Location: Medical area
Interactions: Indigo, Dallas, Desmond

---

Poppy shook her head, red locks shifting around her face and shoulders.
"There isn't. If the bowl is saturated place it outside on the kart. I'll replace it for you. Let me know when you're fully washed and dressed. I'll need to perform a physical exam."

There wasn't much room for argument with the medic. Poppy didn't see any indication as to why she would need to adjust her routine. Dallas intervened and warned her of Vincent's departure before she registered his absence from the medical area. She frowned, letting out a sigh. There was the initial flash of anger which quickly subsided into indifference. Both her thoughts and hands moved onto the next chore. She walked towards her workbench and started to prepare a batch of antibiotics. Vincent was going to need those when he got back. Those glass splinters were bound to cause an infection. Dallas mentioned wanting to go and find a replacement window.

"That's fine." She pressed down hard on something in a mortar and pestle and looked up at Dallas. Desmond offered to organize the storage room. Lysandra was likely busy with either research or some other project. That only left Ajax as a possible companion for Dallas.

Ajax

She stopped grinding the seeds. Poppy didn't often concern herself with the emotional well being of the members of the Commune, focusing on the physical for the most part. It was easier to hand out a sleeping pill, instead of opening herself up and listen to the troubling thoughts that kept someone awake at night. Ajax was somehow the exception.

I shouldn't let myself be distracted.

He has to be devastated.

Poppy decided it would be best to keep him here, at the Crow's nest.

"Everyone else is occupied."
The medic finally said. She pointed towards one of the shelves with medical supply kits.
"Take the most left one, I restocked it."
Poppy walked towards Dallas, waiting until he grabbed the supply kit. She pressed her dagger into his other hand.
"A new window isn't worth losing a memory over. So be careful out there."

Poppy adressed Desmond.
"When there is any change with Amelia I will let you know right away. For now it's good that you're keeping busy. I have a list of supplies I need, but not right away. When you finish organizing the supply room, move them here."

---

"...I will." Dallas wrapped his fingers around the dagger's hilt with a certain degree of reverence. He did not take things from others lightly. He mentally took note of Poppy's unusually soft demeanor today. Perhaps Cerise's departure was affecting her more deeply than he realized.

"Hey you two." Dallas turned around to see Desmond approaching them. "I overheard that you're looking for some hands with fixing the window Dallas. I think I will stay behind and organize the storage room and see if anyone else wants to help with fixing the window." The male revenant shook his head at the offer.

"Nah, don't worry about it. It looks like everyone's hands are full. Thanks though." Dallas gave the two a polite farewell before making himself scarce. He wouldn't need to do any elaborate preparation for the trip. Poppy's first aid kit would be enough since he would be more likely to run from danger rather than confront it. Like she said, this was not a job of vital importance to the Commune. It wasn't worth risking his neck.

Dallas made his way to the storage wing to retrieve his axe from its mount. The bolted on metal strip holding the shaft together made a grating sound as he lifted it over his shoulder. The thought that he might have to say farewell to his trusty weapon gave him pause. Armaments suitable for slaying the bigger Lost were hard to come by, especially at this size. The fact that the axe was about to break despite the quality of its materials went to show how much force Dallas put into his attacks. Besides his weapon, he also took a travel bag and a pair of shoulder straps for carrying furniture. The last thing he did was tie Poppy's dagger to the side of his leg, though it was his hope that it wouldn't be needed for anything more serious than cutting some rope or cloth.

I would sooner fight bare handed than swing around a toothpick like Erik does. The last thing he needed was a map. Dallas visited the planning room and borrowed one of the smaller ones, circling a town nearby that wasn't connected to the main road of the Crow's Nest. It was called Tranquilo, though whether that was an appropriate name or not was up to the number of Lost wandering around there.

Dallas banged on the wall after reaching the front door to let everyone know he was leaving before sprinting down the hill. When he returned he would hopefully have a replacement for the broken window and maybe some other niceties on the side.

_{Location | The Crow’s Nest
Time | February 25^th - Morning
Interaction | @Dreamingflowers}

---

Seeing that Ajax had elected to stay in his room during the announcement, Erik had given him the letter that Cerise had left afterwards. A crooked smile formed upon reading the words, conflicting feelings battling within him. Although understanding Erik’s perspective and his realistic words of reassurance, he hadn’t forgiven himself nor fully changed his own viewpoint much. Reading her letter, he couldn’t resist the urge of a small somber smile as it was like hearing her voice as he did. The message the letter contained though, bore on him more than his own thoughts ever could have.

