Caught in Headlights [open]

[Deleted]

"Hello there." She gave a curt dip of her head to somebody who she had recognized from the school as she passed them.

My my... She was assimilating very nicely.

Long limbs poked out of grey and tiny running shorts as Jane Doe carried on, jogging the normal route. Her running shoes were still spotless and white, matching the slim fitting top that hugged her kindly due to an impeccable posture. Even as she was panting and sweating, the doe jogged with such effortless grace that it would have anyone watching her believe that she adored running. Perhaps that is true. The whole gesture DOES seem somewhat familiar to the amnesiac.

Jane doe is perhaps one of the longest staying members at this community, however most of that time was spent in recovery due to her injuries. The remaining weeks were spent assimilating her to life as a human. Not that it was difficult to do on someone with such a blank state of mind, but now.. As time passes, she begins to recall more and more.. For example, if she was married to a prince before, wouldn't that make her a princess?

... She refused to believe that. "I'm too old."

The sun had set on this long and painfully uneventful day. But that pales in comparison for what was to come later tonight... Being left alone in bed with nothing but her own overwhelming thoughts, waiting for sleep to take her as it struggles to separate Jane from her worries. But not while she is running. There is a sort of liberating feeling she gets when she is running. Its uplifting in a meditative sort of way - but that can be dangerous too.

For instance, she just stepped off the curb without paying attention to the traffic. When the headlights of an on-coming car shine through the dim evening road, without realizing how, why, or even the DANGER it presented to her, Jane finds that she suddenly freezes up. Her legs don't move, and her eyes are wide open, staring directly at the blinding lights as time ... just ... stops.

And she wonders.

Should I say hello?

[Eva Vogel]

Eva was taking a little stroll through the town. This was the first time she truly got to act like one of the humans. She missed her home, especially her brother, whom she had left behind, but at least some of the others were around. Or so she had heard. It would be wonderful to see another country here, but it would also be terrible. Then they too would have been torn from their world and country to be here.

Eva was torn from here thoughts when she heard a car coming. Had she walked to a street already? She looked up to see a woman just standing there, about to get hit. Eva wasn't strong enough to move her, but she might be able to help her in another way. But running wasn't proper... No matter, this woman's life was much more important.

Eva ran up to the woman and stopped there, grabbing her hand. She faced the oncoming car with confidence. There was no way a car could kill her, since she was a country. Or, at least, it shouldn't be able to, but the Shift had done something funky to her. Well, the intent was to make the car realise that there were people in its way, not get run over. Hopefully her little plan worked.

[Deleted]

Kida caught sight of the oncoming... thing. It wasn't a Ketak. No, it was not nearly as natural looking (though it was rather hard to contend with a stone fish), and the cockpit was covered completely on top. 'An automobile,' she thought absently. Well, at least she had developed a crude understanding of her new world.

Something wasn't right. Kida could feel it in her stomach. Her instincts were always correct.

There were two people right in front of the vehicle. One, a tense looking woman, the other, what appeared to be a child, except with an odd stance resembling that of a queen.

Even Kida could recognize that they were about to be killed.

Without a thought, Kida bolted up from her spot on the bench. She was strong enough to save them- at least, before the Shifting, she was. But that wasn't relevant. She was trained to guard innocent lives, and that was exactly what she intended to do, regardless of the fear gripping at her heart.

Her strong frame collided with the other two as Kida sprinted. Then... blackness.

CRASH!

[Deleted]

The sense of dread and danger had registered too late for the shifted Doe.

She pulled the confident small girl into a hug, shielding the youth with her own frail body. Then suddenly, she felt it. The collision. It was softer than she imagined. It didn't send her flying, although she did feel the sensation of falling to the ground. It was bizarre. Her eyes were wide open, so she was perhaps the first of the girls to realize what had happened.

VVRrroooooommm.....

Having been blinded by the high beams, the driver's identity remained unseen by all three ladies on the road as the vehicle raced passed. Loud consecutive toots of the car horn rang out through the street. Beep - beep!! Clearly, some one was upset over the incident but could not find it within themselves to stop and make sure the young women were okay. Jane figured that the person in the car was in a hurry to get somewhere - perhaps a warm dinner was waiting for them at home... It sounded nice. The mother would be eager as well, if that was the case. But even as a folded mess on the road, Ms. Doe sat there eying her rescuers with an enchanted gaze. They were both attractive in their own right. Gifted with fair hair and a captivating blue eyed stare. The grown woman who had dashed to the street in order to push them out of the oncoming vehicle had landed on top of the pair. Jane noticed the woman had her eyes tightly shut and had to admire her strength and courage. The first impression of her was that of a fearless warrior princess and it quickly imprinted itself in the doe's mind. Next thing, she realized that in her hand was the small paw of a child who exuded with an air of nobility.

