And today was a day just like any other.. (David)

[Your Mom~]

Olesya had settled into her new routine, as it were. She had joined the Crows with Jon, Delilah, and Stu. It had been a relief to find friendly faces among the wreckage that had once been her city. Though the whereabouts of the rest of her friends were vastly unknown, she kept a small hope in her heart that they would show up much like she did; A bit confused and weary from travel but safe.

However, she wouldn't hold her breath.

Time hadn't been kind on any of them. There were scars, worry lines, ages in their eyes that hadn't been there when they were all in high school. Nothing was ever going to be the same as it once was, but they were striving to make the world better if not greater than before.

Today, rather than sitting around and waiting for things to happen, Olesya was going to take it upon herself to go exploring. She packed her travel bag, laced the ribbon of her black ballet shoes up her calves and shrugged on David's coat. Because it was a warm May day, she wore a pair of shorts and a muted black tank top as well. Because she was exploring the edge of Crow territory, she didn't feel the need to cover her stark white hair.

She climbed down the fire escape of her building, her feet meeting the pavement almost soundlessly. She took off toward the edge of the territory, partially to scavenge for supplies and partially to find some excitement in this run down world.

An hour into exploring, Olesya paused, fishing in her pack for her water bottle. She slipped the pack off her back, taking a seat on a large chunk of concrete and taking a drink. So far she'd managed to find some batteries (charge unknown), a can of vegetables, some plastic cups, and a wooden spoon. Nothing too useful, but helpful. Usually Olesya offered her finds up to the inhabitants of Crow territory and everything was taken one way or another.

[David B.]

He shifted his shoulder back, and then forward, sort of half-shrugging his pack back up into a comfortable position.

California.

It had been years since he had set foot on its soil. He had left in such a hurry, mind darting back and forth over everything he wanted to do, everyone he wanted to see. And fight. He had no real direction he wanted his life to turn in. Of course, he later found the reason for his mental hypocrisy. But we'll get to that...eventually. He started forward, his powerful legs pushing his feet into the earth, the crunch of gravel and pavement more than satisfying beneath him. Of course, less than satisfying was the skyline. It seemed much the same, but for the areas of war, abandoned cars, and most noticeably, the silence. It was as though the people here feared to breathe. David didn't know it yet, but he stood on the edge of occupied territory, taking a somewhat pleasant stroll right along the Crow border. He looked around, more enjoying the feeling of returning than really thinking about where he was going.

Physically, David hadn't changed much. He grew a half inch taller, was about the same in muscle mass, same scars. His hair was different- trimmed a little closer to the head. But all other signs pointed to him as the same man who left, so many times before. He shook his head a little to himself. No, not the same man. Just the same looking. He had taken strides in the directions he hoped to end up- having the sickness he did, coupled with the meds in his system...well, to say the least, they balanced a fellow out. He no longer felt a need for violence. Just self defense. And since he knew next to nothing about what happened to the world, why it happened, who did it...well. He just lived on.

Coming around a corner, he noticed a shadow plant itself onto a large slab of cement. Heading in that direction, he was glad to have finally found a small bit of life among the debris. As he got closer, his eye caught on the back of the jacket, on the lettering that stirred something in his chest. It was his coat, from 259. He was sure of it. The familiar rise and fall of the black lettering, the signature flame font... his teeth clenched in his mouth. It sat, riding on the back of a scavenger. Probably taken off the body of the girl he gave it to- He stepped silently but swiftly, moving up behind the individual and snatching her shoulder as she would likely move to stand, causing her to probably spin in his direction.

"Hey! Where did you get-"

His voice would catch in his throat, eyebrows raising slightly in shock.

"Les...?"

[Your Mom~]

It wasn't a bad day, not at all. The sun was shining if a little warm, it was quiet, but Olesya liked it better that way. Exploring was a way for Olesya to become familiar with her new environment, gather materials, and to feel at least a little accomplished in her day to day life. her other option was to sit around and watch the higher ups do their jobs. Doing that would make Olesya go stir crazy, and she was a bit of a loner anyway. So exploring it is.

