Road Trip (open)

[Piper]

She looked at him, the sun had gone down a long time again and said "Yes, I'm up for it." smiles at him and said "But where do we start, finding these others who are willing to help us? It won't be easy, but I think if we just stick by each other, we should make it." she smiled reassuringly. She stands up just as he did and picked up her bag and looked up, her eyes focused as she looked at the moon. "So beautiful." it was full moon, shining brightly, however, not like the sun, and looked at Austin "Let's get going." stuffs her jacket into her bag and started to eat a power bar.

"If you're ready we can go now, unless you want to camp here for the night, Im fine with either." She said her body was pretty tired, and getting some sleep would help recharge the batteries. However, walking in the sun was good either, it would be better at night 'cause it was cooler. It would seem they had a few things in common, but there was something he wasn't telling her. But right now she didn't care, she wasn't alone anymore, she never really expected to run into one here. She wasn't about to complain either. Growing closer to the company she is keeping and yes, even starting to like the cute black and white fur ball that followed them around. How could you not, they are both cute.

"I think I would like to sleep camp here for the night. It has been a long day and I think we could three could use the rest." reaches into her bag and pulls out the last of her beef jerky and hands it to the dog, while petting his head "Good boy aren't you?" she smiled and kept on petting him.

[Austin Feltz]

“I know, but there have to be others like us, maybe we’d even go as far as to rescue them from one of those camps. Surely if we did that we’d get plenty of people willing to help,” he said looking up at the moon when she mentioned something about it. She was right it was beautiful. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw a full moon seeing as he normally went underground to sleep. He walked over and picked up his bag following suit. He wouldn’t of minded pushing on a bit further, after all they’d had a brief rest and he was pumped full of excitement with them talking about freeing others and raising an army to fight against the human tyranny. Though he could tell she was tired, it was in the way she walked, she was in pain and it was obvious.

Being swayed by seeing her in pain he eventually agreed to set up camp. “Alright, but lets look for someplace inside, no sense in camping out in the open if we can help it,” he stated as he began looking around at the buildings, he was hoping one of them would have a basement, though he was also looking for a place that had sold food, perhaps they would have something still worth while to eat. He’d finally found his appetite after having passed down an energy bar earlier. “Follow me,” he said and began walking off down the street. “Let’s walk a little farther and find some shelter,” it was his way of getting what he wanted and what she wanted at the same time. Because just that little bit further made him realize just how soar he was from the journey he’d already taken that day.

They first store they passed on there left was once a deli, anything they may of sold would have been scavenged long ago, or went bad soon after that. He figured it wasn’t even worth checking out. After which they passed a few stores, jewelry, clothing, and a few shoe stores, most of the valuable items where gone and only the useless stuff was left. Not too far off he noticed a dark sign that made a small grin crease his face. “Just a bit further,” he said and found his dog by his right hand trotting along with its’ tongue gently bouncing with every stride.

Eventually after about fifteen minutes they’d reach the front of the store. He smiled as he turned to her. “How’s this?” he asked stopping in front of the small ice cream shop. He’d remembered her mentioning something about the delicious frozen treat earlier and was hoping that perhaps this place had a cellar with some sweets in it. Though if his hopes where wrong it would be okay, he’d found them shelter and if this place did have a cellar it would surely be cold and refreshing, due to being well insulated.

[Piper]

She nodding agreeing to that and followed her feet still somewhat sore from all that walking. It seemed like forever but she was following close behind him and the dog, laughing at the dog watching his tongue flopping about. She couldn't help but chuckle watching him and looked at the store they had stopped in front of. She the smiled at him and thought about it and hoped there would be some here. "You remembered." she looked at him even though it seemed like hours ago, the sun gone down.

She entered the store and looked around, the smell of cones and ice cream were long gone. But the memories she had were real enough and she could almost taste it. Looking around, she entered the ladies room and came out using her water to wash her hands and her pants to dry them. She walked over to him and said "You think we should explore this place, find some food and water, could get lucky and find some ice cream." smiles and splits off to the storage room where one would store all kinds of stuff 'cept ice cream. She found some bottles of water and candy no one really liked to eat.

She packed the water bottles, which had collected dust. thankfully no one found these behind some boxes that had fallen down on top of them. She left the room and moved to the main lobby looking around not seeing Austin right away scared her a little bit, different ideas started to race in her head; one mostly was that the MRD had captured him. But that couldn't have been, no one was around not even the MRD. So he was still safe some where in the store and called out to him "Austin, where'd you go?" she asked headed toward the direction of the cellar.

[Austin Feltz]

“Course I did,” he said walking in after her and setting his bag down on a table covered in dust in debris. Walking in and seeing the place sort of dashed his hopes of actually finding ice cream but it was worth a look. It had made her happy after all which was enough for now. He waited for a moment as she used the restroom and smiled some when she asked if they should explore. He gave her a simple but polite nod and as she headed off to the storage he found the door heading to the cellar.

