Yeah...and like you see in mine, Umi and Stranger are already getting close without any trouble at all. Hell, she even played around with him, and he didn't mind! How funny...I'd think he'd shove her off...Ah well. Yeah, I think she and Bailey are alike, they're both tough, even though I have'nt got to the part where Umi shows her true colors...but it's getting close. Anyways, yeah.
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Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Fear, Hate And Hurting Bailey stumbled through the Oddworld jungle, neither seeing nor caring where she was headed. She just had to get away from Stranger. She didn’t know why and she didn’t have the emotional energy to work it out.She just needed space, she told herself. Yeah, that was it, space. Even as she tried to convince herself that was all she wanted she knew she was a liar. But she wouldn’t turn back, she was too stubborn, had too much pride in her to turn back. There was no turning back. She had made her decision and she was going to stick to it… ¤§¤ Stranger sat on the barstool, depressed. He should have gone after her. But he had been too stubborn, too aware of his pride. And now it was too late. Bailey was long gone. “What canna get’cha?” asked the Clakker barkeeper. “Anything.” Muttered Stranger, “Just as long as it knocks ma flat…” the Clakker raised an eyebrow but shrugged and did as he was told, if someone wanted to drink themselves into oblivion who was he to complain? It was all good business. Stranger wasn’t normally a heavy drinker, so it was only a few drinks later that he was singing a drunken beer-song and giggling stupidly with the other patrons and making a pointless, disjointed rant while the others at the bar all nodded sagely and tried to look as if they were actually understood what he was talking about… “So I told ‘er,” continued Stranger, swaying slightly, neon green eyes unfocused, hat askew, “I told ‘er, ‘Fine, go then, what makes yer fink I needed yer!” he swayed more violently and sobered marginally, his voice lowering, “So she went, she went an’ I neva said I woz sorry…I didn’t mean it, I woz jus’ angy,” he frowned drunkenly, “No, tha’s not it, I was arguy? Nah, I was ang, aggy, I woz real mad…but I need ‘er really, she’s all I got, the only friend I has…” “Bah! Women,” spat one of the other Clakkerz, who was also, completely sozzled, “Oo needs ‘em?” “I do…” muttered Stranger and took another swig of his drink. And fell ungracefully over the stool. Unconscious. Some of the other patrons tutted and shook their heads, “Can’t hold his liquor that wun.” They agreed before drinking themselves into similar stupors… ¤§¤ Stranger groaned. His head felt like it was going to explode and that sunshine wasn’t helping either. Nor was the sensation he’d just swallowed a mouthful of sand, which may have been accurate as he was sprawled out on the floor outside the bar (‘The Drunken Chicken’) with his face pressed into the dirt… Finally Stranger decided it was time to get up and slowly, painfully inched his way to the wall of the tavern so he lever himself to his feet. He managed it eventually but swayed unsteadily as the world spun crazily. He wondered why he had drunk so much the night before…and then he remembered. Bailey. She was gone. Delayed misery made Stranger slide back down to the floor, back against the wall. He was such an idiot! He’d just let her go when she’d needed him most, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it. “I should ‘ave gone after ‘er…I should-” he put his head in hands. What if she got hurt? What if she died? She was only a kid. He cursed to himself, he shouldn’t have blown up at her like that. He should have said that he didn’t want her to leave him, said he liked her company, said he needed that loudmouth, cocky kid…said he needed her. Stranger let out a sigh and forced himself to his feet. There was no point in this. What was done, was done, there was no changing it. He’d just go on to Birdington like he’d planned. He’d been alone for a long time before now, he could do it again. But he had the feeling it was going to be a lot harder going back… ¤§¤ Bailey hadn’t slept but had walked through the night. It had been the worst night of her life. Unknown noises shrieked in the darkness and voices screamed in triumph of a successful hunt – or fear of a successful hunt. Bailey shivered. Even now in daylight she could still hear the echoes of those screeches in her mind, magnified hideously until they blocked out everything else. She ached inside and out, she missed Stranger and felt stabs of misery as she remembered Abe and Slick, Scrab and Paramite, and all the others she’d left behind. Finally Bailey couldn’t take it anymore, she sank to the floor and curled into a ball as she gave a scream of her own that silenced all the creatures near by as she let out all of her tears. She was alone. ¤§¤ Stranger walked. Mechanically setting one foot in front of the other, but his mind wandered, mostly just thinking miserably of Bailey. He therefore didn’t notice the shadow matching his pace, hidden in the tree-line. A shadow armed with a gun… A shadow that watched him constantly and melted into the darkness of the trees at every opportunity that Stranger could have seen it… Stranger walked all day non-stop along the dusty trail between Buzzarton and Birdington. And finally, as the sun was setting he topped a rise that ended in a sheer drop and saw it before him, like a long dead animal skeleton picked clean and half-buried in sand, nestling between the two clawed ends of the crescent shaped cliff. This was it. This was where he was going to find that big payoff. The bounty that would sort his problem once and for all. And Bailey wasn’t here with him. Stranger shook his head. He had to forget her, forget the little human that had made him laugh and argued with him when no-one else would. The only person that was not afraid of him. He’d only gotten used to the idea of having a companion and started to enjoy Bailey’s company and now she had gone. Stranger pushed those thoughts from his mind. He had no time for them. He looked around for a trail that led to the bottom of the basin and soon found it. An old track used by the Clakker hikers that lead around the wall of the basin, past a ranger outpost and down to the town itself. Stranger remained where he was for a moment, savouring the sensation that would finally be able to fund the operation procedure and put his past behind him. And then he began to follow the path downward, the shadow darting from outcrops of rock behind him… When he reached the ranger station (which he found deserted), it was already dark and Stranger, knowing the town gates would not be opened until daybreak, prepared to spend the night in the abandoned outpost. Above him, on one of the shed rooves the shadow bunkered down as well, tomorrow, there would a confrontation… ¤§¤ Stranger was woken up by the prod of a gun barrel. “Gittup. And put yer ‘ands where I can see ‘em.” Said a harsh voice, the voice of an Outlaw. Stranger cursed silently, why hadn’t he seen this coming!? He was getting slack, Bailey’s departure had evidently affected him more then he’d taken credit for. He obeyed the voice and rose, putting his hands in the air and reaching surreptitiously for his crossbow. Only to find he didn’t have it. Stranger cursed out loud this time, the Outlaw snickered. “Yer sleep deep Stranger, it’s not ‘ealthy.” The Outlaw chuckled again. “I’m sure I’ll git a nice price for that purdy head of yours.” “Yer ain’t takin’ ma in alive then?” Stranger asked innocently, “Yer get a bigger payoff I’ll warrant.” “What? And give yer time ta escape? D’you think I’m completely stupid Stranger.” “Well…”Stranger shrugged and made an indecisive sound. “Nah, I’ll takes ya in dead, easier fer the both of us.” Stranger heard the click of the Outlaw’s gun being cocked, “WHAT THE-!” and another voice laughing; “A-LOHA!” A shot fired, Stranger flinched but the bullet whizzed past him, missing him by several feet. There was a yell that at first confused Stranger until he realised that it wasn’t one voice but two, one was raised in fury and the other in shock and terror and then there was a wet thud… Stranger turned and looked over the each of the platform he and the Outlaw had been on. The Outlaw’s body lay in several pieces on a narrow shelf in the rocks below. Someone came up beside him and looked over as well. They didn’t say anything, but just looked. Stranger turned and faced none other then Bailey, still brandishing her spear in one hand and holding his crossbow in the other. “I believe this is yours.” She said and offered it to him. Stranger took it. “Thankee kindly.” An uncomfortable, self-conscious silence hung between them, Bailey looked at the floor and shuffled her feet. “Well? Yer…comin’ wiv me or what?” Stranger asked slightly hoarse. Bailey nodded. “Yeah,” she glanced at him, those bright green eyes were glowing, “Yeah I’m comin’.” ¤§¤ The awkward silence had yet to abate and lift. Every time either one of them had tried to start a conversation they had petered out and the silence had fallen again. Obviously they were still hurting from their earlier argument, and their friendship had been shaky as it was. It was mid morning when the pair reached the main gates of Birdington. But no-one seemed to be up yet… “Odd-damn lazy…” Stranger’s mutterings were too low for Bailey to hear but she had the shrewd suspicion that they weren’t flattering. “OI! Birdbrains! GET UP!” he yelled towards one of the guard towers at the side of the gates. There was a far-away squawk and thud as if someone had just fallen out of bed. And then an irate voice that forcefully reminded Bailey of some kind of kid’s cartoon animated chicken at home. “Whadda ya want!?” squawked the voice and a head that completely matched the voice poked out of the tower’s window. Bailey blinked. “Well damn, it’s a giant chicken!” she muttered. Stranger threw her an amused glance and then yelled to the ‘chicken’, “Open tha gate yer lazy Clakker!” “Well I neva!” squawked the ‘Clakker’ clearly offended, “Folks have no manners these days!” Bailey expected Stranger to yell some kind of threat but instead Stranger deflated; “Yer’d better open that gate!...Please…” Bailey was so surprise by Stranger’s reaction that she said the first thing that came to mind, and for a second the uneasiness lifted as she commented; “Oh yeh, that’s real scary Stranger…” She grinned broadly and Stranger grinned at her in return but then the awkwardness fell again and they both broke the glance. “Tha’s betta! Just a moment please.” The Clakker disappeared and a few minutes later the great town gates creaked and opened. “C’mon kid.” Stranger nodded his head toward the gate and led the way into Birdington. |
Still, a very good chapter, Lobo. Good thing too, 'cause I just finished my part on paper, but still got's to do the other part, so it'll be such a long while...but don;t worry. I'm a fast writter, and it'll probably be done within one or two days. Depending on how I feel. Anyways, keep writting! It's starting to get interesting! :D
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Oddworld Just Got Stranger
And I got the piccies to work! So no worries.
Sorry this took so long… Unpleasant Revelation “Yer hungry Bailey?” Stranger asked as they padded side by side down the main street of Birdington. Bailey shrugged,“A bit-” her stomach grumbled in protest, “Okay, make that a lot. Why?” “’Coz we’re gonna git somat to eat, that’s why.” Stranger grinned, trying to coax out a return smile but Bailey didn’t comply, she just nodded. Hiding his mild disappointment Stranger led the way to the nearest tavern, this one called The Stoned Crow, “I am so sick of these names…” he thought as he pushed open the doors and went in, Bailey trailing after him, looking around in interest. The Clakkerz clustered around the inn looked up as Stranger entered but went back to drinks, meals and conversations – it was only Stranger. But they did double-takes as Bailey came in after him, first off because she was a completely alien creature but their beaks dropped open when the pair of them got to the bar (which was for some reason twice as tall as the ones from Earth even though the Clakkerz were smaller then Bailey) and Stranger picked up the creature around middle and sat it on the barstool. The barkeeper smoothed over his expression before Stranger could see it and give him a taste of the well-known ‘Stranger Temper’. “What’s ya pleasure?” Stranger considered getting a drink but an echo of his early hangover changed his mind and he decided to lay off the alcohol, besides, he didn’t want to have one to many with Bailey there, he glanced at Bailey, Bailey shrugged, “I’ll try anything once.” She said. So Stranger ordered something. Bailey couldn’t begin to guess what it was as she couldn’t even pronounce the name. As the bartender went to inform the kitchens Bailey leaned over to Stranger, “What was that?” Stranger said it again, Bailey blinked at him. He repeated the word, very slowly. Bailey tried to copy him but ended up sounding like a kitten sneezing. Stranger chuckled, “Nevermind…” Bailey muttered. Stranger’s first impulse was to pat Bailey on the head and make a snarky comment but he held himself back, their relationship was cool at best. When their food came Bailey poked at it curiously. “Stranger,” she whispered, “Stranger,” Stranger was already eating and had to answer with his mouth full, “Uhum?” “You sure it’s dead? Looks like it’ll get up any second an’ start bouncin’ offa the walls…” Stranger choked as he tried to laugh and swallow what was in his mouth at the same time. Bailey slapped his back until he recovered. “Didn’t think it was that funny meself…” she muttered, but she obviously had found Stranger’s reaction intensely amusing as she was grinning as she gave the plate one last poke before digging in. Stranger eyed her for a moment, “Well?” “Ish very nicsh.” Bailey managed, cheeks bulging like a hamster’s. Stranger spluttered and many of the Clakkerz looked up in shock, no one, but no one had ever heard stern and strong Stranger laugh before (even so, many of the Clakkerz found the sound somewhat alarming) and here he was, chuckling with the small alien creature. Bailey swallowed. “What? What’s so funny?” Stranger just shook his head and kept sniggering, luminous green eyes bright and shining. Bailey blinked innocently at him, completely non-plussed and Stranger laughed harder. “They slipped somat inta yer food didn’t they.” Bailey said, completely innocent and with a straight face. Stranger snorted and leaned his forehead on the bar, shaking with laughter. “Gee, no need to get hysterical on me Stranger. People’d think you had a sense of humour.” Stranger didn’t know what was wrong with him but he knew he had a stitch in his ribs from laughing too much and he couldn’t stop. And he also knew that he was so very glad he had his Bailey with him again. He needed her sharp wit and sense of humour, he knew that now. He knew that he was becoming soft and he didn’t care either, Bailey was good for him, she could make him laugh. It was what he needed. It was Bailey, Bailey made him lighter, calmer, a better person. And he liked it. Bailey just watched the normally gruff and intimidating bounty hunter crack up right before her eyes. And found it sort of pleasant. She was glad she’d come back. She knew now that she needed Stranger, just as she needed Abe and Slick (she felt a pang when she thought she might never see them again), just as she had needed a parent…but she’d never had one of those…not in the sense of a parent anyway… Bailey’s smile faded as she thought about her mother, the workaholic that had left her at home all alone since she was eight years old… Stranger noticed Bailey’s abrupt change of mood. That was another thing, he’d become aware of, he always knew what Bailey was feeling and right now she was depressed. His laughter died. “Bailey? Kid? You okay?” Bailey nodded but Stranger knew she was lying. “Liar…” he sighed, “C’mon, what’s up, tell yer ol’ Stranger what’s bugging yer.” Bailey shook her head, “Not now…” “Later then.” It wasn’t a request. Bailey nodded. “Okay then.” Stranger said cheerfully, “Now, cheer up kid. It could be worse.” Bailey looked at him, the beginnings of a grin on her face, “Don’t ever say that, I can guarantee it’ll get worse if you do.” “Oh really?” asked Stranger, “How d’yer know?” “Personal experience.” Bailey was grinning again. Stranger inwardly sighed in relief, good, he didn’t want his young Bailey being depressed. Bailey went back to eating and soon had cleaned the plate. Stranger grinned, “Yer liked it?” Bailey nodded, “Yup, it’s very good. Just don’t tell me what’s in it…” Stranger chuckled. “’Ey Stranger, I got some bounties yer might be innerested in.” it was the barkeeper and he slid a pile of Wanted posters towards Stranger. Stranger nodded and began looking through them while he ate. Bailey soon got bored and looked around the tavern. Nothing caught her interest until she saw a group of Clakkerz around a table, one of them was grinning and shuffling a pack of cards, he had a hat on that was practically a mini version of Stranger’s only with a loose cord so it could hang at the back when not worn. “Wha’? No takers?” Bailey heard him say, she grinned, slid off the stool and went over. She just stood and watched them for a moment until the one with the cards saw her. “Hey kid, you wanna play?” “What’cha playin’?” “Poker.” Bailey grinned, “Yeh, ‘kay, but I don’t have any Moolah on me.” The Clakker with the cards and hat waved his wing, “No problem kid, yer don’t just havta bet Moolah.” Bailey nodded and drug out a chair, joining the game. “Whadda the values of the cards?” Bailey wanted to know. Indulgently the Clakker with the hat laid down the deck and showed her the suits, they were basically like the 52 playing cards that Bailey was used to, apart from they were based on Oddworld animals rather then King, Queen, Jack and the suits. There were four suits; Fuzzle, Bolamite, Sleg (which looked to Bailey like a deformed Slog) and Chippunk. With little pictures of the aforementioned animals for the numbers, which still went from the Ace to 10. The cards that could have passed for Joker surprised Bailey at abit as they were clearly showing Shrykull and she didn’t remember thinking of a Joker when she saw Abe turn into him, more like run screaming in terror… For the King, Queen and Jack, Bailey was surprised to find she knew what two of them were as well, a Scrab and Paramite, the Clakkerz didn’t know what they were however. Somewhere along the line, when the critters died out on this side of Oddworld they had been forgotten… “And that red and yellow critter, yes that one, that’s the highest of the picture cards, and the small animals they’re eating tells yer the suit it belongs to.” “Charmin’…” Bailey thought, “And this one here, that looks like it has one o’ yer hands stuck to the front, yep that one, that’s the lowest one, and this one, this one’s in between.” Bailey gazed at the card, not entirely sure was it was. It looked like some kind of hybrid of raptor, Scrab and tiger prawn…she shrugged it off and nodded. “Got it.” The Clakkerz smiled to each other and the first one shuffled the cards again. Bailey kept a sly grin from her face. They thought they were going to rob her blind. Yeah, whatever. A few minutes later Bailey fanned her cards and looked at them, adopting the poker face she’d been taught by her gang friends, Red especially. “Yer wanna swap yer cards kid?” asked the dealer, “Yeah, I’ll take two.” Bailey slid two of her cards face down across the table and got two in return. “I’ll raise the stakes then,” began another Clakker to Bailey’s right and put a pile of Moolah coins on the table. Another Clakker bet a clean deck of cards and a very nice looking dagger. The dealer put in his hat and some more Moolah. When Bailey’s turn came she unclipped the Outlaw shotgun from her belt and put it on the pile. “Outlaw shotgun,” she said, “Clean and in good working order, fully loaded and ready to rock.” The dealer nodded and Bailey could almost hear him saying ‘Nice, very nice. Make a decent addition to my collection…’. “In yer dreams buddy boy…” Bailey thought to herself. The dealer was definitely the best player, and her biggest enemy in this game. The betting continued for a few minutes until one by one the other Clakkerz folded, “Yer ready ta give up kid?” asked the dealer smirking, Bailey allowed herself a small smile. “Are you?” she asked in a low voice. Smugly the Clakker laid down his five cards, “Three cards.” Bailey sucked on her teeth and shook her head, “Wow, you’re good.” The Clakkerz grin widened and he reached out for the stakes, Bailey caught his wing, “Unfortunately, not the best,” Bailey turned her cards so he could see them and looked apologetic, “Flush in Slegs, sorry, you’re beat mate.” She smiled quietly. Just then the poker players heard the clomp of heavy boots and Bailey turned to see Stranger standing behind her, fists on his hips. “What are yer doin’?” he asked, knowing perfectly well what she was up too. “Collecting me winnings, lookie.” Bailey grinned, Stranger nodded, “Well c’mon, we’re leavin’.” “Right, sorry guys.” She added as the Clakkerz protested. She pulled out the lining bag of her arrow quiver and shut the quiver flap to keep her shafts dry and swept the winnings into the lining bag, jamming the hat on her head and slinging the pair of edible lizards that were tied together by their tails over her shoulder. “It was nice playing with yer guys.” She grinned and scampered after Stranger as he left The Stoned Crow. “Where we goin’ Stranger?” she asked when she’d caught up with him. “Bounty Store, see if they got anything worth goin’ after.” Stranger explained, “Oh. A-see.” Bailey dug around in her winnings, taking out what wasn’t Moolah and treating them appropriately, Stranger watch her out of the corner of his eye. “So, whadda ya win?” he asked eventually. “Loads of stuff.” Gushed Bailey, she clipped the Outlaw shotgun back onto her belt and tied the dagger and it’s holster on her upper arm, under her jumper. Stranger laughed gently. “I bet them Clakkerz had no idea what had hit ‘em.” Bailey grinned brightly as she put the pack of playing cars in her pouch and wound the dark scarf one of the Clakkerz had bet around her neck. “And I got this spunky hat.” Bailey grinned, she tipped the hat so it covered her eyes, “Yer talkin’ to me?” she said, imitating the well-known Robert DeNiro line and snickered to herself. Stranger raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment as they’d reached the Bounty Store just then. A bell over the door tinkled as they entered. Stranger went straight to the counter but Bailey peeled off and began looking at the guns and ammo that was on offer. “Yer got anythin’ fer me?” Stranger asked. Bailey noticed that his tone changed when he was talking to her to when he was talking to Clakkerz and Outlaws. Right now his voice was a deep, intimidating growl while just a minute ago it was been a soft purr more then anything else. “Yep!” squawk the Clakker, “Gotta load fer ya. And there’s a mighty big one here, the guys who want it, big hotshots and they’re mighty innerested in paying big fer it.” “Oh, what kinda ‘hotshots’?” “Corporate kinda hotshots, very big on the other side of Oddworld, organisation called the Magog Cartel-” there was a yelp and the Clakker and Stranger turned, Bailey had just knocked a box of bullets off the shelf but managed to catch it. “Sorry.” She grinned sheepishly, replacing the box back on the shelf. Stranger turned back to the Clakker and examined the blurry photograph on the Wanted poster, it was a very familiar person, arms cross and scowling in an expression he knew extremely well, and he nearly choked… Bailey. That was Bailey! On a Wanted poster! Why did Bailey have a bounty on her head!? “Anyone else gone afta this one?” Stranger finally managed to get out. “No, by what I ‘ear she’s a devil of some kind, just disappears into thin air. She ‘elped start a revolution but then ‘er and ‘er companions just faded into the jungles.” The Clakker said dramatically. “’Asn’t bin seen inna while but they want ‘er bad, closed down two of their biggest plants apparently with ‘er and ‘er pals.” “I’ll takes it, the Moolah’s good even if it is a wild Sleg chase.” Stranger muttered and slipped the pile of posters into his poncho. Just then Bailey clattered up to the counter and dumped an assortment of weaponry and ammo onto it. Fortunately she had her hat and the scarf on her head and around her face, plus Clakkerz weren’t known for their IQ’s so the store owner didn’t notice that she was in fact the one on the poster. “Yarg! What yer expecting kid? A war?” squawked the Clakker, “Better safe then screwed, don’t you think?” Bailey replied, grinning. Amongst the pile was a money belt, a hatchet, something like a sniper rifle and two miniature versions of Desert Eagle handguns and ammunition for them plus the Outlaw shotgun and Slig semi-automatic. “Mebbe you should git one o’ these as well.” Said the Clakker bringing out a metal ring that could have fit around Bailey’s neck. “What is it?” Bailey asked curiously. “Called a ‘Compressor’, produced on the other side of Oddworld, very popular for Sligs, they works for the Magog Cartel, I found that out when one of ‘em came to gimme this bounty.” The Clakker looked extremely pleased with his ‘extensive’ knowledge. “Yer clip yer guns and ammo onto it and it shrinks ‘em, makes ‘em take up less space and don’t weigh as much.” Bailey nodded, “’Kay, I’ll take that as well then.” The Clakker added up what Bailey owed him and Bailey only managed to use part of her poker winnings to pay him before Stranger hustled her out of the store. “Stranger? What’s up?” “We gotta get outta here…” Stranger muttered, looking around warily before heading out of Birdington… ----- MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I bet none of yer saw that coming did yer!? :evil: |
Eh...I knew's it. It'd be the same t'ing as mine, but I don't wanna spoil it. :p Really, good thar, Lobo! ;)
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Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Just a side note for the chapter, there was about a three day gap between chapter 3 and 4 but nothing really happened apart from Bailey and Stranger bickering so I didn’t feel the need to write them. This is just so you know that they’ve been a duo for a while longer then you’ve read.
