you're in the jungle, baby / you gonna die

[lucetimods]

Who: All draftees
What: Fighting the Third Party... and perhaps the wildlife.
When: June 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. (Characters will be pulled out at 11:59 of the 6th.)
Where: An as-yet unmapped by the Malnosso tropical rainforest.
Summary: Here are your details. Try to stay alive, won't you?
Rating: Anywhere from PG to R.

No cut for you. Most of you will know how this works by now; if you don't, follow the lead of the others, or perhaps look to the last draft's fighting post for ideas. Don't forget to use your handy dandy character tags. Go forth and conquer thine enemies!

Comments

[consultmybooks]

No, it isn't.

...if anything, I owe him.

[simplestgift]

But...the worst of it, you weren't even responsible for. [He gets that much. He doesn't blame Derek for the broken wrist, anyway.]

[consultmybooks]

[It took a while - it took people in the same state as he'd been that he could reassure in such a way - but Giles gets that, too. He doesn't blame Derek for the bite scars on his throat.]

No, I wasn't. The demon had the reigns.

It's not a distinction I'd ever had to manage before then.

[simplestgift]

It's one thing to be told it wasn't your responsibility. It's another to believe it.

[Although "believe" isn't necessarily the right word.]

[consultmybooks]

I wasn't the only one to wind up a vampire that week.

So did Willow, and Andrew.

I couldn't very well tell them that it wasn't their fault if I didn't believe it wasn't mind.

[simplestgift]

But the way you tell the story, you tell it like you were the one doing it.

[consultmybooks]

Do I?

...up until the point where I was a vampire, I was. After...well, I remember it as though I was the one doing it. Suppose that just...bleeds through, sometimes.

[simplestgift]

[A slight widening of his eyes, although Giles probably can't see it. He speaks softly, as if to himself.] It must be very common.

[consultmybooks]

Especially with regards to experiments.

[simplestgift]

[Okay, he can get the self-blame.] Jack shouldn't blame you.

[consultmybooks]

It's usually easier to blame the one who actually tore your throat out than it is to blame the unseen, unreachable puppet masters who made the attack possible.

...I don't think he does, not entirely. He never retaliated for it, not really.

[simplestgift]

[Archie hasn't had a problem with it so far, though he's pretty sure that fiasco with Derek was his fault.]

Well. It'll get worse or it'll get better.

[Unspoken: But it won't stay the same.]

[consultmybooks]

It's gotten better, strangely enough. I think Buffy's had words with him.

...we're going to give epoxy a try, instead of oakum.

[simplestgift]

[A complete change comes over him, like he's had a word on the tip of his tongue forever and just now realized what it was.]

That was the substance! Yes! Jack says it's quite wonderful.

[consultmybooks]

[Giles actually does smile faintly.]

Seeing as how he's actually managed to build a boat, I'm prepared to take his word for it.

[simplestgift]

Is my vow of silence on the matter obsolete, then?

[consultmybooks]

...yes, we'll say it is. He knows I'm building a boat, and he probably knows the number of people who could have provided me help like you did are limited.

I'm not going to tell him any more than I have to. You can use your own judgment.

But thank you for keeping quiet this long.

[simplestgift]

You're welcome. There was no cause to mention it anyway.

[consultmybooks]

I don't think he'll try marauding us, at least.

[simplestgift]

He might try. He won't hurt anyone, though. Not when you're important to Buffy.

[consultmybooks]

That "anyone" extending to you four as well, yes?

[simplestgift]

We four?

[consultmybooks]

Well, technically two - it was just Ami and Helios that were actually going to go sailing with me.

[simplestgift]

Oh, well. Jack is more likely to pout and grumble a bit than he is to hurt anyone. Besides, last I knew, I was on his "crew."

[The quotes are audible.]

[consultmybooks]

Can you do that? A Navy man who's also a pirate? Seems like treason should be involved somewhere...