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After Chaos (Read 187463 times)
Fernando
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2700 - Oct 12th, 2020, 9:24pm
 
In the silence of his camper, Fernando can hear the conversations outside. As can Macey and Zoey in the younger girl’s upper floor bedroom.
 
“Uncle Fernando hurt somebody?” Zoey asks.
 
“Father would only hurt anyone who would hurt him...” Macey says.
 
“Mew mew mew mew...” Kitty says between them.
 
They both look at the kitten.
 
“Know what she is saying?” Macey asks.
 
“No.” Zoey replies.
 
“Only Meeshie would know.” Macey says in defeat.
 
“Then go get her.” Zoey says.
 
“Then come with me.” Macey throws back.
 
“Alright!” Zoey says, taking Kitty and stuffing into her shirt.
 
“Mew mew mew.” Kitty says though muffled by her shirt.
 
Macey takes her shoes and goes downstairs to put them on. Zoey was right behind her doing the same thing. Together they step outside and see Hondo sitting as he watches everyone and their actions from where they sat. Zoey goes straight to him and plots herself on her lap but before she can say anything, Kitty’s mewing gets louder.
 
“Eh?” Hondo reacts before looking into the little girl’s shirt. He reaches in and pulls out the kitten. “Why is Kitty in your shirt?”
 
“She’s been mewing for a long time now, like she wants something but I do not know what that is.” Zoey says innocently.
 
“Well, Kitten... Kitty needs her freedom and access to her food and water. Keepin' her in your room makes her feel trapped.” Hondo explains.
 
“I did not know that.” Zoey replies.
 
 
At Fernando’s electric camper, Macey knocks on the door, “Daddy? You in there?”
 
The door slowly opens, with Fernando on the other side, looking like he had just woken up.
 
“Everything OK?” Fernando asks.
 
“I don’t know. Kitty keeps mewing for some reason. So I’m getting Meeshie to see if she can help.” Macey says.
 
Fernando calls out for his cat, “Meeshie.”  
 
Meeshie sticks her head out from between the driver’s and passenger seats.
 
“Come here girl.” Fernando calls.
 
Meeshie jumps off the seats and trots over to him. He picks her up putting her on his shoulder, telling Macey, “Let’s go check on Kitty.”
 
He steps out of the electric bus camper and heads over to Hondo’s camper. Between the vehicles Fernando finds Hondo with Zoey and hears ‘mewing’ from Hondo’s hands. He and Macey step up to them.
 
“Something wrong with the kitten?” Fernando asks as he reaches out for it.
 
“I reckon the girls had her kooked up in Zoey’s room.” Hondo hands Kitty over to him.
 
Fernando looks over its little paws, stomach, legs, head and body for any gross injury, and then gently presses her tummy. His finger sinks in but he pulls out before going too deep.
 
“When did she eat and drink anything?” Fernando asks.
 
“This morning.” Zoey asks.
 
“Let’s go... Hondo?” Fernando tells them and calls to his friend.
 
“Is she sick?” Hondo asks.
 
“We’ll find out.” Fernando says as they step over to Hondo’s camper.
 
Hondo steps in followed by Zoey, Macey and Fernando with the two cats.
 
Inside Hondo’s camper, Fernando asks, “Where’s Kitty food and water bowls?”
 
“Over here by the Radio Room.” Hondo points out the area under the stairs to the bedrooms and between the truck’s passenger area and camper’s main area. The two adult men look over the food and water bowls for Kitty, finding the food untouched and the water still filled.
 
“That’s why. She has not eaten all day.” Fernando says. He puts the kitten down by the food bowl and Meeshie next to her. “Meeshie, make sure she eats but not to over stuff herself.”
 
Meeshie replies with a “Meow.” She begins licking Kitty as the kitten eats some of her meal.
 
“Kitty will be just fine after this.” Fernando says.
 
With the emergency averted, they walk back to the living area of Hondo’s camper.
 
“She was hungry?” Zoey asks.
 
“Looks like she was.” Hondo answers.
 
“Cats do not eat like we do. We have a breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper at set times. Cats eat when they are hungry. So you give them food and they will eat some of it then and eat the rest later. Same with drinking water. That is why you must always check their food and water bowls often.” Fernando explains.
 
“You make sure the water bowl is full but the food bowl should be filled twice a day – in the morning and around dinner time.” Hondo adds.
 
Meeshie walks up to Fernando with Kitty at her side. Fernando picks them both up and hands Kitty to Zoey. Kitty begins purring.
 
“She’s purring...” Zoey says with glee.
 
“You see Zoey, You cannot keep Kitty in your room all day, because she has to eat and drink when she has the need to. You have to let her go sometimes so she can do those thin's.” Hondo tells her sternly but not angrily.
 
“I’m sorry, papa.” Zoey says.
 
“I think you need to apologize to Kitty and not to your father, but it looks like Kitty forgives you already.” Fernando throws in.
 
“How you know that?” Zoey asks.
 
“Cats have a simple language, much of it by their actions and their tones from their meows. If they purr, they forgive you, love you and are happy to be with you. Kitty’s purring in your hands, that means she forgives you and loves you.” Fernando explains.
 
“Are you going to forgive Maggie, daddy?” Macey lets out.
 
Fernando turns to her with a stern look.
 
“Jefe, your little girl is right.” Hondo throws at him before letting out a sigh.
 
“Don’t remind me.” Fernando replies.
 
“The Bobbsie twins did take her and that under grown school girl to their ambulance.” Hondo adds.
 
“I’ll deal with it after dinner, after our Driver’s Meeting.” Fernando replies.
 
“Please do not take too long...” Macey says, adding “...daddy.”
 
“We will deal with it later. Right now I’m angry with the both of them.” Fernando tells her though it was to all of them.
 
“At least check up on Maggie. I heard and seen, she was severely injured.” Hondo says.
 
“I’ll see her soon enough then.” Fernando tells him. He then holds Meeshie to his face, “What you think, girl?”
 
“Meow...” Meeshie responds.
 
“Figures. OK. Stay here for a while and take care of Kitty while we are gone.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Meow.” Meeshie responds again, though to the untrained ear it sounded the same but when one is with cats long enough, they can tell the difference in the tonal inflections.
 
“Alright. Macey, if you continue to behave and listen to Hondo and he says yes, you can stay with Zoey.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Can I?” Macey asks to Hondo.
 
“Yes, but Val and Ruth will be preparin’ supper soon and you girls need to learn how to cook. So your play time will be short.” Hondo tells them both.
 
“Good enough for me.” Fernando says. “Thanks.”
 
-= To Be Continued... =-
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Fernando
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2701 - Oct 17th, 2020, 10:50pm
 
Fernando leaves Hondo’s camper though not caring about what was said about forgiving anyone. He knew that in some respect they were right but he was not up to wanting to do a thing towards it. He heads to his electric camper and sits down on the step of the sliding door when he opens it.  
 
The Elder Janette makes her way to Fernando’s electric camper, finding him sitting on the step of his camper’s sliding door. She stands in front of him with her arms crossed.
 
“What do you want.” Fernando tells her.
 
“In the words of your future wife, ‘Damn, I never seen injuries like this outside of a car accident. How hard did he throw her?’” She tells him, throwing in, “You need to undo this somehow. Whether with the bio pill or some Time manipulation. You also need to deal with Ichigo – as she is scared on leaving knowing that somebody will take her, beat her, have their way with her to break her before being dragging her to Fight Town where they will kill her.”
 
“Ask me if I care, for I don’t.” He tells her.
 
“And why not?” She asks.
 
“Because the line was crossed. That’s why. No one tries to do me wrong, do me harm or take from me without me taking some retaliatory action. They acted against me, I took action to defend myself. People got hurt. Who the #$@! cares.” He tells her.
 
“We do, that’s who cares. Innocent or not, mistakes were made and it’s time to own up to them.” She tells him.
 
“The first mistake was not dealing with Wilbur and having you like some adult in a child’s body. And despite your many years, you still act like a child, unlike Ichigo who acts like the adult she is even though she in a child-like, not child, body. You need to grow up, you need to deal with your issues, you need to become the person you used to be before Wilbur became a time traveler and he needs to be stopped and if needed – killed on site for doing what he did to you, and what he had done to others. You actually think this is normal?” He tells her.
 
“You better not interfere with what Wilbur did.” She tells him.
 
“First I will take care of these bird people. You do not get it nor will you ever get it – The children of the stars vs. the children of the ground, the children of the ground will take on the wings of the black feather to destroy the children of the stars. If you think I will allow them to do what they did – all this that they did, from the war to the so-called un-natural events, to all that the Chaos was to what it is today, will be dealt with. We – Humanity should be in space stations, moon and interplanetary bases, and exploring the stars right now instead of scrounging about and fighting for everything that should be ours in cooperation and not by force. Then Wilbur will be next.” He tells her.
 
“You are to leave that alone.” She says in a threatening tone. “You are to deal with the here and now and that is to undo what you did to that poor girl to injure her so and forgive them both for what they did to you.”
 
“As my so-called wife, if I were to catch you cheating, am I to forgive you for what you did?” He dare asks.
 
