Realistic or Modern Bastard's Tale

[Corvid15]

Morrigan screeched as if laughing, even making Shisa chuckle. Shisa was amazed, Morrigan was practically a clone of her. Even her same sense of humor. She rubbed Morrigan's head.

Shisa simply shrugged, still chuckling.

"Why would I feed human to you all? Its a waste. Joking aside, it is human. Meat is meat. Just a few tougher cuts that aren't good for anything else.

It wasn't much of revenge, but Shisa felt that she got the last laugh. There was some mountain lion in there too, but it is mostly human meat. She used tough cuts, stuff that is good for stew. Simmering it over night really helped to make it melt in your mouth.

Revenge is a dish best served as stew.

 

[Obsidian]

Ethan couldn't believe it. She didn't even have the decency to lie, she made him eat human eat and she laughed in his face for it, even though she knows how much he abhors it. He didn't expect love from this woman, but he didn't quite expect such cruelty from her either. "H-How... H-How could you?" He said, starting to tremble as the realisation comes over him. He ate human meat. He ate human meat! He felt sick to his stomach, dropping to his knees before the Cistern's water, wanting to bring it all back up... but he just couldn't, try as he might. After yesterday, his body was simply too exhausted and too hungry to forsake an eaten meal. And now, it was just too late. He has done the abominable, sated his worldly hunger with the flesh of his fellow man, and now he is tainted. His father would be so ashamed.

The sickness had passed, as did the shock, and Ethan pulled himself back onto his feet and looked as Shisa. His eyes were not angry or hateful, but hollowed out, like something was missing. He hated her for this, and yet something about it felt like fate, like it was meant to be. After the Nobility came and killed everyone he ever loved and cared for, he changed then too. He lost everything, everyone, and had almost nothing left. Except for their beliefs, in purity and the sanctity of the body, in the corruption of cannibalism. And now, after eating human flesh, even that is gone. There's nothing left anymore. All he ever was is gone. And with that thought, Ethan smiled.

"Thank you, Shisa." He said, sounding genuine, yet his eyes remained hollow and empty, "You're cruelty was most... freeing."

 

[TheAdept]

Upon hearing Ethan's reaction to the stew being made with humans, Jesse's first concern was that Ethan was going to jump to try and attack Shisa. He was surprised when that didn't happen. In fact Ethan's reaction was the very polar opposite of what Jesse expected.

Jesse had never eaten humans. The old Bastards were never cannibals, and Jesse never thought about what would happen in such a situation that would involve him eating people. If asked he would have suspected he would freak out, but...nothing. Jesse hated the Crystal cannibals...for a completely different reason than the cannibalism. Well the were brutal and sadistic, not to mention he knows that the orphaned him though he doesn't quite remember what happened.

"That was pretty good." Jesse said, with no hint of negative judgement in his voice "We are not nor ever will we be a cannibal gang but...well if you could just tell us next time human is on the menu." Jesse said, not sure who was in the stew, but now that Ethan was over his bigotry against cannibals, maybe he could work on an idea to weaponize the shock of cannibalism against the Nobility as psychological warfare "Also, I want to add: Don't eat me when I die. Burn my corpse."

Jesse then paused "So, you guys want to get ready to go hunting...for deer or elk that is?"

 

[Corvid15]

Shisa was frozen. Seeing his reaction, Shisa went pale. She thought it would be funny, maybe he would try to force it back up. That it would be a good laugh. But this was.. farther than she meant for it to go. Much farther.

No. No. Shisa had seen this before. Some people they had dealt with were like this. Alive, but hollow. Dead inside. Some stragglers of their raids who had seen what the Bone Speakers had done to their gangs. The eyes. Something in Ethan broke, snapped. She had killed people before, but never killed their spirit in this way. There was a faint aura around him, everyone. When he was yelling, it brightened. But now, it's gone.

