Nexus and Denise's Reality. Black Dog, Denise's Purse, and a Hospital. Same Old Story

[dens_extra_pups]

fat guy with a beard: *wearing green, and his beard's not white, so he's not the fat bearded guy that people usually look for in December. Just walked up the Black Dog steps and stopped to look around with a frown* *baritone voice* I'm lookin' for Desinex the bouncer.

Tarantulus: *raised brow ridge* I think she's on break, inside.

bearded guy: *frowns more* I need to talk to her. *eyes are studying Tarantulus and the other big bots that he can see with a soldier's wariness*

Tarantulus: Hang on. *very slight tilt of his head* She'll be right out.

bearded guy: Thanks. *turns head slightly, scoping the place. For all that alertness, it's clear that whatever is worrying him hasn't anything to do with the Black Dog or its patrons*

tDesinex: *coming out a few moments later, a bit of a grouch going now from where she's perched on her wordmate's shoulder*

tHound: *talking to her quietly, and reassuring her that they'll be able to finish their lunch before he has to be back on the clock*

bearded guy: *frown changes* I can wait.

tDesinex: *scowl* Whatever you want, squishy, say it.

tHound: *winces* Desinex, be nice.

bearded guy: *beard moves slightly, and his eyes actually twinkle* You're Denise alright.

tDesinex: ... *more scowl* Who the *beep* are you supposed to be?

tHound: *soft sigh. Knows his wordmate's going to carry her grouch with her until they're both at home tonight*

bearded guy: *sobers, and the worry is back and strongly visible* Denise's husband.

tDesinex: ... *snort* Didn't think she was crazy enough to marry her stalker.

bearded guy: *quietly* I wasn't stalking her. I just wanted to watch her back. And now she really needs someone on her six.

tDesinex: ... *all snark gone in an instant* What happened, Orville?

Orville: *sighs and lifts his cap to run a hand through his short and kinda bed heady hair* She was on a patrol. Only had one of the precinct counsellors along with. There was an attack, and a flash bomb went off. *more quietly* She's totally blind.

tDesinex: ... Scrap. What does she need?

Orville: She says you have her spare key. I'm supposed to get her Bible and her pillow.

tDesinex: Do you know where her place is?

Orville: *quiet snort* Nope.

tHound: How's Showtime? *worried, even as he hands tDesinex her PINpoint and offers the tiny femme to Orville*

Orville: Huh? Who's Showtime?

tDesinex: The counselor. *moving to situate herself on your shoulder now, Orville*

Orville: *surprised as he puts a hand on her foot and looks at tHound to make sure the green guy's really okay with tDesi sitting here* That was Serenity Rosenblum. We don't know. Nobody's found her.

tHound: ... She's missing? *very worried now*

tDesinex: ... Scraaaap.

Orville: Gone without a trace. Sharpshot thinks she did it.

tDesinex: She didn't. Showtimes don't have the skillset necessary for bomb making. That's more Scattershot's gig.

Orville: You can buy bombs. *glances back at the door* Which way do I go?

tDesinex: Brace yourself. And try not to puke.

Orville: Ohhh. *quick glance at the watch on his wrist* Okay. Ready when you are.

tDesinex: *will bring Orville to Denise's house* *quietly* Showtimes also aren't mean enough to buy bombs or things to hurt other people. They'll defend themselves if they can't talk their way out of a bad situation, or if there's no other choice. Even if trying to talk things down ends up with them getting killed.

Orville: *looks around, and then looks at the white apartment building where tDesi lives, since it's the nearest building that he can see. Doesn't think to look down over the cliff* Hey, I'm just repeating what she says. Is that the place?

tDesinex: No. That's my place. Denise's place is down the cliff.

Orville: *blinks, but turns and looks down* *confused frown* I see a tangle tree, 'n a giant purse.

tDesinex: The purse is Denise's place.

Orville: *quietly* Oh *bleep* no. She's not goin' back to a crazy *beep* thing like that. No *bleepity bleeping* way.

tDesinex: *now she knows who Orville is* *soft snerk*

Orville: So how the *beep* do we get down there? I don't see any *beeping* handholds.

tDesinex: The tree'll help us down.

