I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

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I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:08 pm

X-23 pulled the collar of her jacket closer around herself to keep the rain from getting underneath. Just because she doesn't get sick doesn't mean she enjoys cold water running down her back. At this point she's been traveling for three days. She'd started out just hitching a ride on a passenger train to France and Germany. She hadn't bothered to buy a ticket, instead just relying on her instincts to avoid the conductors. It wasn't so much that she didn't have money (although she didn't actually bring any along) but rather that this felt more comfortable. It was a nice break from the school and she had to get into character a little anyway.

In Berlin she'd slept in the trainyard before hopping onto a cargo train towards Poland. She had trouble looking too haggard, any bruise or bump just disappearing within minutes anyway, so she went out of her way to get dirty instead. Torn clothes, dirty hair, worn out boots. She had to cram weeks worth of homelessness into a couple days to at least look kind of convincing. She dumped out her bag and repacked everything a bunch of times, just to make sure it was a proper mess. In the outskirts of Warsaw she traded some of her stuff with a bunch of drifters who looked at her like she was nuts but didn't question getting some halfway decent things in exchange for a banged up crap like a cup and canteen.

She was systematically shedding the luxuries of life at the school. It was a little frightening how easy it came to her, but with it came the feeling of having no one to be responsible for but herself. It was kind of liberating in a strange way. She knew how to handle this kind of thing, even if it wasn't particularly fun. The fun parts were at the end, or so she was hoping. In Belarus she started actively looking for refugees, other mutants that were looking to take Russia up on their oh-so-generous offer of asylum for prosecuted mutants. It didn't take too long to find a group in Vitsyebsk that was about to make the trek up to the border and now here she was. Surrounded by chainlink-fences on either side as they are waiting to be processed through the border. There's a distinct lack of barbed wire on top of the fence, probably in an attempt to look less imposing as to not discourage people, but she can see the spots where it used to be attached. Not to mention the guards are still carrying automatic weapons, even if they're trying not to flaunt them. There are a lot of them too, at least twenty she's spotted so far for maybe forty or fifty mutants that have gathered here. Enough that there were bound to be at least a couple that had the potential to be dangerous. Not counting herself, of course.

The lines moves slowly but after several hours she's finally at the entrance and the guard waves her inside.

"Name, nationality, mutation?" the man reads from a list with a thick accent, brandishing a pen.

"Matylda Gwozdek." she says with her best innocent-and-slightly-scared voice. She hates it but you can't argue with results. And she's dealt with enough people like this to know that they just love the idea of protecting poor little girls. Especially if they, as she suspects, believe what they're doing here is helping people. "American, but they wouldn't give me a passport, my grandparents came from--"

"Mutation?" the man harshly interrupts her, simply repeating the question.

"I'm strong and I heal..." No reason not try and fabricate something she can't prove if need be.

"Fill these out, you'll be taken to a refugee camp for further processing." He assembles a bunch of green papers he hands her along with a pen and gestures for her to leave through one of the doors at the other end of the room. Once outside again guards are sorting people based on the color of their paperworks into different buses and once hers fills up they're on their way. The bus is a repurposed prison transport and while most people might not notice, the cage for the passengers has definitely been reinforced. There also aren't very many people in the bus with her when it rumbles to life and heads north...
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:42 pm

The bus stops several times at service stations along the way to fuel up, though only once were they allowed off the bus for a brief break. At the same stop, the driver's assistant brought a box of junk food onto the bus from the service station and passed the junk food and some bottles of water around. She was obviously trying hard to appear friendly and welcoming. Afterwards, the bus rumbled onward.

A teenager, early high school age at the latest, peered over one of the seats at her as they travelled. Any time her sleeves rode up, the patterned scales on the backs of her hands were easily visible but she quickly pulled the sleeves back down over them. Any time she made eye contact, the girl turned her attention back forward.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:02 pm

"Don't be ashamed. They look pretty." she says, gesturing at her own arms and smiling at the girl, just in case she doesn't speak English. "Симпатичная."
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:07 pm

"<Thank you. You are American?>" Her accent marked her as Ukranian. Her voice had a strange raspy quality out of character with her face.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:12 pm

"<Yeah. Russian's little rusty. Little weird, leaving America to come to Russia. Grandparents did the opposite.>" she chuckles.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:18 pm

