Welcome to Gaia! ::

Just as she began to question her choice of victim after he proved himself to be difficult to mold with her hands, he introduced himself as 'Mark' - and that seemed a hell of a lot like fate, considering that's what he was to her.

"Call me Caroline. You'll see what I'm the best at, if you want to." She winked like a normal person. "And you do want to."

The secrets produced for her were lackluster on their surface, but valuable to her in the scheme of things. She silently followed the secrets around the room as he introduced each of them, noting each of them until she could put them to use.

"Two rides, huh? That and our supplies? That's all?" A slow grin crept across her lips; she hadn't spared even a moment of consideration to her decision's effect on the girl she'd come in with. "Just so happens that I have two horses out front. We'll take them. And for the extra company...is this where those women you mentioned come in? 'cause women make real good company, Mark, and two of us with you would surely to be the best company you've ever had. Or is there someone else you've got in mind? Something more your type to ride with?"

She narrowed her eyes just slightly into a suspicious and knowing look.

Mark did a quick scan of the tavern and then again as every single person of the opposite gender in his vicinity did their best to pretend that he didn't exist. He sighed, standing up from the table. "You know what, we'll be fine. We can pick up a third on the way, I know a guy, really reliable and all." His wistful tone of voice betrayed the fact that he was really hoping for Caroline's suggestion as well.

"Anyway you got your horses stationed outside? We should move quickly - the town sheriff's probably getting back and he's got a nasty personality." He scowled just thinking about it, managing to procure two mostly-empty alcohol bottles on the way out. "'Well, what are you waiting for? Adventure awaits!"

Unfortunately for him, he also dropped his map on the way out, which fell out of his back pocket with a very obvious and loud flutter.

Bemused, Tria raised an eyebrow at the horse. Not that the horse could see it. Why this town? Why this tavern? What had happened here? And how did the horse know how badly she needed a drink? She slid out of the saddle, tied the reins into a quick knot on the nearby hitching post, and pushed past the doors of the saloon, ignoring the half that screeched ominously as it swung back and forth, only partially attached to the door frame.

She also ignored the blood that that had transferred from the door to her hands.

The jangling off-key notes from a player piano rang out discordantly in the otherwise eerie silence, occasionally interrupted by a new note or two, courtesy of a few new bullet holes in the rolls. Tria strolled up to the bar, her footsteps kicked up dust motes. Why not, she mused, and leaned over the counter, and pulled out the closest bottle of whiskey. She poured two fingers into two glasses and raised one in a toast to the newly departed sheriff.

Thanks for the horse.

The second glass remained on the counter. It could've passed as pristine, if not for a tiny smudge of blood along the rim. Oddly poetic.

The horse at least, was as patient as it was consistent, simply waiting outside like an object instead of of an actual creature. Inside however, it felt like another world, the bizarre reality of corpse eaters and ghosts deafened by the mundane. Most of the occupants were busy engaged in their own thoughts and machinations; a few would note Tria, but and that was about it.

Oddly enough, nobody remarked anything about the missing sheriff even with just the horse, but that was normal in these mostly lawless lands as well. The door to the tavern opened again, and a couple with a young girl tumbled in. While the two made busy with the bar, the girl wandered around, and eventually settled on staring up at Tria with wide eyes, not saying a single word. A torn, bloody toy of a rabbit was in her arms and it was easily coming apart at the seams.

Elsewhere the piano music picked up, suddenly shifting keys. The music turned eerie and almost surreal, but nobody paid it much attention.

The closer she got, the more overpowering the odor of flowers became. This close, it was actually a little bit nauseating. He coughed, quickly stifling his nose and mouth with the bandana again.

It didn't help.

"Well ain't you charitable," he drawled sarcastically, jokingly reaching out to thread his fingers through her curly blonde hair. His hand stopped short, fingers clenched, and he winced as her nails dug into his skin. As if he needed any more warning that she wasn't someone to trifle with.

The other bar-goers were starting to take notice of them, and that made him more uncomfortable than anything. Best to just get this over with - like removing a bullet. He'd need some strong liquor in both cases. "Why don't you lead the way then, darlin'?"

Mark's failure to offer a suggestion resulted in only a shrug; if he couldn't pull a third, more friendly person to accompany them, Caroline had no doubt that she could if she got bored enough to need one. After graciously taking a shot that was left for her at the bar, she stood to follow him.

"Yep, just outside," she chimed in return, pausing to consider if she'd rather chance the run-in with the sheriff. 'Nasty' could be fun, in the right context, but that context might have been absent from Mark's dialogue. Better to not chance it.

As she followed, she snatched up the map and gave his "empty back pocket" a hearty slap, waving the paper in the air behind him.

"Guys aren't real reliable as a rule. Not reliable or the least bit trustworthy. So your guy better be more than you are." Her tone implied that she was teasing, but she wasn't. Not even slightly. "I won't let you down, so I'd hate to be disappointed."

"Ladies first",Mark gestured to Caroline, opening the door on the way out. It was a quick ride to the stables, and he took his time picking one of the many horses tethered before picking three regardless. "We'll need a third just in case since it's just the two of us, better say your prayers, we're going to need it for this long trip."

None of the horses liked him very much, and it look about five minutes of coercion before he could get any of them to budge. The least abrasive, a horse that looked about twice as old as Mark, was the only one that would allow him on its back. "Come on now, let's get going before nightfall, right in front of Skull Adder territory."

He seemed to be checking his pockets for something, but then forgot entirely, simply waiting patiently.