arrival; what joy, a perfect holiday

[withoutahammer]

WHO: Neil Mackay
WHERE: Next to the fountain and then throughout the area
WHEN: February 25th
OPEN TO: OTA
WARNINGS: Possible violence or threats of it, possible discussion of past war-time violence
STATUS: Just so very open

arrival;

The fountain feels like a dream- the water, swimming up through it but feeling the pressure, the need to reach air again... it's a bit more metaphorical than most of his dreams these days, but the theme's the same. Of course, then he breaches the surface and it's all a bit more real than it should be. It's chilly and it's wet and it's definitely not the Polish forests.

Right, then.

He'll be by the fountain for a while, sorting through the contents of his backpack and trying to untangle what the fuck just happened and how he wound up this far separated from the team.

reconnaissance;

Neil's exploration- whenever it ends up taking place- is systematic, thorough, and only slightly hampered by the fact that these boots are still squelching every time he walks. The rest of his clothes are dry, it's just the bloody boots that are getting on his last bloody nerve.

He spends a lot of time on the borders of the canyon, eyeing up the cliffs and wondering how fast it'd take whatever guards this camp's got to react, how fast the guns would fire. Not a test to make in the middle of the day, when anyone can see him. He'll be back once he knows more.

He spends time in the village, too, inspecting the buildings and watching the inhabitants with disguised suspicion. Fellow inmates or something else? It's too early to say.

Comments

reconn

[kestreldawn]

Jyn's routine since her arrival has been mostly steady, with the occasional straying from pattern. Part of her hates the idea a routine - hates the monotony of it, hates the predictability of it - but the part of her that's spent her life in war relishes the idea. It clings to the familiarity of waking up with first light, rolling over lazily to find Cassian beside her, spending a few extra, beloved moments with him before starting her day. There are times they'll go about their days in parallel lines, constantly at each other's side with minimal curvature, but they are independent, solitary creatures out of habit - many days they go about their business on their own, always promising to return at the end of the day, together.

This day is one of the latter, where Jyn decided to check the traps laid about in the forest, then perhaps slink over to the spring Kira had showed her shortly after she'd arrived. There's no anxious, teeth-gritting pace here - no looming shadow of an Empire bent on destruction, no Rebellion, no Saw. She doesn't indulge often, but every once in a while, she likes to allow herself to relax - take a deep breath, appreciate the quiet life she's managed to find here. So when she catches sight of what appears to be an unfamiliar face, leering in shadows and cover of buildings and structures, she stops. Posture stiffens, old habits of approaching possible hostile lifeforms quick to return.

She has no weapon her - not that there are much to begin with - but she isn't terrible concerned.

"Did you just arrive?" she calls out tentatively, voice strong and solid, with soft edges to take away the threat.

[withoutahammer]

Threat or no threat, the voice directed at him makes him stiffen. He turns with a casualness he doesn't feel, eyeing the woman who addressed him. She's small, but that's no reason to dismiss her as an opponent- he knows Aurora Luft, after all. To a trained eye, his stance is one that'll lend him shift to defense or attack easily, his body centred and balanced and ready to move. He doesn't yet. She's not hostile yet.

Of course it'd be easy to identify an outsider here. The population's small and the space is enclosed, they probably don't get a lot of drifters. He wonders if everyone comes the way he did, up through the fountain, but that's information he might be able to gather now... if she proves friendly. He's still wary. "Who's asking?"

[kestreldawn]

She studies him carefully without being intrusive - the intel she finds in his posture, the way he moves, the readiness in his muscles, indicates it's very likely he's been in war. Either as actual military personnel, or perhaps something like what Jyn had gone through - nothing terribly official, no rank or decoration to speak of, but caught in war, all the same. She finds a strange sort of solace in finding others who've come from similar shadows in their past - there's always a silent, innate understanding in each other that she's hard pressed to find in civilians. It's not exactly the stuff warm and fuzzy friendships are made of, commiserating over fallen comrades and PTSD, but it's solidarity.