“As my husband, yes.” She tells him.
 
“So each time you repeat cheating with somebody, I am to forgive you for your continual cheating actions?” He dares to ask.
 
“As my husband, yes.” She tells him again.
 
“Wrong.” He tells her.
 
“No. You are supposed to forgive.” She says.
 
“Wrong again.” He tells her.
 
“How and why?” She asks.
 
“In either case you did not apologize for your actions because in apologizing you would be admitting your actions of cheating against me as your husband, and you would not want to admit to that or implicate who your lover is. Since you did not apologize, therefore you should not be forgiven. Without one, there cannot be the other.” He explains to her.
 
She stands there dumbfounded.
 
He continues, “Long ago as your pre-teen baby sitter and tutor we promised each other than when you grew up that we would marry. In those many years I seen you get older and develop into the adult I remember you to be and in that we were married while you were in college. Those were events in our past. But in interference, Wilbur causes us to get married in the future with this child body you have. It is that interference where you cheated with Wilbur against me. As your husband to be or husband that used to be, you have not apologized to me for the repeated continual cheating you did to me with him, and therefore should not be forgiven. If you apologize then you will admit to your cheating on me with Wilbur that is something you do not want to admit, that are in denial of, and think it is something that will solve itself. Wrong again.”
 
“What happened between Wilbur and I...” She begins to say.
 
“What happened between you and Wilbur goes against what we had as a married couple – period. You went to him for something you thought I could not provide, you continued to go to him because you wanted something only he could provide. That in its very core is cheating. Cheating to where it effected our marriage and our relationship. So why should I trust you? Why should I believe what you had stated as the truth? Why should I forgive you because you repeated went against me through him? And therefore, why should I trust you at all? Then, why should I trust you say in anything else? My business with Ichigo and Maggie is my business, not yours. Who I stick my dick into until the day we get married, is not your business. So in this life I’m not married to you - yet. In the former life you and Wilbur destroyed, we were. So lead, follow or get out of my way.” He tells her before he gets up. He slides the camper door closed and lock itself, continuing to walk to Jeanette’s side of the camp. It takes him less than a minute to get there.
 
Both camper doors were open. Ichigo was sitting in the back of the Elder Jeanette’s camper. He continued a few more feet to the other camper. There in the Younger Jeanette’s camper, Hikaru and the Younger Jeanette bandaging up Maggie.
 
“Stop what you are doing.” Fernando tells them.
 
They both look at him with the Younger Jeanette saying, “What for? You’re the one that injured her.”
 
“How about you learning what happened first before making assumptions and accusations.” Fernando steps up to her. As he takes his steps, he twists the on his cane ever so much before swinging it onto Maggie. They do not notice what happened but Maggie springs up into a sitting position.
 
“What happened?” Maggie asks.
 
“Get into my camper – now.” Fernando tells her before he begins to walk to the other camper. He looks inside it and finds Ichigo in there. “Get your things and get in the camper – now.” He tells her.
 
He begins to walk away to this camper. Maggie and Ichigo slowly get together and head back Fernando’s camper. Both Jeanettes and Hikaru follow them. Fernando gets to his camper before the others, opening the sliding door on it and waits beside it for the others to arrive. The four of them arrive at about the same time, he points to inside his camper. Reluctantly Ichigo and then Maggie step inside with their things, with the two Jeanettes and Hikaru stepping up to Fernando.
 
“What do you three want?” Fernando almost growls at them.
 
“Making sure that you do not abuse those two.” The younger Jeanette tells him.
 
“What happens in my camper is my business. Just like what happens in your camper is your business. I do not interfere in your personal business, do not interfere in mine.” Fernando tells her.
 
“So if you murder somebody, we are to leave it alone? Is that it?!!” The younger Jeanette tells him.
 
“I do not kill anyone unless they deserve it, and when the lives of others are at stake. I take no pleasure in killing.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Come on Jeanette, this is one argument we are not going to win.” The Elder Jeanette says to the younger.
 
The two Jeanettes leave while Hikaru remains behind for a moment.
 
“Well?” Fernando asks her.
 
“I used to trust you because Jeanette trusted you. Now I’m not sure anymore.” Hikaru says to him.
 
“I just got one thing to say to you, Hikaru. Follow your heart. Not the words or actions of others, but what is deep down in you.” Fernando tells her. He adds, “Now, if you do not mind, I got to have a private talk these two knuckle heads.”
 
Hikaru just scowls her face a bit before giving a slight and quick nod before she walks away. Once she is gone, Fernando steps into his camper and slides the door closed.
 
The two of them sit on the bench part of the bed, and Ichigo’s cart with her things (not her money) is in front of it. Fernando opens up the jump seat behind the passenger seat in front of a cabinet that is there, sitting on it.
 
He points to Maggie, “Sit further back on the bed.” Then at Ichigo, “Put away your things. They are taking up too much space where they are.”
 
They look at each other for a moment before Ichigo nods. Maggie slides herself further back on the bed while Ichigo got off the bench seat and lifted up the cushions. She begins to put in her things back where were in the box storage under the bench seat, not wanting to take her time but does so. When done in a few minutes, she puts the cart between the end of the bend and the cabinet where the sink is. The bench gets righted and then pushed down to make the bed again. She signals to Maggie to move up to the bench, and she does.
 
They both sit there like children caught misbehaving at school and have to answer to their parents.
 
“I do not care for words either of you have to say. Apologies will not accepted at this point in time. You both know what you did. Both of you are going to think about what you did, the consequences thereof is being kicked out of this convoy and you can walk to wherever. Then you are going to think about why you did it, knowing that you could have been left behind for doing it. No one in this convoy is essential that they cannot be kicked out. I get kicked out, this camper and its trailer goes with me as does my cat and Macey. But as for the two of you, you crossed the line one should never cross. You took more than what was offered to you. You bit the hand that feeds you. You dared to disrespect those who reached out to help you. So anything either of you say will be held against you. And I do not want to hear it. All I want to hear from the both of you is silence!” Fernando tells them both.
 
Other than a slight nod, neither said a word.
 
“Val and Ruth are setting up to make tonight’s dinner and supper meal. Also help set up with breakfast tomorrow as we leave after breakfast. Go and put in work in making this possible so you can earn your keep. And Ichigo, you will be sleeping on the floor with Maggie tonight. Sleeping on my bed is a privilege when there is room. You lost that privilege until I decide to give it back. Now go and do your work before I forget that I am being nice to you.” Fernando tells them.
 
 
Ichigo and Maggie look at each other for a second before slowly getting up. Fernando reaches over and slides open the door for them to step out.
 
Ichigo steps up to the door and looks at Fernando, “Uhm... where is Ruth or Val?”  
 
Fernando points, “That there is Ruth’s camper. Ruth might be in there. Val is in Hondo’s camper, and I know she is not there right now. If they are out shopping, you two are to return here to me and stay until they come back.”
 
Ichigo nods slowly before heading out, as she walks away, “Let’s go Maggie. First Ruth’s camper, then Hondo’s camper. And if we can’t find then, we go back to Fernando’s camper until they return.”
 
 It only took them a couple of minutes to find out that Val and Ruth went out to get a few things for the dinner, mostly a few greens for the wessens and some peppers, which the tribe had plenty of. They also had female wessens (La La, Li Li and Teri) help bring in some fresh water from their wells. They head back to Fernando’s camper. The sliding door was open.
 
Ichigo walks up to the open doorway, “They are out somewhere. Don’t know where.”
 
“Then sit down and relax.” Fernando tells them, adding, “Last one closes the door.”
 
Last one would be Maggie.
 
Fernando reaches over the front passenger seat and takes a hand held radio from the glove box. He then tells them, “Go set up your beds on the floor. I’m going to take a short nap for while to deal with this headache you two gave me.”
 
Maggie’s things were mostly set up, piled up into a corner behind the driver’s seat and just needs to be pulled out and set up. Ichigo needs to gather her things as they were put away as she slept with Fernando and Macey in the first night out. Fernando goes out and into the Dub Box camper and grabs a couple of furniture blankets from there and brings them back. He sets them down on top of the floor as Maggie was pulling her things out from behind the driver’s seat. Now they have a double layered area to put their things on.
 
With their furniture blankets laid on top folded in half, this gives them 4 layers of padding to sleep on from the hard floor. Ichigo gets her things given to her from their storage under the bench and begin to set up her bed. She puts the sleeping bag down on top of the padded layers, then the pillow and blanket inside the sleeping bag. Maggie copied her example of setting up her bed. Between the two, there was a small area from which Fernando could step through from the jump seat to the rear bed. Once Ichigo has taken out her things and puts down the bench, he steps over to the bed.
 
He takes off his outer layers and folds them up, placing them onto the cover of the sink. He immediately went back to the bed and crawled under the covers. But sleep would not come to him.
 
Both Ichigo and Maggie sit on their made beds for the moment. It is an uncomfortable silence at best. Ichigo crawls into her sleeping bag fully clothed except for her shoes, lying on her side facing away from Maggie. Maggie sits into a ball position with her knees at her chest and her arms around her legs.
 
