ataraxion | VIDEO

[ there are others here who cared about roy walker, if not to the same degree or in the same way that anderson cared. that doesn't matter so much, especially not now. ] Roy Walker is gone. [ if she looks and sounds tired and sad -- well, she is.

she does, however, straighten up almost immediately, shoulders going back and features smoothing out. ] If anyone wants lessons in self-defense, please contact me.

[ there is no way to fight what they've been facing lately with fists or weapons, but inactivity is something that needs combatting, too, and there is no guarantee that they won't face threats that are physical rather than mental again one of these days. if she can make a difference in any way, be it by keeping people from losing their mind because they're holed up in their bunks all day, or by preparing them for a future threat-- all she's ever wanted was to make a difference.

and besides, she needs something more to do, too. the time she used to spend with roy in medical has been freed up, hasn't it? ]

I've been meaning to offer.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

{Alex is quiet for some time, then speaks, carefully, softly.]

...he didn't finally find a way to off himself, did he?

[ the noise anderson makes in reaction to that is close enough to a swallowed laugh, but not a happy one. ]

He wasn't in his pod after the jump. I doubt that was his doing.

Well...at least there is that.

[He doesn't really know how to handle this. He never handles losing people well--so knowing how to handle others is always hard for him too.]

Yes.

[ she doesn't know how she would have handled it if he'd actually killed himself. then again, death is something that anderson is more familiar with than this, disappearances. she's lost people to death before. there's less uncertainty in that, at least, a sense of closure that she doesn't have now.

is he going to die back home? is he back in his own world in the first place? ]

How are you? [ because it's so much easier focusing on other people than on her own sense of loss.

( she'll miss roy, despite his depression, despite the fact that he wasn't always kind. ) ]

[Roy's gone? That's sad — but maybe Roy will be happier at home. He always seemed so sad here. Probably 'cause a lot of people do. Though when she mentions self-defense — ]

ME!

[ ... What. His parents are in a coma.

Free range here.]

[ anderson sincerely doubts that roy will be happier at home than he was here, but she isn't going to tell takeshi as much. it is bad enough that roy is gone, she doesn't have to recount his depression and what it might mean for him to a child.

a child that is, apparently, asking for self-defense lessons. ]

Why do you want to learn?

[ she's not entirely opposed to it. you can't really start young enough, in the world she's from. ]

[He looks very stern and serious, squaring his shoulders.]

So that I can protect my friends and my parents! Ma'am!

There are monsters and sometimes bad people. I need to be good!

[he can throw like four story high monsters but how the fuck do i do proper form and punching and stuff]

[ did you read her mind to figure out the best answer to that question or is that genuine, kid? she's gonna go with genuine. ]

All right. I can teach you.

[ this is precisely the kind of situation in which she wants to make a difference; if it means a little kid being a little safer than before, that's good, right? and she'll be careful not to encourage him to fight.... there's a reason she offered defensive training instead of offensive. ]

[His expression brightens considerably at that. Adults usually look at him funny and tell him he doesn't have to fight. They just don't get it.]

I'll practice really hard! I'll make sure I do great!

[ that depends on the world you come from, doesn't it? anderson didn't have to fight as a child, but she had parents who loved her and protected her despite the fact that she's a mutant.

she's not going to fault anyone for wanting to be able to defend themselves or the ones they love, regardless of age. she will adapt the training accordingly, but, well. that's in the future. ]

I believe you. [ a beat. ] What's your name?

[Even if he doesn't recognize Anderson, he recognizes that set of shoulders. Squared off and squared away -- the kind that hopes to convince the world to forget whatever was there moments before.

He'll be convinced.]

Need a hand?

[ooc: going to assume that Alex has sorted out daddy 1 & 2 are here]

Uh--

--two people from my world are here.

My mentors.

[He'll allow her the distraction; he does the same thing. So might as well talk about it.]

That's good news, isn't it?

[ thank you, alex. she appreciates it, really. ]

[ for all that the hall of justice claims to be an institution of the law, there is a distinct military feel to the way it's run and its judges are trained. of course, knowing the world they face and the combat situations they might be in, that makes a lot of sense.

so yeah, it's a distinct set of shoulders, and she appreciates the acceptance of her divergence and the offer, both. ]

Depending on how many people are interested, yes. [ or as a second person to demonstrate matters on. besides, it can't hurt to have more people involved in this. ]

Are you experienced?

I'd like to learn self defense.

[A nodded affirmation.] With teaching, with self-defense. [With the two combined slightly less so, but hey, great minds think alike:] Definitely with being tossed around.

[The self-control certainly comes across that way, militaristic, but he knows better than to jump to conclusions.] Have you done this before?

You're welcome to help. [ there's something about him that seems familiar, the posture or measured tone of voice, perhaps; the thought pattern that seems so similar to hers.

it's comforting, in a way. ]

I've been trained for years. I only recently started training people. [ but she has two pupils already, has had them for several weeks. that counts for something, right? ]

Why would you like to learn?

I want to be able to defend myself here.

[ fair enough, that's kind of the idea. ]

All right. What is you name?

Chell

[There's a slight pause before her next reply.]

You don't have to be able to speak to learn do you?

No.

[ and a moment later: ] I can read minds. Communication wouldn't be a problem.

Really?

[She's not really sure why she's surprised by anything at this point.]

Yes.

That must come in handy.

What's your name?

Page 1 of 6

VIDEO

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

video.

video.

video.

video.

video.

video.

video;

voice;

voice;

video;

Text

video;

video;

Text

Text

Text

Text

Text

Text

Text

Text