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
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.
no subject
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!!
no subject
but there's no friction when you're falling, even if there is a thump when you land. Wolfwood rolls for his knees and drags Cross Punisher up, working to get to his feet--and when Blondie's feathers start popping out to say hello, Wolfwood yanks the cover off of his gun and hefts it up like it weighs nothing, engaging the mechanism and getting his fingers on the skull shaped trigger. ]
What the hell did you get us into this time?!
[ run and gun, a hail of bullets mowing through the small pack to buy them a quick way through ]
no subject
[ DID HE see it? It happened so suddenly, even vash isn't sure exactly what happened. or where they were, or how they were gonna get out of this. All he knew was that they had to run, gun, and find some fucking way out of here. ]
Just--
They should go down if you knock their heads off--
[ vash doesnt sound HAPPY about the fighting, but... at the same time, these things weren't alive. they were the corpses of the dead, reanimated as nothing but puppets. laying them to rest was the right thing to do. ]
If there's some way in here; then there's some way out.
no subject
[ he didn't see shit other than the dirt and the Cross Punisher, frankly, and when in doubt, blame Vash the Stampede for all of life's weird little misfortunes. ]
Don't have to tell me twice!
[ Vash could pop off their little skeleton heads to his heart's content, but Wolfwood didn't do... precision work. he hails bullets on the reanimated dead--and on the brambles caging them in, because mazes are for chumps when the answer is go through. ]
Well use your big ol' plant brain and find our way through, Blondie!
no subject
[ yes, he will whine, and no, he does not feel bad about it. He's too busy runnin and gunnin right now, doing a flying leap over a pack of zombies, using one of the monsters as a springboard as he finally pulls his own gun from his belt.
While Wolfwood might not do precision work, Vash does. Six bullets fired, and six of them go down--clearing a new path down one of the less bramble-covered pathways of the apparent labyrinth. ]
What do you mean 'big plant brain!' It's soup, it's soup at best! I'm totally crap at puzzles!!
no subject
[ Wolfwood isn't whining vocally, but spiritually, he's whining like a dog who can see the peanut butter Kong but is not being given the peanut butter Kong. he runs in Vash's wake--and when the man takes down six for six zombies and needs precious seconds to reload, Wolfwood plants his weight and hefts his gun and rips through about nine of the restless dead and a good chunk of the brambles. ]
If your brain sucks how do you do eighty calculations in two seconds so no one can shoot you?! Be useful for once you asshole!
no subject
He keeps pushing forward. ]
That's--!! That's different! Usually when I'm doing that, I know where the danger is coming from and can see it! This is a maze! I don't know the !!
[ and then he turns a corner, all but slamming facefirst into a wall of bushes. Augh. ]
--Hold on, this wall has give. I bet we can push through it--
no subject
but that bitch is still out to lunch, and Wolfwood is in the here and now, chasing hell on Vash's heels as they tear down one way and up the other, failing all basics of maze etiquette where you're supposed to put one hand on the wall and keep it there all the way through--but that's for people who don't have machine guns and alien powers. and zombies chasing them. ]
The danger's everywhere, factor that into your calculation! And stand clear!
[ because Wolfwood is gonna push through the brambles all right and saw them a nice hole with his gun, reaching out to grab Vash and push him through it. ]
no subject
It works? It absolutely works and in a moment they're both crashing through to the other side.
Any worry about the zombies getting through the hole is wiped out, because upon looking back, the labyrinth is... healing itself? New brambles and thorns closing up the wound, keeping the roaring pack of zombies behind it.
Vash is gonna lie down on the ground.
Momentarily safe. ]
That was some amazing thinking.
Looks like that lost them for a bit...
[ but the maze persists. ]
...Think we could get thru the whole thing like that...?
no subject
I'm willin' to give it a shot, sure. I'm already out of patience and I haven't really had to fire the ol' mercy bringer up for anything since we got her, so I'm good on bullets.
The straightforward path is always the best one, ain't it. [ and sometimes if straightforward means you have to do a little creative construction, then so be it. ]
no subject
[ he's sitting up, looking at the other--considering. ]
I could carry you.