She makes sure her empty hands are visible, relaxes her shoulders enough to appear less threatening (though still capable, should the need arise), shifts her weight to one foot instead of both. She takes a very small step forward and to the side.

"I am," she replies, hesitating a moment before adding, "Jyn Erso." She doesn't necessarily expect him to know who she is or recognize anything in the sounds of her name, but it's another method of showing she's not a threat. Threats don't willingly give their names to strangers.

[withoutahammer]

That was easy enough. She's taking enough steps to look non-threatening that Neil knows she's doing it on purpose. The name's interesting- not from any of the countries near Poland that he knows, though admittedly he's not too familiar with anything farther East. Not something to get hung up on, though. He nods. "Right, then. Yeah, I'm new. Where are we? Germany?"

He's pretty sure it's not Germany, but he needs to know so that he can start planning what to do and where to go once he gets out of this hole.

[kestreldawn]

"Afraid I've never heard of a place called Germany before," she replies tentatively. She knows the panic that often ensues when one finds out they are nowhere near their home, whether it be country, planet, or galaxy. She remembers the way her body trembled at the thought of being in a separate galaxy all together, but how oddly freeing it had been at the same time. Such a conflicting feeling. "But as far as I know, this town isn't near it. It - I'm not exactly sure where we are, to be honest." She doubts it's what the stranger wants to hear, but it's the truth. She finds no point in muddling it for the sake of an easier blow to the gut.

"What's your name?"

Reconn

[catchallthecats]

Arya might have been there long enough to ‘settle’ herself, but the idea of that just set her teeth on edge, no matter that her brothers, her sister were there, no matter that they’d slowly made a few friends in this strange place. Survival had relied on movement for long enough now that the girl was uneasy staying put, and certainly didn’t settle into a specific routine for too long before that anxiety had her shifting her habits again. Like today, spent in the woods despite the risk of it, keeping an eye out for signs of deer trails or new rabbit burrows that her brothers might be interested on the next hunting day.

It was late afternoon when she finally headed back towards the village, a larger branch in her hand, straight and sturdy. It wasn’t a practice sword, but cleaned up a bit with something wrapped to act as a grip it would be close enough, seeing how she’d broken her last one. She slowed as she noticed the stranger, curiosity and her own less-well disguised suspicion clear in her gaze.

“You’re new.” Not a question, it didn’t need to be. She hasn’t seen the stranger around before this , and it wasn’t that big a place that she wouldn’t have at least seen him in passing.

[withoutahammer]

"Jesus, they've got bloody kids here." That wasn't directed at Arya- more at the air above him. He knew that the Germans were taking kids, they were killing them, they weren't any more privileged than their parents just because of their age. It was still strange to see a young girl on her own here.

Complaint lodged with the universe, he nodded to Arya. "Got it in one. Are you living in the village? Is this a prison?"

[catchallthecats]

She wasn't sure what to make of the complaint. Her being younger didn't mean she was safe and protected, it never had and never would in her experience. But she was content to shrug that aside to focus on what he actually asked her, the hand not holding the stick setting against a hip as she frowned at the surroundings.

"Yes. For all we have no idea who our jailers are, nor why we've been dragged to this place, it seems to be a prison. Unless we've got a very skilled liar on our hands, everyone in the village is a prisoner as well, dragged in through that horrible fountain."

[withoutahammer]

Kids should be protected and looked after. It went against Neil's sense of right and wrong that he'd seen so many cases where they weren't- though he'd seen parents and families do anything to protect them, too. But he wasn't going to get lost in his thoughts right now, he had a conversation to continue.

"So we don't know how or why we're here and we've got no idea who it is that's doing the imprisoning? That's brilliant, that is. It's not the Germans?" He hadn't seen any swastikas or uniforms when he'd been exploring the perimeters, and they usually liked to make their presence known. But he had to check.

reconnaissance

[womanofvalue]

She has the distinct feeling of being watched while she goes about her routine in fishing, but also in her going back and forths between various residences for visits and more professional calls to offer her lessons in self-defense. Eventually, she decides to do a following of her own, lingering back until she pins a new man acting in such a manner that it washes over her as quite familiar.

