[Paradise] No road is long with good company

[QUOTE="Teh Frixz]Hooper
"Sin. Follow me. I'm going out now. The city is noisy today"


The brainer. That little itsy bitsy piece of Goldpond that I don't have control over. The one thing my face couldn't put together properly for me. Since my face couldn't do it, I had to keep her close to keep an eye on her. Lots of folks I string up to die I find, brains all turned to mush. Their thoughts and feelings dripping out of their noses. The first few times it was funny but when I wanted someone to really suffer, she keeps taking them and 'releasing' them. Can't have that.


Especially because she's the only one that I allow to wander around Inner Goldpond. The Faced keep her tracked but she's too valuable to kill.

[/QUOTE]
Fuck. A deviation. Hooper never deviates. Not good. I resist the urge to reach into her mind and find out what she's going to do to me. Instead, I give her my nicest "pretty girl" smile and follow as she asks.


"Of douse, Hooper. What's this about?"


I keep my voice as cheery as I can. My heart is pounding. Why? Why am I so scared of this bitch? I could flay her mind in a few moments. Or could I? Damn it. That uncertainty, that's the problem. And the debt I owe her. Saved my life. Can't just ignore that.


Okay, okay, keep it together. She'll catch on. Besides, I don't even know what she wants. It might not be so bad.
 
Hooper


I stare. My chest heaves in and out as I breathe through both my Face and the old wounds that cross my body. Sucking chest wounds, bullet holes, lacerations. Nothing stuck. My Face wouldn't let it.


Sin was her cheery self again. I liked that. A little ray of brain melting sunshine. It had that slight feel of being forced though. All the better. Fake or real, I like when people are nice to me.


"We are going to do something about the bug. Back me up and I'll get you a slaver to play with or something."
 
Crisis, if there every was one, averted. She's not mad at me. At least not yet. Either way, this sounds interesting. And the payout even more so. "Sure thing, Hooper. I'll do my best for you." I giggle my little girl giggle. The one that creeps the fuck outta most assholes but always seems to bring a loving twinkle to Hooper's eye.
 
Hooper





And that is why I keep Sin around. Consults have come and gone before, either by their own choice or by being gutted and stuck to the wall. But in the end, they all meant nothing. Now Sin. Sin and her cheery smile, her never say no attitude, and that laughter. You didn't hear laughter much anymore but I loved it, even though my Face couldn't stand it.


Now now Hooper, says my Face, You know she does it just because it keeps you from killing her.


I do know it but maybe I just don't care. My Face just doesn't want anyone any close and Sin is just about as close as they get these days. Maybe thats why the Faced don't like her. At least they know enough not to do anything too drastic.


I lead on, bringing Sin down with me and crossing through Inner Goldpond. The place is shaping up nicely. Wall is nice and secure, the Faced have cleaned up and rebuilt most of the buildings. There are even a few gardens all cleaned up. It's almost peaceful in here.


A few kids run around in the distance giving me pause. Not sure how old but they are the next generation of the Faced. Already wearing little silver faces like mine. Inner Goldpond. My little piece of the apocalypse.


I hit Sin on the shoulder, getting her attention before walking through the gate. Several Faced stand at attention despite not seeing us walk up. They keep staring straight down the main avenue of Goldpond proper. Good, just like I told them to.


Goldpond stands before me and Sin. A new day and hopefully a few new additions to the arena.
 
Violet


Staring down the barrel of your gun, Beck certainly seemed to be complying as she raises her hands slowly. You're pretty certain she was even going to set the broken bottle aside. Before she could though, Sade definitely overcame the surprise visit from Pugnax. First thing she did? Barreled towards you with a crazy fearful look on her face.


And for fucks sakes Violet, I know you love nature and all that wonderful dirt and shit. But you have to take better care of your weapons. Whatever you did to it last time you used it, the trigger doesn't have any squeeze to it. Did you put it back together right? Whatever it is, at least you have the safest firearm at the wrong fucking time.


Sade though definitely couldn't have known this, but either way she full body slams you into the ground. She's panting and sounds on the verge of crying, screaming or entering rage mode. It's a toss up at this point.


What do you do?


