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#Post#: 219--------------------------------------------------
Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: Mascii
Date: April 14, 2013, 11:12 am
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"Alright, you two. You ready?" The woman holding the clipboard
and pencil looked as though she came from some sort of distant
Indian descent, wearing a fairly bright fuchsia blouse, her
black hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was kind of short
and stout, but she had a genuine smile, and wore minimal makeup.
Smiling, she stepped aside to hand them their list of questions,
saying, "It's only one hour, so it won't be so bad. If you need
anything, anything at all, a drink of water, a bathroom break,
just knock on the door, alright?" She made sure they each had a
pencil and a glass of water on one of the desks, then showed
them each the questionnaire. It was two sheets of paper,
allotting a generous amount of space for the open-ended
questions, "You will ask her questions, and fill them out, and
then she asks you questions, and fills them out on her copy.
Here, you'll write your name, and then the name of your partner
over here. Got it?" She beamed from ear to ear, "Did you two
know each other before?" Letting out a little giggle,
half-singing she added, "Well, have fu-un! I'll see you two
later." And with that, she walked out the door, shut it with a
little [i]click, and locked it noisily. Silence overtook the
room.[/i]
~~
Room 204 is often used for the different math courses, and most
every student has to sit in this room at some point in their
Academy career. The desks are among the more uncomfortable, and
the math is more advanced than most high schools, but the
teachers are nice. Even if their jokes run extremely flat. There
is a large chalkboard, with a few pieces of forgotten chalk and
a very dirty eraser. There are about 25-30 chairs lined up
meticulously across the room, and someone forgot their textbook
underneath one of the desks. The room is a little warm, and has
no windows. Several mirrors are set up on sides of the room,
mostly for the teacher's sake (or they just didn't want to
bother removing them).
Each character takes turns posting, and the characters' goal is
to finish the questionnaire in the hour they are left in the
room together. Your character cannot leave, without explicit
permission. I will let you know when about an hour has passed in
character-time, so don't worry. Cause drama, dig deeply into
each other's character, and have fun!
Here are the first five questions on the questionnaire:
1. Describe yourself in five words.
2. How has your Enhancement changed the way you see yourself and
others?
3. What do you dream about most often?
4. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
5. What are 5 things you want more of right now? (Could be
physical things, characteristics, ideas, anything.)
NOTE: NPC comments and such will be added by me (message if
otherwise needed). My NPC will come in and inform the students
when their time is up.
#Post#: 230--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: MissM
Date: April 14, 2013, 3:43 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Zinnia Natter
As the door closed behind them, she jumped, and then fidgeted.
Finally she got up and walked to the other end of the classroom
from Clarence without saying anything, taking her glass, paper,
and pencil with her. She was starting to get a headache, and if
she didn't lie down, at least for a little bit, it would do
nothing but harm. And she also felt like her Enhancement kept
acting up around him whenever she got too close. She wasn't
really ready to be shut in a room with someone who could
potentially shut down her entire body, just by screwing with her
enhancement.
On the way to the corner, she kept bumping into desks, no matter
how much she tried to avoid them. They were packed very tight
together, as if the teachers who used this room were trying to
maximize on how many students there were and minimize the amount
of stuff said students brought into class with them. The lone
textbook was on her way over, but after reading the title and
deciding that she didn't really want to try and teach herself
Advanced Calculus in one hour, she continued to the corner and
laid down with a groan. The water wasn't helping any. Thankfully
there was a small pillow, obviously left here by accident and
slightly worn, sitting in the corner by the chalkboard.
She was lying down with her eyes partially closed, and waited
for Clarence to start asking questions.
#Post#: 259--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: morethanmusic
Date: April 15, 2013, 2:50 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Clarence Morgan
HTML http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/ngatiara2/jensen_ackles_12.jpg
Well, this was just great.
He waited until the lady left, watching her leave. He waited for
Zinnia to fidget and get up. He waited for her to bump her away
across the room and find a pillow -- though the question of who
would bring a pillow to a math class did cross his mind -- and
seem to lie down. Patiently, he filled out his and Zinnia's name
on his paper, legibly even.
