|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:14 am
Aster would have preferred dabbling in it HERSELF, honestly. She hadn't really been able to sink her fingers into her 'occupational contribution' for a little while, and it was starting to make her border on 'useless'.. outside of keeping Yossarian some semblance of snuggled with.
Which actually helped ASTER more than it helped him out, unfortunately.
ALAS. How would she be able to interject a helping hand without it ending up IN whatever he was making? She did rather like her limbs, afterall. SOBSOB.
HOWEVER, she was at least good enough to at least pretend-distract Yossarian, leaning against his side and holding her book up to point at one of the words that she could obviously already read. PRRRPRRR?
BETTER THAN WORRYING ABOUT WHAT HE'LL FEED THEM?
HOPEFULLY?
Zeane chuckled at Hanna's offer. "You certainly could, Miss. Dear little Lunch here is peeling potatoes for me, but I do need to have some other vegetables cut up while I tango with this.."
This..mass of flesh with feathers on it..Huuuh..Chicken or something like it maybe? THAT WAS SLIGHTLY REASSURING.
Maybe. Jade certainly didn't seem to mind it in the least, stepping in to also give a hand with all the knife-handling and vegetable stuff... though the presence of the two older figures made the Koshka child scoot closer to Zeane's side. Waaaaugh!
THERE, NOW THE THERAPISTS WERE DISTRACTED. PERFECT, NOW THEY COULD LEAVE HIM THE HELL ALONE. AHHHH! Not to say he didn't appreciate what company he DID have, Ako clicking upsetly every time the wind blew past to go 'AH HA HA HA HA!!! WE R HAS WIND TO GIT SAND IN YER GEARS', before the golem would click at his 'brother'.
Not that either golem needed an excuse to be even MORE wonky.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 1:58 pm
"Well certainly!" Where any being of sound mind would run the other direction (and probably screaming, at that), Hanna just beamed, seemingly thrilled at the acceptance of her offer and wasting no time in sidling over, scooping up a free knife, and grabbing some indeterminate veggies to cut up.
She wasn't the best in the world with a knife (in Yossarian's opinion), sure, but her skills were more than adequate for this sort of task! She could even hum a simple tune as she chopped, despite the fact that her own ears barely perceived it above the howling wind.
And thus, preparations for a very strange, tense, and awkward hodgepodge dinner were all underway.
What... utter joy.
Yossarian busied himself in the meanwhile with a rather depressing lack of busyness, remaining seated and silent beside Aster with his hand on his sword and watching Zeane as a suspicious mouse would some hawk. He STILL did not trust the man at all and so God help him, if he tried ANYTHING, ANYTHING at all, he'd-- ... do terrible things. Or something like it.
Shae, too, just sort of... sat... pensively while the meal was under way, one ear tuned to the hasty ticking and the other listening, distantly, to the rushing sand gusts beyond.
Just what time was it by then? Mid-day? She'd lost track, it felt like...
At least Del had found some form of entertainment in a clicking contest with 'his sibling', of a sort. If they were actually talking about anything, though... hell, who knew?
Tick, tick, tick...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:50 pm
BUT WE LOVED NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS WE WERE EATING. So actually, knowing the therapists were putting a NOT LITERAL hand in it, was slightly reassuring, at least to Aster, who just happily purred and let it be. Afterall, it didn't look TOO bad to her at this point, so she could just HAPPILY let it be.
Or rather, she was being nappy and sleepy and...dozing at Yossarian's side, once she'd lost interest in the prolonged reading of her book. Alas, it had to happen sometime. But this way she was at LEAST out of the way and would stop fussing about the weather..
though really, one had to question WHY the tent hadn't just blown away yet. ALAS.
Or something like that. No matter.
Zeane didn't seem to mind the helping hands, given her own were...ripping apart raw flesh in a way that made Kanda's stomach churn, frowning at the scene before looking away. Obviously, Kanda was relating the motion to something else entirely. How... bizzarre, actually. Hnnng, what to do, what to do.
Kanda couldn't exactly go anywhere, so his own entertainment was limited to about the same as what Ako and Del were doing, Ako clicking and whirring and being more than happy to be a chat-monster.
CLICK CLICK CLICK, WHRRRRRRRR!
"They get along rather nicely.."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:45 pm
... It was chicken jerky. There was just no other way of describing it.
At last, it came time for the meal to be served-- sorry meal though it might been-- and Yossarian, despite his better instincts, tentatively accepted a plate. Sure, he might've been starving on the inside, but that would've been easily ignored if it weren't for damn, wretched preachings of hospitality the therapist imposed upon them... and maybe a secret yearning to AVOID riling the man-eater in their midsts.
