001-003 » a chilling mathias welcome

[villagemod]

WHO: Everyone.
WHERE: The east end of Mathias, along the waterfront.
WHEN: Days 001-003
WHAT: The newest residents of Mathias Township are welcomed with a storm.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary. PM this account to have a warning added!
NOTES: A small love letter from your mod. This spot can be used for plotting.

RECOMMENDED ♫ Deadly Avenger "Mara"

DAY 001
THE ARRIVAL BEGINS

Is it the whooshing crash of waves on dark jagged rocks that wakes you? Perhaps. It might also be the near-continuous rumble of thunder growing closer every second, the vibrations almost seeming to come from the wet sand beneath your hands. Or maybe it’s the shivering of your own body as water recedes from the pebble-covered shore, the cold sinking into your very bones as a chilled wind picks up. It could be any of these things that rouse you from a deep slumber that leaves you feeling groggy and out of sorts--

But it’s the fear that gets you moving. A deep, intense terror grips your chest and squeezes the breath right out of you, and you know without a shred of doubt that you have mere minutes before whatever it is you’re so afraid of arrives on that stretch of rocky beach to greet you. Even if you want to stay rooted to that spot and faced it head-on, your body betrays you, a survival instinct etched into your genetic code forcing you to seek shelter.

Welcome to Mathias. You should probably run now.



THE STORM ARRIVES

When the storm crashes into the small township, it's hard to remember what life was like before it. The ocean becomes a raging thing, waves rising and falling as if trying to attack whatever they can reach along the coast. Any foolish enough to venture along the beach have no hope of surviving the encounter; their bodies will be swept out with the current, gone in the blink of an eye.

The wind is a howling beast, screaming between buildings and driving spikes of cold into any crevice it can reach. The rain is just shy of freezing, every drop like a shard of icicle trying to itself into your skin. It will bite at your nerves and leave you shaking if you stay out in it too long, so you had best get inside if you haven't already. You certainly don't want to attract the attention of the lightning that arcs in the sky like a vengeful god ready to unleash its wrath.

The Grey Gull restaurant sits at the edge of the town along the beach, and just a few yards away are two parallel rows of houses lining what might be a picturesque street if the world weren't beginning to resemble an apocalyptic landscape.

Move quickly, and choose wisely.

DAY 002
THE STORM RAGES ON

The storm has somehow become even more violent overnight. The world outside your shelter might be trapped in an endless night, for all you can see through the thick covering of storm clouds. Lightning continues to streak across the sky, thunder following almost immediately in its wake, threatening just how near those spikes of electricity truly are. You can see them touch the shore at times, even the street between the homes, but never the buildings themselves. A blessing, perhaps, or an oddity to take note of?

Some may be foolish enough to try venturing outside. They are welcome to, of course, that is their right, but the rain is still like ice and that lightning is so very near. You may try heading further into town, and you can certainly see buildings beyond this row of houses, but should you walk toward them...

Well. It is far from a pleasant experience. Exhaustion sinks into your bones so quickly that it leaves you reeling, and every second you push through it makes you physically ill with a feeling that you might collapse at any moment. The second you turn away from that path, however, you feel infinitely, and even more so each step back the way you came.

Something wants you to stay where you are. Perhaps you should.

DAY 003
THE CALM DESCENDS

The third day begins much as the second, with waves crashing upon the shore and thunder booming with such force that the ground seems to shake. It feels very much like the world might end right there, torn apart by a force of nature unlike any seen before. Any who venture outside at this time are almost immediately afflicted with a terror so intense that they can make it no more than a few yards or the short distance to cross a street before they become incapacitated by the fear that sets their heart beating dangerously fast. The term scared to death may very well become literal this day.

And then, suddenly it stops. The rain, thunder, lighting— all if it just stops and the silence that fills the night is deafening. There are no sounds of life within the town, no car motors or dogs barking or the voices of anyone beside those new arrivals in the immediate vicinity. In fact, none of those things even exist in Mathias. There are no cars, no animals or insects, no other people. There is just... emptiness and silence.

It may be best to wait until daylight to move further inland.



