Realistic or Modern THE WALKING DEAD - Our Broken World [IC - Open]

[The Dapper Mog]

Julianna

There was a spark of positivity in the man's eyes that Julianna couldn't deny feeling a degree of happiness from. There was so much misery in the world day, so much pain and sadness. But here, in some small way, she was able to give him some degree of comfort. She was glad that at this point, it would be completely viable to welcome him into this safe haven. Then, the mention of his sister's full name, which cemented her hunch. She couldn't believe that her friend's lost brother just showed up here at Faith. It was a miraculous situation. But, one that she could possibly make even better.

When Wally showed her the picture, Julianna felt a mix of emotions. It was nice to see the happy family, and to see her friend at a time before when she was happy and the world could of had a positive future. But at the same time, the losses involved were painful. At least in some small way, she could provide some relief, and even better, good news for both of them.

"She's beautiful. You all looked very happy. I'm sorry for your loss." Julianna replied, offering an apologetic smile.

It was clear that he was hurting, and she found herself hoping to make it better. With that, she stood and moved her hand from his, resting her hands on her hips.

"Well Wally, just one more thing we have to do before we get you all settled in. Could you follow me, please?" Julianna smiled politely, gesturing off to her left.

The plan now was to lead him to Binna. With any luck she would be able to perform a quick and easy examination in the nurse's office, and Binna could arrive not long after. How could she even possibly not consider taking this amazing opportunity to spark a touching reunion?

Josh

 

[Selee-01]

Jemma looked away for a second before turning back to Andrew. "I'm his only kid," she offered as explanation. "And, well... hm... And my mom died a year before this all began. So."

She took a long moment to shoulder her bow and quiver of arrows, lost in thought. Andrew was one of the first people her age she'd talked to in a while. A lot of the people in Faith were either younger or older than her.

"Some of the people here, they can be assholes honestly. But mostly everyone is pretty cool. Understanding. And my dad is one of those people. He's really the coolest dad I could ever hope for. But he doesn't let me go outside the walls like ever. And when we meet new people? It can be a headache. I can't imagine he'd be thrilled we're hanging out before he's even spoken with you."

She paused as she noticed a girl walking across the parking lot, not too far from Andrew and herself. While it was odd that Jemma didn't recognize her, perhaps it was more odd she was walking barefoot in pajamas.

"Did she come in with you?" Jemma asked Andrew. Though, before he could even answer, Jemma was waving her down. "Hey! You good?!"

Andrew waited and listened, patiently. He was good at listening.

He didn’t put much stock in the idea of these people being “cool”- his experiences before the apocalypse and after had been markedly different. He’d seen people kill each other over cans of cold soup, had been threatened himself for the crime of walking down the wrong street. Early on, before he’d learned to avoid people, he’d made dumb mistakes and gotten hurt.

But at the same time, these people hadn’t been like that. They were mostly forthright, honest men and women, and none of them had done anything suspicious yet. He was hardly going to trust them, but maybe he could at least lower his guard around them.

“Sorry about your mom,” he offered, without much in the way of real emotion. It just felt like what she’d want to hear, although he himself had never mourned a parent. “I’m Andrew, in case you didn’t hear."

He didn’t offer a hand. He wasn’t really the kind to shake hands with people, and his broken arm and crossbow was a perfect excuse to avoid the unpleasant ritual.

 

[Josh]

Wally nodded, puzzled as he put his picture away. "Yeah. I'll follow you."

As the two walked, Wally was locked in his own thoughts. They had just met, he had showed her something super personal and opened himself up to her. Now she wanted him to follow her because, to quote the woman; "there was one more thing we have to do before we get you all settled in." In Wally's mind, this could only mean one thing.

Stopping, he put his hand on her shoulder. "Wait," he spoke. "Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but shouldn't I at least shower before we hook up? I mean, totally down to clown right now, but you know? I want us to get off on the right foot, ya know?" He smirked

The Dapper Mog

 

[Doctor Voidsman]

Quoting Saint Augustine, Sister Carmen retorted, "if anyone calls the influence or the power of God by the name of fate, let him keep his opinion, but mend his speech." Sister Carmen stood firm, staring Doctor V down. "It's not fate, it's a choice you're making. Don't confuse the two. If you can't even give on the little things, how can we trust you on the bigger things? A man willing to go to war on anything is a man not long for this world."

It was at this point she realized she didn't trust him. He was just too much.

With a sigh Doctor V took his proposition as a no and turned to walk away humming softly. he seemed to head off to the gate possibly to look at the outside world for a bit. his crow sitting upon his shoulder as he walked off. although his face and just about everything else was hidden something seem to bother him

Doctor V stood at the gate and looked out at the now barren world around him...it made him feel saddened.
"Hm..." He reached into his coat pulled out a picture of his family back in Berlin. under the mask he smiled happily having memories of his childhood although his smile turned to a soft clenching of the teeth as he realized his family could be dead. "Mutter, Bruder, Schwester, Vater... Es tut mir leid. He said in a soft tone with his voice filled with sadness. It felt as if he had left his family all alone with out him and the thought of that caused his to sniffle a bit holding back his tears

 

[The Dapper Mog]

Julianna

The young woman’s mind raced with the possibility of seeing her friend's face upon such a miraculous reunion. The idea of making her happy was enough to make her weak. Usually, these days, she could only derive some happiness from her daughter's own happiness. But her mind focusing on Binna wasn't helping any, after all, there were plenty of reasons not to allow that kind of attention to be heavily focused on. Then, she was taken from her thoughts just after they turned a corner by the feeling of a hand on her shoulder.

