HoE: S01 E05

<Darkling> Dawn breaks the next morning, the storm having passed over fairly quickly and no other creepy things coming out in the night to bother you, every got a good chance to rest, assuming they could after what they saw in the decrepit house.
Deane wakes up with bags under his eyes and stubble lining his chin and face. He yawns wide like a bear, guitar still on his lap as he slept with is back to the rock. Reaching into his bag, he takes a quick swig of whiskey, shivering as it runs down his throat.
<Nia_S> "Mrh." Nia's up lazily, checking on Otto and Otto's guard duty.
<Deane> "Mornin'." He grumbles a little, checking to see if there were any more of the cactus fruit left.
Imogene stares out into the distance as she loads rounds into her grapeshot.
<Nia_S> "Yeah."
Imogene grunts.
Deane looks between both of them, biting his cheek and going for a cigarette instead of saying anything else. He looks out of their shelter, shivering. His shirt was taken off to dry, but it's still quite damp as he wrings it out at the edge of their camp and pulls it on.
<Darkling> Looks like the short but heavy rainfall has washed away any sign of tracks you were following before. The desert however does not seem to mind as it has sprung to life. Flowers and plants that rarely get a chance to bloom have, and the desert is a carpet of colour instead of dirt for once.
<Deane> "Sure is somethin'," Deane comments, cigarette hanging limply between his lips. "Shame it don't always look like this."
<Imogene> "We need to get moving." Imogene stands and dusts off her rump before holstering her gun. She keeps the raincoat on even if she didn't need it still, setting off for the road.
Deane blinks and shrugs, "Always another time to smell the roses, I guess." Grabbing his things, Deane makes off after Imogene, pausing to wait for Nia.
<Nia_S> "I'm comin', I'm comin'."
Deane smiles a little, "Ain't no rush, less you want t'catch up to Imogene. She's got a pace of her own."
<Nia_S> "Pace or not, d'rather not get lost." Hands in her pockets, Otto on her back, the junker catches up.
<Imogene> Yes, that limp carried her far paired with determination fueled by smoldering anger.
<Deane> "True, true." Deane goes to follow them, humming to himself as they pass through the flowery "wastes".
<Darkling> At least it's a bit easier to tell where a road once existed, as nothing can really grown in the old asphalt.
Deane frowns a little, "So we follow this road until we find the dogs?" He hustles to catch up to the other two.
<Imogene> "Somethin' lahk that."
<Nia_S> "Guess it'd make sense they'd find something interesting at the end of an old highway."
<Deane> "If only it were painted yellow," Deane muses.
Imogene sighs, running a hand through her hair.
<Darkling> Ahead in the distance you can see an old raised highway overpass that crosses teh current road you're on.
<Deane> "We could probably get a good look around if we head up there. Maybe make up for the missing tracks. S'a good landmark too."
<Nia_S> "Not a bad idea. Otto?"
<Imogene> "Could be a trap too."
Deane nods, "We could always steer clear, if'n you think that's better." He shrugs, "I only ever traveled with a caravan."
<Imogene> "Let Otto take a look."
Nia_S nods. The bot, somehow managing to look and move indignantly, skitters off towards the overpass, first to look at its underside, and then clambering up the bank to scout around.
<Darkling> Nothing on top of the overpass, but underneath there's a shanty village.
<Nia_S> Any signs of recent life?
<Darkling> The shanty village is quite full of desperate looking people.
<Nia_S> "Doesn' look like much," Nia reports, eyes closed to focus on the link between her and Otto. "Some beggars."
<Deane> "Ah. The lord's unfortunate." He sighs, "Visiting them might not be... Well.." Deane frowns, biting his cheek.
Imogene sighs, shifting her weight to her good leg.
<Nia_S> "If they saw the Dogs come by, it's worth askin'."
<Imogene> "Jus' complete yer sentences before ah start hittin' yuh upside yer head."
Nia_S chuckles, stepping ahead, towards the village. "Don't fight, you two, or Momma'll smack ya both."
Deane frowns, and looks away, "Can't imagine fightin' her. I like breathin'. Any case, we'll go bother the villagers for a spell."
Imogene brings up the rear, hanging back a ways.
Deane makes towards the village, humming to himself again.
<Darkling> Hungry eyes watch the three of you as you enter the little shanty village under the overpass. There's a lot of makeshift shelters, a few stands selling what looks like mutated wildlife, and the smell of people who haven't bathed in years, mixed with their waste, assaults your senses.
<Deane> Eyes watering, Deane takes shallow, careful breaths. A murmured prayer passes his lips, and his eyes look for someone of authority.
<Darkling> There's no semblance of authority or law here. It's clearly everyone for themselves.
Nia_S doesn't seem to be too bothered. Once you got used the smell of burning hair and grease, unwashed beggars weren't too off. Adjusting her dreadlocks, Nia scans the crowd, apparently searching for a particular kind of desperation.
Deane examines the wildlife stalls with a careful eye, biting his cheek. His stomach grumbles a little, but mostly to remind him he has food in his backpack.
