Rose Tyler is Bad Wolf (_badwolf_) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-10-01 01:39:00 |
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Entry tags: | rey, rose tyler |
Who: Rey & Rose
What: Tea Adventure!
When: Tuesday afternoon
Where: Local tea shoppe
Rating: PG
Status: Complete!
Rose was beyond excited to go on a (sort of) adventure with Rey. It was her first real outting since she had arrived and she was pleasantly surprised to have found a fast friend through the network already. True, Rose didn’t know too much about her, but she seemed nice enough! At least she understood Rose’s current plight with trying to find a decent tea shoppe around here.
The network had really helped her out in that area as well. She was excited to try all the different ones people had suggested and felt like this was one more step towards calling California home.
She didn’t have a car at the moment or a bike for that matter. She walked to work every day and anywhere farther, she used the public transport. She had been very familiar with it back home and it didn’t take her long to figure out the different colored lines of the public transit of Orange County.
It took her about half an hour to make it to the tea shoppe and she waited outside, realizing that she didn’t know what the girl looked like. She looked up and down the street and didn’t see any motorcycle so she could only hope she had beaten her there. Based off of Rey’s Frankenbike, she hoped it would be an obvious show once she arrived.
Rey's motorcycle looked like she'd welded the shell out of sheet metal and then painted it red, with a frame that was similarly welded together out of spare parts. There was a honda fender and harley handlebars, and numerous other bits and pieces besides. The engine was a little oversized, and both wheels were wide. On top of that, it was also loud. It wasn't just that she'd melded together discordant parts, she'd practically built it from scratch.
Rey herself wore one of those half-shelled hard helmets, though hers had been painted with symbols like the helmet from her dreams. She climbed off the bike once she cut the engine, hanging the helmet off the seat and looked around. Despite everything the dreams and Orange County had thrown at her, she was still a bright person.
Rose had a sneaky suspicion it was Rey she heard coming around the corner and she couldn’t help but smile as she saw the girl and her bike come up to meet her. She walked over, raising her eyebrows at Frankenbike.
“He’s quite impressive,” she said, her smile only growing. “Rather loud though...you can definitely hear when you’re coming!” She waited for her to take the helmet off before sticking her hand out for Rey to shake. “I’m Rose. I mean...I’m hoping you’re Rey?” She realized she had a fairly good idea it was her, but would be incredibly embarrassed if she had deduced incorrectly.
“I need to install a muffler. I wrecked him a few months ago and I couldn’t find one at the junkyard.” Rey rubbed the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly, before taking Rose’s hand in a strong and calloused grip. “And I kind of like the noise.”
She laughed, nodding. “I’m Rey! I kind of assumed you were Rose since you approached me, but wouldn’t that have been embarrassing?”
Rose couldn’t help but laugh, giving a small shrug of her shoulders as she took her hand back from the exchange. “If it isn’t a necessity! And I’m guessing people get out of your way fast enough when they hear you coming.” She gave her a friendly smile, everything she said meant in jest.
“It’s nice to meet you in person! Thanks for agreeing to try this out with me. I haven’t really had time to get to know my neighbors or branch out from the regular customers that come in for a cup…” She trailed off, realizing she was beginning to sound a bit like a recluse. She cleared her throat and grinned.
“Have you been here a long time?” she asked, noticing the girl’s accent. She walked over and opened the door to let her in first, following after.
“Suppose that helps,” Rey agreed. The bike was kind of a behemoth but she knew how to drive it through traffic. Not that she ever did such a thing.
“Almost two years.” Just saying it out loud startled Rey. She couldn’t believe it had been that long. “I lived in Phoenix for a few years, but I’m from London originally. That’s… probably a little obvious, actually.”
She moved towards the line to order, adding, “I don’t recommend Phoenix.” It was almost as bad as Jakku.
Rose laughed as they stood in line. “The accent may have given it away. But it sounds like you’ve done a bit of traveling! Where is Phoenix?” Rose only knew so much about California, but the rest of America? She was hopeless.
They were at the head of the line and Rose had to break away, glancing at the items listed on their chalkboard. She ordered a standard black tea with cream and sugar, hoping it met her British expectations. The decor certainly seemed to scream Britian; flags were hung around and a couple ‘Stay Calm’ posters adorned the walls.
