[IC Thread] The World of Ash

[Limitless]

(( So sorry, guys, school and family have been a hassle lately. What happened to everybody?? ))

 

Red had largely ignored his unmoving grin while she had been speaking, but it was really starting to bother her. Was he taking her seriously? He didn't seem to be. Not that it mattered, he was just another one. Easy come, easy go. She lightly tossed her head and rolled her eyes when he remarked about the rhyme. It didn't really count as a rhyme, she thought to herself, her face set into a slight frown as she shifted her weight, appreciating the crunch the snow under her boots produced. She let herself drift in her thoughts for the rest of his little speech -- until he asked her to join him on his journey into the city.

 

What? Wasn't he listening? No, of course not. All he saw was the possibility of profit for himself using her knowledge... but Red couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something more than that lurked under his smirk. What if he was one of them...? Could she take that chance? No, definitely not.

 

"Why on Earth should I have to prove myself to you, that my story is true? Whether you believe me or not is of little consequence to me in the scheme of things." She raised her head, lips tightening into a thin, pale line on her face as he stepped out and bowed to her. Perhaps, though... perhaps she was being too hard on him. There was no real reason to trust him, but there was no reason not to trust him. Her eyes wandered over him again, from his hair to the scar on his neck and jaw, over his white coat, the almost haphazard pockets sewn onto it, then back up to his face. Her blue met his brown and held fast as Red stared intently into his eyes, almost seeming to be attempting to intimidate him at first, but her eyes held no such stab at dominance. She was merely holding his gaze, searching for something in his light brown eyes, grasping at some answer to an unasked question in her mind.

 

After a moment, she exhaled and seemed to relax slightly, still holding his gaze but with significantly less intensity. She inhaled and exhaled again, giving quick thought to what he had said. She had no idea if her kidnappers still had a presence in the city, if there would be anybody who remembered her or anybody who cared. But her current life, her peace and solitude... Was it worth giving it up to let her curiosity take her away? She might never return if she followed the man in front of her. She smiled and gave a small, forceful huff that seemed as a small laugh, letting her eyes turn down. Truth be told, it'd be good for her to escape her boring life. Risk and danger were inevitable no matter where she was in the world, and honestly, she was young. Red remembered a man she'd met who had told her that young people ought not be as bound by fear as older people, and while that lifestyle had not ended well for him, the lesson had remained. She snorted, smiling, and held her hand out to Jovah.

 

"You've got a deal. Just know that if I deem you making any move to betray me, your demise will be swift." Red's eyes danced as she said this, not doing much to veil the promise.

[ValidEmotions]

((Boop. I've seen a bit of LN and Rakashua elsewhere on the forum within the past few days.))

[Arctic]

(( So have I. Part of my slow response has been waiting for them. We'll just continue on in the event they don't respond. For now, Narvix, you're free to assume that their characters have started bickering or talking. You can get involved with Jovah and Red if you like - it must be a nuisance sitting on the sidelines with two others trading dialogue. ))

 

Jovah slowly righted his posture, standing straight and rigidly. As the redhead before him spoke, a bout of wind washed over the town. Snow briefly swirled around in the chilled air, flying about the scavenger's face, clinging to his thick beard and shuffling his coat tail around behind him. One of his thick brows quirked itself precariously and he let out the smallest of scoffs as she wondered aloud why she had to prove herself; despite this, he did nothing but fold his arms loosely. As she stared in to his eyes, his expression solidified and for perhaps the first time his lips curled in to a believable frown. There was now nothing artificial about his appearance; this frown, his hardened gaze, his furrowed brow. His features flowed together naturally and, quite honestly, it was rather intimidating. He was weathered in appearance, sure, but for the first time it truly showed.

 

A few solemn moments passed after Red had spoken, and Jovah's expression hadn't softened nor changed in any real way. Beads of the white snow stuck in his thick beard and mustache and his wiry hair, clinging and frosting it over. He tucked his rifle under the crook of his right arm, his movements fluid. “Why should you have to prove yourself,” he mused, stepping away from Red to lean on the wall across the somewhat narrow street. “Why should you have to prove yourself. In that case,” he gave a sickeningly polite smile that just as quickly faded in to his frown, “I've seen satyrs and chimeras, elves and leprechauns. Dragons curled round the caps of the Rocky Mountains. But why should I have to prove myself to you? I've just asserted an outlandish point nobody asked of me, and I'm offended that you expect me to prove it." With a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose then smiled. The harshness of his expression faded and his eyes softened. “Your knowledge of the city is your bargaining chip. That's why you have to prove it. And,” he paused once more, leaning off the wall and staring at her from a distance. It was a good few seconds before he spoke.