"<Parents? Mine kicked me out.>" She got up and moved a seat closer to Laura.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:25 pm

Laura winces slightly at the mention of parents, which is only mostly fake. "<They didn't know. Yet. I just left. Easier that way. Got by alright but things got worse, someone always finds out eventually.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:29 pm

"<Yes. Some things are harder to hide than...>" The bus pulled to a stop, catching everyone's attention. A man got on board and called out several names, calling them to come up front. From the looks of it, they were separating off the older individuals. Outside the windows there was another bus that those people were herded onto. Then the bus started rumbling away again.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:40 pm

She makes a mental note of the way everyone seems to be getting split off. The first step she wasn't sure about, but it had to be either based on nationality or mutation. Now they separated out the older ones. She kept an eye out to see if any families were being split up, which would be a good sign that they had something other than refugee camps in mind.

"<Is it just the pretty scales?>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:44 pm

There didn't appear to be families on this bus, at least not with children. It did look like a husband and wife left the bus together though.

The girl looked up at her and her eyes went slitted like a snake or a lizard. "<I heal really quickly. Actually grew a toe back after an accident. That's how my parents found out.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:58 pm

"<I'm the same. Minus the scales.>" she says, glancing around the bus at some of the other refugees. Spouses leaving together was a good sign but still... this couldn't be right. She wasn't going to trust any country that was rounding up mutants, no matter how humanitarian they were claiming to be. She'd seen what humans inevitably turn to. Hell she was living evidence of it. For every Sarah Kinney there was a Zander Rice. She forces herself to unclench her fists. No point in making the girl nervous.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:04 pm

"<Oh? That's wonderful! It's nice to finally meet someone at least a little like me.>" The bus was on a major road briefly before it got off onto a back road again. Through the windshield it looks like there might be a lake in the distance.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:14 pm

"<Yeah, it's nice to know someone knows what it's like. My name is Matylda.>"

She keeps glancing out the window, especially now that they seem to be approaching a landmark of some sort. Part of why she'd picked Belarus was that she wondered if proximity might mean the place Flare and Blaze had mentioned would be relevant and a lake could mean that was indeed where they were heading.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:18 pm

"<Lavra. I grew up in Kiev. Lots and lots of people.>"

The lake continued to draw closer. They drove around a town, based on the landmarks it might be Ostashkov, but it was getting dark and hard to see.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:46 pm

"<That's a pretty name. Hope the place they're taking us to is not too cramped with people.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:53 pm

"<Me too.>" The bus drove out onto a causeway and past some sort of building collection and then into a small wooded area. It rolled to a stop and the bus driver and his assistant got off the bus.

After a few more minutes, a man got onto the bus. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "<Young people, we've brought you to one of our schools so we can assess what you know and the help you need before we place you with foster homes or assistance families. Please step off the bus and form and orderly line.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:09 am

So far so reasonable... Where's the catch here.

"<I'll try to come with, but I'm a little old to pass for a student. Pretend we're cousins and you're scared.>" she says as she gets up to follow Lavra.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:20 am

Lavra stood up and darted her eyes back to Laura. She tugged at Laura's hand as if she was trying to get her to come with her. The man in the front of the bus noticed, "<It's not her turn. Come along and bring your papers.>"

"<She's my cousin. Can't she come too?>"

The man seemed to consider that for a moment, "<Very well. Since you are family, she can stay with you for a while.>" He looked Laura in the eye, "<Stay with her and keep her calm.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:28 am

"<Of course.>" she says. Really, he's treating them alright, but she still can't help but search for any tiny excuse to want to start banging heads together. For Lavra's sake she just nods and looks away, keeping an eye on their surroundings as they get out of the bus.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:42 am

Most of the occupants of the bus line up outside. It looks for all the world like they're just in the middle of the woods. "<You may be wondering,>" the man says, "<why we are all the way out here. This particular school is hidden for your safety. We want to make sure you have time to adjust to your new situation before dealing with others.>" Laura's senses easily pick out that there are other guards in the area. "<If you'll follow me, please.>" The man starts off towards a small stone building a short walk away.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:45 am

She puts a hand on Lavra's shoulder and follows after the man, making sure to note where the other guards she can make out are positioned.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:11 am

They're led into the small stone building and crowded onto a freight elevator. The elevator lowers them down a couple of stories before letting them out into a hallway. After a short bit, the hallway opened into a room. They walked past two guards armed with automatic weapons. "<We have a few tests we're going to run to further classify your mutations. Then we'll get you assigned to a case worker.>" There was something unsettling about the way he said 'case worker'.

