open log!

[sharpshooterpaladin]

Who: Lance and anyone!
What: Arriving, mostly, and trying to find people and not die.
Where: Northern Drifts and then the Lake area.
When: Early/middle of October
Warnings: None so far!


Northern Drifts:

[ What wakes him was the cold. Lance hadn't had the luck to be dropped indoors, and while his armor keeps him safe from pretty extreme temperatures, he doesn't have a helmet at the moment, so his face is getting snowed on. Snowed on. He's not used to snow! Not even a little!

After minimal time of getting his bearings, which is mostly to say, to his feet, he starts calling out for his teammates. ] What the... guys?! Keith? Hunk, Pidge, Allura? ... Anyone?

[ Resounding, snow-blanketed silence. He only briefly scans the contents of the pack, noticing his clothes and the rations, but not much else beyond that. It alarms him a little, after a moment, that it seems he's unarmed. He can't find his weapon, and the communicator on his suit's not working... but he also hasn't seen anything hostile yet. So he slings his pack over his shoulders and starts searching, picking a direction and sticking to it as much as he's able.

Once he gets to the cabins, he starts knocking on doors, and opening them when there's no answer, but nothing here really seems lived in. Periodically he still calls out a name or two, but the longer he keeps trying, the more he loses hope of anyone answering.

Eventually he slumps against a cabin wall, sighing, looking up at the sky. ] Come on...


The Great Lake:

[ The way is both longer and shorter than he expected. The climate changes so abruptly it kind of confuses him, but the snow gives way to green and then there's water. And there's people-- at least he's pretty sure he saw a someone or two on the banks of the lake, just too far away for him to recognize, or even be sure whether or not they're human.

So now he's having a field day using his jetpack to hop from tall tree to tall tree, keeping a vantage point and trying to find out where people might live around here. Of course that's not exactly a subtle approach. ]

Comments

The Great Lake

[fighterpaladin]

[It's been two days.

Keith woke up in the Eastern Plains. After the initial confusion (and mild freak-out) for not only not being in his lion anymore but also for the fact that he was alone, he too resorted to calling for his teammates and friends until it felt useless. The environment was daunting but familiar, in a slightly uncomfortable way. It felt - and looked - like home. But that was impossible. He couldn't be home-- He couldn't be on Earth. They hadn't arrived yet. ... Had they?

The heat was close to unbearable. He checked the contents of the bag that had been with him when he woke up and was surprised to find his usual clothes there. His blade was there, too, thankfully, but looking at it made him soon realize that his bayard was gone. There were rations and a couple of other things he didn't see the purpose of but didn't throw away, either. Not until he figured out what was going on.

... That didn't come as soon as he'd hope.

By the time he got tired of aimlessly wandering in the desert - but never too far into it - it became obvious that he was lost and that nobody else seemed to be there. After a day, he started walking inland.

That's what brought him here. His rations are almost gone, but the green and the cooler air give him hope that maybe he can find some answers still.

At some point through his travels, he took off the upper part of his armor. His arm-protectors are stored inside the bag and his upper black body-suit is off and hanging around his waist. In its place he dressed his usual t-shirt, the sleeves folded up to make it as much of a tank-top as possible. Even back home, the heat was never as bad as he had just experienced.

He is carrying his bag on one shoulder and his chestplate on the other, his blade held securely in one of his hands, just in case. His steps are heavy - he is so freaking tired - but the further into the green he gets, the more certain he is that he will find water, eventually.

And, eventually, he does.

What a sight for sore eyes. He almost trips and falls on his face as he breaks into a dash towards it, waiting to be close enough to shore before dropping his things and getting in. He doesn't bother to undress, either, falling on his knees as soon as the water reaches them, and letting it bring his whole everything back to life. He uses his hands to wash his face and bring water to his arms and shoulders before starting to drink it, unaware, for the time being, that he isn't alone.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ Lance, for his part, is just glad to be out of the freezing cold. It's still not terribly warm here-- though he's not sure he'd mind right now, even if it was. He's still hopping from tree to tree, enjoying the vantage point even though between the rustling of the leaves and branches and the noise his jetpack makes, it isn't as if he's sneaky exactly.

