On a Road less... Huh? [Open/Ninelives]

[00Penguin]

It was a simple errand, take the cart to town and get the items on the lists.

Another simple pick-up errand, another day on the road with Virgil.

Diana was just sitting in the cart's seat holding the reins, as Virgil slowly walked at his pace. On these trips, Diana always felt uneasy, because not that many people would travel this road. If the worst were to happen, nobody would be there to save her, not even her own master would save her. She would be alone, abandon... Diana freaked out and covered her mouth as she was about to feel sick.

No... never again... never again. Virgil could sense something was up as his ears perked up turning this way and that on a high alert as he slowed himself almost stopping. Diana swallowed up her fear as she gripped her stola more tightly and gave little snap on the reins to get Virgil moving again.

[Just so there is no mistakes first time around, Virgil is a... ham sandwich, JK, he's a mule.]

[NiNeLiVeS]

Payn walked.

Slowly.

There were arrows and swords and so on sticking out of him. If it had been anyone else it might have looked painful. Since he looked dead, everything he did looked painful.

Still, if one ignored the lack of lips and the curious lack of stench associated with death one might notice that he was almost... content? Little popping noises could be heard now and then emanating from his mouth.

The mortals called these 'pop rocks.' They had been well worth the price paid in blood and sweat and tears and munny.

Because after a wandering hero had explained it to him, Payn had realized that it was indeed the right thing to do to pay for the sweets he ate. Because if he didn't pay then people would stop making sweets and if people stopped making sweets then where would they all be?

('IN DESPAIR' an alternate life that had been born a human and became a school teacher bemoaned)

Besides him Perdy watched on frostily. She had also been stabbed at and attacked and honestly even if he was a big meat shield she was starting to suspect he wasn't worth the hassle.

Far off they heard the clip-clop sound of ules.

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[00Penguin]

The trip just seem like it would never end, especially sense Virgil started acting up. The mule just seem to slow down on purpose, as his ears perked up again. Diana snapped the reins a little bit but Virgil was reluctant to move faster, with her eyes down casted on the mule she did notice that there were two travelers on the road. When she looked up her heart almost skipped a beat.

Instints told her to grab something but seeing this large man injuired and with a little girl was hurtful. Keeping the stola tightly on her body, she forced Virgil to move forward to meet these travelers.

[NiNeLiVeS]

Either that mule was really old (and thus blind, deaf and dumb) or it was fantastically well trained. Not many animals liked having demons around.

Then again, there were the odd beasts that just frankly didn't care.

Perdition - who had long resigned herself to the fact that Payn could create disasters of some magnitude by accident (it would have been an awesome power could he do so purposefully but alas...) walked up first, smoothing out her one piece dress and making sure her little crow wings were intact. She was bruised and scuffed but had managed - more or less - to keep herself looking hale if not quite hearty.

"Hey-o, traveller." She said weakly.

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[00Penguin]

Virgil was acting up really bad that now he wanted to move forward quickly but Diana said otherwise as she pulled on the reins to halt him. Virgil felt uneasy just standing there that he wouldn't stand still. Becoming a little more skirmish as the little girl approached. Diana afraid that Virgil may just take off, propped a stick into the frame of the wheel ensuring a solid brake.

The little girl see to be better off than her counter part, in appearance as she spoke to Diana in a weak voice. Diana wasn't really much of a talker, so in response she gave a nod in greeting. Maybe not the best first impression but that is how she talks to people, if she is willing. With the nod, her stola fell further in front of her as it hung in front of her eyes. This was going to get awkward really quick if she did do anything...
Are you alright... lifting her head a bit to look at the big man with all the swords and arrows stuck in his back. Wow a stupid question, but that was the only way to make less awkward... or not she felt awkward for saying it.

[NiNeLiVeS]

"He's fine!" Perdition said cheerfully, which was, strictly speaking just bending the truth a wee little bit. Payn was nothing if not terrifyingly resilient to damage.

