nomans_land | Somewhere between July and December

Somewhere between July and December

1.
[ It wasn't the fastest car he'd ever driven, but it made better time than the old man's shitty station wagon had, and it was definitely faster than walking across the desert. None of the maps he'd found tucked under the seat had Hopeland on them, which was worrisome as all hell, but on one of the maps there was an orphanage marked, just off of a city called December.

The ghost he'd talked to on that mountaintop had told him he'd die in December, but that ghost had also ruined his last cigarette, so fuck that guy. If he died, he died, but first, he was going to make sure Miss Melanie and the kids were okay.

The sedan hums its way across the desert, kicking up a dust cloud that can be seen for miles. ]

2.
[ With a shudder and a hard jolt, the car comes screeching to a halt, the dash going dead as the engine seizes up. Wolfwood swears, punches the dash, then swears again when the solid dash nearly breaks his hand for his trouble. He'd managed to get the car hotwired, but apparently cars in this messed up version of Noman's were more different from the ones he knew than he'd realized. Is it out of oil? Out of charge? Not like he can do anything about it, whatever the problem.

Please ignore the man in black, standing next to a very dead car in the middle of absolute nowhere and screaming at the sky. It's therapeutic profanity, and it really is helping. ]

3.
[ Sunburned and exhausted, Wolfwood crests the hill and finally, there before him, sees the building that his map identifies as the December Orphanage. Even from a distance it's clear that the chaos that's affected the rest of the planet hit here, too -- there's clear bullet holes in at least one side of the building, walls that have collapsed, and the whole place seems as deserted as everywhere else he's been.

But he's here now, so he might as well have a look around.

He really wishes he still had his Punisher, though. ]

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[it's weird to him too. he'd just...started to maybe think he can heal, can move on with his life, make a life for himself when all of this fell into his lap. fell on his head.

his hair drips in his face, he's positively drenched to his underwear. and out there on the horizon....something bad is going to happen. but-- but he can protect Wolfwood this time.]

It's all freaking weird. [a pause] The cars are wrong? How?

[ What is that? Did somebody cobble together enough lost tech to make a plane? Is it a balloon of some kind? He can barely make it out -- it's just a couple little lights way in the distance, like fireflies in a cloud. Or worm larvae, maybe? ]

None of 'em work right! [ He was heading back inside, but those lights are intriguing. Is there a better spot to see them? This courtyard's all just mud and more mud, and rain, and ice... could they get higher up? ] They all run on oil or somethin', except for that one I found. That one at least uses batteries like a real car.

[ The bell tower looks kinda rickety, but what about the roof! They could get to the roof, right? ]

Batteries....and not gas?

[no, that's wrong. there's something wrong there. there's something wrong....with all of it, naturally.

he doesn't like the looks of those lights.]

Think we should bunker down? Those are...coming this way.

[much as he wants to investigate-- only if Wolfwood wants to]

[ Damn right he wants to! Enough talking about cars that run on farts -- let's go check out the lights! ]

Bunker down? [ He slaps Livio on the back, heading for the house. ] Absolutely not! Let's go see what it is!

[ Walking through water is hard! High stepping doesn't work any better than shuffling through it, man. This stuff would suck to fight in! ]

How high up can we get from here? Roof of the chapel, you think?

[he really should have known Wolfwood wouldn't do the easy thing-- really, this was on him.

sighing, he follows after him, only slightly having an easier time with those longer strides of his]

If you wanna get hit by lightning, sure, why not.

[ What's easy about ignoring a great big light in the sky? His curiosity would eat him up for days, and besides, what if it's another attack, coming at the orphanage? Shouldn't they get high up -- inside, up the stairs, out a window maybe? Which way's the roof access, anyway? -- and see what's coming? ]

You're taller than me now, buddy. Either of us gets hit by lightning it's gonna be you.

[apparently Livio's used to the sky falling? or just the other shoe dropping.

he thinks he remembers where the roof access is...]

Hell no-- it'll go for the dumber of us.

[ He was just up on that roof fixing that big blast hole, right? Lead the way, little brother! ]

So what're you worried about? Like I said, I'll be fine!

[ He's gonna stop in whatever room upstairs he left Punisher though, and haul that big beautiful bastard up on to the roof with the two of them, just in case. ]

Hurry up, I don't want to miss it!

[his Punishers are already strapped on, and somehow (practice, elegance) he makes it back up the roof without falling off and falling on his head.

It's slippery up here, watch it. But the bell still looks mostly in tact, and the clock beneath it-- though it's stopped.

it's darkening up there]

You'll be fine, riiiight.