 

“Neither I nor anyone else has a use for a brat.” His voice was solid, but not insulting. It seemed as if he was trying to think of a way to say it more politely, but decided to be blunt. It sounded like a warning. “Enemies and threats are two things you shouldn't make. Yet you've just threatened me for nil. With your eyes, your staff, your words, you threaten me. It's clear something's happened to you - perhaps a betrayal. It's clear you hold mistrust. But if I can't trust that I'm safe around you, then you're a liability, and a liability is the one thing I don't need when I'm playing a dangerous game like this one." He grinned, turning his palms up in a slight shrug. “With that said, I bid you goodbye. If you choose to venture alone, best of luck.” Without so much as a wave, he set off for the main gate of Winterbury, leaving snowy bootprints in his wake.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Arctic

[ValidEmotions]

((Haha thanks for the invitation. I would probably have felt invasive otherwise.))

 

The wind was slowly starting to pick up, crisp air brushing along her exposed cheeks. Jasmine stood mostly idle as she listened to Matthias and Rune discuss matters about travel and whether to ask the white-clad man to be their guide. It was vaguely interesting, watching the brothers and how they acted towards one another. So very different yet, entirely similar.

 

Glancing across to where the man in question of being a possible guide was, she noted a change about him and the red-haired woman. It appeared they were arguing or having, at the least, some kind of disagreement. The woman was currently speaking, hands shifted on a staff in her possession. He, likewise, had his hatchet but, after a few moments, secured it in a holder of sorts. At least nothing concerning was talking place. Well, from what the bard could tell.

 

Oh dear... The man was starting for the gates and it seemed the brothers beside her had yet to finish talking with each other. Quickly, she shifted her weight faintly and went to catch the man before he left. "Excuse me, sir? Just a moment please?" Jasmine broke off her light jog, stopping a few feet from the man. She was aware of the woman hardly ten steps away and wondered what she would be doing. Would she be traveling? If so, to where? If she be headed in the same or similar direction, would she prefer to travel alone or in a group?

 

"Apologies for holding you up but, I was wondering if you would be heading to the city? If so, if you're willing, as you seem to have knowledge about it, would you kindly be a sort of guide for the four of us?" She motioned towards the other three, securing the man's knowledge of who she meant. "I also wish to correct an err I made last night as I never properly introduced myself. My name's Jasmine." As she spoke, she offered her hand in greeting. Whether he took it in turn or not, she let her arm fall back to her side a moment later.

 

By now, the man was likely answering her question and, if he wished it, introducing himself. The bard would most likely have provided the names of the others if she knew it was okay to do so. Since she was unsure, she preferred not to chance aggravating anyone. Presently, she felt it best to let people give out their own names as seen fit. From whatever the man chose to say, she would know whether he accepted the role of guide or not at which case, depending on his answer, she would either leave him be to exit through the gates or call back to the conversing brothers and Indigo.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Narvix

[Limitless]

Red stood stiffly as he responded, and she seemed stricken at the final part of his little speech. She hung her head as he headed off...

 

And started laughing. She looked up and smiled, then huffed as she saw the other girl approach him. Well, that was annoying. She hadn't seen her pass, but now she was chatting with Jovah about acting as a guide for her group. Red looked over to where the others were standing and talking. How cute.

 

"Now, Red," she whispered to herself, tucking a strand of frosted hair behind her ear and squinting slightly against the wind. "Don't be mean. You're clever, you can work around this. And if it's meant to be that you travel with a companion..." Red snorted. She didn't believe in such nonsense. But she did need a reason to get out of the rut she was in, the hiding and keeping under everybody's radar. Her former captors didn't have control of the entire city, that was impossible. They might've been destroyed in the circumstances that led to her escape, too. She shifted. That was a little much to hope for.

 

At any rate, she wasn't getting anything done just standing around, watching Jovah and the other girl exchange palaver. It would be a nuisance to explain herself with the girl there, but she knew she could trust Jovah now. Had he been willing and wanting to take her with him after the little fit she'd thrown, she would've known for sure that he was one of them. If he'd have her after she explained why she did what she'd done, it would be great to travel with someone again. Putting on a kind smile and letting the tension out of her body, she started slowly making her way over to them, she wondered how long it'd been since she'd traveled with anybody. Quite a while for sure...

Edited March 18, 2013 by Limitless

[Arctic]

Jovah's boots pushed in to the snowy cobble below with the slightest crunch accompanying each step. The prints, while not disappearing, faded as the other streetgoers crossed paths with where he had once been and softened as the wind blew more snow in to the harsh edges of each tiny crater. He drew a tattered white box from one of his coat pockets, sliding it open and rifling inside. A moment passed before he drew out a tan, uneven, hand-wrapped cigar, each end twisted shut. He stepped off to the side and held it up to one of the street lanterns, lighting it and placing it between his lips with the softest of sighs. As he turned, a woman's voice greeted him and he quickly looked up to match gaze with whomever it might be.

 

"Excuse me, sir? Just a moment please?" The woman asked. He recognized her as the musician from The Throne.

 

“By all means,” he replied with a polite smile, continuing to hold his rifle under the crook of his arm.

