Vash The Stampede (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
doubledollar) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
kaisou2023-05-14 06:51 pm
doubledollar) wrote in kaisou2023-05-14 06:51 pm
Entry tags:
SeeD 6 - Raindrops in the Sand
WHO: Vash, + Libra, Rren, Varian, Wolfwood
WHERE: Some places in Kaisou, Kanto Stable Gate, etc
WHEN: Mid-May
WHAT: Vash and his sidequests for the month! Still can't help himself.
WARNINGS: Likely violence for the ones with wolfwood + rren, fighting might be involved. Will update if needed.
(Click on the Arrow to reveal post!)
Honestly, take it from me. While I'm ALL for the kind of nonsense that involves people in need? I can tell you first hand, that there's no such thing as a 'lucky' anything. Unless there's actually a magic spell on that ball that gives them luck, they'd do just as well with ANY of the other balls they have.
[ listen he is an EXPERT when it comes to matters involving LUCK!!! he gives a little sigh, but then turns his head to give his enby buddy a bright smile anyway. ] But hey. You know, I've definitely gone on worse missions and had worse outcomes. Remind me to tell you how I got the bunnies on the farm one day.
[ but that's neither here nor there. ]
So, what's a dog park, anyway. Neither of us are dogs, so... getting in might be a bit troublesome. Might have to be a stealth mission?
You brought those knitting needles those dumb plants spat out at me a week or so ago, right? Those should help out a little, their supplies are a little thin, here...
[ vash is sitting at the table they've been shown by the helpers they signed up to volunteer with, and he's going through piles of very rough looking clothing, torn and with holes in various places...
he's sewn his own clothing together dozens of times and he's not bad at this kind of work! But. The thing was, he didn't think about it until he arrived here... but.
Sewing and knitting was sort of a two-handed task, wasn't it?
He's looking at Libra weakly. ]
Sorry that it looks like you're gonna' be doing the lion's share of the work here. I can work on matching up torn parts and--
[ oh god that's a buneary runnin right across the table, scattering balls of yarn as he goes. Vash is gonna get up and try to grab the thing. ]
[ probably after the meeting with the kid at his farm, the whole fiasco with showing the guy his neat bullet-dodging power as well as testing out a new arm prototype the guy has been making for him--it was easy, as far as vash was concerned, to want to spend some more time with the guy. that's what you do when you're trying to make a friend, right? do things, spend time with them? he remembered the last time he went to Kanto, with Waver, and that'd been a fun trip that had ended with him getting to know the professor a bit better, so.
It was easy enough to suggest to Varian--a man who boasted great skill with gadjets and alchemy--that a trip to the Kanto region might be fun. Both for profit, and to learn more things about the little round friends that came from the stable gate.
And that's how Vash finds himself walking with the shorter man--a tiny little apple-shaped worm sitting carry in his wide coat-collar as they make their way inside. ]
Have you been here before? I mean, you've been in the city longer than I have, right?
Last time I was here it was mostly for a vacation so I didn't spend a lot of time lookin' at the flora or anything like that.
[ are hot peppers in kanto gonna look different than they do back on earth.... ]
[ he built a hammock between two of the biggest apple trees in the small orchard near the cottage. That's where he's currently sitting, with Applin sitting atop his head, staring at his phone with a measure of discomfort on his face.
It's been about two, three nights since the impromptu campfire party with Dante, and while the memory itself was a fantastically good one--he's having a bit of a worry about the certain part of himself that returned that night.
So, now's a good time to go looking for a distraction. He's brought up the Libra mission board that Yuu had shown him, when he'd first arrived, looking. Looking for... Something fun, something simple to get his mind off it--to pretend he isn't worried about the possibility that exists that he may just one day grow that horrifying cannon--
He shakes his head as he hears the approach of footsteps, trying to quickly erase the growing look of worry off his face as he turns his head to see who it is. Being here for two months, almost three now--he's used to getting random visitors and is always excited to see them. His eyes fall upon his oldest friend, and he places his phone down on his knee--raising his one hand to wave at Wolfwood as he approaches. ]
Did you have a good trip out into town?
I told you, you could take Brad whenever you wanted, you didn't have to walk.
Especially not carrying that thing.
