tushanshu | 003 ☾ video | 100% encrypted to Catty, Annabeth, Percy, and Leo

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003 ☾ video | 100% encrypted to Catty, Annabeth, Percy, and Leo

[Vanessa has literally been sitting on this information for months, letting it turn over and over in her head, as if she could make sense of it. It's not like it doesn't make sense. Being told that you're straight up a clone makes it a little hard to dispute, all things considered.

That makes it even worse, she supposes. And she's not told anyone about it, so any crisis she's had have been dealt with alone.

But she has friends now, people she absolutely trusts, and she's not really ready to tell the entire population that their bodies aren't technically their own.

So here she sits, biting her lip as she stares at the camera.]

Um, okay. So, after Percy made his post about the discovery of the cloning facility, I needed to know... more. [A beat.] I mean, hey. Sorry to dump this on you suddenly and out of nowhere, guys.

[A nod.] I went to the Emperor. She was surprised that I was asking about it, like a good sort of surprised. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is, I asked her what that facility was all about. Like, why do we even have clones? [She has no idea how to get straight to the point, which is why she fidgets a bit, her upper arms going translucent.] She told me that organic matter can't be brought through to this place. That our bodies are clones. It's our souls in here. [She presses a hand to her chest.] But these aren't our original bodies, and there are more. There have to be more bodies, because I think that means she can just bring us back when we're going up against, you know. And there have to be more facilities, right? Because more people show up all the time!

[Vanessa pauses, takes a breath, and tucks a curl behind her ear.] What do we do?

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[She starts to fade around the edges a little] Yoooooou are allll clooooooooooooones.

Get out, Catty. [e_e]

Okay! [She reaches forward and the screen flicks off. Maybe a minute later, and oily black shadow flits into Vanessa's suite]

[The shadow thing creeps her out. A lot. She makes a face.] That is not what I meant.

I missed you. [Her body forms out of the blackness, and she wanders over to hop onto the desk that the console is resting on.] I should just stay here, it probably makes more sense.

[Oh... Sigh, it's hard to be annoyed with someone when they say that, so she just rolls her eyes half-heartedly, leaning back in her chair to look up at Catty.] I do have two floors. That's a lot of space for one girl.

Plus, you can't cook. Like, at all. [She kicks her feet back and forth idly] You really trust them, then? Leo, Annabeth, that Percy guy?

I can cook some things! Just the other day, I made a loaf of bread. And... Okay, it flattened, but it was still... Edible. [Her bread sucked.

Vanessa doesn't even hesitate when she nods.] Yeah. And I don't mean in that naive sort of way I tend to trust people, I honestly believe they're good people. They're like us, except... More violent.

[There's a pause] I thought that was a pancake. [:'D

Catty notes the way Vanessa doesn't hesitate, and tucks her jealousy away in the dark place that feeds some of her worse powers] Like us but violent is kind of the opposite of - of Daughters.

[Her face falls.] It was bread.

[Nudging her leg now.] Hence the 'like'. It's meant to be a comparison of two similar things. They've helped me out while I've been here. Talked to me, are my friends. I trust them with my life.

[Catty makes a pained sound] Don't look at me like that! [It makes her feel bad] I'll teach you, okay? We can make dateless fudge for me to eat sadly on my own when you finally make a move on your firestarter. Well. Another move.

[Nudging back. The jealousy only grows, and she stuffs it back again] That's a pretty high recommendation.

[That's what she gets for making fun of her terrible bread.] I'm trying, okay! I've never had to feed myself before. [She brightens up, opens her mouth to say something, and the flushes bright red.] I am not going to let you eat fudge sadly or on your own.

[A smile.] There are good people here, and they also sort of understand weird things.

Come on, I can't be the only person on this turtle capable of teaching you how to cook. Why didn't you ask anyone? [Raising her eyebrows] But you are going to make a move. [Catty has decided this for you.

