[Prompt: A Refugee in a New World]
BGM: A Perfect Circle - The Noose
Lillianne liked to consider herself familiar with the shadows, with the darkness, hell with the abyss. Cold velvet that had been a companion for some amount of years now. Eerily comforting, the never there yet ever present. But what she went up again, what she SAW. That... That wasn't the darkness she was familiar with. It was like entropy, all consuming. It left nothing but shades of what once was. Feeling like slickened oil, repelling the 'water' of her own darkness and corrupting it. Fear was also a familiar yet more bitter friend as she scrambled to try and find a way to save her world, to do SOMETHING with all of her abilities.
Gotham as she knew it fell, a snapshot of what once was in all its old gothic glory. And Lillianne in a bitter twist of fate had no CHOICE, no other course but to flee. From all she's ever known. She couldn't of even described how it happened, coming here to the Sanctuary. Whether it was blind, dumb luck or interference. It mattered little as she seemed to be the only one she knew to actually escape her dying world in the early hours of the morning, to find herself in frozen tundra with a helping hand thrusted in her face soon after.
Sanctuary.
Her new dwelling.
It has barely been hours since her entire world tilted on it's axis, to find herself staring aimlessly around her in unfamiliar lands with even further unfamiliar faces. A fucking pamphlet (what the ffffuck!?) shoved into her hands to skim through as she's led towards a settlement. The tight-fitting kevlar of her suit did little to brave the deep chill of this land, and with chattering teeth slipped into something two sizes too big yet was quickly proving to stave off the bitter cold. It was fur lined and a faded amber colour. Along with the other supplies in a worn leather bag she found herself sitting in an inn. Sipping on a mulled orange juice that warmed the senses.
She was still reeling. Going through the motions to get her somewhere stable. Her brain refusing to consider the consequences of what was lost. Of what to do next.
A homely goat-lady had set down a slice of butterscotch pie in front of her, freshly made with a dollop of cream. She had thanked the woman, Toriel? But continued to kinda just... Stare into the distance. She was waiting to be 'assigned' to a... House? A family? She wasn't entirely sure what the hell was happening, beyond that community seemed to be a massive thing here. And people sought out to help other people, complete strangers. It felt like hours had passed. It felt like no time passed at all. Adrenaline not entirely gone in these strange surroundings. An awareness of everything happening around her that she was trying to tune out, yet not completely (wouldn't do to be taken by surprised after all).
She got helping people, hell she made a living out of doing exactly that (people didn't save themselves after all), but coming from Gotham where it was almost every man for himself? Well it was jarring, to say the least. She had no identity here either, not like back home. No... Nothing. Just herself. And anything she brought with her on her person. Her thumb subconsciously sought out the smooth and familiar edges of one of her daggers. Not an attempt to be threatening, just something, that felt like Home.
13S was making her way through Sanctuary, a box in her arms as she stepped into the nearby Inn, making her way over to the bartender and telling them she had a package delivery. The bartender nodded and smiled, signing the form and taking the package. As she turned around to take her leave, she noticed that there was someone she didn't recognize sitting at the table. Tapping her chin, her brows furrowed in thought, should she go say hi or leave that person alone? She didn't want to disrupt them while they were eating but...
'It wouldn't hurt to stop by and say hello, right?' She wondered, thoughts flowing through her mind. Turning towards the bartender, she ordered a nice warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, then made her way over to the table, standing a few feet away.
"Excuse me?" She softly called, glancing at the person with her hazel eyes, her reddish brown hair loose as she stands there, adorned in what seemed to be a simple white sweater and dark green scarf with a pair of blue jeans, the festive cup in her hands. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" She asked curiously, a kind smile upon her face.
'It wouldn't hurt to stop by and say hello, right?' She wondered, thoughts flowing through her mind. Turning towards the bartender, she ordered a nice warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, then made her way over to the table, standing a few feet away.
"Excuse me?" She softly called, glancing at the person with her hazel eyes, her reddish brown hair loose as she stands there, adorned in what seemed to be a simple white sweater and dark green scarf with a pair of blue jeans, the festive cup in her hands. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" She asked curiously, a kind smile upon her face.
Lillianne had barely focused on her surroundings for the past half hour, or has it been since she arrived? Maybe getting torn out of her home due to some unforeseen apocalyptic event that not even the Justice League could stop did that to a girl. There had been attempts to shore up her usual vigilant ways, but it was just all so much... Too much. Her face scrounged up, frowning into the distance.