But yes... the meal itself tasted more like a raw, tough jerky than the soft fowl he'd been spoiled on back in real civilization. Whatever kind of bird it was, it had definitely lived a tough life... for lack of any better pun.
The vegetables were only marginally more palatable, and they could've done with a little spice, too, but food was ultimately food in the end, and he couldn't complain over free, unpoisoned sustenance. He could've even sworn that the wind was dying down... but his ears might've just as well deceived him there from listening to the howl so long.
Shae, too, had been relatively silent the whole time, resigned to chewing the edges of her scant portion with a kind of weary, disinterested air. She ate because she had to, for cordiality's sake and her own body... but that was about it. As far as she was concerned, the sooner they got out of there, and the sooner poor Sir could distance himself forever from that man and not... have to think about whatever had happened between them...
(What HAD transpired, anyway?... She couldn't help wondering the exact reasoning to some point, and yet... no, best not to think on that too much.)
Still, she, too, had noted a lessening in the wild tornadic rushing outside... but was it safe enough to venture back out yet? And now that they had those damnable hats and everything, was the group free to leave for GOOD to... wherever the hell it was going?
"Hmm, seems like things are starting to calm down out there," Hanna had commented following a sip of her little tin water cup, smiling as if it were some harmless, passing conversation. "Perhaps Onity has finally settled a bit?... What would you say, Mr. Donner?"
They could only hope.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:43 pm
Food was food indeed! Aster didn't really have a problem with just settling in to eat the free meal, chewing on it awkwardly while making sure she didn't question it's contents -- it would have been bad for her to do that then starve herself. She deserved food at the very least.
And really, it could have been WORSE in the long run, so she was content with at least that.
Zeane was even nice enough to not STARE at anybody while he was eating, and once he was done, he moved to the tent's flap to peer outside Hmmm.. "Well, it's died down enough to move around, if you don't mind being sand-crusted later.." the man replied, looking to his guests, and then to his 'daughter' who trailed over to his side to likewise poke her head out.
THERE WAS CAN HAS BE NO MORE SILLY PEOPLE IN THEIR TENT?
Kanda, on the other hand (so in this case, his bad one), refused to either eat (as he was too gimpy to do it properly) or get help in doing such.. yeah, he'd probably regret that later (as one could just imagine Hanna cornering him to work on fixing his spine up again, given how loudly it had cracked last time).
But for now, he just was leering at Zeane suspiciously.
"OoOooh~ So how far between are these little outbursts from each other?"
OH YES, IF THEY WERE GOING OUT IN THAT, IT MAY BE WISE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 9:25 pm
... The fact that Sir hadn't touched a thing was (perhaps not so) secretly worrying to dear little Shae. Sure, on one hand, she couldn't blame him for being wary; she was too, but... no, her better instincts had caved to hunger, and desperation, and the knowledge that they needed to put SOMETHING in their empty stomachs to make it out of there.
She held her tongue against commenting and didn't press the subject... but it sure squelched any scratch of an appetite she had, setting dented little plate aside with a mumble that was hardly intelligible, and saying nothing more.
She'd have enough to get by on. Now... it was time to get up (which she did) off their little bag-seat, let her stiff joints crack, and start making sure all supplies were repacked for hurling onto Fabio when they could get out again.
Speaking of which--
"If the sandstorm has lessened, let's seize the opportunity," Yossarian growled unflinchingly, obviously not wanting to spend another unnecessary second in the wretched tent with wretched company, but wise enough to at least temper himself thereafter with a quieter, "... after all, it would be abhorrently rude to impose any further--"
"Now that's a bit humble for you, Mister Yossarian," mused Hanna, wagging a finger at him before she sobered and gave her glasses a studious adjustment, "... but I'll admit, I'm a little anxious, too-- not that your company is anything short of pleasant, Mister Donner, but--"
"But we need to be on our way," the dark male finished, rising as well. "If it's clear enough to travel, we should travel."
Although... that was assuming Zeane didn't try and warn them off yet or something. Why did this all ride on HIM, again?
Yossarian would've probably just stormed out regardless though, to be honest. Really, all it took was some sand filter around the face and a coat or something to get through it, right? Surely, the others could handle it! Surely!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:49 am
Zeane waved a hand dismissively. "Don't let me hold you up here."
Not like he was their boss or anything. Besides, he likely had his own errands to run.. if his own disinterest in dinner had anything to say about that (though Lunch had been more than thrilled by the meal.. which may have been a good sign that Zeane didn't feed his child the same thing he favored).
