entrancelogs | The second star to the right

Who: Max, OPEN, and Chloe
Where: All over Neverland
When: Up to about halfway through the event
Rating: Idk PG-13?
Summary: Max explores the island, intent on finding Chloe- and actually succeeds.
The Story:

[A. She woke up on the beach | OPEN]

This is too much like another vision.

Max wakes up on the beach, cheek pressed against the wet sand, warm water lapping at her shoes. Adrenaline fills her the moment her eyes flutter open, and very quickly she's on her feet, wiping sand from her face. She still has her bag: camera, device, Oregon phone, journal, some snacks, pepper spray... good enough. This is another event, of course. They'd all been expecting one.

A nearby forest looms over her and she stares at it with trepidation, biting her lip. All of her reasoning tells her she can't stay on the beach. She needs to find other people, or water and food, or shelter. But the trees seem so dark, the spaces between them like black veils hiding unknown and unknowable things...

She tries to use the device multiple times but Chloe never responds. She's not even sure the calls are connecting on Chloe's end. Her gaze switches back and forth between the forest and the sea, which seems to stretch on forever into a dark and starless horizon. There's only one place to go.

She makes her way toward the forest, clutching nervously at her Oregon phone, the built-in flashlight shining meekly into the foliage. Finally, with one last deep breath, she calls out loudly.

"Hello?"

And determined, she pushes past the border and into the woods, flashlight swinging left and right as she warily scans her surroundings. She has to find her best friend, after all.

[B. Don't you forget about me | CLOSED to Chloe]

It's been days. She's met people here and there, and she's taken to regularly checking the network, too. But none of those strange kids ever seem to reply to anyone- and she's pretty sure by now that Chloe's in the same sort of state.

But after all this time, Max still feels no closer to finding her best friend- her girlfriend. And who knows what sort of terrible things might be happening...

But at some point, her flashlight crosses over a break in the trees, and she spots a girl. She quickly covers the light, crouching down to hide herself, hands shaking slightly. It looked like Chloe- that brownish blonde hair, so reminiscent of their childhood days.

Could Max have possibly found her, by sheer luck and tenacity? And is Chloe still safe?

Max closes her eyes for a moment and begs herself to be brave. Then she calls out in the dark, a low whisper in the otherwise quiet woods.

"Chloe?"

[Will match any format!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes. [Neverland isn't perfect. He hates the hallucinations and the nightmares the Lost Ones get and is missing a number of conviniences - electric lights, sturdy buildings, and books - from back home. But he has friends here and that's enough. It's more than he would have thought possible back then.] Why wouldn't I be?

[He starts inching forward to see if he can get a better look at the adult.]

[Max hasn't moved, so it's easy enough to see her once Nageki changes his position. She looks worn and a little dirty, having trekked through the forest for a while now.

She's also got a hand on her forehead. This whole event is starting to wear on her nerves.]

I think... you like books. Right? Obviously there aren't any here.

[It's a pretty dumb argument, but Max honestly thinks it's a valid one.]

And checkers. You like checkers too.

[A pang of guilt hits him at the sight of her. He shouldn't feel that way - she is an adult - but he does.]

I was alone for a long time with nothing to do but read. I have friends now, so I'm happy.

[She huffs, running a hand through her hair.]

We actually were- are friends too, you know.

[Though she won't see it, Nageki gives Max a cold look.]

...You aren't a Lost One.

Right. Talk about Twilight Zone.

[Max turns her head, hoping to peek at Nageki, and instead catches him looking at her. She edges around the tree as though to hide, but only slightly.]

It's not like I'm trying to... invade your forest. I'm just looking for Chloe.

[He feels less guilty about throwing the stone at her now. He recognizes the name enough to know that Chloe can take care of herself, but he's one of the older Lost Ones and that makes it his job to look out for the others so that they don't have to. He steps forward again so that he can step in front of the human should she walk in a direction other than the beach.]

You still aren't supposed to be here. Leave.

[Okay, seriously, dude. Enough. She doesn't know how scared she has to be of Nageki, come on, she is seriously trying to help Chloe right now.]

Yeah? Or what? I'm going to find Chloe.

... [As Nageki doesn't have an "or what" in mind, he settles for keeping quiet and continuing to carefully watch Max. He's already thrown a stone but he doesn't think he can bring himself to do it again.]

[She glares at him for a moment... then backs down a little. She steps out from behind the tree, making it pretty obvious that she's planning to leave. But not before she leaves some parting words of advice.]

There's a difference between kinda happy and actually genuinely happy, you know. I have a feeling a lot of you Lost Ones subscribe to the former.

[Nageki dashes as quickly as he can in the path of the direction he think she's leaving in so that he can block her path, trying to make what he is doing obvious. No matter what she says Nageki is going to do his best to ensure Max doesn't just wander all over the forest.]

[She ducks instinctively as something flies at her, worried it's another rock. But it's Nageki, trying to block her path.

And that's when it really dawns on her that Nageki doesn't want to hurt her. He just wants to stop her. And that's so consistent with the Nageki she knows.]

I don't have time for this, Nageki. [She walks quickly, trying to get around him.] Leave me alone.

[He'd happily leave her alone if she'd just go away. He barely manages to block her path again.]

If... if Chloe wants to stay here, will you let her?

[Nageki isn't even sure why he's bothering to ask. How much can he trust her answer even if she does say yes?]

[She pauses and studies him.

Chloe will listen to her. Right? She'd want to come home with Max, her best friend.]

I swear, Nageki. I won't make her do anything she doesn't want to.

[While she studies him, Nageki also studies her, looking for any sign of dishonesty and finding none.

Reluctantly, he nods.] Alright.

[Against his better judgement, he steps aside.]

Thank you. [Max almost pants out the words, slightly exasperated but sincerely grateful. She starts making her way through the woods again, determined... but pauses to look back at the bird.]

Nageki... seriously stay safe, okay? No roughhousing.

[He doesn't answer. He doesn't even look at her, still uncomfortable in Max's presence. And now he doesn't have a reason to stick around. He leaves in a different direction, eager to put the encounter behind him.]

The second star to the right

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