…Okay, did that make any sense at all? Incognito “Stranger, what is going on!?” Bailey hissed as Stranger led the way out of the Clakker town.“Not now, wait.” Bailey was so surprised by Stranger’s tone and short answer that she shut-up immediately. Something was very, very wrong. They reached the outskirts of the town without any incidents and Bailey followed mutely as Stranger left the settlement altogether and led her back to the trail where they had come down, Stranger remembered that they had passed an old mine shaft on the way down and made his way to that. Once inside and out of sight of the Clakker town he turned on Bailey and pulled out her bounty poster brandishing it. “What tha’ hell is this about!?” he snapped. Bailey took the poster and gazed at it. “Oh…” she murmured. “Oh!? Oh!? Whadda ya mean ‘oh!?’ Yer on a flamin’ Wanted poster! Someone’s paying good money ter have yer killed!” Bailey looked up at him, looking embarrassed. “Er…well…remember when I said I’d had a couple of adventures with the Mudokon Abe? Well…we kinda…freed the slave workers in Rupture Farms and SoulStorm Brewery and sorta…shut down the plants…permanently…” Stranger sat down on a boulder inside the cave, massaging his temples. He had not signed up for this when he’d taken Bailey under his protection. She was a Magog Cartel revolutionary/terrorist for crying out loud! No wonder they wanted her disposed of… “Don’t freak out Stranger, it could be worse…” Bailey offered weakly. Stranger sighed. “You…you’re not going to turn me in are you?” asked Bailey after a moment. Stranger looked up, Bailey was looking at him with large, uncertain eyes and twisted the hem of her jersey around her fingers. She looked young and pitiful. “No.” Stranger said after a moment, “I won’t turn you in. Yer think I would?” “No…not really…but…” she faded off. “But?” Stranger prompted, fixing Bailey with his iridescent bordering on neon green eyes. “Don’t you kinda need the cash?” “I ain’t about to turn in tha’ only friend I have fer Moolah, whose only got a bounty on ‘em fer freein’ slaves…even if you are an annoying snit.” “I thought you hated me…” Stranger leant back on the mineshaft wall, Bailey sat down, cross-legged across from him. “I neva hated yer.” Stranger said, “Strongly disliked mebbe but that was only fer the first coupla days… an’ then I tolerated yer, an’ then I enjoyed yer company and yer cracks became amusin’ instead o’ irritatin’ but I dunno when I started to actually like yer. But I did, tha’s why it hit hard when yer left an’ it was then tha’ I pretty much realised I really did like yer.” Bailey beamed. “Aww, well I like you too.” Stranger blinked his luminous eyes at the young human. And then he smiled and went several shades darker under his fur. “Are you blushing Stranger?” Stranger coughed, “Er…no…” “You downright liar!” spluttered Bailey, “You so are too blushing!” “No I’m not…” Bailey began laughing, “The great bounty hunter Stranger, blushing just because some human kid said she liked him. D’you have any idea how amusin’ that is?” Stranger had a completely straight-faced expression which just made Bailey laugh harder. She calmed down after a minute and became marginally more serious. “You tellin’ me no one’s ever said they liked you before?” Stranger’s blank stare answered the question. For a second Bailey just watched him. “What, no one? Not ever?” she asked softly, “No one. Not ever.” There was an awkward silence, Bailey broke it after a moment, “So what are we going to do about…yer know…” she nodded her head at the Wanted poster, Stranger rested his chin on one fist and eyed Bailey thoughtfully. “Yer need ter go incognito, lucky fer us Clakkerz and Outlaws are pretty stupid so we could git away wiv it.” “What kinda disguise?” Bailey asked curiously, “First yer’ll need to cover yer hair, tha’s pretty unique and most of yer face and yer hands too.” Bailey nodded, “Okay, what else?” Stranger stood up. “Stay here, I’ll go an’ get something fer yer to wear, hide those clothes yer got.” Bailey furrowed her forehead, confused but nodded. Stranger went. “Poor old Stranger…hasn’t he ever had a friend?” Bailey thought sadly. Her musing was interrupted when she looked at the bounty poster. She sighed. Even on the other side of Oddworld the Magog Cartel were still after her. While she waited for Stranger, Bailey went through her newly acquired equipment and checked it all and put it in meticulous order, cleaning and loading all her guns and clipping them along with their ammunition onto the Compressor (expect for the Slig rifle which she put back in it’s back holster and the handguns which clipped behind her back under the arrow quiver), putting her Moolah stash into the money belt and replacing the inner canvas of the arrow quiver. She clipped the ring of metal onto one of her pant belt loops. It looked a large key ring with a load of toys on it… She checked her wooden weaponry next, her bow was unstrung and the bowstring in her belt pouch, her arrows her clean and dry and safe in their quiver, the spear wasn’t showing any signs of wear yet. The slingshot was in good working order and the whip with the three rocks on the end was coiled up on her belt. Both daggers, the one on her belt and the other up her sleeve were sharp and firmly strapped in their scabbards and in easy reach. The hatchet she hung on her belt. All in all Bailey was ready for the war the Clakker had joked about. Stranger returned after little under an hour. He was carrying a bundle… “What’s all that?” asked Bailey when she saw it. “Yer disguise, c’mon, up yer get, put ‘em on.” Bailey complied, taking the hat off her head beforehand. The biggest part of the bundle was a brown poncho that went down to Bailey’s knees when she put it on. She gave it a tug at the back though so that the front part came a little higher. Then there were gloves that covered her hands. “Now yer can cover yer face an’ hair with yer hat and scarf.” “Wait, wait, I gotta idea.” Bailey suddenly said, wiggling out of the poncho and gloves, she put then aside and untied the bandana. She flicked out the dagger on her belt and handed it hilt first to Stranger, “You’ll have to cut me hair, it’s too long.” Stranger looked uncertain, “Oh c’mon, just do it.” Bailey insisted jiggling the dagger. Stranger took it dubiously and Bailey turned round and sat on the floor. “Off yer go.” Stranger understood now why Bailey’s hair looked so uneven and badly cut, she’d had to do it herself with her blade. Sucking his teeth in concentration Stranger began to cut the human’s hair from just below her shoulders to just above. “Done.” He said after a few minutes and brushed off the cut hairs. “Wasn’t so hard was it.” Bailey said and mussed her hair, itching her head. She tied her hair in a small ponytail and tied the green bandana back around her head. “Do I have to wear this all the time then?” she asked as she wiggled back into the poncho and hat. “I’m gonna overheat otherwise.” She added, putting on the gloves and covering her mouth and nose with the dark scarf. Only her eyes were visible now. “Not all the time.” Stranger answered. He studied Bailey critically. Finally he grinned, “There, that’s it, yer own mama wouldn’t recognise yer.” Bailey stiffened and dragged off the scarf and hat, looking at the floor to one side, as she took off the disguise and all her equipment and putting them in a corner. “No.” she said finally, her tone dead-panned, “I bet she wouldn’t…” Stranger sat on the same boulder as before. “Right.” He said firmly, “Sit. Now.” And patted the rock next to him. Bailey did as she was told. “Now, yer are gonna tell me what yer’ve bin bottlin’ up since I met yer.” Bailey muttered something almost inaudible. “No. Right now.” Stranger cut her off. “I haven’t been bottlin’ anything!” “Yer a liar, even a Clakker couldn’t ignore all tha’ dark hints and comments yer’ve given out, so c’mon, out with it.” “Don’t wanna.” Bailey muttered stubbornly. “I want ter help yer, an’ talkin’ about yer problems always helps.” He inwardly cringed, he was such a hypocrite… Bailey didn’t answer for a moment or two, just stared at the floor a few feet in front of her. Then, finally; “Fine. You want to hear what’s been botherin’ me? Alright then.” Bailey took a deep breath, “I used to live with me Ma, me Da died when I was about three and it hit Ma pretty bad. She threw everything she had into her work and she was quickly promoted. Trouble was that her new job needed her to leave the country, and she couldn’t take me so she left me at home while she went all over the world and I had to learn to look after meself. I was eight years old… It sucked, and I mean really sucked. Sure we had a big house with a huge garden and a pool but I’d have happily lived in a shack if it meant I could have Ma around…” Bailey faded off and leaned back on the cavern wall, drawing her knees up. She looked up at the ceiling as she continued. “Then, I found a flock of these mutated pigeons in the garden.” Bailey smiled grimly, “Fed those ‘pigeons’ all the time.” She murmured. “Until I found out that they weren’t actually pigeons, they were the portal birds that Mudokons used. They kinda chant and the birds open a portal from one place to another. Anyway, for some reason the flock in my garden had been left on Earth and hadn’t gone back. So I got the shock of my life when one day they all flew in a circle while I was feedin’ ‘em and this swirling vortex thing appeared and I got sucked into it. And here I am on Oddworld.” “But that ain’t all is it.” Stranger said as Bailey went silent. Bailey didn’t answer. “Bailey, keep going.” Bailey let out a breath and continued to stare at that ceiling until she spoke again, but it was disjointed, rambling. “Don’t, don’t want to…it, it hurts.” She blinked and her eyes reflected the late afternoon sunshine pouring into the mineshaft, more then before. “Why won’t it stop hurting? Make it stop, someone, make it stop…” Bailey shivered, took a shaky breath and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall. Stranger didn’t say anything, he didn’t have too. Something still hurt inside Bailey and it needed to heal if she was going to get over it. After a moment Stranger picked up the shaking human and settled Bailey on his lap, letting her lean her head on his chest, resting his chin on her hair, curling the uneven strands around one finger and running the claws on his other hand through the rest of Bailey’s hair. Just silently telling her that she was not alone, that someone cared, that someone was listening. “What did yer mean when you said you’d never be the Vykker’s plaything again?” Stranger felt Bailey shiver more violently and a hand gripped his shirt. At first he thought Bailey wasn’t going to answer but after a moment she spoke in a small voice, “When I first arrived…I didn’t know where I was, just lost in this jungle with noises, in the night…screams, howls…and then I ran into a company of Sligs…they thought I was docile enough to become one of the slave workers in one of the Magog Cartel plants, one of the smaller meat-processing factories…they made us work – me and the Mudokon worker-slaves – to make snacks for Glukkon bureaucrats… I was only there for a while before I was taken away from the production floor and to one of the labs, to be…examined… The Vykkers there were working on drugs among other things, using unstable substances.” Bailey paused and swallowed and her grip tightened on Stranger’s shirt. “After a few tests they realised that for some reason I had a higher tolerance to these substances…my body must just work differently to Oddworld inhabitants…so they used me to test out their theories. But not just the drugs…other things as well… They thought that if what they were using didn’t work on me, well then it wasn’t worth having…” Bailey went quiet. “What happened next, how did yer escape?” Stranger asked in a low, soft tone, Bailey felt the deep rumble of his voice vibrating on her cheek. The steady thud, thud, thud of Stranger’s heartbeat calmed and soothed Bailey’s strung nerves and she began to feel exhausted, emotionally drained. Her eyes closed and she stifled a yawn to answer; “An albino Slig…he wasn’t like the others…he was sick of the Magog Cartel – and anyone else – sucking Oddworld dry. He knew that it would do no one any good to enslave the natives and let the world die…and he was sick of the mistreatment, so one night, while he was on patrol, he got me out and we escaped, we were going to find other natives, try to get them to fight back, to save their culture. But we got caught…and Slick was taken while I got away…” “What happen to yer both?” “I got captured again, and taken to Rupture Farms, the biggest meat-processing plant on that side of Oddworld. I met up with Abe and we escaped, saving as many as we could and finally we managed to destroy the Farms. Afterward Abe was visited by three ghosts and we went off to free more Mudokons from SoulStorm Brewery, I found Slick and he came with us and we destroyed the Brewery too.” Bailey felt herself drifting closer towards sleep, Stranger sensed it too and asked one last question, “How did yer come to this part of Oddworld?” “I was with a hunting party… one of the young Mudokons of the tribe was missing…we found him but we were attacked by bounty hunters who were after me…now I know why…” She muttered, “The Mudokons opened a portal for me to go through and they escaped. They must have thought I would come out near the village, but I didn’t…came here instead…” Bailey was starting to slur her words in her lethargy, “Did yer…eva wish yer’d never come here…to Oddworld?” Stranger asked uncertainly. Only Bailey’s easy breathing answered him. Stranger let out a breath and moved the sleeping human more comfortably in his arms. Leaning back on the mineshaft wall Stranger watched as it became darker. They had been in this cavern all day. Tomorrow they would set out again but for now he decided to let Bailey sleep. The human in his arms shifted and muttered something a little later but she didn’t wake and her grip on Stranger’s shirt didn’t loosen. Stranger made a deep, reassuring sound in his chest, like a panther purring, and Bailey calmed again. Stranger yawned. Maybe he should take a sleep as well. Stranger pulled his hat over his eyes and soon was snoring like a rusty chainsaw. |
:crying: :crying: and :crying:
That's so sweet....Lobo, yer such a good writer and a good person to mak e me choke up...And Bailey's past kinda matches with Umi's but slightly different. Woud you...like me to tell? I'd be happy to if yeh want me to... |
Go Ahead!
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And I'm waiting for yer next chapter! :D |
Dunno if I can fit it in one of my chapters. It may be a long time before I even put her past in, like, near the end of my story. Which is purdy far away...:p But ok then...I'll figure a way out.
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Oddworld Just Got Stranger
And the fluff and sickening sappiness takes centre stage! Hurray for fluff! :cheer: All hail and bow to the almighty fluff! :bow:
Worst Jokes EVER! Bailey yawned and had to drag herself out of sleep. She rubbed her cheek on the soft, warm thing she was leaning on. It took her a second to process that the thing was rhythmically rising and falling and had a heartbeat thumping next to her ear, which she found strangely comforting.Strangely… Stranger…must be Stranger she was leaning on. Bailey curbed the habit of stretching her arms, she didn’t think Stranger would appreciate getting clouted under the chin. Instead she made herself comfortable and waited for Stranger to wake up by himself, and she couldn’t say that she wasn’t enjoying the cuddle she was getting. She hadn’t been cuddled since she’d been about three years old… Bailey rested her forehead against Stranger’s poncho, lightly tracing the patterns on the stiff leather surface with the tip of one finger. Stranger stirred in his sleep but didn’t come round, only tightened his hold on Bailey, muttered something unintelligible and continued snoring. Bailey stifled laughter and turned her attention to the short, pale brown fur covering Stranger’s arms, running her fingers through it and pressing it to her cheek. Stranger’s snoring stopped and was replaced by a deep, vibrating purr even though he was still sound asleep. Bailey smiled. She knew she was safe here. She knew Stranger would protect her and she let out a breath of relief. She curled up to the bounty hunter and drifted into a light doze. ¤§¤ Stranger stirred into the world of the waking just as the sun was rising. The bounty hunter yawned widely, treating anyone watching (not that there was anyone watching) to a good long look at a mouthful of sharp teeth, two particular canines of which looked suspiciously like they’d been filed down… Stranger looked down at the small human he was still holding and smiled to himself, as cute as she looked while she was sleeping it was time for them to move on. “Bailey.” Bailey stirred but instead of waking up she snuggled closer to Stranger’s heartbeat and the hand draped on his forearm twitched in the fur, “Nuh uh.” Came the mumbled answered, “Just five more minutes, I’m comfy.” Bailey moaned. “We havta git going Bailey, c’mon kid.” Bailey frowned, “When I wuz awake you wuz sleepin’.” She grumbled. Stranger chuckled, Bailey could feel it shaking in his ribs. “Stop laughin’.” She complained half-heartedly. “Yer don’t havta fake sleepin’ just ta get a cuddle, yer only havta ask.” Stranger was hoping that this comment would get Bailey up and arguing, so he got a shock when Bailey let out a satisfied sigh and cuddled closer. “Then I want one now, I’ll just go back to sleep.” “Oh no yer don’t, up, now.” Stranger stood, Bailey in his arms. She protested groggily before opening one eye and glaring at him. “Meanie.” She muttered. Stranger grinned and set her on her feet. Bailey stretched and mussed her hair sleepily. “Where’s that hat gone now.” She muttered to herself as she strapped on all of her arsenal and wiggled into the poncho, shoving the thick gloves and scarf into her belt pouch and pulling on the fingerless gloves. “Yer mean this?” came the deceptively innocent voice of Stranger. Bailey turned and narrowed her eyes at Stranger, twirling her hat in his claws and smirking. “Aww, gimme me hat Stranger.” Bailey sighed. Stranger came closer, just to remind Bailey that she only just came up to his elbow. “What yer gonna do if I don’t?” he asked mischievously. Bailey tapped her chin, mockingly thoughtful. “Hmmm, now let me think.” She suddenly brightened, “I know, how about this?” Bailey threw her arms around Stranger’s middle and gave him a hug. Stranger was so surprised he dropped Bailey’s hat and she caught it, put the cord around her neck and hung the hat on her back. She grinned. “Bailey, one. Stranger, zero.” She remarked. Stranger folded his arms, narrowed his eyes and shook his head slightly. “Lil’ varmint…” he muttered, then, “C’mon squirt. Let’s go.” He said finally, Bailey nodded and followed Stranger out of the cavern, pulling her hat onto her head to shade her eyes from the early sun. “So where we headed Stranger?” “North.” Came the simple reply. “Alrighty then.” Bailey shrugged. Stranger set off at an easy lope, Bailey trotting to keep up, “Er, Stranger?” “Hello?” “Whadda we do if anyone puts together that I’m on the Wanted posters?” “We run like tha clappers.” “Is that it? That’s your strategy?” “Well if yer can come up with somethin’ better I’m all fer hearin’ it.” Bailey grunted, “Exactly as I thought, cheer up Bailey, hey, did I eva tell yer the one about the broken pencil?” Bailey blinked stupidly at the sudden change of subject, “Er…” “It had no point!” Bailey stared at Stranger for a second. “Did you…just tell me a really bad joke?” she asked incredulously, Stranger grinned. “Stranger that has to have been one of the worst jokes I ever heard!” Stranger grinned more broadly. “How d’yer make a tissue dance?” he asked slyly, Bailey gaped at him in complete shock, Stranger was telling her jokes!? “Put some bogie in it!” Back in the Birdington gate guard tower the Clakker (who’d been sleeping on the job) awoke with a squawk and fell off his chair as he clearly heard Bailey’s horror-struck voice across the desert… “Oh NO!” ¤§¤ By the end of the day Bailey knew for a fact that the only jokes Stranger knew were the bad ones. What was more worrying was that Stranger knew they were amongst the worse jokes ever told, and relish the fact. “You just like tormenting me don’t ya.” Bailey finally accused. Stranger put on a completely unconvincing mortally offended expression and placed a hand on his heart. “Me? Torment yer? How could you think such a thing kid?” Bailey scowled and Stranger grinned and before Bailey could stop him; “A coupla strings go into a bar, and ask for a drink. The bartender says, "Hey, I don't serve your kind here, yer just a couple of strings!" One of the strings ties his ends together and says, "Frayed knot!" Get it? Frayed knot? Oh wait, maybe that's not how it goes, it's...hey, wait! Come back!” But Bailey had already taken off in absolute horror, bolting down the canyon they had been walking through. Stranger grinned ferally and followed, dropping down to all fours and charging after the human. “I can’t take it anymore!” Bailey wailed, “I’m gonna go crazy with all these bad jokes!” she had had quite enough of Stranger’s rotten jokes. Of course she wasn’t really trying to get away from Stranger, she knew he’d catch her up, but at least she’d get a short reprieve before the next joke from hell. Suddenly Bailey felt the ground vibrating beneath her. She skidded to a halt and turned in confusion, just in time to see Stranger running at breakneck speed, in the strangest pace Bailey had ever come across – using all four of his limbs, fail to put on the brakes and careen right into her, sending them both flying. They rolled over several times before coming to a stop in a tangled pile of confusion. “Owie.” Muttered Bailey, a pause, then; “Okay, so what you do that for?” “Yer ain’t gittin’ away from me again that easily.” Stranger growled, but it wasn’t a threatening growl, and then he ruffled Bailey’s hair fondly. “I wasn’t trying to get away from you, you dolt, just those hideous jokes you seem to have an unlimited supply of.” Bailey argued. She groaned, “Oh this hurts…” she muttered, she twisted to free herself from the jumbled pile of herself and Stranger, “Ow, ow, ow.” She muttered but managed to free herself and flopped onto her back. A minute later a shadow fell over her face, Bailey squinted up at Stranger. “What do you want?” she asked. Stranger grinned. “How d’yer keep a moron in suspense?” There was a long pause, in which Stranger’s grin widened by a few molars. “Oh I so hate you right now.” Bailey glared. Stranger tilted his head to one side, “Funny that, I don’t hate you at the moment.” Bailey sat up and sighed, covering her face with her hands. There was a silence until Bailey said, “I didn’t mean that…I don’t hate you.” Came her voice, muffled by her fingers, “I hate those jokes.” Stranger chuckled. “Stranger?” “Yes?” Bailey dropped her hands and looked over her shoulder at the bounty hunter. “How the hell did you do that?” “Do what?” asked Stranger, cocking his head to one side, eyes questioning. Bailey was surprised to find that he wasn’t half as intimidating with that expression. Closer to completely adorably in fact. Bailey inwardly howled with laughter. Stranger? Adorable? That was majorly screwed up… “That, that thing. You know, that…well running I guess. It was bizarre whatever it was.” “Oh that…er…” Stranger petered off and scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. Bailey watched him curiously. Finally he shrugged. “C’mon, we need to find someplace to camp.” He added quickly changing the subject. “Awww, but I’m tired, why can’t we stay here?” Bailey gestured the sheer canyon walls around them. Stranger looked around and shook his head, “No, it’s too good a place fer an ambush. C’mon kid, just a bit further, I promise.” Bailey rose grudgingly. “D’you remember when you said that and we didn’t stop for three hours?” “That only happened once.” Stranger protested. “Exactly, so it’s well overdue for another incident isn’t it?” Bailey said, with a look on her face liked she just proved an irrefutable point. Stranger sighed, swept Bailey in his arms and began walking. Bailey blinked a couple of times before crossing her arms and pouting. “That wasn’t the cue for you to carry me.” She muttered. Stranger chuckled. ¤§¤ Finally Stranger found a place that he liked and he and Bailey set up camp, Bailey roasting the two edible lizards she’d won in the poker game. And later, for the first time since they’d met Stranger and Bailey didn’t sleep on opposite sides of the fire. As Stranger was making himself comfortable, lying on his back and gazing at the dark, star-studded sky, Bailey crept round to him and snuggled up to his side, using his shoulder as a pillow. Stranger was surprised but after some hesitation he put an arm around the small human, gently playing with her hair. “I’ll make you a deal.” Bailey said at last, Stranger looked down at her, “Oh really? An’ what might tha’ be?” “I’ll let you play with my hair as much as you want, if you try and cut out the snoring.” Stranger froze momentarily in surprise. “I snore?” “Like a rusty chainsaw.” Snickered Bailey. Stranger was quiet for a moment, “Alright.” He murmured eventually. Bailey made a sleepy affirmative sound and dropped off to sleep, putting an arm across Stranger’s stomach as she did so. Stranger smiled to himself and continued stroking Bailey’s hair. |
Fluffiness AND hilarious! I was cracking loudly, Lobo. Yer good at makin' things funny! :lol:
Keep it comin'! I wanna hear more, man! MORE! :lol: |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
*sigh* Go ahead and laugh at my Outlaws…c’mon they were the best I could come up with…
