[IC] The Two Sides

[Fionraella]

<Snipped quote by Fionraella>

Dione limped into the medicine tent, clutching her side. She glanced around at the supplies Aya had gathered through the year, wondering absently if those would last them through the winter.

Liwei's shoulders rose, but he kept his hands on the wheel. "I'm driving, ladies," he barked, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Misha clawed at Mona, then scrambled over the back seat and into the back of the van. "You guys are crazy! Homicidal maniacs! Totally awful child killers!"

@xiaomiau

Sacha heads towards her tent, starting to plan a way to figure out where Ambrose was an how to go about looking for him.

Mona gasps and sits back in her seat with a sigh. "Fine..." She huffs, crossing her arms.

[Hawksnest565]

The Boss notices the sudden sad look on Ambrose's face. "My boy, what's there to be down about in a memory like that? She sounds lovely." He rummages through the draws and finds some bags of peppermint tea. He puts one in the mug just as the water boils and pours it in. "Is it that you perhaps miss her?"

[Fionraella]

The Boss notices the sudden sad look on Ambrose's face. "My boy, what's there to be down about in a memory like that? She sounds lovely." He rummages through the draws and finds some bags of peppermint tea. He puts one in the mug just as the water boils and pours it in. "Is it that you perhaps miss her?"

@Hawksnest565

Ambrose looks at the old man and blinks. "Of course I miss her." He frowns a bit. "And I might never get to see her again. Even though you see m nice enough I dunno if I can trust you.." He admits, looking down. "I don't trust anyone right now..."

[Hawksnest565]

"Ambrose," the old man brings the mug over to him, "I understand you entirely. What those two scientists put you through is more horrible than I could have ever imagined. Believe me, I know suffering." He pulls up a chair next to Ambrose and sits down. "Still, I'd like you to try and trust me. You are a shifter and shifters are the most beautiful people this world has to offer. I'd never want any harm to come to them." He digs around in one of his pockets and pulls out a lemon sherbet lolly covered in a shiny wrapper. "My boy Harvey used to love these. I haven't been able to bear the sight of them since his death. As a sign of trust..." he pushes the lolly over to Ambrose. "I'd like you to have one."

[Hawksnest565]

<Snipped quote by Fionraella>

Dione limped into the medicine tent, clutching her side. She glanced around at the supplies Aya had gathered through the year, wondering absently if those would last them through the winter.

@xiaomiau

Aya came into the medicine tent shortly after Dione. "Ah, that was all pretty exciting, huh?" she says to the injured Rabin with a sigh. "At least it turned out alright." she looks at the injury. "I guess."

[Fionraella]

"Ambrose," the old man brings the mug over to him, "I understand you entirely. What those two scientists put you through is more horrible than I could have ever imagined. Believe me, I know suffering." He pulls up a chair next to Ambrose and sits down. "Still, I'd like you to try and trust me. You are a shifter and shifters are the most beautiful people this world has to offer. I'd never want any harm to come to them." He digs around in one of his pockets and pulls out a lemon sherbet lolly covered in a shiny wrapper. "My boy Harvey used to love these. I haven't been able to bear the sight of them since his death. As a sign of trust..." he pushes the lolly over to Ambrose. "I'd like you to have one."

@Hawksnest565

Ambrose takes his mug, holding it gingerly in his hands. He then nods sadly. "They're not very nice people..." He shrugs. "I'll try, that's all I can promise..." He smiles a bit at the beautiful people comment, before nodding. "Thank you sir." He blinks slightly. "Oh wow, thank you sir..." He takes a closer look at the candy, before breaking down crying. He pushes it away a bit burying his face in his hands. No, not her. Don't even think about her you idiot! Stop it!

[Hawksnest565]

The Boss had certainly not been expecting that reaction from a simple candy. Had the boy been more injured than he realised? He realised that this moment would be a perfect time for him to cement himself as a trustworthy figure in the boy's mind. "Ambrose! Ambrose!" His voice turned to one of horror, embracing his life as a father. "Whatever has upset you? Please, tell me. It hurts to see you like this." His voice breaks and he feigns being on the brink of tears. "It's like seeing Harvey cry."

[xiaomiau]

<Snipped quote by xiaomiau>

Sacha heads towards her tent, starting to plan a way to figure out where Ambrose was an how to go about looking for him.