 

"Apologies for holding you up but, I was wondering if you would be heading to the city? If so, if you're willing, as you seem to have knowledge about it, would you kindly be a sort of guide for the four of us?" She asked. Her attitude was lax - an attribute, Jovah figured, could be attributed to her lifestyle. A musician wasn't one to get their hands dirty all too often - dirtier than anyone else, at least. It was rare to find a soul with a clean conscience around there, or anywhere, really. At her reference to the three others, he turned his brown eyes up to gaze at the crowd. The Wildman, his brother and the woman they had been interacting with the night before. He opened his mouth slightly to speak, but the woman caught the air with her words first.

 

"I also wish to correct an err I made last night as I never properly introduced myself. My name's Jasmine." A moment passed before his eyes once more settled on the woman. No longer a woman, really, no longer a stranger, just Jasmine. Another name.

 

Jovah smiled politely and shifted the rifle to the crook of his left arm, extending his right and gripping her hand firmly. His fingers were calloused, worn by years of working in salvage, but his hand was covered by the remainder of the glove. It was a fair enough assumption that his palms were likely criss-crossed with scars. He shook once firmly.

 

“Jovah,” he replied. “Pleased to meet ya.” His voice was firm and kind. His focus once more lingered up to the group and he sucked in on the cigar, drawing a cloud of smoke in to his lungs before breathing it out nice and slow from the corner of his mouth. In his chocolate eyes, one could notice a certain judgment taking place. He was analyzing the people, checking over every inch of them.

 

A moment passed. The scavenger looked down at his tape-covered rifle, drawing a dark black magazine from a vest pocket. Fresh, brass cartridges could be glanced sitting neatly in a stack inside. When he spoke, he spoke rather simply. “Yeah, heading for San Francisco.” He aligned the magazine with the slot in the rifle rather calmly, simply preparing it. “Wouldn't recommend you do the same.” He pushed it in until a satisfying 'click' sounded, then looked back up to Jasmine and smiled. “You ain't got any guns,” he remarked quietly. “Guide? Sure. Need the help. Babysitter? Another thing entirely. If a packer opens up on us with a rifle, I'm not so sure a couple crossbows will do a whole lot. I'd rather have somebody to cover my arse while I cover theirs.” His polite smile remained. Still, he didn't head for the gate.

 

The scavenger tilted his head to one side inquisitively. “What business do you have in the city anyway?”

[ValidEmotions]

Now she had a name to attach to the man's face. "Pleased to meet ya." Jasmine smiled, hardly surprised by Jovah's grip as they shook hands.

 

"Likewise, Jovah," she stated. Bringing her arm back to her side, she heard the crunching of snow and glanced over at the approaching redhead. The woman appeared pleasant enough for conversation and so the bard would not keep her out if the woman chose to partake.

 

"What business do you have in the city anyway?"

 

Jasmine blinked, uncertain if she had expected the question or not. A moment before, she had chuckled quietly about him not wanting to babysit. "Well, I've no real business but I like traveling to new areas." Granted, San Francisco wasn't entirely safe. She brushed stray hair out of her eye, looking back towards the brothers and Indigo. "I'm going because I wish to accompany them. I prefer to know people are alright in this world and, for travelers, that often means being in a group."

 

Looking back at Jovah, she smiled easily. The bard lightly touched her crossbow, the unstrung weapon hanging at her hip. "I travel alone most of the time so I know how to watch my own back but I can also watch those of my companions. Gun or crossbow, you needn't worry." She was certain Jovah hadn't meant his words in insult, merely concern, so she didn't take them harshly. Still, she wouldn't mention that she preferred to disable opponents versus killing them. It just might make him doubt her should they come across trouble.

 

((Do you know how hard it was to figure out what color you chose, Arc? Haha

 

EDIT: Even still, I haven't found an exact match xP))

Edited March 28, 2013 by Narvix

[Emeraldmay]

(...and I am back! Sorry it's kinda short, and I kept you waiting.)

 

Indigo watched, out of focus, as the conversation dithered on. The pressing weight of company was already hanging down on her mind, and she was slowly losing the will to communicate with the others in her surroundings. Clips of conversations echoed through the air, as she absentmindedly fiddled with the strap of her bag, readjusting it constantly for no reason other than something to do.

 

There was an argument occurring down the road, or what seemed to be at least. The voices were slightly out of reach to her, although one with more sensitive hearing could probably have picked them up. Brushing a slight snowflake off her shoulder, Indigo trailed her boot in the dense snow beneath her feet, scraping a small circle beneath her with one toe. When she was younger, the snow had been something of mystery, in the outside world, why she remained huddled inside, but as she grew older it became just another bleak piece of landscape. In a way, humanity was like the snow, trodden down, swept aside, yet still clinging on for its final moments before it melted. Startling at her unusual train of thought, she berated herself for it; the only useful wondering about snow was when you considered how deep that snowdrift was, and if you could cross it safely.

