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+--- Thread: Freehaven - the Journey (/showthread.php?tid=1667)
Freehaven - the Journey - Weiss Schnee - 06-18-2018
Hania embraced the warm comforts of the plasma-fuelled fire she sat next to. It had taken a long time for the fledgling expedition to get this far into the center of the Omniverse, a task not made easier by the sheer number of close calls they’d had, nearly getting whacked by wampas one minute, before being forced to dodge a Troll patrol. The complete lack of a prime amongst them had made for… a disappointing start.
just as well. If we had a prime, they’d probably insist on fighting these guys to show off, maybe get some of us killed, while trying to claim the credit without doing anything useful… stupid jerks.
Besides…
Hania patted her bow, sitting by her side on a rough log Ur’gash had been playing with on the way here. They were just fine the way they were. Hania had fought all sorts of monsters and Demons back in her original world, before dealing with this weird omniverse situation. She’d been defending herself long before she’d ever came here, and she’d never needed some fancy immortality to beat the odds. Smiling, she looked up at Jack, sitting on the log nearest her. “Thanks for lightin’ the fire, Jack. Sure we got enough wood to burn?” She asked with a smile to the person sitting opposite her.
The man adjusted one massive, metal-plated arm, cocking the arm-mounted plasma thrower on the side. “Hey, you lightin’ the fire? That’s like an hour’s work. Me? About two seconds with this little beauty. Don’t mention it. Been feelin’ useless all day as is.”
Hania shrugged. “Well, given you’re head of security, that isn’t a bad thing. Besides, you helped Ur’gash unload the tents.
“Like the Ogre needed my help. Only thing that worries me with that one is keeping him fed. And making sure he doesn’t choke on a rock he mistook for food.” The Firebat added with a chuckle.
Hania smiled. “You used to be in a colony back in your home place, right? I’m sure you’ll be more use once we find a proper place to set up.”
“Wouldn’t count on it. The general rule of thumb for setting up in a frozen hellscape back on my world is ‘Don’t.’”
Hania shrugged, smiling on her makeshift bench. “Yeah. But you came anyways.”
“What can I say? Gettin’ sick of finding oppressive governments everywhere. Figured if I wanted to finally do something about it, here’s the place!”
Hania put her hands behind her head as she stretched. “Even in winter clothes this place is pretty terrible though. Here’s hoping we find a spot to settle down sooner rather than later.”
Jack shrugged. “The locations we got to inspect are pretty damn vague. For some odd reason, seems like no one’s all that interested in investigatin’ the Frozen fields. Might be the cold. Might be the trolls. Might just be due to the fact that when it comes to most of the field, survey says “A whole lotta nothin’”.
Hania grins. “But isn’t that exciting? We get to be explorers! Discover the undiscovered frontier! Become pioneers of the omniverse! And we’re not even primes!” Hania squeaked in excitement.
“I’ll take being boring and alive over being pioneerin’ and dead- Jack added with a slight chuckle. “-Is what I would say, but you did end up roping me in on this crazy expedition, so maybe not.”
The halfling laughed at that. “Who knows? Maybe you have a thing for short girls?” She asked with a smirk.
The firebat just chuckled at the jibe. “Tell you what? Wipe the memory outta my head off you covered in blood, carvin’ up that poor little snow turkey, and maybe we’ll have a date.”
“Darn! Knew I shoulda taken a level in Psychic!”
“-wow!” The pair heard a familiar voice behind them. Turning around, they saw what’d normally be a pretty normal girl, at least, until you got to the white hair - oh, and those cute little ears twitching at the top of her head.
“Charsi! How’s our favorite Husky?” Hania asked.
“Husky Faunus! And I’m fine!” The girl added, putting one hand into her pocket. “Was gonna check if you guys wanted another beer, but if this is what the conversation’s turned into, I think I’m actually gonna cut you off.”
“Party pooper!” Hania added, sticking out her upper lip - which, as the bitter chill made it’s way inside her mouth, she realized was a very bad idea. “Of all the bartenders without a bar I’ve ever met, you’re the cruelest!”
“You know I’m giving you these drinks for free right now, right?” Charsi asked with a quirked eyebrow. “Buuut, if I’m really that cruel, maybe you can just enjoy a few weeks sober-”
“No wait, I take it back! I take it back! I take it all back!” Hania whined. “Come on, it gets dark at night and I get scared without a little something to take the edge off!”
“Lies and slander. But fine, you pass anyways.” The husky girl stated.
Jack patted a seat on the log next to him. “You could come sit down, y’know. Enjoy some conversation and off-time before we get back on the road.”
“Nah. I’m good. Fine.” Charsi stated, putting up her hands. “Fire too hot. I’m fine with just me, a blanket on the snow, and the moon, thank you very much!”
Hania shrugged. “Well, enjoy it for now. Way our supplies are going, might need to march an extra hour tomorrow if we wanna get to our first destination at a good clip.”
“Awww~” The Dog girl whined. “I can’t wait till we actually get to work building this stupid camp. This is too much walking for me. I’d pay good money to get an airship.”
Frost grunted from his wooden perch. “Can’t say I wouldn’t appreciate havin’ morgan around right now. Or at least her dropship. This walking thing’s getting really old, fast!”
“Hey! How do you think I feel!” Hania added, jumping up to her feet and pointing to her toes. “I’m freezin’ my little halfling feet off here! You in particular, mister heated suit!” Hania exclaimed, pointing at the firebat.
Jack Frost just scratched at the back of his helmet nervously. “Alright, alright… point taken.”
At this point, green, lanky feet trudged back into the welcoming light of the fire, showing Zul’kis’s - frankly, slightly scary visage. “I searched da perimeter. No tracks, no smoke signals. Nothing. If one of da Tribes knows we’re here, dey keeping that to themselves. We good for the night.” Zul’kis grumbled with a sour look across his tusks. “We be keepin’ close to eachother tomorrow, doe. Dis Wampa land. Found a couple o’ dem white caribou ‘round dese parts. Half-eaten. We got at least… mebbe, five or six?” Zul’kis added. “Lucky dey sleep at night.”
Hania nodded. If they’d lit a fire in wampa territory during the day, there’d only be two outcomes: They’d have Wampa Meat, or they’d be a Wampa’s meat. Given how gross Wampa meat was, she wouldn’t look forward to that ration rotation.
“Got it. So, stick close, sleep well, and enjoy the night sky.” Hania added.
“Yeah, that be pretty much it.” Zul’kis replied after a moment. Then, after a couple seconds of standing, he sat down in the snow, letting his legs hang wide. “Charsi, ‘tink you can bring a beer over here, brudda? I need somethin’ to take da edge off.”
Charsi just grinned. “You got it, chief!”
Hania smiled. Looking around, she saw a solid group of friends, a team she could rely on to make this happen!. No Camelot, no Coruscant, just… freedom, good times, and hard work to make ‘em matter.
She knew it wasn’t going to be that easy, of course, but it was okay to pretend for at least one night, right?