OOM: Down in the East Texas Town of Galveston... -- 1888 -- for X-23

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate's door opens out into her hotel room. It's nice  —  real nice, to be honest. Four poster bed, basin, writing desk, carved oak bureau and vanity. Empire draperies in rich reds and golds; pristine horsehair plaster walls.

"C'mon in."

Kate sets her things down on the bed, and turns to Miss X. Standing akimbo, she grins.

"Shall we see what the Miss picked out?"

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

"Kate is very good," X adds, expression composed.

"I am learning."

[ikissdhimbck]

Carl fixes X with a stunned look.

Retrieving his shotgun, Kate hands it to him with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry 'bout that."


There's a long pause.

"Drinks are on the house, Miss James. Anytime you're thirsty."

"Why, isn't that sweet of you."

Kate's all sugar once more.

"Miss Talbot? Y'still thirsty?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"Yes," X says promptly, looking at Kate.

Then she looks at Carl.

"Please."

It is only sensible to be polite.

And if she's careful to move slowly, and to keep her hands in plain sight at all times --

Maybe that's just coincidence.

[ikissdhimbck]

A welcome coincidence indeed.

Two fresh sarsaparillas are set down in front of them. The rest of the room, used to such interruptions, returns to its typical hustle.

(Save for the one straggler from the card table who stuck around for a bourbon, and nervously hurries his way past the women on his way out.

Honestly, some people.)

"Invigorated for the walk?" Kate asks X.

Nothing gets you ready for some good clean fun quite like a bar fight and a sarsaparilla.

[cutting_edgex23]

X considers this question carefully, head tilting as she takes a long drink of her sarsaparilla.

Then --

"Yes."

It's pretty true!

[ikissdhimbck]

"That duster looks damn fine on you."

It's just an observation.

She knew X would fit in just fine out here.


Finishing off her drink, she tips her hat to Carl and leads the way out of the barroom. They're treated to more hushed staring as they go.

Outside, the weather is sticky. At this hour, the sun is high and it makes the air feel thick. It isn't nearly as bad as it could be further inland; at least there are breezes now and again, and with all the hustle and bustle and color of Galveston one could even forget the swelter.

Almost.

Kate's hotel is right in the center of town. Men, women, horses, children — the streets teem with them, all headed somewhere, noises and smells of all sorts getting stuck in the air.

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is good you picked it," X offers, carefully. "For me."

Beat.

"Thank you."

She pauses once they are outside, nostrils flaring as she takes in all of the surrounding scents.

Just to be sure she knows what is going on.

[ikissdhimbck]

The smell of sweat, both human and horse, is strong where they are, but the moist breezes off the Gulf bring the ubiquitous odor of oleander and hibiscus, and there are foods and hay and wool and commerce on the air.

It's a city. As much of a city as you could find west of the Mississippi. There's a helluva lot to it, but with all the peoples and uncertainty comes the adaptability and ease of blending in. The fine brick and granite buildings are new, but already a little less than shiny. The saltwater air eats at everything.

She leads them down Broadway heading for the southern coast, past carts and carriages, street vendors, respectable gentlemen leading respectable ladies along on afternoon walks, children hoop rolling and playing tag — something everywhere, but nothing currently threatening.

[cutting_edgex23]

X keeps a weather eye (and ear, and nose) on everything. Just in case.

It's how she was trained.

But after getting a handle on the patterns of people and buildings and noises, she flicks a sideways glance at Kate.

"You will live here? Now."

Beat.

"Or you will leave soon?"

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate flicks a glance back.

"No. I'll be on the move soon 'nough. Guess I'm jus' — restin'. For a bit."

Hiding.

Pretending.

"It's a big enough place I blend in all right. For now."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Sometimes it is good to stop," X ventures, careful and serious in equal measure.

"But it is okay to like moving, too."

X does both.

And she does not judge. (Well, not about this, anyway.)

[ikissdhimbck]

She smirks.

"Yeah. I'm jus' now figurin' out that first part."

With the help of friends who remind her to slow her ass down.

"I always thought people like Jesse James an' Billy the Kid lived such excitin' lives. Never thought 'bout how much work it'd be."

