Relying on Steel Horses

[Roach]

Because she didn't want to walk into town, and she had been ready to hitchhike. As soon as the truck was far enough away, the Irraka threw her thumb back out and found a car with a nice old lady, who wasn't People, and shouldn't be driving. But Roach wasn't one to tell anyone how to live their lives, shouting out can'ts or shouldn'ts.

The drive is nice. AC's nicer. The hard candy the lady - Maude - gives her is minty. Roach even apologizing for her smell, and the stains she might have left on the seat.

Now, facing the garage and Roach rolls her shoulders, cracks her neck Makes sure her bag is secured, if she needs to gtfo.

Roach was about to say something as she walked in, but just fucking couldn't. Not with the sight of the wolf with a Bright. Pink. Collar.

Three guesses on who that is, and the first two don't count.

[Emily Makerith]

Emily only shrugged when Val came out of the toilet in her Urhan forms. Hell, she'd taken plenty of naps as a wolf, and she wore collars in Hishu. She'd tinkered on the engine, putting bits of it back together, oiling and fastening every piston. Sooner than she expected, the unnamed hitcher wolf arrives, looking increasingly skeptical at the wolves gathered around.

"Hey. Glad you actually came over," Emily greet her tiredly - she's now got oil over her face and in her hair, smells even more of sweat, and looks increasingly tired. The Ithaeur looks up at the clock on the back wall. "Looks like you gotta lift in after all. Get ya a drink?" She jabs a thumb over to the kettle and mugs on the side.

[Tristan Hardt]

Tristan takes his time exiting the cab of the truck, but is surprisingly compliant in helping position Val's car in the shop. Once inside, he takes in the surroundings with a few sweeping looks, then braces himself on he side of the car and stretches his back with a good, solid twist. One or two pops can be heard, but it doesn't sound particularly satisfying. The Elodoth resigns in his head that his back would be sore tomorrow.

The Beta winces and shoots a glare in Emily/the music's direction when it cuts on, but then he recognizes the song. "Sure you didn't grab your father's music by mistake?" There's definitely something resembling on grin on Tristan's face. He shakes his head to himself and finds a seat to lounge on. "Take an iced tea if you've got one." he adds.

But, as life would have it, every step forward is met with a step back. Just as Tristan is beginning to enjoy his pack and potentials' company - or just inoffensive coexistence - a wolf with a pink collar emerges from the restroom Val had stepped into. Jesus Christ... He manages to keep from scowling by settling for an entirely incredulous look.

He's almost relieved when the scruffy wolf-girl finally arrives. It gives him something to focus on other than that damned pink collar.

Well, for half a second. His eyes keep retuning to the thing and it wriggles its way into conversation. "Made it, huh? Don't mind us, we've just been sitting around watching someone's pet." Another glance at Val. This one fully weighted with disdain, with eyes so hard they could carry a punch. Tristan can hardly believe this woman would debase herself with some ridiculous pet collar!

[Valentina Queen]

Valentina-wolf blinked it's big yellow eyes open, ears twitching as it realized that, finally, the hitchhiking wolf had made it. Climbing back to her paws again, and taking another moment to stretch, the wolf loped over to Roach, circling her, sniffing, and pausing only to huff a wolfy laugh in Tristan's direction. How silly! She was only acting in accordance with the Oath, after all. Nu Bath Githul. The Herd Must Not Know, and what human would suspect it was an actual timber wolf wearing such a pink collar? No one, that's who!

Besides, her daughters loved it when they got to play with a big, cuddly pupper...

Val finally finished her walk-and-sniff around Roach, and sat back down again, leaning against the other Iminir's leg, content to let the local pack conduct their questions first.

[Roach]

"Said I'd meet you here." is a dry return to the blue haired women, a nod. "Water'd be great." she says back to Makerith, there's a few beats before she says, "Thanks." like she's forgotten that people say that.

The vitriol might have been expected from the aggressive male, Hardt, but it is sudden. Roach didn't object to the collar, but the colour. To each their fucking own, but pink? There was something inherently offensive about the colour to Roach. (she knew what was so wrong about pink don't lie!)

