Memory Corrupt General Log

[ourlittlehelpers]

Who: Everyone
What: Memory Corrupt Event
When: Friday, June 1st to Tuesday, June 5th
Warnings: Please put any and all warnings in subject headers.

[It's strange. You can't quite put your finger on it, but there's something different about today. Not only might you feel different but your families, your friends, practically everything is different.

Can you remember a moment more peculiar than this? Actually...

What do you remember?]

Comments

[captain_tightpants]

[This day has been strange enough. When Mal finds it odd that he can't remember the last time he's spent time with his wife he decides that this must be fixed and he goes right over to Inara's assigned residence to surprise her. He knows how much she loves his manly impulsiveness.

There's a knock at the door, Inara.]

[companioning]

[Of course there's no one else to answer the door. Clone husband and children are at work and school and so that leaves Inara to open the door.

When she does, she blinks, obviously very surprised to see Mal there.]

Mal, what are you doing here?

[captain_tightpants]

[Well, Mal had been smiling. It fades at her question.]

What am I doing here? Now I can't come to visit when I'm feelin' like settin' eyes on the most beautiful woman in the 'verse?

[companioning]

[Inara's surprise shifts to utter confusion and for a moment she just gapes at Mal. Though after a few moments of awkward silence, her lips press together in annoyance because she's thinking he's just saying that to be an ass.]

Wǒ bù míngbái what sort of game you're playing, but it's not very funny.

((OOC: Hover over Chinese for translation.))

[captain_tightpants]

[Now Mal is frowning in confusion. He looks genuinely hurt and for a second he can't seem to figure out how to respond to that.]

Wh-... I-... Did somethin' happen? Did somebody do somethin' to you?

[His voice gets quieter and he's suddenly afraid.]

Did I do somethin'?

[companioning]

Really?

[She's just not sure what to make of Mal and his strange behavior. He's acting as though she's just hurt his feelings and she couldn't even think of how she might have went about with that one.

She shakes her head, crossing her arms.]

No, that would actually require you not avoiding me whenever you have the chance.

[captain_tightpants]

[That hurt worst of all because Mal knows the last thing he wants to do is avoid his new bride. He presses his lips together, trying to hold back his frustration.]

Okay, somethin' ain't right. What happened? Huh? If it's somethin' I did I'd want you to tell me. I can take it. What is it?

[companioning]

Nothing happened. [She just can't figure out what he's talking about or why he's looking at her that way.] Why do you think something's happened?

[captain_tightpants]

It's the town, then. The town's playin' games with our heads.

[Mal seems to brace himself mentally.]

What's the last thing you remember before we came here?

[companioning]

You're not making any sense.

[Perhaps he fell and hit his head, now that would indeed make sense.]

Well, Serenity had just been repaired and you'd asked if I was ready to get back to civilized life... And I said I didn't know.

[She eyes him.]

Why? What do you remember?

[captain_tightpants]

[He's about to ask what "Serenity" is but he figures that's a question better left for later. Nothing she said is familiar to him. Instead he just nods.]<,small>

I think-... I think one of us had our memories hijacked. Maybe even both of us. 'Cause, I dunno how this is gonna sound to you, but the last thing I remember is our wedding night.

[companioning]

Duì-bu-qǐ? [She gapes at him for a few moments because truly she must have misheard him.]

Wedding night? [She shakes her head.] That's a big leap as we've yet to get past you calling me a whore whenever it suits your needs.

Haaaaa, I can html good.

[captain_tightpants]

[He closes his eyes briefly at that last part. Apparently in her memory he's hurt her a lot too and he can't bear that thought.]

Apparently the me you know is a real hwen dan.

[His voice is quiet and he tries to smile but it's evident that it's being forced.]

Anyhow, that's what I remember. I guess we won't know whose memories are real until the town decides to let up on this little practical joke.

<33

[companioning]

[For the first time, okay maybe the second time, Inara truly doesn't even know what to say to Mal. He truly seems to believe what he's been saying, and that? That's all just left her reeling and not knowing what to think.

She's quiet for a few minutes and then steps back, motioning for him to enter the house.]

Would you care for some tea? I'd just made a pot when you knocked on the door.

