Early A/N: Sooooooo, as we all know episode 3 is fucking intense, I know it's probably unnecessary but I won't say anything for whoever hasn't seen/played it themselves, but damn. Also since this story was published before they revealed what Minerva looks like I'm just gonna keep Sophie's appearance the way it is in this story, not too sure how I'll fix up the error of sorts but I'll figure it out, or hell you guys could help me. Anyways enjoy the chapter.
As Sophie, Marlon and Louis led the way, Clem prepared her knife for anything, they finally made it to the gate where the mysterious blonde from earlier was gazing out beyond it. Clem couldn't help but have a quick look over her, she was dressed in rather baggy looking clothes but they seemed safe enough not to get her grabbed easily by walkers. Clementine was snapped out of her musings as Marlon calls out for this Rosie person again, before turning back to the group of Sophie, Louis, Clem and AJ asking "you guys gave her, her weapon back right?". Clem slipped her knife out to show him as a response, which had him nodding in approval "good. We're gonna need you to put it to good use." He turns to the gate, the mystery girl was still staring out of, saying "we've got a hunting party out there trying to get back inside. Need our help to clear the way. There seem to be a few more deadheads around more than usual these couple days", he says that last part offhandedly but it seemed to catch mystery blondes attention. She turns to Clem and the others slightly, and with a sarcastic tone, quips "It's almost like something drew their attention. Something like... I don't know... an explosion. Or a car crash."
Sophie sighs obviously disapproving the girl's tone "c'mon vi..", however the mystery- Vi? simply shrugs off the disapproval with "what? I'm just saying. There has to be some explanation". Clem can see AJ frowning out of the corner of her eye due to this girls tone, and sighs inwardly knowing it would do no good giving AJ..or herself any reason to not trust them, she needs to clear whatever bad blood might appear before it does. So she bucks up and says "Look we didn't know any of this was going to happen, we're sorry if it caused you guys problems", this seemed to pacify the other girl, and to her credit, she actually looked mildly apologetic. But Sophie didn't seem to wanna have any of it "Clem you have nothing to apologise for, your car crashing wasn't your fault-", she then pauses and then thinks for a moment "-then again maybe it could've been, but either way Vi shouldn't be digging so harshly into people before she actually get to know them" she finishes this with stern look directed at Vi. Which in turn causes Vi to slump even more so, and grumble out "whatever Soph". Clementine couldn't help but process the interaction, these two would have to be very close in order to talk to each other like that right? I mean this Vi girl didn't seem like the type to take other peoples shit. Her musings were interrupted however by Louis clearing his throat, "'I should introduce myself hello Clementine. I'm Violet. Nice to meet you'" his voice was pitched higher to either mock the blonde girl or to make fun of himself with how off it is. And with the muffled chuckle, Sophie and Clem agree on the latter. Violet sighs and turns to look at Clem with a gentle but stoic look "what he said."
Clem doesn't have much time to ponder on that look before that boy from earlier, Willy she thinks his name is, calls out "All right, boys and girls. They're starting to fill in!". Clem grips her knife tightly at this, before turning her attention back to Violet who was opening the gate and then to Marlon who pulls out an arrow for his compound bow before saying "be careful out there". And with that, he and Violet run out into the woods obviously following a path they have gone on plenty before. Louis, seemingly never failing to try to play peacemaker walks in front of Clem wielding a... chair leg? "uh don't mind Violet. She uh... grows on you. I promise.", and like the dynamic duo they seem to be Sophie adds "yeah..like a bad rash. Now c'mon Lou, prepare 'chairles' for the annual Walker bash" she grins as she pats him on the shoulder, before pulling out a hook like-thing and following after Violet and Marlon. Louis smiles and nods before going out the gate as well, Clem just sighs and shakes her head before, she herself goes to the gate and goes to close it. Which causes AJ to rush over "I can help!" he says as he reaches the gate just as Clem closes it in place and kneels down to talk to him "Look bud, I need you to watch my back. Call out from the inside if you see anything. Cool?", she looks back at him with pleading eyes, which causes his face to scrunch up but ultimately admit defeat "okay...". Clem exhales a breath of relief before smiling confidently as she stands up "see you on the other side", and with that, she follows after Louis and Sophie.
