A Fight in the Mind

[Andrew Kasher]

"It's Lady Violet and the Ghost," Andrew insists.

The food smells even better than usual to him.

"Mr. Bassarov, if you need help writing stuff about the revolution, I can help. I can show you events as they happened, if you can't remember all that well. I mean, it was a long time ago and stuff... well, you know that, I mean, you were there and.... stuff."

[Sakari Lehtinen]

Sakari has been feeling a little antsy too, and pulls off at the next exit at a rest area.

"Yes, the showdown happened here. There's no damage here, because there was no fighting here. We're just on the outskirts of Trenton, and heading towards Philadelphia. I hope you don't mind we're taking the scenic route, but it'll get more interesting in a few hours, I promise." I say, as we stop at the rest area.

["Zero" Americanski]

"Yeah, I know..." I say. I start to walk back into the kitchen. "Mischa, are you hungry?"

[Mikhael Nadyezhda (Mischa)]

((The timing's a little hodge podge, sorry))

"Yeah I know." I respond to Andrew's comment about Lady Violet being here.

"Yeah, I can eat. What do you have in mind, Zero?" I say, a little nervous about the whole notion of people noticing Valodya, and his hallucinations.

[Andrew Kasher]

"I could have made the food Zero... I mean, it isn't fair that you have to do the cooking. Gender roles suck. I mean, not that your cooking is bad or anything... it smells nice...." Andrew says.

["Zero" Americanski]

I pull two cigarettes out of my pack, put one between my lips and hand the other to Mischa, and then lead him to the kitchen. "I don't know if he told you or not but Valodya has been having hallucinations. A couple of days ago he was insistant that Lady Violet and someone called Noe were in the apartment and repeatedly asked me to kick them out. And I'm certain that wasn't the first time... You like beef?" I ask as I light both cigarettes and start cutting up more vegetables.

"Andrew, you're physically exhausted. You don't need to be doing any work right now..." I say.

[Mikhael Nadyezhda (Mischa)]

I inhale on the cigarette.

"Like steak and potatoes... Thanks Zero." I remember that Andrew is in the room, and immediately run for the window to let the smoke out.

"Ah, sorry Andrew... Yeah, I like beef, and yeah he has been hallucinating. He mistook me for Lady Violet." I say, not alluding to when he mistook me for Lady Violet.

[TheWyrm]

The majority of the reason I wanted to come on this journey was to find out more about the revolution, however I haven't seen any memorials or anything, and am starting to feel a little antsy.

"Red Infinity's big victory against capitalism, you'd think they'd build on it a little more than they have."

[Andrew Kasher]

"I'm fine, really. I've gone for longer without eating when I am busy seeing things... I mean... eating isn't always that important. Noe... that's the Ghost... they want to drive Bassarov loony. I saw them!" Andrew says. He knows that mentioning the eating thing was a bad idea. He doesn't want people to think he is anorexic or anything. He supresses a gag from the smoke, even with the open window. Then again, the entire apartment reeks of smoke. He can smell what people had for lunch last week. An open window doesn't help very much. Still, it was a nice gesture, so Andrew decides that it would be polite not to say anything about it.

"The Ghost was real... The Ghost was not a Ghost, he was a man..." Andrew says. He has trouble being descriptive about people's appearances, since he does not see what people look like in a traditional sense. Language is not very well equipped to describe what he senses. Andrew sways a little. He knows that it isn't helping his case.

[Cynthia]

(I don't remember where we were, sorry for moving your character Steve)

Cynthia and Steve arrive at the feminist base, and she knocks on the door. "I hope somebody's home."

(to whatever feminists are in the base)

["Zero" Americanski]

I nod, knowing when he was talking about but not letting on. I drag my cigarette and don;t bother exhaling before I start talking. "I think it's just stress... If the Ministry of Terror had spiked the food or water supplies with alkaloids we'd all be seeing things. He needs to get away from Helsinki." I begin cutting up some beef and then I throw it in the already hot wok. "I hope stir-fry is okay, as Valodya will attest I can't cook very well. This is one of the few things that even I can't screw up."

"What, did you see a telepathic impression of some kind? I was there, I didn't see or sense anybody." I state to Andrew.

[Mikhael Nadyezhda (Mischa)]

"Right on." I reply to Zero.

"I don't understand how Noe got here, and I know that Lady Violet has strong telepathic abilities. But I am not convinced that she is trying to mess with his head. I think that whatever this is, comes from Valodya's own mind, he pushes himself too hard and needs some vacation time." I say, leaning my head out the window.

[Zinn]

"I think a nuke went off somewhere in the vicinity of Chicago during the revolution. The fact that there is anything living here is pretty amazing, after the Louhi attacks, and everything General Kolov, Capitalist Corp., and the FRA put America through in terms of natural resources..." Zinn says flatly, and without conviction. She feels like she doesn't care anymore. The only thing she cares about is that she doesn't care. The absence leaves what feels like a gaping hole in her chest, which is completely illogical, since she knows that the heart has nothing to do with feelings. Zinn tilts her head against the windowpane. The sky is cloudy, and heavy with a possible rain storm. At least that reminds her of home.

Zinn suddenly feels like laughing at herself for how pathetic she is. Pathetic, and stereotypical. Angst is leaking out of my pores, she thinks in disgust.

["Zero" Americanski]

Once the beef is browned I throw the vegatables and soy sauce in. "As hard as he pushes himself I'm surprised he doesn't have an ulcer, or high blood pressure, or at least a few vices."

[Mikhael Nadyezhda (Mischa)]

"Yeah, I agree... He needs to go on vacation, or something." The apartment begins to smell like stir fry.

"That smells good. I'm surprised I can still smell given how much I smoke, but I guess that's just a testament to how good you can cook, Zero."