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Date & Time: Early Dec. 6th through the 8th
Location: Earth!!
Characters: Carol and open for the first option, Carol and Christopher for the second
Summary: Carol arrives on Earth! ...And then bad decisions follow.
Warnings: Some violence later on

[A. The Arrival]

[Admittedly she was scared at first, wondering if she should wait before making that trip down to Earth once she discovered it was all right to do so. She was eager to get off the moon, sure, but would she like it once she got back down?

Well, she supposes that she can't stay up here forever anyway. Not that she'd want to. Even in just a few months, she was already tired of space. She thinks that this might actually be the opportunity to give the potion she recieved from Doctor Facilier a try. It was supposed to make her brave, right? If she were brave, then she wouldn't have any hesistations about returning to Earth.

And after one sip, it turns out she's right.

Upon her arrival, she's amazed just how pristine and gorgeous everything looks - like stepping into some winter fairytale.]

Oh wow, everything's so beautiful! I never would've guessed it looked like this... [and then she has a realization.] ...and cold! Cold! Cold!

[Well, she can admire its beauty later once she isn't freezing. Though she dressed as warmly as she could, she's definitely not prepared for this kind of cold weather. As soon as she reaches civilization, she'll approach anyone and everyone with one important question on her mind:]

E-e-excuse m-me, w-w-where d-do I buy a c-coat?

[B. The forest - locked to Christopher.]

[After having just enough time to settle in and gather things she'll need to stay warm, Carol's eager to explore a nearby forest. Not just to find more supplies, which is part of it, but that potion she took a sip of has given her the strangest urge to go exploring out in the wilderness. So as soon as she's able, she bundles herself up warmly and takes a pack of supplies that might come in handy if she strays too far into the forest (which much to her surprise, sounds kind of exciting!).

Right as she's leaving to head out, she'll run into Christopher. Normally, she'd stay and talk - he must have some interesting stories of course, but she can't seem to fight off that nagging feeling that's telling her to go out into the woods. To go as far as her legs would allow her to, and see what this new Exsilium has to offer. Not wanting to stop to talk, but not wanting to brush him off, she tells him that she'll be spending time in the woods. Oddly enough, there's no shyly asking for help, or any kind of uncertainity about how dangerous this trip could actually be. She tells him he is welcome to come along, but for the first time she didn't feel like she actually needed his help at all.

She doesn't wait long before giving into that nagging voice, and starts venturing towards the woods.]

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[She does look happy. Christopher steps up to keep pace, putting his hands in his pockets and humming a little. It should be easy enough to keep up with Carol. She can't possibly be as hard to keep track of as even Rail.]

How could I not want to? With all this great expanse of nature before me, I want to meet every inch of it! Wait, no, every atom of it! Even its subatomic particles! Nature's endless domain is truly marvellous, don't you think?

[She'll stop long enough for him to reach her, but she feels a little torn between staying close and darting off.]

It's really pretty! It looks completely untouched - and I wonder just how big this forest is? [Go look, Carol, go right now and see what's over those hills.] I'm going to go get a better look!

[And, probably without realizing it, she chooses to dart off. Maybe she's just excitable? Still, she stops when she's got a good look, and she's actually a little surprised to find that this forest is way bigger than she imagined it would be.]

[Though he never lets her get out of his sight, Christopher keeps up at a more casual pace, committing the forest to memory and making sure he knows its markings. Christopher loves nature, so he understands perfectly well just how dangerous it can be.

When she stops, he stops beside her, smiling with a little bit of amusement.] Is this the sort of situation where you can't see the forest for the trees? It seems more like all we can see is the forest, which is made of these trees, after all. Is there something you're looking for?

Um, not really. I just wanted to look around. [Firewood would be nice, but Carol with an axe is a scary combination.] After all, we'll most likely have to live here for a while.

[Wow, look at all those trees. She tries to resist the urge to climb one. She really wants to. In fact, while they walk together, she reaches out to tug at a nearby tree branch.

Every once in a while, there's a very faint noise. Like snow crunching that's coming from off in the distance. She doesn't notice the sound or give it much thought.]

Do you could climb one of these trees, if you really wanted to?

[Normally, he might leap into a tree just to demonstrate that he can, but with the way Carol is acting, he decides he would rather be beneath her in case she tries. Instead, he chuckles.]

Do you plan on racing me to the top? I'll warn you, I've never lost a climbing challenge even once!

[Normally she'd say no. Of course not, what if she fell and hurt herself?

But she really, really wants to.]

Well, if that's what you want, I don't mind.

[This should be a pretty big sign something is wrong.]

[Christopher laughs, but then, Christopher always laughs. Alarm bells are going off in his head. Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong—]

Hahah, maybe a little later. I feel like spending a few moments settling in instead, don't you?

[She seems a little disappointed by his answer, and it takes some effort not to just go ahead and try climbing it herself. The thought surprises even her, as she shakes her head.

Maybe whatever Doctor Facilier made that potion with, maybe he made it a little too strong?]

Oh um, right. I guess it'd be better to keep looking around. Maybe another time then.

[Her feet start moving before her mind has time to catch up. Well, it was all right, wasn't it? She knows it'll work now, and now she can use it to help Rail, whenever the time comes.

Still, she should be relieved. So could definitely change things with this, so why doesn't she feel more at ease?]

[Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong—

Christopher follows after, humming lightly. He heard that crunch, and it makes him all the more certain that he can't leave Carol alone.]