Orville: *realizes* And I ain't gonna *beeping* fit in it, either.

tDesinex: There's a cavern behind the tree. *spare key out and she'll use it to signal to that living elevator*

Orville: *slightly giddy curse as he's swung out over the ocean and then swooped into the cave that contains Denise's clothing storage boxes and her shower* *wide grin fades as soon as he's landed*

tDesinex: I'll get her pillow and her Bible. She still at the hospital?

Orville: Yeah. They're trying to save nerves so she can have implants.

tDesinex: She'll want comfy clothes. *moving to get down*

Orville: *perks and looks at the bins even as he dangles her from his wrist for a minute before setting her on the floor* Are they in here?

tDesinex: Yeah. *points to the various bins* That one's got boonies. That one's got undershirts. That one's for her work shirts, and that's for her work pants. Brb. *signals to the tree that she wants to go to the purse*

Orville: Uh huh. *already heading over to grab what he'd consider comfy clothes*

tDesinex: *gets a lift to the purse, will move quickly to get both of Denise's Bibles wrapped up in a shirt she found, and then she'll tuck the bundle into the pillowcase alongside the only pillow Denise owns* *will return to the cavern*

Orville: *holding a clean pillowcase full of underpants and undershirts. Also has Denise's soap in there, wrapped in a sock* I hope I got the right *beep*.

tDesinex: *will scan the pillowcase's contents and nod, offering the pillowcase with the Bibles and shirt* Let's go.

Orville: What about her pillow? *frown at flatness of the second pillowcase*

tDesinex: It's an inflatable one.

Orville: Oh. Okay. Let's get this *bleep* show on the road. *heads for the door*

tDesinex: *climbs back up to the man's shoulder, will signal to the tree to bring them up to the cliff*

Orville: *can't hold in gleeful cussing at the ride*

tDesinex: *snort*

Orville: *as he lands on his feet* What?

tDesinex: Denise is nuts for marrying you.

Orville: *grin fades and he looks away* She only did it so I'd *bleep* off.

tDesinex: ... *seriously* How much do you know of her story?

Orville: *quietly* It was all in my dad's books.

tDesinex: *small nod* *considering look*

Orville: How much do you know?

tDesinex: As much as she's felt comfortable telling me... So I know her about as well as she knows my whole story, and about as well as I know myself.

Orville: *quiet nod* I had a linker Dad gave me when I went Below with the troops assigned to break up the Deep war. When he hadn't pinged in two weeks, I left the settlement I'd been Ghost Priming 'n came home.

tDesinex: *small nod, slight frown as she sees how much grey Orville's got* How old are you?

Orville: *spark of humour in his eyes and face* Dad and mom were twenty-one when I was born. Dad died at 211.

tDesinex: ... When was the Deep war?

Orville: I was sixteen when it started. And lied about my age to enlist.

tDesinex: *snort*

Orville: Dad backed me on it. *slight humour still*

tDesinex: And Denise's in her late forties... *very amused* *then* I'm coming with you, for a little bit.

Orville: *uncertain scowl* Can you do that?

tDesinex: If I can't, then PINpointing back won't work. But just to be on the safe side... *will transform to alt mode*

Orville: *frank and highly unprintable admiration!*

tDesinex: Just don't drop me on anything.

Orville: Only a *beep* drops a gun. *tucks pillowcases in crook of arm and holds gun carefully, then presses the button on Denise's PINpoint* You told your old man you're doin' this, right?

tDesinex: Yeah. Called him while I was getting Denise's stuff.

Orville: *as they appear in a private hospital room* Good. I'd hate to have to hit that guy. Really not *beep* in the mood for a fight right now.

Denise: *turns bandaged face and a dark scowl toward his voice* Who the *beep* are you talking to, you *beepity beep*?

tDesinex: Your neighbor.

Denise: *scowl falters* Desi. What the *beep* are you doing here?

tDesinex: Came to check on you, *beep*. And to tell you something. You're wrong about Serenity.

Denise: *scowl returns and is horrific* How the *beep* would you know, *beep*?

tDesinex: You've met my sister, and Stupid's wife. Serenity's how this reality says "Showtime".

Denise: *startles visibly* You're *bleep* ing me.

tDesinex: I'm not. She's prolly in deep *beep* right now, but she's not the one who set the bomb.

