((Ambrose Lexington continued from Viridiana))
Wow, Ambrose was asleep much longer than he expected.
But then again, he could claim that he was "sick" and was afforded some sleep.
Well, "sleep" was a generous word. The painkillers didn't really set in, so every time he was close to drifting off, something surged or dripped and he felt the pain of that stupid minority girl again. He had already changed some of the bandages again, each time requiring more blood and snot to clean out from the head and nose injury.
Ambrose sat up and looked out the dark window. Maybe it wasn't so bad he slept in the day. More kids were probably retreating for the night. This was his chance to step outside and find supplies and weapons.
Ambrose packed up everything and held the knife in his good hand. He was venturing outside "Tristana's" for the first time in hours. He had already run into assholes and morons so far, so maybe there would be someone more agreeable in the distance.
Probably not, though.
Although, when Ambrose stepped outside, he recognized someone in the distance.
"Oh, hey. I see you're still around."
Machismo
Phase 2 (13-24 Hours), Private
Machismo
G014: Mayumi Tendou
((Michael Baird continued from I Always Knew I Could Do It))
When Michael saw someone step out of one of the buildings up ahead he hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not divert from his path but rather continued to walk towards them, striding down the middle of the street that ran through this small cluster of buildings he had stumbled into.
He probably should have been more careful, given their current situation, but at this point he was out of fucks to give; he had walked all the way across this island from north to south and hadn’t seen a single person all day. He was tired of walking around aimlessly and these buildings were as good a place as any to stop for a while; if this person up ahead wanted to start something then that just fit into Michael’s plans anyway. He didn’t recognise whoever it was from this far away, but seeing at this point anyone was better than nothing.
Well, almost anyone.
When the figure turned towards him Michael came to a stop, watching to see what the person decided to do once they realised he was there. He half expected them to panic, to see them turning and running away if he was lucky or draw a weapon if he was not; maybe they would try to speak to him, or even be happy to see him though he didn’t think he would be fortunate enough to have one of his friends here as well.
Or maybe if things really weren’t in his favour this would be someone like himself, someone who was actively trying to win. That would probably be the most dangerous situation of all and one that Michael would like to avoid as much as possible; if wanted to avoid getting into any actual fights if he could manage it, especially ones he wasn’t expected or wasn’t sure he could win.
These were the kind of scenarios that were running through his head all day as he looked for people. Whatever the case, whoever this was or whatever kind of game they were playing he would just end up shooting them anyway.
The stranger finally seemed to register Michael’s presence and called out to him. The voice was a little off, a little nasally like they had a head cold, but it was still recognisable. Suddenly Michael had a pretty good idea what category this person fell into and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.
“Don’t sound so disappointed Ambrose, I’ll get offended.” Closing the distance between the two of them the grin turned into a grimace as he caught sight of Ambrose’s face, or more specifically the bandages that covered it. “Jesus, what happen to you?”
When Michael saw someone step out of one of the buildings up ahead he hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not divert from his path but rather continued to walk towards them, striding down the middle of the street that ran through this small cluster of buildings he had stumbled into.
He probably should have been more careful, given their current situation, but at this point he was out of fucks to give; he had walked all the way across this island from north to south and hadn’t seen a single person all day. He was tired of walking around aimlessly and these buildings were as good a place as any to stop for a while; if this person up ahead wanted to start something then that just fit into Michael’s plans anyway. He didn’t recognise whoever it was from this far away, but seeing at this point anyone was better than nothing.
Well, almost anyone.
When the figure turned towards him Michael came to a stop, watching to see what the person decided to do once they realised he was there. He half expected them to panic, to see them turning and running away if he was lucky or draw a weapon if he was not; maybe they would try to speak to him, or even be happy to see him though he didn’t think he would be fortunate enough to have one of his friends here as well.
Or maybe if things really weren’t in his favour this would be someone like himself, someone who was actively trying to win. That would probably be the most dangerous situation of all and one that Michael would like to avoid as much as possible; if wanted to avoid getting into any actual fights if he could manage it, especially ones he wasn’t expected or wasn’t sure he could win.
These were the kind of scenarios that were running through his head all day as he looked for people. Whatever the case, whoever this was or whatever kind of game they were playing he would just end up shooting them anyway.
The stranger finally seemed to register Michael’s presence and called out to him. The voice was a little off, a little nasally like they had a head cold, but it was still recognisable. Suddenly Michael had a pretty good idea what category this person fell into and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.
“Don’t sound so disappointed Ambrose, I’ll get offended.” Closing the distance between the two of them the grin turned into a grimace as he caught sight of Ambrose’s face, or more specifically the bandages that covered it. “Jesus, what happen to you?”
Ah, finally. A real patriot. Nothing like that weak guy who ran from mild teasing, that guy who got scared by a bowl, and that awful minority bitch. Michael Baird was a proper American, and he seemed to be handling the Program well. He looked uninjured and surviving well. Ambrose had to smile.
