[HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian & BK Geno)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: BK Geno on 29-05-2008, 23:24:58</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>[HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>29-05-2008, 23:24:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain glanced up from his spot on the roof of a half collapsed building, probably part of a mall, judging from the types of shops inside, and sighed. He was lucky, he knew that much, as he had survived the meteor swarm that had careened around the sun and blind sided the Earth in 2019AD, the strikes being almost surgically precise in their landings. Almost every one of the four hundred and some odd meteors had slammed into either cities, military bases, or resource patches like the rainforests, wiping out most of the human population in a single strike as well as what they had depended on to survive.<br><br>He had been nine years old when the swarm had hit, and only the fact that he had been camping with grandparents had saved him and his older sister. He reflected on the ten years that had passed since then, and sighed again. Too much dying, and barely anyone bothering to try and help anyone else. Of course, with most of the resources wiped out, power plants offline or destroyed, military forces dead or scattered, he was not sure he could really blame them. The only person he was interested in helping was his sister.<br><br>He glanced around, not seeing anyone else, and then began to limberly climb down the collapsed beams, moving like a monkey he remembered seeing at the zoo before the Meteor Swarm. He was small, barely five and a half feet tall, and only weighed 150 lbs, having not fed well during the Dying Times, but he had survived due to his brains, and had kept his sister alive as well. A knife on his hip, and a pistol with only four shots in it were his only weapons, but maybe they would find some things here that would change that. He landed near the store where they took up residence for the while, and walked inside, wondering if sis had found anything worth eating, or if they would have to dig into the MREs he had found a few weeks back.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>30-05-2008, 01:51:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole had just finished her search of the place as she heard Brian returning.&nbsp; She was no more physically imposing than he was, short and thin from the struggle, but she was also tough and determined, and they'd kept each other alive against the odds.&nbsp; Brian could fight when he had to, she could talk their way out of a lot of trouble, and both of them could think their way out of a lot of problems, too.&nbsp; They had fallen into a pattern of survival, and no one could ask for much better these days.<br><br>The store had been pretty ransacked, but that had been early on, it seemed, and no one had come back since.&nbsp; Whoever had done the ransacking had been in a hurry, so some things had been overlooked.&nbsp; Much of the food was spoiled, but she'd found a few cans that still seemed all right, soap and a few other such odds and ends, and best of all, a couple of large bottles of water that had been stashed under a counter and forgotten.<br><br>She went over to meet her brother as he appeared, smiling.&nbsp; "Found some things -- not much, but it's better than those MRE things," she said, holding up a can of green beans.&nbsp; "How's it look outside?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>30-05-2008, 02:16:01</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain grinned at his sister, and waved. before saying, "It looks dry, dusty and hot. Or the normal. And the Meals Ready to Eat are perfectly good for keeping us alive. Any weapons back there? That last gang of mutants wanted more than just information, and I only have four shots left." <br><br>He sat down by the fire she had started and sighed, before asking, "Denver is trashed, sis, the rest of the town is just like this building."<br><br>He pulled the multiple use knife off his hip, and handed it to Nicole, before leaning back, and said, "Well, now what? We keep moving, toward what is left of California, Washington, and ... what was the other state between them? Hoping we run into something resembling civilization soon?"<br><br>He gestured to the backpacks, conspicuously limp, and said, "We are running out of supplies. The good news about the city is that it appears empty. At least, with the sun going down, I could not see any smoke. And it looks to be a cold one again tonight."<br><br>He sighed, realizing he was running on again, but he could not stop. Sis was all the family he had left.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>30-05-2008, 03:33:39</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah, they're awful, but they keep us alive," Nicole said, making a face.&nbsp; "There's a couple of knives, but nothing as good as the one you've got."&nbsp; She opened the can expertly, then pulled out a second one, containing fruit.&nbsp; "Um, the other state was... Oregon, I think," she said, absently, more focused on getting food organized.<br><br>She was used to his worrying, the way it would make him talk too much and too fast.&nbsp; He was right to worry, she knew that -- supplies were a constant problem, especially travelling as much as they were, but it had seemed like their only choice when they'd left, and it was too late to turn back now.<br><br>"We can stay here and hunt for a while, try and stockpile a little.&nbsp; But we have to keep going.&nbsp; I know it's just rumors about what's out there, but even if they're only half true, it's still a hundred times better than anything back there."&nbsp; She jabbed a hand back towards the east, both angry and afraid as she remembered what things had been like back home.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>30-05-2008, 03:46:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He grinned and kicked back, going over what he had seen, before saying, "We can stay here for a few days, and see what we can find. No more than three days though, I doubt those mutants liked me making them dive for cover. They probably will be back again, that type never learns."<br><br>Another few days, would probably not make a difference one way or another as he figured.&nbsp; They would have an easier time hiding and fighting the mutants in a city if they did catch up with them. Both of them would. He knew what would happen if they caught up to them, but did not let it worry him, it would either happen or wouldn't.<br><br>He did grin at her last statement, before opening an eye to look at her, and said, "Radiation, pestilence, and more mutants than you can shake a stick at. Too many of the meteors hit cities for it to be a simple random chance. And yes, I know that whatever threw them at us never made an appearance, but still."<br><br>He sighed, trying to catalogue what he had seen, before saying, "I think I saw a few supermarkets while I was up there, we can paw through them before searching for weapon shops. I still think you should have a firearm."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>30-05-2008, 16:45:59</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"No one ever learns except us," Nicole said.&nbsp; That was something of a motto with her -- rough as they had to live, she still felt like they were all that was left of civilization most of the time.&nbsp; She would be very happy to be proved wrong, though.