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Post by Sentinel Prime on Feb 26, 2012 19:17:27 GMT -5
Month 7, Week 2, Day 5, Open, at a nice mid-range cafe, on the patio
Elly should maybe not be out of the hospital right now, but she is rarely one to let common sense stop her. Officer Dahlia was nice to her, so Elly is going to buy lunch for her, and that is that.
She has her stupid roller bag with her, and a cane, because she's still pretty shaky. Elly has a lot of issues with her wardrobe, but the good thing about the black thigh-high, strappy, spike-heeled boots is that there is a lot of room to store knives in them, since she does not yet have her concealed carry permit. She has a flowing dun blouse, buttoned all the way - the top button was hard to get done up, like it's never been used before, a chequered tan and brown scarf, nude hose, and a tweed miniskirt. The clothes are a little big on her; she wasted away a bit in the hospital. Why can't her previous self have owned shoes that are flats? And maybe some pants?
Elly explains to the maitre d' that she is waiting for someone who should be here soon. She checks her watch again.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Feb 26, 2012 19:34:03 GMT -5
Petunia rounds the corner at a dead-run, dodges through an elementary school field trip group, then vaults the cast-iron railing around the patio. She beams and presents a flower arrangement with not a leaf nor petal out of place. "Sorry I'm late. But they didn't think I could manage the flowers and my motorcycle." Well, yes, they did. In fact, Detective Hunt's exact words had been a threat about ticketing her for driving one-handed. She's dressed in MCU informals - black slacks, button-up blouse that is a little too white to go with that red bra, and an amazing pair of shoes she found in a thrift store. It's a wonder she didn't break her ankles.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Feb 26, 2012 19:44:09 GMT -5
Elly looks dubious over the reason why Det. Dahlia is late. When Elly is Magnus, she's going to make the trains run on time. She is very cautious in taking the flowers, and she asks seriously, "Are these dangerous?"
Not 'are these for me?' But then, Elly had told Det. Dahlia that she appreciate how dangerous flowers can be.
The maitre d' tries to show them to their table, out on the patio.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Feb 26, 2012 19:46:40 GMT -5
"I don't think so. They're cut off from the main plant." Petunia is reasonably certain things are no longer threatening at that point. Unless they're meta-flowers.
"How have things been with you?" she asks as she opens the menu. "Has your boyfriend come by to see you now that you're out of the hospital?"
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Feb 26, 2012 19:54:09 GMT -5
Elly looks over the chair. Then she settles the flowers cautiously on the table. Elly then tries to give Det. Dahlia an awkward hug. Det. Dahlia is a totally gross human, but Elly always showers whenever she gets back to her apartment, anyway. Elly says, "Thank you."
Then she sits down and eyes the menu as if worried that it might bite. How many people have touched this? Elly pauses mid-reach, her eyes wide and her jaw slack. She sputters, "Boyfriend? I have a boyfriend? But I like girls!"
Elly grips the menu to keep her hands from shaking, and she asks plaintively, "Is he at least hot? It might be okay if he's hot."
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Post by Pee-Dee on Feb 26, 2012 20:16:22 GMT -5
Well, that wasn't an answer Petunia was expecting. "I... wouldn't know? I've never met him." Her eyes flick down the drinks menu, then up to Elly. "He disappeared after your- unpleasantness."
Saying 'murder' in polite company gets odd looks.
"I thought he might have popped up again now that you're doing better."
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Feb 26, 2012 20:22:49 GMT -5
Elly pulls a tablet out of her bag and pulls up the list of food that she can and cannot have. She has to watch how much liquid she intakes, because her kidneys don't work very well and she can't let her blood get too dilute. She has to watch how much sugar she eats because her pancreas is also not doing very well. She has to make sure she doesn't eat too many toxins (read: drink alcohol) because her liver is missing a piece.
Elly pulls up her notes on breakfast. She writes down everything she eats, because she honestly forgets sometimes, which is really distressing.
She shakes her head. "Uh, no? Never heard of him."
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Post by Pee-Dee on Feb 26, 2012 20:30:06 GMT -5
"I'm sorry." Petunia reaches out to cover one of Elly's hands with her own if the other women will let her. She doesn't say what she's sorry for; there are really so many options. She'll let Elly pick for herself.
The waiter arrives, smiles at them, introduces himself, and asks if they'd like anything to drink.
