Sunny giggles. Everyone's a little uncomfortable with Sunny's knowledge on this.
After all, normal people don't hang out with people like Cal!
"Then there's a living corpse named Mike, a pervated old man in a unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt named Gordon, the avatar of a being living outside of our universe in the form of a Japanese turtle monster known as Kappa, and the head of our channel, the physical embodiment of vanity."
"Her name's Daphne. She loves making people, like how I use to be, miserable! Anyways, Clara, sorry I didn't mention that earlier. I've been hanging out with...well, I guess a lot of them could be called gods or demons? Cal's more like a wizard, though."
"Quit saying that!"
"Then tell me what you are!"
"I have, many times! I'm the bloody disciple of a long forgotten Japanese Goddess!"
"And like I've said, that sounds really confusing!" Sunny laughs. "It's easier just calling you a wizard!"
Cal sighs.
"Whatever. Back on topic, I assure everyone in this room I have absolutely no intention of trapping anyone back in the past. Unless I'm provoked, I tend to avoid that mess."
"And provoking Cal pretty much just means having kids that will mess with his nieces." Sunny adds, giggling. "So... I think most of us are safe from that!"
|
|
spyguy
Elder Member
Posts: 380
|
Post by spyguy on Jan 22, 2019 21:37:56 GMT -6
After Clara's announcement, Lexa turns back to Gavin. "A drink? Uh...sure! I'll take some coffee. Caffeine is my life. I don't know what I'd do without it. Keeps me going these days and I need more of it than ever now that I'm lugging this mature package around. Our schedules are so crazy, I don't know how my younger classmates keep up," Lexa explains, wincing at calling her classmates 'younger'. They aren't. We're all the same age, dammit!
Lexa is struggling, racking her brain for small talk. All she keeps coming up with are different neural regions, a dumb mnemonic Liz taught her last week for endotracheal intubation, and how weird it is that her back makes different noises whenever she wakes up. Every time a different pop, crack, or creak! When will it end? Dumb she chides herself that's dumb and old and he won't care-- oh my god he's cute--- why am I thinking like this?-- I normally hate this kind of thing-- at least he didn't call me a gran-- is it hot in here?-- why won't this stooooooooo--
"So, Clara said you're studying psychotherapy," she asks, desperately latching onto the obvious. "You like poking around in people's heads? That's gotta get weird."
|
|
|
Post by chronoeclipse on Jan 22, 2019 21:44:43 GMT -6
Clara blinked at Cal with a mix of confusion/disdain and fear. "I don't understand a word of what you just said and therefore refuse to acknowledge it." She says flatly and then turns to Monique.
"I watched a youtube video of a young guy - like younger than us... or rather younger than you and way younger than me, but still younger than I should be. He was probably like 22? 23?... anyway he was telling his followers - he's a youtube vlogger... not one of the popular ones, but kind of cute. He was telling his followers about this thing that had happened to him. It was so SAD Monique. So I guess he had been dating this girl for a little while, she went to college with him I think. He linked to her Insta - she was SUPER cute. They looked like they may have been the cutest couple... BUT! I guess they were fooling around in his car one weekend and he was administering cunnilingus... Excuse my language, i've been bingeing The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and that kind of salty talk just kind of slips in. I don't know, I kind of like it? Like a woman who isn't afraid to be blunt about intercourse in public is kind of liberating, don't you think? What was I saying? The video! Right! This kid Ben was going down on his girlfriend Courtney and then she just vanishes - *POOF* and he's like laying on the back seat of his car by himself wondering where his half-naked hook-up disappeared to. Well, while he's putting his pants back on and trying to figure out whats going on an honest-to-god limousine pulls up! A man gets out and says he can take Ben to Courtney! So obviously our little Romeo is confused and thinks that some rich evil guy kidnapped her... but when the limo pulls up to this big estate and Ben is lead inside he's brought to think shriveled decrepit old woman - like even older than Kayla! Oh that's right, you haven't met Kayla yet. She's really old. But this woman was probably close to 100 and like confined to a bed with like breathing tubes up her nose! So now Ben is really confused and freaked. Where's Courtney you're probably wondering and he was wondering too! So get this! The impossibly old, white haired woman laying in the bed tell him that SHE'S Courtney! That in the middle of their foreplay she had suddenly found herself alone in a field - in 1940!!! And had lived 70+ years waiting for this day to explain to Ben what had happened to her. And now that she's so old and she didn't know how much longer she has she brought Ben there for one last request. To finish what they had started, for Ben earlier that afternoon and for Courtney 78 years ago! The old woman wanted Ben to crawl into bed and orally... you know... pleasure her, one last time before she died! Oh my god if it wasn't so gross it would be the most goddamn romantic thing i've ever heard. Don't you agree?" Clara said without taking a breath.
