Dread

Fallout: Into the Storm

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Frankie Cabrera

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[ Fleetwood Subway Station ]
@Polaris North

Frankie snorted at his last comment, almost throwing herself off balance in the process. “Well, thankfully I was just kidding about that.” She giggled, continuing her routine as she just about folded her body in half, touched her toes, and held it there. “I mean, sure I might be limber and somewhat agile...” Her body rose up slowly as she inhaled deeply and then stood up straight again, a smirk showing across her face. “But does it look like I can pack much of a punch?” She laughed again. It was good to laugh, since she rarely had the opportunity to anymore. “But, I wasn’t tossed into this group for my combat prowess, that’s for damn sure.”

Once again, her attention swept over toward where the Brotherhood group was congregating, and not sure how she’d missed it, but the woman who was once inside the belly of that behemoth machine was now standing next to the empty shell. “Wow, so I’m not the only short chick here.” Frankie whispered with a grin, noticing quite a height difference in the female soldier, relative to the others around her. Even the battle armor suit seemed to tower over her like a looming sentinel. The girl had to admit that she felt a tad bit envious however, not so much because of the heavy gear the B-O-S personnel toted around with them, but the camaraderie. It was something that she’d missed terribly after being taken from her home and a community she adored, and if anything could be derived from being with a group of raiders for a period of time, it was there lack of fellowship and trust. If anything, they seemed to have no problem throttling someone in their sleep if it meant one less mouth to feed or a possibility they would be betrayed.

“Maybe it won’t be so bad...” Frankie sighed as she turned her attention back to the tall ghoul. She hated to think of him as such, considering even in the short amount of time they’d spoken, he seemed more lively than many other’s she’d come across over the years. With one last stretch of her neck muscles, she pulled up a small milk crate and plopped down, the plastic underneath cracking a bit under the abrupt pressure. “Take a seat if you want.” She finally said , sipping a bit of water from her canteen and pointing toward the empty wooden ammo crates across from her. She was, for the most part, surprised just how quickly she warmed up to Marvin, as she usually stays quiet around other strangers. But, maybe it was the fact that he was as much of an outcast -if not more- as she has been even though he has most likely lived five times over her own lifetime. Which reminded her…

“Ok, so I’m curious.” She finally built up the nerve to ask. “What’s your story? Like, where did you come from? And -if you don’t mind me asking- how old are you?” Her expression was a bit nervousness mixed with intrigue, if there was such a thing, but Frankie loved learning as it was the only way to understand the fallen world around her.

Ascension 3: A return to Chaos

You might be joking but I love Tuesdays.

@Verticus

Well I love that you love Tuesdays.

Ascension 3: A return to Chaos

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With her back still turned to the Sol, Czigani frowned at the pleasantries flowing from the girl’s tongue, realizing just how much of an impression palace servants -no, slaves- had to make just to appease their royal masters. Sure, Solari was just satisfying her due diligence, yet like most of the servants even in Fotia, Czigani was not so much in agreement of them being tied down as they were to any master, being forced to play nice with everyone, and the such. In the Sol’s case, perhaps it was in her personality to be subservient, and to think less of herself and more about the needs of others. It was a commendable trait for certain, but the Tyro couldn’t help but think that such creatures are being taken advantage of far beyond what they’d ever expected. However, this wasn’t the time or place to rise up against such things, but to put her personal feelings aside for now and focus on recuperating, and so as the Fotian unlaced and slipped off her leggings, she then stepped up and into the hot bath, allowing her sore naked body to slowly sink into the welcoming water.

“Sh’ej’i...fv’aresc’k...” Closing her eyes, the young Tyro moaned in her native tongue as her body sank up to about her neck, and she sat, allowing the hot water to immediately relax away tension, and stiffness throughout her joints and muscles. She barely heard the soft footsteps of the servant girl as she sat at the edge of the bath and gently began examining the wound along the right side of her face, eliciting a slight wince from the patient as the bandages were slowly removed.

