sound the bugle now

[chromosomes]

CHARACTERS: John "Reaper" Grimm and anyone who shows up!
LOCATION: gym
WARNINGS: Possible language, references to people dying in horrible ways and PTSD, possible violence, a punching bag being beaten to death.
SUMMARY: Reaper is working off some steam on a punching bag.


[ He hasn't been sleeping well.

He hasn't slept well since he arrived, since he got off Olduvai -- since before that, since the mission in the jungle and Jumper's death. He knows what they call it medically, just like he knows the memory therapy didn't work and probably just made things worse. It sure as hell didn't help his temper. On the ship there's no memory therapy but there aren't any doctors who know the best way to treat someone like him either -- someone superhuman, whose body heals but whose mind doesn't, whose body metabolizes medicines faster than it should and doesn't let them help his mind. The nightmares haven't stopped, have slowly gotten worse instead, and now...

Well, now people are in stasis comas. People who rely on him and the rest of the SEC team to take care of them, to keep them safe. People he has seen in the halls even if he's never spoken to them, and people he has spoken to. People he likes. There's nothing he can do this time and so John escapes from the nightmares when he isn't on duty and hides out in the gym. It's only when he doesn't think anyone else is around or paying attention that he lets himself go all out, though.

That would explain the way the punching bag is knocked off its hook, slamming down a few feet away while Reaper stands there, sweating and breathing heavily but not nearly as winded enough as he should be for a punch like that. He picks up the punching bag and drags it back. Time to go again.

(And again, and again, and again...) ]

Comments

[the_vishual]

Just because people are deaf doesn't mean others are incapable of listening. [ It's not a dig on him, not in the least--Chase's voice is strangely calm, strangely welcoming. ]

Does training take your mind off of it? We could spar if it'll make you feel better, sir. Although I'm disinclined to believe it's going to solve your problems, only make you temporarily feel better.

[chromosomes]

[ It also makes no sense, but when John's done with the bag he goes to take the towel and water from her anyway. ] Thanks.

[ The water also gives him something to do as he tries to figure out what the hell she's talking about. ]

It used to, [ he ends up admitting instead. ] Now it just helps me sleep a little bit better. I don't want to spar, though.

[ The last time someone talked him into it, he'd nearly broken her, and Faith was tough. ]

[the_vishual]

Maybe talking will help, sir. [ She nods--three small, tiny nods. ] Although I'm not sure I'm the correct person to do that with, let's try.

[chromosomes]

Not sure I can talk about it.

[ He towels off a little more before sighing. ]

What's your name, kid?

[the_vishual]

Chase, sir. And I'm sure you can talk about it.

[ When she smiles, there's something to it--an oldness, a quiet wisdom. ] Is it your genetics?

[chromosomes]

You know so much already, you already know my name?

[ He's unsettled, though he's trying not to show it. ]

No. [ And that's true enough -- the synthetic chromosome isn't what causes the nightmares. ]

[the_vishual]

I do. I've been told it's unwise to let others know how much I know about them.

[chromosomes]

[ Reaper privately thinks that she's not very good at it, but he'll keep that to himself. ]

And how do you know so much, anyway?

[the_vishual]

Hmm.

First, I must ask your religious status.

[chromosomes]

[ There's a tilt of his head -- odd question, but he'll go with it. ]

Not sure, really. But I know there's good and evil out there. [ He knows that believing in God doesn't necessarily make you one over the other, too. ]

[the_vishual]

Well, I can see it. Like you, I've been given a gift. My commander and Captain says it's because of science, the winged beings aboard my vessel claim it's sacred. Regardless, I can see all of the good and all of the evil out there. Do you understand?

[chromosomes]

[ Does he understand? Not how it works, not what it might really be. But he can understand what she's saying, that she's special somehow, and Reaper nods. ]

Yeah, I think so.

[the_vishual]

You are, too. Perhaps not in my way, but you're special. I'm not sure you think of it like that, sometimes.

[chromosomes]

I know I'm different, now. Just not sure if that's a good thing or not.

[the_vishual]

[ She has a finger up to his face, now. Stern. ]

You've been given a gift from God. Maybe you don't call it divine magic--maybe you call it science, but it's all the same. What it is is what you make it out to be.

[chromosomes]

[ What it is is what you make it out to be. It's not something he didn't already know, but her words still make him stop. He never wanted this but he has it now. He has and he still can use it to help people, and if it changes... if he somehow starts turning, or if someone tries to use him to create those monsters again...

He'll stop it. He'll have help, Tyke will help. John nods a little, trying to process this. ]

Just... still getting used to it, I guess.

[the_vishual]

You'll have time. [ She nods. ] That's something the ship has more of then anyone realizes, I think.

Time.