[centre][h3][color=8493ca]Matthias Llywelyn[/color] - The Facility[/h3]
[@wolverbells][@HecateProxy][@RumikoOhara][@pinkowl][/centre][hr][hr]

[color=8493ca]"Ah, fellow inmates! Let's see what we're about then."[/color]

[color=gray]The thought of others being imprisoned alongside them was not a pleasant one but it was still shined some relief upon their situation; from the many books Matthias had torn his way through in his youth he knew that two people stuck together with no peace from each other rarely did wonders for their relationship. Not until they freed themselves from their predicament and usually ended up as lifelong friends. Or married. Or one of them died. The thought of freedom was something he dared not linger on, lest it shatter his carefully constructed mental outlook which was protecting his psyche from utter panic.

With more enthusiasm than he felt, Matthias strode after the much shorter brunette but managed to half trip over one of the legs of the bench she had been sitting on, delaying his arrival to the scene. After cursing softly under his breath and extricating himself from a near blunder, Matthias jogged after Natalie and soon found her talking to a group of others of a similar age. The keenly academic portion of his brain instantly started analysing the issue, perusing any common theme the group posed but other than their age they seemed relatively varied.

He shoved those thoughts aside - intellectual investigation could wait until they knew [i]something[/i] about their predicament - and stepped toward the man who seemed on the edge of totally losing it. Considering the strict rules they had already been educated with it seemed a terrible idea to insult or bait their forceful hosts. Trying to force a pleasant smile, the expression a difficult one to make under the circumstances, and holding his hands up in a gesture of peace he spoke in what he hoped was a calming, but not patronising, tone.

[color=8493ca]"I don't think any of us really believe any of this but it won't do any good to insult the people keeping us here. As Natalie just pointed out,"[/color] he gestured toward her, [color=8493ca]"we're going to be getting a briefing about all this soon. Whether you choose to believe any of this is up to you but you'll just wear yourself out raging at cameras. For all we know that's what they mean to happen so just... keep calm and carry on, right?"[/color] He knew he was not terribly convincing, it certainly did not feel that to him but it was the best he could do when under stress himself. To change the topic, and move to something that felt familiar and therefore comfortable and safe, he turned to the rest of the group.

[color=8493ca]"Why don't we just start with introducing ourselves? Whatever situation we're in, it can't harm to get to know each other a bit. I'm Matthias and, if it wasn't obvious, I'm from the UK but I've been studying in the US the past few months."[/color] He forced another uncomfortable smile before noticing that a woman, an outlier of the group, was leaning against the wall with a mildly pained expression.

Without really thinking, the legitimately paranoid element of his mind warning him not to get involved with anyone or expose himself, he moved past the others toward the woman. A quick glance and he could see that one of her ankles was swollen and she was favouring the other leg, an injury he was familiar with after years playing contact sports.

[color=8493ca]"You look hurt. Your ankle - did you twist it? It's looking rather swollen. There's a cafeteria a bit further that way,"[/color] he pointedly vaguely down the way he thought he and Natalie had come from, [color=8493ca]"and I'm sure we could find something cold to put over it?"[/color] He frowned, trying to remember if he had seen anything resembling freezers or cold storage in the room but he had been so focused on seeing another person that he had quite forgotten to take stock of his surroundings. A bag of frozen peas or, better yet, an actual ice pack would do the trick for the swelling but his first aid experience beyond that was rather rusty. The usual response from teammates after a moment's rest with a cold pack would be 'walk it off'.

[color=8493ca]"Well, in any case you shouldn't stand on it too much. I can definitely promise you a bench on which to prop your leg, take the weight off that ankle."[/color] He proffered his arm for her to lean on, trying to ignore the panicked feeling that perhaps he had just misread the situation and rather insulted this young lady.[/color]