one | he beat on his tiny fists to feel something

[blacksky]

WHO: Elektra Natchios
WHERE: Fountain, Inn, around the village while she house shops!
WHEN: October 23-25.... for now.
OPEN TO: All
WARNINGS: Language, mentions of horror environments. sexual content in MattElektra thread. Will edit as log progresses!

---

Fountain | open

One moment she is idly scrolling through the comms to answer responses to a post. It is nothing new really. The only difference is she's being a team player. She's taking the responses seriously and trying to put the puzzle together. It's almost fun even outside the visits it gets her from the people she favors. The next moment water is rushing through her nostrils and mouth. She hates herself for getting so comfortable. Now the station is fucking with her. As usual there's nothing that can be done about it. All she can do is try to make a mad dash for oxygen. Just because she can come back to life, doesn't mean she wants to. If nothing else Matthew would never let her hear the end of it.

Her lungs and nostrils burn as she reaches the surface and coughs loudly as the water pours from her nose and mouth. It's absolutely disgusting, but she can't lament that now. She has to swim to the lid to catch her breath. Actually getting out of the fountain will have to wait until a decent amount of oxygen gets into her lungs. She'll marvel later at the fact that it's no longer recycled space junk and there's a real source of light out here.

Inn | open

She needs to get something in her stomach. By now it is safe to assume someone pointed her in the right direction of food. Elektra doesn't waste any time. She heads straight for the kitchen to grab whatever her heart desires. Anything that resembles leftovers or something that doesn't need to be cooked is being collected and deposited onto a plate. She hasn't eaten real food in ages. God she misses it.

Elektra emerges to one of the tables with a mish-mash of everything she can find and water. She sets it down carefully in front of her. She's done this before. Her first week with the Natchios she ate half the house in the morning and spent the rest of her day puking. She's older and wiser supposedly. She doesn't want to waste any time puking her guts out due to a lack of self-control.

After a few seconds, she carefully picks up the lightest item, eats as slowly as she can, takes a long drink of water, and repeats the process until she's full. It makes her look like she's ninety, but she hasn't eaten real food in months as far as she knows. She rather look stupid than throw up everywhere.

Around the village | open

She needs a place to live because the Inn isn't an option. Elektra is used to living alone at this point. She's not going to change even if there is supposedly a winter upon them. Strange, but she can't bring herself to complain with fresh air in her lungs again and food in her belly. She starts the process of going through the clearly uninhabited houses to find one suitable for her. Elektra doesn't bother to hide it's what she's up to either. Everything seems up for grabs here. Why not embrace it?

Comments

around the village

[oorah]

Frank sees a rustling instantly, so used to watching it from when Claire and Karen occupied the house across the street. The blur of red has his face creasing as he gestures for Aretha to come with him and Aloe to stay. Another new arrival? So soon after Matt? It really has been a busy month. His steps fall silently, but the second Aretha's doggy toenails hit the wood of the porch on House 3 he knows they're made. He's also nowhere near as concerned as he once was about such things. He makes his way inside and raps two knuckles against the doorframe in Morse code. H-I is the simple greeting as he waits for whoever it is to emerge and show themselves. He really wishes he could shake this feeling of deja vu right about now.

[blacksky]

She's been at this for a while. Truth be told, Elektra is ready for a break after so long in low gravity. She only intended to sit for a minute before she properly explored a place where her ears prick. Not only is someone coming, it's someone who uses that particular code. She scrambles to her feet like a kid on Christmas. Just because she go back to the old days where she's solo doesn't mean she wants to.

She's rewarded with a familiar sight even buried under layers of hair. "Francis." Elektra smiles broadly as she takes the sight of him in. It's already a huge relief to have him back even if the fact he managed to grow his hair out is undoubtedly a bad sign. "You almost look handsome with all that hair." She teases as she looks around for his usual buddy. The sight of another dog immediately disappoints her. She looks up in alarm. "Max isn't with you?"