Granted, this is because Shisa is almost always slightly inebriated. Not like when she saw Shaun as Orcus. But being very lightly dosed at all times lets her see spirits, like the auras around Jesse and Ethan.

Shaun had assured her she was fine last night but. No. Why did she do this. She was just a monster. A cruel person, delighting in the torture of others. She was no better than the Nobility.

Jumping up from her seat, Shisa knocked the pot of stew over, spilling it onto the ground. She didn't care that she burned her hand doing this. She gathered everything she had, rushing. Most of her stuff was packed already. And she ran. Screw safety, screw any of it. She just ran away. Out of the Cistern. Back up top. No real place to go. Just to get away.

Was it risky, definitely. Was it stupid, absolutely. If she was killed by wasters, she would deserve it. She just, couldn't be near what she did anymore. She could come back later if she wanted to. But right now, she had to get away from the chaos she caused.

Three bone runes fell from Shisa's bag. One about 15 feet from the Cistern entrance. Tir, reversed. Danger through hasty or ill timed action. One 25 feet away: Berkana, reversed. Uphevals in the home, selfishness. And one 40 feet away: Ēþel, reversed. Radical departure from old ways.

 

[ScalpelsNSaws]

Shaun had awoken at the same time as Jesse, and wasn't eating the stew. He had some last night, he had no qualms about there being human meat in the stew. Being on the run for so long often drove him to desperation and hiding underground, subsisting off the slimy critters that dweller there.

The stew was pretty good compared to that. Ethan had seemed, to Shaun any way, to lock up in mental breakdown. Nobility interrogators would break men down using their greatest fears, worries and vices against them until they saw life as not worth the effort, and tell the Nobility what hey wanted to know. A similar switch had definitely gone in his head.

He was glad that no one tried to sick Shisa into the stew pot for tricking them, that was until she fled the Cistern and he pursued her... but she vanished into the ratway of tunnels.

 

[Lexico]

Aurora joined the group little late. She had not ate the stew. She was wondering what had happened? When she heard about Shisa's dead man stew, she was surprised. "That cannot be true. I think she was playing around. No person in their right mind will do that. So don't worry. That might be a sick joke." She saw Shaun pursue her and she went behind him for help.

 

[Corvid15]

Shisa had run through the tunnels, finally exiting the tunnel complex up top in the outside world. Shisa heard footsteps behind her, but she tuned all of it out. She just ran. Back the way she came into Superior. She knew it was risky being outside alone. But she didn't care.

She didn't know who was following after her, but Shisa tried to lose them. They didn't really want her back. It was probably Jesse or Aurora chasing her down to yell at her.

Shisa found her way to the abandoned farm. Dissapearing into the overgrown fields, Shisa stopped running, hoping to sneak through and lose whoever was on her tail.

The abandoned barn was the perfect place to hide. It was strange that no one was here, usually any abandoned building had wasters in it. But, it didn't. Shisa climbed her way up to the old hay loft, exhausted from running so far she just broke down crying.

 

[Obsidian]

Ethan simply silently watched as Shisa gathered her things and ran from the Cistern. He just shrugged, looking over at Jesse, and giving the boss a smile. "Hunting elk and deer... of course, boss... wouldn't think of hunting anything else." He said, before walking cover to where the weapons were kept, looking them over curiously, "You know, maybe you guys are right. Maybe I should properly learn how to use these guns." Then Ethan would stoop down, picking up a Negev machine gun, rising back up with his chosen weapon. Just holding a gun was strange, and heavy, but something he would have to get used to. Something he will get used to.

"This hunting trip should prove good target practice. Always better to practice on live targets, right?" Ethan said, looking over to Jesse, "Ready when you are, boss."

 

[ScalpelsNSaws]

Shaun tried his best to follow Shisa through the ratway, but his vertigo from getting up too fast to follow her was destroying him. He kept up for a few minutes before having to prop himself up on a wall and vomiting. Shisa was gone, in the tunnels and likely to the surface.

