Log:The Morning After

2013/04/17 	 Scrapper Ten Lia 1

Champions Mush - Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 8:21 AM

Bridgend ''Bridgend is an upmarket coastal stretch, between the port to the north and the yacht club to the south, where several main roads meet: Golden Sands Road from the southwest, Ming Street from Chinatown, Bridge Road from Sandy Bottoms Island, and Wharf Street, running roughly parallel to the shore. Some more prominent businesses have warehouses here, but expensive houses and nice cafes, restaurants and shops are more common. The spectacular arch of the bridge to the island guarantees these businesses always have a good tourist trade. ''

Jennifer 

''This young girl is smartly dressed in slacks and white blouse. She wears soft leather boots that protect her feet but make no sound as she walks. Her hands are bare and uncovered. She has long pale blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Her build is slim, athletic and her movements feline in smoothness. She has the appearence of someone who spends time outdoors. Her skin is tanned, with maybe just a hint of nordic ancestry visible although her eyes have an almost oriental tilt and the pupils of her eyes are oval rather than circular. ''

Scrapper is perched on a pylon of the bridge, chilling out in a place not easily accessible for someone who cannot fly. As a matter of fact, she is so relaxed lying there in the early morning sun with the waves of the bay lapping under her that she might even be asleep.

Jennifer comes over the bridge from Sandy Bottom Island. So she sees Scrapper while still on the bridge. Pulling out a flash grenade she throws it, aiming carefully to bounce it noisily off a beam beside Scrapper, then onto a cross member, and then finally bounce back into Jennifer's waiting hand.

Scrapper starts and rolls off her temporary bed in a combat crouch, landing lightly on ... well... nothing. She looks wildly about.

Ten is heading toward the bridge anyway, out for a swing - and seeing a figure, still too distant about to identify, seemingly about to fall from the bridge - she zooms in that direction.

Scrapper grumbles and floats up to the walkway, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

Ten is relieved to see the mid-air figure doesn't need assistance, and swings up that way., coming to a rapid stop. "Hey."

Scrapper smirks at Ten in an 'I know what you've been doing' kind of way and slowly stretches, trying to fully wake up. "Good morning"

Ten looks, well, rather puzzled. . o O (I thought we were sort of ok now....) "Everything ok?"

"Yeah," Scrapper says with a final yawn. "I fell asleep on the bridge.'

Ten smiles. "Doesn't look the most comfortable place to sleep."

Scrapper says, "I had a busy night, thanks to your boyfriend, and was a bit too wound up to stay in the castle. The falling asleep out here part was accidental."

Ten blinks. "What did he do?!"

Scrapper grins at Ten mischievously, "After he left me, supposedly he went to see you. Did he not make it?"

Ten grins back. "He did. But you didn't come up in... conversation."

Scrapper says, "How does it feel being on call for somebody like him? I imagine as much as a tease as he is that 'conversations' like that are pretty frequent."

Ten frowns. "'On call'?"

Scrapper says, "You never noticed that he tends to stop by after a night busking, teasing all the girls but frustrating himself by never following through? I've been hearing 'I've got a girlfriend' from him without a name for so long that I thought his girlfriend might be fictional. ... "and no, it wasn't me that he was teasing. We are too much like loving, feuding siblings for that. He *did* play matchmaker though."

Ten says, "Who was he teasing, then? And are you sure he meant to be?"

Scrapper says, "Seriously? Have you ever seen how rarely he keeps his shirt *on* when there are girls present?"

Ten frowns. "I can't say it's something I've noticed. But then again -it's not like I'm in much of a position to throw stones, is it?"

Scrapper says, "Face it, he is a drop dead gorgeous man and every girl he sees, except freaks like me and perhaps lesbians, wants to jump him on sight. He'd have to be blind or stupid not to notice and he is neither."

Ten says, "Yeah, he knows it. He often complains that people see him like that....."

Scrapper nods but tactfully keeps her foot out of her own mouth.

Ten says, "We're two of a kind like that."

Scrapper nods again. "So when did he start playing matchmaker?"

Ten says, "No idea. He hasn't mentioned anything about that."

