Backyard Browse

[Circe]

This open space within the Hedge is a floor of tamped down blackened earth, bordered mostly by the Thorns but a few areas are a little more, reinforced. Hedgespun boards with against the Thorns with clay packing facing inwards near the forge. The forge itself was dark grey stone with veins of blue running through the rock, save for one discolored area that is all blue from the repairs to re-forge said forge.


To the left of this is a boarded up section with lights hanging from the seemingly makeshift roof. The shack is actually quite durable, Circe just too lazy to make it pretty as it is meant to hold her mundane tools and equipment. A magical forge was great for forging but gunsmithing and aught else required a different set of tools. The foot lockers have padlocks to help secure things, a start of her future armory. Plus she could check to see if anything became a token at random. An additional section of shack has a plethora of things spilling out of it.


For for when she needed to Hedgespin something without using the Forge.


Further left around the circular Hollow is a bulge outwards. The edge of this bulge is lined with fencing and barbed wire, meant to protect the small garden of beneficial goblin fruit trees. And then there are the doors. A perfectly ordinary service door leads out of the Hedge to Iron Side while the doorway into the deeper Thorns?


That was a sturdy wooden door. Circe has reinforced the frame and added several dead bolts and a lock. Not enough for increased security by Hedge standards but not an unlocked door anymore.


Circe was currently at the spillage, trying to contain it as it was coming out. The fact that there was a sword's blade pointing out of it over her shoulder was concerning. She just needed it to stay long enough to, "Fanculo il cazzo di cazzo che ha scopato il cazzo," jump back in time for the thing to crash down.


Well, Worm would find something in there.

Circe's Organized Armory

Organized area: AK-47, 2 clips with bayonet and light mount. SKS Carbine with Telescopic Scope and suppressor, SKS Carbine, 4 [10] AK/SKS ammo [159] and crafting materials

Shed:

????

[Colonel Worm]

Worm's not sure what to expect. But that's never bothered him much. Anyway, he knows it'll be fine. This is the Summer Queen we're talking about. That alone means this visit won't be boring.

The uncertainty is enough to make the Goblin bounce as he walks up to the location she's set for their meeting. Is this a strategy session? A training session? A night of hard drinking? An emergency? Maybe Circe just wants to make out?

Accordingly, he comes fully prepared for anything. His medical kit over his shoulder, his smart phone, both khukri knives in their sheaths, a bottle of vodka, a bottle of water, and cigarettes (of course). He's wearing one of the "flight suits" he's become fond of lately, open at the collar with no shirt underneath.

A knock at the iron-side door signals the Goblin's arrival.

[Circe]

Knock knock.


Circe ditches the apron she had on as she moves away from the pile of stuff towards the door. Circe has to unlatch the door a few times before it can open.


"Worm! Glad ya made it bro," she smiles at him. Her attire was, well, flattering if not as reflective as most silicon rubber garments, though a little '80s cartoon vibe. Though black color is ruined a little by the splash of blue on her left shoulder. It was cut open. Plus the combat boots and thick gloves. The one covering her left hand is used to wave him in, "Come on in. Didn't have things set up as expected, but cazzo enter anyway."


Worm will also note the smell wafting out of the Hollow. Wood smoke, spices, vegetables, and pork. The forge is lit up as a large pot is being heated, soup bowls on tables next to the forge. There are forging tools, extra gloves, below the gloves a cooler, and not forge tongs on top of the cooler.


Upon entry, Colonel Worm will see all that is described of the Hollow. With the addition of the pile of stuff vomiting out of Circe's ad hoc shed. From his angle he may note the opening on the top of the shed, clearly used for dropping things in next to a folded table still folder up.

ooc: Circe's suit lacks the Cobra symbols, extra armor, or Uzi. Thigh holster is accurate though.

[Colonel Worm]

"HO-LY Shit, Boss. You look fire." It's the first thing out of his mouth. Can't help it. Say-what-you-see-ville, population: One Worm. It's the truth, though, so what are you gonna do? "Whew!" He fans himself with one hand, presents the vodka with the other. Cheap, plastic bottle (shaped like a toy soldier). But it drinks. "You know, for having me," he says, waggling the hooch. When she takes it (if she takes it), he moves right through the door and into the Hollow proper, bold as brass.

A long, low whistle, scanning his surroundings, "Look at this place, huh?" He glances at Circe, "This is fucking awesome. You got a forge? And... all this gear!" Like a kid in a candy store. He stalks about, gawking, at some point putting down his med bag. Rests the two Khukri next to it. Eyes find the mess, "You doing a little organizing?" Hopes she hadn't called him to help. Because the mess back at his apartment makes her mess look down-right Marie Kondo.

And then the smell hits him. Circe can almost see it, like he's been dealt an invisible slap. "What are you making?? It smells amazing."

