open!

[nowthatsfunny]

Characters: Tess and YOU?
Date: End of December/first week of January.
Location: Various!
Situation: Various! I have written up three general starters, as Tess gets her feet under her and gets into the swing of life on the turtle. If there's something else you'd like to do with her to jump-start some CR, feel free to write up your own starter or PM/hit me up on plurk (frodabaggins)!
Warnings/Rating: Option 3 involves some bad memories of the violent, gory, zombie-related sort. Also, Tess can be a potty mouth and is prone to violence if she feels the need. Otherwise I'll update this as necessary.

Option 1: shopping?!

[Tess is still wearing the clothes she arrived in, though they are a little cleaner than they were when she made her first network post. Laundry is one of the things she particularly relishes about the turtle. But the idea of having more than one change of clothes at a time is frankly kind of baffling to her after all this time, even with the weather as cold as it is, the most she's done is find herself a warm coat.

Now, however, she's in a shop, perusing racks of clothing with a somewhat bewildered look on her face – as though she's overwhelmed, which she kind of is. What the hell do people do with all these clothes, anyway? She knows logically that she used to be like that – as a kid she had a closet and a dresser full of clothes, and in high school she cared about fashion. But that life is like a warm, happy dream, rather than any kind of reality, or has been for twenty years.

She might actually need some help. Or maybe someone to laugh at her and snap her out of it.]

Option 2: baby turtles?!

[The little oddities of turtle life are things Tess has noticed, of course, but mostly has decided not to comment on or deal with – even weird shit like magic is much, much preferable to what she left behind, so she can't bring herself to care much, no matter how freaky it is.

And okay, being on the back of a giant turtle, maybe she should've been prepared for a few more reptilian encounters, but the oversized baby currently nudging her down the street is still a bit of a surprise.]

Uh, anyone wanna come get their pet?

Option 3: at the bar (potential trigger warning for mentions of zombie horror/gore/violence/PTSD)

[She can't sleep. You'll never hear Tess complain about being here, about being alive, because it's great. It really, really is.

But it doesn't stop the nightmares. It doesn't stop the awful goddamn memories encroaching on what should be peaceful sleep. Late at night, when it's too goddamn quiet in her suite and she can't sleep because sleep means reliving terrible things over and over and over again, she instead makes the trek to the Brazen Turtle. Because drinking is better than remembering. Drinking makes the world a little number, dulls the phantom pain of the teeth at her collarbone, the sharp ache in her chest at the memory of Joel's face when he saw.

She drinks hard liquor, straight up, clearly an old hand at it, even for a woman of her petite frame.]

Comments

[soulstoker]

Leia Rolando. It's nice to meet you, Tess! [She shakes the older woman's hand firmly, smiling wider.] But don't mention it, I'm just glad I could help. I like clothes, but fashion isn't completely my thing either.

[nowthatsfunny]

Leia. That's a pretty name.

[Like Star Wars or something, oops. But she's a cute kid, Tess supposes. She doesn't think of herself as good with kids, but she gets along well enough with Ellie.

Not that... Ellie is normal by most standards.]

It's a good start, anyway. Not sure if I'll ever go full-out frilly, but it'll be nice having some options, at least. Once I start making use of them.

[soulstoker]

Wow, you thinks so? Thanks! That's the first time anyone's ever said that. [Despite having smiled nearly the entire time during this conversation, Leia brightens up even more. She never thought of her name sounding pretty or anything, so it's nice to hear someone thinks it is.]

Yeah, exactly! You could have just one or two frills or go frilly to your heart's content; there's a whole lot of clothes to pick from here.

[nowthatsfunny]

So I've noticed. I'll just have to get back into the mindset, I guess.

[Tess is also really terrible at making small talk, Leia, sorry.] So uh, where are you from?

[soulstoker]

[At the very least, Leia doesn't seem to mind that at all. She could probably make enough small talk for the both of them if it came down to it.]