That’s really bad ain’t it? :nonono: I am ashamed… And this is a longer chapter then the others, just so yer know… Taking The Plunge Stranger led the way through the huge, warped trees, he had, after all, been doing this a lot longer then Bailey had. Bailey followed him silently, eyes and ears straining for any disturbances.It was three days later. Stranger had decided that their best bet was to stay within a day’s journey of Birdington so they could pick up the bounties. So now the pair of them were hunting a couple of particularly nasty Outlaws, brothers, known only as Wart and Bunion. Stranger stopped suddenly and Bailey came up beside him. She watched Stranger’s ears twitching and knew he’d heard something that was beyond her range. She tapped his arm, Stranger looked down at her. “Outlaws?” Bailey mouthed and signed. Stranger nodded and grinning put a finger up to his lips in the universal signal for ‘Shh’, Bailey nodded. Stranger beckoned with the same finger and set off again, Bailey following. After a while the two hunters came to a pile of rocks heaped amongst the tree. Stranger climbed up with ease. Bailey had a bit more trouble. But she managed it without giving them away. When she reached the top she found Stranger crouched behind a lip of stone, peering into a telescope. He ignored Bailey for a second before wordlessly handing her the spyglass. Bailey put it to her eye and directed the tube in the same direction Stranger had been looking. She saw a couple of Outlaws stomping along a twisted tree limb. She broke into a grin and handed the telescope back. Stranger crouched behind the rock lip and turned to Bailey. “I think you better stay out of my way.” He said in a low voice after a pause. Bailey scowled, “I want to help.” She protested in a furious whisper. “Stay Here.” Stranger told her firmly. “But-” Stranger tapped her chin with one claw and shook his head. “It’s safer here.” Bailey growled in annoyance but nodded. Stranger grinned in relief. “I’ll be back.” He muttered and vaulted over the rock lip, sliding silently down and slinking after the Outlaws. Bailey breathed an irritated breath through her nose. She unclipped the sniper rifle and followed Strangers progress through the scope. She considered slowing the Outlaws down with a couple of well placed bullets but decided against it. Stranger would not be pleased. Bailey contented herself with just watching. ¤§¤ Stranger padded after the Outlaws in a loping pace that Bailey could never have kept up with – she wasn’t built for it. Ahead of him the Outlaws had stopped and looked like they were discussing which way to go. Okay, so it was closer to arguing. Outlaws were always arguing. Stranger grinned ferally to himself and climbed up above them. “We shoulda started going East when we got to that giant rock you idiot!” yelled one Outlaw, the bigger one – Bunion. “Hey! I was following you!” shouted the second, the smaller, younger one - Wart. “And now we’re lost thanks to you’re crap sense of direction! Sekto’s gonna have our hides!” “Shut yer freakin’ trap!” snapped Bunion clipping the back of his brother’s head. Stranger chose just then to make his entrance. He dropped down from the canopy above, right behind the Outlaws. “Mornin’ ladies.” He smirked tugging on the brim of his hat in mock greeting. The Outlaws spun to face him. They saw Stranger and cocked and aimed their guns at the bounty hunter. “Looks like yer outnumbered Kimosabi.” Said Bunion, smirking widely. Stranger grinned hugely, showing a mouthful of sharp fangs. “Always liked a challenge.” He purred. ¤§¤ Bailey watched Stranger and the Outlaws’ exchange through the sniper scope with apprehension. She’d learnt from experience from the last three days that whenever Stranger and the Outlaw he was hunting started bantering, the Outlaw got extremely incensed and Stranger almost got himself killed. Every Single Time. “Don’t talk, just bag ‘em you twit.” She muttered. After a minute or two Stranger finally attacked the two Outlaws, knocking aside their guns and decking the smaller one under the chin. Wart dropped. And Stranger faced the bigger of the pair, smirking smugly. He said something else and Bunion gave a roar of outrage and flung his considerable bulk at Stranger. Stranger dodged easily and ducked under the Outlaw’s huge fist, cracking Bunion’s chin with his own fist. He was so busy fist-fighting that he didn’t notice the Wart get up and groggily aim his gun at the bounty hunter. Bunion saw it, and Bailey saw it too. “Say g’bye Stranger.” Bunion growled in triumph Stranger froze in surprise. Bunion grabbed the surprised bounty hunter’s fist and walloped him in the stomach, light flashed on a blade as it came from nowhere and Bunion slashed at Stranger. Stranger gasped and keeled over, dropping to his knees. He heard Wart and Bunion cackling, heard the gun clicking and then a shot. He winced but felt nothing. Wart started screaming and Bunion yelled. “Hell! He’s got reinforcements, let’s git outta here!” A few minutes later Stranger heard a very out of breath human skid to a halt and drop down to her knees beside him. He felt cool human hands touch his cheeks. “Stranger, are you okay?” came Bailey’s concerned voice. Stranger looked up, grinned faintly. “’Part from the bout of déj* vu, I’ll live.” Bailey smirked and hooked one of Stranger’s arms around her shoulders, helping haul Stranger to his feet “C’mon, up yer get.” Bailey groaned as she helped him to walk. “Next time you can sit on the sidelines and I’ll bag the bad guys.” She added. “Yer’ll do no such thing.” Stranger growled, Bailey gave a sigh, “How many times am I gonna have to save your hide, and how much am I gonna get paid?” Stranger swatted at her shoulder, “Varmint.” Bailey sniggered. “How’s yer gut by the way?” she asked after a moment. Stranger still had one arm across his abdomen. “Hurts ter breathe.” Came the answer. Bailey stopped and frowned. “Alright, let’s take a look at you.” And she made him sit down and take off his poncho. She pressed an ear to his chest and listened, frowning. Stranger blinked down at her. “Er…Bailey…whadda ya doin’?” “Breathe for me.” Bailey commanded. Stranger did as he was told. Bailey listened to his breathing. “Sounds alright…” she muttered. She pulled away and prodded his stomach. Stranger hissed. “Tha’ HURT!” He snapped. Bailey ignored him. “I think you’re just abit tender, nothing seems horribly wrong. Bad bruising most likely.” Stranger blinked green eyes at the small human. “How d’you know that!?” Bailey shrugged, “I was bored when I was left at home so I read a lot.” She answered. “C’mon, we need to get out of here before-” an angry voice cut her off, “It’s only an Odd-damn kid!” “We get company…” Bailey sighed. Suddenly she felt an arm clamp around her middle and knock the air right out of her lungs in a whoosh. Then she felt a bump and found herself on a tree limb that was about twenty feet higher then she had just been a minute ago. Stranger let her go and dropped to his hands and knees, coughing violently. Bailey scrambled over and began rubbing his back to ease his breathing. Stranger slid onto his stomach and with an effort rolled over, groaning. “You’re never going to recover if you keep pullin’ stunts like that!” Bailey whispered furiously, “What were you thinkin’!?” “Savin’ yer hide, that’s what.” Stranger croaked hoarsely, he sounded like he wanted be angry but didn’t have the energy. “Saving my hide won’t help me if you die.” Bailey said. “And I don’t want you to die.” Stranger watched Bailey with luminous green eyes and propped himself up on his elbows. “I’m not gonna die Bailey.” Bailey went to answer but was cut off as the two heard the Outlaw brother’s below, “Where in Odd’s name did they go!?” Bailey peered through the foliage and broke into a malicious grin. She began to creep past Stranger but he grabbed her shirt, “Whadda ya doin’!?” Bailey turned and Stranger noticed the grin and her shining eyes. “Payback.” She grinned, “Don’t worry, I got an idea.” She turned and put her arms around his neck momentarily, giving him a brief hug, carefully making sure she didn’t touch anything tender and then crept away, along the tree limb. She turned and grinned at Stranger again, “It’ll be a blast.” And then she hopped to another tree. “Tha’s what’s worryin’ me…” Stranger muttered, keeping his eyes on Bailey. Bailey made her way to a broad tree limb across from Stranger and then lay on her back to stay hidden while she got out one of the mini-Desert Eagle look-a-like handguns and loaded it. She leant over the side of the branch, took aim, and fired. Immediately the thick air in the forest was rent by wails. “SHOT ME! SOMETHING ODD-DAMN SHOT ME!” Bailey snickered and rolled on her back, Bunion was flailing around like a hoard of Fuzzles were attacking him...speaking of Fuzzles… Bailey looked over at Stranger, he was itching to join in. “Oi, Stranger.” Bailey whispered to get his attention. Stranger looked at her with sharp eyes. “Fuzzles.” Bailey grinned. Stranger returned the grin and loaded his crossbow with two Fuzzles, he took a firm hold on the branch and hung over the side, aimed and fired. The Fuzzles hit Wart and he shrieked and began running around in circles like a headless chicken. “GAAAAAH! GERROFF GERROFF!” he screamed. Bailey and Stranger were both stifling laughter by now. Bailey lay on her tree limb, her snickering abruptly cut off when she heard a crack. She sat up quickly, leaning on her hands and looked for the source of the noise. The branch was splitting… “No way.” Muttered Bailey, “Oh crap!” Cracks ran all through the wood with alarming speed and Bailey was too choked with fear to make a sound until, finally. “Stranger.” Her voice sounded odd, strained and choked. Stranger looked over, the grin on his face rapidly morphed into horror. He tried to get over to Bailey but his injured midsection impaired him and he wasn’t able to move fast enough as the tree limb that Bailey was perched on, fell away, taking Bailey with it. There was a crash and an explosion of dust and leaf-matter as it billowed up as Bailey and the branch hit a stack of dead leaves in the hollow between two other twisting branches. The only pro to this horrible situation was that Wart was swatted by the debris brought down by the tree limb’s fall and put down for the count, which meant Stranger only had to deal with one Outlaw. Stranger didn’t think. If there was any chance that Bailey was alive after that he needed to get the remaining Outlaw, Bunion, away. Ignoring the pain that ripped through his stomach Stranger jumped down and grinned at Bunion. The Outlaw howled in anger and without Stranger provoking him, he charged at Stranger, swinging his rifle like a club. Stranger dodged and took off, dropping to all fours to move faster. ¤§¤ Bailey groaned, everything ached something awful. She dug her way out of the debris and sat up. She groaned again and put her head in her hands, leaning against the part of tree right next to her. “Ug, jackhammer in the skull…” she moaned. She looked around. “Where is everyone? Stranger? Stranger!” No answer. Bailey pulled herself out of the rut between the two twisting parts of tree she had fallen into and staggered to one side into another tree trunk and put a hand to her head as a wave of dizziness swept over her. “Ug.” She muttered again. All around her was a messy mass of dead leaves, sticks, other debris and the huge broken off branch. Bailey brushed the dirt from her clothes and picked fragments of bio-wreckage from her hair. “Stranger?” she tried again, still no answer. Suddenly a groan made Bailey looked round. Wart sat up, he rubbed his forehead then shook his head to clear the stars, Bailey froze, just staring in horror. When Wart saw Bailey he gave a yell of anger and jumped to his feet, fumbling with his gun. He brought up the rifle…to find it too late, Bailey had bolted. Wart swore and lumbered after her. Bailey tore through the dense vegetation like a mad thing. She wasn’t about to waste her time on Wart, she had to find Stranger. What if Bunion had taken him? Then where would an Outlaw take a bounty hunter? Bailey’s heart pounded in her ribs and her breath sobbed, panting, trying to take in more air. And she had no idea where she was going. She could hear Wart behind but she was confident she could outrun him. Her first worry now was Stranger. Bailey slid down a steep twisting tree fighting to keep her balance and hit the dirt at the bottom, no sooner had she hit the ground she was off again, small leaves and branches lashing in her face and whipping at her arms. Finally she burst out of the dense jungle, tripped on a root and went tumbling forward, rolling over and over until she hit something. Bailey groaned and fell over onto her hands and knees. She looked towards the forest, there was no sign of Wart. Bailey grinned. She sat with her back against the thing she’d hit and regained her breath. When she was calmer Bailey twisted around and looked past the thing, and proceeded to fall over again. The whole area behind her was filled with graves, the headstones made of grey rough stone and each one with the same message; Cry not for us Our souls survive Justice awaits The waters rise Bailey just stared at them for a moment, her mouth open, she scrambled away from the thing she’d been leaning on, finding that that too was a grave. Bailey looked around. She was even more lost then she had been before. And even worse, she was officially Creeped Out. “This sucks.” She whispered, “Really sucks.” All she could hear was the buzzing of the flies and the chirp of the small creatures in the grass. Suddenly she heard a voice, deep but breathy like a whispering of a soft breeze on grass. Bailey spun on the spot. “Hello?” she breathed, “Stranger?” the whispering continued and the first voice was joined by others, all whispering things she didn’t understand. Bailey was frozen in place, looking round slowly, the small hairs on her arms and the back of her neck rising. Bailey shivered. Swallowing Bailey began moving, weaving her way through the graves, the wild grass coming up to her knees in some places. She climbed up a slight slope in the graveyard and when she reached the top, bright sunlight seared into her dark-accustomed eyes. Bailey rubbed her eyes and blinking squinted down. What she saw made a pain lance through her chest and she put a hand on a stunted tree nearby to steady herself, one hand on her heart. Slowly Bailey sank to her knees. “What happened here?” she whispered. Below her stretched a long, deep valley. Everything was dry and dusty and dead or dying. Bailey could make out the faint remains of what once must have been a great river, but something, or someone had drained all the water. Bailey was used to seeing dry places, but this was different. The atmosphere was wrong here, water had been here and it had been taken, and it wasn’t natural. Bailey saw a settlement that would have been on the riverbanks of the dead river. Dimly she could make out a group of little figures with fishing nets. This drought was unnatural. Bailey watched them crowd together to observe what she assumed was the pitiful catch. This was a fishing people, but the river was dry and the fish would therefore he dying right along with this valley. Suddenly a gunshot shattered the brittle quiet. The whispers were silenced. Bailey watched the valley below like a hawk. A dark and familiar figure suddenly charged through the gathering of the short fishers. “Stranger.” Murmured Bailey, a scant few seconds later the Outlaw Bunion crashed through the group, sending many on them flying, he levelled his gun and shot again then with a gesture of annoyance he tore off after Stranger, leaving Bailey line of sight. As if someone had just unturned on the volume on a muted television set, the whispers returned, but this time Bailey understood them; Go said the whispers, Go now. Help him. Remember us. Bailey didn’t move for a second, the wind picked up and seemed to push her backwards. GO! Bailey turned, and fled. ¤§¤ Stranger practically flew through the jungles of Mongo Valley, moving with that unique gait that Bailey had found so fascinating, utilising all four limbs to move, jumping from place to place. Stranger turned momentarily to check if Bunion was still following. He was, and his pace was remarkably fast, every so often he caught up to Stranger and swung his gun but Stranger managed to dodge each time. Stranger clambered up on huge tree root and pause for a second, letting Bunion take a swing at him, he dodged and changed direction, swinging himself around on a stubby protruding branch that exploded as soon as he’d let it go, the fragments flew in all direction and sprayed Stranger as the bullet it the wood. He slid down another root and continued the deadly race, towards an old trap he’d built some time ago, avoiding the barrage of swings from Bunion. Stranger dashed through the ribcage of a giant animal, using the rib bones to swing himself into the air, sliding along yet another root like a skateboarder grinding down a rail. He paused and turned back, watching the Outlaw fighting his way out of the ribcage, which had evidently collapsed on top of him into a pile of bones. It didn’t take him long and soon Bunion was barrelling towards him. “That’s right.” Muttered Stranger jumped out of the way just as the Outlaw swung his gun. Stranger vaguely heard a yell of ‘ODD-DAMN! GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF!’ before they was a crack, a splintering of wood and Bunion shot past him, covered in snarling Fuzzles. Stranger unfolded his crossbow and loaded it with a Bolamite in under thirty seconds and fired. The arachnid hit the Outlaw and trussed him like a Zappfly caught in one of it’s webs. Bunion hit the ground and the creatures scattered. Stranger dropped down in a perfect four-point landing, rose slowly and stalked towards the Outlaw. “You jerk! You broke ma favourite gun!” hollered Bunion. Stranger bent down and picked up the gun, sniffing the busted gunpowder canister and shuddered at the disgusting smell. “Never liked guns.” He grinned and snapped the gun in two, dropping the two pieces in front of Bunion. “Aww man.” Whined the Outlaw. Stranger bent down and grabbed hold on the Outlaw’s bonds and brought him almost nose to nose, his green eyes blazing. “That was fer Bailey.” And then Stranger shoved the Outlaw away from him in disgust. His ears twitched suddenly. He could have sworn he’d just- “Oi! Stranger! You tryin’ ter get away from me or what?” Stranger looked up, ignoring the grumbling Outlaw. Bailey was standing on one of the tree roots he’d led Bunion over. She grinned and waved. She suddenly stopped and her gaze snapped to her left. She then began climbing down the network of latticed roots and branches until she was on solid ground again. She cast an apprehensive glance upward before darting over to Stranger. “Stranger, we got company. The lil’ scum-bag’s headed this way.” Stranger nodded and was about to reload his crossbow when he gave a gasp and bent over double, clutching at his stomach. “Can’t,” he gasped, “Can’t take on another one.” “Then I will.” Bailey said firmly, Stranger shook his head but it took him a few seconds to muster enough energy to speak. “No.” Bailey looked like she was going to argue but just then a bullet exploded right next to her feet and they heard Wart yell, “I got ya now yer lil’ freaks!” Stranger didn’t wait to give a comeback. Summoning all the strength he had left Stranger grabbed hold of Bailey and took off again. “Stranger stop!” yelled Bailey, “You’ll do yerself in!” but Stranger didn’t listen, just kept running. Then, abruptly the ground fell away. Stranger skidded to a halt and the two peered over the edge. At one point Bailey presumed this must have been a waterfall but the water had stopped flowing by now and Bailey was surprised that there was still a pool at all below. Stranger finally let her go and Bailey dropped to the floor as Stranger fell to his knees, his breath coming in painful gasps. Bailey knelt beside him. “C’mon Stranger, you can’t give up yet. We can make it.” Stranger didn’t even have the energy to answer straight away, and when he did he only managed a few words. “I’m sorry Bailey.” Bailey laughed softly, “What for?” she asked, “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.” And then Bailey knew. This was the end. Bailey put her arms around Stranger, pressing her forehead on his fur. “It’s not your fault. None of it is your fault.” She murmured, she felt Stranger put his arms around her and she tightened her hold. He was shaking, Bailey realised. He didn’t want to die, neither did she, but there was no way out… Or maybe there was… “Stranger, you have to get up, we can make it.” She tried to get Stranger up, he didn’t at first but then he managed, rising unsteadily to his feet. Bailey put his arm around her shoulder and Stranger sagged onto the considerably smaller human. His eyes were closed and his head rested on Bailey’s shoulder. Bailey got him over to the rim of the waterfall cliff and peered over. “At least it looks deep enough…” there was a crash of foliage snapping and being trampled behind them. Bailey looked back once before she took a deep breath. And took the plunge. Jumping from the cliff, dragging Stranger after her…the water rushed to meet them and there was a huge splash that knocked everything out of Bailey as she hit the freezing water. Everything went black as she and Stranger sank below the surface… |
Sweet! Now the end thar, was fluffiness. But other that that, it was awesome! Oh, and the part where Stranger captures Bunion, well, sorry if I messed up yer story, but it sounds exactly like the capture of Blisterz Booty. But still good! :D
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That's Because It Is...Er...I Think...
I dunno who Blisterz Booty is...but I saw this wicked trailer thing on the net where Stranger captures someone (is that Blisterz Booty then?) and I liked the style so I used that...I did change it abit...
Sigh, am I gonna get a kick fer this? Blegh. |
Yeh, it's Blisterz Booty. But don't change it! It's really good, even without Booty! :D
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???
What's up with fluffiness? :fuzconf: Although the action will be making it's appearance soon if that's what yer after. :D
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oh no! You just did action! Eh, anyways, there's nothin' wrong with flufiness. I use it sometimes. Oh, and I'm doin' s'moe in my fic, so hold on tight! :D
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Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Cutting It Close Bailey’s eyes flew open as the shock of cold water loosened it’s grip on her and consciousness returned. At first she panicked and began to flail, then she kicked her legs and propelled herself towards the light of sun on the water. She broke the surface and sucked in a great gasp of air. Treading water she looked up at the ridge.The Outlaws must have given up, she couldn’t see or hear them anymore and they’d made enough noise to wake the dead…well, okay, maybe not that much… Bailey splashed over to the bank of the pool and dragged herself out, shedding her poncho, hat and equipment as well as practically a bucket’s worth of water. “I feel like a sponge…” she groaned to herself and squeezed water from her hair. Bailey suddenly felt a nagging sensation in her stomach, she looked around. Where was Stranger? Bailey began looking around more frantically. Stranger wasn’t there. “Oh no.” Bailey moaned, she quickly waded into the water, took a deep breath and plunged beneath the surface. The water was dark, Bailey couldn’t see. The flotsam and jetsam in the water swirled around her and the lungs burned but she refused to resurface to take in air. Finally, after what seemed an eternity Bailey saw a shadow, darker then the water. A shadow that was slowly sinking and leaving a vaguely red trail. Bailey pushed her failing body to swim deeper and she managed to grabbed hold of Stranger. Using every last vestige of willpower she had left Bailey resurfaced and dragged Stranger’s limp (and let’s face it, very heavy) body onto the bank, taking off his hat and poncho. Bailey dropped to her knees next to him and pressed an ear to his chest, listening. She almost cried in relief when she heard a faint heartbeat. Bailey mentally shuffled all she knew about resuscitation into order like a pack of cards. She checked Stranger’s airways and nearly succumbed to panic when she realised that Stranger wasn’t breathing. “Oh don’t you dare do this to me Stranger, don’t you dare die on me. Breathe damn you.” Bailey pressed on Stranger’s chest, trying to force the water out, and the oxygen into his lungs. “Please, please don’t do this to me Stranger.” She whispered and pressed harder. Nothing. “You will not do this to me!” Bailey growled, “I won’t let you.” Bailey sat back on her heels, as she tried to remember CPR. She let out a groan when she realised her only option. “Oh you better appreciate this.” She muttered and proceeded to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Stranger. She almost gagged. She pulled away after a minute, coughing. “First thing I’m gonna do when we find civilisation,” she muttered as she returned to pressing down on Stranger’s lungs, “Is find you a toothbrush and even if I have to sit on you and do it myself, I’m gonna get you to clean yer teeth. Your oral hygiene stinks, and I mean literally…” Bailey pressed on his chest again. “Stranger please, I need you to wake up. You promised you wouldn’t die. You promised. Stranger…you’re the only friend I’ve got…you’re my family… I need you…” A trickle of water dribbled from Stranger’s mouth, and then he heaved a great breath and began coughing. “AH HA!” yelled Bailey, “YOU’RE ALIVE!” she threw her arms around Stranger’s neck and promptly burst into tears. Stranger’s breathing steadily became easier and he closed his eyes to recover his strength. He felt Bailey’s hot tears on his fur. Slowly he pushed himself up into a sitting position and put his arms around the girl sobbing on his shoulder. Holding her close. “Shh Bailey, it’s alright, I’m here.” He finally managed to croak. Bailey tightened her grip on Stranger and sobbed harder. Stranger made a soothing, purring sound and stroked Bailey’s back. “Bailey…I’m alright. I’m fine…” “You-” Bailey choked, “You almost…” Bailey was the one shaking now. Stranger pulled her closer to his chest. “But I didn’t. I’m fine.” Bailey took deep breaths and pressed her forehead to Stranger’s cheek, her eyes closed. For a long time the two just sat in silence, eyes closed, mustering all their willpower and energy to move. Silently reassuring and being reassured that each of them were alive and well. After a while Stranger took a deep breath and fire seared across his stomach. Bailey felt Stranger’s muscles tense and he let out a hiss of pain. She pulled away quickly. “Stranger what-” and it was only then that she saw the red staining Stranger’s shirt. “Damn.” She muttered and ignoring his weak protests, forced Stranger to lie back. “Hold still, this might sting.” She peeled Stranger’s shirt from his stomach and winced. “Ow.” She muttered. A long, bloody cut went right across his stomach. Bailey had to think fast. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” Stranger groaned. Bailey rummaged around her equipment and finally located her scarf. She went back to Stranger and used the scarf as a makeshift bandage, wrapping it around his abdomen and tying it firmly. When she was satisfied Bailey donned her poncho, hat and strapped on her pack, then helped Stranger with his poncho and hat and hauled him to his feet. Stranger sagged against her. “Stranger, you have to help me out. I can’t walk for you.” He did make the effort, he really did try but blood loss was finally catching up with him. He drifted in and out of consciousness, worrying Bailey, the only way she could think of to keep him awake was talk to him. Which is exactly what she did. “Stranger,” she had to keep saying his name to get him to pay attention in the first place, “How d’you know the Doc? Well, I assume you know ‘im, he seemed to know you…” Stranger’s eyes were closed as if he was sleepwalking but he managed to answer. “He…can help me…only one who can help me…” By his tone Bailey suspected that he wasn’t fully aware what was happening and almost delirious, he wouldn’t normally answer a question like that. Bailey therefore used the situation to find out more about Stranger. There was a lot about him she didn’t know, she realised. “Help? Help you with what?” “My…condition…it’s why I do the bounties…to fund it…” he was almost done in and still Stranger wasn’t about to give away important information. Bailey gave a futile sigh. Even when he was almost on his last legs he hadn’t let his guard down… Bailey only hoped that they could get back to Birdington and to the Doc before (1) Outlaws found them, (2) Stranger dropped from his injury and blood loss and possible infection and (3) anyone realised that she was a wanted felon. She didn’t have Stranger to protect her right now. It was the other way around now, Bailey smirked at the irony. Instead of needing Stranger to protect her, Stranger now needed the protection. And Bailey’d be damned if she didn’t look after him. “How can he help? The Doc I mean.” “He can…do tha operation.” Bailey stopped dead. “What operation?” Stranger sank down to sit on a log, Bailey crouched in front of him, “Stranger, tell me, what operation can the Doc do?” “It makes me…normal… I’m a freak, an’ I don’t wanna be.” “What are you talking about!?” asked Bailey, completely stunned by his response, “Take a look around! All that inhabits Oddworld are screw-ups and oddballs. We’re all freaks. What makes you so special?” “It’s dangerous…fer me…fer what I am…I’d be hunted down…” Bailey frowned, “Why?” “Because…that’s tha way it is… Bailey…” “I’m right here, what is it?” “It’s dark Bailey…I can’t see yer…I can hardly hear yer…” Stranger was fading fast. Bailey got him on his feet again. “Stranger, work with me, I need you to stay awake, listen to my voice…c’mon Stranger, you’re stronger then this.” “I’m…not sure I can go on fer long…” “You don’t need to,” Bailey panted, Stranger weighed an absolute ton! “We’re gonna get there real soon.” “Yer promise?” Bailey didn’t answer straight away, such a childish question from someone so much older and sterner then herself put Bailey off balance, but finally; “Yeh. Yeh I promise. We’ll make it…” Bailey paused but spoke again, “Whatever happens, I’ll always be your friend and I will always be there if you need me. I promise that too.” Stranger smiled sleepily and nodded. Bailey blew air from her cheeks. Now all she had to do was keep that promise… ¤§¤ It was getting dark by the time Bailey and Stranger stumbled into Birdington. Stranger was practically on his knees. Bailey had to drag him into the town’s gates, straining every muscle, but she made it and let out a relieved breath. “In tha name o’ Odd!” squawked a voice, “What ‘appened ter you two?” Bailey looked up, the Clakker from the guard tower was clambering down the ladder to get to them. “Outlaws.” Bailey said heavily, “And Stranger’s not at his best.” “I can see tha’! Yer need to git ‘im ter tha Doc’s.” Bailey nodded and put one of Stranger’s arms around her neck, and heaved. But she didn’t have anything left and she sank to the floor. She slammed a fist into the dirt and tried again and after a struggle got herself and Stranger up. “Methinks yer need some ‘elp lil’ miss.” Remarked the Clakker as he propped up Stranger’s other arm. “Thanks…” said Bailey in a tired voice. The Clakker waved away her gratitude, “Stranger’s ‘elped us a lot, I think I can ‘elp now, after all ‘e’s done fer us. Best bounty hunter in these parts is Stranger.” Bailey nodded, she didn’t have the energy to reply. And it was still a way to the Vykker’s practice… Ten minutes later Bailey was pounding on the door of the Doc’s surgery. “Doc!” she yelled, “Doc! Open up!” a window on the floor above opened and a very irate Vykker looked out, looking ridiculous in monocle and a purple and white pinstriped nightcap and matching shirt. “H’and what do you want!” he snapped in that nasally voice that made Bailey inwardly cringe and grated on her annoyance. She was not going to put up with his idiocy, she had no time for this. She’d throttled him once, she could do it again. She’d make him obey her. “You get down here right now and open this door or I’ll break it down!” she roared, the Vykker gave a yelp of fright and dropped his monocle. “It’s the mad human!” he squealed, “What d’you want!?” “Stranger needs your…expertise!” Bailey called. “I’ll be right down…” The Doc whimpered and disappeared from the window. A few seconds later the door opened and the Doc was met with a glaring Bailey. He visibly shrank before her. Cowed, utterly terrified of the human girl that only just stood eye to eye with him. He glanced at Stranger and then back to the fiery eyed Bailey. “Bring him in.” he squeaked. Bailey nodded and turned to the Clakker. “Thank you for your help-” “Grissum.” Bailey inclined her head. Grissum left and Bailey got Stranger into the back room of the Doc’s surgery and onto the table. The Vykker who’d been holding the door open entered after her. Once she was sure Stranger was comfortable Bailey whirled on the Doc with a frightening ferocity and had him by the throat in a second. “You do anything that will hurt him, and I will rip out your spine and hang you with yer own entrails.” She dragged him closer so he could see the cold seriousness in her eyes. “You get me?” The Vykker nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, of course.” “Good.” Snarled Bailey and dropping the Vykker in disgust Bailey went to the office. Waiting to see if Stranger lived or died. |
Now I have to be honest. At revival, Lobo...you made me cry. Seriously, I ain't jokin'. You made me shead a tear at the corner. The bond between Bailey and Stranger are the same, seriously. In my story, it ain't showin' is it? But their bond is growing with every moment they have. Good work, and I have to go stop my waterworks...:crying:
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GAH! Good Grief!