Julianna turned around, glancing up at the man. The height difference was more than a foot, which she was fairly accustomed to. When you stand at just over five feet tall, what could you expect? All the short jokes in the world never bothered her, though. Easier to let people underestimate you because of your size and surprise them in the moment. It took a moment for her mind to really grasp what he was saying, and after a few seconds she began laughing quietly. A soft sort of bubbly sound amidst giggles of amusement as she covered her mouth, shaking her head.

"Oh, you thought..." Another short laugh followed as she took a step back, gesturing before her with her hands.

"No, no, I'm sorry, Wally, but uh, you're not really my type. No offense of course." The woman rested her hands on her hips again, in her fairly normal posture, an amused smile remaining on her face.

"Seriously, I'm just going to take you to the nurse's office for a quick bite check. You will still have to undress a bit, I'm afraid. But, uh, yeah. Nothing happening in that regard. Sorry." Julianna's tone gradually returned to a more casual cadence.

It didn't take long to reach the nurse's office, the town wasn't terribly large, after all. It seemed that Binna and Dean were coming out of the office. Julianna had to resist the urge to judge him. After all, she knew full well the situation in regards the relationship between the two of them. In fairness, she wasn't particularly fond of Dean in general, but when it came to Binna, it just made her bitter.

Pushing that aside, civility was the answer, and civility was usually quite easy. Besides, this was set up to be way too nice a moment to be ruined by that.

"Hey, Binna. I got one of the newcomers here for a quick checkup. I figure you'll wanna meet him." Juliana said confidently, a beaming smile crossing her lips.

 

[Zenterfold]

Elliot - Church Cafeteria

Reading the reply, Elliot smiled broadly at Kenji. He paid no mind to the guy's eating habits as it was only to be expected after being out beyond the walls. Before Faith, Elliot hadn't gotten so used to eating canned beans or caught rabbit that he had worried that everything would forever taste the exact same to him. Still, he had no idea what it would have been like out there for Kenji here. Elliot was immediately interested in Kenji and whomever had arrived with him, though Elliot didn't want to suddenly bombard him with questions.

"Are you liking it so far?" Elliot wrote back, pushing the note across the table. Though, after a moment he quickly pulled it back and added more. "This place is a lot better than other places I've lived since the outbreak started. Believe it or not, I've been here for months but we've barely had any new people since my group got here."

When Elliot and his friends had arrived in Faith, they had just been about on their last legs. They had lost a number of people on their pilgrimage from Mississippi, including Binna's and Bella's partners, leaving both women completely devastated. Thinking back on it, after all the loss they, Danny, and himself had experienced over the last year in general, it was a wonder how they could keep going at all. For Elliot's part, he knew his parents and brother would want him to keep going on no matter what happened. Elliot was pretty sure that's how the other three saw it too.

Elliot was staring at Kenji when his own food was being served. He turned to thank the person, only to find it was Danny placing a tray down in front of him. Danny had one for himself as well that he placed next to Elliot. He then sat down, leaving the cart he had rolled over next to the table. "Making friends?" Danny asked Elliot.

"I am writing him notes," Elliot signed.

Danny unconsciously rubbed at his beard and leaned over the table to read the notes. "Right." He took a big bite of his bread but put it down so he could use his hands to sign as he spoke. "Yeah, so, what's your impression so far?" he asked Kenji. "Be honest."

Ghost_Candy

Jemma - Faith Parking Lot

Jemma went stiff for a moment at Andrew giving her sympathy for her mother. She didn't know what to make of it. I'm sorry for your loss, was just something people automatically said whenever they heard about her mom. She stopped mentioning it to people, but then they would always eventually ask why she didn't talk about her mom, only for them to repeat that same line. I'm sorry for your loss. She wasn't sure at all if it meant anything to her at this point. Sometimes, she just felt numb.

"Yeah, it's okay," she said, though a quiver in her voice betrayed her words. Truth was, she hadn't really had time to mourn with everything that had happened in the last while. But she wasn't going to tell Andrew all of that yet. "And, uh, yeah, I caught your name. I'm Jemma, in case you didn't hear."

She was still a little confused why Andrew had been singled out of those bus people to help with the shooting, but maybe Binna had seen something in him. Jemma had no idea, really. A lot of people in Faith liked to practice shooting, but few were as good with arrows as herself, Binna, or Elliot. Maybe Andrew had said something to Faith's leaders that got him the crossbow.

"Anyway..." Jemma shrugged and gestured to that random girl she had waved down. "I'm gonna assume you two aren't related, right? Did you guys arrive with family or anything?" It seemed a fair question, considering she had brought up her parents.

Selee-01 Ghost_Candy

 

[Selee-01]

Jemma - Faith Parking Lot

Jemma went stiff for a moment at Andrew giving her sympathy for her mother. She didn't know what to make of it. I'm sorry for your loss, was just something people automatically said whenever they heard about her mom. She stopped mentioning it to people, but then they would always eventually ask why she didn't talk about her mom, only or them to repeat that same line. I'm sorry for your loss. She wasn't sure at all if it meant anything to her at this point. Sometimes, she just felt numb.

"Yeah, it's okay," she said, though a quiver in her voice betrayed her words. Truth was, she hadn't really had time to mourn with everything that had happened in the last while. But she wasn't going to tell Andrew all of that yet. "And, uh, yeah, I caught your name. I'm Jemma, in case you didn't hear."

She was still a little confused why Andrew had been singled out of those bus people to help with the shooting, but maybe Binna had seen something in him. Jemma had no idea, really. A lot of people in Faith liked to practice shooting, but few were as good with arrows as herself, Binna, or Elliot. Maybe Andrew had said something to Faith's leaders that got him the crossbow.