Street barkers are growing thicker the farther they go. With the smell of salt air comes peanuts, fried doughs, and saltwater sweets.

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is work to stay still, too," X offers, after a moment.

She accompanies this with a gentle shove to Kate's shoulder.

Shortly after that it proves difficult not to give a street barker a short, sharp stare.

Personal space is important. So is the ability to keep her arms free in case of trouble.

At least he's only silenced for a minute or two?

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate laughs.

It's not all that polite, even in a big city, for a young single woman to lose her composure in such a fashion — and at someone else's expense, at that. But you can hardly blame her. The gentleman shrinks like a delicate flower in a noonday blaze.

Kate gives X a nudge in return, feeling light in spirit at the joviality and still caught in the post-brawl high.

"Is that what you're doin' right now? Keepin' still?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"When I am not traveling," X says, matter-of-factly.

Then, voice softer and a little hesitant --

"I like being able to do both. When I want."

[ikissdhimbck]

The change in tone makes her pause.

Lips twitching, she nods once.

"S'good t'make your own decisions."

To be her own woman.

Her shoulder gently bumps X's, and as they turn the last bend they come upon a decent-sized park to one end of the way, and exhibition halls and tents to the other.

"What d'you fancy 'bout a fair?"

[cutting_edgex23]

X carefully bumps into Kate in return, then gazes out over the fairgrounds themselves.

It will take her a few seconds. Or maybe a minute.

"I like the people. They are interesting."

A pause as X turns to Kate.

"There are things that you like?"

[ikissdhimbck]

She nods consideringly.

"Saltwater taffy."

She's a bit of a people watcher as well. Has been, even before life events made it necessary for survival.

She smiles freely, and nods in the direction of a few booths.

"C'mon."

[cutting_edgex23]

X does not quite frown.

"I do not know what that is."

But if Kate likes it, it's probably pretty good.

She follows her friend over to the tightly-clustered series of booths, head tilting to follow a sudden stampede of racing children -- in noise if not in actual number -- followed by a much-vexed older sister.

Hopefully no one gets lost.

[ikissdhimbck]

The only casualty is a fine cap, which the sister scoops up and dusts off, calling after the boy who lost it.

"Hopefully you're in for a treat, in that case."

She finds her quarry, paying twenty-five cents for a very reasonable portion of taffy for them both to share. There are no fancy neon colors, no designs or swirls. But there are a variety of flavors, from vanilla to peppermint, molasses and fruit.

She holds the brown paper cone they came in out to X, letting her choose one to try.

[cutting_edgex23]

X leans over a little, scenting the air over the taffy carefully. Just to know what she is getting herself in for.

Then she reaches out to select a piece of vanilla-smelling taffy, putting it in her mouth and starting to chew.

And chew.

And chew.

It doesn't taste unpleasant, however, so she keeps at it while she waits for Kate to choose a piece.

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate does so, opting for the plain saltwater taffy. She's grinning around her mouthful, watching X studiously chew.

"It's a bit sticky."

Pre-warnings? Who needs those?

"S'posed t'be."

(It's more fun this way.)

"What d'you think?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"I like it," X declares, once she's finished chewing. And swallowing.

Twice.

Of course, that liking has more to do with the circumstances, the company, and the fact that Kate likes it -- but X is that way about a lot of things.

"Vanilla is good."

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate chuckles lowly, moving away from the small crowd of children.

"Try one'a the molasses ones. I think you'll like it."

She'll also be sure to find X something to drink — to aid her in her troubles swallowing the confections.


Without any clear agenda, she moseys toward the exhibit halls, past tents that promise wonders that will delight and astound. Younger folk hang around the more bizarre and astounding sights, while a more mixed crowd heads toward the halls where more of their world's technological advances are on display.

It is a time of science and industry.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Okay."

X tries really hard not to look dubious, and by the time she's halfway through chewing the molasses candy, she even succeeds!

She catches a glance here and there of signs declaiming horrific sights, grotesques, and disfigured beasties. Some others talk about men and women of foreign lands.

X, however, keeps glancing toward the halls. She's curious about what Kate's world is like, and what sort of advances count as current, here.

(Plus she gets enough gawking at mutants at home.)