WHERE: Some places in Kaisou, Kanto Stable Gate, etc
WHEN: Mid-May
WHAT: Vash and his sidequests for the month! Still can't help himself.
WARNINGS: Likely violence for the ones with wolfwood + rren, fighting might be involved. Will update if needed.
(Click on the Arrow to reveal post!)
Do Not Look at the Dog Park👁️ (for Rren)
Honestly, take it from me. While I'm ALL for the kind of nonsense that involves people in need? I can tell you first hand, that there's no such thing as a 'lucky' anything. Unless there's actually a magic spell on that ball that gives them luck, they'd do just as well with ANY of the other balls they have.
[ listen he is an EXPERT when it comes to matters involving LUCK!!! he gives a little sigh, but then turns his head to give his enby buddy a bright smile anyway. ] But hey. You know, I've definitely gone on worse missions and had worse outcomes. Remind me to tell you how I got the bunnies on the farm one day.
[ but that's neither here nor there. ]
So, what's a dog park, anyway. Neither of us are dogs, so... getting in might be a bit troublesome. Might have to be a stealth mission?
Cotton the Act☁️ (for Libra)
You brought those knitting needles those dumb plants spat out at me a week or so ago, right? Those should help out a little, their supplies are a little thin, here...
[ vash is sitting at the table they've been shown by the helpers they signed up to volunteer with, and he's going through piles of very rough looking clothing, torn and with holes in various places...
he's sewn his own clothing together dozens of times and he's not bad at this kind of work! But. The thing was, he didn't think about it until he arrived here... but.
Sewing and knitting was sort of a two-handed task, wasn't it?
He's looking at Libra weakly. ]
Sorry that it looks like you're gonna' be doing the lion's share of the work here. I can work on matching up torn parts and--
[ oh god that's a buneary runnin right across the table, scattering balls of yarn as he goes. Vash is gonna get up and try to grab the thing. ]
Red Hot Chili Peppers🌶️ (for Varian)
[ probably after the meeting with the kid at his farm, the whole fiasco with showing the guy his neat bullet-dodging power as well as testing out a new arm prototype the guy has been making for him--it was easy, as far as vash was concerned, to want to spend some more time with the guy. that's what you do when you're trying to make a friend, right? do things, spend time with them? he remembered the last time he went to Kanto, with Waver, and that'd been a fun trip that had ended with him getting to know the professor a bit better, so.
It was easy enough to suggest to Varian--a man who boasted great skill with gadjets and alchemy--that a trip to the Kanto region might be fun. Both for profit, and to learn more things about the little round friends that came from the stable gate.
And that's how Vash finds himself walking with the shorter man--a tiny little apple-shaped worm sitting carry in his wide coat-collar as they make their way inside. ]
Have you been here before? I mean, you've been in the city longer than I have, right?
Last time I was here it was mostly for a vacation so I didn't spend a lot of time lookin' at the flora or anything like that.
[ are hot peppers in kanto gonna look different than they do back on earth.... ]
Got a Deal for You!💀 (for Wolfwood)
[ he built a hammock between two of the biggest apple trees in the small orchard near the cottage. That's where he's currently sitting, with Applin sitting atop his head, staring at his phone with a measure of discomfort on his face.
It's been about two, three nights since the impromptu campfire party with Dante, and while the memory itself was a fantastically good one--he's having a bit of a worry about the certain part of himself that returned that night.
So, now's a good time to go looking for a distraction. He's brought up the Libra mission board that Yuu had shown him, when he'd first arrived, looking. Looking for... Something fun, something simple to get his mind off it--to pretend he isn't worried about the possibility that exists that he may just one day grow that horrifying cannon--
He shakes his head as he hears the approach of footsteps, trying to quickly erase the growing look of worry off his face as he turns his head to see who it is. Being here for two months, almost three now--he's used to getting random visitors and is always excited to see them. His eyes fall upon his oldest friend, and he places his phone down on his knee--raising his one hand to wave at Wolfwood as he approaches. ]
Did you have a good trip out into town?
I told you, you could take Brad whenever you wanted, you didn't have to walk.
Especially not carrying that thing.
no subject
We can have just as many conversations without you threatening me! We can talk about a lot of things, I have 150 years of experiences to go off, you know!
