As soon as the police Captain left her apartment, Mu starts to pace around her apartment, preparing mentally for the call she will have to make now, trying to find something to occupy a few more seconds with. Stalling for time, that is.
With a sigh, she ends her latest round through her rooms in front of her comm-unit, sitting on a small table near the bookshelf. Her finger hovers over the entry with the name of her cousin. It is not like she will be surprised that I am not planning to visit home yet again, but she really will not like the reason for it.
Waiting for the other end to answer, Mu starts fidgeting. She just manages not to flinch when the connection finally establishes.
"Hey there, Mu." comes the greeting from the video screen, as soon as the small display shows the smiling face of Mu's cousin. It takes her only a moment of scrutinizing the other woman and Athana ventures "Judging by your face, you're calling to cancel visiting home tomorrow, hm?"
Does it show that clearly? Mu sighs yet again. "Quick as always." and shakes her head, showing her cousin an apologetic smile. "Yes, I am calling to tell you I will not be able to go. Please do believe me, though, I really did consider doing so. Planned for it, even. I am, however, not permitted to leave City." She waits for the inevitable expression of realization on her cousin's face, remaining quite herself.
"You're not...what? The police? What did you do? Everything was just fine at lunch!" Athana determines - bemused, indignant, just as Mu expected.
"It is alright. I did-"
Mu gets interrupted before she can explain herself "Did they finally visit you because you're looking like you're planning to steal that picture in the museum? Or did you do it already! Or..not that I think it's possible, but..don't tell me they found out...?"
"Please, calm down!" Mu actually raises her voice, which is the more likely reason Athana stops talking, looking surprised, rather than listening to what her cousin is saying.
"Now. Will you let me explain?" Mu looks sternly at her cousin, almost pouting.
"Alright, alright, yes." The other woman relents, defeated. "Don't want you getting angry at me."
"I will not get angry," Mu huffs "I merely want to explain myself to you. Or rather elaborate on it as much as I can, because I do not know much about what the policewoman came here to talk." With that, Mu relates the reason for the presence of a police captain to question her.
In favor of not complicating the whole thing too much, though, she doesn't mention that she related the happenings from years in the past. No sense in having Athana worry about it again. As long as they stay in the past, of course... Of which she certainly can't be sure.
Neither does she mention a word about the more emotional moments the visit brought up. That was very unlike me. She shakes her head To touch another so freely, without asking their permission. Even going so far as manipulating her...What was I thinking? I do so hope she enjoyed it and did not make...things worse. Yet it did not feel wrong at all and she was not appalled. and sighs. I do not think I want to know what Athana would think about it, if I told her. Then again, maybe she can... Seriously considering to ask her cousin for advice, she dismisses the notion purely on instinct. No, I do not think it is a good idea to tell her.
In all, that leaves her telling her cousin about the falsified data entries. "So they think you're some 300 years old, huh? Quite the compliment, don't you think?§ chuckling at that, Athana asks "So you're calling me to warn me they might show up here, right? Don't you worry, it's probably just a glitch in their system. We've been watching that for so long, wondering how it kept up without error, but it had to happen, without question." she repeats the theory Mu's secretary already thought of earlier.
"I am not worried, no. I did want to tell you they might visit you, though. Just so that you are prepared. Not that you have a problem talking your way out of anything, yes?" Mu remarks absentmindedly and receives a tongue sticking out at that.
Noticing a lack of a reaction, Athana asks "What's wrong? You okay?"
"They...She.." Looking anywhere but at the small screen, Mu struggles for words. "She saw...The policewoman. I...she asked why I had one door closed." She takes a deep breath. "And I showed her."
"Oh Mu..." Athana's features soften, knowing full well what her cousin is talking about. "Why did you do that?" She isn't quite sure how she feels about that revelation. After all, she never did that before. "You weren't under any obligation, you wouldn't have had to, you know?" Shaking her head, she doesn't wait for an answer What's done is done... and sighs "What did she say?"
"For some reason, I felt it was alright to show her. She seemed to know something was there, even before I showed her. She reacted to it. I saw her wanting to go to it, as if she was drawn to it. I don't think she realizes that I saw." Considerably relieved that her cousin doesn't seem to be angry, Mu stops her fidgeting and regards the small screen intently once more. "This is the first time that happened. What...what does that mean now? What exactly happened?" She asks, obviously confused, but now without distress by the thought of someone knowing about her secret. Or rather, just this someone.
