034. [Video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[It's a little before sun-up-- that weird hour of the morning where the sky is still dark but just starting to brighten in a thin, pale line at the horizon. Of course, where Heather was, that horizon was hidden by the trees, so it's... still mostly dark.]

[She's sitting up in her sleeping bag with a couple of blankets around her shoulders, next to the camp's fire, which had mostly burnt down to ash speckled with a few tiny, stubborn embers. They stood out against the general grayness of the clearing 'Camp Otacon' resided in. Said grayness was only emphasized by the layers of frost coating the earth and grass. It was well into October now, so... unsurprisingly, the weather had been getting colder.]

[Heather was not sure she liked this, though thankfully she's in possession of a living heater in the form of a now-distinctly-potbellied dog (Camp Otacon had been treating him well. Especially because though she'd never admit to being such a softie, she'd been giving him more treats than normal out of pure guilt over the whole 'I thought you were a double-head and also I was kind of a jerk to you in general anyway' thing), who was curled behind her and serving as a backrest.]</sub>

So hey, guys. I have a question.

_{[Her words were accompanied by puffs of steam from her breath. It's c-c-cold this morning without the sunlight.]}

What happens when our warrants expire?

_{[A couple of people had asked her this before, but she'd never had too specific an answer to give them.]}

I heard we're like... basically off with a smack on the wrist and not much else, but... _{[She pauses, sucking her lips inward a little and fiddling with that stubborn eye-bandage. She's gotta be able to get rid of that thing soon, right?]} ... That seems pretty lenient for a bunch of "dangerous fugitives". _{[She's quoting Officer Jenny directly from that announcement, and there's suspicion in her tone. SCREW THE COPS, THEY'RE NEVER HONEST, RIGHT? THIS HAS TO BE A TRICK.]}

Comments

[justicereigns]

[Unfortunately for Heather, Smoker calls everyone weaklings. Even the one person he likes best in the world and yells at her to get stronger when she's crying. He has his reasons behind it, but it does make him socially backwards at times.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Yeah, even that wouldn't bother her. ... Make her ANGRY, sure. But unsettle her on any kind of deep level? Not really. No, there's something else. She's just simmering. Her situation back home is... not something she wants to explain to him. But it's hard to keep quiet when statements like that were made.]

[Being alone was not the norm in her world, and she hadn't wanted it. But she'd had no choice. There had been no one else. No one.]</sub>

[justicereigns]

[Angry would be what he's looking for. He gets frustrated with Tashigi for taking things out of her control too hard and tries to make her stand up for herself.]

[Poor Heather. D: But she has friends here \o/

[foolishwren]

<sub>[It is ASTONISHINGLY easy to get Heather angry, so... HE'S ALL SET THERE.]

[And yes, she does! And she's learning to appreciate them, too. ;-;]</sub>

[justicereigns]

[Although in that case he probably wouldn't bother making her angry.]

[See? She's doing better than him!]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[HE'S ALREADY DONE IT WITHOUT EVEN TRYING. HE IS SO GOOD AT THIS.]

[-- ... yeah. Yeah she is. Poor Smoker. No Kazooie for him anymore. 8(]</sub>

[justicereigns]

[That he is. And yeah. He won't admit it out loud but he does miss her like hell.]

[foolishwren]

_{[I... I don't think Heather even technically knows she's missing yet. Just that she hadn't heard from her in a long time. 8( ]}

[justicereigns]

[She should ask. Smoker would let her in on the news.]

[foolishwren]

_{[She probably will the next time they talk. She would have, but she was too distracted by their ~*~DEBATE~*~.]}

[justicereigns]

[Fft, time and space are a good thing anyway.]

[foolishwren]

_[QUITE.]