"Well, I ran into a crazy chick who wasn't aware of gun safety," Ambrose told Michael.
It didn't matter if Ambrose told half-truths to his friend. He wasn't going to admit he was nearly beaten in a fight by some minority, so he'd just stretch it a bit.
"I was trying to negotiate with her, and she shot at me and even broke my nose," Ambrose said. "She saw me and my knife and decided to be unfair and not even try and give me a chance."
Ambrose tapped the bandage on his head.
"The dumb bitch didn't even double check to make sure the bullet went through my head, so I survived due to her incompetence. It sucks to be like this, but lesson learned, and I won't be making the same mistake again."
"And how are you?"
"Well, I ran into a crazy chick who wasn't aware of gun safety," Ambrose told Michael.
It didn't matter if Ambrose told half-truths to his friend. He wasn't going to admit he was nearly beaten in a fight by some minority, so he'd just stretch it a bit.
"I was trying to negotiate with her, and she shot at me and even broke my nose," Ambrose said. "She saw me and my knife and decided to be unfair and not even try and give me a chance."
Ambrose tapped the bandage on his head.
"The dumb bitch didn't even double check to make sure the bullet went through my head, so I survived due to her incompetence. It sucks to be like this, but lesson learned, and I won't be making the same mistake again."
"And how are you?"
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Is he trying to say he got shot in the head? Or grazed anyway.
Michael glanced at the bandage again now that he was closer and could get a better look at just how extensive they were and took a guess at how badly injured Ambrose must be underneath it all. If he was telling the truth then he had gotten off extremely lucky; a couple centimetres to the side and his brains would be all over a wall somewhere.
Next he looked at Ambrose’s hand and saw the knife in his hand; a kitchen knife, meant for chopping vegetables not cutting people but deadly nonetheless, if someone got close enough.
And he’s not going to make the same mistake twice and let someone get the drop on him. Noted.
Michael shifted the shotgun around until he held it by one hand wrapped around the middle of the barrel, fingers well away from the trigger lest Ambrose think he might be about to make a ‘mistake’. His injured friend didn’t seem likely to attack him anyway and it sounded like he was only looking for some allies at this stage of the game; it would be nice to have a friend to watch his back for a while and Ambrose was someone he could trust, and who would trust Michael in turn.
“Bruised.” During the fight back at the house the only time Zach had even hurt him had been when he had pushed Michael back into the table hard enough to leave his back aching for a while. If anything his knuckles were bruised more than anything else. “I got into a little fight this morning. Nothing to complain about.”
Especially when you look like that.
“So your negotiations went badly? Some people have no manners. Who was it?”
Michael glanced at the bandage again now that he was closer and could get a better look at just how extensive they were and took a guess at how badly injured Ambrose must be underneath it all. If he was telling the truth then he had gotten off extremely lucky; a couple centimetres to the side and his brains would be all over a wall somewhere.
Next he looked at Ambrose’s hand and saw the knife in his hand; a kitchen knife, meant for chopping vegetables not cutting people but deadly nonetheless, if someone got close enough.
And he’s not going to make the same mistake twice and let someone get the drop on him. Noted.
Michael shifted the shotgun around until he held it by one hand wrapped around the middle of the barrel, fingers well away from the trigger lest Ambrose think he might be about to make a ‘mistake’. His injured friend didn’t seem likely to attack him anyway and it sounded like he was only looking for some allies at this stage of the game; it would be nice to have a friend to watch his back for a while and Ambrose was someone he could trust, and who would trust Michael in turn.
“Bruised.” During the fight back at the house the only time Zach had even hurt him had been when he had pushed Michael back into the table hard enough to leave his back aching for a while. If anything his knuckles were bruised more than anything else. “I got into a little fight this morning. Nothing to complain about.”
Especially when you look like that.
“So your negotiations went badly? Some people have no manners. Who was it?”
"Hell if I know," Ambrose said. "But I'll know her when I see her. So if you see me plunging my knife into some random chick, that's why."
Ambrose exhaled a bit.
"But, I'm not going to concern myself. Someone else can take care of her first. If they kill her and I meet them, I'll give them a bottle of the best liquor I find here. Which I doubt will be anything that good."
Ambrose chuckled.
"But anyways, what's up with you? Any plans to conquer this game?"
Ambrose exhaled a bit.
"But, I'm not going to concern myself. Someone else can take care of her first. If they kill her and I meet them, I'll give them a bottle of the best liquor I find here. Which I doubt will be anything that good."
Ambrose chuckled.
"But anyways, what's up with you? Any plans to conquer this game?"
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Michael was surprised to hear that Ambrose wasn't more interested in revenge on the person who attacked him. He was angry, of course, and he surely wouldn't pass up an opportunity to pay that girl back, but he was being surprisingly level headed about it; lord knew Michael wouldn't be so calm if someone put a hole in his head.