THE NIGHT DARKENS

For those who are foolish enough to leave the relative safety of the cluster of houses near the Grey Gull, they will find their journey quite chilling, in a very literal sense. There is another row of houses beyond where they had been, branching off on either side into a neighborhood. There are no lights on in any of these homes, though there are occasional streetlights illuminating their way. But as they continue further, reaching a third block of houses, those lights begin to dim, until they have gone out completely, and what had previously been a simple fall chill becomes biting cold as the temperature sharply drops.

In all of this, there is silence. No sounds travel through that night air to comfort them, and even looking up to the sky stretched out above them offers little reassurance. That sky is black, without a single star and not even the faintest outline of the moon to guide them. All that reaches them here is the barest hint of light traveling from the way they've come. The longer they linger outside in this place, the colder it will become, and any light they carry with them will slowly begin to dim as well.

Truly, they should have waited until the sun rose once more.

---

LOCATIONS

THE GREY GULL is what one might expect of the most frequented restaurant in a small coastal town. The wrap-around porch is lined with white chairs characterized by peeling paint. Exposed wooden walls and worn seating speak to its many years of existence, and the mishmash of décor confirms that the owner never much cared for how the place looked. What mattered here was the food, and faded chalk menus advertise soup specials and a daily pie. The bar appears to have once been well-stocked, but all the bottles remaining are unfortunately empty. There is, however, quite a bit of food in the kitchen that is somehow as fresh as if it were purchased that day.

The second floor of the restaurant is a sparsely furnished apartment. There are no personal items to be found; perhaps it was waiting to be rented out to someone.

THE HOUSES are well-kept, middle-class homes, four lining either side of the street. Their doors are unlocked, windows unshuttered, and everything within feels like the owners might return at any second. There is running water and electricity, fresh food in the fridge, photographs on the wall... but also dust everywhere. If you didn't know better, you'd say the place had been abandoned for years, and yet nothing has aged. It is both strange and unsettling, and yet no matter how hard you search, no answers may be found within these homes.

What can be found within them, however, is a phone. One single black phone within a main room of the house, and beside it, a list of handwritten numbers and names that have been crossed out.

1302 8-5491 Thomasen
1304 8-9256 Lyrie
1306 8-4712 Anders
1308 8-3201 Mulcalley

1301 8-0415 Sanderson
1303 8-6762 Reese
1305 8-9132 Evers
1307 8-9025 Hirano

Should your character choose to shelter in one of the houses, you are welcome to choose the features of that particular unit. Please reply to the comment thread below with the details you decide upon, specifying the house number in the subject line.

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Day Three

[40seconds]

i. scared to death (closed to Daisy)

[ Coulson's attempt at exploration and striking out for an area further away from the houses went badly enough that he can't help but want to try again. Is it rational? Probably not. How about wise? Absolutely not. Is that enough to stop him? Not in the least.

He wants answers, and while getting himself into trouble isn't going to get him any, he can't just hole up inside and hope for the best. That's not what field agents do, and it's not what he does.

So, he seizes his chance yet again, and heads out into the elements. Oddly enough, the second his foot hits dirt is the second pinpricks of fear start rippling down, head to foot. But what is there to be afraid of? He doesn't see anything except the empty streets and the buildings lining said streets. Reason tells him it's just paranoia brought on by the uncertainty of this place, so what does a good agent do? Keep going.

He just makes a few feet before a wave of terror crashes down on him out of nowhere. Just like the last time, there's no rhyme or reason to it, but one minute, Coulson's fine and determined to explore, and the next, he's frozen in place, scared out of his mind, without knowing what it is that's scaring him. To anyone observing or walking by, it's rather like watching a rabbit get spooked by something and freeze. The only thing still moving is Coulson's heart, pounding loud enough in his ears that he'd swear anyone nearby could hear it.

So much for his plan to keep going. ]

ii. the calm (open to anyone)

[ Where it was once deafeningly loud outdoors, now it's completely silent. There's no rain, no lightning or thunder, or any sounds at all. It's almost eerie, but rather than being relieved by it, Coulson can't help but feel like this is a portent of something not so good.

By now, he's had his fill of reckless jaunts outside, and he's back indoors, this time temporarily sheltering at the Grey Gull. Not really expecting an answer, he muses aloud: ]

What's going to come next, I wonder?