El-Amin


See, in other quieter communities someone rolling a wheelbarrow holding a young person shot up pretty badly might draw a fair bit of attention. Here in Goldpond? Just the occasional stare to make sure it isn't someone they care about, you aren't carrying anything they could easily take and a few wondering why a body is coming in a direction opposite the arena. A few helpful people actually shouted out directions to the chop shop where bodies from the arena were usually disposed of to make fertilizer, animal feed, cheap meals or some other odder possibilities. Not like you can't just fucking smell your way to it once the sun got high enough and the wind died down.


You make it to Doc Hawk's without much issue. The same old office set up inside of one of the smaller buildings. The lower floor being where the magic happens while his bird and himself live upstairs. You seem to be in luck, the Doc is reclining in a chair under a patch of shade on the second story balcony. Screech seems uneasy at the moment, the bright colored feather crest is standing up and keeps making a faint crackling noise. It keeps looking in the direction where Pugnax let out an all mighty sound just a bit earlier. The Doc though is paying attention to your delivery instead, even though you can't hear it you know there was an exasperated sigh from him as he made his way downstairs till he opened up the door.


“Amin, is it a hobby of yours to bring torn up fellas here or am I mistaken?”


He was interrupted from saying anything further by a frantic Spar who had an arm wrapped around a jug making a sloshing sound, a small tin and a bobbin with some thread on it.


“I got! I got everything! Had to promise most of the next harvest, but this is everything you wanted right!?”


Doc's eyebrow raised a little, not quite certain what to make of all this.


What do you do?


Midas


You can almost feel her grumble a bit when you start to take out some of the valuables, but she's willing to let a few morsels go in anticipation of the meal you're going to get her.


Hey, just what is the 2-barter you pulled out? All kinds of people here trade in different types of desires, so I'm wondering what you went for this time.


Ya certainly know how to push her buttons in all the right ways, that's a fact. You find something that'll scare the shit out of Twitch specifically. It's an old aerosol canister from the golden age. It's not exactly full, but you know there's still juice left inside of it. What exactly it was meant for is a bit of a mystery, but so far from others who've used it know that it's flammable, good at killing fungal infections and incredibly painful for those suffering from sloughskin. Now I don't mean like pepper spray kind of painful, I mean once one of those poor bastards gets some of this in their system (And they -will- what with all the open sores) they get to experience agony for weeks on end, sometimes longer depending on how much they get hit with. Best part is? The stuff is in a very signature can with a mostly blue paint-scheme and yellow triming. He'll know exactly what it is.


What do you do?


Sin and Hooper


You two can be really adorable sometimes in a fucked up kinda way.


Er, intimidating way! No offense meant, just, fuck. Please don't fry my brain or empty my stomach with a blade! Please!


Ah, er. Where was I? Yeah, uh. The gates to Outer Goldpond! The entryway to the safety and stability of Inner Goldpond. Remember way back when a bunch of sycophantic boot lickers tried to make a little shanty camp here? I still giggle thinking how they were in total disbelief even when they were getting torn apart in the arena.


Anyways, nowadays it's still full of activity from what buildings are nearby but there's definitely an open area of calm around the gates. No one fucks around in that area unless they got reason to.


Speaking of fucking around, the two of you hear a loud engine growl up to life. Further on down the street you can see a rusted up station wagon being swarmed by Scooner's outfit. The roof of the vehicle was taken off, definitely lets in the air and gives the machine gun mounted on the back a nice line of sight. They're whooping and hollering before peeling off and away after some unknown quarry.


The Faced have been keeping their eye (and sometimes their machetes) at least on some of the going ons in the squabbling politics of Outer Goldpond. Scooner was a more recent resident and he was trying to make some big grabs against the established entities in the drug trade.


Whatever trouble they were getting up to at least didn't seem to involve that monster of a bug, Pugnax. Most notably since that screech it made came a bit further away and in a different direction of where they were going.


What do the two of you do on this date?


Crow


Dribble stops chewing for a moment, finally noticing just how much he had gnawed off of his finger tips. The fucked up addict probably isn't really grasping how messed up his hands are going to be, but he definitely notices the growling engine sound in the distance rapidly getting louder.


A few people down the street you're on are looking past an intersection at something out of sight. Whatever it is they seem to quickly get indoors to avoid what trouble is on its way.


