[color=lightgray][right][sub][b]TIMESTAMP: During Aponi's Heart
FT: [color=fe6f5e]Poppy[/color] & the [color=b5392e]Reservation Dog[/color][/b][/sub][/right]
[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/221007/385fa935b5a4efc9413010cda23ea8b9.png[/img]
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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/221007/24eb8450785ba2b46880aca724d01332.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/z4WIP7O.png[/img]
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[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/brutalbx][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/211015/b5878257bfbd9cdd76a67a003c983966.png[/img][/url]  [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/211015/52f6860b6ef04523593be20b787cf5af.png[/img]  [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/lovelycomplex][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/211015/450efa6a0ce5a6f0235bac836bcc1708.png[/img][/url][/center]
[indent][indent]The moment she was alone her legs began to shake. Her body felt like it could collapse any second now. She needed to get a grip. Like [i]The Little Engine That Could[/i], Penelope thought she could, she thought she could, she thought she could… but could she? Now here she was, the moment of truth, the moment she could turn the page in her story, the moment a secret wouldn’t feel like a lie, the moment she could stop blaming herself for Charlie’s demise, and all Penelope-fucking-James could do was doubt herself. She was absolutely terrified to meet Mitena but why?   

Stumbling, Poppy shuffled to the nearest seat which was a log by a campfire. After placing her backpack down beside her, not realizing it was open the entire time, she closed her eyes, and placed her hands on the bark, grasping at it for stability. [i][color=fe6f5e]Breathe, Poppy, breathe.[/color][/i] All this progress and for what? For her to fall back into her old routine of crippling anxiety, panic attacks, and depressive episodes? These were things she thought she was healing from. These were things she had convinced herself were no longer an issue. These were things she wanted to leave behind. There were always things on her goddamn mind. 

What the hell was she doing? 

Throughout her day, throughout her week, throughout her month, she had told herself that she was strong. It was her who led the charge. It was her who took the first steps to meet people that Charlie hurt to provide them with some sort of closure. It was her who got all his broken friends together. It was her who so desperately wanted to seek out this piece of his heart so they could all move on. It was all her and she was so strong. That’s what she kept telling herself. That’s what she wanted to believe. 

Was she just lying to herself? This wasn’t going to fix her problems. All this was going to do was show her that Charlie wasn’t the man she loved. He was a complete stranger. She couldn’t do this. What would she even say when she met Mitena? How would she feel? Charlie didn’t trust her enough to tell her about his sister. That has to mean something, right? For all she knew, Charlie had nothing good to say about her. For all she knew, Mitena hated her. For all she knew, this was the beginning of the end for her. 

Penelope wanted to so desperately believe that the love she and Charlie had was true. That they didn’t need to say the words they both needed to hear. She wanted to believe that if he were still alive he would kiss her on the forehead and slip post-it notes everywhere to tell her how much she meant to him, using book quotes. Stupid book quotes. He loved quoting books. She missed him so fucking much and she wished this meeting with his sister was under different circumstances. She wished he didn’t shoot up a school. She wished she was the strength he needed when he truly lost himself junior year. She wished they had more time together so that she could say the words she should’ve said freshman year.

[i][color=fe6f5e]I love you. 

I love you. 

I love you. [/color][/i]

There was no use in wishing though. He was dead. He could never come back. And his deeds were unforgivable. He killed so many people. How do you redeem a person from committing such a crime? You don’t. She loved who he was, not who he became. She wasn’t here because Rhonda asked her to. No, Penelope knew she needed to let go of him. She needed to move on. 

All she could see was Charlie and it made living life so fucking hard because he was supposed to be her future. He was supposed to be her forever. He was supposed to be with her. He always came back. He promised he’d come back. Why didn’t he come back? 

Fuck, she hated herself. 

To learn to walk again. That’s why she was here. But why was she so scared? Why did she feel so dizzy? 

