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

[ 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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You sure it was worth it?

Right now? I have no idea. Ask me again in a month and I might have a better answer, though.

[ because no one's come after her with a stick yet, but it could always go down later. ]

You won't. Another month and another jump, you'll only have more people to try and convince. Meantime, group already here'll be tearing themselves apart.

Are you always this optimistic?

[There's a slightly amused tone to his voice.]

Take it from experience.

Ah, you're one of those.

[ she means stoic, pessimistic manly types. ]

One of those.

[He repeats it to get her to clarify, but he's pretty sure he knows the answer already, and amusement's only clearer in his voice for it.]

You know-- 'I've seen a lot of bad things in this world, I'd buy you a drink but I'm really busy looking unapproachable so why don't I just tell you about how much people suck and let you buy me one, instead'.

[ it is perhaps possible that jenna has been to a few more than vaguely shady bars in her lifetime. ]

I don't drink.

[He could argue with the rest of what she's said, but it would either mean telling too much about himself or she wouldn't believe it. And he doesn't care enough for either response.]

[ for all she got a crash course in the world of weird the last week of her life, jenna's still stuck half in a world where backstories tend to be pretty everyday. a look at riddick'll help clear things up a bit, but until then jenna's half-convinced he owns at least one copy of something by ayn rand. ]

I do. [ beat. ] Alcohol. That wasn't the cheesy 'I don't drink... wine' moment.

[ bad maybe-russian accent on that last one, because among jenna's talents is not doing impressions. ]

[There's a long pause where Riddick tries to make sense of what she's said, realises he can't, and that she's referencing things he doesn't know about. Understandable, considering the mix of people on this ship, the supposed different universes they're from.]

Doesn't mean anything to me, kid.

I'm twenty seven.

[ THAT IS THE IMPORTANT THING HERE, JENNA. CORRECTING YOUR AGE. GOOD JOB. ]

Really.

[His tone could suggest that he either doesn't believe her, or doesn't care. She doesn't act like any twenty-seven year old he's met. And that still gives him ten years on her.]

Really really.

[ SHE'S AN ADUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULT. ]

And that makes you think you're not a kid.

That and the mortgage. And the two kids I inherited with the mortgage.

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

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