<> <> (Contains: Kat) (Thren would be buzzing about now. Which Kat can include setting the scene.) <> (Midmorning? Roch went back to train that early?) <> (When it's slow, I'd say.) (Hard to learn to bartend with a full crowd.) * Katherine is indeed inside. She's sitting in the far chair, with a simple book in her hands. She's wearing comfortable jeans and another of her midriff-cut t-shirts. She rubs her temples and asks, "Who is it?" (I dunno how this works. Can't be just audio.) (It can be video, but initially it's just audio.) (The downstairs one is just audio, I thought. 'buzz you into the building') (The 'at the door' one is audio/video.) * Threnody nods, provided he's on the security cam, and is wearing a long coat and carrying a shopping bag. "Good morning. Do you have some time to spare me?" * Katherine frowns for a second, but then nods slowly, to herself. "Uh... sure, what the hell. I was taking a little mental break off the job anyway." * Katherine gets up to put the book away and sas, "Buzz in." * Threnody nods. "Thank you." And then he makes the magical upstairs journey and is knocking at the door in no time. * Katherine walks over to the door, and opens it, giving him a single lookover before backing away and to her right, allowing him in. "Coat can go in the closet if ya want." (There is a closet right by the door.) * Threnody nods once and places the shopping back in the kitchen with a slight 'clink' sound when it touches the floor, then hangs up his coat. Underneath which he's wearing black hakama and a simple white shirt, with a thin jade green belt. "I've come to make equal parts peace offering, and... to satisfy something." (In a word, he's dressed like a samurai.) (Or, for more modern references, like a kendo student.) * Katherine blinks, and steps to the fridge. "Impressive threads. Want anything?" * Threnody shakes his head and points at the bag. "I came prepared. Is there some floor space we could use?" Use for what? I've got plenty of space. * Katherine gestures where the Punching Bag hangs in the way. * Threnody pulls a small mat out of the bag and unfurls it. "Well, your apartment isn't exactly a chashitsu, but I thought I could perform the tea ceremony, as method of apology." (... oh jesus.) * Katherine continues her 'completely taken aback' routine. "Tea ceremony?" * Threnody nods, walking over to the indicated spot and setting the mat across the floor, then kneeling next to it expertly. "Yes." * Katherine goes over to a small panel on the wall, and presses a button, causing the punching bag to move up and away from the center of the space Thren is working in, then walks over slowly. She is now, Thren might notice, wearing no shoes. "I'm sorta flattered, and damn confused. What sort of ceremony can you do with tea?" * Katherine chuckles. "I'm not very attached to my distant roots." * Threnody continues to unload the bag: two earthenware bowl-like cups, a bamboo whisk, a disappointingly modern small thermos, a small jar of greenish powder, and a plate of onigiri. "I am. In Japan the tea ceremony was a way of showing respect for guests. Of course we can't do it the traditional way, but we can make do. Have a seat." * Katherine sits opposite Thren, cross-legged. * Threnody closes his eyes and takes a short, meditative breath, then sets one up in front of Kat and one in front of himself, pouring some of the green powder into both, then adding water and whisking. "In truth, I didn't come here just for the ceremony." * Katherine smirks faintly. "Well, I'd hope not. It's a long way for some tea and company." The smirk becomes more pronounced. "Although it's closer than a few thousand light years." * Threnody shrugs his shoulders faintly, placing Kat's cup in front of her and twisting it to the right a bit before setting it down, and his own in front of himself. He offers the plate of riceballs. "Forgive my unseemly mien, but I have a serious question to ask of you." * Katherine picks one of the riceballs up, and eyes it suspiciously, before trying to take a bite and chewing slowly. "Forget it. I do mean and unseemly all the time." * Threnody actually cracks a smile; doing so makes it obvious that it's the first smile he's worn since he walked in the door. He takes an onigiri for himself and nibbles a bit on the edge, then sets it down and picks up his cup with both hands. "Alright. I won't waste time... but first, we drink as host and guest." * Katherine quickly sets her riceball