Good grief! I'm sorry, *hands DE another virtual tissue* I didn't mean ter make ya cry. I thought it was kinda melodramatic actually... but gee, sorry. But I gotta say it's gratifying to an author to know they've really affected their audience. So thanks, and sorry...again. :fuzzle:
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It ain't a problem. I'm sometimes an emotional girl, so not a problem. Hell, at the end of Stranger's Wrath, I cried. So don't you worry 'bout anything, ok? *pats Lobo on the back* We're still friends. :)
[Edit] Ah, let me fiz up that damn post. I know you ain't Bailey, I was just being blonde...again...for the thousandth time...:rolleyes: |
Tee Hee!
:lol: No problem buddy, and I look forward to ya next post and fic chapter. :D
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Yeah, sorry it's takin' a while. But it's nearly done. :D
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Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Screaming Somewhere during the night Bailey fell asleep in one of the Doc’s leather upholstered chairs. She was woken up the next morning by a deep voice calling her name,“Bailey?” Bailey was awake in a second, one of her handguns out and ready. Aimed right at Stranger. Once she’d realised this Bailey lowered the gun and squinted up at him, not quite ready to say anything just yet. “Good mornin’ ter you too Bailey.” Bailey opened her mouth but closed it again without a sound coming from her. She slowly got out of the chair. Stranger looked worn but in fit condition, he was smiling even though when he moved like he was slightly stiff and he had dark circles around his eyes, a proper bandage was wrapped around his middle though. Bailey wanted to hug him, but she didn’t want to hurt him so she held back, feeling awkward. Until Stranger made the first move and swept Bailey into an engulfing cuddle. Completely oblivious that she was a good two feet off the floor Bailey gave a muffled sound of happiness and relief and threw her arms around Stranger’s neck. She didn’t cry. But she buried her face in the mane of fur on his jaw. A cough broke into their reunion and Stranger put her down. The Doc was standing in the doorway looking extremely smug. Bailey walked over to him. Even though he was more confident, the Vykker’s smirk faltered and he flinched when Bailey moved her hand, but it was only to offer a handshake. Hesitantly the Vykker took the proffered hand but he cringed when he looked into Bailey’s amber eyes. There was gratitude there, but no warmth and no trust. There was a polite thanks, and nothing more. “Thank you.” Bailey said and inclined her head. “N-n-no th-thanks are n-n-necessary.” The Vykker stammered, one look from those eyes told him that there was no way he was going to be able to call a favour for this later. “I-it was my p-p-pleasure.” Bailey tilted her chin momentarily in a small nod, never taking those eyes from the Doc. She let go of his pincer-like hands and the Vykker shrank back. “Don’t forget Stranger, this afternoon.” Stranger nodded as he pulled on his poncho and hat. “I won’t. C’mon Bailey, I need somat ter eat.” Bailey nodded and followed. “What did he mean, to come back later?” she asked once they were outside, Stranger didn’t answer. “Is…it for the operation you told me about?” Bailey ventured. Stranger whirled on her and seemed to become twice his normal size. Bailey froze and for the first time, she was afraid of the fire burning in Stranger’s green eyes. But she didn’t back down or show her fear. She met his gaze with her own. “Well?” “How did you find out about that?” Stranger growled through gritted teeth, absolutely furious. “You told me, you might not remember but how would I know otherwise?” Bailey answered, refraining from a snarky retort. Stranger deflated and rubbed his face. “I’m sorry Bailey. I shoulda not shouted at yer.” Bailey shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “When we get somat to eat, we’ll talk…it was about time I toldja some things…” Bailey frowned, “Where can we go?” she was obviously thinking of her bounty. Stranger grinned, “I don’t think yer as in as much danger as I originally thought. Plus not many people know about yer. Yer up fer riskin’ it?” Bailey thought for a moment, her stomach complained. “I think we’ll take that as a yes.” She finally grinned. “C’mon then.” Stranger and Bailey made their way to a very familiar tavern. “Well, this looks familiar.” Bailey remarked as they stood outside. Stranger gave her a serious look. “No card games this time Bailey, don’t press yer luck.” “I wasn’t going too!” Bailey protested. Stranger raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms in a disbelieving kind of way. “Reeeally.” “Really.” Bailey said, not breaking eye-contact. She was either telling the truth, Stranger thought, or she was a really, really good liar. Stranger made a sound in his throat, disbelieving but accepting and went into the tavern, followed by Bailey. They were greeted cheerfully enough and Stranger guided Bailey to a small out of-the-way table instead of the bar. Bailey was very amused by this. “What are you thinkin’ Stranger? Romantic, candlelit dinner perhaps?” Bailey asked and snickered, Stranger swatted at her head but Bailey ducked, sniggering to herself. “Actually I was thinkin’ along the lines of being inconspicuous.” Bailey put on a mockingly impressed expression, “Wow, you came up with that cover story pretty quick.” Stranger scowled and Bailey spluttered to herself to keep from laughing out loud. Just then one of the Clakkerz serving came over to them; “What canna git ya and ya lil’ friend Stranger?” she asked cheerfully. Stranger glanced at Bailey. “Surprise me.” Bailey shrugged. Half an hour later when the food actually arrived, Bailey wished she hadn’t said anything. The thing stared at her accusingly from the plate with one, dead eye… Bailey sank down until her eyes were level with the tabletop and stared at the thing with wide eyes. “Stranger,” she said in a strangled voice, “It’s still got it’s head on…” it was Stranger’s turn to be amused now. “Yeh,” he nodded sagely, “Romantic candlelit dinner.” And grinned hugely. Bailey scowled and gave him a kick under the table. Stranger ignored the kick and leaned over the table, only Bailey’s eyes and hair were still visible. “Don’t try an’ bait me kiddo, I’ll always win.” And his grin widened by a few teeth. “Uh huh.” Bailey managed to get out, still in a strangled voice. “Yer can at least try it, it’s good I promise, although the brain’s an acquired taste.” Bailey’s pale, freckled skin went an incredible shade of green. Suddenly she jumped up and bolted for the door. Stranger leaned back in his chair, picking at his teeth with a toothpick from his pocket and chuckled. Maybe his last comment had been a bit too much for the kid to handle… He got up and left the tavern and nodded to the shocked patrons, “Kid’s got a weak stomach.” He said, the Clakkerz nodded sympathetically and the female server clasped her wings in pity, “Oh tha poor dear.” She clucked, Stranger tugged his hat brim and left. He found Bailey throwing up into an unused water barrel outside. He went over and rubbed Bailey’s back. “Easy Bailey, easy now. Bring it all up if it makes yer feel better.” He said soothingly. “That,” Bailey gasped and vomited again, “Was really,” Bailey groaned and threw up again, “Low.” Bailey took a deep breath, “You jerk.” Stranger chuckled. “Don’t say I didn’t warn yer kid. I’m not to be messed with.” Bailey wiped her mouth, “No, you like screwin’ with people’s minds.” Stranger shrugged, “That too. C’mon, we’ll get somethin’ more agreeable on yer stomach fer yer ter eat.” “Anything without the head still attached is fine.” Bailey muttered as Stranger put a hand on her shoulder and steered her back towards the tavern. “Funny, those lizards yer won, you were alright with them.” “I beheaded them first!” Bailey squeaked, still feeling abit green. “Alright, alright. Stop thinkin’ about it.” the pair of them got back to their table and Bailey slumped in her chair, feeling miserable and sorry for herself. Stranger patted her knee, “Aww, c’mon ‘Lee, cheer up, it could be worse.” Bailey crossed her arms and scowled darkly at him, “Oh really? How?” Stranger shrugged, “I dunno, but it could.” Bailey grunted but the corner of her mouth twitched in a half smile. The female Clakker was back and she immediately began cooing over Bailey in a motherly fashion, “Oh ya poor dear, lemme git ya somat easier fer ya poor tummy ta handle.” Bailey opened and closed her mouth in surprise and looked like a trout for a moment. Stranger stifled his amusement and told the female Clakker to go and get a meal of the dish that Bailey couldn’t say. “O’ course, I’ll go an’ git it.” when she went Bailey plonked her forehead on the table, “Ug, that was embarrassin’.” She muttered into the wood. Stranger patted her head. The female Clakker soon returned and Bailey, after some hesitation and cajoling from Stranger, tucked in and found it much more to her palate’s liking. When she had half finished her meal Stranger stood up. Bailey looked up quickly, “Where yer goin’?” “I gotta go see the Doc.” Bailey went to get up as well up Stranger put a hand on her shoulder and pressed her back into her seat. “No. You stay here, finish yer dinner. I’ll be at the Doc’s. I ain’t goin’ anywhere kid.” Stranger pressed his nose to Bailey’s hair affectionately and left, Bailey watching him like a hawk. When he’d gone Bailey let out a frustrated sigh and leaned one elbow on the table, resting her head in on her palm while she pushed the food around her plate with the fork, suddenly finding that her appetite had gone… Why did she have a very ominous feeling about this whole situation…? ¤§¤ Finally Bailey couldn’t take it anymore. She got up and went towards the front door, nodding in thanks to the serving female Clakker. “You be careful now yer hear!” Bailey tugged on her hat brim in an affirmative and left the tavern, following Stranger’s trail to the Doc’s surgery. She let herself into the unlocked office and took a seat outside the back room of the practice. “Man, I hate this place already.” She grumbled, “I’ve seen this place enough times to last me two lifetimes-” her muttered tirade was cut off like it had been put through a guillotine, by a scream. A loud, agonised scream in a voice she knew. Stranger. Bailey was frozen in shock, she couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound, she was fixed into place, the only movement was her fingers gripping the arms of the chair so hard that the knuckles turned white and bloodless. That was Stranger screaming. Another shriek tore through her like a smoking bullet. Bailey fell out of the chair. She fell to her knees, gripping her hair in both fists. The screams tore at her heart and she felt like screaming too. It hurt her to hear Stranger. Hurt almost as much as he was hurting. Another scream wrenched from behind the door and Bailey scrabbled at the carpet, dragging herself forward before she got to her feet. Bailey staggered into the wall as yet another yell of pain ripped through her skull. Bailey gave a dry sob that clawed at her throat and sank to her knees again, sliding down the wall. ¤§¤ The shrieks continued for fifteen agonising minutes and Bailey could not find the strength of mind or body to get to the door. Finally silence fell. Bailey stumbled to her feet and made her way to the door, just as the Vykker Doc opened it from the inside and came out, wiping his pincers on a white towel stained red… He closed the door, turned, and found himself slammed against the wall and once again in a choking grip, Bailey’s strong fingers squeezing his windpipe and the cold barrel on one of her handguns jammed under his chin, digging into the soft part where his head connected with his neck. “What have you done to him you little jerk-weed?” Bailey snarled in a voice of deadly calm, her teeth were bared and her eyes were blazing in cold fury. The Vykker knew that she would shoot him at the slightest wrong move and she would not think twice about it. “I-I-I have done nothing that he hasn’t paid for.” Stammered the Vykker. Bailey’s hand and the gun barrel were shaking erratically. “What Have You Done?!” she hissed. “I cannot tell you, patient confidentiality.” The Vykker wailed. Bailey cocked the gun. “Tell me. Now.” “I can’t.” For a second Bailey and the Doc stood eye to eye. Bailey’s eyes burning and the Vykker’s eyes fearful. Both straining in their own ways, both desperate for the other to break their locked gazes. With great effort Bailey released the Doc. And put away the gun. “If I find out you have done anything to him. I swear you’ll wish I had shot you.” The Vykker whimpered and scuttled away, sitting at his desk, immersing himself into a pile of paperwork, occasionally throwing terrified looks toward Bailey. Bailey stood at the entrance to the operation theatre for a moment, her hand on the door. But she couldn’t go in. She couldn’t bring herself to see what was on the other side on that door. It scared her. She was afraid of what she would find, of what she would see… Bailey took a deep, calming breath. The Doc opened his mouth to say something, maybe something to stop her from going in, but he kept silent. Bailey pushed the door open. |
Mysterious. Interesting bond the two have between eachother. I hope to see that the next chapet revelas some more about their friendship. I like how Bailey is all hard ass with her gun :lol:.
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Thanks
Thank you used! :bow: Oh Bailey and Stranger's relationship have a few ups and downs ahead of them (they ain't perfect after all and they don't get on all the time...). Anyway, glad you're interested, and I predict that Bailey will do her nut when she finds out what kind of operation Stranger had...*insert ominous music here* and yeh, you're right, Bailey is a mean gunslinger when she wants to be.
By the way, love that fic of yours and I look forward to more. :D |
Thank you! The next chapter won't give you much on what you anticipate, but it will reveal a lot.
I love this fanfic. It kind of reminds me of one of those dating shows :lol:. |
WHA'???
Dating shows??? :confused: Okay, you've completely lost me. I have no idea what you mean...but I admit I was amused when I read that. :lol: :D
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Ooo, that gave me the chills as well, Lobo. Screaming...Bailey going, like, crazy...*shudders*
Nice chapter once again, Lobo. I'll do another chapter in mine tomorrow. 'ight? |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
And because these next two are so short, I’m doing a back-to-back, two-fer-one deal. Enjoy yer double bill.
