i used to be quite resilient, gain no strength from counting the beads on a rosary

[afallenstar]

It's so easy to run, when it comes down to it. A day here, a week there; the stops barely feel like a blip on Anna's radar. The stops don't compare to a millenia, and at any rate it's pretty easy to avoid boredom when you've got Heavenly hound dogs on your tail.

There's no need to rent the motel, but she does it all the same. Small acts that almost pass for human, they're what keep her going now. Eating at a diner, walking home, making a phone call, they're all small little echoes of the life that she once had, and though they're unnecessary it's the little gestures and nods to the lost humanity that keep her from giving up. After all, she Fell for a reason, she tore out her Grace that day not because of a hatred for the Host, not because of the absent Father or the disdain for the pearly white gates, but because of everything surrounding her. Perhaps not quite dank smells and itchy blankets, but the sentiment remains the same.

That doesn't mean it surprises her though, when the sparks suddenly erupt to the left of her. On the contrary, it's almost expected. One doesn't simply escape Heaven, she knows this, which is why she doesn't immediately run again. Instead she stands, turns to her side to look into the eyes of the angel who just earned themselves a promotion - and the wry smile instantly dies on her lips.

This isn't what she's expecting, at all.

Comments

[socius]

To be fair. She was aiming a little ... not here. And certainly not within her own self's presence. That was a bit more than a bit of a cock up on her part.

But she's tired. So tired, torn and battered and still so dad-damned determined. Blinded by that determination, really. So when she lands in a crack electricity, wings fanning out in an attempt to steady herself, eyes drawing up to the immediate presence of another Seraph-- you can't blame her for being a little underwhelmed. It's not someone to worry about (in the scheme of things), at least.

"Crap. Not far enough." There's a table there, a closet door or maybe a counter. Something she can lean a hand against to steady herself. To keep herself upright. She doesn't remember this. Or she does- but they're fresh memories. Angels know their Time Travel. How off limits it is.

[afallenstar]

"Is this supposed to be funny?"

Of course that's her immediate reaction, because what else is she supposed to think when faced with a - granted, much more worn looking - version of herself?

So she's almost immediately on her guard, and she takes a sharp step back as though that will somehow save her. Her blade is in her hand, gripped tightly with white knuckles, but she doesn't run, not just yet. It's stupid, reckless and dangerous, but this is new even for them, and she wants to know what's going on here.

At least she has one advantage, whoever this is obviously needs time to recover and she's going to use the window of opportunity to get some answers. The blade gets brandished outwards, and for once she's actually scared but she pushes forward anyway.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my vessel?"

[socius]

A look passes across the slightly older woman's face as she watches. Watches her younger self jump to conclusions, brandish a weapon and take the defensive side within a nanosecond. Such a mixture of pride and unadulterated disgust. Of course she'd react like that. She herself, would have done the same, wouldn't she? Maybe a few months ago.

But that was fair.

"Who do you think?" She wasn't thick. Just ... unaccustomed. Unfamiliar. Unawares. For now, at least. "You know as well as I that I'm not in the right time stream. I'm gonna stick out like a sore thumb to no one else but you." ... "Us."

Because any other angel wouldn't notice. Not if it was the same being. The same Grace. But if it was yourself? Of course you'd know. You'd feel your own atoms pulling at your vessel, should you have one. Feel the very fabric of time warping, trying to compensate. But, Anna assumed, if you were unfamiliar, then it might just be a little daunting.

[afallenstar]

She doesn't notice. Not at first, she's far too wrapped up in her decision to choose fight over flight, and she's so damn sick of running that right now she'd probably try to take on just about anyone that's sent after her.

Except maybe it's what she's saying, or maybe it's just that the words actually cause her to pause long enough to actually feel it, but it's there. That cosmic alarm bell, sounding away and forcing her to notice that something about this scenario is very wrong.

"So what are you doing here then?" She has to ask, because she's not stupid, she can't imagine why she would ever do something as insane as try to contact her past self. It must be something bigger than that, perhaps something worse. Curiosity eats at her, and she knows she needs to be careful here but it's so tempting to find out what is going on.

Still, the blade goes away, almost as fast as it was brandished, and that in itself says more about her intrigue of the situation than anything else. She wants to fight, but she'll never be free of the people after her head. At least now she can try and get some answers.

[socius]

Good girl. Self. Whatever you want to call it. Anna knew she was a fast learner, so why would her younger self be any different. Shut up, logic. Still, she's managed to right herself, to stand without the aid of something solid and inanimate. She still hurts, can still feel herself cracking at the edges, but it's bearable. Tolerable.

"I wasn't aiming for here, if that's what you're wondering." Hence the ... 'not far enough'. "And it's for me to know, and you to find out soon enough." Her tone turns cold, iced over and stubbornly locked. There would be no leads or hints. She'd messed with time once already, having just stepped foot here, into the presence of her younger self. So no spilling anything.

Not that she'd have much of a chance, consider she's walking towards the door. She can't fly. Not yet- it's too soon. She has to save the little strength she has left for what's to come. She'll just ... walk around. Find food. Avoid the hot-tail she knows her younger self is still on. That she herself is still on. You know. The usual.

[afallenstar]

No surprises there, really. She knows full well that she'd never just blurt it out if the roles were reversed (and isn't that a headache to think about, but the idea is still the same) and more than anything she knows she shouldn't ask. This is already risky business, enough has already been interfered with just by being in the same room. But Anna isn't anything if not stubborn, and given the state that this older version of herself is in, she's sure that she needs to know.

Thankfully, said state is still her advantage, and she crosses the room before other her has the chance to, stands in front of the door and folds her arms. She's even got a cold, hard stare of we own, and while the menacing act is an obvious empty threat - who would purposefully harm themselves - she's still going to play the card anyway.

"I don't know what you're expecting, but you can't think I'll just drop this," Hope, maybe, pray, like it'll do any good, but certainly not expect. She's tired, and she doesn't know if she has it in her to get to the place where she evidently ends up. "What happened to you...me? Do we get caught?"