Just Another Night at the Lab [Closed]

[Kari Muffin]

"You're quite right." Rocky admitted without much reluctance. It was the truth, and he couldn't deny it. "I've never actually met someone who could make me so angry. It's everything about her. From the moment I met her, I realized that she thought she was better than me just because of the little number on her chest."

It was a sensitive subject, but at this point Rocky didn't care. "Rank and suits and all that stuff never really matters. At least to me. I guess it was the first time I was disrespected just because of a number." His wings seemed to sag at the thought. "But I have no reason to be depressed over that now do I! I suppose meeting you proved that not everyone is concerned about numbers and colors. I guess you renewed my faith in people being people."

The raccoon blinked a few extra times. Wow that came out a lot sappier than he thought it would. "Didn't mean to bring down the mood."

[danishweasel]

It was funny how Rocky had thought that what he said 'brought down the mood.' On the contrary, Ataxia couldn't have been happier. But it wasn't a tail-wag happy. It was the kind of happy that brought the warm fuzzies out, that made you feel like your insides were gushy.

Ranks and suits and all that stuff never really matters...She wasn't the only one who thought that way! And as much as she wanted to tear into that...that...slimeball, she couldn't help but feel elated over the fact that someone wouldn't think her opinions, her ideas were weird or stupid.

"No, everything you said...is absolutely true."

It was a knee-jerk reaction, an emotional overload. Before she realized what she was doing, she nuzzled Rocky's cheek with the side of her muzzle. Once her senses returned to her, she jumped back, showing an emotion that she rarely showed: embarrassment. Thank goodness her fur was black or she'd be showing up bright red.

"S-Sorry, sorry...I really need to up the power on that fume hood. I think I'm taking in a lot of fumes..."

[Kari Muffin]

Rocky had no idea how to react to that. He had never experience anything of the sort, and had no idea if he should be embarrassed or not. Yay for being socially inept. "It's perfectly fine, I don't see the problem with it." He shrugged. He didn't see the problem with what she just did. Was it so terribly wrong?

"I-It's nice to know someone who agrees with me. I mean... not many people do I guess." Rocky shook his head. Why was he having such a hard time with this? It's not like he had ever been embarrassed before talking about anything that was on his mind. This was just different for some reason. Whatever, he would live. At least he knew what someone else wasn't so hellbent on moving up the ladder of rank.

Did that mean that Ataxia was more than just a neighbor and now a friend? Rocky never really had experience in the whole "friend" department.

[danishweasel]

Ataxia had reeled herself back in at that point. Her mother had told her that she was far too 'touchy,' and that it wasn't appropriate for her to nuzzle people she barely knew. But this...this was a different situation entirely! Finally, someone she could express her ideas to without ridicule! Before speaking, she paused...what about Aces? Some didn't even consider them to be people...What would he think of her if she mentioned something like that?

"No, not many people do...I was surprised you treated me the way you did, seeing I'm a Club. Now, this might sound like a weird question, but...what do you think about Aces? Do you feel the same way about rank and suit with them too?"

She knew it was a risky question. What if he answered like most every other citizen? What would she do then? All Ataxia could do was wait for a reply and hope for the best.

[Kari Muffin]

Aces? Rocky never really thought about that. His father had instilled in him that they were bad and the dredges of society. Of course, father was an idiot most of the time and hated everyone who wasn't female, him included. How could he trust his father's word on such an important matter. He couldn't. He also couldn't believe that everything a man did was useless. People were people.

"I've never met one. Even then it's not like I could pass judgment on a whole group of people. If and Ace was nice, I would be nice in return. If an Ace needed help I would give them help. It's only fair. A person is a person no matter their rank or region. At least, that's what I have to believe. Otherwise all my dreams are useless like my Dad said," Rocky said as he scratched his nose at the thought. Was this really the right thing to say?

