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[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

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VALA MCMAHON

about || musing || visage || tasks || timeline || current threads

BRAN ALDRIC MATTHEWS

about || musing || visage || tasks || timeline || current threads

NIHAR PURI

about || musing || visage || tasks || timeline || current threads

[engineergutierrez]

William's start of the day had been long and slow. It was difficult to focus on anything other than his very loud stomach grumbles. He ventured off into the island and came across a small herd of baby boars. Had they been abandoned? They seemed so cute and it seemed innocent enough to pet them. Will bent down. 'How awful would it be if—' He didn't even get a chance to finish his thought when he spotted the much bigger and very angry mother boar. She didn't think twice before charging at him.

He ran, he ran fast, and then he ran some more. He wasn't sure where he was running to, but he spotted Nihar and assumed safety must be close by. He yelled, "RUN!" as ran in their direction. He looked back towards them, they seemed unphased. Was he not being chased anymore? "Oh," he stopped to catch his breath. "I must've lost her. Maybe you scared her off." He sighed.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

Looking over at the foliage, Nihar noticed rustling at a distance but quickly getting closer. "I don't know what you're on about, but we definitely didn't lose it." They looked around. No one close because they decided to wander, just trees all around. Shit. The nearest tree was big though, sturdy enough to hold them both. Can he even climb the damn thing? No choice about it - running would just lead to an endless chase or the damned thing catching up. "Quick - up a tree!"

[engineergutierrez]

( open. )

"Oh shit, you actually did it! Up top," William praised.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

With an amused roll of their eyes, Nihar obliged, giving him a high five. The tree wasn't a particularly hard climb, the literal fruits of their labour sitting on the ground by them. "So," they bit into one of the small fruits still in their hand, "do we need anything else from a tree or should we handle the fruit?"

[noahwright]

noah looked up, brows furrowed in confusion.    “  uh, yes? yeah, i’m— i’m fine,  ”    they answered, a little bit of uncertainty in their voice, but mostly because of the opposing question that of their own reply.    “  what about you? are you okay? can i help you with anything?  ”    maybe they needed something, but didn’t know how to ask for it, so they gave them a little window.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

"Good- that's good." Bran hadn't thought this part of the conversation through. Shit. "I, uh, I came with a group - we haven't found everyone yet." Despite their casual tone, their heart was hammering. They unconsciously rubbed at their chest. Please, be alright. "My partner," they gave them a quick description of them, "have you seen them?"

[caophd]

ariel shifted awkwardly, trying to seem her cool, unflappable self. like she was walking into a lab, not the beach of a deserted island. "i'm fine," she said, a frown forming. "you should worry about yourself. you don't do that enough."

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

Worrying about himself meant worrying about his person. He still hadn't seen them yet. They're alright. They had to be. If anything had happened to them... he wasn't sure he'd be able to handle it. This trip was meant to be a way for them all to reconnect after the group fell apart. Ariel's way of apologising for selling us out. She may have been the founder but the group's research wasn't hers alone to just sell to the highest bidder.

Taking a breath to steel himself, Bran kept his smile level, despite the flurry of emotions bubbling up inside his chest. "I'm fine, or as fine anyone can be given the situation." Civility almost hurt.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

Snap. Nihar kept walking, visibly unaffected by the noise. Their mind, however, was yelling at them. No sudden movements. Stay casual. Pulling the sharpened pin from their hair, they shook their dark loose, holding the weapon tight as the footsteps came closer.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

AMITA SUMAN // have you seen NIHAR PURI around the crash site? we’re trying to make sure they’re still alive after the crash! according to the manifesto THEY/THEM is a 25 year old NONBINARY**. i hear they’re known for being a THIEF/PICK POCKET. NIHAR is also known to be ATTENTIVE yet also STUBBORN at times. we have a couple questions for NIHAR when we find THEM, we heard something about a secret they might have? such as THEY USED TO BE RICH! (ilya, 20, bst, they/them***) 

STATS:

Full Name: Nihar Puri Nicknames: Naina (by family), Layla (by family and ex partner), Niki (by older family) Birthdate: May, 23 Age: 25

Gender: nonbinary Pronouns: they/them Romantic Orientation: biromantic Sexual Orientation: bisexual

Right or Left Handed: right handed Marks: three (3) piercings in each earlobe, industrial, orbital, helix & rook piercings in each ear, nose piercing (left side), freckle/mole next to left eye, tattoos (TBA), scars, (TBA)

Schooling: high-school graduate Languages Spoken: English (native speaker), Bhojpuri (native speaker), Punjabi (when young among friends), Hindi (when young among friends)

Family: - mother (deceased) - father (deceased) - elder brother (31) - second elder brother (29) - elder sister (29) - third elder brother (28) - younger sister (22) - younger brother (20)

PAST:

As a child, Nihar came from a rich family. Their parents themselves were not originally rich but came up in the world. When their parents were lost to a car crash, it was up to their eldest brother to handle the family situations but he made a bad deal. The family very quickly lost everything and with seven mouths to feed, they all did what they had to.