After Rey had ordered and stepped over with Rose to wait, she picked back up the conversation. “What’s wrong with Phoenix?”
“It’s in Arizona. Which is …. “ Rey moved her hands around in a failed effort to describe where everything was. “I drove through Las Vegas from there to get to here? It was awful though. 45-50 degrees in the summer and very dry. And some of the people were real jerks.”
Her own choice was similar to Rose’s. Rey had never, ever been picky when it came to food. The running joke with her friends was to not let one’s fingers get anywhere near her plate.
Rose had heard of Vegas, but still wasn’t sure where it was in location to where they were. She still nodded her head as if it helped, making a face when Rey told her how hot it could be there. “I didn’t think anywhere could get that hot!” she said. “Why would someone want to be in that heat? I think if I stayed around in that I would become a jerk too!” She grinned as their names were called out. Rose grabbed her’s and started to look around for a free table.
“What made you move to California?”
"I don't really know why people stay there. I think most people just end up there and then find it hard to leave. Or expensive." Maybe not as bad as Las Vegas, but the cost of living had been high there.
Rey looked around, then shrugged. "It was better than where I lived in London. My foster father wasn't... a very good person. But I left Phoenix because I lost my job there because I kept pointing out their mistakes. It was a crappy job, but it paid the bills."
Rose settled down at a table, crossing her legs and trying a sip of her tea. She gave a pleased look, glancing at her cup. “Not too bad,” she said, looking over at Rey. “What do you think?”
She nodded her head on why people stay, completely understanding. Funny, it really sounded like herself; unless you took the initiative to get out of your situation, you kind of just fell into routine and never really looked forward. She smiled as she realized she and Rey had that in common, that they didn’t like where they were and moved on to something else; hopefully something better.
“I’m sorry,” Rose started, but didn’t pursue. She was sure Rey had heard the same thing and it may not have been something she wanted to keep repeating. “Better to get away from a bad situation and start over, yeah?” She grinned. “Lemme guess, did you do mechanics?” She certainly seemed to have a talent for it with her Frankenbike.
“It’s pretty good,” Rey agreed, sounding surprised. She sat across from Rose, adding, “But it’s been so long since I’ve had proper tea I might not be the best judge.”
Taking another sip, Rey weighed her answer, “I did. Well, they had me mostly cleaning things and whenever I showed them up they got right pissy about it!”
Rose laughed, nodding her head in agreement. “You know, I never thought of that. But this definitely tastes better than the watered down tripe they serve at Starbucks!” She took another sip and sighed. “Ah, this is brilliant. I may have found a new tea shoppe. Although I wanna try and see the others that people have listed! Feel up to trying them out with me another time?” Rose was happy Rey was one of the first people she could meet here through the network; she was more than relieved to find she was open to an adventure with someone she had just met online! She didn’t seem shady or that Rose should be worried about her and she could see herself spending more time with her.
Rose rolled her eyes. “Mostly gents I’m guessing. Always feeling intimidated when someone knows more than them! Glad you’re here though, some time we can get to know each other! Are you liking California so far?”
“I feel as though it would be a traitorous crime to not take you up on that offer,” Rey quipped. “And they were all gents. And not very nice ones either. I was relieved when I was fired. Gave me an excuse to get out of there. I do freelance work, now!”
It barely paid the bills, but she got by, at least. “It’s a beautiful state. Sometimes a little on the unusual side, but beautiful.”
“Brilliant!” Rose beamed, holding her cup up for a toast. “To adventure buddies!” She laughed, clinking her cup against Rey’s in a celebratory fashion.
She rolled her eyes at the confirmation, taking another sip of tea. “Your own boss! That can’t be half bad. Making your own hours, not having to report to anyone…” It was like a dream to Rose.
“Yeah, I’ve been hearing weird things! I think someone said zombies?” She gave Rey a hopeful, skeptical look as if to say, please tell me that’s not true.
“Going a week without a job and learning to really love ramen,” Rey added, grinning at Rose. But her grin faded at the mention of zombies and she looked at her tea like it was suddenly very, very interesting.
“I don’t know if I could tell you it’s not true.”
Oooh, so maybe it wasn’t the best situation. But still, she looked like she was doing well enough for herself and was happy enough. She sighed when Rey ducked her head, but her tone was friendly and joking.
“Guess I need to prep myself for literally anything. How much have you seen here?”
