Description: Quon and Cammy meet up by chance - and get to say goodbye.
Every since losing his apartment, Quon has been constantly moving, never staying in the same place for long. He has for the most part attempted to keep himself isolated from others only breaking his self imposed exile to obtain substanance, maintain his personal hygene, and obtaining just enough money through underground street fights to make the previous two possible.
As far as the Chongquan prodigy has fallen, he still has enough pride not to let himself become a stereotypical homeless bum.
Quon is currently in the process of eating food at a coffee shop in Southtown Village so he can go back to his self imposed exile. But if Cammy were to see him now, he would have subtle differences, he seems to have lost weight. His clothes are just slightly baggier, and there are slight bags under his bloodshot eyes from a few recent sleepless nights. But other than those things, Quon looks relatively healthy.
Where there are coffee shops there is often cheesecake. And where there is cheesecake, with complete predictably, there are often Dolls, intent on making sure that they do /not/ lose weight. Really, Quon should be more careful where he eats, no shop in Southtown that sells The Food is safe from Shadaloo.
And so the red cloaked Doll hoves into view, pushing through the door and making a bee line for the till, and the food. Red gloves hands rest on the glass of the counter, as she peers through it at all the delicious edibles contained therein. Mmmm nobody will notice a tiny slice being eaten on her break, she is sure. And Lord Vega won't hold one of those tiny slices against her. She points to the smallest one silently when the woman behind the counter gets to her, and fumbles around in a pocket for some money.
So intent on the food is she, that Quon is barely noticed, especially as he looks a little different from how she remembers. Which was a while ago, now.
Quon on the other hand, does notice the Zero Doll making her appearance. His hands free for a few moments as he clutches the croissant breakfast sandwich in his hand. After a few moments of stunned silence, the sandwich drops from his finger tips landing with a dull thud. He tries to recover his composure and take the croissant and quickly finish up before leaving but he doesn't quite pay attention. The result is that he jostles the plate causing a loud clattering noise.
he glances around at the other patrons of the restaurant and hisses at himself in frustration before finally picking up the sandwich and jamming it into his mouth.
Cammy maybe be oblivious when on the cheesecake hunt, but the sounds of disturbance cause her to immediately do a 180, eyes narrowed and ready for trouble - until she spots Quon, causing her eyes to widen. She hurriedly pays for her slice, and then quickly slinks over to where he sits - though she does not sit herself - looking down at him with blank eyes, which focus upon the sandwich stuffed into his mouth.
"There is no rush." she says after a moment. "You will choke if you eat like that. You can leave, soon enough, there is no need to run away.". She shrugs, looking down at her plate. "I have left you alone for a long time, now. It is over.".
Quon is quiet. With all that sandwich jammed in his mouth, he doesn't really have any choice. He does slow down, however, if only to chew that big bite of sandwich so he can eventually respond. In his own mind, it seems to take forever but eventually the food is finally chewed and then swallow and he finally gets the freedom to speak.
"I just didn't expect to see you." While true, there are few things that are left unsaid, such as the fact that he feels obligated to stick around, especially now that she has seen him. But when the words 'It is over' leave her lips, it seems as though a weight is lifted from his shoulders. It carries with it a multitude of meanings for the Chongquan fighter. An end to a friendship that was toxic if not because of Cammy herself, because of the company she keeps. Freedom from her stealthy appearances in his abode which could be a hostel or a cheap motel at this point due to his current financial situation. Freedom from the constant dark cloud of Shadaloo hanging over him constantly threatening either his life or livelihood. Freedom to pursue his dreams... He mentally stops there realizing that pursuing his dreams means that a big target on chest for Shadaloo to go after. And all of a sudden, that emotional weight that he felt being lifted slams back down upon him.
He looks like he's about to cry but he holds back the tears through force of will refusing to show /visible/ weakness in front of Cammy who already chides him enough for being a scaredy cat as is. He forces himself to keep his voice neutral. "That was condition that was set. I couldn't be the one that ended things. It had to be you."
Cammy doesn't exactly look very happy about how he looks relieved to hear it. She stares at him blankly for a good long while - before she eventually asks, "What conditions were set and by whom?" she asks, faintly curious, despite her better judgment. "I see that you are happy about the new state of affairs." she notes waspishly before he even gets a chance to reply.