[oorah]

The look on his face when he sees her is so wide and vulnerable, he isn't sure how to hide it and so he doesn't try. He's working his way closer to her automatically, but tentatively, even as Aretha sniffs all around the room and then at Elektra's legs. She's trying to say that she used to live in this house!!!! It's a good house you should pick it. Francis. His breath catches thickly in his throat, eyes filling with water as he continues to look at her. "Elektra?" it's much softer than she's used to him speaking, maybe, but his voice is just as gruff. Something in his gaze visibly breaks at the question about his best friend. "No, he's with David." Or at least, he likes to think so. Another arrival from Reims, after all this time. At least she's out of that place, he thinks.

[blacksky]

She nods at question after her name. If it implies what she thinks it does, she doesn't want to be subtle about it. Elektra remembers who he is. Even if she'd like the familiar pitbull to be around, she's still happy they reunited. "A shame, but you found a new companion at least." She tilts her head towards the animal sniffing at her legs. After spending so much time with Max it's familiar enough that she lets them be.

Elektra closes what little distance there is between them to rest her hand against his cheek. The hair is definitely going to take some getting used to. It's a small price to pay to have him around. "It's so good to see you, Francis. I was beginning to wonder if I'd be alone in this world. I wasn't looking forward to it." She admits with a soft laugh. He's one of the only people who never put conditions on being in her life. She'd feel lonely even if she knew Matthew was around at this point.

[oorah]

He takes in a breath when her hand touches his cheek, but he leans into the contact, relieved and scared for her in equal measure. It's strange to hear her voice for such a long string, but definitely not in a bad way. His own hand lifts up to cover hers on his cheek, revealing the leather bracelet strapped around his wrist that he never takes off. "You're not alone anyway. Our friend just got here, too." He's not exactly sure how to tell her he doesn't remember, dropping her hand abruptly when he realizes he's getting a little too comfortable. "Did I miss anything? Back there?" Has she been in that awful place all this time? Without him?

[blacksky]

She sees the bracelet out of the corner of her eye. That's new. The man has a grown out beard. He had plenty of time for new, she reasons. In many ways he isn't unlike that handyman of theirs on the station who had come out of the pods looking all rugged once upon a time. "We didn't crack the case yet." Elektra drops her hand to let him into the house properly. It's not hers yet, but the dog seems to approve. She always liked red. "Give it time, Francis. You know how useless everyone else is compared to our favorite detectives and space cadets." She quips as she looks the place over and starts moving forward. "Speaking of favorites, did that little girl tag along with you here? Don't tell me you grew out your beard because you lost both your pals."

[oorah]

Frank takes her lead into the house, brushing by her as he follows Aretha. It looks the same as he remembers and he sighs. Now isn't the time to think about Claire, not when he has to focus on what she's saying. Detectives...? Space cadets...? "Uh," is all he manages, about to ask if Elektra is messing with him before she asks about Kamala. It's obvious she remembers. So why is she calling him Francis? And why does everything feel so... off? "No. Kam is here. We live in that house." Frank points across the two streets that intersect between the two.

Inn - I brought the pain

[blindninja]

Matt walks in quietly on his own, one hand on the wall. He hasn't really been on his own since he got here and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but he also wants to be able to at least get around what would become familiar territory on his own. He has a makeshift cane fashioned out of a long stick, and Frank even offered him a dog (no thanks), but he - stubbornly and perhaps unwisely - left it behind on his way here.

Unwise because as Elektra's finished her food and on her way out, Matt walks straight into her and stumbles backwards. He looks startled, flustered, and mildly apologetic.

"Sorry," he blurts out in the general direction where he thinks he person he's walked into might be. It might not even be a person, but it didn't feel like walking into a pillar. He starts to reach out before thinking better of it and curls his fingers back into a loose fist, dropping it to his side as he continues walking.