Mona gasps and sits back in her seat with a sigh. "Fine..." She huffs, crossing her arms.

@Fionraella

Liwei pats Mona's shoulder. "Are we close? I'm going to need directions before she chews her way out of the car."

[Fionraella]

The Boss had certainly not been expecting that reaction from a simple candy. Had the boy been more injured than he realised? He realised that this moment would be a perfect time for him to cement himself as a trustworthy figure in the boy's mind. "Ambrose! Ambrose!" His voice turned to one of horror, embracing his life as a father. "Whatever has upset you? Please, tell me. It hurts to see you like this." His voice breaks and he feigns being on the brink of tears. "It's like seeing Harvey cry."

@Hawksnest565

Ambrose sniffs weakly and wipes his eyes sadly. He looks at the old man for a moment before looking at the piece of candy. "Sorry sir..I just..." He sighs softly. "My sister's favorite candies were lemon, much like those, and it hurts to think of her..I haven't seen her since I left home, and I don't like to think about her..." He clenches the mug tighter, looking down at the darkening liquid. "I miss her dearly..."

[Hawksnest565]

The Boss relaxes back into his chair a bit. "Ah, I see, my boy." He nods slowly. "I understand of course. Family is more important than anything in the world. The bond we have with our flesh and blood can be replicated nowhere else." He picks up the candy and twirls it in his fingers. "As I said, these sweets hold my demons too. I apologise that they brought yours up. You know what?" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out another candy and slides it over to Ambrose again. "Harvey and your sister wouldn't want to see us like this. They'd want us to figure out our problems." He lifts up his own sweet and examines it in the light. "How about we both eat these and figure out how we can make these memories kinder to us?"

[Fionraella]

The Boss relaxes back into his chair a bit. "Ah, I see, my boy." He nods slowly. "I understand of course. Family is more important than anything in the world. The bond we have with our flesh and blood can be replicated nowhere else." He picks up the candy and twirls it in his fingers. "As I said, these sweets hold my demons too. I apologise that they brought yours up. You know what?" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out another candy and slides it over to Ambrose again. "Harvey and your sister wouldn't want to see us like this. They'd want us to figure out our problems." He lifts up his own sweet and examines it in the light. "How about we both eat these and figure out how we can make these memories kinder to us?"

@Hawksnest565

Ambrose nods, relieved that the old man wasn't judging him for his perceived weakness. He shrugs. "You didn't know..." He then gently picks up the piece of candy. He turns it in his hands before nodding. "I think that's a good idea." He hesitates before continuing. "Ptelea wouldn't want me to dwell on the possibility of never seeing her again. He then remembers his missing teeth and frowns. "I shouldn't have candy sir."

[Hawksnest565]

The Boss is confused for a moment by Ambrose's refusal and then remembers the wisdom teeth. "Ah, of course." He opens his own candy and pops it into his mouth. "Keep a hold of it then, Ambrose." He speaks as he eats it. "Let it remind you that family is more important than anything else in the world." He gave one of Ambrose's arms a quick squeeze. "There isn't anything in the world I wouldn't do for my own."

[Fionraella]

The Boss is confused for a moment by Ambrose's refusal and then remembers the wisdom teeth. "Ah, of course." He opens his own candy and pops it into his mouth. "Keep a hold of it then, Ambrose." He speaks as he eats it. "Let it remind you that family is more important than anything else in the world." He gave one of Ambrose's arms a quick squeeze. "There isn't anything in the world I wouldn't do for my own."

@Hawksnest565

Ambrose nods in response, setting it into his pocket. He flinches as the old man squeezes his arm. He looks down at his tea again. "Even keep a young kid like me locked up here and do horrible tests on, right?" He knew he was accusing the old man of something he only assumed. He then sighs heavily. "sorry sir, I don't mean any disrespect.." one of his hands trace absently over the burns on his arm.

[Hawksnest565]

The Boss realised that he'd slipped for a moment in his passion, but he covered it up with warm chuckle of an old man. "Don't be silly, my boy! I don't mean that!" He sighed sadly. "I am sorry how this all seems. I mean, the people who picked you up were meant to explain what was going on. I think they just got a bit enthusiastic in their job." His laugh became a bit louder. "Ah, I've known both of them since they were children. Expert marksmen and drivers, but probably not too willing to explain themselves!" He was lying through his teeth.

