The Records Room

[Jeremy]

Akiko is probably not alone in having the world's worst luck at figuring out the meaning of Jeremy's words or actions. It's probably not a far stretch to think that sometimes he's a mystery even to himself. And his words don't always match his thoughts. Often his mouth can't entirely keep up with his brain so the information he thinks he's conveying isn't what he actually is conveying. One of the perils of being Jeremy.

For the briefest of seconds after the question, Jeremy considered Akiko as if she had just completely utterly and totally lost all higher brain functions. But that was quickly snapped out of and he nodded exuberantly. "Yeah! It's supposed to lean. Like the Tower of Pisa!" Balancing on one foot, Jeremy angled his body a good 45 degrees in a physical demonstration.

[Akiko]

It was a good thing then that there was only one Jeremy and that he had the good sense to at least not try and infect everyone else too badly with the bizarre thought process that he claimed as his own. Akiko didn’t envy him his random thoughts, even if he did seem perfectly happy to behave in the manner he did; happier it seemed, that she appeared most of the time. Jeremy wouldn’t work acting like her, just as she wouldn’t acting like him.

She had never heard of the Tower of Pisa, guessing – correctly although Akiko had no way of know that for sure – that it was something to do with Europe or America and therefore of no real interest to her. Why they would want to and then build a tower that leaned was beyond her. Especially one that leaned as much as Jeremy was now showing her, her head tilting to the side subtly, long dark hair slipping off her shoulder at the movement to hand in mid-air. “I see. In that case your creation is not leaning as far as you currently are I am afraid.”

[Jeremy]

The universe probably wouldn't allow there to be more than one of Jeremy. At least not in the same place at the same time. It would probably violate some fundamental law and result on reality as everyone knows it collapsing in on itself like an untied balloon.

Akiko should brush up on her history, the Tower of Pisa is like, basic knowledge. A notion which has to be taken with a grain of salt considering it's coming from the pack historian. Jeremy looked at Akiko, then the floor, and then down at his body as if somehow he could combine the image in his head as good as looking in a mirror. Finally setting both feet on the ground again, Jeremy went back to inspecting the tower. Disappearing behind the snacks, a lighthearted hum of "Heigh Ho" and a soft crinkling of wrappers was all that could be detected anyone beside the female was in the room. The humming and crinkling abruptly stopped, leaving silence for half a minute before there was a triumphant yell and the tower tilted juust the slightest bit more. Coming around the tower Jeremy looked as pleased as punch, holding the package by the corner and shaking it before offering it forth to the other. "Fruit pie?" Apple for the win!

[Akiko]

If it was history outside and not connected to Japan, then Akiko’s interest in it was limited at best and completely non-existent at worse. Why anyone would want to learn useless facts about the past when it was the presence that was important was a continuous state of confusion to her. History was important in some ways yes, it told of traditions and why the world was the way it was – but that was all. That wasn’t to say that Akiko didn’t respect the position within the pack that Jeremy held; outside of leaders and fighters it was important to have someone who could keep track of everything that came and went.

Her nose wrinkled up slightly at the offer, distaste becoming subtly more pronounced as she shock her head. “No thank you. I would not wish to deprive you of your pie.” It looked far too sweet for her taste and Akiko would much rather Jeremy had it himself – she was sure he would appreciate the taste far more than she would personally if forced to eat something like that.

[Jeremy]

That's no way for her to think. It's always good to be in the know, especially for beings like them that live so long. One thing Jeremy did know was that you couldn’t ignore the past, at the least it helped you adapt to and deal with the present and future and as cliché' as the idea was, it did repeat itself sometimes. As far as his thoughts, there could never be such a thing as having too much knowledge. There were just some things you needed to know- cause knowing is half the battle.

Grin still in place, Jeremy nodded before tearing the wrapper open to get at the treat. While it was nice of Akiko to want to not take away his hostessy goodness, but Jeremy didn't want to be greedy, either. "There's plenty here if you want one, seriously." The sentence was probably only half intelligible since mumbled through a mouthful of pastry and imitation apple slices. Even as he mumbled, busy fingers began deconstructing and reconstructing the paper wrapper to some purpose only known to him.

[Akiko]

Part of her was touched that Jeremy seemed so determined to make sure she wasn’t missing out on something that he clearly thought was an excellent experience and a treat to eat. Even Akiko needed the assurance every now and then that she mattered in the pack. Of course, she was also feeling irritated on top of that amusement and near pleasure, irritated that Jeremy wasn’t getting the hints she was not so subtly dropping. Part of Akiko knew it wasn’t Jeremy’s fault; he didn’t see the world the way she did and so saw nothing wrong in the food he was eating.

Her attention was caught by the designs he was making with the wrapped, nimble fingers almost dancing over it. Akiko’s own fingers itched in response, gently flexing them around the blade she held loosely in her hand, suddenly restless to be doing something with them. “I am fine Jeremy,” Akiko assured him again, letting her scowl lighten subtly. “I am not hungry.”

[Jeremy]

Maybe these two have a lot more in common than anyone would possibly think? Even though it was a feeling that he might never express or might never come across from him, Jeremy certainly understood that line of thinking. Part of the reason he was so diligent and thorough with his historian duties was that he felt the need to justify his presence and existence to the others, to find some way in which he mattered. To someone who wasn't a fighter or leader or substantial pack member in most meanings of the word, to find their niche and place in things was a comfort that allowed him to keep on keeping on, so to speak. And also give him the hope that he had a little extra leeway as to what he could get away with in the pursuit of his various antics. As annoying and random as he could be, he did have a use to the pack, and that had to count for something.

