Old School — Legacy Forums — Strolen's Citadel

Re: Old School

#41

Marcus nodded. Eyeing Fred for a moment, he decided that Anya could take care of herself.

"C'mon," he said to Asha. "Follow me. It'll be the Mayor that decides your fate."

Re: Old School

#42

Fred seemed almost surprised by the reactions of Anya and Asha, but quickly his face took on its usual confidence.

"They wear their usual crazy shit, no'ne the same. They're the bunch that come outta the East, on bikes or ATVs. They got a truck they use from time to time too, though no one has seen it lately.

And nothin' funny here, 'part from all the noise. Heard a real big bang down towards where y'all were yesterday too, but seems as you made out okay."

The Mayor seemed to grow an inch or two taller as he adjusted his posture when Asha entered the room. He smiled. He nodded to Marcus and Carnegie.
Portly fellow, some serious facial scars. Some signs he's harder than his currently paunch would suggest..

"Barry Richards, at your service. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss...?

So, tell me where you're from and what happened with ya? I sent folks out to check out an odd explosion, and they come back with you. Talk of raiders, flyin' things and such abound and the place is all abuzz more than its been for years."

Re: Old School

#43

Asha gave him a polite smile, adjusting her sunglasses slightly, grateful the sunlight streaming through the window gave her a good excuse to keep them on. "Asha Crescent, formerly of Stonehammer." She let a measure of warmth and sincerity enter her voice as she spoke, seeing no reason for deception unless completely necessary. "I was flying near here on a hoverbike, an X-12 Hoverdyne model if it matters, up until a couple of raiders opened fire on me and I crashed into some abandoned shack a ways off that way." She gestured back in the direction she had came from.

"After the crash some of your scouts found me, and were kind enough to help me get back to this welcome spot of civilization." She smiled again as she finished her tale, giving the mayor an approving nod. "It looks like a friendly well protected township by the way, somewhere I'd enjoy spending a short while until my legs heals up, if outsiders are permitted of course Mr. Richards."

Re: Old School

#44

"A hoverbike? Don't that just beat all. How'd you manage to get such a treasure? The only one's I heard tell of in all my years, were buzzin' about the Rockwell place. Too bad about it blowing up. I've always wanted to try one.

Strange place that, all sorts of weirdness near there."

Re: Old School

#45

Carnegie hunkered down by the wall, patting Elvis. She listened in on the conversation and kept a wary lookout for the mayor's nutty wife. The new woman,... 'Asha', sure seemed confident despite being among strangers, she envied her that.

Re: Old School

#46

"It's a long story, she said with a slight sigh, let's just say I was an unwilling guest at a raider encampment for a time, until I saw my chance and liberated one of their hover bikes, the place you called Rockwell may have been it." She shrugged in uncertainty. "Regardless, circumstances have brought me to your township, and I hope to repay the kindness and hospitality shown to me thus far." She smiled gratefully, gazing out the window at the distant horizon, the thought of hover bikes and raiders beyond the walls an unpleasant future should he refuse her request to remain within the village for now.

Re: Old School

#47

"I'm sure it will all work out, young lady. We'll let you settle in before we get all communal responsibility and such. You can get a room at Tilly's Boarding House if you're not ready to reclaim one of the unoccupied places. "

Some days prior

It took a bit, but she found one that fit.

The toolbox opened, revealing a number of .. tools. Screwdrivers, from stupid large to tiny, a pipe wrench, a small plastic box with two wires hanging out - red and black, a hammer, hacksaw, and other more odd ones she had no names for.

---

The coyote meat was graciously accepted by Tilley. "Thank you very much dear. Now you rest yerself up - I've got something in mind I'd like to ask you in a while - not right now though, I need to get this on for dinner."

Carnige made it back to her room with her prizes. Three bottles of Cattail hooch. She heard it was good stuff. Guess she would find out for sure soon. It certainly smelled strong enough.

Re: Old School

#48

"If one of the unoccupied homes is cheaper I'll be glad to take up residence, I don't see myself going back to the city anytime soon." She told the mayor honestly, the thought of returning to stonehammer giving her a cold chill.