= To Be Continued... =-
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Fernando
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2702 - Oct 21st, 2020, 12:31pm
 
Ruth returns with a couple Indian women carrying some assorted fresh vegetables. Val was nowhere in sight. Karl and Marvin return with the Wessen girls, hauling a couple of carts of jugs filled with water. Ruth walks over to Fernando’s electric camper and knocks on the sliding door. Fernando crawls over to the rear hatch door and opens it.
 
“Back here between the bus and the camper trailer.” He says loud enough to be heard.
 
Ruth walks to the back, seeing Fernando’s head sticking out from the hatch. “Oh... Everything OK?”
 
“Everything’s fine.” Fernando replies.
 
“Know where Val is at?” Ruth asks.
 
“I do not know.” Fernando answers, but then he says, “I have Maggie and Ichigo ready to help with preparing the meal today and tomorrow morning.  If you need my Dub box Camper’s kitchen, it will be open to you.”
 
“Thanks.” Ruth says.
 
“Think nothing of it. We all got to put in our share.” Fernando tells her. He then turn to the inside of his electric camper, “You two ladies put on your shoes and step outside to Miss Ruth. She has work for you to do.”
 
Ichigo and Maggie does as he says, putting on their shoes and then stepping outside once the sliding door is open. The door is closed, as is the rear hatch. Fernando quickly puts on his clothes before stepping outside. He prepares the Dub Box kitchen for Ruth in case she needs it. Ruth tells the Wessen girls where to set up (as usual on Hondo’s Camper pull up Side Table) to start preparing the vegetables for dinner. She gives them the metal work plate and knives to start preparing and then explains what she wants done: potatoes and carrots peeled; celery, carrots and potatoes diced up in a medium sized cube where possible (about 1 inch cube); onions and bell peppers diced up into small cubes; ends of the string beans trimmed off and then cut into halves or quarters to give an inch or so cut; dry beans (Pink and Pinto) and peas sorted through and made sure for foreign matter is in them (amazing how many tiny pebbles can be found in a 5lbs bag of dried beans) then put into a pot of water to soak for an hour before cooking. Ruth will take care of the cabbage and meat while two different pots will create a meat (chicken) stew and a vegetable stew. It will be the same stew with the only difference being one will have meat (chicken) and the other will not. A third pot will cook white rice for those who want rice with the stew.
 
Ruth sets up a large pot of water for the rice in Fernando’s Dub box Camper. She gives Ichigo and Maggie instructions to watch the pot and when it boils, to put the premeasured rice into the water, stir the water, cover it and then lower the flame of the stove to half the size and watch the rice ever 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally. When the rice is dry, turn off the stove and stir the rice with a fork to fluff up the rice. When done, let the rice sit. It should only take about 45 minutes to get it done.
 
The beans, peas and carrots are set to cook in the water first as they take longer to cook. When the water begins to boil and the vegetables begin to soften, tomato paste and spices are put in, and in one of the pots the meat is put in and is allowed to cook for a while. When the meat is half done, the rest of the vegetables and spices are put in except for the cabbage. The cabbage is put in last when it is almost done and allowed to wilt into the broth.
 
It is a simple meal while surprisingly tastes very good, is meant to be filling.
 
Val arrives when Ruth has things started and begins to make biscuits and sweet bread to go with the meal. Macey and Zoe learn how to make the dough for the bread and biscuits, setting them up on a cookie sheet before it goes into the oven. Certain items like the rice gets done first but allowed to rest, the biscuits and sweet breads get done next and allowed to cool. The stew takes the longest to cook but everything gets done in a couple of hours.
 
With the others sharing their resources, everybody had something to eat for their dinner meal and have something for their supper meal later in the evening. Maggie and Ichigo is told to help with clean up. They are given the small task of collecting the cups, glasses and plates. Others sweep up the areas. Fernando wipes down his Dub Box Camper’s kitchen area and closes the camper down when done. The leftovers, which are meant for the supper meal later in the evening, is put away to be given out later to those want it as lunch for those doing guard duty at night.
 
Maggie and Ichigo walk back into electric camper with a large paper bag of food.
 
“I would dare ask what is in the bag, but I already know. Is that for you both or everyone in this camper?” Fernando says and asks.
 
“It’s for everybody.” Ichigo says as the bag gets placed on the covered sink.
 
“Good.” Fernando replies, “We’ll eat in 3 hours, and then it will be time to sleep, though I will be stepping out to check on the night guards before I go to bed.”
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Fernando
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2703 - Oct 24th, 2020, 12:25am
 
The day started out early with the ladies working hard on making a fast breakfast for those who get it from them. Everyone had their breakfast while at the same time they packed up their vehicles and campers.
 
Fernando had wakened up at 5:30AM and started to prepare his electric camper to move out when all is said and done. He then goes to those doing guard duty to tell them to start taking it easy and begin to pack up to move out to after breakfast. Around 6AM Zoey gets up and after being cleaned up and dressed for the day, heads over to Fernando’s electric camper to be with Macey who was having a difficult time waking up. Eventually Zoey drags Macey out of the electric camper and into Hondo’s camper. With Macey gone, Fernando takes a can of cat food and pours the contents into a small bowl for Meeshie. A second bowl of water is set by the food bowl while Meeshie begins to eat. The sliding door is left ajar to let Meeshie to go out and come back for her bathroom needs.
 
Fernando goes to Hondo’s camper as if following Zoe and Macey. Val and Ruth had started on making breakfast for a while and are almost ready to start handing out bags to the crews. Before Fernando can say anything, Ruth gives him a large bag of breakfast sandwiches, and a four bowls of oatmeal. She then hands him a large metal vessel of coffee.
 
“Thanks.” Fernando says, “I was just going to ask for the coffee, I was not expecting this. Many thanks.”
 
“Think nothing of it. You helped us, we are helping you.” Ruth says.
 
Fernando nods before he leaves for his camper. He puts the bag of food on his camper’s covered sink, taking a sandwich and the coffee for himself. He nudges Ichigo and Maggie to wake up, meeting resistance with both. Either way he says that Breakfast is on the sink and to leave something for Macey. He then takes his egg sandwich and coffee outside by the front driver’s corner of his camper where he has a view of much of the camp. Hondo comes down to inspect the front of his truck.
 
“Checking out the ride?” Fernando asks.
 
Hondo nods as he checks the truck, “You know it. Checked yours yet?”
 
“There is not much to check out on this thing, but what I had to look over seems to be fine.” Fernando replies.
 
“Good.” Hondo says.
 
Fernando finishes his breakfast sandwich and coffee, putting the empty vessel onto the dash board shelf of the electric camper from the driver’s side door. He sees Meeshie sleeping on the driver’s seat, having returned from her little bathroom trip, like any cat should.
 
“Give me a second.” Fernando says before he walks to the passenger side and closes the sliding door. He goes back to the front driver’s corner of the camper. As the clock approaches 7AM, everyone does what they can to prepare for the morning move. Everyone has breakfast served to them and many of the drivers have gotten their passengers/crews together. Fernando reaches into the bus and turns on his CB Radio. He tells Hondo to tell Macey to get to the bus immediately.
 
Opening the driver’s door, Fernando gently lifts up Meeshie without waking her, getting into his driver’s seat, and then putting her on his lap. He turns around seeing Ichigo and Maggie waking up from their positions on the floor.
 
“Food is on the sink. Move your things to the bed and get on the bed. We will be moving out soon.” He tells them.
 
Macey gets into the bus from the passenger front door as the engines from the other vehicles start.
 
Fernando tells those in the back, “Hand over a sandwich from the bag and bottle of sweetwater from the refrigerator.”  
 
“But I already ate.” Macey complains.
 
“Then hold on to it. You will eat it later.” Fernando tells her. He then picks up his CB Radio microphone, “Alright Jason, this is Convoy leader taking up the rear. Roll out and lead us into Flight Town!”
 
“Putting her into gear, Convoy Leader.” Jason replies. His truck lurches forward as he begins the line to move onto flight Town. Moro’s truck goes behind him followed by the Elder Jeanette’s Bus, the Younger Jeanette’s Beetle hauling its small Dub Box Camper, Jeanette’s gas camper hauling a larger Dub Box Camper driven by Hikaru, The House mother’s Bus camper with her children, Ruth’s Camper with its camper trailer, Joanne’s truck with its camper trailer, Karl’s SUV and its camper trailer, Marvin’s SUV and its camper trailer, the male teens’ dune buggy and its camper trailer, the female teens’ dune buggy and its camper trailer, Val’s Bronco and its supply trailer, Hondo’s Ford Truck Camper with its supply trailer and lastly Fernando’s electric camper taking the rear with his Dub Box trailer. The line of vehicles and trailers makes about quarter of a mile in length. They get on the main highway in less than five minutes of driving, with another four or more hours of driving 150 miles of highway.
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2704 - Oct 27th, 2020, 8:13pm
 
Flight Town…

 
Never has there been a larger hive of Scum and Villainy. Despite its small size, it is a major port to many who can travel by land, sea and/or air, where for the right price one can get nearly anything and everything. From supplies, to sex, to drugs, to weapons, to technologies; with everyone coming in from all over, somebody ought to have it and sell it at the right price.
 
