Fantasy Kaizoic: Earth Reborn

[Da Doofus]

A rear storage room was found, and so was the wagon. Lining the shelved walls was a minor selection of flintlock and simple bolt action rifles and pistols. A box of black powder bombs, (or rather the metal casings of them), sat in the corner.
Given the extra space, it could be assumed the supply was recently bought from heavily.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Darrek knew that they didn't have much time. Any second that he wasted here was one that Bazin used to get closer to Kairo. But he couldn't help but pause as he saw the supply of weapons and bombs in the backroom. He gritted his teeth in anger as memories of what happened popped back up in his head. These were the same weapons they used in Dakovis. Supplied right here in his hometown. All he wanted right now was to take one of those pistols and blast a hole in Vincents head, but he wasn't going to stoop down that low.

Instead, after regrouping, he went to the back shelves and took the rest of the supplies still available. As long as he had the upper hand, Vincent wasn't going to be selling any of these to anyone. Except for him that was. A smirk graced his face as he thought about the idea of using Bazin's weapons against him. The bombs, the rifles, and pistols. He tossed them onto the wagon before heading back out into the main room.

"It's there, he wasn't lying," Darrek said as he signalled Rufus to come in. "Oh and, don't bother with the shit in the back, we're taking it too." He added, looking over at Vincent.

 

[Da Doofus]

“Then I suppose our business is done, sir.” He tipped an invisible hat. “Except for one thing.”
He aimed his pistol in the man’s direction and fired.

The dwarfed human tensed as he expected the round to end his life, but instead only cringed at the sound of metal popping loose and coins rattling.
He jerked around to see a portrait of a waterfall with a smoking hole in it.

His jaw dropped. “How did you-“

“Know that’s where you stash your money? Easy guess considering the shop’s layout.” Rufus tapped a button on his gun.
“You might want to duck.” He said, gaze shifting to Darrek.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Darrek was just as shocked as Vincent was, but that shock quickly turned into astonishment as he watched a trickle of coins fall from the hole in the wall. Whatever Rufus was doing, Darrek
liked it. So as he asked him to duck, Darrek had no objections to doing so.

 

[Da Doofus]

A brief flash came from the hole in the wall, and then a loud BANG which send the painting into scorched pieces and scalded coins across the room.
One landed near Darrek. A copper coin with the engravings melted and its worth probably ruined.

Rufus watched as Vincent struggled to pointlessly gather the scattered stash and gestured to the back.
“I think we should go, kid.” He said to Darrek.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Darrek picked up the copper coin from the ground, a cheeky and satisfied grin forming on his face as he looked at the engraving that had been utterly destroyed by Rufus's blaster. He hoped the rest of the man's money would be burned down along with it, but that would probably be wishful thinking. Still, it was fun watching Vincent scramble this quickly for something. He was pretty sure the man hadn't worked this fast in his life.

Darrek waved Rufus into the back, moving out of the way so that he wasn't blocking the door. "Have fun with that!" Dracon said to Vincent, not able to help himself from the quip. "I hope you get everything you deserve."

 

[Da Doofus]

Rufus was inspecting the content of the wagon when Darrek arrived.

“Well . . .” He clicked his tongue. “This is just enough I can work with.”
He paused to listen to the rain outside.
“Hey help me cover this.” He gripped a nearby sheet of cloth on a barrel.

 

[Chai_T3a]

"I packed every single weapon and explosive I could find," Darrek commented proudly, clearly satisfied with his handiwork. He then walked over to where Rufus was and picked up the other side of the cloth, walking outwards to spread the thing out to it's full length.

 

[Da Doofus]

Thunder rumbled.

“Well at the very least this should put a stop to Vincent’s weapon dealing business.” He paused. “Plus Victor said they were here to resupply, so that may be in need of this.”

Back in the shop, the front door opened and someone stepped inside.

“Oh what do YOU want?” Vincent huffed, his voice muffled through the wall.

 

[Chai_T3a]

"You gave him a lot more than he deserved." Darrek snarled, turning his head to look back into the main shop room. "Always thought he was low, but I didn't think he'd stoop to that level just for a quick coi-" He was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Shutting up quickly, he honed in on Vincent's voice. Whoever this was, he clearly didn't seem to like them very much. Good, any inconvenience that could befall the man, Darrek was in complete support of it. He looked over at Rufus, a curious gaze asking the man if they should stay to listen in on the conversation.

 

[Da Doofus]

Rufus loaded his pistol and gestured back into the shop.
He led the way and stepped inside, ready for more of Bazin’s goons.