She was offering a sort of apology, talking about how he must be disappointed or asking for his forgiveness and understanding. It pained him more that she’d think he would be mad at her at all for leaving, than the actual act itself. Though, the more important side of this letter was what caught his eye. The feeling of a need to protect the Commune from who she ‘might be’, and apparently that the father her vestige showed her as having, wasn’t a ‘wonderful’ person. Those inklings of what she feared her past to be, that he’d learned of over the years, seemed to culminate with this latest vestige.

It made him wonder just what she saw that spooked her this much to feel she needed to take this personal journey. Ultimately though, Ajax understood that he’d never truly know, even if she stayed…There was a saying that humans used, that he personally had grown to hate in the past; Ignorance is bliss. The idea that not knowing something allows someone to live on better than learning of it…Perhaps that could have been the case for little Red…That thought bounced around in his head for a while…

In the silence of his room, he’d kept tabs on what had been going on outside of it, half the team going out for a mission, half staying, which he was part of, his emotions would distract him…and possibly present a danger, given his condition. A window had broken, but Ajax felt no need to go out there, due hearing the lack of concern from the others; Vincent. Having overheard Dallas’ going out, Aj figured that he should dispose of the old framework and prep it for if the man couldn’t find a replacement today.

There was also the fact that he heard a new voice out there. He deduced that it was likely a revenant, as the probability of humans coming all the way out to them unaided was less often. With that in mind, he felt the new presence warranted at least a look. Cerise would’ve welcomed them.

Thus Ajax pulled on his white coat, prepping for the chill that often wandered the halls with him. He walked down the hall, his eyes scanned the area, taking note of the broken window. He stopped slightly short, though, of Poppy as she talked to Dallas and Desmond. Waiting until she’d given them their ‘assignments’ he approached.

”…Hey…What’s the status of the newcomer?” Aj asked, his voice cool and calm but not as firm as it normally was.

Location: Medical area
Interactions: Ajax

---

Poppy returned to her work after watching Dallas leave the medical area. The repetitive motion of her hands working the mortar and pestle eased her mind into an insensate state. She was always busy with some sort of task, hands on, mind off. The chores provided refuge from her often troubled mind. The seeds were starting to give way to the force of her push, breaking down into a grayish brown dust. The medic scraped out the mortar with a wooden spoon, transferring the powder into a glass container. The first batch of many.

”…Hey…What’s the status of the newcomer?”

She would have given it until noon before she went up to his room. Poppy was relieved to see he decided to come down by himself. In some ways Cerise filled the void left behind by the girl Ajax was searching for. There wasn't a lot Poppy knew about her, neither did Ajax for that matter. Poppy imagined Cerise was what Ajax hoped the girl from his memory was like, or would have been like. Precious innocence in a cruel world.

Poppy's eyes lingered on his face. He was hiding his inner turmoil. It was coming to the surface in his eyes. They flashed with emotion, like lightning threatening to strike her when she stared too long. She took a breath and pulled off her gloves, dusting her hands on the sides of her pants.

"It is difficult to say. It seems like they've been out in the wilderness for some time. From what I can tell there are no serious physical issues."

She went over to the kart next to Indigo's bed. There was a bowl filled with feculent water. She should have kept her gloves on. The medic grabbed the bowl and poured the contents down the drain, unfazed by the smell and look of it. Poppy started to prepare a fresh bowl by first pouring in a full kettle of boiling water. She threw in lemon peels and herbs letting those steep until the scent released into the air. To cool it down she poured in cold water slowly, testing the temperature with her hand.

Poppy dropped it off at Indigo's bedside and tidied up her workbench. Every couple of minutes or so she'd glance at Ajax, when she thought he wasn't looking. He was in pain .... and it was affecting her too. She idled at her workbench, feeling unsure. This feeling would not go away on its own. Ignoring it would only cause them both to suffer in silence.

A small wooden cabinet drew her attention. It was filled with essential oils. It was a time consuming process to make them and in Poppy's medical opinion a useless tool. She opened the doors and looked inside at the rows of bottles. She didn't know what she was looking for. Something to ease heartache she guessed. Cerise would have known what to pick, she always believed in aromatherapy. Poppy used to humor her, but didn't think highly of aromatherapy.

Chamomile? Lemon balm...
She sampled the scent with a thoughtful expression. It didn't make her feel much of anything honestly. Though one thing she did know about this type of intervention. You had to give it time.
Marjoram maybe....