Then he sighed audibly, eagerly getting to his feet and walking
over to the teacher's desk. Making sure it was cleared off
first, he sprawled across it. Lounging with one arm behind his
neck and leaning back against it, he looked at the paper in one
hand.
He hummed thoughtfully as he read. 'Describe yourself in five
words... should be easy enough. How has your Enhancement changed
the way you see yourself and others?' Glancing over at Zinnia,
he rolled his eyes and looked back at his paper. 'Whatever.
What's the next one? What do you dream about most often?' He
smirked, glanced away, then back at his paper. 'What's the
craziest thing you've ever done? This. What are five things you
want more of right now?' He chuckled. 'Sleep, food, air,
sunlight, and my person.'
Clarence took in a breath, sitting up. "It's a bit warm in here,
huh, Quorra?" he yelled over at her, one eyebrow raised, his
arms wrapped lazily around his knees. "You know I'm not gonna
try to maul you or anything, right?" He sighed. "How about this?
You can do yours from there." He looked at his paper, expression
twisted with uneasiness. "Tell me, Miss Natter," he began,
enunciating her name a bit dramatically, "What is it you dream
about most often?"
Looking up at her, Clarence put on a physician's tight-lipped
smile.
'Your move, Flynn.'
#Post#: 260--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: MissM
Date: April 15, 2013, 8:50 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Zinnia Natter
Clarence waited until the doctor was gone and she was lying down
in the corner before moving to the teachers desk and sprawling
across it and examining the paper. Then he read it, humming
quietly to himself.
Then he chuckled to himself. Zinnia's eyes opened. She could
tell he had found a question that he was burning to ask.
"It's a bit warm in here, huh, Quorra?" he yelled over at her.
"Clarence, I have a name. And it's perfectly fine in here. Stop
complaining and get to the questions.
"You know I'm not gonna try to maul you or anything, right?"
"You'd better not."
He sighed. "How about this? You can do yours from there." He
looked at his paper, expression twisted with uneasiness. "Tell
me, Miss Natter," he began, over pronouncing her name, "What is
it you dream about most often?"
She didn't answer. There WAS nothing she dreamt about... she
only ever remembered her nightmares. And those she didn't really
want to discuss. Although... She DID have to fill out her paper,
and she knew he probably wouldn't give her answers without her
giving him answers. Ugh, she thought, why did I decide to come
here again?
"I don't really remember my dreams, if I have any. I mostly have
nightmares. Y'know. Bad dreams?" She paused. The subject
was...personal. But she supposed she didn't have a choice. "The
topic is usually me back in the hell-hole in America where my
enhancements were....forced on me. And, as usual, my whole
family is there, and everyone but me dies, usually through
something the doctors say I did. There's no escape for me,
though...and I usually end up in a bloody pulp before I wake up.
When I wake up, I'm lucky if I don't shoot a hole in the wall.
****ing ****s decided to make this thing responsive to stress,
and didn't put in a block for when I was dreaming or having a
nightmare." She was breathing hard by the end of her rant.
"But yeah, y'know. Death and dying and all that."
She shook her head, then sat up and leaned against the wall so
she could write. "And tit for tat, Clarence. What do you
normally dream about?" She looked at him, an expectant look on
her face.
#Post#: 303--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: morethanmusic
Date: April 16, 2013, 11:58 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Clarence Morgan
This was just gonna be a picnic, wasn't it?
"It's a bit warm in here, huh, Quorra?" he called over at
Zinnia.
"Clarence, I have a name. And it's perfectly fine in here. Stop
complaining and get to the questions."
Rolling his eyes dramatically, he shifted. "You know I'm not
gonna try to maul you or anything, right?"
"You'd better not."
Sighing, he decided he wasn't going to get anywhere with her.
'Brick wall, much?'
"How about this? You can do yours from there." He looked at his
paper, trying to pick one, unsure what to say first. "Tell me,
Miss Natter," he began, enunciating her name a bit too much --
the most he was willing to do to possibly irritate her. "What is
it you dream about most often?"
Zinnia just laid there for a while, not saying anything.
Clarence took in a deep breath, and tried to be patient.
