Let me guess, you're one of Ezio's other students, right? Anyway, the Dead Zone sounds better than waiting around here. I'll meet you in the lobby, after I grab my things.
[OOC: sorry for the late tag. I'll be at work soon, but I'll be back at around 4 or 5 PM EST]
[Connor isn't one for words, even less so when he's writing.
But he's waiting in the lobby now, already having gathered his things beforehand: a war club, a longbow, a stone axe at his hip. He's not sure who he's supposed to be waiting for, so he just glances around a bit anxiously.]
[And here's Utena, making her way down the stairs. She has the same supplies she does during expeditions: her new leather cuirass, with greaves and vambraces to match; a rapier in its scabbard, slung around her hip; and a backpack with basic supplies, albeit much lighter than usual. Once she's down in the main area, she looks around, and- oh, hey, there's a boy her age, who's armed to the teeth. It's pretty safe to guess that he's the guy from the journals, so she makes her way towards him, waving to get his attention]
[The only thing Connor knows about the person he's supposed to meet is that she's female -- he really needed to start asking for some kind of physical description when he did this. He glances over when he sees someone waving at him -- a young woman around his age, with weapons, who looks like she's prepared for a trip...
Connor raises his eyebrows and points at his journal. Was I just talking to you?]
[The journal, huh? She guesses that he means their earlier conversation. Utena opens her mouth to respond, before she stiffens and closes it tight. No, she didn't forget about the silence, but old habits die hard. Ignoring her embarrassment, she gives him a firm nod, and jerks her head towards the exit. In other words: are you ready?]
[That's all the confirmation he needs, so Connor nods firmly in response, then tucks the journal away. He takes a moment to adjust his weapons, to ensure they are properly fastened, then starts off toward the exit.
He's also trying not to stare at her hair, and is somewhat successful. He's only just recently gotten used to blondes, so it's... a learning process.]
[And with that, she heads towards the exit herself, keeping pace with Connor. However, she realizes something: they never discussed how they're getting to the Dead Zone. Once they're outside, she holds out her arm to stop him. She hesitates for a moment, pursing her lips together, before she raises her fists up and does a little hop, one foot after the other, mimicking a fake gallop.]
[Connor stops when she motions for him to do so, but then he just kind of... stares... because what? What is she...
Oh, horses. Yes. He nods firmly: Yes, then turns to jog back around the side of the castle to the stables, motioning for her to follow. He had just been planning on running the whole way there, but horses are probably more effective.]
[She lets out a sigh of relief when he nods; great, her weird horse...dance...thing actually got the point across. Fantastic! She runs after him towards the stables, though doubts begin to nag at the back of her mind. The first time she rode a horse wasn't the most pleasant experience, and while she eventually got the hang of it, it was only with the help of the last person on Earth that she wanted to think about. If they went on foot, they might not get to the Dead Zone in time, but would she be able to guide the horse properly on her own? Or would this just lead to another disaster?
It was a risk she'd have to take. Breathing in deep, she walked into the stables, looking at the horses in their stalls. One thing she knew for certain, though, was that they required a gentle approach. So, she walked up slowly towards one of the mares, holding up her hand for her to sniff]
[Connor actually hasn't ridden very many horses before, either. He knows how to deal with them, of course -- back home, part of his chores involve caring for the stables -- but he's still only been riding for a few months. And he hasn't ridden any in his entire time in Paradisa, so he's... a bit out of practice.
Still, even though he's uneasy in the saddle, he knows how to deal with horses. He selects one and cautiously approaches; once he's sure it's calm enough for him to ride, he climbs up. That's the easy part.
Curiously, he glances over to see how Utena is doing.]
[The mare isn't kicking, biting, or raring back. So far, so good, though she regrets not bringing a carrot or something for the horse. Well, it's too late now. She sighs, and busies herself with the bridle. She adjusts it, trying to be as gentle as possible, but one tug of the leather is too tight for the mare's liking, and she rares her head back. Utena stops immediately, her posture stiffening, waiting for the horse to calm down before stroking her... only for the horse to bite at her hand. Okay, so maybe she's not so calm, after all]
[Connor frowns at that, sighing quietly -- which is kind of startling, really, used to not making any sound as he was. Apparently breaths don't count.
Shaking his head, he waves to get her attention, then points at the back of his horse. It might be faster if she just climbed on and they rode out on one horse together.]
