bigapplesauce | I'll Be A Stone, I'll Be The Hunter [closed]

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I'll Be A Stone, I'll Be The Hunter [closed]

Daine leaves the remains of the base in crow shape, surrounded by other birds, buzzing with adrenaline and borrowed strength. She and her friends have destroyed all the records they could find, left the labs in ruins, smashed computers and other expensive-looking things to pieces. The only things left intact are the tunnels themselves, because she hadn't wanted to risk collapsing the ground up above, and the food. Both belong to the rats, now, and she wishes them joy of it.

She's not sorry. She's not sorry.

The dogs are a bright, familiar cluster in her mind's eye, and she wings her way towards them. That's where Peeta will be. He's not as far from the base itself as she'd like him to be, but it doesn't matter anymore. If any stragglers tried to take him, they'd have nowhere to go.

The cold, furious part of her thinks: if any stragglers tried to take him, I'd kill them.

But there's no one suspicious around when she finally spies him and the others. Maybe Peeta knows her crow shape well enough to recognize her among the other birds as she swoops towards them. Regardless, she doesn't stay crow for long: once she hits the ground, she lapses into wolf shape, the only one she can count on herself to hold for any length of time. Maybe it's too noticeable, but there are far more noticeable things happening back near Columbus Circle. She could just be an overlarge dog.

Daine moves toward him, her gait somewhere between a trot and a stagger, hackles raised in lingering anger, but tail wagging. He's alive, he's in one piece, and they're free.

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For his part, Peeta is a mess of nerves and anxiety. Having stayed as near to the base as he dared, he'd had - while not a front-row seat to the mayhem - a definite spot in the theater. Between the sounds he could hear emanating from sources he could not and the reactions of the animals around, he knows that whatever happened, it was big.

When the flock of birds swoops toward them, he immediately tries to spot Daine in the group. Even as he does, she lands and transforms into a wolf. The dogs whine and strain against their leashes, but he holds them tight as Daine shuffles in their direction. Even in wolf form Daine's emotions roll off of her in waves, and Peeta studies her in silence for a few minutes, expression revealing nothing, wondering.

Then he uses his free hand to dig some clothes out of his bag. He'd grabbed them without really thinking about it when he was evacuating Daine's quarters, but now he's glad he had the foresight, even if it wasn't a conscious decision. He and Daine need to talk, and he'd rather not do it while she's still in animal form.

Oh, good. He thought to grab some of her clothes. The energy her friends have given her will only get her so far. She takes the shirt and pants in her jaws and looks around for a safe spot to change, ears swiveling. It's heavily wooded here, and there aren't many folk about. She trots up a little incline she's fairly certain she recognizes, and is rewarded when the far side plunges into a depression. Good enough. She slides down the incline, lets her mouth change back to human, and says a hoarse, "Hang on."

Satisfied no one can see her, she all but falls back into her human shape. Her hands are shaking, but not so badly she can't dress herself, if with more fumbling than usual. Then she sits - she can't help it - lets her hands sink into the leaf litter, and tries to catch her breath.

"I'm decent," she calls after a moment, though she doesn't get to her feet.

While Daine changes, Peeta reassures the dogs with gentle strokes and ear ruffles. He winces internally at how rough Daine's voice sounds; it's clear that she's been through a lot, and he braces himself for the tale. Whatever it was, she seems clearheaded and unscathed, so the worries that she had a Lucifer-level reaction to something fades from his mind.

Her voice sounds a little better when she calls out to let him know that she's dressed, and he waits for a moment for her to reappear. When she doesn't, he calls out in return.

"You want us to join you, or are you coming back out?" Then a possibility occurs to him, and he shifts so that he's crouched and ready to rise instead of sitting on the ground. "Do you - do you need help?"

Daine looks up at the rim of the little valley she's in. Now that she has her own limbs back - and with her friends' energy boost fading away - it's a more intimidating climb than it should be.