But those are the ones who come in and out of Flight Town. The majority of the residences this port city are mechanics, food vendors, medical service providers and other services they provide. Having not signed the Anti-Slave Treaty, they support slavery on many levels, as slaves come in and out with their masters on various business trips that start from there and spread out elsewhere.
 
Flight town is named as such to the many versions of powered manned and unmanned flights from various crafts; from balloons, to blimps, to gliders, to powered aircraft built from what parts they can scavenge from many sources.
 
Several claim to rule Flight Town through various titles and offices but in truth no one rules because of its decentralized political structure. Basically, if one is in charge of a certain area, that it the limit of their powers though some try to encroach onto the politics of others. It is one of the few places where they have a Ministry of Inspections and Accident Prevention, and they are into everything.
 
Flight Town is an average sized town of around 1500 residences, but with people coming in and out, the population can easily double that. As a port city, it has many hotels and restaurants to accommodate their visitors, and a large rest stop for trucks and convoys to pull over and use as needed.
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2705 - Nov 6th, 2020, 12:53am
 
Almost four hours have passed and five miles to Flight Town, Fernando gets on the radio.
 
“This is your medic and convoy leader, slow down a bit while I make my way to the front of the line for entry into the town.” Fernando says as he takes hold of the microphone and keys up.
 
The vehicles slow down while he pulls out to the outer lane of the highway and begins passing them. Hikaru pulls out of the line after he passes her and follows him to the front of the line. It takes a couple of minutes for him to get in front of Jason with Hikaru wedging herself in between them.
 
Fernando takes the microphone to his lips to key up, “Now in position, let’s get have up to speed.”
 
The road seems flat and clear of debris, with Flight Town in their view. Above their heads is a few aircraft flying or floating over head. About ten minutes later they get to the gates of Flight Town. The guards have the toll gate down as they approach Fernando’s electric camper.
 
“State your name and business here.” One the guards ask as he steps up to Fernando’s window.
 
“Emergency Medical Tech Fernando G and my medical convoy on our way to Texas, requiring a day’s or two of rest and refueling of our vehicles.” Fernando explains.
 
“Any slaves, mutants or wessens?” The guard asks.
 
Fernando holds up his hands before unlocking his door and slowly opens it. He slowly steps out with his hands up and signals to them to follow him just a few steps away from the line, “What wessens and mutants we have are our slaves. Now look...” Before he begins to point out the vehicles, “I have a Wessen in my vehicle to take care of my two daughters, the large truck behind our ambulances is our mobile medical center for the patients we have, the two smaller trucks have wessens, again, as our slaves to carry supplies and do the work we demand them to do. Then we have a couple of mutants, nothing dangerous about them, but they do the heavy work and that last truck has a couple wessens – again as slaves. Now, I give my slaves a lot room and freedom to the jobs I require them to do and they will often look like they are working on their own. So I am responsible on what they do and any crimes they do, I will punish them accordingly. Do I make myself clear on that?”
 
The guard nods to him. Another guard asks, “You’re a medical tech? How many others are medical techs?”
 
“I have four medical techs and three emergency rescue techs. Even a couple of the wessens are training to be rescue techs. Now, let me ask, anybody there selling medical supplies?” Fernando says and then asks to throw them off.
 
“Hmmm... Maybe you can search the market area for common medicines.” The second guard says.
 
“Thank you then.” Fernando tells him before taking a few steps to his camper.
 
“Hold on there.” The first guard tells him.
 
Fernando stops in his tracks before turning around to see him, “Yes?”  
 
“You got paper work on the vehicles and wessens?” The guard asks.
 
“You really want to check all the paperwork on everything I have here?” Fernando asks.
 
“We need to make sure you are not hiding runaways.” The guard asks.
 
Fernando walks up to him, throwing his shoulder to his face and points at it, “See that. That says I’m not hiding any slaves. I’m hired to do a job and I’m doing it. As an emergency medical tech and rescue worker, get in my way and I will shoot you where you stand. Now you want to argue, go into the town’s communication center and get in contact with General Jastrey and talk with her. You understand where I am coming from?”
 
“Come on Paul. He seems legit.” The first guard says to him.
 
“What about him paying the toll?” Paul, the second guard says.
 
“He’s providing a service with emergence medical rescues, what him to charge you for doing his job? Let him and his group go by.” The first guard says.
 
They look at each other though Fernando interrupts them.
 
“Before I and my group go in, is there a medical facility, clinic or hospital in town?” Fernando asks.
 
“Yeah, we got a medical center in there. Got anyone hurt needing medical attention?” The first guard asks.
 
“No, we are taking care of our own sick and wounded here, but I may have a few things to give them as well as connect them to the other town medical centers I work with.” Fernando tells him.
 
They both nod at him with the first guard saying to the second, “Let them in.”
 
Fernando asks, “Is there a large parking or rest stop to park our vehicles? And any market areas?”
 
“There are several places, mostly to the north of the runway. Then there is a large area north of the blimp staging area, and three market areas with rest stops to the north, north east and north west of the runway.” The first guard explains.
 
“Hmmm... OK. If it is free, I’ll take the area by the blimp staging area.” Fernando says before he goes to his camper. He opens the door and steps inside. Closing the door, he takes the radio microphone to his lips as the guards approach him, “This is Line Leader Medic, we’re going in and checking out an area by the blimp staging area. If it is big enough, we are staying there. If not there is a couple other areas for us to check out as well. Also, teens and wessens, do not go out alone into town without one of us adult leaders. I’ll answer any questions when we find a spot to hunker down onto. Let’s roll!”
 
Before Fernando leads the line into town, he reaches out and gives the first guard a small sack of coins, “That is for your lunch and any tolls we need to pay. Have a good day.”
 
The guard opens the sack finding various coins in $50 and $100 denominations as Fernando drives his camper into town. The line of vehicles follows him into town. It is only a quarter mile before entering one of the town’s main road way. The turn to the parking area at the Blimp staging area has some tight curves which made Jason’s truck hard to maneuver but whoever was at the wheel managed to get through that tight part of the course. Fernando drives to the end of the parking area and decide to park his vehicle at the right from center part of the area. The other vehicles seem to fall into place according to his position. The area itself was maybe three times larger than the space they took up, unlike past spaces where double or larger than space they are currently in.
 
Everyone begin to settle into their parking spaces, Ruth and Val get together with the sheep girl wessens to help begin to make and distribute a quick lunch. They had prepared various items during breakfast so putting lunch together was fast and simple in terms of Hero Sandwiches for all with meat and cheese for those who can eat it and a lettuce, tomato, onion and other vegetables sandwich for those who cannot eat meat.
 
Fernando opens the door to let Macey go out to find Zoe. Hondo inspects his truck and trailer, notably his tires.
 
“Everything OK, Hondo?” Fernando asks.
 
“Just checkin’ on a couple of things.” Hondo replies. He adds, “How’s your ride holdin’?”
 
“Seems fine. I need to check on a few things when we get to Tech town, as it seems like one battery set went flat faster than it should have but I have another three sets to go on. Let’s see how it charges up while we are here.” Fernando explains.
 
“Sound like you have a bum cell in the pack.” Hondo points out.
 
“I’m thinking the same thing. Again, let’s see how it charges. Just in case, I may have the ladies ride with you while I diagnose this on the road.” Fernando explains.
 
“No problem with that. I’ll do ya the favor.” Hondo replies.
 
“Thanks.” Fernando replies. He then adds, “I’m not hungry but I’ll wait for lunch to come this way. Ichigo and Maggie can eat then as well.” He then suddenly realizes, “Damn! I should have asked about getting water and dumping our waste! I don’t believe I forgot about that.”
 
“We can go exploring later. Right now let’s just relax, eat, and soon after get to know the neighbors.” Hondo throws out.
 
“Yeah. I’ll be back...” Fernando says before back around to the side camper door and opens it, “Look, ladies. If you want to eat, report to Val in Hondo’s Camper and ask what you can do to help without needing to go into town. You should be safe as long as you remain here. Now fold up your things, put them on the bench and go. You can see me later.” He closes the sliding door and goes back to Hondo. “The other two should be coming out to help Val to earn their meals. I do not care if they gather and bag the garbage or clean dishes, I want them to earn their keep one way or another.”
 
“I ain’t arguin’ that. Everyone should earn their keep.” Hondo replies.
 
“Well, if nothing is going to happen, wake me up in half an hour for lunch and then we can go explore the neighborhood. I’ll start this thing to charge up that bum pack.” Fernando says to him
 
Hondo nods at him before they go on their separate ways. Fernando goes to his camper where he dresses down enough to get into his bed to rest but still clothed enough to act outside with what he has on. He was tired and wanted to be left alone for the time being.
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2706 - Feb 9th, 2021, 1:10pm
 
Due to unforseen emergency circumstances, this RPG will be closed until further notice.
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2707 - Apr 4th, 2021, 1:19am
 
Inside the electric camper Fernando pops up the top and opens a couple windows to clear the air of the camper. Maggie and Ichigo had finished packing their things and putting them on the bench as Fernando sits down to take off his shoes.
 