[She grits her teeth, her mind racing for a way to make the horse calm down again, when she catches Connor's wave out of the corner of her eye. When she sees him point, she winces; was her failure with the mare that obvious? But now wasn't the time to argue (not that there would be much of an argument, without their voices). Swallowing her pride, she nods, and walks over to the Connor's horse. Placing her hands on its back, she pushes herself up, seating herself behind him. Utena wobbles for a brief moment, unsteady, and she braces her hands against Connor's shoulders until she's upright. Now steady, she places her hands against his waist, and nods. She's ready.]
[Connor had not really anticipated how awkward it was going to be with a girl seated behind him, but he's trying not to think about it. Girls are confusing to him, but they're on a mission; there is no time to delay.
After glancing back and nodding in return, he nudges the horse in the sides and they start off at brisk canter.
But they don't make it very far -- they're not even out of sight of the castle yet when a tree suddenly falls into their path. The horse rears and Connor gasps wordlessly, trying to calm it down before both of them are knocked off.]
[Utena lets out a silent shout, tightening her arms around Connor's waist and pressing her legs against the horse's side. Just what the hell was that?! A tree, obviously, but - Utena jerks her head around, searching for the cause, if any]
[Once the horse is settled down, stamping agitatedly at the ground, Connor looks around, too -- there doesn't seem to be a cause, the tree just... fell. Right in front of them.
He twists around in the saddle to give Utena an exaggerated shrug, like 'I have no idea what that was,' then cautiously begins to steer the horse around the fallen tree.]
[Utena frowns, but just sighs and shrugs back. This isn't Connor's fault, but the tree's left her spooked. While he guides the horse, she keeps her eyes sharp, looking out for any other obstacles]
[Once they've cleared the tree, Connor gives the horse a moment to gather itself, then clicks his tongue and nudges its sides again, urging it forward. As long as they don't encounter any more mysterious fallen trees (?), they should make it to the Dead Zone in no time.]
[Okay, so far, so good. The horse is calm, Connor seems calm, everything is calm. Utena begins to relax, though she doesn't let her guard down completely - she still tries to watch as much of their surroundings as possible, given her position. While it doesn't hurt to be cautious, everything looks like it's going to be fine.
Or so she thinks, until thunder cracks through the sky. She jerks up immediately; since when did this place have thunderstorms?!]
Connor quickly looks up at the sky with a deep frown -- there had been no clouds just a moment ago. How...
He opens his mouth to say something about it, then closes it with a grimace because it's pointless. Leaning forward in the saddle, he urges the horse on anyway, damn the rain.
Of course, he doesn't make it very far until the rain is coming down so hard that it's impossible to see anything, so the horse stops regardless. What is even going on...!]
[Great, just great. They lost their voices, they almost got thrown off their horse, and now, on top of everything else, they're soaked. While a sensible person would call off the trek to the Dead Zone, Utena didn't want to give up just yet; if anything, their setbacks made her want to succeed even more, if only out of a sense of childish spite. However, it's clear that they aren't going to get to the Dead Zone like this. She puts her hand on Connor's shoulder, a signal to get him to wait, before she swings her leg off and jumps off the horse.
Hey, good news! As soon as her feet touch the ground, the rain... well, it doesn't stop, but it lightens, just ever so slightly. A smile spreads across her face, and she takes one confident step forward-
Only to stop when thunder cracks through the sky yet again - this one closer. So much for the storm letting up]
[Connor waits as Utena dismounts, watching her. It seems as though she was correct -- at first, anyway. When the rain lets up, he leans forward in the saddle, preparing to dismount himself --
But then there is thunder, close thunder, and he looks up sharply. There are trees very close by, which could be dangerous if lightning became a part of the equation...
He hesitates, then swings the horse around, preparing to head back to the stables. As soon as the horse takes a few steps back toward the castle, however, the rain abruptly stops. And so does Connor, twisting around in the saddle to stare at Utena.
[And she stares right back, before looking up at the sky. The clouds are still thick and gray, but they're beginning to part. How suspiciously cooperative. She narrows her eyes and walks forward slowly, her eyes still up at the sky. With each step, the clouds darken and thicken.
Then, she stops, and starts walking backwards. Just like magic, they begin to part once more, quicker than one would expect from a sudden storm.
Okay, this storm was pretty spooky from the start, but this is just spooky squared. Thoroughly weirded out, she looks back at Connor. Any bright ideas?]
