Trouble

[Sola]

31 Glade 4623

Luna had not heard a lot about the City of Carine before she visited it. It was on her list of cities to visit since she still hadn’t figured out exactly where in Daravin she’d be making her long-term home. It was on her list because she had a friend that supposedly moved to the area several years ago with her family and Luna thought she’d catch up with her. As she entered the city, she was greeted by the sight of bustling streets and busy shops. The buildings looked interesting, and the scent of freshly baked bread filled the air. Luna walked down the street, looking and asking around for anything she could find out about her friend. She ultimately found out at her friend’s house but her parents directed her outside the city, where her friend was said to be living.

That was a few days ago.

It was midafternoon when Luna finally walked into the right town, somewhere between the badlands and Carine. She was tired from walking all that way and was getting tired of the company of the people she’d travelled with. She gladly entered the local tavern and craved something to eat and drink. It might have sounded crazy that she’d come all this way just to say hi to someone. However, she didn’t have contact with anyone from her past life so meeting an old friend was going to do wonders for her mental health. That could wait till tomorrow though. For now, she just wanted to sit back and relax.

Luna scanned the tavern after making her order and plopping down at one of the empty tables. She leaned forward and propped up her head with the palms of her hands. The atmosphere wasn’t anything impressive. She’d been to dozens of taverns just like this one in the past few years alone. It had the typical performer in the corner, a couple people playing darts, the obvious criminals discussing things they ought not to, etc.

Luna was dressed for travel and not for work. She wore black pants and a grey shirt, and had her strung longbow leaning against the table with her quiver right next to it. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and tucked into the back of her shirt. Her face was sweaty and she was in dire need of a bath after her travels. At her side was a pointy looking knife in a sheath. She had an air of confidence about her that suggested that she wasn’t all that worried about inviting trouble. This was mainly due to finally recovering from mageblight and ready to wield magic as a weapon if need be.

[Miki]

¤

It wasn't too often Miki had business in Carine. After all the business in Radenor the farther away she got from the place the better. She also was grateful to be riding her chariot, which tore at the earth and road between the Badlands and Carine. It was great to be in Zero's good gracees, her gang was growing in numbers now more than ever with the Radenor border rumors about the badlands being a place for Freedom for All. In fact, she had been taking new stock in what it meant to be a Badlander and what running the gang meant to her. She didn't need to think of moral codes and ethics, but more, "Freedom". What does it mean to be truly "Free"? A philosophical question she was mulling over in her mind. Dress how you please, live how you please, pleasing no one if not but yourself. Anarchy in the truest sense of the word, but an anarchy that doesn't need destruction to function. At least, not so heavily. Truces could be made in certain places, there could be flourishing small communities, and that is where the jewel of her crown will rest. Uniting the people in paradoxical anarchy, with and without ruler-- more like vigilante watchers. Opening the doors to the Badlands to any and all, perhaps growing the Badlands finally, if they could get mages who new water magic to do their strange blessings on the soil.

Driving the chariot while thinking all of this she nearly could have missed the small town she was driving through. Her stomach growled and she decided it was time to get off the chariot. Pulling up to the tavern the loud chariot growled and howled viciously, sounding like a big cat, for a few moments in idle outside of the place. Finally she stepped off and turned the mechanism down, shaking the sweat out of her blue-black hair and combing it behind her horns with her fingers. Walking inside it was a sight for sore eyes, Miki sat at the bar and ordered herself a sandwich and some booze. Bread, meat, cheese, mayo, you can't go wrong. Washing that down with the beer she was in heaven the moments later after her lunch. Sat at the front of the bar she was wearing a pair of leather skinny pants, a jacket made of the same black dyed leather, a white tank top underneath-- stained with grease and dirt from the road. He skin was a deep shade of red and her black hair looked sometimes blue when the light shone just right on it. Her eyes were devoid of pupil and were almost soild yellow. Miki had her arquebus slung around her back and various pouches hanging from her belt. As well she carried this day her new war axe, it was strapped to her hip.

