p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Corva's heart stuttered and she felt her breath pause. The hand holding the door open twitched as she thought of slamming it closed. 'Come on...this had to be a joke...they'll crack a smile and then laugh and tell her that those sort of things only happened in shitty fanfictions'./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The companions in front of the door felt the weight of her pause, "...Mam? Are you alright?" Danse shifted uncomfortably, not sure if the girl was going to attempt anything. Maccready began regretting the decision of putting his gun on his back to look less threatening. "Yes, I sense that you are in distress. Is everything ok?" Curie peeked in between the two boys./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span 'Shit is it really them? I think I'll just have to play along until I can get information…'. With their combined worried looks and questions Corva was finally able to force out a response./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Y-" she cleared her throat as is stopped working suddenly, "Yeah, it's just… um..." looked at all three of them freezing on her doorstep, not a clue as to where or when they were. They probably didn't even know that they were video game characters, that is even of these guys were the real thing!/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Actually, if it's alright by all of you, why don't you come inside and I'll get you guys some food as you warm up. I'll answer your question once you answer some of mine, is that ok?"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Curie lit up at the offer of warmth and food, even Danse looked a little persuaded. As Curie made a move to enter MacCready put his arm out to block her. Corva glanced at him, she knew that he would be the hardest to convince and to gain the trust of, he had a very suspicious look on his face. 'Man I forgot about how all these guys have never known the kindness of a stranger. MacCready more so than the others. And this only proves even more that they're the real deal'/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "How do I know that we won't end up with bullets in our backs?" Corva almost laughed, this was almost the exact same thing he said when her sole survivor and him first met in the Third Rail! She had the perfect answer to his question too. She looked him straight in the eye and gave him a genuine smile/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "You don't. You'll just have to trust me, I give you my word." She laughs before she continues, "Or you could give me a pat down and look for weapons, promise I don't have any on me, but you can check. I won't mind."/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span She heard Danse shuffle uncomfortably and Maccready coughed, looking away. Curie and Danse brushed past him and into the warm home. MacCready, with a sigh and a quick glance around, followed the other two inside./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"span _Companions Pov_/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The house was surprisingly clean from the outside, actually scratch that. EVERYTHING was surprisingly clean. Even in the dead of winter the trees looked alive and well. There were no patches of dead grass popping up out of the ground or dead trees laying in the middle of cracked roadways. In fact, the roadways were busy with bustling cars and people./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Before they appeared in this strange land, they had been in sanctuary talking with each other as the sole survivor was out on another long mission. Then all of a sudden they were transported her with nothing but the clothes on their backs and whatever they were carrying at the time./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Being the only person with a weapon at the time MacCready took the lead and decided to enter the home that they were facing right when they were transported. It was a giant blue house with white trimming and a wooden door. Snow banks surrounded it making it look like a fortress, a clean, well kept fortress. Danse looks up at it mentioning how astounding it looks and goes to mumble about how 'tactful a position it is in'./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Well, seeing as we have no idea where or when we are lets go ask for directions shall we?" and MacCready began to march towards the door./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span That's when Curie grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Please wait monsieur MacCready. You should put your weapon away! We do not want to frighten whoever opens the door. I sense no radiation in this place and I fear we are in a time before the the war!"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span MacCready looks down at her and hesitates for a minute. If he puts away his gun that does make him look less threatening, but what if these people are actually hostile? They may outnumber them, but the house is large it may hold many people. He would just have to trust and agree with Curie. It would be better to look non-threatening, especially when in need of information from a civilian. He wasn't a good person, but he wasn't outright evil!/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "OK, just be on your guard. If they try anything do not hesitate." he placed his weapon on his back and walked up to the door, shivering in the cold wind./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span-Skip the conversation they just had-/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span They all turn their heads as they walk inside the house. Instantly they are hit with warm air and an inviting smell of food. Curie sighs as she rubs her arms vigorously, hoping that the friction will help warm her up faster./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Are you cold still?", Curie looks up at their nice host and nods slightly. "Y-yes I am afraid so, do you have something that will help?"