Re: Old School

#49

"Well, they all need a lot of work, like most places. Most of the brick/stone ones close are taken, though there are lots of woodframe. Those need a lot of work - the winters are hell on them. Tillys is best for a warm bed for now. Might be someone else willin' to take you in while you house-hunt as well."

Re: Old School

#50

Asha nodded, momentarily lost in thought, "If there's nothing else Mr. Richards I shouldn't take up any more of your time, you're no doubt busy being Mayor and all." She said with understanding smile. "Although if you could point me in the direction of Tilly's before I go I'd be grateful."

Re: Old School

#51

Nodding to Fred in acknowledgement, Anya turned, briefly surveying the area around her and its inhabitants before making her way to the Mayors building to catch up with Marcus and Carnie. Time for me to find out what our little beauty was doing crashing a hoverbike.. and what's rattled the bandit's cage this time..

Re: Old School

#52

"Chances are you walked right near it. Just go back out that way and see the big, red-brick house with the fortified first floor. And the signage - you'll see it looking that way."

As she went to leave, Anya entered the Mayor's office.

Carnegie could hear someone coming, though quietly, obviously trying to be circumspect. A glance confirmed her suspicion - Angela Richards, the Major's wife - was heading to the office as well,

Re: Old School

#53

Carnegie tensed up and stood up. "Uh uh, uhm...Ah jes....remembered somethin, Ah hav ta go...Ah'll be at Tilly's iffin ye need me..." She gave a nervous grin, and turned to leave, waving Elvis along with her.

Re: Old School

#54

"I'm headed that way myself, so I'll come along if that's okay?" She gave the mayor a parting nod, standing up and smiling warmly at the rest of the group. "Thank you again for the escort back to town, I deeply appreciate it." Without further comment she turned and followed Carnegie, noting form her body language whoever was about to arrive was someone she would no doubt be better off avoiding for now.

Re: Old School

#55

Marcus waited for the two to leave before he turned to the Mayor. "With them Raiders about, especcially since you've decided to..." he searched for the right word. "Harbor their target, need me on guard duty?"

It wasn't like he had nothing to do. He did, he had that shield to finish, and had plans to earn a couple of bucks. But Kenebac needed another pair of eyes on the border a whole lot more than it needed a guy wailing on an iron door.

Besides...

This would give him an opportunity to think on the new girl.

Re: Old School

#56

"I'm headed that way myself, so I'll come along if that's okay?"

Carny started but gave a shaky nod and hurried along, keeping her frightened gaze down as she passed the mayor's wife coming down from the stairs. Stepping out into the overcast light of the outside, she gave a small breath of relief. She had been hoping for a moment to collect herself, but here she was now, alone with a complete stranger. What was her name again? She must have said it. Either way, Carny didn't want to ask in case she would take offense. For now she would be lady with sunglasses. Was she still armed by the way....Nobody had thought to disarm her, guess she wouldn't go causing trouble in the midst of all these people, but it was a bit unnerving. She could be anyone, who knew what she had been doing before she came here. Then again, that could be said about mostly every resident...

"Uuhm, h-how's yer leg?... S'a short walk awey, jess outside de walls." She gave a weak smile then whipped her flickering gaze away from the accusing reflection of the sunglasses and brushed some errant strands out of her face.

Re: Old School

#57

"It hurts, but nothing a day or two of rest won't cure, thanks by the way for looking it over and making sure it wasn't something serious." She told her gently, her lips curving into a grateful smile. "By the way, that lady we walked past, who was she? I didn't much care for the look or feel of her." She said quietly, walking alongside Carnegie with a slight limp.

She adjusted her jet black aviator style sunglasses as she walked, pulling her cloak more comfortably about her shoulders, her eyes discreetly observing the towns residents as they went about their daily lives. One could often learn a lot about a township by the way its civilians carried themselves, and the amount of weaponry they felt necessary to wear openly for their own protection.

