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[Clay follows behind him, nodding sheepishly to that question, and just - gosh. It's not every day someone actually seems interested in all his ramblings. His team back at home, yes, and Apollo too, but everyone else just kind of tuned him out. Here, he's actually met people who like to listen and respond by expanding on it further. It's always amazing, meeting someone like that!]

They probably had other things to do, but I didn't study much about what they did when they were bored. [Astronomical history and everything that had to do with it? Sure. Any other kind of history? Eh.] The sky definitely wasn't as polluted back then as it is today, too. You're right; they had - and have - incredible views of the sky. [He lets out a small sigh, one hand in his pocket and the other still holding the chart.] Definitely one of my places to go when I get back home.

[Well space stuff is pretty relevant out here. Though for Allen, it's more a combination of hearing about Earth, and listening to brand new information he's never heard before. The people of his past weren't much for looking at the stars beyond navigation and the occasional story, so it was a little fascinating to watch someone so passionate about it.]

It's a good place to visit. [He was only there for a few weeks when he was a kid so his own knowledge was limited, but hey- he remembered it had some cool stuff] Where on Earth are you from exactly? America?

[It's the accent really.]

Edited 2015-08-21 21:12 (UTC)

Got it in one. Born and raised. [He raises an eyebrow, a playful little grin coming up.] Okay, smart guy, wanna guess where from America I'm from? I've only ever lived in one state, if that helps.

Uh....

[Yep. Now that's a hard one for Allen. He knows an American accent, but it's not like he can tell the different american accents apart. Hell he wasn't even sure how many states America had. 40? 50??? There was New York, California that had Los Angeles...the North American branch for the Order was in Nevada....but was that a state or a territory? All Allen remembered was that it was out in the middle of nowhere, like half that damn country. Crap. He had no clue about the rest. How you do even tell apart the different Americans??? Weren't they mostly just immigrants anyway??]

[But crap. Clay needs a guess. THINK THINK THINK-]

...N-New York?

[Lots of the people in the fleet seem to be from there, so????]

Edited 2015-08-22 14:37 (UTC)

[... ... ... You know, Clay can't even say "close but no cigar", because that wasn't even close. He laughs as a result and wraps an arm around Allen's shoulders, as a sort of... consolation prize.]

Ha! Try the other side of the country. Born in California, never left that place until now. [And while he wanted to go to space so badly it ran in his blood, and while he'd love to visit places that were important to astronomical history or had an amazing view of the sky, California will always be his home.]

[The bridge of his nose turns a bit pink in embarrassment at how wrong he was. Though at least Clay doesn't seem mad about it? Especially if the physical contact says anything. So, he'll laugh with it]

Ah- right, sorry. America's just so big- [But he perks up at the mention of California. Hey! He knows that state!] But really? California? Did you live in Los Angeles- I've been there!

[You know what, every time he hears that someone from here has been in Los Angeles, it's always absolutely mind-blowing to him, and kind of... gives him a sense of kinship in a way, even if they don't come from his version of Earth? So that gets a surprised look before it turns into something happy and excited, like he heard Christmas is just around the corner.]

You've been there? I mean - You're not the first person to say that, but - really, you have? Well - What did you think of it, where did you go?

[He gives a little nod. Sure, technically it was a Paradisa version of Los Angeles- but it still counted, right? ]

Yes, I have! Ino too- it's a bit of a long story. We sort of got...dropped there magically for a few weeks?

[yeah, close enough answer]

It's...massive, much bigger than what I'm used to. But the food's amazing. I stayed at the University campus- er, the Westwood neighborhood? But I remembering traveling all over the city.

The University at Westwood? No way, that's the one I went to for my astronomy degree!

[HOLY SHIT THAT'S AMAZING, Clay has to step back to look at him better, and also he's practically vibrating from excitement and that might be weird. Not only did Allen go to Los Angeles, but he stayed at Clay's university? GOSH.]

That's - You pretty much stayed in my home area for a while! Until I moved to another apartment, but - Still! And the food! There's so much of it - There's so much of everything, and you were there!

Really?! [Now that surprises him. Since holy shit small world] Wow...that's incredible! Maybe we walked past each other and didn't know it!

[Unlikely, but hey, it's a cool idea to think about. Especially when Clay seems so jazzed by the idea]

Hey, maybe we did!

