jigokulogs | open 🌙 july catchall

[The remark about the tips makes her laugh and poke his shoulder playfully.]

C'mon! Don't make me sound like such a money-grubber!

I don't know much about training, but I guess a workout wouldn't be out of the question. Oh, but I wouldn't want to take the place of anyone who's already your training buddy.

[Speaking of, let's get to the good part of her job... Monts leans forward, looking a little eager.]

Do you have an eye on anyone else Barton? It can't just be me, right?

Edited 2022-07-23 21:31 (UTC)

[ barton eyes her; he tips his glass back to drain the rest of his drink, then to set it aside with a slight clatter. thankfully, he's pretty good at playing stupid, but also just... tends to be pretty stupid... ]

Training buddy... Do I look like the kinda guy that would really only have one?!

[ with a glint of pointy teeth, there's a short burst of laughter. ]

I used to have an entire legion to keep in top notch shape! I gotta keep a whole roster to cycle through, keep it exciting.

Oh? Tell me more! You definitely alluded to a rather interesting world last we talked over text!

[She already has the idea that he's some sort of combatant, but the girl needs more deets.]

But don't think I've forgotten about my original question. I know I'm charming, but with your stature, I don't think I'm the only one looking at you with admiration.

[ monts, please. he's gonna tip you, okay! anyway, barton makes a thoughtful noise. ]

You'd have to ask me specially what you'd wanna know 'bout it -- where I'm from is way, way [ ... better ] different from this place, that's for sure! I dunno if it's all interesting.

[ he thinks he's already mentioned this part to monts, but he'd reiterate it proudly and without flinching anyway, ]

I'm Commander of the Second Legion of the Illumina Federation's Enlightenment Army; third in the chain of command, tied with the other commanders.

Wow. Literal and symbolic big man.

[She'll dial it back a bit now and she leans back and crosses her legs just to listen.]

What kind of conflict was your legion involved in? And don't mind me. I know war isn't a pleasant tableside conversation, but I've heard of some nasty fights elsewhere.

[Say a battle for thrones among siblings in the hell winter world that Maxim is totally not involved in! But in any case, Monts is invested in learning whatever she can about other worlds while she's here.]

[ barton's smile spreads. he laces his hands together, resting his chin atop their arch. he'd be interested in their conversation before, of course, but now he's invested. ]

Ah, it's all right. The next closest thing I can do - [ besides raising conflict on a smaller scale here, anyway, ] - is talk 'bout it.

We fight in all sorts of battles! Most of our resources goes toward fighting eclipsites - nasty, endless lil' bastards that appeared long before I was born. [ okay, "lil'" is somewhat of a misnomer, but. ] And despite all the ceasefires in place, you'd be surprised at the number of border skirmishes that go down, anyway.

Eclipsites... You're making me visualize like... giant enemy bugs.

[Is this Starship Troopers]

But if they've been around before you were born, what makes them so enduring you think? Especially since you've been fighting them so long?

Not too far off! 'Cept bigger, meaner, and tend to be deadlier.

[ that question gives barton noticeable pause. it's not so much hesitance, more so that he wishes he could conjure up a worthwhile answer. after a moment, he lets out a puff of air, ruffling his bangs. he waves a hand through the air. ]

If only I knew! It was centuries ago when they began wiping out civilizations. We're nowhere near in as bad of shape as we were back then — took a time, but we're getting closer to finally puttin 'em to an end.

[And yet people still die so young where he's from based on what he told her over EMBER. Monts listens to Barton's explanation, only giving a small nod when he's finished before refilling his glass with more vermouth.]

You got a lot of work ahead of you still it sounds like or at least after we're all done with our business here. Hopefully.

There are wars and conflicts where I'm from as well. Some are more overt than others. I suppose I always felt far removed from them because they were always in places I'd never been to before.

[Her eyes grow contemplative and that air of playfulness gives way to a quiet aura as she looks down at her glass in her lap.]

Though I suppose in some ways, it was hard for me to sympathize, to begin with.

[ monts is pretty spot-on with that assessment. it's going to be a doozy. but reminder of that doesn't appear to change his demeanor; he's determined, damnit, even if he dies for the cause!! ]

I would guess... Conflict is perfectly natural to people! Some just warrant more violence than others.