He stops only when he sees a figure run out of the forest and to the shore. Almost, he doesn't believe his eyes, squinting, but - it's still true - he would recognize that mullet anywhere. ]

Keith!! [ He's out of the tree before he thinks about it, letting the propulsion turn his fall into more of a glide before he hits the ground running. ] Keith! [ Sprinting really. He only slows to a jog when he has nearly reached him. ] Holy crow, it is so good to see you.

[fighterpaladin]

[He has about filled his stomach with water by the time he hears... something. Movement, what sounds like a jetpack and--... his name?

He wonders if the heat finally made it to his head, but by the time he is turning towards it, he hears his name again and his heart jumps. It's Lance. He knows it before he can actually see him properly.]

Lance?!

[He gets up and his body almost makes him fall down again, a sore reminder that, maybe, he shouldn't try to make any sudden movements just yet, head somewhat dizzy from the tiredness and heat, and now the sudden change in temperature. Still, he hangs in there, looking Lance over, once he is close enough.]

Are you okay?!

[It is. It is good to see him. It's also a major relief. The situation might not be as bad as he was initially thinking.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ It's gonna take him a second to figure out how the lower parts of the paladin armor go with the t-shirt, but Lance is not actually taking the time to assess any of it It's been two days. Two days of no word from anyone he knows, with only one scary dude with a prosthetic arm who was absolutely nothing like Shiro for company.

He almost reconsiders, because it's Keith and he doesn't know where they stand, but Keith gets a hug, after all. Unless he dodges it, of course.

So that question only really registers after he lets go of him again, immediately breathing a little easier. But just a little, because it's been a long two days and a sprint. ] I- yeah, yeah I'm-- I mean, I have no idea what's going on or where we are or, or anything but I'm not hurt, I'm alright. You?

[fighterpaladin]

[It has. It has been two days. Two very, very long days.

Two days that, even so, couldn't have prepared Keith for this. Not that he would have been prepared for it either way. He can't immediately tell what Lance is about to do, his brain taking a little longer than usual to process things, but even when he does, he doesn't dodge it, per se. Instead, he almost loses his balance, both from the impact and the way his body freezes up, unable to respond in any way other than to just stand there, eyes wide and surprised, helplessly allowing the other to hug him until his brain catches up with what's actually happening.

Oh.

... Okay.

So they are hugging now.

That... That makes sense. It's been a while. And, knowing Lance, he was probably as scared of this whole ordeal as Keith himself was. Is.

He... feels totally inadequate for a moment and for one too many reasons, but, eventually, he does allow himself to relax into it, one of his hands moving up, to awkwardly pat Lance's back.]

H-Hey... It's... uh. Good to see you, too.

[He only stops once Lance lets go and, by the time that happens, Keith is honestly amazed that he is still standing at all. His legs feel like jello. Yet, he can definitely breathe easier, too.

As Lance babbles, he can't help but smile a little, nodding slowly at the question.]

Yeah... I'm okay. [Tired. Possibly suffering of heatstroke. But alive. And mostly functional.

His stomach isn't taking too well to all the water that he dropped on it all at once though, mainly not after all the sudden shifts in emotional states.] Have you seen anyone else? Do you know where the others are?

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ Yep. That's a hug, that's what that is. Lance has no idea exactly why it takes Keith as long as it does to catch on and hug him back, but he doesn't pay it too much mind. It's good to feel him pat his back, to reciprocate at all, but he backs up after only a few moments, realizing he probably crossed a line here. Somehow. Is it a line if it never got acknowledged?

Whatever, moving on. He smiles back, though, more out of habit than by conscious choice. There's a wry edge to it, because he still has no idea what's going on, not any more than before, but... not being in it alone is good? A familiar face is very, very good. He looks Keith over and doesn't mention that he doesn't really look great. Just swallows and accepts that judgement-- if Keith says he's okay, then he must be. Okay enough, anyway. ]

Yeah, I saw like one other guy, but not anyone I know. Haven't been able to contact the others... I just had this backpack-- [ swings it to the front, ] but the food that was in there's almost gone now. I don't even have my bayard. What about you?

[fighterpaladin]

[Keith smile fades as soon as Lance responds. He, too, hasn't seen or been able to contact the others. It brings back a feeling of worry and dread, but at least he isn't alone, anymore. Maybe the others are around somewhere, too. They just need to find them.

Looking at the backpack that Lance shows him, Keith nods, moving his attention to the shore where he left his own things. There's his own backpack, his chestplate and his dagger.]