[Fionraella]

The Boss realised that he'd slipped for a moment in his passion, but he covered it up with warm chuckle of an old man. "Don't be silly, my boy! I don't mean that!" He sighed sadly. "I am sorry how this all seems. I mean, the people who picked you up were meant to explain what was going on. I think they just got a bit enthusiastic in their job." His laugh became a bit louder. "Ah, I've known both of them since they were children. Expert marksmen and drivers, but probably not too willing to explain themselves!" He was lying through his teeth.

@Hawksnest565

Ambrose nods slowly and sips his tea once it had cooled down. "I'm not sure sir, they seemed very good at their jobs. They weren't the ones who hurt us. Your scientists did." He was getting confused talking to the old man. "Sir..I came in with a girl, younger than myself, and I haven't seen her in several days...Is she alright? She's a good friend of mine."

[Hawksnest565]

"Well, I'd hardly call them my scientists." The old man pretended to be disgruntled at the thought of Hunter and Brianna. "Oh... Yes, the short girl with the freckles?" He'd only ever seen images of the subject. It had been incredibly troublesome of her to somehow make an escape. There was currently an examination of what had transpired. Obviously the girl had needed to had help in order to escape in a truck, but it was yet to be discovered who had disappeared that day. It wasn't like the facility was a totalitarian regime. "We sent her home after taking some blood!" He smiles at Ambrose. "Unfortunately for you, she got the good scientists who did things right."

[Fionraella]

"Well, I'd hardly call them my scientists." The old man pretended to be disgruntled at the thought of Hunter and Brianna. "Oh... Yes, the short girl with the freckles?" He'd only ever seen images of the subject. It had been incredibly troublesome of her to somehow make an escape. There was currently an examination of what had transpired. Obviously the girl had needed to had help in order to escape in a truck, but it was yet to be discovered who had disappeared that day. It wasn't like the facility was a totalitarian regime. "We sent her home after taking some blood!" He smiles at Ambrose. "Unfortunately for you, she got the good scientists who did things right."

@Hawksnest565

"You're lying!" Ambrose snaps, realizing at that moment that the man was covering something up. Apparently the old man either knew about the escape, or knew nothing as he was acting. He gets to his feet and glares at the old man. "She was being hurt and you know it. You're a horrible old man!" He growls, balling his hands into fists. He raises his cup and throws it onto the table angrily. He then shifts and attempts to fly from the room

[Hawksnest565]

The Boss sat there calmly. "Ah, I'm sorry you think that my boy." He carefully picked up the cup and checked to make sure it had not been cracked. "I suppose it's only understandable, given what you've been through that you're confused about who's good and bad. If you aren't willing to talk to me yet, that's alright." He stood up, but put a small phone on the table out from his other pocket. "See this? It's a phone with my number on it. Given that I still won't allow you to leave this facility in your state, I want you to ring it when you feel safe around me." He then goes to open the door.

[Fionraella]

The Boss sat there calmly. "Ah, I'm sorry you think that my boy." He carefully picked up the cup and checked to make sure it had not been cracked. "I suppose it's only understandable, given what you've been through that you're confused about who's good and bad. If you aren't willing to talk to me yet, that's alright." He stood up, but put a small phone on the table out from his other pocket. "See this? It's a phone with my number on it. Given that I still won't allow you to leave this facility in your state, I want you to ring it when you feel safe around me." He then goes to open the door.

@Hawksnest565

Ambrose watches him warily, having landed on the counter. He doesn't move to get the phone. He then shifts human. "I don't wnat your damn phone. I want out of this place!" He shouts loudly, hoping to get some sort of negative reaction. At least if that happened, he'd be able to get some sort of feel for what the boss was really like. "I'll never feel safe around a man who lets their people test on them and hurt them!"

[Hawksnest565]

The Boss knew patience. This was only the first round of 'experimentation' after all. He smiles calmly at Ambrose and doesn't respond to his demands. Let the boy think what he wanted to think for now. "There's a bedroom behind the first door on the left if you go right from here." He explains. "It's used as a bit of a med-bay so I'm sure you'll be able to find something to patch up those burns and that sore mouth. If you need me, you know what to do." He pointed towards the phone. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some security set upon those scientists." He then left the room.