[ Yeah it is. Those lights, they aren't just a glider, or a balloon. There's something big out there in the rain, something too big to be flying.

He won't lie -- it's a little frightening. ]

Okay, just for the record?

[ A twist of his wrist, and the Punisher in his hand powers up. It's completely silent, but there's the faintest buzz of electronics when it's awake and ready, like putting his hand on the rubbery outside of a live wire. The sleet's entirely gone to hail at this point, tiny -- and some not to tiny -- chunks of ice falling out of the sky and spattering all around them, and god it's cold. He's never been this cold.

What an awesome adventure this is turning out to be! He wouldn't have missed it for the world. ]

This was a stupid fucking idea.

[ Here it comes. Hold on to something! ]

[he at least has long enough to hiss through teeth clenched so hard it hurts--]

THIS WAS YOUR STUPID FUCKING IDEA!

[but this is worse than watching the Ark fly around, worse than waiting for Vash to finish the fight with Knives, either to a triumphant win or death for all humanity-- he's here in the eye of the storm, and Wolfwood is here, but not his.

and he will do anything to make sure he's safe. even to the detriment of his own life]

This is gonna be bad.

[he braces himself, Doublefangs held aloft and ready, but he doesn't open fire just yet]

[ It's probably gonna be bad. ]

Yeah, but you know what?

[ He can almost see it now, although the shape doesn't make any sense. It looks like a worm, like one of the grand worms that can swallow a whole caravan, only it's glowing. It's glowing like a plant, glowing like that idiot Stampede did when he'd finally decided to show them all his real face. A plant-worm? Is such a thing even possible? ]

We got to make this stupid fucking decision all on our own.

[ The Eye didn't command it, Knives didn't will it from on high, it wasn't even a gentle request from Spikey. Nobody made them come up here. They've got the freedom to make their own stupid choices and man, doesn't that make it all worth while? ]

[Livio sighs. it is what it is, with them. it's always like this, it's his life. what was he thinking, thinking maybe things could go back to normal? frankly, that's on him, for being so stupid.

but there's also something...something that feels right about standing with Wolfwood, weapons drawn towards a common foe. it's something that could have been, once, if things had been different.

there's a pit in his heart about it.]

Yippie. Shoot when you see the white's of it's eyes or whatever.

[ Something in Livio's tone doesn't sound right. Wolfwood can't identify it, but he sounds... upset? Enough so that he puts the monster worm in the sky on hold for just a moment, turning to the man who would have been his little brother in another lifetime, a worried frown visible even in the dim, rained-out night. ]

Hey, Livio, you--

[ But that's all the time he gets for that question, because just ahead of the worm comes a gravity wave stronger than anything he's ever experienced. It's how the thing flies, pushing energy against energy to cancel out the pull of the planet against its giant bulk. Beneath their feet the building groans ominously... and then there's nothing beneath their feet as the gravity wave catches them up and they float into the air.

Wolfwood has never sworn so much in his life. ]

What the fuck?! Do we shoot it?

[ Isn't that always the answer? ]

SHOOT IT!!!

[this is-- he isn't sure, he's not the smart one, but it's certainly at the top of the weird list that's happened to him-- plant-shaped friends or not-

and even as he shouts, he opens fire, not worried about the landing they might not nail in time, he's using the gravity wave to try and flip up, and up, eyes on their foe but keeping Wolfwood behind him]

[ The landing? Who's even thinking about the landing right now, they're floating under a fuckoff big flying plant worm in an ice storm!

Livio shouts shoot it and Wolfwood doesn't need to hear that twice! Unfortunately, out of all the training he went through in the Eye, all the scenarios he practiced fighting in, not once did anyone ever think to teach him how to fight in null gravity. Why would they have?

So Wolfwood swings Punisher around, aims, and fires, and the recoil from the shots send him immediately spinning around, every bullet going wildly off course as he spins backwards in a nauseating backflip. Every shot misses the beast above him, and he stops shooting as soon as he starts to spin -- hopefully all those bullets went off into the air somewhere? Buddy, you okay over there? ]

Shit!

[he's not doing great! Livio, too, had been sent spinning around, his bullets raining down everywhere, maybe a few have hit their target but jeez...this isn't great]

Now what the hell are we supposed to do??

[if they can-- swim? fly? up that way, maybe they'd be able to get on top of it, but its still far off and they're floundering]

Any brilliant ideas, boss?

I'm workin' on it!