[ Maybe it's a silly question to ask, because there's no telling what's going to happen next, but it's far too quiet out there for Coulson's liking. It could be that this is the calm before another storm, but what that storm might look like this time, he can't know. ]

[chuju]

[ It's impossible to say what caused her to look out the window at that moment. Maybe some instinct called to her, some sense that warned of danger. Not to herself, of course, when had that ever mattered? No, danger to someone she cares about, which is far and away the worst fear she's ever felt. Or maybe it's just that she's kept as much of a vigil as she could over the past few days, constantly on the lookout for any sign of her missing team. Maybe some part of her knows that someone is out there and they need her.

It's so dark that she can barely even make out the shapes of the buildings on the other side of the street, their details only becoming clear in the frequent flash of lightning. The rumbles of thunder still shake the world, though she can feel them a fraction more now, which gives her hope. It's a hope she holds on to as she peers out into that darkness&mdasn;

There. A shape in the street, one she knows in an instant. It's only a flash in the brilliant arc of lightning but hope has her rushing out the door, her borrowed grey raincoat doing little against the onslaught. She makes it five steps before that terror begins to grip her chest so tightly she can barely breathe. Another step and that grip tightens. So, she makes a call.

Gathering whatever shreds of her powers are still left to her, she calls up the concussive blasts she's relied on so many times before, focusing them on the ground at her feet — and then she's in the air, hoping against all hope that she'll avoid the lightning still streaking through the sky like some kind of elemental rave. She makes it the few yards down the street though, landing heavily on the ground behind him, ignoring the pain as she can't quite cushion the landing like normal.

Because it doesn't matter. He's here. ] Coulson!

[40seconds]

[ Nothing about this makes sense. There's no threat, no one he cares about is being hurt, but he's terrified in a way that he's only been a handful of times. Reason and thought are things that don't exist in this moment, and even while the lightning flashes around him and while Daisy blasts herself into the air and comes back down, landing hard, he's still just standing there frozen in a strong, inexplicable fear.

Later, when he's got his wits about him again, he's going to have so many questions for her, like how she found him or what she was doing that got her to his side so quickly, but for right now, he's not really capable of speaking, or even realizing she's calling him.

Apparently, this is one time in which her voice isn't enough to get through to him right away. But the force with which she lands snaps him out of his terrified state just long enough for him to look around wildly for a few seconds before fixing his gaze on her. He finds his voice again not long after. ]

Skye? Where did you come from?

[ Of course looking for his team is one of the first things he did upon arriving, but he hasn't seen any of them until just now. ]

[chuju]

I could ask you the same thing.

[ She reaches out to him, her hands gripping his arms to reassure herself that he's real. He's solid, not some figment of her imagination in this creepy place where she's felt so terribly alone. Phil Coulson, the person who means the most to her in the world. Her rock, her guidepost, her father in every way but by blood.

A crack of thunder shatters whatever moment of awe she might have been having, jolting her awareness back to their present situation. Raising her voice to be heard over the violent storm, she adjusts her grip on him to wrap an arm around his back, ready to shove him forward if needed. ]

We need to get inside!

[ It occurs to her, distantly, that he'd called her Skye instead of Daisy. In the madness of the moment, she reasons it away by blaming it on the terror that must be sinking its claws into him as well. He'd known her first as Skye and it had taken him so long to get used to Daisy that maybe his mind had latched on to the old and familiar instead of the horrors all around him. Honestly, if he's feeling anything like she is, it will be a wonder if they make it to their destination at all. But—

If there's one thing in life that can get her through anything, it's the profound need to protect her family. So while that fear continues tightening around her throat and chest, making her legs feel like lead and stealing the breath from her lungs, she pushes through it, that survival instinct telling her to hurry because she can't last like this for long. ]

[40seconds]

I've been staying in one of the houses back down that way, but-

[ At the same moment that she reaches to hold onto his arms, a spike of fear shoots through him, and he freezes up for the second time in about ten minutes. He's never had a panic attack, but this has to be what a really bad one feels like.

The thunder chooses that moment to crack loudly, and it drowns out Daisy's words. Not that it matters, because Coulson's frozen in place, but the part of him that's decisive and not afraid of things like freak storms is trying to force him to move.

