entranceway | Action + Video - I'm off on this super fun adventure

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Action + Video - I'm off on this super fun adventure

[ARRIVAL; Action]

[It's been something of A Day for Louis. A roller coaster of some really awesome and some really horrifically terrible shit. One minute, he was standing over that absolute jackass, Abel, and the next he's stumbling out of the first floor storage room out into the corridor with some comedic arm flailing. He catches himself, then stills, glancing around the space that is definitely not Ericson's courtyard.]

Toto, we're not in Kansas any more.

[He lets out a soft laugh that's toeing a little too close to hysterical. Carefully, he slides what looks like (and turns out IS) a chair leg with nails rammed into the top from an inside pocket of his held-together-by-love-and-duct-tape trenchcoat. For the observant, there's a blood stain on the upper arm, dry, a few weeks old, but definitely there, and definitely around a recently duct-taped hole. He raises his makeshift mace as he edges to a window, peering out at the perfect, beautiful Walker-free grounds.]

Oooookay, Lou. You're having a little bit of a psychotic breakdown. That's okay, that's fine. It's been a weird day. You knew it would have probably happened eventually. It's all good. Someone'll snap you out of this any second now.

[If you're heading towards him or passing him by, congrats, you've got his attention, he'll wave at you with his free hand.]

Hi there, mental breakdown conjuration. How's it hanging? Good? Good. I'm great. Not freaking out at all.

[LATER; Video]

[Once he's been filled in on what's actually happening (but still not utterly convinced this isn't some kind of stress-induced hallucination) Louis picks himself a room. He has his first hot shower in literal years, and even trusts the (magic????) closets to give him a new set of clothes. Aside from the trenchcoat. That remains as filthy and duct-taped as always. He's not parting with that for anything.

He sets himself up in the kitchen, where he sets up his communicator with a few false starts. It's been a long-ass time since he got to play with actual electronics. He's got a veritable feast on the table around him- ranging from god-awful junk food to fancy-ass steaks. They never truly starved in the school, but when all you have to eat for nigh on eight years are variations of rabbit, fish or berries, you can't help but indulge. He'll regret it later, when his system freaks out from suddenly having too-rich nutrients again, but that is a risk he's absolutely willing to take. He grins, giving the camera a thumbs-up. He doesn't get what's happening at all, but he can't just sit still, this...this keeps him active.]

Hey there, fellow captives-slash-mental breakdown prisoners! The name's Louis and I'm brand new to this... whatever it is. AnyHOO, seen as it sounds like I'll be here for a while, I thought I'd get to know you a little better. [He raises a dirty, dog-eared pack of playing cards t the screen.] So! If any kids wanna come to the kitchen and share in my bountiful feast and have a good old game of War, you're totally welcome to. Highest card gets to ask a question to the other person, fun, right? Or, I guess, you can be boring and do it over the video instead. What'd you say?

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All kinds of shit happens here. Not all bad. Not all good. Better than walkers though, if you ask me.

[ She'd take three days of surviving versus living the rest of her life with the dead. ]

You can build a life for yourself here. Build a family, make friends. All depends on what you do with the opportunity.

[ Michonne realizes she sounds like a Wonderland recruiter, so she pauses before continuing. ]

'Course, it's acceptable to hate this place, too. I'm just too old. Too tired. And I found people who make me happy.

I'm pretty certain anything is better than walkers.

[He frowns, staring at the closet. It's good, good that he's been thrown this life preserver and yanked somewhere where the dead aren't roaming around. Where, indeed, a life could be made, but, but-]

...The people who make me happy are all back there.

[His people, more family than friends at this point. The life they'd managed to create for themselves, their own little safe space. One that's been very much disrupted as of late, but it's still there, his little group. Then there's AJ and Clem- relatively new in comparison but meaning so much to him regardless. ]

[ Michonne gets that, and her face softens. ]

Mine are, too. The people I call family, they're all at home. But when you're here, you do the same thing we had to do there, when it all ended.

[ You find people. You stick together. She hadn't, not at first, but then Andrea opened up a part of Michonne's heart and there's been no going back since then. ]

There's one other person here from our world, too. Someone in her group left them a long time ago and he was with us. Where are you living? What state?

You make the connections you can and stay alive, huh?

[He was fortunate. All his people were already together, already fortified. Sure, the adults split, but the kids? They stuck it out. Still, he's social enough, he could find new people. It wouldn't be the same, but it'd be something.

He nods, filing away there was someone else here- someone else who understood the shit they had to go through on the daily, now suddenly free of that.]

West Virginia. Me and my group are living in our boarding school. It's a pretty good setup... or it was. [He grimaces, rubbing the back of his neck.] Had some shit go down with a bunch of raiders. It's not been a fun time.

If you get lucky. I did, but it took a long damn time.

[ But then, everything he's saying about where he is makes her eyes widen. He's not a part of her group (maybe there's a future where he is, who knows) but she knows who he might know. ]

I'm Alexandria. Not too far off, I guess.

[ She can't remember the word Virginia, thanks Wonderland. ]

...You know someone named Clementine?

I'm pretty personable. I think I'll be okay.

[Making friends has never been something Louis has struggled with, even after the world went to hell in a handbasket. Small favours, he guesses.]

Not far at all, in the grand scheme of everything.

[Thanks for being an ass, Wonderland. At that name, though, he brightens considerably, his face splitting into a grin.]