"Anyway..." Jemma shrugged and gestured to that random girl she had waved down. "I'm gonna assume you two aren't related, right? Did you guys arrive with family or anything?" It seemed a fair question, considering she had brought up her parents.

“Nice to meet you, Jemma,” Andrew said.

“No, we aren’t related,” Andrew said when she asked. “And no, I didn’t arrive with family.” He bit his tongue before adding that he had no family, but it was still implicit in the way he said it.

Andrew had never known his folks, and he didn’t particularly worry about them. They’d never tried to find him, and they hadn’t left any message or note for him. To Andrew, they were good as dead. Even if he met them, he wouldn’t treat them differently than anyone else.

 

[Josh]

Wally/Binna/Dean

No good situation with a woman ever started with her laughing in your face. Wally wasn't sure what to think as the short nurse giggled at his question. As she explained that he "wasn't her type," he was a bit sad but put on a smile anyway. There are plenty fish in the sea, he thought. Okay, maybe that wasn't as true anymore. "For the record? I do take offense," he snarked back, joking as she walked away.

"God, I looked like a jackass," Wally mumbled to himself as he fell in line behind Julianna.

Dean and Binna were outside the nurse's office with Dean's arm wrapped around the doctor, the two leaning against a wall like a high-school couple. Seeing Julianna, Dean huffed. He never talked to her, but Dean always caught the side-eyes Julianna gave him. Especially when she was with the other nurse, Bella. When Dean would come in some days to check in on his girl, the air in the room seemed to leave and the two girls would gawk at him.

"Juli," Dean muttered.

Binna snapped out of her gloom, breaking away from Dean and stepping quickly toward Julianna. Binna really loved her. They'd always work out together when they had a chance. She also loved Juli's little girl. It made her jealous. Binna had never had kids and it was something she had wanted because she was adopted. However, she put her job as a surgeon first and then the world went to shit. Was it even right to have a kid in this world now? Juli was the perfect mom, and a better person.

"Hey, it's great to see you," Binna said to her. "I didn't think the newcomers needed anymore check-ups. Where is he?"

Then she noticed the man behind Juli. Binna took a few steps toward him, not realizing who he was. It wasn't until Wally looked up and met Binna's gaze that she stopped in her tracks. The hallway went quiet. Both of the Roberts just gazed at the other. Wally's eye started watering out of shock. "No! No!" he shouted. "No way!"

"Binna, what the hell is going on?" Dean questioned, though his question fell on deaf ears.

Binna was still frozen. Pushing her voice out, she made some semblance of coherent speech. "Wally?" Her voice was just a whisper at first, but she repeated his name a second time, shouting it. She ran toward him. "I-Is that big baby brother? Wally? Talk to me!" She was full-on crying now.

Wally's mind was rushing. He ran to meet Binna, sweeping her off her feet as he cried into her shoulder. Wally spun her around for a moment before looking into her eyes.. "I'm here! I thought... it doesn't matter. I am here. Bi..."

Both now were chuckling and laughing as Alastair stumbled out into the hall, his mouth agape at the shouting and the scene before him. As the revelation was made clear to him, he reached out to the wall for support. He found his own eyes watering. "I knew it," he said, low enough so that he could barely be heard. "I knew we met for a reason."

Dean gave Alastair a displeased sidelong glance. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of this situation. If it was as it seemed, perhaps he needed to give Binna a moment. But something about all this felt wrong to him. He didn't know he felt about this... brother. He looked nasty. Disheveled. A real character. This definitely was not right.

Needing to focus his sudden displeasure on someone, Dean glared daggers at Julianna. Walking right past the woman, he almost ran into her as mumbled, "tell her we'll talk later tonight." Then he was gone, with Binna barely giving him a moment's notice.

Wally and Binna talked softly to each other before turning to the other two still in the hall. Both siblings look tired but happy. "Thank you both," Binna said.

Wally nodded to Julianna. "Anything, I mean anything, you ever need or want? You can ask me." He was clearly caught in his emotions. "We're family now." If this was the before times, that would perhaps sound weird, but in the context of this new world, it truly meant something different. His eyes told her how happy he was.

Binna looked Alastair. "You saved his life. I'll repay you."

Having recovered slightly, Alastair was quick to wave this off. "I mean, when I told you that story, I didn't realize then it was your brother!" Shaking his head, he let out a laugh. "Listen, I think we're good. This moment was special for me too. And I do get a new home out of it. I'm good for a while."

The Dapper Mog Zenterfold

 

[The Dapper Mog]

Julianna

The short woman didn't mind Wally's response, and figured he wouldn't be too upset by such a rejection. After all, they just met. But, more importantly, the moments that followed. Seeing Dean was always a bit...troublesome. It reminded her of being a freshmen seeing her senior mentor and best friend dating the jock that wanted all of her time but didn't understand that her life didn't revolve around him. Truthfully, he was always kind of a rugged bully type to her, and she figured that Binna just had a type.

Then, the obvious became glaring. The lack of mutual emotional attachment between the two of them. She couldn't help but have a resting bitch face when he was around, it wasn't intentional. But she could tell that he wasn't fond of her Bella. Speaking of Bella, her mind wandered to the other woman fairly often, but it was better to just let that go most of the time.

Again, ripped from her wandering, her mind returned to the present when her plan to reunite the siblings in a beautiful outpouring of emotion was a rousing success. Of course, the near shoulder check from the huge lumberjack of a man was annoying, but it couldn't ruin this. Tears cling to the corners of her eyes as she watched her friend and Wally embrace. Such a beautiful moment.

