Red Sands - [ On Indefinite Hiatus/Closed ]

[Project Whitewash]

AnCatDubh

... Yeah. Hans was MORE than a little affected by the sight of a man committing suicide to escape it all, but he held a stoic demeanor, giving Fletcher a stoic smile and a slow nod. Still, he couldn't help but wonder just what was so important to get away from... And if that Data Slat had, perhaps, been what those Whitewash soldiers had been after in the first place. "I'll follow you, then, at least for now," he offered. "I've been to this town before. Have you? I can show you the sights." Anything to get his mind off the suicide victim, whose body was already being dragged away.

One of the guards would even offer Fletcher his pistol.

Hat-tori

To which Buster responded by sticking his tongue out playfully at Dreanin, before giving him an exaggerated pout. "Fine, fine~" he answered, taking a slow step back just as... Yes. Fiery red-headed girl approached the table, though her eyes were green, and she wore tight, black leather across her body.

"Hey there, Dreanin," the girl whispered in a sultry, promising whisper.

"... Hey... Where's...?" Buster started, before his eyes slowly wavered as realization dawned. He'd been about to ask about Ayda, but...

Well, he could put two and two together.

Roaven

"Told you that thing would get you in trouble," shot the voice of a young man wearing a suede jacket and a baseball cap who was seated behind the counter, apparently re-assembling some manner of assault rifle. He seemed entirely too relaxed around the apparent Whitewash woman for her to be a true member of that unsettling organization. For her own part, the woman just grunted roughly back at the man, turning to look back at him, entirely unbothered by the gun aimed at her face. "Fine! I'll paint it red or something!" she groused at him. "But I ain't letting half-decent equipment like that go to waste."

They both seemed to briefly forget Roaven was there as they argued.

[Hat-tori]

"Well, dayum!" Dreanin smiled. "How you been, Scarlet?!" he asked, taking a long swig. "I almost missed you. Is that new leather?" he asked, then looked to Buster. "Yeah, not everyone made it. But at least she went fast." he said softly.

[Roaven]

Cayden seemed relieved at the revelation that the girl wasn't actually a member of the organization, lowering and then holstering the handgun and giving a brief nod of apology. Well, now that the little incident was over, he was just waiting until the two were finished arguing. He'd guess they were in a relationship of some sort, but without any concrete proof he had no way of knowing. Once they were finished, he would finally speak up, voicing his agreement with the girl. "Wasting it would be a shame. Try putting a logo or something on the chest." He shrugged, shaking his head. He was getting off track from the reason he had come in the first place, and he brought his mind back to that purpose before speaking again. "Anyway, I'm looking for some armor and maybe a new rifle." He explained, falling silent and waiting to see how the girl would react.

[AnCatDubh]

"Passed through a'fore, didn't get off the train though. A guide would be good, seein' as I'd like t' get what I need and head out," Fletcher replies. The thought occurred to him that the Whitewash folks were after the data-slat. They were in the same business, sorta.

As for the pistol, not the greatest thing, but never knew when one needed a back-up weapon, so he takes it. Hell, might even have something extra special about it. One never knew, after all. "So, general store, ammunition store if there sep'rate, then perhaps a stop fer a quick bite t' eat and t' raise a drink to the memory of the gal Ayda back there."

[Vintage Trading Cards]

It was well past noon when a loud rap at the door woke E from what was a very rare, deep slumber.

"I SAID GET UP YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING-"

E moaned loudly into her pillow before she made her way off a small feather bed and towards the door. She was wearing nothing but a pair of white undies and a sheet wrapped lightly around her small torso, held there with her left arm. She opened the door to see an angry little man with a balding head and bushy black side burns staring up at her.

"What?" E barked.

It was obvious E's appearance caught the man off guard but, as he was the owner of a brothel, it didn't take long for him to collect himself, and his anger. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" The little man's glare held no sympathy for the young girl.

E brushed a strain of blood red hair from her eyes with her free hand while she took a glace at her watch on the other, being careful to hold the sheet in place.

"1:35."

"1:35! That's right! And when is your rent due again?"

E sighed. "8 am."

"8 am on the dot. Now where the hell is my money?"

"Look, I'll be leaving in 3 hours towards Jamestown. I'll just pack up my things and go." With that, E attempted to slam the door, only to find the little man's foot in the way. He forced the door open and walked into the room.

