OPEN!!

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

Characters: Canada and all
Setting: Dorm floor; Stairway/Pool Floor; Kitchen/Cafeteria
Format: Either/or
Summary: Canada is making the venture down past all the spooks!
Warnings: none yet



A. Dormitory Floor;

Canada took a deep breath. She couldn't stay locked up in her room forever, like she had since the punishment for skipping work had made her cut a finger and it had bled all over her shirt. Her good shirt....her only shirt. She'd washed it as best she could and tugged her jacket down over her sleeves.

Unfortunately now was the time to get some sort of food in her and that meant braving the staircase. She ventured out of her room and peered down the hallways, trying to ignore the whispering voices and the phantoms in the corner of her eye.

"Everyone alright?"

B. Staircase

One step at a time, one hand on the wall, that was how she had to go. She paused at every door, peering out into the gloom. The pool looked particularly ominous in the dark...

She stepped out, peering at its depths. Maybe it had monsters--no that was silly. Something America would think. She shook her head and made a little 'come-with' gesture at Kumalop who had gone to bat at the water. It didn't help to linger...and she still had to pass that forest. She gave a little shudder and continued down.

C. Kitchen Floor

The harrowing walk down the staircase had finally gotten her here, to the kitchen floor. What a relief. She stepped through the dimly lit cafeteria, swallowing and contemplating if there might be someone just around the corner. That was silly really, she was a nation, she could handle anything lurking in the shadows. But then she heard that proper voice, the one she'd known for years and she swiveled on the spot.

"E-England?"

Comments

[misstates.livejournal.com]

[America had initially been looking for Canada. She had rushed to her room, found no one there, and immediately ran out again to search for her. Two things happened at once when she got to the kitchen - she spotted a flash of blonde hair she recognized as Canada's, and she heard the same voice as her sister had. It sounded like... no. Must just be some other snobby English lady.]

Maddy...? ... who're you talking to?

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

[Canada started and looks over her shoulder, smiling a tad too widely to be genuine] Amelia--ah you shouldn't do your impression of England in the dark. You sounded really realistic.

[misstates.livejournal.com]

[She walks to Canada's side.]

Uh, I... wasn't? [You'd know America's England impression if you heard it. On account of it sounds nothing like England.]

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

...Really? I thought you'd gotten very good for no good reason--Um...so maybe I was just hearing things?

[misstates.livejournal.com]

... oh.




... so you weren't talking to anyone...?

[ohgodwhatifthereareghostsinthetower Americ's just going to smile! Nothing bad's happening!!!]

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

I...well I thought I heard England? Maybe she's arrived and is all alone somewhere?

[Canada is going to do the same :|]

[misstates.livejournal.com]

Yeah! I mean, it's dark out so if she ended up in the tower she'd get lost right away! [She clenches her fist. She really doesn't want to go any further into the dark. Really really really.]

I guess we should look for her? [Her voice isn't shaking no way!]

[spacehipster]

In the dark, just around the corner, a tiny ball of green light can be seen against the otherwise black backdrop.

"England? No. 'Fraid not. Not English either. Time Lord. Gallifreyan. Last one. Very special."

A pause, and the Doctor steps forward.

"Miss Maple, are you alright?"

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

Canada hesitated at the voice. She fights the urge to scramble. She's forgotten what voices were real and what must be her head messing with her.

"I--I'm...do you always stand in the dark in strange towers?"

[spacehipster]

"Only when the power's out." He's going to try to lightly touch her shoulder.

"Miss Maple, this is real. This is reality. Those voices are not. Don't follow them. Focus on me. Focus on Doctor Bowtie and his ridiculous hair. Don't listen to the voices."

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

Canada shook her head and smiled, pushing the doubts out of mind. She could focus on the voices later.

"...Your hair isn't that ridiculous."

[spacehipster]

"I don't know. It's unnaturally fluffy and sticky-outy. Very bizarre." He grinned a little.

"Where do you want to go? We can stay here or I can take you to your room? Or...?"