down, and picks up the tea, with both hands too. Imitation is the way to fake ceremony! "Sure." * Threnody nods, then bows as best one can kneeling, and sips the tea quietly, eyes closed. * Katherine bows a little too, although with far less form, and takes a sip as well. She doesn't close her eyes, not that he could tell. * Threnody pauses for a moment with the cup to his lips, then sets it down without opening his eyes, and says in a quiet voice, "Why did you wonder to yourself aloud who would have married my mother?" * Katherine frowns. "I did?" She takes another sip. "Probably when I was drunk. Makes sense." She seems to be talking to herself with those last two statements. * Threnody opens his eyes and looks straight forward, his demeanor considerably and noticably different from his natural somewhat ditzy default; his eyes are hooded, his expression almost sad. "You did. In Laser-Momo's, the night we met." * Katherine nods faintly. "Yeah. Definitely drunk." She sighs. "I get really dumb when I'm drunk. So, I said 'Who'd marry your mother?' Well, come on. Isis Tsukitomi, swordswoman, part-time-spy, and Goddess of the Hunt? Gotta be an intimidating catch." * Threnody doesn't bat an eyelash. "Yet at the same time, she was on your mind before you knew I was her son. When I'm around you, strange memories pop into my mind that I don't remember having. I say words that aren't mine." He pauses for a moment, then sips the tea again, closing his eyes as he does so. "You're an enigma, Katherine. You're a dangerous enigma." Spot on analysis. Yer mom'd be proud. * Threnody sets down the cup and opens his eyes again. "I understand the need for secrecy. That people have things they just don't talk about. If I were unprincipled like Dorian Parker, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd just take what I needed." * Katherine narrows her eyes. "I am thankful for that, because I was starting to like you." She takes another sip. "And if you wanted me dead, I'd be dead. But that's not what this is about." * Threnody nods again. "It's not. But... we're working together, starting tomorrow. And yet... there's all this between us that I don't understand. What do I have to say or do to earn your trust?" * Katherine looks a little stunned, and then a little sad. "Listen, Thren. I trust you with my life. I trust all these damn fools with my life, maybe because they don't care, maybe because I'm useful. But my mind..." she shakes her head. "It changes everything. Do you know..." (Does this keep going, and I should wait? -_^) * Katherine seems to be looking for words. (If you wish to interject, you've got a shot.) * Threnody says, quietly, "This situation seems to be characterized by how little I know." * Katherine laughs faintly. "Yeah." She puts down the tea, and takes a bit of her riceball, and swallows. "You... I've spent years trying to get away from what you're asking, Thren. Fucking years. I've killed too many people, made too many mistakes, and right now, at this second, I'm back where I fucking started." * Threnody puts his hands to his face, then runs them through his hair and tilts his neck up so he's looking at the ceiling. "If I thought I could just say 'I'm sorry' and walk away forever, I would." * Katherine smirks. "Yeah. Maybe I should just beat Anders' head in. Problem solved." She rubs her head, messing her hair slightly. * Katherine puts down the riceball, and pulls her knees up to her chest. "Can't you get how this... just is not something I can trust you with easily? I mean, Isis' Son. Woohoo. You're the son of a great swordswoman who helped save the world from a whole ungodly amount of shit. A pain, sure, but could be worse, right?" * Threnody looks back down, and sighs. He picks up the teacup and stares into it intently. "You don't really understand Isis Tsukitomi, if you can say those things. Not that I know my mother's mind so well, but..." * Katherine smirks at that. No, I don't understand her. She... * Threnody looks up. "Mother was never interested in helping humanity. She did what she did because it was the right thing to do." (Quite the contrary. If she could have strapped most of humanity to the exploding corpse of the Pyramid, she'd have done so.) (At least, by the end.) * Katherine leans back, and lays her legs out to the side, stretching. "Ha. Better than that bitch Chako, huh?" * Threnody blinks. "I wouldn't know. None of them kept in touch. Tim is famous now... Vernon is