......and it erupted again!

[Derrick Mason Gray]

Nostrils were raped with smoke, bile and blood.

 

Her third attempt to stand was successful, legs managing finally not to buckle under the delirium effect phasing had upon her senses. Where the hell had they ended up?

 

First step staggered before the knees locked with a growl. She would be damned if she was going down again. Deep breath helped to stabilize the nausea but the ringing in her ears was near debilitating. Attempting to map the world now would surely lead to a rapid decline in her faculties, but they were not out of the woods yet.

 

Nostrils were aware of a strange burn on the air, an almost electrical burn. Josef?

 

As if on cue the body on the concrete sidewalk breathed.

 

[jojo] …feel like the pavement of Bourbon and Canal after Mardi Gras.. [/jojo]

 

Nostrils huffed softly, unsure what the reference meant as she took another deep breath, bracing herself to flush the map out and search for the Bakkhos family.

 

[npc]…don’t.[/npc]

 

Air escaped her lips slowly as she ignored the order and caressed the gift the Nevus had given her. Even as ants of white began to flicker in her mind's eye, the powerful grip snatched her arm.

 

[npc]I said no Gray.[/npc]

 

There was a snarl that dared her to defy him, one that most cowed from. But the headliner stood her ground and snarled back.

 

[derrick]… not all our people are accounted for…Lucky was still inside last I saw him.[/derrick]

 

He wasn’t throwing his position around, the head of the family cared about his people and he knew the thick crimson ooze over her upper lip was an early warning sign she was at her limit. He had used her once to her very limit and it had left the woman unconscious for 4 days. Ever since he had gotten more conservative in his demands on her ability so it could be reserved for when it was truly needed.

 

Her map began to focus just in time for the fist to be seen as it made a hook, about to knock her lights out. He had done that before when she stubbornly attempted to push her limits. Dodge was almost graceful, foot double stepping at the end as she got dizzy again, ability shutting down though it was engaged enough that the flow of red had sped up once more.

 

[derrick]..ok ok…[/derrick]

 

[jojo]..ya'll all right?[/jojo]

 

The harumph in her chest voiced her displeasure before she spoke.

 

[derrick]…of course not… Captain Vapor here pulled my molecules apart and attempted to put them back all in the right place…. AGAIN….[/derrick]

 

The last snarled a bit in Gaspari's direction, eliciting a deep chested chuckle from the man. Her boot scraped the ground as it kicked after the man's ass, though he was far too agile and alert to be tagged by the effort.

 

[npc]…stay put. I am heading around front to see what the keystone cops out front are doing and if everyone is out.[/npc]

 

[derrick]…Gaspa..[/derrick][npc]I am packing "mom"…look after your boyfriend while I find Lucky.[/npc]

 

Her mouth clamped shut, the flush returning to her cheeks as he laughed and walked away. Blood rush nearly made the world spin again, groan a bit faint in her chest before she reached her hand around, fingers grazing his hair then the palm planting on it to balance herself as she lowered herself with a decidedly ungraceful thunk beside the arms dealer.

 

Lean back used his shoulder as a rest as she leaned into him, supporting herself as much as him.

 

[derrick]…. you ok?[/derrick]

[Josef Carroll Boudreaux]

" …feel like the pavement of Bourbon and Canal after Mardi Gras.. "

The huff from the snarly bodyguard almost brought a quirked full on smile, almost.  Dimples pressed into his cheeks for a brief moment as they softened slightly, going quickly back to the emergency at hand.  How much damage had he done… by the sounds of her ‘boss’ giving her a good earbox, it sounded like he wasn’t the only one.

"… not all our people are accounted for…Lucky was still inside last I saw him."

The attention off him allowed the Cajun for a brief moment to take account again of everything, and nothing at the same time.  What exactly had the man’s ability done to him?  Full on powered up and then ripped apart from what it sounded like, then put back together.  The mana all had to go somewhere, what if the man had completely pulled it from his body?  Was that even possible?

Somehow he managed to find his voice again, the second scoff at his words bringing the normally witty gun runner to a stilled silence.

 

"…of course not… Captain Vapor here pulled my molecules apart and attempted to put them back all in the right place…. AGAIN…."

"…that’s what that was…."

 

It was more to himself than anyone else, only half listening to the argument between the two.  He had bigger issues to figure out than who was really in charge of who.  Eyes were slightly open as he lay there, staring at the sky and getting nothing but a throb of fog occasionally pierced by sparkles of light.  Hands folded on his stomach, knees drawing up again finally only to feel the weight of her on his shoulder.