"I'm just glad we can actually have some moments of happiness like this. I'm so happy for you both."

Josh

 

[Josh]

Binna

Binna smirked at Alastair, giving him a nod. She and Alastair had just met, but the man's earnestness was infectious. She had not yet come down from her emotional high.

"Thanks, Juli."

Binna wiped the tears out of her eyes, still clinging to her brother. Taking a deep breath, she finally took in the fact that Dean was gone. It felt like a gut punch as she realized the truth. "Dean just left?" She looked at Julianna. Sure, she was having doubts about Dean, but this was a bit of a step too far.

"Yeah, he had to go," Alistair said, hobbling over to the group. "I bet he had good reason. Don't worry."

Wally looked confused. "Who the fuck is Dean?"

Binna sighed. "He was my boyfriend. " Her words stumbled out before she could correct herself. "I mean he is. But don't worry about about him, Wally."

Wally smiled. "You sure? You always had the worst taste in guys. Like that cop you dated. Or the vegan pro biker, what was his name?"

"Flynn," Binna said.

"Yeah, Flynn. What a cock." Wally's smile suddenly turned to a frown.

Binna just rolled her eyes. She never had a type, but she never really had a good relationship before Greg. A lot of her relationships were causal. Either with other doctors or people who came to her work often.

Wally pushed his sister lightly. "I'm just glad you're alive."

Binna turned to Juli. "I have a favor. Can you find Elliot, Danny, and Bella?" Binna asked. She turned her head to Wally. "They're my people. You'll love them."

Zenterfold The Dapper Mog

 

[The Dapper Mog]

Julianna

Seeing the sibling banter was nice. Then again, she always wondered what it was like to have a sibling. Beiing an only child had its advantages, but it was also quite lonely growing up. It wasn't something she had wished for a child of her own either, but, such was life. Especially now. The woman simply nodded in reply to her friend's thanks. Helping her out was always something she was happy to do.

Julianna considered making a remark about Dean vanishing before Binna was ready for it, but she thought better of it. Even knowing what she knew, and feeling the way she did about Dean, she didn't actually want to risk getting in the middle of another person's relationship.

"Sure, Bi, no problem." Julianna replied as she began to make her way to fulfill the request.

The raven haired woman gently tapped Wally's shoulder as she walked by, flashing him a smile. "Welcome to Faith, Wally."

The church next. It wasn't a place she was particularly fond of, but she could admit to a sense of calm coming from there. As she entered the church, she would look around, trying to find any of the three people she was searching for. While Faith wasn't large, there were plenty of places to get to. She moved from area to area, finally spotting Elliot and Danny in the cafeteria. She smiled and headed over to then, leaning on over the table a bit.

"Hey, guys. Danny, Elliot, Binna asked to see you guys. She wants you to meet one of the newcomers. Speaking of, who's your friend?"

Speaking politely and in a kind and courteous voice with an inflection belaying excitement and curiosity, her smile broadened at the chance to meet another new person in Faith.

Josh , Zenterfold , and Ghost_Candy

 

[Josh]

Carmen

Sighing as the giant Doctor V huffed off, Sister Carmen shook her head. He was definitely a threat. Best to keep an eye on him in the future.

Going to the church and the cafeteria inside, Sister Carman grabbed her tray of food. The food here was always good, but she did miss chicken, steak, or any kind of meat really. The group didn't have any real hunters. Hopefully someone on the bus had that skill.

Noticing a lone blonde girl just sitting with a tray of food in front of her, Sister Carmen felt bad for her. Carmen could recognized her as one of the bus people.

"Mind if I join you, child? Nobody should eat alone. Especially now." Carmen's voice was empathetic as she took a seat. "Do you remember me? We've yet to speak. I am sister Carmen de Leon. I'm not sure I caught your name?"

Fluffy Cookies

 

[Charles Babel]

Hearing Derek talk about him made Sam let out a sigh and awkwardly rub himself on the shoulder. "Sorry, kid. I just don't feel like a celebrity right now." Though he did appreciate though at some level, it had been a long time since he had heard someone talk to him like this. Sam places a firm hand on Derek's shoulder. "But Ah'm happy ah got you outta that pit. It's not a good place to be..."

Josh

 

[Zenterfold]

Danny - Church Cafeteria

Danny wasn't entirely sure what to make of these new people just yet. The missing supplies were still weighing heavily on him, making his mind churn about and consider the possibilities of what they were dealing with. It was easy to see a group of new people showing up at their doorstep now to be a little too coincidental. Danny would never forget when a couple of men walked into his old community, lied about who they are, and proceeded to deceive everyone to their own ends. Danny would never make that mistake ever again.

Still, Danny lamented that he was a bit of a fucking sap, so he really wanted to see the best in these people. All he could do for now was to get to know who he could and proceed from there. Plus, Danny was actually curious about what new people would think upon being greeted by an overbearing nun and a giant priest.

His eye wandered over to Sister Carmen herself, waltzing into the cafeteria and taking a seat to one of the other new people. Something had definitely been going on with that one, though Danny had never been able to really to place his finger on what that was. She seemed to always be watching people. Danny might have assumed she was on the lookout for amoral behavior or some shit, but she seemed to be on the liberal side when it came to her religion. Of course, she had to know about Craig, didn't she?

Danny's mind lingered on the priest for a moment, before the arrival of Julianna brought him back to his senses. "Hi..." Danny said slowly, glancing at Elliot. He just shrugged, so Danny looked back at Juli. "We were just asking Kenji here about his first impressions of Faith." He signed what he was saying for Elliot's benefit. "What have you been up to?"