'[I]Come, Eowyn, tell me of your dark dreams of late.[/i]'
"I don't really remember my dreams, if I have any. I mostly have
nightmares. Y'know. Bad dreams?"
Clarence just stared for a minute. "Um, yeah, Zinnia, I kind of
know that a nightmare is a bad dream. I've had my share." He
swallowed. "Everyone has."
"The topic is usually me back in the hell-hole in America where
my enhancements were....forced on me."
Sitting upright and wrapping his arms around his knees, still
holding the paper, Clarence watched Zinnia. "I got the feeling
there was a reason you hated them so much."
"And, as usual, my whole family is there, and everyone but me
dies, usually through something the doctors say I did."
Clarence looked down, taking in a slow breath. "Yeah, I know
those kinds of nightmares."
"There's no escape for me, though...and I usually end up in a
bloody pulp before I wake up. When I wake up, I'm lucky if I
don't shoot a hole in the wall. ****ing ****s decided to make
this thing responsive to stress, and didn't put in a block for
when I was dreaming or having a nightmare."
Turning his eyes back to her, his eyes went to her right arm,
which looked tense. Her breathing was pretty fast. It was like
her nightmares were right there with her. Were they always like
that? Nightmares did that... "So you do have a gun in your arm,"
he said, flatly. Not wanting an explanation, not even expecting
one, just... confirmation.
"But yeah, y'know. Death and dying and all that."
He didn't try to say anything, knowing he'd be better off not
making a remark right now.
Zinnia sat up, shaking her head, holding her paper better. "And
tit for tat, Clarence. What do you normally dream about?"
Her eyes on him, Clarence looked at the floor. Thinking for a
moment, his eyes growing distant, he slowly met her gaze again.
"Um... I actually don't remember. I can't think of anything I've
dreamed about for a long time. Nothing good, or nothing bad.
When I was little, I used to remember them, but now I just
forget them." He shrugged, making an unconcerned face. "Every
once in a while, I'll dream about something really weird, but
they never make any sense... so I don't really remember them so
well either. But... yeah... whatever."
Shifting, he turned to write on his paper, finding the question
about dreams. "Usually nightmares, about family being killed and
getting blamed for it. End up dying or worse."
Chewing on the edge of his lip, he searched for another
interesting question. "Well, how about this one next? To get the
stupid **** out of the way. How has your Enhancement changed the
way you see yourself and others?" He watched her carefully over
the edge of his paper, waiting.
#Post#: 314--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: MissM
Date: April 17, 2013, 3:17 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Zinnia Natter
"How about this? You can do yours from there." He looked at his
paper, pausing. "Tell me, Miss Natter," he began,
over-pronouncing her name, "What is it you dream about most
often?"
She sat there, trying to come up with a coherent answer. It took
her a little bit, and she could practically hear Clarence's
impatience.
"I don't really remember my dreams, if I have any. I mostly have
nightmares. Y'know. Bad dreams?" Her eyebrow twitched, and she
had to hold back a laugh at her own words. She had forgotten the
correct intonation for sarcasm....Whoops
"Um, yeah, Zinnia, I kind of know that a nightmare is a bad
dream. I've had my share. Everyone has."
He swallowed, not having understood she had meant to be
sarcastic and reminiscing to some bad memory.... or maybe his
throat was just dry. She didn't know. It was his turn next,
though, so she would probably find out.
She continued. "The topic is usually me back in the hell-hole in
America where my enhancements were....forced on me."
That got his attention, and he sat up and focused his gaze on
her. "I got the feeling there was a reason you hated them so
much." She raised her eyebrow at him, but didn't respond,
finishing her description.
"And, as usual, my whole family is there, and everyone but me
dies, usually through something the doctors say I did."
Clarence drew in a slow breath and let it out. "Yeah, I know
those kinds of nightmares."
"There's no escape for me, though...and I usually end up in a
bloody pulp before I wake up. When I wake up, I'm lucky if I
don't shoot a hole in the wall. ****ing ****s decided to make
this thing responsive to stress, and didn't put in a block for
when I was dreaming or having a nightmare."
Turning his eyes back to her, his eyes went to her right arm,
which looked tense. Nightmares did that... "So you do have a gun
in your arm," he said, flatly.
