audio;

[rightchoices]

[ Lee is still barely convinced that any of this is real. A fever dream, maybe - but one without walkers, at least, and so he's grateful for that. He's seen the dead walk the Earth; is anything really impossible after that?

His voice is exhausted but brisk, and forceful despite it. ]

If anyone can hear this: I'm looking for a little girl by the name of Clementine. I need to find her. Now.



[ -- because he promised he always would, and he's not sure how much time he has right now. There's hesitation, and then he adds: ]

There's power here. Are there any doctors?

[ Because at this point? It really, really can't hurt to ask. ]

Comments

[willrememberthat]

[All of a sudden, Clementine forgets whatever it is she's doing. There's no mistaking that voice.]

Lee! Lee?! Is that you?! Is it really you?!

[But she has to make sure, just in case.]

hi :|!!!

[rightchoices]

[ And similarly, there's no mistaking the sound of relief in his voice. ]

Clem. Where are you? Are you hurt?

you're so sneaky! I almost thought I was looking at the wrong community

[willrememberthat]

Lee!! [Definitely, definitely him. Without a doubt. She sounds beyond thrilled.] I'm okay! I'm not hurt. I'm in the castle--are you okay? You didn't look so good when I saw you, and...

[And there wasn't really much she could do, after dragging him into that shop and shutting the door. And then she was just here, in Paradisa.]

Where are you? I can find you! I know where things are here.

ahhh i couldn't resist

[rightchoices]

You were pretty sore at me the last time I saw you, Clem. But you can't just run off like that-

[ Goddammit. He's suddenly not sure what to do- the fresh bite on his arm is killing him. ]

I'm the lobby. Where are the others?

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

She's here. And safe. Who're you? [Just going to casually vet anyone who wants to go near his kids, yep]

[rightchoices]

[ There's only a brief pause - and then his response is mildly aggressive. ]

I'm the guy responsible for looking after her. Who are you?

NEEDLESS TO SAY I FLIPPED MY SHIT<3

[willrememberthat]

I didn't!

[She didn't purposely leave. Coming to Paradisa was great, but she had felt guilty about feeling so safe when things were so bad at home. Not so much in this moment, though.]

They're not here. [They weren't with Lee at home last she saw him, either. Where were they?] But I'll be there soon! Don't move!

[And there's a clatter as her pencils roll off her desk as she throws herself out of her chair to run downstairs.]

GOOD that was the intended result

[rightchoices]

Then someone took you.

[ He's still reeling, just a little, and hasn't quite figured out yet that the two of them aren't on the same page. This next part is more to himself than her, though he doesn't bother closing the journal for it: ]

-- but I guess someone's taken both of us. Be careful, Clem, we still don't know what's going on here.

:DDDDDDDDDD

[willrememberthat]

[He's confusing Clem, but that's okay. She rushes down to the lobby, and when she sees him, she more or less flings herself at him.]

Lee! I missed you! I was--[not alone, never alone, because so many people were nice to her here, but...

It wasn't the same.]

[rightchoices]

[ And he catches her, kneeling down as he does. Goddammit. Goddammit, why had he let his guard down? ]

It's only been a few hours, girl. It's okay.

[ But he has a little time, at least, if Duck was any indication. No need to bring it up now. ]

[willrememberthat]

No, no, it's been months for me! Three!

[And that's practically forever, when you're nine.]

[rightchoices]

[ He pauses for a moment, before pulling her back, holding her by the shoulders at arms' length. ]

Clementine. That doesn't make any sense.

[willrememberthat]

I don't know how it works, but this place is magical. People say time works funny.

[rightchoices]

Don't know how much I like the sound of that. You sure you're alright?

whoa already using wrong journals on you

[willrememberthat]

I am! I promise.

See, look! These are magic. [She holds out her journal.] People can talk into them instead of writing, and everyone has one--like a phone, but it's not electronic.

[rightchoices]

[ Lee takes it from her, turning it over in his hands. He's careful about it, though, as if afraid a boxing glove might somehow spring out and bop him in the face. ]

Haven't seen any walkers. And there's electricity here.

[willrememberthat]

There aren't any walkers. Most people here don't even know... [anything, really. Not about Georgia, or what happened, or walkers.]

There's everything here.

dictated;

[wilder]

[Clementine? He doesn't know that kid that well, but that's gotta be the same girl he was cheering up the other day, right? ]

[But more importantly...]

There's a clinic here. What's wrong?

[rightchoices]

How do they not know?

[ But, very carefully, he hands the journal back. ]

Three months. By yourself?

[ Hey, Clem- hope you felt like answering questions today. ]

[scinlae]

She is safe, she will find you.

[ Seeing as she has adopted protectors that will maim anyone who would harm a hair on her head? Yeah, she is pretty damn safe. ]

And there are, doctors and healers. Are you injured?

dictated;

[rightchoices]

[ It'll be a while before he answers, man-- until he's, at the very least, out of earshot from Clementine. And even when he starts, there's deliberation. ]

.. how easy is it to eavesdrop on these conversations?

[willrememberthat]

They don't come from places with walkers.

[She holds the journal to her chest. It's Lee, she doesn't mind questions.]

People have been taking care of me. I have a lot of friends, here, and they make sure I'm okay. I have my own room and everything! You probably do, too.

[rightchoices]

[ When he gets his bearings, he'll be grateful to know that. For now? He's bristly, uncomfortable. ]

Yeah, you could say that.

dictated; filtered to this guy

[wilder]

[...oh goddess he hopes this isn't some weird sex related problem; but whatever]

The journal has a filtering system, it lets you filter to or away from anyone you like. It works like...[HERE, HAVE A FOURTH WALL BREAKING TUTORIAL LIKE ANY GOOD VIDEO GAME]

So what's up?

[scinlae]

[ For a moment she is silent, weighing her choices in her mind. The man isn't hostile, more like an animal cornered, confused and more worried for a little girl than anything.

Theirs must not be a pleasant world. ]

How are you hurt? [ A beat. ] I may be able to help.