“Yes yes yes, Deatle's shack, past the vineyards! Don't worry I'll pay just gogogo!”


Already he's clambering into the bed of your truck. Little fuck is leaving bloody finger prints too. He could always just fall out on the trip ya know? I'm not too certain how familiar you are with the area, but I get lost all the fuckin' time myself. What direction are the vineyards in?


And I gotta know, what do you do?


Everyone


Another question! So, what're the vineyards like and can anyone tell me anything about them? From the stores I heard it was just a bunch of murderous fuckin' plants. She was a bit intoxicated when she told me this though, so I'd like to find out from some people I know I can trust a bit more.
 
Hooper


The vineyards? Yeah I know those things. Now I know they aren't particularly fast or even particularly murderous but I wouldn't sleep around them. Those things were all over Goldpond when I got here. Took my Faced and set about on a campaign of extermination, keeping only a few left. The vines grow fast, fast enough to wrap around you if you don't pay attention. That isn't the worst part though. It's the agonizing itching.


All of the vines are coated in a thick oil. That's probably why Goldpond wasn't touched when the Faced and I got here. They touched us plenty when we cleaned em out, but we just didn't care about the burning itch. But normal people, they get hurt by it.


Saw a dumb ass drunk fall asleep against the greenhouses. He woke up in their grip with tendrils in all of his orifices. It doesn't kill you but the screams you make can't help but make us think you wish you were. Takes a few hours and gloves to remove them but you'll recover in a week or so.


Oh, and why do we keep some around? Turns out the fibers inside of them can be distilled into some of the best damn alcohol around. It's practically a drug. Hence why the Faced keep the last of the vines alive. We don't distill em but the gangs do what we say to get their share of them. Their obedience for a weed. Works for me.
 
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The vineyards? I'd only heard of it myself, though I do intend to visit and collect a sample for cultivation. I'll have much more information then.


For right now, I sigh. I know Spar was ripped off, and plan to rectify that, along with everything else. "And I promise to help you as much as I can with the next harvest so you'll have an extra pair of hands." I turn to Doc Hawk. "And, so she doesn't owe any more, I'll do the work, Hawk. I just brought him here because you make an attempt to keep things sterile.


"Now, please, can I use your O.R. and equipment? I promise to clean everything after I'm done and whatever else you want, but we don't have a lot of time for negotiations." I watch him, hoping to get some idea of how to get him to not just agree to let me use his workspace, but lend assistance. Doc Hawk actually knew some crap about surgery and anatomy, and I'd need a second pair of hands. After all, my first instinct when seeing Freddy was to call 911. That, along with everything else, was gone.


I need all the help I can get.
 
Hooper


"Shit" Hooper grumbles. Gang war brewing. This was more of a problem than the bug at least in the long run it is. Goldpond may be a tough town but it wouldn't survive open warfare.


Scooner was getting too big for his britches and it was time to do something about it. A pair of Faced flank me quickly and I look down at Sin.


"Scooner needs to be talked to. Coming?"


Out comes the machete. It has been too long since I got to use it.
 
Violet


I get that a lot. "Loves nature." It's almost funny at this point.


The body slam took me by surprise. Too much shit going on at once. Hitting the ground knocks the wind out of my lungs. At this distance, I couldn't bring my gun up to her face even if I wanted to. So now I'm lying on my back on some dirty tile floor with someone completely unpredictable bearing down on me. Just this positioning is making me slip into wild animal mode and that's definitely something I don't want. She's a victim. I have to keep it together.


"Wait!" I blurt out. That gives the rational part of my mind a second to race through possibilities. "I can take her to safety! The girl, and you too!" I suck in a breath. "I know Hooper personally!" Not well. Not really. But it was the best thing I could come up with on the spur of the moment that wouldn't involve violence. Maybe invoking the hardholder's name could even do some good in keeping Beck from trying any retribution, but that's probably a long shot. (Seduce or manipulate)
 
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I wouldn’t mind the vineyards as much if it weren’t for the freaks tendin’ them. The plants might belong to the Faced, but the Thornboys fucking love those vines. Probably because they skip the still altogether and chew those damn, murderous plants raw. Gives them a grin like a nightmare, teeth red as blood from that oil. Or maybe it is blood: the plants don’t go quietly to the reapin’, and Thornboys gotta fight for each and every bite. Who knows what drives men to such madness, but they give me the fucking creeps, so I keep my distance.


