Players:
Summary: Tabitha and Kalindi talk about current events.
Date: Date the log took place.
Log Title: Gold Star
Rating:PG
Romania - Tower - Top Floor
//Grandeur is one word that can be used to describe the rectangular room. A large crystal and gold chandelier hangs from the middle of the high ceiling with long white tapered candles that always stay lit without ever needing to be replaced. Four smaller chandeliers hang from each corner to provide more light and accent the larger one. The high ceiling is nothing shy of magnificent, with gilded molding to accent to the white designs and intricate patterns that almost give it layers.
The walls are all white with golden trip and design which accents the ceiling. A large mirror with a grandiose gilded frame sits above a magnificent marble fireplace that is always lit with a comforting fire, which provides the perfect amount of warmth. Two large couches sit around a marble topped tabled and a few chairs sit on the sides of the couches to be pulled up around the table. On the mantle of the fireplace is a clock that doesn't seem to work, a few small statues and candelabras.
Across from the large fireplace are two large glass doors that lead out to a balcony which hangs over a large water fall. Looking down it's easy to tell the tower is high up in the air and there is at least five hundred feet between the balcony and bottom of the waterfall. The red moon can be seen in the night sky shining down on the tower as it seems to be perpetually night.
Along one side wall two mirrors hang with gilded frames and in front of each is table a with lit candelabra in the center to help provide the brightness in the room. In between the mirrors is large painting of an old fashioned, pale looking male with dark hair and a pale face that hangs over an elegant lit fireplace. On the opposite wall it is covered will books from floor to ceiling along with a small rolling ladder attached to the shelves to reach the harder to find books. It seems like almost any book you wish to read is there.
Two large doors sit on each side of the large fireplace with mirrors set into their doors. One door leads to the hallway where the bed chambers are and the other to the bathroom. The bathroom has a large circular tub built into the floor with many taps around it that provide bubbles, scents and water in the perfect temperature. Golden lamps hang from the walls and there are fluffy towels off to the sides.//
It's getting to be late in the evening; Tabitha had arrived earlier in the day, and kept to herself on the top floor. That's where she is now, clad in a black dress and sitting by the fire. In her hands she holds a newspaper, and her eyes linger on an article on the front page. Stacked on the table beside her are three other newspapers, all with similar front page articles, and her laptop above it, though not currently turned on.
Kalindi is dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a purple tank top that shows off her midriff. There is one thing no honest person could say about Kalindi: 'That girl is not ripped.' Indeed, Kali might be petite, but her musculature is rather well defined, without crossing into the unfeminine. "Ah, what is it that you are looking at, Tabitha?" The young woman sits next to her girlfriend, leaning against the rat girl.
Tabitha glances up to her side, and offers a light smile. "Hello Kali," she murmurs. She folds the newspaper along its crease, before handing it over to her girlfriend, leaning up against her in kind. The front page story, 'Mutants to Register', outlines the legislation in the works in many states to force mutants to register themselves or face a lifetime of incarceration. The rat girl holds the paper where Kalindi can see it, and keeps silent, waiting for the reaction.
Kalindi raises her eyebrow slightly at the paper's headline and says, "Ah, I see… I do not understand this mutant registration that they do… it is… hm. If the people who are in politics were not all apparently liars then I would not disagree. But I think that they will use it as a weapon…" She purses her lips slightly and pats Tabitha on the thigh.
"They will," Tabitha replies, sullenly. She rests her hand atop Kalindi's, before tossing the newspaper off to the side. "They will. Might as well sew a gold star on my chest. …Not that they'd need one on me to figure out I'm a mutant." She sighs softly, and shakes her head. "How much do you know about history, Love? Specifically the Second World War." She leans sideways, and rests her head on Kalindi's shoulder, before reaching across her back to rest her hand on the girl's far shoulder.
"I do not know much about the history of your world's wars. I know the history of mine? It is enough for me to remember…" says Kalindi, peering up towards the high ceiling. "If it is a bad thing to be giving you gold stars, I will destroy anyone who dares to…"
Tabitha shakes her head slowly. "It's a reference," she replies. "The Jews, in Germany. First they made them sew gold stars on their clothes, to identify them. Then they smashed their businesses and took their possessions. Then, they put them on trains, and sent them to camps… they separated the men and the women and the children, and made them work with little food. Then? Then they gassed them to death, and made them burn their own dead before going to be gassed themselves." The rat girl closes her eyes and sighs heavily. "This is how it starts," she whispers.