Linden Blossom. It smelled sweet, spicy and floral. She recognized the flower, using it as a mild relaxer. Poppy wondered if the oil had the same soothing and calming effects. With a questionable look on her face she dabbed some on her wrist. Poppy flipped her hair behind her back and brought her wrist to her face. The smell was pleasant, it surprisingly did make her feel at ease. She shrugged and dripped some of the essential oil onto a red cloth. She folded it into a shape vaguely resembling a flower.

Without much explanation she tucked her creation into the breast pocket of Ajax's white coat. She purposefully didn't meet his eyes. Instead she changed the subject of the conversation to something quotidian.
"When I'm finished here I'm going to collect the rest of the shards outside of the gate. I want everything to be cleaned up in case Dallas wants to get to work. So I'll be outside if you need me..."

Vincent wasn't entirely sure what to make of this loud, helmeted stranger. When the newcomer, Juice, teleported over to him, Erik, and the cloaked Akaia, he couldn't help but feel himself tense up. He never did like teleporters, Cerise having been the exception. It was always hard for him to get a bead on them in a fight, especially if they avoided getting within punching distance. If there was one thing he hated more than enemies that didn't stick around long enough for him to punch, it was enemies that never got close enough in the first place. He felt himself relax, however, when Juice adopted the same friendly tone Erik had been using before he disappeared in another dark cloud of mist.

When he heard Juice's voice from behind, Vincent turned to find him admiring the van. Vincent had never been a gearhead, so he couldn't see why Juice was so excited to see the beat-up van. "It gets us from A to B, yeah," he answered as he walked over. He crossed his arms and leaned against the front passenger door as he said, "I'm Vincent. Were you the one making those explosions a bit ago?"

JUICE

---

Location: Roadside Ruins
Interactions: Akaia @Exit, Vincent @Daxam, Erik @FunnyGuy
Mentions:

---

By the time Vincent had addressed Juice, Juice had already reappeared at the back of the van wiping the exhaust pipe for fuel residue, then tugging lightly on the rims bolts. "Yep! Not as big as I'd like - I ran out of RXD when I was remodelling some other parts of this place," the synthesizer chirped in a tone that could be accompanied by an excited grin. "Besides! I've got my eyes on this beeeg tower place that I'm saving a bunch for! I've already gotten a bunch of stuff set up and everything!"

Juice leant over to the other side of the van. Two on one side. None here. As Juice circled back around to face Vincent, arms swinging loosely by his side, he thought he caught a glimpse of strangely stubborn dust on the floor, though the thought scurried away just as fast as any other curiosities that happened on his mind. The next thought fixed itself on Vincent's expression, rattling itself loose before it too, would change hands. A ghost of uneasiness. Caution guiding confusion. Thawed by familiarity.

Juice lifted his gloves to his visor, as if to smell the residue from outside the helmet, then tilted his body sideways with his arms enclosed behind his back in a suggestion of faux-coyness. "Sooo, I'm not interested or anything - but what's the point A and point B?"

Location: Mission road
Interactions: ???

---

Poppy fluttered out of the broken window, landing on the dirt road, part of the forest bordering on her left. The pieces of glass shimmered in the morning sunlight. There was a lot of it, everywhere she looked something shimmered. The force of Vincent's body crashing through the window left it completely unsalvageable. She set down a basket next to her feet and crouched down. Protected by a pair of sturdy gloves she started to pick up individual pieces, starting in one area and only moving to the next when it was completely cleared.

Out in the forest shade, hiding on a tree branch was a mysterious cloaked figure. It was difficult to say if it was a man or woman. They were holding a stack of papers crudely stitched together to function as a sort of notebook. On the current page a detailed portrait of the red haired Sidhe could be seen. It was a near exact likeness. Off to the side of her face some notes were scribbled down. The figure turned the page to a half done drawing. It detailed Poppy's wings, along with notes on Sidhe growths. They began to finish up the drawing while discreetly studying the unaware medic.

Vincent watched Juice for a moment after he asked where they were coming from and where they were going. He knew he wasn't the smartest person, but he wasn't stupid enough to outright tell someone where their home base was. He glanced over to Erik, then looked back at Juice as he said, "Tell you what. We're on our way to see what happened to some traders that were supposed to swing by our place. If it's cool with our boss, here, why don't you tag along and we'll see how things play out? An extra set of eyes never hurt anything, after all."

