Break-Time

Break-Time
>be me
>all my friends are dead
>trying to LARP post-apoc
>still in flecktarn with repaired G3
>besides that, not really myself anymore
>just dealt with some heavy shit
>talking to a therapist now
>therapist told me, "You're clinging to your LARP as an attempt to retain your humanity."
>also said, "You need a break. All these things you've had to deal with are eroding your diminishing mental facilities."
>talking therapist tree could be on to something
>used a lot of big words I didn't understand
>already lost track of time thanks to night-ops only
>might have lost track before that, but night-ops is my excuse
>bayonet and rifle already talking to me, what if it gets worse?
>screw it, taking a vacation
>change of scenery is just what I need

>pack my gear, make my way to new haunt: ruins #4
>north part of forest is filled with ruins
>ruins #4 some sort of underground complex
>scouts nosing around there more often
>set up a hideout in nearby cave
>haven't seen the bear that lived here
>arrived too late to poke around
>sulking in a cave for the day
>goals for this expedition: loot and fun
>don't really need the loot, just hoarding
>like collecting cards, or something

>nightfall
>sneak out of cave with combat loadout
>need to stay in practice after all
>campfires in the ruins
>couple of scouts and dogs
>lots of dogs
>dogs seem bothered
>scouts know something up
>so much for surprise
>continue scouting perimeter
>small tents clustered around campfires
>big tent in the middle
>three sentries patrolling with dogs
>another sentry by big tent
>wonder what's in there
>iamthesneek.png
>dogs bothered even worse
>sentries looking scared
>can't imagine why
>cut through back of large tent real quiet-like
>cue disappointment
>just a loot pile
>rearrange loot pile
>poke around more
>guy sleeping in a corner
>dress laying on a chair
>is it a robe or a dress?
>don't really care, just had an idea
>sneak out to poke around camp
>sneak back in with borrowed rope
>tie sleeper into his bed
>real careful not to wake him up
>wonder how loud he'll scream when he wakes up

>close to dawn
>still sneaking around camp when they find the hole
>should've thought of that
>either way, finished camp census
>sneak out asap
>barely beat the sun back to the camp

>Camp Census
>pair of scouts
>seven sentries
>twelve dogs
>eight busy-bodies
>one mage, the group leader
>pretty sure he's a mage
>70% sure
>probably should've been sneakier, but where's the fun in that?

>nightfall
>make my way back to the ruins #4
>scouts not in tents, but asleep
>sentries out in force
>wonder what bothered them
>good time to practice talking
>finally got most of the extra teeth out
>listen in on a pair of sentries talking
>mostly chit-chat, occasional "All clear here" from meeting sentries
>spot a lone, bored looking scout
>no dogs in sight
>sneak in close
>try my best, "aLL ClEaR HeRE"
>sentry pales, looks around unnerved
>try again, "nICe weATHer, aYE?"
>sentry drops his spear, runs into camp
>hear them arguing
>decided to help myself to stuff
>who's got two thumbs and a new spear?
>also took the food, gotta feed the bear
>sentry came back
>brought another sentry, and dogs
>arguing with each other over missing stuff
>killing the mood, but meh
>sentries shouting now
>new sentry shouts"THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE!"
>mimic the last part, "noTHIng OUt thERE!"
>dogs start barking, both sentries freaking out
>make the same growl as cats I remember
>dogs still barking, but they scared now
>nice.jpg

>Sentries and dogs scouring the woods
>led them out pretty far
>circle back to camp for more goodies
>loot is theirs, by salvager's rights
>supplies, gears, not-loot are free game
>sneak through camp quick and quiet-like
>swipe as much rope as I can carry
>also swipe any spare bits of clothes
>just another part of the plan Mr.Bayonet
>final bit, sneak into big tent and swipe mage's spare dress
>robe, not dress
>need to remember that
>just need to avoid the scouts and mage
>scouts and mage discussing something near big tent
>didn't really listen
>stole the robe, and all the not-loot shinies
>sneak back out
>scouts and mage arguing bad
>something about "How can we stop it?" and "What can we do?"
>never ask the right questions like "Are we trespassing?" or "What does it want?"
>spend the rest of the night leaving false trails all about
>don't want to get cornered now, do I?

>new roommate is a pain
>technically his cave
>feeding it everything edible I took as rent
>stupid bear
>keeping non-food
>loot so far includes:
>enough pieces to LARP as a sentry, scout, or a busybody
>60-75% of the camp's rope
>a spare tent
>they know I'm here now
>need to be sneakier
>spend most of day trying on new stuff
>not sure how I fit into small clothes
>same way I still wear my flecktarn gear?
>any relation to why I haven't slept in so long?