It's a place called Rieze Maxia. Have you ever heard of it?

[nowthatsfunny]

That's - no, I haven't. [She was expecting something more like "Ohio", frankly.] I guess this place really is full of all kinds. [Not that she hasn't noticed people like Spock, and weirder. But it's still strange to hear those unfamiliar place-names.]

[soulstoker]

Yeah, it really is as far as I can tell. I haven't met a single person who actually knows where I'm from. [And likewise, Leia hasn't heard of a single place that sounds familiar from other people. Who would have guessed the universe was this big?]

[nowthatsfunny]

That must be tough. You seem pretty young to be out on your own.

[Ellie is pretty young, too, but also totally different context. Tess knows she can probably take care of herself, anyway.]

[soulstoker]

It's alright more or less. I mean, I'm definitely used to having my friends around, but I can take care of myself no problem. [Even if this really is the first time she's ever just been out on her own... In the end though, she'd rather help out other people instead of just taking care of herself.]

[nowthatsfunny]

Being able to take care of yourself is important. [Tess nods vaguely, not sure what else to say. Kids, man. Tess isn't the greatest with kids. She mostly only knows how to talk to adults, and then it's mostly to do business with them.]

[soulstoker]

I'm guessing you know how to take care of yourself pretty well? Since you're an adult and all. [Never mind that some adults she knows act like kids themselves sometimes.]

[nowthatsfunny]

I've been doing it for a long, long time. [Tess says that with a nod.]

Looking after someone else, though. That's a little trickier. [She thinks of Ellie, then. Mostly, the kid can take care of herself, Tess knows. But she still feels somehow responsible for her. It's a weird feeling.]

[soulstoker]

Yeah, looking after other people always seems to be harder than I expect. [Leia tries to look out for all her friends no matter how old they are, but Elize in particular comes to mind. Sometimes she just really doesn't know what the younger girl is thinking.] Did you have to do that back home?

[nowthatsfunny]

Not really, no. [Her relationship with Joel was always one of mutual benefit, a true partnership. They would watch each other's backs, of course, but it wasn't the same as caring for a kid, for instance.]

But I seem to have stumbled into it here.

[soulstoker]

Really? [This is probably starting to pry, but she can't help but be curious...] Is it someone you just met, or...?

[nowthatsfunny]

Something like that. [Tess considers for a moment.] I guess you could say I'm looking out for someone as a favor to a friend.

[soulstoker]

A favor to a friend... That's nice though. I'm sure they'd appreciate what you're doing if they knew.

[nowthatsfunny]

[Tess gives a slightly wry smile.]

Oh, if he ever shows up here, I'll make sure he knows just how much he should appreciate it.

[It's... probably best not to ask.]

[soulstoker]

[She laughs at that.] Well hey, with a favor this big, I'd say he definitely owes you one if he ends up here!

[nowthatsfunny]

Maybe so. If I see him, I'll run that by him.

[Tess chuckles a little, herself. She doesn't really think Joel owes her anything, after all they've been through, and all she did back in Boston. But it's nice to think about, at least.]

[soulstoker]

Yeah, if you see him... [She trails off, wondering what it would be like if she saw anyone from home get dragged here too. She's not sure she likes the idea of that.] I wonder how many more people will end up getting brought here.

[nowthatsfunny]

[Tess, on the other hand, would love nothing more than to see Joel again.]

I dunno. Guess the person in charge would have to answer that question. If we're here to fight a war, though, they'll probably need a lot.

[soulstoker]

A war that I doubt any of us ever asked for. [She lets out a sigh.] They let people here talk to the emperor—or whoever it is that runs things here—though, right? Maybe I really will try and ask.

[nowthatsfunny]

I guess you could. Not sure what that'll do for you.

[Tess, for her part, has exactly zero intention of drawing attention to herself like that with the authorities.]

[soulstoker]

Yeah... With how many people there are here, I'm sure someone's asked already. It probably didn't change anything.