Czigani heard the other’s subtle gasp, but knowing just how terrible the wound really was, who could blame her? However, as she had mentioned to Solari moments earlier, the wound would eventually scar over -probably quicker once healing agents were introduced- but it would never fully disappear as many normal scars do over time. The poison that was coated on the edge of her opponent's blade was of Nayu origin, and its ability to prevent skin cells from fully restoring was one it’s most prized attributes, of which not even magic could counter. Czi had to count her blessings, however, because if it wasn’t for her own varying degrees of resistances against many types of diseases and poisons, it could have taken her life indefinitely.

“Oh, I think I could relax here for a very long time.” She responded to Solari’s comment, not realizing that the combination of fatigue, the hot bath, and the healer’s soothing voice, was causing the Tyro’s mind to drift in and out. “You have a-” The words barely escaped her lips as sleeps was coming sooner than later. “You have a nice touch…”

Ascension 3: A return to Chaos

Happy Tuesday @Verticus ;)

Fallout: Into the Storm

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Frankie Cabrera

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[ Fleetwood Subway Station ]
@Polaris North

“Yeah, ‘antsy’, the understatement of the year.” She chuckled. “I'm pretty sure any place but here would be more exciting.”

Patience wasn't exactly Frankie’s best virtue, in fact, it probably never even made it on her “life list”, at least when it came to having to wait around for something she really knew next-to-nothing about. Still, she supposed it was better than sitting out in the wasteland with the high possibility of being eaten by something unnatural. Even living amongst Raiders was safer than that, which in and of itself was a surprising thought.

“So…” She glanced over at the collection of armored Paladins momentarily, before returning her attention to Marvin. “What are the odds of us getting armor like that?” She smirked, more or less trying to keep herself entertained, and maybe get a rise out of the other. “I mean, here we are, a few scraps to run around with, meanwhile, those guys-" She motioned her head toward the Brotherhood’s direction. “-get to walk around in a tank.” Her nose crinkled up, thinking just how unfair and unbalanced it all felt, but on the brightside, she will most likely be kept busy enough not to think about how much things suck.

“Anyway.” She sighed. “I try to keep my head clear during times like these, especially because I have a feeling my hands will -quite literally- be bloodier than yours by the end of all this.” She paused for a moment as though thinking of that statement. “Unless I’m dead, of course.” She shrugged, removed her leather motorcycle jacket and tossed it aside before raising her arms up above her head to continue her stretching exercises from earlier, the charcoal gray t-shirt lifted up just enough for her belly to show, as well as the silver navel ring that was stuck through it.

“Yep.” She said matter-of-factly. “It’s Yoga. Don’t judge.” She then proceeded to arch her back several degrees and holding it for a few seconds before straightening up again and lowering her arms in front of her and smiled. “It’s probably the only thing keeping me from punching someone in the face.”

Fallout: Into the Storm

Hah, by the time I wake up tomorrow morning, @Searat and @HamakazeKai will have a novella going ;)

Fallout: Into the Storm

With regard to interacting directly with other players, would it make sense to mention them at the bottom of the post or is that justa personal preference?

Fallout: Into the Storm

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Frankie Cabrera

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[ Fleetwood Subway Station ]

Awkward wasn’t quite the word to describe the whole scenario, but it would have to do for now, since not much else other than silence and a few mumbles and whispers had taken place since everyone arrived. Frankie shifted a little and leaned forward to stretch her back, angling her head forward to stretch the tension from her neck and shoulders as well, and perhaps sneak a bit of look at the rather attractive-looking guy with the beard and tattoos who seemed as armed to the teeth as some of the others. Still, at least he was easy on the eyes and-

“Hmm?” The subtle voice from her left startled her and Frankie sat back up straight to see the tall, lean man dressed in a trenchcoat of some sort standing just a couple of feet away. She was pretty sure the man was talking to her -something about her being a “medic”- especially when she noticed there were no others closer to him to address at that moment. The girl really wasn’t in the chatty mood, but it was a lot better than sitting around waiting for the ceiling to cave in and kill everyone. “Um, yeah, I’m-a…”