Meanwhile a few feet from them Gavin smiled at Lexa. "Ah yes, well I'm still pursuing my doctorate but yes I find the mind fascinating. I'm actually working on a duel degree in sociology and psychology. All around generational studies and geretology. But I don't want to bore you with my thesis. I'd love to hear more about you." He said as he poured two cups of coffee and applied cream and sugar and then handed one to Lexa and placed a hand affectionately on her forearm.
|
|
spyguy
Elder Member
Posts: 380
|
Post by spyguy on Jan 22, 2019 22:48:24 GMT -6
Monique looked down to find Clara holding her arm in a surprisingly strong grip as she recounted the story she saw on Youtube, not to mention listening to Calum and Sunny's back and forth about what she was (pretty sure) were the chubby grandma's imaginary friends. "You know, I 'm starting to see why this support group is a good idea. You all are unpacking, like, a lot during these meetings, huh?" Patting Clara's hand, she looked over to check on Lexa, who seemed to be doing all right with the Mr. Smarts over in the corner. You are going to seriously owe me one, Lex she thinks, turning back to Clara.
"So Lexa was saying you got hit with some big, bad, voodoo, right? I, uh, don't exactly have a background in weird magic stuff but you're all good now? You're not cursed or anything?"
Over at the refreshment table, Lexa quickly swallowed some coffee and did her best not to completely spaz out as Gavin put his hand on her arm. "I mean, what do you want to know? I'm just your average, run of the mill med student who suddenly wakes up and is getting AARP flyers and hot flashes. Did you know, I've started seeing Life Alert ads on Facebook? I'm not even actually in my fifties and I can tell you that's just too soon! Like, what the hell?"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 23:15:34 GMT -6
"Courtney?" Cal scratches his chin, taking out his chained pocket watch and opening the case.
Sunny, disinterested, decides to get a second helping of snacks.
"Oh, yes, I remember, Courtney Thompson, yeah?!"
Suddenly, a flash of blue light, the size of a marble, bursts out of his watch, floating eye view between Calum and Clara.
It lightly hummed, it's aura gently expanding and retracting ever so slightly.
<"I call upon the wisdom of the Ancient, Clever Fox Maiden"> Cal speaks perfectly in the Tsugaru Dialect of Japanese, his gloved finger moving quickly in the air, writing the word 'request' in kanji.
With that, the ball changes color to red.
"Courtney Thompson!"
The Ball expands to the size of a head, shaping into the face of a young blonde in her early twenties.
"You're talking about her, if I'm not mistaken." Calum laughs as the face ages eighty years.
A wrinkled, decrepit old face, with milky white eyes and dropping skin. She had a smile, it turns to a frown with liverspots replacing a once youthful disposition.
"She's the only Courtney I've dealt with in the last three decades." Cal admits. "To be fair, her son would've raped my grand niece twenty-five years from now at NYU. That's how I justify my actions. Mess with the descendants of my sister, and I'll wipe you from existence by taking your mum or gran out of the picture. Simple as that."
|
|
|
Post by chronoeclipse on Jan 22, 2019 23:42:31 GMT -6
"Jesus!" Clara hisses to herself as she holds her hand up to her face to block the image of the pretty girl aging and of Cal. She marches over to Sunny. "Can you ask you um... 'friend' to wait outside? I'm feeling triggered." She whispers through gritted teeth nudging her head in Cal's direction. "I'll only allow him to stay for the meeting if he agrees to stop doing magic and making casual reference to demons." She clarifies, worried that Sunny would leave too if Cal was forced out.
Gavin gives a hearty laugh at Lexa's self-deprecating joke."Oh wow. Those are the 'i've fallen and I can't get up' lady right? Yes i'd say you still have a few decades to go before you need that." He says leaning in close to the woman who was physically nearly twice his age. He gently reaches up to touch a lock of her hair. "I love your hair by the way. It's fantastic that you keep it in a youthful style. Is this how you styled your hair before your change? It's very YOU. Never dye it. I think the gray adds a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi." He adds with a grin and a wink.
|
|
spyguy
Elder Member
Posts: 380
|
Post by spyguy on Jan 23, 2019 3:20:07 GMT -6
Lexa raises her eyebrows. "Wow, I never heard anybody actually use that line before. I don't speak a lot of French though, so maybe that's on me." She glances up, "As for my hair, I never knew what to do with it before it turned into a gray mess so that hasn't been a huge loss. The ponytail's just easy. Nobody's too style forward at hour seven in the E.R..."
Normally, Lexa would have pulled away from a strange man touching her hair, but there was... something about the moment. The intimacy of it. Since crash landing on the wrong side of middle age, she'd become more aware of the effect she had on the opposite sex; more accurately the lack of. She had always been in awe of how girls like Monique could grab a man's attention with simple glance or a flick of a hip. And, yes, maybe she too had occasionally gotten the attention of an attending or distracted another pre-med with an eye flutter or a smile.
Those days were long behind her now, though. The wider hips, the slowly sinking breasts, the stiff saunter; she might as well have an invisibility cloak. Monique had talked her into flipping her hair at a hot security guard the other day and she pulled a muscle in her neck. It was great. A real high point. So, yeah, maybe she was being a little too flirty with this rando, but he was cute and smart and somehow not completely turned off by seniority so what the hell? She raises her styrofoam cup. "Here's to at least few more decades of not becoming an broken old internet meme."
|
|