[Unlikely, sure, but hey, considering how people look in AA's canon, Allen would probably fit right in.]

Wouldn't that be amazing? If our timelines and universes somehow merged enough for you to be in my world for a little while? [The very idea blows his mind.] Maybe our meeting here is like the stars aligning for us!

[aka it's destiny for us to meet aka flirting]

[Especially in LA! One thing Allen did like about that town is that his strange looks barely got any notice beyond the occasional old man muttering about punk teenagers]

[But at Clay's line, Allen can't help but laugh at that. It's a ridiculous flirt, and so cheesy. But even as he laughs at it, he'll move close again to Clay and wrap his arm around the back of Clay's waist]

Ah...shouldn't you wait until we get through the first date before you start claiming this is destiny?

[And with that, Clay's very hyper-aware of the fact that he and Allen are pretty much the same height here, maybe with Allen just the slightest bit taller. Huh.]

Hey now, I'm the astronaut here! [To return the gesture, he lifts up his own arm to let his palm rest against Allen's shoulder blade.] I know in my soul when stars align.

[Yep. How about that coincidence.]

[Allen laughs again as they reach the door to the shuttle (finally, talk about getting sidetracked)]

In your soul? [Wow Clay] Are you saying you're the sort of astronaut that looks at stars for fortune telling?

Fortune telling? No. That's not what stars are for! [HUFF HUFF but he'll still hold the door open for Allen. It's Blue Fish's shuttle, so Allen's probably more comfortable driving it here.] All the star charts the fortune tellers use are so outdated, anyway. How can any of their predictions be correct? Not knocking on fortune tellers, but the ones that try to use the stars as a guide? I'm not believing it for a second.

[The fact that Apollo is so into astrology and horoscopes makes him so mad. BRUH...]

Ha- sorry! I was just teasing. I didn't actually think you did.

[So much indignation. He'll let go of Clay so he can go into the shuttle, giving a "thank you" at Clay holding the door open. The shuttle's roomier than the Vanquish ones, with a couple extra seats- they've been around long enough to afford a shuttle upgrade. He moves to sit in the pilot seat]

I don't take any stock in those sorts of things either. They're just silly little things that are sometimes fun to listen to.

They're all just - Whoa, this is comfy.

[SO MUCH BIGGER than the Vanquish shuttles. Clay can't help lingering at the entrance and looking around, taking in the size of the ship after an upgrade and wondering if they can get Vanquish's to look like this. Once he's done inspecting, Clay sets the star chart in the extra seats, then sits in the available one next to Allen as he keeps talking.]

They're all just so fake! My best friend back at home is super into the astrology and fortune telling stuff, even after I tell him how fake it is! I think he does it to make me mad.

[HUFF HUFF. But with that, he leans over to bump his shoulder against Allen's.]

But at least someone understands. I've finally found someone who gets it.

[So his team back at home is pretty much the same way too, but hey, they're not here now!]

Huh? Oh- ha, thanks. Our captain's been throwing money at upgrades for the shuttles for awhile now.

[The joys of having a bigger crew that's been around longer. Living in style. Allen meanwhile pulls his seatbelt on and starts up the ship's engines as he listens. He smiles and bumps his shoulders back when Clay does.]

Finally found someone? Is horoscopes that popular in Los Angeles? And even Apollo is into it? [He snorts] That's surprising. I thought a lawyer would want to focus on things that are true. But I guess we all have our quirks...

[Like an Exorcist who has a demon for an uncle. Go figure]

[Figures, Blue Fish has been here longer and all. SOMEDAY. Someday, their ship will be just as amazing and roomy. For now, let's focus on the actual date here.]

You'd think, right? But no. He insists there's some truth to them, even though there obviously isn't. It's not that they're popular, but you know. They're in the newspapers, there's little buildings with people who'll tell your fortune, that sort of thing. [He lets out a sigh, head resting back against the seat now.] I guess we've all got to make money somehow.

[Not everyone can be astronauts, after all.]

[Allen can't help but snicker a little as he listens to Clay. That admittance about money sounded like how most people sound like when describing ambulance chasers or tax collectors. Though, he guess an astronaut would have to deal with astrology crap more than most. And to have his best friend buy into it...]

