Uprooted and replanted somewhere else (Arrival)

[houmaprotector]

WHO: Alec Holland (+1 thread for (oorah and reactions + OTA)
WHERE: Bunker / on the way out to the forest.
WHEN: 11-13th
OPEN TO: Anyone. Anyone who wants to pick up on that welcome thread and find him be warned. He'll be angry and panicky because he's been disconnected from the green. Feel free to comment with reactions though if you're in the bunker. For his run to the forest it's fair game.
WARNINGS: Alec is a panicked swamp monster who has been replanted in a strange place, proceed with caution. He can't really do much apart from run around and roar at you and shove through you (he's a pretty strong dude.)

arrival; you've been replanted.

[All he knows is solitude. That's all he's known since he returned to the green.

It is a pleasure not to think. Not to be human. To dissolve and become something else entirely, to lose his shape and his humanity. When he forms himself again, When Jonah and Capucine come to speak on him, he abandons them and they leave him be. When he them all he remembers is Abigail. The look on he face. The grateful smile. The sad little look on her face as she faded away like a storm of leaves in the wind. It's not even that he doesn't want companionship. It's that he's far too tied into the green now and when he thinks, when he feels, it shifts and disrupts itself. It's better not to think.

Better to set Alec Holland aside. Better to hide. Better to fail to feel. The world can move on without him and he can govern this realm with the parliament's will without opening his eyes and seeing her. In time it starts to fade (though he has no real concept of time. persay.) but then-

The words day and night blur into one another before he dreams and the dream is not of the green. He hears Abigail, calling his name, and he runs after her. Don't leave, Don't leave - Abigail don't leave me please, don't leave me Abby-! Foolish. They'd agreed to this. They both knew what they had to do. For humanity, for...

All of his burdens are gone then and he sleeps. The green, the world, it all falls away.

On the outside, one of the tubes, a particularly large one has begun to drain but the water isn't clear. It's sludgy and thick, green and overflowing with plant parts. There are pieces, leaves and sticks and twigs that rush out of it as a big green hand grips the edge of the tube. The hand clenches and the thing starts to rise. Slowly, water and plants drip across the floor before the massive being drags a big hand over his face. The creature is hideous, plants and leaves growing from it's shoulders. The water sloshes over the edge of it as the creature takes a great big step and he's...

Out.

Realization dawns on the thing and Alec Holland growls. Fingers...toes...shoulders...eyes...I must be logical. I have to...gather my thoughts because...I'm...not...not in the green. The creature lets out a grunt, a low rolling noise that echoes through the chamber. Must...try to think. The green. Where is the green? Where...]

...The...Green.

[The creature's moan deepens, echoing through the surrounding area. An inhuman sound.]

Where...am...I the green...

[I'm not in the green. I'm not in the green -where is it? Where-where is it?! I can't-

His panic doesn't really articulate itself well. Instead there's just a pained and muted roar and the thing lashes out, desperate red eyes glaring around the room looking for an enemy, a scapegoat, someone. anyone who could explain what was going on.

If they can calm down a giant green monster.]

--

Oh sinnerman (where you gonna run to?); To the woods.

[I'm disconnected from the green. Maybe if I get out of...this. Away from...that...I can figure it out. Get out into nature. See what's going on. Try and...Try and center myself because...because...

He made an impression in that bunker and despite the scrubs (he resolved to get rid of those clothes as soon as he could.) he's...still a monster. I stick out like a sore thumb.

Weaving through the inn and houses is a large greenish/black shape. If I'm not connected to the green, I can't regrow my body. I might die. I might actually die.

The thought makes him pause behind one of the buildings, hand gripping it. If he passed on he might go where Abby was. He could be with her.

In his contemplation, he might be far easier to spot, a great green lump attached to one of the buildings.]

Comments

[oorah]

Frank Castle doesn't have a great relationship with monsters. Especially not the horror movie kind. But if this creature came through the tubes then as far as he's concerned it's one of them. Maybe he'll have something that can help them. Though he's not even sure what they want to accomplish. Do they have homes if they're clones? And even if they're not he doesn't, maybe it's better to be stranded here. He's not even completely sure of what he's seeing at first - he signed up for entirely too many of these bunker shifts. But if David came here, or anyone he knew from Reims? He had been on that list, and from what he understands once they have their grip on you they don't let go.