The Fearless Becoming Fearful Bailey peeked around the door. Unfortunately the door itself blocked most of the room from her view. Bailey took another deep breath and slipped in, closing the door behind her. With wide eyes she looked around the room until her gaze fell of the operating/recovery table.Stranger lay there. And he didn’t look his best either. There was blood everywhere. Bailey gulped and hesitantly moved closer, her sneakers making hardly a sound as she approached the table. When she was two feet away she stopped. Her usual fearless demeanour shrived, but she screwed up all the little pieces of courage she had and spoke, in a small, uncertain whisper. “Stranger?” Stranger twitched and his eyes opened with painstaking slowness. With equally sluggishness he turned his head and looked and blinked at Bailey with a mildly confused expression. “It’s Bailey.” Bailey said, feeling the need to remind him. Then, suddenly he sat up with frightening speed, growling. “What are you doing in here?” he snarled, Bailey took a discreet step backwards, “I got worried, I only wanted-” “Ter see what I was up to? Ter poke yer nose into ma private business?” Stranger was getting angrier and angrier. Bailey blinked at him like a rabbit caught in the glare of an oncoming truck’s headlights. “GET OUT!” roared Stranger. Bailey scarpered. As soon as she was out of the back room she slid down the wall to the floor and let out a deep breath. The Doc looked up momentarily from his paperwork but didn’t comment and buried himself in paper again. Eventually Bailey stood. “I’m goin’ fer a walk. When he’s ready tell ‘im I’m at the bar… Make sure he don’t hurt himself.” The Vykker nodded, not daring to look up and Bailey stashed her equipment and disguise (bar the hat) in the corner of the office and left the study. She knew the Vykker wouldn’t touch her things. He was too afraid of what she would do. Afternoon was turning to evening as Bailey wandered the streets of Birdington, the Clakkerz greeted her cordially and she was polite in return but otherwise tried not to attract too much attention. Thinking maybe she could check up on if she had become a known bounty Bailey walked at an easy pace to the Bounty Store and looked at the window display where the new, highest paying and most notorious Wanted posters were displayed. She let out a relieved breath when she found her own picture absent from the window. She had it on good authority that the Magog Cartel had made her a very big bounty and if it wasn’t here, well, she was still safe for the moment. Bailey perused the other posters with mild interest, until she saw something that was both completely foreign to her, but at the same time very familiar. Bailey cocked her head to one side and frowned. The pictured showed a great, fearsome roaring creature with huge fangs, a mane of wild fur and a pair of curving horns like some kind of demonic mountain goat. It’s eyes were a fiery red-orange like they were on fire. This definitely needed checking out. The door’s bell tinkled as she entered the male Clakker cleric looked up. “Howdy dere!” he squawked, “Yer be Stranger lil’ friend aye?” Bailey nodded absently, “Yeh, that’s me,” and then, from sheer curiosity, “Who wants ta know?” the Clakker chuckled, “Everyone knows! Yer’ve made quite a rep fer yerself. The word is yer not to be messed with.” Bailey grinned a rather feral grin and the Clakker recognised a hint of Stranger in those bared teeth. He swallowed nervously. The two bounty hunters were more alike then most folks had taken credit for and too alike for the cleric’s comfort. Bailey came to the counter and leaned one elbow on it. Fortunately it wasn’t as high as the tavern’s bar, and even though Bailey hadn’t grown at all in the last few weeks she wasn’t too short to do this. (It was doubtful she would ever get any taller. She was pretty much doomed to be always ‘kinda short’. But she made up for it with the attitude…) “Actually, I’ve come to check out the bounties fer Stranger, anyone new? The cleric gulped again. “Yeh, there’s a couple. I’ll just get thar posters.” And he dived under the counter. “Aha,” Bailey heard his muffled voice, “Here’re the lil’ rascals.” The Clakker popped up again and slid a small pile of posters to Bailey. Bailey flicked through them, discreetly looking for one in particular. “There’s one in the window,” she explained, “Looked like it’d be a challenge.” The Clakker looked thoughtful for a second. “Yer mean the Steef bounty? Wild Sleg chase if yer ask me…” he faded off as Bailey stared at him from under the brim of her hat with her Oddworld-unique eyes. “I’ll just get it.” the Clakker said and dived back under the counter, resurfacing a second later. “Here tis. There ain’t a Moolah figure, just a contact number, but it’s got all the otha info ya need.” Bailey nodded her thanks and left the store, stuffing the posters under her jumper. Next she went to the tavern and got a seat in the darkest corner of the bar, ordering a drink. When the female Clakker brought her the bottle she gazed around as if looking for Stranger. “Where’s ya friend dear?” “Busy.” Bailey answered shortly and gave the Clakker a pointed look. The Clakker became nervous after a moment and scuttled away, leaving Bailey to herself. When she was sure the Clakker had gone Bailey pulled out the Wanted poster that the Clakker had dubbed the ‘Steef bounty’ from her jumper. WANTED – the poster read, WILL PAY TOP MOOLAH! Species: Steef. (Wildlife) Occupation: The Ultimate Ramming machine. Great Wall Trophies. Favourite Meal: The Run and Ram breakfast Slam. Hobbies: Scoping the land, scarin’ folks, grazing, flea and tick removal. Fanboys: Grubbs Catch Phrases: “Oooha!”, “This ram’s for you!” Powers: Ramming, speed, strength, intelligence and sneaky. Weakness: Birthright to being the most wanted beast alive. Origin: Mythological in spirit and majestic in body, these legendary wild beasts were once revered as guardians of the Mongo River Valley. Privatization of their peaceful river habitat caused the Steef population to plummet and their value to skyrocket. What was once considered a sacred creature is now a pricey commodity. These days, no Steef dare show his horns, for it’s common knowledge that a mounted Steef is the only head you need to get ahead in Mudos. Contact Sekto on this number for more information. Bailey wrinkled her nose in disgust as she finished reading the poster. “Wall trophies?” she muttered to herself. She leant back on the wall and studied the picture of the snarling Steef. “No wonder you’re angry…” she muttered to one in particular, “Your kind is being hunted down…I’d be pretty angry too…” Bailey let out a sigh. There was something about this bounty, something she knew was right in front of her face but she just couldn’t see it. “Damn.” She muttered. Just then a shadow fell across her line of sight. Bailey thumbed the hat brim up so she could see who it was, if it was a Clakker well then could just get lost, she wasn’t in the mood for idle chit-chat. But it wasn’t a Clakker. It was Stranger. “The Doc said yer’d be here.” Stranger said. His voice sounded different, it took a moment for Bailey to realise that it was the same voice he used for everyone else. He’d shut her out. In answer to his statement Bailey gave a non-committal shrug. “So? Whadda ya want Stranger, I’m kinda busy here.” She pulled out the pile of posters from her jumper. “You might be interested in these.” And she set them on the table before proceeding to ignore Stranger completely and gave her attention back to the Steef bounty. Stranger didn’t move. Finally Bailey became irritated. Well if Stranger wasn’t going to leave her alone while he was in a temper then she’d just leave him to it. She didn’t plan on going far, not even out of Birdington but she decided that Stranger needed space to sulk. “Well I got stuff ter do Stranger so I’ll see yer later.” And left the tavern without a second glance. She walked back to the Bounty Store and to the cleric, there were some questions she wanted the answers too. “Howdy, back again?” the Clakker greeted nervously when he saw Bailey re-enter his store. “Yeh, what can you tell me about Steef?” the cleric seemed taken aback by Bailey’s forthright manner. “Steef,” he muttered, “Steef…well I know there used to be quite a few o’ them around these parts but they ain’t been seen in years. I think they’re all extinct now.” “Anythin’ else?” “It's said tha Steef used ter live up tha Mongo River, near what is now Sekto Springs, before Sekto came. When he came along he put a huge bounties on their heads and a lotta them either got killed by bounty hunters or retreated from their ancient homes. Rumours have it that those that survived became bounty hunters themselves. Managed to stand up straight, tie their four hooves together, cut off their horns, and walk normal like, so them could hide with the normal folks. But hey, it's only a rumour.” “Can yer tell me what they look like? The poster picture ain’t the best.” “Well lemme see. If I remember right, they ‘ad upper bodies vaguely similar ter yours and then four legs with hooves like some kinda critter, then o’ course they had heads like on tha poster.” Bailey glanced at the poster. “Hm, thanks for ya help.” “No problem.” Said the Clakker cheerfully and Bailey left, still staring at the poster, nibbling her lip thoughtfully. She didn’t see Stranger come out from around the corner of the Bounty Store where he’d concealed himself and she didn’t know that he had heard everything. So, Talk Bailey walked down the main street of Birdington. Oblivious to everything but the Steef bounty. There was just something…Bailey mentally groped for whatever piece of information she couldn’t remember.Just then something hit her foot. Bailey stopped and looking down. A metal disc, about as big as a hubcap spun like a penny and after a moment hit the dirt, raising a small cloud. Bailey stuffed the Steef bounty into her shirt and stooped down, picking up the thing. She heard a flurry of rustling footsteps stop abruptly to her right. Bailey looked up, a small group of young Clakkerz looked at her apprehensively, all trying to hide behind each other. “Hello, this yours?” one little girl nodded and hesitantly stepped forward, “Yeh, sorry we hit ya ma’am.” Bailey’s lip twitched in a half grin. “No problem, what’cha playing?” “Just a game.” The young Clakker suddenly pouted in what struck Bailey as a very human way. “But the boys won’t let me play, they only got me over here ter git it back.” “They won’t? Well, let’s see about this.” Bailey said sympathetically and the two went over to the cluster of young male Clakkerz. “Howdy fellas, yer don’t mind if me and the lil’ miss play with ya?” the Clakkerz all gaped at Bailey and Bailey pulled back her hat, grinning. “N-n-no, we don’t mind.” One stuttered, Bailey grinned “Thankee kindly.” she almost purred in satisfaction. “I am spendin’ way to much time with Stranger…” she thought to herself. Bailey picked up the rules of the game quickly, she was after all only thirteen years old. Soon the laughter of the young human and Clakkerz obliterated any hostility and Bailey was very soon covered in dirt. They had been playing for a while when suddenly a smallish Outlaw darted from around a corner and ran past them guffawing. Bailey froze and watched, soon a Clakker storekeeper came running; “Stop thief!” he squawked, but he didn’t seem to keen on actually catching up with the criminal. Bailey wasn’t too keen either, she didn’t have anything on her that could bring down an Outlaw, the metal playing disc hit her foot. Bailey looked at it and grinned, maybe she did have something… Bailey scooped up the disc, held it in a reassuringly familiar hold and flicked her wrist, sending the disc flying like a Frisbee at the Outlaw. It hit him at the back of the head and the Outlaw hit the dirt. Bailey stalked over to the Outlaw and picked up the disc, looking at it. It had flown extremely well… on the top was stamped a name Bailey hadn’t seen while she’d been playing with the Clakkerz. It read; ‘Frisbee’. Bailey snickered. She handed the disc back to the Clakker children who had come up. “Frisbee.” She muttered, twirling it between her fingers before handing it over, “Far out.” Some older Clakkerz were gathered now, two older biddies heard what Bailey had said and looked at each other. “And it was right in front of her face.” One muttered to the other. Also amongst the crowd was a Clakker, one, Mister B. Frisbee, and he’d suddenly had an idea for a new game… Before the crowd could really get any bigger Bailey saw Stranger leaning on the wall of the nearest building. Stranger tilted his hat, saw Bailey was looking at him and beckoned. Bailey pushed through the crowd, “’Cuse me, comin’ through! Watch’cha step now.” Eventually she managed to get to Stranger. “C’mon kid, we have things to discuss, but not here.” Stranger turned and began walking, “We need ter stop at Doc’s, git our stuff.” Bailey nodded but kept silent as they made their way towards the Vykker’s practice. When they reached it Bailey went in and retrieved her pack, checking it to make sure it was all there. It was and she threw one last glance around the study (the Vykker nowhere in sight) and left again, strapping on her equipment. She found Stranger waiting for her when she came out. Without either of them saying a word Stranger led the way through Birdington to the wilds on it’s outskirts, heading once again for the abandoned mineshaft. It was getting dark when they finally reached it, silently the pair went about setting up camp, starting a campfire and gathering enough wood to feed it during the night. Finally they sat by the campfire opposite each other. Stranger poking at the fire and Bailey watching Stranger. “You said you wanted to talk to me.” Said Bailey, Stranger nodded, “So, talk.” Stranger looked up. “The op.” he said simply. Bailey fidgeted uncomfortably. “Are you going to tell me what it’s about?” “Only that it’s personal, painful and necessary.” “You sound like this ain’t the first time you’ve had it done.” Stranger turned his eyes back to the fire, the flames shining in the neon green. “It isn’t.” Bailey glared, feeling suddenly angry. “Do you even have any idea what it’s like to hear you!?” she asked furiously, “How helpless it makes me feel, to know I can’t help!? Just hearing you screaming bloody murder!? It feels like someone is ripping out my heart and stamping on it.” Stranger looked up quickly, Bailey stared at him, completely incensed. “Well? Do you!?” Stranger lowered his gaze and shook his head. Bailey let out an annoyed sigh and leaned back on the cavern wall, bringing up her knees and resting her elbows on them, massaging her temples. “You’re an idiot, do you know that? A completely and utter idiot.” Stranger didn’t look up but Bailey could tell he was losing his temper. Bailey just didn’t care, she was going to tell him a few things and he was damned going to listen to her and hear it. “When you were sick, you told me you did bounties to fund this…this, whatever you’re doing to yourself. You told me that it was to make you normal, you said you were a freak and you didn’t want to be.” Stranger opened his mouth but Bailey cut him off. “Well I got somat to tell you. We’re All Freaks in this place. All that inhabits Oddworld are freaks, so what makes you so Odd-damn special.” Bailey sat back and let out a sigh of futility. “I am the only human in this entire world, if anyone is a freak, it’s me.” Bailey leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. “Who am I kidding? Yer know, Stranger, just forget it.” “No.” Bailey opened her eyes slowly and looked at Stranger. “Whadda ya mean, ‘no’.” “Yer haveta understand.” Stranger said earnestly. “Yer havta understand that it’s necessary fer me to get this done. I need this to survive.” Bailey blinked and furrowed her brow gently. Stranger sounded desperate. And his choice of words struck a chord in Bailey, she should make a connection here, but she didn't know what... “So tell what it is.” She said after a moment. Stranger shook his head, “I can’t, not yet,” Stranger met Bailey’s gaze. “But I will.” Bailey nodded. “Alright. But I don’t like it, whatever you’re doing.” Stranger nodded in understanding. “Bailey,” he said after a while. “I didn’t know yer felt like that, when you…heard me… I didn’t know yer cared so much…” Bailey gave a small shrug as if it were obvious. “You are the only friend I have in this place Stranger, course I care dufus.” Stranger smiled slightly. “Well, thanks.” Bailey half-smiled, “No problem.” Stranger opened his arms, “C’mere yer lil’ varmint.” Bailey crawled around to Stranger and cuddled up to him and contentedly began drifting off to sleep while Stranger played with her hair. Bailey hadn’t mentioned the Steef bounty… |
Hmm...emotional. I like it! 'Specially the endin'. Good work, Lobo! :D
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I like it and it's getting more and more intense! keep going writing I wanna know what's hapen next;):D
ps I've written some more on my story if yer intressed...:p See Ya! DS |
Howdy!
Howdy everyone! Well it looks like we're back in business. But as someone said in another thread, all the posts after August 20th have died so that means a good few chapters and replies (and your comments) in this here fic have been slashed. Don't worry, I have copies of the story, but I need to go through all the posts and make sure all the changes I made are still there. (Which is gonna take some time) So it's gonna be a coupla days before anything is up...(had to sort my siggy, profile picture and avatar as well...damn these hackers startin' all these problems!) So please be patient and thanks all fer readin'!
PS Thank yer Dancin' Steef :bow: and the plot will pick up inna bit so prepare fer more intensity! |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Hidden Agenda Early the next morning Bailey and Stranger were once again scouting bounties, getting information from the locals and meeting every half hour to compare notes before splitting up again.Around late morning Bailey was waiting at their planned rendezvous point, away from the prying eyes of the locals, when Stranger stormed around the corner and almost barged blindly into her. “Whoa, whoa Stranger, what bit you in the butt?” Stranger blinked and shook his head, his gaze resting on Bailey after a moment. “Bailey.” He sounded furious and relieved and uncertain all at the same time. “Stranger?” Bailey approached him slowly, knowing that moving too fast would put him on edge. She gently placed a hand on his forearm, running her fingers through his fur, knowing it would calm him. Stranger’s neon green eyes closed in pleasure as Bailey continued to stroke his fur. After another moment he began emitting a rumbling purr, almost too low for Bailey to hear. “Sit down before you fall down.” Bailey said, highly amused by the effect such a simple gesture could have on Stranger. The bounty hunter obeyed the human girl and sank to the floor, Bailey kneeling beside him. “He’s just like a giant pet cat…” she thought. Following this line of thinking Bailey paused her ministrations for a moment, Stranger frowned slightly, eyes still closed. Bailey hesitated and then moved her hand to rub the fur of his jaw, just like scratching a cat under the chin. Stranger leaned into her hand, silently urging Bailey to continue. “You big softie.” Bailey muttered. After a while she stopped, “Stranger, what were you so annoyed about before?” “Don’t stop.” Stranger said in a low voice, his eyes still closed. Bailey tilted her head to one side, “What?” “Don’t…stop…it’s, nice…” Stranger pressed a cheek to her hand. “Keep goin’.” Bailey raised an eyebrow but did as she was told. Stranger purred and rested his head on Bailey’s shoulder, completely trusting. “Well, what’s buggin’ you?” Bailey asked again, still scratching. “Odd-damn Doc…it’s because of you, yer know.” Bailey stopped rubbing in surprise. “Me?” Stranger’s eyes open and he looked up at her, “He hates yer.” Bailey grinned evilly. “Not surprised, I’ve threatened to blow his brains out enough times…but what has that got to do with anything.” Stranger didn’t answer but rubbed his cheek on Bailey’s jumper, Bailey got the hint and went back to stroking the fur on his jaw. “He didn’t say it outrigh’ but I could tell, he’s up the price of ma…” “Of the op right?” Stranger nodded, “To ¥20,000.” “Oh…” Bailey nibbled her lip uncomfortably. “Sorry…’bout that.” Stranger picked his head up from Bailey’s shoulder, “It’s not your fault, he’s been lookin’ fer an excuse fer ages.” Bailey made an unconvinced noise and went back to stroking, an idea beginning to percolate in her mind like a coffee pot. After a while Stranger made a disappointed sound. “As much as I’d like ter just let you do that fer hours, we gotta get back ter scouting.” “Well…you’re kinda pinning me down, so yer gonna havta get up first…” Bailey said grinning. Stranger got to his feet and Bailey did likewise – though with a bit more difficulty as Stranger had been leaning his full weight on her leg and it had now gone to sleep. “Well this is annoyin’.” Bailey muttered as her leg refused to do anything. Stranger chuckled and put his hands under her shoulders, helping Bailey to her feet. “Alrigh’, see yer inna bit.” Bailey rubbed her leg until the blood flowed again, it hurt a bit but after everything Bailey had been through it was hardly anything. She nodded in answer to Stranger’s statements. Then she grinned and reached up to scratch the fur on Stranger’s cheek. Stranger fought to keep his eyes open and stop from purring. “I’ll never get anywhere if yer keep doin’ that.” He muttered. “Maybe I just like havin’ something up on yer.” Bailey grinned, “C’mon, you gotta admit that you becomin’ putty in the hands of something just over half your size is pretty amusin’.” Stranger grunted. Bailey stopped rubbing and gave him a hug. “Shouldn’t you be going now?” she asked sweetly. Stranger growled gently, “Varmint.” He muttered and pressed his nose to her hair before they went their separate ways. There were bounties to scout after all. By the afternoon both had come to the same conclusion. If they wanted any information on the higher paying bounties, then they have to go to one place; a bar, known as The Black Talon, located in the less savoury part of Birdington. It was the kind of bar that people didn’t come out of… “Right, Bailey I want yer ter stay in here.” Stranger said while they sat in The Stoned Crow, having a drink and forming some sort of plan to get into The Black Talon. “I’ll go an’ get the information we need.” Bailey opened her mouth furiously. “Like hell. I’m comin’ an’ you can’t stop me. We’re a team-” Bailey paused and looked doubtful, “We are a team right?” Stranger was silent for a moment, he’d never thought of their relationship as teamwork before but now that he did, he found he liked the idea. “Yeh, we’re a team.” “And partners always stick together.” Bailey said firmly. Stranger let out a sigh and shook his head, smiling slightly. “Yer never give up do yer?” Bailey grinned, “Nope.” “Alright then, but stick close to me, it might get a bit rough in there if things go downhill.” Bailey took one of the mini-Desert Eagle handguns from it’s holster secured behind her back under the arrow quiver and loaded it, grinning at Stranger. “Just the way I like it.” ¤§¤ Half an hour later the two bounty hunters stood side by side in front of a seedy bar. A gruff looking creature stood at the entrance. He looked of the all brawn and no brains variety, which would make getting in the tavern easier for Stranger and Bailey. “Stranger,” whispered Bailey, “What’s that?” “Wolvark. They work fer whoever’ll pay ‘em more Moolah.” “Oh.” “Remember, look as if you belong, don’t hesitate, don’t show fear and-” “If anyone gets in me way be my wonderful persuasive self with me gun. I got it, no quarter asked or given, right, right.” Stranger grinned briefly, “Let’s go squirt.” He took the lead and swaggered to the Wolvark guard, Bailey padding after him. “What’s the password?” the guard said as if he’d said it many times before. Stranger swore a long expletive. The Wolvark snickered, “Heh heh. I love making people say that.” Bailey snickered at Stranger outburst, “Nice, but I don’t think that’s it…” “Seriously, what's the password?” asked the Wolvark guard again, “Uh,” said Stranger, “‘Mole's Ass?’” the guard thought for a moment, Bailey decided it looked like a painful process. “Ah,” he said finally “Close enough.” And let them enter. When Bailey was sure the Wolvark was out of earshot she went closer to Stranger. “You have got to be kidding…” she whispered sniggering. Stranger shrugged and put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her closer so she could hear him, “Don’t question good luck.” Bailey rubbed her ear. “I’ve told you about breathing on my ear.” Stranger grinned and purposely blew gently on the same ear. Bailey growled and rubbed it before swatting at Stranger’s stomach. “Evil codger…” she muttered. Stranger smiled and put a hand on her hair affectionately. After a moment of walking down a dark tunnel-like corridor from the door to the bar Bailey and Stranger came out into a dimly lit room, torches flickering from wall brackets and the patrons muttering in quiet voices, all of them shady and shadowed in the darkness caused by the inconsistent torchlight. Bailey and Stranger approached the bar, Stranger pulled out some of the Outlaw posters and began talking to the barkeeper. Meanwhile, Bailey, after making sure that Stranger’s full attention was on the barkeeper, went further down the bar to find another ‘tender, she found one, a gaunt female Clakker that looked bad-tempered. “Yer have a phone in this place ma’am.” The Clakker looked down it’s beak at Bailey – until it saw the Slig rifle on her belt. “Jist a moment.” She went below the bar and after a moment resurfaced with an old fashioned two-bit phone. “Here ya.” “Thankee kindly ma’am.” Bailey drew the phone into a darkened corner and climbed up onto a barstool. Reaching into her jumper Bailey drew out the Steef bounty. It was her fault the Doc had doubled Stranger’s fee and Bailey intended to do something about it. She dialled the contact number and waited. After a couple of rings the phone was answered and a deep voice spoke; “Hello?” it wasn’t deep like Stranger’s, which comforted Bailey, it was so deep that it shook Bailey’s core, but she didn’t falter. “Is this Sekto I’m speaking too?” “Yes. Who is this?” “A bounty hunter interested in the Steef bounty.” “Ahhh. And what would you be charging for the acquisition of a Steef head?” “¥20,000. No more, no less.” “That is…satisfactory. Call me when you have the item.” “Aye.” The phone went dead. Bailey slowly took it from her ear and let out a breath, staring at the phone receiver. What had she done? Who or what had she just agreed to work for? Bailey returned the phone back to the ‘tender and made her way back to Stranger, unfortunately he’d noticed her absence. “An’ where have you bin?” he asked stuffing the posters into his poncho and throwing a ‘Thankee kindly’ over his shoulder to the barkeeper. Bailey shrugged, “Just gettin’ info.” “Oh, find anythin’ worth mentioning?” Bailey shrugged, “Nah, not really, only what we already know.” Stranger gave Bailey a look, he knew very well that Bailey was lying. But he trusted Bailey’s judgment and didn’t press. He would regret that later… |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Well, it took some time and fighting with writer’s block :banghead: :nonono: :compmad: :flames: but I managed it, and here it is, the next chapter…