Midas


Oh, she gives it to me, and she gives it good. Not quite sure what these cans used to be good for, but now they’re the best damn slough-repellant around. I only wished those reeking candles were half as good at gettin' rid of the bugs. I've seen the diseased buggers brave shotguns and machetes and actively attempt suicide, but I’ve yet to meet one that won’t flee at the sight of a blue and gold cylinder. “Oh baby, you’re good to me, so good,” I croon, cradling the gift like a newborn babe. “I’ll make it up to ya’, just ya’ wait, on my name.”


I won’t wait forever.





There it is at last, teased outta her: her voice, sweeter than anything. Bounces around my skull and for a second I can't hear nothin' else, no creaking building or buzzing bugs. Not that I mind, no, not at all. I don't even mind that she's a tad miffed. She won't be after I take that toy from Twitch and feed it to her, easy as breathin'. I blow a kiss and shut her back up before heading back outside, slippin' the can in my pocket on the way. There he is, rags and stench and all, a small miracle. Was half convinced he'd make a run for it. Hard to keep in the god graces of the Faced if I'm seen stalkin' someone 'round Goldpond, but I'd risk it all for her, life and limb.


"Lookee here Twitch, see what Midas has for ya'." I juggle my goods for a second before spreading them out, and the scum can't help but sigh appreciatively. My lady doesn't keep nothin' worthless, even the spares she lets me whisk away. It's all barter, of course; I don't take no coin, not from anyone, not for nothin'. There's a bottle of Thornboy liquor, strong enough to dissolve metal. There's a chillstab I lifted off a half-starved traveler for a pittance, the syringe barrel full of the clear liquid that'll ease the pain of surviving in this pit, even if just for an hour or two. Some bullets, homemade and small caliber, good for most the handguns around. But Twitch's eyes are glued to exactly what I'd expect. Lil' jar, fits right in your palm, green label that the words have peeled off long ago. Screw the top off and it's full of some goop, off-white, smells too sweet to be real. Like most of what remains from the Golden Age, no one's sure what this stuff used to do... but now, now everyone knows it provides just about the only relief a sloughskin's gonna get. Hard to find, and we both know it.


Of course, if that little jar is a panacea, what I got in my other hand is Twitch's anathema. I take it out, finger on the nozzle, and shove that damn bottle right up in his face. I'd put it right up his nose if it didn't mean touchin' his weeping skin. "Now let's talk business." I say. "You gimme that gizmo, or you're gonna beg me to kill ya'. " (going aggro)
 
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Sin


I can't help the wide grin that grows to my ears. I giggle again.


"Oh, yes, Hooper. Yes. What do you have in mind for him?"


I had NO idea today would be so fun. I absolutely adore when Hooper makes big moves. And I get to be the switches across his back. I love my life.
 
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Crow


"There's a tarp back there, hide under it," mutters Crow. The key turns and the Beast revs to life. Nothing like the familiar rumble shaking through its frame. Vineyard's due south, fastest route is a treacherous stretch of coast. All it means is nobody sane will follow 'em.


You just gotta worry about the crazy ones. Crow pulls out and skips town, quick-like.
 
Amin


The doc made a tired sigh of exasperation.


“Bring the patient on in, it won't be good for business if a kid dies on my front porch.”


Leaving the front he waved you, inside it was bit musty and cluttered. It looks like Hawk by the standards of the apocalypse was in fact quite the caretaker, granted being a homebody would always do that. His operating room though, not that makes people ashamed of themselves. I actually ran my fingers on some of the stuff in there and I didn't find dust. I was too scared to stay, so I took off.


Now inside of the OR there's a relatively flat table, it's got a few dents and dings in it but nothing to crazy. There's a few nicely built shelving used to store equipment and supplies. In the back corner you can hear a little ice fridge whirring away! You know Hawk lies to people on what it is so he wouldn't get robbed at the first chance for the precious machine, in fact that's probably why he never seems to leave. Still, he's been known to keep some things that need to be chilled like blood.


Spar was kept busy by Hawk by bringing in the supplies you wanted and watching the house. It was just to keep her out of the room and distracted for the time being while the two of you got prepped using some of his precious soap.