The Other White Meat? 1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-01-09 20:10:46	Colonel Worm rolls 5 to Wits + Composure (10 Again)	9, 4, 1, 7, 1	1 success

"Is that pig I'm smelling?" He might as well be licking his chops.

[Circe]

Circe chuckles proudly at the greeting and makes a pun, "Summer Queen, I bring the heat." As for the booze offer, she points at the cooler and tongs, "I'd say put it in there, but plastic and dry ice are a bad mix."


She follows him in, "Oh, use the gloves or tongs fer getting drinks. It's like, really cold."


"Casa Circe, junk heap and forgery center," she introduces her realm. "Aaand more like disorganizing ya could say," she laughs as she rubs the back of her head, "I honestly didn't expect this heap ta be that bad. Probably should've organized is sooner instead of installing a roof hatch."


Circe walks over to the part of the pile with an obvious blade sticking out of it. Using the protective gloves and suit she reaches to draw it out. And gets a machete blade. Just the blade. No hilt. "Oh, I remember this, handle was a fancy piece of shit." Circe tosses to the right, "Stabbit pile. Figured," she looks to Colonel Worm with a shrug, "Before I offer ta make or buy folks shit, might as well see what I already have." She waves both her hands at the pile, "A lot, is the answer."


As for his question of what was cooking, "Well the other supply box had rations," she explains as she heads to the forge. There is a pile of cans next to it. "So, uh, pretty sure Spam is pork. Got some veggies, corn, and water chestnuts?" Her foot lashes out and Worm can her cans skittering, "Yup. Water chestnut."

Then looks up and holds up a hand where she wags her finger, "And spices of course. I'm crafty enough ta flavor it up a bit."

[Colonel Worm]

She does, in fact, bring the heat. "Hail to the Chief!" He replies with a grin. He'd follow her into the depths of hell, especially given the view.

He sets the vodka by the cooler, though not before cracking it open and taking a swig. His preferred flavor: just this side of rubbing alcohol.

Straightening, he looks around as she describes her space. "Eh, it's not so bad. You should see my closet." Which is actually an entire spare bedroom, heaped with clothes and weapons. He strolls over to take a closer look at the pile. "So, what's your approach here, boss?" Still trying to figure out if she wants his help with this project. Or if there's another reason she's called him here.

"Spam? I love spam!" Now he is licking his chops. "We used to eat cans of that shit on the road down south."

He squats down next to her as she keeps sorting through the spillage. "So, I've been meaning to ask... Did we lose Rambo?" Worm hasn't seen him around, his sand garden in the hollow has gone to seed, and the last time they'd been on a mission in the hedge, the Ogre had up and left. All signs point to No More Ram. But Worm's keen to get the official word on the matter.

[Circe]

"Yes! Praise the chef!" she laughs as she turns his praise into a pun with a bow.


Circe picks up an extra pair of thick gloves as she shrugs and heads for the pile, "At least I don't have guns or explosives in there. THAT ya use caution with," she nods towards the more organized weapons. The Hedge had yet to fuck with the Soviet simple guns. Or they were just that reliable. Circe stops to Worm's left, as she places her right hand on her hip as she tilts her head looking at the mess. Then holds up the gloves in her left hand, "Pretty sure got stabby bits in there, so keeping fingers is important. Stabby weapons in one pile," she nods to the machete blade, "Then other weapons, armor, and stuff," she gives him a smarmy smirk, "No reason ta make ya do work of sorting the stuff. Uuuuh, is that duct tape in there?"


She laughs when he mentions the Spam adoration, "Oh ho ho ho!" It was an amusing story.


Worm's last question however? That gets a raised left eyebrow and ear from Circe. The last movie was surely the last, but where was the context for it? Oh, wait, pun. Worm will notice her ears droop down as she sighs. Then she nods, "Yup. Got a mundy family. Said family thinks someone tried ta off him, we axed the Fetch, so he's a little heavily occupied with that. Might see him again whence he gets shit together," she doesn't sound like she believes it, "Shit happens." Well, Circe did hit him with a axe. That'd take a while to heal if she had damaged the bones. Circe's face turns a little purple as she realizes that could be another factor in not getting away from the mundy family, "Aaaand, uh heh heh, maybe the injuries having ta heal normal like instead of 'ling cheats. I'd axe him, but don't think he'd take more hits from me."

Shed:

Amongst the various "weapons," armor, and crafting supplies there is indeed duct tape. Like at least a half dozen rolls. Circe needs to stop buying this stuff.

[Colonel Worm]

Queenie, I would do more than praise you...But Worm manages to keep his thoughts on the matter to himself. With some difficulty. Circe can probably see it written all over his face, but at least he's not wolf-whistling. And anyway, it doesn't bother him if she knows he thinks she's hot. Why should it?

