Can you see me through the ashes and the smoke

[fangedredemption]

WHO: Johnny and YOU
WHAT: settling in more, glitching, and general grumpiness
WHEN: during the event
WHERE: all over


After a while, things kind of settle into something like normal. A really weird kind of normal, but normal-ish. He gets up, heads to the center, starts working on getting the word out that he can teach karate to anyone who wants to learn. Buys groceries, cleans his place, hangs out at the bar, works out.

And that would all be fine if it wasn't for the glitches. No matter how many times it happens or where, there's no getting used to it. It knocks him on his ass every time, leaves him with bruises on his hip, his back, his ribs, gives him a damn shine, but it's fine. He's fine. Wall it off, keep going, because it's the only way he knows how to operate.

Comments

[blueberryprincess]

"I...think so?" Evie replies with a small smile, one hand pressed to her forehead. Okay, so Glitching is a bit dizzying. She's really not fond of it. But this man helped and the blue haired princess can't help but be glad he was there.

"Thank you for helping me." But then she catches the look on his face and she tilts her head a bit. "Are you okay?"

[fangedredemption]

"Sure," he answers, waving off her thanks because it's still too weird a thing to accept easily. Like he expects her to change her mind in the next five minutes and start yelling at him.

"I'm fine," he continues, scrubbing the back of his head with a casual shrug. "Just, uh. Nah, it's probably nothing. Don't worry about it."

[blueberryprincess]

"In this place it's usually not nothing, and might even help us figure out what's going on with the Glitching, and all." And all meaning she's experienced a memory or two that wasn't hers.

"I'm Evie." Maybe an introduction will help?

[fangedredemption]

Right. Like that doesn't sound like a trap, but what does he have to lose, right?

"Johnny," he answers first, then exhales through his teeth, scrubbing the back of his neck some more. "I saw a weird island that looked like it was put together by a bunch of kids, and a try-hard pirate guy on a...train? Nothing I've ever seen before, I'd remember, but it was like I was living it, I guess?"

[blueberryprincess]

"Oh."

That's not even the worst description of the Isle she's ever heard. It's fairly accurate, actually. A lot of the Isle was in fact slapped together. In fact, all of it was. The mention of the pirate gets a small smile from Evie, one that might be a touch sad. Just a touch.

"You saw my old home and a dear friend of mine. I grew up on that slapped-together island. The pirate's name is Harry."

[fangedredemption]

"Harry? Seriously?"

He can't help the laugh that escapes. Yeah, he sees the look on her face, and has the good sense to look guilty, but what kind of name is that?

"Didn't look like so bad a place, at least. Not that I know jack shit about it, but still. Sorry, though. Wasn't trying to look or anything, it just kind of...happened."

[blueberryprincess]

Evie doesn't seem to notice the laugh at Harry's name, honestly. Or at least, it's not bothering her. She likes his name, but that's fine. To each their own, right?


"It's a pleasure to meet you, Johnny," Evie says, tilting her head in greeting.

"You must have seen some of my better memories of the Isle," Evie states with a half-smirk. "It was a prison island."

She's leaving it at that. When he apologizes, she holds her hand up and shakes her head. "No need to apologize. You didn't do that on purpose."

Pointing out the flyer, she looks at Johnny questioningly. "You're teaching karate? When are your classes?" Yes, that would be interest, actually.

[fangedredemption]

"A...?"

Right. Okay. Sure. But he's nobody to judge, not like he hasn't done jail time himself. But she brushes off his apology, so he lets the whole thing go, moves on to the next set of questions.

"Oh, uh. Yeah. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 7 am and 4 pm. You want to learn karate?"