Olesya heard the faint footsteps moments before he grabbed her. Without the overwhelming sounds of machines and cars and people and citylife all around you, things like footsteps became more prominent. But what was someone else doing out here?

The moment the man's hand grabbed her shoulder, Olesya's heartbeat increased drastically. She didn't take well to surprises, not with the current stand of the world. She dropped her water bottle, spinning to her feet as she cocked her arm back and threw a punch without even thinking about it. As she fist connected with flesh, her mismatched eyes recognized the features of the man in front of her.

She gasped.

Their first meeting by the school pool.

Their fight in which he kissed her to throw her off-guard.

Joining him among the PHS #259 pillars.

Sitting in his large empty house with Emily. Without him.

Seeing him again in her family's bistro.

Fighting with him and Emily over secrets and pillarship.

The coat on her back.

Watching him walk away.

Confronting him on the rooftop, maddened in the rain.

All of the conversations, the memories, the feelings, the worries, the guilt, everything hit her head on like a wrecking ball to the chest.

"D-David?" Her voice cracked, mismatched eyes wide in shock. It was like seeing a ghost.

[David B.]

David's eyes widened only slightly before the fist cracked against his jaw, causing his head to whip to the side and his hand to release it's grip on her shoulder. He took a step or two back, shaking his head a little to clear it. It had been...well, a long time since he took a punch. Too long. His reflexes were dull- in his hay-day, he would have been able to block and retaliate without missing a step. A lot had changed- now she was the one on edge, the one with tightened muscles and nerves honed to a life outside of the norm. Then again, with the entirety of the world on the bring, he supposed this WAS the norm. Weird. He was even a little bit of an outcast in a place where being an outcast was what you did.

He looked back at her, a small smile coming to his lips.

"Glad you haven't lost the batting arm. Hittin' hard as ever."

He would stand awkwardly for a moment, unsure of his next step. He guessed he would find one or two people still alive, but never someone he was close to. Just didn't seem to be in his luck. He figured he'd find Unfettered- the white haired German didn't seem the type to lay down quietly and let a bomb wipe him out. And perhaps Gabriel- with all the time David had beaten that man to a pulp, he didn't a bomb even COULD wipe him out. Leon, maybe. Just when the guy seemed invincible, he would turn up beaten and bloodied. David was unsure if the guy would fall pray to destruction, or just ride the wave with a grin. Now, the supposed death of the people he cared about, like Les, wasn't because he thought her or the others weak.

It just seemed like his cards weren't built that way. But that wasn't to say he wasn't excited, or even grateful. He sure as hell was. It was just...confusing. He never let hope in, because the moment you did...well...you got crushed.

He brought his hand up, putting his behind his head, keeping his grin.

"So...hey!"

He didn't really know how to address her...it had been so long. He wanted to give her a hug but he didn't want her to get awkward, or push him off. Hell, was she pissed at him? Frustrated? Was she still...well...like she used to be?

[Your Mom~]

Olesya cringed when he commented about her batting arm. "Yeah, er...sorry about that." She apologized awkwardly, rubbing her fist. To be honest it had kinda hurt, his jaw was tough.

But what now? Olesya found herself insanely conflicted. She was overly happy to see him again, obviously. Sad because time had passed and neither of them were children anymore. A bit angry because it had been, what, seven years since the confrontation on the roof top. Guilty because seven years ago on that rooftop Olesya had been mentally twisted into the monster she fought so hard not to become.

"And wouldn't it be convenient that somewhere locked in my head was this girl you once knew. What was 'Olesya' to you, David? An acquaintance? A friend?"

Phi circled around him, the irritation replaced by playful sarcasm. As she came around to his front, she took a step toward him, invading his personal space.

"A crush? Come on David, tells us, why the hell do you care who I am?"

He had reached out to her. No one else had, everyone else had moved on or disappeared but David had come back and tried to talk to her. And she just turned it back around on him, thrown it back in his face. He tried to give her the one thing she needed and she refused it.

