eenie meenie miney moe

[thesamurai]

Who: Michonne and YOU
Where: around the mansion
When: June 1
Rating: PG-13 maybe? Probably? Or R, we just don't know. WE NOW KNOW.
Summary: Michonne left for a canon update and is back just in time to not be IT.
The Story:

main entrance/foyer/whatever it's called

[She's going to kill Negan. The same way she killed the Governor, she's going to take her katana and run it straight through his heart. And if he kills her first with that fucking bat, she knows Rick will kill him. Bound with her hands behind her back, she subtly glances down the line of all of them on their knees, feeling rage seize in her gut when Negan gets close to Carl. Clenching her jaw, she listens to him go on and on, and she knows, one look at Rick and she knows, someone's going to die. This isn't a joke, this isn't an idle threat. One of them is about to meet the end of a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire.

The rage fades to fear, something she hasn't felt since Carl was shot in the face, and she's shaking as Negan counts them down, using a child's rhyme to taunt them all. When he points at her with the bat, Michonne looks at him defiantly, but as he picks she closes her eyes, squeezes them shut for a moment, too afraid to see who it is before needing to know. But then she's on her knees in Wonderland, inside the mansion. She knows exactly where she is, and air leaves her lungs in a loud, guttural cry as she pitches forward, hands still tied behind her back, a sob wracking her frame with her forehead touching the ground. Someone's about to die and she's back here. Safe.

Pulling herself together she clumsily stands, taking a deep breath and looking around. One of her locs has been crudely cut from her head, but aside from that (and her restrained hands), she looks about the same as she did when she left. She just needs a little help with the ropes.]

video message sent from the bar (action optional)

[She doesn't go back to her room just yet, instead she goes where she knows people will be, people she can surround herself with and know she's safe. She settles in with tequila, starting a video message. It's recording for a good minute before she finds her words.]

I left. That's the second time it's happened in less than a year. But, I'm back now, and as per usual, nothing good happened, so. You need me, I'm in the bar.

[She wants to see the people she calls friends, family. Right now though, she just can't make it room to room.]

Comments

[failedparenting]

[It's just by pure, absolutely stupid luck that John is walking back into the mansion as Michonne lands back there. He's been out and about- shooting, of course, because being cooped up in this crazy house for too long wears at his sanity a bit. Even if it looks weird, at least there's the illusion of freedom outside.

He doesn't really focus on her at first, more intent on getting to the kitchen for lucnch than anything. But it registers that something is up pretty fast. It's the, ah, rope situation, really. That's definitely not something you see everyday.]

Michonne?

[John frowns, hefting his shooting duffle to the ground. He's got a knife in there somewhere, but maybe his pocket knife will be enough to cut those.]

What's going on?

[thesamurai]

[As soon as she hears that voice, everything in her tenses and it doesn't click, not at first - this is Wonderland, different person. All she hears is Negan, all she sees is that bat going up, his body poised to let it fly, and she wants to kill him. She wants him dead, even if he won't stay gone here, she needs him down.

Michonne just barely looks up before barreling forward, slamming all of her body weight into him in order to get him to the ground. Her hands are still behind her back, but she has teeth, and she just might take a page from Rick's book and rip Negan's throat out.]

[failedparenting]

[He's not as quick as he used to be, or slick, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that someone barreling at you full tilt means some shit's going on. He doesn't have have time to move before she runs into him full speed, like a train off the rails. She pushes him back hand trips him over his duffel, and they both go crashing to the ground hard

Theres a lot of words coming out of his mouth, but like hell if he knows what they are. A lot of swearing, probably, and some of it in a few different languages.]

Jesus- shit!

[It's like the time Evie came at him swinging, except it isn't at all because John knows full well this woman could probably kill a man with her hands tied behind her back. Literally, apparently.

He doesn't want to hurt her, really, but panic and self preservation are a hell of a thing. One large hand goes to her that, trying to hold her back and maybe to try and reason with her.]

[Action | Bar]

[luckynumberthree]

[ Simon's in his customary place behind the bar when she walks in and his eyes widen at the sight of her, dishrag dropped as he comes out from behind the bar to approach. ]

Shit, you're back. Are you hurt?

[thesamurai]

[The correct answer should be easy: no, she's not hurt. Well, she wasn't when she got here. Now she may have a bruise or two, but that's a separate thing. Still, she's trying to make herself talk, and there's something about seeing Simon (he's real, this is all real and she's back in Wonderland), that finally short circuits her brain. It takes long enough that he should know she's fine but not okay, but finally she nods.]

Not hurt. Just...here again.

[luckynumberthree]

[ Her not-so-certain answer doesn't stop him however as he comes up and drags her into a hug, warm and tight, relief written plainly on his features.

