[ Caroline should be used to Weird Stuff by now. After all, her life had become a parade of things that she had never dreamed could actually exist. But apparently they all did exist, and now more than she ever knew existed.
There was a part of Caroline that could appreciate all of this. She looked out the windows of the crew ship NEHEDA and saw the final frontier spread out before her in a vast sea of stars. the sight left her truly in awe. She had seen the ocean before, been to the beach before for vacation, but even that had not made her feel so small in all her life. The beach had been wide and unending and Caroline had always just taken it's presence for granted, never really compared herself side by side with the ocean.
She did now with the stars. She looked out across the expanse and realized that all the Weird Stuff she was used to was nothing in comparison to this. And now matter how used to things she was, not even vampires or werewolves or hybrids could prepare her to be used to any of this.
Then Elena spoke up and she tore her eyes from the window, shaking off her discomfort with a smile. ]
A gun? [ She echoed, that smile fading slightly into confusion. ] Why would we need to use guns? [ She laughed slightly. ]
We're kind of weapons already, aren't we? [ Not that that was normal either, but it was Caroline's adjusted norm.
Although that adjusted norm had to be stretched lately to include Elena in the 'vampire' division. ]
[ elena gives a small smile at that, but it's probably obvious that she's not really feeling it, so she drops it after just a moment. ]
That's what I thought. Well, I'm going to help you learn, alright? You never know what skills might come in handy. I have a knife I'm getting training in using, and I bought myself a crossbow last time the shopping channel was open, I'll show you what I know with those too. It's not enough to be fast and strong here, you have to be clever, resourceful, and know your way around at least one weapon. Clever and resourceful you've got down, I'll help you with the weapons.
[ here she smiles for real, and reaches out to hold caroline's hand. the only way they're going to get through this is together, and she doesn't plan on leaving caroline behind in any capacity. caroline's natural desire to excel at whatever she does can only be a help here, and between that and elena's determination not to let any of her friends get hurt... they'll be okay. they have to be. elena won't accept anything else. ]
We're going to get through this, Care. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.
[ this time she tries to make her smile brighter, and she... mostly succeeds. ]
I'm painting a more dire picture than it usually is, I just want you to be prepared. There's a lot of downtime between all the missions, and I've met some really great people here. I just want you to be aware of the dangers. This is like being in the army. We even have a bootcamp!
Ugh this sounds like school all over again. [ Caroline groans.
Except really, she's just trying to cope. One second she was home, about to go spend time with her friends. A boy asked her if she knew how to find Mystic Grill. She said yes. And the next second she's an employee of a company that destroys planets for a living. Planets with life on them.
They just kill people. And she's a part of it now.
She's doing her best to try to get through this, and maybe some day she'll be Elena-level okay. Not that she imagines Elena to be happy with any of this, but she seems adjusted. Maybe one day Caroline will be too, just like she adjusted to being a vampire she'll adjust to this. She just needs time. Time and processing. And to get through either she has to try to act as normally as she can manage, connect to her old life any way she can.
Elena here helps with that. Elena is a huge help. She's not sure she could do it without her. She takes Elena's hand and smiles, though her smile doesn't quit reach her eyes.
Then Elena is smiling more and trying to shake it off and Caroline is taking a deep breath, shaking her shoulders out, and moving on with her. ]
Or bootcamp. Fun. [ She rolls her eyes. ] I'm not climbing through mud in the rain with those spiky wires over me like they do on TV, though.
Otherwise, I'll totally learn the gun. If I'm going to have one, I might as well know how to use it.
It's not nearly so bad as school. Or, I guess it is, just... in different ways?
[ because it's hard to deny that destroying planets is a bad thing. and there's that whole thing where they're going to have to kill possibly-sentient creatures in order to do their jobs. and... okay it's worse than school. by a pretty large margin. still, there's no point in dwelling when there's nothing they can do about it. they might as well just take things one step at a time and try to find the good in things where they can. it's not as though they don't have experience with that kind of thing.
it's not that elena is okay with all this, exactly -- it's still killing innocent animals, even if they're not sentient, and she has no idea what the cdc's criteria are for destroying a planet -- but she's accepted that this is her job now, and she won't put everyone back home in danger by refusing to do it. nor will she put everyone here in danger -- it's nearly as important to her that the recruits are kept safe as it is that her earth and mystic falls are too.
elena doesn't let go of caroline's hand, holding it tightly in her own as she laughs. she hadn't realized having someone from home who could properly empathize with her would be such a help, but... well, after trying to navigate the minefield that is ripper stefan, caroline is a breath of fresh air. ]
You know, bootcamp might actually be good for you. I had my training with Ric, and I've had some good teachers since I've been here, too, but you rely too much on your strength and speed in a fight. [ which elena can say from distressing experience, but she's not going to think about that. ] You could use some instruction in how to throw a punch, and stuff.