It's the sort of work she might expect one of the Howling Commandoes to do, prior to a mission. Finally, she decides to address the situation head on and waits outside the schoolhouse, where she had just reassembled the desks after a self-training sessions. "I'm not sure what you're looking for," Peggy calls over to him, "but perhaps you might like some help in finding it?" This said, despite the fact that she suspects there is no it to find.

[withoutahammer]

Neil definitely clocks the woman who spotted him, but it isn't a priority until she addresses him. He isn't trying to go unseen, he just wanted to have an idea of what was going on before he started chatting people up. Well, looks like he's going to have to adjust the timetable a little. "Right now? I'm looking for a way out of here. If you've got any recommendations, I'd love to hear them."

It's odd to hear another English accent in a place that is, hopefully, Poland or somewhere near it, but it's still somewhat comforting. Even if he stays on guard.

[womanofvalue]

She knows that by the look of him, she can't possibly have missed him for that long, but he's still asking about escape. It's the sort of thing that she feels sorry that she can't provide a better answer about, even now, but hates that it still frustrates her to the point that her temper starts getting short and she has to control herself. "Well, in that case, you're not going to like anything I have to say," she manages, offering an apologetic smile. "I've been here nearly nine months and I'm still working out the same problem."

"So far, nothing conclusive has stuck out."

[withoutahammer]

"Nine- sorry, nine months? You've been here nine months?" That was too long. Christ, the war could be over in nine months- he couldn't afford to be here for one month, let alone nine. If he had to stay here for nine months, useless to his team, he was going to set himself on bloody fire, that's what.

wall reconnaissance;

[chosenbytheocean]

Moana was trying to find a way out, despite what people have told her. She had originally come out to the forest to find more milkweed. She'd just finished her net and she needed more of the fibrous material for her next project. As she gathered she eventually found herself face to face with a rock wall. As her eyes looked up the towering surface she had one thought enter her mind:

I can climb that.

The sound of steps made her drop her collection of dried stalks and turn. Her dark eyes looking for whatever had made that sound.

"Hello? Someone there?" Moana didn't have her spear with her, nor did she look particularly frightening.

[withoutahammer]

Neil had seen the girl eyeing up the wall before she'd heard him, but she looked harmless enough that he hadn't bothered to sneak. It seemed like he'd still startled her by the way she dropped her armful and turned and he held up his hands- hopefully enough of a sign that he didn't mean any harm. "Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you- I'm just taking a look around. Looks like you are too?"

[chosenbytheocean]

Moana relaxed, her arms falling back down to her sides. For the moment she kept her collection of reeds at her side on the ground. She was most likely going to put them down anyway.

"Yeah. I was looking for stalks." She looked down at what she'd gathered before looking back up at Neil, she hadn't see him around. "Then I wondered if there was a way out over the cliff."

[withoutahammer]

"Well, we're a bit short on them otherwise." He'd been walking along the bottom for a while, looking for a stretch that looked even halfway climbable. He hadn't seen any that he was up to: he could climb, but this was a bit more forbidding than a house wall. He'd scrambled down the cliffs at Dieppe but he barely remembered how- and going up was harder. "It looks like our best hope. How're you at climbing?"

arrival

[notan_animal]

In the time he's been around the village, this will be the first time Logan's seen someone fresh out of the fountain. As in still wet, looking completely confused and out of sorts. Poor guy.. only not really. There'd be no sympathy from this mutant.

"Don't bother looking for clues in the bag where it comes to this place. Won't find any." Logan said, quite loudly from somewhere on the guys left.

[withoutahammer]

Neil's head snaps up when he hears Logan's voice as he pulls out a pair of socks. "Really, and how would you know that? Pack them yourself, did you?"

He was suspicious of anyone who approached right now, especially anyone who gave such a bloody unhelpful piece of advice. He could look for whatever he wanted in this pack. Though right now the presence of dry clothes was taking precedence- he wasn't particularly interested in getting hypothermia, and in this weather that was a risk.

