[NEXUS] Clearing in the Countryside II

[The Bushranger]

And Erin, a smile on her face, is happily cuddled there, sleeping contentedly.
D'awww....

[FireFox]

Tobias sighs and reluctantly lets go of the knife... then puts his back to the couch for leverage and tries to shove Erin right off.

[The Bushranger]

Whump!

Erin lands on the floor on her rump with a thump, and squeaks in surprise, her eyes flying open!
"Eeeep!"

[FireFox]

Tobias stands up and scowls down at her. Go take a shower and I'll make coffee.
Because she has been sleeping in bloody clothes for weeks.

[The Bushranger]

Beeeeeeeeee-Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Erin wrinkes her nose, shakes her head to clear it, decides to scold Tobias for dumping her after a shower and coffee, and rolls to her feet, making her way on slightly numb legs to the shower.

[FireFox]

Tobias goes to brew the coffee, then looks for all of the following: a thermos he can carry, lots of sugar and sweetener, some beef jerky or trail mix, and salt.

[The Bushranger]

This is BR's cabin.
How much sugar and creamer do you think he lays in for his coffee?
Enough to ensure the world won't have a shortage for the next 50 years, that's how much.
(Or that it will, because he's hoarded it all...)

Lots of jerky too. No beef, though. Buffalo, wild hog, venison, pheasant, rattlesnake...take your pick.


Erin, meanwhile, can be heard singing in the shower. Take a Chance on Me, to be precise.

[FireFox]

Tobias opts for the venison and, on second thought, decides to try some of the buffalo. He pockets them, then fills the thermos with black coffee, adding in a little sweetener. He then takes a fair deal of salt and puts it in the sugar bowl or container, then similarly spikes the other sweetener with vinegar and olive oil.
Looks like Erin's going to have to take her coffee black...
This takes awhile, and Tobias starts hurrying near the end, unsure how long Erin will take. He quickly finishes the above and then leaves the Cabin and starts walking towards the nearest river.

[The Bushranger]

Erin's head might asplode!

...Erin emerges from the shower, wrapped in a towel, about the time Tobias is stepping off the porch, and heads into the kitchen smiling...

...a smile that fades a fair bit when she discovers Tobias isn't there.

"....Toby?"




Tobias will find a RIVER about 300 yards east of the cabin. There is a FORD of STEPPING STONES crossing it, and it appears to be filled with TROUT.

[FireFox]

She really didn't expect him to stay, did she? After all, he hates her!
Sipping from the pilfered thermos as he walks briskly, Tobias starts walking downstream. All river's lead to the sea, and he's hoping he can find the dock for HALO's subs.

[The Bushranger]

The coffee is poisoned!
Toby will be walking for the better part of a week before he finds the dock. Better use his nifty tree-striding druid powers if he wants to speed it up.


Erin, meanwhile...sighs deeply.
Dropping her head, rubbing her temple with one hand.
And then, she Folds out.

[FireFox]

The powers he doesn't have anymore?

Well, unless Erin Folds in front of him to start yelling, he'll walk for 18 hours straight every day until he gets somewhere.

[The Bushranger]

...and after an hour or so (and aftter the next HALO post, while continuity cries in the corner), Toby might find Erin de-Folding in front of him.

Hand poised to smack him.

[FireFox]

Hm, does momentum carry over from teleportation? If it does, than Erin may have that slap all ready built up, which means Tobias is going to get smacked down. If not, then he has time to try and toss the now empty thermos at her nose.

[The Bushranger]

How about both?

In which case Erin falls over onto her backside (again) as well!

"You incorrigible, conceited, self-centered jackass!" she manages to snap.

[FireFox]

You forgot "Dashingly handsome", or at least "Devilishly good-looking". He scrambles to his feet and into a wary stance, smirking at her.

[The Bushranger]

And Erin - who is, for the record, in a normal outfit now - scrambles to her feet as well, glaring at Tobias...then softening a bit.
"So, what. You were just going to wander off without saying anything?"

[FireFox]

Tobias has built a whole fighting style off of playing the victim, so he knows some really indignant expressions, one of which he adopts now along with a hurt tone of voice. You were the one who randomly decided to kidnap me and bring me here, Erin. If I'm your prisoner, than this is an escape attempt, otherwise, I'm just leaving like I came here: without any warning whatsoever.

[The Bushranger]

Direct hit!

Erin sighs, and looks down.

"You kidnapped me first. But...just tell me where you're going, at least?"
She looks back up, using her own Hurt Tone Of Voice and Puppy-Dog Look.

[FireFox]

I'm going back to HALO, and from there to my home. He shifts back to his scowl and doesn't waver.

[The Bushranger]

"...will you let me take you back to HALO, then, before you go?" Erin asks, looking...nervous?
"And...I guess you have matters of state and all, right?"

[FireFox]

Tobias misreads (correctly reads?) Erin's look as her about to Fold him into a bed and tie him down and have her way with him forever.
...
No, that's what you said before you brought me here in the first place!

[The Bushranger]

Maybe both misreads and correctly reads?

"...oh."
Erin shakes her head, then looks up again.
"I...you...you'll be coming back, right?"

[FireFox]

Tobias looks back towards the cabin. Only if I get really pissed off at BR and want to burn the place down.

[The Bushranger]

Erin bites her lip...

...then takes two steps quickly forwards.

Erin uses BIG HUG on Tobias!

[FireFox]

Tobias sighs and hugs Erin back for all of three seconds before trying to push her away. But I'll pop into HALO now and then, until someone remembers I'm not a member anymore.

[The Bushranger]

"You might find yourself reinstated," Erin says quietly as she's pushed away. "...don't be a stranger, alright?"

Meanwhile, mentally, she tries to figure out where Angela is without Angela knowing she's looking for her.

[FireFox]

Angela's in the pool at HALO, exhausted and not noticing much at all.

Tobias, all ready turning around to walk away, gives Erin a wave without looking back. On second thought, he holds up his left hand and extends the middle finger before vanishing into the woods.

[The Bushranger]

Erin rolls her eyes.
Then sighs.
And Folds out.

...her outer clothes drop to the ground around where she was...

[The Bushranger]

Quite some time later...

The ring transporters on the porch activate, depositing Isabel and Dani!