"I don't think so. You were here today, you owe me a days rent. I could have had this room rented out to another customer, probably one that would have payed for a blow to come with the bed. If you think I'll let you walk out of here alive without paying what you owe me, you are severely mistaken." The man said this with a cocky smile on his face, one that E became immediately annoyed with.

In one fluid motion, E grabbed the man with her free arm and pinned him to the wall near the door frame, all while keeping that single sheet in place. She stared into his eyes with a murderous gaze and growled: "Are you threatening me, little man?"

At that moment, the brothel owner's confidence melted. "I was just... You see, I can't just let you walk out without paying. It's bad for business, you know? No freebies."

Her emerald eyes digging even further into the man's soul, E replied: "I'm guessing your death wouldn't be so swell for business either."

The man was shaking uncontrollably now. "N-no I'll just... Just go. Please, just go."

E dropped the man, allowing him to fall flat on his bottom, and made her way over to her bed. Back towards the man, she slipped on a pale crimson tang top, a pair of black boot cuts, and a set of sneaks. She strapped on her empty gun and knife holsters, threw her black hoodie and dufflebag over her shoulder, and strode out of the room, smiling at the little man on her way.

She walked down the set of winding stairs all the way to the bottom floor. At the edge, E froze. Suddenly, a siring pain shot through her shoulder. She dropped her bag and hoodie and grabbed the railing to keep from doubling over. After what felt like hours, the pain dulled to nothing but an uncomfortable ache.

"God damn it." E muttered to herself. Still gasping from the experience, she crept through a door way and into the main part of the bottom floor where the bar lay.

Plopping down on an edge stool, E rubbed her shoulder as she waited for the bartender to get to her.

[Project Whitewash]

Hat-tori

Buster's face fell as he heard that. Glancing towards the Orc who sat on his... Rather regal stool beside the bar, the green-eyed bunny approached him. The two exchanged quiet words, and the orc quietly nodded before Buster made to leave the place, walking out into the open, noon air in nothing but his boy-toy shorts. He didn't seem to care, though. Dreanin knew he'd considered Ayda a close friend, something like a sister even.

"... Hff." It wasn't absent from Scarlet's face, but she was much more stoic. A woman had to be these days. "ALMOST missed me? Is that right? Why, with that kind of tongue on you I ought to just walk..." she stood, making a single step away, making certain to... Enjoy it. "... on by."

Turning a threat into a tease. Priceless.

Roaven

"And what kinda chip are you lookin'a spend?" Billy asked rather level-headedly, cocking an eyebrow. He still managed a warm smile, though, not completely the cold-hearted businessman he... Well, let's be frank, he didn't appear cold or calculating at all.

AnCatDubh

"Then we're going to Nickel's first. Ah... Don't be surprised when you see him. He's... Not what most people expect, but his name's rather fitting," the Hospitaller answered, giving a slow nod of his head as they approached one of the smaller buildings. And when they got inside?

... They were faced with a floating orb of steel, painted white with golden edges (though the whole deal was chipped and rusted). Golden tongues of flame surrounded a single yellow eye. From underneath the gilded orb, a multitude of thin limbs outstretched. "Welcome to Nickel's fabulous general wares emporium, where you'll receive the BEST DEALS in all of ERROR 494 GEOLOCATIONAL DATA CORRUPTED. At Nickel's, we know that you cannot afford to empty your pocketbook for the things you need the most, but--" SKRRRRRCH.

"Welcome to Nickel's fabulous general wares emporium!" the machine repeated.

"... Don't mind him. Just don't try to steal anything. He'll stop his sales pitch once we've gotten our things."

Vintage Trading Cards

When she came to sit before the bar, the greyskin that had seated himself on his separate stool grinned, turning his crimson eyes on her and tilting his head inquisitively at the girl. Standing and stretching idly, still clutching his walking-cane, the grey-skin quietly asked, "Help ya, miss?" That said, Dreanin might pick up on the newcomer, too. Who knew?

[Hat-tori]

Dreanin leaned back.
"Aw, come on, Scarlet." he said. "I didn't have much time to think out there. But when I did think, it was of here." he said. "And that... is thanks to you." he said as he watched the young woman walk down the stairs. He'd keep her in peripheral vision for now - a new face was interesting and dangerous out here. "Tell me, Scarlet, you have anyone lined up tonight, or can I get into your little black book?"

