spam; the last journal post

[ukan]

[Getting on board was a moment of chaos. He remembers turning a corner, expecting to find fur and blood in his mouth, expecting maybe to get torn up in return, expecting maybe a bullet from above to take him down, too-

But instead he's somewhere metal, somewhere that smells of strangers and strangeness, and he's bleeding a trail but he runs for safety anyway. If there is any. If there are doors, anywhere, that he can open without changing back, because this has to be the FBI's work and so long as they think he's just a wolf, maybe they won't slit him open and poke around inside.]



[ooc: Lark is a wolf, for now. He'll have to change back sooner or later even if he doesn't want to, so feel free to tag him as human or wolf, just lemme know which.]

Comments

[ukan]

What, like a trampoline?

[God, maybe there's still some kid in him after all.]

Would it hurt?

[tucky]

I don't know.

... I floated out there once, with Iris, when the gravity wasn't working. It didn't hurt - we just kinda touched it and bounced back. It was still scary, though.

[ukan]

If I jump, would you jump with me?

[he asks this as he presses himself back against the wall, afraid but grinning]

[tucky]

[She looks at him, stricken.]

You serious?

I don't wanna jump!

[ukan]

[He's about 90% sure he knows what's going on now. The Marines were shooting tranq darts as well as live rounds; Lark must have been hit and had a bad reaction. Either he wakes up when he jumps, or...or this is real. It's worth the risk to find out.]

Would you do me a favor, then?

Would you stay here, and see if I come back?

[tucky]

... You're gonna do it.

[OH LAWD]

You sure?

[ukan]

[A nervous glance at the railing, and then he nods.]

I'll let you know what I find.

[Or he'll wake up and tear apart some guard. Either way, it's better than not knowing, so he runs, and he vaults the railing, and he falls.

As far as fear goes it's a little under the sensation of having his DNA changed, but a lot worse than being shot at. Go figure.

Even when he bounces, hard, it takes a moment to realize he hasn't died.]

[tucky]

[She jumps out of the way when he comes flying back up, but lets out a relieved breath.]

You okay?

[ukan]

[He is sprawled and pushes himself up onto his elbows, bewildered and hurt, though not exactly physically.

He had been so sure-

And his options now are to lose it, throw himself over and over at the nearest escape, or he can laugh and pretend.

He laughs. He pretends.]

Just like a trampoline.

[tucky]

[She buys it, and smiles.]

Was it scary?

[ukan]

Terrifying!

[But he says it like it's the same sort of scary a roller coaster is]

You should try it!

[tucky]

I think I'm gonna pass right now.

[She's loving this safe and solid Barge wall.]

Why'd you do it? Just for fun? Or were you trying to leave?

[ukan]

[He scoots back to sit against it, at her feet. Now that he's still, he's shivering, which is to be expected. He shivered like this the first time he went skydiving.]

I wanted to see if I'd wake up. That's a perfect cliche, isn't it?

[tucky]

Yeah, but it makes sense, don't it?

... You could've just pinched yourself, though.

[ukan]

[He laughs softly]

Next time I will.

...It is fun, though. [He's never thrown himself off of there before tonight, he's sure of that, and yet...]

I think I've seen this place before.

[tucky]

You mean the Barge?

[ukan]

[He looks up at her, trying not to show how horrifying this is, and failing]

This isn't just a prison, is it?

[tucky]

I don't know what it is sometimes.

[ukan]

But what happens if I don't graduate?

[He's remembering the first time he came, the near-death that preceded it. Or maybe he really had died; he remembers being hit.]

Do I just not go home? Do I die?

[tucky]

Most people stay here. But... yeah, people leave. Disappear. I don't know what happens then.

[ukan]

[He's glad he's sitting down.]

I still don't- How do I know what I'm here for? How am I supposed to know what the Admiral considers a crime?

[tucky]

... You really wanna know what I think?

[ukan]

Please.

[For the first time in more than a decade Lark is this close to begging.]

[tucky]

I don't think you're here 'cause you did something wrong. Maybe you did, but that ain't why you're here.

I think you're here so you can figure out how to make your life better than it already is.

[ukan]

[He closes his eyes and just breathes a moment. She might as well have handed him back the ground.]

I think I can do that.

[He reaches up, and touches just her fingertips with his]

Thank you.