[ It's a funny thing what absence will do to someone. Without the others, without the mission or the path, Sciel's enjoyed a few days of relative and quiet peace. Finding food and resources is normal; exploring isn't terrifying when you aren't facing down Nevrons every few minutes. It's odd to feel so calm here, to be mostly unbothered by the uncertainty. When the lights go out and people poke their heads out of their motel windows with concern, she's there to make light of it, toss some cards around, get some of the few kids there to laugh and smile. A few people even ask for a fortune or two and Sciel can't help her crooked smile.
Suspension of fear and doubt. Sadness but clarity. Sacrifice and liberation. She jokes about talking to the stars, giving them a little rattle for better luck.
Seems like luck isn't on her side tonight.
The first strike of the cane grabs her attention as it echoes in the darkness. The second assures her she's not hearing things. The third sounds like her thundering heart, too loud in her ears, and when she turns down the long alleyway beside the motel, she sees him step out of the gloom like the worst nightmare she's ever had. Sciel's hands brush out automatically, scooting the kids back to their parents, who seem nonplussed but surprised at her shooing them away.
She has no idea what this man might do. She isn't taking chances.
Should she run? Should she try and fight, knowing that on her own, it won't end well?
Sciel chooses neither. She chooses to stand her ground and wait. ]
You can't have been brought here too.
[ Or, worse, this truly is just some extended nightmare and something's happened to her back home. ]
❗here be spoilers (but vague bc canon points are weird)❗
Suspension of fear and doubt. Sadness but clarity. Sacrifice and liberation. She jokes about talking to the stars, giving them a little rattle for better luck.
Seems like luck isn't on her side tonight.
The first strike of the cane grabs her attention as it echoes in the darkness. The second assures her she's not hearing things. The third sounds like her thundering heart, too loud in her ears, and when she turns down the long alleyway beside the motel, she sees him step out of the gloom like the worst nightmare she's ever had. Sciel's hands brush out automatically, scooting the kids back to their parents, who seem nonplussed but surprised at her shooing them away.
She has no idea what this man might do. She isn't taking chances.
Should she run? Should she try and fight, knowing that on her own, it won't end well?
Sciel chooses neither. She chooses to stand her ground and wait. ]
You can't have been brought here too.
[ Or, worse, this truly is just some extended nightmare and something's happened to her back home. ]