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Post by Sulley on Sept 24, 2009 21:59:17 GMT -5
Sulley grunted from the effort of beating the suit Madame Weaver had made clean. A large stone was in his right hand, kneading the black material against a slab that was covered by the edge of the gentle river. He was crouched just on the bank in a position that would cause back problems if he kept it up. He frowned in concentration.
The trip up here had began as a routine check. While there was always the four corners to observe, he liked to sit and stare at where the river's path abruptly stopped, cut by the wall. He could puzzle over the scene for hours and not come up with anything worth noticing. Contemplation and meditation weren't his strong points. Actually, the more he stared at it the less he understood what he was looking at. That was a tendency of Sulley's. His mind would flash to the bloody scene with the mauled bodies, and although each detail was engraved deep within his mind and thinking back on the scene was like reliving it, his face didn't change a bit. No flinch. No grimace.
Anyway, after wasting a good while on the barrier there, he'd remembered today was his laundry day. It' not like he was high maintenance or anything, but putting on fresh clothes once a week was nice. He should probably have been washing them more than that. C'est la vie. A quick trot back to his cell returned him with a pathetic pile of clothing.
Sulley finished with the suit and drew it from the water to spread it out on the grass. From there he stooped by the water's side again, this time to wash his face with unhurried hands.
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Post by Mara Ackart on Sept 24, 2009 22:14:54 GMT -5
Swimming against the current of the river was gratifying in some way. It worked her muscles and provided a certain release of tension that running didn't. Running was exhilarating. Adrenaline built and raged in her system when she ran and gave her a high like no other. Swimming, especially in a place with a current, relaxed her.
All the people she'd met lately had left Mara somewhat strained. Put simply she'd just been thinking too much. Swimming didn't make her think. Swimming didn't remind her of the boy from earlier, the woman in the graveyard, her racing partner, or even the man she'd sworn to help. Nope instead swimming just let her exist in peace.
At least normally it did. She couldn't find any measure of peace today. Be it Maku, Rosenna, Taboo, Sulley, or those blasted guards and their masters they all kept intruding on her peace. A sigh of frustration escaped her that turned into a choked off scream before she shut her mouth.
"I swear these people will drive me mad." she muttered, treading water. |
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Post by Sulley on Sept 25, 2009 15:55:39 GMT -5
Sulley blew air between his lips to keep the water his hands rubbed against his face out. He blinked away heavy droplets that hung to his eyelashes, and flicked his head to dry his hair. A movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention. From the distance you would think he wouldn't recognize the woman; however, Sulley knew right away without even having to ponder that it was Mara. He was unaware of the excitement that entered his eyes.
Her mouth moved as if she were talking to herself, and he couldn't be certain but he was pretty sure she had thoughts on her mind. Using a dry shirt to pat his face dry, Sulley sat back in the grass, stretching his arms out behind him, and watched Slipstream get closer.
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Post by Mara Ackart on Sept 25, 2009 16:27:29 GMT -5
Mara really did try to enjoy her swim. It was no use though. No matter what she did she ended up dwelling on things. With a shrug Mara swam to shore. She flopped on the grass to dry off in her shorts and tank top with a small sigh.
Mara couldn't help but hope that she wouldn't be nearly this frustrated once she got out. Of course she figured she'd be too busy attempting to murder the arses that stuck her in here in the first place. What would happen though when she did get out? Like it or not she'd formed relationships, tentative and awkward though they may be, with people here. Maybe she could organize a group on the outside? Find some like minded mutants that would help her break the rest of the mutants here out?
Mara decided she didn't need to be thinking that hard. All it did was give her a bit of a stress headache. She stretched lazily and looked around a bit, completely missing Sulley.
"At least it's a decent day. Well as decent as it gets in here." she commented. |
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Post by Sulley on Sept 25, 2009 16:49:22 GMT -5
Sulley continued to watch, even as she climbed out of the water and took a place in the grass a few meters down. He wasn't keen on spying, and that wasn't what he was doing. He'd like to call it observing. Some people made hobbies of watching birds fly about the sky. Others spent all their time taking pictures of half naked women. It was a trade. An art. So what was so wrong with watching a wet comrade while she was unknowing? It's not like he was chuckling creepily under his breath.
Still, a guilt trickled through his lungs, making it necessary for him to stand if he wanted to breath correctly. He hadn't spoken with Mara in three days. Before knowing her, not talking to members of the Rebellion was just fine with him. He liked to keep his personal life separate from his 'business' life. It helped. That way he didn't have any obvious weaknesses in relationship ties.