He hits the release and stumbles back as Alec climbs up out of his tube. Fear clutches his chest, but that's nothing new. It's so routine it's almost easy to ignore at this point. Frank starts reaching for his knife at his ankle before realizing how very little good that would do him. His gaze flickers from the thing to the tube it came out of and he decides to just accept his fate, whatever it may be. If he dies, they've shown they'll bring him back. He might lose something, but he's sick of running. He won't do it anymore.

"I didn't do this to you," the bearded man says in a gruff voice, low and calm despite the quick pace of his heart as it surges up against his breastbone. His gaze sets in determination, he'll ride this out to a natural conclusion the same way he does everything else.

[houmaprotector]

The green. Where is the green? It's not...here. It's nowhere. I'm nowhere. I'm...what am I? Existential dread has filled him but he doesn't have those traditional coping mechanisms anymore. There's just lashing back and forth, looking for things to attack. To hurt.

It's far too familiar to a time he thought he'd forgotten. Those first few days after he died (for the first time.) Trying to navigate a strange body in a strange place. The green helped me.

Big fists curl and he aims it at the wall before staring at the other man in horror, hideously dripping features contorted in pain.

He roars. He can't help it, the noise reverberates around the walls before his throat works with a loud angry croak. The green? Where is the green!? The web of life, the thing that animated him, "...Where...Where...am...where am...I?"

He crouches, breathing chest rising and falling before he stares at his wrist and then at the man.

Everything hurts. It's hard to move and speak. Was I really so dependent on the green? Despite everything it had done?!

The next noise he makes is a sad little whimper of confusion, like a confused dog.

[oorah]

He ducks the big fist as it swings for the wall, fearing that the Observers made this man this way more than he fears Alec meaning him harm. Still his gaze is wide and wild and he's not making to run. Not even close.

"That's a really good question," Frank admits, shaking his head in dismay. When he sees the creature look at his wrist device, he speaks up again. "Don't try to remove it, it doesn't come off."

Frank picks at the teal one on his own wrist, bringing the handwoven leather bracelet on his other hand into view.

"Let's get above ground. It's less..." Depressing? Fucked up? Not really, but at least it's open air. The noise does remind Frank of a dog and he holds out his hand then like he's placating one of his own. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

[houmaprotector]

"...Above...ground." It hurts to talk. It feels like his vocal cords are rubbing together, "...Above...grass. Trees. The green Yes....I..." He staggers over leaving a trail of slime in his wake before looking back at the man and clenching his fist.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm coming apart at the seams. There's his inner voice. A small degree of humanity returns to his gaze.

"I need. Grass. Trees...Green."

What the hell is going on? The green will know. Maybe he just needs to get out of this place. More slime oozes over the walls.

"...Please." He looks like he wants to say more but he can't. I should at least give the guy my name. And my name is...My name is...

There's another low growl from him as he staggers out the door - and in the wrong direction.

[oorah]

Frank nods, starting to head down the corridor towards the surface. But Alec crosses the wrong way and he frowns, wishing he wouldn't say please like that. He doesn't want this to be one more person (thing? animal? creature?) he can't help.

"It's this way, bud." His voice is soft, gentle. He waits to see if Alec will turn to follow him before carrying on.

[houmaprotector]

He wants to take it at a run, bolting for the green grass and the sunlight but he's having a hard time moving his arms and legs. I haven't used these in awhile. That's very clear

"...what...what place." The place is dank and dark, "Gotham? Metropolis?"

His foot hits something and crushes it. He can't say sorry but hopefully his expression reads as apologetic. Or at least, as much as it can.

[oorah]

"There's a girl here from Gotham. I dunno the other one."

Frank keeps waving him on until they reach the tunnel out, either unnoticing or uncaring of whatever it is he breaks. This place was made by their captors, Frank could give a shit about anything inside.

"We just call it the Village, and no, you're not the only one getting Shyamalan vibes."

He motions for Alex to go first, to push the manhole cover out and realize they're at the bottom of the lake. Surprise?

[houmaprotector]

Scramble? Sure he scrambles. He practically runs forward leaving slime in his wake and traces of muck. Pushing open the manhole he climbs up and stares, then looks back out at the world around them.

It's not here. It's not. The green. He can't hear anything. No grass or trees or leaves. No gentle whisper of voices, no web of life. I can't regrow my body. I can't. If something happens to me, if I burn, if they freak out...

His first instinct is to run. Bolt for the forest. He can see it off in the distance. A tree line where he can get away, figure out why the green isn't talking to him. What's happened. This has happened before.