 

The bard girl – Jasmine – was walking away, and Indigo watched her shoes walk away, imprints digging into the snow below. Giving up her last pretence at following the conversation, Indigo turned, watching the girl as she turned away. Slightly adjusting her posture to keep Jasmine in range, Indigo watched as she spoke with the new people. While she was out of earshot, the expressions that were given off gave her the gist of a cordial conversation, and she continued to watch.

 

[Arctic]

(( You can quote my post and take the color from there~. Also, LadyNatasha, Rakashua, Packgoater, Kokay, dani905 and Mdlier are about to be either marked LOA or removed (LOA in the first 3's case, removed in the latter 3). I will save your profiles if you're removed, in case you want to come back later. ))

 

A particularly powerful gust of wind blew through the street, coming from San Francisco. You couldn't see a thing through the fog, but something had certainly happened. The wind carried with it a particularly bitter mixture of smells - fuel and fire. Something was burning; if one was particularly observant, they would have been able to see beads of ash blowing wistfully through the fog, dancing amongst the snow. Pure ash. Jovah didn't seem to pay much attention to that, but the smell had certainly caught his attention. He turned his head once to the gate, then back to Jasmine.

 

“Smell that?” He asked, adjusting the shoulder strap of his rifle. “Huh.” A momentary pause fell between them, then he opened his mouth, eyes surveying her crossbow. “A crossbow might protect you against a stray wolf or a mountain cat, but you've only got one shot at a bandit. I'm just afraid you'll be outmatched. If the Blood Pack's out and about, then they'll have entire groups armed with firearms.” He scratched his beard. “Can't tell you what to do, though. I'm not your dad. But I'm not going to be responsible if you end up dead. You sure there isn't a better weapon you could use?”

[Limitless]

(( Sorry for short post, figured I'd give you two some more time for chatting. ))

 

Red watched Jovah and the other woman talk, standing a few feet away in the snow. They seemed to be discussing weapons, and Jovah didn't seem entirely satisfied with the fact that this bard only had a crossbow. Red smiled a secret little smile, fingers brushing lightly over her gun. Inhaling deeply, she readied herself to try speaking with Jovah again, explaining herself, when she, too, caught the scent and paused.

 

Fire. And from the direction of the city. She narrowed her eyes, looking towards the looming shapes of decrepit buildings that should have been on the skyline if not for the thick fog, but kept an ear on the conversation between Jovah and the bard. She would listen for a bit longer.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Limitless

[ValidEmotions]

The bard clutched her scarf subconsciously, hunching her shoulders against the sudden rush of foggy air. Did she smell smoke? As her fingers uncurled from the edge of her scarf, she faintly screwed her eyes to focus on the dark flecks that appeared on her glasses. Jasmine pulled them off, lightly running her fingers over the clear lenses and inspecting the black substance that smeared across her skin. "Ash?" The question was more towards the air before her than to anyone else.

 

“But I'm not going to be responsible if you end up dead. You sure there isn't a better weapon you could use?”

 

It took a moment but the young woman picked up Jovah's voice and paused. She had a hunting knife stored away but she doubted that was the answer he sought. "I don't like guns..." Her words were hesitant, as if she weren't certain what his reaction would be. Guns were one of the more desired weapons in this era and your chances of survival were typically higher if you owned one. Her father had one but bullets were sometimes hard to find so he mostly relied on his throwing knives. Similar to her, her mother never touched a gun; she didn't enjoy the loud noise they made. In Jasmine's opinion, guns appeared sinister, a sort of mar to the natural world. She'd gotten a chance to examine her father's gun, feeling the rough, cold, metal. The bard avoided trouble as much as possible, especially people that wanted to cause trouble. Guns just made things worse. They made things easier for those who wanted trouble.

 

Shaking her head, Jasmine briefly glanced down. "I don't have any other long-ranged weapon. I'm a good shot, however, and my small size allows me to find cover in places most others can't." She didn't want Jovah to question her abilities too much. If he was worried about her negatively affecting the group, in addition to the Blood Pack's weapons, she hoped that he'd realize she knew how to survive just as well as anyone else.

 

[[Meh >_< Not quite the post I had in mind. :\]]

[ValidEmotions]

[[bumpeth?]]

[Arctic]

(( Aye, sorry. I thought the RP is dead - ah, well! I'm glad it isn't. Finally purged it. LadyNatasha, Rakashua, Packgoater, Kokay, Mdlier, Quhanta and dani905 have been removed. If you'd like to be readded, private message me - I have your application saved. Furthermore, I think my posts might be a little less beefy from now on in the interest of saving time. In important areas or with important events, you can expect paragraphs detailing what's going on. ))

 

A couple guardsmen moved in through the gate from the outside. Each one had a gas mask looped around their neck, pulled down, and each wore snow shoes and otherwise light clothing. One of them held a makeshift breech-loading shotgun with a long barrel. Several handloaded shells could be seen looped through his vest. The other carried something in his hands that he studied quietly, a small frown painted on his face. Jovah looked over at the men then looked back at bard.