He nodded, finally accepting her apparent disinterest in partaking in the tower o treats before them. Most likely because he was more wrapped up in the wrapper than anything else at the moment. After a few more seconds of folding and bending, Jeremy triumphantly held forth his creation in the center of one flat palm. A wax paper hat. A tiiiny wax paper hat, possibly only large enough to fit a doll of certain kinds. If he thought there was a chance at not being maimed, the hat will promptly be perched upon Akiko's head. Otherwise, somewhere atop the mess that was his own hair.

[Akiko]

Akiko wouldn’t maim Jeremy. Physically twitch and perhaps leave the room to go and work out her frustration at being touched without her express permission but try and hurt one of her pack mates, someone she had promised to protect? Not even if the small waxy – and no doubt crumb and flake filled – hat had been placed firmly on her head. Truth to be told, if there was nobody else about and he’d actually asked, she might have let him, to make up for her repeated refusals for the actual food.

Pride was important to Akiko, dignity doubly so, but in theory at least, she understood the need to engage every now and then in something other people considered fun. The hat had been skilfully folded, reminding her of the art of origami and her estimation of Jeremy rose a little higher if he could fold such items with the skill he had already displayed, idly wondering if he knew how to make cranes or if his knowledge was strictly limited to strange little hats.

[Jeremy]

Jeremy doesn't always understand the concept of personal space. It's one of those things that he accidentally on purpose forgets from time to time. Until he has to spend a good part of a day or more running and/or hiding from someone bigger and badder than him that he's pissed off and invading their space a little too much. Then he remembers. For about a week or so. For the sake of his own health, we can assume there was an attempt at garnering permission before bestowing the hat upon Akiko, even if only in the form of hesitation and an inquisitive look.

Jeremy's paper folding skills are not quite so complex but do branch out into airplanes and boats and probably those weird little almost gun looking designs. And of course the ever popular paper football. He is ace at all of those.

So as not to be left out of his own project, Jeremy quickly moved back to the tower and retrieved another pie from a strategically chosen spot, wolfed it down in two bites or less and proceeded to fold that wrapper into his own paper hat. "Ya know, you're pretty cool, Kiko!" A title usually bestowed upon those who could put up with his presence and behavior for more than 10 minutes at a time. Believe it or not, sometimes it was really hard to find someone who wasn't busy with 'more important things' or who simply had the patient and restraint to deal with him. If nothing else, Jeremy had a realization of how difficult he could be for others to deal with, so it was appreciated when he found someone who did. Akiko may have just unwittingly made herself Jeremy's new best friend for a while. In behind Violet of course, his ACTUAL best friend.

[Akiko]

She tried not to think about how this would look to anyone walking past and seeing the normally silent and scowling female fighter allowing Jeremy to put something as patiently ridiculous as a tiny wax hat on her head. It wouldn’t look good for either her reputation or her dignity, even if the person who saw didn’t care; Akiko would know and that would be enough for her. It was bad enough that Jeremy was seeing it, was remembering it and would quite probably tell other people about it.

“I’m… cool?” Akiko asked carefully, even if it wasn’t truly a question as such, understanding in some way the context of the word but not entirely sure how she felt about it being applied to her. It was obviously easy to become ‘cool’ if simply talking to Jeremy was all that was needed. “I… thank you Jeremy. I will leave you to your tower, I have things to do.” Things she had been doing before she had made the mistake of walking past his room and getting sucked into the madness.

With a stiff little bow so as not to knock the hat from her head, Akiko gave her formal farewell, scowl still lighter than normal as she paused by the door frame, unsure of how to word her goodbye. “You… are cool too Jeremy.”

Continued in: Hallways

[Jeremy]

Jeremy simply grinned in his mad hatterish way as Akiko took her leave. Though often brief due to the fact that many had low Jeremy thresholds, his encounters with other pack members were usually enjoyable. And some dynamic seemed to have clicked with Akiko. As polar opposite as the two obviously were, the conversation had been nice and easy. Or perhaps that was just his view of things. Still, for better or for worse, he might be seeking her out every now and then since the entire thing hadn't ended in obvious offense or some other disaster.

Going into serious mode for a while- well as serious as Jeremy got, even with a paper hat on his head- he plopped down at his 'work' terminal. There was of course, the ongoing job of maintaining the work that he and the historian before him had done, plus the pack roster and history were things that constantly evolved and changed. For instance, new additions. As well as new additions that weren’t new editions yet because they didn't exist but would be as soon as they did. In other words, he had already begun notes and notations concerning the baby Cole and Dia were expecting. As the birth got closer and closer, he would probably serve to make a constant pest of himself, asking if they knew the gender yet or decided on a name so he could keep up with things in as timely a manner as possible. It was his job, after all, and quite possibly the ONLY thing he ever fully took seriously.

After a time he was satisfied that he hadn't let his official duties slack, and moved back to his 'personal' area of the records room. Now what was it? Game time! Oh yeah. Flipping on the PS2, he didn't even wait for Guitar Hero to load before grabbing the guitar peripheral. Striking a rock star pose, he mimed a few notes of air guitar, vocaling a some high riffs before thrusting a hand in the air, topped with rawker fingers. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! He's here every night.