001 (video)

[jumpiness]

[ Maybe Independence Day is Coach Finstock's favorite movie for a reason. All Stiles knows is, at first he was in his jeep, dropping Scott off at home - and then he was in a shuttle, with some nasty-looking dude with six eyes staring at him.

He may have shrieked in a totally manly way and sat on the bench furthest away from him.

Anyway the shuttle - space shuttle, space ship - had set down, and he'd been herded out and dumped on a launch pad in some serious need of scrubbing. Some dude with actualfax fucking mandibles had tiredly told him that he was supposed to go to Zeta district and help with repairs if he didn't have anything better to do. He did not field any other questions. Stiles has been flying by the seat of his pants for the last few hours.

That first hour may have involved hyperventilating.

Regardless, he knows how to work this omni-tool thing now and he's using it thanks to ingenuity and possibly some passerby help. His face fills up the entire screen. ]

So aliens are real. Big, giant huge wrinkly aliens that look like they want to eat my face, and blue space babes. Okay, that's cool, we respect all of the species in human-land. Totally cool bros here.

[ A teenager's very determined expression of resolve goes here, though. ]

What we don't respect is kidnapping. Which I'd say is what just happened, you know. But I've got questions. If any of you see a five foot three girl with fair skin, green eyes, and strawberry blonde hair, or a five foot ten dude with tan skin, brown eyes, brown hair and an uneven jawline, you're gonna tell me, okay?

And if any of you touch a hair on that fine lady's head, I'm going to go Will Smith on your butts.

[ Scott can handle some heat. Stiles turns the video off, then switches it back on suddenly. ]

And the dude you're telling is Stiles!

Comments

[jumpiness]

Somewhere not here.

[ It just ends with them wandering until they find an empty street - apartment complexes, but the street's empty and so Stiles finds a bench to sit on and that's good enough for him so far. ]

I don't know what you want me to tell you. [ this is ninety percent honesty, lydia. ] You gave him that key back, or whatever, and he stopped being a giant lizard, and then he was a [ he hesitates ] werewolf. You were happy, he was happy, it was very touching.

[ He is still not telling her about the part where Derek and Peter stabbed Jackson and she sobbed over his dead body. Seeing it once was enough. ]

[sucking]

[She doesn't sit she stands, towering over him as best she can with all five foot three of her.]

No. Before that. Before all of this incident that I haven't lived through. How was he lizard-y? What happened, Stiles? I was locked in Scott's house. I don't even know what all I saw, but I know that you guys were avoiding telling me. Allison wouldn't even explain any of it because she was too concerned about me telling her dad that it was Scott's house she was at.

Just tell me what they haven't been telling me.

[jumpiness]

[ Just tell me what they haven't been telling me, she says like it's really that easy. ]

Lydia, I will if you want, but you gotta listen to me, you don't wanna know. The things out there at home? They're terrifying, bloodthirsty, ruthless.

And they will come after you, once you know. There's no way that they won't.

[ That veers uncomfortably close to if you die I'll be devastated . ]

You're safer if you don't know. If you're absolutely sure you wanna know, because you can't go back... I'll tell you.

[sucking]

[She frowns, because it's admirable that he wants to keep her out of that, but she's already IN that. She's so far IN that - that she knows there's no way anything is going to keep her from it now.]

They've already come after me, Stiles. I was attacked. I wandered the woods. I have the... [She takes in a breath through parted lips before her jaw sets. It still makes her stomach twist. It still makes her hands shake. All the times she tried to get someone to talk to her. Tried to explain what she is going through.]

I can't go back, Stiles. It's too late to think that I'm something untouched by all of this. [Maybe if he knows, maybe if she tells him what's been happening -- maybe then. Maybe he'll be okay telling her the truth.]

You asked me if I know what's even going on and I told you that some of it is like a dream. [Her lips part again, lower jaw sliding forward slightly with a breath before she pulls both lips in against each other, teeth worrying at a small slip of skin before she just stands up straight, determined to just say it.]

The dreams aren't mine. Well, they are... but they're partly because of Peter Hale. The nightmares, the waking dreams, the erratic behavior in school. The cryptic writing that I can't help but write.

It's all because of him. So, I can't go back, Stiles. I'm already there. So, please... [Her eyes plead with him.] Please, just explain to me what I don't know, because I'm tired of hearing the only truth I hear coming from a dead man whispering to me in dreams.

because you know all this

[jumpiness]

[ He wants to open his mouth, to say Peter Hale wasn't doing it to get to you -

Only then she's talking more. He honestly, genuinely thought it was trauma that made her get strange, though he still had no way to explain what happened at her party.

But they dreams aren't hers. They're Peter's, who he knows is alive. He stands up because he's too surprised not to. ]

You were dreaming about Peter Hale - no, he was doing something else to you? You know he's not dead any more, that he's alive now? Did you know that?

[ He starts to come closer and then - he stops, rubbing a hand over his face and laughing. ]

It's all because of him. And me, I guess. You remember them finding Laura Hale's body? Scott and I went looking for it first. And Scott got bit by Peter. He was a werewolf, and he turned Scott into one too. Yeah, werewolves are real.