[notan_animal]

Amusement twisted on the mutants lips, giving an impartial half shrug. But understanding the distrust well enough. He was of the same sort of person, only Logan took it a bit further. The two people he posed his questions to after arriving would confirm that. Not everyone likes being threatened.

Casually, he opens his coat and fishes out a fresh cigar, pausing to speak before tucking it into the corner of his lips.

"Because I did the exact same thing when I crawled out of the fountain. But go ahead. You got nothing but time now."

[withoutahammer]

"Fantastic." Neil drew the word out sarcastically and continued his quick flip through the pack's contents, before he pulled out the fresh shirt and coat and stripped off the one that he was wearing, showing a heavily muscled torso with a few scars- knife wounds, mostly. He pulled the dry shirt on and then the peacoat and considered what to do with the wet one.

He started wringing it out, watching Logan as he did. "So you got dumped in the pond too?"

inn; I DO WHAT I WANT CHLOE

[repressings]

Some days are better than others. Recovery is a fickle thing, even with Mr. Graves helping him. His lightning injury hasn't made him go numb, at least. Kira and Rory both assure him it's a good thing.

But he's able to walk, and even if he doesn't leave the inn, he helps out how he can. He hates the feeling of not being useful--of having people wait on him, even if that's not the case at all. Multiple people in the village have assured him of that and yet he's by the fire, writing in a journal set that Stella Gibson had given him and wishing he could at least sweep the floors without a flare of pain in his chest.

The door opens, and dark eyes flick over, naturally drawn to movement. It's someone new, or new enough that either they've arrived while Credence was upstairs or it's their first time. He doesn't meet the other's gaze--he can't, he carries himself too well, too confident, and the instinctual part of Credence says danger--but he does try to smile. Even if his version of a smile is a small turn of his lips and it looks pained more than anything else.

"Sir." He waits until the other passes so he can speak softly, barely audible to anyone around them. "May I ask a question?"

[withoutahammer]

Credence catches Neil's attention despite the softness of his voice. He pauses and turns towards him, tilting his head as he examines the young man. He's somewhere between Harry and Alfred's age, and there's something about him that reminds him strongly of Alfred. Maybe the refusal to meet his eyes- that had bothered him about Alfred, until he realized it didn't mean he was shady or trying to hide anything (as though Alfred could have hidden anything back then). This kid seems just as nervous as Alfred had been back in the early days. Neil's glad he doesn't have to try and teach him to use a knife.

He drops into one of the other seats by the fire and leans his elbows on his knees, reducing his frame to make himself a bit less threatening. He doesn't look at him directly- hopefully that'll make it a bit easier for him to talk. "Sure, mate, fire away."

[repressings]

Oh, good. Credence's lips twitch, settling into a thin line, and, very carefully, lifts up the pen he's holding to poise it on paper. his writing is extremely neat; the type that gets drilled into him over and over (right hand, of course, left is the devil), but there's nothing actually on the page. Not yet.

By the time he looks up again the other has sat, comfortable as you please, and Credence is struck by how large he is. Build wide, but small. It's a strange sort of body type that has him staring for a few moments, and he's wondering why suddenly he doesn't seem threatening. Maybe it's once he sits down? Maybe it's because he's been called 'mate,' which is confusing in and of itself but it seems very British.

"You're new, um--I'm sorry your here." That's true, and earnest, and he swallows, shrugging his shoulders. He can't help that.

"I wanted to know if you've died. Before coming here."

[withoutahammer]

"If I've died? I don't think so." It's a complicated question- he'd been somewhere safe before he was suddenly in the fountain... at least, he'd been pretty sure that he was safe. There could have been a sniper, or someone could have snapped his neck before he was aware- but he's pretty sure he would have realized. There would have been a second there, wouldn't there? He shakes his head. No. He's not dead, he's just... elsewhere.

"What's the reason for asking?" Seems like a morbid survey to put to newcomers, but there has to be some sort of theory behind it and he has to admit that he's curious now. He had talked to the woman- Jyn- who said that she'd died. "Are a lot of people dead here?"