His dog followed quietly, the feint sound of his claws clicking against the ground as each one of his four paws gently hit the ground. He reached the cellar door after a small flight of stairs and gently pushed against the door. There was a loud snap and he froze for a moment; it had taken him a moment to notice it was a padlock hidden in the dark of the stairwell. It had caused the handle to bind as it had tried to keep him out. With the small padlock out of the way he proceeded to open the door to a pitch black room.

He hadn’t heard Piper call for him, if he had he surely would have said something back though his dog had obviously heard something. That or he’d gotten scared and run back upstairs to get away from the pitch black room. Meanwhile Austin stepped into the room and began feeling around on the walls for a light switch. He ran his hands though dust, cobwebs, and around large metallic object with a strange shape he couldn’t make since of. He ran his hands across a few pipes and found that he was tripping over several things and by now he’d figured he’d walked past it but eventually he was reassured as he felt the familiar feeling of a light switch, he flipped it up and slowly the lights flickered to life. Revealing the large empty room he’d stumbled into.

“Hey Piper, you gotta see this!” he said slightly excited with his find. He walked over to a wall and looked at a strange box, it seemed familiar, like he’d seen one before but couldn’t remember right off. Though there was a switch on the side, he read the word and smiled flicking this switch onto the on position. The roar of an air conditioner jumping to life filled the large room. In the corner of the room was a large cooler, though he wasn’t sure if it was hooked up, with his luck there’d just be water from melted ice, actually knowing his luck there’d be a few dead rats or something locked up in that thing, but hopefully their weren’t. A single bar of ice-cream or even a few more bottles of water would have been preferred.

[Piper]

She heard her name called using her hearing and then followed his voice. She watched her step, even thought it was concrete she was careful. She stepped onto the stairs walking down slowly feeling for the wall. She is able to see a little bit in the dark, but not really enough to see where she is going. She ran her hands along the walls and followed the sounds of his breathing and the panting of the dog. And seeing a light turn on, she placed her hands to her side and looked at Austin. "What is it?" she asked him as she looked around and then smiled at the dog and said " You found something?" she asked him, her excitement raising a little bit.

She placed her hands on her hips and then looked around, the place was filled with useless junk and a thick layer of dirt and dust covered everything. This made her start sneezing a few times and said "Gah the dust is bothering my nose. Need to hurry up and get out of here." she said and then walked inside and looked around. Her long hair is a mess, her hands touching these dusty objects. She then turned to look at the two and bent down to pet the dog and said "I found more water upstairs in the storage room. That is pretty much it though, nothing really to eat in there." takes out the bottle she had been drinking out of and takes a long drink from it and then stood up and looked at Austin.

[Austin Feltz]

“I may have,” he said looking through a pile of metal dishes and spoon tossed to the ground. She began sneezing, it was kind of funny actually but he tried not to laugh. “Bless you,” he said once she seemed to have finished sneezing. He was done moving through the pans, and spoons. He’d made sure to keep it as quiet as possible considering her hearing in a closed up place they were in even the tiniest nose seemed to echo and he was hoping he wasn’t causing her any pain. Though he didn’t seem to be as she knelt down and pet his dog.

“That’s good, can’t have too much water in a time like this that’s fer sure.” He said walking over to the large metal cooler. He reached down and felt the top, it felt cold but it was metal he couldn’t be sure it was plugged in. He knelt down in front of it and placed his hands firmly on the top. “Maybe there will be more in here,” he said pushed the lid up and with a snap and a chunk of the lid missing he peaked in. “Yep more water…” he said slightly depressed as that was all there seemed to be in there. He began grabbing them out; they were cold which was good. The freezer was indeed still hooked up and working after all these years.

“I’ll go get my bag so I can fill it up, I’ll be right back, k?” he said but before getting an answer he stood up and walked towards the door. He ran up the stairs still slightly pleased with their find. But he had hoped to surprise her with a bit of ice cream. Once upstairs he grabbed his bag but noticed something was out of place. He looked around quietly then without warning a huge Sentinel was don’t the street. “shit!” he whispered in anger as he grabbed up his bag quickly and then found hers before racing downstairs.

He ran through the opening of the room obviously scared, he quickly but gently closed the door. He was scared he had to admit but it was more like some way of protecting her also. “We…um..need to sleep in here for the night,” he said not wanting to alarm her. Though he knew she could probably heard the footsteps outside on the street of the Sentinel surveying the area for any mutants.

[Piper]

She looked at him as he looked into the cooler and looked over his shoulder and saw the water. She smiled and as he left, she started to pack her bag with them and then heard the giant footsteps. He was still upstairs at the moment and ducked into the corner and heard Austin curse and then heard his footsteps down the stairs. She stood up and looked at him and said "Yea I heard it, and I agree, we should stay here for the night." she took her bag off her back and headed to the same corner and sneezed again, this time into her hand to keep it quiet. "damn dust" she cursed under her breath.

She placed her hands to her eyes and rubbed them, her nose was stuffy and her hearing was a little muffled. She hated dust as she much as she hated humans. Miserable and hungry, she pulled out a power bar and began to eat it. Damn Sentinel she cursed and looked at Austin and said "Dust is gonna kill me." she said with a chuckled and then looked at the dog and placed her hand under his maw and said "Im glad I'm not allergic to you boy." she smiled and gave the dog some water and a little bit of her power bar and rubbed his ears and then sneezed.

