this world can hurt you;

[youfallback]

WHO: Carolina/McAlister and you!
WHAT: Carolina finally doing things!
WHEN: Oct 2nd ish
WHERE: All around!
WARNINGS: Possible violence, abuse, etc.

[Multiple prompts below. If you would like another one, please let me know!]

Comments

A MORNING → OUT AND ABOUT → OTA

[youfallback]

It has taken a few days too long for Carolina to get her bearings in Nightwake. She found her apartment, yes, she found food and the like, yes, but the city itself is massive. Travelling the various sections requires more checking of her map than she would like, but it seems she’s travelled across a dimensional line she didn’t know existed. In Project Freelancer, they trained for such inevitabilities, but she never gave them too much credence.

So now, she scouts out each section, one by one, solidifying each in her mind. There are features to be memorized, faces to familiarize, and, most of all, enemies to detect. Crossing the dimensional line did not exclude Freelancer or the UNSC’s presence from existing here. Her bright red hair would not help in hiding her, so she needs some tradecraft: dark clothes, hoodies, the like.

She’s not looking for allies, but she does need help, which makes this all the more difficult. When she approaches the nearest pedestrian, she tries to turn off the soldier mode.

“Hi, I’m new, could you point me in the way of the nearest clothing store?” Carolina asks, trying to sound as blisteringly normal as possible while still dressed in a military camo outfit.

[roundandaround]

"Eh? Clothes? Okay!"

Rinku smiles. She looks pretty normal today, save for the sparkles in her eyes, and she taps her chin and hums.

"Have you been to the Underground Mall? There's, like, a million stores in there!"

[youfallback]

Carolina has a teeny sense of style but right now she's not going for style, she's going for tradecraft.

"I haven't, no," Carolina replies. "Nightwake is larger than I expected."

She doesn't admit to only being around for a short time or that she's having some trouble navigating.

[roundandaround]

"Then you gotta!" She offers a hand out, apparently completely unfazed by Carolina's appearance. "They have everything! I like going down there for the arcade -- oh, and the crane machine arcade too! -- but there's a bunch of stores for different types of clothes and stuff."

[happydreamed]

Kantera probably looks unusual to her - the wings and horns, for one thing - but he reacts to her with a friendly smile, not minding her outfit at all.

"Certainly. There are plenty of shops in Nightwake - do you have any preferences of style?"

[youfallback]

Carolina has dealt with 'alien' races before, but most of the time it's right before they try to kill her for existing. When Kantera clearly isn't about to do that, Carolina's smile widens.

"Nothing special," Carolina replies. "I'm not really the glamourous type."

[happydreamed]

"Ah, I see. In that case, there's a Stacy's about two blocks from here, with quite reasonable prices. Just keep going straight until you see it, if you reach the Gacha Restaurant you've gone too far."

[universalmelody]

[ The (very normal, very human) pedestrian Carolina approaches is very sorry, ma'am; they're here on business, you see, from Blossomcrown, and they don't know the area well. They wish her the best of luck and hustle away with a smile and a wave. ]

You got a style in mind? [ … asks the (Very Large, Very Fluffy) Actual Dragon lounging on a nearby rooftop like an oversized iridescent cat. A big oversized cat. As in, easily bigger than a horse. ]

[ It's impossible to say whether they ... she? had been there a couple of seconds ago. ]

[youfallback]

[Carolina doesn't mind being brushed off. It's not the first time since she arrived, hence why she's out asking again. Then she makes eyes with a fucking dragon and is very sure she is entirely out of her mind. Someone must have poisoned her and the effects just now taking hold.

Instead, Carolina turns to the pedestrian closest to her and speaks to them instead.]

Simple things: sweatpants, jeans, hoodies. The easy things.

[universalmelody]

[ The pedestrian — who had been in the middle of sipping on their smoothie — blinks at Carolina. "Um," they say, still with the straw on their lips.

And they point.

Helpfully.

At the dragon. (The dragon who is trying her rubesty not to laugh.) "They're over there?" ]

I'm over here. [ Miyuni agrees, helpfully. ] Like, for actual realsies. You're not hallucinating.

