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[center][h3]--Rassvet - Pre-Departure--[/h3][/center]
A road trip, huh? The Barghest squad, all together, touring around this hellhole of a police state in a dingy truck, unsupervised, and considering their quirks, most likely also getting into all sorts of shenanigans, perhaps including those severe enough to get one - or all - of them sent to court martial. Hmm... an unwise idea, reckless even, and that was why when Lance and Justice sent the invitation and travel plans, Valerie accepted in a heartbeat. What? Surely these kids wouldn't expect Justice to handle their antics by her lonesome, 'Radar Girl' might be able to not let anything get by her unnoticed, but the 2nd Class was still no one-woman army, especially not when [i]she[/i] would be coming too, reading something in the news about a smoking crater where a small town used to be wouldn't a very fun experience.

And besides, this might very well be their first and last road trip together, perhaps a few of them would be lucky enough to survive the war and go on a post-discharge adventure, but assuming all of them would return in one piece? That'd take a statistical miracle. 

Fortunately, Valerie didn't need to pack much, allowing her enough time to make a quick visit to the monastery that raised her for the first decade of her life, and after that, onto the old truck she went. The thing looked like it could fall apart at any moment, hopefully no one would be expecting to use her mist-veins on it, thing's far too large, unless of course, they wanted to deal with a Full Burn Nephilim later. Yeah, guess not, huh? The designated driver better be someone who had proper driving etiq-... oh, it's Kalina, eh, at least she's not Silje or Tony. It'd still be a bumpy ride, but they [i]would[/i] reach their destination in one piece.

Then, just after the shortest member of the squad climbed into the vehicle, she frowned as a silent groan escaped her throat. [color=b93bc2][i]Tch...[/i][/color] There was it again, the dull ache throbbing at her skull, the ever-so-slightly elevated heartbeat, minor tremors that were barely perceptible yet tangible, and just a little bit of cold sweats. Thank the Mother that her pupils were already (un)naturally narrow enough that any further constriction wouldn't matter. Now that her body had reminded herself of it, Valerie realized that it had been around three - maybe four - nights since she last dealt with this… chronic issue. Looks like it's due, huh? [color=b93bc2][i]Maybe I can delay it a bit, just a few more hours...[/i][/color]

Staving off the initial onset of withdrawal symptoms via breath control, Valerie flashed her comrades a small smile and a slight nod before she claimed a secluded little corner at the far back of the truck, she'd need that little space for the immediate future.

[center][h3]--Rassvet - En Route--[/h3][/center]

A few hours into the trip, Valerie had managed to use the time to make idle chatter with her squadmates, watching the scenery shifting away from urban landscapes into something more rural, enjoying snacks and beverages, and generally having a swell time with her second family. These were all enough to distract her from the abominable cravings constantly clawing at the back of her mind, whispering tempting words, and bringing her more shame than her disfigured body ever could. Try as she might to hold out as long as possible, it always ended the same way, the monster would eventually win the war of attrition. 

[color=b93bc2][i]Haaa...[/i][/color] The moment that she could feel her chest tightening and her vision blurring out was when Valerie decided to throw the towel, fine, you win. She excused herself from the others, returned to her little corner, then flicked her hand, accessing her Mist Pocket to procure one of those damned hypodermic injectors. She stared at the small tube for a few seconds, [i]"AR-Hypo"[/i], the label said, [i]"CAUTION: RISK OF OVERDOSE AND ADDICTION. USE ONLY AS PRESCRIBED"[/i] said the other label. [color=b93bc2][i]Yeah, no shit...[/i][/color] At least they were telling the truth, she could definitely attest to that.

Flexing the fingers of her left hand, Valerie removed the injector's cover and safety cap, then - with her trembling right hand - jammed the sharp end of the thing into the inside of her left elbow. [color=b93bc2][i]Gah-...![/i][/color]

A brief sting, and then, [color=b93bc2][i]...[/i][/color] bliss, nothing but sweet, sweet bliss. 

As the tranquilizer flowed through her veins, Valerie just had enough window to store the now-empty tube back into her astral pocket before she settled herself on her seat, leaning against the side of the truck, then just relaxed...

Out of the corner of her ears, she heard something... something about an imperial princess...? Peace talks...? Peace... yeah, that'd be nice...

A moment later, the full effects of the drug induced her into a deep coma-like slumber, nothing would awaken her for the next few hours; neither the pothole bumps, radio, idle chatter, nor landsurfing bullsharks, not even Silje's can-bomb prank. Right now, the shorter 2nd Class of the group might as well be considered KIA, at least temporarily. Fortunately for her though, everyone in the squad had already been informed of this chronic condition of hers so they should just leave her alone, respect her boundaries and simply pretend that she didn't exist would be most preferred. 
..........
.....
...

[center][h3]--Rassvet - Sapple Springs--[/h3][/center]

[color=b93bc2][i]...[/i][/color] By the time Valerie came to, the truck had already parked at the [i]former[/i] prospector town of Sapple Springs, nowadays, it was nothing but a ghost town, abandoned by all but the most loyal - or foolhardy - residents. [color=b93bc2][b]"Nnngh..."[/b][/color] The petite WARDEN got up with a stretch, popping and cracking joints like a senior who had sat down for too long, the sleep was nice, but she could never quite appreciate it, especially knowing why she did it in the first place. Regardless, now that this shit was over with, she should be good for the next half a week. [color=b93bc2][i]I wonder if everyone have disembarked...?[/i][/color]

Valerie got off the truck to find Justice and Gerard talking with a pair of local law enforcers. Wonder what was it about? Inspection? Seemed like their little group stuck out like a sore thumb in a town like this, huh? Well, couldn't fault the marshall for trying to do his job. Still not having the full picture of the situation, including the '60 Gils guffaw’  that started the whole thing, the horned WARDEN nonchalantly disembarked and walked over to the convenience store, or at least, the equivalent of one out here in the boonies. 

[color=b93bc2][i]...?[/i][/color] It was then she noticed the... palpable tension hanging in the air, it wouldn't take a Justice Radar to notice the civilians and some of the Barghests being on edge, then there was Silje being Silje, but she was the exception that prove the rule. [color=b93bc2][b]"Sigh... what did you guys do again? Geez... why can't we all just get along, live and let live, is that so hard?"[/b][/color] Valerie murmured with a groan, had she knew, she would've taken her dose far earlier in the trip, [color=b93bc2][i]Fuck me for trying to be less of a hopeless addict, am I right?[/i][/color]

With a low exasperated growl, the four-foot-something young woman who didn't even manage to match Silje's height, nor stature, simply proceeded to browse what goods were available in the store, heedless of any stares directed her way. She was wearing a simple set of white shirt and blue denim shorts, but even the most common apparel couldn't offset her purple-veined black "horns" and - to a lesser degree - her snake-like pupils, nothing she could do about those unfortunately. Valerie would pick a single bottle of beer then return to the register, gently plopping the thing down as she faced the nervous cashier, [color=b93bc2][b]"How much? And no, I'm not underaged, yes, I can give you my ID if you'd like."[/b][/color] She declared with the step-by-step methodical eloquence of a salesperson on their one hundredth pitch of the day.