thecapitol | I'm not sure what I'm looking for anymore

Who| Rochelle and Open!
What| Rochelle just got here. What's going on, where am I? Why does everyone make a face when I ask about Nick???
Where| Around the Tribute Center
When| After the arena
Warnings/Notes| Possibly swearing at some point? Discussions of violence, probably.

Was this the rescue they'd worked so hard for? Was this the rescue that her and her team had dragged themselves through hell, chased by zombies, tanks, witches, and every special type of infected that walked this godforsaken earth? The last thing she remembered was making it to the helicopter, a tank close on her heels. It'd been a close one, but when she'd reached out, sturdy hands gripped her, as they always did when she needed them to. Whose hands, it didn't matter, because they were all a unit, each depending on the others for survival.

But this was different. The Hunger Games, they said. Battle to the death, they said. Like some kind of Battle Royale, except instead of Japanese kids in a dystopian future...It was her. Also in a dystopian future. Well, shit. She knew that there had been a lot of issues with carriers, people immune but exposed. They'd been gunned down by the military (though her sources on this were scribbles in pen on walls), but it seemed a little...excessive, to shuttle them in a helicopter to compete in some kind of blood match.

She is careful, as she walks, slowly going around the suite, looking into her room, walking down the hallway and exploring the areas available to her. She's thinking, mind whirling, but stays calm. Anyone who sees her will notice, she doesn't seem to be panicking, but there's a way that she watches everyone around her, quietly observing them.

She hasn't seen people in a long time, besides her teammates, but even as she quietly looks around at these new faces, she feels lonely. Three shadows are missing from her side, and she constantly turns to speak, asking Nick what he made of this, about to joke to Coach they ought to find the cafeteria, asking Ellis if he saw anyone looking friendly.

Her priorities were ordered neatly: Find her boys, find out what's going on, find weapons, and escape.

Rochelle can be located pretty much anywhere she's allowed in the Tribute Center, and might approach friendlier-looking people. Those who aren't so friendly-looking can come over and figure out who the new meat is.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It took a moment for Éowyn to register the gesture, but when she recognised it, she clasped Rochelle's hand firmly enough. It wasn't a gesture native to Rohan, but she had met enough people from elsewhere to know what shaking hands was. She even smiled, and it was less false and diplomatic than it had been. It was more reassuring than she cared to admit, having someone be friendly in this place.

"Information matters less to me than knowing I am not wholly alone in this," she assured Rochelle, shaking her head a little. "I am truly lost here, and this place resembles naught that I have ever seen." Then, frowning, "But you speak of the infected. Is there then some plague?"

"No, and I've seen a few people. So we're not alone, technically." She waved her hand around. "On how many levels, I can't say." She certainly felt alone, without her teammates, even surrounded by other people. Though she stops, staring at her with come confusion. Although news was slim, surely Europe had some idea of what was happening?

"Uh...you didn't..." She rubbed the back of her head. "You haven't heard of the Green Flu? I mean...it's a. Pretty big thing..." Zombies. Fucking zombies. But she shook her head, crossing her arms. "Other than that...I mean. Well. I guess my first option will be looking for my group. Have got anyone?"

"I know of no plague." Now Éowyn's frown deepened. Was it possible that tidings had simply not reached Ithilien? If so, they might all be in danger. That only made it more vital that she return, to pass on that warning. "There was a pox which passed last winter on the borders of Rohan, but naught else that I have heard. Whence do you come, that you bear such ill tidings?"

Clearing her throat, she shook her head. "As for your group, Lady Rochelle, gladly will I aid you in your search, if I may. I know of no-one who is sure to be here, and I pray that none of my kith and kin are brought hence to this fell place."

"Uh...I was in Savannah, Georgia. I've never heard of Rohan, before. What country is that in?" It sounded...German, maybe? Or somewhere in the United Kingdom. But with the way she spoke, and calling her a lady...Rochelle realized, she felt like this woman had just tumbled out of one of those Renaissance festivals. But society hasn't fallen so fast that they'd all resorted back to the Middle Ages, had they?

"Alright, well. The guys I'm looking for, their names are Coach, Ellis, and Nick. Coach is a big guy, bald, older. Around ten years older than me? Likes hamburgers, good at giving orders. Ellis is southern as southern gets, kinda young, but he's a good kid. Real sweet. Calls people ma'am and everything. Nick is...a bit older than me. White suit, too smart for his own good. Thinks he's an asshole, but you can trust him, even if you think you can't. I'm sure he'll be easy to recognize, he'll be flirting any pretty women."

