JUNE EVENT: CAMP

[sailmods]

early on June 10th, Friday's morning announcements end with a request for everyone going on the latest excursion to meet her in the atrium. she seems in noticeably better spirits than she had been last time, and she leads them cheerfully to the tender. once they are all aboard, and the door is securely shut, the interior fills with gas, and, perhaps, their last thought before they slip into unconsciousness is "oh shit, not again."

passengers wake up on a rickety old school bus, driving down a dirt road surrounded by woods. what is it that they notice first? that, no matter what they were wearing before, they are now wearing a camp t-shirt and legitimately horrifyingly short shorts? the overstuffed backpack between their knees? the words "take one down and pass it around" dying on their lips? the fact that Friday is absolutely driving the bus?

or, maybe the fact that it's already slowing down, pulling up in front of a massive wooden sign, saying:

 

 

 

 

 

CAMP AION

when they get out of the bus, Friday is the one to divide them up into their cabin groups, and she is the one to give the counselors their very official-looking clipboards and whistles. she explains that they are in charge, and that she will be back to pick them up in a week, and... very little else. she responds to nothing outside of whatever is on her unseen little script, and she gets back on the bus shortly after, leaving them there.

welcome to camp. let's make some summer memories!

Comments

[skaikru]

( clarke blinks a little in surprise at that. but her answer is relatively immediate, no hesitation — )

Of course it is.

( not the same measure of grace she extends to the likes of stede bonnet, who seems content to fluster over interpersonal relationships, his own ghosts, and the sorry excuse for a crew he's gathered together and claims to care for. it's different when a self discovery is just a side quest, something to chew over when new ideas on how to get out of here are few and far between. there's admtitedly more downtime than clarke's accustomed to, despite the constant needling fear that something new and horrible is just around the coroner. and if she'd any questions about herself and what she might be capable of doing, she'd be asking them too. )

I'm...sorry. I didn't know you still had questions about it.

( the downfall of stoicism and deadpan, others just sorta assume you know what you're talking about. )

[neverleave]

I didn't, until recently.

[He was a monster, he was dead and the Serena Eterna was nothing more than an unwanted delay along the way. Fuel his spite until this pocket dimension is no more, then stop existing like he was supposed to.]

But I guess... [A pause. When he speaks again, his tone is lower.] realizing just how many different realties and people are out there gives another perspective. [Natsuno scowls, sounding downright grumpy now, like he's admitting something he shouldn't.] And I don't know if I should keep thinking about it, because I don't want to get distracted. Or comfortable.

[skaikru]

( wow, she didn't know it was possible for him to ever sound more grumpy than his given baseline, yet here that is. )

You really think it's possible to get distracted from all of this?

( yes, camp is boring. but they both know even if this entire venture ends in little to no bloodshed, there was always more coming. interpersonal frustrations are mounting, enemies emerging, and each new person who arrives here throws a wrench into already grinding gears.

as for comfortable — has he ever been comfortable? )

...I wouldn't worry about that last point. The Captain won't let that happen.

( unacknowledged, the deeper implication is: i won't let that happen either. for as long as he'll have her, clarke will be at his doorstep, dumping newfound mysteries and theories before dashing off to put them to the test. and she's come to trust that he'll follow her into the mouth of hell and back with very little discussion. )

[neverleave]

Guess not.

[It's tempting to just leave it at that, but after another pause, he admits:]

I meant comfortable with what I am. [He won't deny some it has been useful, even invaluable here, but it's didn't end with having a better nose or healing from damage. He could do so much worse.] Back home, the shiki acted like it's obvious I'd be like them once I turned. But now I'm here, and - I don't know. Should I pick and choose which part of it I'm willing to accept?

[skaikru]

I don't... ( have any real answer for that.

her own changes in biology and physiology don't hold a candle to his, but what it all mainly boils down to was choice, right? guilt ridden and scared of the impending deathwave, and wearing the noose of responsibility tightly around her own throat, clarke'd had the option to inject emori and hope for the best. but had chosen to turn the needle to the crook of her own arm. )

I can't answer that for you. I don't know if there is a good answer for it at all. But... I think there could be a lot of peace in acceptance. ( she's a filthy hypocrite but the advice is sound. ) There's no way to go back, is there? You can't be a human again, I'd guess.

But knowing the full scope of what you are doesn't dictate who you become. That's entirely up to you, and all the other shiki can choke on their expectations.

[neverleave]

No, there's no going back. [No way to be human again, no way to delete everything that's happened.] ...I'll think about what you said.

[Other people here have been telling him that, and though they don't know the full story, he respects their opinion. Especially Clarke's.

(It's totally rational, of course, not like it makes him feel better, because emotions and unrelaiable and gross)]

[skaikru]

...I'm sorry. That I can't give you a clearer direction.

( but while he's learnt over the course of their friendship just how utterly reckless and stupidly self sacrificial clarke can be, she's been learning just how stubborn and willful natsuno can be. unlike mizuki, he's not the sort she wants to tell exactly what to do. whatever he path he follows is going to have to be one he chooses for himself, and she'd just tag along for the walk. )

But whatever you pick, if there's a way for me to help you with it, I will. In every single way I can.

( different worlds, different struggles, different specifies — whatever stands in the way of total understanding, he's not alone in this either. )