>nightfall
>infiltration time!
>sentries out in force
>still practically waltz in
>notice scouts are missing
>pair of busybodies and all the dogs, too
>scouts and dogs can track me
>maybe an ambush?
>need to tread carefully
>torches placed around
>big tent different
>strange pictures on it
>lol doesn't stop me
>checking through the tent
>they moved the salvage
>didn't want it anyway
>rut around for shinies
>"Power Word: Pain."
>wtf?
>turn to see mage at the door
>mage blocking the way, "You're just a LARPer."
>not wrong, but what does it know?
>"Your rig isn't set up right!"
>words cut like a knife
>"Flecktarn is for casuals!"
>backing away
>"Do you even speak German?"
>need to escape
>mage shouts "Kannst du überhaupt deutsch??"
>don't even know what that means
>gotta get away
>spin away from mage and run for the back
>blow through patched hole in the back
>fleeing through forest fast as I can
>I haven't had this much fun in years

>scouts and dogs were waiting
>followed me through the woods
>and i've got plenty of rope
>2 scouts, 3 busybodies, and 12 dogs
>in that order of importance
>4 dogs to a busybody
>scouts with shotguns
>busybodies with spears
>scouts and dogs tracking me
>staying close to support each other
>faster than Hunters, but not enough
>early in the night, plenty of time to dick around
>leading them around a bit
>double back to a nice, solid tree
>snatch a busybody from above
>dogs freak out, bark at tree
>patiently stripping busybody to skivvies as group surrounds tree
>done binding arms and legs when I hear arguing
>"Is he still alive?" with usual "What should we do?"
>decide to answer their question, "SCREAM."
>heave tied busybody at a scout
>leap from the tree at other scout
>impact knocks both out
>scouts down, 2 busybodies left
>remaining busybodies too busy screaming to fight
>and then the dogs attacked
>nearly buried by weight
>kind of nice, aside from the biting
>can't keep playing though
>slip out of dogpile
>spend rest if the night leaving false trails around

>start plotting revenge at dawn
>voices are back
>raifu preaches forgive and forget
>bayonet screaming for blood
>voice no.41392904 suggested pissing in MREs
>so many options, so much rope

>nightfall
>head to
>mage sitting bit outside their light
>trying to hide in a circle
>dead dog nearby
>calls out "Beast! I wish to negotiate."
>stay out of sight, call back "WHAT DO YOU WANT."
>"We are here under the protection of the agreement. Leave us be."
>they don't have my teeth, checked when I was snooping
>didn't bring ammo
>no bueno
>"NO MARK. NO AMMO. NO SAFETY."
>mage tries again "But we-."
>grab him from behind
>"NONE."
>isn't an AIDS circle, doesn't bother me
>definitely isn't twink
>drag mage away into the night

>tied mage up, left him with roommate
>still early in the night, plenty of time for games
>sneak back to the camp
>scouts and busybodies gathered up in the large tent
>poorly done circle around it
>all the dogs are gone
>rest of the camp in shambles
>like they ran out of rope or something
>loop around camp looking for ambushes
>they really did gather into one spot, didn't they
>casuals
>make noise looting what's left
>call out to the tent, "ALL CLEAR."
>course they didn't fall for it, try small-talk
>someone actually started weeping rofl
>spent most of night salvaging and taunting them

>getting close to dawn
>make my way back
>smell oozing out of the cave
>shouldn't have left mage alone with roommate
>technically, i didn't kill him
>r-right?
>can't think straight, hunger getting worse from the smell
>kick roommate off whats left of mage
>fight bear for the pieces
>gathering what's left of mage in future blanket
>think i found everything
>a head, two legs, an arm
>was it one arm or two?
>can't find what's left of the dress
>robe, dammit! It's a robe!
>good thing I stole the spare
>works as nice sack to hold pieces
>new plan: pass this problem to someone else

>nightfall
>bag-o-mage smelling funny
>hiked over to camp, no one left
>start following their tracks
>tracks leading towards outpost
>two-day trip for normalfags, two nights to bother them
>catch up in time for a quickie
>they got a fire going, a body on guard
>chant loudly, "NO MARK. NO AMMO. NO SAFE."
>heave bag-o-mage into their tent
>bugger off till the next night

>quarter of a night left
>still looking for a temp bolt-hole
>spot a nice hole to bury myself in
>eagerly rush over
>something grabs my foot
>hit the ground hard enough to chip teeth
>first time falling in years
>nam was waiting for me
>only see his eyes and a hand from the ground
>holding my foot
>gives me a glare, "You fucked up."
>wasn't me, bear did it
>"You did it on purpose."
>thought the bear was full from everything else
>dead-eyed look now, "You should've known better. How long have you been here?"
>don't really mess with bears, bro
>"And all those times you played 'poke-the-bear' doesn't count"
>was focused on playing around, wasn't paying attention
>nam starts lecturing, "That's why your stuck here. You should have learned that years ago."
>don't miss this part of him
>"This is your penance. Safeguard the remains back to the outpost."
>survivors are doing that
>get an annoyed look, "They left it where it landed. Retrieve it and get his remains to the outpost. Bring the pelt, too."
>what about the sun? close to dawn
>nam sinking away, "When did you start sucking dicks? Last I checked you're not a fucking vampire."
>so much for my vacation

