Sarissa (ladyofsummer) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2017-05-28 12:37:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, !log, ~2017 may, ~25 points, ~~kaleb krychek (kalebkrychek), ~~~sarissa (ladyofsummer) |
WHO: Kaleb Krychek and Sarissa
WHERE: The park
WHEN: Mid-May
WHAT: Verbal skirmishes
RATING: PG
STATUS: log; completed
Although Sarissa had made a conscious decision to not use her powers as much as she could, her Mantle had no such compunction. It made flowers bloom where she walked - even those cut from their stems - and even drew animals to her. Sarissa wondered if Lily or Aurora ever felt like Snow White when they'd been Summer Lady. Well, Lily, anyway. She wasn't sure if Aurora had ever watched Snow White. With vegetables and fruit popping up randomly whenever she was around, she'd started making the most of them. Some she gave to her neighbours, others she used in her own cooking. And the rest she experimented with. Mostly she tried smoothie recipes that wouldn't be too much of a shock to the palate, although given her love of rich, delicious food, she wasn't quite sure what that actually tasted like. She finally got something she was happy with, however, and once she had a chance, she popped by Kaleb Krychek’s apartment. She didn't bother to knock, though. Instead, she just let a note on his door: 2pm today. Rowing pavilion in the park. *** Having watched the assigned material - five times as he tried to puzzle out Sarissa’s purpose behind the choice - Kaleb was decided he was ready to speak with Sarissa. As he kept careful watch around the small property he had claimed as his, Kaleb knew the moment she entered his space. He paused in the midst of an exercise, waiting to see what she would do, the sweat sliding down his body. There was no knock and he felt her leave again. It made him intensely curious. What was she up to? White flashed across the black fields of his eyes as he settled his power and moved to the door. He opened it and looked down the hallway, absently taking down the note on the door. Glancing at it briefly, Kaleb pondered the interesting woman. So few people fascinated him any more - she clearly belonged in that category. This would be the one meeting he wouldn’t miss. Which is why, at 2pm, he was smartly dressed in his suit once more and standing at attention, hands clasped behind his back, waiting for Sarissa - his mind searching out her unique signature. *** She was right on time, coming up the path with a small picnic basket in hand. She could have easily teleported there, as he no doubt had, but that would’ve involved using her powers. She smiled when she spotted him dressed ever-so-formally in a crisp suit. Even on a warm spring day in the park, he looked like he was ready to step into a boardroom. “Good afternoon,” she said pleasantly. “Thank you for coming.” *** Having sensed her approach, Kaleb did not turn to acknowledge her. Instead he continued to stand and face the river. It had been an interesting choice of location to meet, but then Kaleb had realised that Sarissa did nothing in a usual habitual pattern. It was what made understanding her a challenge and one that he looked forward to unraveling. “An unusual choice of location,” Kaleb stated as response, looking at her briefly. “Does this location have a purpose?” He also noticed the basket she carried and again his interest was piqued. Kaleb frowned mentally at himself. Interest in others was not something he generally found. People were necessary to completing things - not to be enjoyed or understood. It just spoke of the fact that he was rather underused in this location. *** “Oh yes, a very important one,” Sarissa said as she came up beside him. She took a moment to enjoy the view of the river, and very pointedly didn’t specify what purpose it held. If he wanted to know, he’d have to ask. And while she was at it, she decided to wait a few minutes before speaking again, just to see if he’d say anything first. Most people were uncomfortable with silence and would seek to fill it. Of course, Kaleb Krychek wasn’t exactly “most people”. Most likely, he could outwait her. But she just wanted to see if he would. *** People fooling with him was not something Kaleb had experience with. Most people were too frightened of him and his abilities and the sheer power that he wielded without thought - both as a telekinetic and the de facto leader of the Psy - to even dare cross him or tease him. Kaleb was not a person who inspired people to come close enough to discover that he may have something of a sense of humor. So Sarissa provided a situation that he did not have a manual to deal with. A lack of structure for dealing with this woman left him grasping for any method to categorize her - put her in a neat box that would allow him to have a consistent method for their interactions. And now she said nothing. If he was human, he would have ground his teeth together in frustration. Instead he merely stood, still and Silent. If it was a waiting game, he would win. And he realised that he had had that thought and turned his gaze abruptly to Sarissa. What was it about her that he naturally fell into such a contest of wills with this woman? Frustrated at himself, he became more determined than ever to remain silent. *** Sarissa caught the motion of his head turn out of the corner of her eye, and she smiled inwardly. He