(Capitol Park) Queen Side Castle

[Star]

Cut exited the bathrooms at Capitol Park still drying his hands. Cleanliness was next to godliness.

Germs, yo.

He wiped ineffectively at his pack, smearing about and grinding in the water that had spilled on it from the sink. Which was silly, since it had never minded the rain.

"So, ummmm, you're not sticking around long?" he asked when Mandy appeared.

"Is that like a whole avoiding roots thing or you're on some sort of schedule?"

Did archaeology have seasons?

Or, wait. Was he supposed to say something else? About...? Nah.

[Zodiac]

Running her hand into her hair as she worked on pulling it back into it's half ponytail again, she gave the man a curious but satisfied look. "Hm? It has nothing to do with roots," Mandy shrugged a little before offering a smile, seemingly perfectly at ease. "I suppose I fancy myself an Indiana Jones or Lara Croft sort, if I was getting all fancy and romantic about it. Fact of the matter is, I chase artifacts the way others chase storms. Artifacts move, places, clearly, do not," she added with a little smile, settling her sunglasses back in place.

"I go where I'm needed, so I don't tend to stay in any one place very long," she smiled a little again, "so I do suppose we'll have to set you up with one of the Arrow, won't we?" The little smirk lasted only a moment as she made her way out into the sunshine.

[Star]

Sunglasses?

shit

He had no idea what had happened to his.

"Oh. So, I got it. That's kind of cool."

Who didn't think Lara Croft was cool? He paused, pondering a question. That totally sounded like Mysterium acquisitions-style stuff.

"Yeaaaah."

Laughter accompanied the word. Surreal. He wasn't entirely sure what to say to that. Truth? That had been one of the most casual things he'd ever done. Put a check mark in the 'Older' box, too. Despite what had just happened, he wasn't sure just how much he wanted to 'share'. Because marshmallow.

"Ummm, so... that totally sounds like a, uh, Misty thing to do. But I remember what you said. Did... something happen? Before? With something you found?"

[Zodiac]

"No," Mandy chuckled a little to herself as she found herself a seat at a table again, making herself comfortable and smiling to him, "nothing in particular. Just the knowledge that all things that are hidden will inevitably be found. I'm far from the most curious creature to exist, and I assure you I've uncovered more than my share of things that should never be found by anyone. I mean to see to it that some of those things can't be found, because they'll no longer exist," she added thoughtfully.

"Anyway, that's not the only reason, but that's the thing that primarily keeps me moving," Mandy shrugged lightly, "so I get used to that being a thing. Not expecting to stay still keeps me from getting used to things, and others from getting attached. Life is a lot easier that way."

[Star]

"Oh."

So, yeah. Maybe that emo girl in the hall did grow up to be Handy Mandy. He certaintly expected to stay alive. It's why he'd pitched his Plan at the Arrows, despite what Mandy obviously thought. Truth? He never expected anything to happen, with any of them. His mind? Still a little blown.

No complaints.

"That's pretty cool. That, you know, you have a... calling. Focused. I kind of admire that -- and that's not bullshitting you," he grinned.

Please don't shoot.

"So did you ever look into the Misties? I mean, why the Veil?"

He sat as well, stopping to look around for his sunglasses.

[Zodiac]

"... because they're idiots?" the brunette responded, looking a little bit surprised at the question, before shaking her head a moment and resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "I don't care about these sorts of things existing, what I care about is the danger it poses to everyone - especially the unsuspecting. There are some things that just shouldn't be known. There are some secrets that don't need to be kept, they need to stop existing. There are some things... that information alone doesn't solve."

Even at that, however, the brunette raised a brow. "But why all the questions about me, hm? What brought someone like you to the Veils?" She wasn't going to say he was incompetent. Or an idiot. She wouldn't say those things at all. Flighty might have been a good word to use, though she did appreciate his ability to manage things and get stuff done. There was something to be said for the boyish charm.

[Star]

Hand. In. The. Cookie. Jar.

He grinned.

