Setting
INK
"... Have you lived here ever since we escaped?" Adrien asked softly. He blinked, not sure where the question had come from. "I mean, if you don't mind me asking... I am curious about what others have been doing. If you tell me your story, I'll tell you mine, oui?"
"All right, if you insist," Will replied, sighing deeply as he shoved his hands into his front pockets. He didn't often talk about his past, but he didn't see the harm in telling another Nowhere his tale; after all, trust is the most important thing in a group atmosphere. "There's not too much to tell, really. To answer your initial question, yes; I've lived in that apartment ever since I got out. It probably would have been better for me to move around, but I can't really go hauling those weapons around town every other week. I've been doing odd jobs to earn a living; I've done everything from cashiering to bartending in those kinds of places that don't give a damn about age laws.
"I got these babies," he continued, tapping the swords at his waist lightly, "in a bet while I was working at a bar just a bit after we all escaped. Some old antiques dealer ran out of chips in a poker game, so he said that the guy who won the hand could have anything he wanted from his shop. I got in that round and won the pot, swords included. Never saw the guy again; he'd probably try to kill me if I did." Will laughed softly as he remembered the man's look on his face when Will had chosen the twin sabers, the most valuable items in the store. He had probably put the poor man out of business, not that he cared; a bet was a bet, no matter how you looked at it.
"So, is that enough for you?" Will finished, stopping at a crosswalk as the pedestrian light turned red. Overhead, a street light blinked on, suddenly illuminating the sidewalk around Will and Adrien. Will looked around, noting that it was getting quite late. The sun had nearly set, its last dying rays spread out over the western sky in a magnificent show of light and color. We should hurry, he thought, resuming his quick stride as the crosswalk light switched back to green. It'll be dark soon, and that will be when the Controls will strike.
Off in the distance, Will could hear the faint revving of an engine, barely audible against the backdrop of ambient noise. Two headlights quickly came into view; those of a large, black armored truck. It was too strange, there wasn't anyplace for it to be going around here: no banks, no military bases. "Arm yourself," Will whispered to Adrien, gripping the handles of his sabers in preparation.
"All right, if you insist," Will replied, sighing deeply as he shoved his hands into his front pockets. He didn't often talk about his past, but he didn't see the harm in telling another Nowhere his tale; after all, trust is the most important thing in a group atmosphere. "There's not too much to tell, really. To answer your initial question, yes; I've lived in that apartment ever since I got out. It probably would have been better for me to move around, but I can't really go hauling those weapons around town every other week. I've been doing odd jobs to earn a living; I've done everything from cashiering to bartending in those kinds of places that don't give a damn about age laws.
"I got these babies," he continued, tapping the swords at his waist lightly, "in a bet while I was working at a bar just a bit after we all escaped. Some old antiques dealer ran out of chips in a poker game, so he said that the guy who won the hand could have anything he wanted from his shop. I got in that round and won the pot, swords included. Never saw the guy again; he'd probably try to kill me if I did." Will laughed softly as he remembered the man's look on his face when Will had chosen the twin sabers, the most valuable items in the store. He had probably put the poor man out of business, not that he cared; a bet was a bet, no matter how you looked at it.
"So, is that enough for you?" Will finished, stopping at a crosswalk as the pedestrian light turned red. Overhead, a street light blinked on, suddenly illuminating the sidewalk around Will and Adrien. Will looked around, noting that it was getting quite late. The sun had nearly set, its last dying rays spread out over the western sky in a magnificent show of light and color. We should hurry, he thought, resuming his quick stride as the crosswalk light switched back to green. It'll be dark soon, and that will be when the Controls will strike.
Off in the distance, Will could hear the faint revving of an engine, barely audible against the backdrop of ambient noise. Two headlights quickly came into view; those of a large, black armored truck. It was too strange, there wasn't anyplace for it to be going around here: no banks, no military bases. "Arm yourself," Will whispered to Adrien, gripping the handles of his sabers in preparation.