"Oi, bug, over here." I snap at Nin and our osibindah tag along makes like the good lad he is. He's at my side in no time at all, arms crossed with determination. He can certainly lose that look in his eyes, however.
"What?" he demands to know and I give a quick thumb over to the door of the abandoned outpost.
"Bust it open, would you? Supply closet." I tell him, moving away to cop a spot on a nearby chair. Quite the lovely, plump one if these leather-coated cushions mean anything. Actually, the whole outpost has been quite lovely, which is odd for a Union building. Those shadow-faced soldiers act on no vices at all and my old employer tried desperately to crack into their market. They're inhumanly unemotive.
So unless the people here were not Union and instead paid in comfort? I know a few places where the bad locales were treated well just because of that. Morale is a very important thing and badly treated people are easy to turn. All mob bosses know this, it's why they like their thugs to flaunt petty wealth.
Keeps the stupid heads on the reminder while also assuring everyone about pay. Law-abiders often love to ruin a good payday. Much as robbing the bank is a good way to make away with a lot, they do the same. Thankfully, I always take my payments in a far more secure manner.
The door ahead snaps open and the bug steps back, flexing those claws of his about. He chitters his annoyance and heads off elsewhere. I offer a quick smirk and tip of the flatcap. Much obliged indeed, much obliged indeed...
"So, what are we up to here?" I ponder for the tunnel gods to hear. Surprise is certainly not something that comes for me, even with how the supplies are nearly all jammed into the same room. The outpost isn't particularly big and while it's well-stocked, I can't imagine it's intended to be used like this. Or even exposed to a quake like we've just lucked out of.
The rock around here is brimming with magic compared to the rest of the underground we've been in. I know why, admittedly, little daughter and her fancy resort all to herself. This is private land. Private under-land.
"Mmm, shame I'm not gunrunning." I mutter, minding the small supply of firearms in the supply room. Though, with how metal-lined these walls are. And how the door is technically hinged and barred... Supply vault might be more appropriate.
But I'm just wasting time with mental semantics.
My grin grows and I slither my way through everything. Pulling up food and drink stocks while snatching up at least a few guns. Unlike Heiya, I'm not overly attached to any firearm. So I'm not too bothered about what we might've left with the van wreck. Still, I suppose we should look about for anything we can use for her.
"Girl's done nothing but haul that musket of hers and Ivahstar's old gear for a while now." I mutter, minding some of the simple weapons the landlord was able to get away with supplying. I'm no expert on surface weapon laws, though. The nature of the monsters of the world certainly makes them lax outside of the cities.
Here's not much, though...
"Nothing at all?" Nin asks, blocking up the door and my only source of light. I throw my hand his way, complaining under my breath as he flicks the light switch. A clinical shine takes over the room, lighting up everything with such an unappealing shine.
"If you're hoping for some kind of surface-blessed weapon, I doubt it." I go on, rummaging through some boxes and small crates as he slips on in. His claws snap off a few locks and he makes a mess of the place.
I give him a glance, watching his back shuffle about.
"And I thought I had an addiction." I comment, making the bug shuffle around to no doubt offer me a glare. Instinctually, I pat my chest area for my pack of sticks. The one item I'm glad I did not lose in the recent quake- Oh! That's an idea, I can see what kind of time passers this outpost has while I'm here.
"I *need* these, I could smack that whole can of yours away into a river and you'd be no worse for wear," he growls and I can't help but scoff as a meekness takes hold in my chest.
"Certainly *need* it for a good mood. I can tell you that much, Bug." I comment, popping a rare slip of paper between my teeth as I finally find a copy of the inventory. The hefty tablet sits comfortably on my forearm and I double check the paper. Some letter, nothing special, and it flies off. A gentle wobble in the air as it smacks down on the steel and concrete.
"So, what's what and where's where?" Nin asks, standing aside as I stroll to the end of the room.
"It's a mess," is all I have to say as I chuckle over how disorderly this inventory actually is. Everything's listed, sure, but it's not alphabetical or even by what it is. The ammo is not near the weapons though some is. Some food is even lodged between the maintenance stuff.
"Have fun with it-" Nin goes, and I beat him out, using his magic-lacking bulk against him.
"Nope!" I cackle, tossing the tablet aside so I can go outside. The doors slam behind me and the bug resigns himself to his new duty. A joyous sigh escapes me, and I'm more than happy to celebrate it. However, as the stick slips between my pinching fingers and the lighter comes near its end, I spot a shadow.
Heiya's shadow...
