1st Arrow [Action]

[threeweeksago]

[Oh man. Oh man this was not good. Not good at all. Last night had been one of those rare nights where Ellie actually got a good night of sleep, a mercifully dreamless sleep where she wasn't haunted by the Infected or the hunters or the faces of all the people she had known and lost.

So of fucking course something had to happen the next fucking day. The morning had started so nicely, and then suddenly everything kind of went weird and she woke up in... wherever the fuck this was. Not cool. What's even less cool is that she woke up alone. Outside of That Incident at the resort in winter, she can't remember the last time she woke up alone. Even in the present, Joel always hung around their tiny little cabin at least until she was awake before heading off. So... being alone in a strange place with no memory of how she got here? That sent a clear jolt of panic lancing through her.

Not even stopping to really absorb her surroundings, Ellie takes off running with no real direction.]

Joel? [She's trying not to sound panicked, but she's not doing a very good job of it.] Joel, where are you, you asshole?!

Comments

[assassino]

[It's fortunate, perhaps, that Ezio chose to wear 21st century clothing today, but perhaps he'll be a strange sight anyway, with his spotless and neatly pressed button-up shirt and tailored jeans. (And even stranger, too, is the fact that he wears a sword at his belt and leather gauntlets on his forearms regardless of what fashion he's chosen to adopt for the day.) But when's the last time anyone on a cordyceps-plagued Earth ever saw clothes that looked like they'd just been rolled off the manufacturing line and worn for the very first time? Or conversely, when has Ezio ever seen 21st century clothing that didn't look immaculate and well-made? Clothing in rough shape after being worn on a daily basis throughout a hard life was something more reserved for his own time, back in the 15th century.

As such, when he sees the little girl heading towards him from around the corner, it's the state of her clothes that makes his eyebrows raise, and less so that she's barreling down the hall like a bat out of hell.]

Hmm?

[threeweeksago]

[Ellie may be panicking, but at least she has enough sense to notice Ezio before she runs straight into him. So she skids to a stop, panic quickly replaced by caution, and takes a step back. She doesn't reach for her pistol just yet, but she's certainly itching to.]

... Who are you?

[assassino]

[He puts a hand out as if to catch her, because who wants to be body-checked by a kid?]

Not Joel, that is for sure. What are you running from, little one?

[Being a very Italian man in his early thirties with a heavy Italian accent certainly reinforces that. Ezio takes his eyes off her to look at where she came from, hand moving to his sword's hilt, just in case something is chasing her.]

[threeweeksago]

[NOPE, she's just gunna back right away from that hand. And that hand moving toward - shit he has a sword isn't exactly putting her at ease, so she puts her hand on her pistol's grip.]

I'm not running from anything. [She scowls.] I'm trying to get out of this damn castle. Or find whoever the hell it was that kidnapped me and get some answers.

[rightchoices]

-- hey, hey. [ Jesus, she sounded alarmed, and that was never a good sound. Months and months living on edge, keeping an eye out for Walkers, trying to protect his own ragtag little band of survivors had trained him to take sounds of panic like that seriously.

So he's flinging a hand up, not moving to impede her path, but trying to at least catch her attention. ]

What's going on? Who are you looking for?

[threeweeksago]

[The voice causes her to come to a halt, and this time, Ellie nearly does draw her pistol. She manages to stop when she sees his hand up, but she doesn't let go of it. Just in case. She knows by now that even that kind of gesture can be a trick (thanks Joel).]

I dunno, can you tell me what's going on? I just... woke up here. I know jack shit about what's going on. [A pause. Because he asked...] Have you seen an older guy around? Tall, thick accent, grey beard, kind of a jerk, answers to Joel...

[rightchoices]

[ Damn. She was brand new, then. Lee shakes his head, taking a step back - she is clearly thrown pretty off-kilter. He imagines it'd benefit them both if he were as nonthreatening as possible. ]

Can't say I have. You sure he's here?

[heal_theworld]

[Martel's actually taking a walk and minding her own business when she sees Ellie running her way, clearly panicked. She doesn't step in her way, but calls out to her, clearly concerned.]

Miss? Are you all right? Did you lose somebody?

[Yes, Ellie, there is a woman with long green hair talking to you.]

[threeweeksago]

[... Luckily, Martel doesn't get the outward hostility that Ezio and Lee both originally got, because the sight of that green hair sends Ellie's thoughts screeching to a halt at the same time her body does.

... Seriously, what the fuck. Green hair?]