You know, give how expensive those fancy smocks are I'm surprised he shelled out to get a few spare ones.


Anyways Doctor Amin, the patient is there and waiting, Hawk is more than willing to back you up in this. This type of treatment should be a piece of cake right? You were trained to do this while being shot at! So if you could Act Under Fire for me, we'll see if Freddy'll make it.


Violet


You seduce the fuck outta everyone present, the beginning of a harem!


Sade stops fighting you, it looks like your offer was the right one at the right time!


“Y-you're sure? Just, please don't hurt Beck. It's my fault this happened, not hers.”


What you can manage to see around Sade with her on top of you, it looks like Beck is deflated of the anger you seen before. She's let go of the broken glass and actually backed away from the other girl on the ground. Who at the moment, was getting up on her own feet at this point.


Goddamnit Pugnax, what in the flying fuck are you eating that's got your attention that much?


Oh! What do you do?


Hooper/Sin


Well Scooner certainly isn't running the biggest gang around, he had the ambition and the naivety to think Inner Goldpond wouldn't bother intervening. It looked like almost half of his numbers took off in that ride as it is, so his little headquarters'll be a little undermanned for the time being. Watch out though, his pricks at least got a nose for keeping their eyes open, weapons ready and the doors locked.


Course, I don't know how you two are gonna play this out. Also if I'm not here to comment on it, feel totally free to talk it out amongst yourselves, I got no problem playing catch up!


What do you two do?


Midas


He flinches the moment he catches sight of that can, trying to shield himself with the tatters he was wearing and making a high pitched whining noise. Sounds like a fucking dog, fuck that noise pisses me off more than I pity him.


You got results though, looked like he just caved in and is trying to hand the goodie off to ya.


“Justh thake ith! Pleash!'


Well hey, five finger discount right? I'm sure Twitch won't hold it against ya if you didn't pay him for it, right? ...right?


What do ya do?


Crow


Hey! HEY! If you can hear me, I asked you what color your ride is! Also, you got a working radio? RADIO? Ah well, I think the DJ is on lunch break about now anyways.


Dribble definitely snaked in under that tarp without much issues or hassle, he probably has a lot of experience sleeping under them to begin with. You handle the drive with about as much skill, the truck was definitely a good choice. Outside of Outer Goldpond the “maintained” road soon falls away to pot hole, plant infested shit.


The tires are grinding through it no problem, course that loaded up station wagon you seen spin around the corner as you were leaving will probably have a harder time of it. You got a good look that the fuckers in it were manning some pretty fuckin' big hardware, hopefully they ain't got somewhere better to be. Like a ditch?


You got to the vineyards no problem, at least it's a bit cooler in the shade of all these giant ass trees. Also, did you reinforce your windows or something? Every time one of those big ol' bugs bounces off the windshield I nearly jump outta my skin. Wish the impact would kill the little bastards, just seems to piss them off as they skitter off without much hassle.


Your beast is rumbling on inside of the vineyard when you catch sight of a fallen tree in the middle of the road. One of the smaller ones thankfully, but still. I'm not getting out to help with this shit, you and Dribble are on your own. Maybe that station wagon full of bad news'll show to help you out?


What are you going to do
 
Midas


See, that's the kind of respect Midas deserves.


Any spine the cretin has left disappears even faster than his festerin' skin. He's bumbling all over himself to keep me from pushing down on that nozzle and teaching him a new definition of agony. But you know me, I'm always thinkin' 'bout the future... and if I spray Twitch now, he ain't ever coming back to do business. I snatch up the device that started all this and feel my lovely purr in approval. I want nothing more than to give it to her, but I gotta take care of this first. "Ah, Twitch. Yer the soul of generosity. But don't fear. I ain't gonna hurt ya. Just needed ya to know I was serious."