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Clem had to admit, she was impressed. These kids had traps seemingly surrounding the entire area and from the way, Louis, Sophie, and Marlon were going they seem to know how to handle themselves, whether that translates as well with fighting people as it does with fighting walkers Clem hopes to never find out. She grips her knife tightly as she walks closer to walker approaching her, before knocking it down by its disfigured leg. Just as she goes to knife the undead bastard, she feels one grab her by the back of her hoodie, and just as Clem's panic fully sets in, she feels the hand let go and the sound of a weapon being retracted. But putting her focus back on the walker in front of her she sheathes her knife through its eye and digs it in deep before pulling it out. She takes a moment to gather herself, taking a deep breath and turns around to see the walker that had tried to grab her crumbled on the ground, and as she scans the area to see who might've helped her, she sees Violet not too far away from her, and from the fresh looking walker blood on her cleaver and the wound on the walker, it was her who had saved her ass. Clementine shakes her head trying to get back in the game and heads off towards the next walker but sets a mental note to thank Violet whenever next they have a conversation.
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Finally, the herd that came by had been cleared out, allowing the hunting party to come through, a small three man team, only two of them carrying anything as proof of their hunt. A redhead with slicked back hair and blue eyes comes up to them followed by the rest of her squad as Sophie quips "took you guys long enough, we couldn't hold off those assholes much longer". The redhead responds with "no kidding. Where'd all these walkers come from?" at this though Clem couldn't help but cringe, knowing that no matter how you look at it, this situation was her fault. Marlon, seemingly the leader of this band of kids, steps in and responds "we can talk when we're back inside the gates. Keep an eye out for stragglers though" and with that, he turns and begins leading the way back to the gate, everyone including Clementine falling in step with him. Eventually, as they walk Clem and Violet fall in step next to each other, walking almost in time with one another, Clem gripping her knife tightly and Violet doing the same with her cleaver. Clementine starts contemplates bringing up what happened earlier with the walker but before she could even think about what to say Violet says with, what Clementine thinks is as close to commendment she'll get from Violet at the moment "you know, you're not half bad. Considering the circumstances and all...". She gives Clem an undecipherable look before facing forward, but Clementine got a warm vibe from the conversation but she couldn't understand why that didn't stop her from smiling at the comment though.
"thanks-" Clem was gonna say more but Sophie's voice caught both of their attention, cutting her off "Let's finish these assholes off, we don't need them attracting more attention to the school!". Violet nods at her and then Clem before heading in to chop down an incoming walker. Clem follows her example and heads over to a commando crawling walker, that either Marlon or that other darker skinned boy shot with an arrow, and plunged her knife deep into its head a few times. Looking ahead she sees that very same dude with his barely-there goatee, complaining about something like clean-up shit, but out of nowhere, a walker jumps him from behind and so Clem springs into action. Running as quickly as possible, she finally makes it and cleanly sheathes her knife through the back of the zombie's collarbone, like two inches away from the boy's face. But then it knocks her back and fights to get closer to her, which causes Clem to struggle and try to push it back. However, before either could do anything, growls were sounded and suddenly a stumpy brown dog tackles the walker and starts crunching down on its head. Clem's eyes widen in fear as she sees this, her hand gripping her knife shaking as she holds it out as a defense, her left arm suddenly warm, almost burning in memory of her last encounter with said animal.
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She cries out in pain as it bites into her arm, the teeth digging deep, and from what seemed like it seemed to be trying to chew on it. Her blood splattering across the ground and among her arm, and the sharp burning sting is all she can see and feel. In her panic she lands a few good hits on the animal as it continues to maul into her, finally, one decent one was enough to have it retract his jaw from her arm, the pain searing but she ignores it, and in an instinctual fashion she pulls in her leg and kicks the dog - Sam, she thinks its name was - watching as it tumbles over the log she was sitting on previously. She gazes at her mangled, bleeding arm wincing at how bad it looks and flinches when she hears the dog snap its jaw again before she hears it whimper, and she grips the small pocket knife in her hand tighter.
