Badlanders in a Good Mood

[Moop]

Frost 13 Age of Industry 4620¤

After the strangeness of watching a weasel shoot fireballs from a fork, or some other eating utensil, Moop had made a clean get away and was barreling towards the rest stop. Joop was in tow graciously gotten from beyond the weasel's clutches.

They road north, as the sun showed, put forward by a map gotten from a wizard. Though in the end they declined the invitation to rescue his things, he had decided later that perhaps sending two small womens to do his dirty work wasn't in great taste. So instead he marked on their map a bustling respite and informed them should they just head due North West they will find Arlain, which in turn will bring them to someone who can ferry them to Amoren.

[Moop]

¤

Having finally made it to the respite the women tied their ponies up and headed inside. It was an inn for travelers out on a dirt road leading who knows where. Everyone stared at the short cyborgs as they made their way inside. Rugged people, stained with road dirt, all gave them a good stare before returning to their business. They found their way to the receptionist and asked for a room, which was afforded to them.

They were on the edge of the Badlands without knowing it. The seedy inn foreign to them by proxy they had no way of knowing the depths og the danger they could be in. As they made their way to the bar Joop grabbed Moop's arm and pointed at a man using a crude mechanical hand resembling a wrench to use a fork and eat a big piece of meat that was so large it was awkward. Moop stuck out her tongue in disgust, shoddy mechanical work that was, indeed. They climbed up onto the bar stools not far from the man and hailed the tender.
"Some food, mistress. And two pints of ale."
The pair would rest tonight and eat like queens in their own right!

Or so they thought. After they ordered their meals the man with the hook hand turned to them. His face was weathered and brown from the sun, with deep creases of wrinkles defining his entire face. He looked like he had a long life, the kind you can't turn away from and can only stare at in horror or awe. He asked them,
"And what might you be doing here? You aren't from around these parts, that's for sure."
Joop began to speak but Moop cut her off,
"Oh and what makes you say that?"
He chewed some fat in his mouth and swallowed before replying in a slow drawl,
"Well, you don't look like none of these pompous assholes from Alrain. Is that where you're headed? Arlain?"
The twins looked at each other simultaneously before looking back to the man, they said together,
"Yes."
Then started speaking at the same time.
"...Well we had gotten lost..."
"...And I wasn't sure which way I was headed..."
"...Ended up in the Badlands..."
"...Met a wizard..."
And innocently rattled off their story to the complete stranger, who at the end of it twitched his lips slightly and let out a hearty laugh.
"Say, where did you get those arms and legs? I must say they are miles better than this thing right here."
He said as he clicked his hand. With that they were talking all night about Dagrun and their mission. By the end they had several listeners all chatting with them, drinks did flow.

[Moop]

¤

With the night winding down they were seated with the old man by the fire.
"Cold at night, here in the Badlands. Hot in the day, too hot, dry, like the damn sun hates us. Nothing like your Dagrun. What a utopia you make that seem."
The old man, Daniel, chewed on a pipe leaned over. They were all tired from the drink. It would seem from the shared love of robotics and metal Moop and Joop had befriended a group of Badlanders called "Piperunners" for their strange mechanical horses they rode. Not horses, not in apperance, but like single rider carts with only two wheels. The handles were long pipes that looked like horns coming from the front and when it reared to life it made a terrible, loud growl. The women were impressed. Some in the group claimed they would outrun dust storms on the back of their machines.

As they left Old Daniel there by the fire to head to their respective beds one thing he said in particular stuck out to Moop more than the rest. He gave a rather colorful description of Daravin's nobles to Moop. He called them some sort of colloquial slur and pointed out that they were pompous, pratty, rude, and sly. The way they were described worried Moop, she was afraid that someone may try to take advantage of she and her sister.

Daniel told the story of his life growing up in a Valran's home. His mother and father were cut throat people who were rarely ever around. They spent a fair amount of time at soirees and he pointed out that their togas would get quite the stare in Daravin. She had asked,
"How do they stay cool in such hot sun?"
To which he replied,
"They don't. Their attire is thick, covering cloth that shows nothing. Most even wear masks in public, of the nobility. Good luck getting by without being snubbed or exploited. If you really think you will walk up there and find your answers without paying a price, you're wrong. Something is in store for you out there you ladies, and I'll tell ya, it ain't gonna be pretty."
In that moment he cut the air across his throat with his hook hand.
Moop slept that night poorly and after that they were off, first Arlain, next stop, Amoren.