I lower the can but keep it out, a little reminder of who's in charge here. "I'm no thief. Here, take this. Consider it a gift." I pick up the jar of balm and toss it to the fool, probably surprising the hell outta him. My store ain't no charity, everyone knows that. "Remember this, next time yer in town and ya got something good, buddy," I say, trying to smile convincingly. My love knows what I'm up to, so she doesn't raise a stink. See, that jar was hers once... and it's harder to take something from her than you'd think, even if ya can't see the strings. Chances are I'd get it back with Twitch none the wiser. (sticky fingers)
 
Hooper


Schooner or spooner or whatever the whiny ass was called had come into Goldpond, my city, my home with the impression that he could waltz all over me. Or maybe he hoped I was dead or something and that i was just a myth the Faced used to keep people in check. He might have been new enough to have never seen me even. I don't like Outer Goldpond. It is just problems that the Faced look to me to deal with.


Whatever.


What I see now is the old Lions den. Goldpond is a big place. Inner Goldpond was,from what my face told me, a place where the elders of the Golden age got locked away to die in. Explains the morgue and that torn apart hospital. Even the Faced haven't been able to dislodge all the rubble on that thing. Doesn't matter. I don't care about that.


Right now, what I do care about is Outer Goldpond. Despite not liking it, It never hurts to know every fucking rock in my little fiefdom. Outer Goldpond has old buildings in it. Lots of little buildings split into smaller ones called malls. Avenues where people travel and in between all the golden age structures still standing are the countless shacks where people live and breathe. Right where the Fsced and myself toss out garbage, letting them live on my scraps. I earned my place through blood. They live off my work.


Now, this old building where scooner put his gang. A lions den. I know lions were cats that made sounds beside purring and were big but I don't know what that has to do with adult books. The golden age was weird. That's what my face says only it says it nicer. It's better now though I think. Problems are solved faster. Machetes don't lie.


Half of his men are gone. I've got two faced and Sin at my back. His building stands by itself like all the gang houses. Nobody lives close.


I grab sin, lifting her up close enough so she can hear my breath slide down the underside of my face and set her down gently behind a burnt out car frame. My two faced spread out and in a moment are back with as much blanket, towel, and rags as they can muster.


They've also got some of that liquor made from the vines. They soak the fabric and ball it up.


I stare at Sin. Maybe she knew I didn't feel like haggling with gang members today. Maybe she was scared. Maybe she'd just giggle a little and sing for me again. I liked that. So did my face.


What wasn't rooted in maybes though was the glass bottle I pour the harsh cloudy liquor into and stuff a rat in. The Faced are ready with their own bottles. I hold out my lighter and light all three.


Without a single word we all throw, setting the ancient building alight hopefully as our machetes come out.
 
Sin


Damn it, Hooper. Your "simple" is my "complicated". Your little bonfire is going to start a riot. We could have slipped in when they were sleeping and I could have mushed their brains without a sound. Or made them randomly fall dead during a cool meeting. Instead, war.


Fuck.


Well, I'll keep my head down while the bullets fly and try to have my fun. I slip to the far end of the car husk so I'm harder to see. Hooper can draw the fire. I'll mind-fuck any who shoot at my grotesque Queen. Make their brains jelly before they can squeeze the trigger a second time.


Delicious. The anticipation has my stomach filled with butterflies.
 
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Crow


The door on the cab slams shut. Now, with any luck, she can just gun it and shove it aside. But if it's too thick, might have to take another route, or take the time to pull it aside.


Crow reaches the fallen tree. Small enough to push aside?
 
El-Amin


Doc Hawk helped busy Spar as I soak his medical instruments, many from a collection of old dissection kits, in the alcohol. He probably kept them as clean as he could, but I was not playing when it came to infection. I also needed to give the Coot a visit and get Spar's money back, and find a way to pay Hawk back and-


I force myself to breathe as we begin to scrub up and suit up. Could I do this? I don't know why my brain instantly began going through the protocol of this sort of injury when I've been wracking it for information since the day I woke. Maybe it was because it wasn't forced. Maybe it was because it'd been pounded so strongly that, when it was needed, it'd always pop back up. I couldn't remember where I learned it or who taught me, so there was still a lot of progress to be made.


We begin cutting away Freddy's clothing, cleaning the wounds with the alcohol as we go, both of us silent. Hawk stopped, looking up, his face mask shifting with the sudden rapid sniffing of his nose. A few seconds later, I did the same. A greasy, smokey smell filled the air. Spar ran into the O.R.


"There's a fire! Down the street!"


"Get out of the room!" I yelled, more concerned about contamination.