After his stop in Denver he was terrified she'd get picked up by the soldiers out there, as she was in her Shamanic mask.

Shaun returned to hear Ethan talking of hunting, holding a machine gun. "A bit overkill isn't it?" Shaun asked, heavily breathing from running in the slick, greasy tunnels.

 

[Lexico]

Aurora had followed Shaun but had crossed Shaun before he stopped. She went outside to the streets of Superior wondering what kind of danger Shisa is chasing. She soon spotted Shisa entering the abandoned barn. She went there. "Shisa, where the hell are you?" She scolded herself for forgetting her gun and knife.

 

[Corvid15]

It was Aurora. That was who was chasing her. Lovely. Couldn't she just dissapear in peace? Just stay here and starve.

Shisa stopped herself crying, quieting down. She just wanted to be left alone and not hurt anyone else. Now that she knew that she killed Aurora's father, she wanted to face her even less. What kind of monster tricks someone into eating human flesh? Shisa, that's who.

As hard as she teied not to, Shisa started to cry again. Hugging Morrigan for comfort, Shisa curled up into a ball. Hoping to dissapear, that Aurora wouldn't see her.

 

[Lexico]

Though Shisa tried to hide, Aurora would hear her cry bits and pieces. She walked towards the sound. "Shisa," She spoke softly, "You know this place is not safe anymore. We can have all our arguments down there. Please come over. It is not time for cat and mouse. You are not only putting yourself in danger but also me. So come forward."

 

[Corvid15]

"Just leave me to die. Go back to the others. Say you couldn't find me. This isn't just an argument. I broke Ethan. I fed them human. I've done more harm then I have good. You were right. I am a monster."

Shisa peeked out, making herself seen. She couldn't do anything right, she broke Ethan's spirit. Sure, she could lie to him and say it was all an elaborate joke. But the damage was done already.

 

[Lexico]

Aurora was shocked to hear dead man soup was not a joke. But she cannot react to that now. She moved closer and tried to catch Shisa by hand, "Everything can be sorted out. Let us first move to safer place. Then you can decide your way."

 

[TheAdept]

Shisa had run away crying, again, but this time almost everyone ran after her. He was in no mood nor any position for the hunting trip he had planned. He sighed.

"Come on, Ethan, Shaun. We need to find Shisa." Jesse was tempted to just let Shisa run off into the sewers alone. After all these conflicts with other members and this drama was disruptive to him, but she was still part of the team, and even Aurora went after her...and this time probably not to beat her with a shovel. He walked into the sewers after Shisa.

 

[ScalpelsNSaws]

"Shisa mentioned an abandoned farm, we should check if she's there. If she isn't we can still grab some supplies from there before we go." Shaun says, knowing what kind of state Shisa is in, with Aurora following her there's no telling what will happen, but shaun had a pretty good idea what might.

"Aurora left her gear look, we should probably hurry before something bad happens..." Shaun says, picking up her weapons and his own before following Jesse out of the Cistern.

 

[Corvid15]

"You're the one who tried to kill me the other day. Why should I trust you. I'm perfectly safe here. If anything, I'm safer here."

Shisa had her back to the corner of the barn, glancing around. Aurora was acting surprisingly kind, Shisa wasn't sure she could trust it. This wasn't the Aurora she had seen before. It felt like a trap. It was a trap. Shisa pulled herself back when Aurora tried to grab her hand. Morrigan too could sense the unease in the room, beating her wings.

"There is nothing to sort out, and nothing but pain for me back at the Cistern. I'm a repulsive monster. I have been ever since, you would've been 15 then. Only a year younger than me. I knew I remembered you."

Shisa quickly shut up, she said too much.