"Yeah, I do, and trust me, I hate it more and more every day.
But yeah, y'know. Death and dying and all that, for my
nightmares."
He didn't say anything, for which she was grateful. She may have
bitten his head off--or, more to the point, shot it off. Just
then her back gave a short twinge, distracting her from her
recollections of nightmares and stress, so she sat up, leaning
against the wall. "And tit for tat, Clarence. What do you
normally dream about?"
Her eyes on him, Clarence looked at the floor. Slowly, he looked
up at her again. "Um... I actually don't remember. I can't think
of anything I've dreamed about for a long time. Nothing good, or
nothing bad. When I was little, I used to remember them, but now
I just forget them." He shrugged, making an unconcerned face.
"It happens." Her comment was short, neutral. There was no
vindictiveness in her gaze or tone, though. She knew how hard it
was to share private information.
"Every once in a while, I'll dream about something really weird,
but they never make any sense... so I don't really remember them
so well either. But... yeah... whatever."
Shifting, he turned to write on his paper, his pencil scratching
as he wrote. Zinnia quickly jotted down what he had told her,
paraphrasing it as best she could.
Usually doesn't remember dreams. When he does, they're usually
"really weird".
Before she could speak, he had already gone ahead and chosen the
next question--the one she had been dreading the most.
"Well, how about this one next? To get the stupid **** out of
the way. How has your Enhancement changed the way you see
yourself and others?"
He watched her over the edge of his paper, waiting for her to
answer. She sighed.
"Well... I was only 11 when I was taken in for 'Enhancements',
so I didn't exactly ever think about how I viewed myself then.
Now, however..." She paused, trying to keep a check on her
emotions before continuing. "Now I wish I could, I don't know...
'get over' having been changed, but... I can't. I lost so much
during that time... I don't know how it's changed how I see
myself, but I certainly don't see myself as having been
'bettered' or 'enhanced' by any means. Just traumatized." She
coughed, her throat not wanting to work properly. Finally, she
got a handle on her emotions and calmed down enough to finish
answering the question.
"Others I usually see as 'normal', I suppose, even those with
enhancements. Its not like I know their stories, anyway, and for
them, their enhancement may have been the best thing in their
life to happen to them." The jealousy in her voice, the
bitterness, was crystal clear to her. She couldn't look at
Clarence, not trusting herself to keep from crying if she did.
She knew he didn't hate her, not really, but she didn't really
know him enough to know what he did feel for her. Not really.
And she in no way wanted him to pity her.
Finally, she wasn't in danger of crying anymore, so she turned
to her paper and asked, "What about you?"
#Post#: 379--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: morethanmusic
Date: April 28, 2013, 5:35 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Clarence Morgan
He had a feeling in his gut that this was not going to be an
easy-going session.
"And tit for tat, Clarence. What do you normally dream about?"
Zinnia asked, giving him the impression she wanted to change the
subject away from her -- and, for once, he wasn't eager for it
to be turned to him either.
He threw his gaze to the floor, drawing up his courage and
burying everything else. "Um... I actually don't remember. I
can't think of anything I've dreamed about for a long time," he
said, and it wasn't really a lie. He'd always had trouble
remembering her dreams. "Nothing good, or nothing bad. When I
was little, I used to remember them, but now I just forget
them." He shrugged, making an unconcerned face.
"It happens." There was less of a patronizing tone to her voice
that he'd expected. Huh. Weird.
"Every once in a while, I'll dream about something really weird,
but they never make any sense... so I don't really remember them
so well either. But... yeah... whatever."
Zinnia went to write down the answer, and he searched for the
other question he really didn't want to answer -- he wanted to
get the majority of the discomfort over with. Clarence wasn't
really the person to put off things that made him feel awkward,
as long as he didn't have to be really descriptive. Having to
say where he'd gotten bruises was fine, as long as he could say
"Just got in a fight" rather than "My dad punched me in the
face". It was just his way.
"Well, how about this one next? To get the stupid **** out of
the way. How has your Enhancement changed the way you see
yourself and others?"
Watching, waiting, he heard her sigh.
"Well... I was only 11 when I was taken in for 'Enhancements',
so I didn't exactly ever think about how I viewed myself then.
