hungryanhorny | 10 [accidental video, and Spam for the halls.]

[There's a clatter as Faith drops her communicator - giving a random array of image; some rather muscled legs, some a rather annoyed looking face, and... a rather pink tongue now licking at the screen. The wriggly little puppy - a husky wolf hybrid - has apparently decided that being still is for chumps, and wriggling like a worm in the new-mommy's grasp is just the way to go.

There's a muttered curse before she actually manages to clutch it against her waist - the creature making a happy little noise as if very approving of the situation; she still doesn't seem to realize that the video's on.]

Spam for Barbara and Wanda in the hallways (/anyone else who wants to run into her):

[Ruby now securely clutched against her form - head and one paw over her shoulder as she clutched its body against herself - Faith's wandering her way down the halls, with some vague hope of finding Wanda; she hadn't actually expected the admiral to give her a puppy - and now that she's got one, she's rather panicking; and trying to figure out a list of supplies she needs. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A huge, black, shaggy head pokes out of one of the common rooms, lolling an enormous pink tongue. Did I just smell...? Yes I did! PUPPY! Fozzie bounds out of the room and scrambles toward Faith, drawing up short a few feet away with his tail thwoomping everywhere.] *WUFF!*

[Wanda stumbles out after him, so exhausted from her latest intensive practice that she actually collapsed in the common room on the way to her room.] Fozzie, stop bothering people--oh hey, Faith.

[This of course only renews the puppy's wriggles and noises, interrupting Faith's response as she moves to get a hold of the pup's scruffy.] Hey.

[Fozzie sits, and then sits up, pawing the air, begging while simultaneously doing a great Wookie imitation.] *ARUUUL!* [Oh please let the puppy down?]

Fozzie, chill the hell out. Got the pup, eh Faith? [A small smile.]

Didn't think he would... [She hesitates.] You didn't mention all the stuff he brought with him. [Food, ball.... doggee scoop.]

Oh hell, I can help you sort that stuff out. I'll also point you at the section in the library with the puppy training books.

[Fozzie dances in a circle around Faith and whiiiiiiiIiiiIIIiIiIIiiIIiines. Please let her down! She's so cute!]

They got books on that stuff?

Oh hell yeah, I studied them inside and out before I got Fozzie.

[Fozzie flops onto the floor dramatically. PUPPPPYYYYYY!] *AROWWWL!*

[Aaaand the puppy goes down, landing on Fozzie's back and yippig a little as Faith smirked.]

[Fozzie yips happily and squirms, tail thwomping as he nuzzles at the little one. Wanda actually chuckles a little bit.]

[Faith, too, watching her girl roll down the bigger dog's back.] Damn; girl's got some pep in her.

Well, you picked a dog who is the mix of the most high stamina canines in the world. Wolves, who run across the tundra all damn day, and Huskies, who do the same pulling a sled.

[Fozzie wiggles free and play-bows in front of the little one, then bounces to the left and nearly smacks into the wall.]

Y'know, i used to look up dog types? Did a ton of research.

They're worth it. Different dog breeds are really better with different people. I could never have trained Fozzie without my stubborn alpha-bitch streak.

Guess that's something I got going for me, huh?

Yeah, I guess so.

You up for a chat? Wanted to pick your brains a little.

Sure, anytime. I don't have anything chewable at puppy level in my room.

I'll keep that in mind.

C'mon, let's go. [She leads the way, looking a little more cheerful. She always feels better when she's helping a friend.]

[And Faith - with only a little uncertainty - follows.]

[Fozzie stops licking the puppeh long enough to trail after them. He keeps looking back at Ruby and wagging.]

[Wanda leads the way to her room. It's a little bit in disarray, with piles of library books on the table. Two are ancient-tome-looking, but the rest are psychology books.]

You taking up a new hobby, Red? [Her eyes trail over the books, Ruby walking up besides her.]

Not really. I'm dealing with some real problems and "toughing it out" isn't working.

They giving you that oldie?

Yeah. It uh...you know, maybe if I was stronger, like you, I could tough it out, but I gotta...I think I need more than just will and resourcefulness to get through this.

Strong's not tough, Red; wasn't really all that good at it myself.

I'm not good at either. Or maybe it's just that I'm fucking overloaded. I was imprisoned in isolation from the age of eight to fifteen and used as a brainwashed pawn by my father after that. Then here. I've never been free. And now I'll probably have to be on meds for the rest of my life just to fucking deal with it all.

Then stop dealing and do something. Talking only gets you so far, Red.

Do what exactly? I do everything I am fucking supposed to. I train, I study, I fucking behave, I do my chores, I keep my room clean, I've never hurt anybody, I pick up my dog's shit...but no matter how hard I work or try, he won't let me go. Worse, he makes sure to give me only the most unsympathetic and incompetent of Wardens, so that I have to do the work of graduation all on my own.

The only thing that would make me feel better would be breaking free of this fucking shithole. Going somewhere where people aren't crazy and won't fail me all the goddamn time. The only thing I can do that I'm not doing is trying to escape.

You done yet, Red? [She glanced at the books again.] 'Cause I wasn't talking about the barge. When's the last time you tried something for yourself?

[A long, shuddering breath as she tried to cool her temper.]

I don't know, when I got my puppy, maybe? People would say "it's all for my benefit" but...none of it is really what I want to be doing.