"We're, uh, putting on a play!"

...

There was a moment of silence as the world tried to accomodate such a bold, flagrant lie. Perdy thought she could hear the ground underneath her feet sweatdrop. Payn cocked his head curiously but continued munching on his sweets like the good lapdog he was not bothering to ask what a play was even though she was absolutely certain that his deprived childhood had never included theater.

(Perdy, personally, was glad she'd convinced Payn to wear something over his head. It made people marginally less liable to attack them on sight)

"Um, where are you going?" Perdition said, pretending that she hadn't just tried to excuse the multitude of weapons and currently stuck into her traveling companion as props and make-up. "We'll go with you! As bodyguards!"

"I'll even tell you how you can save... errr."

Well, save wasn't exactly the strictly right word when dealing with the Outer Gods. It was closer to 'facilitate your complete annihilation instead of a life of eternal pain' type deal.

"I'll even tell you about the Outer Gods! What say you? Sweet deal, right?"

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[00Penguin]

Diana on the inside had to sigh, knowing that all those weapons weren't real and all were just props, but she still felt a little uneasy because the injuries and the weapons looked so real.

But removing that from her mind she moved on to other matters, she would be willing to tell them where she was going and why, she was however not willing to say what contents or details were involved. But having company would be nice, especially on this lonely road.

I'm on an errand for my master... I'm going into the next town to pick up some items that he needs. And I think it would be nice to have some company... I mean... bodyguards are okay, but companions are better.

[NiNeLiVeS]

"We can do bodyguard work too!" Perdy announced, striking random FIGHT ON! poses that went out of style before style was a word. "Right, Payn-payn?"

Payn opened his mouth. It popped pleasantly with the fizzy sugar. "Who do I need to kill?"

He sounded rather bored - as if it were a routine question.

"Aheheheh! Payn-payn's such a kidder-" Perdy said, elbowing the larger man in the ribs. It was quite the reach and Payn didn't appear to notice. "Payn," the little girl hissed in a whisper that somehow was easy to hear, "you can stop pretending to be a demon now~"

"But I am-"

She jabbed her elbow into his gut more forcefully. Payn shrugged, confused.

"He's such a dear - you know how actors are - always trying to fit into their characters shoes... ahahahahaha!" Trailing off with nervous laughter Perdition wandered hastily over towards the mule.

"He's a calm one, isn't he?" She said, patting him carefully on the head.

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[00Penguin]

Diana nod in agreement, with not much else to say she pat the seat next to her.
It's alright, you can sit next to me, although I sure your... f-f-friend (Diana shivered a little bit) will need to sit on the back of the cart though. Sorry.

[NiNeLiVeS]

Payn nodded amiably at the offer before announcing: "It is very kind of you."

He also didn't accept. The slight haze of euphoria coming from his frequent pops might have had something to do with it.

Perdition, on the other hand, had no such reservations. With a will she hopped up next to the older girl and smiled cheerily. "I'm Perdy! The guy over there calls himself 'Payn'. Nice to meetcha! How old are you? What's your master like? What's the mules name-"

And on and on. It had been ages since she had talked to anyone that wasn't a) screaming and running away or b) uttering death threats and she intended to make the most out of the opportunity.

...in order to better represent the outer gods. Right.

...right.

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[00Penguin]

Diana, didn't really smile but she did feel good to have some company on the trip to town.

She answered every question that was thrown at her, to best of her abilities and what was allowed. Of course there were a few times that she just couldn't answer at all, because it brought horrible memories. But the questions also brought up many other things that she never thought about, like master. Out loud, she had said that master was kind, and caring, someone that never let her go. But in her own mind, Master... was is he really like? she just didn't know. And it was questions like these that brought an aura of dispair with them, even hidden underneath the stola, you could feel that Diana was distancing herself as she was lost in thought.