The Calm Before The Storm A week later Bailey and Stranger crouched in a clump of tall, dry weeds and watched the Outlaw activity around an abandoned mineshaft.“What d’you reckon they’re doin’?” asked Bailey. “What d’yer think?” answered Stranger, Bailey frowned, thinking, “The Outlaw ‘bosses’ have bin collaboratin’ their efforts and their undertakin’s have been a lot more successful…” “Good, and?” “So they’re plannin’ somat big.” Stranger nodded, “Jist what I think. So Bailey, how do we git in there?” Over the last few days since they had managed the get into The Black Talon bar Stranger had been mentoring Bailey on successful bounty hunting, he was very pleased to find out that she picked it up quite easily, remembering what he’d taught her and applying it. Bailey watched the movements of the sentries for a while. “We take down him.” she said gesturing to one in particular, “And him.” she pointed to another one, “There’s a blind spot and with them down we could sneak in.” Stranger ran Bailey’s strategy over in his mind before nodding and grinning. “That’d work. So how d’you plan on takin’ ‘em fer a walk?” Bailey opened the ammo pouch on Stranger’s belt, she took out a Chippunk and rubbed it’s head with one finger. “We ask this lil’ guy to help us. Whadda ya say dude?” she directed her question to the Chippunk, “Does he,” the Chippunk jabbed a little forepaw at Stranger, “Stink as bad as a Stunk?” it said in answer. Stranger scowled but Bailey sniggered. “Thanks.” “No problem, anythin’ fer a polite sista.” The Chippunk glared at Stranger, “Unlike some people. What do you need ma to do?” “I need to you draw those two goons over here in moment if you would.” “No problemo.” Bailey set the rodent on the ground and went into Stranger’s pouch again and brought out a group of Fuzzles, the Fuzzles began snarling as soon as they were out of the pouch but as Bailey began stroking their thick brown fur all the Fuzzles stopped growling and looked up at Bailey with innocent orange eyes, clearly enjoying the attention. Stranger couldn’t help thinking that Bailey could pretty much get anything she wanted, all she had to do was scratch in the right place… “Hey there ya lil’ cuties,” Bailey cooed like she was talking to a bunch of rabbits, “You gonna help us bring down some Outlaws?” the Fuzzles rubbed themselves against Bailey’s fingers. Bailey set them next to the Chippunk and then picked up the rodent. “Alright dude, yer on.” “Bring ‘em on dudette!” the Chippunk enthused as Bailey set him outside of the weeds and directed him to the nearest Outlaw she’d targeted. The little rodent darted over and began spouting obscenities at the two Outlaws Bailey had pointed out. The Outlaws tried to ignore the abusive Chippunk but they finally lost their tempers and rushed over to stamp on it. The Chippunk darted back towards the weeds where Bailey and Stranger were hiding and then dived into a burrow. “You’re up.” Bailey whispered to the Fuzzles who saw the Outlaws and began to growl. Stranger loaded them up into his crossbow and fired. The Fuzzles latched onto the Outlaws, biting and gnawing. The Outlaws began screaming and running around in circles. “Thudslugs.” Bailey growled, “Should have added Thudslugs to shut them up, they’re gonna bring all the others down on us.” “We can fix tha’.” Stranger grinned, in under twenty seconds he loaded a couple of the Thudslugs and fired them, knocking out the two Outlaws. “Damn.” Bailey muttered, “Should have seen that comin’.” Stranger put a hand on Bailey’s hair. “No one’s perfect Bailey.” He murmured, “C’mon, let’s go.” The two bounty hunters crept out of the weeds, around the old scaffolding and struts littering the outside of the mineshaft and using the gap they had created in the sentry rounds, the pair slipped into the mineshaft. Bailey followed Stranger along the tunnel, relying on his eyes as they were better in the dark then her own. After a time the two came out into a huge cavern that soared above their heads and plunged down into a giant crevasse with scaffolding and chains everywhere. Walkways, spanned it at ever level and loose ropes, chains and other mining paraphernalia were hanging from various levels and scattered about on the huge rock ledges that jutted out at various heights. “Moria eat your heart out…” Bailey thought looking around. Suddenly there was a crash. Stranger and Bailey froze and listened warily. Not long after another crash echoed around the cavern, and then voices, “You IDIOT! Now look what you’ve done!” Stranger’s ears flicked. Bailey watched him intently, waiting for the slightest signal to run or prepare to fight. “Two of ‘em.” Stranger muttered, “Comin’ this way…” there was nowhere for them to run expect across a rope bridge that looked like it had come straight of an old jungle movie. Stranger began to run, pelting towards the bridge, Bailey followed, but as she came to where the rock ended and the bridge went out into space, she hung back, nervous. Stranger, not hearing Bailey’s footsteps turned quickly. “Bailey!” he hissed, “C’mon!” he beckoned urgently. Bailey shook her head and took a step backwards. “I can’t.” she mouthed. “I’m…I’m afraid of heights!” Stranger gaped, Bailey shrugged apologetically. “Bailey you have to!” he yelled, not bothering to keep his voice down in his urgency. “Hey!” hollered one of the approaching Outlaw voice, “I hear voices!” the Outlaws suddenly came out, running around the corner and saw Stranger and Bailey. “It’s Stranger an’ his lil’ Gunslinger!” howled the other Outlaw, “Get ‘em!” shouted the first and they began advancing on Bailey, loading their guns. Bailey gulped. She glanced at the bridge, then back at the Outlaws. “Oh heck.” She whimpered. “BAILEY!” that was Stranger voice, shouting at her to move, to run, to do anything except stand there and get caught. Bailey gulped again and took a step back, her heel hit the bridge. Even if she got the courage to cross now, the Outlaws would just follow…unless…they couldn’t… It was a desperate thought, but Bailey reasoned, desperate times called for desperate measures…right? Bailey wrenched the hatchet out of her belt, glanced at Stranger and tried to tell him what she was doing through her eyes. She must have managed it because Stranger nodded and crouched, wrapping his fingers around one of the boards of the bridge. Bailey twirled the hatchet, looked once at the Outlaws, and then sank to the small axe into the guide ropes. They snapped and the whole bridge fell from one side. Taking Bailey and Stranger with it. Bailey managed to get the hatchet back into her belt and clung onto the bridge, eyes squeezed shut. After what seemed a stomach-churning eternity of broken bridge flying through the hot air of the mines Bailey felt a thud as it hit the opposite sheer wall of the cavern. The blow knocked the wind from Bailey’s lungs and her grip on the boards slipped. Fortunately she felt her jumper snag on something a fraction of a second before she fell. Bailey breathed a sigh of relief and looked up. Stranger was holding her jersey, neon green eyes concerned. “I’m okay.” Bailey nodded. Stranger looked relieved and pulled Bailey up into a more secure hold before clambering up the boards of the bridge-turned-ladder. When they reached the top he set Bailey down and put a hand on each shoulder, “Yer sure yer okay kid?” “Yeah, I’m fine, shaken up,” she looked across the chasm and shuddered, “But I’ll live.” “Good,” growled Stranger, “Coz if you eva do anything like that again, I’ll kill yer.” Bailey blinked at him completely surprised, until Stranger drew her into a fierce hug. “Don’t you ever scare ma like that again. Yer hear me squirt.” Bailey was dumbfounded for a moment, but then; “Yes, I hear you.” “Yer the only friend I got, yer important ter me.” Stranger voice was very quiet now, “I don’t want ter lose yer kid.” Bailey buried her face into Stranger’s poncho so he wouldn’t see her get teary. She only made a small muffled sound in affirmative. Stranger hugged the human tightly for a moment before letting her go. “Let’s go squirt.” Bailey nodded, her eyes dry now. “Right.” Stranger led the way into another tunnel, Bailey sticking close. After a moment Stranger stopped dead, so suddenly that Bailey bumped into him. “Stranger? Wh-” “Quiet.” Bailey clammed up at Stranger’s tone. She moved back a step so she wouldn’t bump into him if he moved quickly and curled her fingers around the grip of one of the handguns. Suddenly her heel sank, Bailey jumped backward, gun drawn, but it was only a cylindrical stone that had been perturbing from the floor sinking to the same level as the other stones… Wait a second… Oh dear… “Stranger.” Bailey squeaked. “What?” “Prepare to take the plunge.” “WHA’!?” the floor dropped beneath them. Bailey shrieked and began sliding down what appeared to be a stone chute. After a minute or two she tumbled out at the other end and crashed onto Stranger. “Ow.” She muttered. “How d’yer think I feel…” came Stranger’s voice, Bailey swatted at him. “I’m not that heavy!” she protested. Stranger grunted and rolled over, Bailey fell off him and hit the dirt and groaned. “Alright, all endorphins report to my butt…that was seriously painful…” Bailey got up rubbing her posterior and scowling at Stranger. Stranger brushed off his poncho, completely oblivious to her glare. Bailey huffed and looked around, stopping short. “Er…where are we?” Stranger looked around as well. “Off hand, I’d say we were deeper in tha mine.” Bailey gave Stranger a look. “No, really?” she asked sarcastically. “It’s journey to the centre of the earth…” she muttered under her breath. “C’mon Bailey, jist standin’ around won’t git us outta here.” Bailey groused mutinously to herself and followed the bounty hunter. The room they had landed in was dimly lit by torches but as they left it and entered another tunnel the lights snuffed out, leaving them in complete darkness. Bailey couldn’t even see her hand in front of her face. Bailey whimpered. She had a phobia of not being able to see. She reached blindly for something familiar and felt coarse fur brush her fingertips. “Stranger.” Bailey whispered hoarsely. “I can’t see, where are you?” “Right here Bailey.” Bailey felt a hand close around her fingers. “Don’t worry, I got yer, I ain’t lettin’ yer go.” Something warm and furry brushed her cheek and Bailey was reassured. Keeping a firm hold of Stranger’s hand Bailey let the bounty hunter lead her through the darkness. Finally they came out into another lit chamber, this one however was lavishly furnished to resemble an office-throne room hybrid. Bailey shrank behind Stranger, goosebumps rippled across her arms and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. “I have a real bad feelin’ about this.” She whispered. Stranger made a low rumbling growl in affirmative. “Well well,” said a voice suddenly, “What ‘ave we ‘ere? Well if it ain’t Stranger and his purdy lil’ par’ner.” A huge outlaw, easily nine feet in height came into the office-throne room with a smirk on his face and three smaller minions at his back. Stranger tipped his hat mockingly, “Howdy.” “Well ain’t that jist nice mannered, whadda ya say boys? Why don’t we give Stranger a warm welcome. We’ll play wiv his lil’ pal later.” Bailey unholstered her handguns and held them ready. “I’m hauling yer ass in, alive or a corpse, it’s your choice, but yer butt Is Mine.” The Outlaw chuckled, “Git ‘em boys.” Stranger heard the click of Bailey locking and loading her guns, and grinned. “Come an’ get it, yer mama did!” he called and darted out of Bailey line of sight and Bailey took down two of the minions and spun the handguns around her trigger finger to reload before she aimed both barrels at the Outlaw boss. Stranger took care of the last minion. “If you ain’t just a purdy gunslinger.” The Outlaw purred, Bailey cocked her guns. “And if you ain’t just a butt-ugly Outlaw scumbag.” She shot back, imitating the Outlaw’s accent. Suddenly Bailey saw a small black and white something whiz past her ear out of the corner of her eye. The thing hit the floor right at the Outlaw’s feet and a noxious green cloud issued up from it. The Outlaw keeled over, heaving, Bailey also got a whiff of the green cloud. And immediately gagged. The stench was awful. Bailey fell to her knees, her stomach retching. After a minute Stranger crouched down beside her. He pressed something over her mouth and nose like a wet cloth and Bailey found she could breathe again, she began coughing and Stranger rubbed her back to help her breathe. “Easy now, easy. Jist breathe deep Bailey, it’ll pass.” Bailey’s coughing subsided after a while as she took deep breaths, Stranger still stroking her back. She took another deep breath; “I’m okay…what was that?” “Stunk.” Answered Stranger, “I’m sorry Bailey, I wouldn’t have used it if I’d known it would affect yer so badly.” “Don’t-” she coughed again, “Worry about it. You didn’t know.” She patted Stranger’s leg reassuringly. Stranger helped her up and over to the fallen, unconscious Outlaw. “What happened to him?” Bailey asked, she hadn’t fainted because of the Stunk, and the Outlaw was bigger then she was. “I walloped tha scumbag. I ain’t gonna let anyone talk ter my kid like tha’.” As he said it Stranger pulled back a small lever on the front of the crossbow and aimed the barrels at the Outlaw’s body, there was a sound like air being sucked into a vacuum and the Outlaw’s bulk sucked into a small compartment at the back of the crossbow. “Wow, that’s nifty.” Bailey muttered, Stranger gave a grin. “Baggin’ bounties made easy.” He said, “The Doc worked it out.” Bailey’s fist clenched at the mentioning of the Doc but she soon returned to herself. Suddenly Stranger went still and flicked his ears again. Bailey strained to hear what he could but failed. “What now?” Bailey muttered to no one in particular. “Shhh.” Stranger put a finger on Bailey’s nose. His fur tickled and Bailey tried frantically to stop herself from sneezing. She clapped her hands over her mouth and nose, Stranger removing his finger in surprise, and then she sneezed. “Sorry.” She whispered, it was then she heard voices, “C’mon, let’s check it out.” She looked apologetically at Stranger. Stranger smiled slightly and put a hand on her head to let her know it wasn’t her fault she’d sneezed. Bailey could hear footsteps coming now. “Man, I hate déj* vu.” She thought as Stranger took the lead out of the office-throne room through another door. They raced silently through a labyrinth of twisting corridors until they came – To a dead end. “Damn…” muttered Stranger. “Wait a sec.” muttered Bailey, she went up to the ‘dead end’ and found it not to be a dead end at all. “There’s a hatch here Stranger.” Stranger came up beside her, she was right. There was a rotting wooden hatch that jutted out on a squat columnar outcrop of rock from the wall. Unfortunately the metal padlock didn’t looked half as worn. “It’ll make some noise to break it.” Stranger warned. Bailey took out one of the handguns. “I’ll be ready.” She grinned. Stranger hesitated, then nodded and taking hold of the padlock he twisted it apart with a screech of metal. Immediately there were running footsteps. Stranger threw open the hatch. “Where does it lead?” Bailey asked, her back to him, her gun aimed at the mouth of the tunnel into the room. “Into a cave, there’s water, don’t worry, it’s lit.” “Is the water flowing, if it can get out, so can we.” “I can’t really tell…yeh, I think it might be.” “You go, I’ll follow.” Stranger considered arguing but just then three small Outlaws burst into the room. “There they are!” “Git em!” “GO!” yelled Bailey, Stranger did as he was told and jumped down the hatch. Bailey began firing and moving backwards to the hatch, it didn’t take long to take down the three Outlaws but even Bailey could hear more on the way. She holstered her gun and made to slip into the hatch… If her spear hadn’t caught… “This isn’t fair!” Bailey wailed, more Outlaws burst into the room and one fired his gun, hitting Bailey in the shoulder, Bailey yelped. In the chamber below Stranger was frantic, pacing, the ceiling was dark above him and he couldn’t make out why Bailey hadn’t come yet. And then he heard her yelp. “Bailey!” he roared. “BAILEY!” but she couldn’t her him, everything was going fuzzy from the pain and everything seemed to slow down to a Slurg’s crawl even though in reality it had only been a few seconds. Bailey knew she was going to black out in a moment but she held onto her last thought, Break the spear… She brought her elbow down on the spear. It didn’t break but it was dislodged from where it was wedged into the rock and Bailey dropped through the hatch, the howls of the outraged Outlaws following her and crashed into the lake below. Stranger saw the human fall and hit the water, he waited anxiously for a second for her to pop up, shake her hair and grin, making a snarky comment. But she didn’t. Stranger waded into the underground lake and plunged in. He saw Bailey straight away and he was soon pulling her out of the water. Luckily she was still breathing and she still had a heartbeat. Stranger held Bailey’s limp body in his arms, holding her close to his chest to warm her up, he didn’t care that was hip-deep in cold water, nor that he was soaked through. All his attention was centred on the little girl in his arms, his friend, his kid, his Bailey. “Bailey?” he said softly, she didn’t respond. “C’mon kid, wake up fer ol’ Stranger.” Bailey didn’t move, “Bailey, I need yer to wake up. I need yer kiddo.” Bailey stirred fractionally. Stranger caught his breath, “That’s it kid, wake up. I’m tellin’ yer.” Stranger drew the rough pads of his fingers across Bailey’s cheek. “I never depended on anyone in my life.” Stranger said softly, “I’m dependin’ on you now.” Stranger paused and broke into a half-grin, “Don't make me have to tell ya another joke.” Bailey coughed, “Oh no,” she said hoarsely, but there was a hint of laughter in her voice, “Not another one of your jokes.” And she finally opened her eyes. She squinted up at Stranger. “Howdy kiddo.” Stranger grinned in relief. “Hi.” Murmured Bailey, grinning tiredly, she frowned, “What happened? And why is everything green?” “Yer fell into tha lake. And tha green’s just natural lighting, don’t worry about it.” Bailey watched the light water patterns moving over Stranger’s face, making it look different and making his iridescent, neon green eyes glow. She suddenly felt the pain of the bullet in her shoulder, breaking her concentration. “Ow.” She muttered. “What, tell me what hurts kid.” Bailey touched her shoulder. “Here.” Stranger nodded, carried the young human to the lakeshore and sat her down, rolling up her jumper and shirt’s sleeve. He studied the gunshot wound, “I can take out tha bullet Bailey, but it’s gonna hurt.” Bailey nodded and reached back with her good arm, taking an arrow (which were thankfully dry) from the quiver and put it between her teeth. “Yer ready.” Bailey closed her eyes, turned away and nodded.” Stranger scraped out the bullet. Bailey made a muffled sound but nothing more. Stranger used Bailey’s dark scarf as a bandage and helped her up. “When we git back, we can git a proper dressin’.” Bailey nodded. “So, which way?” she asked cheerfully. ¤§¤ Two hours later Stranger and Bailey stumbled into town. By now they’d moved on from Birdington and were in a more northward Clakker town whose name Bailey could neither pronounce nor remember. Bailey looked around town, noticing something she hadn’t before, as they made their way to the Bounty Store. “Hey Stranger, why ain’t it all like deserty around here?” “Because we’re closer ter tha Mongo.” Bailey blinked at him, completely clueless. Stranger saw the expression. “Look, I’ll tell yer later a’right?” Bailey nodded, “Promise?” Stranger ruffled her hair. “Yeh, I promise.” Satisfied Bailey followed Stranger into the town prison. “Yarg! You git them damn Outlaws Stranger?” squawked the Clakker prison guard. Stranger nodded and reversed the suction in his crossbow, depositing a griping Outlaw into an empty cell. “Nice goin’ Stranger.” The Clakker continued as he stamped the Wanted poster, “Now you an’ Gunslinger can git yer Moolah from the Bounty Store.” Stranger gave the Clakker a look, “Gunslinger?” “Yer lil’ friend dere.” Stranger glanced back at Bailey who was exchanging insults with one of the other prisoners. “Round these parts yer lil’ partner’s been dubbed ‘Gunslinger’. Word is she’s a nasty varmint wiv that gun of hers.” Stranger’s expression was completely staggered, he looked back at Bailey again still arguing with the Outlaw. “Got quite a rep, she ‘as.” The Clakker rattled on, completely ignorant that Stranger was gaping. “Er…better git tha’ Moolah.” He said finally, taking back the red stamped poster, “C’mon kid, we’re leavin’.” Bailey looked over, nodded before throwing one last parting shot at the captive Outlaw and then following Stranger out of the jailhouse, the Outlaw yelling profanities after them. “Did ya know that the Clakkerz are callin’ yer ‘Gunslinger’ now?” Stranger asked once they were half way down the main street. Bailey didn’t seem in the slightest worried by this. “Do they now?” “Yer ain’t worried?” “Are you?” “Yes.” Bailey looked at Stranger curiously. “Why?” “Because yer’ll be easier to find.” Stranger gave Bailey a pointed look, “An’ I don’ want them ter find yer.” There was a pause. Bailey felt the need for a subject change. “What’s this Mongo yer mentioned earlier?” Stranger frowned slightly at the subject change but answered, “Years ago the Mongo River came all the ways down here but then it was dammed.” Bailey cocked her head to one side, “Dammed? What for?” “For a bottled water company, run by a guy called Sekto.” Bailey choked, memories rushing in. “Is this Sekto I’m speaking too?” “Yes. Who is this?” “A bounty hunter interested in the Steef bounty.” “Ahhh. And what would you be charging for the acquisition of a Steef head?” “¥20,000. No more, no less.” “That is…satisfactory. Call me when you have the item.” Stranger looked at Bailey concerned, “Bailey?” Stranger’s voice snatched Bailey back from her memory. “Sorry, throat’s dry.” Bailey invented, forcing a cough. Stranger looked at Bailey his expression half way between concern and confusion and a hint of hurt, as if he knew she was lying and was concerned as to why, and hurt because it hurt him to think that there was something Bailey wouldn’t tell him. He ploughed on with his story. “When the river was dammed, the water started to dry up and the lower land became a desert.” Bailey looked depressed. “That must have been hard.” “Well, the Clakkerz had no problems coping. But the Grubbs, they suffered.” “Grubbs?” “River folk. Traditionally they’d fish in tha river, but since tha river's been dryin’ up, an’ Sekto's forces have been killin’ them fer still tryin’ ter fish, their people ain’t in a very good state. They live in fear…now tha the Steef are gone-” Stranger cut himself off as if he had said too much. “Where did they go? The Steef I mean.” asked Bailey, a guilty feeling was squirming in her stomach as she asked. “Sekto had them hunted down and killed, they were the guardians of Mongo Valley, and the Grubbs, very fierce fighters, they believed very much in honour… If they had been left alive they would have fought Sekto and he couldn’t risk it.” The sick, guilty feeling in Bailey’s stomach squirmed more violently. She’d agreed to hunt down a Steef for someone who appeared to be as bad as the Cartel. It made her feel sick. But her determination did not waver. What she did would help Stranger. That was the only thing that mattered. “Were they all destroyed?” “No, not all.” And he left it at that. Bailey thought Stranger looked sad but she didn’t say anything, too busy fighting her own demons to really process why he was depressed, too occupied to make the connection… ¤§¤ It was dusk, several hours later. Bailey and Stranger had set up camp outside the Clakker town in the wilds, which were lusher up north. They sat next to the campfire, talking occasionally but mostly miserably silent, for astonishingly similar reasons. And both used similar methods to occupy their minds. Stranger took care of his crossbow and mentally totted up what ammo he needed and Bailey – after her shenanigan run-around with the Outlaws, hatch and spear – decided it was time to rearrange her arsenal for ease of movement, and inconspicuouscy. Her movement stiff because of the bandage Stranger had replaced the scarf-make-shift bandage with while they had been in the town. While in town earlier she had wandered off while Stranger was at the Bounty Store and purchased a small knapsack pack, a small medical kit, a length of tough, brown leather, a pair of silver scissors, a strong needle and a bobbin of coarse thread. She sat by the fire and proceeded to make loops from the leather and securing them too all her non-gun weaponry. After watching her for a while Stranger finally had to ask what she was doing, “I’m makin’ it so that all me stuff can go onto that Compressor, I ain’t gonna risk another incident like today.” When she finished she put her bow and arrow quiver, the spear and the Slig and sniper rifle (along with all the gun ammo) onto the Compressor and put it on the forest floor next to her. In a separate pile was the sling, the whip with rocks on the end, the two daggers, the hatchet, and Desert Eagle handguns which she decided could be concealed and therefore carried on her person. Next she emptied her original pouch of everything and rifled through them, adding the medical kit, scissors, spare leather, needle and thread to the pouch’s contents, among of which were a length of rope with a grappling hook on the end, the bowstring, a human lighter, the poncho, gloves (the ones with fingers) and scarf and lastly a pack of cards. She also unhooked the moneybelt from under her shirt and placed it on the pile. The hat she won in the poker game was hanging around her neck. Stranger gaped at her things. Bailey saw his expression and snickered, “Pays ter be prepared mate. I learnt that lesson a very long time ago.” She then examined all her equipment and once she was satisfied that it was all in good working order she put all of her pouch supplies and compressed weaponry into the small pack, after a moment she put in everything else in as well, there was no point in sleeping in it. Once everything was safely put away to Bailey’s satisfaction she grinned at Stranger and began shuffling her pack of Oddworld cards. “You game?” she asked teasingly. Stranger glanced from her face to the cards and back to her face again. He matched her grin with a feral one of his own. Little did he know that Bailey was about to whup his over-confident hide and take a good chunk out of his Moolah stash… Not that Bailey would lose any sleep over it, she might feel a bit rotten about taking his cash, but puncturing that ego would make her feel better. How could it not? She was after all, Bailey the poker playing Gunslinger. Although this was but the calm before the storm… ----- I await your replies :catslug: :catslug: :catslug: Oh, and a side note, because some’ve you have read all this before, I’m just gonna re-post up to the chapter I last had on here. |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Dialling Tone “I can’t believe it. Yer actually sucked me dry.”