"I'm all right," she says. Then she rises, or tries to, but her legs start to shake and she ends up sitting back down in the leaves. Curse it. She shifts herself over to the nearest tree and leans back against its trunk. "But it might be easiest for you to come down here," she admits with a wince. At least they'll be sheltered in here, though the part of her brain that still half-expects a fight would prefer higher ground.

Edited 2015-06-16 03:48 (UTC)

Considering how tired Daine seemed, Peeta isn't surprised. Pulling his bag onto his shoulder, he follows Daine's path into the bushes, dogs in tow. Once in the little valley, he unclips their leads and finally lets them say hello to Daine properly. There's a tree nearby the one Daine is propped against, and Peeta lowers himself to sit against it. He watches Daine through his eyelashes as she greets the dogs.

She's clearly exhausted, and Peeta studies her face for a few minutes until he's satisfied that she isn't hurt - in any way. Then he rummages in his bag, unearthing a mostly full bottle of water and a granola bar. The water is lukewarm and the bar is a bit mushed, but he silently offers Daine both.

Daine spends a minute petting and reassuring the dogs - and then Shadow, when he silently stalks out from the underbrush. Not that the cat would ever admit to wanting reassurance. He just gives the three resident canines a haughty look, says, Fraternizing with rats? Shameful, and then steps up onto Daine's leg and leans against her ribs. When she rubs behind his ears, he starts a begrudging purr.

Her eyes widen when the water and granola bar make their appearance, and she takes them as quickly as her sore muscles allow. "Oh, Goddess - thank you." She downs half the bottle before she has to stop for breath, head tilted back against the bark of her tree. The granola bar beckons, but she doesn't try to open it, yet. She'd only fumble it, she suspects, and she knows she owes Peeta more an explanation than she's given him so far.

Daine sighs, chin dropping. "They were caging folk," she says flatly, turning to look at him. There's no bright spark of anger in her tone, no disappointment. It's just a statement of fact. "People I knew. People I'd..." she presses her lips together, and when she continues, the betrayal in her voice is clear, "people I'd brought to them, thinking they'd help." She doesn't have the energy for fury anymore, but her cheeks flush as she drops her gaze to her lap and picks at the granola wrapper with clumsy fingers. She'd thought she was doing other rifties a kindness, getting them to the rebels instead of letting ROMAC pick them up. But the rebels had been no better. The only difference was that she was helping them.

When Shadow appears, Peeta gives him a look that the cat purposefully ignores. During their casual evacuation, Shadow had acted as he always did - as if he just so happened to be walking in the same direction as Peeta and the dogs. He'd disappeared when the group got into the park, but Peeta'd suspected that he'd stayed nearby, pretending not to know them. Turns out he was right.

Daine's gratefulness for the proffered food causes Peeta's lips to twitch into the faintest of smiles, but his eyes maintain their steady, solemn watchfulness. He isn't sure what he expected, but the words that fall out of her mouth apparently weren't it.

"Caging them?" he asks incredulously. He remembers the takedown of ROMAC, and asks more quietly, steel underlying the soft words, "Were they experimenting on them?"

"I don't know." She hadn't caught any of the rebel scientists mid-nastiness, only freed those imprisoned and pointed them towards the exits. But there had been labs, and some of them had had wheeled cots not unlike the ones at the healers' offices. Her expression sours at the memory. "Probably. Didn't have time to ask any of them, but it wouldn't surprise me." No end of two-legger savagery would surprise her anymore, she thinks, abandoning the granola bar in favor of stroking Shadow.

"Whatever it was, it was bad," she concludes. "But I think we've stopped them starting it back up again anytime soon." The victory - if it can even be called that - rings hollow. It seems like the least she can do for the part she played in aiding them, however small a part it was. No one else will be led into danger, not by her - and if the rebels want to rebuild, they'll have to do it from scratch in a different location. It won't be easy. And she'll be watching, just in case they try.