<br><br>"And shaking a stick at them never does any good anyway," she teased, getting the main course heating by the fire while she worked at opening up the can of fruit.&nbsp; She frowned, though, at his mention of a gun.&nbsp; "And I still think I don't want a firearm.&nbsp; Just find me a broken one.&nbsp; I'll carry it and look tough."&nbsp; She grinned at that, though it was true she did look at least stubborn, and had a certain wiry strength.<br><br>"But yeah, we can take a couple of days to search.&nbsp; We might as well.&nbsp; We could use some more clothes, too."&nbsp; She shivered faintly, edging closer to the fire.&nbsp; This was going to be a chilly night.&nbsp; They'd suffered through worse, but that didn't make her any less cold right now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>30-05-2008, 23:42:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain nodded, but said, "Intimidation is all well and good, but when push comes to shove, you need some sort of defense. Most of the mutants are not smart enough to recognize a gun when they see it. But it is your call. I will just try to pick up the pieces when it all falls apart."<br><br>He glanced at the paltry amount of supplies that had been found here, and sighed again, before saying, "This sucks."<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>31-05-2008, 16:26:02</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole sighed.&nbsp; It was an old, familiar argument, though never a serious one.&nbsp; She knew what had to be done to survive, and for his sake, she'd do it, even if it did bother her sometimes.<br><br>But he was right; it was the supplies that were the real issue.&nbsp; "We've been through worse before.&nbsp; And we will again.&nbsp; But things aren't so awful right now."&nbsp; &nbsp;She smiled, unconvincingly, and handed him a spoon.&nbsp; "Here, eat something.&nbsp; We can probably find more in the morning."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>31-05-2008, 20:46:50</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				He took the spoon, and idly popped it into his mouth, before pushing himself up, and taking one of the cans. He idly drew the spoon through it, and then began to eat, only taking a bit less than half, before handing it over to his sister. He then threw himself back down, and stared at the ceiling, before sighing, and muttering to himself, "I will set up the bed tonight, and then do a bit of searching myself. Should have about a half hour of light left."<br><br>Setting up the 'bed', which was really two blankets, another two on top of those to be pulled over them, and a fifth one for a pillow, he then wandered off into the ruins of the store, looking for anything useable to Nicole might have missed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>31-05-2008, 22:50:32</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"The light's already bad.&nbsp; We can look again in the morning," Nicole objected, but by then he was already heading off to search.&nbsp; "You have to sleep sometime, you know," she called over her shoulder, shaking her head as she started eating herself.&nbsp; "If you're not back in ten minutes, I'm eating your dessert," she muttered to herself, already eyeing the can of fruit.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>01-06-2008, 07:22:59</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				He waved to her, letting her know he heard, but continued onward, not really wanting to search, but just to be alone again. He rounded a corner or two, and then sat down on a countertop, idly staring out at the street. He was not that hungry, and while the fruit would be nice, he did not care if he missed it. Everything seemed so pointless, trying to find something left that might resemble civilization.<br><br>But after about ten minutes or so, he slammed his heels against the counter, and then jumped down, but turned as he heard something metallic rattle about in the hollow space. Vaulting over, he glanced about, and grinned to himself, as he found another pair of cans, one of fruit and another of questionable contents, the label was missing. Grabbing both, he walked back to the camp site, and sat down, before opening both cans, and handing the one with fruit to Nicole.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>01-06-2008, 08:16:12</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole hadn't started into the fruit yet, waiting a little edgily for his return.&nbsp; When he did reappear, she frowned doubtfully, now faintly concerned about him.&nbsp; She knew that the best way to handle his moods was not to make too much fuss about them, so at first all she said was, "Thanks."<br><br>They ate in companionable silence for a while, before she finally spoke up again.&nbsp; "You really do need to rest a little more sometimes, you know.&nbsp; Well, not that we ever really get to <em>rest</em>, but you know what I mean," she added dryly, carefully saving half the fruit for him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>01-06-2008, 22:57:16</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain took the can of fruit, and gave his sister a deadpan look, before saying, "Rest is a dangerous necessity. I will rest when we know that we are safe."<br><br>Digging into the backpack, he brought out a small bowl, and carefully poured half the fruit into it, and then half of the other can into it as well, before handing it to Nicole. Using his knife, he popped the seal on the mystery can, and then glanced at the contents before saying, "Maybe some sort of soup. Lets heat it on the fire for a bit, something warm will do wonders for us."<br><br>Setting the can near the fire, he then slowly started eating fruit, before asking, "So, your ideas on the plan to stay here for a few days, and scavenge?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 04:55:12</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				It wasn't a bad sentiment, and Nicole would have agreed with him wholeheartedly -- except for the fact that she didn't think they'd ever really be safe at all, so they'd have to find a way to deal with that.<br><br>She ate slowly as well, a habit they both had, to help make meals last and fool their stomachs into thinking they were full sooner.&nbsp; At his question, she shrugged, then nodded.&nbsp; "It's the best option, I think.&nbsp; It's been a while since we stayed anywhere longer than a day, and we're overdue for a really good scavenge.&nbsp; We'll do all right if we're careful -- and if there is anything like civilization out there, it'll still be there even if we do take a couple of days off travelling towards it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 18:06:12</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				He nodded, and pulled the soup away from the fire, and swirled it around a few times in its can, before sighing, and handing it to Nicole, "Not hungry. Here, you can have it."<br><br>Finished with his meal, he walked over to the 'bed' and stripped off his shoes, and said, "Hopefully a shoe store survived. I could use some new boots, these are falling apart."<br><br>And it was true, the 'boots' were more duct tape then material, but it held together well enough, and protected his feet. He then lay down on his half of the blanket, and said, "Going to be too cold to sleep apart."<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 18:30:45</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"You should also figure out if you're hungry first, before you go opening up every can we find," she scolded gently.