>beeline for the camp
>scouts and busybodies gone
>sure enough, sack-o-mage sitting there
>hogs were sniffing, can see their tracks
>reluctantly pick up sack
>smells awful now
>hurry southwest towards border with outpost
>dawn catches me halfway
>like walking through a blast furnace
>can't rush, down to a slow jog
>no joke, think bits of me melted off
>in the western quadrant by nightfall
>take a quick breather
>how the heck did I get sunburns on gear??
>keep pushing forward
>spot a light just inside forest
>twink sitting in a circle of candles
>legit glad to see him
>calls out to me, "Beast! I wish to talk."
>good timing
>call back "TALK. YES."
>"Some of our men entered the forest a week ago, but we did not send them. Did you take them?"
>"NO. JUST FUN."
>"And my apprentice? Do you know what happened to him?"
>thought mage smelled familiar
>"DEAD. BEAR ATTACKED."
>step into light to lay out the sack and pelt
>"ACCIDENT. MENT TO BRING HERE ALIVE."
>never want to play poker with twink
>"Can you bring the men back?"
>sounds like too much work
>"WHAT DO YOU OFFER?"
>"Our continued goodwill. An oath that we won't retaliate."
>words, words, words
>pretty sure nam would make me do it anyway
>"DEAL."

>long trek back to last camp site
>not sulking the entire time
>night and a half to get there
>sun still burns, less hand-on-fire more too-close-to-oven burn
>movement speed decrease
>gotta avoid daytime engagements
>rot smell won't go away
>making it hard to track
>also doing wonders for hunger

>starting at broken large tent
>remains of it torn apart
>3 sets of tracks split three ways
>four sets dragging something, roughly heading southwest
>ten going south, two north
>choose north first
>smallest group, and they going wrong way
>find them close to sunset
>a pair of sentries
>trudging on despite growing dark
>good for me, lets me sneak in close
>close enough to hear them comment on strange oder
>dead mage smell isn't fading, not good
>pair pick up their pace
>sentry 1 trips on a root
>quickly pounce and hog-tie him
>still managed to let out scream
>sentry number 2 freaks out and makes a run for it
>tree KO's sentry
>bind him up nice n' tight
>two down, 15 to go
>only made one mistake
>gotta carry both myself
>end up dragging both back to starting point

>dawn
>struggling to make good time with two kicking bodies
>refuse to accept it's too heavy
>started tracking southern group from wrecked large tent
>they making lots of loops
>either evasion experts or they lost
>find em in two hours, guess which it was
>two sentries arguing which way to go
>no compass, no map, and they keep pointing west when they say north
>other 3 trying to corral 5 busybodies
>busybodies and other sentries looking tired and frustrated
>too many to tie up and carry off
>might as well check around their projected path
>get back in time to see...they're still arguing
>drop off excess baggage nearby
>made enough noise to attract attention
>need to track down southwest group anyway

>went back to broken tent and followed the last set
>really easy to follow thanks to the drag marks
>practically a direct path to outpost
>scouts unaccounted, probably in this group
>most likely why they ain't lost
>eventually catch up to em
>one scout leading, 2 busybodies carrying an injured scout
>looks like one I landed on, whoops
>third busybody keeping lookout, doesn't see me
>but they notice silence, and some smell me
>really hope that isn't permanent
>going the right way, no need to interfere
>close to nightfall when I make my way back to south group

>cut straight through forest instead of backtracking
>catch up to find they've solved all their issues, found north, and are safely heading home
>I'm allowed to dream, right?
>still lost, still arguing, starting to piss me off
>they gonna act like cows I'll treat them like cows
>position myself on their eastern end
>using really fuzzy math to place outpost on opposite end
>unsling raifu, mount bayonet
>no killing, no killing
>sneak in close, killing close
>near a nervous busybody when I start
>loudest imitation of a bobcat screech
>violate the heck out of rule 3 while shooting over their heads
>G3 spits hot brass at high velocities into mini-crowd
>camp freaks out, flees the noise
>it's a freaking stampede
>roughly going the right way
>course corrections via different angles of attack needed
>one sentry tries to attack with spear
>bayonet slices through the shaft like butter
>3-round burst blinds him, flying brass gets him running again
>finally got a nice routine after about an hour
>single shot to redirect them, short burst to keep them motivated
>only concerned about ammo now
>end up using all but holdout mag driving cattle
>group made good time with the magic power of adrenaline
>only middle of the day
>almost enough fun to blot out burning pain
>twink still sitting in the candle circle, eyes closed
>how long was he waiting? wonder if he's stiff
>call out to him, "MEN RETURN. PROMISE KEPT."
>twink stands up, "We thank you for your generosity. We shall honor the agreement."
>that's my line
>don't care atm
>I just want a fucking bath