Ghost_Candy The Dapper Mog

Jemma - Faith Parking Lot

There was a bit of a bite in Andrew's response, which made Jemma feel a bit bad. She wasn't sure what it meant or if it meant anything at all, but family was always a touchy subject now. "That's too bad," she offered. She awkwardly rubbed at her neck, unsure what else to say.

"You... ever use anything like that before?" She gestured to the crossbow. "I used a bow only like once in the before times. It was for a school thing, we went to a county fair and they had an archery course. My dad was so weird about it. He almost didn't give me permission but my mom convinced him. Then after I told him that I hit all my targets, he was all proud of me. Isn't that so hypocritical?" She let out a small laugh. "So, kind of think I was born for this."

Ghost_Candy Selee-01

Ray - Near the Gates

"Hey, uh, you okay?"

Ray had followed Doctor V out of the school, a little worried about him. He had said the group had free reign of the community, but something about this guy necessitated a bit more caution. He seemed to be having a moment, clutching a photo and saying something that Ray hadn't heard completely. Ray sympathized, having known loss himself since this all started.

"I heard you expressed an interest in being one of our runners," Ray said after a moment. "It's not something we let people do lightly, but you could join a group on a run soon, just as a test run."

Doctor Voidsman

 

[Doctor Voidsman]

"Hey, uh, you okay?"

Ray had followed Doctor V out of the school, a little worried about him. He had said the group had free reign of the community, but something about this guy necessitated a bit more caution. He seemed to be having a moment, clutching a photo and saying something that Ray hadn't heard completely. Ray sympathized, having known loss himself since this all started.

"I heard you expressed an interest in being one of our runners," Ray said after a moment. "It's not something we let people do lightly, but you could join a group on a run soon, just as a test run."

"I...i'll join the runners. Thank you for the offer I wish to help you all with the food problem if it is something you wish"

he smiled under the mask he wore and looked back out at the world. with a sigh he reached into his coat and pulled out a packed of cigarettes. when he opened them 6 left however he took one out and offered it to Ray to show non-hostility and kindness

"I had a family back in Berlin...Ever since the dead men rose I've gone days and nights worrying about them...do you have a family out there?" he asked not knowing he had lost his.

Zenterfold

 

[Fluffy Cookies]

Carmen

Sighing as the giant Doctor V huffed off, Sister Carmen shook her head. He was definitely a threat. Best to keep an eye on him in the future.

Going to the church and the cafeteria inside, Sister Carman grabbed her tray of food. The food here was always good, but she did miss chicken, steak, or any kind of meat really. The group didn't have any real hunters. Hopefully someone on the bus had that skill.

Noticing a lone blonde girl just sitting with a tray of food in front of her, Sister Carmen felt bad for her. Carmen could recognized her as one of the bus people.

"Mind if I join you, child? Nobody should eat alone. Especially now." Carmen's voice was empathetic as she took a seat. "Do you remember me? We've yet to speak. I am sister Carmen de Leon. I'm not sure I caught your name?"

Fluffy Cookies

Elaine looks up silently from her food. "My name's Elaine, Elaine Fynch."

Her face was dirty but she didn't mind. She missed her father emensely. "I lost everything to the walkers... Except my mother, she was gone before it all happened."

For a moment she got tears in her eyes and her hands began to shake. But she passed it off.

 

[Josh]

Derek

"I'm not gonna blow up your spot," Derek reassured him, still not making eye contact until Lionheart's hand touched his shoulder. "Yeah. You really did." Derek forced a smile. "In a way, Iraq was still worse than this. At least I haven't seen children with bombs strapped to their chest." He shook his head and a soft breath left his mouth.

"Can I be honest for a moment? We might need you. I saw you out there, you didn't break a sweet. I also know you were one of the best 'shooters' the square circle ever saw. We have a lot of people here who don't know the basics. Stuff like how to fight back, what to do if they fall, or how to fall safely. No doubt that your training could help when being physically grabbed by a biter. And you know, I've seen your promos, I know you can talk to be people. I know you can make them believe in you."

Now facing the former wrestler, Derek's guard dropped. "If you don't want to do it, I won't push it, but I know that the 'Lionheart' inside you is just waiting to get back out."

Charles Babel

Carmen

Carmen's gaze caught sight of Danny and the nun waved in his direction with a smile on her face. Carmen knew all about Danny. Father Craig had a very close relationship with him. It was something that just happened to come out when the two Catholics talked. Father Craig had become one of Carmen's closest friends. One of the few who knew the real "Sister Carmen." Despite how young he was, Father Craig was not a bad priest. His affability made him a skilled "confessor" in a way. He had a way of seeing through people and Carmen had been no exception.

However, Danny and Carmen had never really bounded. Carmen tried, but he didn't give her an inch. As a result, she tried to build a relationship with his closest friends, Elliot and Binna. Getting in with them meant she could ignore Danny until he came to her.

Everything being the way it was now, one thing in this world made you powerful: knowledge. As long as you were in the know, you had power. And when you had power? You could keep yourself safe. With that in mind, very few people were more powerful than Carmen. She had all the info, so she made all the rules.

As Carmen thought on this, the young girl in front of her broke down in tears. The sister's natural empathy kicked in. Wrapping her arm around the child, Carmen brought the young woman in. "Now now. You're safe. I'm sorry about your loss." She held the girl tight.

"Elaine, such a wonderful name," Carmen cooed. "I'm sorry about your mother, about your family. I lost my family too. " Carmen paused. "And I never knew my mother, but I know the loss." Carmen eyed the food in front if them. "Now eat, please? You look like a bag of bones."

