Machine Fur Project IC

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen felt her heart sink. She looked at the table, and thought for a moment that maybe she should retire to the outside early. Though she wanted to see Three. They hadn't seen each other in a while. She sniffled, taking a deep breath. She kept things because she had to. She couldn't risk their safety, yet not telling them would also put them at risk if Two was right. And she believed he was. She looked at Nine, her wide eyes sparkling with sadness and restraint. She wanted to say she was sorry. She wanted to just blurt everything out right then and there, for everyone to hear. But she couldn't. She couldn't because it'd hurt their chances of leaving, if they had one. And that threat. The Persephonian, as Two had so generously thought about. If that was let into the world...no. She wouldn't let that happen. She would help stop it or die trying. Her hands balled into fists as she grew tense.

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex looked up seeing Thirteen's expression and realised that she was being forced to feel his regret, his doubt, everything. Alex glanced to Four and nodded again, trying to choke back all his worry. Even if Alex thought of his motives how could Thirteen know that those motives were true. Alex thought of everything he could, but it was all twistable. "Excuse me, it was nice to meet you Four, and Thirteen," Alex looked at her with a sincere smile, "It was a true pleasure." Alex stood and turned to leave, he needed something to distract him, and he needed to get away from her so that he could spare her his feelings.

[Lavender_Stripes]

Oh no! Not this, not now! Thirteen bolted up, reaching for his arm as he got up. "Wait! You have to trust me, it's important..! I just...we have to go out, really. It's...I wish I could say here." She let go and bolted down the hall. "I'll meet you outside..!" And indeed, she exited the building to the lawn, huffing to herself. It had gotten dark early. The air was growing cold. Oh lord, what was this called? Winter. Yeah, that's it. She smiled, looking as each breath came out as a puff of white against the growing night. She almost forgot the urgency of the situation.

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex stared confusedly after Thirteen and bit his lip, unsure. Alex wanted to clear his mind, contemplate things. Though perhaps Thirteen was going to tell him about the secret? Alex felt a twist in his gut as he forced himself to follow her. It was now or never, and Alex preferred now. Walking outside Alex was happy he had his heavy jacket on, seeing his own breath come out he remembered the name he'd given to this time. "It's almost the Dead Cold. The plants and animals either die, or they sleep like the dead. The humans hide from the Dead Cold, staying awake, always working.." Alex seemed to trail off as he stared into the distance, wondering if the humans outside the complex hid from the Dead Cold too. If they worked like these ones did.

[Lavender_Stripes]

"It'll snow soon." Thirteen smiled, though she shivered. Her thickish coat of fur kept her slightly warm, and she sat on the lawn, making sure nobody else was around. "Nine...I don't want you to he left behind. Something bad is going to happen soon, and..." She motioned for him to come closer. She couldn't risk anyone else hearing. "Everyone else always left you behind because...you never talked to anyone. I don't want you to be left behind anymore...I want you to at least have someone to be your friend and think about you and not leave you again. Especially if it means you won't get hurt or worse..!"

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex's ears twitched to her words and he turned to her and stepped closer, sitting down. Listening to her closely he turned things over in his head. Certainly he had heard that Two was a precog, meaning he got visions of things to come. If he had gotten a vision of bad things happening-WAIT! "'Left behind'?" Alex echoed her words and squinted a little then sighed. Alex's paws moved to his face stopping for a moment then stopping again as his fingers found his glasses. "Thirteen.." Alex took his glasses off, leaving his dimly glowing, glacial blue eyes unobscured, "be straight with me, please. What danger? And why did you say 'left behind'?"

Alex's pulse was racing so hard he could hear the rush of blood in his ears. Alex had fantasized about some scheme to get back at the Administrators but in reality he'd only thought it would be some petty gossip. Maybe Alex was taking what he'd heard too far, but the words 'left behind' suggested something even bigger.

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen leaned, whispering into his ear about everything. The vision, what she heard, the power going out, the threat, the plan to escape. "It might be our only chance. I don't want you to be here with that threat. You could be hurt or worse..! I just...I've been thinking about staying. I'd protect everyone or die trying, but...I want you to be safe. You and everyone else. You can't tell Five or...the administration. They'd hurt you, and then..." She looked at the ground, the air around her snout a constant cloud of cold. "I want you to be okay..."

She wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner...but please, you have to swear you won't say anything to the higher ups. I'm sorry..."

[Fitzwilliam Jinglesworth]

Four blinked a little, confused by his companions' sudden departure. He finished his vegetable paste in silence, then walked out into the hall, following where they had gone. He came up to a window and watched them from outside. They appeared to be talking about...something, but he couldn't make it out. Four scratched his head, musing to himself that he had been out for longer than he would've cared for.

[AJ Fawxe]

In the moments Alex spent waiting for Thirteen to explain he thought that if his heart pounded any harder he would pass out from exhaustion. By the time Thirteen was halfway through explaining Alex had rethought his previous estimation. At this point if his heart beat any faster he feared it might explode. The sound of blood surging like a raging tempest nearly drowned out Thirteen's words. Alex was happy he was sitting because he was already close to collapsing from the shock.

"There's.. no way.. Could the Administrators really be that reckless? Sure they loaded me up then set me loose with no real idea of what to expect but this is different. Can we really walk away and let this happen? Then again, if we stay.."

"I need more data," Alex finished his thought out loud. "I need to know more. If you have this much arranged.. perhaps. I need to know the procedures for a blackout. There has to be some way to maintain the systems in the case of a catastrophic power failure. There are things I need to know, things I want to know.." Alex thought of the possibilities. The whispers of technology he heard, the technology it would take to make the Persephonian. Alex's eyes were bugging out as he thought of all the data that could be at his disposal.

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen felt herself begin to panic and threw herself into his arms. "You'll be at risk! Please, don't be reckless..! I can't have you get in trouble or worse because of me..." Her heart beat against her ribcage, and she began to tremble. "Please, I can't lose you. Not now, I want you to come with them! If anyone deserves to suffer, it's me...! I caused trouble, sent Four to detention! I deserved to get hit, I deserved it all...I'm horrible. I'm sorry I got you mixed up in this, Nine, I'm sorry!!"

She had let go of any barriers she had and let herself cry. "I'm so sorry..." This, she repeated over and over. The administration had broken her with her las punishment. She saw herself as a threat, as a danger to others around her. She never wanted to hurt anyone ever again.

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex looked down at her with confusion spread all over his face, he didn't understand what was going on with this whole ordeal, or Four. All he knew is that with all they had taken from him he needed to take something back. First priority was his file. The files of the others if it was doable as well. They deserved to know what was done. Every last thing about them. After that was any trace of the Persephonian. Then research and enhancements. Still Alex realised that Thirteen might not be willing to let him.

"Listen, if you hadn't told me then I would have been stuck here and they would have tortured me thinking I knew something about it. I'm better off knowing about this whole idea. As for my plans.. we need to mine whatever data we can from this place. The less we know the worse off we are. With this data who knows what we can accomplish. If I can get to the right spot I won't even need to risk anyone else's life."

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen nodded, looking up at Nine and calming down. "Okay. Okay. I trust you. I'm sorry." She forced a smile. She reached up to ruffle his hair, purring to herself. "Thank you. At least for listening."

[Fitzwilliam Jinglesworth]

Four sighed, feeling relieved. It hurt him to see Thirteen cry, but at least she was doing all right now. He kept watching, still hoping he might be able to figure out what was going on. He was confused, but curious.

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex smiled and ruffled her hair back and gave her a true hug. Nothing awkward or forced. Alex felt truly at peace with himself, he was still on pins and needles. Anxious for this chance, though he supposed he'd have to talk to Two since he appeared to be the one who knew everything about this danger and was logically the center of the operation. Alex leaned his head down and smiled to her, "Thank you, and.. when there's no one else around.." the hybrid slipped his glasses back on and backed up just a step. "Call me Alex. It's the name I more or less chose for myself, and I trust you perhaps as much as I trust myself."

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen smiled, nodding. "Okay...Alex." She whispered his name, her purring growing in volume. She got up, dusting herself off, and offered him a hand. "Be careful."