Rocky Roads

[Jenny Cameron/Camie]

(OCC: Bad title I know. March 20th, late afternoon. Liz Lemon and Camie friendship thread)

Camie would've been lying if she said she was completely glad to be fighting. Of course anything IHeart and the girls she knew were doing, Camie would be there for them. Yet something about this just screamed danger that was more unbearable to deal with. This was almost similar to being back at Brooklyn, attacked thanks to connections with Carl. Carl, god, Carl. Maybe it was his own fault he died but Camie would never let that sink in. To her, Carl was a innocent. A man taken for no reason from her. It was hard to keep the past but it was even harder to let go. Which was why, in her own way, she never did yet she never talked about it either. Only the girls knew some of her story but even then some parts of her tale were left a mystery to them. So this war, hopefully, would keep it that way for them.

She had other things to worry about anyway. Like babysitting some of the new soilders. Sure she was one too but unlike them, Camie was experienced thanks to her dad. Hopefully they would take her advice. That or just not be asses about it. As Camie stared to the horizon she heard frustrated talking. Smirking, Camie turned to see a woman. A rather older woman than herself. And it happened to be she wasn't happy. "Hey lady, what's got you so wound up?"

[Deleted]

For the most part, Liz was beginning to accept the fact that this whole fiasco was reality instead of some incredibly vivid dream. The other, stubborn part of her character was still in denial. "I just...I mean how?" She processed the possibilities and hard facts out loud to no one in particular. Hand pressed to her forehead, she had been pacing around anxiously on the front porch of her new home as the sun began to set. She looked (and was) exhausted, how could one sleep in a predicament like this anyway? Discovering you were merely a fictional chstacker on a television show, and yet were still needed back home while having no way to contact those back in your own reality. It was starting to take it's toll on her peace of mind.

She cursed out loud until a voice that was speaking to her, caused her to look up at the person who spoke to her. A younger woman with pink hair. The choice of hair color might'be been odd in her perspective, but judging someone's hair color was the least of her worries at the moment. "Hm. I don't know. Maybe the fact that I'm stuck in this dimension or whatever and I have no way if getting back home " She shot back, voice clearly tired yet sharp as large brown eyes looked at Camie, dagger like yet worried at the same time.

[Jenny Cameron/Camie]

Apparently the reality of the war was sinking in for different ways when it came to the person. At least that was the motivation for Liz's frustration. Camie couldn't help but smirk even more, despite her situation the older woman was pretty ballsy. At least in the rapper's mind anyway. For a fictional character, she was pretty damn realistic. Hell, her reaction was one she herself had when IHeart first told her of this shebang.

That being said, maybe having a little fun would give the older woman a chance to get used to this. That and Camie was bored. She raised her hands in defense, a smug smirk still on her face "Alright. No need to get hissy with me. I'm not the one who invented the damn thing that brought you here" After saying that, her smugness dissipated slightly. Becoming empathetic was easy, being empathetic with strangers was hard. That said, she might as well try "I'm Jenny. Jenny Cameron. But everybody calls me camie. For obvious reasons" With a point to her hat and pants as well as showing off her jacket, she made her point across.

"It's crazy for sure but the people here really do want you to go back home. They don't want anyone to be forced away. You're with the good guys. Trust me. Ask Thatguy and Facilier, as far as I know, are WAY worse and crazier than us. And that's saying a lot cause some of the people rookie hangs out with are PRETTY nuts" Camie said, a light-hearted grin evident and her tone friendly. Or smug. Either could be right.

[Deleted]

The woman sighed following Camie's retaliation to fend herself from her own snippy comments. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. This is just too much to for me to handle. Heh, and honestly I still have no idea how to react to this whole fictional character thing. I dunno." She shifted her arms across her chest and looked at her feet briefly, looking up after the younger woman introduced herself properly. Liz. Liz Lemon," She nodded and forced a genuine if not sad smile as Camie pointed to her hat. "Nice to meet you Camie."

Liz rolled on the balls of her feet, listening to the rest of what the other had to offer. She had to be gracious for that-she could've wound up with these other guys who were supposedly much worse than the Nostalgia Critic and his team. "Could be worse, right. Just hope I can get home ASAP." She mentally murmured to herself, a question sparking in her mind following Camie's last words. "Huh. If this is any I guess that means we have to fight, right?" She asked, internally praying that the response was no, or else she would be dead from training or the first soldier dead on the battlefield in the next battle. She speculated that things were ran a little differently than a traditional army, but it never hurt to be on your toes, right?

[Jenny Cameron/Camie]

"Hey don't sweat it! You're in a new place. Hell a whole new world. That can't be fun" Camie said, shrugging it off and waving her hand indignantly as if to forgive the situation completely. Camie didn't mind. Liz honestly just got snippy and that was it. She wasn't being a asshole at all. She was just irritated. "Nice to meet you liz. Dig the last name. Heh, better than mine" She was now trying to be easier, seeing how tired and nervous the woman was slightly being.

"Oh definitely. But don't worry. We got a lot of people, so you yourself don't entirely have to go all the time. You might have to guard the house or somethin'. I'm glad I came. A lot of people here need help" Camie replied softly. She then took off her hat, revealing even more pink hair and rubbed her head in tired frustration. "I'm just glad the rookie's ok. She could've gotten her ass killed thanks to that crazy jerk Ask thatguy"

[Deleted]

"Do you happen to need a TV writer by any chance? Maybe? I don't know? " The female managed a meek smile with slight hope. While her question might have come off as joke, and it partially was-Liz was seriously curious too see if her services could possibly be of any use to the effort on the home front. Liz was very self-conscious on the fact that she in no shape or form meant to excel in any physical activities. Especially fighting...in a war no less. It was just out of the question.