[ Smoothiedestrian nods. Takes a sip. "You're not hallucinating. There's a talking dragon on the roof." ]

B MORNING → DEALER’S DEN → MK

[youfallback]

Only after Carolina has ‘borrowed’ some dark clothes does she head out to the facilities and entertainment centers in the various sectors. If she’s going to survive here, she’s going to need a job and everything she’s seen so far looks less and less military (ex-military?). The Dealer’s Den is no exception with its bright lights and velvet tables, but places like these always need security of some kind and Carolina happens to specialize in knocking people down a peg or two.

So, she walks in, late in the morning, and takes a seat at the bar, eyes constantly moving. Finding the owner shouldn’t be too hard, but this place is larger than it looked on the outside.

A bartender moves to offer her libation but she shakes her head; she needs to keep sharp to complete her missions.

Well, not mission, technically.

Re: B MORNING → DEALER’S DEN → MK

[noodleboi]

MK is definitely not hard to miss. He has on the best suit of the staff. Blacks and oranges. He is chatting with someone and grinning wide. He's in monkey form like he usually is here. He nods and waves them off. The bartender comes over and whispers to him. He nods and heads behind the bar, letting the man head off for his break. He walks over to Carolina and gives her a welcoming smile.

"Welcome to the Dealer's Den. I'm MK, the owner. What can I get you?"

Re: B MORNING → DEALER’S DEN → MK

[youfallback]

Carolina knows well enough that to keep her seat, she likely has to buy something. Nevermind that the creature (monkey?) in front of her is clearly the best dressed in the house. Still, she'll need to keep smooth before propositioning him for a job.

"Gin and tonic," Carolina replies, flicking her gaze from him to the various tables around them. "Looks like you're doing well for yourself, MK."

She almost offers her real name, before catching it on her lips. "McAlister."

Re: B MORNING → DEALER’S DEN → MK

[noodleboi]

"One Gin and tonic, coming up," MK said as he starts to get the drink going. He figures straight up since rocks weren't mentioned. He smiles as he starts working.

"Nice to meet you, McAlister. I am. The place is a hit. People like a place they can come, have fun, play games, and not be judged," MK explains. "My friend who started this place was from a version of Hell. So he didn't want people to feel like they were bad for coming to have fun. He went home so I ended up taking over the place. I wanted to keep it going. And turns out,"

MK pauses to put Carolina's Gin and Tonic in front of her, "I make a mean drink. Enjoy."

A AFTERNOON → WIGS → OTA

[youfallback]

Carolina knows she can’t stay in the state she is, not with her flaming red hair. She picks across the listings in her phone– how adorably 21st century– and finds a wig store. Making a beeline for the establishment, Carolina pops in with little cash left in her pocket. Something cheap can be modified, but if she doesn’t have to do so on the fly, she would rather not do so. So, she browses the dark-hair wigs, all of seemingly a different length and style. She would rather there be one for each color, rather than the bizarre classifications of lengths of a bob. Who would care if something was a chin bob, a neck bob, or any other sort of bob that seems to exist.

No, she has her eyes on a long, black-haired wig that she can tuck into a ponytail. The only problem is the payment. York used to be the best at not spending money, but Carolina only picked up half his tricks. More importantly, he’s a traitor, and not worth the tug at her heartstrings when she thinks about him.

Maybe it’s time she had a drink after all.

B AFTERNOON → DRINKS → OTA

[youfallback]

With a job in hand and a dark-haired wig pulled over her red hair, Carolina now has the means to live in this new dimension and a partial lead on a person of interest. She would rather not cage said person of interest on their home turf, so Carolina once more turns out to the streets to search. On the way, though, there’s no stopping her from once again trying to become more acquainted with the residents of Nightwake. She stops at a restaurant, sidles up to the bar and glances to the person on her left.

“Looks like you could use a drink or two,” Carolina states, once more trying to not be A Soldier for five minutes. How long that will last is up to her non-existent patience. She needs information, if possible.

Re: B AFTERNOON → DRINKS → OTA

[castaside]

The monkey on the seat beside her blinks, first looking straight ahead, and then he turns--

And this blink is different. A flicker of recognition, then confusion about that recognition, as if it was from a distant dream.

Not a dream, just another person's memories. He (proverbially) shakes himself out of it in less than a moment, and smiles.

"Always," he says smoothly, like that thing from a second ago just didn't happen.