"…. you ok?"

 

"I’ve had worse things on my shoes," revealing in fact he knew exactly what had happened.  "There’s a reason I wear these when I bet on ponies."

 

The question at hand was left alone for the moment in exchange for a bit of sultry humor that he didn’t feel in his core.  Defense mechanism maybe, to throw off a trail of confusion and concern.  He could feel a flitter of something on his face, snowflakes perhaps, light and refusing to melt for a moment as they hit his skin.  There was nothing left, the hum of heat from his skin usually a lot warmer.  The concrete under his back was cold, trickles near his ears starting to cool and congeal.  He reached up and touched under his nose, dried blood there as well… a thin layer that was already flaking.  This was not good.  Not at all.

 

"I should be okay," he confessed quietly...errr... lied.  "Go help your boss."

 

He tried to move slightly, the scream of muscles convincing him otherwise.  It was disorienting, every time.  This was worse than most, like a plug pulled just when a saw was cutting through wood. Snapped to a halt with a crack.  Damage.  He was going to have to tell her eventually...especially if his sight didn't come back soon.  It felt better to stay put on the concrete for the moment, hoping the small flashes of light in the otherwise dark vision would start to give him colors and shapes... then again, it was his luck lately for it not to.

[Derrick Mason Gray]

[jojo]…that’s what that was…[/jojo]

 

[derrick]…ya…[/derrick]

 

There was a disgruntled mutter in her response that spoke volumes of her annoyance at her "boss" at the moment as she slid down to the ground.

 

[derrick]…you ok?[/derrick]

 

[jojo] I’ve had worse things on my shoes, there’s a reason I wear these when I bet on ponies.[/jojo]

 

The groan was almost inaudible in her chest as the apology wasn’t going to be given a voice but was shared with him by the barest hunched shift of her shoulder against his. There wasn’t a force on earth that would ever get her to admit she had been so weak as to lose control over her faculties like that.

 

[jojo]I should be okay….go help your boss.[/jojo]

 

[derrick]…pft…. Vapo-boy is on his own for the moment.[/derrick]

 

Partially because she was ticked at Gaspari, partially because if she got up right now she was likely to pass out. Neither reason was she about to confess to the gun runner.

 

Dust covered sleeve was lifted, the forearm drug under her nose as the flow of crimson was finally slowing. Tongue snaked out gingerly against the split in her bottom lip, the wound was from the first blast and already was crusting over. Attempting to shift her weight the grunt was percussive as she noticed for the first time the wounds down her left side, shrapnel still embedded in flesh.

 

Fuck someone was going to die for this.

 

Fingers pinched the bridge of her nose tight as if that might stave off the blossoming pain in her head. It didn’t.

 

[derrick]…ponies huh?....[/derrick]

 

Shoulder made an almost playful push at him as she continued to try and find up and down in the world again.

 

[derrick]…so that’s where all the cash I give you goes….. knew couldn’t be going into that old shop… or those shoes….[/derrick]

 

Lick of dry humor was faint as she still fought to clear the fog in her head.

[Josef Carroll Boudreaux]

He chuckled softly at the groan indicating her regrets about his shoes, his half sitting state a bit disheveled by her shift into his shoulder.  The world spun, and kept spinning in the fog that made his brain feel scrambled and dark.  Fingers reached up to check and see if he was still bleeding from his right ear.  At least that had stopped. Bully.  He wanted her to go for vanity reasons- he didn’t want her to see him like this… even though that was completely unfounded.  He’d been a burly mountain man on his trips around the world.  The Cajun had looked worse, much worse.  The spitfire need to save face was being dashed by something else he’d put his finger on and wasn’t quite sure about yet.

 

 

"…pft…. Vapo-boy is on his own for the moment."

Well fuuu.

 

She was surveying too.  His ears were not used to picking up the world, add the static that was still no doubt flicking through his synapses and he was absolutely incapacitated.  It was starting to build a panic he’d only felt a few times before in his entire life.  Both times, near death.

 

"…ponies huh?...."

Yep.   it was so nonchalant.  He could be in absolute cool when the world was falling down around him, or he was pretty much volunteering to die.

 

"…so that’s where all the cash I give you goes….. knew couldn’t be going into that old shop… or those shoes…."
 

He chuckled again at something he’d come to recognize as her humor, finally making it completely upright into a sitting position.  So she did actually have it?  He kept a smartass remark to himself.