Maybe it was because she was afraid he'd disappear again.

Of all the people in her life who have come and gone, David had done so the most. But unlike those who have come and gone, David always came back. Eventually.

"Uh. Hi." She sat back down on her slab of concrete, and pulled two thick slices of fresh made bread from her pack. "Are you hungry?"

[David B.]

David waved off her concern.

"Don't worry about it. I got a strong jaw."

His voice was light, though in reality, his eyes were heavy. He hadn't ate or slept in around a day and a half. Putting that aside, Olesya had grown up. In a lot of ways. She was still the same girl he met so many years before, but her form was more refined, her eyes and face holding weight. That wasn't to say she looked old, or was not beautiful- she just had that air. Like she had been through too much. And David could believe it. The last time they had spoken, she had seemed like a totally different person- even went by a different name. He had been extremely confused by her actions, her demeanor. He had wanted to believe that he had found his friend again, only to have her turn around and seem more volatile than ever. Of course, he knew he probably deserved it. Kissing her suddenly, leaving so many times...some part of her probably hated him.

"Uh...yes, please."

He would come over and set down his own pack, the handle of his machete sticking up from within the depths. He eyed her a little, still trying to pull memories from their last meeting to mind. He could already tell she wasn't the same person as before. She wasn't as sharp, as angry. No taunts, or attacks. She offered him food. He eyed her as she got out what was needed, the words leaving his lips before he could even attempt to take them back.

"Les...what happened?"

[Your Mom~]

Olesya frowned when the question left his lips. It was such a loaded gun that she had no idea where to start.

"What, when I went mad?"

She took a bite of the bread, still slightly warm, and thought over his question as she chewed. A minutes or so of silence fell between them, punctuated only slightly by the gentle wind.

"It was the correctional facility. The side effects of the experiments effected you and Emily and more everyone else immediately. I thought I'd wound up scot free...but I was wrong. The effects began to hit me when we were at 42. I became more paranoid, quick to anger, impulsive...and everyone around me was leaving one by one. You, Emily, Jon, Mathew, Mistuki, Stu...everyone was gone. ...I lost my mind."

She broke off, eyes focused on the concrete. She cleared her throat and continued.

"The chemicals, the madness, it blocked out my memories until I forgot who I was. So I went by 'Ophelia,' I left Long Beach, I left California all together. Never stayed in one place too long. Eventually made it back to California. That's when you last saw me."

The night on the club rooftop was burned into her memory. It was the first time someone had used her actual name, sparking the return of her memories. Rather than embrace them, she had pushed back with a vengeance. They had fought, she had taunted him. Olesya, as Ophelia, had even turned his first training exercise against him and kissed him during battle...before socking him in the stomach. All because he had admitted his confusion to her. She had been such a monster...

"Eventually I was caught. Sent to an asylum. They detoxed me and sent me to this house that was run by a Doctor named Twist. Very nice man. He knew about Barker and his experiments, and had an unorthodox cure to the chemicals he had pumped into our bodies. It was working, but he never got to finish because that's when the world ended. I came to find out when I got here, that all of this-"

She gestured the the wreckage around them with her free hand.

"Is Barker's fault. He did this."

[David B.]

He stared, listening as she told her story. He didn't say anything when she asked what he meant, if it was about her going mad. His silence was obviously answer enough, as she continued on with her tale. The facility, the chemicals- yeah, he thought about it too. The chemicals being the cause for his...illness. He focused back on what she was saying. At the end of it all, his lips parted slightly as he stared, a little shocked. Barker? How could that man, who seemed to have little power beyond his experiments, put such devastation upon the planet? He cleared his throat, taking a piece of bread and breaking off a bite.

"I see. How...uh...how did we fare? The school, I mean."

He figured that asking how Barker was able to do such a thing would come off as a stupid question. He could ask it later, if the topic came up again, perhaps with another. He didn't want to focus too intently on the man. She had some pent up rage for him, he could tell. Heck, he wasn't sure he wouldn't snap the mans neck if he was given the chance. Still, there was plenty he needed to know, and he hoped Olesya wasn't intent on turning him away any time soon.

