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Post by kryss on Apr 6, 2015 21:51:17 GMT -6
Sept. 12th, 2026_________________________
Clementia: Latin, noun 1. Compassion 2. Gentleness, mildness, calm 3. Indulgence/forbearance 4. Mercy/clemency
_________________________ Skylar grunted as she tightened the wrench further, just a little tighter... this stupid nut wouldn't go far enough, but if she didn't get it tight enough then the oil would - she winced, closing her eyes as grease splattered on her face. Yeah. Leak. She let out an angry huff and pulled a few times, fairly certain the nut was in place as well as it would go. She wheeled herself out from under the car and sat up, wiping the worst of the grease off of her face with the back of her hand. Gross, gross, gross, stupid stupid stupid. To be fair, up until she'd met with the obstinate nut, fixing the car had been pretty enjoyable. She had officially discovered that she very much enjoyed working on mechanical things. The books she'd been reading from Lorna's library had been filling her head with ideas as well. Maybe someday she'd actually act on them.
She climbed into the car, stuck the keys in the ignition, and turned. A grin curled around her lips as the engine purred to life. Ah, this. This was why she loved mechanics. She was the one who had made this car work, nobody else. It didn't matter if it was something as simple as reconnecting a wire or patching a hole in the oil tank - she was proud of her work.
She exited the car and grabbed the nearest towel, wiping her face as best she could with it. She knew from experience, though, it would take a proper shower to get the grease off. She went back into the house through the garage, only to come face to face with Rick, holding the keys to the car and a pile of supplies. She cocked her head, confused. He looked like he was going on a mission. But Lorna wouldn't go on one so soon after adding new people. And Conrad would have told her if he was. But there were clearly enough supplies that it would be multi-day. But nobody went on multi-day missions on their own. Wait... did that mean...
"Are you SKIPPING TOWN ON US?" she said indignantly. He began to start something about no, how dare she, when she cut in again, "You DIDN'T INVITE ME? I wanna go on the mission!!! It's SO much better than hanging around here!! Annnd I'm the one who just finished fixing the car for you~" she finished. She had been wondering why he'd bugged her about it the past couple of days. "So can I can I can I, please?" she said, holding her hands clasped before her in a pleading gesture.
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Andy
Full Member
Rufus probably
rick gets all his ideas from the sorting hat's cousin - the bad advice bag
Posts: 119
active character(s): Rick
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Post by Andy on Apr 9, 2015 18:32:06 GMT -6
Rick had double, then triple, checked the stock of supplies he had bundled together. Water, rations, map, compass, weapons, etc. Was everything there? Yes. Did he subconsciously feel the need to check it again, just to be sure? Also yes. A habit he had gotten into, after having to compulsively check the supplies over and over thanks to the will of Lorna and occasional anxiety of Conrad, who Rick suspected had also been infected by the Fuhrer.
Running into Skylar on his way out of the house, Rick grinned at first, pleased to cross paths with the slightly taller of the team's two little song birds. Ah, at least she wasn't as obnoxious about safety precautions and rules and what not. However, he was decidedly less pleased to see her when she started screeching at him. He would've slapped a hand over her mouth, were his hands not full of supplies and how strange it should look if anyone caught them like that.
He forcefully shook his head NO! at her accusation of him taking off on the rest of them - 'Scure ya, young lady?! he felt like shouting - but his mouth simply hung open as she continued her rant at him. Damn, but this girl would rattle off words faster than anyone else.
Crossing one arm over the other, with some difficulty seeing as one arm was carrying a hefty bag of supplies, Rick regarded Skylar evenly with an unimpressed stare.
"Maybe I was gonna ASK ya ta come, but ya just ruined yer own chances by assumin' da worst o' me like ya jus' did." He nodded matter-of-factly, striding past the momentarily stunned Skylar to prop the supplies next to the car. At her heartbroken expression when he turned back around, he couldn't keep the act up though, his mask split as he chuckled and nodded his head towards the passenger side door.
"Hop in." He sighed exaggeratedly, rolling his eyes at the same time despite his wide grin. He yanked open his own door and got inside, throwing the supplies in the seat behind them.
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Post by kryss on Apr 9, 2015 19:33:06 GMT -6
Skylar: She squealed and rushed after him, yanking open the door and throwing herself in the seat before he could change his mind. She dug her makeshift speakers from the glove box and strapping it to the dashboard. Soft music echoed through the car now, at a low enough level to speak over.
"I limit you to one Elvis song every five songs," she warned him. She appreciated The King, and didn't want to ruin that through overexposure (as though she had EVER gotten overexposed to a song or artist.) She settled down happily into the seat, buckling her seatbelt subconsciously, after Conrad had drilled it into her head. "So... where are we goin'?" she asked as he started the car.