Nihar was fourteen (14) when they lost it all, parents, home, friends. They packed up and moved away as quickly and quietly as they could but their fresh start quickly turned sour. A year later, a series of bad gambles from her second brother dropped them further into financial ruin. Nihar took matters into their own hands. As a child, she had taken an interest into what their mother would call 'unladylike' hobbies but their father indulged their anyways: gymnastics, knives and fighting. Despite their elder brothers being taller, they could take them down easily and was quick on their feet. They were fifteen (15) when they started pickpocketing, sixteen (16) when they moved on to bigger things: robbing houses, twenty (20) when they went even further.

PRESENT & SURVIVAL SKILLS:

They passed whatever skills they could over to their siblings, doing jobs with both them and other groups, never revealing enough to lead anyone back to them. They'd become good at hiding the truth in those eleven (11) years and even better at sussing it out. Thief they may have been but their main trade was secrets. With a deserved confidence, they pulled off a successful heist with an ex partner (as a goodbye), enough to get them all on a flight to Australia.

They can fight, they're strong, stamina's great. They'd be a great asset on the island, so long as they decide they can trust you.

SOCIAL:

Nihar was from a big family, simultaneously loud and quiet, speaking when required and listening to everything. They're slippery, hard to pin down and hard to catch but only when you have the misfortune of going up against them. To friends, they're just a regular person, a bit odd maybe, but who wouldn't be when they've been through what Nihar had.

[maybemacdc]

the only law that applied to her was gravity, and some days she defied that, too

[alienzines]

Ren gave a hum, "That's strange. We're somewhere in the pacific islands, triceratops were native to North America." if he wasn't focussing in the real strange thing, that dinosaurs were extinct and so therefore couldn't be expected to be anywhere in 2000, he could probably blame his head feeling like tofu scramble and the fact that this island was a hub of weird. "Well, it's a herbivore, so at least it's not going to eat us."

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

Bran hummed back, agreeing. "Even if they're microceratus, they're native to Asia, not the pacific." Dinosaurs could swim, though. "True but I've known plenty of dangerous vegetarians. I guess they seem harmless enough," he muttered, kneeling down to where the dinosaurs hid. God, I hope they don't have rabies. "Hey, buddy." He put a hand out to them, fern leaves sat in his palm. Please, don't bite me. They popped their heads out, curious but still cautious of him. "It's alright, we're not gonna hurt you." One took a tentative step forward before darting out to take the plant before rushing back. Baby steps.

[adventurousarcheologist]

"Working this late? That's admirable," she praised. "You know, I don't think you and I have had much time to talk." Come to think of it, Elizabeth hadn't really tried to approach them before. "What are you working on?"

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

"It's nothing really." Vala capped their pen and flipped the book close, slipping it into their ever-present bum bag. They couldn't afford to lose it, no matter what. "Before all of this, I was an archaeologist and linguist. I've been looking around this place for any actual history before whoever built the outpost got here. Haven't got much," they admitted.

[noahwright]

noah simply shrugged at their apology, giving them one of their  ‘ it’s okay ’  smiles. they were a lot more interested in whatever vala had going on here because if they could help, they’ll definitely do it. that had been the way to keep their mind occupied all this time, to not get it to collapse because of their thoughts and they weren’t gonna let go of that … what could happen if they did terrified them to death.    “  okay, that sounds like a very smart idea,  ”    they conceded, although they couldn’t now, they have never been the smart type, frankly.    “  can i help you? i already got my shower and collected water and fruit and helped with the fire, i’m getting … bored. and this sounds like a challenge, at least to me that i’m kind of an idiot.  ”    the clear joke came accompanied by a lopsided smile, something between childish and charming.    “ just tell me what i have to look for, more or less, and you’ll have me on it.  ”

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

"Can hardly be an idiot when you're a firefighter-" Shit. Vala wasn't supposed to know that yet. They'd only just met them. Lie? We suck at lying. Well, lie better then. "I, uh, I'm just looking for anything out of the ordinary, I guess- well, ordinary for this place. I could definitely use the help."

[caophd]

ariel crept to vala's side, careful not to smear her filth onto vala's freshly clean skin. "it's a bullet," ariel murmured, uselessly. obviously vala knew that, but the oddness of the arrival was so odd that she felt it had to be said. it was like seeing a moose in your department store; even if everyone else was already screaming, you just had to point it out.