<Darkling> Not that six legged rat the size of a dog looked tantalizing anyway Deane.
<Darkling> Most the people in the little village are keeping their distance from your group, though are eying anything that could look of value.
<Nia_S> "I don' suppose... Y'all saw a caravan of bandits come through? Hootin' on bikes n' horses?"
Deane looks back to Nia, hand in his jacket pocket, around the grip of his pistol.
<Darkling> A few exchanged glances, but no one offers any reaction otherwise.
Deane blinks, looking to Nia, "Maybe a reward?"
Nia_S pulls three dollars from her pocket. "O'course."
<Nia_S> "If. The information's good."
<Darkling> A few more exchanged looks, these ones more desperate, some dangerous, looking.
Deane blinks, "I kin toss in some too. Maybe we should wait outside town though."
<Nia_S> "Three dollars is plenty."
<Darkling> A few of them look to be getting restless, whispering to each other.
Deane blinks, whispering, "Maybe... we should go." He steps back a few times.
<Darkling> As you walk backwards you bump into a thin looking kid with his hand in your pocket!
Deane turns around, and gives the kid a long, hard look. "Only room in my pocket for one hand, kid."
<Deane> "You hungry?"
<Nia_S> "Tch. S'why I prefer machines."
<Darkling> The kid looks up and then darts away from you.
<Nia_S> "One last chance, and then we move on. Three dollars." The African shifts her stance, Otto peering over her shoulder. "Five... Four..."
Deane frowns, "Hey! Get back here!" He half-heartedly chases after the kid, checking his pocket for anything missing. Most of his things were in his bag, but he'd have a few spare bills in his pocket.
<Imogene> "Best be leavin' you two. Thieves 'n the desperate ain't makin' fer good allies."
<Darkling> The kid is gone, doesn't look like he managed to take anything though. A few of the people start at you running after him though Deane. The one with the mutated meat picks up a nasty looking cleaver.
Deane grumbles, "Yeah, let's git. Last thing I need is the memory of this place." He storms out, hand on his gun.
<Nia_S> "Hmf." And the junker strides out as well, returning the bills to her pocket.
<Imogene> "Worst case 's that they tell any passin' Devil Dogs we're lookin' fer 'em now...or some follow us t'ambush us."
<Darkling> As you reach the other side and leave the overpass a small group of them have assembled behind you, watching you go, but keeping their distance.
<Nia_S> "Sucks t'be them." Otto swivels his head 180 degrees around, watching them watch us.
Deane sighs, still pouting, "Ain't right to curse a town, but them folk need god more than I need a match. Speakin' of which..." He glances back, taking the cigarette that he had before, "Either of you have a light? I'll need to git... somethin'... next time we're in town."
Deane blinks, "Actually, Otto, when yer done watchin' them, mind showin' me that eye trick again?"
<Darkling> They seem to be staying in the shade of the overpass, letting you walk on into the sun on your own.
<Nia_S> Otto spares a moment to light Deane's cigarette.
<Deane> "Poetic, that." He thanks Otto and takes a long drag.
<Darkling> The hills in the distance are starting to look closer. AS you walk along the road it eventually runs along a dry aquaduct. The road passes over it on a bridge and there's a small cart with a man in a brown cloak standing by it. You can hear a feint chirp of music coming from him at this distance.
Deane frowns a little, "Thaaaaat's not suspicious in the slightest."
<Nia_S> "'Ve gotta cross anyway. Jus' keep your wits about ya."
Deane nods, "I'd say "I always do", but previous experience would say otherwise." His hand goes to his gun, and he looks over his shoulder at the overpass far behind them.
<Darkling> There's a bit of smoke rising up from his cart, and from under his hood. As you get closer the music sounds like an old music box you might've heard street performers used, though the stereotypical monkey he should have is missing. "Alms for the blind?" He asks in a deep voice.
Deane stops. "I'll give you alms if you answer me a question, mister."
<Darkling> "And what kind of question would that be?" He raises pipe to his hooded face, lowering it after a moment, smokey rings exhaling from the hood.
Nia_S smiles wryly, hands in her pockets.
Deane shifts, "What're you doing out so far from other folk? Seems like an odd place to ask for charity, with the people around here." His hand goes into his pocket, pulling out a pair of bills. They're a little damp, but he offers them to the man. It takes him a moment before he realizes the man can't see them.
<Darkling> The man points to a wooden collection box sitting on a shelf attached to the music cart. "I'm not like the other folk 'round here. So no sense being around them. But is that really what you want to ask me?"
Deane slips the bills into the collection box, "I could ask you 'bout the nature of man and good and evil, but I figger we'd just waste each other's time... Wait..." His fingers recoil and he eyes the man strangely, "How did you know I was offer'n money?"
<Darkling> "You said you'd give me some for answering a question. I assumed you weren't going to cheap out on me." He gives a dry chuckle and draws on his pipe again.
Deane smirks a little, "Trust is hard to come by out here." He steps back a little, before stopping, "Wait... actually, I have another question."