Hands... There was something vaguely alien about having hands, although she could not ever remember having anything else on the ends of her arms....

It all happened so fast, but in the moment the car had carried on right passed them, (even accelerating afterwards,) Jane realized that in her ignorance, she could have not only ended her life BUT taken a young girl with her as well. Guilt instantly plagued her, though she did not let go of the young girl and pulled her and herself off of the ground. They were not safe yet after all! considering they were sitting ducks in the middle of the suburban road. After her long legs straightened up, she extended her hand to the woman with the crystal necklace, with a look of concern crossing her own feminine face. "Quickly, we should get out of the road... Its not safe."

Well, at least she had learned her lesson...?

It just doesn't seem right for her to be lecturing these two when she was the one that got them in this predicament in the first place. She felt a sting on her grazed knee as she stepped forward holding a hand out to the amazonian in order to help her up. The scratches on her otherwise flawless legs began to draw blood. But she deserved it for wearing such tiny running shorts. (Maybe she will opt for track-pants in the future.) She eyed both girls for signs of them being hurt, although the main priority was to get off the road and apologize.

"I'm sorry, I can't express how sorry I am. Thank you." She spoke, letting go of the woman as soon as she was hoisted up. She laid a hand upon her own chest as though to express her sincerity. "Are you both alright?"

[Eva Vogel]

Things happened so fast that Eva could hardly register them. First she was pulled into a protective hug by the woman, and then there was a great impact. It was not the car, but it was strong. Had her bother come to save her?

Suddenly, her pain registered. "Autsch," Eva cried out quietly, but it was completely drowned by the sounds of the car. Her elbow was scraped, and some of the scraping went up her forearm. Additionally, she had scraped her palm lightly. It would heal in no time at all, but it really hurt.

Eva looked up to see the car driving off. The person in it did not care about what pain it might have brought to them. People of Liechtenstein would never act like this, nor those of Switzerland. She really wished she was home. If she was, she would not have been hurt like this, or even this vulnerable.

The woman pulled Eva to her feet by her uninjuered hand, which had still been in her hand. She lightly brushed the dust off of her dress with the back of her hand while the woman reached out to another. So that must have been who had saved them. How did you thank someone that saved your life? Or from a lot of pain, if she was still a full fledged country.

"I am a little hurt, but I can take it," Eva said. She had dealt with injuries about as bad, but nothing worse. There had always been someone protecting her from the truly terrible injuries. There had ben Germany and Switzerland... and someone else. Who was it? Had it been Hungary? No, that could not be right.

Eva let the thought go. There was no use dwelling on it, she was sure. Maybe now was the time to thank the woman that had saved the two of them. She had the look of a warrior, yet also a regal air about her. Her hair was white, a white that rarely showed up naturally. It was quite beautiful. "Thank you for saving us, Miss."

[Deleted]

Kida opened her eyes to see the woman and the little girl standing over her. She propped herself up on her elbows, immediately noticing her injuries- both of her knees and arms were scraped, and she must have hit her forehead on the pavement hard enough to temporarily knock her out. A trickle of blood slid down her forehead and stained her white bangs. But, everyone was alive, including her. Injuries didn't matter, they could be healed, unlike death. For a brief moment, she reached for her crystal necklace, before remembering bitterly that it no longer worked, at least not in this place.

She accepted the woman's hand gratefully and lifted herself up. "I am alright. I have survived worse than this." And to the light-haired child, she replied, "You are very welcome, but why is it that you did not flee? I have never met a youth with as much courage as you have shown."

[Deleted]

"Worse than this..." She whispered, barely audible.

Jane noticed the woman had reached for the pendant around her neck before accepting the hand which she offered. It was a little odd in terms of priorities however Jane was slowly coming to accept that everything was strange here in Tenebrae Estates. Pursing her lip and causing a dimple to appear on her cheek, a soft "tsk," sound escaped the Mother, before she pulled the sleeve of her zip-up hoodie over her palm, and began gently wiping the blood away from her face. Some of the redness stained her white hair and it wasn't exactly a job well-done, considering Jane was trying to avoid touching the wound itself. After finishing, the tall doe wiped the cuff of her cotton sleeve gingerly on the stomach of what was previously her white t-shirt and smiled weakly.