Scrapper says, "Huh. It may just be me then." She gestures to the black disk on her wrist. "Maybe he just likes being in my head."

Ten says, "Hm? Oh. Why, what's he been doing?"

Scrapper says, "He hooked me up on a date right before he went to see you."

Ten says, "Oh, with who? And how does this end with you sleeping on a bridge? Inquiring minds want to know!"

Scrapper says, "Malcolm, and no, he didn't leave me on the bridge. We parted ways at the castle. It was a traditional normal date. We crashed a beach party and, for a few hours, I got to pretend I was normal and everything. It was ..." Scrapper shrugs, "different."

Ten says, "Malcolm.... not sure I know him. Did you have fun? Or just find it 'different'?"

Lia emerges from somewhere back on the island, heading across the bridge. Lia offers a wave as such approaches Scrapper and Ten. "Hello."

Scrapper grins at Lia with a bit of relief. "Hi. Nice timing."

Ten smiles. "Saved by the bell?"

"What's up? Why is my timing well?" Lia asks, tilting her head slightly.

Scrapper waves off Lia's questions, asking instead, "Where have you been lately? I haven't seen much of you."

"...Thinking..." Lia offers, "Thinking a lot about myself and who I am now...and struggling to accept the fact that..." Lia looks to her body, then back to Scrapper, and sighs.

Scrapper nods, "You are in good company. Ten, why don't you tell Lia what you were ... before."

Ten nods sympathetically, then looks a bit embarrassed at Scrapper's suggestion.

Ten says, "Well.. I used to be a guy."

Lia blinks, and looks...conflicted. "...At least you still get to look human..." Lia mutters, sighing. She still looks conflicted.

Scrapper's eyes light up with a sudden mischievous revelation, "Does Marcus know?"

Scrapper adds for Lia, "That is not human. That is a photoshop fantasy of human."

[To Scrapper] Ten says, "Oh, thanks. That makes me feel a lot better."

[To Ten] Scrapper says, "We are talking about Lia's adjustments here, not you."

Lia backs up, looking defeated by Scrapper's notion of Ten resembling a fantasy of human. Lia offers a nod, "...Right..."

Scrapper says, "My *point* is that you are in good company and *all* of us put more stock in who you are inside than appearances."

Ten nods. "She's right, you know. And that's how I avoided going off the deep end - my new friends."

"Right..." Lia nods slowly, "...If only I could believe that I'm still who I used to be...That I'm still...human. even if I don't look it..." Lia's words sound oddly hollow, as if she's doubting them herself.

Scrapper says, "The important part isn't definitions or categories - human vs not human or whatever, but what kind of soul you are."

Ten says, "The only advice I can give is, don't lose sight of who you are. Don't let superficial changes change any more than you need to. Unless you decide you want to change, of course."

"My soul...Last I checked, was split into two...Arguably, I'm far less human on that front than anyone standing here." Lia mutters, looking to Scrapper. And to Ten, "...I try, but I fear that my changes could go deeper than just superficial alterations..."

Scrapper says, "I didn't say your problems were superficial, just that they aren't the end of the world. You're going to have to fight, hard, to rediscover your identity. I'm just saying it will be worth it."

Ten nods. "I didn't mean to downplay anything either. But my point stands: hang on to who you really are.... But I'm afraid i need to go now. Take care!"

Ten swings away to the west.

Lia nods to Scrapper, "Agreed, but...where should I start?"

Scrapper says, "start positive. Focus on who and what remains instead of what was lost."

Lia nods, "...Finally, some guidance as to how to deal with this...."

Scrapper smiles, "I've been saying that all along. You just weren't ready to listen,"

Lia nods, "Perhaps, though...Should I fear allowing myself to change?"

Scrapper says, "The only things that don't change are dead. Growth is life."

Scrapper says, "It is also a choice. Grow or stagnate."

Lia nods, "Yeah...Maybe...I should just embrace the changed to myself...or at least...try to..."

Scrapper shrugs. "Up to you. I could have stayed an egg forever, but I wouldn't have been pleasant company for anybody. You helped with that."

Scrapper lets Lia think about that and flies off.

Lia seems relieved now, and giggles, offering a wave to Scrapper.