Re: Old School

#58

"...Ain't nuttin worth mentionin....Uh about me helpin out, I mean... dat's jess wut yu do, ain't it..." She shrugged with a slight smile.

"Oh uh, dat's...Linda. De Mayr's wife. She's uh....she's a bit....original." Carny rubbed her neck. Not one of her favorite people. In her mind, people were unpredictable enough as it is, but seemingly unhinged people... She shuddered a bit, but hollered up at the gates to let them know they were leaving. Seeing Anya coming towards them, Carnegie nodded in acknowledgement. "We's jess about ta head to Tilly's." She shouted, half a question, half an invitation.

Re: Old School

#59

Asha nodded in understanding, further thankful she had chosen to avoid the woman for now, and making a mental note to continue to do so in the future when possible. "How much is a room at Tilly's by the way? My departure from the bandits holding cells didn't leave me with a lot of caps to my name." She confessed hesitantly.

Re: Old School

#60

Carny turned back and scratched her nose.

"...Well, Ah pay wit services...uh meat...shootin stuff, huntin, minor repairs, protectin. *cough* Uhm, plus Ah cook fer dem when Ahm dere...Iffin ye majk yesself useful, ye coudd prolly stay fer free. When uhm... Ah ferst got 'ere, Ah didn't 'ave much ta mah name either..."

She turned away, looking introspective, an excited Elvis running in circles around her.

She crouched down to pet Elvis. "Ah didn't know anyone then...Tilly nd de boys took me in." Glancing at the bespectacled woman, she seemed thoughtful.

"We'll set ye up, rite as rain!" A warm genuine smile followed by a slight blush as she seemed to have surprised herself. "She...she wouddn't turn ye away when yer hurt, s'wut Ahm sayin."

Re: Old School

#61

Carniege was right.

“Why, aren’t we a treasure?” said Tilly, the matronly patron of her namesake boarding house. Asha could see she was being appraised, possibly as a mate for one of her small army of sons.

“I’ve got one room left, darling. I’ll get my Beau to prep it for you.”

“Not a word, sugar, I know you’ll make things right when you can - there’s no hurry - not like I’m payin’ a mortgage”

--------

The room was plain but well maintained - there was good glass in the windows and no sign of any furry or insect roommates. There were also bars on the windows - Tillys house was well fortified.

Tilly came to Asha’s room shortly thereafter with a towel, a bowl of hot water and some odd greenish paste. “A herbal Poultice - should help with the leg. Let me know if you need anything else.”

Tilly Hartwell's Boarding house is a well-built brick home, independently fortified, about 300 meters from the main Red-Tower encampment. Tilly maintains her own small garrison - four of her sons, two adopted, and a brick shithouse of man she calls her 'Beau'. Gardens surround the structure with barbed wire tastefully hidden by vines.

She has four rooms she rents out to those not interested in the more cramped quarters in Red-Tower. The rate is reasonable, and she is more than happy to accept barter or services as payment.

She also maintains a small stock of items, including some that Sanja would certainly not approve of. Tilly is a shrewd woman, and pragmatic. There might be more than manure fertilizing the garden, or so the rumours go.

The Major looked at Marcus and said "You're more than welcome to join the watch - More eyes on the walls the better. Actually, you want to go see Louis and get the Double-Mike out? It might come in handy, though I hope not..."

Re: Old School

#62

"You want me to keep an eye on our new arrival, sir?" Anya asked the Mayor as Marcus made to leave and Linda entered. "Ma'am," she nodded respectfully at the Mayor's wife.

"I could of course sneak back out, maybe get a closer look at that bike and the surrounding area, see what lowlife has been attracted by its coming down?" Making a mental to quiz her about her flight she added; "I'd need to get all the intel from her first though."

Re: Old School

#63

Asha smiled in gratitude at Tilly, managing a brief "Thank you for the hospitality," but rolling her eyes at the unwanted praise of being a treasure, grateful for the dark sunglasses masking her body language. Later, she glanced around her room slowly, finding the reinforced complex both reassuring, and a bit intimidating, the healing poultice cool and soothing against her skin.