[blacksky]

It is so wholly unexpected that Elektra isn't sure how to react at first. Even when he was playing at being blind he never bumped into her so convincingly. She doesn't analyze it the way she ought to. All Elektra knows is he's behaving like a blind man despite the fact they are suddenly on a planet again with normal gravity, decent food, and air to breathe. She's not in the mood for his theatrics. She spent an entire meal thinking about how hard it is to go back to being alone all the time. She wants him to stop playing for once.

Her frustration wins out as she steps forward so she can shove him with one hand. "This isn't the time for games, Matthew." Elektra snaps. Just as quickly as she's pushing him away, she's latching onto his arm hard as she whispers harshly at him. "I don't know who you're putting a show on for and I don't care. We need to talk. Now."

[blindninja]

When he hears her voice he stops dead in his tracks. His eyes widen as she grabs him out of nowhere and his jaw starts to drop.

This can't be right. This can't be- this isn't real. He reaches up to touch her cheek and grab a few strands of her hair. Anything, just anything that would convince himself that she was real and alive and standing in front of him and fine and arguing with him already before they've even

"...Elektra?" he hears himself say, his voice half an octave higher dangling in disbelief.

[blacksky]

She's heard that tone before. Elektra automatically knows what it means. It chills her to the bone. She doesn't like to think of her supposed fate to die, be reborn, and become a slave of the Hand. It's undeniable to think of it now. What must he think of her now? Does he think she's the monster they made her into it? "You think I'm dead." Her hold on him loosens as she struggles to deal with badly the reminder shakes her.

The moment passes, her grip returns. She doesn't know what to make of his act still, but it doesn't matter. Only one thing does. Elektra leans into his touch as she implores him. "Come with me. I swear to you I am not what they turned me into. It is me, Matthew. I am here with you so please don't be afraid. We're going to be alright." She can hope so anyways.

[blindninja]

He pulls her in closer, getting over stammering 'how' and 'why' and 'what' like a goldfish with a slack jaw and just wrapping his arms tightly around her, burying his face against her hair. He closes his eyes and breathes her in. Without all the other cues to know it was her, he can only go by how she sounds and feels fitted against the hard lines of his body.

She wants him to go somewhere, he knows, but he doesn't want to let go just yet. Relief soaks into his bones and he almost feels weak in the knees. Matt's not crying into her shoulder nor are his shoulders trembling with each quiet sob. What're you talking about?

[blacksky]

Even after all this time no one breaks her heart as effectively as he does. Elektra isn't sure if the crying or shaking starts first. Ultimately it doesn't matter. He's hurting so deeply in a way she will never understand. She's never had to love and lose him so completely once much less twice. Her arms wrap around him securely both to hold him up physically and offer comfort. Once again she finds herself remembering his confession to her about feeling numb when he thought he was going to lose her. How must he feel now?

Her fingers move to comb through the back of his head as she mulls it over. This time without her anger or hurt over how they ended things in his apartment, she can feel the full weight of his grief. She doesn't know how he lives with it when she's positive it'd destroy her completely. She bites down on her lip to check the tears welling up in her eyes. She's never liked seeing him hurt. This is on another level. It seems impossible not to get sucked into it.

Thankfully this doesn't require any words. All she has to do is hold him and ignore how her throat tightens. She's given up caring who sees them or doesn't. All that matters is being here with him until he's ready to tackle what's happening this go around.

Around the Village; Near house 54

[theimmortalweapon]

Bit by bit, Danny was turning his house into a Dojo. He had a sign made up that he flipped from open to closed since he lived with two other residence who probably didn't want people coming in at all hours of the night but for the most part, the door was open and he was either working on getting the place to feel and look like a dojo or Danny was training.

It was in the afternoon when he spotted Elektra. Danny was shifting through forms, his shirt discarded earlier that day, and had just completed the final set. He exhaled and centered himself before letting his muscles relax.