It is rather fortunate for all concerned that the Doll is innately a placid sort, as there is evidently a fair bit of bitterness beneath that shell of hers. It takes an effort of willpower to sit down on the chair opposite, and focus upon her plate, munching at cheesecake while Quon is studiously ignored for a moment, one hand reaching up to brush an errant lock of hair out of her face as she eats with a thunderous frown.
"Your lord Vega." His voice remains even toned though emotionally he broadcasts anger and bitterness at even having to mention that name. "Though he made it quite clear that he didn't like me hanging out with you he set the condition that I was to maintain contact with you and that I was not to hurt you. And I failed at that last part that night where I was supposed to help you on that mission because of his orders. I figured I was good as dead anyway. Given my interpretation of those conditions, if the whole thing was to end, it would be by your hands either by you killing me or by you walking away. Or..." He leaves that last one hanging. There are multiple directions it could go. Someone from Shadaloo being sent to kill him permanently. And as Cammy knows from the last time they had seen each other, freedom by committing suicide.
He takes another, this time more reasonable bite from his sandwich. His discomfort of having Cammy around quite palpable even for those without empathy.
Cammy ponders that for a moment. But the doll is certain that Lord Vega only had her best interests at heart really, and certainly it rather sounds like maybe the Force of Evil really did, if what Quon says is true. In any case, any negative thoughts about her master just slip past her without taking root.
"So you were only with me all that time, because Lord Vega wished it to be so?" she asks, after a long moments silence. "It was all an act?". She clenches her fists, going a little green and staring down at her cheesecake, all appetite having faded away. "Or was it merely Rust who poisoned your mind." she finishes, hatred suddenly dripping from every word.
"Before Vega met with me, I wouldn't have minded hanging out with you. If not for the fact that your organization was connected to everything that has gone wrong in my life, I would've happily stayed your friend. Expulsion from college, loss of my job, loss of my apartment, severe injury. They were either caused in some way be it directly or indirectly by your organization." He takes a deep breath as he attempts to organize his thoughts.
He then rises to his feet and starting from a low rumble before finishing in a loud angry roar, "And as for Rust, I WAS THE ONE WHO DEFENDED YOU TO BOTH RUST AND RYO WHEN THEY WERE /BOTH/ THROWING DIRT ON YOUR NAME!" He slams his hands down on the table for emphasis. "I WAS!!!"
He takes a step from the table. "I really don't mind hanging out with you. The problem I don't like your job involving itself in my life. Shadaloo is toxic for me and as long as you remain loyal them and we continue to be friends, they will continue to involve themselves in my life. They will continue to hurt me. They will continue bring me misery. I'm not asking you to break your loyalties to them. I just don't have that right to ask that of you. I may not be the smartest man in the world but even I can see that best thing for both of us is to walk away from each other. And with you saying 'It is over.' We both now have the freedom to do that."
Cammy blinks slowly at the outburst. "Well... thank you." she replies, primly. "Rust is no good. Neither is Ryo. You are better than both, in my eyes. I am sure you are telling me the truth.". This doesn't mean she doesn't get to hate Rust (and Ryo), though. Some things are better left cherished. "So they tried. But did not succeed." she thinks aloud, with a small smile.
There is a small shrug, and a nod, when he moves away from the table. "I was trying to help you." she points out gently. "You never let me help you. Not even when it was just me helping you. I would never divert Shadaloo resources to help you anyway, it was all my own effort, you know, but you turned it down anyway. But yes, experience has taught me that maybe Sagat was right all along, and I suppose that being committed to Shadaloo alone is the best for all concerned.". She twitches a little, and then adds, "But I do not think you appreciate how much I dislike most of my colleagues." she tells him candidly. "Balrog, especially... he is disgusting.".
"Oh well." she finishes, apparently resigned to her fate. "I am sure that any help I offer would be counterproductive one way or another. But I wish you the best of luck. I did ask my friend Ibuki to help you. Maybe she is not so cursed as I am regarding you.".
Log created on 13:41:36 08/25/2011 by Cammy, and last modified on 17:18:33 08/25/2011.