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Post by skybright on Oct 13, 2006 23:03:45 GMT -5
Daws sobered slightly. "Yeah, you and me both. But," she shrugged. "We do what we feel we have to. If I thought there was a way to do it without getting me, the kid, and the whole resistance killed, I'd just as soon never look at Tiernan's creepy face again."
She spread her hands. "But since there isn't one that I've seen, and since we need the inside information too much for me to take it if there was one, I just console myself with knowin' that someday nobody's gonna have to look at Tiernan's creepy face again."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2006 19:51:51 GMT -5
"Maybe," Proteus said pensively. "Except there will always be someone to take his place. Maybe not from inside his own group--as far as I've seen, he doesn't exactly surround himself with geniuses. But there will be someone else, all the same."
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2006 21:07:08 GMT -5
"Maybe." Daws shrugged. "I mean, I'm nobody to argue with you -- you've seen more dictators and madmen come an' go than I've seen World Series. But I'll settle for putting this one away, for now.
"If another one crops up after this one, well . . ." She smiled faintly. "Then I guess I'll see about fighting that one, too."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2006 21:51:19 GMT -5
Proteus shook his head thoughtfully. "Somehow, I can't help feeling it's just the system of the world that lets things like Tiernan exist. And if everyone would just pass that system by, like I do and the Spooks do, there wouldn't be anything for them to grasp at anymore." He smiled faintly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about revolution--just uninvolvement."
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2006 22:02:05 GMT -5
Daws tilted her head thoughtfully. "I guess I can see where you're coming from on that point -- in theory, anyhow. It's in the execution of the theory that I see the problem."
She shrugged. "You said you didn't have much use for mundies. I guess maybe I'm dumb for caring about 'em as much as I do -- considering how most of them seem to feel about me -- but I can't help the fact that I do care. And getting uninvolved from fighting against Tiernan would mean an awful lot of innocent people getting hurt. Innocent 'normal' people, yeah -- but still people."
Daws smiled faintly and leaned back in her seat. "I'd be half-tempted to try being uninvolved -- only there's too much I'd have on my conscience if I did."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2006 22:34:59 GMT -5
Proteus chuckled quietly. "If you young people didn't try to take the world on your shoulders, you might live as long as me."
The waitress returned at that moment, and Proteus glanced at Daws, waiting for her to order first.
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2006 22:44:56 GMT -5
"Oh, sorry." Daws ducked her head sheepishly at the waitress and spared a quick glance at the menu. "Chicken sandwich and fries, I guess." She chuckled. "I get caught up talking and lose all track of where I'm at."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2006 22:52:45 GMT -5
"I'll have a chili dog," Proteus said, and made a slight face as Joey gave him another surprised look. "I like good old-fashioned American food."
Joey chuckled and glanced up at the waitress. "Make that two. And some fries."
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2006 23:07:13 GMT -5
The waitress nodded and slouched off, looking bored. Daws gave Proteus an amused grin. "Chili dogs and apple pie -- yeah, I'd say that qualifies as old-fashioned American. You're a guy after my own heart. Not that Alex Malone's fancy cooking isn't great, but," She shrugged, "There's nothing wrong with the simple things in life."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 15, 2006 20:04:46 GMT -5
"Oh, he seems like a nice boy." Proteus smiled wryly. "If that voice trick he was doing last night is the only gift he has, I can't blame him for passing. He'd be eaten alive in any of the mutant subcultures I've known."
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Post by skybright on Oct 15, 2006 21:21:32 GMT -5
"No kidding." Daws shrugged. "Passing may not be a walk in the park, but there's some people who are just as well off doing that. Until the world changes some, anyway."
She grinned faintly at Proteus. "And we've already had that conversation, last night."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 15, 2006 22:18:52 GMT -5
Proteus smiled. "I've never disagreed with anything you've said. There's just a long way between the way things oughta be and the way they are--and what you can do about it."
"Do you really think things will never get any better?" Joey asked.
The shapeshifter waved one hand in a half-shrugging gesture. "The war in life never ends, kid--for mutants or humans or anything else. It's all just a question of what battles you're born to live through."
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Post by skybright on Oct 15, 2006 22:23:32 GMT -5
"Like they say -- it isn't if you win or lose, it's how you play. Or how you fight, in our case." Daws smiled. "Maybe the point is just to do your best at fighting whatever battle you got dealt -- so the next person who gets dealt it will have it a little easier."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 15, 2006 22:47:32 GMT -5
"There you go with that word 'fighting' again," Proteus sighed. "I like you, Miss Dawson, but I don't hold out much hope for you."
Joey chuckled. "You two are never gonna change each other's minds, so you might as well stop trying."
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Post by skybright on Oct 15, 2006 22:52:54 GMT -5
Daws laughed. "Sorry, Proteus. I've just got the disposition of a natural scrapper, that's all." She shrugged. "Joey's right -- we might as well just agree to disagree."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 15, 2006 23:05:45 GMT -5
"Oh, I've already told you I admire what it is you want to do," Proteus replied gently. "I'm just too old to be an idealist. When you get to be a hundred and sixty, you might prefer to doze on your own front porch yourself."
"But you're planning to help us now," Joey puzzled.
Proteus chuckled. "I didn't say my own front porch doesn't get a little boring sometimes."
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Post by skybright on Oct 15, 2006 23:10:55 GMT -5
Daws grinned. "I can imagine it would. And believe me -- if there's one thing our bunch is good at, it's alleviating boredom."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 15, 2006 23:16:56 GMT -5
"I sorta got that impression last night," Proteus grinned. "You people do that sort of thing often?"
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Post by skybright on Oct 15, 2006 23:23:08 GMT -5
Daws smiled. "Nah, that was sort of a first for us. Generally our get-togethers are a lot more nocturnal and a lot more . . . explosive." She chuckled. "I can't say last night wasn't a real welcome change."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 15, 2006 23:29:32 GMT -5
"I can see that," Proteus murmured. "Been a long time since I've seen something like that, myself. The Spooks aren't exactly social--but of course, I mostly prefer it that way."
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