Log: Settling In

[notyourrookie]

Who: Agent Washington (OU)+open!
What: Adjusting to life in Gulch
Where: Scoping out the city (Shopping District, Park, a cafe)
When: Between October 26th and 30th
Warnings: None



York's safe house really had turned out to be a good choice. The security was good and it does make him feel better knowing that it was there. Lets him sleep more easily, when he actually manages anyway. It's better than staying in the casino with the constant noise of people outside leaving him on edge.

Getting to grips with the city is a top priority though, and has him heading out . Exploring. Scoping out is probably more accurate, treating it like he would a mission.

The shopping district seems the best place to start, busiest at least, and a good place to figure out what's normal here. The helmet store has a wide variety of them in the window, and he scans a catalogue showing enhancements and mods that are available. Some of those would be pretty useful if he's honest with himself. There's weapons shops too; nothing as heavy as the weaponry he's used to having at his disposal, but it's a start. There's a nice set of knives in there too. Now that is something he's going to have to get hold of.

He spends lunches in the park. It's a little surreal to see the covered ceiling up above and know that the sky outside could kill him, but it's nice to take off his helmet for a while. The place is climate controlled, and considering the last places he'd been at home had been a desert, an icy wasteland and a humid pit of a canyon, he's not complaining.

There's a little cafe a few minutes walk from the safehouse that stays open all night, and it's a better option to be there than sitting awake and twitchy in the safe house when he can't sleep.

Comments

[notyourrookie]

"Not if you hold it right. It's like any weapon. If you know what you're doing, you're set."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"But I don't know what I'm doing and no one will teach me," Abby shrugs. "And I don't like guns so much."

[notyourrookie]

"There's other options than guns. You should get a taser at least. Or a shock stick. That would buy you time if you hit someone with it, or you can mod them to cause more damage."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"Yeah, but guns are better at a distance," Abby points out. "And I don't have the strength to make hitting people with sticks all that useful. So knives. Those always hurt."

Dude, as someone who uses knives, how does he not get that they're a good option?

[notyourrookie]

"That's why the sticks deliver a high voltage electric show on impact." Sure, they take a bit of training, but so do knives. "But if you're using knives, you want to start with something small. Not too heavy, but still needs a bit of weight."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"Like what?" she asks eagerly. Hell yes she's going to take notes now that no one would train her could train her. "Just give me descriptions. I could buy some. Or acquire them in other ways."

Stealing is still fun and no one can tell her otherwise.

[notyourrookie]

He lets out a breath and settles down. "Okay. A proper throwing knife is made from a single piece of metal. No wooden or plastic handles. And they shouldn't be sharp. It's the point that's important, not the edge. Start with something about 9 ounces while you practice. And however you get them, you want good ones. Cheap ones shatter."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

Abby nods eagerly as she digs out a pen and paper to jot down notes. "What shape should they be? I've seen these metal star things and that just looks like more edges to hurt myself with."

[notyourrookie]

He isn't convinced that he's doing the right thing, but he's pretty sure that she'll try without him if he doesn't, and if that's true, he'd rather she had the information. "Knife shaped. Stick with that. Whatever you feel most comfortable with."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"Awesome," she grins. "Okay, so I've also seen ones that are all triangley, like pointy things. Not like normal knives. Are those good?"

[notyourrookie]

"Kunai? I think. The weight always looks weird on those. And they're way more distinctive than knives which isn't great if you're wanting to remain relatively anonymous."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"Oh, that's a super great point, Jam. Free cupcake for that one," she laughs, setting her pen and paper aside and smiling warmly at him. "You've been here all of half an hour, and you're already improving my life. That's good."

[notyourrookie]

"I think you're trying to put me in a sugar coma," he says dryly. But he isn't going to turn down another. "If I don't tell you, I figure you'll do it yourself anyway and do it wrong. So might as well cut those corners now."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"I'm already planning a nap here, under this tree. No reason I can't lure you into that as well."

Conniving, no. Silly like that, totally.

"Cutting corners, that's funny. Knife humor!"

[notyourrookie]

He shakes his head at that. "I don't think that's a good idea." Too exposed. Too much risk that even if he manages to sleep, he'll wake up screaming.

He gives a snort of laughter. "Not intentional."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"Then watch out while I nap, Punny Jammy," she tells him simply. "Don't like open spaces much. Too many people around. Could take my stuff."

[notyourrookie]

It would be easy enough to leave. It isn't his job to watch out for her. His time is his own right now. He nods instead. "Sure. I can do that. Why sleep here if you don't like it though? I'm sure you've got safer places."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"I'm supposed to get better at being around people," she admits. "Boss orders it. Supposed to seem more like a normal teen, yanno?"

[notyourrookie]

"I guess that makes sense. I don't think anyone would begrudge you not sleeping in the open though."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"Dude, my bosses are jerks," she shrugs, shifting to stretch out on her blanket. "Besides... sun almost looks nice from here."

[notyourrookie]

"Bosses tend to be." He shifts to make himself more comfortable while she settles down. "Through the clouds and roof, sure. I guess it could be worse."

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"It could be," she agrees. "But I'm not sure how I feel about that, what with not previously having that roof and all that. But you learn to make do I guess. Right?"

Things have to get better from here. Period. Anything else is wrong.

[notyourrookie]

"You get used to the worst things, sure. Sometimes you just keep going even when you think you can't." And even when you don't want to.

[quicksmiles_nimblefingers]

"I know," she says softly, reaching up toward the sky and looking at the branches of the fake tree through her fingers. "Like here. Survived four years on the streets with a poorly fitting helmet and no regular food but what I could steal."

[notyourrookie]

"Then that's damn impressive," Wash replies, because it is. It's a different kind of survival, but survival nonetheless. "Must have a good head to do that. And be stubborn as hell."