It's as bad as the Capitol, if in a different way. Or in an equally bad way, for all he knows - he wouldn't put experimentation or torture past the Capitol. It certainly doesn't seem to have been beyond the rebels, and it means that they were no better than ROMAC in how they treated the rifties. He feels sick to his stomach, angry and betrayed - and he had much less to do with the rebel organization itself than Daine did.

He lays a hand on Daine's arm. "It wasn't your fault," he says quietly, but firmly. "There was no way you could have known what they were doing. I mean, they had a giant duck handing out clothes; I never would have thought--" He stops himself and takes a breath. "What did you do to the base?"

Wasn't it? She hadn't hurt anyone on purpose, it's true, but she could have looked harder at the base itself - especially after Seth and Gabriel hinted that the rebels weren't as trustworthy as she thought they were. She was bargaining with the rats, anyway - she could have asked them to search the lower levels, or even just asked them how far the base extended. She could have done something sooner, before Tim even got taken in.

But she didn't. And if they hadn't taken Tim, Mithros only knows how much longer she would've let them carry on with their nasty business.

"Destroyed as much as I could," she says dully, looking down at Peeta's hand, then at the glossy curve of Shadow's back. Equipment, records, things they'll have a hard time replacing anytime soon." She'd known what to go for. She's done this before. "I couldn't bring down the tunnels safely, but I've let the rats have it. Most of the ones on the island are there, or else they're on the way. All the food in the kitchens, all the space..." she shrugs. It's not a guarantee that no one will ever make use of the tunnels again. They're only rats, however many there are. But there are a lot of them, and nothing left of value but the tunnels themselves.

He can tell that his assurances do little to quell Daine's guilt, but time will assist with that, as much as it can. And he'll do his part to help her recover from what happened and her part in it. From the sound of it, she did a thorough job, if not quite as destructive a one, as what she did with ROMAC.

Effie shoves her head under his free hand, and he automatically rubs a hand down her back. She settles down beside him, head in his lap, with a heavy sigh.

He winces internally at her mention of the kitchens - as horrible as the rebels turned out to be, he'd found a kind of home there, cooking for them, and it's strange to think of it all now, in the aftermath. And it's strange to wonder if any of the people he worked with there, any of the people he served, were in on what the rebels were doing. He shakes his head once, gently, to clear his mind.

"So - what we do now?"

Daine looks at the little collection they make: three dogs, a cat, a few bags and two teenagers with no clear way forward and no factions to take them in. "I don't know," she admits, shoving back her hair and letting her shoulders drop. They'll have to reach out to someone, that much is clear. Who can they trust?

"We could call Aziraphale," she finally says. He's trustworthy - he got folk out, as she'd asked. And he trusted her enough to help without asking questions. She probably owes him an explanation, too. "He helped get folk out of the base, and I expect he'd help us, too."

Peeta nods slowly, thinking. "Yeah, Aziraphale's a good idea. Sunshine would help, too, I'm sure of it, but Aziraphale may be able to help more."

He looks up at Daine then, a question in his eyes. "You said Aziraphale helped clear the base - how many people were in on what the rebels were doing? I mean, who do we need to be on the lookout for now?"

"I don't know," Daine admits, rubbing a hand over her face. It hadn't been the most well-thought-out plan. "Aziraphale might have a better idea of that. But for now, I think we're safe." She lets out a humorless huff of air. "Where would they even take us?" The base is as uninhabitable as she could make it without collapsing the park. Even if the rebels try to pull themselves back together, it won't happen today.

She drops her hand and pulls in a deep breath. Then, she shuts her eyes and prays. Aziraphale? We could use help. If you're not too busy.

"True," Peeta concedes, "but someone might be looking for revenge of the violent kind." And people who've lost everything have nothing left to lose and very little to stop them from drastic actions. "I prefer to know my enemies," he says quietly.

When Daine closes her eyes, Peeta gives her a concerned look. But she simply looks - thoughtful - so he waits.