Kalindi listens to the story and furrows her eyebrows, "Ah, that is not right at all." She huffs softly and then says, "I would have slain these men who would do something so dreadful. And you think this is what they will do with the Mutant Registration?" Kali shakes her head and says, "You know that I will be your ally through any such a thing, yes?"
Tabitha smiles softly, and bobs her head. "I know you will," she replies. She gives Kalindi a squeeze, before sitting up and brushing her fingertips through her hair. "I am not going to retreat from New York, or wear something to change my appearance. I'm proud of who I am and I'm not going to back off one inch." She turns her head to face Kalindi, and gazes into her eyes. "In the war a lot of Jews went quietly to the gas chambers. Some fought back as best they could. …I mean to be one of the ones who fights back."
"If I have my way, there will be no such gas chambers at all. I am shocked that your people would call /me/ a demon in such a negative way, with such things committed against one another!" says Kalindi, shaking her head incredulously. "It is a monstrous thing."
"Oh, I'm sure they'd just use bullets these days," Tabitha replies, with a roll of her eyes. "You're a wonderful person, Kalindi, beautiful inside and out, and I pity anyone who can't see that." She leans over and kisses the other girl on the cheek, before resting her head on her shoulder. She closes her eyes, and sighs pleasantly. "No sense moping yet, I suppose," she murmurs. "Kalindi.. can I ask you something? I just had an idea."
Kalindi nods and says, "There is never harm in making questions to be asked." She pets Tabitha's arm lightly, perhaps unusually fascinated by her girlfriend's excessive armhair. "So I would ask you, yes, please ask me something."
Tabitha smiles softly at the touch, and bobs her head. "True enough," she replies. "If it gets really bad… would you be alright with using the portal to your tower to get mutants out of New York City? I'd think we could probably move quite a few before anyone would cotton on." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Far as I'm concerned, making a difference beats a blaze of glory any day."
"If such a thing happens, I will ask Igor what is the reasonable number of people I could fit into this place. I know the room that had the dragon in it could fit a lot of people, but I would be worried about them filling their pockets! Only people I trust would go in there…" says Kalindi, tilting her head. "And no people who would want to summon Dracula or anything like that. I think that if he is returned to our realm, he will /not/ be pleased with me. And he is a dangerous opponent…"
"Very sensible restrictions," Tabitha agrees. "I certainly don't want Dracula back either… but if he ever does make it back and he wants to take a swing at you, he'll have to get through me first." She pauses, and perks an eyebrow upwards. "I'll uhm… make sure to copy someone who's invincible for that fight," she adds, more quietly.
Kalindi chuckles softly and then nods, "It would be a very difficult thing to face him again. It took all of us there to best him then, I would not want to face him on his own terms…"
Tabitha smiles and shakes her head, "Don't worry, I won't bring anyone here who seems like a tool. We could probably put them up outside instead of inside, anyway, at the base of the tower." She sits up straight, and straightens out the front of her dress. "Thank you, Kalindi. It means a lot to me." She shrugs, and clasps her hands behind her head. "The pendulum swings both ways," she murmurs. "Things will get better, eventually. They just… probably have to get worse, first."
"I do not know much about pendulums, or how they relate to such things, but… I will trust you, I think, you know more of the Earthworld than I…" says Kalindi, smiling and pushing back her hair. "I think there are wolves outside. I mean, I know that there are wolves outside. They're my wolves…"
Tabitha hunhs. "I guess that might be an issue," she concedes. "Well… hopefully it'll never come to it. Maybe this'll just blow over and nothing will happen." Tabitha sounds very much like she'd like to believe that might happen, but isn't holding out much hope. "Just… if we ever get in a fight that we can't win, I want you to run, okay? Come back for me later. I tend to come back from lethal injuries, and… I don't think you do, and I can't lose you."
Kalindi shrugs lightly, "I do not get lethally injured in the first place! Mostly. I suppose a couple of times, but I got better… And I would not want to leave you as you are injured… I cannot make such promises, you know, what if there are some special circumstances? I would not be able to go against my own word!"
