Close to the Edge, Down by the River

[Ryn]

"I was told this is fashion. Able. Fashionable." she says, uncertain. She shouldn't care what anybody thinks, especially not about her clothes. And yet she's concerned about a mortal's judgement. A very specific mortal, but still. It makes her feel exposed in a way she never has before. More than if she was wearing nothing really. She did not expect it to be this hard to... wear clothes. It's really very stupid.

[Katarina Kane]

"No, it's just...well, you never seemed interested in that. Before," Katarina, said, awkwardly.

"Is fashion more...commonplace, here?" she asked Tosh and Ashlie, attempting to keep her composure. "Perhaps it is another...affect of being outside of one's own universe."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Hard to say without a comparison, but I wouldn't say so? As with everything, some people care about it more than others." Ashlie shrugs slightly.

[Ryn]

Ryn knew this was a bad idea. It's making Katarina act odd and being uncomfortable means she's on the verge of being angry. Angry at her clothes in this case.

"I'll take it off." she decides and moves to do exactly that, ripping the small jacket off her back and tossing it. Will's only saved from landing in the muck by Ashlie reaching out to catch it. Meanwhile Ryn seems prepared to strip out of the rest of her clothes right then and there.

[Katarina Kane]

"Ryn, stop," Katarina said, her voice echoing with reverb. "It's fine. You're fine. It's just...surprising, is all. I've never seen you care about your appearance..."

Other than you glasses, she thought, but you don't point out someone's weaknesses in front of other people!

"Did something happen to your suit?"

[Ryn]

Ryn freezes, the top two buttons of her blouse undone.

"It was waterlogged, dirty and torn." she points out. "And I don't." But you do. Unfortunately, the fearless Deva finds herself incapable of saying so out loud. Words seem the only thing that ever get caught in her throat.

[Katarina Kane]

"Well, there's nothing wrong with wanting a set of clean clothes," Katarina said, gesturing to her still soaked and beer-stained outfit. "And we make do where things must."

Katarina took the jacket from Ashlie, and draped it over Ryn's shoulders. "It does suit you, after all. I'll have to look for better people to mug, next time."

[Ryn]

A tiny smile creeps onto Ryn's lips as a sudden warm comes over her at that; and not because of the added layer of clothing. She gets it just a tiny bit, even if it's her opinion that Katarina looks good regardless of the clothes she's wearing. Still, maybe she wears 'fashion' for that different kind of warmth. Not that she understands what reaction should be elicited from her to provide it, but one step at a time. Easier to stick to the plain truth for now.

"Okay. But you don't need fashion to look good."

[Katarina Kane]

"I know about three dozen fashion magazine editors who would disagree with you," Katarina laughed. "They'd probably argue you need to discard your wardrobe every six weeks, if they could somehow convince you to do it."

[Ryn]

"Then they are fools." she nods solemnly.

"Was the machine helpful with the passage?" she wonders, unclear on whether or not she means Ashlie or her detectors.

[Katarina Kane]

"Yes and no. We learned things, but that didn't lead to an immediate solution. The team here doesn't think it's a good idea to point their tech at something they don't understand. We're going to have to go back and see if we can't seal it up from our end -- regroup in 48 hours if nothing in the storeroom can figure this out."

[Ryn]

Ryn nods.

"I can guard our side while you look for a solution."

[Katarina Kane]

"I'm not going to leave you standing outside for two days, Ryn," Katarina laughed. "We can just tape it off and go home."

[Ryn]

"I really don't mind. But okay." Acting more human seems to make Katarina happy and even Ryn recognizes that sitting by the sea for two full days is, well, not. And unlike when they set off this morning, things are less awkward, so maybe being near her isn't something to try and avoid anymore?

[Katarina Kane]

"Besides, you have to at least tell me what happened so I can write in the report. Oops, I mean so you can write it in your report," Katarina teased.

[Ryn]

Ryn looks sullen, straying dangerously close to a pout. "You don't have to write my pape-- Reports." Normally the implication would be that Ryn would do it herself, but Katarina gets the distinct impression that Ryn would just continue to invite any potential consequences. She'd rather draw ire to herself than burden Katarina. She might also feel just the tiniest bit of guilt about Katarina picking up her slack, even if it's slack she considers stupid and pointless.

[Katarina Kane]

"Someone's got to keep you out of trouble," Katarina smirked.

[Ryn]

"Impossible." A grin breaks through the dour expression. "Ready to return home?"

[Katarina Kane]

"Absolutely. And here's hoping we won't need to go back to the future," Katarina nodded.

[Ryn]

Ryn nods. "Oh." She turns and looks at Ashlie. "Return this to the Morrigan and her retinue. Tell them... their help was appreciated." Then she does actually strip out of her clothes, though thankfully she seems to be wearing a tanktop and shorts underneath made of the same smooth black fabric Katarina has seen her wear before. She bunches up the clothes and hands them to the living machine.

[Will Stanton]

"What a weird pair," the sentient jacket said to the robot as the two refugees from the '80s departed.