♻ 005 | audio

[tucky]

Okay, I got a question - why's there so many kids here? You can't turn a corner without running into an imPort kid.

[This... may be a slight exaggeration. It almost does feel that way to Tiffany, though; she came through the Porter from a totally kid-less environment. She'd seen child visitors to the prison in passing, but hadn't interacted with one in years until coming here - and that's not even touching on her own vague Kid Issues, which are currently heightened after her conversation with Jesse about her past.]

I mean, it just seems kinda cruel, you know? Porting in a bunch of kids without anyone to look after 'em. I mean, unless the people here are meant to look after 'em, but come on. How many of us are the type? And I know I would've missed my mama something fierce if I was taken to a whole new world when I was little; some weird fucking stranger wouldn't've cut it.

... Hell, I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong; I could be wrong. Never really knew what to do with kids myself, so it ain't like I know how they think - how y'all think.

So never mind, maybe.

Comments

[shittybirthday]

[ Dryly: ] That's kinda vague.

[ And then, in a curious but also suspicious tone - the Overprotective Dad Tone: ] You someone I oughta be keepin' an eye on'? One of them types who talks kids into doin' things they got no business doin'?

[tucky]

Hell no.

[She doesn't... think.]

I'm the normal type.

[No she is not.]

[shittybirthday]

'Normal', huh? Considering the types that're in this place, that could mean anything.

[ Not that Joel is any good judge on what's 'normal'. 'Normal' for him is pretty fucking messed up. ]

[tucky]

I ain't an alien or nothing. I'm a human.

[shittybirthday]

That's reassuring.

[ Said very dryly. He trusts humans about as much as he'd trust aliens. ]

[tucky]

[She misses the sarcasm.]

Okay, good. 'Cause I'm a hero, actually.

[In the same way that all the other imPorts are, at least.]

[shittybirthday]

'A hero'?

[ Dismissive, cynical snort, which sums up exactly how Joel feels about the whole "hero" bullshit in this place. ]

Okay, then. Whatever you say.

[tucky]

What, you don't believe me?

[shittybirthday]

Sure, I believe you. Just think you're an idiot for fallin' for it.

[tucky]

I didn't fall for nothing.

[shittybirthday]

Whatever you wanna believe, kid.

[tucky]

[She almost flips him off - but she controls herself at the last minute, because he's Ellie's dad and she kind of likes Ellie now. So instead, she just scoffs.]

[shittybirthday]

For the record, I could give two shits about you bein' a hero.

[tucky]

And I could give two shits what you think!

[shittybirthday]

[ That rolls off Joel's back. He doesn't care about the hero thing in any capacity or what this kid thinks about it. ]

I do give a shit about the kinda people Ellie hangs out with, though, don't care if it's over this network thing or in person. You give her any trouble, you go talkin' her into anything that ain't good for her - I ain't someone you wanna mess with. Neither is Ellie.

[tucky]

I'm not giving her any trouble. I don't fucking pick on kids.

[shittybirthday]

For your sake, I hope not.

[ And then, because Joel is a dick, he ends the feed. He's got his point across. He'll be asking Ellie about this kid, though, that's for sure. ]