Miki took a seat when she was finished in the back of the room, looking around she caught a sight of a pretty young woman with a long bow not far from where she was-- but as she minded her own business so did Miki mind her own. She thought maybe some other Badlanders might come and she could get into some gambling perhaps, so waited in the back on her own sipping her beer and making herself seem occupied with her thoughts. That was when she caught the rude sounding shushing and laughter which erupted nearby.
"...We could always head them off and rob'em farther up the trail. They said they'd be up there doin' god knows what peddling at the travel camp up the road by the Big Rock which looks like an arrow head. That's one of the places they said we could meet up, by why not just rob'em there instead!"
That was the jist of what Miki could hear as she tuned in to eavesdrop. The group was doing a decent enough job staying quiet but Miki could hear better when she got up and sat a little closer to the people who were talking, using her ability to sneak to make her moving seem nonchalant. She wasn't sure what to do with that information at first as she crept back to sit at her table previously.

[Sola]

▬ι═ﺤ

As Luna sat there in the tavern, a unique looking woman came in shortly after a strange sound came from outside. Miki obviously stood out from everyone else. The woman had horns and red skin for gosh sake, that wasn’t something Luna got to see every day. Luna's interest was immediately piqued. She thought that she just had to go meet her. Luna slung her longbow over her shoulder and tied her quiver to her waist and then went over to say hi to the woman. As Luna approached, she studied the woman's attire; the style was unlike anything Luna had ever seen. The woman's clothing was made from a mix of fabrics and materials. But despite its unconventional appearance, the clothing seemed to fit the woman perfectly. Luna wondered where the woman had come from, and what her story was.

Luna was not sneaky nor did she pick up on the woman's attempt to remain unnoticed. Luna obliviously sat next to the woman and said, "heya there. I just had to say, I love this look you have going for you. How did you get those horns and red skin? Are those mutations?" She clearly though Miki was a mage and had somehow gotten her appearance through magical means. Luna smiled and took a bite out of the piece of bread she’d carried over with her.

One of the chatting bandits glanced over at Luna and Miki. He was clearly drunk and managed to let out a grin that showed that he lacked quite a few teeth. He seemed quite content with just staring at the two ladies so Luna rolled her eyes and sighed.

“You paying attention you dolt?” asked one of the other bandits.

”Huh?” said the one who'd been staring.

”I just asked you a question you drunken fool.” The bandit grabbed the other and shook him firmly by his shirt.

”Erm, oh yeah. An ambush sounds like a great idea.” The bandit rubbed his head, somewhat dizzy now.

”Exactly! We can catch them early in the morning before they arrive at Rock!” said a third bandit.

That’s when Luna started paying attention. She narrowed her eyes and thought about whether this kind of thin was the norm around these parts. She knew very little about the badlands other than it was a lawless desert. She’d whisper to Miki, ”surely they can’t think it’d be that easy. Any travelers worth their salt ought to be able to defend themselves from these idiots.” She could just imagine trying to steal from a merchant only for them to turn around and light the robbers on fire. Even if a merchant wasn’t magical, the chances of them having a powerful weapon or bodyguard was pretty much a given.

Created by Moop!

[Miki]

¤

The woman was suddenly direct with Miki, which she couldn't complain-- the woman was very pretty and Miki liked pretty women. She smiled a wolfish smile and folded her fingers in a steeple while the girl hero-worshipped her. A certainly good way to get into Miki's graces, she loved being flattered. Usually when people saw her they were scared or revolted-- so anytime someone thought Miki was interesting was a time Miki relished.
"These ain't mutations. I'm Moroi, I was born with this appearance, thank ya for noticin'."
If she could blush she would have then, smiling at Luna a little too wide.