might still be keeping silent, but he wasn't entirely comfortable with it. She could almost feel his tense anticipation. That was enough for now. “I've been making smoothies,” she said eventually. She was okay with the one to break the silence: to her, this was an experiment, rather than a contest. “I think I found one that might be nutritious and bland enough for you.” *** If it was a battle, Kaleb sensed he would have lost. A portion of him scowled at Sarissa mentally. How did she always manage to best him? Or did he just allow it to feel as though he was bested? Neither were in line with Kaleb’s desire or thoughts of how the world should run. “Smoothies,” Kaleb repeated, those black eyes considered her carefully. The description sounded intriguing. And he knew nutrition in this realm was sadly lacking - not without compromising the Silence that kept him and his abilities in check. Losing control was not a viable option and he admitted that fear of too much exposure to emotion and sensation would lead to a break the people here could ill afford. But controlling his power and subduing it burned cost him energy and calories that needed to be replaced. “I admit to interest in your concoction. I assume that is the purpose of the container you are carrying.” He had expressed his interest. Now to see if she would indulge it or ignore it. *** It was enough for Sarissa to indulge it. Little steps; that was the way to approach anything. “Yes; it’s lined inside so keeps the temperature of the food in it,” Sarissa answered, turning to smile at him. He might not be appreciate it, but she liked to smile so he was going to get one regardless. “I’m sure it’s all hopelessly antiquated in your time, but it’s quite handy here.” She opened it up and handed a thermos to him. “You don’t have to drink it here if you don’t want. Just wash it out and give it back to me when you’re done.” She was aware she still hadn’t answered his unasked question of why she’d chosen this spot to meet. She wondered if he’d actually ask. Not that it mattered; her answer to it wouldn’t be very deep anyway. *** Taking the thermos, Kaleb - for a brief moment - wasn’t sure whether or not he should taste it. His knowledge of poisons was minimal and he certainly didn’t have the capability to rid his body of them. His eyes trailed to Sarissa, though her mind was closed to him and he made no effort to pry - sensing she would be alert the moment he even considered it - he sensed no duplicity in her. She had enough power to challenge him outright if she wanted rid of him - and he didn’t think she went for subtlety in those sorts of situations. So he unscrewed the lid and opened the bottle. The drink had little smell and Kaleb nodded. This was more in line with what he was used to. “Ingredients?” he inquired, tipping it to his mouth and taking a drink. There was little taste and the texture smooth and pleasant - reminding him of nutrition drinks he would have normally availed himself of. Returning the lid to the bottle, he considered her, waiting for an answer to his inquiry about ingredients. Now he would have to find funds that would allow him to purchase more from her. *** “Mostly root vegetables,” Sarissa said, watching him carefully to see his reaction to the drink. She wasn’t sure how he’d take it; it tasted bland to her, but for someone unused to real food, it still may be “overwhelming to the senses.” “I pureed a blend that would give you a reasonable mix of vitamins and minerals and put some protein powder in. What do you think? Will it do?” Now it was her turn to look at him, waiting for his answer. She was a bit more anxious for his verdict and she would’ve liked. *** Kaleb considered her list of ingredients. Kaleb wasn’t intimately aware of what the ingredients were for what he normally drank so the list made little sense. But the ingredients seemed something that would be usual to get in this location. Unscrewing the cap once more, Kaleb tried another drink. The taste didn’t strike him as anything unusual or anything that would overwhelm his senses. “It is acceptable,” Kaleb said, returning the lid to the drink once more. He was savouring it as he wasn’t sure that he would get more immediately. And calling something acceptable was definitely high praise from Kaleb. He didn’t do effusive in the slightest. “It is better than other options I have tried in this location.” Again - high praise. And he wasn’t without manners. “Thank you.” *** ‘Acceptable’ was probably the best she was going to get from him at this point, so she took the compliment in the spirit it was offered. “Good,” she said, pleased that her efforts had been productive. “If you want, I can give you the ingredient list so you can make it whenever you want. You must still want to make some tweaks, though. It's been a while since my last nutritional studies class.” *** “Then the process is not difficult?” Kaleb asked, though he didn’t regularly make anything for himself, he wasn’t about to admit that he would have no idea how to make such a thing. Prepping food was not something he did at home, nor was it was something that he intended to learn. His mouth turned down slightly as he considered the container. But then, he did want to have the drink again. “I would appreciate the opportunity to understand how to make it. It seems to provide more of what I expect in a drink.” It was the best he could manage