Disconcerting awakening

[Pippin]

Pippin knew she must be dreaming lucidly. She chose her actions. She felt her regret.
But they were still hers. They were still hers. They were. And they were her choices from the past, and she chose the ones she hadnt, just to see where she might've ended up.

But back then she was not a Firestarter, and her name was not Pippin. She was only a young street wretch, and back then she had a fierce tongue, and she would cut her lank dirty hair with metal scrap, and she would thieve compulsively to eat whatever she could get her small hands on.
But back then, she was not a killer. Proffesionaly, ofcourse.
Because if you're going to kill, why do it unproffesionaly?

But they all led up, eventually, to a choice she'd never regretted making, the choice that made her so fiercely happy, like nothing ever had. Like no one ever had.

But back then, she was by herself. But she was still herself.


Pippin woke to the unpleasant taste of caked on sand against her lips. It was everywhere, oh lord it was everywhere, sticking in bunches to her eyelashes and all about her clothes, brimming in her hair and a sheet against her skin, as though she was nothing more than a small dune.
Her skin burned and her muscles were tense and throbbing with a not so gentle reminder of immense pain, and despite it she sat up and felt more than a few pounds of sand fall away from her. but even more of it seemed crusted to her, and she did not open her eyes for fear of being blinded.
Confusion did not set in. But she'd give it a moment.
Finally letting her eyes open as she tried to rub away the tiny burning grains, she saw no more of an impressive sight than she'd expected, rippling waves of endless sand that dipped in and around and out of sight.
Aksumite Desert? How? She squinted as a shiver of wind cast up a preposterous amount of sand. I have no memory....how long have I been here? I last remember... She tried, then tried further, until she knew she'd been on a mission for the Firestarters last. But to where, for what purpose...no, there was nothing. She stood, her legs wobbly. She hardly trusted them; they were stiff, as though she'd been completely still for days, a motionless sandy corpse. She wiped the sand from her lips.
And now what?

[Badgerlord]

The Shadow plodded along. He hated the burning heat of the Aksumite desert, but for the moment, it was necessary to endure it. He has, for the first time in a long time, exchanged his black cloth clothing for a lighter, shaded robe which was designed for use in the desert.

A loud screech emits from one of his legs as sand is ground inside of it by the many gears constructing its internal mechanics. Growling angrily, he withdraws a small flask of oil from his robes and bends over, pressing a small button on the side of the leg. Several panels open, revealing its inner mechanisms. With an angry grunt, the Shadow pours the oil over it, allowing it to clean the leg of the sand. He sighs and seals the leg up before continuing onwards.

As he passes over the next dune, only to come across a strange sight; a young girl, standing unsteadily. She also didn't look like she was prepared to be here. Sighing, the Shadow tramps towards her, calling out.

"Are you okay?"

[Pippin]

Pippin was not ready for any sound besides the shifting wind, so much so that when words were spoken she flinched and her spine stiffened. She noticed, too, that her weak hand slid immediately upward to the hilt of a hidden dagger, as much a reflex as anything. She did not hesitate to leave it there.
Perhaps, she was too cautionary. but what was a better thing to be in this world, when trust was rare?
The person approaching her she did not recognize. She did not attempt to study him, but averted her gaze and brushed some hair from her eyes with her available hand. "I'm alright." She was a good enough liar, able to make herself sound annoyed, as if she was being approached during a leisurely stroll in the desert. Gaze remaining away, she spoke. "What day is it?"

[Badgerlord]

The Shadow quietly sized up the girl. Covered in sand. Disconcerted. Confused. Possible amnesia. She clearly had no idea where she was, but was doing her best to hide it from him. Good. It payed to be cautious in this world. The Shadow knew that better than most. Her subtle reach for a concealed weapon of some sort does not surprise him either; it's just good sense. Still, if that's the way she wanted to do it, well, two could play that game.

"I'm afraid I don't know. The days tend to blur together out here. Everything does."

He stops approaching her when he is a fair distance away, far enough that he wouldn't look like a threat but close enough that they wouldn't have to shout to converse. He cocks his head to one side.

"What brings you to the middle of the Aksumite Desert?"

[Pippin]

Her face twisted slightly in annoyance at the cryptic response, but she hesitantly nodded. an odd man, a desert dweller perhaps, strange in appearance but unthreatening in the nature of his words. She busily combed her fingers through her hair, scratching them raw with the great amounts of sand she rushed through it, letting it blow away from her and squinting to avoid getting any in her eyes. She now felt lighter, atleast, and a bit more awake; still, the desert swept on around her broken only by that solitarily unhelpful figure.
"I dont really-" She flushed and broke away from the instinctual truth. "I'm trying to find my way to Aksum."

[Badgerlord]

The Shadow smirks obnoxiously as the girl clumsily tries to cover her slip of the tongue. He no longer considers her a threat, but wants to make sure she gets out of the desert alive. Although obviously unhelpful, he still seems fairly genial, and there doesn't seem to be any ulterior motive in his words.

"That happens to be my ultimate destination. I could guide you there, if you like..."

[Pippin]

Pippin looked at him out of the side of her vision, her lips pursed in grudging uncertainty. She reached away and settled her palm flatly against a black bag on her hip. "Just a moment, please."
She instantly sat down, legs crossed like a young child and buried the bag in her lap, lifting the top and digging around in it. Lightly tinkling glass sounds came from inside and she withdrew several bottles, fumbling with them and pulling out several corks. mumbling to herself as she poured bits into an empty bottle, she licked her parched lips and finally lifted the glass.
Maybe....this will help me remember.
She poured the burning liquid down her throat, letting it sting as it went down. her muscles tensed and she shook her head downwardly.
oh, nothing. disapointed, she looked down at the now empty bottle. However i forgot...it's not just some sort of amnesia.
Ignoring her before actions, she turned to the man. "Yes, I'll come with you, if you dont mind."

[Badgerlord]

"Take your time."

The Shadow waits patiently as Pippin mixes and consumes the elixir, folding his arms. When she finishes, he freezes for a few seconds before returning to his regular pose after it is clear that it had no effect. When she agrees to go with him, he nods with a faint smile and walks over to her, offering a hand up.

"So what's your name?"