 

“Yeah. Ash.” He replied, furrowing his brow. He inhaled again. “That storm might've carried some in from south. Anyway,” he paused to cough in to his gloved fist a couple times. “Generally just not a good idea to go up against a repeating rifle with a crossbow. But I understand. I really don't want to go alone, so you're free to tag along, but if you get in to trouble and I know odds are I can't do a thing, I'm not going to do more than risk allows.” The scavenger sighed slightly, wiping some frost from his beard.

 

“Any skills 'side from being small and a 'good shot'?” He asked quietly, adjusting the sleeves of his coat. He turned his head to the gate, watching the guardsmen near the pickup truck.

[Limitless]

(( Sorry again for the lack of length, not a whole lot else for her to do yet. Soon, though. So glad to see this group still lives. ))

 

Red smiled. As soon as the smaller woman answered, she was going to step in. A little embarrassed at her earlier actions and perhaps worried that Jovah would refuse her, Red fussed with a stray thread on her scarf, listening.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Limitless

[ValidEmotions]

“I'm not going to do more than risk allows.”

 

"I wouldn't ask you to do anything more, Jovah. There'd be no point in suffering injury or loss of life if a companion was to share the same fate in any case." Jasmine took note of the guards and paused, watching them as they walked into Winterbury. What's going on? Does this have to do with what happened during the night?

 

“Any skills 'side from being small and a 'good shot'?”

 

Again, Jovah's words took a moment to penetrate her thoughts and returning her attention to him was a bit slower than she would have liked. "Just about the same skills as anyone else who travels; hunting, first aid, how to survive. Though, I do know which portions of meat someone could get the best nutrients from. Cooking had been my primary job when growing up." She couldn't help but feel he was mocking her a bit; most skeptical people she'd crossed paths with had and it certainly got annoying. Though, she doubted he was and she could understand if he did. Travelers were usually picky about companions, wanting to survive and achieve whatever they were traveling for.

 

[[Fair enough on the length and time bit.]]

Edited May 18, 2013 by Narvix

[Limitless]

Red exhaled. Well, that was good. It was time. Straightening and releasing the scarf from scrutiny, she smiled, walking over and trying to seem as unoffensive and not-threatening as possible. She smiled and nodded at the bard, then stopped next to her.

 

With a sigh, she started. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and had some things to say anyways. First and foremost, Jovah, I sincerely apologize for our conversation a little bit ago. My fears were, as usual, unnecessary, but I needed to make sure you could be trusted. I'm a little too paranoid for my own good. If you will still have me, I would love to go into the city with you. If you no longer wish to have me along, I understand, but I thought I'd offer my apology and help, whatever it's worth." She smiled, seeming a little embarrassed as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Red flashed her small smile at the other woman, waiting for Jovah's reply.

[Mistress of Whispers]

Alice regarded the group talking on the street with interest. She'd been in Winterbury for a little over a week now, and while her skills were appreciated, it was clear that she would remain a stranger in a strange land here. Without fully realizing her motivation, she had been looking for a group to join, even if only temporary.

 

This group was promising. Four people, most of them strangers to each other as far as she could tell, yet they had been speaking for a while now without offering threats or drawing weapons. As a matter of fact, it looked like the man had refused the red-haired women, but even then, the redhead had returned to offer civil discourse instead of violence. Her experiences with people had left Alice wary, but this group didn't seem bad.

 

Pushing back her wolf-skin hood, she revealed shoulder-length brown curls framing high cheekbones, full lips and very light blue eyes. Once, before the great war that had broken the world, her eyes would have been the pale colour of sky on a cold winter morning; now, they were a colour not seen in nature. The pre-war crossbow slung on her back was her only visible weapon, though she carried more under her long wolf-fur coat. Touching her fingers briefly to the barrel of her revolver for good luck, she approached the group, making sure to keep her hands at her side, but slightly away from her body with palms turned outward to show that she was, currently, unarmed.

 

"Please excuse", she started. "If you are going to the city, I would like to join. I know city-scavenging and weapons."

 

Her voice was a husky whisper, as if she were unaccustomed to speaking, and her inflection clearly marked her as a foreigner in the West Coast area.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Arctic]

The air remained frosted and foggy, tinged with the slightest hint of flame and smoke carried on the twirling winds. The white-clad scavenger, Jovah, listened as the bard explained herself. It was apparent to him that she seemed neither to excel nor lack in any one area. A good, well rounded person – well, that was the optimistic approach, anyway. Regardless of whether or not she knew how to use her crossbow effectively, she would be at risk in the city. If they managed to find a more appropriate weapon for her there (and she was taught to use it) then she would have substantially better chances against the bandits, the rats, the lurkers and whatever mutants may have wandered in by sea, land or air. On top of that, Jovah had resigned himself to traveling by way of the old San Francisco Metro. It led in to the city for sure, but it was dangerous to navigate. Between collapse-ins, ice drifts, radiation pockets and darkness, it was generally not a pleasant place to be. It may, however, be the only safe way in, he told himself.

