multiversallogs | Running is something that I've always done [open]

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Running is something that I've always done [open]

Who: Steph Brown. Open
What: Training/stress relief
Where: Mog Hill, anywhere else you might wanna run into her
When: Newdi evening, after work
Notes: Feel free to run into her at any point during her evening.
Warnings: None yet.

Meditation has never really worked for Steph; she hates sitting still and when she tries, she ends up getting too distracted by all the movements she wants to make to actually relax. Running has been her form of meditation, so it's what she plans to do when she finishes work for the day and finds herself still feeling stressed out.

She heads home, changing into her work out clothes - the under layer of her Batgirl suit, a loose, long-sleeved shirt and sneakers - then goes out again. She wishes she had her iPod with her, just because it'd make it easier to tune out the city sounds, but she manages without. The thoughts that have been troubling her the last few days slip away, leaving her with nothing but the thump of her footfalls, the controlled rush of her breathing and the prickle of sweat as she pushes herself to run harder.

Her route takes her out of Mog Hill and in a loop through the nearby neighborhoods until she's back near the Valhalla Inn. Rather than going straight back to the Inn, she stops at a park close by to warm down. She stretches first, then starts going through series of kata; she doesn't get them perfect, but they help work out some of the tension. She would normally practice on bad guys, but she's too tired to risk patrolling tonight; Babs would yell at her if she got herself killed. Babs would probably yell at her for doing something like this in public, but it's not like martial arts is all that exotic, so Steph figures she can just say she learned all this at self defence class or something.

She'll be there until late, until her muscles are sore and her mind is clear, then she'll walk the rest of the way home.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I'd be willin' t' put up with them for time travel if it'd actually been fun. But when it just ends with you gettin' pistol whipped or thrown into a wall by a guy with superspeed all the time, it stops bein' fun," and that's just the tip of an iceberg Kait just does not feel like getting into. "I'd do it again, I guess," she remarks as she rubs at a phantom pain in her side, "but if I ever do, I hope it goes better."

She chuckles a bit, a small smile on her face. "Well, that's pretty awesome, at least. Where I come from, just bein' Evolve- er, having powers pretty much was enough to get you branded a criminal. At least that's how they made it feel." She rolls her shoulders a bit, exhaling sharply. "In that respect, I guess I'm glad t' be away."

She falls quiet for a moment, just running along, until she closes her eyes for a moment and grimaces. "Thanks for talkin' with me, by the by. Haven't had that chance since I got here. It helps a lot."

"Yeah, can't say I ever enjoyed being pistol whipped," like Kaitlyn, Steph is speaking from experience, "I hope it goes better too, time travel should be fun, not filled with asshole speedsters."

"It helps that they've saved the world so many times the general population kind of owes it to them to not be dicks," she frowns slightly, something between concern and confusion as she puts the pieces together; she's starting to suspect Kaitlyn is talking from personal experience here, but doesn't comment on it just yet.

Steph doesn't interrupt the silence, it seems like Kaitlyn needs time to collect her thoughts and she's happy to give it. At the thanks, Steh smiles, "You're more welcome, I'm always willing to lend an ear to someone who needs it."

Maybe this is something Kaitlyn is still a bit bitter about, pursing her lips as she runs along side step. "You'd think that'd be the case, wouldn't you?" she grumbles again. She lets out a quiet sigh and shakes her head.

"Okay, enough about that, or I'm going t' depress both of us, and that would be totally lame." She a bit, moving a bit to the side away from Steph as she extends her arms out why they run, almost as if she were pretending she's an airplane. "What've you been doin' since you got here? You make it sound like it's not that hard t' get settled in, that's nice to know."

"I'm sorry they're not so understanding in your world. I've never gotten the point of hating people just 'cause they've got powers," The bitterness in Kaitlyn's voice pretty much confirms Steph theory, and now she wants to assure Kaitlyn that she isn't like the people in her world.

Steph huffs out a laugh, watching Kaitlyn with amusement, "I've been working and exploring, mostly. Whoever's in charge seems to want us to get settled, so they make it easy to. The two weeks free accomodation helps, and there seem to be plenty of jobs to go around."

Kait flashes a smile back towards Steph at her reassurance, but doesn't comment more on that particular topic. She really would rather avoid depressing herself, much less her new acquaintance, if she can help it.

