01 ❆

[needlebearer]

Who: Arya and YOU
Where: Around Gravity Falls
When: February 8-9th
Rating: G, though will update if this changes
Summary: Arya realises she's not in Westeros any more
The Story:

a) Forest
One minute she'd been on horseback, clinging to Sandor Clegane to stay mounted as they plodded toward the Eyrie. The next she found herself quite alone, in the middle of thick woodland. To say Arya was confused was an understatement, but she'd put that to one side for now as the relief and wariness of being on her own warred in her - she wasn't exactly sorry to be away from the Hound, but she couldn't be sure what was lurking in the trees. As if on cue a twig snaps loudly a little way away, and Arya missed having Needle at her side more than ever.

She makes her way over cautiously, expecting at worst a gang of raiders and at best a small animal she can kill and eat, and is bewildered instead to find a blond teen with the whitest teeth she's ever seen, frolicking about the forest floor like an oversized rabbit. She stares for a long moment, unsure if she's hallucinating, but then the boy locks eyes with her and gives a relaxed, friendly smile before calling to what Arya can only assume are the other members of his pack.

Soon Arya's storming through the trees at quite a speed, looking thoroughly irritated and casting looks over her shoulder to the boy band that's singing and clicking and bopping in time.

"I said stop following me!"


b) Gift Shop
When she comes across the oversized Mystery Shack, Arya darts inside and slams the door behind her, leaning back against the wall while she tries to get her breath back. As she does so, she glances around and takes in the assortment of oddities on display. A jar of eyes stare unblinkingly at her, and it takes her a moment to break her gaze from them, feeling a little unnerved. When she turns away she distracts herself with some of the other curios, turning over plastic tchotchkes in her hands, giggling as she pokes at a bobblehead and watches it wiggle about, staring in confusion at a fish nailed to the wall dressed in bright, odd clothes.

When she hears footsteps she jumps, throwing everything back on the shelf quickly, afraid she'll be accused of trying to steal them.

Comments

[needlebearer]

That was a refreshing piece of advice, and Arya didn't realise how desperately she'd needed to hear it. She'd spent so long having to keep her head down and just survive, the need to get even always on the backburner, waiting for the opportune moment, that it feels rather liberating. "Even if it's the people in charge?" Bringing her here without so much as asking was far worse a crime than the boyband following her around.

[fulllifeconsequences]

"Especially them."

Whoever they are. Chara had no pity for whatever partner had summoned them here this time. Why should they be respected? Who made them immune to the consequences of their actions? "You did not give them the right to subject you to this. You did not ask for it. So sharpen your fangs. Even an enemy who seems far above and beyond you can be conquered, if you're determined enough."

[needlebearer]

Arya was very glad to hear her own opinion voiced by another. She didn't know who was in charge here, but she already had a mind to add them to the list of names that she intended on repeating even here, a world away from the subjects of her vengeance. She takes a couple of steps toward the tree where Chara's perched, looking up at them glad to find an ally. "Has anyone tried to get rid of them?"

[fulllifeconsequences]

"I wouldn't know. I've been here a week." Chara shrugs. "Better off asking someone else."

They shift their position up on their branch. Hook their legs around it and slide down, dangling upside-down in the air. The rocks, however, remain in their hand. A playful child, one with advice to give. That's all they are, sure.

But they're armed, and even upside-down, they're sure their aim is good. They rattle their clenched fist a little, listen to the rocks clack against each other. Just a low-key, subtle display of fact, like a rattlesnake's tail. That's all. A precaution. In case they need it. They don't have a very high opinion of humans, even ones that don't necessarily seem to mistrust them yet.

"What's your name, anyway? I am Chara."

[needlebearer]

If they've been there for that short a time, Arya decides to take all their advice with a pinch of salt. As much as she craves being able to go against the ones who brought her here, she's learned the hard way when to bide her time instead of fighting a losing battle.

"Arya," she replies, then adds almost as an afterthough, "Stark. Of Winterfell." It felt strange to be able to use her full name after hiding her identity for so long, like each word was an old friend she'd long sent away.

[fulllifeconsequences]

A full title! Golly! Maybe Chara should have offered a complete "Chara Dreemurr of New Home" in return. But then again, maybe not. They swing idly in the air, just keep smiling.

"Greetings, Arya Stark. What sort of place is Winterfell? Can't say I've ever heard of it before."

[needlebearer]

Thoughts of Winterfell made her heartsick for the home she could never return to, but she knew she'd invited the line of questioning by mentioning it in the first place.

"It's the greatest castle in all of Westeros," she says proudly, loyally, though her tone tinged with sadness for what was and could never be again. "The bastion of the North. Starks have always lived there, for thousands of years."

[fulllifeconsequences]

Too long swinging upside down, and the blood's rushing to their head. They curl in on themselves, go back to sitting right-side-up. "A castle...! Then are you royalty? A noble?" How impressive! No idea what or where Westeros was, but did that really matter? Chara didn't think so.

"Around here, there's a big mansion everyone lives inside. You might like it, since it's huge and fancy and full of people. A little like home, surely."

[needlebearer]

"I'm not royalty," she says immediately, insistently. But then, she supposed she was in a way, once Robb had declared himself King in the North, for all the good that had done him. The thought of people addressing her as a Princess makes her balk.

"I've been used to living away from all that now," she admits, not having heard of a mansion before and assuming it must be similar to a keep. "But it would be nice to live somewhere full of people, if they're nice." So long as they weren't plotting to kill her or overthrow her family, she'd take that as nice enough.

[fulllifeconsequences]

"Like I said... for the most part, probably. I'm sure you'll be fine if you don't act too creepy." They announce. Still lying. Still not trusting humanity for a single second.

"I bet they'll be even nicer to you if they know you're somebody important. Even if it isn't royalty." A shrug. The rocks go back into their pocket, and they cushion their head behind their hands. Lean back against the broad trunk.

[needlebearer]

Arya shakes her head, looking a little uncomfortable now. "I don't want them to be nice to me because they think I'm important. I want them to like me for me." Although there wasn't much left to like, she supposed.

[fulllifeconsequences]

"Oh! I see." Chara answers, still in their idle, relaxed position. Staring up at the canopy. "Then, Arya Stark of Winterfell. Who is me?"

[needlebearer]

That's not a question she's ever been asked before, though she'd wished her parents and Septas had done so, and often, rather than trying and failing to fit her into what she ought to be. She frowns a little as she tries to figure out an answer, then shrugs. "I don't know. Just me. Just a person, instead of a symbol of anything else."

[fulllifeconsequences]

Not a symbol. A person.

What an interesting concept.

"Good answer. Hold onto that tightly, Arya Stark of Winterfell." They'll see if it changes. They'll see if it lasts. But for now... Chara's bored. So: "Now buzz off. There are much more interesting things to discover here, I am sure, than some kid in a tree."

[needlebearer]

Arya rankles a little at how abruptly she's being dismissed, but Chara's right - there's a lot for her to explore here, and she wants to get a feel for the place before something bad inevitably happens. "All right, fine. I'll try to avoid any more groups of bards." She really didn't feel like throwing rocks at them herself.