For some reason he craved conversation, more specifically with Mara. Any words they had previously exchanged tended to be short and somewhat heat-filled. He wasn't sure if it was because of her attitude or if he literally felt hot around her. Maybe getting closer would tell?
She happened to speak just as he reached hearing distance. Sulley approached her from behind on silent feet. Without warning he spoke,
"Why do you talk to yourself?" And then without being asked he sank to his bottom in the grass beside her.
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Post by Mara Ackart on Sept 25, 2009 17:00:20 GMT -5
Mara jumped. She couldn't help it, he'd startled her. In fact if she hadn't recognized his voice she'd probably have boosted herself away or boosted her fist into his face. As it was she settled for a shamed blush and a cough.
"Because sometimes it's the only intelligent conversation I can come by." Mara replied before turning to face Sulley, "Hello again Sulley."
Mara wanted to smile. In fact she felt that particular expression curving her lips and quickly changed it to a smirk. Sulley was still Sulley after all and more over her boss of sorts in this place. She glanced around to see where he'd come from and noticed the pile of laundry. That clued her in. She gestured toward it.
"Doing some laundry? Which means I've been swimming in your laundry water. That's an unpleasant thought." she chuckled. |
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Post by Sulley on Sept 25, 2009 17:38:22 GMT -5
Sulley still had a bad habit of watching Mara as if she were a fascinating new creature he'd just discovered living under his porch. He was unaware of it, of course, but even if he had been he probably wouldn't be bothered to change it. His head always tipped to the side ever so slightly, and his eyes couldn't seem to focus on just one feature of her face.
"But you're talking to yourself. How intelligent is that?" He said in a very matter-of-fact way. It wasn't meant to be an insult--he didn't even notice that it could be taken as one. He simply saw no logic in speaking out loud to oneself. It helped nothing. Other people might hear you say something personal. It would become a bad habit that would show in the most untimely moments. People would think you're crazy. You might start thinking you're crazy. The list went on. Sulley believed we have the power to think silently and should do so. Another reason why he problem solve out loud, like so many leaders liked to do.
At her gesture he glanced back at his stuff and nodded. His reply was serious, untouched by her chuckle.
"It didn't look like you were drinking while you were swimming, so you should have nothing to worry about. Besides, I've seen people do worse." His eyebrows rose to suggest unmentionable things.
Whoever said Sulley was with conversations was lying through their teeth.
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Post by Mara Ackart on Sept 25, 2009 17:49:52 GMT -5
Mara laughed at what Sulley had said. His statements came out so matter of fact that she couldn't find it in herself to be angry or to explain. After several seconds of delighted chortling she took a few deep breaths to calm down. She'd never really thought that Sulley could be funny. She was sure he hadn't meant it that way but that was what made it funny, at least to her.
"I suppose you're right. How have you been? I imagine you've been busy."
Mara's smirk had changed into a bright smile. It wasn't intentional and she didn't realize it had happened but it was there. Sulley was such an interesting guy. She could never really be sure what was going on in that mind of his. He was a new puzzle to her. |
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Post by Sulley on Sept 25, 2009 18:06:17 GMT -5
This time his eyes could linger, because they found something he hadn't seen yet. Mara's smile was like finding a pearl in the sand on the beach. He was staring at it subconsciously, complimenting it in his mind.
"As busy as someone with nothing and everything to do can be." Sulley said absently, flicking at a piece of grass with his finger. "I check the barriers everyday, just in case something happened to be misplaced. It never has though. For some reason I can't stop going back." His eyes danced up to her's, and he lifted a brow quizzically.
"What is it you do? I see you around sometimes..." Sulley looked down at her clothes. Wet clothes did that really annoying thing where they stuck to the curves of your body in a suffocating way. He wouldn't imagine why she'd kept them on to swim.
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Post by Mara Ackart on Sept 25, 2009 18:28:27 GMT -5
Mara watched Sulley as they talked. There was no point in being surreptitious about it. He'd probably notice anyway.
"Mostly I've been looking around, getting the hang of the place, meeting the locals, finding like-minded people. Just generally learning." came Mara's response to the question.
She saw no need to explain further. He'd ask if he was curious. In fact the fact that he hadn't said anything overly relating to their goal of getting out was making her curious. Sure he'd mentioned that he checked the barriers daily but that was only because she'd asked. She had thought for sure he was the no nonsense type.