Light green eyes landed on the woman who looked like she was inspecting the houses nearby. Danny didn't know her but he lifted up a hand to wave hello.

[blacksky]

It's one of those moments where Elektra would be tempted to believe in fate. She is moving from house to house in a strange village with a ridiculous amount of homes considering the people present to her knowledge. Out of this few, a man with that tattoo waves at her. Elektra has a fantastic poker face ninety-five percent of the time. This is the five percent moment where she can't hide her shock at seeing it outside old texts Stick shared with her in preparation for the war as a girl.

He isn't who she expects to bear it. Stick taught her long ago the only good appearances will do is fool other people. A life with the Natchios confirmed as much. She approaches cautiously now that she's tipped her hand. She's unusually polite for once as she asks in Mandarin, "What do you know about dragons?"

[theimmortalweapon]

Danny's shoulders tense and his expression becomes more serious. "Who's asking?" He replied back, speaking Mandarin as well. His guard had slowly lowered since he arrived at the village months ago but Matt's arrival and his insistence that he knew the Hand had him back on his guard.

If the Hand was here, then he was going to destroy them.

This woman didn't look like she was part of that but Danny was careful.

[blacksky]

Elektra stands tall and takes a few steady steps forward. She can see his guard is up. For all she knows he put that on himself to trick members of the Chaste. As far as she knows there are none here. While they have never liked her, she knows whose side she is on. She rather an imposter face her before any of them.

"A student of the man who calls himself Stick. I am member of the Chaste. Who are you?"

[theimmortalweapon]

The Chaste.

Danny felt his mouth uncomfortably dry. If the Chaste was in the village than that meant that the Hand was here as well. It had to be but he hadn't seen any indication of them and he hadn't exactly kept his presence a secret.

"I am the Ironfist." His spoke in a hard short voice. "My name is Danny Rand. Who are you?" He switched to English to see if this girl knew the language.

[blacksky]

Her mouth goes dry. She always knew there was a chance she may meet one as the war went on. It was so small for various reasons that she's thrown for a loop. She does what she does best: improvise with a bit of an attitude. "Elektra Natchios." She smirks, effortlessly switching to English even if her accent can't be hidden in any language, but French. "Are you American? I wasn't expecting that."

Inn

[championofsnark]

In many ways, Hawke prefers living in the inn to her old mansion. When she first moved in it seemed like a marvelous idea, but after time sleeping in ditches, the simplicity of this place is much more attractive. And no one banging on her door trying to make trouble. No one trying to kill her (today). Things could be much worse! She's rather cheerful as she walks into the kitchen, also looking for food. She'd chomp on something all day if she could. She's always a bit peckish, and running around the wilderness lately has dragged out a lot of energy.

She yawns and starts putting together her own plate. She's going hunting at some point, and will wisely try to clean her kills up before stocking the place. It's a process, but it makes her feel useful. Hawke glances over to see a woman she doesn't recognize, and she watches her curiously for a moment. She smiles and takes her food right over, not asking if she could sit, because she's obnoxiously friendly that way, and she's used to communal benches and meals.

"I appreciate someone who takes the time to eat each bite. Probably wiser than how I scarf it down like a maniac. My mother used to give me such trouble. You're still technically a lady, Marian, stop eating like the dog." Her impression of her classy mother is spot on, but it would have to be after these years. Inwardly it's a wound not even close to healing, but she finds joking about the parts she misses is the best route.

[blacksky]

Elektra wears the startled look of a woman not particularly used to obnoxiously friendly. The sad fact is it would have gone over better if Hawke tried to kill her. She knows how to deal with that. Nevertheless she is quickly won over by the conversation that follows. She breaks from a mildly horrified look at the company into a sincere smile. She had the same exact conversation with her adopted mother while she was still alive.