Now, however..." A beat, as she seemed to be recollecting
herself. "Now I wish I could, I don't know... 'get over' having
been changed, but... I can't."
He set his paper down, sitting with his feet hanging off the
desk, his hands in fists as they laid on his knees. Staring at
his hands, he stayed quiet, but definitely didn't ignore how
true that statement was for both of them.
"I lost so much during that time... I don't know how it's
changed how I see myself, but I certainly don't see myself as
having been 'bettered' or 'enhanced' by any means. Just
traumatized."
Clarence grimaced, looking up at Zinnia when she coughed.
"Throat bothering you?" He glanced at the door. "I'd get you
water, but I think that lady's long gone..."
"Others I usually see as 'normal', I suppose, even those with
enhancements. Its not like I know their stories, anyway, and for
them, their enhancement may have been the best thing in their
life to happen to them."
That tone, he'd expected. He couldn't explain it, but it made
him upset. It twisted something inside of him that was way too
familiar. Looking up at her, even though she was looking away
now, Clarence narrowed his eyes just a bit. His fists tightened,
and he felt the flare of heat and the strange, cool sensation of
his Enhancement.
'No. Not now. Don't even bother getting angry.'
"Some people didn't have a choice either," he said, darkly, but
trying to strip the anger from his voice. There was a lot more
he wanted to add onto the end of that, but he just ended up
with, "But I get you lost a lot, and that's something I can't
really speak for."
She was quiet, so he just sighed and wrote down 'View self as
traumatized and abnormal, even compared to others with
Enhancements' under the question and was glad that was all he
could come up with.
Shifting so she could look at her paper, Zinnia seemed to be
back now. "What about you?" she asked, still seeming upset.
"My Enhancement makes me more afraid of myself," he said,
flatly, looking back to his fists and consciously loosening
them. "My anger's always been a problem. I know why it's that
way, I never questioned it." He looked up at Zinnia, just
watching her. "I always knew I made others miserable because
that was how I felt. I felt small, helpless, useless. Now... now
I feel like a time-bomb." Sighing, he shifted a little, but
ended up just getting up off of the desk and walking back and
forth in front of it.
Clarence worked his jaw, thinking of how to word this so it
would make sense. "I guess I just feel like I'm more dangerous.
I can use it to protect myself, to protect others, but I can
also use it against everyone." He paused, laughing a little. "It
seems stupid compared to yours. I know that. I guess I just... I
feel dangerous. Because I knew I could hurt people before... now
I have my hands to fight in two ways, and neither is any
better."
Shrugging, he sprawled back across the desk. "But I'm just being
pathetic. I know that. I need to man up about my Enhancement. I
never complain about it, I swear." Stopping short, he thought
for a moment, then laughed. "Well, actually, no. That's not
true. I complain when I get mad and fry my computers and
cellphones. That's no good, you know?" Clarence looked over at
Zinnia, smiling a little. "It's a lot of work to get a new
laptop when you fry them all the time."
He let out a sigh, scooping his paper back up. "So, let's do a
fun one. What's five things you want more of right now? Anything
you want more of right now."
#Post#: 382--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: MissM
Date: April 28, 2013, 6:14 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Zinnia Natter
"I lost so much during that time... I don't know how it's
changed how I see myself, but I certainly don't see myself as
having been 'bettered' or 'enhanced' by any means. Just
traumatized."
Clarence grimaced, looking up at her when she coughed. "Throat
bothering you?" He glanced at the door. "I'd get you water, but
I think that lady's long gone..."
"No, it's just... it's fine...." she shook her head, then
continued. "Others I usually see as 'normal', I suppose, even
those with enhancements. Its not like I know their stories,
anyway, and for them, their enhancement may have been the best
thing in their life to happen to them."
"Some people didn't have a choice either," he said, darkly,
slightly angry, but clearly restraining himself. "But I get you
lost a lot, and that's something I can't really speak for."
She was quiet, trying to control her emotions so she could speak
properly, and clearly, not wanting to continue that train of
questioning. "What about you?" she asked, still a bit emotional
but otherwise fine.