He doesn't linger, though - doesn't want to startle her or make her uncomfortable, although he does give her a tug towards the nearest table. ]

Come on, sit down. I'll get you some food. Drink. Whatever you want.

action;

[radiopalkiller]

[ There's a training dummy with plenty of angry bullet holes from the time she was gone, and there's Philip pacing in his room after the message, because-- Because she's back, and she remembers, and those are both good things, which - if the rest of his life is any indication - means there's a massive catch he just isn't seeing yet. He'd take a bottle or two and agonise about that at the bar, but- well. That goes against the whole idea of staunchly avoiding her, doesn't it?

--Then again, maybe it's just a plain bad idea. Never made anything better either, did it? So maybe take a bloody risk for a change.

Christ, and Philip wishes he wasn't already dressed and ready to go, because he could use the procedure to brace himself. Just combs through his hair for a second then, and washes his hands like they need it, because he's got to have something.

Because a minute later he sits down next to her, two glasses and one bottle of whiskey ready at hand. ]

So here's how I thought we could spend our evening: Step one, I start pouring. Step two, I don't ever stop pouring.

[thesamurai]

[When she sees him, and then hears him, it takes a few seconds for her mind to catch up to the fact that he's in her head, but then there's something like relief on her face to see Philip, to know he's still here, and then she realizes she definitely, absolutely should have gone to see him.]

Shit. I should've...I'm sorry it was the message and not me coming to see you. I wasn't even thinking.

[She tackled John Winchester and tried to kill him in a case of mistaken identity, so that's about how her time back is going SO FAR.]

But yeah, you keep pouring until the bottle's empty.

[radiopalkiller]

[ That? That gets her confusion before anything else. Because if you expect the worst, and add something more awful for good measure, then- well, then it leaves you sort of stumped if you get a genuine apology for something that falls somewhere square in the middle, much closer to good than anything he had on his mind.

He blinks. And when Philip recovers, he shakes his head laughing. ]

Look, I don't have to introduce myself to you again. That just about covers everything I'd want to ask of this place.

[ A more serious expression again. The first glass, for the both of them. ]

Besides, I'm guessing this isn't the celebratory type of drink, so I reckon you had other things on your mind. [ A beat. ] It's been just a bit over a week, here.

[ In case she wants to know, in case she hasn't been told. In case she wants to follow that up with how long she's been gone on her end. ]

action;

[circlejerked]

<sub>[A morning of trying to coax a stubborn kitten into using the litter box results in kitty litter sprayed all over the floor and a cut on the bottom of Anders' foot when he accidentally steps on some wrong in bare feet. Ugh.

Do you know how hard it is to clean that stuff up after it gets into every conceivable crack and crevice? Surfing the network is his way of taking a break from the mayhem, and soon enough Michonne's video catches his eye.

Device in hand, Anders considers replying... then thinks better of it. He can take his breather in the bar as well as anywhere else, hence how Michonne comes to have a mage waltz into the bar and hop onto a seat beside her soon after, with only a moment's glance around the room to find her.]</sub>

I saw your message! I've taken it upon myself to come and be the good news angel on your shoulder. You already seem to have bad news covered.

_{[And he's wearing feathers on his pauldrons--it's an appropriate image! Let's forget the fact he doesn't have an angelic bone in his body.]}

[thesamurai]

[She honestly would laugh if her nose wasn't (probably) broken and she wasn't already well on her way to drunk. But he still gets a look of something close to amusement.]

So. What's the good news?

[circlejerked]

<sub>[Maybe it'd be better if Michonne didn't find a speck of humor in the situation and try to laugh. It looks like laughing would be painful right about now--painful and probably a little too close to crying.

Taking this all in on his first glance, Anders hardly pauses before plunging ahead, shifting into a comfortable perch like he'd always meant to be there and Michonne's message had merely been fortuitous timing.]</sub>

The good news is... _{[A furtive glance around, then Anders is leaning his long torso over the bar to take an empty glass for himself.]} You don't have to drink alone.

_[Tada!]

I could also do something about...

_{[Anders gestures to--well, all of her. All her bumps and bruises, bloody nose included.]}

[startingpoint]

[ He's spent the last few days since arriving just trying to adjust. He's talked to people, tried to get a sense of the people he's stuck with and what they're capable of. Not everyone here can be trusted, and it's gonna take some time to weed them out, know who to turn to and who to avoid like hell. He hasn't spoken to Jane, hasn't wanted to, but she intrudes on his thoughts anyway, right at the edge, and he can't seem to completely push her away.

He's heading upstairs to his room when he sees someone struggling, her hands bound. Rushing forward, Kurt reaches out to help get the restraints off. ]

Ma'am, you alright? I'll get you out of this.

[thesamurai]

[No offense Kurt, but you're not a familiar face, and for a second she steps back, looking at him like maybe he spoke to her through a second head.]

Who the fuck are you?