[i][color=fe6f5e]Breathe, Poppy, breathe.[/color][/i] 

[color=b5392e]“You know, there’s a lot better seating inside if you’re here to see the band. Red Wolf Road rocks!”[/color]

A figure sat down on the other end of Poppy’s log, his wild black hair framed his dark face but the flickering embers of the log fire danced in his eyes. He placed a rucksack between him and the doe eyed brunette, if anything it would make her feel comfortable that this random guy had decided to share her seat with her. The stranger leaned forward and locked his fingers together in front of him. He turned to face the woman and his full, handsome face was revealed. Sharp strong angles, a light tan, and a few battle scars, in some ways, he looked a lot like Charlie. In other ways, he looked like just another reservation dog, just doing his part to survive. 

[color=b5392e]“Not often we get outsiders in town for a gig, you and your gang must be big fans?”[/color]

Lazily opening her eyes, Penelope turned to see this boy, who looked around her age, maybe a little older, and silently scanned his facial features. If she was the dramatic type, she would do a double take but instead she sat there and stared. She could see Charlie in him but he was also different enough, especially with those cheekbones, for her to tell him apart and not get lost in her head. Briefly, she wondered if all the residents here looked like this. If that were the case, she was in for a trip. She didn’t know how her heart could handle this. How her heart could handle seeing Charlie’s ghost everywhere she turned. [color=fe6f5e]“No, not really, but I’ll take your word for it,”[/color] she faintly smiled.  

His presence alone gradually eased her nerves and worry. Instead of being alone, she was alone with a stranger. Maybe that’s what she needed. Someone who came to her with kindness but no knowledge of her past, seeing how her friends could be emotionally charged at this very moment, which would only make things worse. Maybe she needed a stranger. Someone who didn’t know anything about her at all or her situation. Someone where she and them had a blank slate. Someone she could have a fresh start with. Someone new! 

[color=fe6f5e]“I’m looking for a person. I was told she lives here.” [/color]

The boy cocked his eyebrow. [color=b5392e]“So you’re on a quest? Nice,”[/color] He took a hold of the bag that sat between them and pulled open the zip before reaching inside. [color=b5392e]“You’ll probably need some good food then if you’re going to be searching for this mystery girl.”[/color] He pulled a bundled up something or other covered in grease or off paper from the carrier and held out his palm towards Poppy. Steam was lightly flowing off of the ball in his hand. [color=b5392e]“You look like you could do with a munch. It’s good food, honest. Teriyaki Bao Bun. Homemade. Take it.”[/color]

Tilting her head, eyes glinting with curiosity, Penelope reached for the bun and asked, [color=fe6f5e]“Is this what you do? Offer food to sad, skinny girls?”[/color] Surprised at herself, with how lighthearted she suddenly felt, she examined the contents and chuckled, [color=fe6f5e]“I’m kidding, by the way. Thank you… you really didn’t have to.”[/color] She paused for a moment, before deciding to introduce herself, [color=fe6f5e]“My name’s Penelope. Friends call me Poppy. If I’m going to eat your poison, you might as well tell me your name too.” [/color]

[color=b5392e]“Well actually, I kind of do just give food away,”[/color] He motioned with his head to a food truck, Resi on the Rez, parked just across the car park. [color=b5392e]“That’s mine, I’m catering this entire thing,”[/color] The boy grinned brightly as he watched her take the bun. He didn’t want to invade her space and something was telling him that she wasn’t overly fond of being in close quarters with anyone, let alone a stranger, so he leaned back ever so slightly. [color=b5392e]“Forrest, they call me Forrest. Some people Resi. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Poppy.”[/color] The man they call Resi reached into his bag again and pulled out a bun for himself, unwrapping the piping hot Asian delicacy, he took a small bite and enjoyed the wonderful flavor before speaking again. [color=b5392e]“You said you’re looking for someone? You’re not like some badass hitwoman about to murder our chief are you? If you are, I might need that bao back.”[/color]

