Toto, I don't think we're in government custody anymore... [OPEN]

[napalmblood]

Characters: Manuela and YOU!
Location: Cloud Gate (the big jellybean) and down Michigan Ave.
Time: Near twilight.
Content: Manuela arrives to terrible confusion and a healthy dose of DESPAIR
Format: Prose
Warnings: Unless your character is particularly salty, 100% cuddles and sunshine out of this one.

Comments

[beatdiva_starr]

Starr was on her own way home, or at least, to the hotel that was acting as home. It was more of a base really since calling it home seemed too nice. Regardless, Starr was trying to get back quickly because bad things tended to come out at night and she didn't want J or the others to worry. She'd gone out to get groceries and had lost track of time. It didn't help that the days were getting shorter and the winter getting colder

[napalmblood]

Manuela nearly jumped when the woman headed towards her-- but once she got a better look and saw that it was, indeed, a woman and not something evil coming out of the alleys, she let out a breath she didn't even remember taking.

"I-I know," she said quietly, squeezing her right forearm again. "I would not normally go out like this but I... I am lost."

[beatdiva_starr]

Starr nodded in understanding, sympathetically looking over the girl and wanting to help her in whatever way possible. "It's okay. A lot of us are lost when we first arrive. This is Chicago," Starr explained, gesturing to the buildings around them as if that would help. She then put her hand to her chest, "And my name's Starr. Why don't we get you out of the cold okay? I can try to answer your questions if you like...this place is a little off-putting at first, more so than you would think a major city to be." She wasn't going to force the girl to go with her. It could be hard to trust strangers, especially judging by this girl's uneasy tune.

[napalmblood]

"Chicago?" Manuela echoed, a little bit shakily. "How... how? I was in Washington..."

Starr was at least kind, so she did look a little bit more relaxed as she drew closer to the woman. "I don't understand, but... but yes, I am very cold. If it won't be any trouble for you..."

[theblackstaff]

It was getting dark and, despite his sizable skill at combat magic, Ebenezar didn't like to take stupid risks, so he was heading back to the Blackstone as quickly as he could manage it. He'd gone to a few nearby churches, but none of them seemed to have had priests in residence. That made obtaining holy water in this vampire infested city more than a little difficult.

He paused as the setting sun glinted off the metal bean, and Ebenezar sighed, turning towards the sculpture. Best check to see if anybody had come that way and was foolish and lost underneath the fool thing.

There hadn't been anyone, but as Ebenezar continued walking, he did catch sight of a young girl walking the streets. "Hell's bells," he muttered to himself as he quickened his pace. "They never end."

Careful not to approach the girl without announcing himself, Ebenezar raised his voice, gruffly calling ahead of him. "You lost, girl?"

[napalmblood]

There was a high pitched gasp and Manuela nearly tripped, turning immediately toward the source of the voice. She looked immensely relieved to see the older man standing there, and to see that he was talking to her and not some other lost person. Though... he was the first person Manuela had seen here at all.

"Ah... yes," she admitted, nodding her head. "I... I woke up in that park and I do not know how I got here."

[theblackstaff]

"If it's any consolation, ain't the first time I heard that story," Ebenezar said, approaching slowly now that the girl was aware of him. "All of us got here the same way." He leaned a little on the staff in his hand and looked the girl over. He gestured south, down towards the Blackstone. "C'mon, girl, let's get somewhere safe before the sun sets and we can find you some better clothes for the winter."

Ebenezar took a few more steps before he remembered to add, "Name's Mr. McCoy."

[napalmblood]

Thank goodness he was a kind man. Manuela tried to suppress some of her natural skittishness around strangers, forcing herself to drop her shoulders a bit as she smiled shyly.

"Thank you very much, Mr. McCoy... my name is Manuela."

She rushed up alongside him, grateful to even hear another human voice. "Last I remember I was taking a nap, but then I woke up there..." she went on. "So you... you said others have woken up there too?"