((Continued from Welcome to the Jungle))
Nich and Zed had made little progress before it got dark, and were approaching the river. Finlayson had crossed it earlier that day, following the river (not to mention the sparse cover of a few trees) and using the bridge to the southwest. Now that he thought about it, it really was fucking stupid to go so far out of the way just to avoid that one fair chunk of open ground. He hadn't wanted to take any stupid chances and get wasted right off the bat, but it had been a much longer route and had eaten up a whole lot of extra time. On the other hand, he wouldn't have found Zed if he hadn't looped around. In fact, Foreman'd probably be on the following morning announcements.
Now they had to make a choice. Night was now in full swing; the moon shone in between the leaves at odd intervals, becoming more and more visible as the forest began to fade gradually into open ground. The river lay in front of them, and on the other side a straightforward route to the village. Going around again would not only take longer, it would be backtracking. Nich had dismissed the idea that there was only one bridge along the whole frickin' river, but sure enough...
"Uh..." he droned for a minute, slackjawed, glancing back and forth from his map to the river. Moonlight cavorted along the flowing water, and the sound was misleading in its serenity. Nich let out a sigh. "We should cross it somehow; save time. It's a straight line from here to the village, according to El Mmmmapo." He took his sweet time pronouncing the final word, indicating that they were in no immediate danger, but gosh darnit, it sure would be swell to find some decent shelter before morning. If they pulled an all-nighter making their way there, it'd be much harder to stay alert and, you know, survive and all. However, if they slept out in the open, they could both kiss their asses goodbye. They really didn't have a choice at all, come to think of it.
"It's your call, dude," he lied.
Improvising
Improvising
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Zachary Foreman's hands seemed to be encrusted in whatever configuration they were holding now, from the blood, dirt, and other assorted bodily fluids he had secreted - some intentionally, some unintentionally. One of them was currently locked around his newly-acquired weapon, which he would probably not have the strength to use optimally unless his pain drove him into some kind of Bullet-Time-style rage.
He and his party (of sorts) had come to a river as they exited the winding forest, and for this he breathed a huge sigh of relief. The game had only started, but if he hadn't been discovered after what he hoped was some twisted introduction cutscene, he might have not "lived" to see the night. Besides, this game was now getting too interesting to just "quit" from...though the "injuries" he suffered were quite discouraging in themselves. That and the lack of background music was almost eerie.
"We should cross. Hopefully it's not that deep..." Zed muttered, moving first toward the river and dipping his hands into the water.
Zed gasped quietly as his hands entered the cleansing, cool waters, and slowly began to wash his tainted appendages of the filth it had acquired. The coldness of the water seemed to shoot a burst of relief up his arm to the affected wound, which he'd manage to bandage on his way out. Granted, it was more like spraying water over a burning Iraqi oil well, but it was a real start.
He was careful not to let the weapon loose in the current, in case his new partner had decided to betray him early on. The night chill had calmed his growls and winces into moans and twitches, but that didn't discount the fact that the pain was still there and biting. Zed was half-thankful that it was getting dark, and only the moonlight would reveal the true colors of his special bandages once he had to expose them again.
He and his party (of sorts) had come to a river as they exited the winding forest, and for this he breathed a huge sigh of relief. The game had only started, but if he hadn't been discovered after what he hoped was some twisted introduction cutscene, he might have not "lived" to see the night. Besides, this game was now getting too interesting to just "quit" from...though the "injuries" he suffered were quite discouraging in themselves. That and the lack of background music was almost eerie.
"We should cross. Hopefully it's not that deep..." Zed muttered, moving first toward the river and dipping his hands into the water.
Zed gasped quietly as his hands entered the cleansing, cool waters, and slowly began to wash his tainted appendages of the filth it had acquired. The coldness of the water seemed to shoot a burst of relief up his arm to the affected wound, which he'd manage to bandage on his way out. Granted, it was more like spraying water over a burning Iraqi oil well, but it was a real start.
He was careful not to let the weapon loose in the current, in case his new partner had decided to betray him early on. The night chill had calmed his growls and winces into moans and twitches, but that didn't discount the fact that the pain was still there and biting. Zed was half-thankful that it was getting dark, and only the moonlight would reveal the true colors of his special bandages once he had to expose them again.