[captain_tightpants]

[This whole thing is upsetting Mal far more than he's letting on. Even his false AU self prefers to hide away his feelings and pretend they don't exist.

At Inara's invitation he raises his eyebrows in mild surprise. He was honestly beginning to think she considered him a mortal enemy.]

Tea'd be great. Though I don't wanna impose or make you uncomfortable or the like. I understand the things I'm sayin' might be a bit odd.

[And he's not sure how long he'll be able to be around an Inara who has no memory of their relationship.]

[companioning]

Don't be ridiculous. [Though in truth it was more than a bit odd, and a bit disconcerting but she figures she can handle it. She's handled strange things before, why not Mal thinking they were married?

She motions for him to enter again.]

This whole town is odd, it's all right. Besides, I'd like to hear... I suppose I'd like to know about well, how it is you think we're married.

[captain_tightpants]

Would you now?

[A real smile is returning. This is quite the turn-around from a second ago and Mal can't say he's complaining. He steps into the house that he remembers being in many times before, though he's now questioning whether or not those memories are real. The idea that he might not actually be married to Inara is one that he'd rather not think about right now.]

It is a story I like telling. Can't say I'd mind.

[This Mal has become familiar with social graces with his job as a government representative and he'll remain standing until Inara has found her seat.]

You need help with the tea?

[companioning]

You must admit that if you were in my shoes that it would be something you'd want to know as well.

[Inara shuts the door and leads him into the kitchen. Might as well have the tea there, besides it was much more comfortable than the formal looking living room.]

No, I can manage, sit down.

[She turns, grabbing the teapot and a couple of tea cup before turning back to the table - where Mal was still standing. Her eyebrows rose a bit but after setting the cups down and pouring the tea, she sat, soothing her skirt down.]

So, I imagine this is going to be quite the story.

[captain_tightpants]

[That's fine with Mal. He'll admit to his laziness. Though he does wait until she's seated to do so himself.]

Well, to be quite honest I never imagined myself gettin' hitched. And I suppose it'd depend upon the person who'as claiming something like that.

For instance, if Johnson told me we'd-- oh you probably don't know Johnson. Uh, he was my best man, burly guy with an equally burly mustache. If he wanted to tell me about our story of matrimony I'd hightail it to the hills.

[companioning]

[Inara lifts her cup of tea, taking a small sip as Mal speaks. This is just truly surreal. Where he'd received these memories of them being married, it was very... Strange.

She cared for Mal a lot - more than she'd admit to him or even herself, but it was... a little frightening, in a way, to hear about this life he remembered and she didn't.]

Then I suppose it's a good thing he's not the one telling this story.

[Her fingernails tap against her cup as she watches him.]

You do understand why this is strange for me, don't you? For me, you've never even kissed me and here you are telling me we're married. It's a bit of a stretch to imagine something like that.

[captain_tightpants]

[Mal looks at her more seriously. The way she said that piques his curiosity. It almost sounded like-...]

You ever wanted me to kiss you? Er, you know. The other me.

[companioning]

Shénme? [She blinks in surprise because truly that wasn't exactly the question she'd expected to be hearing. She glances down at her tea cup, suddenly finding it to be the most interesting thing. It doesn't do much to hide the fact that her cheeks are a bit flushed though.]

Oh, no. I mean, don't... No. [Worst liar ever.]

[captain_tightpants]

Huh. That's a shame.

[Sorry, Inara. He's too smart for your terrible lying.]

You know, I never been very good at speakin' my feelings neither, 'specially to a beautiful woman.

[After taking a sip of his tea, he gives her a look with a twinkle in his eye.]

But somehow it happened and I'm very, very glad it did.

[companioning]

[Inara has had years of training and been around many, many men, and yet... The only one she never knew what to say to was sitting across from her, well, in a way. It was very confusing.

She looks back up at him, smiling almost wistfully.]

It's almost a shame that I don't remember any of it. You and I, well, the you I remember, we can't talk more than a couple of minutes before we start bickering over something.

[captain_tightpants]

[Smirk.]

Sounds like me n' my wife. Oh, wait a minute!

[Now he's just trolling her. He's finding it very easy to do.]