Aster, on the other hand, was all up and at'em once it was said they were getting out of there, rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out of them now that she had actually gotten 'up'. Well, that had been a relatively 'safe' visit to someone who had gotten all hackles raised in the immediate party..
at least amongst the smart ones that were closer to being her 'group of friends'.
She quickly linked an arm around Yossarian's non-dominant one (again, giving him his sword arm if needed). Siiiigh. "It seems like it's clear enough to go..."
Y'KNOW, ONCE KANDA WAS PACKED BACK ONTO THE HORSE BY JADE.. which may have been the most pathetic thing to watch ever, since Kanda was hoisted up like he was a delicate little girl.
asfdjl. AH HA HA.
Kanda on the other hand wasn't too thrilled by the whole thing, frowning now that he was once again sitting on the back of the horse which was SO IN LOVE WITH HIS PONYTAIL and generally looking even MORE pathetic now.
Ahhhhhh!
"I'd rather be out of here sooner than later as well..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:33 pm
"Well, there you have it," Yossarian was swift as an eagle to cut in the moment Zeane had given them a clear farewell sentiment, rising up from his seat and, of course, offering Aster a hand to her feet like any good gent-- despite the circumstances. "Let's hurry, before this wretched weather doubles back on us."
He could sure pack and load a lot faster than Shae, that was certain; in almost no time at all, he'd picked up all to leftovers, cinched Fabio's saddle, and loaded the horse's back with a kind of brutal swiftness that left the latter female dead quiet, and Hanna secretly amused.
"Alright, get up." And now it was the LIVING luggage's turn, leering back at poor, broken, gimpy Kanda... whom he expected to be at LEAST capable of hauling himself up.
He'd be damned if he had to hoist the guy (it would demolish both of their egos).
Thankfully, though, Shae had at leaste whatever meeger support strength was in her for Sir to get back on board, and once he was settled, they really had nothing left to hold them back. With a last mumble of courteous thanks, Hanna was kind enough to unhinge the tent flap a-- !!!
GOOD LORD IT WAS STILL A SANDSTORM OUT THERE. Naturally the therapist had been smart enough to pull some cloth over her nose and mouth to breathe, but bothYossarian and Shae nearly choked on their own throats in an instant, the former hurriedly putting a hand over his face, and the latter hastily grabbing for something, ANYTHING to cover with.
"We do thank you, again, for all of your kindness, Mister Donner!" Hanna called above the wind, "... perhaps we'll have a better opportunity to chat some day... but until then!"
OFF AND AWA-- ...
... Hold on a second; were her spectacles deceiving her, or were there already other figures off in the sandswept distance bustling about? And rather actively at that?
It didn't seem like the kind of weather any sane natives would be out in. How very odd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:12 pm
Aster was the last to go "fdjl;kfajsdfjadfladfsdkj" and cover her nose and mouth, getting a good mouthful of sand for her folly, and coughing a bit.. or a lot, rather, following along after Yossarian and company as they lead the way (given she failed with directions and the like), knowing FULLY WELL that they were going to be doomed to baths later.
Unless they wanted to sleep and be all gritty later. Ewww, that'd be uncomfortable. REALLY uncomfortable, if she had anything to say about it. Booooo! But honestly, it was nice to be out and MOVING again, instead of just..asjdfl.. this whole trip was honestly, a little boring.
And they were ALL cramped together in spaces so she couldn't get REALLY snuggly (she was going to pent up ALL of that snuggly feeling and Yossarian would be SMOTHERED once she was able to do so), there was no real alone time, and she was going to be clauuuustrophooooobic.
Or rather be happy to have her own room once she COULD have one once again. Nnnngh.
Kanda, on the other hand, had AGAIN been covered with a tarp, just like EVERYTHING ELSE being towed by Fabio, so mostly he was just getting COATED in the sand, not covered like some people were.
Huh, for a 'mostly died down' sandstorm, there was a lot of..y'know.. SAND.
Jade, on the other paw, had also noticed the shapes moving in the storm. HMM, IT SEEMED THEY HAD SOME FELLOW TRAVELERS. Hopefully just travelers.
Nothing else.
Ah ha ha.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:49 pm
... Just who on earth WERE those figures, skulking around in the thick of a sandstorm like it didn't exist at all? Just the way they moved about, poking at the sand-caked canvas of tent exteriors and sniffing (metaphorically) around cargo left out seemed entirely strange to Yossarian, who was just trying not to suffocate on the thick brownish air.
But worse still? As if drawn by his very thought processes, one of the distant creatures stopped and appeared to turn toward them, grabbing his heart in a brief flutter of regret and knowing, somehow, that this would lead to no good whatsoever.