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Andy
Full Member
Rufus probably
rick gets all his ideas from the sorting hat's cousin - the bad advice bag
Posts: 119
active character(s): Rick
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Post by Andy on Apr 9, 2015 19:45:55 GMT -6
Rick pouted at her ruling. Whaaaat? Did she WANT to sing with him, or not? He hoped she liked incoherent mumbling, because unless he knew the lyrics, there was going to be a lot of awkward verbal fumbling if he attempted to duet with her now.
"Gas station." He answered simply, watching for her reaction. "Did Rabbit ever tell ya 'bout da first time we... well, da first time we came here?" He gestured forward, out the windshield of the car as he backed away from the place all of them had come to refer to as 'home'.
He thought about the first time they had pulled up, how excited the kid had been. He had practically done cartwheels around the entire property - actually, had he? Conrad had been so energetic, Rick couldn't remember for sure if that was a fabricated joke part of his recollection or not. Lorna had been... less excited. But that was to be expected.
"We had stopped dere on da way here, back den."
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Post by kryss on Apr 9, 2015 21:33:46 GMT -6
Skylar: "Only a bit," she said, tilting her head to the side. "The kidnapping parts, for sure." she said with a wink. She watched the scenery go by as they pulled out of the house and traveled down the painstakingly cleared road. She had the brief thought that maaaaaybe she should have told Lorna she was going with Rick, but there had been no time! Now or never, fight or flight, life or death! Probably. She shrugged it off and turned her head back to look at the passing houses, eventually morphing into grass and trees, occasional buildings, then more grass and trees. When they got to their perimeter fence (extremely recently finished by Seargent Studmuffin,) they got out to move the improvised gate aside so the car could move through.
"So a gas station? Aren't those pretty much shellier than the walkers by now?" she asked, getting back into the car.
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Andy
Full Member
Rufus probably
rick gets all his ideas from the sorting hat's cousin - the bad advice bag
Posts: 119
active character(s): Rick
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Post by Andy on Apr 9, 2015 21:53:23 GMT -6
Rick held up his hand for a customary 'good team work!' high five as they finished opening the gate, waiting until Skylar reciprocated it before speaking again as they strolled their way back to the car.
"Ch'yeah," he smirked, "But dis one was preddy tucked 'way, so I'm hopin'still got somethin' good in it."
He opened the door for Skylar, gesturing grandly and addressing her as 'madame' as she took her seat before he shut the door too roughly (hey, he didn't have this whole gentleman thing down, give him a break) and moved around to his own side. Strapping back in, he started the car back up and got going again before he continued their conversation.
" 'Sides, thought ya said anythin' was more excitin' den stayin' back dere. I CAN still turn dis car back 'round, if ya want." He offered, with a raising of his eyebrows and a knowing glance.
"Put on a song I'll know." He demanded before Skylar even had a chance to answer. "I feel like singin'~ "
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Post by kryss on Apr 9, 2015 22:36:41 GMT -6
Skylar: She giggled a little when he showed her into the car, cutting back on rolling her eyes when he slammed the door. Rick. when he threatened her, though, she shook her head violently.
"Noooooooo, no no no no!!! Don't back out of the deal now, that would be unsportsmanlike!!!!! This IS way better than getting bossed around by Mein Fuhrur!" she cried. She wiggled further into her seat, as though this would prevent him from kicking her out. At his request, she "hmm'd" and scrolled through her iPod. She hit one she thought he'd like and let it play. Her hand tapped out the rhythm against her thigh. Soon the lyrics began rolling off her tongue,
"A little bird, he told me so, he said come on, get on the go
Open your eyes the sky is full of butterflies
The blossoms on the trees stir up the honey bees
Spring makes my fever right spring fever! "
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Andy
Full Member
Rufus probably
rick gets all his ideas from the sorting hat's cousin - the bad advice bag
Posts: 119
active character(s): Rick
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Post by Andy on Apr 9, 2015 23:02:29 GMT -6
Rick thumped his hands on the steering wheel in delight, far too excited Skylar had picked one he DEFINITELY knew. He would've been willing to settle for something more up to her speed! But he definitely wasn't complaining.
"Spring fever, Spring is here at last!" He cheered, trying to sound harmonious with Skylar's singing voice.
"Spring fever, my heart's beating fast! Get up, get out, Spring is everywhere!"
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Post by kryss on Apr 9, 2015 23:19:44 GMT -6
Skylar: "Well if you feel the wanderlust, just grab a car or hop a bus in every town around there's excitment to be found don't miss the joy of spring the worlds in love around !"