So that's why she's calling in the first place. Athana thinks after gathering her thoughts again. Out loud she says "Oh boy, Mu. Now it really is time to visit home. You need to talk to your mother, she'll help you understand." Such a child, sometimes. What are we going to do with you... "The sooner the better, obviously, but seeing how you're prevented from doing so at the moment, I'll see what I can do, when the..what was it you said? Captain?" At a nod from Mu, she continues "Yeah, when she comes here, I'll see if I can't get her to let you go home for two days or so. That should suffice. Of course, I won't be with you then, but you're a big girl, so you'll be fine."
Though she mostly trusts her instincts on reading people, just to be sure, Mu asks "You are not mad that I showed her? You, as well as I, know that I was not supposed to, until the time is right." Exasperated, she rolls her eyes "Not that mother ever elaborated on when that might be." and sighs. "You do know something about what happened, is that correct?"
"Of course I'm not mad. It's actually a good thing, you'll see, but not something for me to say anything about."And it'll bring a whole lot of awkwardness to you, never mind complicate your whole situation. Nothing I want to be responsible for. Athana thinks, smirking to Mu's surprise.
Before the latter can comment on it, Athana simply goes on "As close as we may be, that really is your mother's task. She'd be pretty upset if I did it, anyway. And I don't want the attention of an upset person from your close family, especially your mom, directed at me, thank you very much."
"Oh shush, we are not that bad. Father may be a bit louder sometimes, rarely, but that is all there is to it. Mother never was angry at any one of us. Not even you." Most of her unease shaken off, she laughs at the memories of a few of her cousin's antics when they were both still young. Her features settle in a fondly reminiscent smile.
Herself happy to see Mu smiling again, Athana adds with a smirk "Makes it all the more scary to think about what will happen in that case, don't you think?"
An indignant huff escapes Mu. "Do not make my mother seem worse than she is."
"What?" Utterly surprised, Athana can't believe what she just heard.
"What?" Mu repeats, unaware of what her cousin means. She mulls over what she just said. "Oh! No!" Realizing her words' meaning, she recoils, thoroughly embarrassed. "You know what I mean!" Mu says, her golden eyes in her bright red face darting every which way again, looking like she's making sure no one who isn't supposed to had heard her. "Now look what you did." She whispers, leaning conspiratorially close to the video screen. "Please do not tell her!" Athana, by now laughing wholeheartedly, finds herself unable to respond to the plight from her cousin, who looks at her like a little girl caught in the act of doing something wrong.
"Do not laugh so hard..." Mu pouts, only just managing to stop herself from smiling.
Wiping a tear away, Athana manages to calm down a bit. "I didn't even do anything, you know." Taking a deep breath, mostly to suppress more oncoming giggles, she finally gets herself together again. And smirks at her cousin. "You should feel better now, though, hm? That's worth suffering my presence, I hope."
Sighing deeply, Mu relents "Despite making a fool of myself, I do appreciate your being in City with me. It really makes some things easier." Smirking herself, she adds "Rarely." Trying at least this much to get back at Athana.
"Hey, always happy to help." Athana ignores Mu's jab on purpose, enjoying the hint of disappointment on her face. "So, all said and done, I will call you when I have been visited. For now, I wish you a good day still. Don't brood over your books all day again, hm?"
"Fine. I will eagerly await your call." not adding that she will also be excited to hear about the Captain. Certainly not telling her cousin the reason. Not that she really knows it herself. "Alright then, we will be speaking again soon. Good bye." With that, Mu ends the transmission and lets herself fall into her favorite armchair.
That went better than I expected. But what does Athana know about what happened? She says this is a good thing, though... Sighing yet again, she gets up to walk into her kitchen area, grabbing herself another glass of milk. No point in thinking about it too much, I suppose. It will become clear, when I visit mother. Standing in the same spot the police Captain occupied earlier, in front of her large window. She swirls the cup around, staring down onto the street without seeing anything.
Come to think of it, it was just an impulsive decision and now it turns out to be a necessity. That in itself makes me feel bad about visiting already. I should not need a pretext, other than the wish to see my family. At least that wish is there, too. Sighing again (So much of that in one day..), She turns around, walking over to her bookshelf to look for the book she started to read the day before.
A few hours later, while roaming through her apartment, searching for something to occupy her time with – something else than reading – she stops on front of her window once more. Looking out, she sees the setting suns and the mix of colors that produces in the atmosphere. Smiling, Mu thinks of the Captain and how nice it would be, if she liked her small present. Not at all – especially not with a flush on her cheeks – thinking of how nice the Captain would look, sitting at the lake, with her feet in the water, while the world around her is set ablaze. No, not at all. Oh my...