After checking to make sure the door was indeed locked, and bracing a chair against it for good measure she settled herself on the bed quickly unpacking her few belonging, spreading out a worn but clean cloth on which to field strip her handgun, the events of earlier still a blur of motion and sickening changes in altitude. One thing was for sure, she planned to avoid air travel for the foreseeable future, especially with how her first excursion ended.

With a sigh of exhaustion she allowed her tail to uncoil from under her skirt to lay across the bed loosely, reaching down to remove the small thin blade affixed to its tip, the rusted tinge of dried blood a chore that could not wait.

Always clean yer weapons after a fight lass! Bloods a corrosive an will pit the metal, worse it's got a distinctive scent an will attract the attention of insects, an animals, especially guard dogs. Kyles often repeated advice echoed in her mind, the gentle breeze through the window a welcome relief of the sweltering heat of the mid afternoon sun.

Re: Old School

#64

Carnegie stood in the boardinghouse's kitchen, chopping a root. She and Tilly danced around eachother, filling pots and boiling meat, while chattering away. A homely scene, that made her relax. She lifted a ladle and tasted the stew. The ingredients left much to be desired, but it was good all the same, hearty even. She filled up a bowl on a tray and added some bread, then she squared her shoulders, exhaled and went to knock on the new girl's door. "S'Carnegie. Ah brought ye sumthin ta eat." She replied to the muffled query. She looked down at the tray and rearranged the bread slices, awaiting entry.

(11:24:15) Minion: Gossamer rullar 1d20 och får 10. +7

Re: Old School

#65

Asha flinched at the sudden knock, whipping her tail back under her skirt and ducking reflexively, breathing a sigh of relief as she recognized the voice. With a contented smile she finished attaching the slide on her Glock, chambering a round and holstering it with practiced ease as she slipped off the bed and headed to the door, readjusting her dark sunglasses before sliding the chair to the side and opening it with a warm grin.

"Thank you," She eyed the food briefly with an approving eye, stepping to the side and gesturing to the desk in the corner, "You can sit it over there." She swiped a piece of bread in passing, the crisp golden crust to tantalizing to avoid. She closed the door softly behind her, flipping the lock more out of habit than any conscious thought. She bit into the bred eagerly, holding her other hand under it to catch any falling crumbs, sitting back down on the edge of the bed and gesturing out the window. "This place is really nice, been here long?" She kept her tone warm and casual, the opportunity for some company during her meal a pleasant surprise.

Re: Old School

#66

Marcus nodded, and gave the mayor's wife a curt "good day, ma'am," before disappearing out the door. Stepping out into the bright sunlight, he sighed. Louis was not his favorite person in the world, but the safety of Kenebac came first.

His feet led his unwilling heart to Louis's house, where he knocked on the door.

Re: Old School

#67

Carnegie looked with some passing uneasiness on the now locked door and pushed some hair out of her face. "...Yer welcum...Ehm, issit too brite in 'ere fer ye?..." People didn't generally wear sunglasses indoors after all.

She parked her rump on the proffered spot, her hands balled up on her knees.

"Ah've...been here two years almost, uhm inna couple a months..." She hesitated to say more, but with no small effort decided to press on. "Uhm...y'know!...Err, w-wut Ah sed afore, about me cumin 'ere nd bein all alone nd such...Uhm...Ah...Ah jess...wanted ta say, iffin ye need sumone ta talk teu....ye...kin...talk ta me...Iffin ye want, ah mean." She ended with a blush. She hoped she wasn't being too forward, she barely knew the woman after all, but if she was going to stay here, then she could well relate to her situation. Something she didn't wish upon any other soul. If she herself hadn't met Luc... But now... Things were so complicated, she hoped against hope that things hadn't become irreparable between them.

Re: Old School

#68

Actually, Louis was on the wall, a fact Marcus noticed as he left the Mayor’s Office.

“Really, he wants us to get that thing out? Fuck. Its heavy as shit. Well, lets get to er.”