The soft voice broke through her tormented reverie, jolting her. She hissed as her thumb nicked the edge of her dagger, and she sucked on the barely there wound as her gaze slide over to the... Human? She blinked, nostrils flaring as she considered the woman before her. Her hand drops from her face, as she regards the woman fully. The smell of chocolate emanated from the hot chocolate, sweet and soothing in it's familarity. ''Erm,'' She glances about her, there was plenty of space to be sitting. ''Sure, yeah. Uh go ahead.'' She gestures at the seat closest to the woman, taking a sip of her now cold mulled orange juice. There's a grimace for a second before she looks back over at the lady. ''I'm Lillianne.'' She offers quietly, peering at her. She sniffs, looks around again and sighs. ''I'm 'new'.'' There was something bitter in the way she said the word. Hands clenching around the cool cup.
She shakes her head to free the quickly spiraling thoughts. Huffs out a breath that wasn't quite half a laugh, wasn't quite a sigh either.
The soft voice broke through her tormented reverie, jolting her. She hissed as her thumb nicked the edge of her dagger, and she sucked on the barely there wound as her gaze slide over to the... Human? She blinked, nostrils flaring as she considered the woman before her. Her hand drops from her face, as she regards the woman fully. The smell of chocolate emanated from the hot chocolate, sweet and soothing in it's familarity. ''Erm,'' She glances about her, there was plenty of space to be sitting. ''Sure, yeah. Uh go ahead.'' She gestures at the seat closest to the woman, taking a sip of her now cold mulled orange juice. There's a grimace for a second before she looks back over at the lady. ''I'm Lillianne.'' She offers quietly, peering at her. She sniffs, looks around again and sighs. ''I'm 'new'.'' There was something bitter in the way she said the word. Hands clenching around the cool cup.
She shakes her head to free the quickly spiraling thoughts. Huffs out a breath that wasn't quite half a laugh, wasn't quite a sigh either.
13S smiles softly then nods, sitting beside the woman. She kind of figured she was new, she hadn't seen her around before but she didn't want to make any assumptions. She also knew the look of someone new, because to her, they always either looked really sad, really angry, or really lost. 'I wonder if Nines and I looked like that when we first arrived...' she thought.
Adjusting herself in the seat, she took a sip of her hot chocolate, listening to the woman introduce herself. "It's nice to meet you Lillianne." She said, trying to get used to saying the woman's name. She wondered if she said it right to be honest. "My name's 13S but everybody just calls me Thirteen." She greeted, reaching out her hand for a handshake.
"So, you said you were new?" She asked curiously, gently setting her mug down as she looked at her, wondering if she should ask what brings her here but probably knowing the answer since it's pretty much the same for everybody she's met so far. With a furrow of her brow, Thirteen thought for a moment... what should she ask then? Maybe something that will lighten the mood or... something else? Then she remembered...
"That dagger you have is really pretty." She complimented, glancing at it for a moment. "May I ask where you got it from?"
Adjusting herself in the seat, she took a sip of her hot chocolate, listening to the woman introduce herself. "It's nice to meet you Lillianne." She said, trying to get used to saying the woman's name. She wondered if she said it right to be honest. "My name's 13S but everybody just calls me Thirteen." She greeted, reaching out her hand for a handshake.
"So, you said you were new?" She asked curiously, gently setting her mug down as she looked at her, wondering if she should ask what brings her here but probably knowing the answer since it's pretty much the same for everybody she's met so far. With a furrow of her brow, Thirteen thought for a moment... what should she ask then? Maybe something that will lighten the mood or... something else? Then she remembered...
"That dagger you have is really pretty." She complimented, glancing at it for a moment. "May I ask where you got it from?"
Thirteen. Frankly, coming from a city where someone names themselves something bizarre (she's mentally looking at the Penguin and the Riddler, and all the associated freaks of Gotham. Herself included!) it wasn't that out of the ordinary, and even if it were, it's not Lillianne's place to judge. Twisting slightly in her seat, she grips the woman's hand, giving it a strong shake before dropping it. ''Well Thirteen, nice to meet you too.'' She responds with a small smile.
She shifts in her seat a little. ''Yep. New. The culture shock and the...'' She gestures around at all the wonderful and new people now surrounding her... It was more like she was the new one, but from her point of view at least it was all strange. ''It's mostly keeping me occupied I guess.'' Her head tilts. ''I'm waiting for uh, my accommodation to show up essentially.''
