[open] Wood and stone will fall away

[voiceinthephone]

Who| Phil Gray and open!
What| Week 2 Catchall with various prompts
Where| Everywhere except the Castle (ha ha no)
When| During Week 2
Warnings/Notes| None at the moment!

A. The Village

Getting Linden's parachute was a godsend, as Phillip unwrapped the package and read the note. He chuckled a little at the "noble angle" snipe, it sure didn't feel like that. That would imply that Gray had done more to prevent the murders instead of just covering them up. Well, better late than never, the former guard sighed out and stuffed what he could into his makeshift bag. He'd seen the mess that comes from getting too close to powered Tributes, a legitimate threat this time around, and he had turned into old instincts to keep off the beaten path. Survived this long to get blasted? No thanks.

But none of that, nor the temporary beauty that came with every sunset gave the Phone Guy any comfort that this was anything but the death match he knew and resigned himself to. Nowhere was this more evident in the way tried to sneak into the Village. He'd heard inklings about ghosts roaming the Castle and catacombs at night...and just maybe...

"No, I won't find them here," Phil assured himself as he made a quick lasso for any emergencies. Who "they" were was known to a select few but for being merely memories, they sure weighed a lot in his mind.

Focus on finding Clementine and Sandy, make sure they're safe, figure out the rest later. Raiding caches was distasteful, yes, but if the Capitol wants to see how far Phillip Gray could go to meet those goals, then he'll do his best to give them a show.

B. The Village Part Deux For Firo

If Gray was good at something, it was keeping a level head through stressful situations, and raiding had to be listed as one of those sorts. But keeping the rats at bay just reminded him of the dumpsters out back from Freddy's. The stink was just as bad anyways but not too unfamiliar. Either way, there was food here and nothing a little brush of the hand couldn't fix so he could store it away. By now though, Phil had no issue with keeping the small folding knife somewhere close, ready to defend himself.

Prochainezo said he was going to help me, he thought as he bit into a piece of the rations he had for himself. The other? Stored away for any young or hungry Tribute he ran into that wouldn't try to kill him. What? It might be his second Arena but he's not about to give up being who he is for the bloodshed.

Even if it kills him.

"Firo?" Phil peeked into an adjacent building, hoping Firo wasn't playing him after all this time.

C. Wild Card! Pick whatever you'd like to do!

Comments

[voiceinthephone]

Phil gave Vivi a comforting smile and a little wave, to make sure the strange child understood he was no threat to him. It was automatic for the manager at Freddy's to instinctively comfort a kid, that had been part of his job when things didn't go south, to make them smile and let them have fun at the restaurant. The question would be answered promptly as Gray's eyes met Rick's and he uttered a single, "None."

Even the only death tangentially related to him, Dandy Mott's, was more happenstance than actual intent. The man had been gored and Phil did try to help the man...right up until he revealed his true nature. If there is one type of person that will never get pass the Phone Guy and feel his wrath, is a serial killer. In his book, those are the people that deserve every last agonizing second of death. They didn't deserve the mercy they didn't give their victims.

[weaintashes]

While Rick's reaction is barely perceptible, it's still there, and telling in all the ways he probably doesn't want it to be — at least to Daryl, who's trying hard not to stare. Trying equally hard to keep his mirth from showing, too, eventually bringing a hand up to scratch at his beard as an excuse to cover his mouth. It isn't often that he gets to witness Rick caught off-guard like this, and Daryl had very much chosen his introduction for Phillip with deliberate care, curious of how Rick would react. Using his own tactics against him, sort of. There's no harm in it.

What he'll do with this information is another matter entirely. (What could he do with it?)

Phillip going out of his way to be kind toward Vivi is a point in his favour, and Daryl glances between them with a sort of vaguely encouraging look, letting his hand drop back to his side once there's no longer a smile threatening the corners of his mouth. As fiercely protective as Daryl is of the people he cares about, allowing — inviting — someone to be near Rick and Vivi in an arena setting is just about the most significant show of trust there is, for someone not already a part of their group.

God help Phillip if he ever abuses that trust.

Unaware of the potential minefield the next of Rick's Three Questions may be, he goes to kneel near the fire, and pours out some helpings of stew in the repurposed containers they've been washing and reusing. There's presumably some risk of passing the dormant walker infection to Vivi and Phillip this way, but... it doesn't really pose a problem. If they do die and reanimate, they'll eventually be revived, infection-free, in the Capitol. He hopes. Motioning Vivi over and holding up one of the containers of stew, he asks, "You hungry?"

That will leave Rick to handle the questioning, which he figures is Rick's preference in this situation. Even though their group's been whittled down to a partnership plus mage, he doesn't mind others having the impression of Rick being the leader.