<Imogene> "Know anythin' 'bout the Devil Dogs, old-tahmer?" Imogene rests her hands on her hips, glancing around the area.
Deane stops, "Yeah. That."
<Darkling> "I know a lot of things about a lot of things."
<Nia_S> "Then y'won't mind partin' with some o' that knowledge."
<Darkling> "Imparting knowledge is something I think I could do."
<Nia_S> "Three dollars was my offer b'fore, s'my offer now." Nia taps her foot.
<Darkling> "Quite kind of you."
Nia_S lets out a breath, dropping two dollars into the box, and waiting for half a heartbeat. The third hangs in her hand, silent.
<Darkling> The music stops playing. "Oh, well," the man huffs. "This old thing can be temperamental sometimes." He starts winding a crank on the back of it, pipe hanging out of his mouth as he does so. The music starts back up.
<Darkling> "Managed to think of what you want to ask yet?" He asks.
Deane smiles, "I'd play you a song, grandpa, but I'm sure I'd just take yer ears too."
<Nia_S> "Did they come by here, recently? Which way?" And the third falls, her curiosity sated.
<Darkling> "Oh, they head by here all the time. Hard to miss them in this place, only people with motorcycles." He blows out a ring of smoke that loops around your head Nia. "Last time they were through, oh, hm.. two days ago now."
<Imogene> "Any idea how many there are total?"
<Darkling> "Biggest concession of 'em I've heard is maybe, twenty, thirty. Less passed by last time, but they don't tend to all go out at once."
Deane lets out a low whistle, "That's a lot of cycles."
<Darkling> "Oh, only two or three choppers. Most of em go by horse or foot."
<Deane> "Oh." He nods, "Easier on the gas, I suppose."
<Darkling> The man nods a bit, though he could just be bobbing his head to the tinny tune coming from his cart.
<Deane> "Any directions? They come from up north, or... somewhere else?"
<Darkling> "Generally, though this ain't the only road heading up there, it's the most common one. Most folk don't want to head anywhere else up there."
<Nia_S> "Fallout?"
<Darkling> "In some places, plus the mountain." He points with his pipe off past the hills to a dark mountain looming behind them. "But that's a whole other subject."
<Imogene> "Hear anythin' 'bout their base of operations?"
<Darkling> "Can't say I have, but those hills are full of large caverns, chances are they're holed up in them."
<Nia_S> "Damn."
<Imogene> "Fantastic." She spits.
Deane shivers, "Ev'n though I walk through th' valley of the shadow a'death, I won't fear no evil"
<Darkling> "You're thinking of heading up that way?" The man asks. Even though you can't see his face, you can hear the skepticism in his voice.
<Nia_S> "Hnhn. Didn' think we were headed up t'join 'em, were ya?"
<Darkling> "Not the way you were offering me money." He chuckles again.
Deane shifts, "True. We'd probably rob you, if we wanted to get in their good sights."
<Darkling> "Something like that, I'm sure."
<Darkling> He doesn't seem all to concerned, either way.
Deane sighs, "Well, I think that's all the questions we have."
<Darkling> "Well, if that's all, and you four are planning on heading up north to make trouble, I'll be heading south." He puts the collection tray inside the cart, closing up itss sides, turning off the music.
<Imogene> "Y'take care, eh?" Imogene is first to wander off, back to their journey North.
Deane nods, "See ya around, old timer." He moves to follow Imogene, humming and thinking, before turning around, "Shit! Hey! Wait a second!" He starts jogging back to the old man.
<Nia_S> "..."
<Darkling> "Something else?"
<Deane> "Yes! Shit, I forgot." He steps close, "I'm lookin' for someone. A friend. Kind of. You been everywhere, haven't you?"
<Darkling> "Been more places than you know exist."
Deane shifts, "In that case-" he bangs out a quick description of his father, trying to describe him in ways that aren't visual. When he's finished, he's got a worried, embarrassed look on his face, "So, have you seen 'im?"
<Darkling> The old man pauses before answering. "Ain't never seen anyone like him, no."
<Imogene> "Ain't seen no one period." she comments under her breath.
Deane blinks, "Oh. Shoot, sorry mister. Heard of anybody like him?"
<Darkling> He shrugs. "Not everyone that passes by stops. Sorry."
Deane sighs, and nods, "Well, thanks anyways." He stuffs another pair of bills into the man's collection box, "Be safe out there, old man."
<Darkling> "No need to worry about me, I'm not heading into the wolf's den." He takes the handle of his cart and starts a slow walk south down the road you just came from.
Deane steps back and watches him leave for a moment, then turns and runs to catch up to Nia and Imogene.
Nia_S smirks, turning her gaze northward. "Let's go."
Deane nods, "Yeah, I figure it's better t'not bug everybody on the road 'bout a feller prob-ly long gone."
<Nia_S> "Hnhn. Let's just make sure that beggar sees our faces a second time."
<Darkling> Before long the old man and his cart are gone from sight.
<Darkling> ==========END==========