InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "let me do the thinkin'"

hanna scares chuck norris (adaptordie) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2011-09-16 15:40:00

Entry tags:

erik lehnsherr, hanna heller

WHO: Hanna Heller and Erik Lehnsherr
WHAT: Erik is curious about the newest arrival.
WHEN: An hour or so following this.
WHERE: Just outside the clinic.
RATING: TBD
STATUS: In Progress

Adapt or die. That was Hanna's motto, had been her way of life for as far back as she could remember. She had been raised to fight, to kill, to access a situation with a glance and respond accordingly. Until very recently, she had never seen technology of any capacity and yet, since leaving her home with her father in the forest, she had already learned how to operate a great many new and wondrous things. Yet for all of her adapting, for all of the learning she had done during her mission to avenge her mother's murder, Hanna had never expected anything like this.

Colligo wasn't unlike some of the other cities she'd seen since leaving the forest. However it was a city with two moons overhead and strange creatures that she had never before encountered. The people were nice, though, and so far she hadn't seen anyone who posed a real threat to her safety. However that hardly meant she was going to let her guard down and assume the bad people weren't still out there, somewhere. After all, Marissa Wiegler had many associates who would not be happy to learn of her demise. It was only a matter of time before they decided to take their vengeance. And, although Hanna really was tired of the killing, in a small way she welcomed that day if only because it was far more normal to her than anything else she'd experienced once parting ways with her father what felt like a lifetime earlier.

Disembodied voices that seemed to belong to fellow captives had kept her company via the small device she'd been given upon her arrival but when she approached the clinic she turned it off. The gunshot wound just above her hip wasn't very painful, considering, but the girl knew it needed to be looked at and properly treated so it wouldn't become infected. So while she was loathe to trust anyone in this strange, new place, Hanna still stepped inside the facility and made her way hesitantly to the desk. A few stitches and some clean bandages later, making it clear that she was not staying overnight despite the doctor's claims that she really should, the sixteen-year-old re-emerged onto the streets of Colligo.

She hesitated just outside the doors of the clinic. Peering down at her PDA with a thoughtful expression, she shoved it back inside the pocket of the light jacket she was wearing. She would examine it more later. For now, she wanted to walk and try to make sense of the city and all it entailed. After all, the only way to survive was to adapt and the only way she could hope to do that was by learning all she could about her new surroundings. So with that thought in mind, Hanna pulled the hood of her jacket over her almost-white mess of hair and began making her way down the street.

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adaptordie
2011-09-17 12:09 am UTC (link)

Ever since she was a small child, practically old enough to speak in fact, her father - or, at least, the man she'd spent her entire life thinking was her father - had taught her the precise thing to say when introducing herself. An entire speech, made up of complete and utter lies that were meant to be believable. Address. School. Names of friends and even a pet. The only part of that she'd been allowed to keep had been her name, a small piece that was truly her.. And while a large part of her wanted very much to give the same premade lie to the man in front of her, she didn't. She simply stuck to the singular truth mixed in with all of the lies.

"Hanna," she replied. "My name is Hanna Heller." Her father's name was Erik, just like this man's, but she didn't tell him that. It wasn't important and certainly wasn't any of his business. And although she definitely recognized his name for the area of the world it originated from, she didn't comment on his lack of accent either. She didn't see the point to mention it, simply filed it away as another fact about the man that seemed to have taken such an interest in her.

Not wanting to simply stand there and stare while also not wanting to turn on her heel and walk away, she asked after a heartbeat, "The device I was given... it mentioned something about a room where I was to stay. Do you know where I can find it?"

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wealreadyare
2011-09-17 12:46 am UTC (link)

Hanna Heller. It was like so many names in his memory, but luckily, this one wasn't a ghost yet. There was still the potential there for growth that had been stolen from so many others. Quietly shaking that line of thought off, Erik's eyes searched the eyeline of the city to see if he could potentially point her in the right direction to go, but while the lay out of the city wasn't so hard to navigate once you got used to it, Erik wasn't entirely sure that he could explain how to get from one place or another in a way that was at all comprehensible.