Listing them off gave her stomach a twist. God, she had barely been away for a day and she missed those idiots. She'd have to find them, wherever they were.

"I mean...Yeah, I don't want them to be here, but...I don't want to be here without them. I guess..." She rubbed the back of her head. It sounded selfish, now that she thought about it. Maybe it'd be best, if she didn't find them.

The hairs on the back of Éowyn's neck were prickling. Something was wrong here. It was possible, of course, that Georgia was simply so far distant that word of it had never spread so far west as Gondor and Rohan, but... for neither of them to have heard of the other place? Not even in myth or in half-forgotten rumour? And yet, for both to speak Westron, and understand each other without difficulty?

"Rohan is a country," she said at last, choosing her words carefully. "South and west of Gondor, where the Anduin winds. My people have dwelt there since time immemorial, since before the fall of Númenor. And in all that time, in all that they have spoken and written, there is no breath of any place called Georgia." Her frown deepening, she ran one hand back through her hair, pushing it off her face. For a moment, she closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. "Mystery falls upon mystery. I fear that I am further from home than I had ever dreamed."

Where that might be, and how she could possibly have come here, remained to be seen. But her first thought - of escaping this strange citadel, finding herself a horse, and simply making all speed to find her way back to Gondor - was looking more like a childish fancy by the moment.

There will be other ways, she told herself firmly, and straightened her back a little, grounding herself as best she could. Only wait. You have lost hope before, and found it anew when least expected. Although she was still a little paler for the thought, she did manage to steady herself, taking a deep breath in through her nose. "In any case," she said, a little stiffly, "we shall seek your companions. Well do I understand your need for them, for to be alone in dire straits is oft the deepest pain." She managed a smile, although it was rather thin and taut. "Coach, Ellis, and Nick. I shall remember."

"..." She stared at Eowyn for a few moments, eyes wide and confused. Rochelle was a fairly well traveled woman, as an aspiring reporter, and she'd had a decent knowledge of the politics of the world. And Rohan was no country she had ever, ever heard of. Nor any of the other places she listed off. Slowly, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of...any of that. I think we're both pretty far from home."

It didn't make sense. None of it. Why did the helicopter take her here? How? She crossed her arms, shaking her head, though it did little to bring any more sense to the matter. They were going to need more information, if they wanted to learn what was up, they were going to need to find some other people.

Hopefully, her team would know better than she did.

"Thank you, Eowyn." She told the other woman, rubbing the back of her neck. "Maybe they'll know. Or we can find someone else. Either way...They were all brought here with me. I need to make sure they're safe." Or at least, that had been her assumption, for they'd all been together the last time she remembered. "I guess we should keep looking around...This place is so huge, though."

Éowyn nodded soberly. "Huge, and labyrinthine," she agreed, looking around. "I've seen nowhere like it. But doubtless they seek you too, if you were lost together?" It was what she would have done - would be doing now, if looking for her husband didn't mean accepting that he might have been dragged here too. "If so, I doubt not that you will find one another. Vast as this place is, it is not infinite."

"I would hope they'd be looking for me." Was her reply, pressing her lips together. She knew it had to be true. They were a team, they operated as a unit. One of them fell, the others came to fetch them. If the three of them were together, they'd be looking for her. If everyone was apart, they'd all be trying to locate each other, just as she was. "I don't know if I should hope they're here or not--But I'm not sure what I'll do if they aren't." She rubbed the back of her head, looking puzzled by the idea. "I can't get too far alone. I haven't traveled by myself in...God, I have no idea how long we were together. But it feels like forever."

"Being alone is a heavy burden," she agreed, quietly. Unlike Rochelle, her own experience of being alone was still raw and recent; that time spent at Edoras with Éomer banished, Théodred dead, and Théoden sick beyond healing were all too close, even more than a year on. She had travelled alone, aye, but she would wish it on nobody. Sighing, she closed her eyes for a moment, but when she opened them, she looked thoroughly determined. "You know them, as I do not. If they seek you, and do not find you, and believe you gone, what will they do then?"

I'm not sure what I'm looking for anymore

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