01 ☣ voice

[vaccination]

Bullshit is showing up here with everything on me but my comic books. All those Savage Starlight issues, gone. Just like that. Fuck you too, Initiative.

[A pause. Ellie's never really addressed a group of people. Technology is crazy. Okay, there was a point to this whole thing.]

... anyway, guess I just wanted to say thanks to the people that helped me out when I got here. I found who I was looking for, so. Didn't wanna leave anyone with a cliffhanger.

Comments

[controlledvariable]

I'm just a baseline human, but I'm a gymnast, I've had training with the best martial artists in the world, I know my way around a zipline, and you should see what I can do with a batarang.

[Her grin is cocky, but there's something self aware in it, like she knows she's being ridiculous.]

[vaccination]

Is a batarang what I think it is?

[controlledvariable]

A boomerang shaped like a bat?

[She thinks of Nick making fun of her for them, and she has to work to keep her expression light.

It's stupid, but she misses him.]

[vaccination]

That's exactly what I'm thinking.

[controlledvariable]

[She sort of just - flicks her wrist, and suddenly there's a couple of batarangs held between her fingers for the camera and Ellie to see.]

They're pretty handy in a fight.

[vaccination]

[Things Ellie wants for Christmas:

1. a direwolf
2. a batarang]

Now that's pretty cool.

[controlledvariable]

They're surprisingly intuitive.

[With how to throw them, she means. Because it seems like they'd be trickier than they are, with all the pointy bits.]

I could teach you if y'want?

[She can't get her a direwolf though.]

[vaccination]

... seriously? You'd show me how to use those things?

[Holy shit why is everyone in this place so cool?]

[controlledvariable]

As long as promise not to put anyone's eye out.

[It'll make her feel better to know Ellie can defend herself.]

[vaccination]

[Meanwhile, Ellie's thrilled to have one more thing in the arsenal. She's got spectacular aim--can't be too hard to throw something, right?]

Not on purpose.

[And not if they don't have it coming.]

[controlledvariable]

[She seems to seriously consider that for a moment, before shrugging.]

Eh, good enough for me.

[She's joking, probably.

Mostly she'll just make sure Ellie does know how to use them properly.]

You spend much time in the training area?

[vaccination]

[Good answer, Steph.]

Yeah, I'm there pretty regularly. [It's a good place to spend time when Tess and Joel are out being adults or whatever.]

[controlledvariable]

I tend to be there most days. I'll keep an eye out for you and you can do the same, and next time we're both there I'll teach you how to throw a batarang. If you're good at it, I might even let you use one of the exploding ones.

[Yeah, they explode.]

[vaccination]

[As a connoisseur of nail bombs and molotovs, Ellie is very, very, very interested.]

No fucking way. Seriously?

[controlledvariable]

I'm well-armed. [Non-fatally, mostly. Unless she actually like, stuck an explosive batarang in a person, but that's generally discouraged by Batman.] I've got other ones, too, but I probably shouldn't disclose that over the network.

[vaccination]

--right. Don't show all your cards on my behalf.

[controlledvariable]

I'll show in you person, unless you're a supervillain or something, in which case the deal's off.

[Steph pls.]

[vaccination]

Unless I'm one and I don't know it, I think I'm good. [She may not be a good person, in the grand scheme of things, but she's more of a survivor than a villain. That's what she and Joel have had to be.]

[controlledvariable]

Usually you know those sorts of things about yourself. Except for those "I'm doing it for the greater good!" types, but you don't strike me as megalomaniacal.

[Unlike say, Luthor.]

[vaccination]

[WELL... if humanity itself counts as the greater good... Ellie will just keep quiet about that.]

Just as planned?

[It's a joke.]

[controlledvariable]

[It gets a laugh.]

Man, I've really gotta stop falling for this sorta thing. No wonder I end up in so many death traps.

[Really, Stephanie.]

[vaccination]

They must not be very good ones. Someone's getting fired for that.

[controlledvariable]

Or maybe I'm just really good at getting outta them.

[Practice makes perfect?]

[vaccination]

Do tell. Definitely not for research purposes, of course.

[controlledvariable]

Oh, of course not.

[She doesn't believe that for a second!!!]

The trick is to learn how to dislocate your thumbs, and to always carry a hidden knife.

[wow that's not a bit morbid or anything.]