"I do, but I'm not entirely sure I could tell you how to get there from here," Erik said, his gaze lingering on the street signs before turning back to her. "But I would be more than happy to escort you there. That is, if you wouldn't find that odd as I have already intruded myself enough."

Erik could imagine exactly how he was coming off. Or at least, how he would likely come off to most people. It was hard for him to say exactly how she would view his behavior as her reactions to things had hardly been what he would have expected from anyone.

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adaptordie
2011-09-17 01:09 am UTC (link)

For a long moment, Hanna simply stared at him. Unblinking, expression unreadable, much like some sort of flesh-covered statue. Her mind, however, was anything but still. It was weighing out the pros and cons of agreeing to have him accompany her. It was trying to decide if making sure she made it to the apartments without getting lost was worth the risk of him knowing where she was staying. So far, he'd given her no indication that he meant anything other than goodwill toward her, but Hanna knew firsthand how quickly things like that could change.

Still. It was either agree or take off on her own. While she was unquestionably independent and more than could take care of herself, she really didn't want to wander this strange city without anyone to help guide her. Maybe in a day or two, once she had rested from the ordeal she'd just come from and had a bit of time for her gunshot wound to heal. Right now, though, the thought of company wasn't an unpleasant one and the concept of being too prideful to accept help was something wholly foreign to her.

"I would prefer you take me," she finally spoke, weight shifting ever so slightly to her right foot to ease up a bit on the gunshot wound on her left hip. "If I travel alone, I likely will come across trouble. I have had enough killing for one day."

Then, as though she hadn't just said something most would find alarming, she blinked and looked first right and then left before turning back to Erik. "Which way?" she questioned curiously.

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wealreadyare
2011-09-17 02:30 am UTC (link)

Most people would have been horrified. At the very least, they might have double-taked and questioned their own hearing. But as Erik had next to no room to judge as he'd been tracking and killing rogue Nazis since he was just about her age, the most he did was blink in curiosity at the statement before letting it drop. It was always a situation that could be explored later. Or whenever she felt like talking about it. Erik certainly knew he wouldn't have appreciated someone pushing him for details about that time of his life or about the things that he'd done. Even if he didn't regret a single one of his actions.

"This way," Erik said, raising a hand and pointing down the right side street that was heading north, "is the most direct route. Fewer turns and less traffic. It's not really too interesting to look at since it's mostly offices for accountants and things, but it is the fastest way to get there." Motioning to the left, Erik offered her a slight smile. "Or if you prefer a more scenic route, we could always go through the main business streets. It's a little touristy but all together much more interesting even if it takes a bit longer."

Erik was trying not to sound rather biased towards the second route, but he was probably failing rather spectacularly.

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adaptordie
2011-09-17 02:56 am UTC (link)

One of the drawbacks of not having been around anyone beyond her father for the bulk of her life meant that Hanna didn't often know when she'd said something that she really shouldn't say. So when Erik didn't comment on her statement about killing, she didn't find it odd because she didn't realize there was anything for him to really comment on in the first place. Sure, if Sophie were here, she'd probably have something to say about it, but Sophie had something to say about everything.

Considering that particular topic finished as the only reason she'd mentioned killing was as an explanation for why she didn't want to walk the route on her own, the girl didn't even hesitate before deciding on the route she wanted to take. Once again, she gave her reasons, mostly because this man wasn't an enemy - at least, not as of yet - so she didn't see why she shouldn't explain herself. It was one of the things she'd always done with her father and it was easier to fall back on those old habits now than to try keeping it all to herself when there didn't seem to be a particular need.

"If I do not adapt, I die. I cannot adapt if I do not know what to expect within this city." She tilted her head ever so slightly, unblinking blue eyes staring up at him as the corners of her mouth quirked upward ever so slightly in a faint mimicry of his own slight smile. "I would prefer the second route."

As they turned left and began walking, Hanna pulled the PDA from her pocket and cut a sideways glance at her current guide through the city streets. "What is it called?" she asked curiously, holding it up a bit so he could see what she was talking about. "How does it know my name?"