&nbsp; She didn't want to hog all the food, but it would also be criminal to let it go to waste.&nbsp; It was very bland soup, just some sort of broth, but anything warm was fine with her, really.<br><br>"We'll find something while we're here," she promised, glancing at her own shoes, which were in better shape, but still in obvious need of replacement.&nbsp; "Maybe even a sleeping bag," she added wistfully.&nbsp; Such survival gear had been the first things to be grabbed when the crisis hit, but they could still sometimes be found abandoned in odd places, though too damaged to be useable more often than not.<br><br>"It always is."&nbsp; The world had avoided the worst of a nuclear winter, somehow, but temperatures were still well below what they dimly remembered from Before.&nbsp; She also kicked off her shoes, packed away the few utensils they'd used, and yawned as she settled down next to him.&nbsp; "Oh, and there was a city map stuck up on the wall in there," she added.&nbsp; "Pretty faded, but we can try reading it in the light and see if it helps us search."&nbsp; Eyes already closed, she snuggled next to him, huddling up under the covers.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 18:53:52</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				He grinned as his sister joined him, and then flipped the covers up over them, and glanced at the fire, but did not bother to get up, noting it was already dying out. He snuggled up against her, sighing in pleasure as her warmth joined his own, and was soon nodding off. He never really slept, more of slipped into a half sleep that somewhat refreshed him, but left him aware of his surroundings.<br><br>But tonight, with his sister this close to him, he felt safe, and was drifting into a deeper sleep. He slipped one arm around Nicole and pulled her close, before murmuring, as he dozed off completely, "Good night."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 20:35:17</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Good night," she murmured, almost as close to sleep as he was.&nbsp; It was impossible to be a deep sleeper, really -- not if one wanted to live to for longer than a week -- but Nicole was slightly harder to wake up than her brother, as a general rule.&nbsp; And tonight, with the little bit of extra food and the relative warmth under the covers, she was sleeping as deeply as she ever did.<br><br>A last loud crackle from the dying fire made her eyes flicker open, but she nodded off again almost instantly, her only other reaction being to press faintly closer to Brian, comforted by his arm around her, already half-dreaming about what they might find tomorrow.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 20:41:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Brains dreams were fleeting, quickly forming and being lost in the passages of sleep, but he awoke halfway through the night at his sister's gasp, wondering what was wrong. He suddenly snatched his hand away from her, realizing that it had been resting on her ass, and swallowed, hoping that she would not wake up. He shuddered, trying to shove his mind away from how firm her body was, and rolled over, before pushing back against her, so he would not repeat his mistake again.<br><br>He sighed, and then began to doze again, though this time he was sleeping lighter, trying to not fully fall asleep. However, he soon lost, and slipped back into the deeper sleep, enjoying the warmth, and relative comfort of Nicole's presence.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 20:59:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Oblivious to any discomfort on his part, Nicole was only concerned about staying warm, and even barely awake kept as close to him as she could.&nbsp; When he turned away, she pressed against his back, now putting her arm around him, sharing as much warmth as possible.&nbsp; It was quite natural and sensible as far as she was concerned, and if she had any thoughts like his, they rarely made it to the surface.&nbsp; But she gave him a sleepy squeeze before dropping off again, once more dreaming dreams that were far lovelier than any reality she'd seen for years.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 21:07:53</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				In a better position now, he fully drifted to sleep, not waking until the sun came up, feeling as refreshed as he ever had. He blushed slightly, his memory of grabbing his sister's butt returning, but forced that memory back, not wanting to deal with it now. He rolled out of the bed, eager to get started, and pulled his boots on, before looking back at Nicole and gently shaking her shoulder to wake her. He wanted to start scavenging.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 21:21:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole sighed as he pulled away and got up, half trying to keep him next to her; then frowned, eyes still closed, as he shook her awake.&nbsp; "I know, time to move," she muttered, annoyed but resigned.&nbsp; Before, she'd never been a morning person, and though necessity had changed that, she could still be slow to get moving sometimes.<br><br>She stretched, sat up, and looked around for her boots.&nbsp; "Map first, then walk?" she asked, barely stifling a yawn.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 21:35:28</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Brian nodded, and pointed to her boots on the other side of the blankets, and said, "You clean up the bed, I will plot the best scavenge spots from the map?"<br><br>He then began to pick up the rest of the things that they had kept, storing them in the two backpack, and then went over to check the faded map. He examined it for a moment, before tapping several spots on it, and trying to carefully remove it from its spot on the wall. Sadly, the map nearly fell apart when he did that, and he was forced to leave it on the wall, lest it be completely destroyed. Turning back to her, he said, "There was a mall not far from here, maybe a half mile, that would be the best place to start."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 22:00:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Okay," she said, then gave in to the yawn as she started folding and repacking while he checked the map.&nbsp; She was pretty functional, but didn't really want to have to think too much just yet.<br><br>His news, though, helped wake her up a little more.&nbsp; "Cool.&nbsp; With any luck, that'll save some time."&nbsp; She also let herself hope, cautiously, for the possibility of a real mattress for tonight -- though it had been so long, maybe she couldn't even sleep at all on anything so comfortable anymore.&nbsp; "Here's to a not completely ransacked shoe store," was all she said aloud, finishing the last of the packing and handing him his backpack for the walk.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 22:24:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain grinned, and said, "And maybe a clothing store that still has some good products left."<br><br>He threw his backpack over his shoulder, and grinned at his sister, before turning and walking off toward where the mall was, if they were where he thought where. He grinned, and seemed to have some extra bounce in his step as they moved off. He was still alert however, knowing that the mall would be a great place to hole up for a while, even if everything had been ransacked.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 22:57:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Pleased that he seemed in a better mood today, Nicole fell into step with him, in their usual steady stride.