Her thoughts on him had been that she couldn't trust him fully and that he would probably only make an appearance before her when he needed her to do something. Yet here he was sitting on the river bank with her making small talk. Maybe he was just as curious about her as she was about him? Nah, that didn't seem right. Still, it bore thinking about so Mara didn't dismiss it entirely. |
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Post by Sulley on Sept 25, 2009 22:00:05 GMT -5
So she was a learner, huh? No doubt intelligent and most likely prone to become intellectual when in the presence of others with equal brainpower. Well, she wouldn't have any bother thinking with him. At times, Sulley could be as thickheaded as a mule. Brain juice had never been an attribute of the men in his family.
"Like-minded...so other Rebellion members?" He scanned the short list of his people in his mind, wondering how any interactions she might have had with them went. He suddenly began to feel protective...and jealous. "Watch out when you're around them. Some of them...they're like animals. You just never know what they'll do. You should always make sure I'm close by." He frowned in thought, looking down at the grass that he tore between his fingers.
"For your own good."
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Post by Mara Ackart on Sept 25, 2009 22:16:12 GMT -5
Mara was a bit taken aback by his words. Was he being protective? She was more than a little shocked by that.
"Yeah, I actually met Taboo before I met you. I've met a few rebellion members but mostly I've been looking for people that want to get out that weren't affiliated with groups. I sent some of them your way." she explained, "I'll be careful. I've been thinking of finding someone to really help teach me how to fight. I really can't fight you know. I'm better at running away. While I like my skin there are reasons and...people...that I want to fight for now."
Mara was a little stunned by herself there. This guy was confusing, annoying, and at times down right infuriating. She was intelligent enough to realize that she'd meant him when she included people in that statement. She just wasn't getting any less confused today was she? |
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Post by Sulley on Sept 25, 2009 22:49:22 GMT -5
"I know."
He said abruptly when she admitted her weakness. He wasn't one to pounce on other's flaws, but she had stated a very obvious fact. His mind took him back to the scene in the Market place. She'd boosted herself and him away before anything had even started. Speaking of which, he still hadn't seen the girl again. Slipstream owed him.
"Even though you say that, fighting isn't as easy as it seems. So many people," more specifically women, "think they can just resolve to be stronger and that their determined thoughts alone will drive them to success. It's not true. Don't bank yourself on that. Learning to fight is much harder than anyone who has never learned would know."
He spoke from experience. He'd taken classes, but unfortunately Sulley himself was one of those people who could never assume the style of a proper fighter. Sure, he knew the right way to carry a blade and the best place to punch a person and how, but when it came to clean-cut styles that looked good and were effective, he was at a loss. His type of fighting was hardcore street ruffian crap that you only learned from experience.
It was still effective.
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Post by Mara Ackart on Sept 25, 2009 23:04:23 GMT -5
Mara nodded. She knew that. She knew all too well that saying something and doing it were different. She looked at him.
"I know that. I don't plan on it being easy. But if I plan on murdering the guys that put me here I need to learn. They won't be easy to get to." she took a breath, "Besides I probably won't be of much use to you if I can't even defend myself other than running the heck away."
She remembered well her past reactions to fights. She'd always run away. That had been how she'd met Sulley. She grit her teeth. That had been one heck of a meeting. She'd come out of it a bit angry but well aware that she was weak. She could always trust Sulley to ground her. She wanted to do big things. He reminded her that she just couldn't do them. She said she'd learn. He said it was hard.
"Thanks." she said quietly with an almost grudging tone, "If nothing else I can count on you to keep me grounded." |
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Post by Sulley on Sept 25, 2009 23:36:48 GMT -5
Sulley watched Slipstream for a minute, taking her in. Her thanks and posture that accompanied it made him think of a teenage girl he once knew, years ago. His hand moved before he realized, thumbing Mara's chin in an affectionate manner that could have been a father-daughter exchange, or something deeper. It only lasted a second. Sulley realized what he'd done and quickly drew his hand back to himself as if he'd been burned.
It took a moment of silence for him to recover himself. When he spoke he turned away, searching the water's surface with his dark eyes.
"Don't talk about murder so lightly." He spoke softly; the wind picking up threatened to blow away his words. "It isn't how it seems." And he would know. To say he regretted his decisions would be a lie. But ever since that day there was a weight placed on his being that he knew he would never be without. There was only one question, one glimmer of doubt he ever had when he reminisced: Was it worth it?
Sulley sighed and fingered the soul patch he had coming in, becoming more lively as he resumed a natural volume and allowed his eyes the freedom to roam.
"And hey, runnin' isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it's more intelligent than standing in the way or doing something stupid." Another comment from experience. He looked down at her beside him, and--there IS a God!--smiled.
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