[Vintage Trading Cards]

Project Whitewash

"Just give me the strongest thing you have," E replied without looking up. She was too busy worrying about her little incident to care about formalities. Just a constant reminder that my days are numbered.

[Project Whitewash]

Hat-tori

"Well, I think I can SQUEEZE you in," Scarlet further teased. She was always just the TEENSIEST bit cruel to the gunman, but she really DID like him. She stuck her tongue out at him over her shoulder, before rolling her eyes at him and turning about, to lean on his table again. ... ******** cleavage.

Around then, though, careful ears would begin to pick up on rumors floating around between the other customers in the place - someone had killed themselves on the front steps of the Train Station. Nasty business, that...

Vintage Trading Cards

Chuckling faintly under his breath, the Orc gave a two-fingered salute before ducking behind the bar... And pounding a bottle of Rampant Lion - a brew that had started cropping up during the last days of the Old War, some said, when the country had been at its most patriotic - down on the countertop, along with a simple metal cup, possibly hand-forged. It was rough stuff. His gaze trailed over the girl's shoulder, though, when he noticed what the patrons were whispering.

[AnCatDubh]

Fletcher had been about to comment if Nickel had a mutation that made him look like he was coated in the metal or something, but that idea gets dashed by the reality with a better outcome. "He pre-war, or somethin' that got cobbled together after the fact?" he asks, eying Nickel with fascination. He wanted to go over and see what made the robot tick...but that would delay him more, besides being just an all-'round Bad Idea.

Tearing his attention away from Nickel, Fletcher moves about the store seeing what available. Something to keep hydrated is a definite need, and so's some extra rations beyond that which he estimates he needs to get to the Location and back. "Where we're goin's at least a day's hike out," he informs Hans, "So best stock up for a jaunt that'll be at least several days." Hm...rope might be good, or some sort of strong but light cable if it's available. He had to sacrifice most of his last stuff for a worthy cause...that being getting himself and a couple folk out from a tight spot alive.

He also checks out how much he has in chips. Plenty enough for now, though Fletcher figures sometime soon he'd have to make a good find to sell off again. Hm, that data-slat might have somethin' on it to lead to that sort of thing. Regardless, he picks up what he feels is a must and looks to see if Hans has what he wants or needs.

[Hat-tori]

"Attagirl. Glad to hear it. I was thinking eight or ten ahclock." he said gently. "Same room as usual? Maybe a bit less leather?"

A girl orders the Lion... Welp. There's my entertainment for the night - keeping her out of trouble.

[Vintage Trading Cards]

E picked up the cup absent-mindedly and downed it in one gulp. The liquid seared her throat like fire, and led her into a coughing fit.

Then the numbing sensation came, and with it the pain in her shoulder disappeared.

Damn, that's good.

With a grin, she taped the table, signaling the bartender to poor her another glass.

To hell with the consequences, I'm getting hammered tonight.

[Project Whitewash]

AnCatDubh

"Definitely pre-war. You can tell by the paint job, and by the fact that it doesn't ever refer to this place as Transit Town... Granted, it seems to have lost the NAME of the place, but if I didn't know better I might think Nickel's was an actual store here at one point," he answered, reaching over to lightly poke the machine's eye.

It finally seemed to break free of its infinite sales pitch loop. Thank Life! It had been a little annoying, hadn't it? The machine had kept halting in the middle of it, only to loop around. Granted, it had gotten further along in the pitch during some of its repetitions. "I see that you are ready to begin your transaction! Please place all your items on the counter and prepare to begin your transaction!"

Hat-tori

Scarlet stuck her tongue playfully out at the male, before rolling her eyes at him and giving him the big thumbs-up. Of course, when that girl ordered the Lion... Well, it was time for her to get out of the way, at that point. She had other things to tend to.

[Hat-tori]

Dreanin nodded at her, then seated himself next to the crazy woman.
"People don't order a Lion without a reason." he said softly. "Care to talk?"

[Vintage Trading Cards]

Hat-tori

E took a glance at the stranger and snorted. Just another Good Samaritan here to help the poor unfortunate girl in the corner. Yeah, I bet your morals won't be so high later when you try to get in my pants.

"Life sucks and then you die. Not really much to talk about." She said attempting to brush him off.