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The host smile and opens a door to a closet straight across from the front door revealing a line of coats. "Here take this one, it's my mother's so it should fit you ok." She handed over a black winter coat with a fur hood and Curie took it and put it on with a very grateful 'thank you'./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Would either of you like a coat until you warm up?" she looked at Danse and MacCready. "No. Thank you. We'll be fine." MacCready butts in with a few curt sentences before Danse can get a word in. The host shrugs and walks into the kitchen./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "I'll warm up some tea and I think we have steak leftover from dinner last night. There should be enough for all of you." this time before MacCready can answer Danse pipes up./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Thank you for your hospitality mam'" and gives MacCready a half hearted glare which he returns in full blown./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Which reminds me! I forgot to ask, but please take your shoes off and place them by the door. The floors are pretty clean and I really don't want to mop today." she points back to the entrance as she grabs the food from the fridge./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The companions are a little bit more focused on the fact that the fucking fridge works! What else works in this place!? However, they all wake themselves from their trance and head back to the entrance to take their shoes off./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span There MacCready whispers to the others, "taking our shoes off? Definitely pre-war. Look at the floors and even the fridge works? How'd we end up here?"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Danse responded with a hum "I have no clue, I suspect the institute had a hand in this. Seems like their handy work. I don't want to jump to conclusions until we learn more from her", he points back to where their host was cooking. "Starting with her name"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"span -Corva's POV-/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span She could hear faint talking in the entrance way as she pulled out a pan to warm up the meat. She couldn't make out any words, but she guessed it was some form of battle plan. She just hoped it wasn't a violent battle plan./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span That was when the companions walked back in together and faced her. Curie piped up "Excuse me miss may we ask you your name? We'd like to know the name of a kind hostess such as yourself!" she smiled./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span 'Wow Curie, lay it on thick with the flattery. I like how my efforts haven't gone unnoticed though. Wait...they need my name...but I named my character after me! Shit, I can't give them my real name they'll be suspicious! Let's hope I have enough charisma!'/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Oh I'm sorry I didn't tell you? It's Grace." and she smiled back. That seemed to state the curiosity of all parties, much to the relief of now Grace. 'Glad I gave them my middle name, at least I still respond to it.'/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span She continued to cook the meat on the pan and put the kettle on as well. She move fluidly around the kitchen gathering plates and such before placing the meat on each one. She then poured the hot water into mugs with tea bags place in them. "If you want sugar we have some in that container there", she pointed to a large see through glass case on the counter./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Curie and MacCready went for the sugar, but Danse just sipped at the tea black. Grace spoke up once everyone seemed settled. "Now we play 20 questions..." /span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The companions in front of the door felt the weight of her pause, "...Mam? Are you alright?" Danse shifted uncomfortably, not sure if the girl was going to attempt anything. Maccready began regretting the decision of putting his gun on his back to look less threatening. "Yes, I sense that you are in distress. Is everything ok?" Curie peeked in between the two boys./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span 'Shit is it really them? I think I'll just have to play along until I can get information…'. With their combined worried looks and questions Corva was finally able to force out a response./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Y-" she cleared her throat as is stopped working suddenly, "Yeah, it's just… um..." looked at all three of them freezing on her doorstep, not a clue as to where or when they were. They probably didn't even know that they were video game characters, that is even of these guys were the real thing!/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Actually, if it's alright by all of you, why don't you come inside and I'll get you guys some food as you warm up. I'll answer your question once you answer some of mine, is that ok?"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Curie lit up at the offer of warmth and food, even Danse looked a little persuaded. As Curie made a move to enter MacCready put his arm out to block her. Corva glanced at him, she knew that he would be the hardest to convince and to gain the trust of, he had a very suspicious look on his face. 'Man I forgot about how all these guys have never known the kindness of a stranger. MacCready more so than the others. And this only proves even more that they're the real deal'/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "How do I know that we won't end up with bullets in our backs?" Corva almost laughed, this was almost the exact same thing he said when her sole survivor and him first met in the Third Rail! She had the perfect answer to his question too. She looked him straight in the eye and gave him a genuine smile/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "You don't. You'll just have to trust me, I give you my word." She laughs before she continues, "Or you could give me a pat down and look for weapons, promise I don't have any on me, but you can check. I won't mind."