Zenterfold The Dapper Mog Fluffy Cookies Ghost_Candy

 

[Selee-01]

Jemma - Faith Parking Lot

There was a bit of a bite in Andrew's response, which made Jemma feel a bit bad. She wasn't sure what it meant or if it meant anything at all, but family was always a touchy subject now. "That's too bad," she offered. She awkwardly rubbed at her neck, unsure what else to say.

"You... ever use anything like that before?" She gestured to the crossbow. "I used a bow only like once in the before times. It was for a school thing, we went to a county fair and they had an archery course. My dad was so weird about it. He almost didn't give me permission but my mom convinced him. Then after I told him that I hit all my targets, he was all proud of me. Isn't that so hypocritical?" She let out a small laugh. "So, kind of think I was born for this."

Andrew shook his head.

“Nah, I’ve never used anything like this before today.” He listened attentively to her story, and was grateful she’d offered to train him.

“That’s pretty cool,” he said, in a moment of genuine admiration. “You’ll be a great teacher.”

 

[Fluffy Cookies]

Derek

"I'm not gonna blow up your spot," Derek reassured him, still not making eye contact until Lionheart's hand touched his shoulder. "Yeah. You really did." Derek forced a smile. "In a way, Iraq was still worse than this. At least I haven't seen children with bombs strapped to their chest." He shook his head and a soft breath left his mouth.

"Can I be honest for a moment? We might need you. I saw you out there, you didn't break a sweet. I also know you were one of the best 'shooters' the square circle ever saw. We have a lot of people here who don't know the basics. Stuff like how to fight back, what to do if they fall, or how to fall safely. No doubt that your training could help when being physically grabbed by a biter. And you know, I've seen your promos, I know you can talk to be people. I know you can make them believe in you."

Now facing the former wrestler, Derek's guard dropped. "If you don't want to do it, I won't push it, but I know that the 'Lionheart' inside you is just waiting to get back out."

Charles Babel

Carmen

Carmen's gaze caught sight of Danny and the nun waved in his direction with a smile on her face. Carmen knew all about Danny. Father Craig had a very close relationship with him. It was something that just happened to come out when the two Catholics talked. Father Craig had become one of Carmen's closest friends. One of the few who knew the real "Sister Carmen." Despite how young he was, Father Craig was not a bad priest. His affability made him a skilled "confessor" in a way. He had a way of seeing through people and Carmen had been no exception.

However, Danny and Carmen had never really bounded. Carmen tried, but he didn't give her an inch. As a result, she tried to build a relationship with his closest friends, Elliot and Binna. Getting in with them meant she could ignore Danny until he came to her.

Everything being the way it was now, one thing in this world made you powerful: knowledge. As long as you were in the know, you had power. And when you had power? You could keep yourself safe. With that in mind, very few people were more powerful than Carmen. She had all the info, so she made all the rules.

As Carmen thought on this, the young girl in front of her broke down in tears. The sister's natural empathy kicked in. Wrapping her arm around the child, Carmen brought the young woman in. "Now now. You're safe. I'm sorry about your loss." She held the girl tight.

"Elaine, such a wonderful name," Carmen cooed. "I'm sorry about your mother, about your family. I lost my family too. " Carmen paused. "And I never knew my mother, but I know the loss." Carmen eyed the food in front if them. "Now eat, please? You look like a bag of bones."

Zenterfold The Dapper Mog Fluffy Cookies Ghost_Candy

"I-I'll try... And thank you..." Elaine smiles a little. She ate a little before suddenly feeling the hunger. She ate more. "Is... Is there anyone else my age here? I just wish to know so I can maybe meet them later... After I'm feeling better."

She sighed. Finally, people, after all this time she wasn't alone.

"And do you have instruments of any sort? Maybe a cello?" She asked Carmen. "Mine broke a few weeks ago and living without music is painful."

 

[Ghost_Candy]

Cricket - Faith Parking Lot

As Cricket made her way towards the church, she noticed someone waving at her- asking if she was okay. She approached the two, she recognized Andrew from the bus, but the other woman must have been from Faith.

"I'm okay! I just took a shower," she said sheepishly. Cricket looked over at Andrew as he answered the question of their relation, she had never really talked to him on the bus; she had mostly kept to Kenji and herself.

"I didn't come with family either, but I did have my friend Kenji- I think he's eating at the church right now still," she finished, playing with the strap of her duffle bag.


Josh Zenterfold Selee-01

Kenji - Church Cafeteria

Kenji's eyes rolled into his head for a moment as he bit into one of the slices of tomato on his plate. He then noticed Elliot's note slide his way again, he picked up the pencil, but before he could write another man walked up to them. As the other two spoke for a moment, Kenji took the opportunity to gobble a few more bites. He noticed Elliot using ASL, he let out a small "oh," before being asked the same question that was on Elliot's note.

"I've only been here for like an hour I think," he started, shoving the last bit of bread into his mouth.

"But, it's better than out there for sure- I guess I like it," his response was muffled by the food in his mouth.


Zenterfold @Cafeteria

 

[The Dapper Mog]

Julianna

Danny's response to her was muted. Not that he was always hyper energetic or anything. She was always fascinated by watching people sign. Part of her had wanted to learn ASL, but she never really found the time and mental battery availability to do it. This other newcomer, Kenji, Danny had said, was definitely someone new. She wondered about his story, but there would be time for that. It qas always satisfying to see people appreciate how Faith was. A legitimate safe haven.

"That's nice. Welcome to Faith, Kenji. Hope you like it here. But, yeah, I've been helping get the newcomers settled. Other than that, the usual nurse stuff and watching Calliope." Julianna replied happily, crossing her arms just so her posture was a little more comfortable.

