Voodoo - Harrisburg

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

It is generally considered traditional that when any ragtag group of travelers undertakes a long journey, particularly on foot over unfamiliar territory, someone in the group will begin whining, "Are we there yet?" far too soon for the answer to be anything affirmative.

The first time the words came up in the group, Voodoo and Hector both smacked the offender on the head at the same time. It has not happened since.

At any rate, the group has been walking for a long while, and fending off interest from all the wrong sorts of people and wildlife. But there's a smell of smoke and human habitation on the wind ahead.

Comments

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"It's down the middle of the back, but you have to undo a bunch of snaps holding the head on first," All offers. "I can't get any of them with these stupid paws, either."

[boston_bruiser]

"Bunch of snaps holding the head- ah, here we go."

The snaps are undone, and the head lifted off and tossed onto one of the brats who was making a beeline for Voodoo's leg.

"Feel better?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Whoops, there's another football tossed his way. At least Al can see well enough to grab it out of the air. "Interception, you little brat," Al snarls. "This game is over. Can we leave now? Like, right now?"

"You're still dressed as some kind of animal from the neck down," Hector points out.

"... make it quick."

[boston_bruiser]

One unzip later, and it's done.

"Tell you the truth, I was thinkin' of initiating some kinda self-destruct sequence for the Vault - probably would have, too, if they killed you."

He shrugs. "But they're just a buncha drunk frats. We find some way to put the fear of God into the Overseer and I think he'll stop taking the settlers' shit - or find some way to trade for it."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

One of the less obnoxious children looks up at Al as he wriggles his way out of the costume and runs off. He returns a moment later with a child-sized towel, which Al immediately uses to start wiping sweat away- that wasn't a well ventilated costume. "Thanks, Don," he says, and then to Voodoo, "They're jerks, but they seem like jerks who keep their word, except for the ones who're less than six years old."

[boston_bruiser]

Voodoo gives a simple, curt nod. "That's that, then. Let's get you outta here. If we're lucky, they're even drunker than they were when we came down."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Kate snorts. "Nobody that drunk gets any less drunk in the space of an hour," she says. "I've seen enough to know that much."

Hector nods, and pokes his head out the classroom door. "We're clear," he reports. "Let's get moving."

[boston_bruiser]

The trip back up is equally uneventful. The Vault's football team is still knocked out, though that's likely more to do with their blood-alcohol content than anything the Wildcats did to them.

Voodoo locates the Overseer and pats him on the head. "Hey, buddy. I wanna talk t'you."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The Overseer was just starting to work on raising his own BAC; with a sigh he puts his beer down and turns around. "Yeah?" he says. "About what? You've got your man back."

[boston_bruiser]

"We coulda killed your entire Vault today. We didn't. You keep goin' down this path of takin' shit that ain't yours? Somethin' tells me the settlers ain't gonna be as merciful."

Another pat to the top of the head.

"No more raiding, m'kay?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"We tried inviting them to join in, you know," mutters the Overseer. "Years ago. The first time we came out for game day. One of them broke a collarbone and the others all ran off screaming."

[boston_bruiser]

One moment, Voodoo's hand is by his hip. The next, it is planted on the back of the Overseer's neck and squeezing.

"I'm sorry, I must be hard of hearing. Did you just offer up a bullshit excuse?"

He looks to Hector and Al, then Kate and Jospeha, pointing at the Overseer. "Whatcha think, did he?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" says Butts as the other members of Voodoo's party start nodding. "It wasn't an excuse, I'm just saying! We're open to trying again as long as they don't run away!"

[boston_bruiser]

Voodoo rolls his eyes and eases off, only to thwap Butts on the back of the head.

"Here's a hint, genius. Nobody ever broke a collarbone playing touch football."

He makes a circle in the air with an upright index finger. "Let's beat feet. Sun's going down."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Fine by me," says Josepha, and the others nod. Al, however, pauses long enough to kick the Overseer in the shins.

"Ow!"

"That was for the costume," says Al. "If you're going to make somebody wear that kind of nonsense, pay them."

He turns to Voodoo. "I'm done. Let's go."