Same. [On all points. Well--] Except I didn't see anyone else.

The Great Lake!

[arrogator]

Hey! You!

[If Lance looks down from the tree, he'll find a fully armored knight looking up in his direction. Probably. Might be kind of hard to tell what exactly she's looking at with that helmet covering her face.]

Get down here for a minute, I've got some questions for you!

[Sorry if she sounds mad, she's still not happy about all of this. She's got other places to be, Grails to steal, so being wherever this is putting her in a foul mood. And, she really doesn't realize that angrily yelling at this guy in a tree probably isn't the best way to get someone to listen.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ Once he spots the origin of that voice, Lance doesn't just look, he stares.

Well.

............whoever this is seems to want to talk, at least? That's... good. Also, only the second person he's run into here, so any wariness he's feeling is tempered by relief. ] Uhh, okay. Sure. I can't promise I got answers though? Fair warning.

[ Naturally, he leaps down, using his jetpack to break the fall, and lands at a bit of a distance from the angry-sounding armored person. Just in case they're angry enough to attack him. ]

[arrogator]

[Maybe more distance Lance, she's thrown her sword at enemies before. Which isn't the brightest idea, but it looks cool, and that's most of her thought process behind that.]

You can probably answer this one.

[She's annoyed, but not yelling anymore. That's a step in the right direction, probably, or looks like it. But it's mostly that since he's come down here, she doesn't feel a need to yell at him. But that could always change.]

The hell is that?

[She raises her gauntlet and points at the jetpack. Being a Servant means she was summoned with the knowledge to exist in that era, so cars, sure. Airplanes, yeah, she gets those. But jetpacks? Nope, they didn't have those as far as she knows.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ He's just gonna have to wait to find out about that, probably. Not that he could keep up with a Servant's... anything, really.

No more yelling is a step up, though the question confuses him for a second before it computes - he's so used to dealing with people who also travel around space these days. ] What... oh, that? It's my armor, I mean, the jetpack is part of it.

[ At least the solid-looking plates make it fairly recognizably armor, even if it's not the shiny full plate she's wearing. And because Lance is good at digging his own grave, he just kind of presumes it's his turn to ask something now. ]

Do you have any idea where we are?

[arrogator]

[There's a pretty undignfied snort from somewhere in that helmet.]

Not a clue. Wish I did, otherwise I'd probably know how to get back to where I was.

[And she definitely has more questions about that jetpack, but she'll ask something else instead. She's pretty sure the answer's no, but it probably can't hurt to ask. And since this takes priority, she's not going to bite his head off for asking questions of his own. Not yet anyways.]

Since we're trading questions, have you seen a guy in a black jacket around? Pretty tall, scars on his face, might be carrying a shotgun?

[She knows that sounds bad, but there's really not a better way to describe her Master without him sounding like some sort of intimidating thug. He's not, he just kind of looks like one.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ He frowns for a moment, but then shakes his head. How does metal plate armor and a shotgun go together? Who knows! Things are weird. ] Nope. I mean you're only the second person I've run into since I woke up.

[ And that's honestly bad enough. There has to be someone living here, right? ] Uh, going out on a limb here but I'm guessing you haven't seen any giant robot lions around. [ He'd ask about his teammates first, but if she's never seen the armor she probably hasn't seen the others either.

... He only realizes that that's kind of an outlandish thing to ask after it's already out of his mouth. Welp. ]

Drifting, Northerly

[sinistral]

[It's cold.

It's not quite Siberia cold, but it's most definitely much, much colder than the place he'd gone to sleep. It's also entirely the wrong weather for it, which means that Bucky isn't dressed properly for waking in a snow drift; denim and cotton are quickly soaked through with the bodyheat-melted snow. It's actually quite miserable, and he thinks that frostbite could be a very real concern if he doesn't get himself out of the wet clothing.

He spares only a moment to look through his pack (it's not his, it's not the one he'd had on going to sleep but it has his things in it so it must be his now) before shouldering it and pulling himself to his feet. He's got to get moving to maintain core body temperature, and he's got to find shelter and heat to prevent the more negative effects of the cold.

The irony of being the Winter Soldier isn't lost on him.

Regardless of his personal ire at the waking conditions and his many questions, survival is the highest priority for him. That means moving; without any idea of the lay of the land or the orientation of a compass, he picks a direction and starts walking.

