Cautiously, you walk the dawning - Arrival OTA

[define_belief]

She woke up on the ground, which was new. She didn't remember waking up in dreams before, but she knew she hadn't gone to sleep outside. She pushed herself into a sitting position and looked around. The sun was rising and everything was a chill grey dawn. Ariadne zipped up her hoodie before pulling out her bishop totem and casually tipping it,

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[dreamplanner]

Arthur had been exploring the village. He'd been here a few days, but true to form, had kept mostly to himself. He was around the corner when he heard sounds of life, and drew his Glock 17 from his ankle holster, turning off the safety and cocking it before quickly rounding the corner, aiming at whatever strangeness might be awaiting him.

When he saw her, he immediately put the gun down, putting on the safety and trigger lock.

"Ariadne?"

[define_belief]

Ariadne almost dropped the rock she grabbed in her immediate natural response of jumping up and raising her hands parallel to her head.

"Arthur," she said dropping her arms, obviously relieved. She strode up to him, hanging on to her rock. "What's going on?"

[define_belief]

I was stupid and hit a button and deleted Arthur's comment by mistake. Luckily, I have it in my inbox, so I'll put it here:

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ARTHUR: "I don't know," he replied, his eyes watching the area around them as he spoke to her. "I've only been here a few days and...it's...it's not good. This place..."

He jumped at a small sound, frowning.

"Let's go back to my cabin. We can talk there."

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"Is it dangerous here?" Ariadne followed him, but didn't stop being inquisitive. "Where are we?" She stopped. "Cabin?"

[dreamplanner]

"Yes," Arthur said simply, his face very serious. "So stay close. This is...I'm not sure what it is, other than it's not a dream, and it's not New York. It's a camp of some sort, and out there, outside the fence...it's not good, Ariadne."

He shook his head.

"The whole world is gone. There are just...ruins...and zombies of some sort. It's very dangerous and I'm absolutely not sure what to make of it."

They reached his cabin and he checked out the inside before letting her in, and he quickly locked the door behind him. The inside was simple, but neat and clean, and his clothes were hanging in an open closet. The PASIV was on the bed, along with a few other things.

"There's a cabin next door, I'd like it if you'd take it, so I can keep an eye on you. Not that I don't think you can protect yourself, but you're small. And unarmed."

[define_belief]

"But- But it has to be a dream, then," she said, walking briskly to keep up with him. "The end of the world? Zombies? That's not real life."

She followed him inside. "You have the PASIV," she observed, vaguely. She was trying to piece it all together.

"OK. I would've wanted a cabin near you anyway," she said, still sounding absent and looking around. "But you need to tell me exactly what's going on. How did I get here? What are you doing here?"

[dreamplanner]

"I don't know any more than you do, Ariadne," he said with a shrug. "I showed up here a few days ago, and I've been asking the same questions that you are right now and not finding any answers."

He sat heavily on the bed.

"I don't know that they're actually zombies. I mean, I don't think they're actually the reanimated dead. But they're not human, either...or only barely so. They can't get into this part of the camp - there's a fence that keeps them out. So as long as we stay here, we're...safer."

He raised an eyebrow at her mention of the PASIV.

"Yes, it showed up here with me. Somnacin too. But I don't think we should be using it until we figure out how to be safe here."

[define_belief]

"But you've got a few days on me, at least," Ariadne said, wearily. She didn't feel like sitting, even though they had been walking quite fast. "Who else is here? Cobb? Eames?"

She nodded at his reply. "But...zombies aren't real. Is your totem working?"

[dreamplanner]

"Just us," he shrugged. "From home, anyway. I've heard other people up and around he place, but I haven't met any of them. From what I can tell they're just normal people."

Maybe now that Ariadne was here, it would be easier to get to know them. He just wasn't a very social person, especially when he felt himself to be in danger.

"You're alright, though?"

That was the most important thing, after all.

[define_belief]

"But there are other people here," Ariadne stated rather than asked. She was already thinking she wanted to talk to them and hear for herself an explanation of how she got here and what was happening.

"I guess so. I mean, I don't know where this is or how I got here and my totem is acting normal, but this can't be real life..." she suddenly felt tired. "But you're here. I'm so glad."

[dreamplanner]

Arthur nodded, turning his own totem over and over again in his hand. It was acting normal too, so this wasn't a dream. But he already knew that. He could handle all sorts of weirdness in dreams, but real life had rules. And one of those rules was that you didn't wake up in a completely different place from where you went to sleep, without knowing how you got there.

So he entirely understood Ariadne's discomfort with the whole thing.

"Can't say I'm glad I'm here," he said honestly. "But I am very glad you're not here alone. I know you're smart and I know you're strong, and you're better at so many things than I am, but when it comes to surviving...well...you're so small. And you're unarmed."

He shook his head and held out a hand to her.

"We'll figure this out. I promise."

[define_belief]

"That's what I meant. You know what to do and stuff," she said quickly. She ignored the 'small' comment. She was used to being underestimated due to stature. "I'm always unarmed."

Ariadne wasn't sure what the gesture meant, exactly. Did he want to shake? Or maybe he just wanted touch. She could relate to that. She came to the bed, taking his hand and sitting next to him.

"Now what? Does the camp have a chief or something?"

[dreamplanner]

Arthur swallowed. She was sitting beside him. On a bed. If she'd known some of the dreams he'd had during the week she was staying at his apartment, she might not have wanted to do that.

Not that he'd do anything without her express consent.

It was more just the idea that he wanted to at all.

Dammit, there were so many more things to do right now than think about that.

"Ah, no. Not that I've met. I haven't met much of anyone, yet, though."

He said nothing for a moment, then blurted:

"I think you should stay here tonight. I'll take a blanket and crash on the floor. You take the bed. I just don't think you should stay in that cabin alone."

[define_belief]

"Then we need to do that. Talk to people. See if there is someone in charge. Find out where everyone else is."

Given that she had just arrived in a strange place with good reason to believe it wasn't a dream, Ariadne was not thinking along the same lines as Arthur, though in the back of her mind she was aware of the general direction the male mind took in situations like this.

"Are you sure?" she replied. She actually did not like the idea of staying in a strange room under these circumstances, and was very grateful for his suggestion. "I don't want to take your bed. I can stay on the floor."

[dreamplanner]

"You absolutely will not," he said in no uncertain terms. "I'd rather be closer to the door, anyway."

So that he could guard it.

"You're not putting me out, Ariadne. I haven't slept since I got here, anyway."

[define_belief]

"OK. Just this once. I'll get out of your hair tomorrow," she promised gratefully. "But I don't want to keep you up."