The last thing he wants is to be a liability, to slow her down, but at the end of the day, he's only human, and some very human fears are dragging him down right about now. ]

Just go on ahead, Skye, I'll- I'll be right behind you.

[ If he can just get his legs to work, because like hers, his are feeling like there's lead weights holding them down. ]

[chuju]

[ He'd been at one of the houses. She'd tried to check them all but maybe they'd just missed each other time and again, the storm making it so much difficult to move around. If only she'd found him sooner... And what about the others? They can't all be in these few houses, some have to be further into the town, or somewhere else.

She doesn't notice the way he freezes, her own fear ebbing and flowing like a living thing, her adrenaline spiking higher with each new flash of lightning. And then he— Seriously? Honestly, she shouldn't be surprised, he's always been like this, but that doesn't make it any less of a bullshit thing to say. ]

Like hell, I will. You wouldn't leave me behind out here.

[ So she gives him a push, holding on as firmly as she can with the ache in her arms, hoping she doesn't send them both toppling to the ground in the process and instead just jumpstarts some forward motion so they can get going. ]

[40seconds]

[ Honestly, he should have anticipated that answer as well, and maybe a part of him did, but his only reaction is to just frown, because of course he wants her to get back inside where it's safe. It was his own foolishness that sent him out here, and he won't tolerate anyone being put in harm's way because of a decision he made. ]

This isn't a discussion; you shouldn't even be out here.

[ He shouldn't either, but he had a point to all this, really. But before he can continue, she shoves him forward, and that action takes him by surprise, sending him stumbling before he can catch himself. It's a near miss, but he manages not to take them both crashing to the ground, because that's very much not what they need right now.

It's brief, but he gives her a look of mild consternation, but at least her push got them both moving. He can still feel tendrils of fear threatening to root him in place again, but now that Skye's here, he's not about to let anything get in the way of them getting out of this storm and back to shelter. ]

Come on. The sooner we get out of this mess, the better.

[ As if he wasn't the one who got them into it in the first place. ]

[chuju]

[ He is so incredibly lucky that she's distracted right now and doesn't have the time to properly argue the point with him. Not that an argument won't be happening as soon as they get inside, of course, because no way will either of them last that long without addressing the situation, but for now he's reprieved from her yelling at him.

Because what the fuck, Coulson.

She doesn't even look apologetic about the shove, just glad that it actually got him moving. He'd been standing like he was stuck in mud and ready to devolve into a panic attack while falling prey to hypothermia. Which was not an option, obviously. ]

Can you make it to the Gull? [ They're not far, but every foot feels like a mile. A house might be closer but some people have holed up in them, and somehow the thus far communal nature of the restaurant feels safer. ]

[40seconds]

[ The thing is, he knows that he's full of hot air, because neither of them should be out here, but he cares about her far too much to put himself and his safety before hers. He's not expendable, exactly, but as far as he's concerned, between the two of them, the one who needs to survive is her. If he happens to do so as well, that's fine, but she's got her whole life ahead of her. He's had a life, and while he doesn't have a death wish, there's still so much more she can do, both here and back at home.

So, yes, an argument may very well be in their future, because what is self-preservation, anyway? When it comes to her, he'll always put her first. ]

Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it.

[ His tone is neutral, as if nothing of consequence just happened. It might take some effort to get there, but they'll get there one way or another.

Whether he can or can't isn't really relevant. They have to get there, and he's (mostly) done being dead weight. ]

It can't be that far off. [ And with that in mind, he reaches for her hand, intending to take it in his, if she'll allow it. ]

[chuju]

[ And she will always put herself last. Her own safety and well-being is never more important than that of another person's, especially someone she loves. No amount of lectures or pleading will ever change her mind on that, much to the consternation of certain members of her team.

Not only does she allow it, she holds on as tight as she can despite the cold and rain. Her arm aches at the tension but she doesn't care. He's here and they're going to get out of this mess, no matter what it takes. There is no plan b, only plan a. ]

It's up ahead... [ She can see it in the flashes of the lightning, just past the next house, but every second is a struggle the fear that wants to consume her. Of course, the fear of losing him is even stronger. ] Just hang on, we can make it.