“Uhm.” Rey moved her hand, and a napkin flew from the table and into it. “You could say I’ve seen things.”
Rose’s eyesbrows shot up and back down very quickly. Had she just seen what she thought she did? Her eyes went from the napkin to Rey, a questioning look in her eye.
“Are you...do you have powers in your dreams?”
“I do. I didn’t know I had for a long time, but it was always there, guiding me.” It sounded like a long story, and it was. A depressing and terrifying one at times, but a long one. Rey had a mostly positive outlook in general, though. She’d met Finn, and Han, and the General. And Chewie and BB-8, of course.
“Guiding you?” Rose shot her a questioning, but intrigued look. “How do you mean?” Rose was always open for long stories, although she knew it was up to the storyteller to decide; some didn’t really want to delve into the story and Rose was fine with that too.
“I’m a pilot. Well, I’m working on a real license here, but it can help. Make you more responsive, more aware of everything around you. And that goes for real life too, and even when working with machines.” Rey shrugged her shoulders. “It’s like an awareness. Then now, with some training and knowing what it is, I can do more!”
Rose didn’t quite understand what Rey was explaining to her. She gave her a thoughtful look, taking a sip of her tea. “So...there’s something that...heightens your senses?” As she said it out loud, it seemed a bit silly, but...well, she had just seen her grab a napkin without actually touching it.
“Yes…” Rey tried to figure out how to explain it, and she wished Ahsoka was here. Without Luke’s (hopeful) training, she’d turned to one of the only other Jedi she knew of. Ahsoka had suggested she also talk to Kanan, but she hadn’t gotten around to that yet. “It’s something that flows through all living things and connects them. For a long time I was afraid, until I let it in.”
Rose thought what she was talking about sounded familiar, but where could she have heard something like this before? “I've heard of people getting powers when they're here and…dreaming. Another sip of tea.
“I'm guessing you've dreamed?”
"Yes..." Rey looked a little relieved. "I'm glad you've seen that, it's hard to explain without sounding like a nutter. And it's hard to describe to someone who hasn't experienced. They're more real than being awake."
Rose made a “don't hate me but…” face. “Well...I actually haven't dreamed yet. I just hear it happens from the network. And I mean…” she shrugged. “I dunno, I guess I should be more weirded out? But it's kind of...whatever.” She gave a shrug of her shoulders, sure she sounded ridiculous. She couldn't really say what it was that made her accept everything so easily; maybe it was just easier.
“Do you feel like you're that person? In your dream?”
There was a haunted look on Rey's face, her normally cheerful mask dropping for just a moment. "Yes, and no. I suppose everyone you ask might answer that differently. Some people embrace it, others not so much. For me, I think there's enough of her in me, and me in her, for there to not be too much difference. But I try to separate myself as much as I can. It can get a little depressing otherwise."
Rose hadn’t meant for their adventure to take a turn and was surprised to see the look on Rey’s face. “I’m sorry,” she said after a moment. “I had heard that the dreams kind of took a toll on people, but I didn’t really comprehend how or how much.” She was silent for a moment before giving Rey a supportive smile. “There’s always a hope that they could get better, yeah?”
“Everything was turning up … green,” Rey replied, her expression becoming wistful. “And then it went all to shite again. But … I think mine ended on a hopeful note. So there is that.”
Rose grinned, hoping Rey could have something that ended on a hopeful note. “Do ya think you're dreams are over?” She asked. “Or that you'll have more?” She didn't mean to ask so many questions, but as she hadn't started dreaming yet, she couldn't help but be interested.
“They definitely didn’t end.” Rey ran her fingers through her hair. “A lot happened, too much to really sum up, but instead of it being an end, it felt more like a beginning. Like I’d ended one adventure only to embark on another one.”
“Like you’ll have more dreams?” She thought it over, wondering how they came and went, how they decided when it was time for someone to get a dream at all. She couldn’t help but be curious of it and wonder what her own would be like. “Well maybe you can tell me more about your dreams at our next adventure,” she said with a grin. “Tea and dreams. We could make a club out of it!”
“Do we get hats?” Rey asked. Somehow, it felt like any club needed a hat.
Rose laughed and nodded her head. “Maybe we should go to the local thrift shop before heading to our newest tea adventure! I think I’ll look for a derby.” She giggled and took another sip, happy to have found someone she could venture around her new home with.