/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span She heard Danse shuffle uncomfortably and Maccready coughed, looking away. Curie and Danse brushed past him and into the warm home. MacCready, with a sigh and a quick glance around, followed the other two inside./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"span _Companions Pov_/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The house was surprisingly clean from the outside, actually scratch that. EVERYTHING was surprisingly clean. Even in the dead of winter the trees looked alive and well. There were no patches of dead grass popping up out of the ground or dead trees laying in the middle of cracked roadways. In fact, the roadways were busy with bustling cars and people./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Before they appeared in this strange land, they had been in sanctuary talking with each other as the sole survivor was out on another long mission. Then all of a sudden they were transported her with nothing but the clothes on their backs and whatever they were carrying at the time./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Being the only person with a weapon at the time MacCready took the lead and decided to enter the home that they were facing right when they were transported. It was a giant blue house with white trimming and a wooden door. Snow banks surrounded it making it look like a fortress, a clean, well kept fortress. Danse looks up at it mentioning how astounding it looks and goes to mumble about how 'tactful a position it is in'./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Well, seeing as we have no idea where or when we are lets go ask for directions shall we?" and MacCready began to march towards the door./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span That's when Curie grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Please wait monsieur MacCready. You should put your weapon away! We do not want to frighten whoever opens the door. I sense no radiation in this place and I fear we are in a time before the the war!"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span MacCready looks down at her and hesitates for a minute. If he puts away his gun that does make him look less threatening, but what if these people are actually hostile? They may outnumber them, but the house is large it may hold many people. He would just have to trust and agree with Curie. It would be better to look non-threatening, especially when in need of information from a civilian. He wasn't a good person, but he wasn't outright evil!/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "OK, just be on your guard. If they try anything do not hesitate." he placed his weapon on his back and walked up to the door, shivering in the cold wind./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span-Skip the conversation they just had-/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span They all turn their heads as they walk inside the house. Instantly they are hit with warm air and an inviting smell of food. Curie sighs as she rubs her arms vigorously, hoping that the friction will help warm her up faster./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Are you cold still?", Curie looks up at their nice host and nods slightly. "Y-yes I am afraid so, do you have something that will help?"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The host smile and opens a door to a closet straight across from the front door revealing a line of coats. "Here take this one, it's my mother's so it should fit you ok." She handed over a black winter coat with a fur hood and Curie took it and put it on with a very grateful 'thank you'./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Would either of you like a coat until you warm up?" she looked at Danse and MacCready. "No. Thank you. We'll be fine." MacCready butts in with a few curt sentences before Danse can get a word in. The host shrugs and walks into the kitchen./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "I'll warm up some tea and I think we have steak leftover from dinner last night. There should be enough for all of you." this time before MacCready can answer Danse pipes up./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Thank you for your hospitality mam'" and gives MacCready a half hearted glare which he returns in full blown./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Which reminds me! I forgot to ask, but please take your shoes off and place them by the door. The floors are pretty clean and I really don't want to mop today." she points back to the entrance as she grabs the food from the fridge./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span The companions are a little bit more focused on the fact that the fucking fridge works! What else works in this place!? However, they all wake themselves from their trance and head back to the entrance to take their shoes off./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span There MacCready whispers to the others, "taking our shoes off? Definitely pre-war. Look at the floors and even the fridge works? How'd we end up here?"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Danse responded with a hum "I have no clue, I suspect the institute had a hand in this. Seems like their handy work. I don't want to jump to conclusions until we learn more from her", he points back to where their host was cooking. "Starting with her name"/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"span -Corva's POV-/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span She could hear faint talking in the entrance way as she pulled out a pan to warm up the meat. She couldn't make out any words, but she guessed it was some form of battle plan. She just hoped it wasn't a violent battle plan./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span That was when the companions walked back in together and faced her. Curie piped up "Excuse me miss may we ask you your name? We'd like to know the name of a kind hostess such as yourself!" she smiled./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span 'Wow Curie, lay it on thick with the flattery. I like how my efforts haven't gone unnoticed though. Wait...they need my name...but I named my character after me! Shit, I can't give them my real name they'll be suspicious! Let's hope I have enough charisma!'/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span "Oh I'm sorry I didn't tell you? It's Grace." and she smiled back. That seemed to state the curiosity of all parties, much to the relief of now Grace. 'Glad I gave them my middle name, at least I still respond to it.'/span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span She continued to cook the meat on the pan and put the kettle on as well. She move fluidly around the kitchen gathering plates and such before placing the meat on each one. She then poured the hot water into mugs with tea bags place in them. "If you want sugar we have some in that container there", she pointed to a large see through glass case on the counter./span/p
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"span Curie and MacCready went for the sugar, but Danse just sipped at the tea black. Grace spoke up once everyone seemed settled. "Now we play 20 questions..." /span/p