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

"You've not seen Netherland's then. He has some of the strangest hair I've seen." Canada smiled and shrugged, "I was looking for something to eat. I can survive without it, but it helps."

Not to follow suit...

[creme-master.livejournal.com]

He didn't know how he'd managed to get to the cafeteria without breaking his neck along the way. No lights, staircase... The room was lit just enough that the tables could be seen, and that was better than most of the tower. It was eerily quiet, so when he heard a familiar voice he nearly jumped out of his skin.

Turning to face the darkened silhouette, he frowned and shook his head. "No cherie... I cannot say I am." But like hell he had had a moment of hope that the missing man in question had pulled himself from the shadows unaware to Francis. "Is everything alright?"

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

Canada jumped, turning towards him with a wide smile on her face. She didn't want to let him know how shaken she was by that voice.

"Everything is fine...I suppose. Apart from the apparent power outage..."

[creme-master.livejournal.com]

He stepped closer, almost cautiously. Like you'd approach a spooked horse, as Canada was doing an amazing job of impersonating one. The smile that he could barely see was forced and she was standing a little too stiff for her to be completely comfortable.

Not that anything about this was comfortable, bodies around and shadows seeming thicker than normal. Nodding, he offered a bit of a solution.

"I heard there are flashlights by the infirmary but really, it is quite questionable if we should be venturing out in the first place." Paternal instincts kicking in and all, he offered her his most reassuring smile. Quietly adding "You should be in your room, petite. I will help you back..."

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

Canada recognized the way he moved and how cautious and reassuring he was trying to be...The part of her that hated being coddled made her stand up straighter and she smiled again.

"I was looking for a little food. Kumalapo needs to eat and I should probably get a little something too. I am quite alright really..."

[creme-master.livejournal.com]

Shit... she did that stubborn in denial thing that Mathieu was capable of. Ignoring the pang of longing for the boy, he focused on his other half that was trying to boldly go past him in the dark. Sighing to himself, Francis watched her somewhat wearily. Curiosity besting him, he broke the silence.

"Why were you calling out to Arthur? You and I both know he is not here, Madeline," Somewhat hesitantly, he added: "Unfortunately. This place is not safe. Put my old heart at ease and allow me to walk you back there."

Back there was just as dreadfully dim as the rest of this hellhole. "Just this once, non?"

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

"England. I heard her...out there..." Canada stared into the darkness, squinting at where she felt she could almost make out shapes of people. Kumaril pawed at her skirt and she looked down at her.

"I--let me grab something from the kitchen oui?" She didn't wait for his answer, striding off in what she thought was the direction of the kitchen. She didn't want to say she may have gotten turned around in the dark.

[vanavanushka.livejournal.com]

Ivan's head shot up when he heard the voice behind him, brows raising, as well as his pipe, before he relaxed, recognizing the voice. A small amount of tension bled out--not a lot, no, because there were still things out there, still dangers, but at the very least Madeline was not one of them.

"Ah, Kanada.... Is only being you," he murmured, pipe scraping against the ground as he moved, closer to the smaller woman, brows furrowing slightly. "I am not thinking that Angliya is being here.... You were calling... da?"

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

Canada turned towards him, hands clenching until she recognized the voice. She still looked a little wary but her lips curled into a small smile.

"I thought I heard her...Perhaps I was mistaken."

[vanavanushka.livejournal.com]

"I am thinking so," he replied, frowned, shifting slightly, keeping a careful watch to what was happening around them, weary still. "Or hearing something I am not able to?" That was always an option too, though he doubted it the case. "Do you know what is happening...?"

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

"I don't really." Canada shifted down to pick up Kumala. She cuddled the bear close while she thought.

"Perhaps we should find out why the power went out?"

[vanavanushka.livejournal.com]

Ivan nodded in agreement, brows furrowed, glancing around, holding his pipe a little tighter. "Da.... It would be good to find, and then be fixing..." He paused a moment, head perking up to a sound nearby, but then shook his head, brows furrowed.

[pineandmaple.livejournal.com]

Canada smiled and gestured about with an arm. She had no idea where to start.

"I suppose we can start on this floor and work our way up?"