Instead, the doorway was filled with five Vindav villagers peering in. Each one curious to what was happening within, since the two’s antics had to have caused a commotion.
One Vindav stepped forward when Rufus and Darrek did. An old male that Darrek would recognize as Tarlim the town’s herbalist.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Upon recognizing the people walking into the shop, Darrek would put a hand on Rufus's pistol. He pushed his down, so as to signal that there was no immediate threat to their well beings.

"It's okay, there just townsfolk." He reassured, curiously watching the gathering crowd to determine their next mvoe.

 

[Da Doofus]

Tarlim glanced at the destruction about the store interior, and then at Darrek.

“Ka-zam phritka ti tatü, Darrek?” He asked. The old Vindav was an old friend of Bom’s and the unspoken leader of the local Vindav. The Irokai would understand a bit of the tribal dialect to know he asked what’s happening?
More or less.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Darrek laughed as he looked back at Vincent's scrambling form, the satisfaction of watching him get what was coming to him was only enhanced by the fact that he now had an audience with him. He looked back at Tarlim, a smug grin on his face.

"He was dealing weapons. So Rufus and I made sure he'd stop." He said to Tarlim in the local Vindav language, keeping it as simple as he still wasn't too familiar with the language. "Maybe it'd teach him a lesson if he was missing a few coins." He added, a hint of suggestion in the joke.

 

[Da Doofus]

Tarlim nodded, not quite understanding the context.
Then he looked at Rufus and cocked his head.

“Grazt-ki ma’ru?” He asked, pointing a claw at the human.

‘Where is the other one?’

 

[Chai_T3a]

Darrek's smile faded at the mention of Kairo, replaced with the masked fear he was innately attempting to hide. Kairo and the others were in danger again, and this time he really wasn't sure if he'd be able to warn them on time.

Either way though, they would have to try.

"We're actually planning on picking him up right now," Darrek said, which was technically the truth. "Speaking of that. I think we're running late. Take care of Vincent for me!" He added before heading towards the back towards the wagon.

 

[Da Doofus]

“Kid . . .” Rufus followed Darrek. “We got nothing to pull this thing.” He pointed out. “And I doubt stables are a thing around here.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

Darrek paused in his step as he realized the reasoning in what Rufus was saying. As much as he hated it, the man was right. He'd gotten so caught up in warning Kairo that he'd almost forgot they didn't have a reliable way to do it.

"Well there has to be something we can do besides just waiting here!" Darrek argued, clearly not liking the idea of being stuck in Drafisl. "Run back maybe?"

 

[Da Doofus]

“Look, I hate it too . . . But we’re stuck until this weather lets up.” Rufus sighed, but then held up a finger.
“Good thing about that though; Bazin is stuck wherever he is too.
Can’t track in this storm I bet.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

The last bit did quell Darrek's nerve's a little. He looked back outside at the ever-increasing rain, thankful for its presence for once in his life. It at least gave them a bit of time.
He then looked between the wagon, and then back at Rufus. His mind occupied with what their next course of action could possibly be.

"I'll take it. But we're still gonna need to figure out a way to get there before Bazin does." Darrek mentioned. "They've got a head start on us."

 

[Da Doofus]

“Well you know who we need to talk to about that, right?

Your brother.” Rufus concluded.

Rain continued to patter outside, and thunder rumbled in the distance.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Darrek opened his mouth to protest, but no audible noises would come out. As much as he hated it, he knew Rufus was right. They wouldn't be able to use the carriage, and Dracon was the only person who had enough knowledge of the woods to get them there on time.

Besides that, he would never admit it, but there was also a part of him that wanted to break this barrier with Dracon.

He sighed. "Okay. I'll try to talk to him. For Kairo." He said, relinquishing. "Man why can't the right path be an easy one."

 

[Da Doofus]

“If everything were easy, would anything be earned?” Rufus quoted. “Let’s just get back to the inn.” He pointed to the wagon. “This crap ain’t goin nowhere.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

"That's enough philosophy for one day," Darrek commented, exiting the shop from the back door. He stepped outside and kept it held open for Rufus. "I tossed all the weapons into the wagon too."

 

[Da Doofus]

The two hurried back up the flooding road, unaware that a portion of the Vindav locals had moved there as well from the General Store commotion.
When they returned to the Rest, there was activity within, and the silhouette of Bom could be seen talking with a familiar Vindav.

“Damn.” Rufus wiped his face as they walked on the porch. “These little skinks move quick.” He began tossing off whatever excess water he could before entering.