Fled Astray

Marta. Scavenger. Runaway.

[memesfromstuff]

*: ･ﾟ✧   the walking dead season 3 episode 5.

feel free to change pronouns, wording, etc. as needed!

“ cold drinks?”

“ now, if you would just drop me a hint about tonight.”

“ mere words cannot adequately describe the festivities ahead.”

“ it’s nap time now.”

“ take it easy.”

“ it’s alright… hey, i’m here.”

“ i still love you. you know that, right?”

“ you with me?”

“ we ain’t losing nobody else.”

“ i’m going for a run.”

“ i’ll back you up.”

“ too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem.”

“ i haven’t had much luck.”

“ is there any place that hasn’t been completely looted?”

“ we’ve built a place we can call home.”

“ maybe held together with duct tape and string, but it works.”

“ it’s ours. i’ll take it.”

“ today, we celebrate how far we’ve come.”

“ we remember those we’ve lost.”

“ i’m suggesting we delay a couple of days.”

“ we can’t wait. everything’s ready.”

“ i love a party as much as the next fella.”

“ trust me, i love a party.”

“ we’re using a lot of resources.”

“ i thought you love a party.”

“ come on, lighten up for christ’s sake.”

“ i like fun.”

“ you know, i’ve been working on an experiment all week.”

“ what are you asking?”

“ how long do you need?”

“ i don’t need long.”

“ how about you enjoy yourself tonight, and then begin over in the morning, huh?”

“ you get off on that? poking around other people’s things?”

“ we got nothing to hide here.”

“ people with nothing to hide don’t usually feel the need to say so.”

“ we all have our secrets, huh?”

“ you got the wrong idea about me.”

“ i’m just a guy trying to do right by the people i care for.”

“ so you want me to take choice out of the equation.”

“ you want me to kick you out.”

“ this is a real problem for me.”

“ people follow the rules, and whether or not it’s true, they believe it’s what keeps them alive.”

“ you’ve turned that upside down. you’ve broken the rules.”

“ if i don’t do anything, i invite anarchy.”

“ how’d it go?”

“ do we have a problem?”

“ i can handle this.”

“ how’s the perimeter look?”

“ need help?”

“ sorry you lost ‘em.”

“ part of me wishes that we killed them all on sight.”

“ it’s wrong, but… i’d trade any number of people for ours any day.”

“ what’s wrong? __ said it was urgent.”

“ i need your help.”

“ you can’t steal something that’s yours.”

“ why would you have captive biters?”

“ there’s a good reason i don’t want to go into right now.”

“ you make people uncomfortable.”

“ you put my back against the wall here.”

“ what are you saying?”

“ i’m saying what works out there don’t work in here.”

“ you know, we’re not barbarians.”

“ we got to talk.”

“ we got to go.”

“ he told me what happened.”

“ you’re freaking people out. you’re freaking me out.”

“ we can escape there after dark.”

“ we are not prisoners here.”

“ no one who comes here leaves.”

“ what are you talking about?”

“ it’s safe. there’s food, there’s shelter. there’s people, for god’s sake.”

“ that’s what they show you. but you can’t leave unless they make you.”

“ you are not making any sense.”

“ maybe you need to sit for a minute.”

“ you need to trust me.”

“ you need to give me more to go on.”

“ i think we need this.”

“ i want to give this place a real shot.”

“ breaking into houses? that is not trying. that is sabotaging.”

“ this place is not what they say it is.”

“ everybody’s worried about you.”

“ you shouldn’t be in here.”

“ you don’t have to do this all by yourself. okay?”

“ why don’t you just come on out with me? okay?”

“ yeah… yeah… it’s me.”

“ we got us a bite.”

“ we’re gonna have to kill it.”

“ hold on. there’s something interesting in it’s eyes.”

“ so don’t kill it?”

“ get your hands dirty for once, huh?”

“ i tell you what, i take back anything i said about that jacket.”

“ check this one out, he’s almost as ugly as you.”

“ company’s close. stay tight.”

“ i’m not putting that in my bag.”

“ where you off to in such a hurry, huh?”

“ you’re breaking my heart running away like that.”

“ you told us we were free to come and go whenever we liked.”

“ sweetheart, nothing personal here, but you’re gonna have to step back.”

“ see? there’s always a reason why we can’t leave yet.”

“ now if i was you, i’d find some shelter before nightfall.”

“ do you hear yourself?”

“ how can you know that?”

