( 005 ) video ✶ they say what you lose only turns into gold is that what this luck's gonna bring

[unparental]

[ admitting she's a vampire hasn't been topping jenna's list of priorities on-ship. she's spent more time as a vampire aboard the tranquility than she did at home-- she still thinks of herself as human, for crying out loud. it doesn't matter if she likes garlic on her pizza and she can still primp in mirrors, and that unless someone accidentally impales her with a large piece of wood she could probably keep her secret longer. there's a line now, and jenna's firmly on the non-human side of it, like it or not.

after todd, there are people who won't care what jenna classifies herself as, people who will be every bit as terrified as she was when klaus used ric's body to threaten her. if klaus had been the only vampire jenna had met before dying-- before he killed her, just to drive the point home-- she might still be just as afraid.

but he wasn't the only one, and jenna can't just say nothing. so she's uncharacteristically anxious before this broadcast, staring at her communicator and changing her mind a million times. finally she sighs and pushes the button, quiet as all the careful speeches she prepared slip out of her head. ]

...Hi. Hey. [ sighing, she lifts a hand to wave awkwardly. ] For those of you who don't already know me, I'm Jenna. And I'm-- [ not human. not human. god, this is ridiculous. ] --stalling. I'll just go for it, like a bandaid.

I'm Jenna, and I'm a vampire. [ her words speed up here, because she's aware nothing here sounds like more than a sincerely nice trip taking hold. ] Here, hold on.



[ reaching out of frame, jenna grabs a small knife stolen from the kitchen-- a fit of paranoia, after katherine's arrival-- and holds it out. she's debated about this part, going back and forth all week. she's not happy with the idea for a multitude of reasons-- but even everyone won't be convinced regardless of what she does on-camera, if she has to somehow prove she's not just screwing around to everyone one by one, she'll go nuts. better a big impression first, and add more personal sides of the story one on one. ] If you're squeamish, you might not want to watch this part.

[ stripping off her hoodie and angling her arm so it's in clear view of the screen, jenna places the knife's tip on her upper arm before turning her head away and looking a little pale. the first score doesn't bring blood to the surface-- vampire strength is nothing when compared to a lifetime of trying to not cut herself when holding knives-- but after a deep breath she pushes harder, wincing as her skin splits under the blade. once the cut is long enough to make her point but not be dramatic, jenna prods at the wound a little, avoiding the sluggish, fat trickles of blood winding around her bicep. ] Sorry about that, it's just the best way I know to prove it. I mean, other than this.

[ all jenna has to do is let herself think about how much that hurt, how unfair this all is-- the ship, that she's dead at all, everything-- for her features to slip into something a lot less run of the mill. the whites of her eyes go red, veins protruding beneath them. she keeps her teeth firmly hidden behind her lips, but the point is hopefully made. her cut is beginning to close, as well, but it's still hard to switch back so jenna lets her hair swing in front of her face for a moment-- when she raises her head, the face on-screen is the one everyone who's met her up until now expects. ]

I don't drink from other people, I've never killed anyone, I really love garlic bread, all a holy water bath would do is make me cleaner, and I never asked for this. Any questions?

[ 'any questions'. yeah, she'd bet. ]

Comments

[unparental]

[ YOU MAKE ONE SUPER CREEPY FACE AND SAY YOU DRINK BLOOD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, SUSPICION. my god it's like vampires are scary or something. ]

It is. [ that usually means 'almost expired blood bags' but jenna's pushing the synthesized angle hard her first try at vampire pr. ]

[slayer_not_player]

[He looks off camera for a moment. He doesn't remember seeing any coolers of the stuff in the medbay-- not that he'd been looking for it necessarily. He certainly knows that it isn't provided in the kitchens.]

Where are you getting it?

[unparental]

[ she doesn't want to rat out specific medics, but... ]

Med bay-- with permission, in case that's your next question.

[slayer_not_player]

[He thinks on that for a moment, then shrugs.]

It seems like you're handling your situation responsibly.

[No less surly, but definitely approving.]

[unparental]

[ it's on the tip of jenna's tongue to bite off something like 'gee, glad you approve', but then again: maybe it's better to just take a win where it's offered. ]

Thank you, really. I'm trying to.

[slayer_not_player]

[Guess who doesn't catch onto that almost-attitude?]

If anybody gives you any trouble...

[He doesn't make it a habit to stick his neck out for other people, but her offhand 'I didn't ask for this' may have stirred a bit of empathy. He knows that feeling...]

[unparental]

I'll handle it with diplomacy, but the implied offer is appreciated.

[ and it really is-- jenna has to believe there's something intrinsically good about a world where people offer to help each other like this, or she's never leaving her room again. ]

[slayer_not_player]

Tillman. Zero zero two, zero three zero.

[It's not that he doesn't believe in diplomacy. It's that he believes bullets are a kind of diplomacy.]

[unparental]

It's good to meet you, Tillman. Really, I was expecting a few more... I don't know. Death threats? So this was good. Unexpected, but good.

[slayer_not_player]

Death threats are unreasonable, given that you aren't hurting anyone. It's good that others are being civil.

Why did you decide to tell everyone? Worried you might be perceived as a threat?

[unparental]

[ jenna taps the side of her nose, laughing a little wryly. ]

Got it in one. I was really hoping to do this slower. By a lot.

[slayer_not_player]

You think doing it slower would have gotten different results? Better results? [He's not going to comb through her other conversations for people reacting negatively, but he's too jaded to believe it's all sunshine and rainbows.]

Offer still stands. If you need help with your diplomacy. [Black Ops diplomacy: How Tillman makes friends.]

[unparental]

I think telling my friends by posting a mass video isn't the easiest pill to swallow.

[ the rest of the ship's response-- and possible violence-- is a worry, but jenna's got priorities, okay. ]