A Zone of Excursion [IC Thread / Closed]

[Ruskarkand]

Karen nodded, before climbing out of bed and standing up, wearing some old clothes.
She smiled to Carl, before speaking;
"You have no idea how much I've been wanting to see you again, It's just been so long!"

She took a step closer, before throwing her arms around Carl and attempting to hug him tightly.

[Saurisisia]

Smiling as Karen got out of bed and stood to face him, Carl nodded and responded "Yeah, it has been long, hasn't it?"

He grinned when she threw her arms around him in a hug, which he eagerly allowed while wrapping his own arms around her.

[Bajireyn]

The Spartan continued towards the border checkpoint,aware that guns were very likely pointing at him...

[Ruskarkand]

Karen released her arms from around Carl, before she continued speaking.
"Carl, I've got something that I wish to tell you."
She sat down on the edge of the bed, she seemed rather uncomfortable.

The Allosaurus looked up to Carl, before patting a spot on the bed next to her, an indication to sit down.
She smiled, to show that she had good intention, and also to ease some of the tension she was feeling.

---

The checkpoint lay ahead of the Spartan, where a massive number of troops were beginning to settle down, for dusk was beginning to break, but it was still lively.
The roads were constantly swept by spotlights, and in multiple towers dotted about were the barrels of various weapons, scanning the horizon.
Something suggested that they did not seem that hospitable of people like the Spartan, a helipad with an MI-28 HAVOC parked down was in visible sight, as well as another warbird that seemed almost unidentifiable.

[Saurisisia]

After Karen let go of him and sat on the bed, gesturing for him to sit next to her, Carl nodded and replied "Oh, sure."

The Ceratosaurus then sat down at the spot Karen gestured to, sitting right next to her.

[Ruskarkand]

[OOC:] Seeing as this thread is coming to a conclusion, having most of the characters left due to a passing of the events, I'm posting the thread to the second thread now.

[IC]

Karen sighed, before looking to Carl.
"Ever since I first met you, Carl, I've had a feeling that's been pretty indescribable, I was quick to learn that what I felt was..."
She paused, emitting a small cough as she blushed.
"Well, I put it off, I was desperate to tell you, but I had no idea whether you felt the same way or not."

The Allosaurus rubbed her eyes once more;
"In the process of thinking, I moved, but it was a mistake, by the time I had summed up the courage to ask you, it was too late, you had enlisted."
She crossed her legs over, before carrying on.
"I followed you, all the way to this place to be precise, I still have no idea whether you feel the same way or not about me, but it's well worth the try, I've came all this way to ask..."

She cleared her throat, visibly quite red in the face, she was nervous;
"Well, I love you Carl, but I don't know if you..."
Karen seemed to be struggling to finish the sentence...

[Saurisisia]

Carl smiled at hearing Karen's words before sighing and, looking into her eyes, Carl replied "Why, I- I never figured that, Karen. I've felt down for years now, a result of a rough service in the Army and a previous relationship which did not end well, let's just say..."

He sighed before continuing "I do indeed love you too, Karen."

[Ruskarkand]

Karen could not help but smile with joy to Carl's response, her mood lifted from the nervous state it was in a few seconds ago.
She immediately leaned over to Carl, before once more throwing her arms around Carl and tightly hugging him.

The Allosaurus was rendered speechless from the happiness she was experiencing, she would have to think of what to say for a few moments.

[Saurisisia]

Carl smiled even wider as Karen hugged him tightly once more. Indeed, he too was overjoyed at the thought of it all. At last, he had found someone to love once more.

[Ruskarkand]

Karen sighed, before releasing Carl.
"I don't know what to say, It's truly a brilliant feeling just to be with you.."
She looked to the open door, before she inquired;
"Shall we go downstairs? There is some food in the refrigerator in this small lodging house."

[Saurisisia]

Carl said in response "Really? It has?"

He then paused before stating "Oh yes, all that journeying through the Zone has indeed made me hungry."