[40seconds]

[ Between the two of them, their resolve to put themselves last and everyone else first probably cancels that out somehow, but that's the thing about them: they're both stubborn and way too determined to even notice. It's just how they're wired, and that's not going to change, for either of them.

He smiles a little bit when she holds on; it's as good a reminder as any that she's here, and she's as well as can be under the circumstances, and also, it's a reminder to him that he'll always move mountains to keep her safe. Whatever it takes. ]

Of course we can. And you hang on too. [ His smile widens just a fraction, mostly for her benefit, because they're going to help each other get through this, just as they've always done. ]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm getting the feeling that we have a lot to talk about.

[ And as far as he's concerned, if there's ever been a motivating factor to get them through, it's that. He has questions for her, just like he figures she has some for him.

Luckily, he can see the Gull looming up in front of them, in between the lightning strikes, and even though they still have a few more steps to go, it's heartening to know that safety and shelter is just at hand. ]

[chuju]

[ The fact that he's smiling at all is enough to reassure her that he's gonna be okay. Well, that he'll be okay so long as they get inside. She doesn't know how being soaked in freezing rain might effect his composition, but she's damn certain that being struck by lightning won't be good for any part of him. And without having any knowledge of how to back up his hard drive... Well, she can't lose him again. It's just that simple.

Frowning at his statement, she can't quite grasp his meaning. The way he phrased the statement, he isn't talking about just the last few days. But what else is there? ]

Do we? I mean, aside from the obvious of why you decided to make the dumb decision go out into a storm like this... [ Sorry, AC. She couldn't resist. ]

[40seconds]

[ He can't know what thoughts are running through her mind, but what he's thinking has nothing to do with his composition or having a hard drive backed up, simply because he's just a plain ordinary human.

But her question makes him think they're not on the same page at all. ]

Well, yes, we do, and about more than just that. [ He'd rather not talk about that at all, but he supposes she won't let him off the hook. ] What was it you were doing back there?

[chuju]

[ They're almost to the porch now and she feels an almost palpable sense of relief at that knowledge. The porch means safety and shelter, a place to rest and catch their bearings, even somewhere to stay if this storm continues with the ferocity.

But as glad she is to be so close, she almost stops moving altogether when he asks that question. Almost. Instead, she stumbles just a bit, taken completely off-guard, and looks at him with utter incomprehension. ]

What do you mean? You've seen me quake like that a hundred times.

[40seconds]

[ He catches himself letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in, because he's as relieved to see the porch as she is. It means shelter and safety, and it's something solid they can (hopefully) rely on.

But when she stumbles, he's quick to reach out to try and catch her so she doesn't fall. ]

That's- [ Not possible, he wants to say, but he doesn't want to anger her. ] I've never seen you do that.

[chuju]

[ Anger is not the emotion such a statement would provoke. Confusion? Frustration? A modicum of true panic? Absolutely. Though she's still pissed as hell that he went out into the storm, so... ]

Yes, you have. That's how I fi— [ Her foot hits the first step of the porch and she almost has the urge to thank a deity she doesn't even believe in. ] Did you actually get hit by lightning out there or something?

[40seconds]

[ Confusion is exactly what he's feeling as he stares at her like he's never seen her before. He knows what he knows, and that he's never seen her display anything like that before. It's an incredible thought, but he's starting to think that just maybe, at some point, they branched off and remember different things as a result.

Stranger things have happened, after all. ]

No, Skye, I didn't. I just know that in the time that I've known you, since we first met, you never displayed the ability to do anything like what I just witnessed.

[ And that's the concerning thing. Just what happened to her to make that even a possibility? He knows better than to let his mind run away from him, but he's thinking the worst here. ]

[chuju]

[ Okay, something is very wrong and she is not okay with it. The way Coulson's looking at her makes her feel a very different kind of fear. So she tugs at his hand, ignoring the pain in her arm again, pulling him underneath the overhang so they're at least out of the rain. Funny how the inexplicable fear almost immediately dissipates, leaving only the real thing behind. ]

Why do you keep calling me that? [ She hates how quiet her voice comes out, fear leaking out into each syllable in a way she'd stop if she could. So she continues quickly, forcing herself past the panic rising in her chest. ] No, it's— it's fine, you'll be fine, we'll figure out what's wrong and get you fixed up—

[40seconds]

[ He agrees with that assessment. Something is wrong, and he can't begin to guess at what that might be. She's acting differently from how he remembers her being, and he still can't shake the image of her launching herself at him like she was blasted from a cannon.

