Expedition Log 1

[lara_the_explorer]

Who: Lara Croft and YOU
What: Lara's arrival to Paradisa
When: June 12.
Where: Woods near the Castle Grounds/Infirmary
Rating: PG-R for language


In the middle of the woods, one could hear rustling bushes and some branches snapping as a female figure in the dark is running with a torch in hand.

"Sam! Reyes! Jonah!" the woman called out. "Shit... What is this place? I could have sworn we got out of that island..."

She looks battered, bruised, and armed with two mismatched handguns on her thigh holsters. She looks like she's been through hell and back, with dried blood, torn clothes and a thousand-yard stare. She doesn't even care about possible wolves, with what she's been through, wolves don't scare her anymore. She just wants to find her friends.

And after a minute of walking, she could see already the exterior of the castle from a distance. Not sure about what's in there, so she grabbed her gun and headed towards the castle grounds...

Comments

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate's out for a walk when she notices the woman approaching. A sense of dread flooded her when she saw what the woman had in her hand, and she cursed herself for not being armed. However, the woman doesn't know she's not armed. Kate stands her ground and calls out to the approaching woman.

"Police! Drop the gun, please."

[lara_the_explorer]

Lara approached the edge of the forest and saw the grounds more clearly... She was amazed. A European-styled castle? In Yamatai? She's not even close to Europe!

But as she got out she heard a woman call out to her, saying she was a cop. That boggled her already confused mind. A police officer? What's a police officer doing here? She looked to the woman, still not dropping her gun.

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate took a few steps toward the woman before she called out to her again, her voice as authoritative as possible.

"Please drop the gun and acknowledge that you hear me."

[lara_the_explorer]

"I hear you, but I'm not dropping my gun until I'm sure my friends are safe. Where are they? What is this place?"

Lara aimed her gun.

[savethedarkness]

It was a pleasant enough day out, so M had amended her usual daily walk with a stroll out to the gardens and back. She was dressed smartly in a white, lightweight summer pantsuit, with only her journal on hand as she made her way across the lawn. When she saw the woman on the horizon with the gun, she tightened her grip on the book slightly. This was exactly why she still kept it with her - the woman was a new face, and she wasn't sure if she was a threat or not, yet.

She wasn't about to jump to conclusions yet, so she kept calm and continued walking toward the gardens, casually keeping an eye on her to see what she was doing.

[lara_the_explorer]

Once Lara got out of the woods and stepped on the cobblestone of the castle grounds, her eyebrows furrowed. She puts the flame out of her torch by flicking it, but she kept her gun in hand and checked if there's a bullet in the chamber.

"An actual castle? Why would a castle like this be close to Japan?"

That is when she noticed someone in the gardens. But being on edge, she aimed her pistol at the person. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow upon seeing her. She looks clean and proper, not like anyone she's seen in a long time while on the island, or even in the Endurance. Her confusion just grew. This place is too beautiful and well maintained to be near the Dragon's Triangle, a place that no one goes to.

"Please don't tell me I'm dead and you're God" As dry as that may sound like to some, Lara sounded more exhausted than bitter.

[savethedarkness]

"Hardly," M replied dryly, looking the woman over. "But if you honestly don't know where you are, that would be a much more simple answer than the truth. .... I can enlighten you, but everything I have to say took me weeks to believe, myself. So I know it may be a stretch of trust, but I'd appreciate it if you could at least put the safety on your firearm. I assure you, I'm unarmed, and no one here has cause to hurt you."

[lara_the_explorer]

Lara took a second to scan the rest of the surroundings, but she complied and puts her gun back on it's holster. Her gut says she could trust this woman for now. The similar accent probably helped.

"Okay..."

[unexpected_adventures]

This was Bilbo's first time out exploring the castle grounds, as his adventuring sprit and Took side had urged him to get out of the castle. He let the cool air grace over his face, as he used his walking stick to pace across the grassy slopes and ridges. He looked behind him, as he sighed then smiled to himself. It felt good to actually be outside again. He had missed that, ever since arriving to Cair Paradisa.

He walked past some trees and then he saw the woman walking towards him. She looked worse for wear and looked like she needed help. Was she a new arrival or just lost? Bilbo walked towards her with a concerned look over his soft features.

"Hello? Are you alright?" He managed to shout, as he approached the bedraggled woman.

[lara_the_explorer]

"Huh? Who-" Lara looked to where the sound came from, and saw a relatively short man.

"Hello? Yes. Can you tell me where I am?" Lara shouted back, slowly approaching the man. Her grip on her pistol tightened. Can't really trust strangers after what she's been through after all...