[Ruskarkand]

She nodded, before getting up from the bed and walking out of the door and onto the landing.
Karen turned back, looking to Carl, she was curious as to what the Zone was, she had heard the broadcasts from the checkpoint, but that was about it.
"So, what is the Zone exactly, is that what that checkpoint up there is blocking or something?"

The Allosaurus turned around, before beginning to descend the stairwell slowly.

[Saurisisia]

Sighing as Karen got up and began walking out the door, Carl stood up and followed before replied "The Zone is a dangerous place populated with mutants, marauding bandits, various warring factions, and other things like that. And yes, it is indeed what the checkpoint is there for."

[Ruskarkand]

Karen nodded, before turning the corner and walking through the door to the back room, before stepping into the kitchen.
She walked up to one of the counters, before crouching down and opening what seemed to be a hidden refrigerator.

Inside were various tinned foods, as well as packaged foods, the most prominent item being Bacon for some reason or other.
The Allosaurus frowned, before looking to Carl.
"Past people who have stayed in this house seem to like that stuff." she commented.

[Saurisisia]

Carl followed Karen downstairs to the kitchen. He stood beside her as she looked through a refrigerator. Noticing the prominence of bacon, the Ceratosaurus nodded in agreement.

[Ruskarkand]

Karen reached into the refrigerator, picking out one of the many tins inside and taking a good look at it.
It seemed to be a military grade MRE of sorts, on the tin lid was an inscription of a fish.
She put it back, and took out another one; the inscription being replaced by a leg of ham that was still on the bone, probably some meat of sorts.

The Allosaurus kept hold of it, before speaking out once more;
"Aside from Bacon, there are some tins, I assume one has a fish of sorts inside, the other.."
She shrugged, before putting the can she held onto the counter.
"Well, take a look for yourself."

She then poked her head back into the refrigerator, looking for a beverage of sorts.

[Saurisisia]

Nodding at seeing the tin cans of food Karen pulled out, Carl commented "Hm, alright then..."

He then sighed as she looked for a beverage.

[Ruskarkand]

The Allosaurus reached inside, shifting various things about, when something caught her eye.
She reached both her hands inside, before drawing out a small wooden chest with a lock and putting it on the counter.
Karen shut the fridge after taking another tin out, before focusing on the chest.

"Huh, not seen a key around here."
She looked around the room momentarily, looking for something that she could use to force the lock open.

[Saurisisia]

Watching her rummage through the refrigerator, Carl was intrigued by the sight of a wooden chest she had found. He sighed as she shut the fridge door and began looking around for something to open the chest.

[Ruskarkand]

Karen sighed, looking all around the kitchen, nothing she could potentially use was there.
She turned around, pushing the chest aside before she turned and looked to Carl.
"So, what happens now?" she asked, as she picked up her own tin from the desktop.

[Saurisisia]

Sighing at Karen, Carl replied "Well, we try to open the tins, I guess."

[Ruskarkand]

Karen sighed, and momentarily observed the tin.
She took her clawed hand, and gently pried open the key on the top of the tin, before sliding her finger into the ring and pulling back on it, the lid punching down and coming off as she pulled back.
"Yeah, I think I got it." she said, as she slid the ring and the lid off of her finger, and opened one of the cupboards to reveal a bin, where she disposed of the tin lid.

[Saurisisia]

Carl smiled and nodded as he watched Karen open a tin with her claws.

[Ruskarkand]

Karen reached over to the other side of the kitchen, before opening a drawer and looking at the arranged utensils.
She reached inside, before drawing out a fork, fine etchings carved into it, it seemed to be made of silver...

The Allosaurus closed the drawer, before leaning back against the counter and looking to Carl with a smile.
"Need any help with your can?" she asked, prodding the contents of the tin that was her own with the fork that she had gotten.

[Saurisisia]

Shaking his head, Carl replied "No, no. I've got it."

He then began opening his tin in the same manner Karen had opened hers.