June 2007, Tokyo
May. 11th, 2010 10:16 pmShe'd already moved from the hostel she'd stayed in during her first couple nights in Tokyo. The place she'd chosen now is in the Nakano ward, still about an hour away by train from where her job would ultimately be. This time, it's an upscale hotel – not great because of the cameras in the lobby and elevators and the fact that it requires a whole lot more legitimacy for her to fabricate, but better because once she's in, there's more privacy. At least, more within her control.
Elle and X had returned to the room about forty minutes earlier; Elle writes a short note on the postcard she'd bought at the shrine before joining X to stare out the window at the city below. Bela already had a keycard to the room; Elle had also given her a map, and marked the train routes that could be taken to Chiba City. She still wouldn't risk a cell phone, but for this job, it didn't seem like it'd be necessary.
And so though both X and Elle turn immediately when the door clicks, and opens, neither looks surprised to see Bela in the doorway.
Elle and X had returned to the room about forty minutes earlier; Elle writes a short note on the postcard she'd bought at the shrine before joining X to stare out the window at the city below. Bela already had a keycard to the room; Elle had also given her a map, and marked the train routes that could be taken to Chiba City. She still wouldn't risk a cell phone, but for this job, it didn't seem like it'd be necessary.
And so though both X and Elle turn immediately when the door clicks, and opens, neither looks surprised to see Bela in the doorway.
June 2007, Meiji Shrine
May. 11th, 2010 09:27 pmMid-June at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo means the tail end of the seasonal bloom of irises in shrine's gardens – bright blue-purple blossoms still remain throughout the complex, though the crowds that come to view them have thinned out since the height of the season. The shrine is tucked into a forest that remains apart from the otherwise urban Shibuya ward, the entrance of the path through the trees marked by a high arch that visitors are meant to bow beneath before continuing onward toward the shrine.
It's quiet – quieter than anywhere else Elle has been in the city so far. She hadn't wanted to visit a museum, and the weather today was amenable; sunny, but not too hot. Enough wind that the leaves rustle in the tall trees that shade that path, but not so much that one would need a jacket. There are still enough visitors for voices to be heard throughout the woods, especially as they reach the main yard of the shrine, and there's an occasional buzzing or flurry of wings above them, but still – it's quieter.
Elle figured X would prefer that.
The main yard opens onto the shrine complex, paved by rectangular stones, the large building of cypress pillars and copper gabled roofs spread over the square beneath the camphor trees. To the side there are desks where visitors can write prayers on small pieces of paper to be left in the walls and shelves set up around the shrine.
Now, with no definite path to follow, Elle hesitates as they reach the open space of the square.
It's quiet – quieter than anywhere else Elle has been in the city so far. She hadn't wanted to visit a museum, and the weather today was amenable; sunny, but not too hot. Enough wind that the leaves rustle in the tall trees that shade that path, but not so much that one would need a jacket. There are still enough visitors for voices to be heard throughout the woods, especially as they reach the main yard of the shrine, and there's an occasional buzzing or flurry of wings above them, but still – it's quieter.
Elle figured X would prefer that.
The main yard opens onto the shrine complex, paved by rectangular stones, the large building of cypress pillars and copper gabled roofs spread over the square beneath the camphor trees. To the side there are desks where visitors can write prayers on small pieces of paper to be left in the walls and shelves set up around the shrine.
Now, with no definite path to follow, Elle hesitates as they reach the open space of the square.
June 2007, Three Weeks
Mar. 20th, 2010 11:08 pmAfter three weeks, everything had finally come into place. It had rained until late into the previous night, but the sky was clear by morning, and Elle had packed her bag (a large black purse) with what she'd borrowed from X, her map, her gun, even another plastic bag of Girl Scout cookies, before locking the door to her room and heading out to the street.
She gets an early start, making her way to the alley a couple hours before she thinks he'll show up. After double-checking that the employees of the club have really cleared out, Elle checks her surroundings, then moves to the double doors, and sets her purse down on the wet pavement.