Re: B AFTERNOON → DRINKS → OTA

[youfallback]

Carolina is most definitely not A Fan of those blinks. She's seen something similar in her time and it always spells trouble. Deeply grateful for the dark hair currently sweeping over her own usual red, Carolina taps the bar in front of her. She gestures with her head toward Macaque.

"I'll cover him," Carolina instructs, "Whiskey, neat, for me."

Maybe some alcohol will pry open her guest.

Re: B AFTERNOON → DRINKS → OTA

[castaside]

Yeah, good luck with that approach when that booze is fighting an immortal constitution. However, fortunately for her, Macaque knowing where the flash of recognition came from means he's liable to just be open anyway.

Besides, it's a new thing he's trying.

"The same," he tells the bartender, finishing off whatever deep amber drink was in his glass in one swallow.

"You new here, or just on a hunt for new acquaintances?"

EVENING → WASH

[youfallback]

It’s taken most of the afternoon and into the early evening to finally catch him out and away from any kind of home territory. Carolina knows nothing of the estate he lives on, but figures he’s just come from an apartment of some kind. She follows him for several hundred feet, keeping in shadows for the right time to strike. Of course, she has no desire to kill him, but the pistol tucked into the back of her waistband would imply otherwise.

It’s only there for intimidation, she reminds herself, a means to acquiring information, a means to an end.

And then comes her opportunity. She’s suddenly close, right behind him, pistol drawn and pressed against the skin right about his implant slot.

“Don’t move,” she speaks low, just above a whisper. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Re: EVENING → WASH

[schrodingerscockroach]

Wash isn't surprised at the feeling of being washed. He's pissed off several gangs and other than the speciesist one, they were all left alive, so it makes sense to him some might want to fuck around and find out.

He's not on any of his usual routes anyway today. He's going around, picking up supplies for Wylan. At least the plant was known to the scientists and it'd wear off in time, but they needed stuff for his coma and Donnie had give him a list. So he's going around and actually buying teh stuff he can because they really shouldn't default to crime if they don't have to.

So he's going along, checking off the list, in a zip up hoody and a questionable shirt. That and the greying hair is probably a sight, but he has always looked younger than he is anyway despite the grey. Storing everything into the hammerspace purse and moving along.

He does stop at a smoothie place, ponders for several moments, and a drink carrier with three, and moves along. Makes sure his pendant is set.

Then he starts moving on less populated roads. Time to see what those eyes are gonna do.

...the thing is, he knows he's being watched. He had assumed it was at a distance because he's usually good at knowing when people are close.

The sudden closeness does actually give him serious cause for concern, the hand not holding the carrier moving to grab a knife because there's close and near the fucking port and he has gone from 'collect information' to 'take out a kneecap' real quick-

Until she speaks.

He will always know that voice. "Carolina?!"

Re: EVENING → WASH

[youfallback]

"You didn't answer my question," Carolina applies more pressure with the pistol, making sure the kiss of metal is not missed. "What. The hell. Are you doing here."

Each phrase applies just as much pressure as the gun, her words cropped and close. She knows he's good with a knife, but despite that she keeps close. Her heartbeat thunders in her ears as she tries to remember the last time she saw him before--

He wasn't part of the team offering to break back into the Mother of Invention. From what she knows, he was still in medical when everything went to hell, but that doesn't make him an ally right now.

THE NEXT DAY → AFTERNOON/EVENING → MK

[youfallback]

[Carolina now has a suit to complete her appearance. The tailor MK referenced really made the outfit fit her quite well and it's been a while since she wasn't wearing either tradecraft or her armor. She makes her way to the Dealer's Den and shows up ten minutes early to her shift.

Habits are what they are.

She looks around for MK and finds him without much trouble.]

Reporting in.

Re: THE NEXT DAY → AFTERNOON/EVENING → MK

[noodleboi]

[MK is in his suit and monkey form again. He smiles at Carolina when she arrives.]

Hey there, McAlister. How are you tonight? Are you hungry? We got family dinner still. I made it so everyone could eat before their shift. You look good in that suit. It feels comfortable? It looks great.

Re: THE NEXT DAY → AFTERNOON/EVENING → MK

[youfallback]

I'm ready to work. [Carolina's voice is firm, implying that she'd rather not have a family dinner unless it's a briefing.]