---

A cool breeze blew across the man as he stood among the trees, tousling his already messy dark hair. Vivid green eyes peered through wire-framed glasses, one of the lenses of which sported a hairline crack, as he looked up at canopy. The season has yet to officially change, but even so, he could spot a few leaves here and there that had started to change color. "About time," he muttered with a faint smirk, the hint of what sounded like an Irish accent lacing his voice. "Can't stand the heat."

He adjusted the heavy pack on his shoulders and pulled a beat-up box of cigarettes out of the left pocket of his jacket. Getting low. I'm gonna have to make some more later, he thought to himself as he slipped one into his mouth, then pulled a book of matches out of his right pocket. As he moved his arm, he could hear something inside of it quietly clacking. It had been a while since he last did maintenance on it and given the rough treatment he sometimes put it through, something had probably gotten knocked loose. He lit his cigarette and dropped the used match after he put the flame out, then looked down the path he had been walking as he took a long drag. "How long has it been since I last stopped by here? Gotta be a year, at least," he mused to himself as he slipped his hands back into his pockets. Out of all the settlements he frequented, Crow's Nest had always been his favorite. The people that lived there were always fun to talk with, but even more than that, their base was an old observatory. They mostly used the telescope to keep an eye on the city, but more than once, he had used it for it's original purpose of looking into the stars.

He adjusted his pack again and began to walk, his footsteps quiet on the slightly overgrown path. As he walked, he found himself thinking about how he had found himself on this familiar approach. For the last few years, he had taken on the role of a hired hand, selling his vast knowledge and expertise in return for supplies. A few days ago, he had discovered he was low on food and some medicine that he couldn't easily create. After consulting a map he had made, he realized he was in the neighborhood and decided to pay his favorite settlement a visit. "Wonder how everyone's doing," he thought aloud as the observatory started to come into view.

Almost immediately, he could see a familiar shock of red among the green, surrounded by small, twinkling shimmers that littered the ground. While the Commune could have easily taken in some new blood since the last time he came by, Sean could tell who it was from the wings that sprouted from her back. Unaware of the figure watching from the forest, Sean leisurely approached and called out, "Heya, Pops! Long time, no see!"

He crouched next to her and picked up a shard of colored glass. He looked up and, upon noticing the broken window, asked, "Yeesh, what happened here? A ping-pong game get a little too competitive?"

Desmond Mores

---

Desmond, after leaving the medical area, headed straight to the storage room. Normally the group keeps a good job of keeping the storage room organized from what he has seen. But, lately, they have been slacking, and it showed. Desmond sighed at the sight of the unorganized room. It was not that bad but still nothing he can't docouldn't it is about time this place gets organized. So Desmond, with the crack of his fingers, he got to work.

About fifteen minutes of moving boxes, sorting out supplies, and making sure the boxes of ammo would be in a secure place. Desmond considered his job done. The storage room looked alot better now, and hopefully, it stays that way. As he was about to leave the storage room, he rememberrememberedplies Poppy wanted and silently kicked himself for nearly forgetting. Heading back and rounded up the supplies Poppy wanted. Carrying them in a single box and it ,was heavy. He wondered why she needed of thesepplies, but it had to be a reason, and maybe he should have done this in trips and not all at once.

After carrying the heavy box to the medical area and placing it down as gently as he could."Okay Poppy I, am done with the storage room, and I got the supp..." Desmond looking up and seeing that Poppy was gone. Oh, well, I better find her and tell her, her supplies are here." With that Desmond, starting searching for Poppy and was he passed the broken window, he hear someone talking outside. He stopped in his tracks at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. "Who is that?", he said to himself and looked out the broken window.

Seeing Poppy and a stranger, oh, more new people. I guess today is special or something, he thought to himself. And by the looks of it, Poppy and the stranger seemed not to be hostile, so maybe someone friendly and better see who this stranger is. So Desmond ventured outside and meet with Poppy and Sean. Not noticing the man watching from the forest. Addressing Poppy first and gave a short wave, "Hey Poppy, just wanted to tell you that I got the supplies you want and are waiting for you in the med area." Then, turning his attention to the newcomer. "So who are you, stranger?"

---

---

---

---

Lysandra hadn't expected to be part of the mission, so being pulled from it at the last possible second irked her more in principle than anything. The commune was flying by the seat of its pants, with little organization or long-term planning: cats herding cats with often tragicomic results. It was as clear as Vincent's need to jump through a priceless stained glass window instead of having the brains to use that revolutionary invention known as a door. It was, apparently, an unfathomably complex apparatus and beyond he capability of his tiny pea-brain to grasp. It was not funny or endearing; it was more work for the people who'd been left behind, because they obviously didn't have their own things to do. To think I'd found you hot. Seated at her desk, Lys shook her head to herself.