[He'll talk as he runs through the take-off procedures. He was no pilot, but he's done this with the shuttles enough times where he doesn't really need to think about it much anymore. Like driving a car.]

It's decent steady money, if you're good at telling people what they wanna hear dramatically. Sometimes I'd do odd jobs for them at circuses. [Polishing crystal balls, cleaning teacups, helping with their performances- stuff like that. Usually when his father's performances weren't bringing in enough.] It's all rubbish though, the good ones will even admit that. So go ahead and keep telling Apollo that.

[If Apollo ever shows up in this place anyway]

[Astrology crap, people who think the space program is worthless, bible thumpers who yell about creationism - they deal with a lot. Astrology's just annoying because it's so popular.

Clay watches Allen work though, seeing how he is a pilot and likes to see people tinker with these things. That sour look on his face ends up clearing into a grin as he laughs a little at Allen's statement; nice to get some validation here!]

You bet I will. I'll even tell him I heard it from professionals.

[You know, if he does ever come here, or if Clay ever does go back. But like he told Allen before, he doesn't really want the former to happen. The latter... maybe later.]

But hey, you worked at a circus? [BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS COOL]

Ah- yeah. When I was a kid. [The shuttle starts to take off, flying through the now open cargo bay doors.] My father was a traveling performer, so I'd travel with him and help out. It's been a long time since I've been back though.

[IT WASN'T COOL. But he's just going to leave it at that and go to what he's learning is great at distracting Clay: space.]

What about you? Did you always want to be an astronaut?

Edited 2015-08-28 13:23 (UTC)

[Clay's attention does seem to be pretty wrapped up in flying out of the cargo bay; it's always a thrill, feeling that lift off and the lurch forward, no matter how big or small the craft is. He looks out the window, watching everything go by like he's seeing it all for the first time.

But he is listening, and he makes that known by leaning over to rest his head against Allen's shoulder. Okay, so sounds like it wasn't cool after all. Maybe he shouldn't talk about the few times he went to the Berry Big Circus then.

And this topic is much better, anyway. He shuts his eyes to the sights for a moment and lets out a sigh - it sounds fond, like he's relieving a good memory.]

Since the day I was born. [He straightens himself back up, since Allen does kind of need to drive, and he's looking at the stars outside anyway.] Mom liked to tell me I was born under the stars, and I've wanted to be an astronaut since as far back as I can remember. I got a lot of it from her. She wanted to go too, and I guess I just followed in her footsteps. I soaked up as much information as I could, until I wanted to be an astronaut so badly I could feel it in my bones.

[He can only watch Clay out of the corner of his eye as he flies, but he's listening. He envies Clay a little. To be so sure of what path to form in his life, and now to be living that dream constantly. Sure, he's confident being kidnapped for a TV show isn't how Clay imagined his dream would play out- but it was still here, all around him.]

[He's only come close to feeling what Clay was describing with being an Exorcist. And well...things were more complicated now. And there really wasn't much need for an Exorcist in the fleet. Not that was a bad thing, an akuma would be catastrophic in their ships. Still...]

[He pushes those thoughts aside, focusing on his date again. He can worry about Exorcist stuff later. He smiles some, and yeah- definitely caught the past tense on the mom there. Ouch. When he has a moment to spare a hand from the controls, he'll reach over for his hand and squeeze it gently.]

Ah...well, that explains why you always seem to be in such a good mood here.

[More than most are, anyway. He thinks about mentioning that his mom would be proud of him but- er no, let's not poke the dead parent thing on the first date]

Did you go into space back in your world- er, solar system too?

[Yes let's not bring up the dead parent thing, good call. When Clay feels Allen's hand on his own, he looks down at them, then smiles, a light blush on his cheeks, before he gets back to the conversation, this time focusing his attention on what's inside the shuttle itself.]

Nah. I almost did, but we had to postpone the mission due to some complications.

[It's only the first date, so Clay doesn't want to go into the details or anything right now. The bomb threat, the government wanting them to go through with it anyway, the plan they had to stage out... how everything got fuzzy after that, until he was brought here... No, that's definitely not first date talk.]

But I'm here now, so technically I made the dream happen. [And he can't help the silly grin on his face thanks to that.] And it's more than I could ask for, even if the conditions are really weird!

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