You want me to jump. [ sure, it was no problem at all when they told her, but now she's seeing the gap from this rooftop to the next firsthand and the only reason she's not straight-up calling bullshit is because after the decently humiliating process of extraction rehab, her pride can't take any more hits right now.
this is impossible. but she's gonna do it. ]
Remind me, why do I trust you assholes again? [ it's hushed just like the first part, like she's talking to herself because they'll hear her either way. don't worry, guys, she doesn't actually think you're assholes. she's just putting her game face on, with all of the sass and reckless abandon it entails.
octavia backs up now until she's just a yard or so from the opposite side of the roof. then she takes a deep breath, sets her jaw, and drops into a sprint for the edge. here comes the jump, in five steps, three, two, one, and she leaps. and she soars, at least that's what it feels like. she lets out a sharp exhilarated exhale, her mouth twitching into a grin, because this is actually happening. it's working.
...almost.
she aced the jump, in theory. in practice, however, her arc comes down a little short and the balls her feet just barely catch the rooftop before sliding off, sending her dropping down hard onto her elbows with most of her body dangling over the edge and slipping more by the second. she lets out a grunt and spits a disgusted expletive or two, attempting to wriggle up onto the rooftop with the leverage she's got, but her arms hurt like hell from the landing and this just isn't gonna be a thing.
if this were life or death, it'd be different. as it is, she finally gives in and lets herself drop over the ledge, landing none too gently on the top-floor fire escape. and she lies there on her back for a good few seconds, breathing and wallowing in her failed attempt. which brings her to: ] If you guys are laughing at me right now, I'm gonna find out. I'll make your lives a living hell, you know I will.
reality (5).
[ octavia hates crowded parties.
at least, that's what instinct tells her. she's been unplugged for almost a month now, but she was in the ark-to-earth matrix for almost eighteen years and some things are a little hard to shake. but none of it was real, right? is she seriously gonna let something that wasn't even real get under her skin? no way. she refuses.
and she's opting to get over that particular fear-based loathing in the form of what some might call immersion therapy: you'll find her smack dab in the middle of a crowd of people, her hands hovering above her head as she twists, bounces, and sways to the music. it's not quite how the locals dance, but it's close enough not to draw a ton of attention. her eyes are closed, but there's a sort of tension in her body underlying any kind of enjoyment the dancing might bring. someone should tell this chick to relax a little... ]
reality (6).
[ she shouldn't be out here. that's what they told her, as a suggestion rather than a rule but it was clearly a suggestion they wanted her to take. but here she is. she can't help it. before she was unplugged, her first step into the fresh air and lush forest of earth was the first time in her entire life that she felt... free. she wanted to see it - no, she had to.
but she wasn't expecting this.
it sucked the breath right out of her lungs, much worse than the cold could've managed alone. part of her says there's no way in hell that this could be earth. but she knows it is, deep in that twist in the pit of her stomach, and all she can do is drop down slow to her knees in the dirt and take in the desolate landscape until she remembers how to breathe.
she's been out here too long. octavia's not stupid, she'll realize soon that she should head back, but not for a few more minutes yet. not unless someone comes up to remind her, anyway. ]
octavia blake ‣ the 100
simulation (1).
You want me to jump. [ sure, it was no problem at all when they told her, but now she's seeing the gap from this rooftop to the next firsthand and the only reason she's not straight-up calling bullshit is because after the decently humiliating process of extraction rehab, her pride can't take any more hits right now.this is impossible. but she's gonna do it. ]
Remind me, why do I trust you assholes again? [ it's hushed just like the first part, like she's talking to herself because they'll hear her either way. don't worry, guys, she doesn't actually think you're assholes. she's just putting her game face on, with all of the sass and reckless abandon it entails.
octavia backs up now until she's just a yard or so from the opposite side of the roof. then she takes a deep breath, sets her jaw, and drops into a sprint for the edge. here comes the jump, in five steps, three, two, one, and she leaps. and she soars, at least that's what it feels like. she lets out a sharp exhilarated exhale, her mouth twitching into a grin, because this is actually happening. it's working.
...almost.
she aced the jump, in theory. in practice, however, her arc comes down a little short and the balls her feet just barely catch the rooftop before sliding off, sending her dropping down hard onto her elbows with most of her body dangling over the edge and slipping more by the second. she lets out a grunt and spits a disgusted expletive or two, attempting to wriggle up onto the rooftop with the leverage she's got, but her arms hurt like hell from the landing and this just isn't gonna be a thing.
if this were life or death, it'd be different. as it is, she finally gives in and lets herself drop over the ledge, landing none too gently on the top-floor fire escape. and she lies there on her back for a good few seconds, breathing and wallowing in her failed attempt. which brings her to: ] If you guys are laughing at me right now, I'm gonna find out. I'll make your lives a living hell, you know I will.
reality (5).
[ octavia hates crowded parties.at least, that's what instinct tells her. she's been unplugged for almost a month now, but she was in the ark-to-earth matrix for almost eighteen years and some things are a little hard to shake. but none of it was real, right? is she seriously gonna let something that wasn't even real get under her skin? no way. she refuses.
and she's opting to get over that particular fear-based loathing in the form of what some might call immersion therapy: you'll find her smack dab in the middle of a crowd of people, her hands hovering above her head as she twists, bounces, and sways to the music. it's not quite how the locals dance, but it's close enough not to draw a ton of attention. her eyes are closed, but there's a sort of tension in her body underlying any kind of enjoyment the dancing might bring. someone should tell this chick to relax a little... ]
reality (6).
[ she shouldn't be out here. that's what they told her, as a suggestion rather than a rule but it was clearly a suggestion they wanted her to take. but here she is. she can't help it. before she was unplugged, her first step into the fresh air and lush forest of earth was the first time in her entire life that she felt... free. she wanted to see it - no, she had to.but she wasn't expecting this.
it sucked the breath right out of her lungs, much worse than the cold could've managed alone. part of her says there's no way in hell that this could be earth. but she knows it is, deep in that twist in the pit of her stomach, and all she can do is drop down slow to her knees in the dirt and take in the desolate landscape until she remembers how to breathe.
she's been out here too long. octavia's not stupid, she'll realize soon that she should head back, but not for a few more minutes yet. not unless someone comes up to remind her, anyway. ]