“ i didn’t ask for that.”

“ that’s what friends do for each other.”

“ that was no life.”

“ i’m tired. i’m tired - i don’t have another eight months in me. not like that.”

“ what about me?”

“ i’m afraid you’re gonna disappear.”

“ we always talked about this place, didn’t we? a refuge.”

“ are you coming or not?”

“ don’t do this. don’t give me an ultimatum. not after everything.”

“ you’d just slow me down anyway.”

“ i’m sorry things didn’t work out with your friend.”

“ weird to lose someone by their own choice.”

“ not sure this will make you feel better, but i’m sure you could use a drink.”

“ i’ve got the best seats in the house.”

“ it’s a little loud.”

“ i’m gonna kick your ass one-handed. oh, to hell with that. no-handed!”

“ want some more?”

“ hey. hey! where you going?”

“ what the hell is this?”

“ it’s a way to blow off steam.”

“ this is… this is sick!”

“ well, look around. everyone’s having a great time.”

“ it’s barbaric.”

“ we pull out the biter’s teeth.”

“ that’s crazy.”

“ people need entertainment.”

“ we’re reducing these things. y’know… we’re controlling them.”

“ we’re shining a light on the monster under the bed.”

“ it’s fun. it makes people feel better about the whole thing.”

“ you’re teaching them that walkers aren’t dangerous.”

“ i’m teaching them not to be afraid.”

[fledastray]

“ it looks like we're gonna be here for a while.”

[Prompt]

Marta frowned. It was clear by her demeanor alone that she was uncomfortable, not wanting to be in the Dugout - let alone the entirety of Diamond City - for longer than necessary. But even she couldn't argue with the loud rumbling of thunder and pounding of rain on the roof.

Quietly, she pulled out a small pouch and counted - slowly and dutifully - until she separated an appropriate amount of caps and held them out towards Holly.

"This should be enough for a room, yes? Maybe we can get food and go to a quiet room until the storm leaves?"

[fledastray]

(Starling) “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

[Prompt]

Marta blinked, her brow furrowing slightly as she tried to figure out what about her previous sentence came across as a joke. When she couldn't pinpoint it, she instead shook her head.

"No? I'm not kidding?" She replied with some uncertainty, before pulling the ghoul mask from her bag and holding it up for Starling to see.

"It makes them friendly," she continued, and pulled the mask over her head. Instantly, she felt more at ease, and even in her body language, she seemed to perk up.

"I can go through and see if I can find the settlers," Marta explained, mimicking walking with her index and middle finger as she did, "and then I can come back and let you know what I've found. We don't have to kill the ghouls, they won't attack me like they'd attack you."

[fledastray]

(Grant) “ don’t beat yourself up.”

[Prompt]

Marta made sure Grant wouldn't be able to see her face, at least no more than a glimpse of it if he tried hard enough. She wasn't embarrassed by her sudden need to get out of the city, she was frustrated by it. She hated how she could go from being a little uncomfortable to feeling like she was being crushed and suffocated within the blink of an eye.

Marta could walk through an entire town of feral ghouls without breaking a sweat: why did she struggle so much with a marketplace of smoothskins?

"I just need a minute," she said firmly, though it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than him.

[fledastray]

(Starling) “ find what you wanted?”

[Prompt]

"Not exactly, no," she murmured in response, holding a faded jacket up to get a better look at it in the light. It would nearly swallow her, but would still work as an additional layer for when the weather was cold.

"I might roll the sleeves up and sew them in place, but it should still fit well enough."

[fledastray]

(Slim) “Oh, hey. You’re up. Yeah, I wasn’t sure if you wanted to sleep in or not, so…”

[Prompt]

Marta didn’t so much as wake up from sleep as she jolted back into life as it zapped with an electric current. A gasp and a wide eyed glance around until she remembered where she was, who was around, and that she was okay was how she began most of her mornings nowadays.

“Could have woken me,” she replied with a shrug, reaching to grab the pot of coffee before filling her cracked mug and taking a tongue-burning sip.

[fledastray]

(Grant) “I only know how to go forward.”

[Prompt]

“Which is fine until you find yourself... how do they put it?” Marta asked, glancing upwards as she tried to recall the rest of the phrase. She snapped her fingers. “Ah -- up shit creek without a paddle.”

[fledastray]

(Slim) “ it’s not what happened.”