[...you know, 'cause by now they had that talk about him and his lack of honesty
and a small promise that he'd try to be more honest from now on, so... ]
Is he more yellow? I don't know, I didn't notice.
He hated me for the first week we had him, remember, I couldn't get near him without him hissing and growling at me.
[ huff. finish drinking his water. ]
no subject
That so? You sure we should be runnin' around like this, pops? You might bust a hip at this rate.
[ new target to tease Vash with: acquired. honesty isn't easy and isn't always rewarded, even if it should be. he gnaws his way through his jerky, giving a little nod as the conversation turns to Fritter--giving a grin as Vash brings up one of his favorite things from the little asshole's first week with them. ]
He used to be more red all the way around but he's slowly going yellow, yeah. And how could I forget how much he hated you? It was hilarious to see him purr at everything and everyone and then turning into a hissing little demon at you for some godforsaken reason. What did you do that week to make all the animals hate you, man?
no subject
he chews his beef jerky slowly as he gives wolfwood an ANNOYED look at being called POPS, and he's gonna reach out to pinch one of wolfwood's exposed ankles. ]
Hey, just because I am old doesn't mean I'm physically aged, you know. I stopped aging when I turned about, I don't know. Ten? [ hey wolfwood you know how you grew up insanely fast? ...apparently it's a plant trait. ]
Hm. Maybe that just means he's getting mature or something. The apple he's in got bigger.
But, for real, I have no actual idea. I think it was just another curse, like the one that made me talk funny, or the one that gave me weird. Fuzzy worm hair. [ s i g h. ] This place is deeply magical, you can't expect a lot of the things that do happen.
Before you got here, I actually had a gunfight with dinosaurs.
no subject
Huh. Wonder if that's where the doc picked the idea up from--I've looked like this since I was about. Fourteen? Fifteen? [ one bout of honesty deserves another, right? a truth for a truth. it's weird to think that Vash or his shitheel brother might have some contribution in all the weirdness running through Wolfwood's veins.
he's not sure what to think about it, so he doesn't. Fritter's a nicer topic of conversation, just like the blueberry water tastes better on his tongue. ]
I kind of think he's picking new, bigger apples. Like, sometimes they come out just massive, which is also magical bullshit, I'm guessin', and I think he picks those as free real estate.
[ he almost looks jealous when Vash mentions a gunfight with-- ]
What's a dinosaur?
no subject
...Hm. I suppose that puts some things into perspective. [ he... doesn't know how old wolfwood is. he knows they did some weird experimentations on him in knives' weird cult, but he didn't know the extent of it. he'll have to ask, later, if he's older than he looks...
or, perhaps, younger. He doesn't want to think about it, honestly. he'd agree that fritter is a better topic. ]
Yeah, the garden is magical in some ways. It's why we get so much fruit--or why some of the vegetables grow when they're actually out of season. It's kind of wild. [ and fortunate, for two of them. children who are used to starving in a desert, it's paradise. ]
...Oh. Right. I keep forgetting.
You were raised on no-man's land. [ hm.
time to grab his phone and google and show wolfwood a picture of a pack of velociraptors. big fuckoff dinosaurs--with a picture of a man for comparison. ]
About a dozen of these.
They have hundreds of sharp teeth, like eating people, and screech, too.
no subject
Ain't half bad. I don't know how you managed to get lucky enough to get a place like that, but damn, Blondie, whoever handles your normal luck must've been asleep at the wheel that day. [ part of him loves the garden. the bounty, the plenty, the sweet air and the soft grass and the food that's so tender and fresh that you can eat it from the vine, from the soil--the boys who grew up with nothing but artificial replicas that cost blood, sweat, and tears really have found paradise.
suck it, Knives. nobody even had to die for it, probably.
he leans in to look at Vash's phone when he pulls up an example image, giving a laugh that just grows. more incredulous as he thinks about it. ]
How did you have a gunfight with that, Blondie! Lookit their arms! Their little, little arms!
no subject
He furrows his eyebrows a little at the other and decides to leave the question of how old his companion was for later. ]
I guess, because it was my first day here in the city, lady luck hadn't caught up with me yet to start stealing away my fortune.
