[Mingle] One-Man-Show

[treadswater]

WHO: Annie Cresta
WHERE: The Inn, South and North Villages, and surrounds
WHEN: 25th January - ?
OPEN TO: All OMS opted-out characters
WARNINGS: Warnings in subject lines as needed
NOTES: Feel free to make your own OTAs or closed threads dealing with the plot here!

---

While it seems as if most of the villagers have vanished off to the shrine, there are still those left behind. Not only the villagers, but also the animals - the pets, companions, farm animals, and animals starting to be tamed. They still need care and attention, no matter what shenanigans the Observers are up to. Not to mention, the other chores and duties. Not to mention, dealing with the sudden vanishing of so many people.

It takes at least three days for the first of the vanished villagers to return: there's a lot to do in the meantime.

Comments

[notyourrookie]

He shares a look with Maine when Brigitte asks if they can hunt. "We can definitely kill things. And sometimes they are even edible." He's started working out the best places to set snares so finding food isn't so time consuming. Neither of them is great at stealth, and animals tend to be better than people at sensing something coming.

He looks back at Brigitte. "We're good at surviving. Not necessarily at living well." And he's not actually sure how Maine survived as the Meta for so long. The AIs must have fed him but... he needs to not think about that.

He's pretty impressed with how Brigitte is handling this. She has a good run down of who can do what. He appreciates that. They need level headed people. "It might not be a bad idea to have a watch set. It might even be a good idea to get everyone into the Inn and adjoining buildings. We don't know if there is an attack coming but keeping everyone together lowers the chances of people being caught out."

[whipshots]

"Yeah. The rooms upstairs are almost entirely empty, so there's space to get everyone in here, at least." She's been keeping her tone successfully level so far, steady and business-like; but at that mention of the empty rooms, her voice finally wobbles before she can even it out.

The village had been so stable until now. Brigitte is vaguely irritated with herself for having let her guard drop, for having settled so quickly into a routine and trusting it would stay the same -- but she pushes all that down. For later. "The rooftop is accessible and Tony's built a few watchtowers, so there is that, for lookouts. We can probably find binoculars somewhere in the communal stores."

She's been all stiff angles like a cat with its fur on end, but the more they talk, the more she settles. Having a plan is so much better than spinning free-wheeling and untethered. So after a beat, Brigitte loosens her crossed arms to scrub at her face, and wearily admits, "I'm glad you're both here. Scientists are useful, but times like this, I want a soldier around."

y'all!! i thought i tagged this already! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ i'm sorry!

[bloodbathing]

That the rooms are nearly empty is concerning on its own. Since his arrival, the Inn has always seemed near full to bursting. One of the reasons Maine instantly eschewed the idea of staying in it, even for a single night. Too many people whose motivations he didn't know. Too many strangers whose faces he couldn't trust.

At least he can trust two of those faces, now. Whatever's going on, he's grateful that Wash and Brigitte weren't swept away with all the others.

Maine nods in agreement with Wash; the two of them can survive. Sheer stubbornness could keep them going even if food failed. The two of them wouldn't have made it to the top of Project Freelancer's leaderboard if they were easy to kill.

When Brigitte's voice wavers and she rubs at her face, however, Maine presses his lips together. That's not good. He gets it, he thinks — it looks like relief — but it's not good that she's already feeling strained.

So, seeking to reassure her, Maine reaches out with the intention of patting her firmly (though not too hard) on the shoulder. He considers himself pretty shitty at offering comfort, especially since Wash damn near recoiled from him a few weeks ago. But he likes Brigitte, and they need her at her best. Therefore, he's making an attempt.

Re: y'all!! i thought i tagged this already! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ i'm sorry!

[notyourrookie]

"That's something at least." At least people have been considering some kind of security. Watchtowers are helpful, if they can get binoculars, even better, although he imagines they're likely to be as outdated as the rest of the technology here. What he wouldn't give for a decent scope and a sniper rifle right now.

At least Maine is here. And Brigitte seems trustworthy. He's willing to trust Maine's judgement on this. And Maine obviously trusts her more than a little. Interesting. He doesn't usually take to people that quickly.

"I understand that. No-one else quite gets being pragmatic in the face of potential death in the same way."

[whipshots]

The pat on the shoulder is a slightly clumsy offering that catches her off-guard, but the fact that Maine tried at all is appreciated. She shoots him a grateful smile, and then winds up echoing Wash with a little laugh: "Pragmatic in the face of potential death. That's one way of putting it."

It's not mocking; her voice is warm when she adds, "You just remind me of someone back home." She still remembers her teen years when some of the Overwatch agents came round for dinner, or her poring through pictures of the organisation in their youth. Wash reminds her a bit of a weary version of a young Commander Morrison, blond and blue-eyed and square-jawed.

Then she glances around. A few more villagers are starting to drift in, following the general call for people to gather in the inn. Some have been familiar faces, but not any that she knows especially well. It's odd to realise, but she's probably best-situated right where she is.

"Okay. So! I'll see if I can talk to Foggy about butchery later, and in the meantime -- want to start that watch shift?" She highly suspected no one else had gotten on that particular task yet. "No time like the present."

[bloodbathing]

Funny what kindness, food, and an utter lack of fear can do to Maine's defenses. Brigitte slipped straight past layer upon layer of apathy simply by trusting him. If Maine were more shrewd, he might wonder if it was a calculated move — but he's never been adept at recognizing manipulation.

Good thing Maine has Wash to watch his back. Not that Brigitte is a devil on anyone's shoulder.

The big man watches Wash and Brigitte speak, pleased when they seem to be getting along. Maybe Brigitte will tell Wash about the armor she makes back home. Not now, perhaps, but at some point. Maine thinks it's pretty fucking awesome; he'd like it if Wash knew about it, too.

He's less enthused when Brigitte suggests they take watch. It's necessary, he knows, but the watchtowers are ... well, towers. Not tall ones — certainly not one hundred and ten story buildings — but still taller than anything Maine's climbed since his arrival.

At least there's no risk of getting kicked off the tower this time. Especially if he stays away from the edge, which he fully intends to do.

So, after a near-imperceptible pause, Maine nods in agreement. Might as well get to work.

[notyourrookie]

"Might as well," Wash agrees. There's enough people filing in now that he'd rather be outside than in here for any length of time. Especially if they're going to get potential panic going on. He knows his skills; being reassuring is not one of them. "Let us know if you need any help," he adds with a nod towards Brigitte. She seems to have things under control now she's got a purpose, but god knows how quickly things could go FUBAR.

He pats Maine on the shoulder, and bites his lip when he spots his expression. It's not obvious to anyone to but Wash most likely, but he knows Maine too well by now.

"Come on big guy. Let's get to work. At least Carolina isn't here to go jumping off the towers."

And with that, he starts heading for the door.