gone, Chako, Taluun, and Charlie all have promising and fulfilling military careers. My mother moved to Earth, no longer talks to her only sister, has two 'missing' sons, and a dead husband." He sets his mouth in a line. "I don't think that's the proper 'reward' for the 'hero' you're describing." * Katherine smirks. "Well, I didn't mean their rewards. Somehow, I think Isis is more at peace than anyone." She pauses, and adds slowly, "Well, at least if her husband weren't dead, maybe. She chose it all anyway. They all did." * Threnody nods in agreement, setting down his teacup. "They did. But I'm afraid I don't understand why this means you can't talk to me. You're too smart to pretend nothing's wrong, and too forthright to be 'intimidated' by my ancestry." * Katherine grits her teeth. "I shouldn't be talking too you now, except that you started by telling me your mom, and I gotta respect that. And it's not that nothing's wrong. Will knowing the whys change anything?" * Threnody frowns and looks to the side. "Maybe not. Things are what they are. If you saying anything is out of a feeling of obligation for my sharing my past, don't. I plan on telling the others tomorrow. Just assume you learned a little in advance." * Katherine shakes her head. "And you still are better than I. You don't make 'no' easy." * Threnody frowns as he turns back face front. "Don't say something like that predicated on simple courtesy. There are things I can't tell you no matter how strenuously you ask, too. Don't think I'm unsympathetic." * Katherine pauses for a second, and then says, softly, "It's even worse now. You're going to tell everyone your parents, and we're going to have those damn reactions out in the open. How long's it going to take them to start asking questions?" * Threnody knits his brow. "I don't quite follow." * Katherine snorts, and says, "Hello, I'm Threnody Tsukitomi! I'm Isis' son! And Kat and I get annoying headaches and flashes of memories and other things when we get near eachother. Ssh! Don't tell anyone or think about it!" * Threnody raises an eyebrow. "My, you are paranoid. Why should I mention the latter? It's none of their business." Yeah, you're right, I am paranoid. You don't have to mention it. They'll see it the next time you decide to lecture me on being closed and secretive. * Katherine licks her lips, and then sighs noisily. "Three and a half years, Thren, I've been trying to escape, and there's a timer over my head, now. I'll get drunk and say something stupid, and then it'll all be over." * Threnody frowns. "Why are you acting this way?" He pauses, then lets out a breath. "Can you blame me for being curious? For wanting to know? But I haven't pressed the issue. Everything you've said, I've accepted. I haven't looked in your mind. I haven't threatened you. Why are you treating me like an enemy?" If you can say nothing, you can say nothing. But if you were me, wouldn't you ask? * Katherine looks at Thren carefully. "No, I can't blame you! But... fucking Space Jesus, Thren! If you were trying to escape something, wouldn't you just be the slightest bit fucking hostile?" * Threnody says, with an even tone, "What makes you think I'm not trying to escape something?" * Katherine 's mouth opens for a second before she says, "How would I know? I wouldn't." * Threnody nods. "You're right. You wouldn't. Unless you felt the need to ask." * Katherine says, in an oddly nervous tone, "And if I asked?" * Threnody looks up, expression placid. "I would tell you as much as I felt I could. The rest, I would not." * Katherine shivers, and then says in a ramping up anger tone. "Fine. Fine. You want to know why I don't feel like telling you shit? You want to know my great goddamn fucking secret, Thren Tsukitomi?" * Threnody shakes his head. "If you don't want me to know it, no. If you do, yes. Being angry with me for wanting to know won't change reality, or your feelings." * Katherine opens her mouth, stops, then says in a slightly less angry tone, "Of course I don't want you to know! What do you think all this has been about? Me being afraid you might find out I've stolen gum from the store?" I don't want anyone to know! I... * Katherine trails off, and adds, in that quiet tone she used last night, "I don't want to know." * Threnody pauses a moment, then stands up and walks over, kneeling down next to Kat and looking at her for a moment, then putting his forehead on her shoulder. "Okay. Then say nothing. Be who you are. Just... don't