When I first arrived, a girl named Ryoko rescued me from my labyrinth. Showed me how to use my phone then left. After that, Libra treated me to some donuts, and Zulius let me crash on his couch after giving me a job.
The next day when I went out for a walk, I met Jun after writing him a terrible poem in exchange for some breakfast, and he just. Brought me to this beautiful place and told me he didn't have time to properly care for it.
[ he laughs as he crumples up the now empty beef jerky bag, taking out the last big chunk and offering it to wolfwood. ]
And the dinosaurs didn't HAVE guns, they had huge teeth and like, literal blades on their feet. I ended up having to shoot a ton of them while carrying a girl named Yasuho out of the building under my arm.
...
Man. [ wolfwood's laugh is... nice. ]
no subject
it was easier to snitch the last piece of jerky from Vash and offer a handful of chips as a bartering offer, snack for a snack, life for life, truth for truth, strife for strife.
he gives Vash a low whistle as the man recalls his earliest days in Kaisou. ]
That is crazy lucky for you, huh. It's almost like some new luck demon had to catch up with you and take over. [ he swigs his water, and just... ruminates on it.
he's not left to ruminate for long because dinosaur pictures happen to him, and he can't help but laugh, especially once the real thought hits him between Vash's attempts to handle the situation. ]
Aw, c'mon, Spikey! That's almost lame compared to-- [ and he draws his arms back so his elbows are tucked to his sides, fingers curled like he's holding pistols in his hand. ] Just picture it! Tryin' get a good shot with itty bitty little arms--
[ and someday, when No Man's Land comes to collect Wolfwood's sorry soul, a scaley gunman with a ridiculous name like Fitzpatrick the Two Pint Terror will come and shoot him directly in the ass when he's between vials, and that's how Nicholas Dangerous Wolfwood will die.
of ass bullet.
it makes him double over laughing again. ]
no subject
It's like. When I got here, the goddess of bad luck lost track of me and I went back to my REGULAR luck. It's crazy. Then she found me again, because I can only escape for so long. Sssssssigh. At least I got a really nice home for myself before everything went to crap...
[...and then his head is coming up. Slowly.
As Nicholas makes motions of something ridiculous. Dinosaurs with little guns, a name like the two pint terror...
The smile on Wolfwood's face is bright and playful, and it... makes his heart churn in an odd way. He feels his stomach flip a little, and soon... the laugh becomes infectious enough that when it doubles down, Vash is laughing, right alongside with him. His hand moving up to cover his face as tears sting the corners of his eyes. ]
--I'm. I'm not gonna' be able to look at the dinosaurs the same. Ever again. If they ever show up again I'm just gonna' start. Laughing my ass off because I'll be picturing them with pistols... Nico, you're gonna' get my ass killed!!
[ this moment
is one he could call joy ]
no subject
Have you tried havin' less of a devilish smile and a gambler's spirit? Maybe Lady Luck would find some other schmuck to tango with, instead of an intriguing devil in red.
[ he's feeling--oddly playful. light? the sword of Damocles isn't over his head anymore, the orphanage both a pressing concern and yet not. Julai is frozen somewhere else in time. Wolfwood can just be Nico for a minute, doubled over in cackling laughter on the back of a bike that he owns, stomach full and lips tasting berry sweet.
Wolfwood continues to crackle his laugh from the depths of his chest; and man, its been a long time since he's felt such a bubbling sense of absurdity in his belly, let alone having been peaceful enough to actually show it, to laugh like this without it being sharp or cynical. he's wheezing as Vash comes apart with him. ]
Like you can't do some sort of--giggle-dance with your dumb springy limbs and dodge every shot! You're the bendiest asshole I've ever seen; the only time I've seen someone hit you is when you didn't bother to move!
no subject
He could get lost in a world like this. free of the strife of home, free of the overwhelming presence of life-ending danger looming overhead. he could just... enjoy life, just like rem said he would be able to, once the world had figured itself out and the grasses turned green.
He wants more days like this. Outside on a bike with Wolfwood, eating snacks and playing around like it's the easiest thing in the world. ]
Hey, it's not like it's my fault people make a regular habit of shooting at me! I had to learn some way to counteract it in a way that didn't involve shooting them back. Avoiding it is WAY easier, I've gotten really good at it, it's second nature! And besides, it does WONDERS for making people quit fights against me, too.