She sang joyfully along, tapping out the beat more and more enthusiastically. She flushed with excitement when Rick hit the correct harmonies (she could only assume he had listened to this song ten thousand times.) Her voice wasn't bad, but she was a melody girl, strictly. They sang the rest of the repeating chorus together, getting almost giddy with excitement and enthusiasm. Once it calmed down and her iPod shuffled along to the next song, she stared out the window. They were good and properly outside of the city now, the landscape devolving into low rolling hills and flat, previously cultivated plains, with barely a structure in sight. The greasy black remains of a large fire scarred one of the fields, showing where the house and barn used to stand.
"How far away is this gas station?" she asked, shivering slightly and averting her eyes to the blue sky. The chill of fall was already settling in firmly, despite the fact that it was barely mid September. The north was so dumb!
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Andy
Full Member
Rufus probably
rick gets all his ideas from the sorting hat's cousin - the bad advice bag
Posts: 119
active character(s): Rick
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Post by Andy on Apr 10, 2015 21:02:06 GMT -6
"Pretty dang far, unfortunately." Rick sighed, gripping the steering wheel with one hand while he leaned his elbow against his side door and rested his head in his hand.
"But dat's pardda de reason I'm thinkin'a givin' it another go." He pointed out, hoping that might perked things up a bit.
Seeing her shiver out of the corner of his eye, he pointed a thumb towards the back seat.
"Dere's layers in dere somewhere, if yer cold. But I thought kitty cat's were s'posed ta grow a winter coat." He smirked, figuring if he kept up conversation at least things wouldn't become too boring on the long drive.
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Post by kryss on Apr 11, 2015 23:03:38 GMT -6
Skylar: The chill probably wouldn't have been so bad if the window would close all the way, but it was stuck at about half an inch from closing completely. It was pretty obvious what was wrong, a bit of the weather strip had gotten knocked out of place and was preventing the window from going past it, but she hadn't gotten around to fixing it yet. It was the next thing on her to-do list. She poked her fingers out of the gap, turning to thank him for pointing out the layers, but winding up flashing him a grin for his comment instead. She swept her hair over one shoulder and off her neck, piling it up.
"Are you saying you don't appreciate my luscious mane?" she asked teasingly. Her hair really was getting long, it was far longer than she'd ever kept it before all of this happened. It was helping now, though, and would probably keep helping as the temperature dropped. She couldn't help but feel a little vulnerable, though, she knew that it posed a certain weakness.
She reached over and grabbed one of the blankets on the back seat, pulling it loosely over her shoulders. Now that she had a layer, and since it wouldn't close anyway, she rolled the window down the rest of the way. She crossed her arms over the bottom and hunched over, resting her chin heavily on them. Maybe it was the tone of the music playing, or the chill in the air, or the odd pale cast of the northern autumn sky, but she found herself falling into introspection and solitude, despite Rick being right there. A tight ball of anxiety began building in her chest. Suddenly she saw figures in the distance. It was only a handful, maybe a maximum of ten, but from their movements it was pretty clear they weren't... alive. The ball instantly grew tighter and pulled at her, making it hard to breathe. As the figures slowly, so slowly, turned towards their car and began heading towards them, even as they faded in the rearview mirror, Skylar felt her eyes sting as though she was about to cry. But her eyes remained dry.
"What do you think happens to them," she asked without warning, her voice soft and dry, "do you think their souls die, or... move on? Or are they trapped in there, do they see their bodies.... moving, but they can't do anything about it?" It couldn't be clearer that she meant something other than "moving," but she didn't want to say it out loud.
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Andy
Full Member
Rufus probably
rick gets all his ideas from the sorting hat's cousin - the bad advice bag
Posts: 119
active character(s): Rick
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Post by Andy on Apr 12, 2015 15:33:01 GMT -6
Rick burst out laughing at her come back, unable to help himself.
"How am I s'posed ta appreciate somethin' dat only keeps YOU warm?" He teased back, watching her get a hold of one of the blankets in the back before she stared gazing out the window again.
He shivered a little bit himself, both at the lowered temperate from Skylar's window being fully open now, and feeling the sudden drop in mood as they both spotted a small group of walkers far off in the distance. They were too far away for Rick to really be concerned about them, especially at the speed they were travelling at, but he still made a mental note to try to get in and out of the gas station as quickly as possible just in case. They didn't need a repeat of what had happened the last time he was there.