Worm turns his head to check out the organized section, rubbing his chin. Thoughtful. "Explosives, huh? Sounds like fun," he offers his fellow Summer a wicked grin. "You ever had cause to use 'em?" The Colonel loves to hear about things that go boom.

He plucks the gloves out of her hand with a dramatic sigh. But he's only half annoyed, as evidenced by the wink he offers her. Puts the mitts on. "Well, if you're feeding me, I guess I can do a little work for you. So--stabby bits here," nodding to the machete, "other shit there," nodding in the other direction. "Duct tape?" He quickly picks out like five rolls. And those are only the ones close at hand. "Like this? Or this? Or this? Or this?" Tossing them at her feet.

He's just gotten started with the sorting, but then stops. Looks up at Circe with keen interest--and something else, something darker--as she explains about Ram. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. But I'm gonna say this. We're family too. And he's got obligations to us just the same as them. He's sworn to protect. Just like you and me. And he kind of fucked off on that front, didn't he?" As always, the Goblin does not attempt to hide his feelings. He's not happy with Ram's decision. Though he hadn't felt like this when Vivian left. She ran. Worm gets that. But this other thing, this mundy family thing, somehow doesn't make as much sense to him.

[Circe]

Circe's smile widens, "Tch, yeah. Boom goes the dynamite, ruined a wanna be supervillian lair." That was a good way to insult Q Ann. "Didn't get ta see, safety and all that, but I'm pretty sure it worked a treat, oh ho ho ho!"


"Yes, uh, yes. Yes, and hmmm," she leans down in exaggerated examination of the last roll Worm had tossed down. "Last one might not be proper brand duct tape. Well," she straightens up, "Ya can use that shit fer anything."


When Colonel Worm brings that up, Ram's dereliction, Circe can't help but agree a bit. Her mantle lights up as she nods, "Yes. I've gotten used ta it happening after it kept happening fer years. That and a self-proclaimed general that took the crown from me fer half a year," okay she needs to dial down the mantle as she crushes a clay jar she'd pulled out of the pile, "Was seriously anal about the whole dereliction and deserters thing." She is trying to keep from snarling, "Guy was an asshole. I am pissed about the leaving, yet not surprised, and pissed that it being pissed makes me sound like that merda cervello cazzo stronzo. I prefer ta be me," she pulls out a something from the pile with a growl, "And I'm smart, grrr, enough ta get what I said about the mundies being worried about Ram after I broke his bones, still, cazzo move maledizione!"


The elfin Summer stumbles back as she pulls out a handle of something from the pile. It is a moment to realize it is a folding shovel, with a short length of chain stuck to it leading to something else. Another tug reveals the other end of the chain is wrapped around a crude stone knife. Not even Hedgespun, just a rock knife.


"I hope I wasn't trying ta make a flail while drunk," she looks at it in confusion, her raging Mantle dialing down a little. Then shakes her head, "So, yeah, I'm pissed about it, but maybe it's just a leave, maybe not. Only positive of how a handle it? I didn't dive inta a bottle in response ta fams fucking off ta adventure elsewhere whilst I keep the lights on."

Other stuff in the Shed:

Crafting Materials, 2 Wooden Clubs (baseball bats), 1 Football Pads, Hatchet, Double Barrel Shotgun, crowbar, machete, 2 knives, 0 dot pretty Hedgespun Longsword, sledgehammer, 2 leather jacket, a half dozen model rocket engines, bucket of silicon rubber, umpire chest pad, 0-dot Hedgespun leaf jacket, cheap ghillie cloak, large Hedge tree branch with foam and duct tape for a handle, Circe's red pirate coat with gold epulets.

[Colonel Worm]

"Dynamite usually does the trick," Worm says, grinning like an idiot.

He keeps digging away while she goes over her feelings concerning Ram. "Listen, you're no asshole. And I'm not anal. About anything. But there's got to be room to be pissed at him for leaving. I'm not serious about much, but I take our thing to heart. We've got a duty. If he come back, I'll welcome him with open arms. We need all the help we can get. But I'll probably beat the living shit out of him just for good measure. So, you know, just keep that in mind." Fair warning, fairly given.

He goes quiet for a second and then shakes his head. "The whole 'going back to my real family' thing. I guess I don't get it." Probably because there's no one for him to go back to. No one he'd want to see at least. "You ever thought about that? Just walking away? Trying to make a go of it on the normal side of the street?" It's clear from his tone that Worm has no idea how that would even work. But he's curious as to Circe's thoughts on the matter nonetheless.

The Colonel extracts the hedgespun sword from the pile, his eyes growing wider as he pulls it out of the mess and holds it up to inspect it. Turns it this way and that, looks closely at the beautiful hilt. Eyes down its length to check its balance. He lets out a sigh, like he's spotted an old lover from across the room.

"What is this?" He finally asks. "It's fucking beautiful. You mind if I...you know, give it a whirl?" Puppy dog eyes and all.