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…