She'd made a brief appearance, of course, and said a quick hello to the new weirdo who would either last here or be gone soon, but then she'd ducked back into her workshop. It had started the week in her hands, been cleared to make way for Ionna, been reclaimed, and it now looked likely that Lysandra would be asked to clear it again, because she apparently had nothing better to do. She had already decided that enough was enough. Three times in a week. She would put her foot down and refuse. Someone else would take the hit and bend over backwards for group goals this time instead of it being her.

For the past indeterminate amount of time, Lysandra had been doing what she did best: losing herself in her work. There was, to be fair, an awful lot of it. She'd poked her head out that once and generally taken care of the essentials that had called her name. By and large, however, she'd left others alone and been left alone herself.

Eight more rockets for her drones had taken shape, along with more sticky bombs, another high-yield explosive arrow, and the teardown of the Immortals. If they hadn't quite lived up to their lofty billing, they'd been reliably hers for a few years now. Progress was progress, though, and judging by the level of competence she played witness to these days, Lys would likely be forced into a larger role. She was presently engaged with some soddering on Defiant's weapon systems. Mechanically, Enterprise was finished, as was Discovery. The coils on Voyager's higher-powered motors needed some work, but the lions' share of the build was over, and such things had played panacea for Lysandra's woes many times over. All that substantially remained was programming and payloads.

Alas, her attention had worn thin and she was liable to make mistakes like this. She set her tools down, shifted the drone aside, and unlocked her brakes. Pushing herself back from the desk, Lys stretched and stifled a yawn. Throwing her arms out to the side and rolling her neck, she felt the pop and gentle strain of her muscles, ligaments and tendons. She twisted back and forth on the spot, alleviating some of the pain that always bedeviled her back. Damn, it felt good! Normally, this would be the right time to go for a wheel and stretch her arms a bit, but she was wary of being commandeered for something stupid. Instead, the commune's researcher made a few laps around her room, thinking as she paced, and the stained glass windows spilled multicoloured light over her as she passed under their shadows. For a moment, she came to a stop, light spilling over her legs in a pattern that rendered them three different colours. She found herself miffed, once again, at Vincent for just casually breaking something so irreplaceable. It was further proof that he had left his humanity behind: nothing had value or beauty anymore to him. Nothing had meaning. She shook her head to herself, remembering something, and wheeled back up to her desk, sliding a drawer out. That was not a life she wanted to live. Inside, was an old cellphone: his phone. Setting it upon the desk, she clicked her brakes into place, tossed the lid on her toolkit open, and got to work.

The first thing that the phone needed was a power supply. It wasn't charged and hadn't been for years. Unsurprisingly, the port was degraded beyond use, so Lys bypassed it, but the screen was finished too: a spiderweb of cracks and long-dead electronics. A full salvage operation would've been more work than she was willing to dedicate to this for the time being, so she popped the SIM card loose, fished one of her refurbished phones from a drawer, and slid it into place. She plugged the device into an outlet to charge and, since it took her away from her desk, took a moment to stretch again. Like some sort of overgrown child, Lysandra spent nearly a minute trying to line her legs up with the colours of the stained glass windows so that one would be red and the other blue. At least the black of her leggings was a neutral enough backdrop.

Yet, the distracted endeavour proved harder than it should have been. From its spot near the window, the intrusive glow of the mistle added white to the palette, and the air shimmered with an unusual dustiness. Lys furrowed her brow, remembering something similar in Amelia's room when they'd been running bloodwork. There had been nutritional deficiencies, almost as if her metabolism had become inefficient at turning nutrients into energy, but nothing to completely explain her deteriorating condition. Lysandra set hands to wheels and, casting around, set upon the sample jar where she'd left the swab from that incident. She remembered the strange whitish film that had clung to the sleeping woman's skin.

Lys ended up at her second desk, now: one that had not seen as much use lately as she'd have liked. Switching on the fans, she extracted the swab from its container and ensconced a sample of it in a microscope slide. Her stomach rumbled as she made adjustments and opened her notebook, and it rumbled some more as she sat up as straight as she could, annoyingly not quite tall enough to use her equipment properly. She shook her head and settled back down. It was both hunger and a need to visit the bathroom. The mystery, which had been set aside for long enough, would have to wait a bit longer, but she was thinking about it now. It was on her radar... just like food was.