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wealreadyare
2011-09-17 07:59 pm UTC (link)

Again, while most people might have thought what she said seemed odd or was pointing to something that needed to be addressed, it seemed a perfectly reasonable statement to Erik. To anyone that might have been observing Erik's thought patterns, his own experiences were heavily lending to his willingness not to question or even be confused about Hanna's attitudes. Survival had been a key aspect of his existence for the longest time, so what right did he have to question someone else's focus on it? Her phraseology was more intriguing to Erik than the subject matter that was involved in it, and while he did want to ask, he figured that it could easily wait until she was less wary about him. He was, after all, just that odd man that offered to help and simply didn't take no for an answer.

The smile was encouraging, though, as was her willingness to take risks and explore, and he helped fell into step next to her, making a conscious effort not to take long strides and get too far ahead of her as they walked. Glancing sideways at her question, Erik couldn't help but smile as the questions that he could still remember a few people clarifying for him, "It's a PDA. Personal Digital Assistant," He recited easily. "It knows your name because it's been programmed to know it," Erik said, fishing his own out of his pocket and holding it over to her to see. "They're each personalized to us when we arrive, it seems, so that we're able to communicate more easily with the other individuals already in the city."

Most likely so that they each wouldn't been confused until someone happened to wander along in front of the library who could help them. It was much easier to get help when you could contact someone to come to you. Even when you didn't really know what you were doing. The voice function seemed to be rather helpful in turning on when you really needed it to. And sometimes, when you really didn't, but that last thing didn't matter quite as much if you weren't easily embarrassed.

"I'd never seen one before I ended up here, either, so you're not alone in being more than a bit lost," Erik said, figuring that might be reassuring. Somehow.

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adaptordie
2011-09-18 01:30 am UTC (link)

Personal Digital Assistant. Hanna had never heard of such a device before. She knew of the telephone through books but had only just encountered one for the first time a week or so ago. She understood that there were smaller phones that were portable, though she wasn't positive of their name either. This Personal Digital Assistant seemed similar but not quite the same.

"Are you from the forest too?" she asked somberly as she slid the device back into her jacket pocket. Hanna had never met anyone else who had lived as secluded of a life as she had lived. The thought of such a thing was a fascinating one, though something told her that likely wasn't why he'd never seen the device before. He certainly didn't have the same feel to him that someone who had lived life entirely outside of civilization. There was, however, a feeling of something she could relate to, something that made his presence more bearable than that of others. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

As they walked, Hanna unconsciously met him stride for stride so they were in sync with one another and she was neither leading nor lagging. Her attention darted around and took in everything with a fast, calculating glance, memorizing details that seemed they might prove important in helping her adapt to life in such a strange place.

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wealreadyare
2011-09-20 08:48 pm UTC (link)

Forest? Erik considered the question carefully as he couldn't exactly say no. He'd been of many places over the years, but he doubted that she meant exactly where his mind was traveling. So he shook his head in response, "Just from before this sort of technology was in standard practice. This place seems to love to play with time as well as geography," he said before offering he a sideways smile as he slipped ever so carefully back into his natural accent. It wasn't something which he had taken on in quite some time so even as natural as it were, there was a slight rust in it that might have made it seem feigned to the unfamiliar ear. "But I think we are from somewhere similar, at least," He said, offering her a slight smile as they slipped through the crowd that was gathered on the street, lingering near carts filled with various little bits and bobbles from sale.

Erik hadn't really figured out the reason for the existence of carts carrying Colligo souvenirs. It wasn't as though the people who were locals needed them, and the non-locals could hardly take them back to their own reality. The best he could do was chalk it up to being another one of those things just expected to be in a city. At least the music echoing out of the shops whose doors were open to the fall breeze was enough to distract this thoughts from things like that.

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adaptordie
2011-09-21 02:14 am UTC (link)

Hanna hesitated, unsure precisely how much she should reveal to this man. He was still a stranger, after all, yet she still couldn't ignore the connection she felt toward him. Reminding herself that neither her father nor the threats she'd faced back home were present within the city - at least, not as of yet - she finally opted for as much of the truth as she dared to give. Enough, perhaps, to explain a bit about herself but not so much as to tell her entire tale without knowing whether or not he was safe to trust with such details.

