oneofthelost | First - [ written ]

First - [ written ]

Okay. If this book isn't lying to me? There are a few things I'm going to need. Things I needed yesterday.

Necessary supplies:
housing
clothes
food
bow and arrows
therapist

Anyone got any leads on these things?

Thanks.

[A few moments' pause, then:]

My name's Alex, by the way.

[Okay, so Alex isn't quite as calm, cool, and collected as the writing would make it seem. That's why she wrote in the first place, rather than trying to talk.

She's somewhere very cold and dark and doesn't know where she is, but she found this Journal and read it because... Well. Books with her name written on them don't happen every day. She knows it's daylight out wherever the sky can be seen, but that doesn't really give her much of a time frame to go on.

So, basic idea of Luceti, down. The rest? Is taking its time to settle. She'll have a proper freak out later, when she knows it's not a matter of life and death. For now, she's focusing on just breathing. And really hoping for that therapist.]

(Alex appeared in the tunnel, just before it goes under the mountains. She'll have some work figuring out where she is, but someone who wants to help her out would be great!)

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In the meantime? I suggest you read this.

[ she links to the guide. ] I'm Buffy, by the way. Buffy Summers.

I'll see you soon. [ and with that brief reassurance, she shuts her journal. ]

[Alex waits, reading and re-reading the guide, sometimes pacing up and down the corridor to warm herself up. The cold and her slightly growling stomach tell her it's still day.

She never goes far, just waiting.]

[ she doesn't immediately leave the house. after all, she's herded her share of new feathers. they rarely came with all the clothing they needed, so buffy shoves some warm, soft-fabric'd sweats into a backpack and rolls up a spare jacket on top of that. she tosses in a few granola bars. a bottle of water. some mittens.

and...and the girl would need something for her feet. yeesh. sizing made all the difference when it came to footwear. buffy settles for a pair of forgiving fluffy slippers. the snow would ruin them but there would at least be one barrier between this new feather's feet and the rest of the world.

with that, she's out the door. the walk to the tunnel's mouth isn't a short one, but it doesn't take her all that long to reach it. from that point onward, it's a simple case of carefully picking her way through the murky tunnel. ]

Alex? [ she calls, now and then. ]

[If it were night, she might be able to find her way herself. Trust the heightened senses to lead her to people.

But it's day, so she can only try to keep warm and work on being patient.

The sound of her name? Welcome. More than. She perks up immediately. And, after checking the name in the journal, calls back.]

Buffy?

[ a shadow resolves itself and one slight woman stands before another. ] That's me. Nice to put a voice and a vague outline to the name and penmanship.

[ as a quasi-peace-offering, she drops the backpack on the middle ground between them. ] You must be cold.

[Alex approaches without much hesitation. Sure, even during daylight a woman can be dangerous, but she'll take her chances. Especially as cold as she is.]

Freezing. Thanks.

[She doesn't waste much time before pulling out the clothes in the backpack and putting them on over the Malnosso-issued sundress. There's a little laugh at the slippers, but they go on too.]

Much better.

[ she responds first to the laughter: ] How was I to know you didn't have the feet of an NBA Allstar, right?

Hey. It's warmer than standing around barefoot. Thanks again.

[She smiles a little.]

So. This happens a lot? The whole "people just show up" thing.

...Once every couple of months. We get used to it. There's water, as well. And some snacks. Some people are really hungry when they show up.

How are the wings? Sore?

The wings are really, really weird.

[And she's crouching by the bag, finding the water and food to have something to munch on.]

Believe it or not? You get used to them.

Guess you would. I mean, they're always there, right? So you'd... sort of have to. Eventually. I guess.

[ time for the firm warnings: ] If you lose them, you die. If you lose too many feathers? You get very, very sick. If they get pinched? It hurts. Now, if someone wants to gently caress them?

Make sure they buy you dinner, first.

[ okay. only a few firm warnings. ]

[Serious. Serious. Serious. And then...

She laughs a little.]

Well. Don't think that last one'll be a problem. But I'll keep it in mind.

Yeah-huh. Hun? I showed up here darned certain I'd be taking a vow of celibacy to rival that of any convent. And now -- here I am -- three skips and a jump away from marrying a pirate.

[ in the murky tunnel, she gestures in a foward-y direction. ] Come on, I'll show you the town.

[A pirate. Okay, that's the surprising part. But the guide kind of hinted that weird things happened here. So. Smile and nod.

She starts in the direction indicated.]

I've... kind of got a boyfriend. Sort of.

[...Still. She can ask.]

Lot of cute guys here?

Ohhh boy. [ buffy grabs the emptied bag and slings it over her shoulder, making the kind of sound she might also make when sighting a particularly delicious cupcake. ] We have hunks in spades, Alex. Even better? Most of them are alright guys. Though--

Wait. How old are you? [ for it is dark and hard to tell and buffy doesn't want to go accidentally setting a minor up with one of her many eligible bachelor friends. ]

[Alex grins. At the very least? She's just been promised eye candy. Even if they don't notice her, she can look and enjoy the view.]

Eighteen. Nineteen in July. I don't mind older guys, though. As long as they're not... old old.

[Or if they don't look old. Because. Well. Claudius is hot. Even Prewitt's cute, too. But. Teacher, so no. And they're both really old. But does that count if they're vampires and don't age?

Whatever.

Not really a question she can just ask someone. She'd prefer not to be thought of as crazy here.]

[ a low whistle. young. the girl's young. not so so young. buffy remembers that she has girls at the organization younger than that. but alex hits that sweet spot of around dawn's age that tends to get buffy's more protective gears a-grinding. ]

Wait. How old is old-old? Y'know. In your opinion?

[ because buffy also doesn't mind the older guys. :| ]

[She thinks about this for a few minutes. Okay. Not so easy to define.]

Kind of depends? I guess? I mean. Older guys? Hot. Even with a little bit of gray. But. Wrinkles are a no. And not the... father or grandfather type, y'know?

Now. In magic land where people get older but don't look it? [Like vampires. But she won't say that.] Then just not looking too old is good with me.

But. Never had the opportunity to actually date someone older, so. Don't really know? If that makes sense.

[ ...in magic land? hah. this prompts a small laugh. buffy makes a note not to play the slayer card too early -- sounds like it might spook this one. ]

What about this sorta-kinda-boyfriend of yours? He's -- what? Your age?

[Alex grins.]

Twenty-four. Recent college-- university, if you ask him-- grad. He's... sort of boyfriend material but not official yet kind of thing? Little flirting. Date or two. At least... I think they've been dates?

[And then there's Will... who still confuses her. But so does Victor.]

Almost nineteen. Twenty-four. I'd say I'd ground my little sister for that kind of gap, but her last honey was my age.

[ a tight smile. there's a vague, pale light up ahead. ] Wait, though, you don't know if they're dates or not? How do you not know?

Yeah. My mom's... not totally happy, but she likes Victor. [She grins, embarrassed, at the question.]

Well. There's a bit of a language barrier sometimes. And he's European, so. I don't know if he's being friendly? Or flirting? And... I don't know. It's weird. I'm used to just hanging out with guys, so I don't know what counts as a date.

European! [ more laughter. but it's warm. ] That's always tricky. The cheek-kiss thing gets me every time. A good old American lad does that and you can pretty much assume he's trying to sneak a peek down your decolletage.

But Europeans? [ a shrug. ] Okay. Most of them try and do the same, too.

Have you gone for coffee? And has he picked up the bill?

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