"Heeeey, lookee' what we got 'ere!" the 'noticer' belted out so loudly and brusquely that surely, every non-deaf soul within a mile radius could hear. "Howdy there, fellas!"
... 'Howdy' was a term Yossarian had never actually heard (out loud) before, and for a moment, his brain just stalled right then and there... only snapping back out of it again when the first figure yelled at the second-- who SOMEHOW had apparently missed the previous calling. "Merry! Hey, Merry-- pull yer' head outta' yer' a** for a second over there! Sorry about my buddy, y'see--" And now the strange, cloaked cad was jogging RIGHT OVER to 'greet' them. "We were just lookin' for some stuff--"
"Stuff?" Hanna echoed curiously.
"Oh, supplies an' all that, I mean. Water, snacks, cool trinkets... Stuff stuff. You know where we can get some?"
That was still HARDLY a fair description and, quite frankly, Shae was feeling uneasy (and a little ill) just from being CLOSE to these unknown people... but she was keeping her mouth shut and hanging at the flank of the group, saying absolutely nothing. Even Del had been securely tucked away out of sight, just to avoid more trouble.
"... I believe you're asking the wrong people here," Yossarian reasoned as non-awkwardly (which didn't get very far) as he could, leering at the stranger-- who was now getting dangerously close to invading his personal bubble-- with obvious suspicion. "We aren't native to these territories... Sir."
"Oh, really?" Too bad that didn't deter the bizarre fellow. "Huh, coincidence then, idn't it? We're not either a-- HEY, MERRY, STOP ROOTIN' IN THERE ALREADY AN' GET OVER HERE."
Okay, that had REALLY hurt ALL their eardrums. Even Hanna's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:29 pm
Aster was rather glad to have ear-buffers when the sudden shout from the..something-or-other pierced the air. Owwww her ears! Ow ow owwwwww! She liked being able to hear, kthnx. Too bad this silly little thing liked to think otherwise...
and it's 'help' didn't exactly do much to improve the situation. "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, I'MMA COMIN'!" their companion shrieked right back at them, pulling their nose out of whatever it was that had been distracting them to trot on over. "Git yer nose outta yer tailhole, buddy." 'Merry' said, slapping her companion with a flat palm against the back before placing her hands on her hips and teetering to observe their new companions.
Hmmm.
Aster.. could feel her tail puffing up to hell and back with no explanation as to WHY either, just frowning and clinging a little tighter to Yossarian's arm. WHAT WAAASSS ITT?
"i-I don't know where there's any stuff you won't lose a hand getting..." she grumbled.
Kanda, on the other paw, was rather oblivious, somewhere between the tarp over his head and the wind howling in his ears. WERE THEY STILL MOVING? HAD THEY STOPPED?
WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON?
Jade was being social, that's what was going on, the pale koshka-hybrid 'hmmm'ing curiously as he looked between the two fellows.
"Well, we probably have some interesting stuff in tow with us... however, it also happens we can't get in to any of it until we're out of his sandstorm."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:46 am
Even Yossarian's tail was starting to fray the tiniest bit by that point; he simply didn't notice it, so distracted with his leering at the odd strangers that the thought of looking behind him didn't even occur for a split-second. Just who WAS this pair of twang-speaking, unnaturally chipper, disgustingly suspicious fellows? He couldn't see much through the sandy debris, and their faces were mostly covered sans the eyes...
"Really now?" The first (still unnamed) person seemed to light up at this mention, his heavy cloaks suddenly flopping from side to side around the rear-- obviously a very strong tail wagging. "There's some good luck goin' for us! You hear that, Merry?" He elbowed his companion jovially in the ribs, not even having FLINCHED as he was whacked on the back... hard. Oblivious much? "Maybe they got what we're lookin' for!"
"... And what exactly would that be?" Yossarian had to prompt, wincing at what a broken record he was and, sure enough--
"Well, all that stuff, an' stuff!"
"..........." He should have known.
"Well, I think we'd certainly be happy to share said stuff with you in a more appropriate circumstance," Hanna mused coolly, obviously planning something, Shae and Yossarian both knew, though neither seemed brave enough to mention it. "You two don't seem to be natives here... am I correct?"
"Oh, sure are, little lady!" the first chirped all too brightly, "we were just lookin' for that stuff to take back an' sell--"
"Where, exactly?"
"Chicago, a'course!"
"..." Again there was silence in the back ranks, and even Hanna herself couldn't place the name of any city in this land by it... but that just confirmed her suspicions, and she smiled all the more.
"Well, isn't that a coincidence... we were just on our way to Chicago as well!"
Uuuh, wait, WHEN had that been their destination, now?
