Futuristic look alive, sunshine

[partially-stars]

welcome to the wastelands.

listen here, kid. travelling by yourself out here is dangerous.
if you have to travel outside your settlement, use the buddy system. safety in numbers and all that.
because even the smartest of you won't survive by yourself...

a closed 1x1.


​

 

[phosphene]

Hunter - #5670a3 - vibes​

---

This was a generally well-traveled road, but that didn’t mean it was without its dangers. Raiders, wild animals, any other number of threats. But it was the single most used road for travelers going between Applery and Wallstead. This latest group was clearly from one of the bigger cities nearby. Hunter wasn’t a thief, he wasn’t stealing, but it also didn’t hurt anyone for him to scope out a group and grab little things they’d never miss. They were just making camp, and it looked like they had some good stuff they might… Lose.
This was a generally well-traveled road, but that didn’t mean it was without its dangers. Raiders, wild animals, any other number of threats. But it was the single most used road for travelers going between Applery and Wallstead. This latest group was clearly from one of the bigger cities nearby. Hunter wasn’t a thief, he wasn’t stealing, but it also didn’t hurt anyone for him to scope out a group and grab little things they’d never miss. They were just making camp, and it looked like they had some good stuff they might… Lose.

Living out in the wilderness, like he and his sister did, meant using everything he could. Some things travelers left behind could be traded in for more than they could imagine in Applery. Careless travelers funded his smoking habit. He’d come back in a few hours when it was good and dark; Hana was likely working herself into a tizzy waiting for him back at the cabin they’d taken over as their home the past few months.

As he started back through the heavy woods beside the road, he heard someone much less careful than him off to the side. They either didn’t know better, or could afford to not be careful. Ducking behind a tree, he peered around until he saw them - raiders. Fuck. Hunter had a dilemma now; warn the group and have nothing but trouble with raiders, or let the raiders get them when darkness fell and have travelers probably stop using this stretch of road. No good options.

Oh well, he wasn’t in the business of starting trouble with people who owned flamethrowers while living in a wooden house.

As he started back home, he could have sworn he saw that one of these travelers had on real, genuine medic gear. It gave him pause; normally he would have assumed it was salvaged or even stolen, but it looked almost new, good condition. Too pristine not to be potentially legit. He thought about it the entire way home, all through his meager dinner. Hana was getting worse. She’d been sick for weeks now, she was getting worse, and raiders were getting ready to kill the first person he’d encountered that might potentially have some medical training in years.

Dammit.

He ran the entire way back to that camp, only slowly once he was within earshot. The raiders hadn’t started the attack, but he could see them lighting torches. He needed to hurry, but not tip off anyone standing guard for either side. Where was the medic? Cute guy, brown hair. What tent had he- that one. Hunter hoped he was right, getting this one wrong could get him in trouble. He poked his head inside the tent, bingo. Thank whatever cruel gods existed up above for his memory.

A firm grip on the man’s shoulders, a gentle shake, ”Hey,” He harshly whispered, ”Hey, you have to get up. Raiders are coming.”

 

[partially-stars]

ruben bell. #7aa579. vibes.​

---

When he'd first gotten his medic pack, Ruben had been so excited. He'd pictured a life of daring glory and of thrilling battlefield encounters and of adoration. He got the adrenaline rushes, sure, but it wasn't exactly as glamorous as he'd expected. He only really had two speeds: cuts, burns, and scratches... and patching up the aftermath after a raider or a wild animal attack. To be honest, the latter was the least messy of the two. He'd thought that wearing clean, new, obviously official medic gear might spare him from the worst of the force, but he was very wrong. If anything, being a medic made him more of a target.

But he still did it. Not only because, well, he'd spent four years in training for it, so he may as well put it to use. Not only because he got free lodgings and protections for his services. But because it was genuinely all he'd ever wanted to do. And most days, it was worth it.

The day had been a quiet one. They'd had a run of quiet days, which meant that everyone in the pack knew that their luck was bound to run out any day now. Ruben had stocked up on supplies when they'd passed through Applery, knowing that they were well overdue for a Raider attack. But nobody said it out loud, and instead, they kept their head down and used the time to make as much progress as possible. But even with a decent amount of progress, they still found themselves having to set up camp between the two towns, in a spot far too exposed for Ruben's liking. But they needed to rest, and so, rest they did.

