Away from it all (O2A)

[dp]

DJ: "Another social demanding movement, eh?"

Consider the interest level risen for the two Black Out boys. Eyebrows raised. There was another movement working toward a better world? They would love to hear about this movement. It's possible that if their movement has some of the same ideas as The Black Out, then what we might have here could be an alliance. Maybe.

Ant: "What would this movement be? If you don't mind my asking..."

DJ: "Or is it taboo to speak on such things... Like Fight Club style or something... The first rule of ... Insert name.... is not to talk about... Insert name..."

[Cosette Grace]

Oh how I wish that were the case, but no.



I know it's a little late in life but I've kind of been... adopted. I suppose I'm being a little loose with the term “social movement.” I'm not exactly sure where Addison's, she's the mother in all this, politics lie, although based on some of the things she's said I think it falls somewhere in the region of social conservative. Think, antiquated Carol Brady type.

It's so annoying, she hates it whenever I do anything fun...

I mean she hates it when the character I've adopted to ease her through her psychosis does anything adventurous. This is a completely academic and clinical endeavor. Still though, it's very annoying.


She pauses to take a big sip of her tea.









I'm not insane.

Really.

Perfectly normal.

She laughs awkwardly.

[dp]

DJ: "Uh-huh... I had no clue that full grown women were still up for adoption. That's like... strange."

Ant: "Beyond strange. But I suppose if it's for a greater good to help this woman out. Addison was it? I suppose if you're helping this Addison woman out, that it all must be good."

DJ: "Even if you've got to put up a front around her and be... Less adventurous than you'd like to be."

Nodding their heads. DeShaun lifts his glass up and takes a drink from the glass. Anthony didn't understand the situation. Really didn't have any idea that you could still adopt... adults. Funny world we live in, huh?

DJ: "Hopefully all that works out for you. And you still live a relatively normal life despite having to play Ms. Goody Two-Shoes around your new mother. No disrespect though. Doesn't like like you're too pleased with this act you got to put up with either."

[Cosette Grace]

See, you realize this is work for me. It seems like everywhere I go all I hear is how much fun the two of us must be having. I think that's the voice of guilt in my head but no, I'm just trying to help my friend in the most non-intrusive delicate way I possibly can.

I mean I tried forced deprogramming, going in all American cowboy cult de-brainwasher but you should have seen the pain I caused her when I did that. And I'm sure there are precedents for this, case studies and what not. I can't reference any but this can't be that far-fetched. I mean I'm no professional. Glad you both see that this is reasonable.

That was some pretty serious rationalization there Cosette.

Sorry, I was rambling. Of course there's far more to all this than I'm saying but I'd rather not bore you with all the charts and graphs you'd need to actually start to understand this mess.

[dp]

DJ: "Yeah. Totally understand where your coming from. If I had a friend in need like that, and the only way to help work them through it was to take some kind of drastic measures in order to get the problem situated and handled. I think I'd be willing to do it. I think I could probably handle pretending to be like that."

Ant: "Don't know if I could. I mean, I can and could. But I don't know how well I could handle doing it. I like having me some fun. I like to go out and be independent and free to do whatever I'd like."

DJ: "You could still. You'd just have to pretend to not be around them."

Ant: "That'd be easy, but you know I like to have some fun at all times."

DJ: "Yeah, but like her here... You can. You just got to keep it on a low profile type of deal so that they wouldn't find out."

Ant: "True."

Anthony began to nod his head. Not really sure if he could pull off what this woman was doing cause that's a little too much for him. But if he really, really had to, he could find himself getting used to the idea. He turned his attention back to the woman.

Ant: "So... Uh... What kinds of things you like to do for fun? What do you deem as adventurous?"

[Cosette Grace]

She sighs, embarrassed by the disappointment she was about to lay on them.

That's just it. I consider a little dinner with friends followed by some light reading a fun night out. Sitting here having a cup of tea with you is more excitement than I'm used to most days.

I know that doesn't sound like much, but this is all pretty enlightening, and you might be surprised to learn I don't get many opportunities to mingle with any radical grassroots social activists and I feel remiss for it.