A few people in lab coats stepped forward and started separating people again.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:18 am

Well, this is probably where everything's gonna go sideways one way or the other the moment they make me step on a scale or behind an X-ray machine.

"<Hey, is there any chance we will be able to get the same foster home?>" she asks, glancing down at Lavra. "<She's my cousin.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:29 am

"<I'm sure they will see what they can do,>" the woman in the lab coat said, though she didn't sound particularly sincere. She pulled out a needle prepared to take Lavra's blood followed by Laura's.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:51 am

Laura never keeps her eyes off the woman and the needle, making sure that drawing blood is all they're doing. In general her body language is getting increasingly aggressive.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:57 am

The woman leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, "<Miss, I suggest you calm down. We wouldn't want to have to sedate you.>" She seemed to only be drawing blood.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:03 am

Laura holds up her hands, palms out and makes an effort to relax. This whole thing was putting her on edge something fierce.

"<Hey, I'm fine. No problems here.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:20 am

"<Just stay that way,>" the woman said sternly. After all the blood was taken, they were ushered into a warren of passageways. On the wall was a sign in Russian that pointed the way to various places including classrooms, a cafeteria, and a 'Headmaster's Office".
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:46 am

"Who the fuck puts the whole school underground... This shit ain't right." she quietly mumbles to herself in English.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:56 am

Lavra gave her a worried look. The woman leading them past rooms with iron doors, "I'm afraid we don't have double rooms, but we can put you next door to each other." She stopped in front of one door and unlocked it, opening the door. "<Here you go, Lavra.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:12 am

Laura glances into the room before giving Lavra's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "<Everything will be alright. Trust me.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:15 am

It was most certainly not a dorm room. It actually looked more like a holding cell than she was possibly comfortable with. "<It will be alright,>" the woman reassured her, "<Go in, make yourself comfortable.>" Lavra glanced at Laura again and went quietly into the room. The woman shut the door behind her. As she and Laura stepped away, there was a quiet buzzing noise from the door's latch. The woman moved to open the next door down.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:19 am

And this is where the bullshit starts. Laura thinks to herself. She steps into her cell, because let's be honest, that's what it is, without making any trouble. In fact at this point she's eager to be left alone. Getting confrontational with the woman wasn't going to accomplish anything, no matter how much she wants to point out how obviously not a dorm this is.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:22 am

"<We'll be back in a bit to show you to the cafeteria,>" she said, closing the door behind Laura. After a moment, she heard the same buzzing sound at the latch.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:33 am

She keeps an eye on the door just to see if she can tell where bolt and hinges of the door are as she waits to be locked up, then immediately looks around the cell to see what she has to work with. While she's looking around she knocks on the wall to Lavra's cell, both to reassure the girl she's not alone and to gauge the thickness and material of the wall.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 12:32 pm

The bolt's easy enough to find and she hears it thunk home a moment after the buzzing noise. The hinges are on the other side of the door since it swings out. The walls themselves are stone and seem to be about six inches thick, but as she inspects them, they're not natural or worked stone. Natural stone wouldn't be this smooth and even and worked stone would at least have tool marks of *some* sort. The room has a single jailhouse style bed, a small hand sink, and a toilet in one corner. There's also a small shelf of some sort, about the size one might use to hold a few books. Contrary to the jailhouse appearance, everything is actually in good working order.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:10 pm

Laura tosses her bag onto the bed and, after making sure there are at least no obvious cameras, drops to the ground and rolls herself under the bed. She pulls her hand back, snaps out one of the blades from her hand and punches the wall she shares with Lavra's cell, hoping to create a hole they can talk through in a spot that's hidden enough and also unlikely to have Lavra accidentally touching the wall on the other side.
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:13 pm

She hears a startled noise from the other side of the wall and then sees Lavra peering through the hole. "<Why did you do that?>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Laura Kinney » Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:14 pm

"<So we can talk when we want to, not when they let us. Trust me, I've been through this kind of thing before.>"
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Re: I2DT - Here I Go Again On My Own

Postby Narrator » Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:20 pm

"<It does seem odd. I think they locked my door.>"
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