feel like I'm your foe for wanting to understand." * Katherine looks shocked, slightly, but only slightly. "It's... it's not foe. It's..." she looks over at his head on her shoulder. "Do you have to put your head on my shoulder? I like you and all, but I don't do cuddle." * Threnody suddenly laughs, and sits up. "Sorry. I did that to my mother when..." He pauses. "After my father was killed, and my brother disappeared, it was just me and her in a huge house, alone. And... she'd lost so much. So I sat with her like that, for a while." * Threnody brushes a lock of hair out of his face. "Not all the things that come to me are bad. Feelings of camaraderie, or at least healthy respect. Accomplishment. Nothing of that sort can be all bad." * Katherine looks touched, and turns her body to face him, reaching out her hand to touch his shoulder. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so disrespectful of what happened. Nobody deserves that. But... " she shakes her head. "You got positive things, from whatever this is. I... didn't." * Threnody tilts his head a little. "Not that I can know for certain, but... are you sure of that?" * Katherine 's eyes phase out. "I was born knowing what it was like to see a woman's body torn apart by Alldrug. I've seen it in my nightmares. I've seen the deaths of thousands of people I've never even met. I must have known how to load a gun before I could walk, but that doesn't really matter." She looks at Thren, and whispers, "My mom... dad... whatever..." * Katherine 's eyes start tearing up, but her teeth clench, as does her hand around Thren's shoulder. Quite forcefully. * Threnody says nothing for a long while, but doesn't move, either. At the end, all he can manage is, "I'm sorry. Even knowing those things secondhand is painful. If... if you're telling the truth, if you really vividly remember those things, it must be terrible." * Katherine looks to the side, and says weakly, "Can't you guess now? Do I have to say it?" * Threnody shakes his head. "No, I know enough. You're... somebody's child, or maybe a lover, a sibling. Probably Vernon or Charlie or Chako, since they're not in the public eye. And for some reason, you have... memories, things handed down from them." He smiles weakly. "In that respect, we're not so different." (....) * Chamelaeon (dies laughing) (I don't know whether to laugh or cry. However, I do know that Thren should COMPLETELY be able to nail this down. c.c;) (He's being vague out of respect for her not wanting to say.) (That's not what she wanted! Augh, you're hopeless.) (But serene. Hopeless but serene.) * Katherine smirks faintly, wetness on her cheeks. "Lover? Sibling? Vernon? Charlie? I've got more respect for Isis than that. Don't insult me." * Chamelaeon (is still laughing.) (I'm never going to get to sleep. I will be ->thisclose<- and then I will think "...Vernon." and double over laughing again.) (Haw haw.) * Threnody frowns and looks away. "You left little clues. I don't know if you wanted to or not. But you asked me if I was 'fucked up' too, at Laser-Momo's. You said lots of things that night that only registered once I'd had sleep and time to think." * Threnody pauses. "I am, you know, if you mean what I think you mean. But I think I told you that much." * Katherine shakes her head, and starts edging closer to Thren. "I think it's obvious now, although it's not the same for you. But maybe I did mean to do it. Maybe I didn't. Maybe I was just fucking drunk and having the worst visions of my life." * Katherine releases Thren's shoulder, and eyes to see if she managed to claw him. * Threnody looks down. "Maybe. The whys don't matter, like you said." He makes a weird face, without looking up. "If you need to hit me, cut me open, to pay me back, you can. The truth is, you might be doing this world a big favor by ridding it of me." (Did she manage to claw him?) (Are you asking me?) (I'll leave it up to you. If she did he's oblivious unless it, like, took out a chunk of his arm.) (Thanks for the no-help, Thren. ^_~) (You know more about said claws and how hard she was gripping than I would.) * Katherine grins faintly, and gets an odd look in her eye. "Now why would I do that?" She then glances at his shoulder, which has just started bleeding. "Shit! I didn't mean to cut you open." * Threnody blinks, looking over with his customary stupid childlike astonishment. "Now when did that happen?" * Katherine smirks. "When I grabbed your shoulder