Uh... [She quickly shakes her head.] No, I'm not all right. And all I know is that I'm in some really fucking weird castle.

[heal_theworld]

[And it's all natural! She actually brushes it behind her ear, still concerned, and Ellie can probably see her ear is slightly pointed.]

You must have just arrived here, then. This castle kidnaps people and brings them here. Everybody who lives here has had the exact same thing happen to them.

[indirectcause]

[Ben's been living in the castle for just over a month now, he;s still not used to the quiet just yet, still prone to jumping at shadows, not sleeping through the night. So when he hears the sound of panic, he tenses, it's a natural instinct now, one hard to shake.

Tuning his head, trying to identify the voice, his eyes finally settle on Ellie. At least she doesn't seem to be getting chased by anything. He steps back, not getting into her space, giving her room to keep running, if she needs it]

You okay?

[threeweeksago]

Does it look like I'm okay?

[She's been running nonstop so she's a bit out of breath, and despite her annoyance, there's still a tinge of worry on her face. Not fear, oh no; she's not going to let herself give into that. She has to keep a clear head.

But she still can't help the worry. Shit, she needs to find Joel soon...]

[indirectcause]

[Ben winces a little. Way to be king of the obvious again, self. He raises his hands a little, placating, trying to show her he's not armed and means no harm]

You look pretty lost, actually. Do you need help?

[whistles_the_blues]

[A robot with absolutely ridiculous hair and sunglasses is taking a stroll through the castle when he catches sight of Ellie barreling down the hall. He'll step inside just in time to avoid crashing into her, as crashing into a machine never ends well for people. He'll turn and tell her in a slightly annoyed tone.]

Wanna watch where you're going?

[threeweeksago]

[Ellie doesn't completely stop, but she does slow down just enough so that she can respond to that remark. Also, flip him off.]

Nope, fuck you! You were in my way.

[whistles_the_blues]

[There's a reason Blues keeps his journal tucked away in the back of his belt. It's not to have a handy way to communicate with everyone in the castle when he needs to, it's to throw at people who return the attitude he dishes out in kind. He's not aiming to hit her though, it'll just sail right past her head.]

[silentrunning]

[Chell's just walking out of her room when some random girl goes tearing past her like the hounds of hell are on her ass... But Chell sees nothing. She just blinks.]

Wait... Where are you going?

[She calls after though her voice isn't really too loud.]

[threeweeksago]

[The voice may not be all that loud, but after everything that Ellie's been through, her senses are quite keen. So she comes to a halt, turns, and frowns at Chell.]

No idea. I'm trying to find someone and then find a way out of this crazy place.

[silentrunning]

[Chell nods, reasonable enough.]

Want me to help you find them. Sounds like you're new here. Lemme guess. Just woke up here with no idea where you are or how you get here? i've lived here almost a year. I can help.

[birdorcage]

[Elizabeth's seen a lot of things in Paradisa, but today wasn't a day when she expected to see a girl running around like this.]

Ah--easy, easy! What's wrong?

[threeweeksago]

[At this point, the nonstop running through the castle's halls has started to tire Ellie out, so there's no sudden skidding to a stop here. Her expression is a little less wary than when she ran into some of the others, but... the caution is still there.]

What isn't wrong? This whole place is totally fucked up.

[birdorcage]

Did you just get here? [Though it may be obvious. That's strong language for a young lady, but it's more important to soothe her than to correct her right now.]

I can explain what's going on, if you haven't been told already.

[dorkwonder]

[Tim's wandering down the hallway, with his nose stuck in a book, practically inhaling the words on the page. If it wasn't for years of training, he would be colliding into Ellie in t-minus 30 seconds.

Instead, he looks up at the last second and steps off to the side, pressing his back against the wall. Since he's still masquerading around as Alvin Draper, Tim drops his book and looks like he just dodged a bullet.

Quickly steals a glance down the hallway, trying to spot any obvious dangers. When he doesn't see any, he turns his attention back to her.]

Hey! Wait up! What's going on?

[threeweeksago]

What's going on? [She gives him a look of somewhat exhausted disbelief.]

I've been dragged to this weird-ass castle all by myself and there's no way out! That's what's wrong.

[dorkwonder]

[Holds his hands out in front of him, palms facing her, making a "I relent" gesture.]

That's the way the castle works. Seven months ago, I had the same thing happen to me. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I promise you that I don't mean you any harm. I can help explain what this place is all about and what being here means.