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Intro Post

Welcome to Carlyle...

Waking Up

It's happening again. All around town. Maybe it's in the cereal aisle of the general store while no mothers with squalling children are traversing it. Maybe it's in the middle of the town's lonely graveyard, full of hundred-year-old graves in the middle of the night. Maybe in the local city hall restroom, eyes opening to a gaze-full of toilet paper, or in the town's settler museum full of wagon wheels and old farming paraphernalia.

There are still a few government workers milling around since the first influx. People in bland suits of various shades of grays and browns, nothing particularly impressive, but if they approach someone who doesn't seem to belong they'll bring them through the intake process. Though there's a chance that, instead, they'll meet a kindly marshall. Average middle-class white guy, a tall Midwesterner with some scruff and a formal uniform and a stocky build. He will discretely move them through if it's needed, make sure they have an ID and paperwork and phone and some concealing clothes if they have the body type that works for it. If they look special or like someone the government might want, he'll try to keep things on the down-low for them.

Better than to lose people again.

Getting Familiarized

When investigating the town, they'll find it with trace damage from the night before. Someone is replacing a door that has ax-marks in it. Another is rebuilding a fence, a crashed car ready to be towed away. And yet another person is filing an insurance claim with his agent, his shed completely burned down and the air closeby filled with the scent of settled smoke.

Most of the residents of Carlyle are friendly. If you stop and ask for directions, they'll give them. It's also a time of year in which there are lots of outsiders, on top of current events. Unfortunately, if anyone's dressed in an entirely unfamiliar way, someone might over-react. They may excitedly run to get one of the agents, or they might scream about it happening again, or they might be absolutely delighted and want pictures so they can go viral on FaceBook.

There's a cafe in town where there's are a slew of reporters, talking about post-Vesanalia clean-up and the lost arrivals. At first, someone who wanders in might be mistaken for another reporter, there to order coffee or jam microphones at the management outside. But someone might be smart. A towns-person might notice something off, a familiarity in their gaze, or might hear them say something suspicious. The next thing they know, those reporters are turning their microphones towards the newcomer.

Settling In

Someone might need somewhere to sleep. Well, there's a nice little hotel where it's free. There's probably government surveillance if you care about that sort of thing. Otherwise, your rest will go undisturbed and have the average conveniences of a mediocre bed, a Febreeze smelling duvet, a somewhat new TV, and bathroom with a tile pattern installed in the 80s. One could try a barn, but there's a chance they'll be run out by an angry man in honest to god overalls and an unironic cowboy hat with a pitchfork. They could also try to sleep in a vehicle. Let's just hope the owner doesn't come checking before morning.

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[ Crawford had gone out from the hotel in the night, mostly hoping to explore the city. He wanted to see what his new home was like and in truth a lot more can be learned about a place at night than in the day.

Though without money there wasn't a lot to learn. He was making his way back to the hotel when he heard the glass breaking. He blinked a bit seeing the beautiful woman slipping into the back of a car.

But why?

Such questions were dangerous and yet, he kept walking that way instead of turning and going another way like a sane person should. Looking at the broken glass he spoke without looking into the car. ]

The glass was pretty loud... someone might come out and find you.

[He spoke softly but loud enough to be heard.]

[Raven glances out of the back of the car, obviously defensive.]

Are you the only other person here?

[Because if he is, then as long as he isn't intending to do anything about it... she glares at him, though the question of what he intends to do goes unasked for now.]

[ The small physicist doesn't step any closer, keeping a nice polite and safe-ish distance. ]

I believe so, yes. I suppose this is where I should walk away and pretend I saw nothing?

That would be smart.

[She shifts closer, though. Not enough to actually exit the car, but she's at the door again.]

Are you staying at the hotel?

[ He was about to leave after a nod but when she spoke again he looked back and nodded again. ]

Yeah, I checked in a few hours ago. It's nothing great but, it seems safe.

It does?

[She doesn't seem so sure.]

Why would they just give us something nice? They must want something in return.

From my understanding they want to watch us. While I am not comfortable with that, it beats sleeping on the street.

[ He admitted with a shrug as he offered another shrug. ]

If people are on edge about us coming here, sleeping in the open feels more dangerous if you ask me.

[Raven doesn't seem happy about either prospect, honestly. But she's used to sleeping rough, so being given something nice like a bed and a room of her own is... suspicious.]

