atowncalledtreffy

Actually? The same thing. Close to it. This place is what I wanted for the Barge.

Why didn't you take them up on the offer?

I woke up with your file.

[In what world would Trevor have let Lark languish alone?]

[Trevor is the reason Lark didn't leave with Alec. Trevor is the reason Lark didn't even take a week off to get Alec settled in at home.

He has no regrets, even though he's here now because of it.]

What is it about this place that feels like home to you?

..Mostly the atmosphere, I think. I hated the ship on sight because it didn't feel natural. All this new shit I was expected to learn or know right away, and everyone around me from five hundred years into my future. The bright overhead lights and the machines that took me forever to learn.

This place feels much more peaceful. Like I was meant to be here.

I feel guilty saying it out loud because I know we're missing like two thirds of the people, but it looks like they might have gone to other ships that feel more natural to them. And it was always going to be the case for me about not seeing most of them after they left.

I don't know. I'm used to things going to absolute shit and the floor ripped out from under me.

[He misses his people. There are some he was determined to keep seeing long after he was done with the Barge, but Trevor's right: that's not most of them.]

It is more peaceful here. At least it was before we all showed up.

I think they do good things here. But I can't stay here and that seems to be the main difference between the Barge and this place: people don't leave.

Even if Alec was here I'd want the option of going.

The worst I ever was, the worst version of myself I've ever been, was when I couldn't leave. I don't want to be that person again.

[He nods, strangely sad about it]

Well. You have as much choice to leave here as I did to leave the Barge. Everyone wanted to fucking force me to graduate except you. I just got worse and worse there.

So what do we do?

Take the ship and send me home. [A soft huff that's not quite a laugh, it's too bitter for that.]

Who would you trust with the Deacon's powers? The Admiral's?

And demote myself. You seriously asking me to do that? I'm asking, not being sarcastic. For once.

Nobody. No one should be able to just magic us back to life. But that's not the world we live in.

[A long sigh.] No. I can't ask you to do that.

On the old ship, that fact alone would have graduated me.

We're not on the old ship. It's gone. I'm sorry, but...I don't know what wishing on the past is going to do.

People graduate here. It's just harder. Different rules.

People who graduate don't leave. No one I've spoken to knows anyone who has graduated and left, Trevor.

If 'wanting to stay' is part of their rules, then I'm fucked no matter what I do.

[Fuck. He'd known that, but somehow saying it out loud so plainly makes it all the more apparent that he still has no choice in all this: not if he wants to keep his family honor.

He taps the book in his lap]

Adrian and Sypha are going to be royally pissed off.

Let's go demote me.

Wh-

Are you sure?

[He stretches from his position, grumbling in his typical Trevor-esque way]

I'm comfortable here as both a warden and inmate, or a whatever-they-call-them, initiates and something. My weapons are here, my family is here. I like it on this ship and I knew a long time ago I wasn't going to 'get' to be alive again.

If you honestly think there's a chance for you to get out, I'll demote myself.

I do.

It's going to involve taking control of the ship, but I do think there's a way to get me home and still leave you this ship with your family.

Sounds like a fun way to spend an afternoon.

[He starts gathering up a familiar weapon; the family whip, Vampire Killer]

What's the plan?

We need to get likeminded magic users to help us get to the heart of the ship. We start communicating with it.

And...failing that, we break shit until we get someone's attention.

All right, well. I have a magic whip. Sypha might be out if she hears this is going to demote me. There's a Jonathan Strange here who's a powerful mage but his whole deal is fixing the ship, not making it worse.

I can see if I can talk them around to helping.

You're going to make her light me on fire. We only just agreed I would go back.

You still can. If this works and I'm able to leave, no reason you three can't, right?

They have deals that were interrupted. And Adrian's missing Hunter, and his dad. Won't want to give them up easily.

Anyway, like you said; no one leaves here, right? Could be years. Longer.

If they're counting on the Deacon to grant them a deal, yeah... I wouldn't hold my breath.

I don't hold mine with any of it. I think you're all idiots.

[Said with the most affection in the world]

But then again, we're plotting to go piss off a minor deity.

What are their deals, anyway?

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