Licking Wounds

[Avis]

It was a sunny day at the Sacramento Zoo with the scent of greenery strong upon the wind and happy conglomerates of parent and spawn thronging the pavement. Avis stood off to the side, leaning against a barrier next to the ticket kiosks, her hoody tied around her waist, leaving her in a tank top that left her scarred arms bared. A toothpick dangled from her lips, the faint tang of cinnamon mixing pleasantly with the spring air, even if some associated it more with the colder months, and overall she was content to wait. She'd gotten a few stares, but she was pretty good at just acting like a part of the scenery, and the two tickets she'd already bought warded away any security or other anxious employees. No reason to bother a consumer, after all even, and as long as she wasn't bothered she was content to wait. She suspected he might be late, after all. They weren't going to be discussing lions, tigers, and bears, oh my, and if she was in his position she definitely wouldn't hurry to this meeting. It was hard to tell with Striker, though. At least for her. She'd misjudged him once, at the least, so who was to say if she wasn't doing it again...

Well, either way, it didn't matter. She was happy to wait. Or not. Whatever it would happen to be, would be, and they'd go from there.

[Teeramus]

Striker pulled his gaze away from the majestic black beast stalking back and forth in his tiny habitat and slid his phone out of his pocket to look at the time. Few minutes past. No worries. Slipping the battered Nokia back into his jeans, he started walking back to the entrance from the Jaguar enclosure just around the pond.

He thought about the last few months, the rippling effects of his actions on himself, his friends, and the Consillium at large. Usually he wouldn't care what people thought about him, that was their own problem, not his. But some of the things people were saying couldn't be ignored. But more importantly, they were right. He had, at least, found a cabal who was willing to stand up for him, and even Avis had finally agreed to talk, he didn't blame her for wanting some time. He could barely believe that she, of all the Councillors with their fingers in the trial pie, seemed the least vindictive about the whole affair. It was a testament to her character that she wanted to move past his... He didn't know what to call it. But at the same time he wouldn't be let off lightly. While they were avoiding a formal trial, justice still needed to be done.

It didn't take long to get back to the ticket booth, though it took longer than it should have to spot Avis as he approached as she blended in, looking like just another customer.

"Avis." he called out simply as he drew nearer with a smile framed on a serious face.

[Avis]

"Guess you already got a ticket," Avis replied, stepping away from the wall. "Here, I bought too many," she said briefly to the nearest person in the ticket line, handing them the extra pass before walking into the Zoo proper, herself.

"So, um, if you've already been inside, did you happen to spot a good place to talk?" she asked, looking back over her shoulder until Striker caught up. "I know it's a bit public but I thought it was fitting, given the conversation that started this whole thing...Well, actually, I guess it didn't really start it. Too many things that matter happened before it, foundational things. It's funny how we tend to put this exact limits on stuff, isn't it? Like, our whole lives matter. Every moment up until now, and every moment that'll come after matters when it comes to deciding what we'll do, and what we think, but we never see it that way. We're too busy putting a cage around a story, just like what we see all around us. Not even birth and death are really the limits. Our ancestors, and our descendants, they all interact with us too."

[Teeramus]

"Yeah mate. I've been here since she opened ay." Striker said as he watched Avis give away the extra ticket. He nodded at her question and began walking towards the amphitheater, the lack of tell-tale amplified then muffled presenters voice meant that it would likely be empty.

"Where there's animals, there's people in the zoo. So somewhere like the amphitheater's gonna be dead while there's no show on. You can still see the reptile house, though you can't see the reptiles o' course." He said, unconcioulsy buying time while he mulled over her words as they walked, rolling them over and over in his mind until they became coherent.

"You're sayin' everything's connected? What happened was just 'cause of the way the universe was?" he confirmed with a questioning look. Wasn't that easier to say?

OOC

Sorry for the delay Cayce!

[Avis]

"No, I'm saying that your dad taught you with his fists, and something else taught him the same thing," Avis replied as they walked, pointedly choosing to stand on his armless side. "And I'm not saying I'm any different. I was taught that no one wanted to hear what I had to say, that I should be mute and silent, and so now every time I think someone isn't listening I get loud and I get angry. I use words that bite so others can't ignore me. Ironically, though, that's about the worst way to go about talking with someone, just like kicking the shit out of someone is the worst way to settle an argument."

She trailed off for a moment, a phantom of movement flittering at the edge of her vision, a scrap of shadow looming just out of her blind spot, but when she turned to look at it all she saw was the oddly shaped head of a giraffe, with it's odd little antennae things, kind face, and serpentine tongue. A miniature version of it, fuzzy and plush, had once sat on a shelf above her bed. The fact that she was staring at the living version of it now, a thing that probably had a name, just like she'd called the stuffed one Louise, made her feel small, like she was back in that time when she was stupid, selfish, and powerless.

Without a word she turned away from the giraffe and picked up her pace, feet carrying her forward with a stride just shy of running.

"I'm saying," she continued, voice coming shallowly, her lungs not able to spare as much breath, "that a bunch of things go into what happened. That doesn't mean we're not responsible, but it does mean that, maybe by acknowledging what lead us there, we can move beyond it in the future. It means that, unlike these animals, we know we're in a cage and we can work to free ourselves from it."

[Teeramus]

"He didn't..." teach me bloody anything. Striker began, but stopped himself and let the rest of Avis' words sink in. Jeez is she trying to understand me? To help work things out? Damn. Pick up your game mate.