They only want to watch us?

[She's fine with being watched. Her nanomachines meant she was being watched 24/7 back home. Her vitals, her emotions, her every move, all under surveillance. If it was only being watched, she could deal with that.]

They don't want to do anything else?

[ The hazel eyes of the physicist watched her curiously. God he hoped he hadn't run into someone else into BDSM, that suit really sends off vibes. ]

That is all I have found it to be, yes. Granted, unless the world has changed so much since my time I see nothing else they want. They could have killed or captured me when they put me through the paperwork and they didn't.

If you want, I can show you where it is?

[Raven shakes her head.]

I know where it is. I just don't know if I want to go there. They could be trying to lead us into a false sense of security.

[She looks down at her feet glumly. Truthfully, she's irritated with herself for being so afraid. But how is she supposed to feel? She's been taken to the future and away from her unit, the only people she could truly trust.]

[ Crawford nodded. ]

I hadn't thought of that.

[ He spoke just a touch softer clearly worried as the thought blossomed in his mind. ]

Maybe in that case... there would be strength in numbers? I'm Crawford, Crawford Tillinghast.

[ He figured he should at least introduce himself if nothing else. ]

[Maybe there would be, but this guy doesn't look like he'd be much use in a fight. Still, Raven pauses for a moment before offering her name, too.]

My name is Raven.

[She tilts her head, sliding out of the car finally and stepping closer.]

Can you fight, Crawford?

[ All of five foot seven and maybe one hundred and fifty pounds... and that was pushing it. The sweater made it hard to tell. He wasn't the biggest guy.]

A pleasure to meet you.

[ He replied as she stepped out, he stayed where he was, not offering a hand, she didn't look like the shaking type.]

Can, a little, do, not really. I'm a physicist, sadly not much use in the combat side of life.

[Raven notes she's taller than him, being around five foot ten herself. He's right in assuming that she wouldn't bother shaking his hand.]

Can you use a gun?

[If he can't fight, what use is he to her? A good distraction, maybe. A bullet sponge if needed.]

I can show you how, if we can find one.

[But where would they get a gun here?]

[ He looked a little concerned at her question before shaking his head. Would he need to here? How bad did she expect things to be. ]

I've never used one, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to learn. Do you expect the natives to be hostile?

[ He asked with a note of concern. ]

You live longer if you expect everyone to be hostile. Don't let them trick you.

[She would half expect this man to be hostile too, but he seems so small and pathetic. She could probably restrain him easily.]

Probably, but it also seems like it would be a lot more stressful to expect the worst out of everyone. I know the world's dangerous, I'm not so naive as to think otherwise. I just, don't want to live myself unable to trust and see the world for the beauty mystery it is.

[ Yeah, she could easily take him down, he wouldn't struggle much. She could beat the little man with one arm. ]

Would you rather be stressed, or dead?

[Raven knows what she'd pick. Dead isn't an option for her. She can't, she's clung to life this long.]

I haven't been given the option to see any beautiful mysteries, Crawford. It's all just... anger and pain.

[And she sounds hurt saying it, too.]

...Neither if I can help it, but we will all die one day and stress leads to a faster death.

[ He spoke in that soft tone before looking at her a moment as a flip switched in his head. ]

You've had to fight to survive, right? This may sound lame, but maybe once things calm down here I could show you some of those sometime beautiful things about life? I'm about as dangerous as a wet cat.

[ Which is sadly true, but he speaks sincerely, poor woman. ]

[Raven squints at him suspiciously, but he isn't wrong. She's had to fight to get here. She frowns, thinking on it, then sighs. She does want to see those things.]

...Fine. You'd better show me something wonderful, though.

[Honestly, not a tall order. She hasn't seen much good in the world.]

[ He nods then and offers a more happy look. ]

That sounds like a plan then. Here.

[ He pulled out a small notepad from his back pocket and quickly jots out a number with his name. ]

Call me when you have the time then.

[She takes the number and holds onto it, because she doesn't have any pockets in this suit.]

I'm going to go find a better place to sleep, I guess. I'll call you sometime.

[Her expression softens slightly, at least.]

[ He nods, honestly feeling a little better when she says that. ]

Good, and good luck with it. Be careful.

[ Its only then that he moves like he's about to head back to his walk.]

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Intro Post

Welcome to Carlyle...

Waking Up

Getting Familiarized

Settling In

Settling In

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