2 Things To Fight For.

[tofightfor]

[1 - Hastings Boulevard - Morning before school/work.]

[Fang's taking to running laps up and down the street bright and early every morning as she can't stand being cooped up in that house. She's never done well staying in one place too long and Mayfield is going to be no exception to this. She didn't like Cocoon for a plethora of reasons but one of the main ones was the artificial environment it had. Mayfield isn't quite as bad as Cocoon but it's bad enough that it's still making her feel like a tiger trapped in a cage. Thusly, this is one of her coping methods. It's not as great as the weapons practice she's started up doing in the house and in the backyard but there's only so much of that anyone can stand.]



[2 - Mayfield High School - During the school day in the halls.]

[So apparently, she's a, uh... Teacher? What the hell. Not like this place made much sense anyway and at least it's a subject she can... Mostly handle. Though what precisely she'd supposed to do with these kids is still a little trying in a place like this... Either way, she's been making it through the classes without looking like a complete buffoon which counted for something. Now though it's between classes and she doesn't have anything this coming period but she does the period after. What the hell is she supposed to do with herself until then?]



[3 - After school - Leaving school grounds/Way home from work - Starting at school and walking streets of Mayfield back to Hastings - Reasonable that she may get lost and not realize she's lost.]

[The day was over. Kids were wondering about here and there, some lingering around the school grounds and others running away as quickly as possible. Fang couldn't blame either set. She'd stick around for a little bit in case anyone had questions before heading out herself. While she learned quick, she was still getting a feel for the town and all it's possible short cuts and cross streets. The alphabet was similar enough that she was able to read it, or maybe she just magically learned how to read is since being teleported here. Who knew but either way, many streets would be crossed before figuring her way back 'home'.]



[4 - Phone Open to all - Evening.]

[She's pretty sure she all ready knows the answer to this but... She's just gotta try.]
No one's 'appened t'see a fair skinned, cheery girl with pigtails an' red 'air runnin' about, yea?

Comments

4 (I'LL GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME I SWEAR.)

[nanocerancowboy]

[Have a Texanesque, mechanical echoing voice over the phone!]

Can't say I've met anyone lookin' like that 'round here, ma'am.

... ILY

[tofightfor]

[A low sigh slips out, it's a mixture of relief and worry though.]

Didn't think anyone would 'ave.

*total klutz*

[nanocerancowboy]

What's her name, if'n y'don't mind my askin'? I might not've met th' girl in person but I could've prolly talked to her over th' phone.

*pats* We all have those days.

[tofightfor]

Name's Vanille, ya'd know if ya talked t'her.

[nanocerancowboy]

[A beat passes.]

—Yeah, that name ain't familiar either.

Come to think of it, ma'am, I ain't heard your voice on th' lines till jus' now. Are ya new in town?

[tofightfor]

[There's a brief mixture of hope and despair when he says 'yeah' and both feelings rapidly die when his words continue. Of course, she's not here, just like Fang expected. The others would have, without a doubt, seen Vanille if she was around.]

A bit. [Fang had been wondering around enough that she was pretty familiar with at least the major areas and from all the talking people were willing to do... Well, she had a lot of information in a very short time all ready handed to her.]

[nanocerancowboy]

Well—I'll keep a look-out for Vanille. An' if'n folks ain't tol' ya how this here town works, I can tell ya what I know.

Name's Falk Gatt, by th' way. Though most folks jus' call me "Gat."

[tofightfor]

Thanks. [There's really nothing else she can say aside from that one simple word. It's a nice offer but who knows if it'll help.]

Got a few explanations all ready, different people from different times an' different worlds an' galaxies, yea? [A beat drops before she continues.] Fang.

[nanocerancowboy]

[Drop dem phat beats, DJ Fang!]

Well, there's that—though I was thinkin' more about th' nature of th' town itself. S'a pleasure to meet ya, either way.

[tofightfor]

[Move out da way.]

About 'ow it's out t'get people?

[nanocerancowboy]

Yeah. Th' kinds of things that th' folks runnin' this place do to us.

[tofightfor]

'eard sum of it. 'ow long ta been 'ere?

[nanocerancowboy]

Been a lil' while. Goin' by th' calendars here, me an' my coworker arrived here back in August. So I reckon it's been eight months.