 

He stood for a few moments thinking of how to respond. The redheaded woman from earlier seemed to catch this as an opportune time to get in to the conversation and, just as Jovah opened his mouth to reply to the bard, the woman spoke up. He turned his attention to her, wiping at his beard with his sleeve to. The way she spoke was different now. It set him more on edge – her words carried a tune as if she was writing a letter of apology to someone she had wronged. They were mechanical and robotic, but simultaneously sincere. Jovah looked once to the bard before focusing once more on the redhead, coughing against the sleeve of his jacket and clearing his throat as she finished. He didn't respond, catching movement out of the corner of his eye as another woman approached. At this, he furrowed his brow.

 

This one was far more direct and upfront. A scavenger, she said, but she had a crossbow on her back. A hunter, Jovah thought, but doubtful. She had the stance of someone experienced, and kept her hands where he could see them, even in the relative safety of the town. Her accent was most curious. It wasn't something he had heard but once or twice in his life. He cleared his throat and looked between the three.

 

“Alright, alright, alright,” he said quietly, clearly thinking. A moment passed. “Have any of you ever ventured in to the outskirts of the city? Near the wall at all? Do you understand the danger?” He looked more at Jasmine than anything as he asked these questions, but his eyes passed over the redhead and “wolf-coat”, as he had labeled her in his head.

[ValidEmotions]

Jasmine turned at the sound of the woman's approach, smiling as she apologized to Jovah for her behavior. The bard didn't know the argument but thought it a civil thing for someone to actually take responsibility of their actions. This world created many a character who would only blame everyone and thing around but him (or her) self. She would have spoke in greeting, making to introduce herself, when a second woman approached. Pretty eyes... The same color as my sweater only... brighter. Again, the shorter woman was about to greet the newcomer and introduce herself to both women but Jovah spoke first.

 

"I've never been to the city. I've wondered about it but I always stayed away." She understood the dangers. It was why she never went; she either traveled alone or the companions she traveled with had no desire to attempt entering San Francisco. "I've picked up stories, told by men or women who claimed to have been there and wanted me to share their victories with others. But, they're stories, so I don't know what to take as truth or lie beyond the basic knowledge that everyone knows about the city."

Edited May 21, 2013 by Narvix

[Mistress of Whispers]

Alice waited patiently while the other woman spoke. After all, she was the new arrival so it was only right that she speak last. Besides, this gave her an opportunity to take the measure of the people before her.

 

The woman who spoke now was shorter than her, with thick brown hair falling to her shoulders; it looked glossy and soft and for a moment, Alice wanted to reach out and touch it. Like her, the woman carried a crossbow on her back; it was of a simpler make than Alice's, but it looked just as deadly. Still, scavengers and raiders usually preferred guns over bows, so perhaps she was a hunter of sort.

 

The other woman, also smaller than she, was slim and had hair the colour of fire. In most places Alice had visited, red hair was viewed with superstition and either regarded as good of bad luck; she wondered idly if the same was true in this region. The fire woman carried a staff, which Alice noted was blood-stained at the ends, as well as protective armour and a rifle on her back. Definitely a fighter.

 

Further away stood a third woman with very black, very long hair. She was thin and the coat she was wearing, while warm, was clearly too large for her. Alice knew that the coat could easily hide an assortment of weapons and resolved to keep the woman in her sight.

 

Then she turned her attention back to the man who had spoken. He was tall; the only one in the group taller than her; and he had a calm and kind demeanour. A scar ran across the right side of his head and he carried a rifle across his shoulder. Alice mentally marked him as the most dangerous person in the group, even more so than the fire woman. It's always the calm ones that you have to look out for.

 

Alice still hadn't spoken and wouldn't until the fire woman had had a chance to respond to the man's question.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Limitless]

When Jovah didn't reply, Red let out a small sigh. It was out of her hands now. She turned, watching yet another woman approach. She quirked a brow at how this one walked towards them, purposefully yet peacefully, holding her hands out just enough to show she meant no harm but close enough to her body that she could quickly grab for any weapon. Red looked her over, taking in the light eyes, the way she carried herself, the crossbow on her back, and her coat. She guessed that, much like her own coat, it held many secrets and surprises.

 

The biggest surprise Red could have imagined, however, came when the woman spoke. Her eyes darted all over the newcomer's face, trying to place where she'd heard someone speak in such a way before... but it didn't come to mind. Interesting.

 

Her train of thought was broken when Jovah spoke again.

 

“Have any of you ever ventured in to the outskirts of the city? Near the wall at all? Do you understand the danger?”

