When They Arrived (Con.)

[Alan Wake]

Alan simply shook his head. "I did not mean your NAME. I meant, what do you do here? You know how to fend off all of the animals, and you had a great, commanding attitude over the natives earlier..."

[Mark Brown]

Mark looked around him, fascinated. Jungle plants now? Was this some sort of rainforest climate? It would certainly explain the rain. He didn't really mind the rain, it was nice and refreshing, plus he had a hat on, so he used his jacket to cover poor little Fido. He was barely paying attention to what the adults said, but figured if it was important enough, he'd catch it.

[Tarik Ante]

Tarik stopped for a moment, her eyes closing. "I... do not have a job. I am good with animals, I guess." Bartre slowed his footsteps, and she slid off of him, to walk ahead of him. Grasping a particularly thick wall of vines, she pulled them away, revealing behind them a vast clearing. Inside was a large, thick tree, but it looked like a little house. It had windows, curtains, a wrap-around balcony, the works.

[Alan Wake]

Alan slid off the animal as well, the rain plastering the bit of bangs he had to his face. He noticed that Tarik was either hiding something or just really shy. He guessed it was the former. She'd already proven to be steadfast and strong-willed.

"Is this... Your house?" He was interested in just getting out of the rain. It was starting to soak through his three layers.

[Mark Brown]

Mark slid off Bartre, enjoying the satisfying squelch of mud under his boots. He smiled and stood with the adults. "It's like a giant treehouse!" He'd never had a treehouse when he was younger; there were no trees in the city. But he could imagine that this looked like a very large, very elaborate one.

[Tarik Ante]

With a smile, Tarik nodded, beginning to lead Bartre towards the house. "Yes. Home." She placed Bartre under a make-shift roof composed of leaves and vines, and patted his snout. The creature laid down, exhausted from all his running.

Tarik grabbed onto a soaking wet rope ladder, and began to hoist herself up, climbing her way towards the balcony. "You may come!" She looked down at them, her hair dripping wet, yet sticking to her form.

[Alan Wake]

Alan looked up at her, shaking his head at how EXOTIC the scene appeared. And it wasn't just the woman above him, slicked with rain and hair sticking to her. It was the background of the forest and everything else. He looked over at the kid, gesturing for him to go first. Then he paused, looking at Fido.

"Um... How's your dog getting up there?"

[Mark Brown]

Mark smiled up at him. "Easy!" He placed Fido on his head, who held on tightly with his paws. Keeping his head level, he climbed up the ladder after Tarik.

[Tarik Ante]

Seeing them coming after her, Tarik continued her climb to her home. She hoisted herself onto the balcony, and awaited Mark's arrival, so that she could help him up. She shook her hair out, sending the wet strands whipping at her face, and the water flying everywhere. Since she didn't own any real towels, she would simply air dry during the rainier days.

[Alan Wake]

Alan followed the boy up, patiently waiting for him to clambor onto the balcony before climbing up himself. "So this is your house, Tarik? It has a beautiful view."

[Mark Brown]

Mark climbed up to stand on the balcony, Fido jumping off as soon as he got there. He leaned against the railing, the top half of his body leaning over it, looking out across the jungle, using a hand to shield his eyes. "Wow, it's wonderful! I've never seen anything like this before!" Even on a high balcony in the city, all the view he ever got was just more buildings.

[Tarik Ante]

Tarik smiled as she disappeared into the house. "Thank you, Alan. I made it myself." She crashed onto the plush couch she had sitting in front of a fire-pit. She closed her eyes with a yawn.

[Alan Wake]

Alan was afraid to sit on any of the furniture, since he was still soaking. It was standing here rather lamely that he noticed Mark leaning dangerously over the railing. "Really?" He grumbled under his breath. He walked over and pulled the boy away, pushing him lightly toward the inside of the house. "Get in there." He rolled his eyes. What was he, the boy's father now?

[Mark Brown]

Mark crossed his arms in a huff as Alan pushed him inside. Well, he was no fun! He looked around, and as it didn't seem to bother Tarik that she was wet and sitting on the furniture, he plopped himself down in one of the chairs, turning it to sit backwards like he normally did at home, while still facing the adults. Fido walked in, shook himself of the rain while standing right next to Alan, and then curled up at Mark's feet.

[Tarik Ante]

Tarik let her legs dangle lazily off of the armrest on the couch, but she crossed them, so as to not show anything. "Food? Water?" She propped herself up on her elbows so that she could see them. After such a traumatic event, surely they were hungry.