She tended to smother and nurture others, and rarely ever took no for an answer.

Although she was just as equally curious to know why the youthful girl ran to Jane's aid without fear or hesitation, her blank expression seemed to be unable to convey that. As these three women stood on the sidewalk, eying what would have been the scene of a horrific traffic accident, (if not for the Atlantian's quick thinking,) she felt yet another weight on her heart. She thought about her son, the son she can't remember a thing about. What if he had rushed onto the road and got himself smashed up by a car that didn't stop for anything?

Suddenly, she kicked into mother-mode. What was a soft, if not sheepish voice earlier, was now the stern voice of an overly protective parent.

"It was very reckless what you did, young lady. If it had been MY son..... No... I mean.. Just WHAT would your mother do if you got hurt today?" They were all nearly badly injured just now, and she still finds something to nitpick... It would appear....

Jane is strange too.

[Eva Vogel]

"I did not flee because I was hoping my near-immortality was still about me. Also, what would I have done if this woman died before my eyes? I could not bear such a thing," Eva said. She was pretty sure she could be killed as easily as she should now. But no matter, she would be as careful as she normally was and nothing terrible would befall her. This world held no threats that weren't present in her own.

Eva winced at the other woman's question. "I-I don't have a mother. I have a father, who I never met, and a bruder, who is elsewhere," she said, her eyes starting to feel wet. She truly missed her brother. Suddenly, the thought that it might not have been aimed at her came. She might have answered a question aimed at the other woman. She felt that she should be embarrassed, but she was still a little too sad for that.

[Deleted]

Kida knew that the woman meant well, but the question hurt her as well as its intended target. Her mother... as terrible as it sounded, she had no idea. She was too young when her mother was taken away by the Heart of Atlantis. Kida could barely remember anything about her other than that it was the most awful event of her childhood when she was consumed, and that the tattoos on her cheek represented the sorrow caused by not having a mother.

'Near-immortality? Does she possess a crystal? No, that is a ridiculous thought.'

As the girl's eyes began to water, Kida's own motherly instincts immediately took over as she knelt down and gently took the child's hand in her own. She knew what it was like to have parents stolen away.

"I have no doubt that your brother would be very proud of your selfless actions. Tell me, brave one, what is your name?"

Perhaps in the future, she would have children of her own. Milo would make a wonderful father.

Why was she thinking about that now? Obviously, she would have to return to Atlantis if any of those thoughts were to be realistic. And, they weren't even relevant to the current situation! Kida would definitely have to find a way to distract herself from memories of her husband until she could go home.

[Deleted]

Immortality was a concept that had yet to have been introduced to the doe-turned-into-woman. So for a moment, she became nothing more than puzzled as she listened to the young Country speak her piece. No mother? No father? ..... So. She was an orphaned child. Jane felt her lip scrunch up in disdain for the harsh reality of the world as the young girl became teary-eyed. If it were not for the wild white haired woman who knelt down to comfort her, then Jane would have probably done the same.  She nodded in agreement once Kida mentioned the missing brother, and how he would have been proud of her if he could have witnessed such bravery.

"Indeed. And your brother. Is he ... here? At Tenebrae Estates?" Perhaps it would be more clear if she was able to ask if he had been 'shifted.' "I'm sorry about earlier, its that, I too was separated from my son... I worry about him everyday." She explained in a poor attempt to excuse her earlier words. Harsh as they were, she wanted to express that she only had the best intentions in mind. But before Eva could answer Kida's question with her name, Jane would interject, placing a hand over her chest and uttering gently, "Oh pardon us. My name is Jane Doe. At least, that's the moniker they have given me around here. I can't recall ever being called anything other than... 'Mother.' ...... And what of you two?"

Where she came from, it was believed to be poor manners to ask for someone's name, without first introducing yourself. Although after the shift, she had met a number of people, from many different backgrounds. Initially Jane would be shocked by the rudeness of some people, but eventually she learned to become more open minded and accepting. And she was still learning. She had apologized to Eva hastily, didn't she?

She still had a long way to go before assimilating to this reality.

[ooc]sorry about the delay guys > _ <[/ooc]

[Eva Vogel]

Eva winced a little when Kida grabbed her injured hand. The pain fled quickly, but it had been extremely sharp. She hoped her injuries would heal quickly. She knew that the other countries were better in no time, and her own little cuts and bruises were quick to leave, but she might not be a country now. How long would it take if she was just a normal girl now?

