( open ) but do not tell me all is fine

[backpacking]

Who: Ellie and YOU
Where: All over the mansion and then the beach
When: Post-event
Rating: PG-13 for language and likely talk of violence
Summary: Once everyone vanishes, she realizes that Wonderland can be just as unkind as her own world.
The Story:

[ A new day dawns and they're gone. They're all gone. Ellie scrambles to look around her room, but the only thing remaining of Tess, Joel, and Riley are a dirty coffee cup and a series of punny messages sent to Ellie's device. She doesn't - can't - believe it, and so she searches everywhere (everywhere), climbing to the top of the mansion in the attic and on the roof and then down to the first floor and basement. Then, of course, the grounds, though as soon as she leaves she remembers the second mansion and heads that way.

It's vanished. Not a good sign, but she doesn't stop.

Then, the grounds. She ducks through the trees in the woods and runs along the beach, looks in the stables and through the gardens.

When she returns inside it's dark and she's both filthy and exhausted.

She doesn't stop. Ellie begins her renewed search by putting her fist into one of the mirrors in the mansion's entrance hall and comes away with a bloody hand and nothing else. It's the beginning of her perhaps childish revenge, because anger is easier than acceptance and she is wild with spiteful energy. She ducks into a hallway and stops short upon seeing one of Wonderland's featured art pieces... but doesn't hover for long. Her pocket knife tears into the material, shredding it as much as she can before storming ahead. Into the kitchen, then, where she thoughtlessly tears open the cabinet... only to find it offering her fresh coffee beans and china.

All that goes, spilled out with an angry cry across the floor, smashing into pieces. She's gone again as the mess settles.

Her room, finally, for no reason except that her feet lead her there. Ellie opens the door and sees the gift bag, one she hadn't noticed that morning in her focused hunt. She doesn't get beyond the card before she snatches it all up, anger renewed, and flees the mansion for the second time that day. When she makes it to the beach, she flings the entire bag as far as she can into the water and then sits, defeated, on the sand. ]

Fuck. [ And she buries her face in her hands. ]


( ooc ; feel free to encounter her at any stage in the bolded locations! )

Comments

[morework]

[ They miss each other by margins. She pushes into the forest, just as Cullen leaves it, phylactery in hand. The faintest glow to it still, a living person, but someone impossibly far away. Never closer, no matter which direction he turns. Cullen searches the mansion, while she explores the grounds. Never a single step closer to Jowan.

His search ends when night falls. Gone. Home won't be a mercy for him, either. Cullen stows the phial away, before his fist clenches around it too tightly. Jowan's room is just as empty as it was this morning, and when Cullen returns to his own--

--a sound stops him in his tracks. He glances warily towards the entrance hall, and approaches quietly, his steps fast and cautious. It is then that Ellie doesn't so much duck into a hallway, as she slams into Cullen's legs face first.

He takes a step back, eyes instantly wide at the- drop of blood that didn't come from their crash just now. ]

Maker's breath, what's happened to you?

[ Cullen glances past her apprehensively, but the entrance hall seems quiet now, with nothing on her trail that he can see. ]

[backpacking]

[ The last time she'd seen Cullen, he hadn't been himself, exactly. That's why there's a startled expression as she scurries backward, hand already flying to her hip -

... But, the glass has returned (obviously). The Mirrors have been drawn back to their gray scale home. Ellie lowers her arms, indifferent to the wound on her knuckles, however much it burns.

He isn't smirking and red and she's safe, however unhappy. Here's one person who hasn't disappeared, anyway. ]

Nothing. [ The reply is automatic, but then she sighs, knowing he'll probably press for the truth. ] Punched a mirror.

[ Lowercase 'm,' though he might not be able to suss that out. She deflates further, amending: ] The glass, not... one of the people.

[ If they could even be called that. Ellie eyes Cullen warily, wondering: did he run into that guy, too? ]

[morework]

[ Her reaction hardly goes unnoticed. Cullen holds it in his mind, until he knows what to do with it. Nearly shows a similar one, too, when his finger twitches for-- Lowercase m. No need to go for his sword. Gone. They're gone. For now. Cullen exhales slowly. That-- Makes less sense then. He quirks his brow. ]

That's not a common training exercise for a reason,

[ he replies flatly, and looks down at her injury. At least the extent of it is one thing that doesn't particularly concern him. Still... ]

I'm no healer, but I can fix that much. [ He looks past her again, this time with emphasis at the double doors she pointedly didn't decide to stop at. ] Since you weren't going to trouble the clinic with it.

[backpacking]

I can do it. [ If she even tends to it at all. Ellie curls her injured hand into the other one and it sticks, tacky with blood once she withdraws it again. ] Don't worry about me.

[ There's always a chance he'll see the old bite that isn't very far up on her forearm, too, and she doesn't want that. Michonne and Dipper are the only ones who know, and even that makes her... antsy. ]

You can go back to whatever you were doing. [ As if he needs permission. ... Though, she doesn't quite move, doesn't push past him to go on her way just yet. ] If you're... patrolling the hallways, looking for wrongdoers.