It has been a very big day. Aziraphale sighs heavily, brushing the dust from his clothes with a tired wave, thinking it's got to be about time to get back to Melanie - when another call from Daine comes.

If you're not too busy - what a sweet girl. Evidently this is no catastrophe, but he would like to check on her after the work she's done today, and he does not hesitate before locating her and manifesting in her company.

"Are you all right, my dear?" he says softly, reaching out to rest a hand on her arm. He looks at the animals and Peeta, giving him a weary nod and smile before looking back at Daine.

Both dogs start visibly when Aziraphale appears out of thin air; Shadow merely fluffs out his tail and flicks back his ears in feline disapproval. Daine gives Shadow a soothing pat as the dogs recover themselves and approach the angel, tails wagging.

"Tired, is all," Daine says, tilting her head up to look at him. "You? It seemed as if you got most folk out all right." She's stalling, a little. There's probably no dignified way to explain that she's rendered herself homeless. She's learned plenty about the city and this realm since her arrival, but how to get by without relying on someone else's charity isn't one of those things.

For Peeta, Aziraphale's sudden appearance is less startling than momentarily puzzling. One minute the angel isn't there and then the next - in the space of a blink, if Peeta had happened to be blinking at the time - there he stands. Effie, who'd still had her head in Peeta's lap, doesn't startle the way Sarge and Molly do, probably because she isn't looking in the same direction. At the sound of Aziraphale's voice, however, she quickly sits up, pivoting around to stare at the new arrival with her head cocked in clear canine confusion.

He returns Aziraphale's nod with a small wave.

"I did my best," he says, nodding. "Most everyone's been redirected home, and - well there's been a lot of network activity that I haven't quite been following, but I assume word has spread." Humans do tend to spread word very quickly these days. He rubs a hand on the back of his neck, frowning to himself. "There were a fair few people who still lived at the Base," he muses. "Oh - I - I suppose that's why you called, isn't it?" Of course. He's been so distracted ensuring everyone got out alive that he forgot entirely where Daine and Peeta were living. Dreadful oversight.

"Well, not to fret," he says briskly, slapping his hands together. "There are plenty of open flats in the apartment building, which - well, I suppose it'll have to be under new management now, shan't it?" He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "There's no reason I couldn't just... I mean, it would be rather bending the rules of how things work here, but I'd much rather ensure everyone has somewhere to be. I could ask Crowley to do the same with the ROMAC apartments, come to that." He's getting rather energized thinking about it. They can actually help. Won't that be something.

"If you were both amenable to living there," he says a bit sheepishly, looking back at them. "I could get you all set up right away. I expect you'll be wanting somewhere to rest."

Oh, thank the Goddess. She doesn't even have to ask. "That'd be fair wonderful," she says gratefully, clambering to her feet with some help from Sarge and the nearest tree. Rather than allow himself to get dumped into the leaves, Shadow leaps up onto her shoulder. "We've nowhere else to go... and the building could do a lot worse than having you run it."

With Aziraphale in charge, she thinks she'd be happy to live there. There'd be no mischief under his watch, especially now that he knows what to watch for.

Well, that was simple enough. Daine's clearly relieved beyond words at how easily Aziraphale stepped in to offer aid, and Aziraphale looks downright pleased at the idea of taking on an apartment building.

Peeta follows Daine's example and gets to his feet as well, shouldering the bag that contains all that remains of their worldly possessions. Plans for housing having been made, his mind shifts to work - but that's a conversation that can wait for another time. Effie, having sniffed tentatively at the back of Aziraphale's legs, comes back to Peeta's side. Her tail is wagging again for the first time since they fled the base, and she looks up at him with the same expectant expression she typically wears when he asks if she wants to go for a walk. Peeta bends to give her ears a quick rub, glad to see that she seems no worse for the wear for their adventure.