"Did...i mean...did anyone else..?"

[Your Mom~]

Olesya shrugged at his question.

"I don't know. I just arrived here a few weeks ago. Everything is in such a state of chaos that it's hard to understand what's what."

There were established gangs, of course, but there were also plenty of scavengers and renegades and underground operations. There was no way to tell what all was going on without the technology they had all learned to rely on. No internet, no cell phones, no postal service. Olesya was amazed that Unfettered had been able to find her, though he knew where she was located. He had to send men with a message in order to communicate with her, they had regressed that far.

"Jon, uh, Unfettered is here. As is Delilah and Stu. We're associated with a group called the Crows, run by a man named Kiyoshi. You're actually in their territory."

She smirked slightly at this.

"As for the others. I've heard nothing. I don't even know where my family is."

[David B.]

David thought as he ate. A small perk to his mood, a corner-lipped smile. Unfettered. Damned German. He looked at Olesya. He had missed her. Missed the company, the time spent with a friend. Traveling so long alone...well, it was rough. Souichi, Augustus, his brother....he knew two of the three to live, as they were with him. But Damien...no, he wouldn't ask. She wouldn't even know who to look for even if he asked her. Still, his thoughts couldn't help but stray to the idea she presented- the Crows. A gang that was still standing in opposition to Barker. Trust to Unfettered to make sure such a group was formed. An Kiyoshi- though not technically a friend, they had met once or twice. He swallowed.

"I'm sorry...if it helps, I'm still searching for my brother as well."

He looked down at his hands. Strong, powerful hands. In school, he was seen as a leader. As someone to look up to. At first, anyway. By the time he left he was no better than the monsters he had hunted down and destroyed. Either you died as the person you always expected and wanted to be, or lived long enough to become the evil you hated. He spoke a little softer then, having come down this rode more than once, and every time seemingly disappointing her. He didn't ever want to do that again.

"And....i'm sorry I left you." A sadder smile ghosted across his face.

"I suppose your tired of hearing that though, huh?"

[Your Mom~]

Olesya nodded when David mentioned that he was looking for his brother. Her family had to be okay, they just had to. Her parents were two of the strongest people she knew. Melody, well, she was smart, and a doctor. She needed to be there to heal people. Darien was a doof, but strong and kind. Gabri was a feisty little sprite not too unlike how she used to be. They had to be alright, Olesya couldn't imagine them being anything but.

She took a moment to bite off another piece of bread, chewing it over as he apologized for leaving her once again. She pursed her lips, swallowing.

"Yeah. A little."

Olesya couldn't recall how many times it was now that David had walked out of her life. He seemed to be a free spirit, just coming and going as he sees fit, but she didn't think he realized what kind of effect that caused. What it did to the people he left. She and Emily had to run the school on their own because of one of his disappearances. Every time he left, it meant one hardship or another, not that everything was perfect when he was around, but his absence caused things to fall apart more often than not.

And every time he left, it left little tears in their friendship that somehow seemed to mend when he breezed back in and gave her that crooked smile. It left her wondering what greatness they could have achieved if he had just stayed for once. David was strong, brave, attractive, he carried a presence. He made things happen. That was something that Olesya admired about him.

"So where've you been this time?"

[David B.]

He wouldn't lie- her reply smarted a little. He deserved it though. He knew he did. When things seemed to be getting worse, or just barely better, he vanished, and that left holes. He stared off into the skyline, the sun blaring down on them. This city seemed to spit him out just as often as it drew him in. He knew he had no plans on leaving again, and that he always told her that in the past. This time, he remained silent. He couldn't tell what the future would hold for him, or for her, and as such he couldn't promise he wouldn't have to go. But he made a note to himself that if he did, he would tell at least her. He owed her that.

He took a deep breath, ready to explain everything before a sudden pause- he realized he...didn't know if he wanted to tell her. Or anyone, for that matter. He felt great, healthy. Dropping a bomb such as "I have cancer" in the first half hour of a seven year reunion probably wasn't wise. Instead, he decided he would sum it up, knowing she would probably get that there was gaps in the story, but that they may not be important.