At the mention of her dagger, she withdraws the blade hidden under the fabrics of the fur-lined poncho and strapped against her thigh. It's black, shaped like a feather and wickedly sharp. ''These?'' She murmurs, setting it on the table sorta between them. ''It's kinda a funny story. I was in some backwaters haunted mansion down in the south when I came across the set of these.'' She gestures at the dagger, she has 12 in total. ''And through a series of events accidentally stole them from a really angry violent ghost thing. So I did what any logical person does in that situation and basically noped the fuck out of there, daggers and all, through the shadows.'' She smirks, the memory somewhat fond even as she glossed over the details. ''Next thing you know, the 'cursed' daggers are bound to me. Constantine, english bastard,'' the term was said affectionately, ''said that the process of taking them through the shadows has left it's mark upon them. Basically, they are mine now.''
Her smirk falters a little as she's left with the crashing knowledge that her world, as she knew it, was gone. And everyone she ever cared about.
But fuck... It was John Constantine. The man that can outwit the devil and was titled as the greatest con-man. Surely he survived somehow. Just... Didn't up here, right...?
Her thoughts didn't like the continuation of that path. So she took a long drag of her drink, draining the cup before it smacked down audibly. She gestures for the barkeeper to please get her another. Needing the warmth.
She shores up some of her expression into a wry smile. ''So yeah, daggers. Cool huh?''
She shifts in her seat a little. ''Yep. New. The culture shock and the...'' She gestures around at all the wonderful and new people now surrounding her... It was more like she was the new one, but from her point of view at least it was all strange. ''It's mostly keeping me occupied I guess.'' Her head tilts. ''I'm waiting for uh, my accommodation to show up essentially.''
At the mention of her dagger, she withdraws the blade hidden under the fabrics of the fur-lined poncho and strapped against her thigh. It's black, shaped like a feather and wickedly sharp. ''These?'' She murmurs, setting it on the table sorta between them. ''It's kinda a funny story. I was in some backwaters haunted mansion down in the south when I came across the set of these.'' She gestures at the dagger, she has 12 in total. ''And through a series of events accidentally stole them from a really angry violent ghost thing. So I did what any logical person does in that situation and basically noped the fuck out of there, daggers and all, through the shadows.'' She smirks, the memory somewhat fond even as she glossed over the details. ''Next thing you know, the 'cursed' daggers are bound to me. Constantine, english bastard,'' the term was said affectionately, ''said that the process of taking them through the shadows has left it's mark upon them. Basically, they are mine now.''
Her smirk falters a little as she's left with the crashing knowledge that her world, as she knew it, was gone. And everyone she ever cared about.
But fuck... It was John Constantine. The man that can outwit the devil and was titled as the greatest con-man. Surely he survived somehow. Just... Didn't up here, right...?
Her thoughts didn't like the continuation of that path. So she took a long drag of her drink, draining the cup before it smacked down audibly. She gestures for the barkeeper to please get her another. Needing the warmth.
She shores up some of her expression into a wry smile. ''So yeah, daggers. Cool huh?''
Thirteen shook Lillianne's hand, nodding along as she listened to her bring up the culture shock of being new. She knew that feeling all too well. She still remembered when her and 9S were new.
"Yes, the culture shock really is a very strange... what is it called? Wake up call? When you first arrive here." She says, staring into her cup and drinking the rest of her coco, gently setting the mug down beside her, placing her hands in her lap. "You don't really expect people to be so kind and caring towards you at first. But then, someone comes over and offers you a drink, or some food, or a coat after giving you something you have to read immediately." She says, glancing around the room, sighing softly.
"It caught 9S and I off guard too but we eventually adjusted. I think it's more because we didn't remember our home world at all. So, we weren't that upset. Not as upset as I've seen a few other people who just arrive. They looked so... sad and angry and just upset in general." She sighs heavily and frowns as the many scenarios she's seen newcomers go through flow through her mind.
Then she heard Lillianne start talking about her daggers and her eyes lit up. She was so curious about them! She also kind of forgot she asked about them for a moment. She leaned in a bit, listening closely to the story of how she got them. It sounded amazingly interesting if she were to be honest. However, she didn't expect Lillianne to have so many. She counted twelve daggers in total and it made her wonder why a ghost had so many daggers to begin with.
"Fascinating! You managed to take so many. It makes me wonder why the ghost had so many to begin with, however." She says, thinking for a moment, lifting her hand in the air and staring at it, a pair of combat bracers with what looked like metal spearheads on the end materializing around it. "I arrived being able to summon this and a pair of daggers myself but, mine aren't as beautifully designed as yours are." She says, focusing on her hand again, replacing the bracers with a simple pair of daggers.
Thinking for a moment, she remembered Lillianne mentioning accommodations and someone named Constantine. She placed her finger on her chin in thought, wondering what she should talk about first. Maybe both? Hmm...
