warforged | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Agent Washington and open
What: New arrival to the Bronze Sanctum
Where: The Bronze Sanctum for the first option(Locked to the Bronze flight) and open in the second
When: April 9th, after arriving
Warnings: Uh, none so far. Will add if needed

A. Bronze sanctum

This was... Nothing Washington ever would have expected to have happen. Especially not after having woke up in recovery with the Dakotas waiting. There'd been chaos, and the next thing he knew, he was here, his head won't stop hurting, and the back of his neck is still recovering from the implantation and removal. The problem? He's having a little trouble focusing on things since arriving. Between what's left in his head from the AI and the shock... He probably shouldn't be surprised. He shook his head, trying to clear it. He's spending way too much time in his own thoughts.

B. Outside the sanctum (Silverglen Retreat area)

After he'd had a little recovery time, he finally did get curious enough that he wanted to see what was outside. And as comfortable as he should be in his new home? The Bronze Sanctum was nothing like what he was used to.

It was a change, the forested area. What was extra odd was he was starting to notice some odd things as he looked around. Tracks that he probably wouldn't have noticed before. After a bit, he shrugged it off, starting to look around the outskirts of the village. v He's a bit on edge regardless. Things don't feel right here.

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"Understood. North and South were in recovery when I woke up. I remember that... Everything else is hazy, and my head hasn't stopped hurting." He was willing enough to accept the offer of someone to lean on. "Thanks boss." There a bit of a pause. "Yes. The Bronze Sanctum is the strangest place I've ever felt like I belonged at."

The noises of the stalking animal were getting closer. There was soft call that probably sounded like nothing they've heard before. A native might recognize it as a raptor.

Edited 2014-04-12 08:35 (UTC)

Her lips thinned to hear him mention the pain, and she shifted his arm so that she could better support him if need be. "Has it been like that since you woke up, or only since you got here?" She could feel the back of her neck throb in sympathy.

Then Carolina froze, comments regarding the Bronze Dragonflight stalling on her tongue as her eyes swept the forest. Pity neither were a native, or had one on hand.

"..The hell was that."

Wash was frowning under the helmet. "Since I woke up with Epsilon removed. It hasn't quit hurting." He leaned on her a little more as he had a brief flicker of memories. Epsilon left pieces of himself behind, after all.

"I think it's an animal. Not the first time I've heard it. It's been nearby since I left the Bronze Sanctum."

The Raptor was getting closer. It was actually behind them at this point. After a little time, there was a softer cry as a blue head poked out of the undergrowth. The raptor knew the male was the one it'd been drawn to.

"..It doesn't. Not for a while." It still hasn't stopped, really, even with the magicked healing she received. There's an inexplicable loss, a render in the mental makeup of her brain that doesn't feel like it will ever be healed. "Focus on your breathing if it gets too much."

Or, we could focus on the 'animal'. "You've been stalked?" He'd never been quite as bad about his weak spots as some; South and her trackers, and York and his--(no. no, she wouldn't think about York)-- blind side sprang to mind. But this was negligent, out of character for Washington, and the only thing Carolina could attribute to it was the loss of Epsilon.

When the creature finally made an appearance, Carolina bodily shoved Wash behind her; if it had been following him a while, it didn't surprise Carolina at all that one of the monsters here might try and pick off the dragonsworn that appeared the weakest. She shifted her weight, settling into a defensive stance.

"Keep going. I'll deal with this."

Washington shook his head. "I don't even remember waking up with him clearly. Just pain and confusion."

"Followed. If it wanted to hurt me, it has had time." He was focusing on breathing a bit until the raptor pokes its head out. He watches the blue raptor, feeling something. He wasn't going to run, even with Carolina shoving him away.

The raptor had been peaceful enough. Up until it saw Carolina shove Washington like that. That got a snarl. That was the person the raptor had been drawn here to. It wasn't going to let this person hurt him. The raptor charges at Carolina, leaping on her.

"And you didn't take any precautions to shake it off your trail?" Now Carolina knows something wasn't quite right, but then there's no time to answer him, to process what he's said further, because she's putting herself between Wash and the Raptor and Wash why are you just standing there while the raptor is attacking--

Men. Why can't you ever do what you're told?

Carolina feinted right, ducked and dodged to the left, before lashing upwards with a sharp kick, intent on catching the beast on landing.

Washington shrugged. "Something in my head told me it wasn't a threat." Though... With it trying to attack Carolina, that was proving a bit wrong.

The raptor wasn't as experienced at fighting humans like Carolina, and it had a lot to learn. Carolina's kick hit it dead on, getting a screech of pain from the animal. At the pain, the animal was trying to get away, to get to where the human it's bonded to is.

Washington was watching it carefully. He felt something... And the odd empty feeling had gotten better since leaving the sanctum. Was it connected?

Given what you've been through, are you sure that your judgement hasn't been impaired? ..Is what she'd like to say, but Carolina's attention is fixed on what's in front of her. Later, she'd apologise (awkwardly, because, seriously, it's a dinosaur), but for the moment, Carolina moved to keep herself between the raptor and her teammate.

"Wash, it's on your six." Watching it scramble away, try to get to Wash, she IS struck by the lack of desire to attack him she's seeing. It's a little like watching a duckling flock to its mother, actually, and she pauses, fists still held defensively. She knows she can intercept, but...

Wash would have definitely been hurt by that reaction, but considering... He probably deserved that.

The raptor didn't care what Carolina did, it was going to protect Washington. It wasn't going to let her intercept. It just was trying to guard its master.

When Wash heard Carolina call the warning on the raptor's location, he did manage to go for the most important thing he'd picked up before leaving the Sanctum: one of the local guns he'd managed to strap to his back.