[NiNeLiVeS]

Payn ignored the conversation as he walked along the dusty road.He had long ago inured himself to the fact that besides the very odd mortal (which coincidentally described Perdition to a T) or the very interesting ones (such as Asala) conversation would not be terribly complex. Lots of 'raaargs' and 'die monster die!' and so on and so forth.

Every now and then a little banter with a hero of one affiliation or another. That could be fun. Painful later, but un.

He took a moment to sniff the air.

Hm.

Someone was eating chocolate - two, three hundred meters away. Payn contemplated following the scent but was distracted when Perdition, apparently showing off, created a wall of earth that shot straight out of the ground and pushed him forwards, making him stumble.

He grumbled under his breath and sprinkled more sugar into his mouth.

----------------

Perdition grinned cheekily.

"See?" She told her new companion confidently, "Payn-Payn looks like he's a big meanie but he' really just a daydreamer. Never pays attention unless it's..."

A fight.

Well, that wouldn't go over well.

"Time to put on a play! We're only two people at the moment so we're recruiting- but - heh heh - I have these awesome magic skills so I can act out the parts for like ten or twelve people, no sweat!"

Well, closer to nine. And only for like, five minutes. But hey, who was counting?

"You haven't mentioned your name yet," she said, daring to poke her new (could she call someone who hadn't been converted to the Old Gods a friend? Oh well, why not?) friend in the shoulder. "Come on, what's eating you?"

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[00Penguin]

Being poked brought Diana back around, she jerked to attention letting the part of the stola covering her head flip back as she 'smiled' and apologized, Huh? Oh... I'm sorry... I really do feel rude for not saying my name in the first place. It's Diana the... Diana stopped herself as she thought about if she really had the right use that name that was given to her by the Amazons after she had left them. Eh... nevermind, Diana is fine. As she waved her hand in a small arc, like she was trying to shoo a fly away from her face.
Um... I'm just thinking if we should stop... you know because it looks like it'll be getting dark soon.
Of course that wasn't what really eating at her, but that was something she would have to be something to figure out herself.

[NiNeLiVeS]

Perdition smiled cheerfully. It was one of her strong points.

"That's a great name! Diana... sounds like the name of nobility!" She cracked another cheerful grin, eyes laughing, trying to make sense of the lack of enthusiasm from the other one. Tired? Hungry? Cold? Warm? Had she asked too many questions? Were one of the questions a little too painful to answer?

Hmmmm...

Well, she wasn't a mind reader. Maybe Diana had indigestion or something. There was such a thing as reading too much into a situation.

Not that Perdition actually believed this was the case, mind you! Here was a poor sheep, lost from its flock, ready to accept the Word of the Outer Gods into her Heart.

Yes Perdy, that would do, that would do.

"Okay, let's stop! Payn-Payn can take second watch!"

Payn 'urg'd'.

Because the middle watch was the worst. You were trying to go to sleep twice in one night.

"Should we get food? Hunt?" Perdition asked. "Are bandits roaming? Should we set up some pitfalls and some spiketraps or-"

And off she went to babble more.

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[00Penguin]

Diana steered Virgil off the road and under the cover of some trees that were near by. She unhatched him, giving him a stroke on his neck telling him he did a good job today as she tied the reins to a low branch on one of the trees.

She grabbed her equipment that she carefully had wrapped up in a cloth and set it down in front of her as she removed her stola and processed to using the end of her scarf to put her hair in a ponytail. She removed her bow and two quivers with arrows in them.
Unfortunately I only had enough food for myself, but I can go ahead and collect more food for the three of us. You two can go ahead and pull out the wood that's inside the wagon to start a fire, I'll be back.
And with that quickly readjusting the quivers on her shoulders, she vanished into the growing darkness quickly and silently.

Several minutes pasted as Diana slowly walked around looked for something to eat, luckly she had found some edible mushrooms, but she knew that they were going to need meat. The was rustle off in the distance, that most people would've assumed to be the wind, but Diana thought otherwise as she headed into the direction of the sound.