"I didn't realize there was space at the apartments," he says as he straightens again. "I guess there'll be a small influx of base refugees now." He frowns slightly. "I know the base was a" - he almost says 'a safe place' but stops himself - "an out of the way place for rifties who can't or don't want to blend in with the people here. Are we going to need to find somewhere new for them?"

He waves a hand, dismissing the thought. "Not something we have to think about right now," he says with an apologetic smile. "But if something does need to be done, I'm offering my help." He readjusts the bag strap on his shoulder. "So you said we could get set up at the apartments right away?" he asks Aziraphale, throwing a significant look in Daine's direction. He's tired himself, and he didn't do anything. Daine is clearly beyond exhausted and they need to get her somewhere to rest.

"Hm, yes," says Aziraphale thoughtfully at the boy's apt questions. "Well, arrangements can surely be made for those who need greater protection. There are some units available, and... well, expansions could be made. I should be able to handle it." It's rather daunting, the idea of using his power to look after so many people at once, but he can do it - and he should, shouldn't he? There are his people now, more or less. "I'll do my best to accommodate everyone, and... I can speak to someone about doing the same for the old ROMAC building."

Perhaps not Crowley. Now that he thinks about it, Crowley would likely scoff and grumble at the idea of having to be anyone's landlord. He'd probably be dreadful at it. Anyway it wouldn't be safe, he thinks with a dark pang. Lucifer still has his hooks more or less in the demon, it's not like Crowley can be relied upon to keep the tenants safe from him.

Gabriel would be the better option. He hums to himself, drawing his phone from his pocket and sending out a text to the archangel.

"We already have our own community developing," he points out, "with the network, and all our shared experience - I suppose it's only fair that we eke out a space for ourselves. If we can look after ourselves then we should, rather than let others do it for us."

He feels positively brimming with hopeful energy over this. The chance to really do some good, to really help these people. It's almost too much. He reaches out and touches Daine gently on the shoulder. "I can put you each on the same floor - the flats are furnished. You can get right to bed." The poor dear really deserves it, after all she's done.

It's hard to focus on what Peeta and Aziraphale are saying. Probably important things, but she's tired, and all this talk is just making her feel foolish.

Her focus had been on taking the rebels down, making such a mess that any attempts to rebuild would take months, at the very least - months they wouldn't be able to spend caging or manipulating folk. That, she thinks bitterly, is where her strengths lie. But now that the damage has been done, she has nothing to offer. No answers to Peeta's smart, reasonable questions, no help for the innocent folk she's displaced, plenty of whom are her friends or acquaintances. No help for herself, even. If it wasn't for Aziraphale, she'd probably have ended up sleeping under a tree.

What has she done?

It's like Carthak all over again, except there's no distance to soften the truth into rumors and no ocean between her and the folk whose lives she upended. Everyone will know exactly what she did. Every walk through the park colored by the seething satisfaction of the rats' nest beneath her feet.

She can't escape it. Not any of it.

She starts a little when Aziraphale touches her shoulder, and the breath she pulls in to respond gets caught behind the lump in her throat. Pressing her lips together, she nods. It's all she can manage.

"I'm sure within a few days everyone will have found a place - and I'll help put the word out." He gathers up the dogs' leashes in preparation for their departure. "At least now everywhere will be safe."

It's clear that Daine is more than just physically exhausted, and Peeta lays a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Shall we."

"I could teleport everyone," offers Aziraphale, looking down at all the animals. It's a fair helping, but he should be able to manage. "If that would be easier for you." He says this to Daine. He can picture an open unit in his mind, on one of the middle floors, vacated by someone the Rift had delivered home not long ago. "If you'll both give me your hands and just keep a good hold on the animals?" He holds out each hand in open invitation.

[if you guys want him to do this one of you can write the transport into your tags to streamline, he'll land them in the hall right outside Daine's new unit]

She can't bring herself to meet Peeta's gaze, but she twitches the corner of her mouth in something more acknowledgment than smile. Shadow gets a steadying pat that he doesn't really need, though an affronted twinge is all she gets from him. Then, she reaches out to take Aziraphale's hand.