[ ... ]

I won't punch anything else, alright?

[morework]

I don't doubt that you can. [ But that she will? It's not the state of her hand that gives him pause. Cullen pushes open the door to his room. ] It will only take a moment.

[ This is as far as his insistence will go, though admittedly he hopes that her refusal won't go further. ]

Patrols may not be such a bad idea. [ Not if even half of what supposedly went down during the last event is true. She doesn't mean it, he knows. Cullen shakes his head, all the same. ] Actually I'd hoped I might still be able to find- someone from my world. I've done as much as I can for tonight, I don't imagine he's here any longer.

[backpacking]

[ It makes her think of Joel. Of Joel, who would tell her to not be stupid, that she could get an infection. Speaking of. Ellie swallows, very aware of the marred skin on her arm, and debates the merits of just heading off now and refusing the help outright.

She might have, it it weren't for what he says after. Ellie freezes, eyes widening slightly, almost in wonder at the similarity. ]

... Alright. [ Defeated momentarily, she enters his room and folds back her sleeve just enough to give him access to her hand without revealing the mark. ] I, um... I was doing the same thing. Looking for people.

[ He can guess how well that went, considering the circumstances. ]

Was he a friend of yours? [ She asks curiously. ]

[mypartnerintime]

[Max catches sight of Ellie arriving at the beach, and starts to approach- but then sees the girl throw something forcefully out to sea. It splashes with a dismal and probably unsatisfying spray of water.

That's really not what she expected to see.

She approaches warily, watching Ellie just sit and cover her face. At first she's careful to not make any sound, but as she gets closer she lets her sneakers push against the sand, drawing a shuffling sound. Just to let the other girl know someone's nearby, before she finally speaks, her tone coated in concern:]

Ellie?

what if i used the right journal

[backpacking]

[ She hears the little sounds and swallows, tensing... but, it's Max, and Max isn't someone who will press too hard in a time where she can't quite deal with that. So, Ellie just runs her tongue over her lips, silent, and then glances up at the other girl. ]

Hey. [ There's a pause, and then: ] You can sit. If you want.

[ 'And stay' is the bigger implication. ]

what if ellie is actually robyn

[mypartnerintime]

[Max carefully lowers herself onto the sand, crossing her legs. The beach always seems like the kind of place for these conversations.

...Not that she even knows what's on Ellie's mind. The last few days were insane, so much happening at the same time. But whatever Ellie has to say, it's obviously... not good.]

You okay?

what if god was one of us

[backpacking]

[ The beach is just The Place for angsting about your life, really. ]

No. [ Best to just be honest, since she's being kind of obvious about it. ] ... Did you have anyone show up last week? During all the parties? [ beat ] Anyone from home, I mean. People who weren't here before.

what if Voldemort never attacked the Potters

[mypartnerintime]

[Ah. It's pretty clear where this is heading. Max fiddles with the sand, digging her fingers in and generally making a small mess.]

...No one I knew, no.

[Someone who knew her, apparently, or another Max. But not anyone she knew.]

[thesamurai]

[ She's pretty sure it's better that no one from home came. Michonne could focus on Andrea that way, and while she's just a little curious about who died back home and who didn't, needing to know in some weird way, once the influx of people disappears...

Yeah. It was better no one showed up, especially what with all the damn death. She's heading to the kitchen; for some reason, her closet won't give her a specific type of hot chocolate, it has to be a kitchen cabinet and dammit, she's getting what she wants. But her errand is cut short by the sound of crashing, and her hand immediately goes to the katana on her back (not leaving home without it again for a while), footsteps lightening. Only when she sees Ellie does Michonne relax and stride forward. ]

Ellie. Ellie.

[backpacking]

[ Ellie is trembling slightly when Michonne speaks up, moving forward, her fists tight and newly-bandaged by someone. ]

What? [ She regrets the sharp tone immediately and bites her lip. ] ... Sorry. [ She mutters, averting her gaze. ] I just -

[ It's unfair. Like everything else. But, she isn't a little kid, and she knows that this is the way of the world. Of every world. ]

Sorry. [ A second time. ]

[thesamurai]

[ Her gaze is only concerned, worried about what the hell is going on, whatever it is. ]

What happened?

[ She looks down at Ellie's hands, at the bandages, then back up at her. ]

Talk to me.

[backpacking]

Nothing. [ It's quite the buzz word today. Ellie heaves a dramatic sigh, then tries again. ] ... People from my world were here and now they're gone.

