#anywhere

"When I feel it building up, I try to get away - get space. Sometimes it helps to break something that's not a person."

"All my people, they have rage... the change, the first one , was the worst, but it's still there, you know?"

"Gotcha. So part of you is always angry?"

"Feels like it" Lupita says "its... the rage is power but it's like not anyone's friend."

"That sucks. I don't have, like, supernatural anger. Just regular 'fucked up childhood' anger."

She begins to laugh, a slow belly roll of a laugh "I'm sorry, I'm sorry it's just...yeah. Puts it in perspective. Thanks."

"Glad to help?"

"You did, you did. Here I am feeling sorry about myself when I got it pretty good. You're the really strong one, and I don't mean on the outside, Sam. You

're strong on the inside."

"Dunno about that. I'm kinda screwed up."

"Yup. You're twisted and bent... and you're somehow slowly pulling yourself back in shape. that's strong. "

"I've been doing way better since... things... this thing, you know? You didn't really know me before."

"You're saying yo're not alone and that helped?"

She nods. "It did."

"And, like.... the folks.. all them, you know?... accepting me, wanting me?"

"It's because of Dagmar, really. I'd probably have been shipped out from the Browns by now."

"But even the browns try...maybe not as hard, but they saw soemthing worth while in you too"

"I dunno. I wasn't ever as good as Tonya."

"You know what the coach says, only person you HAVE to be better than to get good grades is the you you were yesterday"

"Ohhhhh, coooooooooooaaaaaaaccchhhh." Groans. "So cheesy."

"But they sure didn't fight when I changed over to Jaymes."

"And, well, they adopted Tanya."

"Did Jaymes knnow you before Dagmar?

"I mean, even know you?"

She shakes her head. "He didn't. You said it yourself - Sam was a basketcase. Dagmar's why I'm worth anything now."

"If he didn't even know Sam..h ow do you know he wouldn't have given her a chance?"

A tilt of her head

"Because of how Sam is? Because how things always worked out for her."

"Sam wouldn't have tried out for basketball."

"So, you don't really know how Jaymes would react, you're guessing." A nod "Okay, Sam is what I know you as....and I'm acccepting dagmar because she's part of Sam, not because Sam is part of Dagmar. So ..stop trashing my friend.." A shoulder poke

She ducks her head. "Sorry..."

"Jaymes doesn't like me talking about that, either."

"Don't be sorry." She says "Maybe I should be sorry. Here you are being straight with me. Just because I don't understand or don't agree with you doesn't mean I want you to close up. Sorry"

"Well, like... like... Sam was weak. Dagmar is strong. Who wouldn't prefer being strong?"

"You know what Abe Lincoln said right? At least, ithink ti was him"

"No?"

"If you really want to test someone's character, give them power." She says "You got power, you did good with it. If you'd been a real loser? You wouldn't have been better, you'd be worse when you got power beause it would show. You know? "

"Oh..."

"OH, like in the Hulk, with the Abomination?"

"Yeah.. kind of like gamma rays" A nod "Bruce banner was fucked up, but even when it broght out the rage.. it ddidn't change the fact he was good even as the hulk, it's just.. the Hulk can save the world. The important thing isn't that Hulk can save the world, it's that he bothers to. That he wants to at all." A look "Though honestly you're more like thor"

"Thor's my favorite."

"I don't trust guys who have prettier hair than I do" A grin

"Ha. Don't meet any of the elf-types, then."

"Right, the pretty ones.. super pretthy ? Maybe it's best I can't see that. At least, I can't yet"

"Yeah, I'm glad we don't have a lot around here."

"Yeah... one day I'll learn these gifts? One of them might let me see you or smell you as you really are... not sure"

"Cool!"

"...I wonder what troll-smell is?"

"Smells llike blue berries and pine?"

"That'd be okay."