open

[blacksong]

WHO: Rose and you!
WHERE: various
WHEN: throughout the middle of this week and into the next
WHAT: Her first physical regain and it's a doozy.
WARNINGS: Potential body horror? If you don't want talk about a flower being in someone's eye, steer clear of this. And language because, well, it's Rose.

a. guess who hates flowers forever now

[So having a flower suddenly growing out of her eye? Not exactly the most fun Rose has ever had. Even now a few days later, her eye—well, where her eye used to be—still kind of aches, but she's also determined not to let this take over her life. Even though she's already had to call out of work. No, it's fine, she just has to adjust. In the meantime, she can still just... Relax and do what she usually does to relax, right? Right. Sure she has to suddenly adjust to missing an eye, but that doesn't mean she can't go outside.

She tries to do what she usually does on her downtime. Do some window shopping, sit down at cafes and try out desserts, hit up a bar for drinks and whatnot. She really does try to do it all just as she normally would. Except she's dressed as nondescript as possible, in a hoodie and jeans and even a baseball cap pulled over her head. It's not like she hates attention or spotlight, but she's really not looking to stand out right now.

But of course, that's not enough. No matter what she does or where she's at, there's a good number of people around who can't help but stare. Some kids stare and some people around her age are whispering to each other, it feels like practically everyone's just gawking at her. In any other situation, she wouldn't blame them. After all, there's a big pink flower growing out of her eye. This isn't any other situation though, and as she taps her foot in impatient irritation, she knows that she's had just about enough of this.

It doesn't matter who she turns around to, whether they weren't even looking or maybe just glancing or maybe actually gawking, she turns around and shouts:]

If you have something you wanna say, just fucking say it already!

b. wildcard

[If you'd like to do something else with Rose, feel free to hit me up via PM or at ghostory for plotting! It can be set earlier in the month before this regain or during this or whenever, I'm down to plot and hash something out.]

Comments

[thesettingsun]

[Honestly, Shuji hadn't been staring. His first thought had been 'Retrospec thing probably' and then he'd gotten back to checking out the sweaters that are on sale for Black Friday, which is much more immediately relevant to him than a stranger's physical regains.

But being shouted at means he recognizes the woman as Rose. He doesn't know her well enough to know her at a glance when she's dressed like that, but her voice - and her swearing - is pretty distinct. And she did call out of work for a while...]

Rose? I didn't know it was you...

[blacksong]

Oh.

[And just like that, all the anger in her disappears only to be replaced with embarrassment. Now that she thinks about it, he wasn't even looking at her. She just needed to lash out at whoever was closest.

Great.]

Shit. Sorry. [She'd say "I didn't know it was you either," but frankly, she's not sure that would've made a difference.] I just... It's been a long day.

[thesettingsun]

I bet.

[Adjusting to having a flower in your eye, even if somehow growing it there didn't hurt like a bitch, can't be easy.]

Do you want to talk about it over a smoothie? Or just get smoothies? It's on me.

[Relative incomes don't matter: he's the one who didn't have to deal with weird body parts today.]

[blacksong]

[There's a part of her that immediately recoils at being pitied. She can handle her own problems, always has and always will, and that suits her just fine. She doesn't need someone feeling bad for her, no matter what the circumstances.

But she's also so tired from today. It's just smoothies, right? No reason to make it more than it is.]

... Yeah, sure. Smoothies sound good.

[thesettingsun]

[Sympathy smoothies aren't the worst thing in the world. The worst thing in the world is growing weird shit out of your eyes.]

Great.

[And since there's a smoothie shop like five doors down... Cut to Shuji getting Rose and himself smoothies. (He gets himself cherry flavor.)

He glowers at whoever gives Rose weird looks, though it's not very effective because Shuji isn't very good at glowering.]

You up for talking about it at all?

[coinflipped]

[Isaac is definitely someone who double takes when he sees Rose at the bar. Like that's definitely her, but what in the hell. There's a few moments where he's just a rude motherfucker and just stares-- then approaches her, then walks away, mainly because he doesn't know how to kindly start this conversation.

Then he remembers this is Rose. There's no need to be kind about this at all. In fact, being straightforward is probably the best bet here. Probably. Maybe. He'll find out.]