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The current wasn't too bad; they wouldn't get swept away, at least. And it didn't look too deep in this stretch of the water. Nich was sure it was deeper over by the bridge.
"Alrighty," he half-smiled, half-cringed after squatting down beside the bank and testing the water with his fingers. It was pretty cold, but discomfort was a small price to pay for survival. Nich took a couple steps back, readjusting his daypack and dufflebag, and got a running start, so's to clear more water. 'Maybe I can clear the whole thing,' he thought, furrowing his brow and taking one final grace step, which he overshot by a couple inches and fell headlong into the river, the resounding splash mingling with his cry of "woah, fuck!"
The water shot an icy chill through his entire body, and he scrambled up quickly gasping and cursing and carrying on. "Shit shit shit!" he cried, barrelling as fast as he could toward the other end. The river was fairly shallow, about knee level as he now realized. He made it to the opposite ground and stopped, dropping his wet gear and shaking his head vigorously, his long hair becoming like a flailing wet mop. "Don't you say a fucking word, Zed!" he said loudly, still shaking himself dry.
"Alrighty," he half-smiled, half-cringed after squatting down beside the bank and testing the water with his fingers. It was pretty cold, but discomfort was a small price to pay for survival. Nich took a couple steps back, readjusting his daypack and dufflebag, and got a running start, so's to clear more water. 'Maybe I can clear the whole thing,' he thought, furrowing his brow and taking one final grace step, which he overshot by a couple inches and fell headlong into the river, the resounding splash mingling with his cry of "woah, fuck!"
The water shot an icy chill through his entire body, and he scrambled up quickly gasping and cursing and carrying on. "Shit shit shit!" he cried, barrelling as fast as he could toward the other end. The river was fairly shallow, about knee level as he now realized. He made it to the opposite ground and stopped, dropping his wet gear and shaking his head vigorously, his long hair becoming like a flailing wet mop. "Don't you say a fucking word, Zed!" he said loudly, still shaking himself dry.
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Zed did laugh as Nich fell into the water, apparently trying to clear as much of it as he could from his running start but ending up failing quite miserably. Of course, he didn't show it, bowing his head as Nich made it to the other side to allow the shadows to conceal the expression on his face. As soon as he had finished cleansing his hands, of course, it would be his turn to cross the waters, which thankfully were knee-deep.
At least, it was where Nich had crossed. As Zed hobbled into the water he found it waist-deep. Which meant as he got immersed, the cold water soaked directly through his pants and bandages right to the soft, (still-)juicy center. Once it managed to seep all the way into there, Zed stopped in his spot, the current gently pushing and weaving around his waist. The feeling it resulted in was...unique, to say the least.
Zed's eyes widened, he gasped, and his grip on the Spanish Tickler tightened immensely. It felt like someone had firmly yet lovingly wrapped an ice-cold pulse measuring strap like those found in the drugstores around his most prized possessions. Shockwaves and chills were sent up and down his body, but not in any sexual manner whatsoever.It was like the anti-Venus.
So that's why they called it the cold shower.
He resumed his crossing, breathing erratically as the already familiar fiery pain down there clashed with the cooling sensation from the water. It could have been likened to the cooling water around a nuclear fission rod, as Zed was able to trudge back up to land significantly smoother than he did across the forest. Of course, all of those feelings would quickly disperse as the water began to dry off his pants.
"It was fun while it lasted..." he muttered with a tormented smile, clearly thinking aloud.
At least, it was where Nich had crossed. As Zed hobbled into the water he found it waist-deep. Which meant as he got immersed, the cold water soaked directly through his pants and bandages right to the soft, (still-)juicy center. Once it managed to seep all the way into there, Zed stopped in his spot, the current gently pushing and weaving around his waist. The feeling it resulted in was...unique, to say the least.
Zed's eyes widened, he gasped, and his grip on the Spanish Tickler tightened immensely. It felt like someone had firmly yet lovingly wrapped an ice-cold pulse measuring strap like those found in the drugstores around his most prized possessions. Shockwaves and chills were sent up and down his body, but not in any sexual manner whatsoever.It was like the anti-Venus.