It's mostly instinct when his hands dig into the earth and grow, worming their way into the soil. He just keeps staring at him.

"Hard...Hard to talk. Haven't talked...in a long time." He stares at his wrist. It's hard to shake the panicked look on his face, "...Soil tastes different."

[spoileralert]

Steph likes to head down to the bunker from time to time, now that she's certain there aren't any traps or ambushes waiting for her. Too many people have been arriving down there lately, and it isn't as though there's nothing else to look at down there.

She was sort of wrong about the ambush, though, because today as she starts down the hall what appears to be a giant ball of wet algae comes barreling at her.

"What the crap!?" is all she manages to say as she tries very hard to run backwards while simultaneously grabbing the staff from her back. The hallway isn't so wide that she can just side-step whatever it is.

[houmaprotector]

I have to hide. Out. Maybe back down? Hide in the dark? There's no way that everyone here would trust him. One wrong move, one frightened person and he's doomed.

His feet stop halfway before, lost in thought. Maybe that's for the best. Maybe I should just-

He doesn't get a chance to finish that thought as the blonde starts to struggle.

"Please...don't run. I'm not...a threat!" How the hell did he manage this? His predecessor. The previous Swamp Thing. Alec Holland's consciousness as opposed to Alec Holland himself.

She'll trip and hurt herself. I really am coming apart at the seams. I've never left a trail of smile before.

[spoileralert]

It's too late for reassurances. They'll penetrate her panic eventually, but right now it's all fight or flight. Flight is the more difficult option in this setting. If she turns around her back is wide open. Her knives are no good with something so huge, getting that close would be certain defeat. She presses the button that extends her staff to full length and struggles not to hyperventilate. There's no room, no time, no help, no escape. She can't fail here, she can't die again, she can't, she can't, she can't think. She holds the staff in front of her like a shield.

"Stay back," she warns him, and she can hear her own voice shaking. This isn't a fight she can win. "Stay- stay back!"

[houmaprotector]

This is exactly what I was afraid of. The way she looks at him. She's terrified. It hurts. I forgot stuff like that could hurt.

"Stop...flailing!" he's not his predecessor however. He's not the Swamp Thing. He's Alec Holland, Swamp Thing. "You'll hurt yourself!" He shoots out a hand, trying to grab her with a root, to settle...except nothing comes out...

"I'm not a...threat!"

The hallway behind him is covered in slime and goo along the floor boards.

[spoileralert]

She can't think. She can't breathe right. She's getting a little light-headed. Her staff starts to visibly shake and she knows she has to do something about that. She manages to edge over to the wall, using it as support while her body freaks the fuck out and takes her brain's processing speed with it.

"What? You're-" He's a person, she realizes at last. He talks, he forms logical sentences even if she can't seem to remember what any of them were. He hasn't come any closer.

"Who are you?"

[houmaprotector]

Alec Holland.

I died. I've died multiple times. I liked pizza and dogs and I liked plants best out of everything because I thought they were worthy of study. I became a god and now I'm not, I'm just a giant monster..

"No one."

I need to get out of here. The creature turns and makes it's way back towards the muck and slime, "No one. Don't...follow me I'm not...safe." Was he always this cumbersome? He can't flee easily. The green helped me more then I thought. And I'm cut off from it.

His features look horrified as he tries his best to scramble back out the way he came.

[spoileralert]

He’s a person. He’s a person. She isn’t under attack. She isn’t in Gotham. She isn’t in that awful basement.

She lets her staff drop and holds a hand out to stop him. The other exit is too far from the village, and the wilderness here is more dangerous than a newcomer can know.

“Don’t. I’m-“ okay. “Just-“ broken, somehow, in a way that’s starting to scare her more than any plant monster could. “You’re-“ not dangerous. Come on Steph, voice a complete thought.

“No powers.”

[enterprisingheart]

[Even for Picard, it's not every day that someone comes across a giant clump of what looks like plant life simply stuck to one of the buildings. Especially when he's fairly certain there hadn't been one there only the day before, which really only leaves two options: that the Observers are up to something, or that there's a person underneath all that mass of greenery.

(Or that there's some new plant that they haven't quite managed to learn all the details of, but he considers that to be less likely.)]

Is everything alright?

[If it turns out that he is talking to nothing more than a bunch of plants, so be it. But at the same time neither does he want to ignore the possibility that this is a person, and one who's likely new besides.]