What the fuck happened to you?

[blacksong]

[Despite trying her best to keep her head down, she'd recognize Isaac anywhere, and something twists in her gut to not only just see him gawking, but to almost approach only to walk away again. It's not like he actually looks disgusted or anything, but it sure does reinforce how much of a freak she must look like.

And so the answer is:]

The fuck does it look like. There's a flower in my eye, or do you need to take a closer look just to double check? [She bites that all out before throwing back a shot of rum. Straightforward's as best a bet as there is here, but it's still far from good in this case.]

[coinflipped]

[Well, he's stepped into hell and is now just going to sit next to a pissed off Rose. No use running away, really. He's been told people could get weird things, but a flower in the eye is definitely not one of those things Isaac imagined someone would get.]

No, I don't.

[He orders a whiskey on the rocks and gets that served to him almost immediately as he takes a sip.]

It just was rather surprising to see you like this.

[He's pretty sure anyone would be an ass and do a double take of that.]

[blacksong]

And imagine my surprise when this thing just sprouted out of me.

[Is she taking her frustration out on him when she knows none of this is even his fault? Yes, but frankly, she's too angry and tired to care right now. Stewing alone only does so much.]

[coinflipped]

To be honest, I don't think I could. Don't think anyone would expect it.

[It's really okay, he doesn't mind her taking out her frustrations on him. Given his initial reaction, he kind of deserves it...]

[lostapprentice]

[Ren is just minding his business in that bar, mostly, paying more attention to the darts he's playing than anyone else, even if they do have a giant flower growing out of their face. As a result, it's a surprise when he turns to retrieve his drink and he gets yelled at out of nowhere. ... Not that he's a stranger to being yelled at out of nowhere.

He pauses in surprise for a moment, taking in the woman's face and the most obvious feature. Retrospec continues to be a collection of assholes, it seems.]

That has to be shit. [Possibly worse than just losing it altogether. He's not sure he wants to know what's going on behind in there, but it can't be pretty.

Ren takes a sip of his beer, not seemingly bothered by the situation, though his attention is definitely still on her now.]

[blacksong]

[Well, at least he's taking it in stride. She has a good feeling that he wasn't even looking given that he's facing the darts, but she's also still too mad to feel that bad about it. For now, anyways.]

You're telling me. [She takes a sip out of her own drink, sighing.] It sounded like everything after getting this app would be shit, but I didn't think it'd be this bad.

[lostapprentice]

[Well, Ren sure isn't going to call her out for it, not with how often he yells at people unfairly. He scoffs at her comment, disdain clear in his tone.]

Retrospec is full of surprises. [To say the least. He turns forward in his seat, focusing on his drink. He's been throwing things for long enough today, anyway.] I've talked with someone who lost his arm thanks to them, so I doubt there's a limit to what they'll do.

[blacksong]

Fuck.

[Never mind sipping, she's taking a few hearty gulps of her drink. She's not entirely sure about what she's seen of herself, but losing an arm, uh. Might be on the table.]

Because that's gonna help our "souls" be what they're supposed to be, right? Nothing like maiming and dismembering to make you right.

[lostapprentice]

[Ren can't blame her for wanting to down her drink. That had been his impulse when he first started realizing everything that was going on.]

Our well being has never been on their list of priorities when it comes to "reconstructing" us. [Because god forbid someone not want to be exactly like this other person they've supposedly been molded after.]

Never mind that I thought souls were supposed to be separate from things like specific injuries.

[Aren't souls supposed to be independent from the bodies they inhabit or something like that? Ren doesn't buy it. It's just another thing Retrospec is hiding.

He glances towards that flower again, but just for a moment before he takes a drink.]

Does it hurt?

[activatingcombatmode]

[Hey, he's just a dude passing through a coffee shop grabbing some jo for the go but when he sees the girl sitting there with that strange flower on her face he can't help but to stare for maybe a second or two longer... And not just because of the weird flower appendage (though, it's a big factor) she also seems oddly familiar... Where's he seen her before?

But caught, Zack straightens his shoulders.]

Oh shit- Sorry, you just seem sort of familiar. Uh, are you alright?

