Fantasy Kaizoic: Earth Reborn

[Da Doofus]

Darrek wasted no time snapping off two of the wasp’s legs and tossed them into his sharp-toothed maw.
He bit into the boiled insect’s legs with loud crunches and squelching savory meat, humming at the flavor.

“Thank you.” Bom plucked one of the greens and quietly slipped it into his mouth. Clearly the Kendian was practiced in manners more than the Irokai.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo eyes gravitated towards Darrek, watching the man in a bit of quiet stupor at how quickly and obnoxiously he chose to dig in to the feast. It got a small giggle out of him before giving him a bit of a disapproving look.
“Why can’t you be more like Bom.” He said, tilting his head slightly at the Kendian in question. “He’s classy and mannered and civilized.”

 

[Da Doofus]

Darrek stopped chewing.
“Oh.

Sorry.” He swallowed noisily. “I guess I’ve been without polite company for a while. If I didn’t eat fast, I didn’t eat.”

Cräga crossed her arms and frowned. “Well then you’ll have to cut that shit if you’re going to be in town. I know I won’t be tolerating it.”

Darrek was picking his teeth with a claw, and choked slightly on a piece of shell.
“Um . . . Yeah.”

Bom made a glance toward the Irokai, knowing well what went through his mind.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo raised his eyebrow, so Cräga didn’t know about Darrek’s planned departure? He would have believed that Bom had already told the tall women already. Then again if that was the case, Darrek would have already gotten his ass whooped by said woman. Maybe Darrek had managed to convince Bom otherwise?

In the end, this really wasn’t his fight to partake. He looked between Bom and Darrek, before deciding to put the topic at rest for the latter. “it’s alright man. No biggie.” He said, plucking off one of the legs. He eyed it for a second before trying to take a bite, not achieving any kind of success. His cheeks flushed as he realized that the tough shell. “...uhhhh how do you eat this thing by the way?”

 

[Da Doofus]

Cräga took the leg from Kairo, and then snapped in half at the joint.
“Don’t eat it like them. We don’t have the jaws or teeth for it.” She explained before peeling away the shell to reveal the moist, pale meat inside.
“Put some pepper on it and scrape it off with your teeth.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo watched Cräga’s demonstration. He had to admit that he’d never had to have someone teach him how to eat before, and it made him feel more then just a bit embarrassed. He nodded a bit, grabbing another leg to try and attempted to replicate what Cräga did. He spent a bit too much time cracking it open, but he would eventually figure out a way to get the savoury meat in his mouth.

The taste of flavour was nothing like he’d had before. The texture of the meat was crablike, but the meat itself had a more earthy flavour to it. The pepper and spices added only helped to elevate those flavours, as well as bringing a bit of flare to the dish.
Kairo’s eyes closed for a second as he savoured the taste. “Mmmmm, You’re a hell of a cook.” He said once he swallowed the bite. “Best food I’ve had in a while!”

 

[Da Doofus]

Cräga smiled. “Glad you enjoy it. Usually humans won’t eat anything like Poynca.”

Darrek took another leg and this time slowly engulfed it in his jaws to savor the flavor this time.

 

[Chai_T3a]

"Really?" Kairo said, clearly slightly surprised. "Well then they're all missing out." He said, continuing to eat the leg.

 

[Da Doofus]

“Well when most anything out here wants to eat you, that typically leaves a bad taste in your mouth so to speak.” She shrugged.

“Pun intended?” Darrek smiled with bits of shell poking from his teeth.

“Drink some water and wash that down before you talk, Darrek.” She softly chided and tossed a washcloth over the Irokai’s face.

 

[Chai_T3a]

"Ahhh." Kairo nodded, he had the same internal reflex just mere moments ago, so it wasn't an unfamiliar feeling.

"Makes me wonder how this can all be here, ya know, without getting destroyed by some giant animal." He said, gesturing to the inn, and the rest of Drafisl.

 

[Da Doofus]

“Oh the large animals don’t wander this far, and if they do the Kendian tribes put scent markers along their migratory routes that deter them.” Bom explained. “Drafisl falls in one of those routes.”

“Most we have to deal with are Placoderms on the roads or Tree Wolves trying to hop the walls.” Cräga added in.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo had to admit, it was more then just a bit relieving to learn that he wasn’t going to suddenly get killed by a nirothak or something of that size in town. There’d been more pressing matters to worry about, but ticking that one thing off the list was always nice.

“That’s....really good to know.” Kairo said, after finishing the leg he had been eating. Said leg was placed on the side of the plate as he made to grab one more.

 

[Da Doofus]

The door swung open, and Rufus limped inside coated in leaves, twigs, and mud. His helmet was on and he was dragging a sack inside (which he set against one of the support beams).
Darrek cleared some of the crumbs of wasp shell away from the gunslinger’s soon-to-be spot as the man continued to limp toward the bar.