&nbsp; They did seem to be near some sort of shopping area, stores of all kinds getting more and more frequent, and before long she thought she could see the roof of a large building that could only be a mall of some kind.&nbsp; Now she seemed happier too -- this would be interesting, even if there wasn't much left worth salvaging.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>02-06-2008, 23:04:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain was in a better mood, he was getting to scavenge and not have to fight anything for it. Nearly to the mall, the sign had been destroyed, but the word mall was still legible, he wanted to run toward it, and see what was left. But he forced himself to remain cautious, which probably what saved him. Something hissed softly, coming from a group of destroyed cars that had been thrown against a wall, and then something... slithered out from the wreck. It was large, nearly the size of a pony, and was unquestionably male, and looked like someone had given a pony the scales of a snake, and the intelligence of a human.<br><br>It was crouched over, and he hissed to his sister, and drew the gun, hoping that it would work on the creature, but he figured he now knew why the city was deserted. This thing was big enough to eat a human and still be hungry, and it looked like it had not fed in a while, the ribs prominent against the scales. It stared at him, and then at Nicole, before hissing louder, and crouching down, ready to spring forward.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>03-06-2008, 01:23:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole had thought she'd imagined the hiss at first, but the movement forced her to give up on that idea.&nbsp; She moved quickly away from the creature, making sure she was out of the line of fire.&nbsp; Instinctively, she took up a largish piece of rubble -- it might not even slow the thing down, given its size, but she had to try something, and it might at least be a distraction.&nbsp; Her eyes fixed on the thing, gauging the moment when it would spring, and prepared to throw the piece of concrete the instant before it leapt, hoping to confuse it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>03-06-2008, 02:06:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As the thing leaned forward, more weight shifting to its front legs, it abruptly hissed in pain, and straightened, its front left leg shifting to relieve weight. It still sprang forward with surprising speed, but not as fast as the two siblings could run. Brain said, as it started forward, "Behind us and to the left, there is rubble there that we can get over that it will not be able too!"<br><br>Turning he pulled Nicole toward the rubble patch, several destroyed cars and a fallen concrete wall, thinking that they could make it. Right up until an sudden swipe from the creature ripped across his back, shredding his shirt, and opening three bleeding lines in his back. He stumbled, and fell, the handgun coming around, trying to find the creature.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>03-06-2008, 15:09:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Startled by this sudden change in plan, Nicole hefted the rock in her hand at the thing, giving it a glancing blow to one hind leg.&nbsp; It noticed, but only just, and after that she had to save all her energy for running.<br><br>At first she didn't quite realize that the thing had gotten him, thinking that he'd only stumbled on a piece of wreckage.&nbsp; Then he turned, gun at the ready, and she saw the wounds on his back.&nbsp; She stifled a gasp -- now was not the time to distract him -- and returned to her earlier tactic, grabbing up whatever throwable things she could find and pitching them at the creature.&nbsp; Remembering the weakness in its leg, she tried to aim for that limb, to at least make it think twice about trying to attack again.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>03-06-2008, 22:33:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain saw the beast above him, and fired his gun twice, both shots connecting with the thing above him, and it let out a warble of pain, and was echoed by a second warble from the first beast. Understanding bloomed, there had been a second one, and he rolled out of the way of the collapsing animal, and ran on, ignoring the fires that ran along his back.<br><br>A third beast stepped out of a nearby building, but the mall was thankfully empty of any of the Warblers, as he thought of them, and he lunged into the rubble field, hoping they were safe.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>03-06-2008, 22:43:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole swore under her breath, also realizing that it wasn't the two of them against one after all.&nbsp; She threw the chunk of metal in her hand at the beast still standing nearby, which dodged back and glared at her before continuing to advance.<br><br>But by now they were practically on top of the pile that was all that was left of some shop or office building, and they could easily squeeze into the gaps between the pieces.&nbsp; Those horse-bird-snake things were too large, and a bit too awkward, to do the same, though they tried for several moments before giving up in frustration.&nbsp; But they didn't leave yet, still circling and pawing at the rubble, as the two siblings wriggled further inside, now well out of reach.<br><br>"Let me see your back," she said tensely, finding a patch where a little light managed to come through and half dragging him towards it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>03-06-2008, 23:47:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As they went further into the crack, they found more room, and eventually it connected with a hall, that seemed to have had power at one point. An emergency light was the source of the light that Nicole had seen, and Brain gasped at the first pull, and said, "I'm coming, I'm coming. I can move."<br><br>He was not nearly as nimble as he had been before, but he eventually joined her in the light, and muttered, "Hey, this place still has power, we might even find frozen foods! Think about, real meat, not canned stuff!"<br><br>Wincing as his slashed back suddenly protested, he allowed himself to be examined. The flesh had been torn up, but the creature had only ripped the muscles beneath a bit and no bones were showing. While he would have an interesting trio of scars, he should survive, provided they did not become infected, which was a definite possibility. His backpack was torn, and the two blankets inside it were shredded, but the food that was in it was fine, except for a single can that had been sliced nearly in half, spilling its contents onto the ground and his back.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 01:00:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Normally Nicole would have been ecstatic at the idea of electric power and real food, but right now she didn't want to spare too much attention for anything except the state of his wounds.&nbsp; She pulled the backpack away, noticing that a few things were still salvageable, thankfully, before she returned to checking his back.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Yeah, well, it'll all still be there in a minute," she muttered, peeling away the remains of his shirt.&nbsp; "We have to get this clean.&nbsp; Let me see what's in the first aid kit."