“You two need to be faster than this next time. Now go, Val is waiting.” He tells them.
 
Maggie steps out of the camper first, opening the sliding door to let herself out. Ichigo remains inside for a moment.
 
“This is unfair. We apologized and everything.” Ichigo says to him.
 
“Gee... Apology, Admittance, Forgiveness, Restitution, Absolution, Resolution – No. You did not do everything. You only apologized if you can call it that. You have yet begun to do anything beyond that. Now go do something useful and earn your keep while you are at it.” Fernando tells her.
 
“I swear...” Ichigo says to herself.
 
“Just go before I decide to close that door on you and wail on that ass of you like I did Macey long ago to straighten her up.” Fernando tells her, adding, “You’re an adult. Act your age and not your shoe size.”
 
Ichigo steps out of the camper before sliding the door shut.
 
Taking off his jacket and hat, placing them on the counter where the sink is at, he climbs over the bench seat to rest on the bed on the back of the bus. Meeshie gets up from the driver’s seat and trots through the bus to the bench, jumps over the bench and onto the bed. She curls up next to Fernando.
 
“Thanks girl.” He says to her as he pats her tiny little head.
 
He tries to rest on his bed but the commotion outside will not allow it. In a few a few seconds the electric shakes and shimmies as somebody tries to open the doors by pulling hard on them. Fernando gets dressed quickly and gets his cane, jacket, hat and glasses on when the sliding panel door is pounded on. Before opening the door, he gathers up Meeshie and places her on his right shoulder. “Ready girl?” He asks.
 
Meeshie meows back in an angry tone that only a cat can give. Fernando nods before opening the sliding door. It was Wilbur, standing there with an all too familiar Time Traveler’s came in his hands charges up and ready to discharge. Wilbur is not fast enough to evade the cane in Fernando’s hand from striking him on the side of his head. The cane is snatched from his hands before he can hit the floor. Fernando takes his cane and twists the crystal on his cane and then taps the cane Wilbur had. All the energy has been drawn from it and put into his cane, rendering inert. He throws the inert cane onto the bed of his camper before stepping outside and sliding the door closed. Bending over, he grabs Wilbur by the back of his shirt collar and begins to drag him to Jeanettes’ vehicles.
 
Hondo sees him walking while dragging a body behind him and decides to investigate as to what is going on. He gets to Fernando’s side in just a matter of seconds.
 
“What’s goin’ on Jefe?” Hondo asks.
 
“Just need to verify one thing before I take out the trash.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Then I’ll go with you.” Hondo replies.
 
Fernando nods as he trudges along to Jeanettes’ vehicles dragging Wilbur’s body. Everyone watches and some follow Fernando and Hondo to their destination.
 
“What is going on here?” One of the Jeanettes says to them.
 
“No! Let Him Go!” The other Jeanette says out loud.
 
“Rescuer’s rule: Anyone who makes themselves a threat or a danger to those on a rescue mission will be eliminated in one way or another, including death.” Fernando begins, he continues, “This idiot tried to attack in my camper and tried to de-res me from him, but as you can see I was faster and neutralized his cane, which happens to be my cane. Now, what is he doing with my cane? Furthermore, you stated that there was more than four of him floating about in time, making adjustments, including the adjustment that left you as little girls. That will be changing today. In my memories I married or would be marrying a woman, not a child, not a teenager, but an adult woman who is more than capable of dealing with life and all its trials and tribulations without excuses or delays. I do not care that you as you are have issues with puberty – it is something everybody goes through. Even Ichigo underwent puberty. Now the question is, with the elimination of this Wilbur, what will be the results?”
 
“Don’t do it! I swear he will never bother us again!” Jeanette yells at him.
 
“When Penny was brought over, and before the change you underwent, you stated that he would never come back and that you did not know him in the first place. So who’s lying? For him to turn you as an immortal at the age of 10, you had to have known him since then. For him to turn you an immortal as a teenager, you had to have known him then. You went after him to get something from him you thought I could not give you. As my wife and wife to be, that is cheating on your spouse – me. He is the one you cheated on me with. In the many cultures that are left in this world, I have the right to kill him on that fact alone.” Fernando explains.
 
“You can’t kill him!” Jeanette lets out.
 
“I’m not going to kill him, killing him will not correct the actions he has taken upon you against me. Since he came at me with a Chrono-walking stick set to de-res me, I am going to de-res him, and in doing so; everything this one has done onto you to cheat against me will be undone. Thing is how much will be undone? We will not know until it happens.” He tells them as he twists the crystal on his cane as if to open combination lock on a safe.
 
“How dare you! We are not even a couple and you dare say I cheated on you?!!” Jeanette tells him loudly.
 
“Whatever your motives were, your actions with him at the time destroyed what we could have had then had you grown up into an adult.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Even so, we got married later on! So it was delayed by a few years!” The other Jeanette tells him.
 
“Years? Try decades. I’m not selfish in my wants and my needs, and I will do everything I can for my significant other. Yet I have wait and oblige a child who should have been an adult long ago, this just proves that somebody has not grown up all these years and still think they are of that age they are stuck in. And it is not about sex, for if I wanted sex, there are a lot of women around who are willing to put out for me and Hondo at a drop of a hat. And if I want to have sex with a child, I have Ichigo to fulfill that fantasy anytime I’m in the mood for it.” Fernando tells her, adding, “In case you forgot the course of historical events, I break up with Tammy, pack up and move to various places before settling down on Texas where you and I as full grown adults start dating. After a couple of years of dating and courtship, I proposed to you, you accepted and later we got married. As my wife and an adult I gave you an immortality pill before The Happening, and for a while we were physically separated because of the events separating us and not because we choose to due to fights and arguments. Somehow we kept in touch electronically but we were still physically separated, until one day I made it back home and we lived as best as we could under the circumstances. But Wilbur turning you into an immortal child destroys all that. And that is going to be rectified by his De-Resolution.”
 
“Don’t Fernando!” The first Jeanette tells him. She tries to add, “Look, though things are different, a lot of things remain the same. We still got married, we dealt with The Happening and through The Chaos that followed, we were separated but we still connected together like man and wife should. Only thing is that it took longer to fulfill all that, and you were patient enough to wait for it to happen.”
 
Hondo pulls out his gun and readies it to be fired though he holds it down at his side.
 
The first Jeanette yells at him, “What are you going to do, shoot us?!!”
 
“I’ll shoot at anyone who gets in the way of this execution, including your feathered friends. So I would advise you to tell them to vamoose from the area immediately. As for you two, that is up to Jefe to decide.” Hondo tells her as he shifts his eyes behind his darkened glasses to see who’s around them.
 
Fernando was more noticeable in his actions as he looks about for the moment to look at the others and their actions. No one seems to want to interfere with either of them. At least not those around them, but Wilbur might as he begins to wake up from his painfully induced slumber. He slowly gets up, holding his head where Fernando had struck him before.
 
“What happened...?” Wilbur asks in a weak voice.
 
“You are what is going to happen.” Fernando says to him loudly.
 
“Huh?” Wilbur asks.
 
“By the order of the Time Lords and Historical Doctors, For Your Crimes In Manipulation Of Individuals Through The Time Line, You Are Ordered To Be DERESOLVED.” Fernando tells him.
 
Jeanette (the Elder) tries to interfere by kneeling behind Wilbur and holding on to him, yelling “NO!”
 
The Younger Jeanette threatens, “Do anything to harm him and I will lose all respect for you!”
 
“You talk about losing all respect for me while you cheated against me with this pedophile? You who are supposed to be my present or future adult wife? That shows everyone that you do not know what the meaning of the word is.” Fernando tells her. He turns to Wilbur, “Do you have any last words before sentence is commuted?”
 
“#$@! you! I’ll be back! You Do Not Know Who You Are Messing With!” Wilbur throws back at Fernando.
 
“Then so be it.” Fernando tells him before activating his cane.
 
“NOOOooo!!” The Elder Jeanette yells out as she holds onto Wilbur as the beam of Temporal Energy shot out from Fernando’s cane and envelops Wilbur.
 
Wilbur seems to scream as his body deformed in a temporal gravitational storm of Deresolution but no sound is heard from him. His body seems to glow with energy while the Elder Jeanette tries to hold him from escaping reality. But it is not enough, as Wilbur turns from solid matter to temporal energy and absorbed into Fernando cane.
 
As soon as Wilbur is gone, both Jeanettes begin to glow in place as does their personal property, morphing into something that takes several seconds of time that is unexpected to most. As the glow fades away, two older yet young teenaged Jeanettes are in the place of where the Child-Jeanettes were. Memories of everyone around then only remember Jeanette being a Young Teenager and not a child. Memories of Wilbur influencing their history to remain as immortal children no longer exists, replaced with the prior event of him interfering with their teen life as young teen immortals.
 
 
Epilogue: 1990s, The Miller’s Home livingroom, midnight, when Jeanette was 10 years old.
 
The glow of a portal doorway flashes throughout the livingroom, as a lone figure steps into the room. He looks around, preparing a syringe with some chemicals in it thinking he is alone. He walks to the stairs to get to the bedrooms upstairs. He stops in his tracks as he looks around after hearing a voice.
 
