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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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?

Yeah. He's Swiss. So, you've got Italian, French, German and Swiss influences all at once, and that will throw a girl for a loop.

[She paused, thinking about it.]

He has. But I've also picked it up when we've gone out. Sort of a... trade off kind of thing.

[ buffy is now all up in your business forever, alex. be grateful.

or terrified. ]

Nuts. Okay. Lessee. What sorta things have you done? Movies? Dinner? Just coffee? Picnics? Picnics are usually date-worthy.

Movies, coffee. Nothing really fancy.

But he's staying with my mom and me. Grad school, international student kind of thing. So it could be a sort of "wanting to show gratitude" sort of thing.

[And the whole "he helps me hunt vampires" thing. Not mentioning that one.]

....Huh. [ she shades her eyes from the washed-out winter sun as they step from the tunnel's mouth. ] Cohabitation certainly those a wrench in those works.

[Alex shuts her eyes and holds her hand up to shield them when she does begin to open them again.]

Yeah. Definitely makes it kind of hard to tell, y'know?

Well -- on the plus side? What's a frustrating lack of clarity back home might be a refreshing source of freedom here. Not that I'm suggesting you should run out and put yourself on the market. Dating, here, is kinda complicated. And I'm getting way ahead of myself in even mentioning it.

After all, it's only your first day. Welcome to Luceti.

[ and with a sweep of her hand, she presents the quaint foot-path that leads down from the mountains towards a nestled little village. ]

Hey, I don't have a lot of experience dating. So. Might be fun to sort of do it around here. Not a lot and not right away.

[She smiles, following Buffy as her eyes adjust to the light.]

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