 

She exhaled. There they were again. While she knew this wasn't aimed directly at her, as his eyes seemed to be focused more on the smaller crossbow woman, she exhaled slowly and mentally composed an answer for when the other was finished speaking. Glancing at the newcomer, she saw that she herself was being appraised and shot the other woman a grin before looking back to Jovah as the first finished speaking.

 

Looking straight at him, Red smiled. "I know the danger and I'm willing to face it. I've been through San Mateo, I've been near the wall, and have been through my fair share of scuffles with raiders." She shifted, flicking an eye over her staff before looking over all assembled once more.

[ValidEmotions]

[[Just getting him in. Not having him join until the others start leaving.]]

 

Pure ash. Such an interesting thing to see. Dark flecks spotted the man’s visor, the transparent surface covering from the top of his brow to the base of his eye sockets with a notch in the center bottom for the bridge of his nose. The visor curved across his face, the sides reaching to the back of his temples and attached to a fabric band that secured it in place. The wind picked up, blowing the ash sideways as it fell and littered the packed snow around him. Strands of crimson hair, fallen free from behind his ears, tickled his face in the strong breeze.

 

Levi stood with his back facing the Throne's doors, having left the building sometime after everyone else. He was in no hurry to get anywhere and so had taken his time, eating his morning meal and warming up before he would have to face the cold outside. The tail-ends of his old trench coat played around his legs, the tattered hem reaching down to about mid calf, while the middle set of buttons kept it from being blown open. Rifle gently bumping against his back as he walked, the man made his way towards the gates. For the most part, he paid little attention to the conversing group near the tavern (only taking note of the three women surrounding one man). However, when the pair of guards entered the city, he stopped to watch them pass, curious about the object one of them carried. Now, if he'd been foolish enough, he would have questioned about the held object but, since he wasn't so foolish, he left his curiosity to linger in the silence of his thoughts.

 

After a few moments of staring, he moved on out of Winterbury. As he did so, he idly reached into his travel pack and removed the wolf-pelt bandana he had made, tying it on over his hair. Three strands slipped free but the man wasn't bothered by them, gently nudging his visor down to rest around his neck, the glass-like plastic tapping his collarbone once before being still. Perhaps the first thing anyone would notice about the man would be his dark crimson-colored hair, followed by the noticing of the black eyepatch that covered his right eye socket (if he wasn't wearing his visor). Beneath the patch was an empty hole, hidden only by sealed eyelids with what may have been the scars of claw marks. His left eye remained, dark emerald green iris always lit with either pleasantness or curiosity. If his hair or his patch didn't catch an onlooker's attention first, then it would have to be his height, rounding off at a little over six feet tall. The man was capable of more than decent speed, that fact betrayed by his lithe build and long legs. Of course, one had to be a bit wary when running as one never knew where there may be ice mixed into the layers of snow on the ground.

 

Buckled boots crunched fresh snow, pressing ash into the white powder if it didn't transfer to the black rubber of treads. Following his footsteps, paw prints marked their own trail, leading up to a healthy looking German Shepherd. The dog's fur was faintly matted around the backside of his haunches, a layer of ash slowly accumulating along his back. A crude collar circled the hound's neck, only there to signify that he already had an owner. Breath misting in the cold air, the dog gave a single, happy, yip and the man bent down enough to scratch behind an ear. "I know, I know. We'll head home soon. I want one more search before we do."

[Mistress of Whispers]

Alice caught the fire-woman's smile and, for a moment, she tensed. Is she planning something? Did I walk into a trap? Her right hand crept just a fraction of an inch closer to her coat, but she stopped the movement quickly. Sometimes people smiled in a show of camaraderie, or to 'lighten the mood' (though Alice wasn't exactly sure what that meant). Perhaps the other woman was signalling a desire to continue their non-hostile interaction. Still tense, Alice forced herself to nod to the redhead to show that she was accepting the gesture in good faith and returning it likewise.

 

Then she turned her gaze back to the white-clad man. Repeating his questions in her mind, she answered them one by one: "Not this city. No. Yes."

 

If she were more eloquent, she might have told him that she may not have ventured into this city, but she had gone into others, some just as large and just as dangerous. She could have told him that she knew all about the dredge of humanity that clung to a city's borders, or the mutated horrors near its centre, or even that she knew how to navigate the underground tunnels with their metal lines. But she wasn't eloquent and he hadn't asked about other cities, so she spoke no more than those five words.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Arctic]

Jovah ran a gloved hand over his head, hooking his fingers in to his wiry hair and dragging them over his scalp as he sighed. Whatever frost he had wiped from his bearded jawline soon came back, bits of snow and ash clinging to the hair. The guards moved past toward the town center just as another redhead, this one a man, made his way past towards the gate. The rifle he carried up over his shoulder caught the scavenger's eye – a well crafted weapon, clearly meant for use with a telescopic sight. Such things were hard to come by, though, so it made sense it was outfitted more like a hunting rifle. His eyes lingered only momentarily before turning back to the three women standing before him.

