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Author Topic: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]  (Read 5334 times)

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Offline Tally

Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« on: September 23, 2012, 01:19:40 am »
Lyric trudged through the red desert with an elaborately designed holy sword in one hand and a can of soda in the other.

Apparently soda was just sugar and chemicals and wouldn't actually hydrate you, but whatever.  He had water, too, in the rucksack on his back, and he'd been sure to lather sunscreen over his exposed skin.  He was so pale he was sure to burn to a red, leathery crisp without it.  Beyond that, he wasn't much prepared for desert travel.  All he wore was faded jeans and a white t-shirt proclaiming for some band he'd never heard of.

He'd definitely stand out if anyone saw him.  The frontier had a way of roughing you up, and he hadn't been here long enough for it to touch him.  His short, blonde hair had the look of a stylists's care about it, and his skin was unblemished, soft.  All told, he wasn't looking forward to contending with the scarcity of modern amenities out here.

Still, he'd heard rumors.  It seemed he was never more than a whisper away from some web of corruption, but that wasn't enough.  There was plenty of it in Haviah, say, but little of it that would fall to his strengths.

Specifically, he was looking for corruption that could be vanquished with the blade of a sword.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2012, 12:02:49 am »
The calf and its mother were probably long gone, lost to the elements or taken by a thief, but Bailey set out into the desert anyway just on the off chance that they weren't. Foolish things. They couldn't have gotten far, though; she could see their tracks in the soil and thanked the powers that be that a wind hadn't kicked up to smooth them over.

Wide-brimmed hat pulled low to shade her eyes and hair tucked up under it, Bailey kicked her horse into a trot. She hadn't brought much with her, as there was no need; they wouldn't be going far. Just enough to last her an hour or two, some snacks and a canteen, a pistol in case things went sour, rope for the cattle.

Just your standard search and recovery mission.

She'd just crested a hill, leaving the ranch out of sight, when she saw a shape in the distance and realized she wasn't alone.

Her eyes narrowed and wariness crept in, but she kept on her path. It was leading her in his direction--it was a man, upon closer inspection--but there was no reason to suspect him off the bat, though the closer she got, the more detail she saw, and the...stranger he appeared.

What in the world...?

She hadn't been able to tell what he was holding back there, but now she saw it was a sword, though that was so bizarre she had to guess it was fake. And the guy looked like he'd stepped out of a fashion magazine. He certainly put her to shame; when she tucked in her hair, many folk mistook her for a guy before she opened her mouth and sometimes even after.

What an odd duck.

"Hey!" she called when she was close enough to be heard. "Hey, what're ya doin' out here?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »
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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2012, 12:42:49 am »
When a rider appeared in his past, Lyric kept right on walking.  Heaven sent him tasks, and his job was to deal with them, not avoid them.

His grip tightened on the sword as they drew closer, just in case, and didn't relax even with the woman's greeting.  Chances were she was just a local, but there wasn't any telling these things until the fangs came out.  There was that pistol at her hip.

Lyric waited until they were a little close so he wouldn't have to yell.  He stopped and took a swig from the warm soda.  It was getting flat.  "I 'unno."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2012, 12:55:30 am »
Bailey's brow creased, and she reached up to wipe some sweat from it. That was a new one. "You...ya don't know?"

She drew her horse to a stop several yards away, though she had to be a little firmer than usual; for some reason, Maple didn't want to stop, and she stared at the man with her head up and ears raised, like his shirt was stuffed with apples. "Well, you oughta figure it out, knucklehead. You're gonna get killed out here."

It wasn't unusual to encounter the odd wayward traveler, lost out among the red earth and wandering aimlessly to a slow death by dehydration. She'd found some here and there, taken them to the ranch, watered them, helped them get their bearings. It was tough as hell out here. She felt for them.

But that sword, and his weird behavior...

You had to be careful. The government had a fun little tendency to dump undesirables out into what they considered "the middle of nowhere". Never knew when one of those lost idiots was one of them.
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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2012, 01:03:13 am »
Lyric dropped the sword.  It disintegrated into light before it hit the ground.  This here was a decent person, not anything he'd need a blade against.  Not yet.

"Eh, well, y'know.  Quests and all that.  I sort of know.  But kind of the whole point of these things is the finding out."

He tilted his head, squinting in the sun.  Number one on his list of items to acquire for continued desert travel?  Sunglasses.

