our troubles will be out of sight

[westviews]

WHO: Wanda and you!
WHEN: Month of December
WHERE: The Inn
WHAT: Checking things out, getting a feel for her new companions, etc
WARNINGS: Will note as needed.



I.THE LAKE

[A frozen lake is a frozen lake, but this one is strange. Wanda doesn't quite step on the ice itself, but she does stay very close to the edge, eyes narrowed as she tries to discern what she thinks she saw... bump the ice from below?]

Did you see that? [She'll ask whoever is near.]

II. THE MOUTH

Are you sure that's a good idea?

[Interested in taking a sword, shield, or whatever from that pit? Well, Wanda's making a face like she certainly doesn't think it's a good idea.]

III. THE WELLS

[A morning of wandering has Wanda slowly approaching the wells. Generally, she wouldn't care to look, but she's got nothing to do and nowhere to be, so she's allowing her curiosity to win. They look very old, possibly out of use, but as she draws near the first she gives the lid a little push. Far too snug for her to move using her own muscle, which she suspected, but she didn't expect to see blood on the light dusting of snow when she stepped back.

She crouches down to get a better look. It's pretty hard to mistake blood for anything else. Still...

Come spook her while she's already feeling vaguely spooked.]

IV. THE FOREST

[Collecting herbs and berries isn't the most engaging task to help out at the inn, but it does give her an opportunity to watch the villagers. It feels colder out here, and much more dangerous. Which is why Wanda calls out to whoever she might see,]

Careful. They said there are wolves around here.

[Wolves, direwolves. Same difference.]



[ooc: Easy peasy prompts! If you want something more specific, or more actiony, feel free to PM me and I'll gladly work something out for us.]

Comments

[slippin]

What? [ Once it's apparent that she's not, say, trailing blood and nothing's pursuing them, Jimmy slows to a walk. A trudge. He rubs his hands together as he goes, cupping and huffing into them once in a while. ] Ha, well, it just so happens I was also planning on not meeting a soggy demise, so let's call it even.

[ She's treated to a short-lived silent spell while he luxuriates in the certainty that the pond and its contents are safely behind them. The temporary freedom from otherworldly bullshit. ] You're new, huh? [ It's sympathetic, though—like most of what comes out of Jimmy's mouth—not quite convincingly sincere. After a beat he continues in matter-of-fact tour guide tones: ] So I'm guessing that was a ghost. They're all over the place. Some are scary, others are like...you know they'd be cutting you off in traffic if they were alive, but basically harmless. But in my experience [ all of two months ] they all want something. And most of the time that something is, one, incredibly specific and two, completely irrational. The rules of logic do not apply.

Know any toddlers? Kind of like that, honestly.

[westviews]

[Her boys skipped the toddler phase altogether, but she understands his meaning. She walks beside him, arms tucked around herself.]

What do you think a ghost under the ice wants? A space heater?

[She grimaces, though doesn't seem all too worried about ghosts. She resists the urge to look back again at the lake, as if she'd see a pale figure on the ice, waiting. Wanda shakes her head. It doesn't matter. Ghosts are not her problem.]

What's your name?

[slippin]

[ Company.

...he doesn't say, reflexively avoiding her eyes in case the thought somehow makes it onto his face. But it doesn't take him long to regroup. ] No, no...look, it's not your fault, you're a beginner, but you're being way too— [ He stretches his hands apart, holding them even, as if there's a string linking them. ] It wants you to make a snowman that looks like its mom, or something.

[ Up fly his hands, fingers splayed in a gesture of who-fucking-knows, and when they settle a finger's pointed at his chest. ] I'm Jimmy. McGill.

[westviews]

Too...? [She tips her head in question.] Would you prefer I panic?

[Not very helpful, and she's seen stranger than ghosts, though she's not very eager to go meet one and find out what it wants. She'll be steering clear of any at the inn, too. Not her vibe.

She's not sure if this guy seems like a Jimmy, but she nods.]

Wanda Maximoff. The beginner.

[slippin]

No. [ Huh? says his tone. He does the thing with his hands again, then glances down at them as if something might be broken. As if there was any way that could be the source of the misunderstanding here. ] Too, uh, linear. There's usually some kinda sordid...whatever, nice to meet you.

And hey—pay attention, keep your wits about you, and in no time at all you'll be a novice like me.

[westviews]

Nice to meet you, too.

[No one's gotten eaten or haunted yet, so Wanda is going to consider this going great, so far. There's a palpable silence as she tries to think of conversation.]

What's in the bottle?