That One Time He Forgot About Barriers

[Phoenix]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

March 17th, 2014

<Micah> -text- Hey. I need to talk to you. You have a minute or three?

<Phoenix> She eyed the text for a moment before replying. 'Sure. Where'd you want to meet?'

<Micah> -text- Umm. I can meet you at Cherrydale station. I have to come that way anyways.

<Phoenix> -text- Sure - be there in 15 seconds.

<Micah> -text- See you there.

<Phoenix> Fifteen seconds was the time it took her to walk from the computer desk to her portal and slip through. Once she arrived on solid ground, she made her way to one of the more obviously placed benches and sat, waiting.

<Micah> He didn't expect the meeting to take long, and since Vel was still out and about he didn't bother to leave a note. If she needed him she would be able to contact him regardless. It didn't take him more than a couple of minutes to get the the station and a quick glance told him she'd beaten him there. "Hey. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me."

<Phoenix> She offered a half wave as she spotted Micah approaching - not that he was easy to miss. A single brow arched at his greeting, lips pressing into a line as she eyed him. "That bodes. Since when do we do the 'thanks for agreeing to meet me' thing? Very businesslike."

<Micah> He shrugged a bit and sat beside her. "I guess because in a way it kind of is?" How was he supposed to approach this anyways? It was something that had been nagging at him for well over a week now, after he'd found Jesse at the altar in the Eyrie. His curiosity had gotten the best of him and he couldn't wait any longer to talk to her about it. "Was wondering something about Jesse."

<Phoenix> Her expression soured at the mention of her wayward childe. Business about him was hardly going to be pleasant. True, they'd talked things over, but there was little love lost between the two of them. "What about him?" Her tone was surprisingly neutral.

<Micah> "Found him at the ritual altar 'bout a week or so back. He was getting the **** beat out of him by the demi fae. Offered to help him and well....I noticed that his circle was weak in spots which is to be expected. But some spots were super weak and so I pointed it out and asked if he was going to fix it. He looked at me like he had no idea what I was talking about."

<Phoenix> She wasn't sure what the point of the story was, but she thought it was funny. She snorted, slowly shaking her head in resignation. "I knew he was broken, but not that broken... Jesus. You mean all this time he's been letting the fae break out and clobber him?!"

<Micah> He nodded. "Yeah. So I told him what to do and he fixed it. He was able to successfully complete the ritual after that I asked him who taught him and you were mentioned. I guess that the more thought I gave it the stranger it seemed to me that you wouldn't have taught him that when you taught him rituals."

<Phoenix> Her amusement ceased immediately, the difference between night and day, at the implication underlying his words. Her nostrils flared, annoyed now, "Yeah, I taught him how to cast a circle, how to speak the words and how to fortify a barrier. He said I didn't teach him?!" The light overhead began to flicker as if someone were tampering with the wires.

<Micah> Another shrug. "Thats the impression I got. I mean why else would he get his *** kicked constantly by those little red bastards? He sure as hell seemed surprised when the chems fixed the damage."

<Phoenix> The light's flickering intensified as her annoyance bloomed into something far more sinister. As she spoke, pebbles and chunks of ice scattered across the ground began to vibrate. "That little *****... How ******* dare her. First I only taught him 'reluctantly' and was a dismissive **** about it, now he's going around telling people I didn't even do that right!? **** him. I did." Her nostrils flared as she recalled the memory. The night at her apartment where she'd taught Jesse everything she knew. The night she'd let him read her personal notes. The night she'd heard him speak for the first time back in June and the night she explained, in great detail, exactly how to fortify a barrier.

The memory resolved itself into something she could project through the space between her and Micah, and she threw it into his mind like a dart.

<Micah> He flinched at the invasion. Had he been prepared for it it might not have drawn that sort of reaction out of him but it was an unexpected action from her. The memory unfolded and he saw it with vivid clarity the night she had taught Jesse what he wanted to know. He didn't say a word as the images flooded his mind and when it was over his shook his head and sighed. "Well ****. I'm sorry Nix." Why was he apologizing? For thinking she was a crap teacher? Maybe but whatever he had been thinking about her was wrong. She'd proved that with the memory.

<Phoenix> Projecting the memory seemed to release her tension and her anger. The light flickered once more and then stayed on; the pebbles ceased their slow creep across the ground. She sighed, shaking her head. "Don't apologize. That little waste needs his *** kicked from here to Mexico. That's not your fault."

<Micah> He looked around the area warily as the small stones on the ground stopped dancing on the pavement. "I know it's not. I guess I'm apologizing for thinking you were a **** teacher. I'm not going to lie. It did cross my mind and I was more than a little pissed off at you for it. But I did find it strange that you'd leave something that critical out of your teachings."

<Phoenix> She shot him a glare, but there wasn't much venom behind it. If anything, she just looked tired after the outburst. "Yeah, you should apologize for that. I taught him well, back before he was talking. And then when I tell him to think the words at the fae, he ******* started talking to it. I was shocked... I mean, you saw what happened, how the hell would you have reacted?!" She paused, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair, clearly frustrated. "I guess he just really wants me to be the bad guy."

<Micah> He did see what happened and found himself nodding. It would have shocked him too, finding out that someone could speak after being silent for such a long time. "I know you have your issues with him. Been in that boat before and I really don't wish it on anyone." He knew he wouldn't have to voice who he was referring to. Phoenix, of all people would know and understand that all too well.