What passed as the Armory sat dead-center of the main fortification at RedTower, a heap of broken concrete, cinder blocks and dirt with a girder and corrugated steel roof, with more dirt and broken concrete on top. Two heavy doors barred entry, opened with a windlass.

Normally, there was a guard posted right at the door, but with everyone out and on the walls, the armory was theirs alone.

The interior was just a photogenic as its outsides, a flickering light panel its sole source of illumination. Rough shelving held an assortment of extra weapons, mostly poor quality weapons barely more than tools and knives tied to sticks. Some shield of various types, again of

The double mike held pride of place in the armory though, its dark green paint job in reasonably good condition, and its solid-rubber wheels in decent shape.

“Grab one of those barrels there, “ said Louis, pointing to a number of squat barrels labeled with crude explosive signs. He was grunting and lifting a case of metal projectiles for the gun and balancing it across the gun’s carriage.

Before long, they were on their way, heavy gun in tow, though its weight posed a major challenge.

“Wait till we need to get it up to the ‘turret’, said Louis, grinning in spite of the exertion.

Re: Old School

#69

Asha reached up to her sunglasses as if to make sure they hadn't slid out of place, shaking her head at the question, still uncertain how the town would react to mutations. If it was anything like Stonehammer she could find herself facing a mob of hostile townsfolk and a brutal lynching in short order. "I get bad headaches sometimes, light usually triggers them," She told her, helping herself to the soup readily. "So I keep these on to spare myself the discomfort." She tapped her glasses and shrugged innocently.

She smiled warmly and nodded at her offer of someone to talk to, recalling how gently she touched her leg earlier, and blushed so regularly in her presence, wondering if perhaps there was romantic interest more than simply social awkwardness. "Thanks, it's refreshing to have a friendly ear, I'm a bit out of my element being so far from the place I called home." She confessed, dunking a slice of bread into the stew, "This is amazing, tell whoever cooked this they need to open a diner!" She told her happily. "So what brought you this nice little burg two years ago?"

Re: Old School

#70

Constant headaches? Did she have a habit of drinking too much or was it medical... Carnegie blinked. On the one hand, talking to someone without visible pupils ought to be a relief, but she could still feel the woman's eyes on her. And it did make it harder to gauge her intentions. It might have made things easier if she had been blind, Carny pondered.

She smiled shyly at the inadvertant compliment, but she didn't wish to seem forward by claiming credit for the food.

The woman's question though did bring down the mood a little.

"...Mah parents had jest died. Ah wuz on mah own, jest me n'd Elvis... Dat's mah dog dat ye met. Till Ah found mah way 'ere, Ah'd had been alone in the wilds fer at least a few weeks since Ah left de trailer park where we'd all 'ad lived. Luckily, Ah already knew how ta hunt n'd fend fer mahself...But a dog won't answer ye back. Least nuttin dat Ah kin understahnd." A snorting awkward giggle ensued.

Unconsciously, she rubbed her stomach, thinking back to those awful growths that had taken away her whole world. This morning's check hadn't found any lumps, but she knew she would keep checking. Then a thought came to her.

"Uhm, but nevermajnd me prattling on bout mahself...Yer de un on de flyin bike! Dose raiders, how'd ye end up wif dem? Where're ye fra originally?"

Re: Old School

#71

Nodded in understanding at Carnegie's recollection, holding out a hunk of bread when she noticed her rubbing her stomach. "Please, I hate to eat alone." She smiled reassuringly, nodding at her inquiry. "I'm from Stonehammer originally, it's something of a city, but full of corruption and complications a place like this thankfully lacks." She ate for a moment in silence, thinking of how to answer her inquiry about the raiders.

"I was... Taken by them, they wanted me for... Unpleasant things," She shuddered involuntarily, nearly dropping her tray as she forcibly pushed the broken memories of captivity from her mind. "But..... They didn't have the best locks in the world and I managed to escape, retrieve a few of my things from a guard and jump on the bike, that I was able to get as far as I did on that thing is a small miracle." She confessed with a laugh. "It's like trying to ride on the back of an angry hornet, not something I care to repeat anytime soon."

