redjacketthief | 12th Turn [Voice/Action]

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12th Turn [Voice/Action]

Hey, guys.

[His voice sounded weary but oddly content and calm. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was starting to understand something.]

I was thinking about something, actually. A couple of somethings. It's getting to be winter and, by my count, there's going to be a few holidays coming up for many of us. I know not all of us celebrates them the same way...but, at the same time, many of us can't celebrate them as we used to. We don't have the same traditions around here, or the same people.

...What I thought I would do was try to arrange a fun get-together in a few weeks for people who just want to relax and have some fun. There won't be any rules or ties to tradition, but there will be people. Tis the season to be with people you like, right?

Right.

[At this point he pauses to throw on a filter, just to tease someone:]

Filtered from Fujiko: 98%

My other thought was to throw a surprise party for my girl. Mine Fujiko, for those who know her. It doesn't need to be anything big or fancy, but I want it to be special. She's been here for a long time.

I'm still trying to figure out how we're doing the food and finding our venue, but I'd love to hear any ideas that you guys have. Cake should be involved here. Seriously. Otherwise, I'm completely open to any idea.

Thanks ahead guys.

Action

[While the sun is still out, Lupin decided to head out into the town to check for some better winter gear in the various shops. He's not picky. Later on he can be found enjoying a hot drink at the bakery before he returns back to his apartment in Community House 1. He is keeping an eye out for both Grell and Gambit during this time.

He needed to rework plans with them.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He looked up at Spock and nodded silently. Go for it--he needed to learn to deal with the feedback anyway, in case the Malnosso screwed with them again.]

[Spock leaned forward and placed his fingers on the psy-points of Lupin's face...]

My mind to your mind...

My thoughts to your thoughts....

[They were once again plunged into that familiar blackness...similar to being underwater.]

Can you hear me Sa-kai?

[His breath caught in his lungs momentarily as he adjusted to the inky darkness, once more feeling blinded in the depths of their minds. Visualizing anything on this level was foreign--it was why he always kept his drafts and notes. A hard copy was an important visual for him.]

I...can.

[Once more Spock was his anchor. A part of him wondered if he was being foolish, reckless, or if he was simply a masochist that enjoyed putting himself at risk.]

[The 'air' warmed around Lupin as Spock's concious mind chucked at Arsene's thoughts.]

I would not willingly put you in danger Sa-kai.

[The inky darkness gives way to a rocky, sandy landscape once more, but very different this time. This time there is a grand city.]

This is the city of Shir'kar .

I know that, this is just--

[His protests were silenced by the sight of the foreign city. Lupin forgot to breathe once more as he stared at the stone facades of the city in admiration. The stark masonry and sharp angles made a striking contrast against the rugged landscape, and the detailing of it was completely unfamiliar. It was almost reminiscent of the modern skyscrapers of Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, but there was less steel and more of granite involved.

A heartbeat passed before he released the breath.]

...whoa.

Indeed

[Spock's mind held some sorrow for this lost city... however, it was quickly stifled.]

This is the Katric Ark... the statue is of Surak, the Vulcan who convinced a savage society to live according to logic. In the Ark was stored all of Vulcan's history... their heritage, and their discoveries.

[Lupin stilled when he caught that subtle ebb of grief and once more remembered the tragic fate of Vulcan. He knew it intellectually, but it was so easy to forget. This 'tour' must have been very emotional for Spock, even if he would never say it.]

It's impressive. [Said softly, respectfully, and without his usual boyish glee.] Did any of this...survive?

[There was a heavy pause at that question...]

While the planet was being destroyed, the Vulcan elders and their spouses took refuge in the Katric Ark. Each elder contains some of the information in the Ark..

[If only he was faster... had made it down to the planet sooner... had been closer to his mother....Spock concentrates on breathing, he could not loose it again. He was in control. He had to be in control. Spock did not mean for this to be a moment of anguish...
Spock speaks again.]
I managed to save most of the elders, though there were some casualties. Not all is lost.

[Lupin recognized this behavior.]

At least your culture survives, and you can rebuild. Not everyone has that luxury.

...there's something that you're not saying, isn't there?

...My insecurities should not be a burden to you sa-kai... I am recognizing the fact that I was not fast enough... that I could have..

[Spock seems to give himself a mental shake. He needed to move on from this.]

And you are correct, my culture does survive and they are indeed rebuilding. It is most fortunate. [Though who Spock is trying to convince is another matter entirely.]

Don't guilt yourself about it.

[A pause. Lupin wondered how to best approach this--roughly or gently. He wasn't accustomed to giving comfort like this. Under normal circumstances, he would have targeted the source of the distress himself and pulled his strings to neutralize it...and he would hand the reigns over to his friend, so they could seek closure on their own.

Under normal circumstances.

He reached out and lightly punched Spock on the shoulder.]

It will take care of itself. So, you should take the time to take care of yourself.

[The very atmosphere in Spock's mind seems to pause... then slowly fills with a warmth that is filled with appreciation and gratitude.]

Indeed, your logic once again is sound, Sa-kai.

Thank-you. Perhaps now you will show me your own home?

[The warmth was far better for the both of them than the regret and frustrations that they both felt for the last cycle. Lupin grinned, and his eyes lit up with barely suppressed mischief.]

I haven't called any single place 'home' in a long while. I travel too much, so I consider myself more like a citizen of the world. How about you make some kind of request?

...and tell me what to do. I'm not sure how to get it across...

