Corinth

“Deunan you know we…I was just–” Raine winced, ultimately deciding it wasn’t worth making sense of how they had gotten here. Her drinking partner had clearly already left her entire brain at the last pub. It was frankly a miracle they were getting served here. “Anyway…Doesn’ matter.” The half-elf clasps her hands together and grins as if scheming something. She could see the bartender ready to serve up those fried golden beauties and barely waits for him to set them down before picking at them.

They spent a few minutes devouring any and all salty snacks, demanding more as if either of the women hadn’t eaten in days. In her daze Raine must have believed that it would soak up some of the alcohol…which might have been true if she wasn’t convinced to get another cocktail. Raine was halfway in the middle of giving a lecture to her distracted companion about the type of sword represented by the plastic decoration in her drink, spearing through pieces of pineapple and cherry, when an uproar started near the prize table.

“Lots of excitement happening over there, huh…” Raine looked on curiously. “I won’er what they won…? Surely it mustn’ be that great…” She started inching off of her seat, trying to take a closer look.

If either of them can scrape their brains out by the time they stumble out of here, or are carried out, it’ll be a miracle. 

Mind you, the conversation, though heated and frantic, kind of like the battle, does garner all of Deunan’s attention. The food is so so good, the additional drinks are not helping her fuzzy thoughts, and Raine’s so funny and smart! How in the world does she not have a whole lecture hall waiting for her somewhere. 

Deunan, now just as curious as her companion, nearly falls off her seat, but catches herself.

reply to here (changing to new editor)

🎵 "Yeah dumbass, you are." Bebop finally lowers the volumes on his ghetto blaster a little before he slides over with his equipment to spray the car's rear with purple paint too. His silly shades now back on his nose. It doesn't matter whether he's grabbed the right kind of paint for this or not (he actually didn't). If the color falls off eventually on some parts, then so be it. A nice vintage look is rad too.

"I dunno 'bout you, but Sol-something ain't so bad actually. Rock an' I found a sweet big concert hall, no peeps running it. Complete ghost town, so we made it ours now. Together with this dude. Grimmley."

She’s got a stupid grin on her face-- even though he called her a dumbass, and he’s right, but the thought...it DOES make her all warm and fuzzy. Things were so weird here in the beginning, and now things are better and she can have the best of both worlds! 

🎵 She hasn’t, that’s true. He sighs and puts up his shades, letting her see his mischievous beady eyes. Being all too serious is tiresome actually.

“I don’t trust cops. Got screwed over by these undercover jerks a lot. Comes naturally y'know? But, Rock is hellbent ‘bout trusting you, anyway.” And he knows, part of why they got away with the car is thanks to her. They did have some good times, too. Maybe it’s now or neer to bury that hatchet at least? She’s been honest enough to not lie about her job.

“Okay, listen up. The second you rat us out, youse dead meat, got it? Youse part of the gang now, there ain’t any pedaling outta it!” He snorts. “An’ for the record? I’m workin’ on the bestest car this place has ever seen!”

She’s part of the gang....? Deunan-- they consider her part of the gang....

For a moment her expression is blank, like she’s thinking about it, like her mind is buffering-- 

🎵 “Thanks,” he acknowledges the praise while he continues with the second layer of color. They won’t have the prior owner of that car on their tail anymore after the lots of changes at least. 

“Gotta ask ya something, since youse here now anyway.” He puts the stolen equipment aside now at least to spare her a glance. Or, more like a judgmental stare. It’s hard to tell actually because he’s got his silly shades sitting on his face. “Rocksteady mentioned to me youse a military chick. But I think he wasn’t tellin’ me everything he knows ‘bout you. You’se a darn cop, don’t you?”

He didn’t gloat like she thought he would. Ah, so this is a serious conversation.

And after a moment, Deunan knows he’s right.

@graveresemblance​

🎵 Deunan would find Bebop inside a garage the latter has occupied to work on the stolen car from several weeks ago. It’s a mess of spare parts he found at the junkyard, and stolen things like a bucket of purple paint and an old-school ghetto blaster blaring punk songs.

There’s also lots of empty cans and bottles in between the chaos. Bebop is full of paint, dust and oil from working on the car. But the car looks surprisingly decent so far. Like a roadster.

“What’cha want?” he asks without even sparing a look. He recognized her by her smell already. “I’m kinda busy right now. Rock an’ N’Sho-V went to the mall if youse lookin’ for ‘em.”

She hadn’t been, looking for either the rhino or the dino, actually, but more for something to do. Deunan has been pretty bored lately, full of restless energy that hadn’t been used. 

🎵 Bebop squints at the street in front of them. He doesn’t see many options to shake their followers off. Man, all they wanted was a car and look around this place to find their dino buddy, but of course things have go down to shit again.

“Ya know what? Yeah go shoot some tires. Maybe some windows too. Rock, youse keep your eyes open for N’Sho-V!”

“… fine!” He obviously wanted to do the shooting. Now slightly sulking, he slides aside to leave Deunan a good sight at the car behind them.

Deunan’s all too happy to shoot. She doesn’t make a big deal about it or rub it in Rocksteady’s face, but she does beam at the rhino as she takes out her pistol. 

Sliding herself half out the window, she braces her knees against the sides, takes aim, and fires a few rounds. 

Direct hit! Their pursuers start to veer across the lane.