"But Freddy-!"


"Will die if we don't get started. Get out!"


Hawk raised an eyebrow at me, both questioning my tone and asking the question that intruded in our minds. The buildings here were set close together, many made from cloth and wood. If we could spell the fire, that meant we were downwind of it. If it spread, it'd be rapid. If we wanted to evacuated, we needed to do it now.


But Freddy would die, and we were the only thing that might change that. Part of me began a slow, four count breathing, a confidence stilling my mind again. I was trained, however that came to pass, to work in worse conditions, and Doc? Hell, he grew up here. Life trained him to handle this.


"Scalpel," I said, outstretching a hand. I breathed, feeling the smell of smoke fill my lungs. I begin.
 
Violet


All of Pugnax's thrashing in the other room makes me seriously fear for the structural integrity of their condo. The roof might come down after he leaves. (Not too worried though, seeing as this neighborhood isn't exactly lacking in available places to live). He breaks something made of glass and ugh, I can smell it all the way from here. Molasses. Yep, that's what he wanted, because I can hear him practically tripping over himself to devour the sweet stuff. Poor guy -- that horn makes it tougher for him to get what he wants. And I know from experience he'll try to eat every last drop when he's in a mood like this. If it's spilled on something, he'll eat whatever it's spilled on. Can't say I'm mourning their cabinets or tables right now though. Maybe he'll fucking calm down by the time I'm back from town. Maybe even wander into town looking for me. He does that sometimes. Doesn't like being separated from me. ...I don't like it either.


I stow my gun and get up slowly. Looks like my gamble worked. "Okay." My voice is a bit shaky from adrenaline, still. "Just come with me, then. We'll go find her." Now that I'm not immediately in danger, my logic is really starting to get me. I think I might be fucking insane for saying that this was somehow a big enough deal to bring Hooper into it. My stomach ties in a knot at the thought of the machete biting into it. Nevertheless, I take the girl's hand and ask Beck to follow. We're all walking out and I calm my nerves by telling myself that I'll just have some Faced deal with it. It'll be okay as long as I ultimately fulfill my end of the deal.


Off to Outer Goldpond I go, then. I'll deal with the issue of getting into Inner Goldpond once I make it to the gate. I guess.
 
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Midas


You're an absolute bastard Midas, I love it.


Twitch takes the ointment with an eagerness matched only by his fear. A mushed up and mumbled "Thanksh" is all he gets out before hastily getting his cart out of there. Much like your gift, he'll be back no doubt.


Now what do you do?


Hooper and Sin


Hehehe, a cookout eh? Well you certainly didn't need to bring any hot dog, all the dicks are inside the Lion's Den.


So you two got front row seats to this little spectacle. You can definitely hear shouting going on inside. The front door slams open, the heavy plating completely useless against the fact that the fucking building is burning down. A handful of those smoked out rats pile out, coughing, hacking and wiping at their eyes trying to figure what just happened.


Except one bastard. His stupid fashion choice of goggles actually let him take a clear look around. You can't tell who he's looking at between the two of you, but you can definitely see him say "Shit."


The eye of the storm ladies, what do you do?


Crow


Ya know, I think your truck could handle it. I think. You'd have to be careful not to fuck the whole thing up though. Course the only other way would be to back up, there are other trails through these woods. They're just too damn thick to go off-roading unfortunately.


What's it gonna be Driver?


Amin


You got nerves of steel girl! I ain't too worried about it though, I live well enough away my stuff is fine. Now Hawk, he's getting nervous though. It's obvious from the clenched jaw and the profuse sweat on his brow. He doesn't say anything while you two are working.


Now the elephant in the room. There's a bullet just about lodged in the kid's spine. You gotta get that thing out, it's the last bit though. After this you just gotta wrap it up and he should be fine.


But, and it's a big one, you fuck this up you'll probably wind up paralyzing the kid.


What do you do doctor?


Violet


Beck silently assess the situation before agreeing to go. "I won't be accused by a thief and a liar by being absent."


She stands off from the three of you as you go, Sadie and the other girl seem to be sticking pretty close to you. Although Sadie definitely keeps a healthy distance between herself and Pugnax, who by the way is chittering -quite- happily. The mystery girl though is step-in-step with ya, the bruises on her face ripening a deep purple.