[And he definitely means that thing sticking out of her eyesocket.]

[blacksong]

Do I look alright. [Said flatly as she practically stabs her fork into her cake. There's a flower in her eye, and it's definitely not just some weird fashion statement, who could possibly be alright with this!!

Although someone saying she's familiar is new, and she takes a second to look him up and down before returning her focus to her food.]

Pretty sure I've never met you, so I dunno why I'd be familiar.

[activatingcombatmode]

I'll take that as a no. I'm guessing that's not some sort of new make up accessory. [He says this with a light laugh, intending it to be a joke instead of something insulting.

It's sort of hard to see her face with that hoodie up though.]

Hmm. It's hard to place. I swear I've seen you somewhere before...

[blacksong]

Let's just say if you suddenly see a bunch of people with a flower in their face, they're just a bunch of copycats who definitely don't know what they're doing. [She doesn't quite laugh, but she doesn't sound quite as bitter as earlier.]

Where the fuck would you have seen me? [If he was someone who hung around her usual cafes and bars, she'd probably recognize him, and she'd definitely recognize a regular from Club Sunshine. What else could make her seem familiar...

Oh. Now she cracks a smile, although it's not exactly kind.]

Wait, hold up, I think I might got it. Just how much porn do you watch?

[activatingcombatmode]

Uh? What kind of question is- ...

[That takes Zack a few seconds to really absorb. Who asks that sort of thing?

... But then it slowly dons over his face as the realization sinks into his brain. The shape of her face and her voice...]

Oh shit. Are you serious?

[Is it that chick from all those popular porn videos, maybe? He can barely believe it. This is both awkward and awesome...? Is this happening right now?]

a!

[sharplydressed]

[It's a good thing he has swift reflexes because he just startled so badly that he almost dropped his dang tray. IMAGINE THAT TRAGEDY, all of her work picking out and buying a cute cafe dessert, ruined because Kiyomitsu is jumpy today and being yelled at is a Surprise.

Granted, he's also not the person who took her order, so the flower definitely catches his attention too. It's like a double-whammy surprise! Two for the price of one! The cup on his tray rattles ominously, but he fortunately manages to keep anything from spilling even in his confusion.]

Eh— Huh?! I don't have anything to say! ...Outside of like, your order's ready, anyway. [...] And I'm guessing Retrospec?

[With the whole... eyeflower situation, that is.]

[blacksong]

[That would've been YET ANOTHER REASON for her to be mad and yell, thank goodness for his reflexes saving them both from that disaster....... Although she at least has the decency to feel sorta bad for startling him since 1) he's bringing her the food, and 2) he wasn't actually looking at her. That first reason is very important.

But it's still only "sorta bad." She's really sick of people staring at her.]

Retrospec, yeah. [and after a beat:] Thanks for the food though.

[sharplydressed]

[His reflexes have saved him many times lately... But he'll set the plate down in front of her with care, and his expression shifts to something sympathetic when she confirms what he'd figured. Oh, Retrospec... Stealing eyes, stealing hands, stealing buildings, out there having a great time.]

No problem. You can consider it on the house, okay?

[It's the least he can do, considering he's assuming she's not having a great day here.]

...D'you need anything else, too? Like, painkillers or something?

[blacksong]

[Rose is really the last person who likes to accept charity and sympathy like this, no matter how well-intended it might be. If she didn't need it when she was a kid and no one offered it to her, she certainly didn't need it now.

But, well. Maybe it wouldn't hurt, especially when she's on medical leave from work right now. She can't really afford to be spending too much, but she'd just wanted something nice like a cake.]

I owe you one. [She's really only bargaining with herself, and she knows that, but it helps her feel better in the end.] ... Painkillers would be nice though, if you have any.

[sharplydressed]

[Kashuu just waves the statement away, clearly not interested in any return for the free cake. It's a small gesture, as far as he's concerned. Really the least he can do.]

Yeah, I've got tylenol and advil. There's some aleve in the back too, if that works better for you. Got any preference?

[Apparently he's just a walking pharmaceutical... Sometimes you gotta be prepared for your customers to have unusual requests, basically.]