Queen comes to lean against her leg, a quick, and mostly hidden breath has her reaction to that under control. The Irraka slips away to stand nearer Makerith, and that water she was getting.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-08-15 16:44:37		Roach rolls 5 to Deep Breaths! (Res 2 + Comp 3) (10 Again)		2, 3, 7, 8, 2		1 success

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-08-15 16:52:34		Roach rolls 7 to hiding dem feels! (Wits 3 + Subterfuge 3 + spec) (10 Again)		7, 2, 1, 9, 5, 4, 3		1 success

[Emily Makerith]

Emily reacts to Tristan's jibe with a broad grin and singing alongside the CD at him. "CATCH THE BULLET, RIDE THE DRAGON's WIIIIIIIIINGS!

IT WAS THE HEEEEEAT OF THE MOMENT!!" She starts chuckling to herself as she throws him an Iced tea and sits down to work on the engine. "It's a classic, old timer."

She's happy to let Val doze.

She gets up and pours the other newcomer a glass, trying not to leave too oily a smudge on the outside. "Yeah, I guess you did. So. Uh, what d'we call ya? Don't care if it's your real name or not, but I can't keep going "yeh hey you" at you, right?" Emily passes her the glass and offers a small smile.

[Valentina Queen]

The Val-Wolf cocked it's head to the side, the gasp as loud as a branch snapping beneath a fleeing deer's hoof, the faint scent wafting behind the hitchhiking wolf telling a much different story than Val had noticed before. Was it possible that this was a ghost wolf? One of those poor souls that was still trapped within the trauma of their second birth?

Was she...afraid of wolves?

Feeling a pang of pity, the big, fluffy timber wolf slowly approached Roach once again, whining gently and trying on her most comforting expression. She wasn't scary! Look, see, the Val-wolf was nice and friendly!

  4 successes empathy!

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-08-18 02:49:58		Val rolls 8 to Empathy! (wits3+Emp4+spec) (10 Again)		7, 7, 10, 8, 7, 7, 10, 4, 5, 8		4 successes

  expression failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-08-18 02:55:16		Val rolls 1 to no scurred! (pres2-emp0) (10 Again)		3		failure

[Roach]

Hesitance. Right. Names. It was strange that people didn't just...know who she was. She wasn't a name on a list, a barcode attached to a fistful of pills.

"Roach." she doesn't yet drink the water, but feels the beginnings of condensation on the glass "I am called Roach."

The doctor follows her and sitting her prim ass down and looking like a constipated, retard on four legs.

"You aren't mute when the fur falls on ya. Use your fuckin' words." Roach growls out at the clingy fucking doctor.

[Emily Makerith]

Emily's lips twitch trying to smile as Val pulls the puppydog routine, despite Roach's reaction.

O.....kay. Great start. Who do I have here, Viola's cousin? "Val's new in town. I guess she was trying to put you at ease....?" She looks at Val-Wolf. "Don't quite get it myself. So, uh, you both oughta know, anything West of here is Carillon Call territory. Our," she gestures to Tristan, "Territory. Reaches out about as far as the river. Here's my top tip. Stay out of the Hisil - it's a jungle over there, overgrown and unattended for about 5 years. I'm not in the mood to do history lessons right now, but we're the only pack in Sacramento. Don't ask - it's a long story. Some other time. I don't mind helping you guys out or whatever, but if you got any questions, Trist... Officer Hardt is our Beta. I'm sure he'll be happy to help," she says, trying and failing to repress a smile. This is above my pay-grade, old timer.

"I'll just be a sec." The Ithaeur trudges up the stairs, there's the sound of keys, stomping above, rattling, then stomping back down the stairs. Emily is holding two beer bottles, She hands one to Tristan with a look that says "They're all yours", pulls herself onto a worktop and drinks the beer, watching the two new arrivals.

[Tristan Hardt]

If he didn't know any better, he'd think Val-wolf was laughing at him. She doesn't seem the least bit ashamed as she goes on to sniff around the hitchhiker. Tristan's eyes narrow, but he leaves it be.

"Roach, huh? Not the most flattering alias. Care to share with us how you came by it?"

After Emily's breakdown, Tristan nods. Trying to chew over exactly what he wants to know about Roach. He's more than a little relieved to see Emily come back with a beer for him. "It's no iced tea, but I'd say you made an upgrade."

"So the good Doctor has already filled me in on her role. What's yours?" In the Hisil he might just have read her brands and made an educated guess... but right now she's just another wolf.

He waits a bit for her to answer, taking a swig of his beer. Then, glancing first at Val and then at Roach, he asks "Now wold be a good time to ask questions. I might not have spent the last some-odd years in the city, but I'll answer what I can."