"I mean I hardly even know how to hardly even know how to play baseball, I can't be a soldier!" She exclaimed, a sudden rush of panic overwhelming her. "I mean, I can help you guys do anything else if you want. Well, except maybe cook I'm just awful at that." She explained, realizing how utterly useless she would've been if World War III or an apocalypse broke out in her native realm. She would've been dead in the first few weeks being eaten by radioactive zombies or killed by other survivors for sure.

[Jenny Cameron/Camie]

Camie turned immediately seeing Liz look actually quite sympathetic. She was scared. Which was understandable. Liz, despite her age, started reminding Camie of her younger self. Sarcastic yet hopeful and meek. "I'm sure" Camie said sincerely "We can use everyone. You can write plans for us, maybe find ways to entertain everyone during this crisis. We'll see"

Camie then smirked "Hey look no further. My old man taught me a thing or two. You're ok if you stick with people who know what the hell they're doin'" Camie's accent began shining through more and more. After all, coming from brooklyn itself was quite noticeable. Even though she hadn't been back there in years. Not after... After what happened. She patted Liz's back gently "Relax lemon. You'll be fine. We'll find your skill and if not, we'll give you some"

[Deleted]

"I hope so," Liz sighed, not paying much attention as the pink-haired woman patted her back. She was looking down at her shoes, black Converse sneakers with their knots coming loose. She didn't want any part of this Doctor Who nonsense, she was just wanted to go back home. To her slanket, her crazy writing staff and overconfident executive friend as she looked up, blinking as she looked into Camie's eyes. Her accent all too familiar.

"Your accent...are you from New York by any chance?" She asked, having the ability to recognize that brand of English from miles away. Not literally of course. You get the picture.

[Jenny Cameron/Camie]

It seemed Liz was truly upset with her predicament. It was understandable. Camie couldn't help but feel this need to protect her. It was a odd feeling but it came just the same. She observed the woman being somewhat ashamed of herself before looking up at her.

Camie wasn't a liar unless it was too personal. Her accent wasn't that personal. "Yep. True blue Brooklyn member, right here. It ain't easy there let me tell ya" She chuckled despite herself. "You live around that area I take it?"

[Deleted]

"Yeah, I've been living in New York for a while now," The brunette smiled. "Even if it has it problems, there's no place I'd rather be." Liz continued sadly in spite of the smile that hung on her face. A small laugh escaped her. "But I guess it doesn't matter now; looks like I'm never going home." She then plopped down on a chair that had been placed on the porch, hands over her face, still not over the reality.

She lifted her face up, a few tears leaking from her eyes. "H-how do you do it?" He question was bold, voice slightly shaky as rick dark eyes met Camie's.

[Jenny Cameron/Camie]

Camie smiled before frowning as the other woman went into some sort of despair. With a sympathetic look, Camie leaned down and rubbed the woman's back "Listen. I may be from this world but I too had to be forced away from home. It's not fun. Not at all" She tensed at the confession but forced it down. Camie sadly sighed and responded "I just try not to think of the negative, stupid I know but it can work, and just think of the good times. I don't blame myself for the misfortunes I was forced to deal with but also acknowledge my mistakes. And more importantly I stick with friends I make"

"So, in the end, you have to know it ain't hopeless. And that sometimes the dark road isn't the right one" She had a crooked grin and asked softly "You got that?"

[Deleted]

She felt the hands gently rubbing her back, and much to Liz's surprise, she actually felt a bit more safe following the gesture. She didn't allow herself to seem weak a majority of the time, but when she did it most certainly showed. The face of defeat and tears leaking out of her optics, she hardly allowed her own emotions to influence her, even in the face of a chaotic, hair-ripping day at work, the head television writer did her best to seem under control. Though admittedly, there was sometimes crying involved.

When Camie mentioned that she wasn't whisked away from her world like she was, the older female couldn't help but feel insulted. How dare she? Like she had the nerve to sympathize with the pain that she was going through. Liz nearly snapped, but bit her tongue and tried to view things from her perspective. She did initiate the question and provided her-a stranger an answer. She then realized, that she wasn't the only woman in the world who was horrible when it came to dealing with foreign emotions; bottomline at least Camie was trying and she was doing a better job than she could've had.

It was going to take time to adjust. Oh yes, and see if she could bother some of the techies and scientists that aligned themselves with this "Nostalgia Critic" in order to get some answers or check up on progress. "Right. I think I understand where you're coming from," She forced a crooked smile of her own, made that why by the scar on her face. "I don't know if I'll ever get really used to this though. It like being in a bad Sci-fi nightmare, only this time its the real deal." She shook her head and fiddled with a strap from her hoodie.

[Jenny Cameron/Camie]

Seeing Liz react stoically for most of it made Jenny apprehensive. Was she okay with this advice or not? All she had was silence for the moment. At first it seemed like Liz was about to get insulted and fight back but it seemed that she seemed to appreciate the advice given. As seen with the forced attempt to be more cheerful. Jenny saw a lot of the old her in the older woman and it both interested and dissatisfied her. It was hard to have the past come back on someone else's tailcoats.

"I doubt it'll be immediate but maybe with time you'll like it here. But we'll make sure that you get right back home. It's obvious a lot of you should be happy and back home with your friends and family" She looked to see Liz fiddle a bit and responded "Sorry if I sound way too positive, this is the best I can offer"