They get super disheartened when they unload a hundred double dollars worth of bullets on me and not *one* hits...
no subject
There's something about this that Wolfwood... draws over his shoulders, like a blanket on a frigid night, blocking out the cold and the shapes in the dark. He can pretend the danger's not so bad from down here, sugary cream in his teeth and tank full of gas in his motorcycle. The end of the road might've been Julai, but maybe they can be in the two months in between, jumping from town to town with the radio on and the the reporters arguing in the front seat while Vash just smiles with the corners of his eyes all crinkled and calm. ]
See, I get the same effect by just tankin' the bullets. Tends to freak people out when you don't drop like a sack of flour, and then it's easier to shoot them instead.
[ he sips his water as Vash drops his statistic, giving a low whistle. ]
That's a lot of grocery money. Like two day's worth for the whole orphanage.
no subject
I got to admit, I'm not sure my heart's ready to see you take a bullet or something for the first time. I'm not even sure you could do that sort of healing back in the timeline I'm from, but. It's possible you just haven't done it in front of me, yet. [ because his wolfwood is a little more cagey, and a little less suicidal. ] And I know, right?
I always tell them it's a waste of time and ammo to shoot at me! And then they do it anyway... and then they get all mad...
no subject
Vash can let himself be an angel for a little while. ]
When the drugs start working again, I can take a whole hail of bullets and keep kicking. Maybe your Wolfwood was such a lucky guy that he didn't have the chemicals. [ sounds like bitch tactics, get on the tank train, other Wolfwood. ]
See, at least my gun's being funded by your dickhead of a brother, more or less. Always gave me the warm fuzzies to waste a few thousand doubledollars of his funding at any given time. [ Wolfwood'll swing his legs around to straddle the bike properly, though, looking behind him as he turns the bike on. ]
So. Ready to cruise for a bit, Blondie?
no subject
maybe he'd like the idea of being an angel for a while. especially if that's how wolfwood wanted to see him. that was... a nice thought. ]
I'm not sure if he was lucky. He was real bad at gambling, but he was real good at using that cross of his as a shield, too. Difference between yours and his, too? the--short arms on it weren't just for show, they actually housed about ten pistols in them in case he ran out of the good bullets in the big machine gun part.
[ just so you can waste even more bullets on nai's dime, you know? ]
Ready when you are. It was a nice interlude, but. I was enjoyin' the drive.
[ he's gonna reach out and turn up the radio again.
🎶 Desole, desole.... 🎵 ]
no subject
If he was anything like me, he wasn't dumb enough to go in unprepared to make luck go his way, you know? And I might not have a bunch of little pistols, but I usually have a laser at the other end of the gun. I cut one of the giant hiveworms in half once.
[ imagine wasting the energy cells necessary for that cannon on nai's dime. ]
If you know which way the highway's hidin' in, point it out, Spikes. Let's hit a long road for a little while.
[ the radio croons along
🎵 but dear, I don't wanna die 🎵 ]
no subject
Nah. You're pretty resourceful, no matter what universe you come crawling out of, seems like. I'd love to have seen how you managed to cut a whole giant hiveworm in half with a laser cannon though, sheesh. ...not that I actually say we should go looking for trouble, though!!!
Let's just go find that package this guy needs to find and enjoy the day driving around.
[ because back home, the driving was always for an end goal that sang death knells for them. here... here it could just be for fun. he liked that idea.
the radio continues its light hearted, slow and enigmatic cruising music, with the announcer interrupting just to introduce the next song, to mumble about the weather...
life was good. today. ]
no subject
S'not hard to use a laser cannon to cut something. Hiveworms are just... yanno. Meat. You spin the cannon and it goes through them. Use your shoulders. Also, I don't think you're the person to talk about not havin' trouble show up. [ he pops the 'p at the end and smirks as he turns in whichever directions Vash points out to him until they hit open road and get to just... cruise for a while.
the air is nice and pleasant, there's no sand whipping their faces. Wolfwood's gonna take his time rumbling up one side of the highway and back down the other, until Vash starts pointing out how to get to his bar workplace over the buzz of the radio and the rush of running wind. he's got his sunglasses on and they're on their way to do some sort of easy work for quick cash, right?
life really is good today. ]
no subject
He's certain it's quite an odd sight, a motorcycle carrying two mismatched individuals and a large wrapped cross, but.