"Well...i left here to work in New York, my business needing me at that time. Found out i had a personality disorder, was forced to sell my ownership of the company to the board, and spent the next several years bouncing around, buying property here in cali, in oregon, in florida. Attended a couple different schools in the process. Got a doctor to help with my.... mental illness. And once the bombs started dropping, me and him went underground."

He glanced at her.

"Once it was safe, we emerged. He went in search of his family, me for mine. Unable to find my brother, i made my way here, thinking perhaps he went this way in search of me. And bam, found you." He looked back the way he came. "The doctor will meet me here at some point."

He gave her a grin.

"I'm glad I found you though. I've missed you. You, Emily, Kazuya. You guys were like the only people i was close to."

[Your Mom~]

Nodding, she chose not to ask about his illness. If he wasn't forthcoming with it initially, it wasn't her place to ask. After all, it had been seven years since she'd last seen his face, and everyone was entitled to their own secrets.

Time had been relatively good to him, she'd noticed. His jaw was fuller, much more like a man than a boy. The facial stubble definitely gave him that rough edge, and his hair was shorter which made him appear more mature. His eyes were the same though, sharp, brilliant, and focused, with just the right amount of humor. Olesya could see a darkness behind them though, but in these days there wasn't a single person alive without a little darkness in them.

"So you're just passing through?"

Olesya tried to hide the disappointment from her voice. Finding his brother was certainly important, she felt that her efforts to find her family were subtle indeed, mostly because she was afraid to find out the worst. At the same time she didn't like the idea of him running off again just as soon as he'd fallen back into her life...but that seemed more likely as it had happened every time before.

[David B.]

"Mmm."

He stared at her a moment before licking his lips and turning his eyes away in thought. Since he left, he always thought he would be on the move, trying this place and that in search of what remained of his family. But in truth, he honestly couldn't think of another place he would be. Damien was the only blood relative he knew of, besides his sister, and she had left north, toward Canada, where he assumed she still was. Canada was probably one of the least hit countries, as pretty much everyone liked the people there. His brother, on the other hand, was in California, and told David he loved it there and hoped he could move in with him once the time came. Of course, for both of them, that time was always running away from them.

"No, I actually think I'm going to stay." He pointed toward downtown, deep into what was now, unbeknownst to him, Barker territory. "I had a building there, with some equipment and files kept in a secure underground facility. I'll probably head that way at some point to dig up what i can. Other than that, i'll be calling California my home for the foreseeable future." He looked back at her.

"I won't say i'll be staying forever, but i can't think of any reason to leave right now." He kept his eyes on her. "If I do find one, i won't leave without saying something to you first. My days of vanishing into the sunset are behind me, okay?"

He would reach over and tug at her coat- yes, her coat now, not his- and flash a pearly white smile.

"Also, I'm glad you kept this. It looks good on you."

[Your Mom~]

Olesya frowned when he looked away. That with the contemplative noise threatened to confirm her question. He was just passing through after all. He was looking for his brother, and he wasn't going to put it aside just so he could stay here with her, that was just absurd. Even with all the times that she'd had friends leave her, she never could help getting her hopes up. Well, at least it was nice while it last-

"No, I actually think I'm going to stay."

-ed? Olesya's eyes brightened, the corners of her mouth tugging upward. She followed his gaze to where he pointed, somewhere downtown. She wasn't sure who the territory belonged to, but it was outside the Crow's area for sure.

"I could...I mean, I'm sure the Crows could lend you some men to go down and recover your things if you wanted. Sounds like it'd be too much to carry on your own."

She kept his gaze as he told her he wasn't leaving again soon, and that if he did he would tell her first. Olesya exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding, a small wave of relief washing over her. She looked down at the coat when he tugged on it, now remembering that she was wearing it. It had become much like a second skin to her, she hardly ever went anywhere without it.

"I'd appreciate that. And, thanks. It's served me well."