Bebop sighs before he reaches over to flick her foreheard. He is at least more mindful of his strength towards her than he was towards the Ghost Boy back then. He broke that guy’s nose with a single flick. “Ya ever pay attention? I told ya he’s a mutant like us, didn’t I? Of course he has ARMS! But actually we–” He doesn’t get to expand on that though. Rocksteady shouts at him energically to pay attention on the streets, and as he does, he has to pull the wheel around strongly. The car skitters around a bend as he just barely avoids hitting an old woman with her shopping cart.  That Bebop manages to steer the car past the hydrant standing in the corner within that bend is nothing short of a miracle. Their short road trip would have ended abruptly otherwise.

“SHEESH! What’s it with old farts crossin’ the street at the dumbest possible time?!”

Rocksteady held onto the back of the car during the whole skittering. He would have certainly torn off the door if he held onto that. But it appears he got other problems right now than complaining over Bebop’s driving skills. His attention is directed at a car behind them now.

“Yeah speakin’ a dumbest time? I think we got someone on our tail.”

Deunan squawks, hands flying up to her forehead, frowning at him for that. 

All this rocking and rolling-- yes, it seems like it’s always like this-- and sure, that was sort of scary for a second but--

But Deunan’s left laughing. 

“Why’d I even ask” Bebop groans and puts his focus on the street again.  But not without dismissively waving off first.

“Whatevs. If youse see a blue dino with feathers, give it a call. That’s the pal we lookin’ for.”

“He also carries most ‘a weapons and ammunition we use,” Rocksteady adds with a frown. “Maybe makin’ him carry all the stuff was not such a good idea after all.”

A dinosaur....and weapons?

“He has hands? Arms? To carry all that?” 

Dam-bi has seen a lot of strange buildings during her time in these places, but this one might actually take the cake. It looks like a place a king would go to. Was it really okay to go inside? Deunan doesn’t seem bothered and she’s already approaching the building. 

Dam-bi follows behind her. 

“There are quite a bit of people today, mm?”

Deunan naturally walks in like she owns the place and belongs like the dirt in the kitchen. 

“Mmm, kind of. More than I was thinking after everything that happens.”

🍕 Raph is cautious by nature. Sol’Limina certainly seems like a calm and relaxing place, but how often did he and his brothers run into situations where danger came up out of seemingly nowhere?

As they start their exploration, it becomes obviously quickly that the place is huge. And there’s seems to be just no end to this road.

“You still good? Where do you even come from, actually?”

“Me?” It isn’t that she’s surprised he’s asking, just. You know. Small-talk. “I was raised in different military camps in California, mostly. You guys are from New York, right?” 

“Yes. Yes please.” She didn’t think Deunan would be so quick to actually be down to show her a couple of things. All Dam-bi wanted to do was just watch her, but if Deunan was going to show her a few moves then she’ll take it. She does want to learn. 

“Are we almost there? To this steak?”

Deunan is seriously, absoLUTELY happy to show her moves! Oh, Dam-bi is going to be so strong after her lessons. 

Beaming, she nods--

“In my world it was only the men that served the king when it came to fighting wars. Women were meant to serve the king in other means.” Though commoners were a different story. Men who were not living in the kingdom did whatever they could to scrape by but still, women didn’t really stand a chance against the men. They had the upper hand. 

“I’d like to see one day. What you can do.” Maybe she can learn a few things and not just rely on her own powers. What if one day she lost them? She needed a way to protect herself even after. 

Deunan visibly makes a face, one of distaste, at hearing that. Women meant to serve the men...stay at home and raise the babies. Bleh! That’s horrid. Makes her feel sick, like bugs are crawling on her or something. 

But she’s quick to smile and nod.

🎵 As soon as Deunan and Rocksteady hopped into the car, Bebop steps on the gas and they’re on their way. He’s satisfied that Deunan follows Rocksteady’s example and has her gun ready. Never hurts to have double the fire-power.

“Eh, I already hit the road when some guy shouted after me like I just divorced him or somethin’, so we might get company is all.” He throws a quick glance back at Rocksteady. “What were ya two up to while I was gone?” 🔨 Rocksteady chuckles over the divorced comment. At the question though, he gives just another slightly confused shrug.

“I don’t even know anymore man. Something about crocs bein’ made of dinosaurs. And crocodiles.”

Deunan snorts. Bebop already making friends is the least surprising thing she’s heard all day. Maybe all week.

🍕 Mikey glances at the big book in her hand. And nods satisfied. Hey, a big book won’t wreck this entire place at least… He goes ahead, his own book ready to throw, and opens the door. Without even batting a lid, the teen hurls the book with all his might, loose pages fall out of it and scatter all over the fake kitchen. Which– appears actually empty. Either he’s losing his mind, or HE actually moved on already to the next room.

“And just when I thought I couldn’t dislike this place any more!” A mechanism goes off which opens one of the kitchen drawers right next to Mikey, but the teen is so fed-up at this point that he counters the scary gimmick with a punch of his own, prompting the drawer to shut back into its place. Did it actually hurt? Yes. Is he going to acknowledge it? No. It’s time for Dr. Delicate Touch. “Get ready, D, we’re chasing a Hippo Magician now!”

This-- gimmick would be super fun if it wasn’t annoying-- Deunan places a hand on his shoulder for a moment.

“I won’t even ask about the Hippo or the magic, but are you okay?”

That did look like it was startling-- if not hurtful.