Nonetheless he respected the pragmatism involved, the ability to stay on track and focus on what mattered. There was only one thing to think about in this game and it was survival; making sure you survived by ensuring no one else did. The more you muddled that up with personal goals, whether that was trying to save friends, settling old scores or whatever else, the harder you made things on yourself.
Everyone here knew what the Program was for, what it was meant to be, every American knew that. They were all reminded of it every time it came around and they watched the names being called but somehow everyone always managed to forget as soon as it was their names being called. He saw it happen time and time again, in every past Program, people forgetting their civic duty and chasing personal vendettas, trying to hide or even trying to escape.
"No plans, other than keeping myself alive. But now that you're here, I think it would be best if we did something to improve our situation, while making other peoples's worse."
Nonetheless he respected the pragmatism involved, the ability to stay on track and focus on what mattered. There was only one thing to think about in this game and it was survival; making sure you survived by ensuring no one else did. The more you muddled that up with personal goals, whether that was trying to save friends, settling old scores or whatever else, the harder you made things on yourself.
Everyone here knew what the Program was for, what it was meant to be, every American knew that. They were all reminded of it every time it came around and they watched the names being called but somehow everyone always managed to forget as soon as it was their names being called. He saw it happen time and time again, in every past Program, people forgetting their civic duty and chasing personal vendettas, trying to hide or even trying to escape.
"No plans, other than keeping myself alive. But now that you're here, I think it would be best if we did something to improve our situation, while making other peoples's worse."
“Yeah. Let’s do something to really make our time here better,” Ambrose said. “I bet we could probably secure ourselves upstairs, but more people are probably seeking shelter now that the sun is going down. This is a preferential area to hide, so maybe we should make Tristana’s our base, but search for supplies and people.”
Ambrose held up his knife.
“I doubt I can handle anything better than this unless we find a handgun. What do you have?”
Ambrose held up his knife.
“I doubt I can handle anything better than this unless we find a handgun. What do you have?”
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Michael considered how to answer that question. Obviously he couldn't hide the fact that he held a shotgun, which was the only real weapon he had, but he was torn on whether or not to disclose the set of brass knuckles weighing down his jacket pocket. His natural instinct was to hide it, in case that deception proved useful later, but if the truth was uncovered it could put his alliance with Ambrose at risk.
He held the short barrelled shotgun in his hand out to the side, so that it was obvious from his silhouette that he was holding something. "I have this shotgun... and a set of brass knuckles."
In the end, Michael decided it was better to be truthful. The potential fallout of his lie being discovered was greater than the benefit he would get from hiding the fact he had a second weapon. The one thing he was worried about however was the fact that revealing he had another weapon also hinted at the fact that he had already killed someone, something that could go either way as far as Ambrose's reaction was concerned.
"It sounds like you know this area better than I do, so I'll trust your judgement. If we are going to search for supplies we should do it quickly and then bunker down; we don't want to wander into a building someone has already set up in. We do want to be the ones that people wander into though."
He held the short barrelled shotgun in his hand out to the side, so that it was obvious from his silhouette that he was holding something. "I have this shotgun... and a set of brass knuckles."
In the end, Michael decided it was better to be truthful. The potential fallout of his lie being discovered was greater than the benefit he would get from hiding the fact he had a second weapon. The one thing he was worried about however was the fact that revealing he had another weapon also hinted at the fact that he had already killed someone, something that could go either way as far as Ambrose's reaction was concerned.
"It sounds like you know this area better than I do, so I'll trust your judgement. If we are going to search for supplies we should do it quickly and then bunker down; we don't want to wander into a building someone has already set up in. We do want to be the ones that people wander into though."
"Alright, I can definitely lead the way," Ambrose said. "I hope you don't mind taking the front line, seeing as you're better equipped and in better health."
Ambrose looked down the street. He couldn't see any signs of life, but he was sure there would be more people scavenging and prowling. Michael's shotgun was definitely way better than his knife, and Michael had two working hands.
"Alright, we can start walking around. But before we do..."
Ambrose put the knife in his weaker hand and held his other hand out for Michael to shake.
"To our partnership. May one of us survive this game."
Ambrose looked down the street. He couldn't see any signs of life, but he was sure there would be more people scavenging and prowling. Michael's shotgun was definitely way better than his knife, and Michael had two working hands.
"Alright, we can start walking around. But before we do..."
Ambrose put the knife in his weaker hand and held his other hand out for Michael to shake.
"To our partnership. May one of us survive this game."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
“Ok, that’s fair. Point me the right way and I’ll take the lead.”