"Coke," Petunia says, because no one has yet to forbid her from having caffeine. Probably because it doesn't seem to have a visible effect on her.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Feb 26, 2012 20:37:41 GMT -5
Elly allows the touch. Again, she's planning on a shower.
She debates, and she tells the waiter, "I'll pass. No drink right now. Thank you, though."
Elly looks over the menu. Nothing sounds appetizing. Nothing ever does. She looks up and asks, "What do you like?"
Maybe Det. Dahlia will list a few things and Elly can figure out which one most closely fits her diet restrictions.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Feb 26, 2012 21:21:06 GMT -5
"Sandwiches are awesome." Petunia says this with the enthusiasm of a recent convert. Meals of stacked foods! Hand-portable! So many combinations!
"Oooooh, the Aztec Buffalo Burger sounds delicious!"
It sounds like it might set a table on fire if not carefully handled, actually.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Feb 26, 2012 21:33:33 GMT -5
Elly looks at the list of sandwiches and tries to figure out which one won't kill her. Okay, she needs to avoid white bread, so she mentally crosses off all the white bread sandwiches, not understanding that one can ask for substitutions. She needs to avoid saturated fat. She needs to avoid simple sugars. She needs to balance her protein with fiber, carbs, and fats, but she shouldn't have too much protein, anyway. Maybe the black bean veggie burger on the whole wheat bun would be okay... but she's supposed to avoid lettuce. She needs to avoid salty foods, as well as food rich in potassium and phosphorus. Oh dang it, the black beans are out, too. What about the portobello on the whole grain bun? She studies that.
She asks, "So, have any exciting cases lately? Get the drop on any ne'er-do-wells?"
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Feb 26, 2012 22:11:06 GMT -5
There's a man passing by on the sidewalk, rather generically handsome, dressed in blue jeans and a plain-yet-fashionably jacket, and generally unremarkable in appearance except for the blaze of curly red hair and bright green eyes.
More likely to draw attention, however, is the way he stops suddenly as his gaze passes over Elly Winston, his head jerking around to stare at her, eyes wide, mouth dropping open. Then his mouth snaps shut and his eyes narrow, and Xavier Goodkind wonders just what the woman he murdered about a month ago is doing sitting on a restaurant patio.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Feb 29, 2012 12:48:44 GMT -5
"Eh, no more than the usual." Petunia lays her menu down, having figured out what she wants. "There was some unpleasantness with the Angry Archer, which was more embarrassing than dangerous..."
She trails off, eyes narrowing, as the red-haired man visibly gapes at Elly. "Take a picture, it'll last longer."
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Feb 29, 2012 13:20:44 GMT -5
Elly tries to figure out what side she wants with her portobello and whole wheat sandwich. She is thinking brown rice. French Freedom fries have too much salt. Salad has too much water. Fruit has too much water.
Elly does look pretty ill. She has tried, ham-handedly, to put on makeup and pretty up, because she doesn't want to embarrass Det. Dahlia in public. (Does Det. Dahlia also have fashion police privileges? Is that a thing they do on Earth? Being arrested for being too frumpy would blow.) Her skin is still too pale and pasty, her veins standing out starkly. There are dark circles around her eyes that the powder does not conceal.
There are also some wicked, ugly scars under her shirt, but the shirt is there for a reason.
Elly looks over where Det. Dahlia is looking. There is no recognition in her eyes. She asks, "Is he someone I should know?"
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Post by Rampage/Xavier Goodkind on Mar 1, 2012 18:57:45 GMT -5
Elly certainly looks awful, but then she wasn't in very good condition when Xavier left her either - so very pretty, all pale and broken and dead with blood all around - but what she should look like now is decaying, not just ill. It is a very bad thing for a murderer if their victim doesn't stay murdered. She saw his face as he killed her. She could identify him-
And yet there's not recognition in her eyes as she looks back at him. How very strange, but also very, very convenient. He calms down. Maybe Elly had a twin, maybe dying gave her memory loss, whatever. The cops haven't come knocking on his door yet. For now, he's safe.
Xavier gives the woman sitting with his victim a grin and a wink, and begins to walk on. Just checking out the ladies, no really.
He makes a mental note to keep tabs on Elly Winston - she could still mean trouble for him - and to next time, wear a mask.
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