Piper's eyes were red, her dust allergies were messing up, it has been a while since she had been around this much dust and it was killing her. Why did there have to be so much dust she asked herself and remember that no one has been down here in quite some time. She adjusted her legs so they are spread out before her, the jacket she wore was over her head now, the dust starting to give her a headache.

[Austin Feltz]

“Sorry..” he said feeling less than helpless. He’d locked her in a room full of dust and she didn’t seem like she could handle it. He made his way over to the cooler and started packing the waters in his bag after refilling the large jug he already had. With his bag full or cold waters and forced it close the zippers daring to bust from the pressure. “You gonna be okay for the night?” he asked as he lifted his bag up and set it in the cooler causing a few bottles to get crushed.

Then out of the corner of his eye he noticed a wrapper that stuck out form the bright blue wrapper on the water bottles. Just before he closed the lid he reached in and fished out a bright pink wrapper on a stick. He smiled having found what he’d been looking for this entire time. He closed the lid trying to keep the waters he had cold. “Want me to put your bag in here?” he asked remembering he had a small stash of food himself. He grudged around for a few wrapped up bars including the one she’d given him earlier that day.

He got up and walked over next to her. “I think I could cheer ya up Pip,” he said dropping the bar he’d pulled out of the cooler between her legs before sitting down next to her. The dog once against wedged himself between the two of them to which Austin welcomed as he gently ran his hands through the dogs thick fur. This hot weather had to be horrible for the poor thing but it never slowed down unless he did.

[Piper]

She looked at him and said "Its ok, I have been through worse, trust me. Dust is the least of my worries." she told him and then rubbed her eyes and nose again. "Just wish it wasn't so dusty in here." she added then sat up a little more seeing the ice cream on her lap. She looked at Austin and smiled brightly, taking it off her lap and started to unwrap it. She then took off the top part of the bar and then handed the bottom to Austin, he wanted some, she couldn't read his mind but she knew. She placed the cool treat into her mouth and savored the cold treat for as long as she could, to remember this moment, with him and the dog. This is the most company she has been with in a long time and she was grateful for it.

Piper looked at the small treat melting in her hand. She licked at her hand lapping at the tasty morsel on her hand. She then stuffed the rest into her mouth and rolled her tongue around and then swallowed, it felt so good on her perched throat. She then looked at Austin and smiled "Thank you, that did cheer me up." she smiled still and then took some water out her pack and the same power bar and finished eating. Standing she placed her bag in the cooler and then stretched her limbs and sat back down, near the dog. She placed a hand on his head and scratched at his ears, her eyes slowly closing.

[Austin Feltz]

"I was pretty sure it would," he said falshing a quick smile before laying down. next to the dog. He'd used his pack as a pillow before but with it overflowing with water bottles now it would of been uncomfortable. He ate his tiny bit of ice cream savoring it just as she'd done. Once he was done he lifted his arms and placed them under his head looking up at teh seaing quietly. He wasn't quite tired yet and he didn't make staying up for the moment he wanted to make sure that sentinel didn't come back.

It was one of his greatest fears and it was well placed in this world he was in but the thought of being killed in his sleep was something he intended to never let happen. Though son he could feel his eyelids becomeing heavy. He was falling asleep, he'd left the lights on but he didn't want them off. He wasn't afraidof the dark but what would come out in the dark if he turned them off. this place was new to him and he normally looked around a bit mroe but sadly hadn't had the chance this time.

He sneezed once before his eyes shut for good. He felt his power wear off revealing his true form. His now red and black skin rippled back to life as he slept. He had no control over his shapeshifting power when he was asleep and if he didn't wake up Piper was gonig to have one crazy morning when tehy both woke up.

[Piper]

Her back was turned toward him, her jacket used as the pillow, the sentinel's footsteps dimming away from them. She was sleeping, a light snore coming from her direction, her breathing was slow and steady. Sometimes she would dream about the camp, then should would often dream about a place she hasn't been yet. But dreaming being on a beach and a cold drink in your hand wasn't so bad either. She really wished she was on that beach with that drink in hand and watching the waves of the ocean crashing down onto her. She was out.

Sometimes she would wake up sometime during the night to drink some water and go back to sleep. Laying on her other side now she could feel the dog close to her now and her eyes would flicker open and pet the dog and turn back the other way. She could hear Austin still before falling into a deep sleep. It had been a while since she had fallen asleep in the same room with someone. Just found it a little vulnerable and awkward for her. Thankfully she knew how to control her powers and was able to sleep peacefully without waking up to gun fire, or a rat crawling on the floor. Often times she would wake up to her stomach growling and would have to get something to eat.

This time a camp dream came to her, she was lying in her cell, listening to the insects outside. She heard the sounds of footsteps coming to her room and it suddenly opened. Piper had gotten up and headed over the corner but the figure only grinned and followed her. An evil look in his eyes as he started to take off his belt and pants, she started to flail her arms and scream out. In the real world, she was screaming out, kicking and screaming as if she was fending off an attacker, in her dream she was getting raped, which happened a lot to the girls at the camp.