in terms of saying ‘I have no idea how to do what you’re talking about - help me please’. Somehow he sensed just offering her funds to provide the drink would not be acceptable. She would rather he learn to do instead of just accept items. *** He was right: Sarissa had no intention of being his supplier of smoothies, even for money. Teach a man to fish, they say. She wasn’t going to make him beg, either. It was fun to poke at him, but when it all came down to it, Sarissa just wanted to help him. “It’s fairly simple,” she told him. “But you’ll probably need to buy a good food processor. The blender that comes with the apartments really doesn’t cut it. I can go with you and pick one out if you want.” *** It was not within Kaleb’s nature to ask for help. That had been trained out of him at a very very young age. So it was with reluctance that Kaleb stated, “I would appreciate your assistance with such things as they are not items with which I am familiar.” Hoping that she would agree, Kaleb turned things back to his original question. “So why this location?” he asked. He knew there was a reason - beyond a place - and he wanted to know what it was. Everything she did seemed to have some form of a lesson for him and he preferred to know what it was - whether he accepted it or not was another story. “And that movie you subjected me to.” Kaleb paused for words. “What was the thought process behind such a choice?” *** Sarissa agreed readily with a nod; she wasn't about to let him starve. When he asked his question, she turned and smiled at him. “Because it's pretty,” she said simply. “After all, you shouldn't care where we meet. One place is as good as another if you have no emotional attachment to anything. So if we’re going to talk about smoothie recipes, we might as well do it somewhere we can get sunshine and fresh air. As for why the movie…” She started humming, the melody no doubt familiar to him by now, and moved into words. “...just because I'm presuming you could be kinda human if you only had a heart!” She grinned at him when she finished, her smile as bright as the sun itself. *** Nothing about Kaleb needed sunshine and fresh air. Nothing about him was made for life where fresh air and sunshine were things that were labeled as ‘needs’. While he mentally had no issue with the location - as she was correct, it was simply a place and he could go to any of them - her reason was… Well, it helped him clarify more about who she was. Not so much that she was flighty, but that she had an affection for nature. It was interesting as he identified her upbringing and skills to be more like that of a Psy, but her need and love of nature was that of a Changeling. It was not something he could quite reconcile at the moment. Her statement about the movie made that slight frown appear on his features. Kaleb was intelligent enough to enough to understand she was poking fun at him slightly. So Kaleb returned the jab the only way he knew how - with cold practical fact. “I believe that I do retain a heart as M-Psy have never been able to prove otherwise,” Kaleb retorted. It was a fact with a sense of humor. “Though I don’t believe a movie would change that statement of fact.” *** Sarissa laughed. Was that a joke? If not, it was a close approximation of one. She didn't point it out, though, knowing he'd deny it. “No metaphor amongst the Psy?” She shook her head, her laughter fading into an amused smile. “I could teach you about those, too.” *** Glad that she assumed he was poking fun at himself as much as being truthful. Kaleb didn’t truly have a sense of humor, but he did enjoy, for a reason he could not define, Sarissa’s laughter and amusement - even if it was at his expense. Kaleb had not thought to enjoy such small things since the loss of Sahara. And the thought of the missing woman made him frown. Though he knew there was nothing he could do at the moment about the situation, her loss still grated against him. It was a problem he could not fix and Kaleb did not like unfixable problems. “Metaphor exists, but only as an intellectual understanding,” Kaleb said and then added, “Psy have lost touch with any part of themselves that was expressed artistically. Poetry, art, music, theatre - none of those exist in the Psy race any more.” *** His face was usually so impassive that even a slight frown was like a neon sign as to his mood - such as it was. Sarissa wondered what it was that had caused it. “Well, that's really too bad,” Sarissa said, frowning as well. “I can't imagine living without art. It's what feeds the soul and drives innovation. Cold, logical experimentation handles the logistics, but the ideas have to come from somewhere. What did you think of the movie?” *** Kaleb didn’t think the Psy and their forward progress had been hampered at all by the lack of art. They still seemed to move forward. Though he supposed it was not as innovative as it could have been in some regards - most changes were about power and control - not about bettering the world or the race. Kaleb wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad. “The movie was… interesting,” Kaleb started and turned his gaze toward the distance. “I am not sure what lesson you prefer me to learn from it - as you seem to expect me to learn something from all of our interactions - though I did find it interesting how the story completed a circle and there is a question about