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Elizabeth had learned long ago that the smallest detail was the most important thing in solving a puzzle. Her hobbies had included solving ciphers in her tower, which made many things in her journey with Booker easier. This city? It was no different. All that was needed was the code for the cipher. Once she found it? She could unravel the mystery of why they were there.
And why she couldn't leave.
Maybe leave was the wrong word? It was more like she was... tethered. Bound to this world. She could step into the doors of the lives of the people she had met. Oh, the things she had seen. The trials and tribulations and everything they did or didn't choose. All those doors and what was behind all those doors. But... no matter how far she went? She always found herself right back where she started.
Here.
That was why she had decided to further investigate the prison. Even if the offices had rotted papers and nothing seemed to be readable? She could find something. Notes left by the prisoners or maybe even evidence of a prison break. There had to be something. Something that would explain why she couldn't go home.
Not that she had a home to go back to.
Bigby stands at the edge of the palace grounds, the close proximity to the woods making his skin tingle. He wants to be back in his true skin, running and hunting and killing, and that's a dangerous mindspace for him to be. There's something about this forest that's doing this to him, and he needs to know what it is so he can stop it. He hasn't spent all these years trying to make amends just to go back to being the mindless killer he once was.
Whatever creature or magical artifact is in the woods, it's not the only thing. There are living animals, possible prey, and only a few minutes ago a familiar scent passed under Bigby's nose. Connor thinks he's a good tracker, and he is better than most, Bigby will admit, but he's still only human. He makes almost no noise up in the trees, an impressive feat, but Bigby can hear the scrape of his boots on the bark and the way the wind rustles the leaves as he passes by. Normally Bigby would leave him be, but if Connor is exploring the forest, perhaps he's already found something of value.
Well that had definitely been a surprise. One second he'd been investigating a mark burned into the brick wall of an alleyway (a mark he's certain wasn't there last time he'd been here), the next he's being tossed backwards against the nearest building by an unknown force. Fur ripples across his skin instinctively, nails and teeth lengthening to sharp points, ready to defend himself from whatever invisible foe had attacked him.
( guess who can't write fight scenes )
Bigby sniffs around the alley for any clues as to what just happened, but there's nothing to be found. The mark on the wall is no longer glowing, nor is it doing anything else, and eventually Bigby resigns himself to slinking away to lick his wounds and recoup. Until he can find new clothes he's stuck as a wolf (and he definitely doesn't want to get caught by another ghost while he's running around nude), so he sniffs at the musty nighttime air and heads for the nearest shop to steal some new clothes. If he runs into anyone on his way there, well, hope they don't mind angry giant wolves.
Wrapping one's head around a situation is important. Knowing the lay of the land, even more so. Other than a few forays out into the Gardens, Fortescue's kept herself rather centered in the Institution, trying to scrounge as much as she can from its halls and into more centralized locations. It's easier to see what you have to work with, that way. But the ex-spy isn't used to so much confinement, and her small travels have told her that many others are out there in the rest of the city. It would be interesting to see how many, roughly.
And so, to that end, Fortescue sets out to explore. She collects a piece of paper and a pencil from an old office, to scrawl on as she goes, and tucks a few snacks into her coat pockets before she sets out, warning Elizabeth as she does so. The idea is to be back by evening, but these things don't always work out as planned. On the other hand, she's had less to work with, before. She just never thought that she would be back to those circumstances.
Jazz trails after her, black tail raised high, as she walks. She keeps her pace even but slow, stopping occasionally to sift through heavy rubble with her magic and mark locations on her makeshift map. Shadowy tendrils extend from dark corners to shift particularly heavy objects as she scavenges for anything that might be useful in these... strange circumstances.
( Read more... )
Gwen had decided to focus on the problems she had on hand: food and shelter. Mr. Saxon was kind enough to provide both, and also kind enough to give her a job. Even though it was less of a job and more of a task to help them survive. A small area had been designated for gardening, and Gwen was put in charge of that and organizing and keeping track of supplies. It kept her busy and she was just fine with that. Her internship for OSCORP and studies for school went with genetic engineering, but this at least kept her mind busy.
It was jarring to learn that your boyfriend (ex-boyfriend) had spent a year somewhere else with someone who pretended to be her. Then he had a girlfriend. Just days ago Gwen had been on his front steps being dumped now he has a girlfriend. It made her angry, and jealous, but those were never things Gwen let rule her life. She was in charge of her life. Whatever Peter Parker wanted to do was up to him.
And right now her life was making sure she and the others in Saxonville could survive.
She walked along the perimeter from the outside to make sure that people hadn't broken in. It didn't fall under her list of duties, but she felt it was important. Besides the sun was out to some degree. It would help lift her mood a bit.
[ Come one, come all! Welcome to the new and improved center of this drab mortal city. It's been twelve days of hard work on Loki's part, but she does appear to have lifted a finger. The flowers that sprawled across the expanse of the place are all starting to come back to life, as well as some herbs which is much more beneficial but why not a touch of theatrics? It's meant to be alluring is it not and she did say to Mycroft she would do her part to make a central meeting point in the city.
So all you hungrypeasantsfellow prisoners Loki has a proposition for you. You see she's been hunting and if there's anything a skilled princess of Asgard knows how to do it's wield a blade. There's very good cuts of meat, some edible vegetation she found as well as spices and seasoning she's starting to accumulate.
There are also quite a few bottles stacked up next to each other. None of them really match (how can they when one is left to scavenge abandoned buildings?) but they contain some herbal equivalents to modern medicines. Pain killers, solutions to clean wounds, calming teas among other things. She's quick to establish herself in this world, and it's more than beneficial to her to start learning the names and faces of all the others Marked Ones trapped here.
Let's put Mycroft's idea of how things are organized to the test. How much of his information can be accurate. There's only one way to find out.
As most people apt at survival, they know not to look a gift horse in the mouth so what will you have? Food or medical supplies? Or are you looking for something more specific? It doesn't matter if your character only means to say hello. Loki is a charismatic and charming Goddess with a silvertongue. Come and poke at her.]