[ barton nods his gratitude for the refill, taking a sip. he should probably top off her glass, too? he thinks. so he does lean over to grab the bottle and likewise share some of the beverage. ]

Yeah? Because it's so far removed from you, or what?

[For several long seconds, Monts says nothing, letting the ambient noise wash over her instead. The clinking of glasses, and the laughter echo around them and she thinks about how much she should go back to her apartment after this shift, somewhere quiet and silent.

And then she speaks up.]

Have you ever watched a movie before? Or something to that effect? Or read a story on a page or a screen?

... Yeah, one or two. [ he's a little thrown by the question. ] I like reading more 'bout history, though.

[ which may as well feel like historical fiction to him, at times. the pause had prolonged enough that barton had nearly nudged her to ask if she'd heard his question before she'd spoken up again. ]

[ with a follow-up, ]

Why, what's up?

Edited (wow that tag) 2022-07-28 20:53 (UTC)

Well, I better remind myself to make you go watch some movies with me.

[Monts says that airily in a way where she doesn't really mean it. It's an open-ended invitation. She swirls the ice around in her glass as she continues.]

There are movies and stories in books that have a lot of action or horror, and violence, right? But because those are on the pages of a book or on a screen, what you read and what you see doesn't affect you the way it would if it actually happened to you.

[She's not sure where she's going with this. No, that's not true. It's the way she's felt for so long about herself and how she relates to others. Though it's not unusual for most people so sport that sort of indifference (everyone has to move on with their everyday lives), for her, it's been... Unusual.

She gulps down half of her drink.]

Never mind. I think I'm rambling and losing track.

Only if it has explosions in it.

[ #priorities. ]

[ barton watches as her expression shifts, even if only subtly. he can't say he's following exactly -- but what's more noticeable is the way half her drink disappears. having been holding the bottle, he tips more into her glass before setting it aside proper. ]

Guess so. Reading some of Northland's stories would put me to sleep! [ too peaceful, all about dreams and magic and crap, can't relate. though, that's in a slightly different vein...

barton scrutinizes her for a moment, considering whether he wants to say next before he says it -- fuck it: ]

Not like you've been had a completely dull life, though. [ when it comes to violence, anyway. ] Sounds like you just detach from it?

Hm? Well, I suppose after what I've told you, even my cozy little barista job did turn into short corners, hasn't it?

[After all, who the heck describes being stabbed in the heart with a knife so... Casually and apathetically? She does, apparently.]

So I think you're not far off. [Monts makes eye contact with Barton and smiles slightly.]

That's why I like listening to stories like yours. Even if I'm detached, it's better for me to know and try to understand at some level, right?

[ it... yes, it definitely did, monts, from the few stories he heard. when monts finishes speaking, barton's expression lights up. any exuberance has returned in full. ]

Ha ha ha, really?! I'm full of 'em! I have so many, your head will explode!!

[ he means like - knock your socks off, kinda impressive. not you know, actually. thank you. for now, he takes a long drink from his glass. then he kicks back into his seat, lacing his hands behind his head as he leans back into what's probably a fluffy pillow. ]

Where to start? —Probably something more practical, if you wanna take something away from it.

[The automatic doors at the front open, but Monts is focusing on Barton and their booth is far away enough that there's nothing to notice yet.]

Alright, then! Tell me about one of your toughest battles and how you were able to win against all odds!

Hohh, my toughest? Jumping right to it, huh? [ barton's mouth pulls into a smirk. not that he minds that; he thinks it's all good stuff. ] Well, lemme tell you 'bout this battle four years ago, where every legion, even our Captain of the Guard, was called to ac -

[ wait a second.

barton shuts up immediately. nearing the two is one (1) mr. libido. he looks particularly smug, and he's apparently no less full of wayward sexual energy - judging by the taunting hip thrusts he makes in their direction. ]

[ expression cross, his voice now no less a roar, ]

Back for round seven?! [ it's actually probably a higher number than this, but he just spits out something roughly in that ballpark. ] Aghhh! Shit!!

[ he stands so abruptly that he knocks his beverage to the floor, oops. and now he's vaulting over a table, making a beeline for their most (un)wanted. mr. libido expected this, naturally, and bolts for the exit. he even glances back to ensure barton is giving chase. ]

[ preoccupied as he may be, his mind recalibrating to one-track battle mode, he does throw his own look back to monts. ]

Whatever, I'll -- we'll talk later!! [ please send him the bill, also. :') ]

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