what is reality and what isn’t. Psy don’t dream or perhaps we could categorize my experience here as an elaborate dream.” *** Sarissa shook her head with a small, almost sad, smile. “That’s just the thing. You think I want you to learn something from our interactions, but that’s only because you’re looking it from a very practical standpoint - that all interactions have to be useful in some way. And the fact that you couldn’t see beyond that...well...don’t you think it limits you?” Her smile gentled. “I just wanted to see what you thought of it. That was all.” *** “My life is about practicality,” Kaleb said, long fingers reaching to the buttons of his jacket and slipping them from their holes. Pushing back the sides of the jacket, he slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “Every thing I have done has had a purpose. Everyone wanted something from me. By that reasoning, it would also apply here. Learning a different modus operandi, that …” Kaleb looked out, white sparks dancing on the darkness of his eyes. “That takes time. Therefore I shall continue to look for the lesson - the purpose behind all the actions around me.” *** “There isn't one,” Sarissa said simply. He obviously didn't understand the concept, as he'd just admitted, which was why she reiterated it for him. The movement of his hands to his trousers caught her attention. It was a casually powerful pose, and she wondered why he'd adopted it. He didn't strike her as someone who made any sort of movement without a purpose behind it. Certainly he didn't have to remind her of his latent power - or did he think he did? Or maybe he was just aware how attractive he looked like that. He was a beautiful man; she could appreciate it even if he had none for it himself. She wasn't distracted enough to lose track of the conversation, however. “What did you think of it?” *** “It reminded me of someone,” Kaleb said, deciding to trust her with that much. Turning to look at her, Kaleb assessed her dispassionately for several long quiet minutes. Something about her … Kaleb did not often work on what Changelings and humans would call ‘intuition’. He made - what he considered - sound, logical, rational decisions. Rationally or logically, there was little reason for him to trust her. What he did know was information he extrapolated from their interactions. Her power was more than equal to his own. She had clearly learned how to be human whereas he had specifically and systematically learned not to. But he could only give so much at once. Not when control was all he knew. “It was an interesting commentary on human nature - what they are all seeking.” *** Now that was interesting. Not only had he actually given up a piece of information about his private life voluntarily, but that there was someone he cared enough about to think of when watching a movie about longing for home. Sarissa wondered who it was, and what kind of person it took to worm their way into Kaleb Krychek’s fortress of a heart. Must be completely remarkable. Seeing him pull back from that confidence, though, Sarissa decided not to push for now. Baby steps. This was going to be a long project, but one that'll be sure to keep her diverted during her stay here. “Courage - heart - wisdom - all things humanity strives for,” Sarissa agreed. “Did you notice, though, that for everyone who was asking for something, they already had that trait? Even Dorothy had the means to return home the whole time. I think it's a nice, subtle message: that we might think we’re missing something, but it's in there, inside us. Just hidden.” Like, say, the ability to feel. *** It didn’t take a genius to extrapolate what Sarissa was pointing out. Kaleb wasn’t quite sure he agreed, but there may be something of a point to her words. Though reality had taught Kaleb that he couldn’t feel. Hands down - that ability had been trained out of him in a brutal, ruthless manner. There was enough blood swimming in veins to make sure that emotion never surfaced. “So you are saying that somehow I retain the ability to be human despite my protestations,” Kaleb said, stating her thoughts in a more clear cut manner. “I am sure that I disagree with your conclusion as the evidence I hold would negate that thought - at least in my case.” Those dark eyes turned to look at her and he added, “Perhaps I am the exception to your rule.” *** “Perhaps,” Sarissa acknowledged with a small smile. She could see enough of a spark in him, however, to think otherwise. But she wasn’t going to push it right now. “I suppose time will tell.” She started tucking things back into her picnic basket. “I’ll let you go now. Let me know when you want to go shopping for supplies for your smoothies.” *** “I will contact you within the week,” Kaleb said, hands sliding from his pockets and moving to rebutton the jacket. Those dark eyes met hers, flashes of white appearing on black field. “I am sure it will be a memorable experience.” Humor laced his words - Kaleb allowed himself to enjoy the moment before nodding at her and teleporting away. *** Sarissa watched him disappear, an act that happened as quickly as a blink. And when he was gone, she allowed himself to smile. And as she walked away, she started to sing. You’d be tender, you’d be gentle And awful sentimental Regarding love and art You’d be friends with the sparrows And the boy who shoots the arrows If you only a heart. |