---

---

JUICE

---

Location: Roadside Ruins
Interactions: Akaia @Exit, Vincent @Daxam, Erik @FunnyGuy
Mentions:

---

"A road-trip across the wasteland! Say less!" Juice said, just like, well, the buyer in the bag. Anyone who could fix up a working motor and maintain a decent rim on these roads was sure - and importantly, sure to also know where to get all the petrol to burn. Finally! Some high octane! If they did manage to hook him up to a tank or two, that would almost certainly put that extra kick to all of his technics.
More people.
Before long, Juice had gathered his sparse belongings; the metallic bat, a beat-up radio, and a large haphazardly marked map crumpled into one of his side pockets.
Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he opened up the trunk, stowed the bat, slid in the radio, and then stuffed himself into the trunk among all the luggage. Thankfully, the jacket made Juice look far bigger than actuality - the actual 'Juice' beneath all those clothes was lithe and small enough to allow for a kneeling position. The top of the helmet bumped against the top of the van as Juice regarded Renee. The third. Hidden? A guest, jealously protected. He gave a small wave.
"Alright~ ready to go!" The still-helmeted bundle of clothes said breezily accompanied with a thumbs up.

Location: Medical & Outside The Crow's Nest

stranger danger

---

"There isn't. If the bowl is saturated place it outside on the kart. I'll replace it for you. Let me know when you're fully washed and dressed. I'll need to perform a physical exam."

Indigo frowned but nodded obediently; something told the revenant that protesting wouldn't bode well for them.

Towering over the privacy curtain, Indigo sat back down on the cot as to keep their body concealed while they worked at the dirt and blood caked to them like its own layer of skin. The progress was slow, at first, but once the layers of filth became saturated enough, they started falling off in chunks of dark brown and black. It was weird to feel air on their skin, they couldn't remember the last time they felt such a sensation.

Along with the riddance of filth came the uncovering of more potent stenches from Indigo's unwashed frame. They smelled like death had died again and rotted inside itself, and as the stench was taken from their skin into the no longer sterile metal bowl, the odor started wafting through the air, hitting Indigo's nose differently and causing it to scrunch up in disgust. Have I smelled like that this whole time? Thank goodness the water Poppy supplied them with was infused with clean scents to help counteract what was plaguing the air around the taller individual.

Sheepishly, Indigo placed the bowl of what was now black water aside for the medic to replace, and when she did, the revenant took it graciously, repeating the process over and over again until they were ready to take the next step in cleansing themselves: the clothes. Uncomfortable with the situation, Indigo took their time removing the fabrics from their body, cowering behind the privacy curtain while they fumbled with the fresh set of clothes they were given. Grey shirt, black pants. Plain and simple. After the revenant finished cleaning the filth that was hidden beneath their old clothes, they began to dress in the new ones. Indigo appreciated that the pants covered the entirety of their legs instead of stopping at the calves like most tended to do. The shirt was loose and hung onto their bony shoulders like a blanket being hung on a line to dry.

Clean for the first time since they woke up on that decrepit street.

Slowly emerging from behind the privacy screen, Indigo tugged absently at their shirt, bending down to put on their boots once more, this time with clean socks adorning their feet. Their arms, now clean, showed the littering of patchwork tattoos they had brought from their previous life. There were multiple pagan and norse sigils scattered through the wide array of inked imagery that started at their fingers and climbed all the way up to peak over the base of their throat. They stared at them blankly while deft fingers laced their boots up tight around their feet. As soon as they were done with the task, Indigo stood up and took in their surroundings, searching for that mane of fire that had requested giving them a physical exam, only to find her absent. It didn't take long for Indigo to figure out where she'd gone, though, following the sounds of voices with their acute hearing until they were standing on the other side of the broken stained glass window. They watched the strangers interact in silent observation, noticing the body language of the medic and the even newer face paired with Desmond who had gone out to meet up with them.