 

Shop is an antique, I like my antiques.  Shoes?  he shifted slightly.  Billy Reid’s.  I have more.  Not terribly expensive… didn’t used to be anyway.  The comment was telling.  He had expensive tastes. He bet on ponies. Liked antiques.  She was smart enough to figure it out if she hadn’t already.  Former.  Filthy.  Rich.  If not damning enough, he continued.  Have my own pony too.  Just… not a runner like these.

 

He paused a long moment, forearms sliding over his knees that finally pulled up.

 

Boss didn’t have to do that, I’m not as helpless as I look… just hafta have a good reason… drawl was quiet.  Coulda saved a lot more people.  Wry smile broke an outward sigh.  Gotta be honest, I think…  I think your boss jolted something in my circuits… smile scoffed nonchalantly again. It was no big deal.  To the world, he was a carefree calm… except now.  It WAS a big deal.  Effects should have been fading by now.  Either the world has gone dark, or.. I’m gonna need a ride home.

[Derrick Mason Gray]

That melodic accent tainted chuckle again. It helped to start setting the world upright, that is until he sat fully upright and she nearly fell backward. The pressure on his shoulder having been as much for her own support as to nudge him with her dry humor. The sudden move backward made the world spin yet again. Fuck she needed to get control again.

 

Fingers reached up to remove the back of the ornate vine jewelry that wound through and then up the back of her ear and pierced once more through the upper helix. The static it's com was pushing into her senses was too disorienting still. Bloody fingers tucked it into the front pocket of her gray slacks.

 

[jojo] Shop is an antique, I like my antique.[/jojo]

 

Soft snort betrayed her chuckle, the sound a rumble like distant thunder in her chest.

 

[jojo]Shoes?..............Not terribly expensive…. didn’t used to be anyway.[/jojo][derrick]….nothing used to be…[/derrick]

 

Her soft add just as telling. Hell in a handbasket was the expression. It fit the world these days. But the words were a bit distant… thoughtful. He used to be from "that" side of the tracks. That much was coming through loud and clear. Bit different from the scrappy kid in torn up jeans that hitched her way to NY only to be tossed on a plane by her mobster uncle.

 

[jojo] Have my own pony too. Just… not a runner like these. [/jojo]

 

Nod was faint though she had no idea the difference. Animals were a very foreign concept to her. She had next to nil exposure, not even a family dog. Hell she had no clue what Caesar was until someone had commented on her cute "ferret". The horses stabled behind the casino had a distinctly….large… sound. She kept her distance.

 

[jojo] Boss didn’t have to do that, I’m not as helpless as I look… just hafta have a good reason…[/jojo]

 

Head shook gently.

 

[derrick]…doesn’t do it cuz your helpless. Does it because he's impatient.[/derrick]

 

[jojo]Coulda saved a lot more people….[/jojo][derrick]…at what price?... your life?[/derrick]

 

The woman was dangerously observant for a blind woman. As the world was slowing its spin once more she was acutely aware the man leaning against her was in as bad shape as she was.

 

[jojo] Gotta be honest, I think… I think your boss jolted something in my circuits…[/jojo]

 

[derrick]…ya…. he has that affect on any altered… takes a little while but it goes away.[/derrick]

 

A flinch refused to remain under her control as she plucked a piece of shrapnel from her ribs, grunting in annoyance as she pressed blood drenched fingers against the wound that hadn't really been bleeding when the shard was still plugging the hole.

 

[jojo] Either the world has gone dark, or.. I’m gonna need a ride home.[/jojo]

 

There was a pregnant pause as she absorbed the comment differently than anyone else would. Dark…light….two things she didn’t really understand. But she did know what the expression meant to one that was sited.

 

[derrick]… no worries Boudreaux, I'll make sure you get home safe. [/derrick]

 

His name had already developed a strange familiar cadence. The nudge of her muscle against his back seemed oddly "comforting" for one that was normally aloof of others emotions.

 

[derrick]….as I said… wears off in a bit.[/derrick]

 

Head dropped back with a gentle thud against the back of his own as she drew her first real deep breath.

 

[derrick]…rest a bit more then will get you home safe and sound…promise. No need to hang around here anyway and watch Olympus burn.[/derrick]

 

The odd Greek reference betrayed she wasn’t as much a street thug as some might think. Her humor a bit twisted as it tied Bakkhos with its Greek ancestry.