About ten minutes later, with the aid of a torsion wrench and bump key, the padlock on the door has slid open. She leaves it hanging on the chain, puts her tools back into her purse, and moves away.
There's a space on the other side of the alley - it gives her cover in the form of the hair salon's dumpster and is kept dry by a short, striped awning that juts out from the wall, over the dumpster and the door on the other side. Elle positions herself, and waits.
Patience is not one of her virtues.
But sometimes, when she wants something bad enough, it doesn't really matter.
She gets an early start, making her way to the alley a couple hours before she thinks he'll show up. After double-checking that the employees of the club have really cleared out, Elle checks her surroundings, then moves to the double doors, and sets her purse down on the wet pavement.
About ten minutes later, with the aid of a torsion wrench and bump key, the padlock on the door has slid open. She leaves it hanging on the chain, puts her tools back into her purse, and moves away.
There's a space on the other side of the alley - it gives her cover in the form of the hair salon's dumpster and is kept dry by a short, striped awning that juts out from the wall, over the dumpster and the door on the other side. Elle positions herself, and waits.
Patience is not one of her virtues.
But sometimes, when she wants something bad enough, it doesn't really matter.
(no subject)
Feb. 20th, 2010 09:26 pmThe first thing Elle asked, after X brought her into the apartment, was to take a shower. She's glad she won't be leaving traces at her motel back her own world, but as for why she should feel safer here than her room in the Bar – there's no good reason for that. But Elle also really doesn't care.
She's still rubbing a towel against her slightly damp hair when she emerges into the main room. Her bloodied t-shirt has been exchanged for a different, light blue one, and her jeans for gray sweatpants. Without her makeup, the bruise on her face is clearly visible, but for whatever reason, neither it nor her broken rib bothers her so much here.
Her bare feet pad quietly against the floor, and she takes a few steps into the room before she looks up, and spots X.
"Thanks," she murmurs.
She's still rubbing a towel against her slightly damp hair when she emerges into the main room. Her bloodied t-shirt has been exchanged for a different, light blue one, and her jeans for gray sweatpants. Without her makeup, the bruise on her face is clearly visible, but for whatever reason, neither it nor her broken rib bothers her so much here.
Her bare feet pad quietly against the floor, and she takes a few steps into the room before she looks up, and spots X.
"Thanks," she murmurs.
(no subject)
Jan. 25th, 2010 02:36 amIt's taken three days, but after getting to sleep at seven the previous night, Elle has managed to get up at an hour early enough to be in the kitchen before X.
It's still dark outside. She'd pulled herself up off the sofa in X's living room, where she'd been sleeping every night since crossing over to X's world. In bare feet, and as quietly as possible, she had crossed the room to the tile floor of the kitchen, and began to open cupboards and drawers. The cats, no longer wakened easily or rushing up to beg for food, made the whole process easier.
But –
Elle doesn't miss the cats. Not exactly. But X's silence seemed a whole lot louder now that it couldn't be broken by mewing and the shuffling of paws.
She moves to the refrigerator first, pulling out milk, a carton of eggs, and butter. The grocery shopping – she'd done the grocery shopping two days earlier. And X had said thank you.
Quietly.
From a cupboard, she pulls out a small mixing bowl and frying pan. A whisk comes out of a drawer. The pan is left on the top of the stove, while she takes the bowl and whisk to the table, and places them next to the eggs. They're cracked, one at a time, and emptied into the bowl – she doesn't use a smaller bowl to check that they're still good.
She's forgotten the salt, spatula, butter knife, and bread. It's not too bad, for her.
But the thing about keeping quiet, about trying to stay hidden from X-23, is that no matter how quiet you are, you can't do it forever.
Or even for very long.
It's still dark outside. She'd pulled herself up off the sofa in X's living room, where she'd been sleeping every night since crossing over to X's world. In bare feet, and as quietly as possible, she had crossed the room to the tile floor of the kitchen, and began to open cupboards and drawers. The cats, no longer wakened easily or rushing up to beg for food, made the whole process easier.