He lets her pull him under the overhang, and this time, he really sighs in relief, because that gripping fear has finally subsided, leaving only confusion in its wake. ]

What do you mean? That's your name. [ The only name she knows, and it's all he knows her as. ]

And sorry, what do you mean by fixed up? I'm fine.

[chuju]

[ She lets go of his hand finally, needing to take a step back and scrub at her face. This can't be happening. This can't. After everything she's been through this week, this can't be the hand she's being dealt. A deep breath. She can handle this. Work the problem, figure it out, deal with it. ]

You might be, or you might not. [ Another breath, because she needs to consciously work at not hyperventilating. ] Just answer one question: What's the last thing you remember before this place?

[40seconds]

[ He can almost feel her distress, and that worries him. The confusion on his face is replaced by concern, and while he doesn't know what's going on, he wants to make this easier somehow. ]

I promise, I'm fine.

[ Physically, anyway. Mentally, he's rattled. ]

I remember being at the Hub and trying to stop HYDRA.

[ His expression darkens. ]

So many of our friends were HYDRA agents the whole time.

[chuju]

[ HYDRA. The nightmare that just wouldn't stop coming, the boogeyman in SHIELD's closet that had been such a formative part of her early years as an agent. It had taken so long for them to root out every last bit of it, only for it to resurface again when they least expected.

But that's not what's important right now. Either his memory really has been fried by one thing or another, or—

She steps closer again suddenly, moving in to wrap her arms around him in a hug. It feels so good to hug him again, to feel him solidly beneath her hands. Basking in that sensation isn't an option though. As soon as her arms are around him, she sends a gentle quake through his body, just to be sure. The ache in her arms is sharp again, making her wince at the pain, but there, beneath it all... ]

How are you—?

[40seconds]

[ He waits for a reaction, for surprise, or shock, or some other expression to give him a frame of reference for where she's coming from. Obviously she's from a much later time than he is, because even looking at her, he can see the differences.

Suddenly, though, she's wrapping her arms around him and pulling him in for a hug, and for just a second, he leans into it, content to just stay like this for a little while. But he doesn't get that chance, because no sooner are her arms around him than he feels a strange kind of vibration pulse through him, and he looks at her again, that confused expression from earlier slipping back into place. ]

What was that?

[ He doesn't mean to answer her question with another question, but it seems to him that they're both very much at a loss here. ]

[chuju]

[ She'd like nothing more than to wrap him back up in another hug and never let go, but they can't just stand here in the cold, not when he's probably soaked through and human. So she pulls back, her hands lingering on his shoulders for just a moment before dropping to her sides. It feels... strange, to be standing there with a man who has been like a father to her for so long but who barely knows her. He knows Skye, the hacktivist desperate for a family and a place to belong, who is still trying to find her own identity and is only just beginning to tap into the strength she always had within her. ]

Me. That was me... [ He knows nothing about Inhumans, has no preconceptions about the species and what they're capable of, but he knows enhanced people. Will he see her the same way he did back then or will this time be different? She clears her throat and gestures to the door before moving toward it. ] Let's talk inside where it's warmer.

[ She needs those seconds to stretch into hours, because how else will she get hold of her emotions and keep from looking like she's completely lost and devastated. Some of that's already showing through her carefully crafted expression, she knows, but then he always had been able to read her like an open book. ]

[40seconds]

[ He's beyond mystified, because nothing that she's telling him is adding up, let alone those strange vibrations that he felt running through him when she pulled him in for that hug. ]

I don't understand. How was that you? [ He poses that question even as he's moving to follow her inside. Once they're there, the urge to just pepper her with questions is strong, but looking at her, he can tell she needs a minute to think, to process- something.

There's something else in her expression too, something that worries him and makes him want to do something to soothe away that devastation that's slipping through. He can't even be sure what's causing it, but that doesn't matter. He just wants to help make it go away. ]

Why don't we sit down? I have a feeling this could be a long conversation.