The woman didn't want to impose on their conversation, and now that her message was delivered, she figured she should probably get to work. Wouldn't be a bad idea to stop by and visit Calliope after she found Bella. Speaking of...

"Oh, hey! Have you guys seen Bella? She wasn't at the office and I'm looking for her." A slight jump in pitch betrayed her excitement and possibly surprise that her mind managed to circle back to something important.

Zenterfold , and Ghost_Candy

 

[Josh]

Carmen

"To be honest dear, there's not too many," Carmen said with a sigh. "There is Jemma, She's a sweetheart. Two others as well, but I don't think they are all very close. " Carmen lifted the spoon from her soup. "Most of the people your age arrived on the bus with you." Carmen was aware the bus people were more of a bunch of singles or couples rather than a united group. "There is Andrew, he's a little rough around the edges. There is also Amir, but I haven't seen him since we last talked."

"... You carried a cello with you?" Carmen's jaw and spoon drop when the girl mentioned her instrument. Cellos were not easy to carry, from what the sister remembered. "I-I have so many questions. How?" she asked bluntly, smiling awkwardly. "Carrying! That's awful!" She laughed.

Thinking, Carmen sighed again. Carmen lived in the basement in the church. Down there were a surprising number of rooms. One of the rooms did have instruments. "I think there is a giant harp in the basement, along with a few acoustic guitars and some drums. I can have Derek bring it upstairs for you." Carmen smiled. She had Derek wrapped around her finger. He'd complain, but he'd rope some people in to help do it.

Fluffy Cookies


Binna

Bella walked into the nurse's room and saw Binna sitting across from two guys. One was a red-head with a bushy beard. Not really Bella's type. The other one was tall and scruffy looking with a goofy smile. A bit more her type. She didn't recognize them right away, so they must have been the bus people who had helped with the herd. As she joined the threesome, there was something strange in the air.

Binna smiled at her friend. "Hey, Bella, I have something to talk to you about..." Binna explained to Bella who the man was, recapping the events that had transpired moments before. A bolt of pure positive energy struck Bella and she felt immense joy for her friend. God, this was the kind of news you needed when the world had gone to hell.

"Holy shit," Bella exclaimed, eliciting a laugh from the red-head, Alastair. "I gotta go get the others and let them know!" Binna tried to explain that Juli was already on it but Bella was just too excited.

Considering it was just after lunch time, Bella figured they were likely at the cafeteria. Just as she expected, she spotted Elliot right away. Her eyes practically glowed. She had a deep crush on him. Like, she wasn't in love, but she definitely was smitten. When Bella had to kill her boyfriend to save Elliot, it strangely brought the two together. Perhaps that was definitely an awkward basis for a relationship, but things were different now.

Bella's eyes then caught sight of Julianna, one of her best friends. Her, Binna, and Julianna were like a coven of witches, super close. When Binna and Bella had arrived at Faith, Julianna was a natural fit into their dynamic. Plus, Bella needed as many people between her and that asshole, Hatch.

Though... it did help that Julianna was easy on the eyes. She did catch Julianna lingering glances sometimes, making her think there might be something between them. Why not, right? There was definitely a connection between them, regardless. The fact was, while Bella could see herself with Julianna, she was afraid. She didn't want to ruin their friendship. If her relationship with her first girlfriend taught Bella anything, it was hard to be friends with your ex.

So, seeing Elliot and Julianna next to each other always made Bella's stomach flip a bit. It helped that Danny was right in the middle of them, catching sight of Bella first and waving her over. Bella made a beeline for them and unloaded her news before they had a sense to say anything.

"Guys! Binna's brother is here! Can you believe that? You gotta meet him!"

Ghost_Candy Zenterfold The Dapper Mog

 

[Fluffy Cookies]

Carmen

"To be honest dear, there's not too many," Carmen said with a sigh. "There is Jemma, She's a sweetheart. Two others as well, but I don't think they are all very close. " Carmen lifted the spoon from her soup. "Most of the people your age arrived on the bus with you." Carmen was aware the bus people were more of a bunch of singles or couples rather than a united group. "There is Andrew, he's a little rough around the edges. There is also Amir, but I haven't seen him since we last talked."

"... You carried a cello with you?" Carmen's jaw and spoon drop when the girl mentioned her instrument. Cellos were not easy to carry, from what the sister remembered. "I-I have so many questions. How?" she asked bluntly, smiling awkwardly. "Carrying! That's awful!" She laughed.

Thinking, Carmen sighed again. Carmen lived in the basement in the church. Down there were a surprising number of rooms. One of the rooms did have instruments. "I think there is a giant harp in the basement, along with a few acoustic guitars and some drums. I can have Derek bring it upstairs for you." Carmen smiled. She had Derek wrapped around her finger. He'd complain, but he'd rope some people in to help do it.

Fluffy Cookies


Binna

Bella walked into the nurse's room and saw Binna sitting across from two guys. One was a red-head with a bushy beard. Not really Bella's type. The other one was tall and scruffy looking with a goofy smile. A bit more her type. She didn't recognize them right away, so they must have been the bus people who had helped with the herd. As she joined the threesome, there was something strange in the air.

Binna smiled at her friend. "Hey, Bella, I have something to talk to you about..." Binna explained to Bella who the man was, recapping the events that had transpired moments before. A bolt of pure positive energy struck Bella and she felt immense joy for her friend. God, this was the kind of news you needed when the world had gone to hell.

"Holy shit," Bella exclaimed, eliciting a laugh from the red-head, Alastair. "I gotta go get the others and let them know!" Binna tried to explain that Juli was already on it but Bella was just too excited.