"I was born in Leipzig," she finally admitted. "I am supposed to say that is where I live, now. But..." She hesitated, only briefly, before finally saying what she desperately wanted to say despite her reservations that it would someday be her undoing. "I grew up in the forest, where it was very, very cold, with my father." Who wasn't really her father, though Hanna wasn't about to admit such things to anyone, even a stranger who had shown her nothing but kindness thus far.

"We did not have technology. No telephones, no radio. Nothing." She snorted, ever so softly. "The first time I saw a light switch, I thought it was magical." Realizing how primitive that made her sound, she corrected with, "I knew what it was, understood the science behind it from my father's books, but knowing and seeing are two very different things." She paused then, intent on perhaps saying a bit more until something else caught her attention.

Music. Not the sort she'd heard on the television the first time she'd been introduced to such things. Not the same she'd heard Sophie and her family singing during their trip while she was hiding, either. No, this was something different. Soft, airy, and quite possibly the most beautiful thing Hanna could ever remember hearing. She went still at the sound, slowly turning her gaze toward the shops with a look of wonder passing over her fair features. "What is it?" she asked after a breathless moment of pause, glancing back at Erik with insatiable curiosity shining in her eyes.

"It is music, isn't it?"

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wealreadyare
2011-09-22 09:46 pm UTC (link)

Leipzig? Had he ever been to Leipzig? It was more than likely, though possible that he could have just passed through without retaining in particular memory of the place, but none of that really held a firm weight on what she was saying. There were a few forests that came to mind in the area that she could have been speaking of, but very cold seemed to point to a consistent cold, and none of that held with Leipzig. Even with possible shifting climates over time periods, that city was as seasonally balanced as most along that latitude, and he couldn't see even the most remote places being able to keep themselves completely technology free. Not without a great deal of effort.

As his mind turned over the other potentials there, he had to pause at her question and reaction, a soft smile blossoming on his features at the wonder in hers, "It is," He said, his gaze flickering between the open doors but not exactly able to pinpoint exactly which the sound was echoing out of. But that wasn't really any trouble. Not when the solution was right in front of his face. "I'm sure if you find where it's coming from, they would be more than willing to tell you what sort of music it is. And there's a music shop not to far from here where you could pick up a copy to listen to later."

The simplest solution to cover up his own ignorance and make it more fun. Turn it into a game.

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adaptordie
2011-09-30 03:15 am UTC (link)

Hanna wasn't certain if she liked the music she was hearing quite enough to want to get her own copy of it, but she certainly enjoyed taking him up on the challenge of locating the origin of the shop where it was currently playing. Which, really, it wasn't much of a challenge for her when it came right down to it. She simply turned her body slightly, head tilting to the side and eyes sliding closed for the briefest of moments as she allowed her senses to reach outward in search of where the music was the loudest.

"There," she said as she reopened her eyes, arm raised as she pointed at one of the shops in the row. "The music is coming from that one." And immediately she began moving that way, glancing up at the name of the store - Vito Italia - before stepping inside to the soft beep of a sensor in the doorway.

When one of the sales girls noticed her, there was a brief moment of hesitation in the woman's expression as she took in Hanna's less than top of the line attire, before she began to make her way over. The look, however, quickly changed to one of shock, then ultimately pleasantness, when Hanna immediately switched to Italian to inquire about the song. A few exchanges later and she thanked the woman, turning and casting a small smile to Erik as she once again stepped back out onto the street.

"Opera," she stated, partially to herself and partially to Erik as she belatedly realized he might not speak Italian fluently enough to have followed the brief exchange within the store. "It is a song from an opera singer. Luciano Pavarotti performing 'O sole mio'." She smiled softly once more. "I have heard his name, know about him, but I did not realize that his voice was so..." She struggled for a word.

"Powerful." Her gaze flickered across the street as she grew thoughtful for a moment before suddenly seeming to snap out of whatever daydream she'd allowed herself to briefly enjoy. "I believe I should continue on to my room," she said decidedly. "I will obtain a copy of his music another time."

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