[ He lowers his shoulders and begins talking. He tells her about Peter Hale, Derek Hale, the whole Hale family - burned alive by Kate. He tells her about Allison's family, Scott, Jackson figuring out what Scott was. He tells her they killed Peter, that Derek became the alpha and bit Jackson, bit Erica, Isaac and Boyd.

He tells her what a Kanima is, what happened to Jackson, that someone was controlling him. About the murders that happened, about Gerard Argent and Allison's mother.

He stops after the incident at the police station, at the start of the championship game and a brief detail of Gerard's plan. She knows what happened after. ]

So. That's why I haven't really been able to concentrate in Chemistry.

[sucking]

[She is about to tell him that she knows he's alive, that it's because of her -- but then he cracks this laugh off and she's not sure what to think. He's closer to her and there's a hint of something in that laugh and it makes her quiet.

So she listens. Which, for Lydia Martin to stand there and just listen without color commentary - without her opinion or facts or more questions coming in - is a miracle.

Other things slide into the gaps. The fire for one... that explains a majority of why her waking nightmares were flooded with images and things she didn't really like touching. Burned skin, clumps of hair in the drain. It explains why she was drawn to the house - why she couldn't slip away from that pull of him.]

Thank you. [She feels it's important to express that she's grateful for the information, that he didn't lie or leave things out. That it is as much information as she can have from him.]

And I know he's alive. Peter. I know... because I did it. At least, I think -- it's like I was there, but I wasn't and when I try to think about it... [Her gaze fixes to his, hard and determined.] I don't like thinking about it.

Then Jackson died. He died, Stiles. And then I'm supposed to bring him something and you say that I did - that I do and that it fixes him and now he's ... now he has what he wanted. [Which, she's not even sure what it was.]

He blamed me. Jackson. Blamed me for why it wasn't working... and Peter said I was immune. [She nods.] I wish someone had talked to me. [That part is said softly, mostly to herself, because maybe it could've been stopped. Someone could've done something. Something different.]

[jumpiness]

You did it?

[ The full moon was her party, she locked them all in - he wonders if it was then, or earlier, or later. He's mostly incredulous, because he's pretty sure Peter Hale was dead, until he wasn't, after all - when Stiles saw him jam claws into Jackson. ]

I mean, how - [ But she doesn't like thinking about it so for once he shuts his mouth for a while, listens to what she says again. ]

You are. Everyone who gets bit by an alpha should - should either die or turn into one, and you didn't. Jackson's poison - it didn't paralyze you, either. [ Regretfully, ] Isaac put some on the rock candy, in Harris' class. You're immune, but I dunno what that means.

[ Her last words make guilt curl up, thick and black, inside him, and he lowers his gaze to the ground. ]

I thought it was better - that you'd be safe. Because of what had already happened.

[ It wasn't just Stiles who thought that. But he's thinking of himself right now, himself and Lydia. ]

[sucking]

The best laid plans of mice and men...

[She stands up straighter, arms crossing over her chest.]

Regardless of what happened, there's nothing we can do about it here. Which is outer space where we're the minority apparently. So, we need to find a place to stay because I am not doing the shuffling homeless person in space.

at this point we could handwave them finding the housing or not up to you~

[jumpiness]

[ She changes subject so fast he almost gets whiplash. His mouth falls open, then closed. Of course Lydia refuses to bum. ]

Hey, it could be fun!

[ But he does open up his omni tool. ]

Mandible alien told me to come here, help with repairs. I think that means we can get a place here. I mean, I hope...

[ Then Aria's voice drifts out. He listens to the post, frowns, and looks for another one - and he does. ]

O-kay. So apparently we have to worry about a protection bracket on top of finding a place to stay, but I think there's someone we can talk to around here? Hopefully.

[sucking]

[Just because she changes the subject now doesn't mean she won't be delving into the details of certain things later, but that was a huge infodump. She needs to compile and sort the information. She needs to sort things out so that she can be properly upset at how her friends ignored her own trouble for their own trouble.]

[She frowns at the word Mandible Alien, because that sounds like a lot of jaw if it's being given its name based on a sudden identifier.]

We'll just have to ask around until we find something that suffices. If they expect us to work, they should expect us to have daily needs too.


[And sure! There are a few hours of them asking and researching via their devices and following crude directions and being hissed at by some aliens and then... there is actual living space. That is slightly awkward, because Lydia now realizes that she's living with Stiles.]

Are you messy?

[jumpiness]

[ All Stiles learns is that the hissers are vorcha - and that the vorcha really, really hate humans. Oh boy.

It's pretty awkward, especially because Stiles stands there and the elation of sharing space with Lydia is offset by how the place looks nothing like his home. How his dad isn't here, and he really only has the things on his back to wear, and that they'll have to wait till one of them gets some credits (he learned that's what they're called) to buy food.

Her question is at least... an effective distraction. ]

Um. [ He looks around, fiddling with his crosse. ] I generally pick up after myself? Not that I have much to leave around right now.