Shae had a very ill feeling about where this was all going.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 2:05 pm
Mrrrrrrrr? What was 'Chicago'? Aster had NEVER heard of it before, so she shot Yossarian a confused look, ears drooping, as their benefactors continued to 'work things out' with their new...strangers.asdf;. She could feel her tail puffing up more and more as the conversation went along as well. Ahhh!
B-butfjaslkfsdaf.
Jade winked at Hanna, knowing that she'd jumped on top of his thought process. AH HA HA. EXCELLENT.Besides, it would all be worth noting what it was the folks from down here wanted and were interested in -- as long as it didn't turn into another incident with his spear.
Ah ha ha.
"Perhaps you would be interested in seeing what sorts of stuff we have when we're back into civilization?" he offerred.
Merry, who had blown off the jab to the ribs as easily as her companion had the slap on the back, seemed more than thrilled about this, grabbing her companion's arm and shaking it wildly.
"LET'S DO IT"
Kanda definitely heard that one. Ow.
His brain. afjdflkdsajfkaldfjdljfadf. "Do what?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:53 pm
Yossarian didn't like this. He didn't like this at all.
Worse still, he didn't like that their fates were being sealed and he had no say in some alternative-- literally; his voice had practically died in his throat the moment Aster gave him that look. Seriously... did the therapist have ANY idea what she was doing at ALL?!
But no, she wasn't feeling any unease whatsoever, still smiling ever-so-serenely beneath her mouth-cover and just returning Jade's gesture right back at him, before nodding to their new 'friends' with great enthusiasm.
"Oh, really? That would be just fantastic-- wouldn't it?" But WHAT, exactly, was she even talking about?! Had she just flat out IGNORED Kanda's question?
As if to just pin them all in a corner, she actually looked over her shoulder at them right then, almost begging a response. The dark male miserably restrained himself, and Shae remained dead quiet aside from a cough. "Well," turning back away from them, however, the little deviant continued. "I don't think idling up here any longer will do us much good... where are the rest of your supplies stationed? Do you have some sort of transportation?"
"That we do!" the first figure practically barked, tail racing under his cloaks. "Got us a couple a'good desert trottin' mules to bring the wagon--"
Yossarian was clearly skeptical of all this (just how on earth would wagon wheels not sink into the sand dunes, anyway?), but all he could do, STILL, was keep his mouth shut... and Shae, meanwhile, just seemed to be focussing on not choking to death as a harsh, sandy wind suddenly picked up again. Her lungs couldn't stand this kind of woe much longer, and damn it all if she couldn't get out a protest either.
"Shall we go and fetch it, then?" Hanna chirped.
"Yeah, yeah, good idea there, Miss uh--"
"Hanna will be just fine," she nodded, "and you would be?..."
"Oooh, yeah, forgot that part, di'n't I?" their apparent new patron laughed, and held out a strong hand, which she shook. "Name's Roy! An' that good ol' bag a'mange is Merryweather. Let's get movin' on!"
... And thus, with that, it was the start of a long, painful, and tedious descent right back down the dangerously narrow paths they'd floundered to limp up just that morning, huh? Sure, they'd probably stop at a well on the way (poor Fabio must've needed watering, among other things), but that aside... oooi.
Yossarian's legs-- and lungs-- were going to hate him by the time they got down. Kanda was one lucky sonofabitch, in a way, to be riding and off the hook for footwork.
Poor Shae would just count herself lucky if she could keep up with the group and not die on the way.
But hey... at least the bad weather still had anyone sane cooped up inside, right? Wasn't that at least a good thing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 8:48 am
Well if everybody sane was inside, then a) what were they doing outside and b) what about their 'guides', who were more than happily leading the way, some sort of tail wagging underneath their sand-ponchos. Okay, Aster definitely didn't have a tail that would be strong enough to manage THAT...
even when it wasn't puffed up and curled between her legs out of pure awkkkkward.. hell, her grip on Yossarian's arm had been steadily increasing during their travel, too busy internally panicking to notice her feet hurting. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! This whole thing was going to make her be a giant puffball by the end of the day...
once she'd gotten all of the sand out of her fur. Booooo sand!
Jade, on the other hand, had no problem leading their little troupe arm-in-arm with Hanna.... because he was an idiot and Aster wanted him to die more and more quickly. Ah ha ha.
"Did you two travel quite some way to get all the way out here?" he asked, more curious as to how long their little travel was going to take than anything else... where as Kanda was griping about NOT being able to walk.
No really, he would have rather been on his own two feet walking and had 'sore feet' than stuck on the back of a horse with his a** hurting because two of his primary limbs were out of commission.
Srsly. :C
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