[ The worm, unphased, continues its leisurely flight overhead, its underbelly glowing like Julai at night. Wolfwood, extremely fucking phased, spins slowly at an offcenter angle, craning his neck to keep the worm in sight at all times.

Okay. Okay. Bullets will certainly hurt worms -- he's shot them before, although the laser always worked better -- but he can't shoot more than a single round without drifting off and losing his target. So he gets one shot, is that how this is gonna work? One bullet won't do anything unless the big bastard's got a hole in it's armor underneath... and he's sure not seeing any gaping holes in all that glow. How can he kill something that big with one shot?

...Oh, and then he remembers. Two clicks on Punisher's gear selects the ordnance he wants, and he doesn't even bother swinging it back up over his shoulder, instead just angling his whole body to point the short end at the worm.

You're gonna love this bit, pal! ]

Fire in the hole!

[ A little squeeze, and the rocket blasts free, hitting the storm worm in the belly dead on. The thing bellows loud enough to shatter the windows in the orphanage below, and veers off to the left, twisting that enormous bulk and diving into the first patch of free sand it can find. The gravity effects, the hail, the rain... all that will vanish with it once it finds the safety of the deep sands.

Wolfwood doesn't see any of this happen. Wolfwood's sent spinning backwards by the recoil of the rocket, and flies out of range of the worm's antigrav field into the muddy darkness beyond. ]

[oh-- OH!

well that was-- not something he loved, per se, but it certainly changed the tide! the shockwave sends him spinning and vaulting, he can't even think just yet whether this thing landed alive or not--

and Wolfwood, when he can peel his eyes open to look for his not-brother, is going through it too--]

Wolfwood!

[all he can do is hold on to his weapons and hope for the best once it stops

and it does in an instant]

[ Good luck with that landing, Livio! Falling out of the sky suddenly is no joke -- just ask Wolfwood.

Now, maybe the worm survived that blast, and maybe it didn't -- only time will tell. As for Wolfwood? Well, there's no response to Livio's call. But he certainly survived! The mud is soft, and he's tough, so he's definitely still alive down there.

He may have broken his leg, but that's nothing a vial can't cure! If only he had one. ]

Here!

[ His voice is tight with pain, and not a little frustration. Of all the stupid injuries! Now he's a frozen muddy mess, and his lower leg is bent in a way it's not supposed to? God dammit ]

I'm here. You okay?

[his heart, for a moment, is as heavy as a comet, as heavy as the ships falling from the sky 100 years ago, to ashes-- he can't hear Wolfwood, can't see him--

but then-- there he is-- his voice--

the landing--

was bad. let's not even talk about how badly he's hurt. it's bad. his voice screams this fact, but the relief is so palpable]

I'm fine! Where-- are you sure you're good?

Yeah, it's just my leg.

[ It was an unlucky fall, that's all. The mud's soft enough that he's hardly even bruised -- he just landed wrong, his foot caught...

Look, he's certainly had worse! He just needs a hand getting up, if you don't mind. ]

If you're thinkin' it's a good time for the i told you so's, I'm warning you now I'm not gonna listen. [ And maybe a hand inside? Just until he can splint it up. ] Is it dead? Did you see?

I'll tell you eventually...when you forget about it.

[he can't actually get up!

he's sort of

impaled. AGAIN can you believe it??]

You better not hit me for it either. [a groan] I've no idea...I know it landed. We're not in the air, so it's gotta at least be passed out.

[ With the worm gone underground -- dead or alive, guess they'll find out later -- the rain is clearing, and Wolfwood can finally see more of what's around him.

And what he sees makes his blood run cold. ]

Livio!

[ Oh look, he can get up after all! Punisher makes for a crappy crutch, but it's better than nothing! The long bar of Punisher slips and slides in the flood waters and mud, but he finds a rhythm soon enough, using the giant gun to drag himself to Livio's side.

Fuck his broken leg! This... god, Livio, don't you fucking dare die! ]

You're gonna be okay. [ How, he doesn't know, but don't think he won't move heaven and hell to make it happen, buddy. His hands are shaking as he reaches for Livio -- how's he even going to get the man free? ] Oh shit oh shit oh shit it's okay. It'll be okay.

[Wolfwood's leg looks real bad, but at least he's up and moving, and from where he's lying prone on the ground, he doesn't...think he sees bone sticking out? that's. reassuring.

speaking of, Livio lifts a hand as if to wave off the OBVIOUS concern]

I know. I'm gonna be just fine. I need you to pull this out, though.

[he coughs wetly, clears his throat, but his voice is very calm]

Otherwise it'll heal in me. I'll be alright.

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