<br><br>She opened her own backpack now, pulling out the small metal box they'd scavenged long ago, and now kept filled with whatever bandages and such things they could find.&nbsp; There was never much of that, but there were a couple of alcohol pads she'd been saving for an emergency, and here it was now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 01:10:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain gasped in pain as the alcohol pads were applied to the long, narrow slashes, and then stoically weathered through the rest, and said, "I wonder if we are going to find any other supplies here. I have a single shot in the chamber and one in the magazine. After that, we are screwed. And not in a good way."<br><br>When she finally finished, he shivered, and let her apply what patches to the wounds she could, before he said, "Come on, I will survive for the next five minutes, lets see what is left!"<br><br>He pushed himself away from the wall, and started jogging down the hall, wanting to find something filling for once. Anything other than the canned goods and MREs that they had been surviving off of since the Swarm.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 15:18:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Okay, yeah, just don't start undoing everything I just did," Nicole said, frowning.&nbsp; With such long scratches, even if they weren't deep, the few alcohol swabs she'd had probably hadn't been enough to clean them properly, but she'd done her best.&nbsp; Now they'd have to cross their fingers.<br><br>Out of instinct, she quickly hid their backpacks, then followed him down the hall.&nbsp; The light was dim, and a rather sickly green, and the whole effect was pretty eerie, even for someone who'd spent the last few years dealing with things like those warbling snake-ponies up above.&nbsp; Maybe there was still some kind of solar battery running.&nbsp; In any case, this was about the best thing they'd found for a long time -- maybe ever, depending what they found ahead.<br><br>The hall seemed to open up ahead of them into a larger space, and she thought she caught a glimpse of a door as well.&nbsp; It seemed deserted and long empty, and she wondered, amazed, if no one had been here since the Swarm.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 20:12:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brian reached the door ahead before Nicole, and listened for a moment, before slowly and carefully opening the door. He looked about, and shifted through the door, and said, "Be right back."<br><br>If she agreed, he slipped off, and about ten minutes later, he came back, and said, "I think I know why this place is so deserted. All of the entrances are covered in rubble, and there are skeletons everywhere. I don't think anyone in here during the Meteor Swarm got out."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 21:29:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole reluctantly agreed -- he always wanted to scout ahead in places like these, and she always hated it, but she put up with it.&nbsp; But she didn't bother to conceal her impatience, and it seemed like an hour before he returned.<br><br>His news, though, made her grimace.&nbsp; What a terrible fate, to die buried in here like this, without anyone outside even knowing what had happened to you.&nbsp; "What kind of building is this?" she asked, trying to distract herself.&nbsp; "Office building, what?"&nbsp; There might not be much in an office building, but at least this was one time when they'd get first pick of everything.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 21:58:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He shrugged, and said, "Ground floor of an office building, but what I really liked was these."<br><br>He held up two clips of pistol ammo, and said, "Several security guards were here during the strike, and they died with the rest. They also had what looked like a medical station down one of the halls, but I wanted to get back before you started worrying."<br><br>He pushed the door open so she could get in, though he gasped in pain as his knee suddenly slammed against the door with a hollow thud.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 22:07:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>Too late,</em> she thought, but didn't say anything.&nbsp; He probably thought she worried too much, though in her eyes, the world was a dangerous enough place to make worrying just a sensible thing to do. "Well, good, let's see what they have for medical stuff.&nbsp; We're almost out -- like usual," she added dryly.<br><br>She flinched in sympathy as his knee hit the door.&nbsp; "Careful," she said, checking automatically for damage.&nbsp; "Weird, though... I wonder if it's supposed to sound that hollow?" she mused, tapping on the door with her knuckles.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>04-06-2008, 22:15:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The door was indeed hollow, though down low it did not sound hollow. Perhaps the metal door had had a wooden interior, and the wood had rotted away. Without welding tools, however, they could not cut through and find out for sure. Brian, however gave his sister a half hearted glare, and said, "Why don't you go get the packs, I am not going anywhere. Maybe when you get back I will be able to feel my lower leg again. Funny bones, ain't."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 01:05:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Good, I don't have to worry about losing track of you," she said, smiling, even though she knew he must be annoyed with himself.&nbsp; "Be right back."&nbsp; The packs weren't far, and she almost didn't even get out of earshot, but she still hurried, just in case.&nbsp; She was so used to them being together, and depending on each other, that it seemed strange to be away from him even briefly.&nbsp; "How are you doing?" she asked as she returned, glancing curiously at the door again.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 04:17:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He waved her on her way, not voicing his irritation, and waited. When she returned, he said, "Still quite numb, but I can walk, I think."<br><br>He managed to stand up, and took a few tentative steps, before asking, "Alright, what do we do first? Split up or stay together to search?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 16:35:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Maybe we'd better stick together, at least to start with," Nicole said.&nbsp; "If this place is as big as I remember office buildings being, we might lose each other if we split up.&nbsp; And we should check the first aid stuff, anyway, so I can try and do a better job on your back.&nbsp; There might at least be some aspirin or something else for the pain.&nbsp; Is it really bad?"&nbsp; She kept the question casual, knowing he hated fuss.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 18:10:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He shook his head, and said, "Other than it feels like a demon is raking red hot claws across my back, and that my knee is still numb as if I hit it, I am fine. Thanks goodness that neither of those actually happened. Oh, wait, they did."<br><br>He limped onward to the first aid room, hoping that it would be stocked, though when he arrived at the door, he found that he could not open the door. It should open out toward him, and yet he could not get it to budge. He grunted after a moment, and said, "Someone must have locked it from the inside, which means... they are still... in there. Since it does not have a lock on this side."