He speed up to keep pace with Avis, wondering what her reaction was to. "Yeah mate. I'm all for takin' responsibility for what I do. 'spect other's to do the same ay but I never really bothered with the 'why stuff happened'." he looked down at the ground and around as if searching for a distraction from real introspection. Finding nothing physical, he turned to Avis and what she had said. "You say good stuff. Like... Urgh. That sounded dumb. What I'm trin'a say is that out of the bunch we've got in charge right now you're makin' the most sense. I mean you're focusing on the right stuff instead of all the political garbage that's distracting everyone. So if someone's not listenin' to ya then they're the one missin' out I reckon." He said with a nod. He was comfortable with what he'd said. Was this supposed to be a comfortable discussion? "Like that Einstein. What happened with her anyway? Did you..." He paused to tap his temple. "say something to her?" he asked curiously.

[Avis]

A gaggle of children ran past them in a screaming press of tiny bodies, forcing the Warlock to pull up short and let the small herd go charging on by. Her jaw clenched once and then she set off again.

"Yeah, I did say something," the Warlock replied. "I just told her not to assume she knew what was happening, but, really, it was a dumb thing to do. I don't think she should've flipped shit like that, mind you, but it was a spiteful thing to do. I was taking out the anger I felt towards Tyria on her, I guess. I've thought about it, and I suppose I should've restrained myself, but part of me doesn't think it matters. Like, I just said stuff, I didn't mess with anything."

She continued walking on for a bit but then turned to look at Striker again. "Thanks, by the way. I appreciate you saying that. About the political garbage and all that."

[Teeramus]

Striker smiled as the chaotic squealing mass of flailing arms and legs that scurried by. That was the other reason he liked the zoo, the blissful excitement of children seeing these common natural wonders for the first time was encouraging and Striker felt a pang of envy at their joyful innocence.

The shaman thought over Avis' explanation. "No worries, I just say what I see. But I dunno. It could matter. She left 'cause she was sick of the infightin' right? But runnin' away's no answer and it's not gonna solve anything. Sounded like she was just givin' up on tryin' to make a difference. I just hope she doesn't end up missin' like, well, Leo I guess." He said shaking his head. His face suddenly brightened as he remembered something. "Oh hey! I read most of that essay thing you handed out. Pretty interesting stuff an' I can't say I disagree. Damn shame it had to come people bannin' each other from places though. I mean I understand you're just retaliating but I hope you're not gonna stick to it if it comes down to her safety or anything." he said as they passed through the open gates of the amphitheater. As he suspected, it was deserted but for a janitor slowly picking up trash on the opposite side. He turned immediately to start climbing the stairs, assuming, for no particular reason, that they would ascend to have their discussion.

[Avis]

Avis followed after, the change in her breathing by the time they reached the top telling her just how much more she needed to focus on her conditioning in addition to keeping her limbs strong. That was for later, though. Right now there were more important things to worry about.

"Look, I don't know why Leo went missing, but I honestly don't give a fuck if Einstein does. She threatened to send Banishers either to the Circle, or to the Theater, and that burned any sympathy I might've had for her," Avis replied, voice harsh with venom.

"When it comes to Tyria, though...that's different," she continued, her tone returning to normal. "I mean, I'm still pissed at her for not talking to both me and Star, instead of just him, but I'm not going to let my anger get in the way if shit starts hitting the fan. Like, if we all get attacked then I'll remove the ban, but otherwise it's not lifting until Tyria lifts hers from me and Star. I think that's fair. But, you're the only other, well, you know, resident of the Circle in the city, so if you wanna convince me otherwise then fine. We should probably figure you and me out first, though. Now I've got an idea in mind, but I think you should share first. This isn't just about one of us, so it's important we both get heard. I don't think that would have happened at the trial."

[Teeramus]

"She did what? That doesn't even make sense ay. Why the hell would ya say somethin' like that. Damn crazy sheila." He said shaking his head in disbelief.

They reached the top. Something symbolic perhaps? Not what Striker had intended, but it seemed that the discussion could be raised to greater heights with each step they took. He moved in a few seats on the very top row and sat down. From across the way the janitor peered at them as if wondering what they were up to. Eventually content that they weren't about to create a mess that he'd be cleaning up later he continued his thankless task.

When Striker looked at Avis it was with seriousness. "Yeah I got no problems with how you're dealin' with Tyria. It's a bloody stupid situation she's got herself in, but everyone does stupid things sometimes." His serious expression somehow looked darker and his gaze lost it's focus on Avis as his thoughts turned inwards. "Speakin' of us." he added before pausing to collect his thoughts.

"Ok so I over reacted." he shook his head. "That's bloody obvious but apparently it helps if you say this stuff out loud. An' I should'a stopped when you told me. For your sake not mine. I'm not talkin' about what was a good idea for me, I'm talking about what was right and wrong. An' I was wrong. I'm sorry. I should'na started an' should'na kept goin'. So I wanna do you a favour. Like give you one officially. Like what Star got at that first trial only more than that." he said, pursing his lips and nodding slightly. He'd thought this through and it was what he wanted.

"This isn't to try an' make it right ok?" he confirmed. "Nothin's ever gonna make what I did right, this is just so's you know how serious I am about it kay?" he said, seeking confirmation once again that she understood.