However, it didn't prove needed, as when Wash turned around with the gun, the raptor actually butted its head against his leg, then turned to growl at Carolina.

At least she didn't say it out loud. Later, if she remembers, she may feel some guilt for thinking it. For the moment, however, Carolina watches Washington and the Raptor, looking between the pair in vague astonishment.

Especially when the creature practically acts like an overgrown dog. Or cat. With scales.

Giving the blunderbuss-like gun a disbelieving glance, she stepped closer with caution. She noted but didn't heed any growls directed her way. "Not a threat, huh."

"Easy does it. She's a friend." Washington rested his hand on the raptor when he saw its attention turn back to Carolina. "It's not a threat to me, apparently." He lowered the gun. "It doesn't seem happy with you."

"I was defending you," Carolina replied, keeping annoyance from her voice even as her expression turned cool. She could return the raptor's stare well enough, but it was fascinating to see its change in behaviour. "So now you have your own pet dinosaur."

"I know." Wash looked at the dinosaur. "Carolina is a friend. Stop it. She wasn't going to hurt me. Be good." He would be embarrassed if she could see his face. "Sorry, boss. I didn't know about it. I'm still getting used to this place."

"Don't apologise," she said at once, suddenly cross. "Unless you've done something wrong, I don't want to hear it." In spite of herself, Carolina found her steps more of a stomp as she approached, and she let her hands form fists beneath the cloak where they couldn't be seen. "We're btoh stuck here, however long."

She eyed the raptor again, lips pursed, before she shook her head slightly. "I don't suppose it can tell us its name?" Surely it must have one.

Washington flinched a little at that. "Yes, boss. I understand."

The raptor looked at Carolina carefully, but the growling is done. It makes noises at them, but nothing like a name.

Wash shrugged. "I guess I'll have to give it a name. It's just an animal."

"Smart animal," agreed Carolina, mindful of how close she got to it, and to Wash. Even if the growls had stopped, she didn't want to antagonise it again unnecessarily.

She glanced at Wash. "Does everyone over at the your Sanctum get a pet, then?"

"Very smart."

The raptor snorted at them, looking Carolina over carefully.

Washington paused to think that over. "I hadn't seen any other animals around. And it didn't come up." Admittedly, he hadn't really been that social with his allies.

Carolina had been forced into some level of socialization, mostly through necessity rather than need. "You won't have to worry about feeding it at least, if the Bronze Flight is anything like the Red. Get used to the taste of bear."

She's not kidding. She also looks less than thrilled at the thought of eating it again for supper. "Let's go find that place to sit down, with your dinosaur, and I'll tell you what I know. Not that it's as much as I'd like."

Washington shrugged. "Can't be worse than some of what we used to be fed, boss. And I'm sure my new pet won't care." He nodded, patting the raptor on the head. "Follow us, and don't try to attack her. All right? I could use the information and rest."

"Pet won't. You will. Trust me, it's pretty rank." At least the recent influx of venison, rich as it was, made for a nice change of pace. Once Wash had assured his companion, Carolina set off again, mindful not to set too taxing a pace. It wouldn't take very long to reach the outskirts of the nightelf village as it was, and there was space enough just outside it, where campfires had been pitched previously, for them to sit and talk.

"Stay here. I'll get us something. You included," she added, nodding at the raptor, before disappearing into the village proper. It doesn't take her long to reappear with some fruit for the humans and some meat scraps for the raptor, the skin bundle thrust at Washington the moment she can get rid of it. His pet, his mess.

"Until I saw you, as far as I'm aware it's only been me here," she began without too much preamble.

Wash shrugged at the mention of the bear meat. "I'll survive it. It won't kill me."

At Carolina's return, he unwraps the bundle, examining the contents carefully, just for the raptor to cheerfully thrust its nose into the scraps.

"So, if there is anyone else, they're with another flight?" He's worried about the others still.

He's probably right. But he won't be able to say Carolina didn't warn him.

"Yeah," Carolina's lack of enthusiasm seemed oddly palable as she watched the raptor chow down, setting the apples she'd picked up for herself and Wash between them, idly rolling a red one between her palms. "If they're here. Pretty sure someone would have mentioned the armor by now, though, if they were here." Bulky design aside, Project Freelancer's colour scheme was the opposite of stealth.

Unless you had a camoflague unit. As hers did. That worked. As hers did not, without the HUD controls. She heaved a sigh. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Our armor is pretty distinct compared to the stuff they have here. I went through the armory... I'm sure others would have stood out." Washington reached up to remove his helmet.

"The last real clear memory I have is of Recovery. The twins were there, and my head hurt. Then... It's a blur. Too many things in my head now that I don't understand where they came from." Eventually, he'd have time to finally work out the contents of his head. But not yet.

"The technology here is beyond basic. I may have to replace a few pieces of mine with native items." And it's all red. Entirely the wrong colour for her, no matter what her hair colour or flight alignment. She made a face. "I can't gauge how much power my suit has left without my helmet. But given I haven't been able to use any of the mods or internal systems, I likely have more than I'm expecting." Or less. The fights and the fall had taken a lot out of her, even if Carolina was reluctant to admit that.

"That sounds close to when I was last--" pause, "--on the ship. I was heading to the bridge when North told me he and South were going to check on you."

"Tell me about it. You saw the weapon I'm stuck using.... Even if it feels right for some reason." Washington frowned under his helmet at that information. "That's a point I hadn't considered. We're going to either have to find a new power source and source of parts or replace it all with native gear eventually. My power levels are doing well for now."

He nodded. "At least all that matches up."

The raptor finished its meat up, and turned its attention to start sniffing at the humans. Especially Carolina. Is she part of the pack? Mate? What is she to him?