[color=fe6f5e]“That would be pretty fucked up if I came in to kill your people like my ancestor, huh?”[/color] Penelope nervously laughed, thinking back at her own history that both she and Charlie discovered sophomore year. [color=fe6f5e]“No. My dad’s a cop so he’s taught me how to shoot out of self defense but I promise you, all I have is a slingshot.”[/color] Rather than answer him immediately about who she was looking for, Poppy took a small bite out of the bun and in complete shock, she cussed, [color=fe6f5e]“Fuck, this is good. You made this?”[/color] 

Forrest nodded his shaggy head in compliance. [color=b5392e]“Yeah. I always like to try new recipes. Try and theme my food every week to mix it up. This week is Japanese week!”[/color] He said excitedly. It was very obvious that Resi loved food, the way his face lit up at its mention and how he worked on the recipes. It was his passion. [color=b5392e]“Bit weird to see a grown woman with a slingshot but who am I to judge?”[/color] The native boy took another bite from his bao before leaning fully back in a stretch. [color=b5392e]“Also your ancestor? Don’t pay it no mind. Every white person's ancestor has tried to kill us once or twice. Ain’t a thing,”[/color] Resi let out a little laugh. [color=b5392e]“So where is it you come from?”[/color]

If only he knew who she was related to. Penelope glanced at the longhouse named after the woman her ancestor killed, as she firmly held her bun. It wasn’t a big deal. He said it himself. [color=fe6f5e]“Edenridge,”[/color] She turned back at him, simultaneously taking another bite of the bun. This was a really good bun. She was surprised she could keep eating it in one sitting. In front of a stranger no less. [color=fe6f5e]“Oh,”[/color] she covered her mouth while chewing. [color=fe6f5e]“To answer your question from earlier, today I found out my dead friend has a sister and his sister lives here. So yay, fun stuff. Finding out answers and… yeah. Fun stuff,”[/color] she glanced away, peering down at her shoes. 

[color=b5392e]“Heavy,”[/color] Forrest nodded his head ever so slightly before polishing off the rest of his food in one big bite. He looked into the flickering flame and began to do some quick mental maths before the light bulb went off in his head. This girl was from Edenridge. That hellhole was the birthplace of the tribe. He knew a few people down there from his dealings with Jalyn. Like that dude Oz, he was a sick guy in a good way. He knew of only one person on the reservation who had admitted to a relative down that way and that particular kin was no longer of this world and had joined the Great Spirit. [color=b5392e]“You mean Tena? Mitena Strongbow?”[/color]

Woof. The sudden mention of the girl’s name made this whole situation no longer a theory but actual reality. Poppy’s eyes began to well up. Diverting her attention from her feet to the bun, she saw her hands begin to shake. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Placing the food down, she jumped up and walked a short distance away to calm herself. 

[color=fe6f5e][i]Breathe.[/i][/color] 

With her back facing him, she whispered, [color=fe6f5e]“Oh so it’s true. She does exist…” [/color]

He felt bad. This was obviously a lot for this poor girl and he had already made it ten times worse for her but honesty was always the correct way to go about things. No matter how much the truth hurts, a person would feel worse for not knowing. That’s what the chief said and he was the boss. He had been chosen to lead the tribe for a reason. [color=b5392e]“I’m sorry if that’s hard to hear, Poppy. She’s like the lead singer in the band. That’s her onstage right now, you can hear her.”[/color]

[color=fe6f5e]“She has a pretty voice…”[/color] Penelope softly acknowledged. She needed to get her shit together. She was doing so well up until today. The tears gradually went down her cheeks like raindrops on a window. She needed to be like her father. A man that could take all the punches, soak in all the pain, and still feel determined to protect people. She needed to protect Mitena. It didn’t matter if Charlie never told her about her. It hurt, it hurt a lot, but Tena’s life was endangered and no James would let something like that go. 