"Thanks, name's Stella by the way."


She held out her hand to shake and your adorable pet definitely made an agitated sound. The reason isn't evident, but then you see a pillar of smoke rising in the distance.


What do you do?
 
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Hooper


What else. I grab my blade and charge on in. The two Faced I brought with come from the sides.


I reach the first one...


My blade tastes his blood. The force I slam into his neck with snaps bone just enough so he can stay alive enough to feel what I'm doing. I drag the blade through, letting momentum carry me forward to the three quarter mark.


Then I rip.


I hear that odd sound. A snapping, wet crunch of a noise that is the ripping of skin. I yank once more and the rest of the head comes loose. Let the goggles man look at that.


I throw the head at him.


I inflict terrible harm


I take little damage


[dice]4026[/dice]
 
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Wrong fucking day to wear goggles. Hooper's already there, in Hooper fashion. Might as well do what she asks. I lock my gaze onto Goggles and do my best to melt his mind before he can react to my gruesome queen.


(rolling to help Hooper)


[dice]4027[/dice]
 
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Midas


Twitch leaves nothing behind but a lingering odor of foulness and my precious, newest addition to the family. She's oozing gratitude, purring and making my skull buzz with pleasure, trying to tempt me downstairs where it'll just be the two of us. There I am, thinkin' today can't be more perfect, when somebody just has to go and ruin my mood and start screaming about a fire. I haven't been payin' much attention to Goldpond, focused on negotiations such as they were, but now I can see the plume of black smoke stabbing into the sickly sky. It's in Outer Goldpond, from the looks of it. Close enough to be a concern, far enough away I don't gotta worry about it right now. So I turn around, head back inside, lock the exterior and inner door behind me to make sure we don't get interrupted and fall into her waiting embrace.


How's it feel, to satisfy her? Well, that'd be prying, and I fucking hate people stickin' their nose in my business. I give her the prize, and the slough repellant besides, and I lose track of a few minutes as her pleasure washes over me. But she never stays content for long, no, and now she's curious abut what's happening up above. She's insatiable, and she knows the Faced got what she needs. And if there's a fire, the Faced will come out to play and keep track of their little kingdom. Maybe even the queen psycho herself.


"Of course, of course," I say. "But if you want me to mess with them... You gotta give me something good, dear, something deadly..." (go into hoard and look for something useful)
 
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The smoke smelled greasy, chemical. Either someone was storing oil soaked rags for a rainy day, or the building set on fire became that way on purpose.


We ignored it. I watched Doc Hawk. I didn't know much of the extent of his surgical experience. Most of the folks I brought to him were something simpler. A broken limb, some bad cuts, a series of splinters buried under the skin. This might be the most intense work he's ever done. Who knows?


Either way, it was starting to get to him, and the last piece, the one that sat, technically not deadly but certainly tricky, might be the thing he'd been dreading all along.


It was lodged right next to the spinal cord, T-8, my brain quipped. We'd gotten the other shrapnel, or as much as we could, and we'd closed the major arteries that removing the broken bullet's pressure opened to gush. Freddy would have a ton of stitches, but this was the thing that made us both sweat. The wheelbarrow did him no favors, it'd been jostled about, and a wrong nick could mean Freddy would lose connection with everything below that point in the spine. I didn't want to think of how a kid with no working legs would do in this world.


I glanced back up. Doc Hawk was shuddering. His face matched Freddy's in paleness, and his face was covered in sweat. I put down my scalpel and picked up a square of gauze, using it to swipe at the man's head, sparing him the temptation to wipe with his hands.


"We're almost through," I said, throwing the gauze far behind me, praying it was thick enough to protect my own gloved hands. "You're doing damn good, doctor. Likely, we've already saved his life." I glanced down. What I wouldn't give to give Freddy a blood transfusion, but that was impossible. That technology was long lost.


"Take a breath. We've both performed like gods. Time to pull off one more miracle, right?" I smiled as best as I could with my eyes. We were both frayed and tired from the stress and the growing cloy of the smoke. More than anything, though, I needed Hawk to be present, to be here, to ignore his doubts until after we've closed. Right now, I needed his hands and his skill. "Ready, doctor?" I asked, prepared to work with him in this final task.
 
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