Nature is a fearsome friend,
Her punishments may never end,
Reckless, reckless, falling trees,
Oh no! Someone died from carelessness!

[Not that he has anyone in mind or anything.]

[She hears him, of course, but doesn't say anything. She was doing the right thing, and for once it was nice to not be scared of everything all the time.

Except it was scary that she couldn't seem to reign herself in.

At least it would be scary if she could feel fear.

She stops.]

Mr. Christopher, I - huh?

[That sound from earlier is closer now. A lot closer. She peeks around him to see what's causing that noise.]

Hm? [Christopher stills. Two knives appear in his hands as if from nowhere. He is more than ready to fight anything that might appear.]

[A polar bear...

Carol marvels at it as it approaches, however it doesn't seem to like that they're out here. Fleeing in terror would be her first instinct, but the thought of doing so doesn't even occur to her.

However, she does do the first sensible thing she's done since this trip - her hands are reaching for the camera around her neck, right as the creature following them roars and charges forward.]

[Christopher acts on instinct, launching forward in an effort to get between Carol and the bear. He know he can handle one, and he is confident that she can not. (And what has happened to her? What happened to the girl who shut her eyes as they ran through monster-infested halls?)]

[Before she can act, Christopher is already between her and the bear. Her eyes widen briefly - and for a second, she feels like herself again. If she uses her camera now, chances are she'll accidentally freeze Christopher instead.

So she hesitates, and to her horror, she wonders if this hesitation she's feeling right now would ultimately be the reason why she wasn't able to get to Rail in time before he falls off that building.

I have to do something. I...I have to do something!

She looks at the ground, searching for something to throw. A rock, a branch, anything. If she can't use her camera, she can try to use something else.]

You should probably hide! [Christopher calls it over his shoulder, but even as the declaration comes, light and carefree, he is very concerned that she won't do that at all.

It is why Christopher works hard to keep between her and the polar bear. He doesn't exactly want to move in close enough for a kill. The bear has thick fur and thick skin. With these tiny blades, killing it will be a challenge in itself. At the same time, throwing too many knives will leave him unarmed with a polar bear that is probably still moving. So for the moment, he focuses on trying to keep its attention and stay out of attack range.]

[While she's still wrestling over what Doctor Facilier told her, Christopher's words snap her out of it. She doesn't want to hide, doesn't think she needs to hide. Why should she, when she's not afraid?

...But then again, she also trusts Christopher to know what he's doing. She's not sure what she should do right now. She turns when she hears another sound.

It looks like there was more than one bear.]

Another one?!

[Christopher half-turns but then there's the swipe of a paw and he has no time. He has to dodge back.]

Take a snapshot of the moment! Commit to memory! Head back the way we came!

[Holy shit polar bears are harder to kill than humans. He really, really needs to get himself guns. Christopher realizes that he has to move fast, despite the risks. So he launches forward at his polar bear again, this time bringing his leg up to deliver a kick to its jaw. He has to take it down quickly, he has to keep Carol from getting hurt by the second.]

[The polar bear Chris is fighting is knocked back by the kick, which for a few seconds gives him enough an opening to get further away from the bear. It seems to be stunned enough by the kick that it doesn't immediately lunge.

Carol is momentarily distracted by Chris' fight that by the time she turns back and reaches for the camera, the bear's friend is already in front of her. She's caught off guard by the bear's speed, and right as she tries to freeze it, she feels a sudden, very sharp pain when she feels claws in her arm. She's hit hard enough that it knocks her down.

[Christopher moves as fast as he can. Two long, leaping steps and he is there between them. He wastes a knife thrown into its neck but it doesn't go far enough to kill so he launches forwards to kick it in deeper. He has to kill it fast, he has to kill it soon, he has to get to her before Nature wins against human folly.]

[The bear lets out a hurt, strangled cry before backing off, trying to shake off the damage that was done to it. The wound to its neck is fatal enough that it won't live for much longer. It'll definitely go down fighting though.

The first bear shakes off being kicked in the jaw, and it starts towards them again.]

[The move is so effective that Christopher decides to try a variation. He hopes he has the second bear's anger, so that gives him the chance to run towards the first. He slides past it, then makes a throw—this time, to get the knife in right above its spinal cord. He takes one leaping forward to bring the kick through and push the knife deeper in, all in the hope of severing that spinal cord and ending this bear's fight fast.]

[The knife successfully lodges itself was into bear's spine, and right before he can sever its spinal cord, it makes one last attempt to either bite or claw into him.]

[To escape, Christopher bends himself backwards at an inhuman angle. He catches the extended arm in his legs and twists to slam it to the ground, but he has no time to crow over this. Christopher is already running at the second bear, risking more of an attack as he comes in with a leg aimed at the neck, hoping to tear more at the wound he already made and bring the enemy to a quick end.]

[The second bear attempts to lash out with its teeth, but the kick successfully finishes it off. With the kick opening the wound on its neck further, it nearly decapitates it.

The bear collapses, unmoving. The pristine, white snow has a fair amount of red now - both from human and animal.]

[Christopher's feet hit snow and he immediately runs over to Carol.] Now, now, let's see, let's see! [His tone is light, bright, cheerful, as if there is no real risk of pain here. But he knows just how fragile human bodies are.] Don't tell me you did that just to get an impressive scar to show off to all your friends? Well, I'm sure Rail will be impressed, but just because he has all those scars, it doesn't mean you need to emulate him. Differences are what make friendships so strong.

[He crouches down beside her, ready to take stock of the damage and patch up as much as he can before getting her to proper help.]