She's quiet for a moment] That's so weird, though. Like, we had to hide who we were for so long. [There's a pause, and then she laughs] I guess it's not like I care now, anyway.

I didn't want to bother people! Besides, it was okay at first. I could buy simple stuff, but rationings kind of threw the whole thing off balance, and I... didn't want to bother people. [A nonchalant shrug.] That sounds like a command, not a question.

[She nods, an awkward smile on her face.] I hid it for a couple of months. But only Annabeth knows about the Daughter thing, so it's okay. None of our secrets are really out there. [Nobody knows the truth about us, is what she means.]

Okay, so, in the future? If you're starving? Bother people. Bother everyone. [She holds out a hand and rocks it from side to side] Like, half and half. I'm not going to let you sit around this place eating dateless fudge, for a start. It's only for the dateless.

[There's a long moment of silence] Did you tell them - what I did?

I am not starving. Seriously. I just can't make gourmet meals. [she has you now though, so it doesn't matter.] Catty, you could get a date. Mo sweat. You're kind of amazing.

[she looks a little hurt, figuring that Catty is asking whether she talked about the falling.] I told Annabeth that you died a hero. You gave your life to stop the Atrox.

Uh, I know you, and I know your body. You've dropped way too much weight. [She just waves a hand] We're not talking about me, we're talking about you.

[Catty thinks sometimes that she gave a lot more than just her life, but Vanessa doesn't need to hear that] Right. Okay, that makes sense. [A beat] I'm glad you think that.

I'm putting on muscle, though! I still look okay, right? [Vanessa glances down at herself, hand going to her stomach with a frown on her face.] I don't like talking about me.

[She puts her hand on Catty's knee, squeezes it.] I watched you die. And I couldn't do anything about it. Of course I think that.

You look fantastic! Of course you do, it's just I've only been staring at your body for more than half my life, obviously I'm going to notice it. You still look hot, Vanessa, don't even worry about that.

[She shuts her eyes, tipping her head back up to the ceiling] I did some pretty unheroic things.

I don't know if that's creepy or not. You've been staring at my body for half your life? [But the answer satisfies her, and she can't help the small smirk on her face.] Not that it matters. I am not trying to attract attention or anything. [Okay, maybe a little.

She's quiet, watching Catty for a moment.] We all do. I know it wasn't easy for you, and I'm sorry for how I've acted, but sometimes we have to do unheroic things to do the right thing.

Please, like you haven't been looking at mine. [If she was in a better mood, she might have struck a pose. ] Why not? You're a goddess, you should flaunt it.

[There's such a juxtaposition of emotions in this conversation right now, but Catty seems to switch between them with an almost unsettling amount of ease] I love you, you know that?

It's really hard to not notice yours. [Catty's body is bangin', lbr here. And okay, so it's hard to notice the body next to you when you've grown up together.] I don't want to flaunt that I'm a goddess.

[That came out of nowhere, and Vanessa's quiet with surprise, sitting up a bit. And then she grins.] I know. I love you, too. You're the only thing that I've wanted here.

Please, don't even get me started. [You are way hotter than her, Vanessa, you just never had the confidence to back it up] And I meant flaunt your body like the goddess you are.

[The grin makes something inside Catty relax a little, and she gives her friend a bright smile.] Well, then! I'm glad I could fulfill your wishes.

[Huffing. Nope nope nope.] I don't want to do that either. I mean, it's kind of embarrassing and what am I flaunting it for around here? [Life here isn't like back home. Nothing's the same at all.]

Just don't leave me again, Catty. Don't do it.

To feel good? To be honest I think this place could use some normal, it's not like we didn't do stuff like go to Planet Bang in the middle of awful situations. People have to let lose somehow.

[She keeps her smile, but she turns away from Vanessa, looking out a nearby window] Someone has to teach you to cook. [It is notably not a yes]

003 ☾ video | 100% encrypted to Catty, Annabeth, Percy, and Leo

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