But –
Elle doesn't miss the cats. Not exactly. But X's silence seemed a whole lot louder now that it couldn't be broken by mewing and the shuffling of paws.
She moves to the refrigerator first, pulling out milk, a carton of eggs, and butter. The grocery shopping – she'd done the grocery shopping two days earlier. And X had said thank you.
Quietly.
From a cupboard, she pulls out a small mixing bowl and frying pan. A whisk comes out of a drawer. The pan is left on the top of the stove, while she takes the bowl and whisk to the table, and places them next to the eggs. They're cracked, one at a time, and emptied into the bowl – she doesn't use a smaller bowl to check that they're still good.
She's forgotten the salt, spatula, butter knife, and bread. It's not too bad, for her.
But the thing about keeping quiet, about trying to stay hidden from X-23, is that no matter how quiet you are, you can't do it forever.
Or even for very long.
May 2007, Remains
Nov. 11th, 2009 02:25 amIt's night by the time they reach the park Elle remembers. A sparsely-wooded area, beyond the suburban cul-de-sacs and driveways, it's only about a twenty-mile drive from Hartsdale, but Elle had used every maneuver she and X knew between them in order to make sure they weren't being followed. The late hour means the area is empty; Elle manages to quietly drive off the road and straight into the grass, heading toward the trees and continuing through wide gaps between them, until she slows near the edge of a narrow slope.
They both step out from the front of the white van. Elle moves to open the back while X examines the space, making sure that they're really alone. A small, soft light comes from the van's interior when Elle opens the doors and climbs inside.
After a few minutes, X joins her, and together they lift the body bag out of the back, X in front, directing the way toward the narrow slope, which will function well enough as a shallow ditch. Her movements are slower and more precise than Elle's; the other woman quickly releases the body and returns to the van to get the plastic box left inside.
Elle's movements are much milder as she returns, setting the box aside and stepping into the slope with her father. She gently unzips the bag, spreading the plastic cover to blanket the ground on either side of her father's body. X steps away, hesitating at the edge of the slope for only a moment before returning to the back of the van. Once her father's body is exposed, Elle opens the plastic box and lifts out from it the top of her father's skull, placing it on the plastic next to his right shoulder.
She stands again as she replaces the lid of the box, and moves to join X.
They both step out from the front of the white van. Elle moves to open the back while X examines the space, making sure that they're really alone. A small, soft light comes from the van's interior when Elle opens the doors and climbs inside.
After a few minutes, X joins her, and together they lift the body bag out of the back, X in front, directing the way toward the narrow slope, which will function well enough as a shallow ditch. Her movements are slower and more precise than Elle's; the other woman quickly releases the body and returns to the van to get the plastic box left inside.
Elle's movements are much milder as she returns, setting the box aside and stepping into the slope with her father. She gently unzips the bag, spreading the plastic cover to blanket the ground on either side of her father's body. X steps away, hesitating at the edge of the slope for only a moment before returning to the back of the van. Once her father's body is exposed, Elle opens the plastic box and lifts out from it the top of her father's skull, placing it on the plastic next to his right shoulder.
She stands again as she replaces the lid of the box, and moves to join X.
(no subject)
Oct. 18th, 2009 02:46 amDreamless sleep, or at least not remembering the dreams after, is one unknown benefit of losing too many memories.
It hadn't taken her that long to actually lie across the bed, rest the left side of her head into the pillow, and close her eyes. X being there had helped, but there was little more her body could do, and she could at least be moderately certain she wouldn't set the unmoved bed sheets on fire.
It's several hours, and maybe a couple of IV changes before Elle, having been entirely still her sleep, shifts slightly – she rolls onto her back, and then back to her left side.
After another moment, her eyes open.
It hadn't taken her that long to actually lie across the bed, rest the left side of her head into the pillow, and close her eyes. X being there had helped, but there was little more her body could do, and she could at least be moderately certain she wouldn't set the unmoved bed sheets on fire.
It's several hours, and maybe a couple of IV changes before Elle, having been entirely still her sleep, shifts slightly – she rolls onto her back, and then back to her left side.
After another moment, her eyes open.
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