"A job? Oh, right, the pamphlet mentioned that, I think. I guess some things never change no matter where you are, eh?" Her smile widens into a big grin, her arms falling back to her side as she moves back over towards Steph. "I'll have to get on that tomorrow, I guess. Then finding a place that won't cost me nightly." She wrinkles a nose at that, it sounds odd to already be looking for a new place.

"I guess I need to stop bein' lazy, get off my arse, an' start gettin' used to being here, at least for the time being."

"You're expected to get a job eventually, otherwise you'll end up on the street," there's an edge of gentleness in her voice, she's not trying to scare Kaitlyn, just warn her, "There's an employment office that can help you out, or you can ask on the network."

"Settling down kind of feels like giving in, but I think it's just something we're all gonna have to do."

"You sound like my mum, just so you know," Kait teases, laughing a bit at Steph. "Yeah, yeah, I know. It just wasn't really the first thing on my mind. I'll have to swing by there soon.

"Well... no. It doesn't have t' be giving up," she remarks after a moment, holding a finger up. "I mean... we have no idea how long we're going t' be here, right? No harm in at least bein' here and, you know, being comfortable and not on the streets. That's how I see it, I guess. Better than just frettin' about it and feeling uncomfortable all the time."

"You're not the first one to say it." She's fine with teasing, and she does have a bit of a habit of trying to take care of people.

"You're right, it just..." she trails off with a shrug, not sure how to word it, "It's been a while since I've had to play at being content with a shitty situation, I'm more used to yelling at someone about it."

So not doing that feels like giving in, somehow, even though she knows that's not very logical.

Kait offers a small shrug, though she doesn't mean to seem dismissive. "So yell at someone if it helps. I mean, if there's someone who'll listen. I mean... I guess it's not that easy, but..."

Her lips form into a thin line as she pauses, thinking about what to say. "I dunno. I guess I think it just helps to do what you need t' do to make things easier. You know, within reason? So if you need t' yell, yell. Lord knows I would if it would help me cope."

She watches Steph for a moment, before smiling again. "If you haven't found anyone to yell at, you can always come by my room in the inn, or whatever."

"I wanna yell at the people actually responsible, and that would end badly for me." What she'd really like to do is find some militia to beat up, but that would end even worse than yelling.

"But I get what you mean, and I'm trying to remind myself that making myself comfortable isn't giving up on finding a way home," she smiles, a little wry and self-deprecating to show she knows how silly she's being.

"Thanks for the offer, I probably won't take you up on the yelling part, but I'd like to come visit sometime."

"Oh. Well, yeah, I imagine that might not go well..." Kait laughs a bit nervously, she should have realised that's what Steph meant. Chastising herself internally, she nods and smiles. "Yeah. That's what's keepin' me from gettin' real upset. I'm pretty sure I can make due here and still keep tryin' to figure out a way home." If such a thing even exists. People can get trapped other places in time, why not universes? That worry, though, she's keeping to herself.

"Sounds like a plan, if you don't mind a bit of a mess. Keepin' clean's also one of those things that hasn't really been at the top of my agenda. And if you don't mind cats." There's not much to be a mess, but there definitely is a cat. "Inger wouldn't mind someone else to bother, I'm sure."

"I don't have any plans to run afoul of the militia," Not yet, anyway. She might form a plan eventually, "I've heard of people going back and forth, but it doesn't seem to be controllable." She's been watching the network carefully, and there were some open discussions about people having left Baedal.

"I can deal with mess, you should've seen my room back home. And I like cats." She seems to have had a lot of exposure to pets recently, but so far she thinks they're great.

"Ha. You should've seen my apartment back home, too. It was just awful. The only reason it ever got clean was because a' my roommate," she says with a bit of laugh that tapers into a bit of a sad pause. She shakes it off after a moment, though.

"Well, it's good to know there's a way back at all, right? That alone's somethin' that can give a lotta hope." She nods as if she had just presented absolute fact, looking a bit proud of herself. "That's really what I think it comes down t'. Just gotta keep hopin' for the best."

"I had my mom to keep me in line," That might be more or less effective than a roommate. She notes the sadness, but lets Kaitlyn shake it off rather than asking about it.

Steph nods as well, smiling a little, "Well, I've always been a 'hope' sort of girl, so at least I'm in my element here. I'm sure things will sort themselves out eventually."

She's not sure if the reassurance is for herself or for Kaitlyn, but it doesn't matter all that much.

From the growing smile on Kait's face, it looks like Steph might be saying all the right things, at least in a manner of speaking. She nods a few times in succession. "Well, sounds like you won't have any problem by me, then. If you haven't got hope, you haven't got much else."