Orville: *blinking and scowling as he works this out* *sharply* What kinda trouble?

Denise: *scowls toward him, her attitude hostile but accepting*

tDesinex: *to Orville* I have no *beeping* clue. But if she's not here, fussing and fretting over Chuckles, then she's more than likely in deep scrap right now. *to Denise* You're not the first one of us to be in an accident like this where Showtime was there. There're a few others I know... And all of our alts that got hurt? Showtime was trying to rescue them when she got hurt too.

Denise: *draws in a shaky breath, and then curses horrifically*

Orville: *muttering words himself as he sets her pillowcases down on the foot of her bed. Looks worried and like he's chafing at his inability to do anything*

tDesinex: *impressed, will remember those words for later* *falls silent as she hears footsteps approaching*

Denise: *seems to glance toward the sound, and then ignores it* It's just the ugly nurse. He doesn't come in here.

tDesinex: ...Oh. *will transform to root mode, in that case*

Orville: *sets her on the foot of the bed too*

tDesinex: *will move to get things unpacked from the pillowcases* How long ago did stuff go to slag?

Orville: She's been in here a little over a month.

tDesinex: ... It's only been a few days since anyone saw her last in the Nexus.

Denise: Yeah, I did that on purpose when I set the thing. *has reached toward a familiar scent and is now holding the old flannel shirt that had belonged to Kalvin*

tDesinex: *amused snort. Will carefully bring the two Bibles over as well*

Denise: *fingers run over the covers, and there is sadness on her face beneath the bandages*

tDesinex: *very soft clicks, will try and offer comfort, though she's still a bit awkward about doing so*

Orville: *figures since she's in a bad mood he'll just have his say now* You're not goin' back to that *beep* thing on the cliff. No way, no how.

Denise: *snarls and tells him where he can go and what he can do with the idea that he can tell her what to do*

tDesinex: *rolls her optics* Just let your guy take care of you for once, dumbaft.

Denise: He's not my guy! I don't need anyone taking care of me! *face is dark with fury*

tDesinex: He watches your six. And right now, you do.

Denise: *beep* you! I'm not cowing down to some old fat freak with ringlets in his *beep* beard!

Orville: No. But you're doin' what I say, this time. *face is implacable*

tDesinex: It's not cowing down, *beep*. It's letting someone help you so you can get back in the fight sooner.

Denise: What fight? They just *beep* ing told me that implants aren't *beep* ing happening. And without working eyes the *beep* ing Force is done with me.

tDesinex: *beeeep*, please. I've seen what our bigger alts can do even without working optics. There's a reason we're considered some of the most dangerous beings in most realities.

Denise: *fury incarnate* Tell the *utterly unprintable*s at Central that!

Orville: That's not the only *bleep* ing place with an ocean view there, is it? I'm not *beep* ing saying you gotta move here!

tDesinex: Why the *Beep* are you limiting yourself?! You live in the *beeping* Nexus, for crying out *beeping* loud!

Denise: *tries to speak a few times, and then finally gives up and lets out an incoherent screech of fury*

tDesinex: Dumbaft. *quickly transforms as she hears footsteps and voices*

Denise: *as the door opens* *beep* off, Roald. Just *beep* the *beep* off.

Roald: *older man with a scowl on his homely face* You're frightening your neighbours.

Denise: So kick me out! There's no *beep* ing point in me being here. I can heal just fine at home.

Roald: Ira says he's bringing you to his place.

Denise: Like *unprintable* he is.

tDesinex: *doing her best to stay silent and still, and then an idea's coming to her. Will call Aoife's cell phone*

Aoife: //Yo.//

tDesinex: *will explain the situation* //Do you have any pocket realities that have oceanfront property?//

Aoife: //I've got a ton of islands, both white sand and epic cliff. Why?//

tDesinex: //How much would one with white sand be? Denise's husband won't want anything that isn't safe for her.//

Aoife: *suddenly worried and focused* //What happened to her?//

tDesinex: //Her story went the way most of the big mes' do. There was an accident, and now she's blind... and the local Showtime's missing, and has been for at least a month.//