“This is where it ends, Wilbur.” The voice tells him.
 
“YOU! HOW CAN THAT BE?!!” Wilbur shouts out.
 
“Figure it out yourself...” The voice said as a cane is raised to him, before a beam of energy hits Wilbur. The beam of energy surrounds him, before phasing the matter of his body into energy and being absorbed into the cane.
 
After a few seconds, the house is dark and quiet again.
 
The main door of the house opens and closes, a lone figure walks out onto the sidewalk to an awaiting truck. It gets into the truck from the passenger side.
 
“So is it done, Jefe?” The driver asks.
 
“This part is done; there will be more to deal with later on. But for now, it is done.” The lone figure replies.
 
[Back to the convoy in 2066]
 
“Teens?” Hondo asks.
 
“Good. Your memories are intact as mine are as to what they used to be, though everyone else, including them will not remember the children they used to be.  But I know that Wilbur did this in stages, creating several of him floating in Space time. Each one needs to be found and De-Res to restore the Time Line and that has to be done a step at a time.” Fernando replies. He then turns away and walks back to his camper. Hondo follows him as he heads to his camper truck.
 


 
Note: Due to the abandonment of various individuals, this thread will conclude to an end with those who remain. It may or may not be the conclusion some may want but it will be the conclusion it will have.
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Hondo I. Sackett
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Re: After Chaos
Reply #2708 - Apr 8th, 2021, 11:16pm
 
{Sorry, rusty as hell and trying to find the story flow again. Can't remember exactly what I had planned here anymore, so winging it}
 
 
 
As Hondo looked around there were various small things that seemed to be different, but thinking about it gave him a headache so he ignored it for now and just accepted things were different without focusing on what was different. Fernando continued on to his own camper while Hondo stopped in at the camper-truck to check on lunch.  As he approached the door he was nearly hit in the face as it was flung open. He stumbled backwards just in time to miss getting hit, but was then again almost ran over by a teary eyed, angry Ichigo. He sat back on his heels for a moment as he watched her storm towards Ruth's camper. Ruth soon exited the camper, frowning as she walked.
 
 
"What the hell?" Hondo half muttered to himself, not expecting an answer.
 
 
Ruth turned with a shrug, and replied, "You'll have to talk to Valentine. I have to go."
 
 
Hondo watched them go for a moment and shook his head before stepping into the camper. A half angry, half upset Valentine sat on the couch beside Maggie, the raccoon wessen, who had obviously been crying. Hondo looked around but the others evaded his gaze, giving him only side-long glances after his eyes left their general vicinity. He sighed after a moment and turned to Valentine.
 
 
"What happened?" Hondo asked, a slight reluctance sounding in his voice.
 
 
"That midget whore opened her mouth, upset Maggie, and didn't like it when I told her off." Valentine replied in half a growl.
 
 
Hondo sighed and rubbed his eyes. He was still feeling tired and out of sorts, and this was not what he wanted to deal with right not.
 
 
"What... exactly ... happened?" Hondo asked without looking at anyone, but continued to rub his eyes, hoping someone would rationally volunteer that requested information.
 
 
"Maggie accidentally spilled something on Ichigo and she called her a derogatory term for Wessen. They argued, Maggie called her out for lying and getting her to attack Fernando, then Ichigo said that Maggie would never be trusted nor have friends here and that she was nothing more than a sex puppy traitor who just needed to keep her  legs open and her mouth shut if she didn't want to be thrown to the streets to be raped and killed. Valentine called her out, and ripped her a new one." Tonya answered timidly  
 
 
"I told her her place in this world and reminded her that without us or Fernando she was nothing but street-meat, and even with us she was a sorry excuse for a woman and we'd always remember that she was a power-hungry, lying, whore." Valentine replied coldly.
 
 
Tonya shrugged as Hondo looked over at her, "That was the jist of it anyway."
 
 
"I also told Maggie she will be staying with us. I don't trust that little whore to not try something again and as much as I hate that little bitch I'd not ask Fernando to throw her to the streets. No one deserves that." Valentine replied flatly  
 
 
Hondo sighed again, "Val, we need to talk."
 
 
Valentine stood up with a frustrated sigh and headed to the door. Hondo followed her outside to a place just far enough away to be out of earshot of the others. She stop and turned to him angrily.
 
 
"What?" She asked in an annoyed tone.
 
 
"What?? You know what! I don't trust that woman and you should have talked to me before offerin' her a place in our camper." Hondo replied in a hushed, but frustrated tone.  
 
 
"And you trust that blond woman-child, Ichigo?" Valentine asked angrily.
 
 
"Not as far as the kitten can throw her! But, She didn't hurt you. This racoon woman did, though." Hondo replied starting to sound angry himself.
 
 
"I told you she was forced to and that she not only saved me but I forgave her, I trust her,... I need her." Valentine retorted with a growl.
 
 
"Need her? I don't understand. I want to help you, but you won't let me in." Hondo said
 
 
Valentine snarled, "The time for you to have helped was when I was being cut to pieces in that dungeon! Why should I trust you or let you in over her? She saved me, you didn't!"
 
 
About then Tonya exited the camper and approached them to make sure they were alright. As she approached she heard Valentines cold words and gasped. The look of shame and heartbreak that came over Hondo's face was not missed by her.
 
 
Valentine saw the look on Hondo's face and a part of her immediate regretted her words but Tonya's gasp drew her more immediate attention.
 
 
"Val? ... Mom... How could you say that?" Tonya said in disbelief.  
 
 
Hondo shook his head, "No, Val's right. I failed her."
 
 
"NO!" Tonya replied passionately, "You don't know how hard he fought for you, and how much he beat himself up, but kept trying no matter what!"
 
 
"Tonya, This isn't any of your business." Valentine replied coldly.
 
 
"But... " Tonya started to argue.
 
 
"Listen to Val, Tonya. Just go help with lunch." Hondo replied quietly.  
 
 
He wanted to argue with Valentine but her words were crushing. He knew it was most likely just her way of dealing with whatever trauma she had gone through, but they had all gone through a trauma of their own. Part of Hondo's was blaming himself for not saving her, and for letting her go search for Zoey in the first place.  
 
 
"No, you guys got to stop ...." Tonya argued.
 
 
"This is none of your business. Go back to the camper, "Valentine replied with a bit of a stern growl.
 
 
Tonya fired back, "No, I have a right to speak..."
 
 
"What gives you a right?" Valentine snapped.
 
 
"We are a family, and families figure things out together!" Tonya replied firmly.
 
 
"Family? You are a child! We took you in because your tail needed saved, but that doesn't automatically give you a right to so mythical family bullshit!!" Valentine yelled
 
 
A look of horror came over Tonya's face, and Valentine gasped as she realized what she had said.
 
 
Hondo reached out to Tonya but she stepped away, "Tonya..."
 
 
Tonya just shook her head and tried to choke back tears that threatened to fallow.
 
 
Valentine shook her head, "I ...I didn't mean that. Tonya I'm sorry."
 
 
Tonya shook her head, "No ... you're right. ... I'm sorry I bothered you both..... ever!"
 
 
She blurted the 'ever' out just as she turned and ran off a ways, towards the edge of the camp.
 
 
Hondo shook his head slightly then turned to Valentine. His voice was sad but tinged with anger too.
 
 
"Val, I don't know what happened to you, but you can yell at me all you want, just leave those girls out of it." He replied sternly.
 
 
She stared in the direction where Tonya had ran off for a moment before turning back to Hondo, and disgusted look on her face.
 
 
"See what you made me do! All because you can't forgive the woman who saved me and understand I need her!" Valentine said angrily.
 
 
"What?" Hondo asked incredulously.  
 
 
"You heard me! Now I lost help and people will want lunch soon! I have to go finish the food. Maggie is stayin' at the camper. If you don't like it find somewhere else to sleep!" she said as she marched off.
 
 
Hondo stood and watched her go for a moment. He had never seen her like this, ever, and was a little shocked. He had other problems for now to deal with. He headed off in the direction where Tonya had gone, hoping she didn't go too far.  
 
 
A little ways off he found her sitting in the grass, face burried in her knees to hide her tears. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her. They sat in silence for a bit before she spoke.
 
 
"Are you ever sorry you rescued us?" She asked quietly.
 
 
"Not even once have I been sorry 'bout that." He replied
 
 
"But Valentine.... she ...?" Tonya stumbled looking for the words as she tried to not start crying again.
 
 
"Val didn't mean it. I've never seen her like this, so I'm at a bit of a loss too, but whatever happened to her, her demons are winnin' at the moment. She just needs us to be there for her... you girls most of all." He replied.
 
 
Tonya shook her head, "No, she needs you more."
 
 
Hondo sighed, "I'm not so sure 'bout that anymore. I think she blames me for what happened. ... In a way she's right. I wasn't there when she needed me."
 
 
"Don't blame yourself, papa. You are there when you can be. You can't save us all the time." Tonya said.
 
 
"I wish that thought made failin' easier to swallow..... Why don't we go back? Lunch should be ready soon." Hondo replied trying to change the subject.  
 
 
Tonya shook her head, "I though I might talk a walk. Maybe go through the bazaar."
 