 

[Lexico]

Aurora deciphered the meaning of Shisa's confession immediately. "Is this true?" She lost her words. "Are you saying..." Her mind was racing to fix Shisa's age with the teen age girl's age. She took a step back. "This cannot be true..." She was stunned. She was emotionally overwhelmed. "All these years i was desperate to find you and kill you. I have imagined me torturing you to death." She stood motionless for a moment. Then her face changed. "You know what, i am a tribal girl. A revenge has to be taken to ease the dead soul." She walked towards Shisa like a zombie, emotionless, blank, the only intention was to kill.

 

[ScalpelsNSaws]

"Shisa?! Aurora!? Where you at!?" Shaun called out, he knew it would be dangerous to leave them alone together, let alone when Shisa was having a depressive episode. He was worried she'd let her connection to Aurora slip which hastened his step through the farm gate.

Shaun fires a Negev round into the air, hoping to get their attention.

 

[Corvid15]

Well, Shisa screwed up. Big time. And she had her back against the wall. She was cornered, literally. She was trapped, this was how she was going to die.

Shaun! She heard him yelling, and the gunshot into the air. Shisa knew better than to scream, it might only make Aurora kill her quicker. So, Shisa let go of Morrigan's leash.

Morrigan flew out of the loft, landing on Shaun's gun. Morrigan flapped her wings frantically, getting Shaun's attention before flying back into the barn for Shaun to follow. The bird was panicked.

Shisa pressed herself up against the wall, fumbling for a weapon. But, she hadn't had time to gear up, everything was in her pack.

"Aurora, please. I can explain. We can talk about this. It's in the past, Logan.."

 

[ScalpelsNSaws]

Shaun saw morrigan fly from the barn and land on his weapon. "So that's where she is..." Shaun says, the bird trilled at him seemingly in distress before flying back through the barn's loft awning.

Shaun didn't need to be a scholar to realise his fears had come true. It explains why Aurora didn't come out to meet the gunshot. He ran over to where the barn doors where and slipped through the gap between them, hearing Shisa saying...something and footsteps moving above him. So they were both alive, for now. He began to climb the ladder when the bolts at the top seemed to give way under his weight, sending him sprawling across the dusty ground, stirring it as he did.

He spent a second or two on the ground before getting up. "Shit... gotta be another way". Shaun had noticed the grain silo next to the barn was close enough to jump across onto the awning, so he got up and began to run to it, out of the barn.

 

[TheAdept]

"Ugh..." Jesse said, trying to figure out if Charles would have dealt with this level of bullshit. Really Jesse didn't care about Shisa's guilt or whatever beef anyone had with her. He just wanted to lead this resistance, which is what they asked him to do.

Jesse saw the bird fly but never really figured a bird was smart enough to mean something by its actions. He then saw Shaun go into a nearby barn and followed after. When the ladder collapsed on the old guy, Jesse was surprised to see him jump back to his feet and run out again.

"Let them fight it out, whatever heir problem is!" He yelled out to Shaun. Charles would have likely done the same thing, and surely whatever issue they had with each other would be resolved.

 

[ScalpelsNSaws]

"Do I need to remind you what happened last time? Besides you don't know everything that's going on here Jesse, if we let them fight it out..." Shaun rubbed the top of his head. "Sombodys going to die today if we do." He continued to run and began to climb the Silo stairs.

 

[Lexico]

Aurora did not hurry. She walked to shisa and tried to hold her neck with her hands. If she had achieved, she would strangle her. Her both hands powered by her whole body, power of revenge that had been in her blood for so many years. She did not utter a word. She looked cold faced.

 

[ScalpelsNSaws]

Shaun had reached the top of the Silo and could see into the awning...and Aurora too, her hands outsreched ready to choke Shisa.

Shaun looked down, hesitating for a moment but only a moment, taking a deep breath.

And jumped.

He hit the edge of the awning and began to slide out, over the two storey drop below where Jesse was standing. His hands eventually snagged a hempen rope or old horse bridle, whatever it was held fast, and Shaun struggled to pull himself up, his Negev slipping over his head and to the ground below.