"You mentioned waiting for accommodations? Hmm... If I remember correctly, Nines and I were kind of just.. given a room here at the inn until we had help getting an apartment in the Omphalos but, I think the apartments there are limited." She says, sighing softly.
"By the way, may I ask who tho Constantine person you mentioned is? Are they a friend of yours too?"
"Yes, the culture shock really is a very strange... what is it called? Wake up call? When you first arrive here." She says, staring into her cup and drinking the rest of her coco, gently setting the mug down beside her, placing her hands in her lap. "You don't really expect people to be so kind and caring towards you at first. But then, someone comes over and offers you a drink, or some food, or a coat after giving you something you have to read immediately." She says, glancing around the room, sighing softly.
"It caught 9S and I off guard too but we eventually adjusted. I think it's more because we didn't remember our home world at all. So, we weren't that upset. Not as upset as I've seen a few other people who just arrive. They looked so... sad and angry and just upset in general." She sighs heavily and frowns as the many scenarios she's seen newcomers go through flow through her mind.
Then she heard Lillianne start talking about her daggers and her eyes lit up. She was so curious about them! She also kind of forgot she asked about them for a moment. She leaned in a bit, listening closely to the story of how she got them. It sounded amazingly interesting if she were to be honest. However, she didn't expect Lillianne to have so many. She counted twelve daggers in total and it made her wonder why a ghost had so many daggers to begin with.
"Fascinating! You managed to take so many. It makes me wonder why the ghost had so many to begin with, however." She says, thinking for a moment, lifting her hand in the air and staring at it, a pair of combat bracers with what looked like metal spearheads on the end materializing around it. "I arrived being able to summon this and a pair of daggers myself but, mine aren't as beautifully designed as yours are." She says, focusing on her hand again, replacing the bracers with a simple pair of daggers.
Thinking for a moment, she remembered Lillianne mentioning accommodations and someone named Constantine. She placed her finger on her chin in thought, wondering what she should talk about first. Maybe both? Hmm...
"You mentioned waiting for accommodations? Hmm... If I remember correctly, Nines and I were kind of just.. given a room here at the inn until we had help getting an apartment in the Omphalos but, I think the apartments there are limited." She says, sighing softly.
"By the way, may I ask who tho Constantine person you mentioned is? Are they a friend of yours too?"
''Yeah, wake-up call.'' Lillianne murmured in confirmation as Thirteen responds. The barkeeper arrives with another mulled orange juice. The warmth seeped into more than just her skin, it made her feel a little more human. An amusing prospect right now given the interesting races surrounding her, but she shelves the thought. For now. She snorts with mild amusement. ''Yip. A bit of a 180 from the reception i'm used too.'' She mused fondly, Gotham wasn't exactly a place you could help your fellow person easily. Not without the uncommon and yet not impossible chance to help one of the Rogues, or worse be chosen as a target.
''Hmm.'' Her head tilts, considering what it would be like to... Not know what she lost. That fate didn't seem as kind as it made itself out to be right now in her situation, but she wasn't Thirteen. Or this '9S'. ''I haven't had enough time to reach the other stages of grief yet, time yet though. Right now I just feel lost more than anything else.'' She admitted with a slight frown, setting the cup down to cross her arms. There was a certain sense of freedom to be had in no associations in this place. Just acceptance. It did something to crack at her walls, letting her be honest about herself.
She grins as Thirteen seemed to settle on the story. ''A set, I guess. A dozen blades. Could be for a myriad of reasons.'' She shrugs, before focusing her attention of the materializing weapons with something akin to rapt astonishment. There was no telltale latent hum of magic, not one she recognized at least. Technology? She wondered. She lets out an appreciative whistle at the daggers though. ''Nahh there's something beautiful about these blades too.'' She murmurs, glancing them over.
Her head perks up as she talks about accommodations. ''I was just told to wait here for a bit, so fuck knows.'' She adds, her head tilting at the mention of Omphalos. ''Omphalos?'' She questions, curious about that. She had skimmed over the leaflet, really only focusing on the things essential to her immediate situation.
Her head straightens at the question, she takes a sip of her mulled juice. ''A friend, I guess. A mentor really. Fucking bastard.'' There was a fond smile on her face as she said it. ''He's... He saved me. And god knows he didn't need to help me furthermore after saving my ass. But he did. So y'know, I miss him. Wonder if he escaped too. Knowing him, he did.'' She mused softly, the smile shifting into something wistful and almost melancholic.