[Utena's not entirely sure about climbing a tree with the weird weather going on, but she didn't want to give up and head back any more than Connor did. Besides, if it got dangerous, all they had to do was stop climbing, right? So, she nods back, deciding to give his experiment a shot.
Thankfully, climbing trees is a much simpler affair than riding a horse. Or, at least, it is for her. It only takes a moment for Utena to pull herself up onto the branches and climb after him, her movements swift and dexterous in spite of the rain]
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[OOC: sorry for the late tag. I'll be at work soon, but I'll be back at around 4 or 5 PM EST]
written => action
[Connor isn't one for words, even less so when he's writing.
But he's waiting in the lobby now, already having gathered his things beforehand: a war club, a longbow, a stone axe at his hip. He's not sure who he's supposed to be waiting for, so he just glances around a bit anxiously.]
Action!
Re: Action!
Connor raises his eyebrows and points at his journal. Was I just talking to you?]
Action!
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He's also trying not to stare at her hair, and is somewhat successful. He's only just recently gotten used to blondes, so it's... a learning process.]
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Oh, horses. Yes. He nods firmly: Yes, then turns to jog back around the side of the castle to the stables, motioning for her to follow. He had just been planning on running the whole way there, but horses are probably more effective.]
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It was a risk she'd have to take. Breathing in deep, she walked into the stables, looking at the horses in their stalls. One thing she knew for certain, though, was that they required a gentle approach. So, she walked up slowly towards one of the mares, holding up her hand for her to sniff]
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Still, even though he's uneasy in the saddle, he knows how to deal with horses. He selects one and cautiously approaches; once he's sure it's calm enough for him to ride, he climbs up. That's the easy part.
Curiously, he glances over to see how Utena is doing.]
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Shaking his head, he waves to get her attention, then points at the back of his horse. It might be faster if she just climbed on and they rode out on one horse together.]
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After glancing back and nodding in return, he nudges the horse in the sides and they start off at brisk canter.
But they don't make it very far -- they're not even out of sight of the castle yet when a tree suddenly falls into their path. The horse rears and Connor gasps wordlessly, trying to calm it down before both of them are knocked off.]
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He twists around in the saddle to give Utena an exaggerated shrug, like 'I have no idea what that was,' then cautiously begins to steer the horse around the fallen tree.]
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Or so she thinks, until thunder cracks through the sky. She jerks up immediately; since when did this place have thunderstorms?!]
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Connor quickly looks up at the sky with a deep frown -- there had been no clouds just a moment ago. How...
He opens his mouth to say something about it, then closes it with a grimace because it's pointless. Leaning forward in the saddle, he urges the horse on anyway, damn the rain.
Of course, he doesn't make it very far until the rain is coming down so hard that it's impossible to see anything, so the horse stops regardless. What is even going on...!]
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Hey, good news! As soon as her feet touch the ground, the rain... well, it doesn't stop, but it lightens, just ever so slightly. A smile spreads across her face, and she takes one confident step forward-
Only to stop when thunder cracks through the sky yet again - this one closer. So much for the storm letting up]
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But then there is thunder, close thunder, and he looks up sharply. There are trees very close by, which could be dangerous if lightning became a part of the equation...
He hesitates, then swings the horse around, preparing to head back to the stables. As soon as the horse takes a few steps back toward the castle, however, the rain abruptly stops. And so does Connor, twisting around in the saddle to stare at Utena.
Did that really happen...]
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Then, she stops, and starts walking backwards. Just like magic, they begin to part once more, quicker than one would expect from a sudden storm.
Okay, this storm was pretty spooky from the start, but this is just spooky squared. Thoroughly weirded out, she looks back at Connor. Any bright ideas?]
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He opens his mouth to let out a soundless huff of irritation, then just dismounts the horse, letting it do what it will. He doesn't care anymore.
He approaches a tree, then nimbly climbs up into its branches. It's raining again, but not as hard, so... maybe this is the way to do it?
He glances down at Utena, gesturing that she should follow him up.]
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Thankfully, climbing trees is a much simpler affair than riding a horse. Or, at least, it is for her. It only takes a moment for Utena to pull herself up onto the branches and climb after him, her movements swift and dexterous in spite of the rain]
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Connor moves through the branches almost effortlessly, his pace remaining constant as he leaps from tree to tree. So far, so good...]