[Which isn't exactly a way to win friends, but she's been through something traumatic, here. And he'll probably recognize that on her face, fear, panic, general wariness.]

[startingpoint]

[ He recognizes that wild, deep-rooted panic the moment she turns on him. Most people would be grateful about having their hands untied, but he's been an Agent long enough to know a traumatic situation can escalate fear quickly. He needs to make it clear he's one of the good guys, here to help. So he steps back before he's gotten her unbound, holding his hands up so she can see he has no weapon. ]

Kurt Weller. I just wanna help.

bar }

[deathlessness]

[Tequila you say? Freya is right there with her, resting her chin in her hand.]

It must be so strange, to have your mind yanked around like that?

[She hasn't taken a trip home yet, but she probably will eventually. And boy the doozy that is waiting for her when she does.]

[thesamurai]

[Michonne takes a shot (straight out of the bottle) before looking over.]

It's confusing. You get back, don't remember shit about this place. You're just in the moment you left. Then you come back. That's the fucked part.

[Her eternal apologies to John Winchester, but he did possibly break her nose, so there's that.]

For a second it's disorienting, then it all hits you again.

[She's not this chatty of a person, never has been, but that explanation seemed necessary. With that, she assumes she's going back to silence and booze.]

[deathlessness]

[That's enough for Freya to understand, really. Having so many memories rushing back to you at once.]

And knowing some of our worlds, that can be quite a culture shock.

bar;

[madehervows]

[It's been a hard week. Robin leaves -- for good, this time, considering she woke up to their shared room having returned to the size it was when she was alone in it. She knows they have Storybrooke still, that things will turn out okay and most importantly, they're together but... The ring around her finger is a heavy weight, is the thing.

So naturally, in a cruel twist of fate, Michonne had to be gone too. Some might consider it a good thing, that she got to go home even if it was temporary, but well, she knows enough about Michonne's world that the state she comes back in could be anything but good. So, she stews in her room -- doesn't isolate herself entirely like she did when "Marian" came back, but she spends most of her time alone.

Until she sees Michonne's message, that is. She takes a moment to make herself presentable (with magic, of course) before she's off to the bar and joining Michonne.]

Normally I don't know whether to say "I'm sorry" or "welcome back," but it feels like both this time.

[thesamurai]

[There's a handful of people Michonne needed to still be here as soon as she realized she was back, and she was oriented again. Regina's one of them, and the relief at hearing her voice is palpable.]

Shit, I'm glad you're still here.

[She closes her eyes for just a second - get the hell back, emotions - and then clears her throat, looking at Regina again, not exactly smiling, but not looking as stern as she had when she was alone.]

I never know what it is, but you're right. Probably both. Feel like tequila tonight?

[madehervows]

[There are a lot of things Regina could say to that and if it was anybody else, she might let loose with a tirade about Wonderland but not to Michonne. To Michonne, all she can say is;]

Right now, I am too.

[So there. A hint at something more without taking away from what Michonne has been through. She cracks a smile at the question, because the answer is;]

More than you know. [She waits while Michonne pours, and then;] So. Do you want to talk about it, or should we just drink?

Action, Bar

[lightgunhustler]

[Jo doesn't bother responding to Michonne's video-- she'd been intending to head to the bar shortly, anyways, and the broadcast is exactly the inspiration she needs to go to work just a little bit early. She has Jormy tag along with her, rather than leaving him in the room alone, and the Jack Russell terrier trots along at her heels as she enters, looking grim as she makes her way behind the bar itself without pause.

Michonne is here and in one piece, and she should be grateful for that, but she knows that the trip home was in no way a good one, and so she goes about pulling another glass from behind the bar before propping a hand against her hip.]

We've got to stop meeting like this.

[Translation: welcome back, I was worried sick.]

Whiskey? More tequila?

[thesamurai]

[Michonne's had a few by now, so her face isn't set in the hard lines it was a little while ago, and when she sees Jo, it relaxes a little further: confirmation that all the people she calls family are still here. Maybe it's selfish, but she needs that right now.]

Just glad there's still meetings to be had. I'll stick with tequila. Been helping myself to the best there is down there, until everything about what Wonderland is kicked back in to place. Which just means now I don't feel bad about it.

text;

[readytocomply]

[Bucky's covering all the bases. Reading old posts and watching old videos, so when he gets to Michonne's, he assumes that she's left the bar already. Judging by the date, it's been a few days, but he does want to talk to her. To thank her.]

Figure you're not at the bar anymore, but I'm looking for some company. You available?

text;

[thesamurai]

[Oh she's definitely not in the bar anymore, she's a little blitzed, but even after that, she's calm, not the sort to get drunk and angry and rage about her life. She's not a happy drunk either, at least not right now. But she hasn't passed out yet, either.]

Name the place, I'll be there.

[It takes her at least five minutes just to get that back to him, but she's still thinking pretty coherently, at least she thinks.]