Teleportation is a new one, and she blinks as the park is abruptly replaced by an interior hallway, the leaves and grass beneath her feet giving way to threadbare carpeting. She'd warned the animals of the transition, but Sarge still lets out a little whine of surprise, and Molly gives herself a brisk shake. Shadow gives both dogs a baleful look from his perch on her shoulder, though his own tail is a bit fluffier looking than usual.

Daine exhales a bit shakily, then releases Aziraphale's hand. "Thank you," she says quietly. She's not sure she could have walked here.

Peeta's never experienced teleportation before - or anything remotely like it - so he can't really prepare himself. Nor does he feel capable of explaining what it's like: being here then suddenly being there. He glances down to check on Effie. Her tail is firmly tucked between her legs and her ears are back, but when she look up at him he gives her a smile and her posture immediately relaxes. Still, when she decides to sit beside him, she does so while leaning firmly against his leg.

When Daine gives her thanks, Peeta echoes the sentiment. He probably could have gotten everyone here, eventually, but even then they probably would have wound up sleeping in Sunshine's living room or something. This was a lot easier, and guarantees Daine will get the uninterrupted and much needed rest she deserves.

The familiar feel of the apartment hallway is comforting, in its way. Aziraphale brought them right to the door, so Peeta opens it, releasing the dogs to let them run inside.

Aziraphale just smiles in return, and manifests the keys in his palm. "Outer door, this door, and mailbox," he says as he hands them to Daine. "Er, none of us get much mail here, so... it'll probably just be restaurant menus and credit card offers."

He steps in with them, looking around at the furnishings. "Is there anything else you need?" he asks, heading over to the bed and fluffing the pillows absently.

Daine steps inside, unable to decide if the furnishings are a comfort or just... strange. It doesn't feel like her room - more like she's intruding on someone else's space. But the dogs are busily sniffing around, getting to know the place, and Molly offers an optimistic, I like this better than being underground.

Me, too, Sarge agrees, tail fanning the air. Outside is closer! He trots over to the window, claws clicking on the hardwood floor, and rears up to plant his forepaws on the sill and take in the view.

Shadow, sensing her unease, bends to stick his nose in her ear, magnifying his purr. It's yours now, he says with the casual possessiveness that comes easily to most felines. Or it will be once it smells a little more like you. He hops lightly off of her shoulder and gives the nearest cabinet a pointed rub with his cheek, then stalks off to explore.

"I don't think so," Daine says, loosening her grip on the keys. She'd been clutching them absently. Blinking, she adds, "Peeta's getting a room, too?" Did he already say? She feels so stupid.

As soon as she's inside, Effie makes a beeline around the room, nose to the ground and tail whipping with delight as she sniffs out the place. Then she flops down on her back on the rug and wallows a bit, before turning back upright and looking at him, tongue lolling in a doggy grin. The others seem just as happy about the new arrangements. "Well, the animals seem like they're going to be just fine," he says in a low voice.

He's already making a mental list of all the things they'll need - some of which will be harder to acquire than others, he's going to have to find a job - when Daine brings up his own apartment. "Oh, yeah," he says, looking expectantly at Aziraphale.

He's been so focused on getting Daine settled into her place he forgot about getting his own. Anywhere will work, really. He doesn't expect to spend too much time there right now, anyway. He's going to see to Daine, then see about getting them some more food; Sunshine should be able to help with that for their immediate needs.

"Of course!" says Aziraphale brightly, smiling as the animals explore the space. "Peeta and I can sort that out the two of us. You ought to sleep." The poor thing looks as though she's barely clinging to consciousness.

"He'll be just down the hall," Aziraphale assures her, stepping back to the doorway. "Rest up, dear. We'll both be about when you wake."

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I'll Be A Stone, I'll Be The Hunter [closed]

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