DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Alternate Reality PHX: Phoenix Reform Academy Carver and Ben

Ben

"Well, you don't need to keep away on our account. It is nice to know that there are other kids who live here. Makes it feel less like a prison which is what I kind of thought it was at the beginning."

Carmen

“Oh, I can’t speak for Grey and Kemp and company, but I’m pretty sure mom doesn’t view it that way. I’d say it’s somewhere between rescue, redemption and rebellion. I think she has a barely contained disdain for much of Eidolon’s methods. I can’t say I know enough to say I know exactly why you’re here, but if it was just to be a prison, I’m pretty sure mom wouldn’t be part of it.”

She pauses

“It’s a bit lonely being out of the public school system due to what I am, but not in the Eidolon “powered” training system because she doesn’t trust it. I mean, I do meet other kids but it isn’t the same.”

Ben

"Well you should hang out with us now that we are all here. No sense keeping isolated." he said. "Want to start by heading in to see what we can get as a snack?"

Carmen:

She blinks.

“Are you sure you want to go around with the spawn of the jailer? I mean, if this is a prison she is one of the wardens.”

Another brief pause.

“Hopefully I’m not going to upset mother too much with sneaking in here.”

Ben

He laughs at her last comment, waving her on toward the door with a hand.

"Upsetting our parents is our obligation as their children. I believe I read that in the "kid's handbook" somewhere."

She does walk forward.

“You ever feel like you are living your life swathed in bubble wrap? Mother seems afraid I might break, or fall in with the wrong crowd, or … I don’t know … something might happen to me.”

Ben

"Sure, I think every kid feels that way at some time. In our cases it can well be the truth though. Still, my parents were pretty good about it."

Carmen

She continues to walk along, running a hand along the wall.

“I think it’s more than that with mother. I think she’s afraid she’ll break me. That she’s going to be like her father was. That she’ll somehow ruin me.”

Ben

"If she is worried that she will, most likely she won't. You have to not give a crap to really screw up your child."

Carmen:

“If I could just get her to realize that. And that I actually think she’s kinda cool and if I end up like her it’s not a bad thing in my mind.”

She pauses and looks at him, and laughs.

“Look at me. Spilling my problems to an audience that probably has worse ones than I do. So, Ben, what you in for?”

Ben

He looked out a window as they walked by, seeing the outside world that was currently denied to them.

"Having parents who did what it took to save my life. They were both arrested. I tried to get my mom free but the teachers here stopped me. Brought me here...."

Carmen:

“Oh.”

She said.

“I’m sorry. I uh … I’m sure that … um … I’m sure that they had good reasons.”

She seems flustered.

Ben

He smiled and reached out a hand to pat her arm for a moment and smiled sadly.

"Hey, my parents knew what they were getting into. It was there only chance to save my life evidently. That is what they would have chosen to do so I respect that, if not necessarily who they did the work for." he said, shrugging.

Carmen

“I always wonder how far mom would go. Pretty far, I think.”

Another brief pause.

“So, how are the others here? I mean, bad situation but you for example don’t seem like a hardened criminal. Although I have to admit I don’t have much experience with hardened criminals.”

Ben

"I don't know the others that well yet, we all just recently arrived. They seem like a decent group." he said and shrugged, then laughed at her comment.

"I don't know any real hardened criminals. The acts my parents did...I understand now."

Walking along they find themselves outside the kitchen, and inside Grey and Anne appear to be chatting over sandwiches …

… and a voice comes from the room, that of Grey.

“Ben, Carmen … do come in.”