Suddenly, Eva's tears spilled over. A couple ran down each of her cheeks. She had the urge to wipe them away, but both of her hands were otherwise occupied. Instead, she sniffled and blinked a few times before getting around to answering the questions placed before her.

"I am sure he would be, but he would also have been very worried if he knew. My bruder is very protective," she said with a little smile, "He is in Switzerland at the moment. And I am so sorry about your son, Jane. My name is- was- Liechtenstein. Here, I have been told to take the name Eva."

[Deleted]

Kida smiled comfortingly at Eva, trying to avoid hurting her small hand. At closer examination, Liechtenstein seemed older than she first appeared. Still, she looked to be around half of Kida's age- physically, that is.

"I am Kidagakash, though you may call me Kida. Not many people are able to pronounce my full name." She said the last sentence with a chuckle. Ah, the memories.

[ooc] All my posts are so short I swear, I'm trying to make them longer [/ooc]

[Deleted]

Jane wiped the cold sweat from her brow with the back of her hand as the young women continued their back and forth. The more Jane listened to the little lady named Eva, the more she felt this strange impression that there was more to her than meets the eye. Perhaps it was her inner wisdom and the way she carried herself during the conversation that betrayed her youthful appearance. Jane could sense that beside her, Kida was also surprised by the manner in which Eva spoke. And although both their names meant nothing in the language that Jane currently knew, she was left with a feeling of mystical wonder.

"It sounds as though you've both come from... some place... very far away." She managed to say, her voice humbled by the fact that she had already forgotten how to pronounce Kida's full name, as well as Eva's name prior to life at Tenebrae Estates. In fact, now that the thought had crossed her mind... It would appear that these two ladies retained most of their memory of their previous life, making for a refreshing encounter, Jane believed, seeing as most of those who she spoke to around here seemed a little bit .... Dazed.

Including herself, actually.

"There is a corner shop over there.." Jane pointed by turning her face in that direction. Although she lived nearby, she wasn't sure they would feel comfortable with an invitation to her house - especially at this hour. With a curt smile, she stuck her hands into the pocket of her tiny shorts and itched the back of her heel with the toe of her other sneaker, "Shall we pick up something to eat there... as well as some band-aids?"

Or perhaps the other two would decline. The mother didn't expect them to have as much time to kill as she did. They must have been waiting to meet friends to go for a night out perhaps? Well for Kida at least, Eva didn't look to be of legal age despite her manner...... Jane looked back onto herself and her running shoes and wondered: When did it happen? That she became such a woman without any purpose.

Always running... But running nowhere.

[ooc] I don't mind at all, also, I am liking your new signature ^^[/ooc]

[Deleted]

Kida nodded up at the woman, letting go of Eva's hand and pushing herself up to her full height. Casually, she mentioned, "I am from Atlantis. It is a very beautiful place, and I miss it very much."

'And Milo,' her brain added.

She prepared herself for the same gaping expression that people always wore upon their faces when she announced where her home was.

"Thank you for your offer, that would be wonderful, but... what are 'band-aids'?"

[ooc] Thanks, Fate made it for me!

I just realized I mention Atlantis in nearly every Kida post. I think I need to stop doing that. [/ooc]

[Eva Vogel]

"Kidagakash," Eva said, trying it out, "It is a very pretty name. Yet it sounds much too old for someone so youthful. Are you, prehaps, older than you appear?" The question wasn't at all out of the ordinary in her opinion, but she could see how it might seem to others. How often was Kida asked if she was older than she appeared? Most likely, the answer was never.

"Oh, I don't live that far from here. Well, in my old world, I wouldn't live too far from here. We are in America, right? Well, if we are, I lived right across the ocean. Most of my time I spent in Switzerland with my bruder, but I am from Liechtenstein," Eva said with a little smile. She remembered how silly America had been. She rarely saw him, probably because she was so tiny, but she always enjoyed her time around him. He made her laugh, made her feel like she didn't need to be proper. How could someone not enjoy that?

"Oh, that sounds wonderful, but I do not actually have any money. All of my wealth is in Liechenstein, sadly. And a band-aid is used to cover up a small injury so it doesn't get infected," Eva said. She had not brought any of the little bit of money she had here because her dress did not have any pockets. Where would she put it? Maybe she would have to start wearing pants. Now she would have to carry her own money around. And get a job. She would need a job. Did they have any jobs here for people that appeared as young as she did?

[ooc] I don't mind your short posts, either. And my Jasmine posts tend to include Agrabah. It doesn't really matter if your character is still hung up on their old home. [/ooc]