"Maybe you're the one I'm here to help.  What are you searching for?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2012, 01:49:02 am »
Yep. Crazy. Completely off his rocker--or suffering the effects of heatstroke, at least, and no doubt dehydrated if he was surviving off pop. All that, plus a magic sword or something to top it all off.

Ooookay!

Bailey scratched her head. "Er, actually, I don't know about this quest business, but..." Aw, hell, what was she doing, trying to reason with someone who was clearly delusional? She shook her head and nudged Maple closer, and the mare eagerly complied. "Listen, mister, why don't we getcha outta the sun and into--"

Wait.

She stopped, drew Maple to a stop, and the mare pawed the ground in irritation. "Hey, hold up. What makes ya think I'm lookin' for anything?" How could he know that?
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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2012, 01:53:41 am »
Lyric started walking when she nudged the horse forward.  Only, when she stopped, he kept going to close the distance.

"What?  I wouldn't be very good at my job if I couldn't recognize someone in need.  Besides, everyone's looking for something.  It's the safest bet to make no matter where you are."

He gave the horse a pat on the nose when he reached them, and the animal lit up like the red district after dark, trying to prance about him and getting all frollicky.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2012, 02:06:24 am »
"Hey! Whoa! Easy, girl!" And now even Maple had lost it, ignoring her commands so she could prance around the guy in a half circle before she got her under control again, and Bailey began to wonder if maybe she was the mad one here, if maybe she was the one suffering heatstroke and just didn't know it. Entirely possible.

Maple settled down, but the mare still couldn't get enough of him, nosing at his clothes and lipping at his hair.

"Ha, good one. I'll give ya that. Well, if ya really wanna know, I'm lookin' for some cattle." She gave a wry smile. "Reckon that ain't as...deep an answer as ya was lookin' for, but there it is. A heifer and her calf." She shrugged. "Not a very epic quest, eh?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »
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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2012, 02:11:32 am »
"Great!"  He made sure to give the horse some attention as he looked out at the desert.  He looked out at it as if he had the slightest clue where to start.

"Goodness is an absolute.  Anyway, yeah...I don't actually know how to track things or navigate in the wilderness at all, and I'm actually pretty lost, so...lead the way!"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #9 on: December 15, 2012, 02:24:02 am »
Bailey rolled her eyes skyward and sighed through her nose. Yep. One of them had heatstroke and she wasn't sure who it was. In any case, whatever wariness she'd felt toward him was swiftly dissipating. This guy was clueless, and she wasn't sure he was clever enough to just be acting. Hell, he probably didn't even know how to use that sword, magic or not.

Besides, Maple sure seemed to dig him. She didn't want to leave him alone.

"Right. Here, why don'tcha get on. It'll be faster," she said, and offered her hand. Hopefully Maple would leave him alone long enough to make that possible. "What'd ya do before ya lost yourself out here, anyway? Roll around in honey or something? I've never seen her act like that."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »
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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2012, 02:28:05 am »
"Yes!  I would love to!"  Thank Heaven.  He would have trudged on foot through the desert with her in search of those stupid cattle, but now he didn't have to!  His sore feet and shaking legs could use a rest.

He stowed the empty soda can in his rucksack before mounting up.  "No, animals just like me.  What happened to your cows?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2012, 02:41:15 am »
Once he'd settled in behind her, Bailey flicked the reins to get Maple moving. They were not, however, heading after the cows; Bailey turned them around and set them on a course straight for the ranch. Once he was settled in and seen to, and Maple rested, she'd head out again. There wouldn't be much point in it, but she didn't want to say she'd just given up. If there was a chance, she was gonna take it.

"There was a windstorm earlier. It spooked 'em, I guess, before we could get 'em all inside, and the rest's history. At this point, their chances are slim. Ain't much water out there, and what doesn't like beef?" She jerked a thumb behind her, pointing to her saddlebag.

"There's a canteen in there, by the way. Hydrate yourself."
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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #12 on: December 15, 2012, 02:46:51 am »
I don't like beef, he thought.  Actually, he'd never had it.  He avoided eating animal flesh—old habits.

"Ah.  I don't have any power over the weather, unfortunately.  Too earthly a thing, y'know?"

He didn't feel thirsty really, but she was the desert expert, not him, so he pulled the canteen out and took a generous swig.  Over her shoulder, some distance away, structures loomed in the sand-swept air.  "Isn't that where you live?"

