Voice. (possible action outside of the wall) | un: ilikehorses

[shoplifter]

[It's been... a hell of a last two weeks for Laura. She had woken up with a chunk of memory inexplicably gone, uninjured as always, and yet — the faintest scent of blood under her scrubbed nails. She wasn't in a hospital, but some big room with heavy doors and Linda the social worker; her head was bandaged, her look one of bone-deep concern as she sits beside the girl.

Oh. The memory of her recapture sits heavy in her gut. The collar, the chair, the network recording, just before everything vanished from her mind. Linda runs a hand through her hair and explains things basically: Shiloh came, he took her, and he used something on her to control her. But it's fine now — all fine, his body was found, he can't do anything anymore.

Laura looks tiredly skeptical at the whole thing. She asks if she killed anybody. Linda dodges the question, which is answer enough. "We just... what he used might still be in effect, so we're making sure you're back to yourself." Linda knows her bad history with rooms like this. Maybe it's why it's so big and spacious.

But she stays, and days pass, and she's not sure what happens outside. She just knows people are dead, and she hasn't any clue who. There's something terrifying about not remembering if you took a life, even if such an act is too easy for someone like her.

When she's finally cleared to leave, there's a paranoia in her that maybe she isn't.

So she steers clear and packs a bag and runs away into the woods. But she at least leaves Linda little note this time, so she doesn't pull her hair out panicking. Out there where she can find comfort in isolation, she makes herself known on the network; she doesn't use text. It feels like an easy out.]

I do not remember... what happened. I know a man did something to make me hurt people, but...

[A pause, heavy and unsure how to proceed; but the guilt is there to carry her forward.]

I am sorry for any pain or suffering I caused.

I will be staying outside the wall for a little while, to make sure I am not a danger.

[She thought she'd maybe figure out something to say after that, but...

Her mouth just sort of freezes there.]

Comments

action

[shoplifter]

[Laura nods at the tale; so, she understands. She knows what it's like, to be the cause in some indirect way, and to be the survivor while others perished. Strange, how often these terrible things seem to happen. But then, she had spent too much time in Transigen, unaware of the world out there.]

I felt... guilt. I still feel guilty.

If we did not come into their lives, they would be safe.

[shoplifter]

[She taps her ear.]

Mutant.

[Sometimes, you get lucky — her hearing is pretty good, but her nose was the most blessed of the senses. But as he explains, she considers how it had been similar to her own predicament with her father; she didn't talk to him, let Charles say what she was thinking, and that had been enough for a while. She gets it.]

... What happened, that you can't speak?

[jintetsu]

[He pauses. She's believed everything else so far, but... ah, screw it. He's already told her way more about himself than most people ever find out, and it's not like she can't handle the gruesome stuff, so why not this part, too.]

There was a huge bounty on my head for a while, and a lot of guys trying to collect it. One of them caught me off guard, eventually. His dogs tore out my throat.

... he says. [- Haganemaru adds, just for clarity.]

[shoplifter]

[Ahhh.

It's too bad, that so many people can't just... regenerate. It makes everything so easy.

Well... It was hellish to get to that point, so maybe it's not so bad.]

There are people who speak with their hands. Sign language.

Maybe you could learn some. But it would — put your sword out of a job.

Re: action

[like_quicksilver]

You didn't tell the bad people to chase you,especially not to the farm. [She tried her best to console her friend.] They would've done so to where ever you stayed. You needed a safe place to stay, and this family tried to offer it to you even though you were a stranger.

[There wasn't much else she could say in the matter. Terrible things always happened, even to good people.]

[11calls]

Yeah, we are. Well, we were. But sometimes that happens with friends.

[shoplifter]

Is it something normal friends disagree about?

action

[shoplifter]

[A nod. She does understand that — it wasn't her choice to be followed.

It's still hard to separate their deaths from Laura's existence, in a way.]

They were very good people. I wish I could have done something. I did try to.

[But she ended up in metal restraints, so that — didn't go according to plan.]

Re: action

[like_quicksilver]

You're doing something now. You're remembering what they did for you, and honoring them that way.

[There was little point in saying anything else. Laura was skilled, but now Gyda knew well enough she wasn't all-powerful; she was just one girl against what had to be a small army.] In the end, that's all everyone ever is, is stories.

[They were leaving the perimeter now and entering the woods. To talk of defense, part of Gyda's pack ways a bow and arrow-something both for defending as well as hunting. The last thing she wanted was for her friend to do all the work.]

action

[shoplifter]

[Laura looks back, interested in the thought.]

You think when we are gone, people will tell stories here?

[11calls]

Sometimes.

[Sometimes people don't approve of the friend's romantic partners but at the same time they don't flat out and accuse them of being evil and leading you to your doom in a far off country with demons.]

[shoplifter]

You will make up with each other, though, yes?

[11calls]

Oh yeah, of course! I mean, we've definitely gone through worse things than this, and he's forgiven me for em, so I'm really not worried about it.

[And if he doesn't... Alex will be sad but she's not going to change. She's made her path and she loves Richard, and she's not going to stop.]

[shoplifter]

That's good. Friends seem to come and go so easily...

It's important to be good to each other.

[11calls]

Yeah, we're going to be okay. Eventually. After I do what I need to do when I get home.

[shoplifter]

[She cocks her head, plucking at a sleeve.]

What do you need to do?

[It must be something pretty important, to come first.]

[11calls]

[Alex frowns for a moment, because what it actually may be is... a lot both to say and to explain. Because saying 'probably saving the world' even when your partner doesn't believe it (even if Simon believes it enough for everyone) makes you seem more than a little bit like a crazy person.]

It's sort of a secret. [Not a lie, Strand doesn't want her to tell anyone.] But it's complicated and important.

[shoplifter]

[Well now, that just makes her all the more curious.]

Dangerous?

[11calls]

[Alex just sighs before she admits it softly, glad that Laura didn't see her black tape.:]

Yes.

[shoplifter]

I know what that is like, at least.

... Be safe.

[11calls]

I will be! And it's not like I'm going anywhere for awhile. I wouldn't take a portal until Simon and Richard have one too.

[shoplifter]

[She nods.]

I'll come back, from the forest.

After I... sort through things, in my head.

[11calls]

I know. And I'll see you later this afternoon with a collection of junk food and things to amuse yourself with. I'm a woman of my word.

[One can hear the smile in her voice.]

[shoplifter]

You are a woman of your word.

[She repeats it in confidence, before smiling a little more openly.

See you this afternoon, Alex.]

[jintetsu]

["Sign language," huh? He's not sure how much good it would do, but he files the idea away for later. He's the kind of person who'd rather communicate through blank stares than resort to charades.]

Hah! [That's Haganemaru, with a smug glint in his eye.] Don't think that's the only thing I'm good for! Anyway, it's the other way around. Without me, he'd be out of a job.

[Jintetsu glares at him on principle, although ... he's not wrong? Jintetsu's kind of hyper-specialized for murder, he's complete garbage at things like "manual labor" and "being nice to customers."]