It's not as if Vash cares. He's here, in this moment, staring a little too fondly at Wolfwood with thoughts that were getting away from him.
It's not the wolfwood he's grown attached to over the last few years. It's not the wolfwood who scoured the desert for months to find him, it's not the wolfwood he woke up next to in a hospital, relieved to see him alive and horrified that he could have lost him, realising all at once that this was a man he didn't want to see hurt.
But it's still Wolfwood. he can see it in the way the man talks, the way his humor turns sharp. how he's slightly mean to him just for the sake of seeing him react, how he smiles at him even after being a brat. A smile warmer than the sun is, with eyes that look more gentle than the man who owns them.
He directs them to the Vogue theatre, and he uses the exuse of texting Zulius that he'd be parking his new motorbike in the lot out back in order to shake the thoughts off so he could
maybe
hide the melancholy look on his face from his friend and get back into a headspace where maybe for a while
he can allow the escapism to this world be a fantasy where he's allowed to be happy. ]
Zulius said he'd have eyes kept on the bike, so no worries about it. There's a few of my buddies on staff so it'll be looked after.
[ he fixes wolfwood with a grin. ]
We may not get to use the cross punisher to fight any giant bugs today, but.
Maybe it'll be a good suggestion to have whoever might have stolen the package we are looking for to give it back peacefully, yeah?
... No killing, though, whatever happens.
no subject
it's nice, to pretend to be a normal man. to let his cross list at his side, to not have the feeling of everyone else's blood on his hands if he didn't carry out whatever work was hung around his neck, and maybe, just maybe, being a normal man means he can worry about normal things. Vash is having a greater contemplation on the meaning of life, love, and universe, and Wolfwood is just... letting it off his shoulders. living for right now, being who he is, unapologetic.
he can think about stuff other than being a monster for hire if he's just a man for now.
he's also allowed to be happy. he swings his leg off his bike when they park at Vash's club, standing up and reaching over to pluck Cross Punisher free of her place of honor next to Spikey, giving him a wry little grin as he uses his free hand to fish out a pack of his cigarettes. ]
Your buddy better keep an eye on this bike. I just got this today, I'd be pissed if it walked off already. [ he tucks the keys into his pockets for safekeeping, shouldering his gun once he's got his cigarette lit and settled between his lips. ]
Don't start with the no killin' shit already, Blondie. What if there's stuff that needs killin' where we go, huh? What if it's a giant wormhive all over again?
no subject
that, maybe, if just for a moment, if he could have things his way, he could stay in this world. this world that had no fear, little strife, abundant food, people who could be happy. he didn't have to watch his friends die here, he had friends he could rely on and not fear that he'd lose them because someone was constantly after him.
What if he could live here for two, three--four hundred years? He knows, thanks to waver, that time doesn't pass between worlds. So he could spend a long and happy life here. In Kaisou. And not worry about his own world meeting its own heat death. He'd have to return, one day, but.
But what if he could just.
Be here.
And be happy. ]
No, for real, Trust me, Zul is a great guy and he'd do everything in his power to protect this for you. And me! Noone gets a sheet over Zul's eyes and noone would dare steal a bike that's being looked after. Promise.
People are a lot less shitty about stealing things in this world, anyway.
I once left my wallet on a table at a Dunkin Donuts, and when I went back, someone had given it to an employee at the desk. Didn't even steal the money inside. So.