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On reflex, Clementine can't help but take a few steps back as her breathing increases upon seeing the dog advance upon her growling all the while. Before anything could happen, however, both Marlon and Sophie ran over, Marlon went straight to kneeling down in front of the dog "good girl! shh, shh. Hey, hey, it's all right, girl. It's all right" he says trying to calm the dog whose face was covered in walker blood. While on the other hand, Sophie came over to Clementine to pat her on the shoulder grinning broadly "dude you kicked ass out there!" this brings Clem out of her fear-induced reverie, but it seems Sophie caught on to Clem's uneasiness and the proof of this is the concerned gaze she was giving Clem. Despite this, however, Marlon and his mullet seemed too invested in the dog to notice, to Clementine's relief. The blonde then turns with a crooked smile plastered on his face "heh, I see you and Rosie are making friends.", Clementine takes a moment before relaxing into a more neutral stance and timidly saying "h-had a bad experience with a d-dog once" she says looking wearily at Rosie. Sophie smiles reassuringly and kneels down beside Rosie and Marlon "Well, Rosie here can help you with that, she's really just a cuddle pot. Well except when she's going at deadheads, that is", she pats Rosie's head as the dog licks her blood-soaked chops.
Clem nods but doesn't feel like she can say much else, but thankfully the others regroup, and she smiles when the boy she saved earlier thanks her. This ques Marlon and Soph to stand, while trigila bionda bellows out "all right, fun's over. Let's get inside -- I'm fuckin' starving", and with that, he turns and heads towards the gate. Clem feels her own stomach give a slight grumble at that comment "you're not the only one", and she falls in step with the rest of the teenagers. As she gets closer to the group she can hear Marlon, the redhead and the goatee boy - who she now knows is named Aasim - discuss something about a safe zone and then all of a sudden Marlon's shoving past a protesting Aasim claiming they'll talk later. Before Clementine had a moment to ponder on this - these kids are pretty hectic - Louis and Sophie trail up to her side, Louis laying chairles on his shoulder as he says "still standing I see", which Sophie adds in "oh my god Lou, you should've seen her out there, she was kicking all sorts of ass" she says latching onto his arm, the praise causes Clem's cheeks to warm up. Louis nods approvingly before turning to both Sophie and Violet who had come up beside them "time for the grading period ladies~" he says smiling charmingly "first up, Sophie, definitely gotta say a solid A, that thing you did with your hook that ripped the walkers head right off was epic~" he turns to Sophie giving her gentle, but dazzling smile, which caused Sophie to turn away to hide a blush.
Violet rolls her eyes at this interaction and silently gags, which to Clem's amusement makes Louis pout and turn towards her "well for you, I'd call that a B-plus performance out there, Vi. You've done better". Soph snickers a little as Violet turns away and simply gives him the bird, which makes Clem smirk "fuck off Lou". This causes Louis to act offended, placing a hand over his heart while Sophie patted his back faux-sympathetically "B-minus then-". But then Louis caught Violet glance in Clementine's direction quickly, which gave Louis an idea, smirking evilly, he then turned to Clementine smiling charmingly "Now, Clem here? That was a solid A. A-plus even". This causes Sophie to look at him questioningly, but he just winks at her before nodding to Violet who was trying to keep from both glaring at him for his obvious flirtation and judging Clementine's reaction. Sophie realises what he's doing and her eyes sparkle with the same twinkle of mischief that Louis himself held, this encouraged Louis to say this next "don't be jealous though Vi. Be better".
Violet glared at Louis and was about to retort when Clem's soft voice kicked in "um you kicked ass, Violet. A+", she says giving Violet a small smile which in turn made both Sophie and Louis to give each other small, secret, excited ones of there own. Violet, like the gay disaster she won't admit to being, just shrugs looking away, blushing only slightly as she allows a small smile to grace her face "I know". Sophie rolls her eyes good-naturedly at her best friend's behavior while Louis shakes his head faux-disapprovingly "Y'all are deluded".
Clementine smiles inwardly, these kids seem like decent people, and they have built up quite the mini community here. These people could just be what she and AJ need in their life. And maybe, just maybe...
She and AJ have finally found a place they could call home.
A/N: Sooooo I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but damn I'm kinda glad I waited until after watching a playthrough of ep 3. Anywho, this was probably one of the longest chapter's I've written for this story so far, and that pleases me greatly. I haven't had the greatest start of 2019, its been filled with alot of loss... but writing this out has helped me relax and feel happy for the first time in a bit. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter, and the slight differences I've chucked in here and there, and I really hope you're all having a fantastic 2019 so far. Peace and Blessings to you walker stalkers.
P.S. If any of you have any idea how I can fix the minor error I have with Sophie and Minnie feel free to give me any ideas
P.P.S. For anyone at all who hadn't got it, it was Violet who had saved Clementine, and yes I will have a moment based on it next chapter.