"My Enhancement makes me more afraid of myself," he said,
looking back to his fists and deliberately loosening them. "My
anger's always been a problem. I know why it's that way, I never
questioned it."
He looked up at Zinnia, watching her. She shifted, somewhat
uncomfortable. She knew what he meant when he said 'afraid of
myself'.
"I always knew I made others miserable because that was how I
felt. I felt small, helpless, useless. Now... now I feel like a
time-bomb." Sighing, he shifted a little, then got up and paced
in front of the desk.
Zinnia couldn't suppress a short, morbid giggle. She felt like a
time-bomb, too... If it wasn't anger, it was stress. At least
for her. So they had that in common.
"I guess I just feel like I'm more dangerous. I can use it to
protect myself, to protect others, but I can also use it against
everyone." He paused, laughing a little. "It seems stupid
compared to yours. I know that. I guess I just... I feel
dangerous. Because I knew I could hurt people before... now I
have my hands to fight in two ways, and neither is any better."
At that, Zinnia snorted. "I'd call it about even. And you could
probably shut mine down if you wanted to, you know. All you'd
have to worry about is not killing me while you're at it."
Shrugging, he sprawled back across the desk. "But I'm just being
pathetic. I know that. I need to man up about my Enhancement. I
never complain about it, I swear." Stopping short, he thought
for a moment, then laughed. "Well, actually, no. That's not
true. I complain when I get mad and fry my computers and
cellphones. That's no good, you know?" Clarence looked over at
her, smiling a little. "It's a lot of work to get a new laptop
when you fry them all the time."
"Is there nothing to use to contain yours?" She asked, curious.
"It seems like that'd be easier to do than worry about frying
them." She shrugged. "At least, that's how I'd think. Mine..."
she snorted. "Short of wrapping a steel bar around my arm, the
only thing I can do to keep myself from shooting someone is to
not get stressed out. Which is kind of hard, some days. And some
nights." The memory of all the holes she'd shot in the walls
came back to her, but she shook her head, trying to keep them
from flooding her with the pain and terror. She mostly succeed,
but still couldn't help the drop in her emotions. She tried to
jot down what he had said...
He let out a sigh, scooping his paper back up. "So, let's do a
fun one. What's five things you want more of right now? Anything
you want more of right now."
"A family." She blurted out an answer without thinking, then
caught herself. But the damage had been done. "And peace, and
space, and acceptance, and water." She rattled out the first
four things that came to mind next, as quickly as she could, and
then buried her face in her hands, tears bursting out of her
good eye. She did not make a noise, though her body shook with
the suppressed sobs. And she couldn't look at Clarence.
What did I do now.... I know Dr. Spencer is trying to get me to
open up, but this is not how I wanted to do it. Not here... not
like this. Although it was probably the most honest answer he
was going to get.
#Post#: 489--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: morethanmusic
Date: May 10, 2013, 2:26 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Clarence Morgan
It was like Dr Spencer had planned these to completely depress
them.
'What's with this b-s? These questions feel like having a boa
constrictor trying to crush me... This is ridiculous.'
"My Enhancement makes me more afraid of myself," he said, hating
to talk about this sort of thing. He looked at his hands, tight
in fists, knowing what he was capable of. Loosening them
consciously, he tried to remind himself he had a sense of
control -- even though he often forgot about it. "My anger's
always been a problem. I know why it's that way, I never
questioned it."
Clarence looked at Zinnia, trying to gauge her reaction. All he
saw was discomfort. Frowning, he continued.
"I always knew I made others miserable because that was how I
felt. I felt small, helpless, useless. Now... now I feel like a
time-bomb."
He couldn't sit still anymore; he got up with an audible sigh,
pacing in front of the desk with his arms over his chest.
An odd little giggle from Zinnia helped calm him down to the
point where he could talk again.
"I guess I just feel like I'm more dangerous. I can use it to
protect myself, to protect others, but I can also use it against
everyone." He paused, laughing a little. "It seems stupid
compared to yours. I know that. I guess I just... I feel
dangerous. Because I knew I could hurt people before... now I
have my hands to fight in two ways, and neither is any better."
She snorted, and he felt his face relax into a calmer smile.