So that's why they called it the cold shower.
He resumed his crossing, breathing erratically as the already familiar fiery pain down there clashed with the cooling sensation from the water. It could have been likened to the cooling water around a nuclear fission rod, as Zed was able to trudge back up to land significantly smoother than he did across the forest. Of course, all of those feelings would quickly disperse as the water began to dry off his pants.
"It was fun while it lasted..." he muttered with a tormented smile, clearly thinking aloud.
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Nich shook a little as he waited for Zed to cross, the night breeze chilling his entire body. "Hurry up, man," he said through gritted teeth. At least Zed got soaked waist deep, as he took a deeper route, and Nich chuckled.
They'd had to improvise a little, but this would ensure that they reached shelter much quicker. Nich gave a satisfied nod, still shivering, and reached out a hand to help Foreman up the slope to the other side. "I dunno about you, but my balls are on vacation," he snorted.
They'd had to improvise a little, but this would ensure that they reached shelter much quicker. Nich gave a satisfied nod, still shivering, and reached out a hand to help Foreman up the slope to the other side. "I dunno about you, but my balls are on vacation," he snorted.
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Zed reached out to receive Nich's hand with his free hand, with more confidence from the fact that hand was (relatively) clean and the cold-shock to his babies was a form of relief in itself. He groaned as he pulled himself up to shore, almost as if he was pulling out of something else. As he got back up he started shivering too, the cold water actually warming him up compared to the cooler weather.
"You should bring 'em back with a dip in there," he joked, looking upstream. He could probably spot the dots in the distance that were the other characters in the game, but they were probably either too busy to notice or were strategically placed there as part of some ominous story hint.
"So...where to?"
"You should bring 'em back with a dip in there," he joked, looking upstream. He could probably spot the dots in the distance that were the other characters in the game, but they were probably either too busy to notice or were strategically placed there as part of some ominous story hint.
"So...where to?"
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"Straight line, dude," he said, pointing with the axe and squinting one eye shut. "There's a hotel."
Nich congratulated himself for making such a strategically keen decision, and such a big sacrifice considering he was freezing his nards off, for the sake of his and Zed's survival. The industrial sector was clearly visible off in the distance, and beyond that was the hotel, according to the map. Northeast of that was a shopping mall, which seemed like a good spot to look for extra provisions the following morning. That was all the plan he had so far, but to be fair, this was no ordinary field trip.
Nich let out a deep breath, making an 'o' with his mouth and raising his eyebrows; trying to tell him he was unsure but optimistic. "Let's go," he sighed.
((Continued in Don't Panic))
Nich congratulated himself for making such a strategically keen decision, and such a big sacrifice considering he was freezing his nards off, for the sake of his and Zed's survival. The industrial sector was clearly visible off in the distance, and beyond that was the hotel, according to the map. Northeast of that was a shopping mall, which seemed like a good spot to look for extra provisions the following morning. That was all the plan he had so far, but to be fair, this was no ordinary field trip.
Nich let out a deep breath, making an 'o' with his mouth and raising his eyebrows; trying to tell him he was unsure but optimistic. "Let's go," he sighed.
((Continued in Don't Panic))
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Zachary looked out where Nich pointed with his axe. The industrial district was where a lot of the Z-boy's own games tended to start off, so it seemed only fitting. The "hotel" was, very likely, somewhere near or around it.
"Hope I've got enough gil to get us a save point." he muttered, jokingly.
Zed started to follow Nich, most likely toward the game's default hideout. His walk actually started off rather dignified and (standing) erect, but as the cold-snare from the water started to wear off, he was soon back to hobbling. Which was somehow okay with him, as soon as he could find rest he could clean himself properly and wake up the next morning with only a tolerable flame in his trousers.
"Let's."
((Continuada Elsewhere))
"Hope I've got enough gil to get us a save point." he muttered, jokingly.
Zed started to follow Nich, most likely toward the game's default hideout. His walk actually started off rather dignified and (standing) erect, but as the cold-snare from the water started to wear off, he was soon back to hobbling. Which was somehow okay with him, as soon as he could find rest he could clean himself properly and wake up the next morning with only a tolerable flame in his trousers.
"Let's."
((Continuada Elsewhere))
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