The men continued their talk and Miki listened to Luna's assertation.
"Yes, anyone who's traveling around these parts would have someone. But this sounds like someone who's new to the area-- if they way these guys are talking. I don't think this peddler knows what they're getting into around here... Especially if these guys think they have a shot."
Miki stood up then and stretched, revealing more red skin beneath her leather. Turning her back from side to side to stretch her lower back she then looked at the other with more scrutiny than before, looking past the pretty face, she saw someone who Miki couldn't tell off the top of her head if the young woman would agree or not to what she asked next,
"Name's Miki, pardner. How's you thinkin' about coming with me to head these guys off and go rob the merchant first? I heard where they'll be-- it's not far. These guys will be here drinking tonight for sure-- Why not go check this merchant out with me?"
She smiled, this woman could even call the guard for what she proposed but they were on the edge of the Badlands, the Badlands were a place of total destructive anarchy and where everyone knew anything goes.

[Sola]

Luna couldn't believe what she had just heard. A race of people with red skin and horns? She had never heard of such a thing before, but she didn't want to offend Miki by asking too many questions. Instead, she simply nodded and said, "oh, that explains it." She tried not to stare at her new friend, even though she wanted to inspect her up and down.

When Miki spoke about the drunkards, Luna was impressed by her ability to read the situation so well. It was clear that she was used to this kind of stuff going on When Miki offered to take her to the merchant before the drunkards got there, Luna hesitated for a moment. She had never been to the badlands before, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for the kind of danger that awaited her there. But at the same time, she couldn't resist the opportunity to experience something new and exciting.

"You know, getting to the merchant first might be a good thing," Luna said, her voice full of excitement. "I'd love to go with you and experience what life in the badlands is all about." She couldn't help but smile at the thought of embarking on this adventure. It was clear that the woman knew her way around these parts, and Luna felt safer with her than she would have on her own.

Deep down, Luna knew that getting to the merchant first was also the best thing she could do for the poor man. She couldn't bear the thought of him being attacked by the drunkards who would probably just kill him. She didn’t know whether Miki was the sort to go off and murder someone for their belongings, but at least Luna’s conscious would know she tried to make things better.

Luna was lost in thought for a few moments then asked, “when exactly should we leave? now? And how far away is it? I don’t exactly have a horse to travel with...”

Created by Moop!

[Miki]

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"Getting to the merchant first is the best thing. Trust me."
The woman beside her looked clean and soft, like she did little hard labor and real work.
"Name's Miki, I ain't get yours yet. You wanna experience the Badlands? Who wouldn't want a taste of freedom. You from Daravin?"
They were clearly green but she found herself interested if only for the sole reason of once things were done pitching joining the gang-- if she was as green as she seemed, well, who knew maybe the prospect of freedom and anarchy would make her defect and join the Badlands like it had so many others.
"We'll leave this moment, they said it was by the Big Rock that 'looks like an arrowhead'. The sooner we get there the better, they said it was a camp not fair up the trail. I swear I saw that rock along the way when I came here. As for how we'll get there well unless you want to walk on your own I suggest you hop on back of my chariot because I'm taking that."

Wasting no time she finished her beer and headed outside to get on the chariot. The other woman would sit in the back and hold on to Miki as they traveled up the road to the Big Rock. When they got there, there's no one there. Miki started working on pitching her tent at the campsite and told Luna,
"We may be waiting. Why don't you tell me about yourself? I work as a smith in Traphole. I also run Snake Eyes-- that's my gang. You ever been interested in living in the Badlands?"

[Sola]

Luna said, "my name is Luna, nice to meet you. And yes, I'm from Daravin. I spent most of my life in the northern marches but I'm living in Amoren now. How long have you been around these parts?"

After Miki said that they should leave soon she'd say, "okay let's get going then!" As Luna climbed onto the back of Miki's chariot, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and nervousness at the same time. She’d never ridden on one of these before. The wind picked up and the dry sand swirled around them, making it difficult to see. The sound of the chariot's wheels rolling over the rough terrain echoed in her ears. The ride was jarring as she was unaccustomed to this mode of travel, causing her to grip the sides of the chariot tightly to avoid being thrown off. She looked around, taking in the vast expanse of the Badlands.