Frustrated, she wiped her wet face with her sleeve, like Charlie brushing her tears away. She had put Charlie’s jacket on when day turned into night and the chill made her shiver. It wasn’t something she wanted to leave behind in Edenridge, when she needed Charlie now more than ever. His coat was huge but his coat was hers. Just like how Mordechai’s sweatshirt was huge but his sweatshirt was hers. 

Turning back to Resi, Penelope pushed her hair back behind her ear and disclosed, [color=fe6f5e]“Someone has gotten ahold of her brother’s journal and has been bringing up the past. Mitena might be endangered… I was sent here because C—”[/color] saying his name when she needed to stung and she didn’t know why. [color=fe6f5e]“—Charlie’s mother is worried.”[/color] 

She did it and the pain deeply sat in her chest. She was used to it though. Penelope should be used to the pain by now. It was becoming part of her new normal. [color=fe6f5e]“So what if my best friend never fucking told me he has a goddamn sister? That doesn’t matter right now. I need to get over myself and just see her.” [/color]

Wow. These white folk had some serious issues. Resi got to his feet to match Poppy and took out a few more buns. He put them down on the log before her and took a step back. [color=b5392e]“You know, it seems like you’ve got a lot going on. I don’t know this Charlie guy though by the sounds of it we’re probably related, Tena’s mom is my Mom’s sister… anyway… you better get in there if my little cousin is in trouble. She’s a bad bitch but if you’re here to help then no doubt she’ll need it.”[/color] Forrest placed his hands in his pockets before taking a step back and motioning with his head to the buns. [color=b5392e]“Take them with you when you go, they’ll last the trip.”[/color] He looked down at her bag and noticed a book sticking out of it: [i]On the Road[/i] by Jack Kerouac. [color=b5392e]“That’s a good book.”[/color]

It was at that moment, Penelope pulled out her phone and found herself rushing to him. Intensely, she looked up at him with her big, green eyes, [color=fe6f5e]“You’re related to Charlie?”[/color] The tears kept coming but she wasn’t going to hold back from saying what was on her mind, not like she did in the past, [color=fe6f5e]“Can… can I have your number?”[/color] This was such a random occurrence but if she could make up for her past mistakes for not being there for Charlie, not in the way he needed her to, maybe just maybe she could make up for all the pain she caused him. Through Resi. Through Tena. Through his family on the Res. Through mama Rhonda. Through Charlie’s spirit. Maybe just maybe this was how she would turn her pain into something good. [color=fe6f5e]“Please?”[/color] She desperately begged her acquaintance, not really one to boldly ask for someone’s number like this. It was a new dawn, a new day, and a new life. It was time to start something new.  

This was something else. When Resi sat down he did not expect for any of this to happen. The look on her eyes though, that was something he could understand. He had his fair share of pain, so did everyone but this girl, Poppy, her name, there was so much in her that it radiated from her being. She needed this. [color=b5392e]“Yeah of course,”[/color] he took a hold of her phone and input his digits for her before handing it back. [color=b5392e]“I usually head your way every few weeks so if I’m in town, I’ll be sure to hit you up ok? I don’t know what I can do to help but I’ll try.”[/color]

[color=fe6f5e]“Thank you, Resi,”[/color] Penelope, her face wet from tears, held her phone close and shyly glanced away, a little embarrassed at how emotional she got, [color=fe6f5e]“This really means a lot… um,”[/color] She heard the song nearing an end and cleared her throat, [color=fe6f5e]“I should get going now,”[/color] she goofily saluted before robotically making her way to her bag and all the buns, [color=fe6f5e]“Thanks again for these. You really didn’t have to.”[/color]  

[color=b5392e]“It’s what I do,”[/color] Forrest picked up his own bag and turned on his heel, beginning to walk towards the darkness. He stopped in his tracks, half silhouetted in shadow and half lit by the flames. [color=b5392e]“I’ll be seeing you Poppy. Go give 'em hell,”[/color] He offered her one final smile before disappearing into the shrouded car park and heading back towards his truck.[/indent][/indent][/color]