''Hmm.'' Her head tilts, considering what it would be like to... Not know what she lost. That fate didn't seem as kind as it made itself out to be right now in her situation, but she wasn't Thirteen. Or this '9S'. ''I haven't had enough time to reach the other stages of grief yet, time yet though. Right now I just feel lost more than anything else.'' She admitted with a slight frown, setting the cup down to cross her arms. There was a certain sense of freedom to be had in no associations in this place. Just acceptance. It did something to crack at her walls, letting her be honest about herself.
She grins as Thirteen seemed to settle on the story. ''A set, I guess. A dozen blades. Could be for a myriad of reasons.'' She shrugs, before focusing her attention of the materializing weapons with something akin to rapt astonishment. There was no telltale latent hum of magic, not one she recognized at least. Technology? She wondered. She lets out an appreciative whistle at the daggers though. ''Nahh there's something beautiful about these blades too.'' She murmurs, glancing them over.
Her head perks up as she talks about accommodations. ''I was just told to wait here for a bit, so fuck knows.'' She adds, her head tilting at the mention of Omphalos. ''Omphalos?'' She questions, curious about that. She had skimmed over the leaflet, really only focusing on the things essential to her immediate situation.
Her head straightens at the question, she takes a sip of her mulled juice. ''A friend, I guess. A mentor really. Fucking bastard.'' There was a fond smile on her face as she said it. ''He's... He saved me. And god knows he didn't need to help me furthermore after saving my ass. But he did. So y'know, I miss him. Wonder if he escaped too. Knowing him, he did.'' She mused softly, the smile shifting into something wistful and almost melancholic.
"Oh? Were people not kind to you back home?" Thirteen asks, tilting her head then blinking a few times before covering her mouth. "Oh, oh wait. You don't need to answer that if you don't want to!" She exclaimed, waving her hands and sighing heavily. She had to learn to not ask questions that might make people sad but she was curious.
She nods and frowns. "Feeling lost is normal. Having lost your home and all." Thirteen taps her chin, figuring out how she could help somehow. To be honest she hadn't thought that far. She just wanted to cheer Lillianne up. "Well, I can maybe tell you a bit about this place in general?" She offered, wondering if that would help a bit.
"Hmm? You think so?" Thirteen asked, glancing at her daggers after Lillianne's compliment. "They look simple to me but they do feel nice in my hands and the blade is nice and sharp and shiny." She says laughing softly. "But thank you. I appreciate the compliment." She added before nodding vigorously when Lillianne asked about Omphalos.
"Oh yes! It's a really nice place filled with lots of things! There are apartments that require roommates since it's very limited. I think it's supposed to be just for agents but I'm pretty sure I saw a few normal residents living there too?" Thirteen says, tapping her chin as her brows furrowed, trying to remember. "Before 9S and I moved there we lived in the tavern here. It wasn't too bad. We were comfortable enough." She says. "Perhaps I could take you there later! To Omphalos I mean. Maybe we can find your friend Constantine too! Or at least ask around to see if anybody's seen him?" She offered.
"As for them telling you to just stay here, they're probably trying to get a room ready for you. I'm pretty sure you'll eventually have to pay for the room they give you though." Thirteen says, laughing nervously. "But thankfully there are a lot of odd jobs you can do to make money to pay for it. I've heard that agents get paid pretty well too if you'd like to do that."
She nods and frowns. "Feeling lost is normal. Having lost your home and all." Thirteen taps her chin, figuring out how she could help somehow. To be honest she hadn't thought that far. She just wanted to cheer Lillianne up. "Well, I can maybe tell you a bit about this place in general?" She offered, wondering if that would help a bit.
"Hmm? You think so?" Thirteen asked, glancing at her daggers after Lillianne's compliment. "They look simple to me but they do feel nice in my hands and the blade is nice and sharp and shiny." She says laughing softly. "But thank you. I appreciate the compliment." She added before nodding vigorously when Lillianne asked about Omphalos.
"Oh yes! It's a really nice place filled with lots of things! There are apartments that require roommates since it's very limited. I think it's supposed to be just for agents but I'm pretty sure I saw a few normal residents living there too?" Thirteen says, tapping her chin as her brows furrowed, trying to remember. "Before 9S and I moved there we lived in the tavern here. It wasn't too bad. We were comfortable enough." She says. "Perhaps I could take you there later! To Omphalos I mean. Maybe we can find your friend Constantine too! Or at least ask around to see if anybody's seen him?" She offered.
"As for them telling you to just stay here, they're probably trying to get a room ready for you. I'm pretty sure you'll eventually have to pay for the room they give you though." Thirteen says, laughing nervously. "But thankfully there are a lot of odd jobs you can do to make money to pay for it. I've heard that agents get paid pretty well too if you'd like to do that."
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