"Elvis huh? I've heard that name before in stone hammer, seems he was a king of times long past, owned some giant rock quarry or something, wore blue suede shoes and had a hound dog." She struggled to recall the brief snippets of overheard conversations over the years. "Anyway, it's good you have him, friends are hard to come by, especially ones that stick with you." She grinned and spooned the last of the stew from the bowl.

"I've been on my own for a good long time too, the Kings guard in Stonehammer have had my number for years, it's a long story." She shrugged and grinned in slight amusement. "So, what's there to do for fun in this lovely town?" She tilted her head and smiled slightly.

Re: Old School

#72

Carnegie blinked but accepted the bread and bit into it. Chewing thoughtfully as she listened. When the woman reached the unpleasant part, Carny felt her pain. Reacting on instinct she leaned forward and placed her hand atop hers, reassuring her. "S'okay..."

As she got to the dog part, she leaned back, pleased.
"Oh ye've 'eard bout 'im? Mah Ma sed 'e wuz a burger king wit' a voice lajk n' angel...Ma Ma both n'd mah 'Memaw' were big on singin, Ah wuz named after ma great-grandma who used ta sing at a place what lay inna city where de buildings supposedly reaches s'far's de sky...Dunno iffin all'a dat's true though, sounds pritty crazy Ah know."

That part about friends sticking with you, stung a little. Luc hadn't stuck with her... It wasn't the first time they had fighted, and it had seemed like he was willing to let it be by-gones, but since they got back, he'd been keeping mostly to himself. Carnegie hadn't dared to be the one to initiate contact in case he'd reject her...

She was snapped back to reality.
"Oh uh...fun? Well uhm...Ah 'ave mah huntin n'd cookin...n'd Ah sometimes help Auntie Tilly out wit' de gardenin, she's kinda fuzzy bout it, won't let me do it on mah own...Me n'd Sig n'd de boys've also been workin on restorin dat old flatbed ye saw outside. S'kinda fun...Uhm, Ah know dat de guards usually play poker n'd dice at de back a Sanja's store...Sometimes dere's dancin n'd stuff." She shrugged. Luc had taken her there a few times, it wasn't exactly her kind of scene though.

"Anyways, ye must be tired... It woudd do ya a heap a good iffin ye stay offa dat leg fer a while, we mite be able ta fajnd ye a crutch or sumthin..." She got up to leave, as she unlocked the door, she halted. "Oh uhm...Dis's kinda embarrasin...but uh, Wut'z yer name agin? Majn's Carnegie."

Re: Old School

#73

She smiled wider at hearing Carnegie's recollection of "The King" filing the information away for later reference, her own hobby of pre apocalypse mythos urging her to ask more, but doubting now was a suitable time.

Asha nodded as she listed off what passed for entertainment in the town, finding the sedate ways of passing the time both quaint and welcome form the variety of illicit pleasures regularly available in Stonehammer, smiling warmly as she asked her name.

"Asha," She told her gently, another desire of hers seeming worthy of a mention before the lovely lass departed.

"Also if it's not too much trouble, is there a place around here a gal could get a passably hot bath? I'd enjoy a chance to clean up after recent events." She was half tempted to ask for a handy with the bathing as well, but knew it would come across as a bit too forward as best, and down right sleazy at worst.

Re: Old School

#74

"A course! Ah'll tell Auntie Tilly ta start heatin de wat'r. We'll bring a tub te yer room. It'll take two ta three hours Ah reckon, so uhm sit tight." Carny flashed a quick smile and departed.

As Carnegie walked back down the hall, balancing the tray, she felt better about the woman, Asha. She certainly seemed friendly enough, though those sunglasses were a bit of a dark cloud on an otherwise sunny sky.

A few hours later, Tilly and Carnegie brought in the big, slightly rusty, metal tub, then bucket upon bucket of heated water. There was even a small piece of soap. They then left Asha to her leisure.