They'd doubled back, following the trail she'd taken to get here.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #13 on: December 15, 2012, 03:03:35 am »
"What a shame." Bailey was glad her back was to him, because he couldn't see her face. Too...earthly? What, did he think he'd be able to manipulate it if it wasn't? What did that even mean? But she just nodded and made agreeable noises at him. Poor, dumb kid. She hoped his brain wasn't too fried.

"Yup," she confirmed, and once they reached the hill's summit, she nudged Maple into a swift trot down the hill, eager to get back. It was fortunate she hadn't gone very far before she'd run into him; Maple wouldn't have been able to safely carry two people very far in the heat.

"Now keep drinkin', but slowly. Little sips. Almost there, then we'll getcha all checked out, make sure everything's right, so hang tight back there, hear?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »
OPEN THREADS! JOIN FOR ADVENTUROUS FUN TIMES!
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AWESOME SHIP OF PIRATEY GOODNESS
The Sassy Juice wants YOU on its crew!

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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #14 on: December 15, 2012, 03:09:12 am »
"Sure, whatever you say."  He did as he was told and took another swig, though not a particularly little or slow one.  She seemed to think he was more dehydrated than he really was.  He hadn't actually been out there that long, only a couple of hours.

"What about your cows, though?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2012, 01:58:22 am »
"What about 'em?" Bailey answered. They were close now, swiftly approaching the gates, and Bailey reined Maple in and swung down off her so she could get them open.

She took Maple by the reins so she could walk them inside and latch the gate behind them. "I'll search for 'em once we getcha inside and taken care of. Ain't much else to be done. Unless, of course, ya got some 'non-earthly' powers that'll help in that area."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »
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AWESOME SHIP OF PIRATEY GOODNESS
The Sassy Juice wants YOU on its crew!

Ari // Arrow // Asher // Bailey // Cecil //  Cyrus // Dakota // Esha // Francis // Gabriel // Jake // Jericho // Jewel // Keziah // Kyran // Lexi // Malriiko // Nuri // Poe // Rachel // Shiloh // Sitara // Val // Yazuri

Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2012, 02:26:09 am »
Yeah, he couldn't lie to himself.  It was pretty nice riding this horse while she got down and lead it into the ranch.  He hadn't realized how beat down he was.  Hadn't let himself think about it because, until she showed up, he'd had no choice but to keep walking.

"Mm...nah.  Nothing good for finding cows.  I don't think I can help much beyond moral support.  Oh!"  He snapped his fingers.  "I could lay a blessing on you and your horse.  There's that."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #17 on: January 05, 2013, 12:50:25 am »
Bailey was rather proud of herself for keeping a neutral expression. Whatever heatstroke delusions he had, she was no professional or anything, but she'd heard some sorta psychobabble stuff before about how shattering someone's reality or whatever could cause like...mental breaks or something. So probably best to just play along until he had some rest, got hydrated, and came to his senses.

"A blessin'," she repeated, and then just shrugged. "Uh, sure. That's somethin'. What'll it do, exactly?"
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Offline Tally

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #18 on: January 05, 2013, 02:10:31 am »
"Increases your luck basically.  Makes random chance lean in your favor."

The dusty old ranch looked marginally more comfortable than the dusty old desert.  Here, too, everything was covered in red.  He would be so grateful to get out of the sun for awhile.

"You live here by yourself?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Rhi-Rhi

Re: Justice and Soda Pop [RHI!]
« Reply #19 on: February 05, 2013, 02:56:12 pm »
Oh boy.

Maybe it was mean, playing along like this, but she had to see this.

"Naw. Be awfully hard to run a ranch solo, don'tcha think? Even without the outlaw scum skulkin' about. Got some hired help. They're around," she said with a wave of her hand. She lead the way to the stables and hitched Maple up. Walking around to her side, she held a hand out to him; prissy city kid like him would be likely to fall off the horse.

"Anyway, 'bout this blessin', whatcha gotta do? I don't wantcha over-extertin' yourself, now."
OPEN THREADS! JOIN FOR ADVENTUROUS FUN TIMES!
Plots for an Edani mage? 8D

AWESOME SHIP OF PIRATEY GOODNESS
The Sassy Juice wants YOU on its crew!

Ari // Arrow // Asher // Bailey // Cecil //  Cyrus // Dakota // Esha // Francis // Gabriel // Jake // Jericho // Jewel // Keziah // Kyran // Lexi // Malriiko // Nuri // Poe // Rachel // Shiloh // Sitara // Val // Yazuri

 

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