A Jack from the labs re: BAS rumours and silly mun worries

[humanjukebox]

[So here's slightly younger-looking, wider-eyed version of Jack. Probably paler too, what with not spending a year up top.]

Okay so - you're concerned...

You saw a name and some vague hints on your dash and you're worried about playing this version of me because of it?

[He brightens up, actually!]

I don't see what there is to worry about! I'm in the game by the sounds of it - isn't that great? Gosh, I might even get characterization--

Oh - that's why? You're worried it's me from this point, and that you're going to 'be screwed by canon'?

Well, ah, not to rub it in, ma'am, but don't you already refer to me as an 'AU'? You could keep doing that, it's not like you play me in public or anything.

... Other than now, I guess.

[He shrugs a little awkwardly.]

But it can't be that big of a deal, can it? I mean, you play a version of me from after the first game, and you're not even a little worried about how this will effect him! So why worry here?

[Guess who is ignorant about his fate outside of the meta-knowledge needed for this post!]

It can't be that bad! Unless something really crazy happens, like - [He laughs] - like if that girl with the space-tears shows up and takes me out of here! Ha! Now that would be something!

[And he's trying to make this sound unlikely, like a real wacky idea, but he can't keep a bit of wistfulness out of there. That would be something, indeed...]

Heh heh, but that's not going to happen. I mean, if there's one thing I've picked up around here, it's that no one likes messing with the status quo, so, nothing to worry about. I have a feeling everything's going to work out just fine!

[So, so ignorant...]

((haha but ok seriously I haven't played BAS part 2 so please try to avoid spoilers! ... Not that I'd be able to recognize them as such, granted, but y...yeah...))

Comments

it's okay this atlas is blond so no spoilers

[spliced_irish]

[ Well splice his butt and call him Sander Cohen. It's the kid.

The kid kid. From before he went off and decided to think he was all free-willed and human. Goddamn, is that a twinge of nostalgia from Frank Fontaine? Surely not.

...Of course, the letters A and U are a big warning sign. This may not be the same freak of nature he remembers from the lab days. ]

It's good ta see optimism in a lad.

[ Let's see how he responds to a dose of Atlas. ]

oh phew then he'll feel me on the AU thing right

[humanjukebox]

[The way he blinks all confused-like should probably help Fontaine pin him down. Then he looks like he's smiling a little - friendly, though, and not at all like he's trying to hold back a comment about the funny voice. He's no stranger to funny voices, mind, but this one is new!]

Hey, it beats the other side, right?

he says he feels you on being superior to canon tbqh

[spliced_irish]

[ It's okay, the silly voice is like the go-to comment when someone meets him. He's starting to wonder if he should've been Southern instead. ]

Aye, if you let 'em make you think you're losing, that's when you start to lose.

[ He's giving Jack a long look. Younger-looking than the last Jack he spoke to, not necessarily in face, but in expression. Guileless. Just the way he likes him.

Fontaine smiles too, with more warmth than he actually feels. ]

You in a hurry to leave somewhere, boyo?

/)ouo(\

[humanjukebox]

Sure! Or, well, something like that. It's better than remembering all the terrible stuff.

[Aaand at his second comment, Jack looks a little like he's just been busted. The smile vanishes and he suddenly finds this wall over Atlas' shoulder on the left really interesting.]

Leaving? Leaving where? Ha ha, there's nowhere to go!

[spliced_irish]

[ Kid, you're gonna have to find a Pro Liar tonic because that was just embarrassing. Really. Fontaine is embarrassed for you.

He raises his eyebrows and makes his voice conspiratorial, as if they're lifelong buddies sharing a private joke. Isn't he so trustable? Isn't he so easy to confide in? ]

Not even if y'got space-tears?

[humanjukebox]

[................

Jack is not sweating not at all.]

Uh... Well, uh, I mean it'd be tempting, but I wouldn't...

[spliced_irish]

[ Aww. Cute.

That's thought in the most condescending way possible, of course. ]

Mmhm. Don't you worry, I ain't here to talk you into breakin' no curfews. [ See, he doesn't push. He's a friend. ]

But I have to admit, you've got me curious about this place y'aint supposed to leave. You a jailbird, boyo?

[ He asks it lightly, knowing that the answer is no. Not strictly. ]

[humanjukebox]

[Well, it's not a no, but:]

What's a jailbird?

[spliced_irish]

[ ...

...

keep on being worth those cash payments, jack ]

Someone in jail, [ he says patiently. ]

[humanjukebox]

[It's not his fault no one told him about jails! Why give him a word like that to describe his situation, anyway? Not that it helped quell that desire to break out, mind you, but an effort was made at least]

Jail...