Awkwardly, Indigo stood on the other side of the broken window, chewing on the inside of their cheek while averting their eyes to literally anything else so as not to continue staring. Their gaze could become quite intense when they spaced off, especially if it just so happened to be upon someone else's face. While attempting to find something else to study, they stared at the treeline they had appeared from, studying the winding branches and billowing leaves and--

Indigo squinted. There was something large in one of the trees, perhaps a bird of prey? No, way too big to be an owl. Thinking quickly, the revenant averted their gaze and pretended to continue to study other parts of the treeline while simultaneously exiting through the door to join the others outside. The lanky individual slowly approached Poppy, crouching down to play the act that they were simply helping the medic pick up glass. Without meeting her eyes, Indigo murmured, "There's something in the treeline that's watching us," and quickly flicked their gaze in the direction of the shape in question, just enough that it would catch Poppy's eyes without making it obvious what Indigo was doing. They continued helping pick up the glass, clumsily cutting themselves on a particularly sharp shard of green in the process. It healed quickly, not even giving the revenant a chance to notice the pain before it had already ceased. After a moment Indigo finally acknowledged the other two that were standing with Poppy, nodding towards them with a sheepish half-smile. Seemed to Indigo that it was a regular occurrence for people to randomly show up to the observatory unannounced. They made no effort to give their name seeing as they had a task in their head that blocked out any semblance of social niceties that needed attending to.

---

Location and time undetermined, X miles away from Tranquilo

---

Dallas had been running through a field of wild grass for some time to avoid the main road when he unexpectedly tripped over a hidden obstacle. The accident caused him to land face first on the ground, earning him a cut lip as a result. After shaking the pain off and swearing a few times the burly man was able to recollect himself. He brushed the dead plant matter away from his clothes and went about gathering some of his belongings that he’d dropped in the process of falling. As he did so, he found himself tracing back to the spot where he first stumbled.

”Oh…” It wasn’t a rock that Dallas tripped on. It was a corpse. An old one to be sure, it had clearly been baking in the sun for at least a couple weeks. The desiccated, nearly skeletal remains didn’t even have flies picking at it anymore. There wasn’t enough left to determine a sex, although the hair that was left on the skull was ambiguously long.

Anything useful? Dallas’s eyes were drawn to the stranger’s hands first. In their left was a smashed up hand radio. In their right, a snub-nose revolver. When he checked the cylinder of the weapon it turned out to be empty. This person had died fighting for their life. If they had communication equipment then they hadn’t come alone. Maybe they were part of a team that was investigating Tranquilo, which was now only a few miles away by Dallas’s estimation. There was a ragged looking backpack on the body too, which he spent a good minute or so looting in case the person was carrying valuables. Canned goods, some moldy juice bottles, a multi-tool... it was a very standard travel kit. Nothing worth wasting pocket space on besides some extra bandages and antiseptic he could give to Poppy later.

A strange sense of melancholy came over him as Dallas pilfered the dead person's belongings. There were always bodies in the city. Hundreds of them in fact. But for this one to be all by itself with nobody to care... it was too sad. They had died recently too, so they weren't just a leftover casualty from the end of the world. With that feeling compelling him, the soft hearted man took off the shoulder straps and shrugged off his jacket, then proceeded to awkwardly clear some dirt away with his axe blade. If nothing else, he'd give the deceased something resembling a burial. The task took longer than it normally would have given the unsuitable tool he was using.

But why are they this far away from the road, and what killed them? Did someone, or something drag them here? With the overgrowth it wasn’t possible to spot footprints, and even if there were subtle clues they weren’t something Dallas had the capability of picking up on. Maybe Ajax or Akaia would have figured something out.

The lone revenant wouldn’t need to answer the question himself though. He could hear the grass rustling in the distance. He could smell the stink of coagulated blood. Whatever man or beast was responsible for this slaying, they were still here, and they were stalking Dallas. He stood up from his kneeling position and squeezed his fingers tightly around his battle axe.

Sean continued to help Poppy collect the multicolored shards, looking up when Desmond approached. Upon being asked who he was, Sean gave a friendly grin and waved with his left hand. "Name's Sean," he said past his still-burning cigarette. "No need to worry about me, I'm a friend. I've been stopping by here for the last...five years, I think it is, now? You can consider me a kinda travelling salesman, of sorts. I'll only be here a few days, or so, if you guys have need of me." As he spoke, his eyes darted up and down the newcomer, analyzing him. Unless he was born without that eye, I think it's safe to say he's human, he concluded. He's open, but wary. Of course, in this day and age, who isn't? Seems to be something more there, though I can't quite put my finger on it. Kind of protectiveness, maybe?

