17. Feel it comin' in the air/Hear the screams from everywhere

[voluntaryapnea]

[Open Spam]

[He's always liked the woods. Practically grew up in them back in Beacon Hills with Scott. Years spent climbing trees and camping, other times spent fishing with his parents before his mom got sick and died, before his dad developed a bit of an alcohol problem and became a workaholic. The woods don't bother Stiles. Neither does only having two days worth of supplies. He no longer needs Adderall, so the lack of the drug in his system means he actually has a healthy appetite. That's the other great part about being a werewolf -- it means he can hunt his food when it runs out. And he knows from experience that the woods are full of perfectly edible creatures he can catch easily. If there's a pond or a river, he can fish.

He'll get by.

It's Lydia that he's currently worried about. He knows the rest of the pack hates her, that they won't lift a finger to help her even if she gets hungry. She hates them just as much. But with everyone being split up, it means that Scott will have a better chance at killing her -- again, or that someone else will try. He needs to find her first.

He straps the backpack to his back and sets off. The familiar sounds of nature are all around him, louder than he's used to. He keeps his comm in his jeans pocket in case Scott or Lydia try and reach him that way. For now he's content to use his enhanced senses to seek out the one he's looking for.]

Ooc: Stiles is affected by the event -- he's much more twisted and dangerous than the Stiles from the regular barge. Feel free to run into him over any of the days from the event!]

Comments

day three - spam

[lydiascreams]

[Lydia has been doing well for staying out of sight. She doesn't know how much longer she can go with just the supplies from the backpack, but at least, she has remained safe so far.

It's not so much that she's afraid of dying. She knows the death toll will bring her back if she does. Mostly, she doesn't want anyone else to feel the guilt of killing her. She knows that it was like to Scott. No matter how much her mirror self hates him and he hates her, she doesn't want her version of him dealing with the consequences.

She is running low on water, though. So Lydia reluctantly leaves her somewhat safe spot up the hill and tries to find a source of fresh water. She checks the ground as she goes, to guide herself. At least Biology and Bucky's lessons should help her now.

But then she hears a noise and stills.

It is faint, like the rustling of leaves so Lydia turns around, holding her breath as she listens but doesn't see anything.]

day three - spam

[voluntaryapnea]

[It takes him a lot longer than it should to find her and it isn't until he finally does that it dawns on him why: she smells different. Her scent is distinctly lacking its normal tinge of hatred and anger. He cocks his head, watching her as she moves through the woods slowly, cautiously. He's relieved to see that she's all right, unharmed and still very much alive.

He is crouched low to the ground as he tracks her movements, then rises to his feet, smirking when he watches her freeze. His feet rustle some leaves but he's pretty sure she sensed him before then even if she didn't acknowledge it. He steps out of the shadows that have hidden him from her view, shooting her a lazy grin.]

And here I thought you were deliberately hiding from me.

day three - spam

[lydiascreams]

[While she does feel him, he feels... off. Their connection doesn't feel as strong as it normally does so she's not really sure it's him until she actually sees him.

Her stomach actually turns when her eyes fall on him. He reminds her so much of the Nogitsune, the coldness in his eyes especially, even if he doesn't look unhealthy like he had then. Her heart is pounding against her chest all of the sudden.

She has to try and play the part, but she doesn't think it will matter. He's a werewolf.

Lydia forces a smirk on her lips and cocks her head, eying him up and down for a second.]

Why would I ever hide from you, Stiles?

day one

[150th]

[A little lavender shadow darts between the trees at shoulder-height with a sound just a small bit like giggling.]

day one

[voluntaryapnea]

[He stills at the movement and the noise, searching the trees with only the movement of his eyes. His instincts tell him that whatever it is, isn't a danger or threat to him. Some kind of animal, but not any he's familiar with. Animal instincts of normal animals would be telling it to flee.]

day one

[150th]

[Mewtwo was born without any sort of instinct. It is possible it's simply never met a reason to understand fear.

A shiny blue bubble, wobbling as if made of soap but made of glowing energy, floats down from the treetops. Then another. What are you feelings on dozens of bubbles, sir?]

[Spam]

[mistconduct]

[By day two, Chris' supplies are running low. But he still has his gun, and he's completely, utterly paranoid. Some people he knows are fine: some, he's ambivalent on. And some have completely lost their goddamn minds.

He's only human. He can't survive for very long against the wolves]

[Spam]

[voluntaryapnea]

[He spots Chris in a clearing and for a few moments he just follows him, watching. He isn't all that interested in the Admiral's kill the infiltrators crap. There's nowhere he wants to go. His dad is dead and gone back home, and so is Scott. And since he hasn't had any orders from Scott to kill anyone specific, or had any indication that Scott wants to win the Admiral's little game, he's simply been observing for the most part. And looking for Lydia.