Tabitha smirks, "Show off," she teases, and pokes Kalindi playfully in the side. "You are a stronger martial artist than I am though, no denying that. Just… I'm not asking you to make any absolute promises, because I wouldn't want you to ever have to restrict yourself like that. I just…" She pauses, turning to look away and fidgeting for a moment. "The thought of anything happening to you scares me. And these Church of Humanity people probably won't think you're anything but another mutant if they see what you can do."
"I am a sorceress, though, you have told me that I do not have any mutations or anything. I will not make teleportation, or generate pudding, or draw paintings with my fingers," says Kalindi, giggling at the very thought. How silly! "I will be very careful with such people, though. I try to be careful always."
Tabitha nods her head quickly. "Yes, please do," she replies. "Sorry to have been all business this evening, Kali. I would've preferred to come and just… y'know, be fun." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "It's just… tough, when you're worried about getting hunted like a rabid animal." She pauses, and after a long moment, turns to grin mischievously at the other girl. "Now, if you could generate pudding, that wouldn't be so bad, you know… I do like pudding. Especially chocolate. Mmm."
"I like chocolate pudding, too. I will get some sent up immediately!" says Kalindi, expression brightening. Even though this place seems often rather empty, somehow, Kalindi acts like it always has a fully stocked kitchen with chefs. And somehow, the food that comes to be would indicate that, too! Even though it may not be quite the case.
Tabitha brightens considerably as well. "Well, see, you can generate pudding," Tabitha pronounces. "Just… in a sort of… roundabout kind of way, involving someone else actually doing the generating. But it was totally your idea, so as far as I'm concerned, you get credit." The rat girl humms softly, and taps her bottom lip. "Maybe someday I can copy someone who can generate pudding. …Then we can have a pudding-off. It'd be great."
Kalindi laughs softly and shakes her head, "A pudding off? Well, I suppose that is something we can do. Much of this place is run on magic. I know where everything comes from now… it is a little bit sad to be missing the mystery, but I have been learning very much from this new home."
"I'm glad for you." Tabitha grins warmly, and gazes around the room before her eyes return to Kalindi. "I know how much magical learning means to you, I was overjoyed when I found out that not only had you beaten Dracula, but you'd found a solid way to advance yourself. …And besides, these are some very cool digs." She humms softly, and scratches at the base of one of her ears, which flicks lightly as she does so. She stands up, and carefully gathers up all of the newspapers that she'd brought… and tosses them straight in the fire. "That's enough dwelling on that for now."
"Ahh, yes, these are very cool digs, as they say," says Kalindi, nodding and looking around. She stands and puts a hand on Tabitha's cheek to pet the rat girl's face lightly with her thumb. "Yes, it is better not to dwell. I would rather focus on something more interesting, yes?" Pause. "I am talking about you."
Tabitha giggles softly, and her tail flicks behind her as she edges a step closer to Kalindi. The rat's hands reach forwards, to rest on the other girl's waist, and she grins back at her. "I'm in agreement with that sentiment," she replies. "And I'd much rather focus on… you." She sneaks a quick kiss on the cheek, and then steps forwards once more, wrapping her arms around Kalindi's back.
Kalindi laughs and rests her head on Tabitha's shoulder, the rat girl being significantly taller than she is. "I enjoy our time together, it is a good distraction from all of the work I have been doing lately… I did not know that gaining so much would mean even so much more work! I am glad to be with you…" She leans in to offer a kiss.
Tabitha presses her lips against Kalindi's, closing her eyes as she lets the intimate moment longer. "Then we're even," she murmurs at last. "Learning mechanical engineering and field ops all at once is a big course load." She shrugs lightly, and quirks her lips upwards once more. "I'm grateful we found each other," she murmurs. "Shall we dance?"
"Certainly," says Kalindi, putting her hands around Tabitha for one of those dances that would be awkwardly close with anyone but a lover.
Tabitha dances with Kalindi, enjoying the lover's dance; a dance that continues long into the night, until the two girls get tired of it. By that time they move on to other pursuits, and inside the tower there is only joy and merriment; the woes of the outside world not forgotten, but blissfully pushed to the side, at least for now.