"So, it that going to be our thing? You calling me out on stuff?" he laughed, a genuine one, with a shrug tossed in.

"Because I'm interested? Curious? I'm curious about all of you."

Well, that sounded like something totally different than he meant, all things considered.

"I mean, you know. Anyway. Me? Huh."

Where were his cards?

"I guess I felt like doing something? And I'm, uh, a lover, and not a fighter? Kidding. Not about the fighting part. I'm just not. And playing Dewey Decimal isn't my thing, or project management."

Did more need to be said? Because Diamond.

"So, yeah. I meant what I said, about your whole 'got a purpose' thing. I just want to help make a difference and got in where I fit in."

[Zodiac]

"It's a thing I do to people whose company I enjoy," Mandy smirked a little on her own, shrugging. "Why dodge the questions and use metaphors when we could simply get straight to the point? Of course, I feel that way about a lot of things. Take my being frank and to the point as a compliment," she smiled, "it means I value your time enough to not care much for wasting it. In turn, I hope you'll grant me the same respect. I don't much like having my time wasted when there are so many things I could be doing."

The expression on her face at his words was somewhere between utterly bemused and a little endeared as she simply shook her head, covering her mouth as she gave an almost girlish giggle. All of her, indeed. Still, Mandy brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear as the wind displaced it, leaving her to shake her head. "One day that purpose is going to slap you in the face. It won't be subtle about it. Still, it's very much an interesting choice to have made for a simple lack of feeling right elsewhere..." It wasn't exactly anyone's 'casual decision' to become a Guardian. It wasn't like one generally passed through all of the Veils entirely by accident.

[Star]

"Ah, thanks!"

He wasn't really sure how to accept a compliment. Practice, and all that.

"I, ummm, enjoy your company, too."

Yep. There it went. He blushed. Awkward. It's only awkward if you make it awkward. Again, practice, and all that. A small chuckle escaped, and his fingers rolled a slow staccato on the table top. Well, she giggled, too. So.

"But, yeah, totally. I'll be straight with you."

Straight. With. You.

It was hard to get the train off of the tracks. Accidental, but his mind kept leaping to the double entendres after the words came out.

"Don't get me wrong. It's not like freshman year when you take the classes you're supposed to take and have no clue where it's going or what you're doing. Otherwise, you know, Apostateness." That was totally a word. "I guess, it's because I'm a fan of illusions? And now I'm protecting a huge one? The Show Must Go On, and all that. But, you're right. That's a general thing. What my part in that is yet, well, I guess I'm waiting to be slapped."

He paused. He'd said he be straight with her.

"So... what do you think of Avis and Asp? Not like, you know, the way you've been teasing me," he clarified by sticking his tongue out.

"Just, in general. Since we're going to do this thing. I'm cool just rolling with whatever..."

Did it again.

"...but, just curious. Your thoughts. You didn't say much at Moxie. Seemed like a good idea, not just the whole Hallow thing, but having legit backup slash firepower slash protection. Them being Arrows and all."

Of course, she'd told Principal Ari she could handle a gun. So maybe it wasn't A Thing for her.

[Zodiac]

Protecting an illusion was... interesting in a way. That was certainly a way to look at it, and the other - being as he was - she supposed it made a certain degree of sense. Still she shook her head a little, still looking rather bemused. "You'll figure it out," Mandy shrugged after a moment, before thinking further on his question - his quip about the Arrows leading to a not-very-hidden smirk on the woman's features.

"I don't know them," she responded, "and they're not ours so I am still refraining from placing any judgement at all. I may not end up having any judgement on them to share, either way," she added after a moment's thought. "... but I do appreciate just how flexible they are."

Tapping her finger against the table thoughtfully, she shook her head. "The problem is that the more people there are around there are more people to fuck something up. More people, more opportunity for a breech of information, one way or another. I'm very good at not getting caught, and if all else fails I'm armed and capable." Leaning on her hand, she gave him a serious look, "what about you? Are you going to thus be relying entirely on them to keep you safe if something goes awry?"