Yes! Yes I do know someone called Clementine! Is she the other person here? Dark hair? Gold eyes? Wears a hat with a Mysterious D on it? The badesst badass that ever did live? That Clementine?

[ Wow, that was a reaction, and she has to bite back an amused smile.

Looks like teen crushes are alive and well during the rebuilding of humanity. ]

Think we might be talking about the same badass. Yeah. She's here. Been here a while with me, so there's a weird clue about how this place works. I know she left a little while ago, came back older. She might know you now.

[Even at the worst of times, teenagers are still teenagers. It's a small comfort.]

That's a pretty big weird clue, yeah, because she's never told me about this place. [The thought she might NOT know him isn't a comfortable one.] I hope so? I mean, we're pretty close. It's be pretty sad if she forgot me. A tragedy for both of us.

[ Michonne regards him, wondering if he's actually...sweet on her, wondering if she needs to have a specific talk with Clementine. For now, she won't embarrass either of them. ]

You'll have to let me know if it's a happy reunion. But she could be from any time - even if she knows you, she could be from the future. She could be from the day you met.

[ It's a head's up, and in their world, being from someone's future could mean seeing them in Wonderland is like seeing a ghost. ]

[He nods, taking that in. He really, really hopes she at least knows him. He can live with her being ahead of him in time, heck, even behind him. But if she didn't know him at all? Well, that would just about break his heart.]

The day we met wouldn't be so bad, I make a pretty memorable first impression. I sure remember that day fondly. One of my faves.

[It was like, three weeks ago. But yup, he is definitely sweet on her. Enjoy that talk, Michonne. ]

[ Well she's nothing if not blunt, so: ]

You like her. Like her, like her.

[ And it's not a question more so than it is a factual statement. ]

[He rubs the back of his neck and laughs- a touch awkward, but not embarrassed. ]

Heck, yeah, I do, she's amazing.

[Definitely a factual statement. He'd shout if from the rooftops if he wasn't sure Clem wouldn't just push him off said rooftop for doing so.

He might do it anyway. ]

[ Oh, Jesus. Who teaches sex ed in the zombie apocalypse? Is it gonna have to be her? She's going have to teach them eventually, isn't she?

Goddammit. ]

Clementine's as good as a daughter to me. Just so you know.

[ It's all she'll say for now. Just so he knows. ]

[It's absolutely going to have to be her. She's their Designated Responsible Adult now.

Louis catches that drift and raises his hands in surrender. ]

Hear you, loud and clear. And honestly? Cards on the table? She means the world to me.

[He pauses, considers.]

Besides, even if I wanted to hurt her - which I emphatically don't, she can kick my ass seven ways to Sunday without even breaking a sweat. Not even kidding. She outmatches me in every conceivable way and then some.

[ Michonne hides a smile though she can't quite keep it out of her eyes as she nods. ]

Good. I'm glad you know it.

[ And that he accepts it, apparently. ]

And I'm glad she has someone who cares about her.

[ In their world people who genuinely care can be hard to come by, she knows it. So, if Louis is as good as he seems, she's happy for it. They just don't need to be too serious too soon. ]

[He accepted Clementine was a much better survivor than he was the second he helped get her out of that car wreck and she was still fighting for AJ. If any single one of them will make it out the other side of their current hellscape of an existence, it's Clem. He'd bet everything on it. ]

She has a lot of someones. There's me, there's AJ. Heck the whole rest of the school thinks she's awesome. [NOW.] She deserves it.

[ It does a lot of good for Michonne's heart to hear that, and she's grateful to him. As long as he doesn't hurt her. ]

Having people is all we've got out there. Even if she's stubborn, won't always admit it, she needs you. and AJ, and the others.

Oh yeah, she's stubborn alright. No changing her mind when she makes a decision. It's like trying to move a mountain.

[His tone is fond despite the words. There's serious heart eyes here.]

I'm glad we can give her and AJ somewhere safe. Or...safe as it can be what with all the raider bullshit and whatever. Once we deal with that, hopefully it can go back to being a safe haven again and she can finally just stop running.

[ All of this, she's happy to hear, happy to hear that he really does care, he's really looking out. ]

Well. We're glad you're here. I'm glad you're here. Better than ducking walkers - most days. Some days we might as well be back home for how shitty it is.

[He chuckles softly.]

Aww thanks, I'm glad I'm here to bless you all with my presence. And honestly? I'll take some shitty days over constant shitty days. It's still a step up.

Won't argue with you there.

[ Whether or not he wants it, he now has someone looking out for him, and she plans on adding him to the list of people to immediately check in on when shit goes sideways. ]

Want some help getting settled, finding a room?

[ She'll get it if no, some things for people from their world, you just have to do on your own.

Or find the one person you'd rather get familiar in a new place with. ]

[He will come to appreciate that a great deal, being on her list of people. As of right now, though, she's still an adult, and for such a long time those have been the worst kinds of people for him. She seems...pretty cool, but he still has a medicoum of guard up.

Still, his smile is pleasant.]

I should be okay, thanks though. I'll catch you around?

You will. Get settled, explore. Be careful.

[ She's not a hover mom, she's a cool mom. ]

I'll see you soon. And if you need anything.

[ The offer stays unspoken, but she does turn to go. ]

[He could really use a cool mom. Or a mom in general, honestly. ]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[And off he goes to get a room next to Clem, because of course he does.]

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Action + Video - I'm off on this super fun adventure

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