 

He cleared his throat roughly, running his hand down from his scalp and rubbing his neck soothingly. Just as he spoke up, the sound of an engine sputtering and roaring to life came from the gate, the guardsmen of Winterbury having started up the plowing truck. One crawled in to the driver's seat and reached up, pulling down a rusted sliding grate from a rack on the roof and outfitting it where the glass window might have once been. Another guardsman bolted it in to place as the driver checked over the barely functional instruments. The one outside the car tapped the hood twice once the grate was in place, then stepped away. Chain on rock could be heard as the car lurched forward on to the main street, taking a turn towards the gate. He waited for the red haired man to pass, then put the vehicle in to drive and slowly moved forward, leaning halfway out of the truck to be sure of where he was going. In the machine's path, the street was left clear of snow, large mounds being pushed out to either side. The truck stopped just outside the gate.

 

Another guardsman blew a whistle two times, the second blow longer and louder than the first, and two more guards came jogging off from a side street, pulling balaclavas down over their pale faces. Each one was outfitted with a basterd gun, held together by duct tape and scrap, but each was clearly automatic in nature. They made their way outside and climbed in to the bed of the truck. One patted the roof of the cab twice, holding on to a handrail and remaining standing as the truck began to move down the hill outside, clearing the roadway leading up to the town's gate. Once it reached the prewar road that ran along a ridgeline below, it took a left and stopped. The driver got out, adjusted the plow so it would push the snow down the slope to his right, then got back in and began to drive, the truck jumping and bouncing about, the two armed men in the back keeping watch. Why they were going to so much trouble to clear the road was a good question, but generally in such times it was because a trade caravan was expected.

 

Jovah watched the spectacle until the guards had climbed in to the truck, then tried (and succeeded) to speak again. “Alright, well, here's the deal. The only reason I'm heading for the city is because somebody said a fireball went down. If it was a meteor or somethin', we'd be dead. Might be a satellite. Anyway, if that's true, the Pack is probably goin' after it for salvage. It's too foggy to see anything from where we're at, so this whole thing might just turn out to be a sham. Smoke's on the wind, though, so my curiosity's been excited.” He cleared his throat and scratched his beard as he spoke. “If somethin' crashed in to the city, then everything down there's going to be agitated. Curious people are going to be swarming in. If you have a gun, you have a better chance. If you don't, you need to keep low and do what I tell you. If anybody aims a weapon at anybody else, if anybody hurts anybody else, then they're gone. Dead, if offense is bad enough. I don't like playing sergeant, but looks like I'm the experienced one here,” he said, pausing as his eyes turned to the redheaded woman, ”'cept you if that b.s. about being in the city was true.” He adjusted the rifle on his back and shot a glance to the wolf-coated woman, seeming to acknowledge her claim of experience. He gave one more look to Jasmine, though this one held a bit of concern.

 

A moment of silence fell over him and then he sighed. ”Alright. If you're coming, then let's go. I'm not wastin' any more time here. Longer we wait, more people are going to be there, more chance something's going wrong.” He turned and started for the gate at a moderate pace, taking large steps to counteract the slowing effect of what little snow was on the street. He continued speaking to whomever was following him, if anyone. ”We're heading north through the forests until we pass Pacifica. Going to move through Sweeney Ridge and head in to the San Bruno suburb from there. Bypass San Mateo completely and we'll avoid any packies trying to keep scavs from Belmont and Redwood from moving north. Eh. Better than nothing.” He stepped outside of Winterbury, following the freshly cleared road down the hill, brown eyes surveying the area. The truck was far down the road now, still cutting a path towards El Granada and Half Moon Bay.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Arctic

[Limitless]

Red blinked, then nodded back. She saw that she had startled the woman. Not her intent, but a very interesting observation for her to tuck away.

 

A bright fleck caught her eyes. Another person with red hair...? She followed him as he walked by, eyes narrow. She hadn't come across another other than where she was from, and didn't recognize him, but that didn't mean much of anything. He was well off, and she decided that when - if - she returned, he was worth keeping an eye on. She merely gave the vehicle the guards of Winterbury started up a cursory glance, having seen it before.

 

Her attention moved back to Jovah as he finally started speaking. Nodding, she listened, her eyes barely glinting colder when he mentioned what she had said before. Red didn't bother to react, to look at the other two: she simply stood still, having decided that it really didn't matter what this man thought. She knew what she'd been through, and he'd fallen into her trap with it anyways. Red now knew that she could trust him to some extent.

 

With a smile and final nod, Red followed him. She knew little about the other two women, but there would be time for introductions later on. Inhaling, she took a moment to enjoy having a real purpose again. For the past year her life had been a monotony of scavenging and hunting and observing, waiting for something like this. His planned route seemed sound, and while he had said he didn't like "playing sergeant", he appeared to be a good leader. They would find out in time.