She takes a deep breath, her pace slowing down just a little bit; it looks like she's finally starting to get tired. "I haven't run like this in a while. Well, not for exercise, anyway. You should let me know the next time you go out t' run."

Steph does't entirely agree with that; there've been plenty of times she's been completely without hope and pulled through anyway, but she just smiles.

"Sorry," it's said sheepishly, and Steph slows her pace as well, "There's a cafe nearby if you wanna stop for a drink. And I'll let you know, I could always use some company."

"What? Why?" Kaitlyn asks with a bit of confusion, tilting her head a bit as she looks at Steph. She gives a bit of an embarrassed laugh, looking down the road to see if she can spot this cafe. "No need t' apologise. You must be in really good shape, t' not be tired yet."

She stops for a moment a stretches, before trying to catch up to Steph. "Oh, that sounds good. Yeah, I think I'll stop for a drink, but don't let me interrupt your runnin' if you wanna keep on. Well, more than I already have!" She smirks, pretty confident that she hasn't been that much of an interruption.

"I wasn't paying attention, I didn't mean to wear you out," said with a bit of a cheeky grin, and she slows her pace as well. The cafe is just a small one, noticeable by the few tables out front, "I've always liked running, helps me think."

"You weren't an interruption at all. And I could use a break as well," She's used to having to push past 'exhausted' and keep going, so sometimes she sort of loses track of when she's getting tired. "If you don't mind some company now?"

"I tend t' pull out my guitar when I need to think. That kinda thing really helps me clear my head pretty well," she remarks with a bit of a shrug. She matches Steph's pace, still having enough energy for that, and looks on ahead again until she spots the cafe.

"I never mind the company, don't worry about that," is said almost dismissively, even though it's entirely true. "I don't know what I do without some company. Probably go just plain mad, and I don't think anyone wants that!" Again she laugh, slowing her pace a bit more as she looks over at Steph. "Come on, drinks on me. What do they even serve here? I suppose getting my hopes up for a nice, cold Coke is pointless?"

"You play guitar?" It's genuine interest; Steph used to get piano lessons when she was younger, but it's been a while since she's played properly. She's always liked music, though.

"I won't ever feel bad about bothering you, then," she's more used to being alone, but she can understand the need for company and she smiles at the offer, slowing to a walk, "Thanks. They have a 'cola' drink, but it's kind of weird tasting - a little more like root beer than Coke."

"Guitar, piano, a few other things..." Kait replies a wistfully as her hands slide back down into her pockets. "I actually just put out a CD a couple months back, but home. Just a home done kinda thing, but you could actually buy it! In stores!" Because that, apparently, is the part she's most proud of.

"Well, cola's good enough. I should probably get something a bit healthier, but... eh?" She gives a small shrug. "But, yeah. Music is- was? my job, more or less. When I could, at least. What about you?"

"That's awesome, congrats! I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to do more of it before you got dragged here." Steph is really impressed.

"You just went for a long run, you can have a cola," She grins, she's never been into healthy food, "It sounds like a good job, you could probably find something for you here. I was a student at college, and just working at the library to pay my way."

"You think? That'd be awesome if I could find something to do here like that. I'd make being here a bit easier at least..." Kait looks thoughtful as they approach the cafe, a hand coming up to rub at her chin as she considers this.

"I never worked in a library, but I've worked in a few book stores. That was largely what I did before I started doin' the music thing most of the time." When she wasn't out being a freedom fighter, at least. She tries not to seem surprised by the fact that Steph is a college student, she should've been able to guess. "Well, that's cool. Must be nice to have a break from classes, eh? I know I hated 'em," she jokes.

"There are plenty of bars and clubs, you could probably find somewhere to play live, if you'd wanna." She thinks that making a CD is a bit different from live performances, mostly because one involves being in front of a crowd.

"I figure libraries and book stores are fairly similar, and I've seen a few stores around the city if you wanted to look into that as well," Steph gets to the door first and opens it for Kaitlyn, gesturing with a little flourish and a smirk, "I didn't mean the classes so much as the homework, to be honest."

"Huh." Kait's not willing to say she likes the sound of this place yet, but it is beginning to sound more and more like she's at least not going to hate it here. That alone is a pretty big plus to her right now. "I'll ask about that, yeah."

Stepping into the cafe when Steph gets the door, she flashes a smile and almost literally hops in, waiting for the other woman to come in before going up to order. "College was a bore, even if I mostly did music classes. I don't blame you for that."

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