Re: Old School

#75

After ensuring the door was suitably secured and the blinds tightly draw, Asha slowly removed her clothing and entered the hot bath with a soft sigh of contentment, grateful for the chance to unfurl her tail in privacy and wash the sweat and dirt from her recent ordeals from her skin. After a lengthy interval she reluctantly pulled her self from the now tepid water, taking several more minutes to give her clothing a thorough washing, pulling on her clean spare set a few moments after, a faded mid thigh denim skirt and nearly bleached out pale pink blouse that she recalled was once dark maroon many years ago when it was worn by her sister.

With a shake of her head she eyed her busted violin with disappointment, doubting within the village was anyone with sufficient skill to repair it. With her tail suitably concealed, and her sunglasses and weapon belt comfortably in place she exited the room with a satisfied smile, giving Tilly and anyone else in the main living room a polite nod, "I don't suppose there's anyplace in town with a good view of the impending sunset?" She asked casually.

Nature has a beauty all it's own, and after sun set I should be able to see any cook fires of raiders and other sorts that are camped out beyond the towns walls, forewarned is forearmed as they say.

Re: Old School

#76

"Indeed, there is dear, the walls have a good vantage, but by far the best, if you are adventurous, is the Red Tower itself. Mind yourself climbing up if you do. The ladder is in pretty good shape, but by no means perfect."

Re: Old School

#77

"Thanks I'll check it out." She smiled and nodded again, following Tilly's directions to reach the tower, eyeing the ladder with uncertainty. With a deep breath she grasped it in her gloved hands and began the ascent carefully, idly wondering if she'd run into anyone else also enjoying the view once she reached the top.

Re: Old School

#78

As Asha climbed the ladder - a mix of old, rusted metal rungs, and recent wooden replacements, she got a better picture of the main Red Tower enclosure. Looked smaller up here.

Woops! That rung was loose. Someone would have to fix that. Still, she pressed on and reached the observation platform - it too a mix of old metal and new wood.

The sun was setting in the west, she saw the green expanse of Kenebac, a few houses poking up here and there, then the silvery river, and then the far hills she new blocked her view of the Deathlands, a land deadly with mechanical horrors.

A little to the left, she could see the top of the great white arcology she escaped from.

Odd motion a few hundred meters from the Redwall fortifications caught her eye, but what it was escaped her. Whatever it was, it was short and fast.

Re: Old School

#79

After leaving the Mayor's office, Anya trekked slowly down to the Red Tower, meaning to set up her cannon to scour the surrounding area and further out for signs of activity. Forewarned is forarmed. She grinned to herself, memories of serving coming to the surface. These however, quickly turned grim at the flashing image of her buddy. There hadn't even been enough left to scrape up.

Get a'hold o' yourself girl! You'll hold out a little longer.

Making her way up the creaking and rusted ladder, she was surprised to see the lady they had rescued earlier up here. With that leg too. Suspicion flickered, then dimmed.

"It's beautiful up here isn't it?" she asked quietly, "I usually come up here on a night, do my through the looking glass act, then rest and seek solace in the sunsets."

Re: Old School

#80

Asha nodded, pleasantly surprised to have companionship, Anya's arrival pushing her sighting of the unknown animal from her thoughts for the time being as she curled her legs under her and pulled down at the edge of her denim skirt slightly.

"Just sitting around Tilly's all evening was going to drive me nuts," She confessed with a grin, gesturing to the sunset, "Besides natures light show is free to enjoy, and my lack of funds precludes me from hanging out at the local watering hole, and there's fuck-all-else to do around here for fun." She clarified with a laugh. "My leg didn't much enjoy the climb, but the breeze and view from up here is worth the trip, you said have a telescope you look up with?" She tilted her eyes skyward briefly, realizing the lack of light pollution would give someone a breathtaking view of the heavens in a town like this.

"Back in Stonehammer there was so much light from the city you'd be lucky to see anything over head beyond smoke, clouds and if you're lucky, the moon." She reached into her jackets inner pocket and produced a small flask, unscrewing the top and taking a quick swing before offering it to Anya with a smile and wink, "Go on, it's good stuff, I got it from an actual brewmaster in Stonehammer, it'll put the rot gut they have in most places to shame."