He sat next to Darrek and set down two metal coins of rusted metal and simple design.
“Two shots of your pick and something to fill my belly.” He panted, and clutched his side.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo idly turned his head, curious as to who had entered the inn. The person entering was the last person he had expected to be there. His eyes widened a bit in excitement at his return, before quickly realizing that the man didn't seem to be in good shape. In fact, he looked like utter shit. That excitement quickly veered into concern, as he watched the man limp to the stool. What's worse was the fact that he had to clutch his side. What the hell had happened in the little time he was gone.

"Rufus! Holy fuck!" He said, no inhibition in his voice. "What happened out there?"

 

[Da Doofus]

Cräga poured two cups of amber colored alcohol and Rufus downed the first one.
“Got a job.” He said in one breath, then downed the second shot. “Apparently a Placoderm attacked this guy’s cart by the river and he hired me to try and retrieve a few sentimental items of his.”
He glanced at Kairo.
“Placoderms . . . Are not. Friendly.”

Darrek chuckled quietly. “Not in the least. What was it? A Redspot?”

“No I asked after the fact and it was the Kaveran Ridgeback.” Rufus replied and all three of the other listeners looked at him.

“You killed a Ridgeback?” Cräga finally asked.

“Nope.” Rufus laughed and took off his helmet, showing his face to be surprisingly dry aside from the signs of sweat. “Big bastard snagged the cart while I was in it and pulled me under. Best I could do was bust one of its eyes so it would let go.”
He patted his satchel to make the monetary contents jingle.
“Got paid though. Job done.” He laughed weakly and glanced at Kairo’s platter. “What’s that?”

Darrek offered a leg. “It’s-“

“Don’t care. I’m hungry.” Rufus took the wasp’s leg and started peeling away the shell. “What you been up to, Kairo?”

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo tilted his head slightly. He couldn’t quite tell what was running through Rufus’s head right now. He looked as if he was in a state of irritation and excitement at the same time. One thing for sure though, he looked tired as fuck.

He had a good reason to be too. Fighting off a placoderm in its own territory sounded like suicide, and if it was Kairo on the job, he probably would have died a thousand times over. He almost didn’t want to tell him about his successful job, because the other man had clearly done something much harder for a much smaller price tag.

Still though, even if it sort of felt like rubbing it in, Rufus would like what he had to say. He smiled confidently, swivelling to face the man.
”Well, I was pretty busy catching the wasp your eating.” He said matter of factly. “A nice Vindav had this thing in its home, wanted me to catch it. As you can see I did. And he offered me a pretty nice reward too.” His smile suddenly grew much more cocky at that moment. “Wanna see what he paid me with?”

 

[Da Doofus]

Rufus wiped his mouth of retaining juices in his stubble (which was due for a shave).
“Lay it on me. I got enough for those drinks and a few more nights here, if our gracious hostess will allow it.”

“Money’s money.” Cräga winked.

 

[Chai_T3a]

“That ain’t bad.” Kairo said, setting down the giant bag on the floor as he began to dig through it for what he was looking for. A few seconds, he had retrieved the box. He held it out to Rufus, opening it slowly for dramatic effect.

“but I got enough to buy the whole town if I wanted too.”

 

[Da Doofus]

Rufus blinked, and widened his eyes.
”Gold worth much these days?” He asked the surrounding three.

Bom and Darrek nodded while Cräga stared wide-eyed at the small fortune.
“Yes.” Bom answered with a small smile and Rufus slapped the table in a gleeful laugh.

“YES!” He cried out and wiped his eyes. “Finally a break.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

"Yeah." Kairo said, looking as proud as ever at his haul. He gestured to his bag. "All of that I bought with just one of those. I got gear for myself and enough supplies to last us as long as we need." He said.

 

[Da Doofus]

“Well that puts us a few steps ahead.” Rufus grinned, and then shifted expression to a more serious one.
“Hey come outside for a minute, I gotta show you something.” He pointed to the door and began to leave.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo tilted his head slightly in curiosity at Rufus's sudden gesture. He was slightly bothered by the shift of expression on the other man's face, considering they should probably be celebrating right now. Hopefully it wouldn't mean anything too shocking. He got off his bench, throwing a quick peace sign at the inhabitants of the inn before heading out to meet Rufus.

Kairo checked to make sure the door was securely closed before he made any initiative to start a conversation.
"What's up?" He questioned.

 

[Da Doofus]

“So I have an idea on how to get back to the camp.” He said quietly. “But it involves another trip in the jungle.

And this.” He held up a small, palm-sized device with a digital display of what looked to be a tracking radar.
Only a single blip appeared and was gradually moving farther and farther away from the center.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo’s apprehension quickly gave way for excitement and curiosity. His eyes widened with a slight shimmer from the reflecting sun as he looked down at the small tracking device. They finally had a way home! All his worries and fears could finally be snuffed out. This really was one of the best days he’s had down here.

“That’s great! The sooner the better.” He exclaimed, looking up again at Rufus. “Tell me how this is gonna work.”

 

[Da Doofus]

“Well I thought on what I said earlier, and I figured old Smiley has to know his way around the jungle pretty well.” He tapped the departing dot on the tracker. “So I planted a tracker on him when we got back so we can use him as a guide.
Going off that, we can get to a good spot to set up a receiver and call for pickup hopefully.”