[Micah]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Phoenix> She simply nodded with a soft "Mhum," mulling over the situation in an attempt to understand why he would let himself be attacked time and time again. "That makes no sense. Is he seriously that stupid? Forgetful? Or does he hate me so much that he's spent a year getting beaten up just so one day he could turn it on me?"

<Micah> "Maybe he forgot. Or perhaps he misunderstood what you were trying to tell him." He was reaching now, grasping for anything that might explain why Jesse had forgotten what he had been taught. After seeing the memory for himself and discovering that he had indeed been taught everything of importance there was simply no other explanation for it.

<Phoenix> She arched a brow at him, clearly unconvinced. "Yeah... I doubt that. I was very detailed in my explanation of barrier treatment. And then he went on and did it just fine while I watched him. So he just magically forgot some time between then and now?"

<Micah> He didn't know what to say to that. He did try though but everything that he could have wanted to say to maybe try and defend Jesse just ended up sound ridiculous even in his mind so he remained quiet. At least for a few minutes. "I honestly don't know what to tell you."

<Phoenix> She was busy thinking herself and so the silence didn't bother her. Finally, she shrugged. "I don't either. Maybe shooting him in the head broke him more..." she lapsed into silence for another while before pressing her lips into a thin line. "If I shoot him in the face, is that Ty business?"

<Micah> He glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye. "You know it would be if he chose to report it."

<Phoenix> She laughed, shaking her head, "Is that how that works now? Be a ***** and run to hide behind Vel because he can't man the **** up?"

<Micah> He shot her a glare. "You know how it works. If he reports it that is. Do you really want to shoot him in the face over this?"

<Phoenix> "Depends on what his explanation is. He'd damn well better have a good one, because I'd rather not go to war against Ty all by my lonesome."

<Micah> "Maybe he does. That's something you'll have to ask him."

<Phoenix> She laughed, shaking her head slowly. "If I don't shoot him, I'll just punch him to a pulp. He seems to like that. But yeah... I'll talk to him. If he doesn't come back, then you know what happened."

<Micah> He nodded. He liked to think that she'd be calm but he knew her temper. And she was pretty angry over the situation. It would be pointless to try and reason with her and besides, he couldn't say that his reaction wouldn't be the same. "For what it's worth I am sorry."

<Phoenix> A shoulder hitched as she eyed him, "Thank you for coming to talk to me. You don't have to be sorry - I'm sorry for ever siring that little ****." Leaning back in her seat, she sighed, turning to stare off into the distance, but as always, the stretching darkness just made her feel more alone. "I wish things were different."

<Micah> "You're welcome." He could have explained his reasoning but she'd already heard it once and doubted that she wanted to hear it again. He frowned a bit and his mouth opened as if he were going to argue but it closed just as fast. "Yeah. Sometimes I wish some things were different too."

<Phoenix> Dragging her gaze from the darkness to the hulking man at her side, Nix arched a brow. "Oh yeah? Things like what?"

<Micah> He didn't answer at first. "Sometimes I wish things had been different with Malachai. I miss the old Mal, the one I sired."

<Phoenix> That wasn't really what she'd meant, but she nodded. The name had no effect on her and that in and of itself made her sad. "I don't even remember him," she admitted.

<Micah> "Well maybe that's a good thing." He didn't think of Malachai often anymore. Micah had completely washed his hands of him once he discovered that he'd gotten disenthralled. Good riddance. "What do you wish was different?"

<Phoenix> That was a loaded question. "A lot of things, starting from a long time ago." It wasn't much of an answer, so she elaborated, going back to staring off into the darkness. "I wish Vel hadn't let things escalate to the point that I resented her so damn much. I wish Legion hadn't left the way he did. I wish the Ty I loved still existed. I wish I didn't feel simultaneously useless and crushed by responsibility. I wish I hadn't done a lot of things, but even then, I wish other people took the partial credit they deserve for **** going so far south. I wish I'd never left Volkov.. Or Andras. I don't remember if that was before the name change or not. I wish I had an instruction manual for life..."

<Micah> "Wow. That's a hell of a lot of ****." All that she said, he could only come up with that. Truthfully he just didn't know how to respond to her so keeping it simple was probably the best thing for him to do. And he was good at it. "If you find one of those life manuels you should share. I could probably use one myself."

<Phoenix> She offered a smile that was more sad than anything and then nodded. "I think they stash those in the raids somewhere. I'll keep an eye out. No Micah suggestions on how to fix any of that?"

<Micah> He offered a half grin. "Unfortunately I'm fresh out of shitting advice and suggestions. If I had any thought I'd be more than happy to share them with you."

<Phoenix> She sighed, hitching a shoulder. "It's all in the past anyway, so it can't be fixed. Some of it could, but... eh. Too late now."

<Micah> A nod this time instead of a shrug. He cast a glance over at her and sighed softly to himself. Instead of speaking though he got to his feet. "I should get going. I have to stop by and see Layla before heading back. You gonna be alright?"

<Phoenix> When people asked that, they always wanted you to say yes. Nod, smile, and generally follow proper social norms. **** that ****. "No, I won't be. See you around, Micah. Thanks." Her voice was perfectly flat as she spoke, though she was grateful.

<Micah> He'd expected that answer. Nix was never one to mince words after all so he shrugged and started to walk off. There was nothing he could say that would make it any better. "Try to have a good night at least. I'll see you around." He didn't bother to wait for a reply. The conversation was over as far as he was concerned.