In mid-sentence, her eyes made their way up toward the other’s face, caught off-guard by the ghoulish appearance and stained cloth strewn across his nose, before catching the words again to at least finish a complete thought. “Yes, I am a medic...for sure.” She nodded, trying her best to cover up her blunder with an equally dumb grin while keeping eye contact without looking like she is trying to maintain it. Oddly enough, the girl had seen a lot of blood and gore throughout her short life, but very few of those poor souls unfortunate enough to have suffered the irreversible physical effects of radiation poisoning. Or, at the very least, this was one of the worse cases she’d encountered ever…

“Um, I’m sorry.” She stood up from the hard ground, her ass feeling as though it could have fallen asleep at any moment. “I’m Frankie, nice to meet you.” She gave the other a half-smile, but all the while keeping her hands tucked away in her coat pockets. Maybe he wouldn’t notice?

“So, um...how long do you think we’ll be here?”

Ascension 3: A return to Chaos

@Dread Hey, we have no problem with long posts, just means more content!

@Jollan

Hah, yes indeed! I find it harder to make shorter posts anyway :/

Happy Monday friends!

Fallout: Into the Storm

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Frankie Cabrera

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[ Two Days Earlier ]

“Quit your whining, Louis, and keep still or you're going to be here a lot longer.”

Delicate and agile fingers slowly wove the thread in and out of the bloodied flesh, the wound being sewn up about two inches across the older man's cheek. A man who absolutely hated needles, blood, or pain for that matter, but also couldn't have put more trust in someone to patch him up than Frankie. “S-sorry love, it's just-"

“Yes, yes.” The other interrupted, knowing exactly what he was going to say as she cleared her throat to prepare it for a terrible impression of her current patient. “ ‘I'm not as invincible as I used to be, back when I was working the ol’ railway system out in the western territories...’ “ She got a chuckle out of mocking the old man, whom she’d come to respect as a friend, and even as a moral compass to a certain degree.

“Is that really how I sound?” The other arched a bushy, gray eyebrow while trying maintain complete stillness. “So...gruff and uncivilized?”

“Nah.” Frankie snorted, It's just me having fun. Ya know, gotta laugh to keep from crying, blah blah blah.”

“You? Cry?” The other snickered. “You're about as dry as the Nevada dunes, dear. I'm not even sure I've ever seen you shed a tear about anything since you got here.”

“You mean since your friends kidnapped me from a perfectly good home and family, just so I could involuntarily join this merry band of psychos?”

Louis kept quiet for a moment, but he didn’t have to say anything as the expression in his eyes gave a complete picture. The old man was one of many who’d been thrown in with the raider parties over many years, and while he didn’t agree with their tactics, he had very little recourse, and survival was still at the top of his list. “You know they aren’t my ‘friends’, love.” He finally spoke, clearing his throat. “And if it wasn’t for my mechanical know-how, I’d have been roach bait a long time ago…” He left it at that, knowing that Frankie didn’t need to be reminded of what would happen to non-compliance when running with a group who seemed to care very little for human life.

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[ Fleetwood Subway Station ]

The young girl stared out into the endless darkness of the tunnel, her hand anxiously pulling at the laces on her boots, biding her time as her and the others in the motley group waited for something to happen. Frankie couldn’t quite figure out why she’d even chosen to come this far east, to New York City of all places, but then again, perhaps that was her lot in life: the wander. Although, the catalyst for her decision was quite out of her control considering the last encampment of Raiders she’d been stuck with were all but wiped out, attacked by opposing raider forces, causing survivors -including herself- to scatter like insects amongst the open wasteland. One of her only friends at that time, Louis, unfortunately was unable to make it far, his weak heart giving the last few pumps before cardiac arrest took him from the world for good. And with all the medical experience and knowledge she’d accumulated over her adolescent life, not one bit of it would help the old man, as the radiation sickness killed whatever was left. She hoped, however, that Louis was in a better place than where he’d started.

The hydraulics and gears from the overhead doors pulled her from the reverie, causing her attention to catch a glimpse of the armored soldiers strolling in like they owned the place. She knew who they were, perhaps not on any personal level, but collected enough information over the years to have a fairly solid opinion.

“Great. The Brotherhood of Assholes have arrived…” She mumbled under her breath, uncapping the dented aluminum water canteen and taking a few sips before replacing the top.