[That said, he does kind of feel like he's getting the answer to a quiz wrong. There's no electrodes, or men in coats, or clipboards, or cameras, but he feels really on the spot.]

[Well okay, approach the problem from another angle here: He knows what he is in, and it's called a lab, not a jail. Therefore, not in jail, not a jailbird! He's a labbird!]

Ha - no, I'm not a, ah, jailbird!

[spliced_irish]

[ Christ, this one's even more nervous about answering wrong than the labjack Fontaine remembers. Bit enthusiastic with the electric shocks, were you, Alternate Suchong? ]

Don't bust something, lad, this ain't an interrogation.

[ Light, friendly, reassuring. ]

[humanjukebox]

[Thankfully this Jack isn't from a certain part in a certain fanfiction, or there'd be a more... energetic reaction to Atlas' words there.

Instead, here's some more awkwardness- there may not be any electrodes, but he's uh, he should]

Right, right, uh, sorry.

But, um, I'm not in jail. It's just really... boring, where I, uh... live.

[spliced_irish]

That right?

[ Inward mocking laughter. Boring, huh? The kid's gonna wish he could go back to boring before long.

Outward friendly chuckle. One that lets the boy in on the joke, rather than making him the butt of it. ]

Me, I wouldn't mind a bit o' boredom now and then. Seem to be livin' in interesting times, I do.

[fortheloveofplasmids]

My mun hasn't played it yet but something tells me something really bad happens.

[Let's be honest Jack, when don't bad things happen in Rapture?
Hold on...

This Jack seems-different. Happy and pretty relaxed. A lot like he had been before finding everything out. He isn't very sure though, since the Jack that he's speaking to is considered a AU.]

Where did your mun take you from?

[humanjukebox]

[And when don't bad things happen to Jack in Rapture.]

[This Jack nods, and rubs his chin.]

Well... You and your mun don't know for sure, right?

[And speaking of muns:]

From the labs!

... Mr. Fontaine's to be specific. I guess since mine wants to be specific, that means we get to go through some other labs later, huh?

[It's hard to believe, I know, but here is a Jack that sounds excited by the idea of being in more labs.]

[fortheloveofplasmids]

No, only what we've seen and heard on here.

[He makes a face at that. So this was what he was like before going to the surface for who knew how long. He paused a moment and took a breath.]

I don't...really remember the labs.

[humanjukebox]

[Now watch Jack with the same gormless expression on his face for five seconds.]




Because you've been gone for so long, right?

[:D]

[fortheloveofplasmids]

No.

[There was a pause from him. How could he even begin to describe that to him. How could he tell him everything that's been going on.]

It's only been a couple years I guess.

[A little less then four he figures.]

They gave up fake memories and sent us to the surface.

[humanjukebox]

[Huh, weird. His memory isn't that bad - Pa-- Doctor Suchong made sure of that, one way or another.

But -- But--!!]

The surface?! They sent you to the surface?!

[fortheloveofplasmids]

Yes. I don't know for how long exactly though.

[That frustrated him too. He didn't like the fact that his family wasn't even real. That all of it was a lie.]

Listen, things are going to get really hard for you. I don't know how much I can say about it but-just try to be prepared for anything.

[humanjukebox]

[Well that's vague and maybe a little ominous. Maybe. A little.]

Uh - I think I am, I mean, that's kind of what they make me do all day, every day.

[This other-him really doesn't remember that? His days have been so repetitive he could go through his routine with his eyes closed!]

[fortheloveofplasmids]

From what little I remember they had us kill things. I'm talking more-emotional.

[Because finding out your life is a lie is a pain in the ass. Trust him, he still is having a hard time with it. Fontaine is a dick and if he could kill him again he would in a heart beat.]

[humanjukebox]

[He squints a little.]

Emotional...?

I mean, killing things --[He flinches.] Ah. It's... I figured that's what they're training me for, but...

Does something go wrong?

[fortheloveofplasmids]

Not just things, they trained us to kill someone in particular.

[He can't just up and say "They want us to kill our dad and Fontaine is super evil." can he? Who knows what that would do. He just wants the kid to start getting prepared for it.]

And they take everything from us.

[Everything you ever hold close, Jack.]

[humanjukebox]

Oh. Whoever it is, they must be really hard to kill.

[Said matter-of-factly. The second... Huh. That sounds - that sounds, bad, but...]

Like, what?

[It started as an honest question, but he kind of snorts to himself.]

I mean, what could they take from us? I don't have a lot, they already took - the dog. And the crayons, some of my older things, but anything else is only when I don't do well.

[... He looks at this other Jack, eyes narrowed a little in a half-flinch.]

... Do we... Do we do something wrong?