He's not walking for too long when his ears pick up sound in the distance: a voice. Bucky reorients himself to approach it at an angle; he's not sure what there is out here to trust, but another voice may mean shelter and that's most definitely worth investigating.

There's no recognition when he comes upon the other man (he thinks it's a male anyway, and he's going to assume that pronoun until proven otherwise). Lack of recognition doesn't necessarily mean anything though, not to a man whose mind is already pretty fragmented, more so than Bucky likes admitting even privately. Bucky isn't the sort to want to approach others if he can help it, but the saying about desperate times and desperate measures exists because the former really does too often lead to the latter. And he's armed besides; he's pretty sure he can take the other man if he really has to.]

Hey! [His voice is a little rough from the cold, but it should carry enough to be heard.] Is there shelter around here?

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ Lance has decided that he doesn't like snow. In fact, he might hate it. It's such a hassle to walk in, and his face is cold, even if the rest of him is fine. He does not yet realize just how lucky that makes him.

So he trudges on. ] Guys? Coran, Romelle? [ Sighs. ] Come on...

[ Finally, ahead of him, something comes into view that looks like it might be a cluster of small buildings. His heart does a really stupid little leap at the prospect of people and shelter and warmth and food, but before he can start running down the rocky, snowy side of this hill, someone calls out to him. Lance whips around and spots the other guy.

He's so glad he's not alone.

But it's not a familiar face like he hoped. ] Down there, I think! [ He points toward the cabins-- though, looking again, there's no light or smoke coming from any of them. No movement. His elation wavers, but he waits for the stranger to come closer. ]

[sinistral]

[Calling out to the figure hadn't prompted an attack of any sort, which in Bucky's eyes is a good sign. It probably says something that he'd considered it as a possibility, but that's beside the point. His focus is on finding shelter that's both dry and warm, and he adjusts his own path to intercept the stranger and gain his vantage point.

As he comes closer he's able to see that his eyes and the whiteness of the landscape hadn't been deceiving him; the other man does in fact seem to be dressed in the strangest sort of outfit. He'd wonder about it more if he couldn't feel the cold really creeping into his skin. As such it's definitely not a priority, at least not right now.

It is really curious though.]

Hey. [A repeat of his first greeting — if one could call it that — uttered as Bucky comes within conversational distance of his mysterious stranger. He cups a hand to the side of his face, cutting some of the snow glare that his cap doesn't mitigate, and peers in the direction the other man had pointed. Cabins for sure but no outward signs of life there. Even so that's not a negative — actually in Bucky's eyes it's preferable — as long as they're sound enough to provide shelter. He tugs at his jacket, tugging the collar more firmly around his neck, and glances at the stranger out of the corner of his eye.]

Don't know about you, but I'm heading down there. [It's about as much of an invitation as he's likely to give.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ On the other hand, as Bucky closes in, Lance can tell that so far he looks... human. Completely human. It's the weirdest thing to hit him like it does, because he hasn't seen any humans besides the handful he knows, and he stares for a moment, a sudden, lurching homesickness in his chest.

What might stand out about him is that he lacks any of the tense, idle motions that would indicate he's cold - his outfit might be weird, but it works. He attempts a smile at the greeting, but it's shaky at best. ] Uh, hi.

[ But then he looks back to that cluster of cabins below, squinting as he tries to spot any signs of life at all. He nods at the invitation, simply assuming that's what it was. ] Oh I'm with you. Being snowed on is getting really old.

[ Down the hill he goes. ... At least he has a few hours of snow experience now, so he probably won't slip and faceplant. Still, he needs to focus as they walk, periodically glancing over at his companion. ] So, uh... this is gonna sound weird but did you, like, randomly wake up here too? Or is that just me?

[sinistral]

[He's not sure what exactly that look is for; it's not the first time Bucky's been stared at but his particular standout accessory isn't exactly visible in his current clothing. He attributes it to the shock of just seeing another person out in weather like this. Even so, he does roll his shoulders under his jacket, settling the wet clothing a little better; he'll be thankful for the chance to change out of it.

At least this stranger doesn't look like he's too cold; whatever the strange outfit's origins, it seems to work.]

C'mon then, let's not waste time.

[The descent could be worse, honestly. The snow hides the landscape so it's not the fastest climb down but lack of speed is a good trade off for not getting a face full of snow. And while he's not unaware of the scrutiny of his companion, he's glad that he's focusing more on walking than on staring.]