I put a stop to my motions and lose the smile. A sigh backs me up and I make my way to the outpost roof with some contradictory concern about me. I know she won't do it, yet, I can't help but be worried for her right now. I keep ongoing and going, letting the metal bang and rattle. While her little, fluffy ears shuffle, she herself doesn't really move. Not even to offer a mock threat with her gun.
I stop at her side and drop down onto my bottom, keeping at her side as the outpost interior lights up with labour bangs. Her expression stays blank and moody. Not the slightest uptick of anything, even as the bug possibly exaggerates everything to unknowing effect. I give her a slight nudge and nothing comes of it.
"We've got food sorted, so, uh, whenever you're ready." I tell her, offering a sigh not long after as she continues to seemingly ignore me.
"Ok..." she lets out in her native tongue and I nod my understanding.
"Not quite sure what, but I've got some good hopes with where we are." I say and she nods slightly, words catching on her tongue.
"Yeah... Pops mentioned this route, and I remembered it. Some rich girl is about here. Has a whole mountain to herself. Never worth the effort to try and get in, but always something on the mind." she mutters, her thoughts doing just that. Always keeping Ivahstar on her mind, her father, her Pops.
"Who knows? Maybe with the latest earthquake that happened, maybe we'll be able to sneak in? See this private resort that's the talk of the town for the rich lot. It's quite the wealthy patron to afford a whole mountain." I say and she nods slowly, not doing much if anything else.
A long noise comes from her nose and Ivahstar's spike gun shuffles about her grip.
"You want me to call you when food is ready or bring it up?" I ask and offer and I get nothing from her. Whatever smile I might be able to bring finds no energy, and it seems like I've got all the words I will out of her today.
I click my tongue.
"Well, I'll be by in a bit, then, Heiya." I say, getting up and heading off to leave her to her grief. I feel her, I really do, but nothing I have for the loss of Ivahstar compares to her. It's been a modest time now, but not enough to forget family. Not enough to forget a good friend.
Besides, someone has to bury their pain so at least one of us can feel theirs. She has more right than any of us to feel hers, so I'll leave her be. I reach the ladder down and her dark-shrouded form shifts. Our eyes meet and I linger, unsure if she has something to say or if she's just changing her position.
"Can you make me something with boiled water, please? It's a bit cold up here." she asks and I nod, offering a slight smile.
"I'll see what I can cook up." I tell her, picking up on the cool metal all the more because of her words. My feet hit the ground and I head back inside to find Nin's growing mess.
I keep to the wall and lean on it, idly fiddling near my stick collection as he heaves another crate out. I eye some of what he's broken out and watch a can just so happen to slip away. It rolls on and on, so happily landing near my feet. I ease the foot and bend down to pick it up.
"Yeah, this is private security." I remark, eyeing the fact none of the food cans have the hallmarks of being a military supply train. Armed forces love to mark their stuff clearly, no matter how out of date or ahead of the rest they are. And I've seen a lot of them.
"I sure hope I get biggest portions with how I'm picking everything here up..." Nin complains and I toss the can against a nearby wall, denting both.
"You're the muscle, so muscle." I shrug, minding my sidearm in a half-arsed manner as he groans his contempt.
"Might be better for me to get back in the cage," he says and I'm so close to remarking about leaving him behind. But, as Heiya's mood loves to keep reminding me, Nin's here for a reason. Man's as good as his word, no matter the profession. Criminals just have to be careful with theirs. Keep the promises away and only make them when you actually intend to make them.
"Sly mind you have there, bug." I let out, letting him have the compliment for what it is as I join in to help where I can. I stop him from grabbing some things and we focus on the last of this foodstuff. He takes it into his claws and I mind the loose stuff outside the supply room. We go on further out, dumping it in the open.
"We should've probably gone straight to the outpost dining room or whatever they have." Nin remarks, and I nod along.
"Some of this stuff is probably straight from the can, anyway. And I don't mind a cold meal for the time being. Heiya, however, she wants something boiled, so I sure hope you've not busted the kettle or pots." I say, and he seems to have a moment of doubt.
"I'll find wood for a fire..." he mutters, going off again as I sigh some annoyance. Though, with how chilly the underground is when you pay attention to it... A fire's not a bad shout at all. Not bad at all. Just have to hope Heiya is willing to join us as she's not going to be happy the way she is right now.
Misery loves company, though, I'd rather she tried to make as little of it as possible. People often say meeting lots of people is good. Finding and making friends is good. But they never tell you to mind who it is you're around.
"Ain't that right, Ivahstar?" I gently ask the wind as I finally find a moment to take a stick out between my fingers. The flickering fire tongue of my lighter quickly finding the stuffed-end of the paper.