Chris is one of the few people that Scott gave the bite to that Stiles actually kind of liked. He appreciated Chris's eagerness and sarcasm. He was also pretty ambivalent to Scott killing Chris when he had. And now the guy is just human again. Poor bastard.]

Christopher.

[Spam]

[mistconduct]

[Chris doesn't notice Stiles until he's right on top of him. He turns with a yelp as his name's called, gun out and pointed]

Fuck.

Oh.

Hey, Stiles. Jesus christ, you gave me a heart attack.

[Day Two]

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ It was fairly early on the second morning. Tracking through the woods had never really been a skill he picked up, so he left that up to Allison and Kira. But he was far from useless. He was working on finding and catching food for them while the others handled finding others who might need their help. If anything, he was great at staying hidden.

Hearing someone nearby, he ducked behind cover. Heart hammering in his chest. This idea that people were swapped, he so desperately wanted to believe the worst of them were gone. But when he saw Stiles, she clapped both hands over his mouth in an attempt to quiet his breathing. Sinking lower behind the foliage. He wasn't risking it until he knew if this were the Stiles he'd known or not. ]

[Day Two]

[voluntaryapnea]

[Stiles is making little attempt to stay hidden. He sees no reason to. People might be hunting him, sure. But the death toll will simply bring him back and then they'll really regret ever messing with him. He smirks when he hears the frantic beat of someone's heart. He's been spotted.

And someone's afraid. It isn't hard to find someone's hiding place when you have werewolf senses. He makes his way toward the underbrush, crouching down and peering through the coverage. He grins when he sees who it is. One of Allison's little friends.]

Hello, Jerry.

[400yearsofsurvival]

[ Vampires he could handle. They had rules that drove them. Ways to stay safe. To defend himself. Killing them was saving the human they once were. But none of that applied to werewolves.

But there was still some measure of relief. Stiles was still Stiles. All claws and teeth and evil, twisted werewolf. But still the one he knew.

He didn't stand up or emerge from his hiding place. But he showed his hands. He was unarmed. That he had no intention of harming the wolf. ]

Stiles. We--we're on the same side of this.

Day Two

[surfaceshine]

The fire isn't really necessary for him. It's comforting in its own way, like the presence of an abundance of oxygen must be to humans that need it, but not enough to make any kind of difference one way or the other. It's for show. He's not trying to blatantly remind anyone that he isn't human anymore, so he confines himself to the needs of humans. Besides, it makes it easier overall, too, if he's not straining himself needlessly.

He's mostly roaming the arena, caught in the web of his own intent to stay under the radar, out of the way of the worst of his own Barge and on the lookout for the best from the other. For now he's stopped, though, to cook some game he cheated a little to get, and to see who stumbles upon him. The fire is good for that, too.

Day Two

[voluntaryapnea]

The fire is what draws Stiles' attention initially. He still hasn't seen any sign of or heard any sign of Scott or Lydia. He's run into others, toyed with a few for kicks, but ultimately kept to himself after growing bored. There's some kind of invisible barrier around the forest. No way out of the place. Like the Admiral really intends on some sort of Battle Royale. He probably does.

He makes his way through the clearing, following the smell of smoke to the fire that's caused it and spots Dean there, cooking. He wonders if this is the Dean that he knows or if he's the one from the other Barge. "I hope you caught something good."

[surfaceshine]

Maybe the other Dean would do better to be more of a nervous man, stuck in the middle of a bunch of people out for his blood. Maybe this is the same Dean Stiles has always known, for a given quantity of the same. Either way, when he looks up and sees who it is, his smile is immediate and broad and not the least bit threatened.

It's also not the slightest bit sincere. It does happen to be the demon that belongs here, but he still doesn't care much for any of the werewolves, no matter which side of the divide they're on.

"Why? Even if I did, it wouldn't have anything to do with you, now would it?"

[visetvires]

[She catches him at the edge of their camp. Blocking his path seems almost a little traitorous. She should trust him more. But something - the way he's moving, maybe, or paranoia, hypervigilance - make her want to keep him here.]

Where are you off to?

[voluntaryapnea]

[She trusts him about the same amount as he trusts her. Which is to say, not a great deal. She's older than him, but she hasn't been a werewolf as long as he has, either.]

Are you the hall monitor?

[semifreakingnormal]

[Scott is going to have nightmares about this place - about the people that inhabit the other Barge, the people they could have all been on the other side of the mirror - but for now, he's only letting himself push through. One step at a time, one life at a time, one friend at a time.

He catches Stiles' scent only a few moments before running into him: it's not the same scent he's used to. It is but it's - different, too. Familiar in different ways, and when he puts his finger on it, he feels his stomach twist around. He would have bitten Stiles, turned him, when it seemed he had no other option: when it looked like he was sick, Scott would have done it. But now? Here? He knows - he remembers - it wasn't sickness that made him offer Stiles the bite.

Not him. The other Scott.