Sean's eyes then turned toward yet another new face. They appeared young, with strange two-toned hair, most of it being dark with a shock of white. They were also tall, much taller than himself, and skinny enough that it looked like they would fall over at the slightest breeze. What stood out the most, even past the tattoos and piercings, however, was the seemingly lost look in their eyes, a look that Sean recognized very well from his time with the provisional government. A newly awakened revenant, or at least one that had recently dispersed and reconstituted, he decided. Interesting people always seem to flock here.

Thanks to his proximity, Sean was able to clearly hear Indigo tell Poppy there was someone in the woods, watching them. His eyes subtly shifted in the direction Indigo indicated and, sure enough, there was someone or something in the trees. "Well, looks like catching up's gonna have to wait," he quietly said with a chuckle as he rose to his feet. His steel right hand gleamed in the sunlight as he took his cigarette between his index and middle fingers. He took a drag, then removed the cigarette as he exhaled, smoke spilling from his lips as he dropped his cigarette and snuffed it out with his boot. As he did, he told Poppy in a low voice, "I'm no Ajax or Akaia, but I'm sure I can get around them and cut off their escape if you wanna question them. Your call, Pops."

Location: Mission road
Interactions: Indigo, Sean, Desmond

---

Poppy looked up from her work hearing someone approach. She squinted, it took a her a while to recognize the stranger. It was Sean. He wandered in and out of the Crow's nest over the years, staying just long enough to become a familiar face.

"New members" She answered in a dry tone. Aside from maybe Dallas her opinions on the new comers so far hadn't been overly positive. Another set of footsteps on the grass. Poppy turned to Desmond when he spoke to her.

"Thank you Desmond" She observed the slight sheen of perspiration on Desmond's skin. He was quick in organizing the storage room, especially considering he was by himself. That either meant he'd done a rushed job or he worked effectively and efficiently. She'd be the judge of that later. Indigo also managed to creep up on growing group outside. They whispered something to her from their crouched position. She didn't immediately follow their gaze to the tree line.

So she wasn't imagining the feeling of being watched earlier. At first she didn't sense anything, only after she'd been working for a while did the feeling start to sink in. Sean picked up on Indigo's warning. Poppy didn't answer and kept looking at the trees. A misplaced sense of hope was starting to cloud her judgement of the situation. Maybe it was him....

"No...I'll take care of it." Poppy glanced at Sean with a look that left no room for doubt.
"Desmond can you get Sean situated?"

"Indigo, wait for me in the medical area. I'll be there soon."

Once everyone had received their orders Poppy returned her gaze to the tree line, staring at it quietly. She began to walk towards it, as she got closer the hopeful feeling started to fade away. It was replaced by wariness, instinctively she reached for the dagger behind her back. It wasn't there and she remembered she gave it to Dallas earlier in the morning.

Instead she grabbed a large shard of glass, holding it firmly in the gloved hand. The medic passed through the first trees, eyes darting in all directions. It was quiet, there was only the rustle of the wind passing through the canopy above her. She flapped her wings to gain a better point of view, stepping onto a thick branch.

There was nothing out of place. The Sidhe jumped from the branch, landing with a graceful hover on the forest floor. She glanced over her shoulder one last time. The forest was in its usual peaceful tranquility. Once Poppy was well on her way back to the entrance, the cloaked figure emerged from the tree top she used as a vantage point. They were holding a single strand of red hair between their fingers, a menacing smile hidden behind their mask.

FARMHOUSE

---

The abandoned gas station of the wayside farmers was coming into view through the front windows of the Commune’s van, driven by Erik. It was business as usual, despite the potential loss of some long standing members. There were groups of Revenants tending to the animals, the crops and a slew of other jobs. A farmer’s life was hard work. It almost made one forget they were resurrected as immoral beings, controlled by a parasite which latched itself onto the heart.

It was a peaceful existence for the most part. The number of Lost around these parts was extremely low. In fact it was not completely unthinkable to say that some of the people living there had never seen one in the flesh.

The members of the Commune followed Renee to one of the sheds. They received shameless once overs from most of the people they passed. Out in these parts the way they dressed, their profession and the composition of the group earned quite a few stares. Juice and Akaia especially were regarded with both suspicion and awe.

“They look at every stranger like that.” Renee explained while they followed her inside the shed.
“Most of us thrive on routine, we only change with the seasons. When something breaks the daily grind the whole community is shaken.”

“I for one find this kind of life incredibly dull. It’s why I always volunteer to go on exchange runs.”

Renee pulled out a hand drawn map of the area where they believed the group had gone missing. Several points of interest were previously investigated while others were still to be explored. Her finger rested on a place marked as the Howling Pit.