[Prompt]

Marta furrowed her brows and squinted slightly, as if carefully studying Slim’s face for any sign of deceit. Seemingly finding none, she crossed her arms and tilted her head, waiting for him to elaborate.

[fledastray]

#3 [The Truth]

It was three days after Hunter had complained of a rash that Marta discovered her life up until that point had been mostly a lie.

Not only was she told that she was not born a Sawyer, but she was to immediately begin attempts to fall pregnant by Hunter, as they were going to be married in two days. It was confirmed Hunter’s rash was the beginnings of his ghoulification and the family couldn’t waste time producing an heir: there was already a chance the health of the baby could be affected just by Hunter being afflicted.

Sally told Marta quite plainly that she had been intended to marry Gunnar once she became of age, but that his change had come so fast and she was much too young to bear healthy children at the time. But now she was more than ready and they had only waited this long in the hopes that she and Hunter would “naturally” grow close to one another and the union would be more organic. Now they had no time to lose: she and Hunter needed to produce at least one child before he lost the ability altogether, if he was even capable of doing so.

While it was true the pair was close, they were siblings to each other - not lovers - and it was Hunter who urged Marta to leave the homestead. He would stay behind as his transformation made him a liability, and he would do what he could to hinder the family tracking her back down.

Hunter helped Marta pack, wished her well, and she took off on her own for the first time, completely uncertain and heartbroken at the family she had lost - and even more terrified of the enemies she had potentially made.

[fledastray]

“Thanks for, uh, being decent.”

[Prompt]

The scavenger looked genuinely confused by the comment, as if completely caught off guard. After an awkward pause, she offered Holly an uncertain smile.

“Um... anytime?”

[fledastray]

(Matthew) “ what the hell are you trying to do? get yourself killed?”

[Prompt]

Marta had finished tucking her mask into her bag by the time Matthew had approached in order to berate her. While she had never enjoyed being spoken to in such a way, surprisingly, she did not shrink from his tone. Instead, she held out the locket and pocket watch the family had sent them to retrieve from the ghoul-infested building their son had perished in towards Matthew.

“I was just getting the things the family asked for,” she said plainly, shrugging her shoulders. “If I wanted to get myself killed there are much faster and less painful ways to do so.”

[fledastray]

(Starling) “ hey, what about this one? you seen this one before?”

[Prompt]

The scavenger peeked her head into the room Starling had called from and furrowed her brows at the object in the woman’s hands. She tilted her head as she closed the gap between them, wanting a closer look.

“...no, not before. Do you know what it is?”

[fledastray]

(Grant) “I knew what I was getting into.”

[Prompt]

The frustration on the scavenger's face seemed almost out of place in comparison to her usual meek or tired, but cheerful demeanor. She was quiet, frowning deeply at her bag as she dug around for supplies to treat the wounds Grant had earned himself on his mission.

Knowing he wouldn't allow her to clean the wounds for him, she pushed a handful of supplies - bandages, rags, and disinfectant - into his arms and leveled her frown at him directly.

"Then you are stupid," she said flatly, and pointed a finger at him accusingly, "and you do not value your life enough."

[fledastray]

(Starling) “I’m not sure it’s awesome to be down here.”

[Prompt]

"Oh?" Marta glanced around the basement, confused. The home itself had clearly been abandoned for years, so why was this place not okay to be in?

A low groan from one of the dark corners answered her uncertainty: a ghoul. At least the one, if there weren't more sleeping or hiding out, blind in the shadows.

Nodding in agreeance, and not wanting to have to harm the ghouls if they didn't need to defend themselves, Marta slowly began to walk backwards up the stairs, trying to remain as quiet as possible.

[fledastray]

(Grant) “There’s nothing in my jellies.“

[Prompt]

"Whatever you say," Marta said, the playful grin not wavering from her face at all. "But - I know when someone gets the feeling in the jellies... and you got the jellies feeling."

[fledastray]

(Matthew) “You want a coffee? 'Cause I could use a coffee.“

[Prompt]

"Yes, please, coffee would be very nice," she replied with a tired smile. After a moment's silence, she seemed to perk up a little. "Do you... have sugar? No milk, please... but I like sugar sometimes."

[fledastray]

(Starling) “I’m worried about you.“

[Prompt]

"No need to worry, I will heal," she insisted, shaking her head and trying to ignore the chills she felt at the thought of staying inside the bustling city for longer than it took the doctor to glance at her wounded head.

"I am alive, so I am fine."