Considering it was just after lunch time, Bella figured they were likely at the cafeteria. Just as she expected, she spotted Elliot right away. Her eyes practically glowed. She had a deep crush on him. Like, she wasn't in love, but she definitely was smitten. When Bella had to kill her boyfriend to save Elliot, it strangely brought the two together. Perhaps that was definitely an awkward basis for a relationship, but things were different now.

Bella's eyes then caught sight of Julianna, one of her best friends. Her, Binna, and Julianna were like a coven of witches, super close. When Binna and Bella had arrived at Faith, Julianna was a natural fit into their dynamic. Plus, Bella needed as many people between her and that asshole, Hatch.

Though... it did help that Julianna was easy on the eyes. She did catch Julianna lingering glances sometimes, making her think there might be something between them. Why not, right? There was definitely a connection between them, regardless. The fact was, while Bella could see herself with Julianna, she was afraid. She didn't want to ruin their friendship. If her relationship with her first girlfriend taught Bella anything, it was hard to be friends with your ex.

So, seeing Elliot and Julianna next to each other always made Bella's stomach flip a bit. It helped that Danny was right in the middle of them, catching sight of Bella first and waving her over. Bella made a beeline for them and unloaded her news before they had a sense to say anything.

"Guys! Binna's brother is here! Can you believe that? You gotta meet him!"

Ghost_Candy Zenterfold The Dapper Mog

"That would be wonderful, thank you!" Elaine smiled widely. "If anyone needs any help, I'd be glad to contribute. Carrying a cello for years made me strong. I always have been... From what my mother used to say."

She tried to keep her smile but it wavered.

"Nothing is too much for me," she nodded, trying to sound strong.

 

[Zenterfold]

Jemma - Faith Parking Lot

"Ha, thank you for the vote of confidence," Jemma said to Andrew with a smile. "Here's the thing, you gotta get permission to use the dummies, so I think that idea is a wash for today. Which is fine, we all should probably get some food into us. First thing tomorrow morning?" She then looked at Cricket. "You should come too! Bring your friend maybe. It'll be fun to get to know you guys. I know a couple people who can join us."

Jemma wasn't looking to make this a social gathering really, but she did want to bring together a few of the people around here who were closer to her age. She wasn't exactly friends with the two other teens she knew of in Faith, but she had wanted to change that. Plus, the more she could get for what she had in mind, the better.

"By the way, they tend to assign rooms by age, so we might be neighbors!"

Selee-01 Ghost_Candy

Danny - Church Cafeteria

Feeling a momentary rush of annoyance, Danny resisted rolling his eyes at Kenji. "It takes less than an hour to get an impression of a place," he said flatly. Truthfully, it just wasn't the answer Danny was looking for. He'd never really been comfortable with Faith presenting the whole "God first" image since he got here. He knew Craig meant well, but Danny had convinced himself that they were likely to turn people off if they continued down this path, to which he found greatly dissatisfying.

The sight of Bella changed Danny's tune and he quickly waved the girl over. Julianna here seemed to be looking for her, so the timing worked out well. He was about to say something to Bella when she burst out the information that Binna's brother had apparently arrived. Danny was stunned.

"What?" Elliot signed, his shock obvious in his movements.

"From the bus?" Danny questioned. His gaze went from Bella to Kenji, before going back to Bella. "You're kidding."

"No!" Bella exclaimed, beaming. "Come on, come on! I can't even believe it!"

The apocalypse had a way of bringing people together, Danny thought bitterly. He quickly choked that line of thinking and focused instead on Binna. He stood up and shrugged at Kenji. "Sorry to cut this short, but we gotta see our friend."

Elliot stood as well, giving Kenji an apologetic look. He looked like he wanted to write something down on the notepad but Bella was taking him by the arm before he could do much at all. Elliot quickly shoved his yogurt cup under his arm and allowed Bella to take him away, Danny following after.

Ghost_Candy The Dapper Mog

Ray - Near the Gates

"Food problem?" Ray questioned, fixing the doctor a quizzical look. "Did somebody say something to you? We have enough food to get by, and that's all that matters."

He crossed his arms, giving off a confident look. It wouldn't do to give the impression to the newcomers that Faith couldn't provide for them properly. Last thing Ray wanted on his conscious was the thought of these people putting themselves in danger by going back out there into the wild. Beyond that, with the stolen supplies in mind, there could be no chatter of a lack of resources.

When offered the cigarette, Ray wavered for just a moment before taking it. He partly did it as a matter of politeness and partly out of morbid curiosity. He'd kicked the habit a few years out of college and the outbreak had yet to get him back on it. He only nodded and pocketed it though instead of taking a light from the man.

"I'm sorry about your family," Ray offered. "Must be hard enough being so far from home, let alone being a part of all this." He then paused for a long moment, letting the doctor's question linger on his mind. "Thing is, my whole life was here in this city. Parents, friends, family. But my mom and dad, they didn't last long in all this. Didn't have any siblings either. My in-laws, who knows where they are. I did have one real good friend though. He took his whole family and went North when all this began. Him and probably thousands of others, all in a couple of months. We never saw any of them ever again."

Doctor Voidsman

 

[Charles Babel]

Sam listened to what Derek had to say with an uncomfortable look on his face. "Ah don't know about that. Not sure what these guys can do by putting an ankle lock on those freaks but..." While he was getting embarrassed by what Derek was saying he slowly nodded. "My glory days are far behind me...even if it took an apocalypse for me to realize that. Ah ain't much of a teacher either. Ah won't promise anything, but it feels like ah should do somethin' for y'all for lettin' us in here."

Josh