 
"Alone?" Hondo asked. "That's not a good idea."
 
 
Tonya sighed, "You're right. Can I just sit here for a while?"
 
 
Hondo sighed and nodded,"Alright. Just come back soon."
 
 
She nodded and laid back in the grass.
 
 
 Hondo sat there for a moment before standing up and slowly walking back to camp. He was not looking forward to thfacing this new, angry Valentine again.  
 
 
After Hondo was out of sight, Tonya got up and walked towards town. She knew Hondo had said to stay there, but Valentine's words kept echoing in her head and she needed a distraction.
 
 
 
Back in camp, the camper-trucks kitchen was bereft of the normal chatter and laughter that went along with the meal preparations. The others would glance a Valentine occasionally then at each other and someone would shrug, but nothing was said. Valentine worked methodically but it as as if no one else was even there. In her own mind she replayed the conversation. The words didn't sound like her, but they came from her mouth. The anger wasn't like her, but it was felt in her body.  The lashing out at those she cared for and loved was not in her character, but it came from her being. She felt as if she was losing herself and what was left was trapped. It was as if she knew what was happening but was powerless to do anything about it.
 
 
To be continued.....
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Well the cowboy, like the red man, you had to leave your land
You can't raise your stock and plant your crop in the gumbo and the sand
Greed disguised as progress has put us to the test
They won't be glad until we're gone from our home out in the west
It's sad to see those good old days replaced with greed and doubt
Soon we'll leave the country, the campfire has gone out
Bid 'em all adieu, you can't turn the world about
The cowboy left the country, the campfire has gone out
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Fernando
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Posts: 2380
Gender: male
Re: After Chaos
Reply #2709 - Apr 9th, 2021, 8:14pm
 
“Flight Town, Tech Town, a couple minor stops or so around the Yellow Stone Caldera and then on to No-Man’s Land and until some river settlements and to points unknown. Sturgis is along the way if a detour is taken before going around the Caldera. Another Supply Run through Sturgis? Hmm...” Fernando thinks as he looks over the maps given to him as he sits on the floor of the bus’ open side doors. He also thinks about Gabrielle as well as finding her should be along the way but where no one knows. What worries him is the increasing distance between towns and settlements, and the No-Man’s Land Run is expected to take 7 to 10 days by itself.
 
Meeshie hops off the bed/bench of the rear of the bus and trots over to Fernando, sitting next to him. She looks over his lap onto the map that is there and “Meows.”
 
Fernando reaches over and picks her up, putting her on his lap behind the map. She looks at the map, and “Meows” again, putting her paw on the star that labels Sturgis as a larger town.
 
“You think we should go?” He asks.
 
Meeshie “Meows” again.
 
“Supply Run at Sturgis?” He asks
 
Meeshie “Meows” again.
 
“Alright. Let’s see how it goes. But no promises, you know how things can change at the last minute in this world.” He tells her
 
Meeshie leans against him and purrs as she rubs her little head against his chest. He strokes her neck and back. Their little moment of silence is broken as Ichigo runs from behind the camper and into it, jumping onto the bed in the back and burying herself under the blankets. Fernando puts Meeshie on the camper floor and she makes her way to jump onto the driver’s seat of the bus.
 
“Alright Ichigo, what is going on?” Fernando holds back from yelling at her.
 
“I’m not going to going back to help that cow your friend calls a wife!” Ichigo stammers out.
 
“What happened, Ichigo!” Fernando goes into the camper and closes the door behind him.
 
“That stupid Wessen spilled hot water on me and I told her off, and then Val said that I am not welcomed and do not deserved to have been rescued! I told her that it is YOUR decision you made and not hers! She then said that if she had it her way, I would be thrown out! So I left...” Ichigo explains trying to hold back her tears.  
 
“No one is thrown out without my say so. No one joins without my say so. If everyone is going to stepping on each other’s toes, then I’m going to start slapping faces. And I do not care whose face it is either. I will not have disrespect being served here like the meals that are made and eaten. As for you, you disrespected anyone, you are going to apologize for it.” Fernando tells her.
 
Ichigo does not answer, at least not for the moment. He stands there in silence, wondering if she will say something but she does not. He was not angered or disappointed by her silence but annoyed.
 
He tells her, “Stay here for now, but eventually you will be stepping out with me and we will go to town later on. I’m stepping out and the doors and windows will be locked. The top will be open for air. Do not leave for any reason.”
 
Again she does not reply. He steps over to the side door and steps outside, closing and locking it behind him. He looks about the place, seeing others doing what they must for the day and checking out their vehicles. As he begins to walk towards the town, Karl and Marvin with Marvin hauling a pull cart behind him with some empty 5-gallon gas/fuel jugs. They call to him.
 
“Excuse me, Mr. Fernando.” Karl calls to him.  
 
Fernando stops and turns to them, “Hi there you two. Anything I can do for you?”
 
“Well, yeah. We just need a few coins for fuel, as that last ride we are half empty, and rather making a mad rush to get fuel before we leave, we might as well fill up now.” Karl says.
 
“That’s a great idea. I’ll go with you so there are no problems about lone wessens walking about the town for now.” Fernando tells them.
 
“Thank you.” Both Karl and Marvin says.
 
As they walk about, Fernando points out, “I made a mistake and did not check the area for water access. When you are done filling your rides with fuel, talk to Ruth and Maribelle about going with you to search for water.”
 
“We’ll do that.” Karl says.
 
They stop and look about, finding that they are on a parking area for small and medium sized blimps. Off to their left is some sort of one-story office building which seems to have been through better times.
 
“This is interesting.” Fernando says before he starts to walk to the direction of the building. He and the wessens walk inside when finding the door to the premise unlocked. Inside was a counter and behind the counter was a group of separated desks. Though three females were on three of the desks, the fourth desk was occupied by a large overweight male smoking a cigar and doing nothing much of anything else. He calls out to get their attention, “Excuse me, I need some service and attention!”
 
The male gets up from his desk, annoyed from needing to get up and deal with. He walks over to the counter, tying to stare down those standing there: Fernando and his wessens. As they do not back down, he asks, “What is your business here?”
 
“Passing through, getting fuels and supplies and buying wares. Where’s your fuel depot and your merchant areas?” Fernando tells him.
 
Trying to show off his power, the man blows cigar smoke into Fernando’s face. This upsets Fernando, grabbing the cigar out of his mouth, and shutting it off by shoving the lit end into the palm of his hand and crushing it to extinguish its flame. He then grabs the overweight guy by his shirt and tie and pulls him against the counter and lifts him off the floor with just one arm.
 
“Learn to respect your customers, or I’ll make sure no one will ever come here again.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Too many loud mouths like you say that – it is an empty threat!” The overweight man growls at him.
 
Fernando lifts him up further off the floor before pulling out his little Yeasu VX-2 handheld radio. He presses button on the side, “Hondo, you out there?”
 
“I’m here Jefe. What be the deal?” Hondo replies on the radio.
 
“Contact General Jastrey and tell her Flight Town is being uncooperative and needs to be shut down.” Fernando explains.
 
“I’ll forward the message to her to turn this place into a No-Fly Zone in 48 hours.” Hondo replies on the radio.
 
“Thank you.” Fernando replies.
 
“This is utter bull crap!” The overweight man yells at him.
 
Fernando whaps the man on his nose with the rubber antenna on his little radio, then shows the radio to his face. He then points to the patch on his chest and arm with the antenna, “I do not sling bull crap like you do.” He pauses for a second, “Right now General Jastrey and her army are cleaning up Fight Town from the riots that is going on over there after the fight where the Lich was killed. Right now Fight Town is a No-Fly Zone. Now, we can do business or I can have you removed from your seat of power before I leave this place burning like I left Fight Town. Now which one shall it be?”
 
“You should listen to the man. He takes no bull crap from anyone.” Karl throws in.
 
The overweight man looks over at Karl and then nods. In seeing this, Fernando slowly puts the overweight man down onto the floor. He then picks up the crushed cigar and puts it to his face, “Stop smoking these things, it’s a slow poison that will kill you, and you are in no shape to be fighting poisons.” He then tosses the cigar, making it land into a garbage can by the overweight man’s desk before adding “And lose some weight, being this big puts a toll on your heart and you will die at an early age.”
 
“I’m 40 years old.” He tells him as if he achieved something.
 
Fernando replies, “I’m 75, I do not smoke and I’m thin and lean. Tell me – you get out of breath after a long walk? Your chest hurts after some heavy work? I do not care if you answer, but if you have any of that and do not take care of it by doctor’s orders, you will be buried in the ground dead before I turn 80 in five short years.”
 
The overweight man looks at him with his eyes opening wide.
 
Fernando continues, “Now, we need fuel and water. Members of my convoy will be buying food and other supplies later. I would also like a schedule of flights you have.”
 
The overweight man sighs before answering, “There are sellers all over the place. And Fuel is at the vehicle depots. Water however you can only get inside a hanger.”
 
“So there is no outdoor access to water?” Fernando asks.
 
“Long ago we used too, but too many abused the privilege and left the water running, causing floods in the areas. So if you want water, you need to rent a hanger. Now, do you have an air craft?” The overweight man explains and asks.
 