<br><br>He turned around, and stared back down the hall, and said, "That is a creepy thought, that someone was so scared of what was going on out here that they sealed themselves in a room."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 18:43:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole hesitated, now not so sure she wanted those supplies quite so badly after all.&nbsp; But they had to have them -- this wouldn't be the last time one of them got hurt somehow, and things like that were getting harder and harder to find.&nbsp; This room could be a treasure trove.<br><br>"I might've done the same thing," she murmured uneasily.&nbsp; "Can you imagine them all, fighting over food and water, probably killing each other over it.&nbsp; I'm surprised you found any bullets left."&nbsp; She frowned, studying the door, wondering how hard it would be to get it open.&nbsp; "I don't suppose you've seen a crowbar lately?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 19:58:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain considered the problem, before saying, "They have to have have to have an air duct or vent,and maybe I can squeeze through. I have not seen anything that might lever open the door."<br><br>Looking around, he pointed back down the hall a ways, and said, "That might work, but I don't think I can get in with this knee. Do you want to try?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 20:46:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Sure, I'll try it," she replied, with a confidence she didn't feel.&nbsp; They were about the same size anyway, though in spite of iffy nutrition and occasional starvation, Nicole had managed to get a few curves.&nbsp; If he would fit, most likely she would as well, and they'd have to try.&nbsp; She'd just have to ignore whatever terrible scene she might find inside.&nbsp; "As long as you can give me a boost up, I can probably make it through the rest of the way," she added, eyeing the distance from the floor to the small vent.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 21:44:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brian nodded, set himself, before giving his sister a boost up, and then going to sit down by the door, waiting for her to get through.<br><br>Inside, Nicole would find that the vent was rather dusty, smelt of death, and was a tight squeeze for her. The metal had rusted in spots, and left holes that would catch and tear her flesh and clothing if she was not careful. It was not far to the exit vent, only twenty feet or so, but it would take her some time in order to get there...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 22:00:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole wished she could figure out a way to go without breathing while she was doing this.&nbsp; The dust and the terrible, musty smell seemed to coat her lungs, but there was nothing to be done about that, and soon the larger problem of getting through unscratched took up all her thoughts, anyway.&nbsp; It took some doing to keep track of where all the danger spots were, and she was glad that her boots were still intact enough to allow her not to worry too much about pushing off with her feet, at least.<br><br>At first it seemed she wasn't getting anywhere, but after a few minutes she found a certain rhythm and started to make steady, visible progress at last.&nbsp; The smell only grew worse, of course, but she'd expected that.&nbsp; All she could do was brace herself.&nbsp; There wasn't much light in the room, apparently only one small bulb burning, which was a definite relief.&nbsp; The less detail of whatever body was in there she saw, the better.<br><br>At last she reached the far grating, and started working, gingerly, to get it open.&nbsp; It would be too ridiculous to wound herself now, when she was so close to her goal.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>05-06-2008, 22:27:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her clothing was slightly torn up by a few of the rust holes, the sharp edges having caught them, regardless of how hard she tried, the vent had simply been too tight to fully dodge the holes. However, she had avoided personal damage, and looking through the grating revealed that there were three skeletons in the room. Two of them were tied down to the tables, wearing the tattered remains of dress, while the third skeleton sat in the corner, not having any clothing on it. <br><br>The vent cover popped off when she pushed on it, not secured very well, and clattered to the ground.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>06-06-2008, 16:55:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole nearly jumped out of her skin as the vent clattered down to the floor, the sound echoing almost painfully in the vent.&nbsp; Catching her breath, she looked around the room, and flinched at the sight.&nbsp; Had they tortured each other?&nbsp; She turned away from the bodies, concentrating all her energy on getting herself down to the floor without killing herself.<br><br>The desk was below her, though off to the side, but she aimed for that anyway, reluctant to let herself fall all the way to the floor.&nbsp; A little careful maneuvering, followed by one sudden swing and then a controlled fall to the desk, worked reasonably well, and she landed slightly bruised, but intact.&nbsp; Dust swirled everywhere, making her sneeze, and she covered her nose and mouth with her shirt as she went over to fumble at the door, unlocking it for Brian, suddenly desperate not to be alone in this cemetary.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>07-06-2008, 06:26:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain was sitting down on the ground near the door, trying to not worry. He had pulled the nearly empty clip from the pistol, and put in the full one in the gun. He put one of the remaining spare bullets into the chamber of the gun, and then loaded it, giving him fifteen shots instead of fourteen before reloading. If someone was counting shots, they would be in for a rude surprise. He put the gun up, and then turned as the door began to open, and hugged Nicole as she stepped around.<br><br>Stepping into the room, he glanced at the skeletons, and said, "Fun. Don't want to know. Bandages and supplies would be... where?"<br><br>He turned in a circle, and then began to to rifle through the cabinets looking for supplies.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>07-06-2008, 21:33:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I don't want to know, either," Nicole said firmly, shaking her head.&nbsp; She joined in the search -- there was an obvious first aid kit mounted on the wall, the door open and most of the stuff spilled onto the floor.&nbsp; There was still quite a bit left, simple things like bandages and painkillers, but these days, things like that were worth more than gold.<br><br>One or two things were obviously ruined, but otherwise she just scooped up everything that looked remotely useable.&nbsp; "This is the jackpot.&nbsp; Almost makes it worth the smell."&nbsp; The other, heavy-duty cabinets probably held the better stuff, like prescription meds, she thought, and she grabbed a keychain from the desk.