“Awww, come off it Stranger, I didn’t take that much offa yer, an’ I did give yer the chance to quit after the first game.” Stranger grunted. Bailey gave him a gentle prod in the abdomen with her elbow. It was mid morning the next day and Stranger still couldn’t grasp that he’d been beaten by a thirteen-year-old human. Bailey gave a grin and reached up on her toes, scratching at the fur on Stranger’s jaw. Predictably Stranger’s eyes half closed and a purr began to rattle in his chest but after a second he gave a growl, “You ain’t gonna git around me tha’ way yer lil’ snit.” “You haven’t called me that in a long time.” Bailey said in a low voice. Stranger stopped and looked down at her, surprised by her tone. It sounded vaguely wistful. Stranger reached for her hand and touched the back of it lightly, questioning. Bailey took his hand and held it tightly, she was remembering something, something that caused her pain, deep down inside, Stranger realised. Bailey leaned her head against Stranger upper arm and wrapped her other arm around his, as if seeking support and comfort. Stranger put his free hand on her head and stroked her hair. “Bailey…I’m sorry.” Bailey shook her head fractionally. “No, it’s not you. Not you…” “Then what-” Bailey’s grip on Stranger tightened and she made a muffled sound of distress. “Bailey!?” Stranger sounded surprised and mildly alarmed, “What in Odd…?” Bailey shook her head frantically, her forehead pressed to Stranger’s fur. Stranger made a soothing sound, continuing to stroke Bailey’s head. After a few minutes Bailey calmed down and loosened her hold on Stranger. He crouched down to her level, searching her eyes. “Alright now?” Bailey nodded, but she didn’t meet his eyes. Stranger crooked one finger under Bailey’s chin and gently raised it so she had to make eye contact. “Really?” he asked. Bailey nodded again. Stranger sighed, released her chin and rose to his full height. “I know yer lyin’ ter me Bailey…” Bailey didn’t move or look at him. Stranger sighed again. He put his arms around the human and drew her into a firm, comforting hug. “Yer know you can tell me anythin’…yer can trust me Bailey. I’m yer friend and I’m here for yer.” Bailey hesitated and then put her arms around Stranger’s neck. “I know.” She muttered, “And I will tell you, but not yet.” Stranger nodded and pressed his nose to Bailey’s hair fondly. “I’ll always be here for yer kid.” He murmured. Bailey pressed her forehead into the thick fur on Stranger’s neck and nodded slightly. For a few minutes the bounty hunter and the small human were still, just taking comfort from the other. Finally Stranger let Bailey go. “We gotta go.” Bailey nodded, pulled off her jumper, took some of the weapons and other items from the pack and put them on. The moneybelt around her middle under her shirt, the sling she tied around her arm, the whip, one dagger and the hatchet she hung onto her belt and the other dagger she secured on her upper arm and clipped the mini Desert Eagle handguns and their holster around her shoulders and middle, securing the guns behind her back, under where the pack would be. Bailey pulled on her woollen jersey and swung on the pack. “I’m ready.” Stranger smiled, touched Bailey’s hair and pulled her hat onto her head, chucking her under the chin gently. “Off we go.” He murmured and led the way from their camp, heading northward to the next settlement. ¤§¤ Three days later the two bounty hunters entered the Bounty Store of another Clakker town. “Howdy Stranger! Yer gotta message here waitin’ fer ya.” Squawked the storekeeper. Stranger and Bailey looked at each other, Stranger in curiosity and Bailey in consternation. “What message?” Stranger said finally, the Clakker got a fragment of paper from under the counter and read off it, “Tell Stranger ter wait until I call back – the Doc.” Something uncoiled like a snake in Bailey and raised it’s head like a cobra, I don’t like this. It proclaimed silently, I don’t like this at all. Bailey fingered the hatchet on her belt, nothing was ever good if that Vykker was involved, sure he was going to help Stranger, he had helped Stranger. But that didn’t mean Bailey trusted him. “Then I’ll jist stick here fer a while.” He turned to Bailey, knowing that she was pretty much always hungry, “If yer wanna go git somat ter eat Bailey, yer can.” “You sure?” Bailey threw a dark look at the telephone, “Maybe I should stay here…” Stranger grinned, “An’ I’m tellin’ yer ter go git somat ter eat. I’ll come ‘n’ git yer when it’s time ta go.” Bailey didn’t answer for a second, but then she nodded, “Right.” She pointed a finger at Stranger, “As soon as he calls.” She said seriously. Stranger nodded and Bailey headed out of the Bounty Store. “Very protective par’ner yer got there Stranger.” Remarked the Clakker. Stranger watched Bailey leave the store. “Aye.” He murmured. ¤§¤ Bailey sat at the bar of the local tavern, a drink and steaming meal before her. The patrons who’d never seen Bailey but only heard of ‘Gunslinger’ watched her and even they could see that the human was preoccupied and anything but relaxed. Bailey re-read the Steef bounty poster while she ate. “What am I doing?” she wondered, “What am I becoming?” finally she gave a sigh and put the poster back into her jumper. One thing was for certain. Stranger could never know about this. Bailey returned to her dinner, more thoughts slinking through her mind, like wolves circling their dying prey, their eyes gleaming in the darkness. “What were they doin’?” she asked herself, “Those Outlaws were plannin’ somat big. So what was it? Why didn’t we see it?…What are they up to…?” Bailey sat in pensive silence, eating her dinner and pondering the unanswered questions. That was a heck of a lot of questions that needed answering… She was only half finished when a female Clakker behind the bar came up to her. “Excuse me, but I gotta a message here fer someone who fits ya description.” Bailey looked up, the Clakker took her interested expression as permission to continue. The Clakker gave her a scrap of paper. Bailey looked at the scribbled message. Need you kid. Bailey flipped over the paper, expecting to see something else, but there wasn’t anything. Bailey nudged her hat brim up slightly, “This it?” she asked conversationally. The Clakker nodded, looking worried, Bailey was surprised to realise that the Clakker was afraid of her. Bailey tucked this bit of information into the back of her mind and put the paper in her pocket. She nodded to the Clakker in thanks, slid off the stool and left the tavern. She got back to the Bounty Store two minutes later. “Right, I’m here. What’s happenin’?” Stranger wasn’t there. Bailey blinked, “O-kay, what I miss?” “He’s waitin’ at tha gate fer ya!” squawked the Clakker, Bailey made a frustrated sound and bolted from the store. “Well I never, folks have no manners these days.” Huffed the Clakker, who just happened to be the brother of a certain Clakker tower guard further south… Bailey made it to the gate in less then five minutes, and it felt like her lungs were about to explode, but as the Clakker said, there was Stranger, waiting. “Took yer time kid.” He remarked. Bailey didn’t have the energy to answer but she pinned Stranger with a scowl. Stranger shrugged it off. “The Doc called,” he explained, “We gotta meet him at what he called his ‘Medical Retreat Spa’.” Bailey blinked, a spa? The Doc ran a spa!? But she didn’t question it, she was still too out of breath. She only nodded that she understood. Finally she had the breath to ask; “Where is it?” Stranger’s face became pensive, “I dunno, we’ll jist havta ask.” And that was exactly what he did, he put his rusty, cobwebby social skills into grating action and approached the nearest Clakker, Bailey trailing after him. “’Cuse me.” Stranger said, Bailey’s jaw almost hit the ground, Stranger was actually being polite. “How do I get to the Doc’s main facility?” The Clakker – unluckily for him – decided not to return the courtesy and answered sarcastically, “Just keep runnin' around in circles, and you'll get there. Heheh, dumbass...” he added under his breath. Bailey scowled and punched him. Stranger turned and stared at her, Bailey shrugged. She flexed her fist, “That felt too good to be right.” She muttered, “Nice punch though…” Stranger rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as if deciding how many points to give it. The Clakker jumped up, furious. “You jumped up lil’-!” he yelled. He drew a gun and began waving it at Bailey. Stranger growled and grabbing hold of the gun’s barrel twisted it upward, bending the muzzle into a perfect right-angle. The Clakker gaped at it, “You broke my favourite rifle you jerk!” he squawked, Bailey was completely unphased and somewhat amused by the Clakker’s hysterics. “You ain’t the first to say that yer know…” she remarked easily, Stranger sniffed the barrel of the gun, “Never liked guns.” He muttered, The Clakker glared at him, “I bet your mama was big and hairy you jerk!” he shrieked. Bailey raised an eyebrow, “Yer know…I think she might have been…” she said after a moment’s thought “Who asked YOU!?” shrieked the Clakker, Stranger growled ferally. “Which reminds me,” he grabbed the Clakker by it’s overalls and raised it off the ground, growling right in it’s face, “NO-one threatens MY Bailey…” and dropped the Clakker. “Aw, c’mon,” Bailey said, shrugging, “I did punch the wimp.” The Clakker scrambled to his feet and – stupidly – butted into the bounty hunters’ conversation. Pointing a wing at Bailey. “SEE! She admits it she- Hey! I’m not a wimp!” Stranger swung round to face him and growled. The Clakker squawked, “Yipe!” and scurried off. Stranger watched him go, “Yer were sayin’?” he muttered under his breath. Bailey sniggered. “You really are awful when you want.” She said, grinning. Stranger threw a cocky grin in her direction, looking pleased with himself. “Jerk.” Bailey muttered and lightly punched his shoulder. “Never did find out where to go…” Stranger remarked thoughtfully, rubbing at his chin again. Bailey laughed, “Well with your attitude, I’m not surprised.” She said. Stranger ruffled her hair. “But yer wouldn’t change ma fer the world, would ya squirt?” he asked, his tone was light but there was seriousness in the question. Bailey poked his stomach. “Not for the world.” She nodded. Stranger grinned. “Now this is how yer ask folks a question.” Bailey went on and approached another Clakker, Stranger watching her as she and the Clakker began talking and the Clakker began to gesture, a serious look on his face like he was giving directions and Bailey nodding as she committed them to memory. Stranger watched, grinning and shaking his head slightly. That was his kid. ----- And I just felt like addin' this here piccy of Bailey and her precious hat! :D |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Ambush Stranger and Bailey set out on their third day of walking, still heading for the Doc’s spa, walking along a wide canyon, alongside a small river, lush jungle on their left, the river on their right and on the opposite back the great, sheer cliff wall of the nearer canyon side.“So why we goin’ to a spa?” Bailey asked as they walked, Stranger knew what was coming, Bailey had that tone of voice on, the one she always adopted before teasing him about something. This had always been rather odd for Stranger, he’d never been teased before, but then again, he’d never met anyone that was not afraid of him and treated him as an equal before either. “Because the Doc asked us too.” he answered Bailey’s question neutrally, “Yeh, but I mean a spa, where I come from spas’re where lasses go ter be pampered…” she gave Stranger a look, one eye squinted as if thinking of something. She then snickered. Stranger blinked at her. “What?” Bailey kept giggling to herself, “What?” asked Stranger feeling a smile begin on his own face. Bailey’s amusement was of the contagious variety after all. “I just had a funny mental image.” Bailey explained shrugging, “Oh really?” Stranger was starting to get suspicious now. Bailey grinned but didn’t answer. “Of…?” Stranger pressed, Bailey shook her head, refusing to tell him what she’d thought of. It was understandable really, how would tell someone like Stranger you’d just had a mental image of him in one of those beauty mud puddle things with an elasticised shower cap and cucumber slices getting a manicure? You just…didn’t… No wonder Bailey was amused… After an hour of trying to get Bailey to spill the beans, Stranger gave up and went into a sulk. Bailey just found this more amusing and told him he was being childish. Stranger growled. Until Bailey tickled him and then he purred instead. Bailey grinned as she scratched the fur on Stranger’s neck, he really was like a giant pet cat. And she adored him for it. Over the past few weeks (or had it been months now? She couldn’t remember.) Bailey realised she’d grown to love Stranger, just as she loved Abe and Slick. He was her family now, her friend, just as they were. Funny, she thought, that the family she really loved as a family were all bizarre creatures from another universe… Bailey didn’t care, she had the feeling that Abe and Slick and even Scrab and Paramite loved her more then her own mother had. She didn’t know about Stranger, of course she knew that he liked her, he’d said so, but did he really care about her as much as she cared about him. Was she the family to him that he was to herself? Bailey didn’t know. She just knew that leaving him to go back to Abe and Slick was going to be painful. Bailey pushed the thought away, there would be time to think about that later, but not now. Now was time for herself and Stranger, and no one else. ¤§¤ It wasn’t until the middle of the fourth day that Bailey and Stranger saw the Doc’s health spa before them. High up above on an outcropping of rock with nothing but sky and wind around it. Bailey looked at it. It looked nice, a good place to relax. So why did she have a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was very wrong? She stopped walking, gazing up at the spa in silence, trying to find the source of her uneasiness. Stranger sensed her stop and turned. “Bailey? Something wrong?” he padded back to her. Bailey didn’t answer, she seemed transfixed by the building on the ridge. “Bailey?” Stranger frowned and waved a hand before her face. Bailey blinked and came out of her trance. She looked at Stranger, “Wh-what?” Stranger became concerned. “Bailey…is something wrong?” he touched her cheek, “Yer as pale as a sheet…” Bailey blinked again and shook her head, as if ridding it of a crowd of thoughts. “I…I dunno…” a wave of dizziness and nausea swept over her and Bailey swayed, she pressed her hands to her head and stumbled. Fortunately Stranger was right there to hold her up. “Bailey.” The sound of her own name made the strange sensation abate slightly to a dull ebb. She made a pained sound in answer. Her eyes closed, brow furrowed, trying to find the reason for the sudden sick feeling. Reaching deep down for an answer. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she looked around warily. “Something’s coming.” She said. Stranger released her in confusion, mildly disturbed by the sudden wildness in Bailey’s eyes, like a Sleg driven mad by fear… “What’s coming?” Stranger asked gently, trying to curb Bailey’s fear. A fear that had come from nowhere and was rapidly consuming all reason in her. He put a hand on her shoulder and a finger under her chin, guiding her eyes to look at him. “Bailey, what’s comin’?” he asked. “Something.” Bailey said firmly, “Something bad…it’s coming for us…” Bailey didn’t know where all this was coming from, it was like a sixth sense was telling her something and she had to believe it, couldn’t ignore it. It was as if someone else was speaking through her. Stranger nodded, “Right…” he could tell Bailey was not lying and whatever it was she could sense coming scared her. “We’re gettin’ outta here, c’mon.” Bailey followed Stranger, her eyes darting from side to side her movements quick and erratic like a bird’s. Her hands clenched with a death grip on Stranger’s poncho. While they walked Stranger strained all his senses, occasionally he thought he heard the snap of a twig, the rustle of a pile of leaves and other disturbances, but he did not dare stop to investigate. He could smell the fear in Bailey and he didn’t want to send her into a panic. After a time Stranger sensed the tenseness in Bailey receding, as if she was taking control of her emotions. Stranger realised that she was no less afraid but that she had mastered her fear. Stranger smiled, the Bailey he knew was returning. Bailey felt more cheerful, her confidence returning, but her wariness did not weaken. There was something coming, something that would change everything. She didn’t know how and she didn’t know when, but she knew she would be able to fight it. She always had. It was something she had learned a long time ago but still had to remind herself of. She was strong enough. Strong enough to fight and keep her freedom. Strong enough to fight for her friends, her Oddworld family. And she was strong enough now. She just had to remember the lesson she had learned, had to keep remembering it and relearning it. Bailey let go of Stranger’s poncho. “Has it passed?” Stranger asked in a low voice, “No.” said Bailey, “But we can handle whatever it is. We always do.” Stranger ruffled her hair. “That’s my girl. Don’t doubt yerself, yer the best gunslinger in Oddworld.” Bailey gave him a surprise look, which changed quickly to an amused, disbelieving one. “D’you really believe that?” she asked, Stranger stopped and Bailey did too, he put a hand on each of her cheeks and held her head, making sure she was looking right into his eyes so she could see he was serious. “Yes. I do believe it. I have faith in yer. I believe in yer. Yer just gotta have faith and believe in yerself kid.” He let her go and they stood in an awkward silence until Stranger cleared his throat gruffly, “Well…c’mon kid, we gotta git goin’.” ¤§¤ It was some time later that the first attack was launched. Stranger sensed it a moment before it happened and grabbing hold of Bailey’s jersey he pulled her and himself to the floor, his arm over her for protection as a hailstorm of bullets screamed over their heads. Bailey clapped her hands to her ears at the screeching noise and squeezed her eyes shut. Then as soon as it had began, it was over and Stranger hauled Bailey to her feet. “C’MON!” he roared and pulled Bailey after him as he ran along the riverbank, Bailey giving everything she had just to keep up. After a few minutes Stranger plunged into the jungle and led Bailey among the trees until they came to the canyon wall on their side of the river. Quickly Stranger found a place where the reeds were thick and tall and smelt strong. Here, finally, Stranger came to a halt. He could see Bailey failing. He wouldn’t let them catch her, whoever they were, he wouldn’t let any of them touch her. He’d die first. Stranger listened, his ears straining. Only the sounds of small creatures of the forest insects’ droning came to him. He turned to Bailey, he took her shoulders to make sure she was listening. “Bailey, I havta leave yer here.” Bailey grabbed his arms, “What!?” “Listen ter me please Bailey.” The seriousness in Stranger’s voice made Bailey silence her protests and listen intently. “I can go faster then yer can. I can lead them away from here, and then I’ll lose ‘em an’ come back fer yer.” He pressed his nose to her hair, eyes closed in desperation and hugged Bailey tightly, “I promise kid, I will come back for yer.” He let her go and then darted deeper into the jungle. Bailey dropped down among the weeds and waited, hoping, praying, that the both of them would be all right. Unfortunately for Bailey, she didn’t see the shadows or movements in the trees, nor the sounds of the quiet snickering of Outlaws who had found their prey… ¤§¤ Stranger charged through the trees using all four of his limbs and eventually burst back onto the riverbank, his lungs were burning and his heart was beating hard, going wild in his ribs, banging so hard it felt like it was going to burst from his chest. After a moment or two Stranger skidded to a halt and rose from his four-limbed charge and looked back, listening and smelling. Nothing. Suddenly Outlaws burst from the trees, they poured out of the forest and Stranger were soon surrounded on all sides by them. It was an attack that had been perfectly planned to surprise and ambush Stranger when he had least expected it. The trap had been perfectly sprung and he had fallen for it. Stranger looked around warily. This was bad. Suddenly another Outlaw pushed his way through the ringing Outlaws and slung over his shoulder was- Bailey. Unconscious. Stranger let out a sigh, his eyes closing for a moment. It had just got worst. The Outlaw swung the human from his shoulder and dropped her to the stony riverbank. Stranger felt a wrenching tug at his heart to see Bailey so helpless. He looked up at the Outlaw who had brought her and growled, if he’d touched her, Stranger would see to it that his throat was ripped out. Stranger crouched over Bailey and pressed his fingers to her neck. She had a pulse and she was breathing. “Bailey.” Stranger whispered. Bailey stirred and opened her eyes. She squinted at Stranger and then moved her head. As she saw the Outlaws she jerked upright and clung to Stranger. Stranger stroked her hair to calm the human but he kept his neon green eyes of the surrounded Outlaws. He helped Bailey to her feet and then discreetly pushed her behind him, trying to protect the young human. “Tha’ won’t do ‘er or you any good Stranger.” Guffawed a voice and one of the biggest Outlaws Bailey had ever had the misfortune of setting eyes on pushed his way through the ring of surrounding Outlaws and stood before Stranger, looking smug. “Caste Raider.” Growled Stranger. The Outlaw’s grin grew wider. Bailey meanwhile reached for her gun. Raider must have looking out for her to make such a move and laughed again. “Oh no yer don’t lil’ miss.” Bailey heard a gun go off and pain suddenly exploded in her lower leg. Bailey hissed and dropped down to one knee. Stranger turned and in a blur had loaded and fired a very angry Fuzzle at the perpetrator. The Outlaw howled as the vicious creature attacked him. Stranger swept Bailey into his arms and held her close, despite blood leaking through her pant leg. Bailey felt a deep growl rumbling in Stranger’s chest. He was absolutely furious. A vindictive grin pasted itself on Caste Raider’s face and he leered at the pair of bounty hunters, “Aww, it looks like Stranger’s found someone he cares about. Ain’t that sweet lads?” the Outlaws around Bailey and Stranger snickered. Stranger’s grip on Bailey tightened and his growling became more pronounced. “Dida touch a nerve eh Stranger? Yer come quietly and the lass don’t get hurt, if ya don’t. Well, there’re worst things we can do to ‘er…” the Outlaw let the threat hang and leered at Bailey. Bailey glared at him. For a second Raider faltered, like a voice speaking to him, those human eyes told him something very clearly; You are going to pay. The Outlaw finally managed to brush it off, and leered again, “Well Stranger? Yer gonna cooperate, or are we gonna havta teach yer lil’ friend a new game?” Stranger shifted Bailey in his arms and unclipped the crossbow letting it fall to the ground in answer. “Good choice.” Smirked Raider. It was the last thing Bailey and Stranger heard before the ring of Outlaws fell on them, like starving dogs on a bone, there was a sharp pain in Bailey’s head, darkness came, and engulfed her. ----- Man that was short…sorry… |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Phew, I’m onna roll, another chapter finished. (All that time I couldn’t get on the Forums because of certain flippin’ hackers… :flames:) Anyway, yep, here it is…
Betrayal Can Go Both Ways… Bailey woke up slowly. She knew before she opened her eyes that she was suspended above the floor by the way she swayed gently from side to side. She felt dizzy and sick, the pain in her leg throbbed, there was a bandage tied tightly around it, she feel the rough gauze and the soft pad on the wound, and she felt a tickle of warm, glutinous liquid slowly making it’s way from her temple and down her cheek.“Must have been where I was hit…” she thought groggily. With that single recollection everything that had happened to herself and Stranger came back. The feeling of warning, the premonition of something coming. The ambush, the attack. All of it came flooding into the dark space of forefront of Bailey’s mind. Bailey jolted into full consciousness. She looked around, her head feeling heavy. She found she was alone in what looked like some kind of storage warehouse. There were barrels scattered around the floor and crates were stacked up against the walls. She also found that she no longer had her pack, hatchet, guns, daggers, whip or sling and her jersey had been removed. Bailey tried to move but she found coarse rope was tied tightly around her middle clamping her arms to her sides making her feel like a trussed fly. The rope fibres rubbed the skin on her arms until they were raw. Bailey was hung from a metal ceiling beam by another coarse rope that came down and was attached to the cords binding her. Bailey gave a sigh of futility and drooped. “Ug…” she muttered. “I am in so much pain right now…” her voice sounded hoarse even in her own ears. She looked around again, looking for her equipment, she found it eventually; a little pile, right along with Stranger’s poncho, hat and crossbow. Wait a second… Where was Stranger? Bailey looked around again. She was completely alone. Where was everyone? Had she just been left? This idea was quashed when a door Bailey couldn’t see was thrown open with enough force for it to hit the wall with a crash. Bailey looked up sharply and followed the sounds with eyes like a hawk. Finally they came into view. The Outlaw Stranger had called Caste Raider came with four minions, and with them, dragged by a chain and collar like a dog, arms tied behind his back, was Stranger… When he caught Bailey’s eyes, Bailey cracked a half-grin and he returned it with a tired smile, even in this situation glad to see Bailey awake and apparently alright. Bailey couldn’t help noticing that Stranger limped on every other step and that he too had a bleeding gash on his temple. Bailey had never seen Stranger look so vulnerable and powerless. To see Stranger, who was such a naturally strong person, so beaten was an unpleasant revelation for Bailey. To her, Stranger had seemed invincible, unstoppable. No one could beat him. But someone had. And they’d hurt him. Bailey felt the traces of the Rage rise up in her. The same Rage that had possessed her completely when she had been fighting her way out of Rupture Farms. The same Rage that had blinded her, and had only cleared when she had broken the neck of an adult Scrab that had been driven mad by rabies… But it was only a faint trace and nowhere near it’s blinding intensity that it could reach at full strength. That had only ever happened twice… Bailey strained against the ropes, snarling. Raider and his cronies broke into gales of cruel laughter. Bailey stopped struggling and gazed at Raider with such cold intensity that his and his minion’s laughter died. “You got somat ter say ter me runt?” Raider snapped, Bailey smiled. There was no humour in that smile. It was cold and deadly, like the smile of a great white shark. “I am going to rip out your spine and stick your decapitated head on it and feed you to the Fuzzles.” She said this with such perfect calmness that Raider felt fear stir in his stomach. “You can’t do that.” He said finally, Bailey cocked her head very slightly in a very raptor-like way. She grinned. “I’ll remember that later.” She said. Raider narrowed his eyes in a cold calculating look. He was looking for a way to hurt her, Bailey realised. She’d just undermined him in front of his men, and now he was looking for revenge. And unfortunately he had it. Raider leered at Bailey and drew a very familiar sheet of paper from his vest, he looked up at Bailey, saw how she took one look at it and dropped her head fractionally, “Oh no…” she murmured more to herself then anyone else. The Outlaw cackled, it was just as he’d thought. For some reason the human had been keeping this bounty secret from Stranger. It was something she didn’t want him to find out about. Well he was going to find out about it now… “He don’t know do ‘e?” Raider guffawed, he turned to Stranger, “Yer don’t know what yer lil’ friend’s bin up to, do ya?” and he shoved the paper in front of Stranger’s face. Stranger looked at it. His eyes dulled. Those fantastic neon green eyes that so fascinated Bailey dulled and lost their iridescence. He looked older and greyer and sadder then Bailey had ever seen him. He made a rough sound of disappointment, almost as if he was in pain. Bailey let out a sigh and let her head drop, staring at the floor. ¤§¤ When Stranger saw the Steef bounty it was if his heart stopped and his world shattered. Bailey was hunting Steef. He felt like he’d been betrayed. “Bailey… What have you done… What have you gotten into…?” with a stab he realised that he had betrayed her trust no less…he’d never told her about the operation and his reasons behind, maybe if he had then she wouldn’t have- Raider cackled. He had broken both Stranger and Bailey with one stone and he gloated. “Seems yer didn’t know ‘er half as well as yer thought ‘ey Stranger?” Stranger growled furiously and jerked his head, twisting his shoulders, turning to get free. The Outlaws all howled with mirth again and one hit the back of Stranger’s head with the butt of his gun. Stranger dropped to his knees. “GET OFF HIM! LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Bailey shrieked, “YOU’RE DEAD, YOU’RE ALL DEAD! I’LL KILL YOU!” she raged, thrashing, “I’LL KILL YOU IF YOU TOUCH HIM AGAIN!” “Stick ‘im up wiv ‘is lil’ friend.” Crowed Raider, still laughing. Soon Stranger was hung up with Bailey in an identical way on her right. The Outlaws were practically falling over themselves in their laughter, Bailey used the opportunity to talk to Stranger. “Stranger?” he didn’t answer, just stared dully at the floor, “Stranger please…I’m sorry…” Stranger looked at her slowly. His eyes looked dead. “Why did yer do it?” he asked, his voice deadpanned. “Why did yer agree ter hunt Steef?” Bailey slumped, not meeting Stranger’s gaze, her own eyes burning with unshed tears fighting to get free. “The Doc raised the price of the operation because of me…and my damned temper…so I agreed to work for Sekto, you need the cash…I was only trying to help…” she whispered, “Only trying to help…” she said this to herself. She blinked to try and clear the frustrated tears glazing her hazel eyes. “Did yer ever…” he couldn’t even say it. “No.” “Would yer have? If you’d ever found one?” “I don’t know…I don’t know if I could have, after you told me what happened to them…what Sekto did…” Stranger sighed a deep sigh. He felt relief rising as a lump in his throat. “I’m sorry Bailey, for all of this.” Bailey looked at him, and smiled. “Don’t be.” she shook her head. “Partners stick together, not matter what… We go together, always together.” Stranger returned the smile. The two bounty hunters turned and watched the Outlaws regale amongst themselves and waited patiently for whatever was in store for them. Finally the Outlaws’ mirth subsided and Raider turned to Stranger and Bailey. He approached Bailey. “So didja git ya bounty lil’ hunter? Didja bag a Steef?” Bailey grinned, “No, and now I never will. Never.” Raider shrugged nonchalantly. “Too bad, Mister Sekto liked your style.” Bailey narrowed her eyes. “Whadda you know about Sekto?” she said slowly, Raider grinned, “Only that he called me afta you did and offered me ¥20,000 fer a Steef head, whether I got it meself, or,” he leered at Bailey, “Or, I got it off yer.” Bailey grinned, “Too bad jerk-off, guess you won’t git yer cash.” And she kicked him in the face. Raider staggered back, blood pouring from his mouth, “YOU LIL’ DEMON!” he roared, “Boys, git ‘er down, I wanna do ‘er in meself!” his four minions started forward. Stranger vented a roar of rage and began to fight against his ropes, thrashing furiously. A small pile of paper, knotted with string fluttered from under his green shirt and landed at Raider’s feet. Frowning he stooped and picked it up, snapping the string and flicking through the sheets of paper. He broke into a grin. “Wait!” the minions approaching Bailey obeyed, “What tis it boss?” one asked. Raider grinned hugely and smirked at his captives. Stranger had suddenly gone pale. Raider looked at Stranger, then at Bailey. Bailey followed his gaze slowly, an expression of confusion on her face. She saw Stranger pale under his fur and was shaken by the look on his face. Pure, unadulterated terror. Bailey’s eyes snapped back to Caste Raider, he smirked. Cold fear crawled over Bailey’s skin at that look. It froze her blood. Anything that scared Stranger to that extent had to be very, very bad… So confusion assailed her as he said smugly; “Looks like I’ll git my Steef bounty after all…” |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