"I'd call it about even. And you could probably shut mine down
if you wanted to, you know. All you'd have to worry about is not
killing me while you're at it."
Calmed down again, he shrugged and laid down on the desk
comfortably. He had a talent of that -- making himself
comfortable anywhere he felt like. Some people made certain
places impossible to do it, but otherwise he was pretty good at
it -- or he could at least convincingly fake it. "But I'm just
being pathetic. I know that. I need to man up about my
Enhancement. I never complain about it, I swear." Pausing, he
thought about what he'd just said and laughed. "Well, actually,
no. That's not true. I complain when I get mad and fry my
computers and cellphones. That's no good, you know?" He looked
at Zinna with a little smile, relaxing slowly. "It's a lot of
work to get a new laptop when you fry them all the time."
"Is there nothing to use to contain yours?" she asked, making
Clarence raise an eyebrow.
"Huh?"
"It seems like that'd be easier to do than worry about frying
them." She shrugged, and so did he.
"I can, but they're like Genie's braces and I hate them," he
said, his mouth twisting into a very crooked smirk. "Plus, Dr
Ramsey would kill me if they broke, so I don't wear them unless
I'm really stressed or something. It's no big deal."
"At least, that's how I'd think. Mine..." She snorted, making
him chuckle a little. "Short of wrapping a steel bar around my
arm, the only thing I can do to keep myself from shooting
someone is to not get stressed out. Which is kind of hard, some
days. And some nights." She shook her head, and he felt his
stomach twist a little bit, so he turned back to his paper and
pretended to be busy.
"So, let's do a fun one," he said, sighing, "What's five things
you want more of right now? Anything you want more of right
now."
"A family."
Clarence froze, slowly moving his paper to stare at her, his
eyebrows furrowed. "What?" he asked, a bit incredulous.
"And peace, and space, and acceptance, and water."
With that, she started sobbing, and Clarence just kind of
watched her for a minute. His mouth was open just slightly a bit
shocked at the sudden reaction here, unable to process what to
do. "Um... sh-t... this was supposed to be a fun one..." He
looked at his paper, then back at her, then back at his paper.
"Uh.... Here's a deal for you. I'll keep water bottles in my bag
from now on, and whenever I see you, I'll hand you one." He put
on a weak smile, but it didn't seem to help. "Man, Z, I don't
know what to say..." He shifted.
"Um... how about we move on? Five things I want right now..." He
paused, trying to think when he knew she was crying. "Um...
pie." He smirked, looking at her again. "A tall glass of
Spaten’s Oktoberfest..." He shrugged. "A really comfy couch, my
PSP, and, um..." Clarence took in a deep breath. "A brother to
share it with." He stood up, stretching. "So don't feel bad."
He sighed heavily. "How about one I know you can do?" He leaned
over to write her answers down and then turned to smirk at her.
"You said before you couldn't do it, but give it a shot...
describe yourself in five words."
#Post#: 490--------------------------------------------------
Re: Room 204: Zinnia Natter/Clarence Morgan
DIR By: MissM
Date: May 10, 2013, 3:30 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Zinnia Natter
"So, let's do a fun one," he said, sighing, "What's five things
you want more of right now? Anything you want more of right
now."
"A family." The words slipped out of her mouth before she could
stop them, catching even her slightly unawares. She did miss her
family, but she thought she'd gotten used to it by now. Or at
least better at keeping her mouth shut. She sat there for a
second, her hand over her mouth, shocked into speechlessness for
a few seconds. But she could feel her emotions rising in an
unstoppable wave.
She saw Clarence shift out of the side of her good eye. "What?"
he asked, seemingly just as surprised as her.
"And peace, and space, and acceptance, and water." She rattled
off the next four things that came to mind, trying to keep her
emotions from overtaking her. And failing, miserably. The
mention of family had thrust her back to her happiest memory
that she could clearly remember. She'd been at a fair with her
sister, mother, and father. They'd gotten on a carousel, her
sister had decided she wanted to share a horse with Zinnia.
She'd sat behind her sister, holding on tightly until the ride
had started, then laughing at herself when it turned out it
wasn't so scary after all.
