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

[lara_the_explorer]

"Paradisa? What do you mean? And how can I be sure you're a real police officer?"

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate pulled her badge from her belt and showed it to her, coming even closer despite the gun.

"I'm a cop. Paradisa pulls people from other worlds without any warning. It seems you're a lucky new resident."

[lara_the_explorer]

"Don't come any closer!" Lara warned. At this range, Kate could probably notice that this is just a young woman. It looks like she went through something like the Event Horizon.

Lara shook her head while still aiming her gun at Kate. 'Paradisa, other worlds, and new resident'... As if witnessing undead Samurai and an ancient Queen who wields magical powers weren't enough to make her brain explode.

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate defied the order, her hands raised to show that she was unarmed. She stopped when she got within a couple of feet of the woman.

"It's a lot to take in, I know. I'm Detective Kate Beckett. I'll explain everything, but please lower the gun first."

[lara_the_explorer]

Lara complied. Slowly lowering her gun.

"Where are you taking me?"

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate breathed a sigh of relief as the gun lowered. She shrugged.

"We can go wherever you want. You'll have a room already prepared for you in the castle, if you'd like help finding it."

[lara_the_explorer]

"That sounds too good to be true"

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate gave her an exasperated look.

"That's kind of the idea of this place. Paradise, you know? None of us are here willingly, but you can't complain about the accommodations.

[lara_the_explorer]

To the confused newcomer, the offer of a place to stay with the name that sounds like Paradise is like being a little girl and being offered some candy and a free ticket to Disneyland.

"No, thank you. I'd rather not" Lara turned away, shaking her head and holding her palms out in the air.

[not_nikkiheat]

"Wait, what?"

Kate shook her head.

"Sorry, it doesn't work that way. You're stuck here."

[lara_the_explorer]

"I'd take my chances out in the wild. A place like that sounds too good to be true, and I'm sure there is a catch that outweighs the good"

[not_nikkiheat]

"The catch is that you can't leave. We're all trapped here. Otherwise, everything is free. We can even wish for things and they appear."

Kate reached for her arm.

"You won't survive in the wild."

[lara_the_explorer]

"Get off of me" Lara shrugged off Kate's hand off her arm.

The thought of people dying in that island when they were all close to her... She's a doom magnet, and she couldn't help but think of herself as one.

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate reached for her again.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you walk out there knowing that you're going to die. You have to come to the castle."

QTE Time!

[lara_the_explorer]

"I said, get off of me!"

Lara is now facing directly at Kate, quickly she drew her gun to scare Kate away.

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate's arm shot out and caught her wrist, turning to twist Lara's arm behind her back.

"I did not want to have to do this."

[lara_the_explorer]

"Augh!" Lara exclaimed.

There were some fractured bones on that arm and shoulder. But before Kate was able to fully twist her arm, she managed to escape the hold. But her balance was toppled and that whole arm is hurting now as she steps away, creating a bit of a distance between her and Kate.

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate followed, going for the gun. She gave Lara a quick jab to the ribs, trying to knock the breath from her so she could subdue the girl.

[lara_the_explorer]

The hit landed precisely, and it did knock some breath out of Lara. She moves her gun hand away when she noticed Kate was going for it. At the heat of the moment, Lara chose to fire back by tackling Kate.

[not_nikkiheat]

Kate hit the ground hard, but immediately rolled in an attempt to pin Lara down.

"Calm down, kid."

[lara_the_explorer]

Lara tried to break free, wiggling out of Kate's hold.

"Let me go!"

Lara's other hand flew right to her thigh holster, pulling out her other gun to aim at Kate.

[not_nikkiheat]

"No!"

Without thinking, Kate grabbed the gun and twisted it out of Lara's hand, and in one swift move, she flipped the gun around and brought the butt of it down on Lara's head.

[lara_the_explorer]

"Ungh!" Lara grunted as the loud thump of the gun butt hit her in the temple, and instantly she was knocked out.

She dropped face down on the ground, with a serene expression on her face despite being knocked out. She must be so exhausted to have that look on her face.

[not_nikkiheat]

"I really didn't want to have to do that."

Kate sighed, looking down at the girl. She looked so young. As Kate examined further, she realized the girl was bloodied and bruised. All of that couldn't be from their short tussle. Kate felt a pang of guilt for knocking the girl out. With another sigh, she hefted the small girl up and over her shoulder, then started the trek back to the castle.

[lara_the_explorer]

Lara just remained unconscious as Kate got her inside the castle.