Testdrive for Zoe

[subtleserenity]

[Zoe paces the corridors, quiet as a ghost, but dragging the scent of powder and fire behind her. The Keeper must be somewhere. Half of her wants to find them and stand by their side, a guard as she's always been. Has it been always? That other half of her that says it hasn't, wants to beat the bun tyen-shung duh ee-dway-ro's face in with the butt of her rifle.

She's wearing a frown on her metallic lips, whichever option she chooses in the end.]

Comments

[subtleserenity]

[She's trying to imagine anything resembling 'chill' in the memory she'd woken to, but apart from 'chilling,' she can't relate much to the glowing changeling's experience.]

You remember how you died?

It's a little morbid, but he did say he remembered.]

I got pictures in my head of what happened, but no words or stories to go with them.

[seerchlight]

[He crosses his arms over his chest.]

No. I just remember that it hurt a fucking lot, so being dead was pretty sweet in comparison. It was nice.

[He gives her an uncertain look.]

What do you remember?

[subtleserenity]

[Smoke, blood, dirt... the battlefield. There's a voice in her ear telling them to lay down arms. They're on their own. She turns to look at two men she doesn't recognize. And then the sound of death.]

Not dyin'. It hurt, too.

[And the sense that it had never stopped hurting worries her with needle-sharp teeth even now. She doesn't trust him enough to tell him just yet. Not everything.]

There was a war. The Keeper said I could protect him, make up for not doing it right the first time.

[But his face, even his voice is distant, muddled. She can't quite recall either.]

[seerchlight]

[He looks at her for a few moments, not really sure what to say.]

Could be related, but probably not. I mean you don't even have horns.

[subtleserenity]

You sure those're from before, then? Pretty sure that ain't normal where I'm from.

[She points up at the points on his head that she assumes are horns. It's a bit hard to tell when he's made of light.]

[seerchlight]

No, those are definitely normal. It just feels right, you know?

[He doesn't seem that bothered by the difference.]

Probably difference species or whatever.

[subtleserenity]

[Different species? As strange as their situation is here, as real as the Fae are, the idea that there is something beyond her own species and that of their Keeper just seems patently ridiculous somehow.]

Or whatever...

[The urge to stalk the corridors in search of the Keeper has dissipated, but the urge to get outside.]

You got any notion what'll happen if we do get out of this house? Don't seem like it wants us runnin' free, twistin' corridors back on themselves.

[seerchlight]

Oh.

[He hesitates on that one for a second.]

Well...my job is usually standing watch out there in case anyone tries to leave. If they do...that's what the beast horde is for.

[subtleserenity]

Them's the beasts that have come back to themselves here? Or others?

[She has few compunctions about shooting mindless changelings that stand in her way. She'd prefer to just avoid them. If they're the thinking sort, though, they might be reasoned with.]

[seerchlight]

Both.

[He shrugs.]

I've seen some of them around, but there's probably a lot still out there. You know. Doing their thing.

[subtleserenity]

[Keeping them here being chief among 'their things.' She arches a brow at his seeming-indifference.]

Appreciate the heads up, then.

[Without the Keeper to murder or protect, and the trials of facing mindless changelings ahead, provisioning herself would seem to be the best option. With what, she's not entirely sure. She's still growing accustomed to this form.]

You got any notion how long this'll last? Us being as we are? Is the Keeper gone for good?

[seerchlight]

[Something for him to look genuinely uncertain about.]

No idea. Except that those two questions are probably intimately related. You know like...in that we'll probably be like this until the Keeper sets us straight whenever they do come back.

So...have fun while you can, I guess.

[subtleserenity]

[It's a grim thought to end on, but it's nice to have honesty over sugar-coating.]

You, too, Lights. Hope we get to crossin' paths before I try to head out.

[She could do with whatever guidance - cryptic or otherwise - the changeling might have to offer.]