The only downside to her memories is that sometimes they were so
happy they became painful. Her one good tear duct opened up and
the Niagra falls started flowing, sobs starting to force
themselves out. Clarence just sat there, slightly open-mouthed
like he'd never seen anyone cry. The look on his face made her
want to laugh, but it came out more as a strangled, cacophonous
sob. But the tears wouldn't stop coming, nor the sobs. It was
like some weird dam had been broken, and now she couldn't stem
it.
"Um... sh-t... this was supposed to be a fun one..."
She tried to stop sobbing, and was semi-successful. But the
tears kept flowing. "Uh.... Here's a deal for you. I'll keep
water bottles in my bag from now on, and whenever I see you,
I'll hand you one." She laughed at that one, barely, and it came
out more like sudden gasps of air. But her tears were slowing
down. Her sobs had somewhat subsided. She tried to stop, not
knowing where it came from and unable to talk about it. She gave
up on trying to clamp down on it and just let the tears roll.
Eventually she'd stop. She only had so many... she hoped.
"Man, Z, I don't know what to say..." He shifted, uncomfortable,
but she just waved his words away. It could've been anyone, she
thought. She could see out of her mechanical eye just fine, but
her normal eye kept squeezing out tears like that was its job.
She kept wiping them away, but they just wouldn't stop. She
really missed her family. Her sister in particular.
"Um... how about we move on? Five things I want right now..." He
paused, "Um... pie." She could breathe normally at this point,
but her eye was still tearing up. Blinking rapidly, she looked
back at him, waiting for the rest of his list.
He smirked, looking at her again. "A tall glass of Spaten’s
Oktoberfest..." He shrugged. "A really comfy couch, my PSP, and,
um..." Clarence took in a deep breath. "A brother to share it
with." He stood up, stretching. "So don't feel bad."
"So you lost a brother you had? I don't think so. But I
appreciate your effort to console me." That was all she could
say on the subject. She clenched her good hand, concentrating on
how many folds of skin there were between her forefinger and
thumb to keep from losing control again. Something about
Clarence made her instinctively feel at home, comfortable,
secure... the same as Dox, but different still. She snorted,
knowing she was probably just exhausted. At the totally wrong
time, too... she thought, wishing she could just go back to her
apartment and go for a long, hard run. Those always made her
feel better.
"And I meant I need more water right now, not that I want more
of it in general. I'd substitute emotional control for that any
day." She shook her head, trying to get out of the weird state
she'd been in all day. Finally she got up and moved to the
opposite side of the room, stretching her legs and concentrating
on not bumping into any of the desks. They were shoved
unceremoniously out of her way, the physical exertion giving her
something to focus on instead feeling miserable for herself.
He sighed heavily. "How about one I know you can do?" He wrote
her answers down, then smirked, the next question obviously a
good one to him. She got a little nervous--after all, she had
just bawled in front of him like a little girl-- but figured it
couldn't be too bad. "You said before you couldn't do it, but
give it a shot... describe yourself in five words."
She almost laughed. That she could do, at least at the moment.
She leaned against the wall she'd just reached, raising her
eyebrows at him. "Ok. Fine...." She thought for a second, eyes
unfocusing, discarding several before deciding on, "Stubborn,
Loyal, Guarded, Perfectionist....Alone." She thought about her
answers a second time, then nodded, not adding anything. She
stayed on that side of the room, unsure how long she'd be able
to stay awake at this point if she sat down. Crying always
exhausted her, even short periods of it. She yawned suddenly,
jaw cracking. "Ow."
"So, Clarence, tell me. What's the craziest thing you've ever
done?" She raised her eyes to meet his, speaking with a more
confident tone. Crying aside, she was having a decent day, and
she wanted to be done with it and out of there. She still had
research to do on the doctors who had done her enhancements.
They were becoming harder and harder to find as she went up the
chain, and more and more of them were ending up dead. It smelled
like someone was trying to clean up their work before they were
caught. If she could just figure out who it was, she might be
able to find them... She still hadn't decided what she would do
if they were alive when she found them. And some questions were
better not to mull over when the subject of 'craziest things
you've ever done' had just come up. Although it would certainly
qualify...
"And why'd you do it?" she added, a brief smile flitting across
her face.
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