"do you think... that's why there's no one on the island?" ariel asked, softly. if there had been some kind of struggle... no, it was better to be optimistic. "or maybe this is some kind of military base! that's good news, right? they don't just abandon fully functioning military bases."

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

Vala nodded their agreement, "a used bullet casing, meaning someone needed to fire." But at what? What were they hiding that it needed to be on some island in the middle of nowhere?

They pondered the thought, wondering just which military would have the ability - and gall - to make a place like this. "This place was definitely abandoned - no vehicles or ways across or off the island. If its a military base, there should be no sign there were ever here." Unless they never made it off. They kept that thought to themself. "Maybe they were in a rush?" But why?

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

CENSUS OF SURVIVORS - TASK #2

[ENT. INTERVIEWER AND DR MCMAHON]

INTERVIEWER: So, this is just a quick li'l interview - six questions and then we're done. That alright?

DR MCMAHON: [nods] Does that count as one of the questions?

INTERVIEWER: [smiles, amused] No, that one doesn't. Alright, I noticed you have a quite recognisable accent so question one: where are you from and where did you live prior to the crash?

DR MCMAHON: I'm from Sydney, Australia but, before the crash, for about the last year, I was living in San Francisco.

INTERVIEWER: [nods] Question two: any distinctive scars, tattoos, or marks?

DR MCMAHON: Scars, no. Tattoos, I have the constellations in a circle on my left upper arm with their names in Ancient Greek and the sort of vine - thorns? - wrapped, sorta like a cuff, 'round my other arm.

INTERVIEWER: Alright, question three: what have you been able to find on the island?

DR MCMAHON: Just an old outpost of sorts - small and abandoned. It wasn't much but it had a shower which was worth the trip.

INTERVIEWER: I bet. Question four: everybody’s hiding something - a fear, a weakness, a strength, an unpopular opinion; What are you hiding right now?

DR MCMAHON: [tired] Honestly?

INTERVIEWER: [nods]

DR MCMAHON: I don't really trust anyone here, not really. All it takes is one person reaching their breaking point, which isn't really far off given the state of this fucking place- mind my language- but after that? This whole place goes up in flames and there won't be a thing we can do to stop it unless someone willing to kill people for it. And once people start killing, it won't stop till we're all dead.

[silence]

INTERVIEWER: [coughs] Um, well, that definitely was honest. [pauses] Right- Question five: do you believe rescue is possible at this point?

DR MCMAHON: No - I know how rescue services work. They'll keep looking for us but they should have found us by now - if they didn't, it means they can't find this place except someone obviously found it before which, I suppose, means we should keep hope. Kinda hard to do around here.

INTERVIEWER: [nods] Last question: when did you last lie?

DR MCMAHON: Recently.

INTERVIEWER: [raises a brow] Was it during the census?

DR MCMAHON: Of course, not. I'd never purposefully mess with someone's results - it's just bad form.

INTERVIEWER: ...right. That's all. You're free to leave.

[EXIT DR MCMAHON]

[buckleys-diaz]

[stayoutofitnick]

[alienzines]

"I feel like my soul's been put through a blender," he complained, "Otherwise good. How about you?" he panted a little as he slowly peeled himself off the ground and upright, "What the hell was that thing?"

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

"I'm good- Uh..." Bran was at a loss for words. "Either I hit my head recently or I just saw a dinosaur - like a tiny triceratops?", he mused, staring at the bushes it ran into. Small and too fast to notice its colour, it had a flared head and maybe a horn? Could have been a beak. Maybe microceratus?

[scottfivr]

fcrewell-wxnderlust:

Vala caught the ends of a Bon Jovi singalong, the lyrics making them frown internally. Sure, they understood the symbolism, roses for beauty and love versus nails for the torment the singer would take in place of their paramour. It just didn't make sense to them, though. Lying on a bed of nails can be without pain or bloodshed if one knows what they are doing but to lie in a bed of roses is to crush their petals and succumb to their thorns.

The same voice called out a name, getting louder as it came closer. "Sorry," they turned to face the man, "I'm not Eve- but I could help you look for her if you'd like?"

He felt the need to force himself to smile. But the smile came out quite naturally, given that the person in front of him reminded him of Eve. That wasn't fair to them, however, and he knew that. He couldn't just... look at this stranger and think of someone else. That wasn't fair. So he tried to be normal about it. Reining in that smile, he said politely, "No, it's fine. We should probably... focus on other things. There's a lot to do around here. I want to contribute."

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

Brushing the trace sand off of themself, Vala pulled themself up, squinting against the sun. At least it was a warm, evil island. "Missing survivors are the first priority. I'm sure others might disagree," their mind drifted briefly - who to trust, who not to trust - to their own list of survivors, "but that's them. So," they put on a reassuring smile, "what does Eve look like?"