[tofightfor]

Mind fillin' me in on otha' stuff that's 'appened? Person who told me the most 'ad only been 'ere a month or two.

Apologies for the delay!

[nanocerancowboy]

Sure can. I'm still tryin' to figure out some of th' things that happened before I arrived, so I'll jus' cover what I've seen for myself.

Me an' my coworker were brought to Mayfield durin' a week in which that sorry Milkman took over as chief of police. I reckon you've been told about th' milk he delivers bein' booby-trapped or poisoned—well, durin' that week he was forcin' every household to drink a bottle of his milk each day. If'n nobody in th' household drank it, he'd turn one of th' residents into a drone ... but not anythin' like th' kind of folks you've seen 'round town. He'd brainwash folks into havin' murder on their minds for th' rest of th' day.

[The tone in Gat's voice sounds dark and bitter now.]

Neither of us knew about it. My coworker—Dakki's her name—found out firsthand that th' milk is rigged, and th' next day when that law of his entered into force, we avoided drinkin' any—an' I was th' one who got droned. Thankfully Dakki was able to subdue me before I could kill anybody.

No worries!

[tofightfor]

[Fang silently listens as the experience is explained to her. That certainly sounds like something she wants no part of but... The story reveals a great deal of useful information. Rigged milk, forced change of personality or induced murderous tendencies.... This is no place to be screwing around in. Especially after what she's been told about the mayor and the other 'higher ups' and their tendencies towards trying to screw with people.]

Wasn't familia' with it, no. [The words sound thoughtfully distracted, more so that she's considering what he's just told her.] This'a common sorta thing that goes on around 'ere?

[nanocerancowboy]

'Fraid so. Seems like they do somethin' to us once a month. From what I've seen, they like timin' it with holidays just so they can ruin it for folks.

[tofightfor]

'ow long ago was the alst time they did sumthin'? [It's pretty clear she's trying to gauge just how far away the next horror occurance will probably be and not so obviously, she's trying to figure out what she can do to prepare for it/against it.]

[nanocerancowboy]

Jus' last month, back on Valentine's Day, I reckon. 'Least I ain't heard anybody claimin' that them flowers that changed folks' behavior was their doin'.

[tofightfor]

Vel-in-tine's? [Yup, she sounds like she's probably never heard that word/thing in her life.] When was that? An' flowa's changin' people's behavior?

[nanocerancowboy]

It's a holiday involvin' romance. Apparently th' culture this here town's based on celebrates it jus' like they do where I'm from, though back 'round those parts it's a two-part holiday. Guys go 'round givin' chocolate gifts to girls on Valentine's an' then one month later, girls do th' same thing for guys on a day called White Day. They don't seem to have anything like that here.

Anyhow, back on th' mornin' of th' 12th last month, a vase of flowers showed up in everyone's homes. An' by th' next day, th' flowers were causin' folks to act ... different. Hard to describe, 'cause th' effects seemed random to me. Folks were fallin' in love at first sight, flirtin' with each other, an' th' like.

It lasted for a few days before th' flowers jus' up an' wilted on their own.

[tofightfor]

So the moral 'ere is t'beware of anythin' delivered t'ya door? [At least, that sure as hell was what it was sounding like.]

[nanocerancowboy]

Heh, if'n only it were that simple ... th' folks in charge like bein' unpredictable with th' things they'll pull on us. 'Least when it comes to what they'll do rather than when.

[tofightfor]

What else 'ave they pulled? An' stuff always 'appens round the same time of the month?

*reposts again* I REALLY need a grammar check plugin XD

[nanocerancowboy]

Not always. Holidays ain't always at th' same time of th' month, after all.

Let's see here ... I'll start from November. There's a holiday folks from this culture celebrate about givin' thanks. Apparently th' year before last th' Milkman sent folks roast turkeys that were rigged like his milk. Poisoned, full of razor blades, or in some cases they'd come to life an' attack anyone nearby.

[Somehow Gat doesn't sound too weirded out by ambulatory cooked fowl.]

So last year, someone else who's part of th' town leadership sent everyone roast turkeys instead, swearin' up an' down th' birds ain't rigged like th' Milkman's. He asked folks to give thanks over th' phone. Apparently th' responses he got weren't enough for him, 'cause when we all woke up th' next day, th' town had been turned into a bombed-out wasteland.