[sucking]

[This is definitely the low-end of living, but she's fine with it. She can manage. There is a roof and a door and the door closes and locks. Plumbing and electricity are there (she hopes it all works properly) an that's all she needs. They'll find work (or a way home) and then they'll just take each day one at a time.]

Okay, that's good. I'm very clean and I don't like cleaning up after other people. [She doesn't want to use the phrase that she's not his mother. That's just inappropriate on so many different levels.]

We have a place to stay, we know each other - so that's good. We should figure out how to check in with each other. Just to make sure that one of us hasn't been kidnapped further or injured.

[jumpiness]

I promise you won't be cleaning up after me. Pretty used to picking up after myself.

[ That's probably a sadder thought than he needs, and he shakes it off. Missing Scott and his dad are more pertinent thoughts anyway. ]

We might end up having to share the place later, but hopefully not. As long as we're not too unlucky, anyway.

[ He purses his lips, then. ]

Maybe there's a way to send private messages over this thing? Like email? I know you had some numbers attached when you replied to my post, so maybe that's like your - contact info?

[sucking]

[She nods, moving to reach for hers.]

That makes sense, but you were able to broadcast to a large group. We need to make sure that we can keep these just between us. [She starts to fiddle with hers, turning it on and off and scrolling through the menu options and different settings.]

I'm sure there's some sort of option to have it go direct to just one of us. [She'll keep scrolling, then glance up at him.]

It has a holographic setting. [She knows his little sci-fi heart just went pitter-patter.]

Never use that with me. [And she stabs it with her cold finger.]

[jumpiness]

Maybe there's a filter? [ Neither of them are Danny - god, he'd kill to have Danny right now - but he opens his omni-tool as well, looking at his post and opening the settings.

He looks up when she mentions holograms, immediately starting to scroll around looking for that, and - ]

Aw, come on! What if I have to impart a very important message and you need to be able to see me to understand the gravity of the situation?

[ Derailed. ]

[sucking]

Then you use video. [Her tone is near sing-song and cheery as if she's secretly pleased to have banned him from treating her like she's that guy from Star Wars.]

Here, I'm going to try this.

[She turns the video on and slides a few settings over and then waves her fingers in front of the lens.]

What does it - [She moves over toward him and peers over his shoulder.] Hmmm. I think it's working?

We'll know if suddenly aliens are looking to eat my hand.

[jumpiness]

[ Stiles pouts. He literally pouts at Lydia, opening his mouth to protest, but then she tells him she's going to try something. ]

I hope you know we're revisiting this conversation later.

[ He grumbles it as he makes his screen come back. It's soon filled with the display of her hand, and he hums. ]

Yep. Five flawless fingers. How'd you do that? [ He's already craning his neck to look at her settings. ]

[sucking]

No, we're not. [And she leans down to hold her device out for him to look at. She'll look at his, comparing the settings and she'll slide a few over.]

Like... that. I think. I hope.

unfortunately it's not super private as far as messages go but they don't know that!

[jumpiness]

[ He watches her, undoing the settings and redoing them, and transmitting a couple frames of his face to her. ]

Getting anything?

private enough for now! lydia will figure this out! she is smart!

[sucking]

[Her head cants to the side and she makes an affirmative sound.]

Yes. I see your face. So, that's taken care of for now. What else is on our list of ... we should make a list.

[jumpiness]

Make a list of what?

[ Stiles might be good at lists, but Stiles is still in a little bit of freak-out mode right now. So he's not really the more level-headed of the two at the moment. ]

We gotta have money to get food, which, by the way, where do we even get food - and I assume if we're lucky, helping repair things gets paid daily, but if we're unlucky we're going to have to starve for the first week or whatever.

[sucking]

A list of what we need to find out, acquire - everything we need to do so that we don't forget something vital.

[She's thinking they need to find out about employment, food supplies, who to pay for this 'protection' and anything else that might come up.]

A list of questions and then we'll just go down the list and find the answers. [She shoots him a glance.] We won't starve. [She can always sell her jewelry. It's possible that they are valuable one some level. They're minerals or gems. Diamond earrings (that her father gave her) are at the very least good for cutting things.]

[jumpiness]

[ Somehow, Lydia's steady tone helps Stiles calm down, just a little. ]

Well, we do repair work, according to the angry purple woman. [ Saying that physically hurts. ] There seem to be a bunch of her guys around here, so we can ask one of them. I think that's who we pay for protection, too.

Gonna have to talk to them to make sure about that, though. Does this thing have a notepad function?

[ He's already looking for it as he speaks. It seems like he can save files of text, at least, and even share it with Lydia. ]

[sucking]

[She nods and wonders if the wandering protection providers are unionized.]

I'm not sure... [She starts to fiddle with the device, trying to locate - oh. So apparently it does.] Did you find it?

[jumpiness]

Yeah, it's right over - [ He leans over to show her, fiddling with it further and typing in some words. Just to make sure, he hits enter to make sure they're not command lines. They stay in place, so he shares the file. ] there, I think.