Michael expected them to start moving immediately, but instead found himself looking at Ambrose’s extended hand. A handshake to symbolize the start of their partnership wasn’t what he was expecting but it really did seem like an Ambrose thing to do; though he didn’t anticipate the other boy to make it so blatantly clear that only one of them would survive.
Well, at least he doesn’t have any illusions about how this will end.
Reaching out, Michael firmly grasped Ambrose’s hand and shook it. “As long as we work together, one of us will see the end of this.”
He let go and took a step back, shifting the shotgun so that he held it in both hands.
“So, which way are we going?”
Michael expected them to start moving immediately, but instead found himself looking at Ambrose’s extended hand. A handshake to symbolize the start of their partnership wasn’t what he was expecting but it really did seem like an Ambrose thing to do; though he didn’t anticipate the other boy to make it so blatantly clear that only one of them would survive.
Well, at least he doesn’t have any illusions about how this will end.
Reaching out, Michael firmly grasped Ambrose’s hand and shook it. “As long as we work together, one of us will see the end of this.”
He let go and took a step back, shifting the shotgun so that he held it in both hands.
“So, which way are we going?”
"Hmmm..."
Ambrose looked around. He had a fairly good idea how the area was arranged and where people might go. Odds are, they would find someone, but for now, Ambrose decided to keep it simple.
"That way," he said, pointing the knife to his left.
"We can just follow the road and see what shows up. I'm sure there will be some sign of people we can pick off. Let's get going."
Ambrose began to walk off. Now that he found a good partner, he was sure he'd last much longer in this game than most people would give him credit for. He had to do something that would be fitting for a Lexington and an American. Something.
((Ambrose Lexington continued elsewhere))
Ambrose looked around. He had a fairly good idea how the area was arranged and where people might go. Odds are, they would find someone, but for now, Ambrose decided to keep it simple.
"That way," he said, pointing the knife to his left.
"We can just follow the road and see what shows up. I'm sure there will be some sign of people we can pick off. Let's get going."
Ambrose began to walk off. Now that he found a good partner, he was sure he'd last much longer in this game than most people would give him credit for. He had to do something that would be fitting for a Lexington and an American. Something.
((Ambrose Lexington continued elsewhere))
G014: Mayumi Tendou
The plan Ambrose laid out was a little bit vaguer than Michael would have wanted; he had been hoping the other boy would have a better idea of where to go. Just wandering around this little town or whatever it was, looking for things they could use or maybe a place where people might hide was fine, it was what he was going to do anyway before he found Ambrose. He had just thought from the sounds of things that Ambrose had the situation a little more figured out.
As Ambrose began to walk away Michael held back a little bit, turning around to look back down the road he had followed to reach this town. The sun was just peeking over the horizon now, nearly having completed its descent, and soon night would fall for the first time on this version of the Program. Things typically slowed down at night; or at least they had in the past Programs Michael had seen. People either went to sleep or bunkered down somewhere out of fear of what was lurking in the dark; either way very few people wanted to wander around at night, something primal telling them it was a bad idea to do so this far from civilisation.
There were always one or two enterprising, young individuals who tried to creep around and use the night to their advantage though, with varying levels of success. Sometimes they got lucky, managed to sneak up on someone and kill them in their sleep; four was the most Michael had ever seen someone kill that way, just crawling around the room and cutting people’s throats as they slept. The killer had even left one person alive, though whether that was because they hadn’t seen them or out of cruelty Michael didn’t know.
Other times the person found themselves walking into an ambush, which was why Michael wasn’t going to push his luck tonight. He and Ambrose would visit one, maybe two places if they looked safe enough and then call it quits.
Turning back around Michael saw that Ambrose had already gotten quite far away from him. He broke into a quick jog to catch up.
((Michael Baird continued in Tras el cristal))
As Ambrose began to walk away Michael held back a little bit, turning around to look back down the road he had followed to reach this town. The sun was just peeking over the horizon now, nearly having completed its descent, and soon night would fall for the first time on this version of the Program. Things typically slowed down at night; or at least they had in the past Programs Michael had seen. People either went to sleep or bunkered down somewhere out of fear of what was lurking in the dark; either way very few people wanted to wander around at night, something primal telling them it was a bad idea to do so this far from civilisation.
There were always one or two enterprising, young individuals who tried to creep around and use the night to their advantage though, with varying levels of success. Sometimes they got lucky, managed to sneak up on someone and kill them in their sleep; four was the most Michael had ever seen someone kill that way, just crawling around the room and cutting people’s throats as they slept. The killer had even left one person alive, though whether that was because they hadn’t seen them or out of cruelty Michael didn’t know.
Other times the person found themselves walking into an ambush, which was why Michael wasn’t going to push his luck tonight. He and Ambrose would visit one, maybe two places if they looked safe enough and then call it quits.
Turning back around Michael saw that Ambrose had already gotten quite far away from him. He broke into a quick jog to catch up.
((Michael Baird continued in Tras el cristal))