[ Michonne's gotta understand that, right? She's surely had one or two from her zombie world come to the mansion, right? ]

They just - It happened all at once. All three of them. And it sucks. [ She punctuates, expression dark and sour. ]

[thesamurai]

[ Shit. Goddammit. Michonne's figured it out, she figured it out a long time ago, before Wonderland, how to be alone. Carl had come here and stayed for about as long as she had to introduce him to everyone, then he was gone without a trace. Same with Rick. ]

Yeah, it fucking sucks. I was here alone for a year, someone from my world showed up, left again two weeks later. So I get it, wanting to destroy shit. But you need to go hit something.

[luckynumberthree]

[ He's out for a run, because of course he is. He feels like he's been cooped up for days, what with how busy the bar's been, the looming threat of Mirror visitors, the nagging fear that a familiar face from home might walk through his door and bring everything crashing down again.

It hadn't, none of it had, but he's been wound tense for days now that nothing seems to be easing the anxiety away, even a run along beach. it's the sound of the splash and the curse that finally draws his attention out of his own circling thoughts. Spotting Ellie's familiar figure hunched into a ball on the sand, his steps falter, then change course, coming to join her as he sinks down onto the sand next to her.

Reaching out, he slides a hand along her spine as he watches her with a worried frown. ]

Bad day, Squirt?

[backpacking]

[ Ellie doesn't really move when he approaches; she merely utters a sigh and shifts a tiny bit where she sits. ]

Bad - Yeah. [ "Bad life," she wants to say, but she's been dramatic enough today. Ellie glances sideways at Simon, brows drawn together over a miserable expression. ] They were here, Simon. My best friend and... two other people from home. They were here and then they weren't.

[ Gone along with the stupid-fucking-second mansion. ]

[luckynumberthree]

[ That puts things into perspective really damn quick and he closes his eyes a moment before reaching out and wrapping his arm more snugly about her shoulders, tugging her in to tuck her against his side. ]

I'm sorry, kiddo.

[backpacking]

[ It's the second hug she's received this evening, both from other zombie universe residents. From other people, it wouldn't mean much, but Michonne understands. Simon understands. ]

Yeah. [ What can she say? ] ... Thanks.

[ Nothing he can say will bring them back, though, just as nothing she can do will bring them back. ]

It sucks. [ Ellie finishes, lamely. ]

[luckynumberthree]

It does. [ His agreement comes easily, even as he rests his chin atop her head, tucking her in against him for a moment. ] It sucks in the worst kind of way, because we want to keep them here, keep them safe. And Wonderland never gives us any say in the matter.

action;

[noble_son]

[He passes by the broken mirror, giving it a cursory sidelong look before pausing mid-step to inspect the damage. Hairline cracks, the impact of a blunt weapon - blood. A fist? There isn't much more he can surmise from the scene, so he chalks it down to someone's temper.

In the hallway, the torn art piece draws his attention. Cut with a knife. The same person who had broken the mirror? He wonders on it briefly, but there doesn't seem to be a purpose to breaking a mirror with blunt force only to go on and use a knife for further damage. His fingertips brush the ragged edges and he frowns. It's an impressive piece... but there's always something unsettling about them.

The mess in the kitchen is the third strike, and he concludes silently that the three points of destruction are on a linear path. Just what could lead someone to it, he isn't sure, but what he is sure of is that there is plenty here to drive a person to that kind of frustration.

It's much later that he finds himself on the beach. Time spent by the sea had been a rare thing in the Free Marches and Ferelden alike and he enjoys it now, though he doesn't often find other people here. The girl is a stranger, but he would have to be blind to not read the stress and emotion coming from her. For a moment, he considers his options, looking out at the swelling waves, then he takes two steps forwards and softly clears his throat.]

Pardon my intrusion...

[Asking her if she's alright seems superfluous.]

action;

[backpacking]

[ Most of the people who've found her have been friends, so the appearance of a stranger is... distracting. Ellie turns, scrutinizing him, frowning. She's distrustful of people in general, particularly strange adult men, considering that that had been the demographic of most hunters. ]

What? [ She asks pointedly, unafraid to be rude, staring up at the guy. If he gets closer, she figures she can scramble to her feet quickly enough. ]

action;

[noble_son]

[He doesn't get closer, and being moderately unarmed and unarmoured at least makes him look a fraction less intimidating than the stern-faced Warden would normally appear. His hands clasp behind his back and.. well, there had really been no need to interrupt her, but curiosity does take a person to strange places sometimes.

All in all, the response doesn't strike him as rude. It's precisely what he would say if someone approached him like this. Instead of annoyance, one corner of his mouth ticks up in a momentary smile.]

I apologise, clearly you were deep in thought. You look troubled - I thought only to venture to see if you are alright.

action;

[backpacking]

[ Ellie looks up at the stranger, nose wrinkled, considering. ]

... Yeah, well, I guess I am "troubled." [ She may not get into the details with this guy, but he had asked. People sure are friendly in this place; it's hard to shake the old prickle of danger and suspicion. ] I'm fine, just... pissed.

[ Obviously. She heaves a sigh. ]

People I know just left. [ Ellie states flatly. ] That's all.