01. [Action]

[smallsurvivor]

[Clementine woke with a shudder, body jolting itself awake. She hadn't intended to fall asleep, and particularly not in a place like this. It was a wide open forest, far from the confines of a safe place. She must have been careless, probably exhausted. It was a miracle she woke up with her face still intact! Before she could do anything, there were certain important points that needed to be thoroughly examined. Her arms, suddenly bare (why bare? She'd been wearing two shirts when she was last awake!), didn't seem to have any visible bite marks. Nor did her legs. She was sore around her shoulders, though. Had she been bitten there?? She'd have to find a mirror to be sure.

Or other survivors. Clementine was supposed to be looking for Christa and Omid. She hoped they weren't dead. Moreover, she hoped she wasn't dying. Whatever happened before, staying here was a bad idea. Lee didn't give up everything just so she could forget what he said! She just needed to keep her gun close and--

Oh gosh. Even her gun was missing! She'd have to try to find an abandoned store with some other firearms. And then she'd potentially have to find a way away from whoever cleaned her up and changed her clothes. They were probably really nice people with good intentions, but what if they weren't? Ever since the walkers started shambling around, she'd thought she knew who was trustworthy. But now most of the trustworthy people were dead. And she was on her own and nobody was going to look after her and why wasn't her gun anywhere??

She needed to get moving. She'd go off on her own and she'd figure out where she was and why she was there and then retrace a trail back to Savannah. Christa and Omid were the last semblance of family she had left. They had to be somewhere. Clementine needed them to be somewhere. She needed them to be alive. She needed to touch their faces and gauge the life in their eyes and make sure nothing terrible happened. It was possible that the people who cleaned her up were still alive, but it was just too risky to try to attract anyone's attention. If she came across a pencil and paper, she'd just have to leave a thank you note instead.

At least the river was a landmark. Rivers led to oceans right? If Clementine followed the river far enough she'd have to run into the ocean, which was right next to the Savannah area where she wanted to be. Everything would work itself out. It just had to work itself out. More than enough bad things already happened.

Feel free to encounter Clementine anywhere on her journey. Perhaps she'll find you in the forest going about your business. Maybe you'll spot a silent pint-sized person peeking at you from around a corner near the outskirts of town. Clementine knows better than to approach. Walkers respond to sound. It's important to stay as quiet as possible.]

Comments

[nascidanosargasso]

[Two weeks have passed, and Daisy is still in Keimi's body. Being bound on a smaller body meant for water, it bothered her a little that she would continue to depend on the wheelchair to move around. With only Vice Admiral Smoker's exercises, and her own swimming exercises as a mermaid, she continued to feel vulnerable -- the Battle Dome's options were now limited.

But it was that, or remaining in her room for even more. She continued to wander outside because of it.

While her senses were similarly hampened, Daisy kept her training. She noticed a sudden movement in the corner of her eyes, around the outside of the fourth community housing. Her green head turned, then moved her wheelchair towards it.]

Hello?

[smallsurvivor]

[Is.

Is that a mermaid?

Clementine's not prepared for this. She quickly sprints for the nearest tree, shimmying up into the branches so she might be able to steal a longer look at this mermaid-person. She's got to be dreaming.]

[nascidanosargasso]

[She stops the second she spots the movement behind the forest. Without her augmented sight, it is harder to spot her accurately... but until she notices her. It was a child.

Daisy understood it well: Her own paranoia, and Mendez' lessons about keeping your guard high. She still remembers the training beside the lake when they were all nine.

But she has to help. Daisy turns to where she sees the girl, and puts both hands on her lap, softening her body language.]

It's alright. You're in civilization. You can come out, now.

[smallsurvivor]

[Civilization doesn't mean it's okay to come out. But she'll pull a branch aside so that she's visible. She doesn't speak, though. She doesn't trust that she won't just blurt out "You have a tail!" or something similar.]

[nascidanosargasso]

[She still notices the girl. The mermaid holds up both of her hands. A gesture to show she is not holding her weapons.]

I won't hurt you. [... Daisy looks down at her tail. She wasn't sure if she could do it with this body and from this distance, anyway.] We've got warm showers, food, and water.

[Unfortunately, the same lesson from Mendez remains. There had to be some way to explain this girl that she was genuinely safe -- and that unlike Mendez, she wasn't preparing some nasty trap.]

This will be a strange question. [...] But is there magic in your world?

[smallsurvivor]

Warm showers? [What really? Really? That's not a luxury anyone's got anymore! But she'll shake her head at the other question.]

Magic's just make-believe.

[nascidanosargasso]

Just like mermaids, right?

[She flicks her tail. At least she was getting used to this.]

Needless to say, wherever you were... It's someplace really different, now. It's hard to explain.

[smallsurvivor]

[The tail flick makes her flinch. She's fascinated by the idea of a mermaid just walking around, but now that it's there there's no way to be sure it's not going to try chewing off her face.]

Different how? I didn't go anywhere.

[nascidanosargasso]

[She stays sin silence. Daisy wonders how to drop this. She wonders if this girl had felt her own wings by now.

She shakes her head.]

You didn't go. You were taken by this world, like the rest of us. Whatever happened out there where you're from, it's very possible it's very different from here.

[She smiles.]

Whatever you thought was part of tales? It might be true here.

[smallsurvivor]

[She's felt them, but she's still half-convinced it's just because she's bitten and bound to die soon.]

How do I know you're not just telling me that? [There are lots of things that can explain a mermaid tail without being a real mermaid!]

[nascidanosargasso]

[She closes her eyes.]

Just... promise me you won't freak out.

[She extends her arms to the sides, and slowly moves them to feel the wind around her.

For a moment, the airs caress her short green hair, and then blow the leaves softly towards the small girl in the form of a gentle breeze... and the leaves leave a trail towards the mermaid.

Daisy opens her eyes, and puts her hands on her pink lap.]

[smallsurvivor]

[Okay what was that. Seriously, what was that? Clementine mostly squeaks and shrinks back against her branch.]

[nascidanosargasso]

[Daisy's smile fades as soon as she notices the fear. She lowers her head.]

I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry... It's just wanted to show you about this world.