[ look people CAN steal in this world, Vash is just an IDEALIST and he's not had many bad experiences other than getting cursed by the supernatural. Yet. ]
...and like! It's fine to kill monsters! Or undead things, or big bugs or ... stuff like that. Like. We gotta protect ourselves, you know? Those things are just... not the same as killing people, though. { you cant steal a ticket to the future from something that's already died, or that's a mindless creature bent on killing... ]
I think the guy who gave out this quest said something about the package last being seen down near a cafe in ... that direction. [ he has his phone out with some directions... ]
no subject
Wolfwood lives for right now, with a hand in the river to shape which way the water might flow for a little while and he tells himself he needs nothing more than that. he blows a smoke ring around his cigarette, one hand in his pocket while the other holds the Cross Punisher like it weighs nothing over his shoulder. ]
Yeah, yeah, I'll take your word for it, Spikey, simmer down. [ this world's a real peach, ain't it? And you can even dig out the rotten parts with a spoon if you're clever, most of the fruit still good to eat aside from a bruise or two. it's almost so luxurious it almost makes Wolfwood mad at how easy it could've been, could be. he grunts as Vash yammers about his moral code, shoulder-checking the blond as he leans down to peer at his directions. ]
There are things in life that need killing or re-killing and the sooner you get comfortable with that, the smaller my headache'll be, Spikes. You think it's that building over there with the coffee cup sign?
[ he removes his hand from his pocket to point, and then tucks it right back away ]
no subject
Hey, I'm plenty simmered. [ he just has a lot of faith in his friends, alright?? ]
I'm never going to be comfortable with killing people, so that's just something you're gonna' have to accept. Monsters and zombies are different, their lives are only geared towards stealing life--they can't be logically convinced to change. So...
[ you can talk down a gunman and make him change his ways. you can't talk down a rabid animal focused only on blood blood blood and that can't hear anything but that sort of choir.
He's gonna lift his head, though, as Nico points.
Ooh.
He's gonna start heading that way.
Hey Nicholas, remember when you got grabbed into this world? That black, static-like tear in reality that sucked you in and threw you into a maze of an orphanage?
Vash remembers it, too.
And as they turn the corner towards that building, a tear very much like that opens up underneath their feet...
...and very suddenly throws the pair into a place that's filled with darkness, bramble, and thorns. the air is thick, pungent with a smell that's sort of like musty old books and rot. Vash quickly scrambling to his feet as they land, his hair a bit mussed up as he leans over to IMMEDIATELY check on wolfwood. ]
--Shit, are. Are you okay???
no subject
You're not simmered enough. I'm gonna put you back on the stove. [ too much faith in his friends, some people would say.
Wolfwood would say. he doesn't understand having friends or trusting people with your life like that. ]
And I'm never gonna stop thinking that's short-sighted, so. We both have things we'll have to disagree about and hope it never comes to real friction. [ he could make so many arguments right now, right here, about there being plenty of living people in the world who would never change once they'd gotten a taste for human misery, but that would bum the vibe. it always bums the vibe. he waves his hand as they walk and walk
and then they aren't walking anymore, but falling
Wolfwood swears very colorfully as they go ass over end and back again, grunting when he lands on his gun and giving a little wheeze as he sits up, bracing his back with a hand. ]
I'm--fuck!--fine, just a little pissed off we've been grabbed up and thrown into a dumpster portal. [ he coughs a little, trying to get the smell of it out of his nose, his lungs, rubbing his face as he gets to his feet and looks around, yanking Cross Punisher up and resting it at his side as an uneasy feeling creeps up his back. ]
Hey, Needlenoggin. Might wanna get that Peacemaker out.
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Or that day he felt Wolfwood point a gun at him from behind, and yet, he didn't turn around to stop him, if it was really his choice to pull the trigger in that moment.
He doesn't want friction with this man--even if he knows they're on opposite ends of a careful balancing act, he could shift his weight to match as long as he had to.
And for now, that balancing act has them thrown into a place that's.. definitely not Kaisou, but definitely not Noman's Land, either.
His head comes up sharply as he feels... something crawling along the back of his neck. Feathers sprouting and curling up against his spine--a quiet, wordless warning from his body that there was danger. danger was near, don't just lie there in the dirt, protect yourself.
He reaches up to scrub the back of his neck with his hand, before he's up and looking around. ]
--Damn it, REALLY? [ maybe he shouldn't yell so loud, but. They were LITERALLY just talking about this EXACT THING. They seem to be in the middle of some tall-walled living flora labyrinth... and from in front and behind them, there was a slow-moving score of creatures that can really only be described as undead. wearing long-tattered and rotten clothing, sunken, grey-and-brown faces that long ago dried out and putrefied. They smelled as bad as they looked.
His gun is in his hand in an instant. ]
--Smaller pack seems to be in the south. Run and gun, we're gonna' have to find a way out of here!!
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