open » do you know what's worth fighting for?

[comeup_blank]

She’s cold. Her head hurts. She’s hungry. Really hungry.

But Vicki does her best to push those thoughts aside as she runs. The perks, as Damon called them, weren’t so bad. Maybe it would only get better, though she imagines it would be the latter. The brisk air of the night keeps her hair behind her as she does her best to navigate at such a speed

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[ramblinmann]

Randall is walking tonight. It's a thing. He likes to walk late at night. It reminds him of being home and walking home from work, almost. Almost.

His hands are in his pockets and he's trying his best to not think about everything there is at home and everything that he misses. He's trying to instead think of the better parts of Chicago that he's been finding. He hasn't been here too long himself, and he's still trying to sort out how he's supposed to feel about it.

He stops suddenly though when he runs into someone, and he reaches to catch her arm. "Whoa...hey...are you okay?"

[comeup_blank]

The grip on her arm makes Vicki tense. A lot. In fact, she goes by her first instinct to grab the wrist of the stranger that caught her and squeeze. Hard. She has no intent to break anything, but she holds on tight before looking over.

Her expression is wary, but other than that she keeps her emotions guarded. As aggressive as her hold on him may seem, she's completely unaware of it.

"Where am I?"

It's soft and shaky. Paranoid, edgy, maybe the type of tone you'd hear from any Wanderer.

[ramblinmann]

He's a little surprised at that, and he jumps back a bit as he lets go of her. He looks back at her with an open look. He doesn't want her to think he's someone dangerous. His free hand comes up with an open palm.

He may be new around Chicago, but this isn't the first time he's seen someone come through. He also remembers freshly how it feels and the confusion that comes with it.

"Hey...it's okay. I didn't mean to startle you. You're okay. You're...you're in Chicago."

[comeup_blank]

"If I'm in Chicago then I'm not ok." Her tone takes on some assertion as she studies him, releasing her hold and taking a step or two back. She wants to believe this is all some warped dream but by a part of her still believes what he's telling her.

"I belong in Mystic Falls." She shrugs her shoulders, still eying him. Still edgy.

But she's doing her best to piece this together despite everything else she's feeling.

[ramblinmann]

She does have a point there, but he's trying to ease her mind a bit. He takes a breath and pulls his arm back when she releases it.

"I just mean...you're not in immediate danger. I don't know where Mystic Falls is, but...you're not there anymore. And you're probably not going back there very soon."

He takes another deep breath, wanting to say this carefully to not scare her too much, but also just wanting to get it out before she freaks out more.

"You're in a Chicago that's an alternate world to most. You fell through a Rift, a break in time and space, and that landed you here. It...it's happened to a lot of us. I don't belong here either. I belong in New York. In....a much different world."

His world? His world isn't supernatural in any form. His world is normal.

[comeup_blank]

She scoffs a little as he's speaking, waiting until he's finished to make her argument in a rather annoyed tone.

"Yeah, I know what New York is. I'm not stupid." A few days ago, Vicki might have considered her world normal, too. But it wasn't. Apparently vampires were a normal thing.

And now she was one.

"I need to get back now." Her tone is demanding and her eyes go a little black; more from her hunger than her mood swings, though. Luckily she catches herself and stops herself from going all out vamp on him.

[ramblinmann]

"I wasn't saying you are," he says quickly. "I just have to cover my bases. I've met people who come from different worlds than even mine."

He's being more careful now, and his hand comes up to rub the back of his neck. "I know. We all need to get back, we all want to get back, but we can't. The Rift pulls us in and shoves us off when it decides to. Or...maybe it just happens on it's own, but it's out of our control."

He thinks for a moment that maybe he sees something odd in his eyes, but he's sure he imagined it. He takes another step back, really wanting to not upset her more. "If there were a way to go home, I'd tell you, I promise."

[comeup_blank]

"Right." And she'd follow up on that by asking what he's on, but she isn't really in the mood right now.

His explanation makes no sense. What does anymore? She glances around, this new world - apparently her new home for a while. If what he says is true, did her brother come here? And what about everyone else at Mystic Falls?

And his last words strike her attention. A promise from a stranger, she figures it's better than nothing. This guy almost seems more freaked out than her - maybe he's freaked out for her. He's been in her shoes, or so he says.

"Is my brother here? Matt?"

[ramblinmann]

Has she asked that, he would not be surprised. He asked something similar when this was him.

No, nothing much makes sense here in Chicago, and it's only the tip of the metaphoric iceberg. He's going to wait a moment to get to the rest.

He shrugs a bit at her question. "I don't know. He isn't someone I've met, but there are a lot of Wanderers. Us. We're Wanderers. If you want I can take you to where most of us stay. He might be there."

He isn't sure he believes her brother will be, and he doesn't want to give her false hope, but there's always the chance.

[comeup_blank]

She eyes him a little, and as tempting as the offer is, she doubts she can handle being around all these 'Wanderers'. Just looking at him was reminding her of her hunger.

She does offer an eerie smile, though.

"I think I'll go look on my own. Thanks...I don't think I caught your name?" She peers forward a little to listen in.

[ramblinmann]

He isn't going to hold it against her to not trust him and not want to go anywhere with him, so he isn't going to press it.

"Hey, no problem," he says. He offers her his hand. "I'm Randall, and if you ever need anything I'm at the Tower."

[comeup_blank]

She takes it and gives a very firm shake, hesitating before letting go. A fake smile crosses her lips and she nods in acknowledgement to his introduction.

"Vicki," She says briefly, "and I'll keep that in mind."

[ramblinmann]

He nods and slips his hands in his pockets. "Okay, good luck I guess. I should...get back on my way."

He starts to walk off, not turning from her completely. "Take care of yourself around here, okay?"

[comeup_blank]

She turns when he does, sticking her hands in her back pockets and walking away, though she does so slowly. She hears his words, and she wants to respond, maybe even kindly.

His approach seemed genuine, and he wanted to help her, but she wasn't a charity case. Especially to some guy she didn't know. So, she laughs. It sounds a little mocking, but that's intentional. Take care of herself? If she made it through the night, maybe she would.

"We'll see." She says once she's a good distance away, unsure as to whether or not he hears it.

[ramblinmann]

He still backs up slowly, watching her go. He doesn't get the warmest vibe off of her, but he isn't going to hold it against her. Not right now at least.

He doesn't hear her words, but he does hold up a hand and wave at her back before he turns to continue on his way.