[danishweasel]

Ataxia's tail wagged a mile a minute. He understood. He wasn't like the others, so steeped in their prejudice. And to think, after trying to find such a like-minded person for so long, he would just happen to land on her doorstep asking for supplies. Someone up there was smiling down on her.

"Oh, that's great! That's wonderful! I always worried that I was the only one who thought that way, and while it is kinda logically impossible, only one person having that kind of view, it did sorta feel that way..."

It was around that point that the phrase 'all my dreams are useless like my Dad said' finally registered in her brain. Needless to say, it brought all kinds of confusion.

"Wait, why would your dad say something like that? Yeah, my parents were against my ideas since they were kind of against the social grain, but all your dreams? That doesn't sound like what a parental unit would say..."

[Kari Muffin]

"Dad was a woman from Yarrow Gardens. I was her only child, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't manage to have another one. So I suppose Dad dumped everything on me. She said I wouldn't be able to fly, I wouldn't be able to amount to anything, and I would end up in the streets." The raccoon shook his head in dismay. Of course he was the biggest disappointment for someone from Yarrow Gardens.

"If it weren't for mom I would probably be dead. Dad never wanted me. I guess that's why I think the way I do. I take after my Mom because Dad was only there to crush my dreams." His tail twitched a bit. "Am I talking too much? I feel like I am."

It had been a long while since Rocky had actually voiced his thoughts. It was rare to meet someone who would listen and believe. There was Loreta but... she had to be drunk at the time. Sober people were more fun to talk to anyway.

[danishweasel]

Ataxia shook her head. She hadn't even thought of the Yarrow Gardens...how a mother would treat her child if it was born a son, it probably wasn't too much different from the way a low-ranked child is treated. But such talk from a parent to a child, it was horrible beyond description.

"There's no excuse for a parent to treat their kid like that. You will be able to fly and you'll be as great as you strive to be."

It all made sense. He understood because he experienced it first-hand. Just like she had experienced that treatment through her friend. Hearing about the conditions in which he was raised, she felt...perhaps...

"Rocky, I feel like I can be straight with you. Like I can tell you the full story. But you've gotta swear to me, on whatever you hold dear, that you don't tell anyone else. This sort of thing could get me in a spot of trouble, got me?"

[Kari Muffin]

Rocco blinked. "I promise I won't tell anyone. I'd rather lose my wings than betray someone I could trust." He couldn't imagine what she had to say that would get her in trouble. It's not like someone would come from above and smack them with a two by four just because they thought differently. Logic was one thing. Trouble was another in entirely. Rocky, however, was hardly afraid of trouble, but he was afraid of breaking someone's trust.

He would keep this promise if it killed him. He wasn't about to betray trust that he had found in a person. This was too rare of an occasion. He carefully set down the supplies he had been holding in one hand, and looked to Ataxia expectantly. He meant every word he said. Someone would have to torture him to get information out of him. A promise was a promise.

[danishweasel]

Ataxia watched his expression, took in every word that he said. She couldn't see any signs that would call his bluff...Letting out a sigh, she gestured Rocky into her room. Nudging the mattress up with her nose, she pawed out one of the papers underneath. It was a drawing of two people she had done long ago, sketched on copy paper with crayon. The one was obviously Ataxia with her black and green fur with pink armbands. The other was another Corvistownian, a cat, orange and black. The black Ace of Clubs stood out against a tuft of orange fur. Ataxia rested her paw next to the cat.

"This...was the friend who died of disease. I only knew her as Acey. Her parents...used her as a test subject. That's how she died."

Her voice broke and she hung her head, swallowing before she continued.

"This society...is the disease I want to cure. I'm going to go as high as I can, dethrone the Queen of Clubs, and I'm going to change things. I'll see to it. I'll make it so suits and ranks mean nothing after I'm done. But until I nab that spot at the top, I can't let anyone know. Potstirrers aren't looked at too kindly, you know?"

Ataxia rubbed her eyes with a forepaw and smiled.

"Sorry, now I'm the one talking too much."