Skylar's tone of voice caught him by surprise. He wasn't used to her sounding that way - he associated Skylar with bright and loud things, something he didn't expect to see for long in an apocalypse, but was more than happy to have around. Especially since she was one of the few of them who often wanted to take a part in his antics, despite the times he had obviously upset or outright offended the younger girl.
He considered what to say for a long time, so long it had Skylar glancing over her shoulder at him to check if he had even heard her. From his slightly bowed head (he kept his eyes on the road) and serious expression on his face, she could tell he was considering the questions she had proposed.
"I think dat whatever was in dere before, is long gone now." He said at last, debating how much of his own personal insight he should share on the matter. From the way she worded it, it sounded like Skylar believed in souls, or at least some kind of concept of there being something more to people than just a walking bag of flesh. Rick didn't. Not anymore, anyway. If he had before all this, he couldn't exactly remember it too clearly, which probably made it easier for him to live with the idea that once you died, you were just... gone.
"And if dere's somethin' after... all o' dis. Dat's where dey go."
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Post by kryss on Apr 12, 2015 16:06:34 GMT -6
Skylar: She nodded, continuing her consistent staring out of the window for a while. It wasn't too long before she shook off the anxiety and thoughts that had been clouding her mood, and the music picked up tempo as well (while she may argue that her iPod was psychic, others may argue that the mood shift came around after Lady Gaga started playing.)
She sat back upright, looking out the windshield now instead of her window. Speaking of, she figured it was high time to cut down on the wind. She rolled it back up, snuggling into her blanket a little more. They were nearing a busier road now, maybe a former highway. Cars began to appear around them, mostly parked or crashed on the side of the road. Some had been abandoned in the middle of the street however, whether due to laziness or circumstance Skylar would never know. As they continued it worsened, but there was always a path through. Skylar figured that was because this was the way they'd come before; any road-blocking obstacles would have had to been moved back then. They did come upon one car, parked diagonally across most of the road, skid marks behind it and its front bumper crumpled into the car next to it. Skylar shared a look with Rick. They both knew this meant the car had been placed there since they'd last come through. Reminders that humanity technically still existed sometimes chilled Skylar more than the walkers themselves, especially abandoned reminders. Who knew where these people were now? She hoped, briefly, that they were okay, wherever they were.
She and Rick got out and moved the car, which didn't take very long once they'd shifted the car it had crashed into. They hurried back and hopped into their own, Skylar snuggling back down into her blanket. She purposely put on a boppy and upbeat song, and it wasn't long before she was bobbing her head, tapping out rhythms, and singing out lyrics.
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Andy
Full Member
Rufus probably
rick gets all his ideas from the sorting hat's cousin - the bad advice bag
Posts: 119
active character(s): Rick
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Post by Andy on Apr 12, 2015 17:24:22 GMT -6
Though Rick couldn't help another grin spreading across his face as Skylar's spirits perked up and she started singing and tapping along to the song that, sadly, wasn't one he knew well enough to join in with, his mind also remained preoccupied with the more recently abandoned car they had just so recently passed. He wasn't sure how to file that one away - should he assume they were long gone, and there was nothing to worry about...? Or should he be keeping a closer eye on his companion, who he belatedly realized he had never asked if she was armed or not. As far as he could see, she wasn't carrying a weapon, but he wouldn't rule out the possibility she had one stashed somewhere. Still, he shifted in his seat, until he was able to unclip one of his bats from his belt.
With some difficulty, he pulled it up and slid it into the space by Skylar's legs - he had chosen the bat without all the nails jutting out of it automatically, luckily for Skylar - and at her questioning look he shrugged his shoulders.
"Just in case. I don't want ya gettin' hurt."
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Post by kryss on Apr 12, 2015 19:08:50 GMT -6
Skylar: "Rick!" she said accusingly, "If you're not careful, I'm gonna start thinking you care about me or something!" She grinned and played with the handle of the bat, not having room to do much else. "I do have a knife, you know. I'd be a pretty terrible apocalypse survivor if I wasn't armed." She didn't mention the fact that she realized right at that very moment that she'd forgotten to bring her gun along, though. It would have ruined her point.
The sun slowly crossed the sky as they traveled along, time moving from early to mid afternoon, and Skylar's stomach started to rumble. Oh yeah, she hadn't eaten lunch either. It was conceivable that maybe she should have planned a little better, instead of just jumping immediately into the car in an attempt to outwit Lorna. Oh yeah, Lorna would probably be worried too, if this place was as far away as Rick said. Dang it. Oh well, she would enjoy her little vacation while she could and deal with the rest later. Her stomach rumbled again, disrupting her thoughts, and she side-eyed the bags of supplies in the back seat. She didn't want to ask to dip into them yet, especially since he probably hadn't packed for two people.
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