[Action] OTA

[letdownmyhair]

 [Rapunzel's sitting outside on a bench near the Joe West building, hair loose but she's sectioned some of it out and is slowly braiding it, eyes locked on her work and the deliberate motion of her hands. The note from her mother is sitting in her lap.]

[It's hard for her to accept that so many people left because of the Black Mist. Not that they

Comments

[codejournalname]

[Megamind has taken to trudging through the campus--going out of his way to avoid a number of people; at the moment, he's wandering with a few charts under his arm to study in a corner of the library when he sees her...

He can't help it. The whole ordeal--he was worried about her too.]

...Rapunzel?

[letdownmyhair]

*When she hears her name called, she looks up, eyes wide* Megamind!

*Some of the tension leaves her shoulders, instantly relieved to see him* You're okay, you made it!

[codejournalname]

[this draws a light smile--very light--and he steps over to her] More or less--and I'm...glad..to see the same of you.

[letdownmyhair]

*She smiles back, warm and sweet with a tiny, anxious laugh*

Only "more or less"?

[codejournalname]

[he nods, giving a quick look around the campus--in case one of them ends up surprising him again] I'm afraid so.

It's...going to take some time. For normalcy to set back in. If it...does.

[letdownmyhair]

*She tilts her head at him curiously. What's he looking for?*

You... don't think it will?

[codejournalname]

...I do. On a good day. And others, not..so much.

[satisfied with the seclusion, and neither Ritchie or Metro-doof rearing their awkward heads, he nods to the other side of the bench--whatever has him being so...noble and polite lately is starting to bother him] May I?

[letdownmyhair]

Oh... *Her gaze lowers slightly, biting down on her lower lip. She doesn't really get what that means, which has her worried*

*At the question she just blinks, looking first at him then at the spot next to her then back at him, then finally scoots over with a smile to make room for him* Of course~

[codejournalname]

[he nods his thanks, sitting, putting the cylindrically rolled charts over his knees with a sigh..]

..I took for granted how clear the sky is here, even in the winter. I didn't used to, when I was young.

[letdownmyhair]

The sky? *She looks up into it, blinking slowly* ... It is pretty clear, isn't it?

*Then she turns a questioning look back on Megamind, tilting her head to one side. Rather than ask him where that came from, which she does want to know the answer to, she chooses a different question*

Why not?

[codejournalname]

Yes. [after all that horrible darkness, he's never been so happy to see it in his life]

..[he thoughtfully chews his tongue--he's never this forthcoming, or this sharing about himself...but, well, traumatic experiences and all] I only had a piece of it then, most of the time. Out my window.

[letdownmyhair]

*Her eyes widen, mouth dropping open slightly as she looks at him in surprise. Then her features soften again, and she looks back up into the sky* ... Me too. All my life until I finally left to come here.

*She smiles over at him* Where did you used to live?

[codejournalname]

[he turns to her at that, mirroring her initial shock...he had no idea, of course, but just--anyone understanding, even an iota of what his childhood was like...he blinks as she turns her smile to him, smothering his shock as well as he can...as well as the disdain that follows her question.

It wasn't like everyone didn't already know back home...]...Metrocity State Prison for the Criminally gifted. I...landed there. As an infant.

[letdownmyhair]

[Rapunzel tilts her head slightly to one side, confused. Prison? She'd read about prison before. That was supposed to be for thieves and killers, evil people who had no heart or soul. Megamind certainly isn't evil. He's got to be one of the sweetest people she knows.]

Landed...? Oh! Because you came from the stars, right? You mentioned that before. [That helps things make more sense. If he landed in the prison when he fell from the stars, then that means he's not there because he's supposed to be.]

[codejournalname]

[he nods some, giving the unseen stars an upwards glance] Yes. A very long time ago..[for as long as he's hated to even think about it, since the mist, he's only been to happy to have his thoughts straight and coming easily once more...] I was unfortunate enough to make a crater in their exorcise yard. Fate, destiny, that sort of thing.

[letdownmyhair]

But they took very good care of you there, didn't they? I mean, you're so kind and sweet, and very smart! It couldn't have been all bad at your old home, right?

[She looks hopeful. She doesn't like the idea of Megamind's childhood being so sad. As far as she's concerned, he doesn't deserve it.]