The landscape was rugged and unforgiving, with towering mesas and canyons stretching as far as the eye could see. The sky was a deep shade of blue, with the sun beating down mercilessly on them. Luna could feel the sun's hot rays scorching her skin, and she couldn't help but wonder how Miki managed to survive out here day in and day out. Despite the discomfort, Luna couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration as they journeyed deeper into the Badlands.

Once they arrived at the campsite, Miki started pitching her tent while Luna looked around at the barren landscape. She couldn't imagine living in a place like this, with nothing but sand and rocks as far as the eye could see.

Luna watched as Miki started setting up camp and started helping, if she was allowed to. She’d say "Well, I already told ya where I'm from. As for my job... I'm a courtesan. I'm trying to find me a nice rich boyfriend to settle down with though. Then I won't ever have to work again!"

Luna chuckled and continued, "A smith eh? what kind of stuff do you make? And Snake Eyes is a good name for a gang if I've ever heard one! And heavens no, I don't think I could live out here. it's all... sand. And this weather is no good for my skin care routine." Luna rubbed her cheeks which had been too dry for what seemed like ages. It was going to take a LOT of cream to revitalize her skin.

Luna yawned and said, "it can't be all that bad though. What are your favorite things about the badlands, as opposed to being in a major city?" As they talked Luna would wonder how long they would be stuck here waiting. If they were going to have to sleep then she was going to have to be on her guard, lest her new friend ended up being a little less than friendly.

Created by Moop!

[Miki]

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"Daravin eh? I figured; not many would be this far inside Daravin without being a native, right? I ain't been around these parts for long, but I been thinking about heading to Carine area for awhile."
The journey to the meeting place was uneventful, driving headlong through the desert turned Wasteland. Racing tumble weeds and lizards along the path. At one point she even ran over a pile of bones, crushing them into dust beneath the snarling beast the was the chariot. The deep blue sky contrasting against the brown and gold dust of the earth below the horizon was beautiful to Miki and never got old!

She listened to the pretty girl, Luna, talk and nodded her head while she did so.
"Rich boyfriend? Sounds nice. I could use one myself. Ya know, for expenses. Courtesan, I've known a handful of prostitutes in my time. Never saw nothin' wrong with the profession, sex is fun. If I could get paid to get laid I would too. You don't think the Badlands are for you? That's fine, they ain't for everyone."
She didn't speak about herself yet and watched as Luna worried about her skin, she was prissy and that was endearing for Miki who didn't see many in these parts who cared for themselves quite at all. The last question though struck a cord for Miki. She had finished up making her tent and sat down to smoke some tobacco. Pensive and not answering Luna for awhile she finally said,
"You know, I like a little bit of freedom. The choice to do anything. Kill, maim, steal, rob, that's what people think it's like out here. And I ain't lyin', it is and it can certainly be-- it's what we're here for after all. But we got our own morals out here, anarchy rules. For everything, freedom of choice is why I love the Badlands. That's why we gonna rob this man and send him on his way-- but not kill him because I ain't fond of killing innocents. Unless he shoots first, then he goes down. I gotta preserve my own life now, and yours too, sweet thing!"

They waited for some time after their conversation until the sun dipped below the horizon. It was barren out here, completely, and for hours they didn't see any other soul save a few buzzards and lizards. That was until the trader came up to them. And he was alone, save for a pack camel, and he was clean, he looked like someone fresh from Daravin-- completely new to life in the Badlands. So many came looking for a new lease on life in the Badlands, most found an early grave. Miki asked him,
"You trading from the Badlands? Ya look like you ain't been in them for long. Green, new, fresh. Delicious."
And he looked nervous, rightly so. Gulping he nodded.
"Yes, I am trying to leave Daravin and start my life anew. I was a commoner and tired of being treated like shit. I just want a better life. Would you like to look at my wares?"
Miki scratched her chin.
"What do you think?"
She asked Luna. Implying she was asking if they should rob the man or not. It was clear he was unarmed, poor, and didn't have much on him other than some scrap, herbs, and water.