[Mild amusement bubbles over the link...]

It is merely a matter of recollection Sa-kai...

And as for my request, would you be amenable to showing me where you have felt the most joy? [Because Spock is actually really curious about this... Where in the world could bring this man joy?]

The most joy...

[He let his mind drift on the prompt and recalled the skyscrapers and penthouse apartments he and his partners invariably found themselves in from time after time--especially around this time of year. None of them really celebrated the holidays with anything special. They were thieves and criminals, and they needed to stay low.

But there was always that bottle of wine they shared when they reunited after a long, dry stretch, shared in some ritzy hotel room in some lit up city after dark.]

[Spock is silent as he observes the images fly move across the landscape of his subconscious.]

It would seem that you find your solace in your...friends. It must be difficult for you to be here without them.

I find my solace in people. In crowds. But, especially my friends. [He paused for a moment, remembering the antics he got up to with Jigen and even the rare joke that Goemon told.]

I don't keep a collection. Never have. As one young woman pointed out, my friends are my treasure. And the city...

It could be Hong Kong. It could be Prague, it could be Bangkok or London or Tokyo or New York. I feel like myself in a city, where you can feel the crowd and smell the streets. The food, the cars, the people.

That's where I feel like I'm at home.

Edited 2012-11-13 00:20 (UTC)

[As Lupin mentions the places, the images are what seems to be a never ending reel.
He is starting to understand why Lupin feels most 'at home' when he is busy and around people. Isolation must have been very difficult for him.

Spock can also see how much Arsene has changed...most curious.]

I believe I understand.

Is Miss Fujiko the same?

She is.

[He glanced up at Spock with eyes that still gleamed with the remembered mischief, adrenaline, and breathlessly daring challenges that he undertook as a means of defining his life. There was none of that available for him in Luceti--it was part of why he was willing to take that insane job in June, even though he knew the risks. It was why he leaped onto the mission in April, why he tried again in September, and why he wanted to do more missions in the future.

As much as he tried to adapt, he knew that he couldn't. He missed the thrill, the danger, and the catharsis that came with each success.

He missed living his dream.]

My partners and I are all like that, in our own ways. This place...

I'm surprised that Fujiko and I haven't gone mad yet.

Indeed...

But the mind is a powerful thing Sa-kai...

[All of a sudden the blackness is replaced with the bustling streets of Paris at night. ... Lupin is standing in the middle of a crosswalk intersection, and there are people everywhere.

Spock though, is nowhere to be seen... but his voice, with a hint of playfulness, echoes around him..]
Can you locate me?

Hide and seek, huh?

[His smile was slow and lazy, but his eyes were keen with a wild hunger. This was just a dream, he had to remind himself even as the Arc de Triomphe stood tall in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle and glowed against the darkened sky. He could see the lights and hear the bustle down the Champs-Élysées. There was a sharp chill to the air, and the lingering sense that winter was almost upon them, but that never stopped activity on la plus belle avenue du monde.]

I'm game. You know I'm game.

[He pulled his scarf tighter around his neck and pocketed his gloved hands with a the nonchalant grace of a feline--or a thief. A glimmer of his restless energy bled through as he walked down the street at a languid pace with one of his favored Gitanes held in his lips. His sharp eyes looked past the cars and the streetlights as he tried to feel for the tangible, familiar presence that Spock had somehow become.]

(ooc: click here for ambient music.)

[Amusement once again fills Lupin's senses...]

Indeed... think of this as a training exercise... follow the link.]

[From where Spock stands, he observes the city with mild curiosity and fascination. Paris was truly aesthetically pleasing.
With concentration, Spock focuses on Lupin's progress once more. With a half-smile, Spock decides to take some enjoyment out of this... he sends out projections of himself throughout the city to distract his brother.]

[As Lupin rounds a corner, he should see the back of a familiar figure... blue uniform and black hair... walking quickly away from him.]

Training exercise...

[He did need that, badly, but he was glad enough to be at one of the few places that he could rightfully call home. Paris was his first city, and would always be one of the gems that he took pride in sharing. It was just a dream, he reminded himself once more, but the Gitane tasted so good...

Lupin caught sight of Spock in his moment of distraction, and he arched an eyebrow when he saw where the Vulcan was going.]

You're going there? Really? Just because the Rue and I share a name doesn't make it a good destination. At least stay along the strip!

[He was a very visually oriented man as it was; of course he would be distracted by what he saw. That distinctive blue shirt stood out among the long jackets and woolen hats of the populace. It was easy to track.

Without a thought, he briskly picked up his pace.]

[As Lupin draws near to the projection of Spock... it disappears.]

You must pay attention to the link sa-kai... If I concentrate, I am able to find you at any given time. I believe you can do the same.

Right. Concentration.

[He sighed when the projection went out, even though he knew why Spock had chosen this venue. Everything about it, from the lights to the sounds of people, was exactly the sort of thing that Lupin craved. More than his cigarettes and the chaos of his antics, he missed the sheer zen of being a part of the crowd.

Lupin reluctantly closed his eyes to block out the crush and his impulse to cut loose and have a night on the town. He knew that it would have been a shallow reflection of the truth--

This was all in his head.

That thought alone chilled him.

But he didn't want to give up the lights. The Champs-Elysees was beautiful at night.

Instead he took a deep breath and searched for a compromise. That golden thread from the desert...there had to be an analogue in his own 'mindscape.']

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Re: [Action] whoops... sorry, didn't plan for that to happen. XD

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