desert life au!

[anenemies]

Oh no. I've taken a wrong turn.

[Monotone and said to no one.

This is probably a bad thing! It's still preferable to the immediate threat of raiders who he definitely didn't go out of his way to steal from and piss off, so even though Kagami don't recognize this area of the Wastes he fled to in his panic to outrun them, maybe he can take two seconds to sit and take a breather. He retrieves his spoils proudly and eats, while the sun, unforgiving, illuminates him.]

...I'll need to find shelter now that mine's been destroyed. This suuuucks.

[Maybe he could tag along with some nomads, or find an abandoned encampment. But anything abandoned wouldn't be much use for him, would it? As Kagami eats, and the adrenaline dies down, he starts to get a better look at his surroundings. The way he lost the raiders feels almost too convenient. Hm. He stores the rest of the food and water in his satchel he earned legitimately for later, and reluctantly stands back up to explore.]

Comments

[nohty]

[ Maybe he should get the HECK OFF NOH'S FRONT LAWN what about that. And by 'front lawn' I mean 'that patch of dusty desolate earth that no one's using. The place he's dragged his poor, destitute (and lucky-to-be-alive) ass is territory already under ownership.

By who? The scraggly-looking girl who's watching him from afar ever since he wandered into her turf.

Noh waits nearly fifteen minutes to see if he'll do the smart thing and continue on his way, but no. He parks his rear, eats a bunch of food and holy shit if that doesn't catch her attention. Forget getting mad at him over trespassing, she's just going to rob his ass. Hope Kagami's ready to have her running up on him from behind with a piece of rebar oops-- ]

[anenemies]

[He did in fact do that and the food was delicious.

Edible. It was edible, and with how long it had been since he last ate, it tasted like the best thing ever!

Kagami never let his guard drop, but that doesn't stop him from muttering a string of expletives when he glances over his shoulder and THAT SURE IS A LARGE PIECE OF REBAR

He ducks, a handmade knife comes out, and he scrambles to put some distance between them while wearing an infuriatingly pleasant smile.]

Oh. I didn't know you lived here too!

[Fuck. He was really hoping to make this his home. Dealing with her is going to be a headache!]

[nohty]

[ CLANG! Kagami ducks out of the way and Noh's swing misses, hitting the ground instead. Her hands throb from the impact, but that doesn't stop her from raising it up again and looking down at Kagami with bright eyes--whose pupils are very much horizontal. ]

Yeah, I live here! And yer tresspassin'--so fork over all yer goods and beat it!

[ "Hello good sir, it seems you have wandered onto my property. If you would be so kind as to leave at your earliest convenience, that would be much appreciated. Failure to comply will result in NOH KICKING UR BUTT." ]

[anenemies]

[That was scary! He almost died!]

I'd rather not. It took a lot of work to get these goods, and I like this place. I'd prefer to stay, so if you don't mind dying for me--

[He stops in his approach to get close and find a way to disarm her. His calculating gaze sharpens suddenly and his smile is crooked, as if unsure whether to be afraid or intrigued.

Her pupils...]

A Godling?

[nohty]

Damn right Imma Godling-! An' if ya know what's good for ya, you'll drop all yer shit n' scram!

[ Noh readies the metal pole again in warning, a sneer on her face now that he's gone and mentioned her status as a Godling. Hopefully he's just as superstitious and cowardly as settlers when it comes to that.

It'd be a pain to deal with someone who's got a beef with Godlings. ]

[anenemies]

Ah.

[Shit! Shit shit shit shit!

There's a reason Kagami sticks to stealing, and now he's run into a Godling's home?! She's probably killed tons of people!

This could easily end horribly for him, but his heart won't stop racing with excitement! He takes a few steps back, holding his hands up in a placating gesture.]

...Are all Godlings stupid? I've never met one before.

[nohty]

That's coz most o' you don't survive meetin' us.

[ On account of most people wanting to kill or steal from them, Godlings running off into Dead-Zones, and leading said interlopers to their deaths. ]

You wanna try me? I'll curse ya dead!

[anenemies]

Most.

[Another step back. Kagami takes a second to consider her words and reflect on what got him to his point.

And then he kicks sand in her direction and turns to flee and hide.]

Good luck with that~! Lots of people have tried!!

[nohty]

Wh--hey!!! Get back here and drop yer shit--!!

[ Noh you were telling him to get lost like two seconds ago--

aand he's gone, disappeared into the sand. Noh kicks the dirt/ ]

UGH...!

[anenemies]

[Kagami has to hold back his snickers at Noh's misfortune.]

I'll have to be careful...but I'm tired.