[Sola]

merchant go spin~~~

As they sat around and waited, Luna listened to Miki and thought about what life would actually be like in the badlands. Miki made for a compelling pitch. Luna could agree that freedom was good but anarchy was kind of iffy. It was hard for her to accept such a way of life when she’d benefited most of her life from structured city life.

As Luna spent more time with Miki, Luna felt more and more like she could trust her. She’d had plenty of opportunity to attack her and since it hadn’t happened by now Luna felt safe. She thought that if Miki was a bad person, then she was clearly in it for the long game which meant Luna didn’t have to worry for now anyways. Luna smiled and nodded when the topic of the merchant came up. She said, “better to be robbed than killed. I hope just hope they don’t give us too much trouble.”

Time passed and at this point Luna just wanted the merchant to come along already. Thankfully, he did eventually show up. Luna stood up and listened intently to the conversation. She felt kind of bad for him because he did look pretty harmless and didn’t seem to have much of value. On any other day Luna would’ve been fine just giving the man a simple warning and letting him go on his merry day. But this was the badlands where there were no rules. She had to take advantage of that fact.

There was a playfully evil glint in Luna’s eyes when Miki prompted her for an answer. “what do I think? Hmm…”

Luna held out her hand with her arm and fingers fully extended out at the man. She paused and cocked her head to the side and in an instant purple strings of energy shot from her hand and attached themselves to the man’s forehead. She deliberately made them visible to intimidate him, and it worked. He looked startled but he needn’t worry about the effects of the tethers. Luna didn’t really care to manipulate his emotions but she did want to look at his mural. It depicted much of what one might have expected given his story. Luna’s mind was filled with an image of the man lying on the ground with a large boot pressing into his back.

Luna continued, “I think that we need to teach this man a lesson!” She stuck out her other hand and created a magical weave that surrounded the man and prevented him from running away. She lifted him a few feet off of the ground and pulled him near with her telekinesis, so that he was just floating and rotating slowly in front of them.

The effort of doing all this was apparent by the strained look on Luna’s face. She’d never actually thought to lift a person before. Or rather, she’d never thought she could get away with it. But she was in the badlands where the only person who could stop her believed in anarchy.

“Listen here buddy,” she said to the merchant while ignoring his pleas, “there were some drunks in a bar not far from here that were going to kill you. As it so happens, we came all this way to get to you first. Is this really the kind of life you want?”

Created by Moop!

[Miki]

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The merchant trembled with fear he was a short fat bald man with a funny hat on his head. Miki took his hat off and perched it between her horns. She told him,
"If you give me your coin I'll let keep your life."
He hurriedly dumped out his pockets and dropped seventy five dranari farthing on the ground. She flashed her gun at him and told him next,
"You better run, because I've been in better company and I've had to use this..."
He would huff and grab his pack and walk as fast as he could away with Miki poking her gun at him the entire time. As he departed in the distance, Miki would split the money but keep forty coins for herself.

~~~

That night they were the only two at the camp site. They chatted for some time about small talk sorts of things before Miki decided she was going to head to bed. Laying on her bedroll she felt restless, she wanted to leave. But how could she leave Luna? More specifically, how could she leave Luna without Luna knowing? She hatched a plan then, while Luna was asleep she rolled her chariot some ways away to not startle the girl when she turned it on. Next she quietly, sneakily, took down her tent and kicked out the coals. The last thing she did, on a whim and more of a force of habit than any ill will against the girl.... she snatched the coin purse which held Luna's share she had given before. Plan finished, she got on her chariot and left Luna asleep-- farther and farther in the distance she got until Miki was all the way back in the Badlands.