a minute ago with the claws." She stands, and pads her way over to the bed, where she crouches and reaches underneath it, looking for something. "Come here and I'll Nanopak it." * Threnody nods slowly and stands up, unvelcroing the hakama and revealing jeans underneath, which he promptly untucks the white top from. "These are much less comfortable than they look." * Katherine smirks while still looking. "I wouldn't know. I don't wear them. You're going to have to remove that shirt, or at least get it out of the way." She comes up with something as large as a block icepack. Thren might recognize it from the other night, when Kat put one on her hand. (Argh, AFK a sec.) * Threnody slips the appropriate arm out of the sleeve and lets that side of the already somewhat loose shirt dangle at his side, unable to suppress a laugh. "I'm ronin now, it seems." * Katherine quirks an eyebrow, stands very close to Thren and slaps the icepack-like thing on his shoulder, and it gets to work. "If you say so." She holds the nanopak there. "Why would you think I'd need to rid the world of you anyway?" * Threnody looks over, then frowns slightly. "You said your problem was having your mother's vivid memories. Right?" He takes a breath. "Mine is a voice in my head that tells me to kill. Anything and everything. If it moves, cut it down. Constantly. Every minute of every day." (Like I said. We're a lot alike.) (Yeah, seriously. You sure Chako didn't have an affair with Isis?) (Still wouldn't explain the red hair.) * Katherine mms faintly. "You need a voice in your head to tell you that?" * Threnody mmmphs at that, giving Kat what would be a sharp look on someone else's face. "I spent years in the Himalayas training with monks to force it into submission. If I don't make the effort... I do what it says, without question. Mainly because... it's my voice." * Katherine gives a faint smile. "I'm sorry. I just don't need any voice in my head to think that." * Threnody smiles wearily. "I guess not. But you don't actually do it... that's the difference." * Threnody lowers his eyes a little. "If it was what you really wanted, deep down, you'd do it without hesitation." * Katherine says, "Maybe you're right. I can push it off for a few months." * Threnody smiles faintly despite himself. "A boon for everyone, then." * Katherine shakes her head, and looks down at Threnody, for she is taller! Her left hand drifts up to Thren's chest, and she smiles fangily. "I'd have to agree." * Threnody tilts his head a little, and after a moment of total silence manages to eke out: "I had no idea Chako was part cat." * Katherine grins, and tosses the nanopak aside, brushing a nail across the no-longer-damaged shoulder. "I'm sure she was surprised too. She always loved dogs more." * Threnody looks totally blank. Fight or flee has not quite kicked in, but the gears are visibly turning behind his eyes. "Is it a good idea to be clawing the recently-healed clawmark? And, um... other associated pawing activities?" * Katherine 's grin gets wider, and her left hand starts wandering under the other side of his shirt. "Why not? I looked up some very basic data on you. You're older than I am. We're both adults here." * Threnody blinks heavily as the last gear clicks into place, and goes totally scarlet. "That's not the..." He pauses a moment. "I don't know... much of anything. I didn't have any friends in Kyoto, and after... I've lived either in mountain monasteries, or alone." * Katherine blinks too, then the grin comes back. "That's OK. I won't mind." She starts to press forward, with the bed looming--er, laying dangerously behind Thren. * Threnody surprisingly does not fall backward when pushed, but he doesn't really move, either. The most he manages to say is, quietly, "...is this really what you want?" * Katherine 's eyes shimmer a bit, and she says, softly, "I just bared my soul. Can you really expect me to be nervous about my body?" * Threnody doesn't say anything for a moment, then lets out a slow breath and gives in, eyes closed, though he falls a little crookedly. "That's..." He opens his eyes and smiles. "Never mind." (And so Kat pounced and Cham killed the players. Session end!) * Katherine laughs faintly, and puts one knee on the bed to lean over and put her face inches from his. She then grins in a manner that can only be described as lecherously. "It's not what you asked. But I'd rather never mind anyway." She then kisses him. (Okay, there we go.) <>