[He's really tired! All of that running for his life has worn him out! He darts into what he hopes isn't part of her shelter. But something about some old saying keeping your enemies closer and everything. He curls up behind a pile of scrap metal and decides a nap sounds like a good idea.

Then he can think of how to deal with her.]

[nohty]

[ Noh will scour the nearby area to make sure he hasn't just hidden, but Kagami's spot is far enough away that after an hour or so of prowling, she turns in for the night. Not in the larger, obvious wreck at the base of one of the larger rocks mind you--that's just begging for someone to come up on you while you're asleep.

She's got a much smaller lil nook to hide out in over night, and she's careful not to light a fire. Just in case.

The next morning? She's out bright and early, tattered cloak and rebar back in hand as she looks out over the dusty landscape. Time to hunt some breakfast!! ]

[anenemies]

[Kagami sleeps as soundly as one would expect in a deadly desert close to a new enemy. He wakes early, and after a delicious breakfast he didn’t have to hunt for (heh), he’s out, knife ready for his next meal.

Until he sees a very familiar figure and panics, hiding behind some rocks. Shit!!! He hopes she didn’t spot him! This could be quite the conundrum. He may have to kill her.

Slowly, a pair of gray eyes and a sun-tanned face peeks behind his hiding place.]

[nohty]

[ He's lucky that Noh hasn't noticed him yet! Her priority right now is breakfast because unlike SOME people, she doesn't have the luxury of having pre-made supplies. That means hunting for the few animals what are still peeking around near dawn before the heat of the day really settles in.

He'll hear a few clangs in the distance as she ambushes some lizards--tiny, paltry things, but food nonetheless. Noh manages a haul of about three of the little guys before she heads further into the desert to retrieve a pear cactus fruit or two.

She then drags her spoils back to the major structure near the big rocks and begins lighting up a fire and cleaning out her lizzerds. ]

[anenemies]

[Hearing the clangs gives Kagami the courage to check Noh's encampment for anything good. He notes some useful looking hiding spots and is trying to find anything he could use as a weapon. His knife isn't going to cut it against a Godling.

He keeps throwing nervous glances over his shoulder, and when he sees her in the distance he goes back to into hiding. The nearest hiding spot just so happens to be those big rocks!

And now she's starting a fire.

He exhales quietly and leans back. Everything is fine. Except a few smaller rocks go tumbling into the sand when he makes the mistake to relax.]

ohohohoo

[nohty]

[ Kagami pls...all that stealth, and then he does that. A regular person might not have noticed since the movement is so small, but thanks to Noh's goat-like pupils, her field of vision is wide enough that she catches it out of the corner of her eye.

Her head snaps up and she looks first at the falling debris--then up at Kagami himself, expression going to from alert to THIS FUCKIN GUY in half a second flat. ]

Hey--yer that guy!! Wimp-ass twig little shit...!

heh

[anenemies]

[Ouch!

He considers hiding back behind the rocks in the hopes that she’ll forget or give up. Probably too late for that!

Instead he makes a show of grimacing and looking absolutely devastated by her words.]

You wound me. I might not be able to go on…! Hey, how hard are Godlings to kill, anyway? Are you gonna eat all that?

[nohty]

Fuck you! I'll curse you kick your ass!

[ Because of course the only way for Noh to interpret "how hard are Godlings to kill" is as a threat. She's up on her feet now with her rebar gripped in one hand...but she's reluctant to leave her fire now that he's mentioned her food.

She worked hard to catch all of that. ]

Get the fuck outta here, yesterday already gone from your puny brain??

[anenemies]

You need to reach me in order to do that. And I worry you won’t be able to climb up here~

[Just to be more infuriating, he leans over the edge while shading his eyes and wearing a saccharine smile.]

What happened yesterday? Oh! You mean our fated meeting?

[nohty]

[ Omg this lil shit???? Noh wants to crush him so bad. ]

This is my turf, you think I don't know how to get up there??

[anenemies]

[Nothing makes him happier!]

You haven't yet. It's okay to be shitty at climbing!

[nohty]

Shuddup!! Stay right the fuck there-!

[ Because guess who actually does know how to get to him and is trying to run around the back of the rock formation where the way up is-- ]

[anenemies]

Eek!

[Kagami backtracks to climb back down…but that would lead him right to Noh! He scrambles back to where he proudly stood mere moments ago. He could try jumping, but…]

It’s so high! I don’t want to jump down if I can avoid it!

[nohty]

Shoulda thought of that before ya pissed me off-!

[ But if he wants to jump off the rock and break a leg Noh won't complain-- ]

[anenemies]

I can make it up to you—?

Wow! You’re so skilled at climbing! [Maybe he can run past her?]

[nohty]

[ Yes please go ahead and try, she'll swing for his legs-- ]

Hold still ya rat-!