Shaking his head, this Scott slips out of the thicket he was crouched in, into the clearing so that Stiles can see him. He doesn't know yet how far gone his other self is, and he's reluctant to walk around wolfed out, anyway. It's not worth trying to blend in. And if he's not safe around Stiles, he's not safe around anyone.]

Stiles?

Day Four?

[voluntaryapnea]

[Stiles is sitting beneath a tree, dozing until he feels the other boy's presence. His eyes open slowly, but he doesn't move, simply watches as Scott steps into the clearing. He doesn't have to have werewolf senses to know this is not the Scott he's been spending so much time with. His Scott rarely ever looks human anymore.

Seeing this Scott's human visage is startling. There are people on the Barge that fear Scott -- for good reason. He's made a name for himself. People either hate him and fear him and try to stay out of his way, or they're part of his pack. He stays absolutely still and silent, listening intently for anyone else who might be nearby. When he hears nothing except Scott calling his name, he sits up a little straighter, lifts his chin.]

Scott. [He pauses, reconsiders.] Other Scott.

spam sorry this is late :c

[imfollowinghim]

[Bucky doesn't cross paths with Stiles for a while - probably just before noon on the third day, if the sun in the sky is anything to go off of. And as careful as he's being, Stiles absolutely will be able to hear and smell him coming, if nothing else.

He's been sticking close to Steve and Helena, but had agreed to scout a little ahead and keep an eye out for the others, try to figure out where people are holing up or what they're planning. It's not all that different from what he'd done during the war, and it's familiar and comfortable even if the people he's effectively hunting are supposed to be friends and allies, not, you know. People who are trying to kill him.

It makes keeping his rifle handy a little harder, even if at the same time, it's not. Not at all, really, because he'll always do what he has to to keep people safe, even if it means he doesn't sleep so well at night.

He stops when he sees who it is, and again, there's the temptation to call out to him, but he keeps his mouth shut, unsure of his reaction. Stiles wasn't here for the last time this happened, and so Bucky doesn't know what he's going to be like, but from what he knows about his life?

He's got some guesses. None of them especially pleasant.]

No worries <3

[voluntaryapnea]

[Stiles has kept mostly to the treeline, staying hidden. There are plenty of people from the Barge who would love to see his head on a platter if the opportunity arises and unlike the Stiles that Bucky is so familiar with, this Stiles actually has a sense of self-preservation. He also knows that if he's killed, Lydia will be in trouble. She has as many enemies as he does, if not more. And she's weaker than he is. Fragile.

Human.

He's sitting on a rock taking a short rest and fishing his bottle of water from his backpack when he hears someone approaching. The footfall is damn near inaudible -- and at first he thinks it's one of the other wolves. The scent is familiar, but different than usual, not quite recognizable. He turns and scans the area before his gaze lands on Bucky, who's gone still.

Stiles cocks his head to one side, remaining silent for the time being until he determines which version of Bucky this is. The one he sort of knows, or one of the infiltrators from the other barge.]

[day two]

[crossingyouout]

[Anita is out on the prowl for something of her own, too. Something she can play with. Somebody fun.

She has no fear at being out in the woods. Who can take her out? Not too many of the others on the ship that she knows of, and she feels better off on her own anyway. No room for a double-cross.

When she thinks she hears something moving out in the trees beside her she stops in her tracks, head turning.]

Who's out there?

[Closing her eyes briefly she tilts her nose up, scenting the wind. When she's done she smiles.]

Stiles. Hey there, baby. Why don't you come on out and say hi?

[day two]

[voluntaryapnea]

[Anita is probably someone he should be afraid of, even though he isn't really. Then again, when the death toll exists, it's hard to be afraid of much. He hears her heart beating before she calls out and a small smirk forms on his face.

Unlike many, he actually kind of likes her. Sure, he's always been all about Lydia, but having more than one pretty girl pay attention to him is flattering to someone who went from having virtually none before the bite. He doesn't mind flirting with her. Besides, Lydia flirts with everyone. Why should he feel guilty about a bit of harmless flirting?

He steps out into her view, smirking at her.]

Hi, Anita. Having fun with any new...playmates?

[spam] day two?

[punched_hitler]

[Steve's in plain clothes and he doesn't have his shield, but he's got Bucky's sidearm as he makes his way through the forest - arena. He's still a little in the dark about what this Mirror Barge - and its occupants - can really do, other than assuming it's bad news, but he's honestly more concerned with just finding the people he cares about and keeping them safe.

Not that he'd pass by someone he doesn't know if they need a hand, too.

He hears something ahead, ducks back behind a larger tree, waiting for a second. It's just one person; he leans out to get a better look, and manages to spot a figure coming in his direction. A familiar one - he thinks.] Stiles?

Sounds good <3

[voluntaryapnea]

[The voice that calls out to him is familiar, but it still surprises him to hear the super soldier calling his name. He pauses in his tracks and arches an eyebrow, focusing his gaze on Steve, who's poking his head out from behind a tree.]

I wasn't aware you even knew my name, soldier boy.