“I need an aircraft to rent a hanger?” Fernando asks.
 
“Aircraft have higher priority to hanger rentals. If you do not have an aircraft, a service fee will be added to double the price.” The overweight man explains.
 
“Define Aircraft.” Fernando asks.
 
“Aircraft can be any manned or unmanned vehicle that goes through the air at altitude set by its pilot. It can be a blimp, balloon, glider, or whirlybird of varying size.” The overweight man explains.
 
“I see. One of our convoy members has a balloon but it is packed up and need of repairs.” Fernando says.
 
“We have flight mechanics that can do repairs.” The overweight man says.
 
“How much for a hanger then?” Fernando asks.
 
“Depends on its size and your length of stay.” The overweight man answers.
 
“Hmmm... What’s your biggest Hanger?” Fernando asks.
 
“50,000 square feet – 100 by 500 feet.” The overweight man answers.
 
“Have anything smaller?” Fernando asks.
 
“What do you have in mind?” The overweight man asks.
 
“Maybe something half that size. I’m thinking something smaller but half the size should be more than enough.” Fernando asks.
 
“I need to check on availability.” The overweight man replies.
 
“How much for such a space?” Fernando asks.
 
“$10thousand a day.” The overweight man answers.
 
“That’s robbery. Every town I passed by had such spaces for that much a month!” Fernando complains.
 
“Take it or leave it.” The overweight man replies.
 
“I’ll be back. When General Jastrey arrives, I’ll get the space for free.” Fernando says before turning away. He starts heading to the door, “Come on fellas, let go get that fuel.”
 
As Fernando and his wessens leave, he hears the overweight man say to himself, “Who does that fool think he is? I bet there no General Jastree out there.”
 
A young boy of about 10 years of age runs into the office and throws a few envelopes and a newspaper onto counter, “Here Mister Awbrite...” Then he extends his hand out to him. The overweight man puts a couple metal coins into the kid’s hand. The kid motions his arm closer to the overweight man with the coins in his hand, as if demanding for more. The overweight man scowls at him but the kid motions to his again. The overweight man puts three more coins into child’s hand. The kid withdraws his hand and walks away, yelling, “Pleasure doing business with you!”
 
“Hmph! Damn begging kid... ” The overweight man says to himself as he puts a cigar to his teeth and lights it.
 
He then picks up the mail and the newspaper, reading the newspaper’s headlines “Riots and Violence Quelled In Fight Town By General Jastrey And Her Men”. Underneath the headline is a picture of a woman in her 40s riding a tank through town. On the side of the picture is an insert to two pictures of Hondo and Fernando and a caption saying, “I Could Not Have Done It Without Them!”
 
The overweight man gasps, inhaling the cigar deep into his throat before coughing it out onto the floor and goes through a severe coughing fit!
 
 
Outside Fernando, Karl and Marvin walk about, exploring the town.
 
Karl asks, “You really thinking about getting an indoor space for the convoy?”
 
“You heard him, water is only available indoors. But $10,000 a day to have access to a single spigot for water – hell no. I’d rather pay an indoor merchant we’ll make friends with $1,000 a day to get water from them.” Fernando explains.
 
Karl nods in response and reply. They walk for another five minutes before they find a fuel depot almost a quarter mile away from their camp. The place looked empty, Fernando points to the fuel pumps for Karl and Marvin to go to as he looks for somebody who works there. He did not like the prices of the fuel, as they seemed twice as high as they were in Flight Town, but he is not going to argue.
 
Eventually a scruffy man in mechanics overalls comes out with a large wrench in his hands. several other mechanics stand in the doorway of the garage with large implements of tools in their hands. He looks at Fernando and his wessens. He yells out as he approaches them, “What do you want?”
 
“We need fuel – gasoline, preferably high output gas.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Where’s your vehicle?” The mechanic asks.
 
Without thinking, Fernando gives him a lie, “We broke down 5 miles out of down. My wessens and I walked where and have jugs to fill to bring back and fill our tanks.”
 
The mechanic stops within an arm’s reach of Fernando’s distance, “We usually do not fill out jugs to be taken elsewhere. Too many ass-holes trying to burn down a merchant’s store with gas when a deal goes sour. No vehicle, no gas.”
 
Fernando looks at him before turning to show his shoulder patch. “You see that. I’m not here for torching bad businesses that deserve it. I’m here for fuel while I do rescue work out in the wilderness.”
 
“I’ll send a tow truck to haul you in and charge you for the fuel and tow.” The mechanic says.
 
“Unless you can pick up and handle a 10-ton all-track, no way are you getting that towed to here. If we had fuel, we can drive it in.” Fernando explains.
 
“How much fuel you need?” The mechanic asks.
 
“I would like it if all the jugs were filled.” Fernando answers.
 
“How do I know you’re not going to burn down some merchant’s store?” The mechanic asks.
 
Fernando opens his jacket and pulls out one of his .45s, putting it to the mechanic’s face, “I am a rescuer, I rescue those in need of help. Anybody who gets in the way of me doing a rescue will get three of this to the head. Right now I need to rescue my crew and vehicle and you are in my way of that rescue by not providing me the fuel I need.” He then puts away his gun in his shoulder holster, closing his jacket before he says, “You understand where I am coming from?”
 
The mechanic nods.
 
Fernando replies, “Good. Now, I request that those fuel jugs be filled and I’ll pay you accordingly.” He then shows a small bag of coins, clanking about giving the sound of gold and silver and not copper or nickel.” The mechanic tries to reach for the bag of coins, Fernando pulls it out of his reach and into his pocket “Fuel first. Then you tell me how much I owe and I pay for it.”
 
The mechanic turns away and yell at the men at the door, “Johnson, Smith – give this man what he wants, then take his money as payment.”
 
Two younger guys walk up to Fernando and ask what he wants. Fernando tells them to fill the jugs on the pull cart with the best gasoline they have. Karl and Marvin start handing them empty jugs to be filled. As the filled jugs are placed into the pull cart, another empty one is handed out. Another 10 minutes had passed and all the jugs were filled. The cost on both pumps totaled over $200 for the fuel, a price that is a bit high but Fernando is not arguing it, handing $220 in gold and silver coins. He signals to Karl and Marvin to follow him once things are packed up to return to camp.
 
Fernando says to himself, “I’m not liking this place at all.”
 
“How so?” Karl asks.
 
“First that fat mofo in the office wanting to charge us for water and an indoor space an amount of money a day that I would spend in month in most towns we were in.” Fernando explains, adding, “Then there is the cost of this fuel being three to four times more than every place else. Money is not a problem for us, but this is robbery on all levels.”
 
“It’s tough everywhere.” Karl replies.
 
“Tough is one thing but this is Price Gouging. There is no reason why this place, a center of transportation and commerce should prices be sky high. In fact prices, especially on space rentals and fuel should be lower than every place I’ve been at because this is the place where it gets first dibs on what comes to the area before all the other towns. Before I met you guys, I was in a town almost 800 miles away, and they had the lowest prices on fuel and food. Center Town where I met most of you guys at, the price of space, food and fuel was just as low. The prices at Fight Town were expensive but there was a high demand diving up the high price. But there is nothing here driving up the cost of things to these ridiculous levels. Eight jugs of fuel should not be over $200. $120 maybe but no more than $150.” Fernando explains.
 
“No use crying over spilled fuel.” Marvin throws in, adding, “You said that money is no problem, so you can pay what price is being asked.”
 
“Technically, Yes. But if you allow one injustice to happen – like the slavery of humans and wessens, other will continue it and find any excuse to allow it to continue. Human or Wessen – we are born free men with rights to have and responsibilities to those rights to be maintained. If the price of space with access to water and fuel is this high, how much will the food be? I need to sit and talk with the others about this, including you guys as it affects you as it does everyone else.” Fernando explains.
 
“What are you going to do about the fight the women folks are having?” Marvin throws out.
 
Fernando stops in his tracks, forcing Marvin and Karl to stop. They both turn to face him.
 
“What do you know that is going on?” Fernando asks.
 
“Only what our ears tell us.” Karl points out. He throws in “It is one of the few good things about being a Wessen – super hearing, the other is being stronger and faster than most humans.”
 
“Yeah, we heard the screaming and yelling in Hondo’s camper and then seen Ichigo and Ruth leave the camper.” Marvin says.
 
“Yeah, but we’re not getting involved in that. A bad place for a man to be in is between fighting women.” Karl throws in.
 
Fernando sighs, knowing that a majority of history’s wars were fought because of women and the crap they fling. He thinks for a while. He then says, “If it does not resolve itself by dinner time, I will be stepping in. Until then it better resolve itself.”
 
The three of them seem to let out a collective sigh at the same time.
 
“Let get your rides fueled up, and go look for something to eat. I know you guys cannot eat meat but maybe we can find some fruit and oatmeal for you guys. Also get something for the Wessen girls and my ladies as well in case lunch is ruined like I think it will be.” Fernando says.
 
“Sounds like a plan.” Karl says.
 
“Yeah, let’s go.” Marvin throws in before they continue with their return trip home.
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