01 | Darwin | Day 45 (video)
[The display opens on the cemetery. The only interesting thing is a pile of rock and ash in front of a gravestone. How long has that been there? The cemetery isn't a wholly popular place, it could have been days. For a long moment, nothing happens. Birds chirp, wine rustles the trees.
Then-- there, do you see it? A piece of the rubble twitches slightly, then begins to roll up the pile. Another joins it in motion. Pretty soon all the pieces are shaking and rolling over each other, reshaping into the vague form of a body. A line of stones reach out towards the camera, pulling it up and in. Finally, the round shape on top solidifies into a head, complete with a face, the eyes open wide and he gasps, taking in the first breath of life he's had for days.]
Wha-- [He breathes heavily, slowly becoming more human than statue. His clothes are tattered, singed, and dusty.] What the hell?
Then-- there, do you see it? A piece of the rubble twitches slightly, then begins to roll up the pile. Another joins it in motion. Pretty soon all the pieces are shaking and rolling over each other, reshaping into the vague form of a body. A line of stones reach out towards the camera, pulling it up and in. Finally, the round shape on top solidifies into a head, complete with a face, the eyes open wide and he gasps, taking in the first breath of life he's had for days.]
Wha-- [He breathes heavily, slowly becoming more human than statue. His clothes are tattered, singed, and dusty.] What the hell?
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Then she grips the doorjamb in the bathroom and uses it to swing her lower body upward. One kick takes out the bathroom camera, then she pulls the door shut and the momentum lets her kick out the one in the hall before she lands soundlessly.
And a bow. ]
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Wow, girl, I'm sticking with you.
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They get fixed, somehow. While you sleep.
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Doesn't matter, we just break 'em again tomorrow.
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Best plan. Today has been a good day for making friends.
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Tony, too. Translating through a screen but it's a good face.
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Good, though. It's good to make friends when you're somewhere new and strange.
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But you know one!
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[ Nodding, furiously. ] We're all mutants. Psychic. Telepath. She could do it, and they did the rest.
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That's okay. Ain't nobody calling you crazy here.
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Then she's grabbing his hand and banging on the bedroom door. ]
Cass come meet Armando!
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... Who? Hi. [She waves.] Are you, um... new?
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[ Because that's...all it takes for River, apparently, to decide to share space with someone. ]
And a genetic marvel, too.
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[When he says Darwin his body reacts to it differently than Armando, so she can figure it out eventually if he doesn't just say for himself. And it doesn't take much more than a glance to see he is good, and that along with River's vouching is all it takes.]
Need house? Rooms here, can stay.
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You sure? I just popped in for a shower and some clean clothes, I wouldn't want to intrude.