&nbsp; "Try this, if they're locked," she said, tossing them over to him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>07-06-2008, 22:18:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain caught the keys almost absently, and began to try every lock, before going back and checking to see what was in each one. About half the liquid filled bottles were empty, their contents evaporated, but most of the remaining items still had their seals intact. He stopped, and pulled out one bottle, and read, "Wide spectrum antibiotic. Huh, this stuff is for preventing infections. Need to drink a bit myself."<br><br>In results of the cabinet was a three bottles of antibiotics, a large package of allergy pills, a package of cough drops, a bottle of anti-migraine pills, and a few other medical oddities, like a finger cast, a sling, and a wrist brace. He looked around, and said, "This stuff is going to be too much to carry in your backpack, and mine is destroyed. We will need more food stuffs, but this is looking good, even with the things outside."<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>08-06-2008, 03:16:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah, you need something like that, just in case," she said, glancing over her shoulder before going back to sorting through her finds.&nbsp; "I'm sure we can find another bag around here, even if it isn't a backpack.&nbsp; Just something to make do.&nbsp; We'll have to really look through everything and decide what we should keep.&nbsp; I wish we could take it all," she added with a sigh.&nbsp; "There might not be another stash like this between here and the ocean."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>09-06-2008, 01:46:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brian shrugged, and said, "Maybe not, but not everything will be usable for us. Like joint pain medicine. Pretty sure neither of us need to worry about that for a long while. If ever."<br><br>He gathered up what he could, and then walked over to see what his sister had found.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>09-06-2008, 04:38:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well, I know we'll want these," she said, setting aside several aspirin packets, a small bottle of antiseptic lotion and a larger one of alcohol.&nbsp; These went a long way towards filling up their small first aid box, but she also made sure to add some bandages.&nbsp; "What have you got there?&nbsp; Plenty of painkillers and such?" she asked, craning her neck to see whatever treasures Brian had found.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>09-06-2008, 04:48:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He held up the two bottles of anti-biotics, the headache pills and the sling, and said, "Most of the other stuff is not any good anymore. So do we look around some more, and see what else we can find, or try to deal with the warsa outside?"<br><br>He had decided to name the things outside after something from a book he vaguely remembered. A combination of greyhound and snake had had a similar name, even though these things were still different. He had seen them first, so he got to name them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>09-06-2008, 15:44:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Warsa?" she echoed, then shrugged.&nbsp; It was as good a name as any, and they had to call them something.&nbsp; "I vote for staying here for a while.&nbsp; With any luck, they'll either give up and look for something easier to eat, or they'll eat each other," she said grimly.&nbsp; "Besides, there's probably still more good stuff down here.&nbsp; We should take a good look around."&nbsp; Packing up the things, she slung her backpack up over her shoulders again and prepared, gratefully, to leave this unsettling room.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>10-06-2008, 18:53:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain inspected his backpack before sighing, and said, "Hopefully we can find a replacement soon, that swipe took something out of this backpack and it has little left."<br><br>He carefully shouldered the backpack, and helped store the new findings Nicole's before impulsively giving her a hug. He then headed out of the room, and waited for Nicole to join him before shutting the door behind her. He looked around, and said, "They are not likely to have much left here that is usable, this was an office building after all."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>10-06-2008, 22:12:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah, unless they had a cafeteria, we're probably out of luck on food," Nicole said, talking just a little too quickly.&nbsp; His unexpected hug had made her nervous, equally unexpectedly.&nbsp; "But somewhere there's probably a bag you can use.&nbsp; A duffel bag, or maybe one of those little suitcase-things they used to use.&nbsp; It can't hurt to look, especially if it helps us avoid those things up top."<br><br>She all but bit her tongue to make herself stop talking, then took a deep breath.&nbsp; "Did you look down there already?" she asked, pointing down the hall to the left.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>11-06-2008, 04:24:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He had given her a hug because he felt great about their finds so far, and it made him hope that the rest of the town was just as good. Except where the meteor had hit, he intended to avoid that place as much as possible.<br><br>He glanced at Nicole, and said, "True, and yes. It led to the security room with a single skeleton in it, and the two clips of bullets I had found. That way," he pointed down another hall, further up the main hall they had just entered, also on the left, "Leads to a records room. That way, however, I have no idea. Some of the hallways are collapsed, and the stairs I could find were too hazardous to try and climb, the metal stairs were hanging by a few screws in spots. The upper floors might be completely inaccessible."<br><br>He had turned around, and was gesturing in the opposite directions, with several other hallways.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>11-06-2008, 15:48:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"We might as well just stay down here.&nbsp; No sense pushing our luck," Nicole remarked.&nbsp; "We'll just try a new direction now," she added, turning to head the opposite direction from the area he'd explored.<br><br>It soon opened up into a typical hallway, offices lining either side, mainly small, windowless cubicles that must have been awful to sit in for hours on end.&nbsp; There were dead computers everywhere, and now and then a corpse, making searching unpleasant, but she was willing tro keep moving determinedly on if he was.&nbsp; She even spotted a largish, soft-sided briefcase beneath a desk, which she pulled out and handed to Brian.&nbsp; "Hey, try this for now," she suggested.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>12-06-2008, 06:55:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He took the briefcase, and then gave her a look, that plotted mischief, before setting it on the desk and popping it open. He felt a bit of surprise at its contents, and pulled out a few folders, and a letter opener. Long and thin, it would be a good substitute for a knife for a bit. He checked the laptop that was in the case, but it was dead, too long without recharging. He handed her the letter opener, and then emptied the other contents onto the desk, and began to place things into it, before dumping his nearly totaled backpack on the ground.<br><br>Looking around, he then pulled the strap out of the case, and slung the case over a shoulder, before saying, "Alright, offices, offices, and strangely enough, yet more offices. Hopefully we find something unusual soon, like an office."