atowncalledtreffy

[of all the things Trevor expected Zero to be, it probably wasn't this.

Yes he's in a cell but it's a cell with furniture. With an inside toilet instead of a bucket. And Zack, it appeared, had healed not only the wounds dealt to him by his hand but also older afflictions.

He's sitting cross-legged on the top bunk, undoing his bandages around his arms. The fracture feels like new again. It's weak from lack of use but nothing a few weeks of practice can't get right again.

He sniffs the air. Looks to Lark]

Lark.

[He's glad to see no bruises, no lacerations. If anything, Trevor seems better than he had the first time Lark saw him.]

What happened?

[He comes down from the bunk, able to use both hands now. This should even the odds somewhat, if it comes down to it]

Well, one minute I was having a lovely nap in the library, and the next I'm being shouted at by a person I've never met before about attacking people on the ship.

Is that food for me? It smells delicious.

[He slips it in the tray space and steps back to lean against the wall.]

And how many people have you fought since Port?

[Trevor seizes on the food. Lark’s fare is always delicious but fighting always makes him ravenous]

Since Port? No one. Must have been from earlier. What am I eating? It’s incredible.

Turkey and potatoes. I told you you'd like them.

[Okay. From the top.]

You told me you hit the kid because you two were sparring. Correct? Would the kid agree?

[It's amazing. He's wolfing it down]

His name's Hunter. But I think he's going by a different name. And yeah, he would, but don't bother him. He doesn't deserve to get tangled up in whatever the fuck this is.

[He has to, it's his job. But he's putting that off for the moment.]

Walk me through what happened with Laszlo. Start from when the local got angry with you.

[There's a distinct pause because it's clicked for Trevor that he's being asked a lot of specific questions. He settles his fork down, eyeing Lark]

Am I going on trial?

[Some of the professionalism drops and he leans against the bars.]

You're in a cage without any of them hearing the full story. There are wardens looking at other ways of containing you even when you're let out of the cell.

I'm here to keep them from piling on you, Trevor. I'm the only one who's trying to give you a chance. I need you to help me.

[Trevor suddenly doesn’t feel very hungry anymore. His movements slow as he stares back at Lark, unafraid and yet so very irritated at himself and humanity in general]

What does containing me look like?

It depends on the warden. It could be something as drastic as removing your ability to fight. [Which Lark does not agree with. Trevor is taking things too far, but forcing him into helplessness helps no one.]

So you need to give me context so I can be sure you don't end up as nothing more than the ship's punching bag.

[Shit. Crippling him could happen any number of ways. Trevor leans his head back against the cell wall, shutting his eyes.

He opens them again, still unafraid but with a tired sadness to him. How is he supposed to protect anyone if he faces irreversible judgement from the very people who fail to stop others from hurting people right in front of him?]

All right.

[A slow nod. Good. Trevor's hesitance about explaining himself was an obstacle before, but maybe it's resolved now.]

From the top, then. You went to get supplies?

[He nods, once]

I was bartering. The goods were overpriced and I told the man so. We struck a deal where neither was happy, I turned to leave.

I heard a knife being pulled and a gasp and when I turned around there was a vampire biting into the man who was pulling a knife on me.

And what happened then? Did you pause? Did you say anything? Did you recognize the vampire?

Didn’t recognize him. I told him to let the man go and reached for a stake in case he didn’t listen.

He let the man go. Introduced himself as Laszlo Cravensworth and muttered something about me being ungrateful that he saved my life.

I told him I was a vampire hunter. He turned into a bat, tried to flee.

[Dammit, Trevor.]

The fact he was trying to help you doesn't help your case. Him wanting to help at all is progress for him.

Why didn't you let him go?

He wasn’t looking to help me. He was looking to feed himself. I was just a justification.

Because he was eating a person right in front of me.

I'm not saying I agree with his method, but if he'd only wanted to feed there were safer places and easier targets. It was at least a part of his motivation.

So he tried to fly away. How did you stop him?

[Trevor's jaw tightens. He's angry with Lark now that he would try and justify easier targets, and can't help but spit right back;]

An easier target like a child? An older woman? Yeah, you're right.

I threw a stake through his wing. I could have gotten him through the heart but I was told by someone that killing was frowned upon here.

[He takes a breath. Lets it out. God, anger is such a fucking useless emotion when he's trapped here.]

[Lark watches him quietly for a moment, letting him be angry without trying to talk him out of it.]

No, you're right. And he's gone this long on the ship without feeding, and there were other ways to help. I'm just trying to understand the situation. The more I understand both sides, the better I'll be able to defend you from the other wardens.

What happened after you staked his wing?

[He has his sincere doubts about any other warden who wants to condemn him for getting rid of a threat to someone's life but it's a useless fucking argument.]

He fell onto a balcony. I chased him up there, but lost him when he disappeared into a bedroom and the lady of the house took issue with my breaking and entering. It was either continue the chase or get my legs hacked off.

If you weren't going to kill him, what did you plan to do if you did catch him?

Knock him out, tie him up, bring him back to the ship.

Re: [once Trevor is in Zero]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject