Round 84: The Kidnapping of Tiffany Jamesson

[midpointmods]

PLAYERS: Isamu Fuwa, Quicksword Irene, Hajime Aikawa VS. Bucky Barnes, Daylight vis Lornlit, Inara Serra
LOCATION: Tycoons' Depot
GOAL: Assume and maintain custody of Tiffany Jamesson
WARNINGS: Kidnapping, attempted murder, sex work mentions
OTHER: OOC post for plotting and questions!

After traveling most of the day, the sun is starting to set when the two teams reach Tycoons' Depot. Who arrives first depends on how quickly the teams get up and organized that morning, and how hard they want to push their horses.

The active portion of the round doesn’t start until the next morning, anyway. After scouting around and making plans, everyone can enjoy a room at the Bullion Inn under the watchful eye of the Madame (for a crisp points price, of course), camp rough just outside town, or bully or bribe one of the locals into letting them borrow their home for the night. Looking around proves there are, in fact, a number of possibly empty houses around the town’s outskirts, if the players would like to brave one of those.

In the morning, it’s time to go. Tiffany Jamesson, a sixteen year old girl with a brilliant smile and auburn hair done up in ringlets, has horseback riding at nine in full-on cowgirl attire, lunch at noon and piano lessons at one in a yellow dress of frothy lace, a nap from three to four when the day is at its hottest, and then dinner with her father at six in a pretty pink affair before retiring for the night afterwards. When will the kidnappers strike? When will the protectors show their hand? The teams have three days in which to accomplish their goal. The clock is ticking.

Comments

[ragingwolf]

Fuwa hasn't taken his eyes off of Soldat yet, even as he stands up straight himself; he can see the man struggling to move, and the helmet betrays no emotion as he watches the knife fall short a few feet away from his feet.

His grip tightens on the ShotRiser, but first he pulls out the Progrise key it contains.

In a loud hissing of pistons and a flash of energy, the gorilla-like armour disappears - and when it all disappears, Fuwa is already poised with his gun trained on the sniper. His expression isn't... angry, as such. It still is, but there's something deeper to it. Betrayal, disappointment.

There's no catharsis in killing a dying person.

His finger tightens on the trigger. It's point blank range - there's no missing this.

[worthallthis]

Bold of you to assume that with time and care, Soldat couldn't make a full recovery. It would be hell, but this isn't fatal wounding. A few pressure bandages and support for the ribs and broken leg, maybe an hour for the vision to come back, and they could be field-ready.

They'd hate it, it would hurt a hell of a lot, but they could.

Which is why finally focusing on Fuwa's face-- not just the armor-- is both something to dread and something to be relieved for. He's going to kill them. Surely it's been long enough, Daylight and Inara are probably well away from Irene now. And there's no much they can do at this point, anyway. They just make their breathing as even as possible, their eyes as focused on Fuwa's face as possible, and let him shoot them right in the fucking face.

They've died before. Current world standard protocols mean before Fuwa can even approach to verify a pulse, the body will be collected. It starts to dissolve and disappear as Soldat's awareness bleeds out the bullethole into their brain.

[ragingwolf]

They both know it's just easier to die. No wasting time healing injuries and holding back whichever team you were on in future. It's the only way Fuwa's been able to justify this to himself, time and time again. Better to suffer briefly than over the months it would take for that many injuries to heal.

The fact that such a poised kill after a breakneck battle will net him bonus points genuinely doesn't factor in.

He only lowers his gun when the sniper's body vanishes. There's a limp when he moves forward to pick up the knife the sniper had thrown at him - one of the man's modern ones, rather than the half-rusted scraps they get here - and tucks it into his coat pocket, before he finally turns back and goes to check on Ryo. The poor mantis was probably devastated.

[chalicejoker]

Ryo's absolutely devastated and absolutely terrified after the body vanished in the midst of his sad puppy howling. He's run for cover under a watering trough, and there are clear puppy tracks in the dirt road leading to his hiding spot, where he's huddling, and, if the tracks weren't enough of a sign of his location, whimpering too.

[ragingwolf]

Well, at least he's easy to find still.

"Oi, Ryo." His voice isn't harsh - he actually sounds almost gentle, as he kneels down beside the puppy paws under the trough. When he leans down he can see the small puppy. "It's alright. I kicked that bastard's ass, so he can't get us."

[chalicejoker]

Ryo sniffles a little. "Thank you..." He still seems hesitant to come out. "Don't know what to do now!" He's about two steps away from frantic puppy sobbing, really.

[ragingwolf]

"We're gonna go and find the others. Make sure Tiffany's alright, and the others haven't gotten to her first." He trusts Irene because he has to, but that doesn't mean she's fully prepared for whoever else might be on the sniper's team.

[chalicejoker]

Ryo wriggles out from under the trough and Fuwa would be well-served to pick him up and give him a cuddle; he's still trembling. "Want to help! Hajime would want to win!" And there's a little sniffle at that too.

[ragingwolf]

Fuwa's not. Good. At being soft. He can barely manage being calm most days.

It's not much, but he still goes to lift the puppy form up and cradles him in one arm against his chest. Almost more like a sack of potatoes than how you would a dog, but he doesn't feel comfortable with both hands preoccupied. "Right. And we're gonna do our best to do it. We just need to find Irene and Tiffany."

[chalicejoker]

Don't worry, Fuwa, Ryo hangs out with Hajime. He's well versed with guys who are absolutely terrible at being in touch with their softer sides! He snuggles right into that arm. He's still shaking, but it's a lot lessened now. "If wait until dark, I can help!" He doesn't really want to go now, and, besides, there are reasons for that. "Have owl form! Could go look all sneaky-like! But suspicious in the daytime."