The Pure And Simple Truth “Get them pants off!” Raider hollered. Stranger blanched and looked at him,But the Truth is rarely ever pure and never simple… “What.” he murmured, Raider smirked as his minions tore off Stranger’s boots and tan trousers, Bailey stared, frowning in confusion. Down the sides of Stranger’s legs were little pieces of thread, Bailey cocked her head to one side. They looked remarkable like…stitches… Bailey’s head was suddenly filled with Stranger’s screams. And now she knew why. Stranger was having his legs sown… But why? “Cut them stitches!” shouted Raider. The minions obeyed, one taking out a knife while the other three held a now fighting Stranger. The minion with the blade cut the stitches one by one until- Bailey blinked and gaped, her eyes huge and round. Stranger had four legs… Stranger, was a Steef. Bailey felt sick, for two reasons. Now she understood why Stranger had taken the Steef bounty so hard, and the fact that she had been hunting his kind (even unintentionally) sickened her. What added to this was that Stranger had let that monster of a doctor sew his legs together… Bailey shuddered. And now she understood his words from what seemed like a lifetime ago… “I need this to survive…” He had had his legs sewn together to make it look like just two legs, sawn off his horns and filed down his teeth to disguise his identity. Because Steef were hunted for their heads. “Is that what I think it is!?” exclaimed one of the minions, forcefully dragging Bailey from her sickened thoughts. Raider strode up to Stranger and grabbed his ponytail, yanking his head back. “It’s a Steef!” he laughed manically, “It’s an Odd-damn Steef!” Stranger roared and twisted out of Raider’s grip, snapping at him with sharp fangs, almost taking off the Outlaw’s hand. “Stranger…” Bailey whispered, completely stunned by this shocking, completely unforeseen revelation. Stranger deflated and looked at the floor, not able to look at Bailey, “Tha operation…” he murmured, “It would have removed ma hind legs permanently…made otha adjustments so I would neva have been found out…” Bailey watched Stranger sadly. “You thought I would hate you for who you are?” she thought miserably, “You really thought I would abandon you?” Bailey was struck by an epiphany. “Or maybe I will…” she forced a look of fury and disgust onto her expression. “Steef!” she yelled, “A STEEF!? You lying SON OF A FLEECH! I TRUSTED YOU! AND YOU WERE AN ODD-DAMN STEEF!” Stranger snapped his head round to look at her. The look of deep pain and utter broken, helplessness nearly broke Bailey’s resolve, but she remained firm. She had to be convincing. She lowered her voice to a furious, deadly whisper. “When I get down from here I’m going dig out your heart with a spoon! I’ll hack off your head myself!” the Outlaws were laughing again and Raider looked impressed. “Maybe you ain’t that bad after all kid,” he remarked, “You’d seriously kill ‘im?” “Get me down an’ I’ll show ya how serious I am!” Bailey said. Raider thought about this, then he grinned. “Mr Sekto was right about you… alright! Git ‘er down lads.” The minions looked at each other confused, “You sure boss?” asked one. Raider scowled at him, the minions hastily did as they were told. Soon Bailey was brushing off the severed ropes and looking smug. Stranger watched her, with a look of such deep wounding and distress that Bailey wanted to cut him down and hug him, never letting go. Telling him it would be alright. “Everything’s gonna be alright. I promise.” “Git her the hatchet.” Raider bellowed. A minion hurried to do obey, scuttling to Bailey’s pack, taking out the hatchet and scuttling back, handing it to Bailey. “Now kid, hack off the Steef’s head.” Bailey tensed, her grip tightening on the hatchet’s handle. And faced Stranger. Her leg was stiff from it’s injury and it made her movements slower, but at least she could use it. “Yer gonna git it now Stranger,” sniggered one of the minions, he was right behind Bailey, just next to her left shoulder, “Done in by yer lil’ friend. Dumb Steef.” The minions all began laughing again. Bailey’s eyes slid to one side, looking at the Outlaw who had spoken from the corner of her eye and glared. Before anyone realised what she was going to do, Bailey swung around and punched the Outlaw by her shoulder. He went down with a loud ‘Umph!’ and hit the deck with a thud. The other Outlaws made sounds of fury and outrage of being betrayed but another one fell before anyone had even taken a breath, a hatchet buried in his skull. Bailey stood between Stranger and the Outlaws, her eyes were gleaming ferally and a grim, malicious smirk touched her face. “You really thought I’d just turn on Stranger. You’re all stupider then I even took credit for.” Caste Raider looked furious. “Traitorous scum! Take ‘er boys!” the two unharmed minions and the one recovering from being socked in the face closed in of Bailey. Bailey stood still, fists clenched, waiting. When they struck she fought back as best she could but she was only a young human child and could not beat three all at once, not with an injured leg that slowed her up especially. She was soon taken down and trussed up like a fly, a gag in her mouth, arms behind her back and on her knees, in a worst situation then before. Raider hoisted her up by the back of her shirt so that they were eyelevel. “And you will pay for that later.” He growled. Bailey’s eyes smiled vindictively. Raider snarled in anger and disgust and threw her down. Stranger watched all this helplessly, eyes burning like twin emerald fires had ignited in them. He glanced over to Bailey who held his gaze and shrugged as if to say ‘Tried me best, sorry it didn’t work.’ Stranger gave a barely perceptible nod. The captives both turned to look at the Outlaws. Raider looked furious but satisfied to be in control again. “Looks like yer lil’ idea didn’t work princess.” He spat, “But it was damn good, I’ll give ya that. Very convincing, got me goin’ and believin’ yer fer a second dere.” Bailey narrowed her eyes at him. “On second thoughts,” she said to herself, “I’ll settle for you just dead.” She made a muffled growl. Before the Outlaws would have laughed, but now they knew that Bailey was capable of, and they were wary. She had their grudging respect now. Raider returned her glare. One of the minions handed Raider the hatchet. He tossed it from hand to hand and then threw it at Bailey’s feet, guffawing. Bailey fought to restrain a grin. “Idiot.” “Boys!” Raider called, “Slic-” his order was cut off as suddenly ropes with clamping jaws fixed to arrows burst through the skylight high above their heads, smashing the window and showering everyone with glass. Bailey looked up with the rest, her eyes wide. “What the heck?” The clamps fastened on Bailey and Stranger’s packs and equipment and they were hauled up. While the Outlaws were preoccupied with what was happening and fighting complete shock, Bailey brought her arms quietly under her legs so that were in front of her and pulled out the gag. Keeping an eye of Raider and his minions she crawled forward and took hold of the hatchet, quietly cutting herself loose. Unfortunately one of the small Outlaw minions looked back at her just then, he did a double take when he saw what Bailey was up to. “Hey boss!” he yelled, “The lil’ one’s escapin’!” Raider spun around, Bailey was on her feet, loosely holding the hatchet on one hand. “Well well, fulla surprises ain’t yer?” he sneered. Bailey half-grinned and shrugged. “Get ‘er lads,” Raider waved his hand carelessly, “An’ make sure there’s nothin’ left.” Stranger roared in rage and thrashed in the ropes. Nothing gave. As if sent by some deity, a flurry of flaming arrows suddenly rained down from the broken skylight. Several hit Stranger’s rope, severing it and he dropped to the floor, it only took a few moments to free himself. Fire began licking at the walls. “We have to get outta here…” Stranger said to himself, “Don’t Yer Dare Touch My Bailey.” He snarled in a low voice to Raider. The Outlaw turned, smirking – though with a little less confidence. There was noise from the tussle between Bailey and the minions but – predictably – the minions won and Bailey was soon held firmly between them. Raider’s confidence returned. Stranger growled and took a step forward, fists clenched, the muscles of his four legs tensing. “I don't think so, yer fou'-legged freak.” Said Raider in a low voice, “Yer worth booku alive, but I'll settle fer yer dead.” “Bring it on.” Stranger snapped, “Yer mama did.” Even in this dire situation Bailey rolled her eyes and muttered to herself, “Don’t matter where you go, there’s always masculine repartee before a scrap…and what’s with this obsession Stranger has with people’s mothers!?” “After 'im, boys!” Yelled Raider “To pieces with 'im!” the minions leapt at Stranger, Raider meanwhile wrenched Bailey’s arm behind her back and put the blade of her own hatchet against her throat. “Now we’ll watch yer lil’ Steef friend get it.” He muttered in her ear, Bailey cringed but kept her voice steady. “D’you know that guys like you always get what’s coming to ‘em?” “Not this time sweetheart.” Raider grinned. “Always.” Bailey growled. The first minion approached Stranger, a blade raised. Stranger grinned a feral smile and beckoned for the Outlaw to come any closer. When he stupidly did so Stranger balled his fists and decked the Outlaw right in the face. The Outlaw fell back with a yelp and staggered into a section of fire. The Outlaw’s yelp became a scream and the smell of burning meat made Bailey gag. Still on fire and screaming the Outlaw rammed into one of the barrels. It detonated with a huge explosion that rocked the entire building. “Show off…” muttered Bailey. The blast from the explosion threw everyone to the floor, Bailey tried to roll away but Raider had a firm grip on her. “Not this time lil’ girl.” He snarled. Stranger hit the floor, the remaining Outlaws were running and screaming now. Stranger could hear the tortured creaking and groaning on the building as it threatened to collapse. Where was Bailey? This sudden thought released faint panic in Stranger and he looked around quickly. He pushed himself up and looked around again, the whole place was filled with smoke and flames, Stranger coughed. “Bailey!” he called through the smokescreen, there was a particularly loud groan and the screech of collapsing wood and metal and a crash like a huge tree falling as part of the roof fell in and hit the floor. “BAILEY!” and then he heard it, a faint call. “Over here!” Stranger plunged into the smoke and sparks, casting around for Bailey. He finally found her, she was right by the caved in roof, but she seemed unharmed. Raider on the other hand had been crushed from the middle down by the falling beams. But his hand was locked in a death grip around Bailey’s wrist. Stranger crouched down quickly and pried the Outlaws fingers away from Bailey. Suddenly the hand twitched and Raider lurched at them, roaring, his body smoking, but he was pinned beneath the fallen roof and could not reach them. He still clawed at the floor, gouging huge furrows in the wood, his blazing eyes fixed of the slowly retreating Bailey and Stranger. Bailey stooped, her eyes on Raider and picked up the hatchet that had fallen from the Outlaw’s grasp, and held it ready. There was another creak and groan and another part of the warehouse toppled. Right on top of Raider. Crushing him completely. Stranger swept Bailey into his arms and pressed her forehead to his shoulder, his hand on the back of her head, so she didn’t see the grisly end of Caste Raider. But she’d been right. He’d got what had been coming to him… |
Oddworld Just Got Stranger
Hunter Becoming Hunted “Hold on Bailey!” Stranger yelled as the two plunged through the smoke and fire. After a lot of protests on the subject Bailey was now sitting on Stranger’s back, clinging to his middle.“I don’t like this one bit!” she yelped over the noise of crackling flames. Stranger couldn’t help chuckling. He charged through the warehouse. And skidded to a halt when he realised that the door had fallen in. He swore violently. Bailey tapped him on the shoulder. Stranger looked back at her and for a moment went still. The smoke and fire was affecting the human much more then himself. Her skin was grey and her eyes watered, she was coughing and looked like she was on her last dying breath. Unable to speak she covered her mouth and nose with her shirtsleeve (the jersey was long gone) and pointed to a broken beam that had punched a hole in the floor. Stranger nodded once and ran over to the hole, he looked down to see where it led. Another huge explosion from the flames igniting another barrel blasted behind them. Stranger jumped. Fortunately the hole led them out of the building and into fresh air as the building collapsed behind them. Bailey slumped against Stranger back, coughing violently. Stranger kept running and Bailey held on as best she could. Suddenly the floor beneath them collapsed and Stranger and Bailey were dropped into an underground room full of Clakkerz. For a split second everyone was quiet and unmoving. The Clakkerz staring at Stranger and Bailey, and Bailey and Stranger staring at the Clakkerz, both parties equally shocked and with equally wide eyes. Then all of a sudden screams broke out among the chicken people; With cries of ‘Steef, it's a Steef, run for your lives!’, the Clakkerz scattered, and Stranger charged through them, shattering the door and bolting. The two runaways found themselves in a Clakker town. Stranger ran as fast as he could down the street. The whine and bang of bullets and guns going off informed them that the Clakkerz were firing at them. “They’re shootin’ at us!” Bailey yelped in surprise. Stranger didn’t answer, he was desperately trying to find a way out. “Where’s the exit ter this dump?” he muttered. But Bailey didn’t hear him. Something was startlingly familiar about this place… “No way.” Bailey thought in shock, “It couldn’t be…” a tavern flashed by. The Stoned Crow… “BIRDINGTON!” Bailey yelled, “We’re back in Birdington!” Stranger heard her yell and skidded around a corner, now knowing exactly where to go. As they reached the gate, they saw it was closing, sealing them in. Stranger skidded to a halt. “Damn.” Bailey whispered, “Not good.” A voice called to them from the guard tower. “Stranger!? Gunslinger!? What happened ter you two!?” They looked up, a familiar face was peering down at them. “Long story Grissum!” called Bailey recognising the friendly tower guard, she looked back, Clakkerz armed with guns were coming in a seething mob. “And it looks like yer won’t get ter hear it!” The Clakker – Grissum, remembered when the two bounty hunters had dragged themselves up to the gate when Stranger had been injured. He’d said that the least he could do was help, Stranger had done a lot for them, catching Outlaws giving them trouble. And now that Stranger had been revealed as a Steef, everyone had turned on him and his partner like a pack of hungry Slegs. He had a second to decide. Should he save Stranger and Bailey? Or join the mob. He knew he could never live with himself if he let them die. He held the gate open. Stranger and Bailey couldn’t move from surprise. “RUN YA PECKERS!” Grissum yelled. His voice jolted Stranger and the Steef charged out of the gate. Bailey looked up at the guard tower as they passed. Grissum grinned and waved. “Thank you.” She mouthed and returned the wave. As soon as Stranger and Bailey were clear Grissum the Clakker closed the gate. Keeping blood-thirsty mob inside. He watched Stranger and Bailey disappear with satisfaction. Then he climbed down to face the mob… ¤§¤ Stranger had fled from Birdington and taken refuge in the jungles above it. Leaves and whipping branches lashed at him and Bailey as he ran, leaving small, blooding scratches that would hurt like the dickens later. Finally, Stranger slowed and stopped. They were deep in the jungle now. Alone. No, not alone. They always had each other. Bailey slid down from Stranger’s back and Stranger dropped down like an exhausted horse, his legs bending comfortably beneath him. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and leant against the tree he’d stopped next to, completely worn out. Bailey flopped down and lay on her back. After a moment she put her hands over her eyes, groaning. “And on Bailey’s list of ‘Top Ten Worst Things To Happen To Her Ever’ this comes at about number four.” She muttered to herself. She took her hands from her eyes and looked over at Stranger. He still had his eyes closed and looked exhausted. Bailey clambered to her feet and went over to him, dropping to her knees. “Stranger?” Stranger opened his neon green eyes fractionally and looked at her. But he didn’t have anything left in him to answer with. His head drooped. Bailey put her arms around his neck and gently guided his head to rest on her shoulder, stroking his hair, trying to be comforting and sooth Stranger’s raw nerves. After some hesitation Stranger leaned heavily on the human. He gripped her arms and Bailey felt him shaking with dry, wracking sobs. She stroked the fur on his cheek and neck, trying to calm Stranger down. “It’s alright.” She said soothingly, “It’s gonna be alright. We’re safe now.” Stranger pressed his head to Bailey’s shoulder. He took a great sniff, taking in her scent and was comforted. Bailey rested her cheek on the top of his head. After a time her fingers running through Stranger’s hair touched something she hadn’t noticed before. Bailey frowned and examined the things on Stranger’s head. Hidden amongst the wild tangle of mane that was barely contained in his ponytail, were two cylinders. Just smaller then Bailey’s palms and rock hard, about an inch thick. It didn’t take long for Bailey to work out what they were. It was all that was left of Stranger’s Steef horns. Bailey touched them. “Who did this to you?” she asked quietly. And Stranger finally spoke and answered, “I did it ter meself…” Bailey felt the beginnings of despair well up in her chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, “Did you really think I’d run from you if I found out?” Stranger’s grip on her tightened in answer. “Stranger, I’m your friend, why would you think that?” “I’ve always been alone-” he gulped “…Everyone else…they ran away when they knew what I was…” Stranger became quiet. Bailey swallowed a lump in her throat. She remembered what Abe had told her when they had first escaped from Rupture Farms. It had been nightfall and Bailey had been scared, to be in an unfamiliar place in such alien dark. She began softly whispering it to Stranger. “It’s gonna be alright,” she said in a soothing voice, “We’ll be okay. Whatever happens…we’ll find our way…” Stranger seemed calmer now, relaxing in Bailey’s arms. “We go together.” Bailey whispered and Stranger muttered sleepily in reply, the exhaustion finally catching him up. “Always together.” “I will always be your friend…” Bailey continued to stroke Stranger’s fur until he fell asleep, resting his head on her shoulder. His breathing deepened and evened out as he went into a deep sleep and Bailey let out a sigh. She kissed his temple and laid her cheek on his head. “Always together.” She murmured. “Steef or not,” she continued, “I will never stop loving you Stranger. You’re my friend, my family. And I will always love you. Whoever, or whatever, you are.” Soon Bailey too drifted off to sleep, cuddled up to Stranger. ¤§¤ Bailey was woken up by Stranger twitching and making sounds of distress in his sleep some time later. She blinked a few times to clear her groggy mind and groped to form a coherent thought. Unluckily that first coherent thought was not a great help. “What’s happenin’!?” Bailey mentally gave her brain a slap and told it to get with the program. Something was wrong with Stranger, he was making soft, very out-of-character, mewling whimpers in his sleep. “Stranger.” Bailey kept her voice calm and even but soothing. “Stranger, wake up. It’s a nightmare, only a bad dream.” She fingered the longer fur on Stranger’s jaw, it had always calmed him before, and so it did now. Bailey sensed him coming out of his dreams and waking up. He stirred and cracked open his eyes. “Bailey?” he asked, voice still heavy with sleep. “’Ello sunshine.” Bailey said cheerfully, Stranger made a sleepy sound, as if mentally stretching. “You were dreaming.” Bailey said after a moment. Stranger stirred a bit more and frowned. “I was?” he asked in a low voice. “Umhm.” Bailey moved her hand and began winding strands of Stranger’s hair around her finger. She noticed that there were amber coloured bead-like things woven into the fur that came next to Stranger’s cheek, making it look like he had the beginnings of dreadlocks. “But at least you weren’t snoring.” She added lightly, “Otherwise I don’t think I could have coped.” She felt a rumbling chuckle vibrate through her stomach. “Yer makin’ fun of me.” he said. Bailey shrugged lightly, “Probably. Good job I can sleep through pretty much anything,” she grinned, “Even when I’m being crushed by a full grown Steef who seems to weigh a ton.” Stranger went dark under his fur and made to pull away. “Oh…er…sorry…” he muttered embarrassed, but Bailey took hold of his ponytail and gave it a tug so Stranger’s head was once again on her shoulder. “Where d’you think you’re goin’?” she asked, voice a low purr, stroking his cheek. Stranger let out a breath and closed his eyes again, putting one arm around Bailey’s middle. “Looks like I’m goin’ nowhere.” He muttered. “Damn right.” There was a comfortable silence. Bailey letting her mind wander and Stranger just enjoying being close to Bailey, having someone to be cuddled by. His dreams started slowly coming back and he remembered what had troubled him. “Bailey?” Bailey had her head leaning back against the tree was sitting up against and her eyes closed. “Yes?” she murmured, not wanting to disturb the peace. “Yer wouldn’t leave me would yer?” Bailey made an amused sound. “No. I’m not goin’ to leave you. Sorry Stranger, but yer gonna be stuck with me for a long time yet.” Stranger relaxed against her shoulder. “Good. And, rub here.” He lightly took hold of her hand and put it on his neck. Bailey snickered. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty…” she whispered and obligingly stroked his neck. Stranger purred. “Overgrown cat.” Bailey muttered, smiling. ¤§¤ “C’mon Bailey, wake up, up yer git, we gotta go!” Bailey jerked awake with a snort. “Huh!? What!?” Stranger chuckled. A day had passed since Stranger had been revealed and he and Bailey had made a break for it after being captured by the Outlaw Caste Raider. “C’mon kid, we’re leavin’!” Stranger repeated exuberantly. Bailey pushed herself up into sitting position. And rubbed her head, squinting one eye at Stranger. “Why are you so cheerful?” she asked. Stranger offered her a hand up. Bailey took it and Stranger hauled the human to her feet. “I dunno,” he shrugged happily, “I jist feel GREAT!” he suddenly grabbed Bailey and whirled her around and around, laughing. Bailey just felt bemused. When Stranger put her down she felt rather dizzy and was abit unsteady on her feet. She put her hands to her temples to stop the world spinning and swayed. “Whoa there, careful.” Stranger said holding her arm. Bailey fixed him with a bemused look, which seemed to amuse Stranger as he smiled. But it wasn’t the smirk Bailey was used to; it was a proper, completely happy smile, as if a heavy burden had lifted from his heart. Bailey blinked in surprise. “What?” Stranger asked, still grinning. “Wow, you should do that more often,” Bailey said pointing at him, “Not half as scary.” Stranger made a mock growl. “Maybe I like bein’ scary.” He suggested. Bailey narrowed her eyes at him but matched his humour. “How did I know you were goin’ to say that?” she asked. Stranger chucked her chin gently, “Coz yer know me.” He answered. Bailey suddenly threw her arms around his middle and rested her forehead on his chest, feeling the material of Stranger’s shirt brushing her face. Stranger stroked her hair. “What’s this for?” he asked in a low voice. “I wish you’d be happier more often.” Bailey muttered, voice muffled. “It’s nice.” “I have tha feelin’ I’ll be a lot happier from now on… Bailey, I’ve bin happier eva since I met you…” a comfortable silence pervaded the air around them. “We should git goin’.” Stranger finally said softly. Bailey nodded into his shirt and let him go. Walking side by side the Steef and human began their second day of walking. Though neither of them mentioned it nor felt any apprehension at that moment, neither of them knew where they were going… ----- Well, that’s all of ‘em fer now. So here we are, at the place we were before those flippin’ hackers made a mess of the Forums… Comments would be nice… :D |