Aoife: *talking to someone in the background, and then comes back* //I've got a coral atoll with a narrow mouth for the usual hundred bucks. There'll be enough room for her to run once she's up to it. But there's no housing on the place, just a storage shed and a water tap.//

tDesinex: //Her husband's an Ordnance. He was Ghost Priming after the Deep war. Pretty sure he knows how to improvise and be creative when it comes to limited resources.//

Aoife: //The place doesn't need much anyway. It's always warm there. Only rains a little while once in awhile.//

tDesinex: //Good. Now the hard part, convincing that stubborn *beep* to let Orville help her, and take care of her.//

Aoife: //Look at them.//

tDesinex: //Can't currently. Kinda having to hide in alt mode right now.//

Aoife: //It's safe to look. You got buried in pillowcases while you weren't watching.//

tDesinex: //...Oh.// *carefully transforming and peeking at Denise and Orville now*

Orville: *sitting on the bed and firmly holding Denise close as she pounds his chest with one fist and cusses*

Roald: *patting her shoulder and trying to wipe away tears from his face without being noticed*

Denise: *face hidden on Orville's chest, even though she can't really cry anymore*

tDesinex: //...I think I need to introduce her to one of the other mes... not the one with kids though, 'cause she got fixed up... Is there a me that you know of who's still got busted optics but isn't totally psycho?//

Aoife: //No. But I know one that was dead.//

tDesinex: //...Is it the one who's related to that Lumen who comes to the 'Dog sometimes?//

Aoife: //She's half of Blue Crew Kriti.//

tDesinex: //...Oh. Her.// *quiet snort*

Aoife: //What? Sure, she's crazy enough to marry a Blaster, but she's not psycho.//

tDesinex: //I was hoping you'd know someone who'd been in an accident like what Denise has been in, that I didn't already know...//

Aoife: //The only other one I know that's close is the Hero with kids that lives in the pocket reality.//

tDesinex: //...Which one is that?//

Aoife: //The one in Time/Space lord Optimus' squad.// *yes, the one on the ancient Lumen's team*

tDesinex: //...I don't think I've met her yet. I know their Lumen and Mira though.// *will check on Orville and Denise again*

Aoife: //She's pretty quiet right now. And you know her brother in law and his twin, too.//

tDesinex: //... *SNERK Those losers?// *still watching the couple on the bed from her hiding place* *knows, like everyone in the Backwater, about the guys who took a wrong turn on the way to the Well*

Aoife: //Yeah. Them. And those are the only Desinexes I know that come close to your description.// *small pause* //The deeds with you now.//

Roald: *leaves the room as Denise goes still from sheer exhaustion*

tDesinex: *sends the payment* //I'll be transferring it to Orville.//

Aoife: //It's in Denise's name.//

tDesinex: //That works, too. Thanks, Aoife.// *will wiggle her way out from between pillowcases*

Orville: *doesn't notice her right away. He's totally focused* *all he can see is the woman he loves, and everything he feels for her is right there on his face*

tDesinex: *throat clearing sound* I found someplace that's got an oceanfront.

Orville: *looks up with a frown that turns questioning*

Denise: *snort*

tDesinex: White sand beach on a coral atoll. There's fresh water access, too.

Orville: *perks*

Denise: *wearily* What the *beep* are you talking about?

tDesinex: I talked to Aoife. The deed's in your name.

Denise: ...What?

Orville: *gently pulls blanket up around her shoulders* She got you a tropical island all your own.

Denise: What...?

tDesinex: And you don't have to pay rent on it, either.

Denise: *quiet snort* I never paid rent at my place.

Orville: You can play in the ocean with this new place.

Denise: *ragged sounding sigh*

tDesinex: For now, rest, and recover. I'll try and see if anyone in the Nexus can help find Serenity.

Orville: *chin tucked as he looks down at his wife* She passed out.

tDesinex: *small nod, will check her subspace for the deed to the island, and then find it on her lap* *gets the deed and offers it to Orville* Here's the deed.

Orville: *nods to the pillowcases* Put it in one of those.

tDesinex: *small nod, will move to do so* You know where to find me if you need me for anything.

Orville: *frowning* Did that thing have a map on the back?

tDesinex: ... *quickly checks* *will offer it* Yeah. It's got the coordinates, too.

Orville: *will take it this time and look at it* Thanks.

tDesinex: *nods* Keep in touch. *will PINpoint back to the 'Dog*

((Written with random_xtras))