[Video]

[asecondfaster]

[Ian (who is only sixteen) is standing outside the ship. He looks confused and annoyed at the same time; he wants answers, and he wants them now.]

Gabe, are you around here somewhere? Suki? CJ?

[after no response from his friends, he frowns] Where am I? Is this some kind of test, or experiment? Some illusion created by Whisper?

Maybe it’s a dream...but it’s a pretty weird dream, if it is. Even weirder than the yellow elevator one, or the one where Conner called me his liege, whatever that means. [he pauses] At least Señor Guapo hasn’t made an appearance yet.


((ooc: I'll reply to everyone's permissions posts and tags sometime tomorrow! For now, I sleep. Also I have a pathetically small number of icons rn, but I will fix that soon.))

Comments

[abetterway]

Hmm. [Her eyes narrow; at the phrase, at the implications.] Developed for whose benefit?

[asecondfaster]

[wryly] I wasn't planning on sticking around long enough to find out. But I didn't think I would escape like this.

[abetterway]

But you did have plans to escape. [That gives her hope for the children still there, at least.]

[asecondfaster]

[He's going out on a limb and trusting that this isn't some elaborate setup. That she isn't a Headmaster plant, trying to get information out of him.]

We've been trying. We finally got a call out to the outside world before I came here...my mom told me it was dangerous. But I don't know if it was dangerous for me, or dangerous for them. We were going to make another plan to get out before I woke up here.

[abetterway]

[Her expression softens, at the mention of his mother, an old ache pinching her brow.] I'm sorry. I hope they're all right. [She won't tell him she's sure they are; she doesn't lie to people when she can help it.] It's possible your family was taken here as well, or your friends.

[asecondfaster]

[Ian frowns.] I'm not sure it's any safer for them here...but I haven't heard from them yet, anyway.

[abetterway]

[A slight nod.] It's difficult to say.

Have you encountered anything hazardous, so far? It can be dangerous, out in the open.

[asecondfaster]

Not yet, but I know how to defend myself.

[abetterway]

A fine skill to have, but best as a last resort. It would be best to avoid confrontation, if possible.

[asecondfaster]

Well, running away doesn't always work.

[abetterway]

No, nor does diplomacy. I always like to try, though.

Where did you learn your self defence skills?

[asecondfaster]

[he shakes his head] Diplomacy never works. Unless you're Gabe, and you can talk your way out of anything.

...I've had a lot of practice. [a.k.a. he gets into fights a lot] And Coach trained me, at Tower Prep.

[abetterway]

[With an arched eyebrow] Certainly not with that attitude - and I imagine Gabe can give you some pointers.

[Oh, her lips quirk at that; she knows what it means.] Are they more trustworthy than the headmaster?

[asecondfaster]

[Ian rolls his eyes, but then he frowns.]

I'm not sure. Sometimes he's more open about stuff, but sometimes he's not. And it's not "the" headmaster. Just Headmaster, and just Coach. We don't even know their real names.

[abetterway]

If they know themselves. [It's a dark murmur, and she quickly moves on.]

Coach may be trying to aid you as much as he can, in the circumstances - or he might just be feeding you misinformation.

If it's the latter, I'd be wary of his training.

[asecondfaster]

I think they do. Know their own names, I mean. Headmaster says they do that to keep things "simple, yet respectful". [Ian thinks it's probably to keep the students from finding out their real identities.]

But I'm pretty wary of everyone there who's not a student. And even then, I really only trust a few of them.

[abetterway]

A wise course. But I'm glad you've found people you can rely on.

[asecondfaster]

So am I. But I don't know what's going to happen to them while I'm stuck here... [he's worried, yes :c]

[abetterway]

You must trust in their strength.

[She smiles, faint but sincere.] If they're like you, I'm certain they'll manage. [He's been handling himself quite well, through all this, for someone so young.]

[asecondfaster]

I do, believe me. But sometimes that's not enough.

...We stuck together, you know? We were a team. [Which is funny, he realizes, because had never been a team player before Tower Prep. And now he's alone again.]

[abetterway]

...No. [Her voice is solemn, quiet, as she agrees. No, sometimes it isn't.]

You don't need to be alone here.

[asecondfaster]

Is there anyone else here my age?

[abetterway]

...Not that I've seen, no. [Her smile is wry.] I can see why you wouldn't trust adults.

I didn't, either.

[asecondfaster]

[awkwardly] I don't really trust anyone, except my friends. No offense.

[then, he frowns] What do you mean?

[abetterway]

[She nods, completely sincere.] None taken.

[She doesn't answer, for a moment; then, quietly] I was used myself, as a child. Tests. Experiments. [She speaks about it calmly enough; she seems more resigned, than anything, sad and weary.]