[houmaprotector]

[Alec is trying to gather his thoughts, decide if he can make a break for the trees or dissolve. There's no green. The green's abandoned me. He's still dangerous. At any moment one of these people could turn on him and without the green...

When the man approaches a pair of red eyes appear in his face and he tilts his head at him.]

...Yes...and no. Still trying to...get used to being on my feet...again. Talking.

[He starts to detach from the wall.]

...It must be painfully obvious...I'm new.

[enterprisingheart]

[For all that the sight of red eyes appearing out of what would otherwise appear to be nothing so much as an overlarge mass of vegetation could easily be taken as ominous at best, Picard doesn't even so much as bat an eye at the sight. It might not be anything he would have expected, true. But it does at least answer the question of whether or not he'd been speaking to something that would be capable of answering back, and right now that's enough of a start for him.]

A little, yes. There aren't very many people here who stand out in quite the same way.

[There's a brief pause, before he continues on.]

And if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing previously?

[The tone of his voice makes it clear enough that it's idle curiosity, prompted by Alec's implication that he hadn't previously been on his feet.]

[nonstopnarcissist]

"I don't remember ordering a lump of moss and living wood." He's pretty sure he'd stacked his firewood on the other side of the forge for starters, and one night shouldn't be enough to leave a mass of moss and vine and...whatever else leaning against his workspace. Tony cocks his head to one side, nails drumming against his chest as he considers this new outcropping to his workspace that seems like it might be...

Breathing.

Weird.

[houmaprotector]

This is not a good place to sit. He's gathering this. Looking to the left and right he peers backward. Lump of moss and wood? With a pair of eyes that stare at him and back away, "...Take it...easy. Just...trying to get the lay of the...land."

He backs up several steps, nearly losing his balance.

Firewood means fire. Means there's fire nearby, "...Please. I mean...no harm."

It'd be nice if I could get used to talking again. Figuring how to get this body to talk again hurts.

[nonstopnarcissist]

Wood and moss and vines that has eyes. And a voice. Tony doesn't shout or flail or- much of anything aside from going very still, eyes narrowing. Large and green and strange isn't that strange to him; it's the plant thing that's odd. But. Not the strangest thing he's seen. Top five, definitely. "Take it easy yourself, Green Bean. I'm not starting up the forge while you're around. It's dead right now."

And dead it'll stay until he's sure the area's clear of anyone adversely affected by heat.

"So...You're wearing that 'new in town, what the hell is going on' face. Guess you just got spat out of the fountain?"

[houmaprotector]

People...aren't freaking out about him. All it takes is one though. That's all it takes and I'm a goner.

He slowly untangles himself from the side of the building, breaking his death grip, "No fountain...Tubes. The Bunker below. There's...a fountain? That people come out of?"

That might be easier to discover, if he could just talk to the algae...

He bares his teeth at that, "Who...brought me here? Did they bring you...here too?"

[nonstopnarcissist]

"The tubes connect to the fountain." A beat. "Come on, Treebeard, Lets get you somewhere with shade and water."

That's good for swampy plants, right? He thinks he remembers something about that, biology and botany weren't ever his strong suits, he always contracted out or hired on experts for the intelicrops development. Still. Water, shade, not a lot of heat. All shit he's got in the forge. "Everyone in the village was brought here."

[houmaprotector]

Treebeard? he raises an eyebrow before tapping his chest, "No. I'm...the Swamp Thing. If you need a title."

Hm.

"...Shade and water? would be great." He coughs, "...Sorry about my voice." Getting to his feet he towers over Tony but he might provide his own shade, "...My name is...Alec Holland. Dr. Alec Holland."

Yes. I'm a doctor. A Botanist. A chemist. Things are coming back faster now. Speaking is even easier.

The fear of fire is still a real threat but following this man he nods, "...I go by whichever...is easier."

[nonstopnarcissist]

"...Right, Jolly Green, let's walk." He offers his arm- not like he could hope to hold him up at all but- it's only polite. Water and shade and the cool space on the far end of the forge away from the soot and half worked metal.

"You're made of plants. Pretty sure there's not a lot in that biology that helps with the whole speaking thing. I'll get you a chalkboard or something if that'll help." It'll mean finding one but- communication can get difficult. Still. One arm offered up to the...man? Leaf guy? Bark American? Tony leads him around into the shade, pouring out a mug of water from the pitcher he keeps in the corner. "Here you go, Doctor."