Video; un: ilikehorses

[shoplifter]

[Laura's been trying to adjust. Part of her wonders if coming here wasn't a grave mistake — she'd come thinking there are more like her, people who would accept her more willingly, and in a way, that's true. However... There are a few... annoyances. Grievances. Her rather overworked case worker Linda has been making sure she goes to school. Today isn't the best day for school, though. She's quiet and 'weird' and the other children usually aren't fond of her and her quiet but present danger.

And for Laura, well. She doesn't do well with anyone 'teaching' her. She's had too much of 'teaching' the last eleven years of her... eleven years.

She may or may not have punched another kid in the eye.

She may or may not have ditched school.

And now she sits on the top of a rather tall and dangerous brick-ish wall in the city, her feet hanging precariously off the edge. Close by, the shadow of a tram wooshes by, and somewhere out there, Linda the Case Worker is having a heart attack. Laura, however, seems more puzzled and annoyed than anything. She sits with a potentially stolen bag of mini-donuts, her favorite glasses pressed up on her forehead and her lovely albeit mildly damaged unicorn shirt clear and vibrant.]


Why do children have to go to classes? 

I can learn outside of school.


[There are mean children that exist. She's never ran into children who are so exclusionary; after all, mutants had to stick together.

And teachers aren't bad, but something about the set-up bothers her, in ways she's not sure how to explain.

Maybe it's harder to blend in than you'd think. Not that she had gone into this with any high hopes.] 

Comments

[shoplifter]

[She gives a pleased little nod.]

I'm... 'cool'... with it.

Just tell me when to go, I'll go.

[fingergunning]

[Jensen had a very poignant moment of realizing he was going to have to sit this tiny little bundle down and teach her about stranger danger.

Of course, Jensen was also unaware of the whole situation, but from where he stood, Laura was too trusting and too alone. Clearly she needed a big bro. Someone had to beat the shit out of people that tried to take advantage of her.]

Well, when's good for you? I've got the weekend off...

[shoplifter]

[It's all good, she knows stranger danger... Stab people who try and start shit. :)

But it's true, she hasn't given him much reason to not be concerned, huh?]

... The weekend off?

[Why wouldn't the weekend be on, man. Is there something in the week that ruins zoo trips?]

[fingergunning]

Yeah, you know. From work?

[Laura....]

[shoplifter]

.... Like a job.

[Oh. Oh. It had never even crossed her mind like that. People in their daily functions, doing what they do for -- money? Yes. She'd never thought about jobs and what they mean to people outside of Transigen. Her 'job' had been picked for her; in fact, it was the reason she was ever made in the first place.]

Like nurses, or scientists.

Or -- superheroes.

[fingergunning]

Not exactly sure if superhero's so much a job as a... whatever, but yeah. Something like that. Or boring tech guys who just do research and development work on comms. You know. Stuff like that.

[shoplifter]

[Research and development are ugly words; she doesn't like them.

But she presses onward.]

Comms - like what we talk on?

[fingergunning]

Yeah, well, that's what they have me on here. I guess it makes sense to keep advancing it if they want to do more exploratory work. Wouldn't want to be left incommunicado out in the deep shit if they plan on doing more jungle work.

[A momentary pause, then he smacked his head.]

Crap. Deep crap.

[shoplifter]

[... Ha. She looks humored, actually.]

It's okay. I've heard all the words. In Spanish and English.

[fingergunning]

[He was better than that, Laura.]

Yeah, well, doesn't mean I need to contribute to your... bad life experiences. Make me kind of a crappy uncle, wouldn't it?

[shoplifter]

I don't think you could make things worse.

You're a good uncle. Your -- 'niece' is lucky.

[fingergunning]

Oh, trust me. It can always get worse, even with good intentions.

[Why was he dropping life lessons on a child?]

Yeah? Well, wait until you get to know me. But hey, if you ever need anything, I'll do my best to be there.

[shoplifter]

[She thins her lips, not a smile but certainly not a frown.]

I've known worse, I know for sure.

... I'll remember, though.

[fingergunning]

Good. Then I'll check out what the schedules are around this place and we'll do the whole picnic-zoo thing. Or whatever we can with what they have here.

[Because hey, why not make it her day?]

We'll do some fun family oriented stuff. I'm sure they've got some fun things to do here. My treat.

[shoplifter]

[A nod, and a little smile at last.]

Your treat.

[She'll wait for your call, buddy.]

[fingergunning]

Damn skippy.


[ooc: would you like to wrap this up here and maybe I can do a backdated call to her inbox?]

[shoplifter]

[ooc: totally!! go for it. ;)]