I can help with the gun thing, but I might get you in touch with Steve Rogers, see if he'd be willing to help you like he's helped me.
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no subject
There was a part of Caroline that could appreciate all of this. She looked out the windows of the crew ship NEHEDA and saw the final frontier spread out before her in a vast sea of stars. the sight left her truly in awe. She had seen the ocean before, been to the beach before for vacation, but even that had not made her feel so small in all her life. The beach had been wide and unending and Caroline had always just taken it's presence for granted, never really compared herself side by side with the ocean.
She did now with the stars. She looked out across the expanse and realized that all the Weird Stuff she was used to was nothing in comparison to this. And now matter how used to things she was, not even vampires or werewolves or hybrids could prepare her to be used to any of this.
Then Elena spoke up and she tore her eyes from the window, shaking off her discomfort with a smile. ]
A gun? [ She echoed, that smile fading slightly into confusion. ] Why would we need to use guns? [ She laughed slightly. ]
We're kind of weapons already, aren't we? [ Not that that was normal either, but it was Caroline's adjusted norm.
Although that adjusted norm had to be stretched lately to include Elena in the 'vampire' division. ]
no subject
That's what I thought. Well, I'm going to help you learn, alright? You never know what skills might come in handy. I have a knife I'm getting training in using, and I bought myself a crossbow last time the shopping channel was open, I'll show you what I know with those too. It's not enough to be fast and strong here, you have to be clever, resourceful, and know your way around at least one weapon. Clever and resourceful you've got down, I'll help you with the weapons.
[ here she smiles for real, and reaches out to hold caroline's hand. the only way they're going to get through this is together, and she doesn't plan on leaving caroline behind in any capacity. caroline's natural desire to excel at whatever she does can only be a help here, and between that and elena's determination not to let any of her friends get hurt... they'll be okay. they have to be. elena won't accept anything else. ]
We're going to get through this, Care. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.
[ this time she tries to make her smile brighter, and she... mostly succeeds. ]
I'm painting a more dire picture than it usually is, I just want you to be prepared. There's a lot of downtime between all the missions, and I've met some really great people here. I just want you to be aware of the dangers. This is like being in the army. We even have a bootcamp!
no subject
Except really, she's just trying to cope. One second she was home, about to go spend time with her friends. A boy asked her if she knew how to find Mystic Grill. She said yes. And the next second she's an employee of a company that destroys planets for a living. Planets with life on them.
They just kill people. And she's a part of it now.
She's doing her best to try to get through this, and maybe some day she'll be Elena-level okay. Not that she imagines Elena to be happy with any of this, but she seems adjusted. Maybe one day Caroline will be too, just like she adjusted to being a vampire she'll adjust to this. She just needs time. Time and processing. And to get through either she has to try to act as normally as she can manage, connect to her old life any way she can.
Elena here helps with that. Elena is a huge help. She's not sure she could do it without her. She takes Elena's hand and smiles, though her smile doesn't quit reach her eyes.
Then Elena is smiling more and trying to shake it off and Caroline is taking a deep breath, shaking her shoulders out, and moving on with her. ]
Or bootcamp. Fun. [ She rolls her eyes. ] I'm not climbing through mud in the rain with those spiky wires over me like they do on TV, though.
Otherwise, I'll totally learn the gun. If I'm going to have one, I might as well know how to use it.
no subject
[ because it's hard to deny that destroying planets is a bad thing. and there's that whole thing where they're going to have to kill possibly-sentient creatures in order to do their jobs. and... okay it's worse than school. by a pretty large margin. still, there's no point in dwelling when there's nothing they can do about it. they might as well just take things one step at a time and try to find the good in things where they can. it's not as though they don't have experience with that kind of thing.
it's not that elena is okay with all this, exactly -- it's still killing innocent animals, even if they're not sentient, and she has no idea what the cdc's criteria are for destroying a planet -- but she's accepted that this is her job now, and she won't put everyone back home in danger by refusing to do it. nor will she put everyone here in danger -- it's nearly as important to her that the recruits are kept safe as it is that her earth and mystic falls are too.
elena doesn't let go of caroline's hand, holding it tightly in her own as she laughs. she hadn't realized having someone from home who could properly empathize with her would be such a help, but... well, after trying to navigate the minefield that is ripper stefan, caroline is a breath of fresh air. ]
You know, bootcamp might actually be good for you. I had my training with Ric, and I've had some good teachers since I've been here, too, but you rely too much on your strength and speed in a fight. [ which elena can say from distressing experience, but she's not going to think about that. ] You could use some instruction in how to throw a punch, and stuff.
I can help with the gun thing, but I might get you in touch with Steve Rogers, see if he'd be willing to help you like he's helped me.