It's not just you. [There's a note in his voice that just might be relief. It's nice to have confirmation that he's not completely lost what's left of his mind.] Haven't figured out how, but this isn't where I went to sleep.

[It's more information than he'd normally think it smart to share, but it really is puzzling just showing up here like this. There are more questions he'd like to ask about it too, but it's not as important as obtaining shelter.

At the foot of the hill, Bucky points himself toward the nearest cabin, planning to approach it from an angle. It seems like the smartest idea; they still don't know who or what lives here.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

Yeah... [ It's definitely not quick, but Lance is very grateful he doesn't embarass himself and faceplant. He's likewise grateful he's not the only person who apparently got... put here? Transported here? Something. Lance doesn't even consider that that information might somehow be sensitive, and carries on talking, even if it's not being reciprocated much. Even when he's trying not to fall, he still gestures. ]

Same here. It's not even the same climate. Or... anything.

[ Still, he gets his head in the game at the foot of the hill, quieting down and sobering up. He's quick to scan the area again and, seeing Bucky approach the nearest cabin at an angle, does the same, but moves to circle the small building to come at it from the other side. He tries to make eye contact to check with his new companion as they split up, some minimum of coordination.

All empty, though. Dead silent. The next cabin over, on his side, is just a heap of dark wood with snow on top. So that's a bad sign for finding people. ]

The Great Lake

[clawandscars]

[There's someone at the edge of the lake. He appears to be eating something. From a distance, it looks like some sort of meat, but up close, it's clear that Tsume is gnawing on a raw, uncooked rabbit. It doesn't matter if it's meat, internal organs, or bone, he's eating it all. He'd found it in his pack, so why waste good meat?

While he looks human, the tracks all surrounding him are big paw prints, and the reflection in the lake is that of a gray wolf who has the exact same prominent X-shaped scar Tsume has on his chest. He looks up when he hears Lance approaching. He looks up, golden eyes narrowed in suspicion.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ Lance has pretty sharp eyes if he does say so himself - but there's some stuff you see that are just hard to actually believe? Like... that. He's out of the trees as soon as he spots a person by the edge of the lake. The white hair looks familiar from a distance, but he quickly realizes it's not anyone he knows after all.

Where initially he was jogging closer he slows to a walk as soon as he can see the guy more clearly. He feels on edge for a couple of reasons he can't really seem to name - except for the raw dead rabbit, which is kind of right there. He hasn't quite noticed the reflection yet, or the paw prints, but the narrowed eyes finally stop him in his tracks. ] Uhm. Hi?

[clawandscars]

[He doesn't say anything for a moment, instead taking another large bite of the rabbit. He chews the raw chunk of meat down before he answers Lance. He looks Lance up and down like he's judging him. Finally, he says:]

Who are you?

[He sounds a little bit unfriendly, but it's nothing personal. He's like this with all humans.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ The second thoughts Lance is having about approaching this guy are starting to pile up. If the guy is that hungry, he should've definitely just left him alone. He barely moves at all as he's apparently being evaluated, suddenly hyper-aware of his own breathing. His voice betrays that he's nervous, but he still stands his ground. ]

My name's Lance. I was-- I was wondering if you'd seen any other people around.

[clawandscars]

[Tsume takes another bite of the rabbit and this time the crack of bone as he breaks through it is clearly heard. He makes Lance wait until he's done to answer him. He can smell how nervous this guy is. That's good. It soothes the instincts in Tsume that always want to be the top predator.]

No.

[Laconic doesn't even seem to begin to cover it with this guy. There's just something a little...off about him. Maybe it's because he stands perfectly still. People, they fidget, even when they try to be still. A finger twitches, they blink a little too much, signs like that. Tsume has the perfect stillness of an animal used to lying in wait for long periods of time.]

[sharpshooterpaladin]

[ The crack of bone makes Lance jump a little bit, try as he might to suppress it, but Tsume gives him plenty of time to compose himself - or rather, to get fed up with the intimidation. He frowns at the monosyllabic answer. ]

Okay.

[ Rather than more nervous, Lance feels himself getting calmer, or at least, mor resolved. Without even thinking about it, his shoulders are squared, his jaw is set. ] Just one more thing and I'll leave you to your... [ a glance at the rabbit, ] meal. Are you from here?