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>13-06-2008, 01:05:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole took the opener, looking it over curiously.&nbsp; It wasn't very sharp, but it was at least sturdy.&nbsp; Nothing else in the case looked useful, but at least the case itself was still in good shape, and not too awkward to carry.<br><br>"Hey, an office got you a new bag, at least," she said, teasingly.&nbsp; "But it can't all be just offices."&nbsp; And a few more doors later, they found a break room area.&nbsp; The vending machines inside had all been emptied long ago, and a couple of them had been knocked over, but there was still a fairly comfortable looking couch and a large pile of jackets and coats that had probably been used as blankets and pillows.&nbsp; "Oh, check these out," she exclaimed, looking through them.&nbsp; "They're not really warm, but they're in nice shape."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>13-06-2008, 21:35:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain nodded, and said, "That will replace my shirt, at least until we find something that is an actual one. And no, I am still not wearing pink."<br><br>He gave her a glare, which said he had not forgotten the time she had tried to get him into some pink shoes, as he selected a gray wind breaker, and pulled it on. He then headed out of the break room, and said, "You check the left side, I will check the right side. That way we search faster."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>13-06-2008, 21:56:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Those shoes were perfectly good!&nbsp; They even fit you."&nbsp; Nicole grinned at the familiar argument, though her smile faltered at the idea of splitting up.&nbsp; She wasn't about to admit that, though, since all she was really afraid of was finding more unpleasant bodies, and he would just tease her unmercifully about that.<br><br>"Okay.&nbsp; Meet back here?" she suggested.&nbsp; "I don't suppose this'll take long, anyway."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>13-06-2008, 23:35:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He gave her a strange look at her fear of splitting up, and said, "Look, if something was here, it would have already scavenged, and then moved on. And we are not even going to leave the same hall. Seriously, if something attacks one of us, the other gets a front row seat to it."<br><br>He moved down the right side of the only hall that seemed to be intact, and began rifling through the room, ignoring the bodies, all of which were skeletons, the meat long since been cleaned away by the carrion feeders. A few rooms looked promising, but he did not find much of anything useful, as the office was for a world that had not been destroyed by a meteor. The only item that looked even usable was a metal object, with a probe and a slide card, attached to a small computer.<br><br>He picked it up, wondering what it was, though a memory tugged at the back of his mind trying to find its way to the surface. Some kind of tool obviously, maybe for electronic locks...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>14-06-2008, 00:07:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole picked up a few interesting odds and ends, most of which she put right back down again.&nbsp; The habit of travelling light was ingrained in both of them now.&nbsp; She kept a fancy gold pen, simply because she liked the look of it, but otherwise had to admit defeat.<br><br>Just a short time later, she was wandering back down the hall to meet Brian.&nbsp; Probably the best they could hope for at this point was that the creatures outside were gone, and they might be able to make it to the mall.&nbsp; That would really be a treasure trove.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>16-06-2008, 08:16:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brain found noting else that was worth keeping, other than a pencil and a pad of paper that he would take notes of what they had seen and done on, for later review. Never know, they might be able to trade the information for something interesting or useful, like food.<br><br>Returning to his sister, he rolled his shoulder, wincing as the wound pulled, and said, "Alright, this area was fairly useful, creepy skeletons aside. Shall we go see if the Warsa have gotten bored and left, or spend the night in an empty office I found?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>16-06-2008, 16:22:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Playing it safe was tempting, but trying to sleep in an office was not.&nbsp; If they were going to spend the night indoors, she'd prefer it to be on something that was at least sort of like a real bed.&nbsp; "Well, we might as well check and see if they're still there.&nbsp; We're so close to that mall, I'd really like to get there if we can.&nbsp; And considering how hungry they looked, they might easily have gone hunting after something else by now."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>16-06-2008, 17:07:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brian nodded, before turning and heading back, going for the hall they had used to get in. Once near the entrance, he drew his handgun, and pulled the hammer back, the safety off, and got ready for trouble. He carefully glanced out of the hole, ready to dart back in if the creatures were still around. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>16-06-2008, 17:17:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nicole was just as tense, braced for anything, creeping up alongside him and joining him in an anxious search of the area.&nbsp; Everything seemed quite still, no sound or movement that she could sense, and she prepared to climb out the rest of the way, shrugging and nodding hopefully to Brian.&nbsp; It seemed as though they'd at last gotten a little luck as far as those things were concerned, and she started plotting a course over to the mall.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>16-06-2008, 18:32:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brian carefully levers himself out of the hole, and then helps Nicole out. Glancing around, he gestures for Nicole to stay quiet, and then began to move along the rubble toward where he thought the mall was.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Valerian</strong> on <strong>16-06-2008, 19:40:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				This was familiar, both of them experts at sneaking like this, and Nicole stuck with him easily.&nbsp; She kept a sharp lookout, letting him lead while she watched for any sign of trouble.&nbsp; Still everything seemed perfectly quiet, and she started letting herself hope, though not relax.&nbsp; Not yet.<br><br>The corner of the mall came into view, and she smiled a little.&nbsp; Maybe their luck had changed, after all...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [HB] Weathering the Storms (Valerian &amp; BK Geno)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BK Geno</strong> on <strong>27-06-2008, 10:17:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Helping Nicole out of the hole, Brian secured his breifcase, and muttered uncomplimentary things about fashion sense not helping survival, before reorienting and starting toward the mall. His muttering was for show, mostly, he was actually in a fairly good mood, and was thinking the same thing that his sister was.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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