She wasn't the easiest child to manage. She spent her formative years around an old blind man who trained her for war. It was a given that a wealthy woman would lecture such a wild child when she came into her care. There is a similar wound there. Elektra liked Christina Natchios even if they could never be truly close thanks to the secrets between them. She uses that to avoid feeling the absence too strongly. "My mother always tried so hard not to be smug when I ate so fast that I threw it all up. It took me a while to learn my lesson." She jokes while carefully popping a bit of cheese into her mouth. Luckily for Elektra the teenage half the horror movie bffs shares their stock with the class.

[championofsnark]

Her mother had her work cut out for her. Three children, and only one of them at all well behaved. Leandra was a noblewoman who chose love over duty, and it wasn't in the end the best message for any of them. Her eldest was wild from the moment she was born, more prone to fighting and drinking than curtseying and playing nice. She was sure somewhere on her was the stamp of the Amell blood, but no where that she hadn't scarred over by now by her mistakes and reputation.

She makes a face at Elektra and then smiles. "She never went that far, because I certainly wouldn't clean it up after. She'd only lose and have the house smell." Also Hawke's mother was kind and patient and deserved so much better than the gruesome death she was given. "Is that why you're eating so slowly? Here I was thinking someone made something so delightful it was worth taking in slowly." The food wasn't terrible, she had much much worse, but she did miss the roasts at the pub.

"I'm Hawke. I know you're not really supposed to stomp your way into someone's private time, but as already discussed, the lessons in manners never took well." Hawke is much like her beloved dog. Too friendly and pushy.

[blacksky]

It's familiar in a way that hurts just a little bit. She does everything she can to never think of her adoptive parents. Elektra associates them with secrets most of the time; hers naturally. This is a reminder of the good moments. She can see Christina trying so hard and just maybe a part of Elektra loved her for it. It's a sweet thought if nothing else.

She laughs softly at the food comment, shaking her head as she does it. "If I were enjoying it, I wouldn't be able to control myself. We'd have vomit all over the floor again. I'd have to find out the hard way who keeps up with this place." Because they'd be nipping at her heels no doubt.

She pops in another piece of cheese and swallows before adding, "I can't fault you for that completely. I learn the rules to break them. Manners were not an exception." She knows every polite way to say 'fuck you' that can ever be conceived. Elektra is quite proud of that if the smirk as she recalls some of her greatest hits replays in her head. On what she tells herself is a whim, she decides to return the favor. "Elektra Natchios."

[championofsnark]

"Perhaps that'll be a challenge for any hopeful cooks in the area. Your task, may you accept it, is to create food good enough we'd want to throw it up." Hawke grins, ear to ear, and winks. "That's a very appealing tagline. Who could resist?" Never let her sell anything, is the summary. She's someone who hefted her knives up, knowing it took a forger years to get them just right, and said it was very good at stabbing as a grand summary. "I don't know who keeps up with it, but someone does. It's pretty clean, considering how many people are in and out."

She sees the smirk for what it is and chuckles. "Ahhh, we're kin spirits. I assumed barging in would lead to either acceptance, a casual fuck off, or a knife being drawn, so I was ready for whichever." She's glad it went this way! Hawke almost comments on Elektra's accent, which isn't too dissimilar from her own or people she knows, but she knows now that vastly different worlds can oddly have the same accents. However that works. Elektra's very clearly not from Ferelden, she knows that much. "Marian's my first name, but it sounds too frumpy for me. Your name though, it suits you."

[blacksky]

Elektra chuckles. She points to her as the giggles start to die down. "Only the weak. We wouldn't want them spoiling our fun." She doesn't deny the rest. For once, things feels easy. This has only happened perhaps four times before. It hurts as much as it is a relief. Elektra doesn't want to be alone. She shrugs at the rest, trying hard to be casual even as her mind wanders to how Ellie became Elektra all those fateful years ago.

"I'll admit I am very fond of it. Marian doesn't suit you at all. I can see why you went with Hawke even if I'm not sure where you pulled it from. Do you have a hawk?" She quirks a brow suggestively. What? Rich people have done weirder things.