So, I guess that's easy for me, but well she's drawn a lot of conclusions and I'm sure the story is much better than the reality. Drinking, subversive body modifications, wild lesbian experimentation.

“Wonderful, leave them with that mental image.”

It's not true. Well, the third one isn't, and most of the other two were confined to one night in London this off-season.

[dp]

Ant: "Drinking tea with us is adventurous?"

That was weird. To Anthony it was anyways. He didn't think that this would have been... an extreme. Then again, some would call it possible conspiracy. Conspiring with them. But a simple outing with The Black Out was extreme? He could not imagine what this Addison woman would consider an appropriate activity.

DJ: "That's understandable. Not everyone's idea of a wicked fun time has to chalk full of things like... skateboarding or snowboarding or anything like that. Some might find the more mellow type of fun to be more invigorating."

Ant: "I don't see how having dinner with some people could give you any sort of... uhhh... high feeling? Good feeling? I don't know. Probably bad wording on my part, but you know what I mean."

DJ: "We're not all into some crazy and freaky, wild rave parties up in the club. Jumping up and down, and rocking to the newest club song that's blaring through the speakers. Some people don't find that to be fun."

Ant: "Yeah, yeah, yeah... Anyways... What did happen in London?"

DJ: "Damn you Ant, she ain't going to tell you that."

Ant: "That's up to her. Well..."

[Cosette Grace]

If you must know there really isn't much to tell. I was there for a few months teaching at my old martial arts school, all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on a track to go professional in MMA. Well there was a competition, one of the girls won big and we all went out one night, had a few pints, started daring each other to do things and well this was the worst of it for me.

She lifts up the t-shirt she was wearing coming from the gym to show her piercing briefly then sets it back down. Strange that leaving it completely exposed on television and this were so different in her mind.

And this was the beginning of the night. After I was all through you should have seen....


I really shouldn't say. So that's as bad as it got. Although the story is that I was in England to discover myself.

With women.

I assure you it isn't true. Despite the fact that I accidentally “outed” one of my old friends. Certainly changed things between her and her husband.

I told you all this was too complicated.

[dp]

Anthony stood there with a devious smile on his face. Nice rack. Totally was at a loss for what she said after that little shirt lifting.

Ant: "Let me see that again. I didn't quite get a good lo-...."

DeShaun looked over at Anthony. Shook his head. Then he drove a hard, stiff punch into his shoulder. Trying to get him to stop. True, it wasn't all the time you get a woman who's open about such personal things and basically just flashed them like it was nothing. But still... That fool Anthony was pushing it with that.

Ant: "Ow! Hey! What the hell man?"

DJ: "Dude... What the hell yourself man?"

DeShaun looked over at her and shook his head.

DJ: "I'm sorry about my friend. He's kind of... Well... It's been awhile for him."

Ant: "Whatever dude. What the hell ever."

[Cosette Grace]

Oh...

Sorry, I didn't know I mean if I did I wouldn't have... Never mind.

That left her face red.

I'm just surprised my psychoses didn't completely scare you off. I think that's the first time I've ever just told the whole story in one go like that. I guess you're used to things far worse than that though in your line of work.

[dp]

DJ: "It's perfectly fine with us. We won't judge ya for it. Some people make mistakes in their lives and some people enjoy that kind of lifestyle. We're perfectly fine with it."

Ant: "We've seen and done our fair share of wild experiences around the way. It's nothing new to us. We're not going to sit here and shake our fingers at you and tell you you're a horrible person for doing that."

DJ: "Just live your life and have fun. That's what we've always believed. Live your life and get the most out of each day. Never know when your time is up, so best not waste it."

[Cosette Grace]

Next you'll tell me not to worry.

She laughed, trying to comprehend that impossible feat.

I guess it is good advice though, maybe I'll give it a try. I should probably get going now, but something tells me we'll cross paths again very soon. See you both later.

And with that Cosette waves goodbye and leaves her new friends as she walks off deep into the tower.