[unexpected_adventures]

"Well, as far as I know you are in the castle grounds of Cair Paradisa. That is what the residents call it anyway; I being one of those residents." He looked at the gun in her hand and swallowed. "You aren't going to use that, are you? My name is Bilbo Baggins and I want to help. If you require any help that is." He shifted nervously on his feet, his hand still gripping his walking stick.

[lara_the_explorer]

She looked at this strange man as she got close enough to see that he has no shoes. His clothes look like something from a Renaissance Fair. She took another look at this Bilbo Baggins, still confused as to trust him. But as much as her mind tells her not to, her instincts say that this guy is no threat. It took a second before she decides to holster her gun.

"Cair Paradisa? And what are you exactly?"

[deductiongeek]

Conan eyes the new arrival with interest. He takes a moment to make some quick deductions based on her appearance, before sliding into his act as a child and approaching her.

"Are you hurt? It looks like something really scary happened!"

[lara_the_explorer]

A kid? What the hell... He seems too relaxed too. Shouldn't he be scared, being all alone in a place like this? Most curious...

"I-I'm alright. What are you doing here?"

Lara flicked her torch to put the flame out, and holstered her gun. Even though she didn't find this young man to be a threat, she was still eyeing the surroundings, in case there are others out there who would be.

[deductiongeek]

I live here. You just arrived here, right? Has anyone explained the situation?

Clinic

[lara_the_explorer]

Lara felt something zap her awake, and when she suddenly jolted herself up, a piercing pain in her temple caused her to groan.

"Now what?"

She looked around with one eye closed shut. The pain in her head still stings... She saw herself in a hospital bed, in a room full of other hospital beds. she's all bandaged up from head to toe. Her injuries from that island must have started to take toll now that the adrenaline wore off.

She was about to say her hostile encounter with Kate outside the grounds was just a dream, but it felt real. Too real, as her head kept reminding her.

[simulatedmedic]

"Ah. You're awake."

And there'll be a certain balding man approaching, folding out some sort of device. "Hold still, please. This will take a second."

[lara_the_explorer]

"Right. I'm sorry"

Lara's still confused. Perhaps even more than earlier at the grounds. She seems to be in a safe place, but she's still not entirely sure.

"Am I in... Paradisa?"

[xss]

Chihiro's awake again now, after eventually blacking out some point shortly after arriving in the clinic. But at least she's all bandaged and taken care of now. With the imminent danger of death now gone things are finally coming back to her mind and there's... well, to say there was a lot to think about would be an understatement.

The sudden voice catches her attention though and she looks over worriedly.

"A-Are... Are you okay...?"

[lara_the_explorer]

"Hm? Oh yes. I would be" Lara looked at the girl. She raised an eyebrow at her and pointed at the bandage on her head, as if to ask how she got that injury. She's too exhausted to really speak.

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate had a book in her lap, but she wasn't paying any attention to it. Instead, she was biting her lip and waiting for Lara to wake up. She hadn't hit her that hard, had she? Maybe her other injuries had taken a toll.

She jumped when she head Lara groan. She moved to the side of the bed, looking down at her.

"Are you okay? Should I get a doctor?"

[lara_the_explorer]

"I'll be fine... " Lara groaned. "What just happened?"

[last_rat_standing]

James heard the woman approaching before he saw her. He stepped behind a row of hedges to watch her move closer, eyes taking in every detail. It was apparent that she'd come from some ordeal or another. She was armed and he was going to assume she knew how to use them until he knew anything for certain. His own gun was holstered beneath his jacket. One hand unconsciously moved to touch the grip, remembering that the last time he'd used his weapon he'd killed another resident. That wouldn't keep him from using it again should he have need of it, it was just a chilling reminder of the hell he was still recovering from.

He shoved all the thoughts from his mind, straightening his suit coat and the tie M had tied for him that morning... much to his humiliation. There were more important things to deal with at the moment. Tucking his hands in his pockets he stepped out from behind the hedges, looking for all the world as if he were there completely by chance and no spying on this woman. "Out for a stroll?"

[lara_the_explorer]

Lara furrowed her brows when she saw the man. Instinctively, she aimed her gun at him.

"Who wants to know?"

[last_rat_standing]

Well that was only to be expected. His eyes narrow ever so slightly, mentally appraising her form and raising the probability that she knows how to use that weapon. His face and stance gave no other indication that a gun was being pointed at him, remaining completely casual as he replied, "Bond. James bond.