shatterverse | (no subject)

"Is. Is an alternate Earth. It might be a lot like the one you just left, but I'm betting the one you just left didn't have... well, take a look."

She waves expansively down at the ruined landscape.

Adam peers over the edge of the glowing basket, and immediately wishes that he hadn't.

Weakly: "...oh."

<What happened here?> Orlit wonders, more thinking to himself than posing an actual question. He knows his ex-host too well to expect an answer.

"Yeah."

She sighs faintly.

"Pretty much. It ain't always this bad, though. Kansas is doing pretty good. No flashbangs there, so it's kind of a safe haven, for some value of safe."

He'll ask about the lack of Kansas-bound flashbangs in a minute, but before that can quite sink into his brain, he has a question to get out.

"Was there a war?"

His voice is very flat. If there's any emotion detectable in it, then it's the bitter hatred that was remotely audible when he talked about his dietary requirements.

"Nope. Just sometimes, what comes through the flashes ain't so warm and friendly as you are."

Oh.

"...And why not in Kansas?"

See, told you so!

"Some dead chick did a magic thing. Fuck if I know."

"I don't really have an answer to that," he admits after several seconds.

"Yeah, well, join the club. Anyways. While we've got nothing better to do, care to tell me why you shat yourself when I told you you can't lie worth a damn?"

"I don't like the idea of being mistrusted by a person who's carrying me a hundred feet up," he answers, keeping his voice even. "I might get dropped."

Hey, he isn't a terrible liar.

If he were, he'd be dead by now.

"I ain't about that shit. I said you'd get to Kansas, so you're fucking well getting to Kansas. Play straight with me or not; up to you."

She sounds genuinely unconcerned.

He has the feeling he should offer her some kind of explanation; untrustworthiness is not a great first impression to make, and he does owe her something for helping him out.

From the basket, a cautious pause.

Then: "I'm sorry, I'd tell you if I could. But it would put me in danger with a group that doesn't like people like me, if they exist here."

All true, from a certain point of view.

Easily: "Sure."

She chuckles.

"I get that."

See above re: mutie freak.

Relieved: "Thanks."

Adam doesn't relish the idea of explaining what he is. To anyone. Especially since it disgusts even him.

"Unless what you're in trouble for is building castles out of people or some shit, we'll get along just fine."

"Castles out of-- tell me that's just an example you made up." He sounds shocked.

It could well be just an example that she's made up. It sounds outrageous and horrible. But Adam's seen a hell of a lot of outrageous and horrible things that he wishes he could forget.

"Nope. 'Fraid not. I actually went to the castle in question with some buddies and hepled 'em rip its heart out. Some serious freaky Cronenberg shit there. Worst part is, apparently the motherfucker that built it is out to make another one."

"Shit," Adam breathes, stunned. He half-expects Orlit to express approval for the idea, but the Yeerk is pretty uncomfortable with the idea as well, and has no desire to live up to his ex-host's stereotypes.

"That's..."

He pictures tearing out a heart, tries to multiply that image to a thousand times its size and grotesquery. With utter seriousness, he tells her, "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Adam and harrowing know each other pretty well.

Dry: "Yeah, me too."

Beat.

"Thanks, though."

"If I can help--"

Not that his skills can really live up to tentacles of solid flying light, but they might still be useful.

"Well, someone like that should be brought down. For good."

"Talk to Rachel. Blonde girl. Hangs around the farm sometimes. She's sorta kinda in charge of that operation, pretty much."

Oh that'll go well. So, so well.

"I'll do that."

He sounds determined. See, fighting evil is sort of his thing.

"Good."

Val approves of fighting evil!

And this narration approves of pairing an Animorph with a Controller! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

"Is the farm where we're going now?"

"Yep. Belongs to this crazy chick called Lucy. Sometimes she turns into a dragon, but I've never seen her breathe fire or eat anybody, so it's all good. Oh, and she likes fruit."