He was used to being woken abruptly from sleep and then having to function on as little as an hour's sleep, so when he slept, he slept deeply. But a shaking of his shoulders was still enough to snap him into alertness. All his brain truly heard was the word "raiders", and he was fully conscious and already springing into action. He was reaching for his prosthetic and had it half on before things fell properly into place. He looked up at the man standing over him and frowned. He didn't look like a Raider, but he also definitely wasn't a part of Ruben's group.

"Sorry, who are you?" Ruben asked. Prosthetic on, he grabbed his jacket declaring him a medic, pulling it on, and grabbed his full pack as well as his crossbow. A raider warning was a raider warning, no matter who it came from. And sure enough, now he could hear the familiar sounds of shouting and fighting. "Dammit, that didn't take long."

 

[phosphene]

Hunter - #5670a3 - vibes

---

"I'm getting you out of here alive," Was Hunter's reply to being asked who he was. The question was ridiculous- you don't look a gift horse in the mouth, "Hurry up." The guy had a prosthetic leg, but Hunter didn't think that would have to change his plans any. He waited on the medic, swearing in his head with every moment that passed by because it was important that they both made it out of this with minimal casualties.

The second the medic was ready, Hunter looked him in the eyes and said, “Keep up. Do what I do. Don’t look back.” Big words for a 5’4” guy with a baseball bat, but he hoped he sounded serious enough that the medic listened.

The raiders hadn’t made it quite to the medic’s tent yet, but it was only a matter of time, so Hunter knew he had to move quickly; he crawled out of the tent, waited just a moment to make sure the medic was following, and quickly moved straight for the treeline, which would have worked perfectly if there weren’t so many damn raiders. A bullet flew just inches from Hunter’s face; he turned to see where it came from, and saw a raider running right for him. Damn.

Hunter risked a glance behind him, checking on the medic, and ran straight at the raider. In his experience none of these guys were professionals, and very few of them were prepared for what to do when someone ran towards them instead of away from them. Hunter wasn’t intending to join in in any violence, or he might’ve brought something more useful than a fucking baseball bat. But he dropped his shoulder, connected with the raider’s stomach, threw the guy off balance enough to quickly connect his bat with the raider’s skull. It’d do.

He turned to the medic, gestures for the taller man to follow as he started back for the treeline. To him, making it properly into the forest meant safety, security, a world where he wouldn’t be followed by idiots with more bullets than common sense. He certainly wouldn’t have bothered raiding this group.

 

[partially-stars]

ruben bell. #7aa579. vibes.​

---

Wow, this guy really was just a bundle of delight. Ruben knew that this wasn’t exactly the most pleasant of scenarios, but the attitude was really just uncalled for. He was about ready to go when the man told him to hurry up, earning an eye roll from Ruben. Still, at least he seemed to know what he was doing. Ruben listened to him and nodded, even if the man was at least half a foot shorter than him. Possibly more. But if there was one thing Ruben had learned, it was not to judge based on first impressions.

It took everything in him not to look back, not to run and help people. He was a medic, that’s what he was supposed to do. He wasn’t supposed to run. But they were outnumbered, way too outnumbered, and he wouldn’t even be able to help many people before he ended up among the wounded or the dead. So he ran, following the newcomer. The raiders didn’t intend on letting them away that easily though. A few charged right for them. The newcomer charged right at them. It was a bold move, but it seemed to work. Ruben swung his crossbow into the face of a raider, hearing their nose crunch under the blow. Another came charging at him, undeterred, but a bolt to the thigh took them out.

The newcomer beckoned again, and Ruben didn’t wait for any more raiders before breaking into a sprint to catch up to him. As they headed for the treeline, more raiders charged at them. Ruben stopped, aiming the crossbow at them. One he took out with a shot to the stomach. By the time he had a clear shot at the other, they were nearly at the newcomer. Ruben fired again, the bolt going into the man’s chest. Ruben didn’t have to look too closely to know that it was going to be a fatal wound. His stomach turned a little at the thought of that, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it, breaking into a run again. Even if their heights meant he could have easily outpaced the other man, he held back, keeping pace and keeping the crossbow drawn. Once under the cover of the trees and safe, he looked at his new companion. “What’s the plan now?” he asked.